Afterward Azari will inspect the box and attempt to use his lockpick set i.E thieves tools to work the box open normally
History check to see if he's read anything about these
Magical knowledge to try to open as well
In general Azari is using all his various skill to try and pop this box open
Timerus pauses and points out several places on the paper for Azari where the indications are that Wrath has nothing to do with the Paradox box.
and he says aloud the box may have been created by the Thassilonian enclave of Bakrakhan, which followed The Runelord of Wrath, but it has little to do with solving the box and we would be in error to go down that line of thought.
then he added can any of you find out if there are any traps on the box?
Malt mentions something about runes on the underside of the box, and Audri's perusal of the papers seems to confirm that. She sees a crude translation of the runes on the underside into Common. They seem to spell out the letters: CRUEL.
Azari examines the box carefully, but he can find no place to even use his thieves tools. It appears without crack, seam, or lock or moving parts of any kind. He can recall nothing about this type of coffer from studies of Thassilon in the past but assumes the box must be opened by magical means.
Audri looks from the notes to the box, but her detailed once over seems to indicate there are no traps on the box. She also can discern no moving parts at all, though when she flips the coffer over, she notes that if you touch two of the runes at the same time, they magically flip places with each other....
Audri quietly relayed what she had observed during her keen examinations,
"I cannot discern any traps or moving parts on this coffer. However, when I touched the two runes on the underside, at the same time, they magically switched places."
Audri cast her own spell, hoping to determine what magics were placed on the stone coffer (in particular the two switching runes) to aid her caster companions.
Audri can confirm the box is magical, much like Timerus had already discovered. The druid cannot determine anything else about the box from its dweomer.
"The runes on the underside of the coffer spell the word 'CRUEL'. And having seen firsthand how the runes/letters can be rearranged magically by touching two at a time, I believe that sorting the letters to make ciphers might be the way to unlock the coffer."
Timerus paused and looked over the box carefully. You know, we can adjust the words around by touching two letters a time, perhaps sorting the letters to make anagrams might be the way to unlock the box.
Rearrange the runes... If it's Thassilonian in nature what runes would work Azari speculates out loud
The runes on the other surfaces of the box are all the same. They are the Thassilonian symbol for wrath (or kindness, hard to tell as those concepts are strangely interchangeable in that language) and as we have been told, are more about where the box is from than how to open it.
Only the underside has the magical, movable runes, and those runes are the replacement for the Common tongue letters for C-R-U-E-L. If you touch two at a time, they change places.
Since you have already thought of the idea of making anagrams using the same letters, might see what other common tongue words you can make with this set of runes.
There are only 3 words that can be spelled with those set of letters, i think i have it... Those words are Cruel, ulcer, Lucre. Which is a word meaning to gain money in a greedy or otherwise negative fashion Azari goes over and tries to rearrange the letters to Spell Lucre, whilest spewing out his information as he does
Audri nodded. "Lucre sounds the better option of the two." As Azari started to press the runes two at a time to rearrange the letters on the underside of the stone coffer, Audri took a step back in case they had decided upon the wrong word and there were some nasty repercussions. "Everyone be careful. Do not stand too close," Audri steadily warned them.
Azari solves the anagram for possible words in his head, and as he explains what he is thinking, the others agree, standing back at Audri's warning.
As the last of the letter combinations is pressed to spell the word - LUCRE - the box bursts open with a cracking sounds and a burst of magical white light. Instead of a hoard of Thassilonian treasure inside, however, only a pair of tiny-sized dog-like humanoids leap from their confinement, each carrying a wicked looking steel dagger.
What's In the Box - Round 1
22 Azari
21 Timerus
20 Malt
18 Red Pugwampi
17 Audri
13 Blue Pugwampi
Azari draws his curved blade, thin and light but wickedly sharp, and swings, Don't know what these are, but lucks on my side!
Archaeologist’s Luck (Ex)
Fortune favors the archaeologist. As a swift action, an archaeologist can call on fortune’s favor, giving him a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. Maintaining this bonus is a free action, but it ends immediately if the archaeologist is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. Archaeologist’s luck is treated as bardic performance for the purposes of feats, abilities, effects, and the like that affect bardic performance. Like bardic performance, it cannot be maintained at the same time as other performance abilities. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level, +3 at 11th level, and +4 at 17th level.
Timerus backed up and slid to the side, lining up his ray and with a simple phrase and a hand gesture a ray of freezing cold flashed out toward the closest dog creature
What's In the Box - Round 1 - continued
Whether its active or passive, Azari has his own luck, and it allows him to cancel out some of the negative effect of the gremlins. The silver-tressed elf acts instead of negotiating, sweeping the head clean off one of the dog-like fey in a single quick stroke.
Timerus sidesteps a bit and intones a quick spell as a simple frost ray zips from his fingertips. It hits the second pugwampi, it appears, but the icy blast seems to have no effect on the magical foe.
Malt quickly moves to snatch the second fey, and it nearly slips frm his arms, but the half-orc somehow succeeds on snatching the tiny foe, holding it fast, as least for now.
The little fey, even though grappled, is able to plunge its tiny dagger at Malt, but the half-orcs mail turns the blade aside, keeping the fighter intact.
Just like Azari, Audri did not know what the creatures were. Least the Elf had dispatched one and Malt had the other pined to the ground.
Taking a 5 step diagonally toward Malt, Audri drew breath and began casting before laying her hand on the Half-orc's back, imbuing him with a touch of divine guidance. She then drew her scimitar.
What's in the Box - Round 1 - concluded
Audri manages to get close enough to the bruising half-orc, who is mugging the remaining pugwampi, to cast a spell that sharpens his skill for very short time. Then she readies her own weapon, in case this gets out of hand or more foes appear from the paradox box.
End of Round 1
What's in the Box - Round 2
22 Azari
21 Timerus
20 Malt (grappled, guidance)
18 Red Pugwampi (grappled)
17 Audri
Timerus moves to the side and pushes the box back with the tip of his spear, looking to make sure the portal they came through isnt still active.
What's in the Box - Round 2 - continued
Timerus expects that the burly half-orc has the remaining gremlin under control, so he takes a few seconds to inspect and clear the inside of the box, making sure no more surprises lie in wait. To his vision, both magical and mundane, there is nothing else in the box.
Malt uses his superior size to force the pugwampi to the tabletop, but as he does, he trips over his own shoelace and unfortunately, lets the slippery gremlin break completely free.
On the lose, the pugwampi attacks Malt with its dagger, scoring a hit even against the well armored attacker. The tiny blade cannot really hurt Malt, but it does leave a bruise.
Taking a 5 ft step, Audri attacked the now free dog-faced creature with her scimitar.
Azari moves up to the Pugwampi and swings his blade
What's In the Box? - Round 2 - concluded
As the unlucky gremlin slips from Malt's fingers, Azari hacks at it with his elven blade. Once again he catches the deft foe, dealing it a serious, but not deadly wound, his own luck countering the aura of the pugwampi.
As the dog-like monster reels from the attack, Audri moves in and slices through the fey creature, killing it and ending the fight.
End of Combat
Now that the fight is over, you stand there recovering your wits, and cleaning your weapons and have a bit more clarity about things. Timerus can now see there are actually some small items in the bottom of the box. A silver dagger, three cut garnets, and an unadorned silver ring.
Malt was the only one receiving a wound from the pugwampi battle, and that was just a slight bruise (1 NL dmg).
Not long after the fighting ends, Venture Captain Heidmarch and Koriah burst back into the room, weapons drawn. "I heard the sound of fighting in here," Sheila exclaims. "What on earth have you done? Explain yourselves!"
Solved your box, It contained these things. It was a password code system. Anagram, Cruel to Lucre. We solved it, these things popped out. Attacked and we killed them
Timerus moves to the box, casting the same dweomer he did earlier to identify magical auras. As he reached out picking up the garnets and ring from the box to hold in his hand. As he looked at them.
and it appears we have our first loot, unless the Society wishes to claim it as we aren't vetted yet
The VC's anger and martial tone evaporate as she hears your answers, and her snarl of a few moments ago is replaced with a grin. "You sea, Koriah, there is more to this group than meets the eye. I knew they would solve the paradox box and deal with the trap inside. They have earned their reward, and you owe me dinner..."
Koriah nods, looking over the group once again. "It seems your skills in evaluating talent are beyond reproach, Captain. I will see my debt repaid, but must attend other matters at present. If you will excuse me," the half-elf bows slightly and leaves the library for another part of the manor, leaving you alone with the mistress of the house.
"We also have other matters to discuss, young pathfinders. Please take a seat, and let us converse upon the real reason I brought you here." She motions to comfortable chairs around the table and after moving the magical box aside, she sits at the table's head.
Meanwhile, Timerus' magical evaluation of the items left in the box reveals that the ring is magical, while the silver dagger and garnets are not. The magical ring emits a faint aura.
"First, allow me to apologize for that unpleasantness regarding the gremlins - but it does provide an excellent object lesson. The life of an adventurer is not one for the weak-hearted. That you not only took care of the gremlins but also got the box open in the first place is all the confirmation I need that my gut was right - you're the perfect group for the job I have in mind."
"You see - I've recently had trouble with one of my informants here in Magnimar, Natalya Vancaskerkin. She's a half-Varisian who recently approached the Pathfinder Society with an offer to serve as a street informant. She runs with the Sczarni - I'm not sure with which group. A week ago, Natalya sent me a cryptic hint that her gang was on the verge of uncovering an item that would be of great interest to the Society. Since the Sczarni's methods of uncovering something often involves an armed robbery or breaking into somebody's personal chambers, we thought it prudent not to press for further details and instead wait to see what it would produce. Suffice it to say, she hinted strongly that it pertained to Thassilon, and promised to meet with me to discuss this find three days ago."
"She never kept that promise - instead, she seems to have simply vanished. Initially, I assumed that the acquisition of this item was simply taking longer than expected, but now I'm hearing rumors that the Sczarni are looking for her as well."
"It seems likely that Natalya has absconded with this item she's discovered. And this is where you enter, my friends. I want to know what it was that Natalya and the Sczarni found. In fact, I'm more interested in that than in what happened to Natalya herself. For now, I'd like to keep all of this quiet - if you can find out what happened to Natalya without letting a lot of people know she was also working for me as an informant, that would be preferable - that's a big part of why I 'm coming to you, as new members of the Pathfinder Society, with this task. You don't yet have a reputation in Magnimar, and as such, the lowlifes and criminals you are likely to encounter may be more likely to talk."
"So ...go out there and look for Natalya. Find out what happened to her, and to this item she and her gang discovered. If you can secure the item, all the better - bring it back to me and I'll have a reward of 500 gold pieces for you. And if you can bring Natalya back alive for me to speak to, I'll double that!"
The Venture Captain pauses a moment inclining her head to indicate it is okay to ask any questions from what has been relayed to you so far.
If any of those are magic and you require assistance Timerus, just ask He goes to sit down, after listening to the captain It's also possible she was found out and detained, this sounds like the sort of thing these people may not want others to find out. Azari wipes his blade of the blood and cleans himself using prestidigitation, cleaning his clothes, redoing his hair all with a few flicks of his wrist.
Audri listened to the Venture-Captain without interruption.
When Azari spoke of the Varisian woman, Natalya, being found out and detained, Audri gave a nod of agreement, "Perhaps she was discovered and stopped instead of fleeing with this item. Either way, I will help in any way I am able. Can you give us a description of Natalya? Is there anything of note about this woman which would make her stand out from any other Varisian woman? It will help us identify her if our paths cross. How dangerous/cunning are the... Sczarni? I am new to the city and do not know what they are about."
Never much cared about the other houses around the city. but yeah, we'll need details before looking into this. Like what doe this Natalya Vancaskerkin look like, where does shes reside or hang out. he says with a shrug
Timerus was focusing on the ring in his hand. remarking...These Garnets are valuable, but hold no magic. The Dagger isnt magical but still a silver dagger can be useful. This ring however is for certain magical...and if you notices these runes here on the side...it will slow someones descent if they fall.
then he looked up at the Lady of the house as she talks of finding the missing Vancaskerkin woman and her association with the Sczarni...We;; The Sczarni are native Gypsies. Part of the secretive society. They usually form into small gangs and as such they actually help to protect and police less fortunate neighborhoods. The lower class looks up to them because of this. Here in Maginmar There are six major Sczarni gangs: the Creepers, Doolun's Lads, the Gallowed, the Tower Girls, the Washside Wringers, and the Wreckwash Blades, with the Gallowed being the most powerful Sczarni family in the city.
Looking more and more likely that she was just taken then huh? Azari Looks over the Silver dagger and puts it down, curiosity sated.