This massive hall hosts a vaulted ceiling fifty feet above, supported by huge pillars of marble running down its center. The walls are lined with vaults, stacked in columns of eight, twenty feet high. Lavish murals occupy the thirty-foot stretch of wall above the vaults, depicting naval confrontations between Taldan and Qadiran ships to the east, and Taldan ships and what appear to be ghost ships to the west. The dominant ship in the painting appears in both battle scenes, its mainsail proudly flaunting the mocking medusa; a handsome figure clad in archaic captain’s uniform grips the rigging in one hand while he rallies his sailors by waving a falcata over his head. The man has thick white hair and a long beard divided into three braids.
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"Oh, yeah, ghost ships are far more common than you thing. Though sometimes it's skeletons, zombies. So many lose their lives on the sea. It's unavoidable, really," the Captain said, waving away any concerns about the validity of ghost ships. "Though this does make me want a tomb even more now, this is glorious!"
Brother Rabbit would enter the room to get a better look at everything.
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Kel is trying to take it all in... examining details in the paintings trying to learn more about the history or at least the painter's interpretation of history in regards the events displayed. He'll compare it to the history he can recall from books, but that might not be much, as Taldan seafaring history is not a specialty of his...
The decorations in this chamber are focused primarily upon the Adellas’ naval roles in defending Taldor during conflicts against Qadira (to the east) and the Whispering Tyrant (to the west).
An inspection of the many interment vaults reveal that the bodies buried in this hall consist of Adellas from all three clans. The pillars themselves bear inscriptions as well—memorials to Adellas whose bodies were lost at sea or on the battlefield, or were otherwise unavailable for burial here in the tomb.
Soon after you enter this room, a shimmering, ghostly figure drifts down from the western representation of Pasco Adella. He drifts down to float just a few inches above the ground before the stairs north of the pillared hall, and addresses you in a deep, commanding voice.
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"We aren't thieves, we're archaeologists," he calls out to the ghost, not expecting a reply, then turns to the others. "Well, we already know the name of the ship... Dora just mentioned it... let's see if we can recall or find the reason for his first wife's death and why the body of his eldest son isn't here... "
Kel starts examining the room more intensely. Not having a name to go on, Kel begins searching for Pasco's resting place, hoping his wife's might be close by. "Shall we quickly split up the search? Someone start to the left, I'll start right, we can continue til we find what we seek or meet in the middle... Look for Pasco himself and his wife's memorial or remains must be nearby." Kel begins examining the urns and any memorial inscriptions, names, dates, etc. looking for Pasco, and by association, his first wife.
(He's using a point of inspiration just be sure he finds what he's looking for, or is assured it isn't there to be found. )
Kel and Mal find the following inscriptions on the eastern portion of the chamber:
“Pasco Voxus Adella, 4112–4171”
“Annavale, Beloved Wife, 4120–4138”
“Eudocia, Beloved Wife, 4130–4192”
The rest of the group is not so lucky...
Mal calls out Look for any mention of Annavale and her potential cause of death in the Pillars. Mal goes to look directly at the dominant ship depicted in both murals, closely inspecting it for any detail that'd name the flagship.
The dominant ship in the painting appears in both battle scenes, its mainsail proudly flaunting the mocking medusa; a handsome figure clad in archaic captain’s uniform grips the rigging in one hand while he rallies his sailors by waving a falcata over his head. The man has thick white hair and a long beard divided into three braids.
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Kel sighs. "She was only 18 years old... Perhaps she died giving birth?" He looks at Mal and shrugs... then looks again to see if there is any mention of children among the inscriptions... perhaps one born and died in 4138?
"Unless anyone has any better ideas, time to find out why his eldest son is not interred here." He casts heightened awareness on himself and begins checking the walls for any clues in that regard, still starting in the east (right) and working his way leftwards...
"Dora, you were checking the pillars... any mention of a son born 4138?" It suddenly occurs to him that the first child may not have survived childhood along with the wife, or that the first child was a daughter... Pasco only asked about his eldest SON, but at 18, her death was probably the result of a first pregnancy... He considers that Pasco's second wife was only 8 years old when the first passed away and adds, "If not 4138, then look for a son born in the late 40's or early 50's."
Mal finds out that Pasco’s flagship was the Harlot, which he discovers by checking the name of the ship painted on the mural.
Kel finds nothing further on the east walls, and helps Dora with her search, acting as a research coordinator.
Dora finds that Pasco’s eldest son died at sea—his name is recorded on the westernmost pillar with the austere words, “Pasco Voxus Adella II, 4138–4156, The Sea Reclaims Its Own.”
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Kel continues to search along with Mal, just in case there is more to be learned here... not just about the three questions, but anything else about the family that may prove useful.
"I think Mal is correct, we have the three answers, but we still have a bit of time, so let's see if there's anything more to be garnered from the murals and inscriptions here..."
The apparition continues to float just a few inches above the ground before the stairs, waiting for your answer.
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Anticipating the potential for trouble, Glaube whispers a brief prayer to activate Touch of Glory on himself.
"Sarenrae, by your light, please let us get through this without violence."
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"Alright then... let's try this out... be ready for trouble in case we got any of it wrong though." Kel steps forward a few steps toward the ghost, but out of touch range, so if the ghost attacks, it will have to move to reach him. He clears his throat, and looks at the ghost directly.
"Lord Adella, I believe we have the answers that you seek. Your flagship was The Harlot, your beloved first wife Annavale died in childbirth, and your eldest son died at sea, his body lost to the deep."
He gives the ghost a long measured look as he recites the above information, trying to look neither afraid or pleased, though in truth he's feeling a bit of both - afraid that something was misinterpreted, and pleased that they found the information they did. He didn't want to look afraid, and since they were dealing with matters of love, life and death, there was nothing to be smiling about either.
Kel waits placidly, but ready to try to dodge any incoming attack.
As Kel successfully answers Pasco’s questions, the spirit intones, “Good! One should know of those who came before, and tread reverently. Disturb not these three tombs before you and I shall not vex you further,” before fading away into nothingness.
After he dissipates, you see a wide flight of stairs descends down into the earth here. After a few steps, thick white mist fills the stairwell, obscuring further vision. Three circular tiles are set into the floor inside of the archway at the head of the stairs; each tile depicts a different medusa’s face—one howling in rage, one mocking with a forked tongue, and one with crossed eyes. Those appear to be three different push plates, and probably link the stairs to the three tombs Pasco was talking about.
Two other corridors stretch to the north: one on the east side of the room and one on the west side. Down each of these corridors, a marble fountain, the basin of which resembles a huge shell, sits near the entrance of another room that lies a bit further, its waters cascading from between the fingers of reclining mermaids. Each of those two chambers beyond is empty, save for a single sarcophagus at the far end of each room.
The west and east chambers are almost identical, save for the inscriptions carved into each fountain’s bowl and each sarcophagus. The fountain to the west bears the inscription “Brotherhood,” while the one to the east is marked “Fellowship.” The sarcophagus in to the west has an inscription that reads, “Commerce Is King and Courage His Queen,” while the one to the east reads, “Courage Is King and Commerce His Queen.” Those two sarcophagi detect as magical, as well as Pasco's sarcophagus in the previous room (strong magic on this one).
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Without trying to desecrate or disturb any of the sarcophagi, Kel will cast detect magic and then use his ability to analyze dweomer on each of them.
An attended object may attempt a Will save to resist this effect if its holder so desires. If the save succeeds, you learn nothing about the object except what you can discern by looking at it. An object that makes its save cannot be affected by any other analyze dweomer spells for 24 hours.
Analyze dweomer does not function when used on an artifact.You can observe magical auras. Each round, you may examine a single creature or object that you can see as a free action. In the case of a magic item, you learn its functions (including any curse effects), how to activate its functions (if appropriate), and how many charges are left (if it uses charges). In the case of an object or creature with active spells cast upon it, you learn each spell, its effect, and its caster level.
An attended object may attempt a Will save to resist this effect if its holder so desires. If the save succeeds, you learn nothing about the object except what you can discern by looking at it. An object that makes its save cannot be affected by any other analyze dweomer spells for 24 hours.
Analyze dweomer does not function when used on an artifact.