Jessibel notes aloud that the box generates a powerful conjuration aura. "If we could find a way to make it retract the chains--and maybe fix it, if the thing's malfunctioning--then the box may be worth a pretty penny," the bard points out. "That which does not kill you makes you richer, right? Or something like that...."
Aisling looks at the locked panel, and then - as if by dvine propmting - remembers that they have a key. She decides to see what happens if the key fits the lock.
Opening the panel reveals a small trove, undiscovered and untouched by the Asmodeans. There is a bronze-stitched headband marked with the face of an owl, a silver and mother-of-pearl inkpen, and a platinum disk inscribed with an unpleasantly leering angel.
Jessibel examines Aisling's finds more closely. She can't figure out what properties the headband has but ventures a guess that one must wear it on their head. Her (notoriously unreliable) estimates for the inkpen and platinum disk are 200 gp and 100 gp respectively. The disk catches her fancy for whatever reason, and the bard pockets that item for herself.
Ailsling looks up at the box. "We can come back for that. Time is moving on without us." Keeiping her sword ready, she moves on.
Jessibel nods at Aisling, waves the others to move in front of her, and then takes up her usual rearguard position.
Nyxra glares at the chains and falls back into formation.
The Ravens begin their progress down the hallway from the chained room. To their left extends another corridor with several doors at the end, while two more doors stand on their right, and a pair more stand before them.
"Shall we take the doors as we come to them?"
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Jessibel whispers to the others that she's wary about leaving unexplored rooms between themselves and the exit. "What if Nox is hiding in one of them?" she whispers. "We might suddenly find ourselves caught between a Nox and a hard place!"
Nyxra tenses up at the pun.
"...that was a terrible pun."
The Raven stares at Jessibel, his unmoving mask somehow conveying grave disappointment. After a moment, with a sigh and shake of his head, he backtracks to the first of the unopened doors. She was correct, even if she was awful. The narrow hallways shooting off from the main corridor didn't allow for much room, but he preferred that. His fists had an advantage in areas too confined for others to properly swing their weapons.
The doors in the corridor the Raven opens reveal similar contents to the ones he had opened earlier - slightly more luxurious rooms with desks and privies of their own. Fortunately none are locked.
Inside the bedchambers, the Raven sees a small framed picture of a trio of people. One is recognizably Rexus Victocora, albeit rather younger than the Raven knows him. The other two are presumably his parents - a man and a woman in middle years dressed in fine clothing.
Vantine mostly involves herself with a tangle she's found in the luxuriant curls of her long dark hair. Such a thing cannot stand!
Jessibel raises an eyebrow beneath her Magpie mask as her witty quip falls flat.
Not exactly A+ comedy material, but I thought the message was very much on-point....
The bard looks at the picture the Raven finds, assuming the other two people are Rexus's parents, but she doesn't recognize them as a match to the charbroiled zombies. She does, however, notice the latch to the secret door and points it out silently to her friends.
Nyxra stops and looks at the picture.
"...damn. Those zombies really were his parents." The elf sighs.
"I really think it's better if we don't mention that part to him."
The hidden door reveals a secret passage - barely five feet long - leading to another door. Beyond that one is yet another workroom. However, this one has seen significantly more use of late - it isn't covered in dust, for one, and a few books are scattered across the desk for perusal.
Nyxra pokes her head into the workroom and looks around.
Vantine wants to see more precisely what the Asmodeans have been up to, so she goes in to take a look that the books on the desk.
The works seem to be relatively straightforward histories - of the sort that House Thrune seriously frowns upon. These copies are yet to be redacted, and are therefore worthy of preservation. Curiously, volume three of the five volume set seems to be missing.
The Magpie tags along, trying to keep a lookout for danger while the others do the main exploring stuff. She winces upon hearing that the burned zombies have been positively IDed as Rexus's parents.
Vantine checks the volumes, curious about what the missing volume contains. First she looks at how the books are organized, do different volumes cover different subjects, or are the volumes chronological, with the first one covering the earliest times written about and each following one picking up where the last left off.
Vantine finds that the volumes are, in fact, in chronological order, starting from the Even-Tongued Conquest in 4081. The third volume seems to cover the waning years of the Age of Enthronement, as Cheliax was preparing for the return of Aroden - based on the context of the other four volumes, at any rate.
Vantine checks the fourth volume to see where it picks up.
"I wonder why volume 3 of these was taken? Is there something happening during the time it covers they're particularly anxious to hide?"
The Magpie shrugs at Vantine (having apparently goofed off during history lessons as well). Then she crinkles her nose and asks, "Does anyone else smell that? Wait--it's gone." After a pause, the bard adds, "I hope there isn't another invisible imp flitting around this place!"
"Oooh, what fun." The Raven clucks, taking up one of the books. "We need to acquire ourselves a printing press. Just imagine how upset Thrune would be if copies of these kept showing up about the city!"
"I cannot smell anything. That is the point, my dear Magpie."
Aisling shrugs at the question. "I'm not muhch of a student, but mauybe there's something in there about the rise of House Thrune that they don't want made public."
She keeps an eye out for trouble as the others look for things of itnerest.
Other than the missing book, there seems little else of interest in the area. The Ravens emerge into the larger hallway once more, and Aisling listens carefully at the door to the southwest .
Asiling wrinkls her nose. "Ew. Smells bad in tehre."
"We should be ready for any sort of bad news behind that door then."
"I can open the doors so you, Nyxra, and the Raven can swoop in," Jessibel whispers to Aisling. "Just give me the signal."
Opening the doors reveals a chamber filled with partially burned benches and scorched chairs. At the end of the hall is an overturned podium... while the source of the stench becomes clear in the pile of manure in the corner of the room.
Other than that, it does not seem to have any signs of any denizens.
"Oh dear...I'd almost forgotten about Nox's pet hellhound!" Jessi comments. "Looks like Nox forgot to take him for 'walkies.' Maybe that's where they are now...if we're lucky! They could walk all the way to Egorian as far as I'm concerned."
Jessi takes a few more moments to examine the overturned podium before casting detect magic and scanning the room for auras.
"All clear," the bard reports to her comrades. "On to the next...."
Jessi moves to the next set of double doors and prepares to open them. First, though, she listens for any sounds of talking or movement beyond them.
Before opening the doors, she turns and whispers to Nyxra. "Do you have some sort of magic that'll help you actually harm Nox, assuming she's lurking down here? If not, take this." She hands the elf her potion of align weapon.
"How many of those dogs have we killed now, a thousand? I do not think we have anything to worry about." Dagger ready for throwing, the Raven awaits the next challenge.
Asilng spends a moment in prayer, before nodding to Jessi. She's as ready as she ever will be.
Nyxra growls to herself and gets ready to push forward.
The Ravens push onwards, and Jessibel throws open the doors once all is ready. Inside, they see a large hall carved from bedrock. Shelves of dried foodstuffs cover the walls, and a half-dozen tables are strewn with books, scrolls, and other such things.
Amidst the books and the tables are five more monks and a horrifically scarred creature with misshapen features.
The deformed ogrekin lumbers forwards with astonishing speed, stabbing at Jessibel with his spear. The weapon slams into her sternum, knocking her back a step and scraping unpleasantly against her ribcage.
One of the Asmodeans, a gray-haired man in his middle years, moves quickly forwards, joining the Lout. With a swing of his fists, he tries to take Jessibel down. With her guard down, the bard doesn't have the chance to get out of the way, and takes it square on the chin. Her teeth click and she feels blood in her mouth.
The other four redactors set up a defensive line around the end of the small hallway.
Vantine barks out a set of arcane words while flicking a bit of ground mica from the pouch on her belt into the air.
"Kiiltävää pölyä!"
Right afterward, a shining ball appears behind the man and ogre in the doorway. It immediately explodes into a mass of glittering particles, covering everyone within.
Nyxra aims her bow at the ogrekin and fires!
The Raven throws a feather-handled dagger! It is a good throw, but there are so many obstacles standing in the way of the blade...
Aislign uses her sword to attack the ogrekin. The magic she has used helps her hit with great force. Her goddess is with her.
Jessibel cries out as the foes get the drop on her and batter her badly. She steps back to allow the Raven to engage, beginning a battle chant that sounds much more ragged than usual...and more defiant as well.
Aisling attacks, the power of Iomedae guiding her sword. The ogrekin waves his arms feebly at her, but she cuts a deep gash into the poor creature's shoulder. He wails, a disconcertingly childlike bellow, before gritting uneven teeth at her.
Nyxra draws her bow back, firing an arrow at the injured ogrekin. Unfortunately, her shaft flies wide, landing in the doorframe with a thunk.
Vantine draws on her connection to her mysterious patron, unleashing a blast of golden-yellow dust and light on the crowd of redactors. Two of them shriek in sudden pain, grabbing and rubbing at their eyes, but the others are able to shake themselves free of the light - though they still look rather silly, with bright shining gold covering their clothes and skin.
Jessibel steps out of the way as she sings the notes of a new and... somewhat different song, though it seems somehow fragmented - missing pieces. However, it still has the same effect as always - which her mentor uses to launch a dagger at the redactor that struck her before. The blade hurtles through the air and strikes home, catching the man at the intersection between his shoulder and throat. He coughs, staggering back.
The Lout roars, thrusting his short-hafted spear at Aisling in retaliation for his own injury. His twisted, knotted muscles push the spear with astounding strength, but Iomedae provides, and her priestess catches the spear with her shield, standing strong against it.
"Noxis, get back here and let the Lout handle them!" One of the gold-covered monks shouts.
The injured man nods briefly, retreating back as he carefully avoids offering any openings to Aisling. With a quick, if gentle, nudge, he shoves one of his blinded counterparts out of the way. "You, Lout! Come back and fight at this end!" He coughs his way through the command.
Another redactor yanks one of her blinded comrades out of the way, stepping into his place, and adopts a ready stance to attack or defend.
Aisling slips on the blood stained floor, and her attack isn't as acurate as she would like.
The wounded Magpie takes a step behind Aisling to give Nyxra and the Raven a clearer shot at the Lout. She uses her last spell slot to cast a healing spell upon herself, all the while maintaining her inspirational song.
Vantine curses under her breath when she realizes the ogre wasn't affected by her spell. He had been most of the point of it. She wills him a terrible fate instead.