|
Jack shook his head, his smile finally returning. "Not at all sure. But we're capable of backtracking and if we can't find them through our normal means of detection, then we can invest time on desecrating the graves." Suspecting the other mausoleums would produce the same results, he hopped on the back of his griffon and rode purposefully towards one of the larger buildings.
|
Moving along to the larger building to the north (aka G1 on the map), a structure crafted of green marble; there is no door but the entrance is carved to mimic the maw of a ravenous lion. Daathiel detects no traps on the entrance...as you approach it, you see within...
...a mostly empty chamber; at the center of it is a 10-foot-diameter howling medusa’s face...
The little bird pops out of his nest.
"Wait a moment everyone. Let us not be too hasty. It is likely a trap."
"I will try to see if I recognise that rune. Perhaps we can be a bit more precise in our analysis."
(Take 10 on K-Arcana of 36 to Identify a spell already in place. Typical DC is 20+Spell Level.)
"Well then you should have been more definitive in your answer before."
The bird darts back inside his familiar satchel before the Bard has a chance to reply.
|
|
After hearing that it wasn't a trap at least, Jack shrugged and encouraged the griffon forward to the teleportation circle. "Well it needs to be checked out. Worst case scenario, I need to breathe for Tim or waste a gem to plane shift. If need be, we can start flying and catching people if it leads to a pit. But as they say north of here, Allons-y."
|
|
You all step into the circle of the howling medusa...and in a few seconds...
POOF!
...you are teleported to another chamber...
This great, domed chamber is home to hundreds of funerary urns of every description, housed in niches along the walls. The domed ceiling thirty feet above is decorated with images of Taldan aristocrats engaged in passionate debate, locked in duels, or poring over great tomes together. A carving of a medusa’s face decorates the floor in the room’s center, flanked to the sides by two trios of stone sarcophagi. An archway to the north opens into a large pillared hall.
|
|
Alie only detects magic in the Medusa circular carving in the floor that you teleported to; she reasonably assumes it’s teleportation magic she detects...
Daathiel sees no inscriptions on these sarcophagi; a bit of closer inspection reveals them to be ceremonial only as he finds them solid and not hollow. He detects no traps in this chamber...
Rokgurn takes flight, casting his senses forth and looking over the area in general. He senses no undead or outsider presence at this range. However, he notices some interesting things about the circular Medusa carving in the floor...
An examination of the medusa carving reveals the following unusual aspects of the medusa seal: a keyhole in its right eye; a starburst indentation in the left eye; a thin slot in the mouth; and an oval indentation in the chin...
|
|
Led by Jack, you enter the the
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.
Daathiel detects no traps in this chamber...
|
|
Jack seemed awestruck by the paintings and darted between all of the different depictions happily. After finding one that he liked in particular, he turned back to the others only to visibly adjust his demeanor as he seemed to realize where they were and what they were supposed to be doing. "Sorry. The ship here is a famous Taldan ship that was used in campaigns against Tar-Baphon's forces. Adella's ship, no less!"
He took a quick look around and sighed sadly. "How I want this art. Need to commission an artist to do something similar for my ship."
The bird looks at Jack with his jaw ajar and completely gobsmacked by the words coming out of the man's mouth.
"He is more than a pretty face. Who would have known?"
(Chirp)
|
"The Harlot. Yes.
Though... ships from Ustalav would be on Lake Encarthan. Ships from Qadira would be in the Inner Sea. How would you transport the Harlot from one to the other? It could be done, I guess, but I don't think Lake Encarthan has an outlet to the sea."
Daathiel shrugs. "In any event, shall we take this first passage on the left?"
|
|
As you head to the left, 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 (H3 on the map) and addresses you in a commanding voice.
“It is apparent that none of your assembly is of the blood, so I must conclude you are thieves. To avert my righteous vengeance and leave in peace, answer me these three questions. First, what was the name of my flagship? Second, how did my first darling wife die? And third, why is my eldest son’s body not here with us? All the information you need is within this chamber. I give you ten minutes.”
Whisper thinks for a moment if he can be of any help to the party. He examines the ghost to start.
(K-Religion of 37 on a take 10)
|
|
After about 5 minutes searching, Daathiel finds what he’s looking for on the easternmost pillar in the chamber...he sees the following inscriptions:
Pasco Voxus Adella, 4112–4171
Annavale, Beloved Wife, 4120–4138
Eudocia, Beloved Wife, 4130–4192
In that same time period, Rokgurn eyes something that might be relevant on the westernmost pillar...he sees the following inscription:
Pasco Voxus Adella II, 4138–4156, The Sea Reclaims Its Own
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
”Oh hey,I think I can help with this. I bet the wife died during childbirth as the boy’s birth year is the same as the wife’s year of death. And if the sea reclaimed the boy’s body, that’d make sense why his body isn’t here right now,” Alie was almost squealing with excitement at actually thinking she was contributing!
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Well done, Alie! That is most logical. And we know the name of the flagship to be Harlot."
Daathiel smirks.
"An apt name. A captain's other love, besides his wife. Perhaps one of his wives had in jest referred to his ship as a harlot for taking Pasco away from his family for months at a time... 'He's off with that Harlot...'"
|
|
Jack leads the rest of you to the leftmost passage which empties into another smaller chamber...
A marble fountain, the basin of which resembles a huge shell, sits near the entrance to this room, its waters cascading from between the fingers of reclining mermaids. The chamber beyond is empty, save for a single sarcophagus at the far end of the room.
Daathiel detects no traps within the chamber...
|
|
"Yes... and we will probably need to open it if we are to find these other keys..."
Daathiel will activate his Ring of Blinking and look for any inscription on the sarcophagus. He will also look for any obvious lock (and unlock it if needed, Take 10 for a 39).
Then he will step back and say, "Yuri, would you get this?"