Welcome to the Dacilane Academy!
Dacilane Academy, formerly the Urbane District Academy, educates the children of agents stationed in the Grand Lodge. While the Pathfinder Society encourages agents to embed their children in local community education practices, it provides an option for children who may need additional support due to educational gaps from frequent moves between lodges and different education systems. Dacilane Academy has two stated missions: to provide equitable education to all children, and to create a stable environment for children whose lives are marked by the demands of the Pathfinder Society.
Headmaster: Primula Rosedell
Founder: J Dacilane
The iron gates of Dacilane Academy shut the school away from the bustle of Absalom’s Foreign Quarter. J Dacilane stands with the military posture of an Eagle Knight by the gate, checking the time and fiddling with a key on a red ribbon.
“Welcome,” J says with a warm smile. “I appreciate that you took the time out of your schedule to meet me. This may seem like a strange request for field-trained agents, but I need you to investigate the school. There’s a rumor that Dacilane Academy is haunted.” He winces as he adds, “Or cursed.
“The pupils assembled a list of legends about the school for you. Apparently, there are seven secrets of Dacilane Academy. Honestly, most sound like urban legends that the students have picked up from their parents. But, when someone says that they’re in danger, it should be investigated. And a more formal report from the Society would be a great opportunity for the students to see Pathfinder skills in action!
"These hauntings began long before the supposed cursed, so I’m sure they’re mostly mundane occurrences. You’ll probably find the foundation settling, old drafts, and the like. If there’s something more to it, try to excise any spirits or other beasts that stalk the halls. In addition
to the transcribed legends, the pupils provided a ghost-hunting kit for your investigation.” J shakes his head as he hands over a leather bag and a thin folder.
“You’ll have this evening to do as you please. The school grounds are in use until sunset for extracurricular activities. I don’t want to incite more rumors or scare any of our more promising pupils J Dacwith armored agents in the halls.
“Oh, and one final thing—please try to limit any damage to
the facilities. Be careful.”
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A soldier stands at attention near the gate, with much of the same discipline like J. Dacilane: back straight, entire body stiff and unmoving, one hand holding a polearm in a perfect vertical line. The guard's armor looks standard-issue but vaguely Chelaxian.
Her gender can be presumed from her slightly feminine facial features, and from height of five foot three which is statistically more likely to belong to a female. Her skin is pale, almost gray, and her hair dark, cut very short and shaved from the back. Her eyes are sharp, focused on staring in front of her.
Once Dacilane has finished the mission briefing, the soldier makes a acknowledging military salute. "Sir! The mission isn't strange at all, sir! Baseless rumors only contribute to spreading uncertainty and chaos!" she says, quite loudly, and in doing so revealing that she is in fact a Pathfinder agent, and not a mere security guard.
Nighttime... I'd never be anywhere outside my manor during the night. Without my makeup, anyway.
The ash-powdered woman enters the school. Crimson-stained leather armor accompanies her whip and her rapier. She grins as she eyes J Dacilane. "The Carnelian Signet. Pleased to meet you all. My supervisor sent me here to investigate in her stead. A pleasure."
She reads the packets and pamphlets. "I see. Rumors need to be entertained, or squashed. Truths need to be discovered. Ghosts need to be banished." She looks out the window towards the setting sun. "Grandmother would bathe herself in rumor... time to ruin the students' fun."
She turns towards her teammates, only for Termia to give a succinct (and loud) summary. "We're standing right here. Let's not wake the dead until we're ready, eh?"
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Thevenin ambles in, a roughly humanoid form made of electrified seaweed.
"Hullo everyone, I'm Thevenin." They nod to Termia and The Carnelian Signet. "We will be on a team together," they say declaratively.
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"Do we know why ghosts would be haunting the Academy? Is there any way of pacifying them without fighting them?"
J simply shrugs and responds, "As you wish. Just please get to the bottom of it. These students need to be focusing on studies come morning."
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Another superstitious lot jumping at shadows and ignorant of science, Quadennillia muses as she addresses the group. A ratfolk with unusual metallic goggles and a pack full of clinking glass, she scowls as she says, "Call me Qen. I'm sure, Mr. Dacilane, that your suspicions are correct and that each of these secrets has a perfectly mundane explanation, which we will discover for you."
After the discussion is over, she says, "If you will all excuse me, I need to prepare my bioh... ahem, my potions for this evening's adventures. I shall see you all at sunset."
Sunset. I hope I never get used to such imprecise measurements.
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Elfino was very happy that his new mission was once again in Absalom, his hometown. More specifically, Elfino was from the Puddles, where he could usually be found sitting quietly in a shadowy corner of the Soggy Piper; at a table that he treated as his office. Occasionally, one of his confederates might join him to update him on one of his many business ventures; or perhaps one of his informers would pass by the table to whisper something in his ear; but generally he sat alone, nursing an ale and keeping a watch on the goings on around him. With his hood up in the dim corner of the bar, his features were shrouded and hard to make out. Unless you knew he was there, you might easily miss him in a cursory inspection of the bar's interior.
It was thus that he got his summons for the new mission. A young and clearly terrified halfling entered the bar and looked around. Elfino immediately recognized him as one of the new initiates at the Grand Lodge. He was amazed that that the little fellow had made it all the way to the door of the Soggy Piper without having met a rather grim fate along the way. Those halflings were rather lucky bastards really.
Not seeing who he was looking for, the young halfling starts waving the slip of paper in his hand like a flag and shouts out for all to hear. Elfino almost sprays his mouthful of ale across the table as all the noise in the bar ceases and every head in the establishment turns a baleful glare on the newcomer. Several of the customers start reaching for their weapons and look ready to engage the halfling in conversation, but Elfino recovers; makes his way across the bar surprisingly quickly; snatches the halfling up by the collar; and drags him out the door and into an nearby alley before anyone else in the bar can react more forcefully.
"Whut de devil do ya tink yer up ta? Do ya 'ave a death wish or sometin'? Whoever sent ya 'ere from de Grand Lodge clearly don't want ya back. I'm Elfino by de way." Elfino then plucks the note from the stunned initiate's hand and scans it. He knew about the Dacilane Academy and its master, but not having dealt directly with either, his knowledge of the institution was superficial. He glances over at the still shivering halfling. Sighing, he grabs the boy by the collar again, and half pulls and half pushes the fellow through the alleys and out of the Puddles, making sure that the initiate got back to the Grand Lodge in one piece.
He then heads over to the academy and joins the other Pathfinders. They soon notice him and turn to face him. Elfino drops his hood, and the group is a little surprised to find itself looking up at a rather tall albino elf. A pair of clear red eyes stare back down at them with preternatural stillness from a clean shaven face whose skin is the color and smoothness of polished alabaster. A close-cropped mop of snow-white hair does nothing to hide his pointed elven ears. By human standards he seems young but when he introduces himself, it is with a weary tone that belies his apparent age. Those who have not heard Elfino speak before usually expect to hear the refined and cultured diction for which elves are known. They are quite surprised when instead, they hear the rough and uncouth vernacular of the Puddles emerge from his lips. "Elfino's de name n detectin' is ma racket, uh... I mean trade."
Elfino looks over his companions and sizes them up with a trained eye; they were quite the mixed bag, and he expected that this particular mission might turn out to be somewhat more interesting than he'd initially thought. Looking over the list of mysteries, he says, "So which of dese shuds we tackle first?"
"We've quite a crowd for this evening." The Carnelian Signet chuckles. "It's good to see you all here. We have so much excitement to light up."
She looks at Elfino. "As boring as it sounds, it would be easy to start from the first rumor on the list and move down. Let's check on those statues."
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"Well, well. Dacilane Academy." A blond half-elf muses as she arrives before the gates of the Academy. "I've been meaning to take a look at this place but could never find the time. It must be our lucky day Midnight." She says as she looks at the black cat in her arms.
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"Let us leave the Walking statues for last. Shall we start with the library?" Ekaterina says as she considers the tasks given to them by J. "Ah, where are my manners? Ekaterina Elvana, witch. It is a pleasure to meet you." the half-elf says with a curtsy as she introduces herslef.
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The appearance of an albino elf sparks the soldier's interest, but upon hearing him speak the slightest hint of aversion appears on her face.
When Elfino, Ekaterina, and everyone else have introduced themselves, the soldier opens her mouth again to firmly announce, "Commencing mandatory Pathfinder introduction! Name: Termia of Elidir. Occupation: city guard, Hellknight-in-training, and Pathfinder novice. Special talents: Physical combat training. Miscellaneous: None."
Still standing at attention, Termia continues, "Before we proceed to decide how to complete this mission, colleagues, please wait. There is a vital matter we must clear first: which of you has the authority to command this unit?"
Her sharp eyes scan the group. "In any group, there must be a leader. Cooperation is is at its most effective when there is a clear hierarchy. The squad leader should decide our next course of action."
As you seem intent to head right in, Dacilane hands you a master key and a "ghost hunting kit made by our students".
It seems Headmaster Rosedell found them wandering after hours) includes a vial of holy water, an oil of potency, and a handmade protective amulet with no monetary value, made from air-dry clay with a sigil painted on in gloppy ink (likely produced in the school’s art class).
"Good luck."
"Carnelian. Of Signet." She chuckles after Termia dumps a lot of words with a lot of fluff. "We have to solve all of the mysteries anyway. One of them we can't observe immediately - thank you for the reminder, Ekaterina- and one of them requires all the others to be completed."
"The library would work best as a next destination. We could set it up as a" - she resists rolling her eyes- "Command center." She smiles towards the stone wall named Termia.
Oh joy, a Hellknight in training. They were always my favorite guests back in the manor.
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Elfino collects the master key and "ghost hunting kit" from Dacilane. He glances inside the leather bag. "Thanks. No doubt well put it to good use."
When mention is made of visiting the library, he nods in agreement. "Very well; the library it is. We may still want to examine those statues when we get a chance though; you never know what clues we may pick up."
A single-story brick building sits beyond the iron gates. Brick walls and an ornately carved main door give the front entrance a stately appearance. Manicured topiaries and a well-kept lawn provide ample green space that continues between the building and the outer walls to the rear of the estate.
Three stone steps and two ramps ascend to the front entrance. The doors are currently locked, but the master key unlocks the door with a satisfying click. The doors lead into the main hallway.
Bright lights shine in sconces on the wall of the main hall. Double doors lead to the outside to the north and south, while large windows reveal the grounds of the school to the east and west. Thin wood doors provide access to interior rooms.
Following a sign, you make your way to the library. Scores of books and the smell of paper fills this inviting library, which is furnished with comfortable furniture and a plush carpet. Rolling stools provide a step up for those too short to reach the top shelves. A table is divided into workstations with chalkboard nameplates and stacked books.
"So then, what next? We look for a hidden blank book, hiding under shelves or under desks?"
The Carnelian Signet begins her search. I was never one for books. Well, besides the forbidden books. And not the naughty ones, but the devil binding ones.
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Elfino steps into the library and stops momentarily to scan the room for anything unusual or out of place. He then begins moving through the room methodically looking for anything suspicious. Remembering from the note that the culprit apparently targeted books of active projects, he concentrates on the books stacked at the workstations.
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"Either a blank book or a book in the wrong place. How would we know if the book is in the wrong place?" Ekaterina asked as the group makes it way to the library. "Surely we are not expected to check all the books in the library? Is it a case of a book with a limited copies being sought after by more people than the number of copies?"
At their arrival at the library the witch immediately heads towards the librarian. "Excuse me. I heard about the missing or misplaced books. Can you tell me the title of the books? Is it always the same book that is missing?"
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Seeing how the others ignore her "vital matter" of choosing a "squad leader", yet find a common agreement on where to start, Termia decides to leave the topic of selecting a leader for later. Perhaps she'll observe the other agents first, to determine the one most suitable for the leader's role.
Inside the library, Termia stands battle-ready, clutching her polearm. No haunted library book would sneak past her to arrange themselves in improper order. With that thought, she glances around: how are the books ordered, at the moment?
It is after hours, so no librarian is present.
The library’s collection spans a wide range of topics, though the texts tend to be introductions to various fields instead of primary research.
The two currently occupied workstations are labeled “Ayen” and “Zet”. Each has a few books in in it.
The books are not sorted by color. As far as you can tell, they appear to be in as good an order as any.
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Elfino goes over to the workstations and examines them closely. He picks up the few books laying at the workstations and flicks through them to see if there is anything strange about them. He then walks down each aisle, occasionally pulling a random book from the shelves and flicking through it before putting it back where he found it. He is specifically selecting books that are out of place in some way; either not where they should be, or awkwardly positioned on the shelves.
"Well, if the books are in order..." She starts grabbing books from the two stations and swapping them in a random order. Why not break the order and see what happens?"
Elfino finds a book in Zet that is full of blank pages. Ekaterina reads a few of the books in Ayen, and finds a few places that are clearly altered, including pages with completely contradictory statements on the same page!
Meanwhile, the Carnelian Signet tries moving books around. As she walks away, some unseen force pulls the books out and puts them back where they started.
"Well then, now it's getting interesting!" She watches the books lift from the table and reaches for one of them. "Excuse me? Is someone there? Very kind of you to move these books around for us. Maybe you could identify yourself?"
"Hmm. I don't recall any religious scriptures about this." She cocks her head to the side. "Anyone knows what's going on here?"
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They'd finally found one of the blank books. Elfino looks at it closely to try and determine the mechanism by which the page contents were erased.
Just then, he notices the strange invisible force magically returning The Carnelian Signet's book to its original location. He strides over to one of the shelves and tests this out for himself by removing one of the books and replacing it on a shelf some distance away.
"How fascinating." He does it again, this time looking hard to try and determine how this movement comes about. He then repeats the process as necessary to test different hypotheses as to the origin of the movement.
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Termia stands ready, dedicated to watch over the group and its investigators.
"This phenomenon seems useful. A pity we have been ordered to get rid of it," she muses while eyeing Elfino's experiments. Clearly she appreciates a haunting so devoted to keeping order, book-blanking side-effects notwithstanding.
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Elfino finishes his examination of the book-returning phenomenon and presents his findings to the rest of the group. "It seems dat dere's an Unseen Servant at work in de library. I spect dat it was put 'ere long ago n told ta keep de place clean n tidy, wid all de books in deir right place."
He pauses to let that sink in before continuing. "It looks like de spell might be breakin' down now n dat de servant is beginnin' to mess up sumtimes n puttin' books back in de wrong places. Mebbe it's also de reason fer de blank books, cause dere's nothin' cleaner dan a blank book, amiright?"
"Problem is, confirmin' dis last bit will prolly require a long stakeout of de library n mebbe even gettin' rid of de unseen servant. Turnin' off spells of dis type is not summit in me bag of tricks; it'll prolly require some powerful disruptin' magic beyond me ken. We can leave it ta Mista Dacilane ta decide whut ta do once we report back ta 'im."
"Seems like you solved this mystery, Elfino." The Carnelian Signet watches the books move to and fro. "If we're done here, should we check out the statues now?"
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Ekaterina seeing the inconsistency in the books pulls on her knowledge of the Arcane and the Occult to cross reference and check the facts.
"Someone is clearly altering this book." the witch says as she takes a closer look at the incorrect passages. She pays close attention at the ink to see if it was recently modified.
Elfino's words make sense.
She leans back and recalls any religious significance.