The library is completely silent while you wait for a response. No response ever comes.
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Elfino does not expect a response from the Unseen Servant and as such is not in the least surprised when nothing happens when Termia tries to command it. "Only de original summoner can command or dismiss de servant n I doubt dat person still lives. It will take sum powerful magic ta banish de servant."
The changing text in the books that Ekaterina had discovered still rankled him somewhat. He goes over to the witch and with a "Scuse me," examines the book closely...
Elfino doesn't discover anything of a religious significance about the book, but that was not really his forte. He willingly relinquishes the book to anyone else that wants to examine it further.
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Elfino frowns when he hears Thevenin's new information. "So mebbe we 'ave a failin' Unseen Servant n mebbe we 'ave an Akizendri wanderin' around de place. Dis academy is full of surprises. Let's look around sum more ta see if we can narrow things down a bit."
The albino elf takes a moment to integrate this new information into his investigations.
He mulls over what he knows of the Akizendri and shares it with the group.
Turning to his companions, he says, "I think we've got all de information we can from de library fer now. It might be a good time t'ave a look at dose statues next." Unless there is an objection, Elfino leads the group to the yard with the statues.
Hard-packed dirt marked with chalk lines creates a small track around most of this open yard. Within the loop of the track, a cleared oval provides a space for other types of exercise. Outside the track, statues stand on opposite sides of the yard, each posed in mid-stride, as though about to reach the finish line of a footrace. In the corner of the schoolyard grows a picturesque maple tree.
The Carnelian Signet struts into the courtyard, carefully examining each statue. "Hmpf, poor form... he's going to trip over his own shoes. Oh, he's going to win, for sure." She gives a hard, long gaze at the cutest statue before moving up to the maple tree.
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Elfino remains on the small porch just outside the doors and spends a minute to survey the yard and statues from his increased elevation.
He's still mulling over the possibility of an Akizendri being on the grounds of the academy. If that were indeed the case, then the creature was unlikely to limit itself to merely rewriting books. It is during this private musing that Termia approaches and interrupts his thoughts with her acceptance of him as their squad leader.
Elfino is momentarily at a loss for words. He had led men in the past and even headed a criminal organization for many years, but had left that life behind and become a Pathfinder. He had no wish to lead anyone and was quite happy working within the less rigid and more cooperative environment of the Society. Still, he could see that Termia was not like that and that she required a strong guiding hand to direct her if she were to fulfill her potential. "Ah, aye. Termia. Very well. So let's find out whut de deal is wid dese statues. Give dem a close look n see if ye can figure out 'ow dey move around."
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"Roger that," Termia says in acknowledgement to Elfino's orders, with no visible change on her serious facial expression.
She marches to the nearest statue, lowers her polearm, and gives the statue a not-so-gentle push. She examines the stony racers physically, trying to determine if they really are immovable stone, or something else.
Seeing a comfy looking tree Midnight approaches the maple tree.
Not seeing anything wrong with the tree the cat climbs up to the nearest branch.
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Thevenin doesn't find any magic radiating from the statues.
Your conclusion: The statues’ shoulders have jagged claw marks in them. A creature that can reach the statues’ shoulders has been moving them regularly. It took just a spark of latent energy to send them across the schoolyard.
"So, some tall creature with sharp teeth and of... Akizendri origin likes to move statues around." The Signet ponders on any religious significance it may present.
"Checking out the bathrooms for secrets?" She laughs. "Sounds like a fun idea."
The Carnelian Signet stands back from the northern doors, her whip at the ready. "I've suffered from too many pranks within halls like these."
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Elfino enters the hallway and surveys the layout of the bathrooms. Seeing that The Carnelian Signet and Qen have the northeast bathroom covered, he decides to investigate the one directly in front of him.
When Termia asks for instructions, he replies. "Aye, de boy's ghost is supposedly in de northeast bathroom, but we betta check de others just ta make shur. Ye can look in dat one while I make shur dis one is clear."
As Qen knocks for the first time, the door flies open, slamming in her!
"...maybe I should whip the doors open?" The Signet looks for a handle or the like to catch her weapon around.
"Qen, my dear? Do you want me to mend that bruise?"
It seems some strange pressure had cause the door to fly open, released now that the door is open. It was so strong, it blew Qen across the hall, 10' from the door!
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Elfino hears the crash of the door and the solid impact against something soft. "Uh oh!"
He quickly moves around the corner and takes stock of the situation. Seeing poor Qen slammed up against the wall and injured, he looks back toward the NE bathroom. "Dat was de door swingin' open, right?"
He approaches the door for a closer look, but does not touch it. He's looking for a way to dismantle or disable the door in some way.
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Once he's examined the door, Mandoo goes over to Qen and checks her over. "Dat door did a real job on ye from de look of it. Let's see if I can do sumthin' about it." He then breaks out the bandages and creams and gets to work.
He looks over his patch-up job with satisfaction. "Dere ye go. Good as new."
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"I appreciate it. I certainly don't want to go down in history as the woman who was killed by a door."
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"Elfino is a man of many talents, I see! Detective, medic..." she glances at Termia, who stands straight as a board. "And captain." She grins before taking a look around.
What kind of religious significance lays in this bathroom? A pity for the god of waste management.
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Termia hustles along with Elfino to the wounded Qen's side. The soldier's eyes scan the scene for hostiles, but there are no enemies: just a door that moved on its own.
The Signet's quip raises an eyebrow on Termia. "I don't mean to presume, but I doubt squad leader Elfino possesses a military rank as high as a captain," she says, completely deadpan. There is a short pause, after which the stone-faced soldier seems to have a light-bulb moment. "Ah. Or did you mean to make a joke? You were referring to the fact that squad leader Elfino commands a military troop, referring to this squad of Pathfinder agents. The other definition of the word 'captain'. I see."
"A commendable joke, colleague. But we must not be distracted from the mission."
Termia then stands at attention, awaiting orders.
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Elfino nods his acknowledgment to the Carnelian Signet. "Medicine is only an 'obby of mine, but one dat comes in quite 'andy in me line of work." He looks down at the now recovering Qen. "Usually, me patients 'ave already left fer de Boneyard, but, like Qen 'ere, I occasionally manage ta intervene before the Gray Lady calls fer dem."
With a slight look of annoyment at the efforts being made to turn him into the de facto leader of the group, Elfino says, "I'm pretty shur we dunna qualify as a military troup n I'm certainly not its captain. Let's just figure out whut's goin' on 'ere at de academy n skip all de war talk, eh?"
This may not be a military mission, but Elfino was beginning to suspect that some form of enemy action was afoot here at the academy. He further suspected that like most Society missions, it would end in violence of some form. As annoying as Termia was, she would doubtless become very useful when that time arrived.
While some might have concluded that the washbasin’s enchantment to make water wass faulty, making it sound like wailing, you find evidence to support another explanation. You identify the chaotically aligned planar energy infusing this area. While you find no traces of spirits or other undead, a sizable planar footprint shows that an extraplanar entity occupies this bathroom for several hours a week. Such entities are rarely entirely quiet.
Lowlight
Lowlight
Thevenin discovers a loose wall panel (sealed shut during a remodel). Hidden behind the panel is a bracelet made of calcite beads. While the beads are carved white crystal, a prismatic resonance shimmers beneath
the surface.
Recall Knowledge:
something.