"That's one way to keep my attention." The Signet looks about. "Any injuries? Looks like our leader Elfino has kept in you in tip top shape, Qen."
She coils her whip and stares at the Hang in there, Kitty! poster. "I do wonder, when was this poster hung? How old is it?"
The acoustics here are bad, so your voices can certainly carry and echo in weird ways. But the answers you get suggest something else.
"Hmm." She rolls up the poster and listens to each fold, each crinkle. Something about it doesn't sound right.
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Elfino considers the answer he received. "Dunno whut answers yous are gettin', but I 'eard dat de cook changed de forumlae. Considerin' dere is no kitchen in de academy, I spect dis is gobbledygook."
He wanders around the room looking for anything that might explain the mechanism by which these bogus answers are being generated.
While the lab does have bad acoustics, the whispering doesn’t consistently carry. Instead, a pocket of planar energy from the Maelstrom generates noise in response to questions asked. These answers are haphazardly strung together from other statements previously uttered in this room, though they’re out of context and often wrong.
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Elfino is satisfied that they've unravelled the mystery of the laboratory. Turning to the others, he says, "Good work everyone. Time ta check out de disappearin' door. Stay 'ere a mo while I 'ead out into de 'allway."
The elf then slips out the lab door to see if the purported disappearing door appears. If not, he makes a detailed examination of the walls on either side of door to see if he can find any sign of what he suspects is some sort of secret door.
"If I wanted to hear this kind of rambling I would attend the parlor." The Signet huffs and rolls up the poster for safe keeping.
She gazes at the gallant leader as he takes take charge and goes alone into unknown realms.
The walls in this area are bright and newly white-washed. Elfino sees a door that previously was hidden from view. It is locked.
The Carnelian Signet traces her hand across the door frame.
"...You have a point, Qen. We must be hallucinating. Maybe some of that smoke in the laboratory was more potent than we thought."
Luckily, neither of those were critical failures. You barely solve this mystery.
While the door is set to appear and disappear depending on who's around, traces of magic have warped parts of the door. This magic is unlike anything you have seen the academy use, and is instead the work of a being tied to another plane of existence.
"I think that's all of them?" The Signet thinks. "Ah, except for Student #19. I wonder when they will arrive?"
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Elfino muses the strange extra-planar magic that has warped the door. "It seems dat dis is also de work of our putative Akizendri. If we can find dis infamous student #19, I spect dat dey'll 'elp us track down de creature."
When Thevenin mentions opening the door, Elfino agrees. "Aye, why not. We've come dis far, let's go all de way n see where it leads." The investigator then attempts to open the door in question.
Using the keys you have, you can unlike the now found door.
Compared to the rest of the academy, this room seems informal and relaxed. A tufted sofa and armchairs provide comfortable seating, while a few tables offer space to spread out work. Letters and notes are pinned to the wall by the door.
It appears that this lounge provides an area for the teaching staff to prepare their lessons and enjoy their breaks. It also seems to serve as Headmaster Rosedell’s office. The notes and letters pinned to the wall are from current and former students. They range from updates on the now-adult
students’ lives to thank you notes from the parents of current students.
"Why would a teacher's lounge only appear when a single person walks nearby?"
I'd love a spot like this to change, but-
"It takes two to tango."
Termia finds an abandoned standard book of translation (Mahwek) has fallen beneath one of the couches and is covered in a thin layer of dust.
Elfino finds a student roster in plain sight on the table, and indeed there’s no student #19, though it appears to be because a series of students have transferred in and out rapidly in recent months. Perhaps it’s been easier for faculty to simply leave the number unassigned.
A halfling dressed in a white school uniform appears and giggles. Several bells around their wrist chime with every movement. “You’ve been caught after hours,” they say, nearly singing in glee. “Students are not allowed on Dacilane Academy grounds after hours. If I tell the headmaster, you’ll be in big trouble.” They giggle. The sound cuts through the otherwise quiet air of the school. “Of course, maybe there’s something you can do to stay out of trouble. I wonder what you can do so I won’t tell on you.”
A grin spreads across their face. Their teeth are sharper than a halfling’s ever should be.
“Oh, I know what you need to do. You can finish my homework! It simply must be done, and it’s so very late.” The halfling flashes their too-pointed teeth again as they prepare to open their satchel.
The Signet's hand is on her whip. "Hello, Number 19. You've been naughty. Students like you shouldn't snoop around the faculty lounge."
"Now then, tell me who you and where you came from, and I won't have to spank you."
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Elfino looks over the "halfling" and suspects that they are more than just a simple "student" at the academy. Something about the bells, the strange giggle, the overly sharp teeth, the all too forward demeanor, just does not ring true.
Regardless, he decides to play along with what he suspects is a farce, just to see where it leads.
"Oooo. We wouldn't want ta get into trouble now, would we? Whut's dis 'omework ye want us ta do fer ye? Mebbe if we 'elp ye out ye'll be able ta 'elp us out in return, eh? 'Ow does dat sound ta ye? Deal?"
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Termia frowns on the strange visitor's request, and glares at Elfino for his mocking tone. "Student 19," she scolds, "what you are suggesting violates the academic integrity and code of conduct of this academy. Section III, offenses, article 14: Unauthorized cooperation. Each student must complete their own homework assignments, personally. Do not think that the rules don't apply to you only because you are categorized as one of the school's seven mysteries!"
"You are, of course, permitted to ask for help for these assignments. And we may offer you hints, as we see fit. Will you cooperate?"
Termia even approvingly nods at the Carmelian Signet's threat of spanking. Physical reprimands are generally acceptable, according to her view.
The halfling's face flashes with anger, elongating as he shifts back to their natural akizendri form. "Are you sure you don’t want to do your work?"
The creature in front of you looks reptilian. (picture on slides)
Did... Termia just nod at me?
"So, the culprit reveals themself." She laughs. "You're quite the spirited student, aren't you? What's your name, Student 19?"