The gnome completely ignores you and continues reading.
No keys but you realize that the door has not been opened in ages.
You walk around the house.
Suddenly, you see a second person walking inside the room to the north-east (D2) ... and that person looks identical to the gnome you just saw reading!
And that second person is walking around and then sitting in a chair and reading a newspaper. To your surprise the gnome in the north-eastern room notices you and smiles. He gives a tip of his hat before continuing to read.
The gnome in the first room ignores you.
The gnome in the second room just greets you over and over again.
The door is locked. No traps are visible.
You easily push twice and the door is broken.
You open it.
D1. Living Room
While examining the room you note that despite the lack of dust on many surfaces, no one has been here for years. The carpet and sofa show virtually no wear.
You can’t see anything out of the ordinary.
As soon as you step in, you suddenly see a magical circle sparkling and only a fraction of a second later three fiendish looking beetles appear next to the sofa and try to attack you.
N Small fiendish vermin
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
DEFENSES
AC 12, touch 11, flat-footed 12 (+1 natural, +1 size)
hp 4
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (poor)
Melee bite +1 (1d4)
Fort +2 , Ref +0, Will +0
SR 5
Fiendish – Resist Cold and Fire 5
Immune mind-affecting effects
Special Attacks Smite good
Base Atk +0; CMB -1 ; CMD 9 (17 vs. trip)
Skills Fly +2
SQ luminescence
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Luminescence (Ex) A fire beetle’s glowing glands provide light in a 10-foot radius. A dead fire beetle’s luminescent glands continue to glow for 1d6 days after its death.
Smite evil 1/day as a swift action (adds CHA bonus (+0) to attack rolls and damage bonus equal to HD (+1) against good foes; smite persists until target is dead or the fiendish creature rests).
]
Yoko can kill one beetle and Sirani the other!
Roran throws a dagger and the last beetle is dispatched!
During an examination of the table in the southwest corner Roran and Xildina reveal a neatly penned letter.
--
PLAYER HANDOUT #5: FIMBRIK’S NOTE
Well, you got me!
I’m not here anymore, and my house is filled with an incredible array of illusions to discourage the curious. But you just had to break in. I respect your gumption and assume you’re either a petty burglar or someone looking into Eylysia’s affairs.
I’ve left Absalom to look for my friend, for she’s been missing for some time; however, I’ve attached the name of a particular Pathfinder you’ll want to investigate at the of Names at the Society Grand Lodge. I assure you, it’s quite important, but I’ll leave you to figure out why.
Oh, and the password. It’s ‘Wiffle.’ You’ll find it important, should you learn where to use it.
—The Illustrious Fimbrik
--
Underneath the letter is a hastily scrawled note in similar handwriting, which contains a name: Doulgonlir Caskmail
* * * * * * *
Additionally, Seltyel, Yoko and Grim find two long-forgotten potions sitting on the northwest windowsill.
Potion of cure moderate wounds
Potion of lesser restoration
* * * * *
After a further search of the house and the other levels, you all - but especially Thendros - is sure that no further information or clues can be found.
|
This gnome! He had everything figured out!, says Seltyel after having read the letter.
I do not know the first potion, but the second one is useful if you are debilitated in body or mind.
After having searched the house and found nothing, it is clear for him what to do.
Ok. That password seems that will be of not use here. Let us go and investigate this name.
|
Oh the first one is a healing potion. Also useful, but perhaps a bit old. the color is a bit faded, which may be why it was harder to determine what it is.
wiffle... yes... perhaps it will save us from a trap if we say it before opening every single door, window or thing we touch.
Sounds like we are off to the Lodge again to see about this new name.
You align on the next steps and choose to visit the Wall of Names. You arrive at the Grand Lodge shortly after that.
WALL OF NAMES
Created in 4330 ar, the Wall of Names resides on the grounds of the Grand Lodge. The monument is a curving wall of black glass that stands atop a small hill at the western edge of the lodge’s grounds. Trees surround the hill, providing ample shade and privacy for those visiting the wall to remember fallen comrades.
Carved into the wall are the name and date of death of every Pathfinder killed in the course of duty since the wall’s construction, and most entries also include a sentence or two summarizing either the agent’s greatest accomplishments or how she died.
+++++
You have unbelievably keen eyes as you are able to find the names you were looking for.
Doulgonlir Caskmail
Deceased 4332 ar
Sought the jade idol of ten thousand faces. Now but another sacrifice to the charau-ka of the Mwangi.
* * *
Hollis 'Evil Grin' Thorne
Deceased 4331 ar
Respectfully resigned after losing a friend. Lost to a life among the fish and bountiful sea.
* * *
Karina Clamp
Deceased 4330 ar
Survived the horrors of Nemret Noktoria. Returned to rot from the inside.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
You believe that portions of each inscription refer to failed aspirants.
You also know that the Shrine of the Failed could have a connection to these phrases.
The Shrine of the Failed is a hall of monuments in Absalom's Ascendant Court to those who have failed the Test of the Starstone. It was founded centuries ago, and routinely expanded since by the families of the fallen and other residents of Absalom.
The shrine consists of a series of stone rooms holding shrines that are as elaborate as the caretakers can manage, but are usually no more than a few personal items of the deceased. The shrine's caretakers wear black mourning robes, but claim no divine calling, holy texts, or philosophy.
Most visitors view it as a novelty and leave quickly, but there are occasionally devout worshipers who believe that one of the failed is a god who is merely quiescent.
You decide to visit the Shrine of the Failed.
Erected centuries ago by an unknown organization, the Shrine of the Failed is a dour complex that pays homage to those who failed in their attempts to overcome the Test of the Starstone.
* * * * * * *
E1. Antechamber
This monumental chamber stretches eighty feet from end to end, with a ceiling suspended thirty feet from the floor by great pillars.
Seven arched passages lead to humble rooms, each of which contains a polished stone altar dedicated to one of the failed aspirants who attempted the Test of the Starstone.
The columns here provide cover to creatures hiding behind them.
E2a–E2g. Altars of Failed Supplicants
Each of these chambers contains a small stone altar to one of the failed aspirants. Each altar stands upon a raised dais and bears a small brass nameplate identifying the aspirant and the would-be-god’s areas of interest.
* * * * * * *
As you enter the Antechamber you notice that it is quite empty. Three acolytes that are walking by are talking with great urgency.
"Oh dear, I had already heard about Sir Reinhart when I was in the Wounded Wisp, but as I entered the Shrine earlier today I saw Sir Reinhart, a Mendevian crusader, preparing himself. I tell you ... he is intent on becoming a god, and wants to attempt the Test of the Starstone."
The other acolyte looks flabbergasted "Oh dear, I can already imagine the story being told tomorrow 'As the valiant — and utterly doomed—knight prepared to charge his steed across the chasm outside Starstone Cathedral, the inevitable happened ...'"
You do not know what will happen but this occurrence has obviously led to you having almost unrestricted access to the Shrine of the Failed. The city guard and what few caretakers the shrine has have left to watch Sir Reinhart’s potentially ill-fated attempt.
You check all the names and after 15 minutes Grim sees that the area E2f holds several shrines, among them those of Doulgonlir Caskmail, Hollis 'Evil Grin' Thorne, and Karina Clamp.
You start searching and Roran finds the plate with the name Doulgonlir Caskmail and through great observation Seltyel also discovers a secret door hidden by an illusion against the room’s west, though you can’t see any means to unseal the door.
Due to the fact that Sirani and Grim join the search you also see that something is off with the name plate of Doulgonlir Caskmail.
You look at the name plate again and see that it can be slid aside.
Behind the name plate you all see a miniature chalkboard and a thin piece of chalk.
After Yoko`s idea to write Fimbrik's magical word on the board you proceed and this dispels the illusion concealing the door and causes the stone portal to open.
++++
E3. Cavern
The cavern beyond the secret door is made of stone. Although the cavern has the aesthetic of a natural cave.
You recognize the s are not natural; rather, someone cleared this area using the stone shape spells.
This cavern is dark but there is some illumination coming from further ahead.
E4. Repository
Several desks are arranged along the northern and eastern edges of this small stone alcove. Whereas the stonework leading to this chamber is rough, the s in the alcove are polished. A single gem rests among the neatly filed papers on the desk, emitting a soft magical luminescence that brightens the small room.
The gem on the desk is a cut alexandrite worth 550 gp.
You all start searching and looking around.
The paperwork on the desk is a priceless collection of Pathfinder Society lore and information describing dozens of unexplored sites. Most are written in an Azlanti dialect further encrypted using an old cipher employed by the Society centuries ago.
Although it is clear to you that this collection is very important, you have a hard time understanding the documents as they are mostly encrypted.
You would assume that the discovery requires several weeks of careful study by researchers at the Grand Lodge.
+++
There are no hidden items or secret doors. All that you see is as it is.