The first part of the adventure takes place at Woodsedge Lodge in Galt. Pathfinders hustle about the grounds of Woodsedge Lodge, checking in, mustering in units, unloading and delivering supplies, cooking, and socializing. The atmosphere is tense but excited. The Maze of the Open Road is a place of legend that few Pathfinders have had the honor of traversing. Once dangerous, the Maze was recently repaired by Eliza Petulengro of the Decemvirate, and news that the Maze is once again malfunctioning has led to intense speculation among the gathering Pathfinders. Cutting through chaos and gossip alike, > Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau < takes the lead, ensuring everyone gathers in their assigned units and tends to their duties.
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"Venture-Captain Armeline Jimeau, I presume?" inquires Athelsted. The ruddy, youthful human with red hair and garish clothes bows respectfully. "I apologize if I am interrupting--you do seem to be quite busy at the moment." Athelsted pauses to look around at the hive of activity. "I would, however, like to know where I am to gather and receive my assignment for this particular endeavor. I did receive a proper summons, of course. "
His red faces reddens a bit more. "But, I unfortunately seem to have managed to spill a bit of paint upon it. And while the result is an interesting, almost floral pattern, it would appear to obscure some of the instructions."
"If you would be so kind as to inform me of its contents, or with whom I should next speak, I will be certain to be on my way and do my best not to present any further imposition upon you." He adds sheepishly.
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A young leshy with a head built from a large bulb of garlic and a small and toughened body formed from woven roots wearing finely polished scale mail enters, followed by a young teen half-elf wearing a feathered cap and a fashionable cape enter.
"I introduce to you, our beloved Knight in training, Life Sprouts Anew and so Hope Remains," the youth says, gesturing to the leshy and giving a bow, "Born from the earth of the Gravelands during a time where nothing else alive was around to scrounge, he was named as such by the knights who found him and trains now to one day join their ranks as a fellow knight of Lastwall."
The leshy nods and waves away the young herald. "Yes. Sadly the Knights of Lastwall have little time to train me as of late so they have outsourced the process to the trusted allies of theirs the Pathfinder Society. And thus I am here on my duty as a knight to become strong enough to one day fight and defend my homeland from their undead forces." He stands with his hands on his hips trying to make himself look grand and heroic, though it mostly just looks a bit clumsy. "Oh, and if it would ease your lives in the heat of battle when one must call out easy and efficient orders, most people just call me 'Hope' for convenience."
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Bedecked with blades of all types, from rusty old weapons to nice shiny hatchets and kitchen knives, a goblin enters the room. The goblin wears a creased chef's off-white hat, splattered with grease and other foreign bodies, an whiteish-brown apron coloured with both dried blood and stains of various shades from beetroot to saffron, with the odd burn mark. In one hand she holds a shiny sharp kitchen knife or hatchet in one hand, whilst in the other a bottle of liquid refreshment is available for consumption. Her backpack has pots and pans falling off it, the famous goblin weapons of choice rattle along with the pots and the pans, some of which look as though they are tied together to giver her some protection from blows.
"Be here now" her beady eyes look from side to side as her head almost swivels round 360. "Set up time!" Her booted foot stamps on the ground. "'Spossed to make din dins, why call me Nik Nik Cook-Cook, so's I cooks." The words tumble out of her mouth, as she seems to getting a little angry. "Need fire! Need Kitchen! No singy song song til din dins cooked." She looks at the other Pathfinders, "No din dins? Ahhh!" She drops everything in a heap (knives and all), takes a swig from the bottle and burps a loud and strong smelling burp, a garlicky and alcohol filled aroma greets the world. This plus the aura of grease oik from frying battered rats legs and other such delicacies.
Seeing Life speaking Nik Nik looks bemused, a talking garlic head, she looks into her ingredients, picks a couple of garlic gloves and starts to talk at them, "You speak to Nik Nik, like big garlic head there!" But with nothing happening she throws them back roughly into her bag, disappointed.
"So, what we doing now then........"
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A pale-skinned Iruxi wanders around the encampment wide-eyed, prominently displaying its mismatched eyes. The lizardfolk is clearly struck by the majesty of the magical hedge maze stretching out into parts unknown.
Despite the urgent summons by the Pathfinder Society, it is clear that Edda spends a little overly long watching the maze, hoping to see something interesting and of note before finally realizing that they might be verging on being rudely late rather than just fashionably late to the party.
Once Edda eventually does find its way to where their party is being debriefed by Venture-Captain Jirneau, their curious eyes and child-like wonder dissipate almost immediately and they attempt to present themselves as professionally attentive, which is done by hunching down into a predatory position, as if ready to pounce without a moment's hesitation.
"Edda Vira, of the Moonseers. Fellow Pathfinders just call me Edda though" Edda's voice softens as they speak, but says little more to the group as a whole.
However, as the briefing begins, Edda notices the books and notes bulging out of Fioriel's bag and begins to (unsurreptitiously) sidle over to the area where the elf has setup their belongings. Edda tries to quietly pepper the elf with questions about their books.
"Do you have any books on the Maze?"
"What about the history of malfunctions?"
"Are you an Archivist? Edda struggles to keep their voice down the more excited they become.
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Fioriel shakes her head All i have is a resh journal for putting down my own notes and takes out a small journal and fans the empty pages at Edda. Proper scholarly works on the Maze are hard to find and those written by those who have actually travelled through the maze I have found no record of
I am not familiar with a history of malfunctins merely that entrances can be hard to find.What have you heard Edda?
I work closely with Eando Kline and his team but I am not a member of the dark archive
The venture-captain looks at Althelthed from head to toe.
"I like it, straight to the business. Follow me." she motions him and turns to the others as well after they have introduced themselves. "You all also follow me for some instructions to do." she tells them.
”Black Molly’s the name. What’s the scuttlebutt?”
"I have gathered you all to travel into the Maze of the Open Road, to determine the source of the anomaly that the Society has detected and resolve it." the venture-captain answers, though she is not sure what a scuttlebutt means, perhaps a pirate terms or something?
Once they have arrived at a certain spot, the venture-captain continues.
"Alright, I will be the head Pathfinder of this mission and I have a few tasks for you to do in preparation for this. Faction leaders, among others from the Society, and some allies will accompany you with this mission as well." she then pulls out scrolls and hands them over to them.
"I would like you to do these tasks first."
Task Details Verdant Wheel faction leader Urwal walks amid the gathered Pathfinders. He checks each person’s face before shaking his head and moving on to the next. “There are Pathfinders unaccounted for. Although the upcoming mission will be dangerous, Galt is not a land it would do to get lost in. Find our wayward companions and bring them here so no one gets left behind.”
Task Details Horizon Hunters faction leader Calisro Benarry clutches at her stomach as it grumbles loudly. “Just in time! I’m starving! Go lend the Lodge’s serving staff a hand so everyone can have a proper meal before this mission gets underway. We can’t set out on an empty stomach!”
Task Details Ashasar stands outside a magnificent hedge maze, examining it with interest. “This is the fabled Maze of the Open Road. Our divinations indicate the maze’s misalignment is due to an outside source beyond the maze and not a problem with the maze itself. Still, I prefer to conduct a second assessment to ensure nothing’s changed. I’d like you to assist by gathering magical readings—just don’t enter the maze!”
Task Details Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau proffers a long list of names. “I’ve organized all the Pathfinders into teams of between four and six agents. Take this list and help everyone gather in their assigned units.”
Task Details Head Initiate Janira Gavix smiles and waves at the sight of the PCs, then hurries over to say hello. “Do you have a second to lend me a hand? I brought along a few dozen newly graduated Pathfinders, but they’re worried about the upcoming mission. I know they’re ready for this, but the scale of it all is setting them on edge. Could you talk to the rookies? Some conversation and encouragement will help settle their nerves.”[/b]
Task Details Vigilant Seal faction leader Eando Kline sifts through crates and wagons, divvying gear up into piles. “Help me sort this equipment according to the supply list, then deliver it to the assembling teams. We need to ensure everyone is well equipped for the upcoming mission.”
"Spread out and start doing those tasks!"
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The goblin looks a little angry, "How are you supposed to cater for a whole team, when half of them wander off before lunch is ready!" The goblin looks around intently and with a little stamp of her feet she starts to bang loudly with a metal spoon on one of her cooking pots. The metal on metal sharp sound reverberates around her. She calls out as though calling in cats for their dinner, shouting the occasional name of a compatriot, "Here Artheriel!! Come!". Then another "Here Dramit!" she continues to loudly announce her presence as she searches along small paths through the trees surrounding the camp and jumping over guy ropes holding various tents in place.
As her companions find her, she looks like the Pied Pier of Hamlyn leading her flock back to the dinner table. Returning she says to Urwal, "Are these the Pathfinders we're looking for?" a smile beaming across her face. "All back for some nosh now and instructions."
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”It’d be a pleasure, Janira!”, Molly replies.
She whistles at the newbies. ”Fall in, ye scurvy lot!”, she barks.
Once they gather around her, she softens her tone. ”Alright look, I’ll let you in on a little secret”
She looks around to make sure no one else is in earshot, then continues. ”Every mission sounds scarier than it is. There’s always some disaster looming on the horizon, we’re the only ones who can stop it, blah blah blah. Don’t worry about any o’ that. Just focus on the job at hand, an’ next thing you know, you’ll be laughin’ about it over ales in the tavern. Now, buck up!”
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Athelsted engages in some magical investigations. The young cleric admires the shapes of the Maze of the Open Road.
"Quite the arrangement of greenery!" Athelsted exclaims to Ashasar. "It is a shame that something is amiss. Perhaps, by the will of the Eternal Rose, I may offer some further insight."
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Fioriel shakes her head All i have is a resh journal for putting down my own notes and takes out a small journal and fans the empty pages at Edda. Proper scholarly works on the Maze are hard to find and those written by those who have actually travelled through the maze I have found no record of
I am not familiar with a history of malfunctins merely that entrances can be hard to find.What have you heard Edda?
I work closely with Eando Kline and his team but I am not a member of the dark archive
Edda's head cocks curiously as Fioriel shows off her journal.
"Paper is such a wondrous resource. I had never considered writing in the field. The Society is so fascinating."As the Venture Captain begins to explain the situation, Edda's excitement gets the best of them, and tries whispering to Fioriel
"I have only had the pleasure of meeting one other scholar of the maze before. She insisted that the hedge is alive and can even be communicated with, though I have yet to even learn how that might be possible."
That is when Venture-Captain Jirneau calls out for the Pathfinders to assist in their mustering tasks. Edda yells to Fioriel as she dashes off toward The Maze.
"Let me know what you write down about the Maze!"
Still wondering to herself about the novelty of field journals, Edda seeks out Eando Kline, one of the most practical humans they have ever met.
After getting a quick rundown on what needs to be handled to setup a proper supply-chain, Edda tries organizing runners to better align communication
Escort: Althelsted, Black Molly, Edda, Fioriel, Hope, Nikebei
Last Meal: Althelsted, Black Molly, Edda, Fioriel, Hope, Nikebei
Magical Investigations (Success, can be attempted by others for a Crit Success): Althelsted, Black Molly, Edda, Fioriel, Hope, Nikebei
Mustering: Althelsted, Black Molly, Edda, Fioriel, Hope, Nikebei
Reassurance (Success, can be attempted by others for a Crit Success): Althelsted, Black Molly, Edda, Fioriel, Hope, Nikebei
Supplies (Crit Success, well done!): Althelsted, Black Molly, Edda, Fioriel, Hope, Nikebei
"Well done to that, Logistics will be better with this arrangement, I admit." Eando is somewhat impressed by Edda's work and he gives the group some useful elixirs they can choose from.
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The herald steps in and tries to help sort recruits into their proper places by calling each name out to stand in the line one by one.
And following that Hope tries to use his well seasoned anatomy to help the cook think through how best to use the few dry spices and mix it whatever other materials are available to scrounge nearby.
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Now back from finding very few missing Pathfinders, Nikebei starts to organise them into an array of helpers, some peeling potatoes and carrots, other boiling water. Within minutes the kitchen is working hard with one accord to make some tasty and filling vittles. "An army and Pathfinders runs on it's stomachs, so lets fill those tums with we cook here." She sniffs the air, full of the smell of spices, popping special delicacies into pots, tails of rat, beak of crow, anything to add that special touch.
As she sees Calisro Benarry, Nikebei takes over a bowl of hot steaming brownish sludge stew, "Hoping you like this, used some very nice eastern herbs to give it that warming sensation and beautiful taste."
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As the Pathfinders start to finish up their meals, Nikebei takes out a clipboard with paper on it. Much to everyone's surprise, she is not asking for opinions on the meal. Instead she starts to look for names on the board and point people into teams, ticking the list off as she goes. "No no, I don't know what you'll be doing, I'm just doing my job. Now get along into your teams please, it makes everyone's lives so much easier "
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As Janira Gavix points out a couple of teams where the youngsters are particularly nervous, Nikebei takes over some special hearty drinks she had been able to make whilst in the kitchen. "Here try these hot blueberry and rippleberry drink, it's a special juice that reminds you, you are part of the Pathfinder team, the strongest team in Golarian. We have explored in every place to find it's treasures, catalog them and we always come back together for more drinking and celebrating. We are together in this, don't forget it, you are never alone."
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Meanwhile Eando Kline is calling for help with sorting out the suplies, Nikebei cannot but help, if only just to see what they are taking with them. She clambers over wagons and piles of barrels and crates at Kline's insistence, to gather object, swords, potions, shields, lances anything that the company have in the wagons, adding them to different piles.
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”Rounding up the stragglers, eh? Sounds like two heads’ll be better than one”, says Molly. ”Cap’n on deck!”
The space beside her wavers, and a greenish-blue apparition appears. It looks like a human pirate, with a long gray beard and an eyepatch. One hand holds a cutlass, while the other has been replaced by a shadowy hook. A skull and crossbones appear on his hat, as well as Molly’s.
”Avast, me hearties!”, he proclaims. ”Silverbeard walks again!”
”We’ve got some landlubbers to sniff out”, Molly tells him.
”Lead the way, lass! No one escapes!”
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Molly looks over the hedge maze, then closes her eyes.
”By galleons tossed, an’ sailors drowned,
By terrors o’ the deep renowned,
By fair Besmara’s blackened hue,
I bid ye spirits, show me true!”
She opens her eyes.
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”Alright ye swabs!”, Silverbeard barks. ”When ye hear yer name, say ‘Aye’!”
A couple of Pathfinders giggle at this, motioning at his missing eye. Black Molly casts bullhorn, and her voice booms over the grounds.
”STOW IT!”, she snaps. The group falls silent. She continues to glare at them as the captain reads off their names.
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At Urwal's request, Athelsted heads out to look for some of the wayward Pathfinders.
He fears his fellows appear allusive.
The young cleric next turns to the aid of Calisro Benarry. He tries to recall what sort of fare, not to mention quantities, half-orcs tend to eat.
When Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau calls for mustering, Athelsted tries to assure the other agents. "I had trouble when I first received the summons--on account of spilt paint--but I assure you, Venture-Captain Jirneau will not be cross, provided you arrive quickly."
At the request of Head Initiate Janira Gavix, he repeats his assurances.
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Edda happily trots over to the kitchen staff. Nothing makes them happier than helping people increase efficicency.
Drawing out a handful of crystals suspended on strings, Edda attempts to attune themself to the maze's magics.
As Edda hears Jirneau's command, they start to get giddy.
"These massings of Agents are such a wonder! Such a wonder! Yet there is always so much that needs a careful hand. Hopefully I can be the one to help provide it here as well"
And Edda races off trying to boss people around.
Edda, having intensely studied diplomatic rhetoric and policy tries to extol the preparation and the hardships that each of the initiates have gone through, and is honestly a little surprised when their words don't sound half-bad
Finally, as Edda comes down from her operational high, they make their way over to Urwal, but seeing that he was already talking to a number of their fellow agents, Edda tries to discover where the missing agents might have ended up based on her knowledge of the lay of the land, and also avoid the other Iruxi.
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The Pathfinders work together to help Pathfinders allies to complete the tasks needed before they head out for the Maze. Urwal is happy to be able to account all the Pathfinders that will be joining the mission, thanks to the group. Calisro have a full stomach after that warm and delicious hearty meals prepared with their help also.
Armeline is satisfied to see that everyone has gathered into their groups and are behaving accordingly.
Escort (Success)
Last Meal (Crit Success)
Mustering (Crit Success)
Supplies (Crit Success)
Magical Investigations (Success, can be attempted by others for a Crit Success): Hope, Nikebei
Reassurance (Success, can be attempted by others for a Crit Success): Fioriel
Althelsted and Edda's words are sufficient to reassure the newly-graduated Pathfinders that their training and experiences during their trainee days have prepared them adequately for their first mission.
Ashahar collects their magical readings so that they can learn more about the place. they give something to them in return for their efforts.
While waiting, Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau calls for all Pathfinders to gather for an announcement.
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Nikebei suddenly stops and listens to the words Ashasar speaks, then nods her head, "Magical you say, let me ask." She starts to mumble words in goblin as though entering into a conversation, with nobody there.
After a short while of this strange behaviour, Nikebei turns to Ashasar, "Granny Dophrin says that mazes are for those who want to go round in circle and get dizzy. She won't even look at this one, sorry!"
A hush falls over the gathered Pathfinders as Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau ascends a podium erected outside the entrance to the Maze of the Open Road. “Welcome to Woodsedge, Pathfinders! Thank you for coming. As many of you know, the Maze of the Open Road is an interdimensional pathway built long ago by Forest King Narven Feathereyes as a gift for the Society. Time was not kind to the maze, but thanks to the efforts of Eliza Petulengro and other Pathfinders, it was repaired.
“Recently, the maze’s paths realigned and now all point to a single location. Our investigations indicate this isn’t a problem with the Maze of the Open Road but an outside source—a beacon—that’s attracting the paths. The maze is of critical importance to many missions and must remain available. Our mission is to fix this strange anomaly.
“We traverse the Maze of the Open Road to an unknown destination. Although this is an exciting opportunity to explore new horizons, our mission is not exploration. Our mission is to find the beacon and sever its connection to the Maze of the Open Road. Prepare yourselves! We leave shortly.”
After a few minutes to allow for any last-second preparations, Venture-Captain Jirneau leads the assembled Pathfinders into the Maze of the Open Road. ”Stay close, we won’t be here long.”
Armeline guides the Pathfinders through the maze with confidence, while Eando Kline, faction leader of the Vigilant Seal, takes the rear, ensuring no Pathfinders get left behind. Armeline hesitates only a moment before plunging through a shimmering portal, out of the Maze and into the unknown.
Following her lead, the Pathfinders arrive in a large stone chamber with red stone walls and polished tan floor tiles, lit by a luminous arch rising from a central raised platform. The chamber has three side chambers and one exit. “Fan out, Pathfinders!” Venture-Captain Armeline orders. “Secure the area.”
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Firoriel is taking a lesser healing potion as provisions
and selecting lesser antidote and lesser antiplague and scroll of restoration (yes I know most of the things it fixes don't usually last longer than the minute casting time but pathfinders deal in the unusual)
Drinks both antidote and antiplague on being instructed to fan out
The chamber has four major features of note:
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Hope is equally curious about the fountain and steps over to it. "Oh I know what that is. It's an... 'ablution chamber'. They're used to wash yourself before entering some kind of sacred space. Couldn't say to whom the sacred place would be too though." He looks over at Black Molly, "I uhhhh don't think you're supposed to drink it..."
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Nikebei joins Life and Black Molly over at the fountain, after all it looks quite refreshing that water...
On hearing Life's explanation for the water feature....
"What, it's a bath. Oh haven't had one in a while. Yeaaaa" she quickly deposits her gear and armour before jumping into the water, hoping it's not too deep. She splashes around, throwing water at Black Molly and Life.
She shouts to the others, "Come on in, the waters lovely."
After this quick dip, she wonders "Anyone got some magic to dry me off?" then gets ready for the next thing. "This is fun, not like the other missions I've been on, where we end up in big fights and stuff... No this Maze seems a lot of fun..."
Remembering she has forgotten this is a serious Pathfinder mission, she keeps quiet and hopes none of the Venture Captains or Lieutenants have seen or heard het. She does though have a big grin on her blue toothy face, as she replaces her apron and chef's hat, speaking in whispers, "Auntie you should have reminded me, I'm sorry if I've disgraced the family name. Sorry!" Her armour weapons and other equipment all in it's rightful place.
The leaders seem to not notice what Nikebei just did on the small pool of water. Fortunately, nothing bad happens to her when she dips herself into the fountain.
The chamber with fountain and chamber with the arch being completely investigated , they are left with the second and fourth features to explore.
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With a fountain of water streaming through the goblin's teeth back into the pool, Nikebei's head bobs above the water. "But my head is out the water, Cap'n sir!" she says and salutes. A broad beam smile, she continues, "Tis a lot better than swimming in the stinky harbour at home, you know in Absalom."
Still dripping, Nikebei reluctantly leaves the awesome fountain and goes off to explore the rest of this area.
★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
In the second side chamber, three rows of wooden hooks protrude from the stone walls in a line around the perimeter of this side chamber, one row at three feet above the ground, one at five, and one at nine. A smooth and well-worn black wood bench is in the chamber's center. It’s old, but sturdy and comfortable.
Althestad realizes that this is a dressing chamber, which would have held clothes for creatures varying from Small to Large in size.
★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
The final side chamber behind the arch is ovoid-shaped. The entrance to this ovoid chamber is only partially blocked by a circular stone door, which slides in and out of the wall. The red stone chamber is completely curved, with no angles or hard edges anywhere.
The chamber is empty, but as Black Molly, Nikebei and Life Sprouts enter this chamber, they see a large grey and blue container in the center, similar to a sarcophagus, constructed from metal and glass. Althested, Edda Vira and Fioriel just see an empty chamber.
Nikebei almost runs up to the Sarcophagus, but it isn't splashing water everwhere, so she holds back.
Meanwhile, Black Molly comes forward. The metal and glass sarcophagus is some of the most detailed and delicate craftmanship that Molly has seen, though it appears to have been battered, scuffed and repaired at some point. The horizontal seam is tiny, and along one side she can make out, SNOWGARDEN PR--. Whatever else is written wraps around the back, and she would have to get closer to read it.
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”Looks like some high muckety-muck’s fancy coffin”, says Molly, as she investigates the sarcophagus.
"I mean no offense, Good Black Molly, but I am afraid I don't see any 'fancy coffin'," Athelsted notes.
He casts detect magic to see if he can detect the presence of something unusual.
Althested decides that there is something strange about this. The magical aura keeps disappearing and then reappearing.