Records of the Caia Outfit (Inactive)

Game Master NotEspi

Endoin checks the two scenes carefully.

"MmmHmm..."

"MmmHmm..."

"Yeah."

"Interesting."

When finished, he reports. "The time is a bit off. And we need a gold thread. Anyone find a gold thread?"

"Well, we can change the time on the regular clock to match the one in the mirror. But I'd have to look around for thread..."

Fey will take some time to look around for any gold thread that can be used. +6 perc

Rem has not felt very helpful during these investigations but he readily agrees with Fey’s suggestion to try altering the time and he helps her search for a gold thread, although he observes, ”The missing gold thread may just mean that the dagger has been moved since the painting was made.” Rem also checks to make sure the thread isn’t just tucked under the dagger or something simple like that. He also pauses, chuckling, to admire the lizard display.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

You look at the miniature, attempting to find the pointed-out golden thread. You look at the bottom of the relief, at the frame, at the floor under your feet, but there is none to be found.

However, looking at the frame, you notice that the frame itself seems to be damaged by... claws? Something of the sort.

Marcus steps closer to the relief, his gaze narrowing as he examines the claw marks on the frame. "Well, that’s curious." he says, reaching out to trace one of the marks with his fingertip. "Looks like something’s been fiddling with this mirror before we got here. Maybe even trying to get in or out."

Turning his attention to the lizard display, he takes a closer look at the cards and figures. "These little critters are dressed better than half the nobles in Oppara." he jokes. "And they’re playing cards. Makes you wonder if we’re supposed to play a hand ourselves ... or if there’s something hidden among the cards?"

Fey shuffles closer to where Marcus was looking at the mirror, pulling a face. "Maybe Fake Ghaf actually has claws?" She posits.

"Couldn't find any gold thread, though." She frowns and looks around more, twirling some of her blonde hair around her fingers thoughtfully.

"Unless we can use some of my hair," She says, chuckling. "Or if anyone had some spare threads in general. I could make it look golden," She wiggles her fingers and demonstrates, casting Prestidigitation on her hair to give it a golden, metallic sheen. "Only works as long as I hold it, though."

"Unless we can use some of my hair," She says, chuckling. "Or if anyone had some spare threads in general. I could make it look golden," She wiggles her fingers and demonstrates, casting Prestidigitation on her hair to give it a golden, metallic sheen. "Only works as long as I hold it, though."

"As good an idea as anything else."

So you will be attempting to replicate the golden thread? If that's right, I will need a crafting check from whoever is attempting this.

"Good idea to try replicating the thread. Endoin and Tamhar, from what I've seen you're both better crafters than I am, but I'll try to help. I also think we should change the time to match the clock in the image, if we haven't already."

If no one stops him, Rem will adjust the time, and he will stand by and offer suggestions and a helping hand as the others work the "thread."

crafting to aid: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

But he doesn't have much to offer...

Tamhar puts here hand out for the hair. "Here let me give it a shot. This is very good quality hair to work with."

crafting: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

"Hopefully that will be good enough"

Tamhar takes the strands of hair and gets to work. Within a few minutes, she has a fairly good replica of the rope in her hand and imitates the placement of the thread on the miniature dagger. Moving the minute hand on the clock is not an issue.

Once both walls mirror their opposite, the door east of you clicks and opens up with a soft creak as the air pushes out of the newly revealed hallway in the form of a soft breeze.

In this hallway, there are five doors. The one you just entered through has a set of simple but durable latch locks ready to lock the door behind you if needed.

On the opposite end of the hallway, you can see a wooden door reinforced by steel plates with a set of latches similar to the western door.

On the north side, you see three sconces containing shining stones. Opposite to each of the sconces is a door. These doors are not reinforced, nor locked. The carpet covering the floors had seen very little use. It might actually have the most vibrant colour in the house, indicating almost nonexistent traffic in this particular hall.

The air, if a little stale, has traces of myrrh and old wax in it.

"Huzzah!" Rem claps with pleasure as the door opens, and then is rendered speechless by the scene beyond. "Well, this is rather more extensive than I was expecting."

"It doesn't look like anyone has been in here for a long time, but I hope we're still on the right track -- maybe this is a secret passage that leads to different rooms. I think we should search for traps or any hidden details before entering. I'll look, but we should get more than one set of eyes on it."

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Question: If I'm understanding correctly, the opposite door can be locked from the inside (inside this hallway), so it appears we should be able to just open it easily from this side?

Question: If I'm understanding correctly, the opposite door can be locked from the inside (inside this hallway), so it appears we should be able to just open it easily from this side?

Correct. They can both be locked/unlocked from this hallway.

"Smells like magic," Fey comments, stepping in behind Rem with a grin. "Lots more extensive, you're right, Rem. Should we lock the doors behind us...for safety?" If there's no protest from anyone, Fey will go ahead and lock the door behind them to make an obstacle for anyone who could be looking for intruders.

She peeks around and casts Detect Magic, seeking a direction where the most magic might be present.

She'll also want to peek at the stones in the sconces, but I want to see where the detect magic stuff points me first.

"Excellently done," Endoin calls out to his wife as the door opens.

He goes into the hallway. "I don't think this is the study." He goes over and inspects the closest stone.

Occultism: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Marcus watches as Rem and Fey work with precision. When the door opens and reveals a more extensive hallway than expected, he raises an eyebrow, clearly impressed.

"Well, what do you know? Full of surprises, you lot."

Marcus checks in on Tiqi to make sure she's doing okay.

Remqaur starts inspecting the hallway. Throughly. He taps the walls, taps the floor, taps the sconces, smells the air for odd scents, but finds nothing that seems dangerous in the immediate vicinity.

Meanwhile, Fey opens her inner eye to look for residual energy of the magical. She does register the otherworldly hum of magics in the vicinity.

And I really hate to do this to you again, but... Level 1 Detect Magic does what it does. It improves over time, so don't grow indifferent to it.

Endoin starts inspecting the sconces. Looking at the shining spheres, you realise you have seen these all over the house, and they are simply a means of illumination. However, the other ones were usually embedded into walls, covered in glass, or otherwise inaccessible. If you were to reach into the sconces, however, you could simply pick one or more up without a hitch and have a personal light source for a long time.

Tiqi, following the group around curiously, took her time inspecting the "mirror" outside the door. She definitely is not relaxed, but not exactly on edge. It seems her curiosity is taking over. Every now and then, she looks over her shoulder to find Jassim trailing the entire group. When she finds Marcus looking, she returns a soft smile and a confirming nod, reassuring you she is still here.

"Well, which door do we check out first?"

Rem doubts he'll hear anything, but he listens at all of the doors (the three on the side and the one at the other end) just in case.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

If you put your ear to the door in the eastern wall, you can hear the sound of wind whistling as it rushes past the frame.

"I can't be sure, but this door may lead to the outside -- at least, I hear wind. I'm guessing we want to explore one of the others first."

Leaning casually against the wall, Marcus listens as Rem reports the sounds behind the door. He nods thoughtfully, "Escape route then. Something tells Marcus that Ghaf’s secrets are more likely behind one of these solid, closed-off ones."

Door: 1d3 ⇒ 2

I'm guessing we want to explore one of the others first.

"Sounds good to me." Endoin goes up to the middle door in the hallway and checks it over to see if anything is amiss and to see if it opens easily.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

As you open the middle door, you set your eyes upon something that seems like a small armoury. Immediately to your left, you see a set of 3 shields of various make and sizes. The east and south walls are lined with racks of hanging blades, some axes, hammers, morning stars, crossbows, and bows. On the other hand, various armours hang on the western wall. Ranging from lighter leathers all the way to a heavy plate.

Decorated, but fully functional, each of the items is near a small gold-plated plaque describing the year of make, original owner, and a a name of the engagement in which it was used or a description of a beast it cut down.

I won't give you any runed weapons/armour here, but all of them are for a medium-sized creature and well-kept. IF you want to take any, that is. *cough* Marcus *cough*

Apparently I had a whole post written in my brain and didn't follow through with it at all. It's been a long week.

"Hm, hunting trophies..." Fey frowns, shoving down her distaste for the practice. "Oy, Marcus? If we get into a scuffle..." She gestures widely at the armory setup. "May as well put these to better use than collecting dust, eh? You, too, Tiqi, if you're so inclined." She peeks around at all of it, but finds that most of these things aren't well-suited for her dainty, magic user ways. Unless there are things there unmentioned in the description!

"I don't see much of anything other than this...next room?" Without waiting for an affirmative, Fey wanders back into the hallway and down to the next door. She does not, however, open it just yet, and pokes her head back into the armory. "Think we should be worried about traps? I about grabbed the door handle and just opened it, but...you never know with these rich types and their paranoia."

"Oh, yeah. Can never be too careful." Endoin comes back out of the armory room to go inspect the door Feyrial is looking at. "If this was my house, I would trap every door in here and half of the floors." He checks the other two doors for good measure.

Perception door 1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Perception door 3: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Perception air door: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Tiqi looks aroud the room. She shrugs and picks up a short blade from the wall. "I am not a soldier, but will help if I can." she tests the edge with her thumb.

Meanwhile, Endoin doesn't notice any dangerous mechanisms in the area. The doors are closed, but just like the middle room, testing the door handles shows they are not locked.

Marcus steps into the armory, his eyes immediately drawn to the rows of weapons and armor displayed on the walls. A slow grin spreads across his face as he admires the craftsmanship, taking a moment to scan the detailed plaques and the history behind each piece.

"Well, well. Looks like Ghaf wasn’t just collecting secrets-he’s got himself quite the collection of steel too."

When Fey calls out to him, Marcus chuckles and nods. "Might as well make sure we’ve got the right tools for the job, eh?" He carefully selects a well-balanced rapier, testing the grip and weight with a satisfied look. Afterwards, he picks up a fancy-looking dagger, just in case.

How long do we think the return trip from Delain will take?

"We better just go for it, given our time constraints." Rem opens the first door.

It took you something under two hours to get here. The other team may or may not successfully set up delays for the carriage, however.

"We got our signal. Not-Ghaf is heading back from Delain. We can't dilly-dally anymore. Where is the damn study?" Fey says, pushing open the door that Endoin had inspected to peek inside. Furthest right was where I was aiming at - I can't open the map at work (said in Discord, but just in case) - basically just opening doors until we find the study.

Opening the easternmost door on the south wall of this hallway, you set your gaze on something akin to a bedroom. Or rather what is left of it. The first thing you notice is dust. The room with the decorative weapons seemed to have been cleaned meticulously. This one probably didn't see a broom in quite some time. There are no visible footprints in the dust either. Bar that, you see a partially demolished southern wall as if a heavy object was slammed into it, causing major damage. The debris is concentrated on the floor south of the bed. Speaking of the bed, it is a mess. Sprays and even small puddles of what seems like rust are on the partially eaten by moths and even mouldy sheets.

A small table is pressed against the eastern wall with perhaps several plates on it. What might have been a tasty meal in the past is not just a structure of natural blight. As if clinging, grey hair growing from an unkempt head had spread in the vicinity. The primary target of this expansion seems to be a bent set of armour "stored" or between the table and a partitioning wall separating the bedroom itself from the restroom. The armour's chest piece is bent on the back, with several scratches visible in the damaged area. Not claw marks. Instead, it seems like it was chafed somehow.

There is a cabinet on the southeastern wall. One door barely hanging on one hinge, the other closed. A few fancy-looking buttons or sleeve cuffs on the floor of the cabinet indicate there -have been- fancy garments inside at some point, although now - the contents are mostly mouldy and eaten by moths.

Jassim pokes his head into the room and his face turns into one of shock. "Gods..." is the only thing he manages to murmur.

What would you like to do?

Rem throws up his hands in confusion. "I don't know what on earth happened in here, but it doesn't look like a study and it seems pretty clear no one has recently put a book in here."

He moves down the hall and opens the third door.

Opening the westernmost door reveals a curious sight. unlike the bedroom, this area is immaculate. Not a speck of dust in sight. Smell of was and myrrh is very strong here.

The walls are lined with various items that don't seem to be related, other than the fact that the place seems like a museum exposition.

Along the wall, going from northwest to southwest, then southeast are:

A finely decorated nirmathran vase of depicting two men in a charriot armed with spears, chasing down some form of a large boar-like creature. The creature is bleeding and already has one spear protruding from the back.

A carmine-dyed miniature suit of leather and fur armour. The mask has slits for a mouth and eyes, but otherwise depicts a horned creature. The grimace is a menacing one, with a pair of goat-like horns growing from the fur-covered head, fat belly and stout legs ending with hooves.

A golden goblet decorated with rubies. Blue-tinted vapours form just above the brim, and flow down the goblet itself before dispersing into the area. This is the source of the myrrh smell in the room.

In the corner, you see a clear crystal seemingly made of ice. A single large snowflake slowly spins in the center of the formation. The crystal is cold to the touch.

The next item on display is a lustrous lute with a polished body that seems to change colours and shapes on the body as you look at it. Its frets are inlaid with mother of pearl.

Next to the lute, you see a single tentacle. Seemingly still alive, the thing slowly moves and shifts. The tentacle is dark green at the base, but the cloration gradually shifts to a blood-red tip. The tip itself slowly excretes a clear, water-like substance that flows down the tentacle in small droplets.

The last item on the shelves is a large moss-covered rock with a steel sword embedded within it. The sword's double-edged blade has shiny azure runes in the middle of it.

Some of these are clearly magical. If you wish to identify them, you may do so. Just note that this is a 10-minute activity (by default). Let me know.

On the wooden floor itself, there are three red square-shaped carpets. On the carpets are:

Three masterfully crafted marble busts in the northwest corner, all depicting beautiful female heads. Two of them are turned towards the miniature suit of armour, and one is facing the middle of the room.

In the northeast corner, a cylindrical cannon. Just that. A cannon on a wooden platform with four wooden wheels.

In the southeastern corner, a bleached dragon skull roughly 3 feet end to end facing the eastern wall.

But most prominently, a circular mirror surrounded by half-melted candles is pressed against the floor between the southwest corner and the center of the room. Moving closer to the mirror, you notice the edges of the mirror are covered with runes that surround a geometric pattern.

So that's all three rooms reveals. What are you going to do?

Endoin steps into the bedroom, leaving kobold tracks across the dusty floor. He starts to check out the hole punched into the wall.

"I don't know what on earth happened in here, but it doesn't look like a study and it seems pretty clear no one has recently put a book in here."

Endoin sighs and turns away from analyzing the damage patterns. "Yeah, probably not worth the time."

He walks out and over to the other room. "Now this looks more like a study. A very strange one though." He looks around the room and his eyes settle on the tentacle. "Now that is fascinating."

But then he spots the mirror. He looks from the big mirror in the corner of the room to the little mirror in his hand. Then back. "Well, if I knew that this big one was here, I wouldn't have brought this little one."

He takes a step or two towards the mirror, but then stops. "Wait. What if this is the mirror that does the pulling into the mirror thing and swaps us out with a fake too?" He steps to the side and moves closer to the mirror, making sure to not let himself see his own reflection in it.

Both Nature and Religion are two of the few skills that I have no proficiency in.

Requested Fortitude save
Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Alright. You did a few things that triggered some things, so before moving out of the bedroom, this is what I have for you.

Endoin steps into the bedroom, leaving his footprints on the floor's dust-covered surface. He walks to the bed frame, observing the damaged wall.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 = 13

While the damage is substantial, and pieces of wood paneling and rocks are covering the area near the wall, it doesn't seem like it might cause a collapse or a similar dramatic event. Someone either attempted to break this section with a hammer, or something heavy impacted the wall to cause such damage.

Anyone looking into the bedroom as Endoin inspects it:

I finally have time and energy!

Fey follows Endoin and peeks in after him.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Her eyes are immediately drawn to the gray hairs suddenly moving, detaching from the wall. "Endoin," Fey calls out a warning, raising a hand. "Get out of the room," She says, voice tinged with worry. "The hair is...floating."

"Endoin," Fey calls out a warning, raising a hand. "Get out of the room," She says, voice tinged with worry. "The hair is...floating."

Endoin looks around quickly. Seeing the hairs waggling in his direction, he blows at them and scampers out of the room. "Hey, dearest. Do me a quick favor and incinerate this room for me."

Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

"Hey, dearest. Do me a quick favor and incinerate this room for me."

I can give this a try.

Tamhar uses her Kobold breath sending a cone of poison into the room.

poison damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Endoin quickly removes himself from the room, and Tamhar spits poison inside. The poison covers the floor, and burns off the dust on the floor, leaving a nice quarter circle of clear flooring visible.

However, the poison dissipates after a moment, and the "dust" starts to edge into the cleared area. It only takes a dozen or so seconds before the entire floor is covered by whatever this material is.

The globule of gray "hairs" slowly returns to its original resting place - the plates sitting on the desk.

Tamhar watches as the "hairs" disappear and then reappear. "Well that was not very effective, but kind of cool to watch"

"It's good enough for me," Endoin says while slamming the door shut.

He sits down and looks at his feet. "Can anyone check if I still have that ... whatever it is ... on me?"

Rem wanders down the hall to open the other door as Endoin goes into the first room, and is surprised at hearing Fey's warning, then to see Endoin run out, then to see Tamhar breathe something noxious looking into the room, and then to see Endoin slam the door! "Hey all -- this room looks more promising, but also really weird, and I don't see a book. Some of you may be able to make more sense of the stuff in this room than me." Nature and religion rolls required.

"What the heck even was that?" Fey says incredulously before turning her attention to the other room.

"Hm..." Fey very carefully steps into the room, and looks around at some of the items.

Fey's untrained in nature and religion, unfortunately.

Fey passes by a few of the things, her eyes immediately drawn to the beautiful lute...and the tentacle that sat next to it. The sorceress reaches and hand out to touch the tip of the tentacle, but forces herself to stop short of actually making contact. "Huh...I want to spend some time with these, but..." She sighs, tearing herself away, and turns her attention to the mirrors.

She approaches the mirrors carefully, on the watch for anything strange reacting to her movements.

If nothing stops her/reacts/etc., she will study the patterns on the mirror. Does she recognize them? She has +3 for arcana and occult

After that shrugging off the events in the odd and demolished bedroom, you all slowly walk into the western room.

"I'm no expert, but I like to think I have good taste and some of the stuff in here ... I just don't get it. Like that hideous vase -- the colors are way off and boars are taller than the horses. Either it has some hidden historical significance, or the collector just has terrible taste. Which is odd, because the rest of the house isn't so badly decorated, right?"

Does the lute or any of the other art pieces mean anything else to him?

Lore (art): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Rem - Unfortunately, I can not give you anything more with that roll. Maybe if you spend some time with identify magic. But do note, each such attempt will steal prescious time. Ghaf is on the way, and you still don't have the location of the item you are after.

Endoin looks at the huge boar depicted being hunted on the vase and comments, "Huh. I'd be trying to avoid meeting one of those out in the wild."

He goes over to the mirror and checks out the eldritch engravings. "Well, I don't really know what this does. Some sort of protected teleportation thing. Like a summoning circle, I guess. But on a mirror."

"Would probably know more once we find that book." He starts searching around the room to see if he can find the book in here.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Endoin continues looking around the room after his initial investigation. He doesn't find any book in the room, however.

Fey hums with curiosity while studying the barrel and its inscription, crouching down to study it further.

"'To break the walls hindering one's potential, one must first face their demons,'" She reads aloud, pensively.

Then, a thought: "Oh no..." She stands up and looks around at the rest of the group in the room. "Ghaf faced his demons, alright...Not-Ghaf is some kind of demon, I'm betting. Maybe that's what destroyed the bedroom?" She huffs thoughtfully.

Without waiting for any more answers, Fey goes to stand in front of the mirrors and quirks an eyebrow, waiting to see if Ghaf shows up in the reflections again.