Azarra's words brought a derisive snarl from Tarask which was cut off by a sound like high-pitched glass shattering and a despairing wail from Tarask as he was enveloped by a mist of utter whiteness.
Horribly Ishta's spell didn't kill him, although all the exposed skin on his face arms and legs flash froze, shattered and sloughed off leaving ruination behind.
Screaming incoherently Tarask lashed out at the closest target, Kardas. The strength of the man was terrifying, battering past Karda's guard like it wasn't there his sword biting in deep. Tarask's wounds made him clumsy enough to fumble his next strike which Kardas managed to parry, but his third thrust was unstoppable skewering the magus close to his heart.
Round: 1
Tarask was hit by Azarra for 10 (total damage taken 10)
Tarask was hit by Ishta for 61 (total damage taken 71)
Kardas was hit by Tarask for 23 (total damage taken 23)
Kardas was hit by Tarask for 26 (total damage taken 49)
Totals: Tarask: 71 damage
Kardas: 49 damage
COMBAT ORDER:
Ser Armithia-Seendren Azarra Tarask Kardas Rasalas <----- WE ARE HERE
Ishta Khosiv
Kardas Rasalas, Ishta Khosiv, Ser Armithia-Seendren and Azarra are up.
Tarask gives Ser Armitha a dirty look, before snapping the shaft of Azarra's arrow despite it sticking out of his shoulder. With a sigh and a half choked sob he replied, "You don't even know the half of what I've done, I'm so utterly F*****! It wouldn't make any difference, even if I told you about the glintstone cavern where the master keeps his phy..." And the he stopped with a mortified look, "Oops."
Sense Motive DC 20:
He knew Ser Armitha was doing...
Ser Armitha:
Status Alive. Doesn't ping as evil.
Kn: Arcarna DC 26:
You've heard of Glintstone, very rare in the realms and highly prized by sages. This transparent greenish blue stone is a manifestation of the weave which has many uses but there are dark whispers of it being an unusually potent focus for a magic jar spell. A spell that Jandark Cardona is by all reports extremely fond of.
Since Ser is waiting for this info and Ishta has a choice I'll pause here and let you deice if you want to attack or do something else.
Ishtar's spell tears a hole into the fabric of reality through which you step through into the old Cardona family apartment. You've been in here before unaware of the significance of the books. The apartment has not been improved by Tarask's stay, it reeks of hard booze, stale sweat with an undertone of vomit. An impressive collection of half drunken spirit bottles line the beach behind him.
The man himself was much worse for wear, his features shrunken in and his fever bright eyes bulging as you appeared. Startled he yelped before snatching up a large curved two hand sword and he snarled, "You'll never take me alive!"
On my phone, can't edit the map. Combat seems like it's about to start at any moment but if you want to try something quick before I fix the map feel free.
No chance for him to make that sense motive check.
"He wants nothing of the sort." replied Tarask stiffly, "Mostly he wants the family heirlooms. Art objects before you get all suspicious, not weapons or anything nefarious. Anyway I see that you have made your position clear. I can make my own way back, good bye."
He slaps a lever you couldn't see and suddenly the door slams shut, locking him away from you.
Actions? From what you gather the door you found earlier leads to a wearhouse containing many bales of Caleshite silk. Heavy but expensive.
The bag you heard closing isn't in view, however...
Detect Magic:
As well as your own gear, a number of items radiate strongly of magic in the area: The doorway itself has several powerful abjuration runes inscribed into it. The box Tarask opened has an aura of evocation and there are several auras of conjuration lingering around crates inside the storage room. You get the impression that these are generally defensive in nature, causing a variety of effects ranging from explosions, satis globes and summoned monsters to appear.
Tarask states flatly, "It contains property of Councillor Cardona. Nothing dangerous, or illegal, but I'm afraid you'll have to take my word for that because you are not authorised to inspect it".
Tarask doesn't answer immediately and you hear a soft sound like a bag being closed before he comes into view carrying an ornate box bound in what appears to be bands of mithril.
Sounding tired he tells you, "I'm afraid everything in here is the property of the Cardona family and I'm under strict instructions to allow nobody to interfere with its contents. However Councillor Cardona has authorised substantial payment for yourselves which the key inside here will unlock, I don't think he'll mind if I give it to you."
With that he produces a small brass key which he had attacked to a cord worn like a necklace and uses it to unlock the box. Within the plush salmon colored silk cushioned interior rests an electrum and garnet key. He removes this and tosses it to Azarra saying, "Here this opens the door we found earlier, and most others in the compound. Now I'd appreciate it if you'd allow me to secure this room..."
Tarask nods and heads in and starts a methodical search moving things towards the entrance. He hope boxes in turn where you can see them and opens them, explaining "The contents have been reorganized since I was last in here and that way years ago. I'll recognise the box when I see it but for now I've just got to put some elbow grease in..."
Sense Motive DC 18:
You think he's telling the truth about the room being reorganized.
Sense Motive or Perception DC 29:
You think he is genuinely searching for the key but he's got about it in an inefficient way. You suspect he's looking for something else too when he goes out of your line of sight and if you make the perception roll you hear him open several boxes out of sight.
Looking a bit shell-shocked, Tarask muttered, "Marissa abhorred a mess, I doubt she'll be able to rest with the bedroom in a state like that. Anyway lets get this done..."
He strode towards the tapestry and gently lifted it up and chuckled, "Take a look at this, it seems they tried to get in!". He lifted the tapestry up further revealing a nondescript grey metal door. It and the floor and walls around it bear marks that suggesting it's been attacked with a sledge hammer and possibly chisels although they where unable to get through.
Tarask placed his hand on the door and it pulsed with a dull radiance before silently sliding open at his touch revealing a dusty store room. Tarask turned round to warn you, "The master had an air elemental bound to guard this room. I believe I can enter safely but I have no idea how it will react if try to withdraw something... If you enter it will attack immediately. Let me try and get the key."
Sense Motive DC 18:
You think he's being truthful about his plan to retrieve the key and about the guardian.
Sense Motive DC 28:
You're also suspect he's hoping to do something without you watching.
Tarask leads you past the Master's bedroom which he notes with disgust has been trashed. The once fine four poster bed has been ripped to shreds and used as a bed/lattrine, giving off a pungent stench of gnoll and worse. There is a chest in front of the bed but weirdly it contains what looks to be a human scalp completed with long braided auburn hair.
Tarask examines this before seeming to tear up and wiping it away. "I'd recognise that hair anywhere, Marissa, the Master's estranged wife. They must have killed her."
Tarask leads you outside and then north through the badly neglected ornamental garden past a shed you haven't explored and a door to the north which he explains leads to the main foyer. Nobody tries to stop you as you head towards the master's quarters and the twin doors stand ajar. Inside the decor is clearly of a much higher standard although sadly neglected and defaced by the gnolls.
Tarask tells you, "Take the middle entrance to the north, turn right, second left and there's the Master's lounge. There should be a large wall hanging on the eastern wall, behind which is a door leading to the store. I doubt they've managed to open it, it's magically keyed to certain trusted people."
Perception DC 18:
Inside the sickly sweet stench of death mingles with the acrid musk of gnoll.
Ishta doesn't find anything of interest sadly, although she does hear distant footsteps as the remaining gnolls move about.
Tarask watched your attempts to finesse the door impassively before suggesting, "There's no telling where the key's got to but there is a skeleton key... Back in the day, it was kept in a locked box in a concealed storeroom adjoining the Master's suite. With any luck it's still there in the north east corner of the compound."
Tarask wrinkles his nose with distaste as he takes in the mess the Gnolls have made of the hallway. Turning to Ishta he replies, "Well... It used to lead to the silk and yarn wearhouse past a suite of modelling studios where tailors would take measurements and perform fittings whilst preserving client modesty. I dread to think what kind of mess they've made of the place."
Tarask follows Azarra into the building which turns out to be a stables. The bones of half a dozen horses lie amongst the be-fowled straw, picked clean by the gnolls.
Looking visibly upset the man mutters darkly, "Such a waste, those where thoroughbreds..."
To the west is a hallway that once contained riding tack. All that has been tossed into a dung heap in the corner. Various sleeping "nests" of straw, ripped fabrics and shed fur line the rather smelly room. The door to the south leads to the mess hall, the door to the north is locked.
DC 20 to pick it, or you could bash it down, or force it DC 22.
Concentrating hard, Taresk sends yet another barrage of arrows, this time at the distracted Elite. Several ping off his tough hide but two lodge deeply in his shoulder and begin weeping blood!
Tarask frowns and concentrates as he sends another volley of arrows, this time at the elites fighting Ser Armitha. Despite taking a steady aim his first two arrows go wide although the third lodges deeply into the Gnoll's thigh but the elite nearly noticed.
Tarask unslings his longbow and send a storm of arrows towards one of the archers. He looks disappointed where the first three arrows went wide and doubly so when the archer dodged the last one.
The room you enter is clearly a mess room filled with sturdy oak trestle tables. The Gnoll's occupation has not improved things, for they have carved obscene doodles into the once smooth table surfaces and the floor is littered with their dung. The tables contain gnawed upon meat although you can't immediately determine the origin you worry it could be humanoid... The walls which are covered in fine silk screen coverings have been ripped and discoloured my many dubious looking stains.
COMBAT ORDER: Round 4 wrote:
Ishta Khosiv
Ser Armithia-Seendren Gnolls Archers Azarra <----- WE ARE HERE
Tarask Kardas Rasalas Gnolls Zane Levallis
Tarask peers up the chute and remarks, "Used to be a long plank up there with holes so you could sit down and do your business. Looks the filthy animals have removed it, disgusting!"
He seems to have something of a point for not even the stench of burnt hair and seared flesh could mask the rank animal reek of unwashed flesh.
The walls are well made and pointed brickwork, three stories high and relatively sheer. A tricky but not impossible climb. DC 20
"Tunnels? Mmm sewers perhaps, there should be a manhole over there somewhere..." he points to a trash filled alley. He ponders some more and adds, "Courtyard has a well, source is an underground stream perhaps 80' deep. Surveyors guild might know its source."
There is indeed a man hole if you bother to dig through the trash, it's rusty needing a DC18 strength check to lever up.
Tarask nods, "Very well lets depart. Be advised we believe a tribe of Gnolls is currently occupying the Textile house befouling the place with their stench."
He falls silent and leads you towards the northern edge of civilized Phlan, past the newly liberated library where you notice gangs of work men coming two and fro. It seems they've been busy, the facade has been painted and statues removed. Tarask leads you north to the barricade where the troops wave you through and onto the ancestral Cardona compound where each entrance is blocked by a closed wooden gate, about 7 feet tall. These are the original gates and bear the crest of the Cadorna Mercantile house (A hand holding a threaded shuttle on a field of yellow trimmed with squirrel).
Several skulls of unidentifiable creatures hang from the tops of the gates. The gnolls have painted their own barbaric symbol over that of the Cadorna house. All gates are barred from the inside.
Actions? The compound is basically a free standing city block with four entrances, one per wall (north, south, east, west). Tarask tells you that inside there is a central courtyard surrounded by many terraced buildings.
A couple of days later the by now well rested Watchers of Dawn have a visitor, a man introducing himself as Tarask bearing a letter.
Letter from Cardona:
Respected Adventurers, I thank you for undertaking this dangerous task on behalf of the settlement of New Phlan and, in no small way, my family’s honor. In recognition of what you do for myself and my ancestors, I send you as promised this man, Tarask. As I said his arm is still strong, and he will not be a burden and he know the layout of the house we worked in as a child. Please accept him on your mission, if only that through him the name of Cadorna may expunge some of the evil that has befallen fair Phlan.
The man himself is clearly a warrior, past his prime but still quite capable-looking. He has the basic equipment needed—half plate, shield, and plane but well honed long sword. He seems quite taciturn, the sort to stay out of the way and too proud to whine or beg for the party to accept him. You get the impression he intends to prove himself by his actions.
Sense Motive DC 20:
You get the impression that he does indeed wish to prove himself to the by now famous Watchers of Dawn and as well to his true master Cardona.
