Spinnaker Jon tries to make connections from the words on the note paper to the images on the bas relief...
Since Annie asked, Bryson racks his brain for answers
Spinnaker Jon reads the note again:
Chimera looks to sunrise, Cyclops looks to sunset, Medusa looks to sunrise, Umber Hulk looks to sunset, Basilisk looks to sunrise
Jon walks around the room, looking at the bas relief carvings again:
Starting at the wall immediately to the west of the entrance and moving clockwise, the carvings depicted:
A- a tentacled monster with a glaring red eye and a mouth full of teeth,
B- a looming dragon,
C- a fish-like creature with four tentacles and three eyes,
D- a two-headed giant wielding a pair of immense clubs,
E- a spherical creature with four eyestalks and a bulging central eye over a drooling maw,
F- a gorilla-like beast with a fanged maw and six eyes,
G- and a towering black spider with seven eyes.
Spinnaker Jon nods to himself.
"Arr, 'tis clear the carvings have a numerical progression, one through seven counting the number of eyes."
Frowning at the note he says, "A Chimera is a creature with three heads, dragon, goat and lion, so six eyes. The first number is a six. The Cyclops is easy, so the second number is a one. The Medusa..."
He scratches his head. "Do we count the eyes on the little snake/hair too?"
"Following what you said, two, there's no creature up there with that many eyes. So it has to be two."
"But y'see lad, doesn't the Basilisk also have two eyes? One of the two has to have a different number of eyes... Right?"
"Mates you know, my memory was not very good lately" said Sneaky, "but perhaps I remember a children story about the ability of a medusa to see even behind her thanks to the snakes over her head... and I remember basilisk gaze can turn flesh to stone and I always supposed it has just two eyes to do that to you... perhaps it has multiple legs but I think just two eyes... let's try to do it removing possibilities... the second choice we know should be cyclop with one eye".
"But y'see lad, doesn't the Basilisk also have two eyes? One of the two has to have a different number of eyes... Right?"
Annie pondered. "I wonder myself if the same number would happen twice, but look, it's like a combination lock. I see no reason a combination can't use the same number twice...as long as they're not right after one another. If the umber hulk has two eyes as well, then we've got something turned around, I'd say."
"Arr, does ANYONE know how many eyes an Umber Hulk has? Or does we need to go find someones Library for a Naturalist's compendium?"
"4. An umber hulk has 4 eyes. When Ah was a lil'un, the Old Man would scare me with stories of monsters that would eat me if ah was bad. The umber hulk was about the scariest. He said it'd burst forth from the ground and ah would be mesmeerized by the power in its 4 black, beady eyes. It'd give me time to regret whatever wrong ah had just committed, and slowly dismember me with its claws and pincers as it ate me alive." Bryson shudders and looks away.
Annie closed her eyes and called the code back to her mind.
Chimera looks to sunrise, Cyclops looks to sunset, Medusa looks to sunrise, Umber Hulk looks to sunset, Basilisk looks to sunrise
"So we've already turned the pillar to 6 eyes right. Next is 1 left, then 2 right, then 4 left, then 2 right again....we think?" She opened her eyes and looked around. "Sounds like it's worth a try to me!" She grinned with excitement at Lavinia. "Let's see what's inside, waiting for you, Miss Lavinia!" She walked over to help Dgrim turn the pillar again.
"Uhm, actually, since it's only the last one we don't know, why not just keep turning until it sets just right?"
Snaps out of his reverie "Oh yes, a combination lock...of course.."
"So we've already turned the pillar to 6 eyes right. Next is 1 left, then 2 right, then 4 left, then 2 right again....we think?" She opened her eyes and looked around. "Sounds like it's worth a try to me!" She grinned with excitement at Lavinia. "Let's see what's inside, waiting for you, Miss Lavinia!" She walked over to help Dgrim turn the pillar again.
Dgrim goes along the plan, reversing directions to turn the pillar to the one-eyed monster, then continuing until the fifth turn ending at the two-eyed statue.
Spinnaker Jon puffs on his pipe as he tensely watches Dgrim turn the pillar...
Spinnaker Jon puffs on his pipe as he tensely watches Dgrim turn the pillar...
Sneaky would like at this time to have an habit similar to that of Jon... He has to limit himself to follow with his right index finger the jagged edges of his face scar to dispel the tension while watching Dgrim spin the pillar...
Ghirrak attains a state of silent readyness, preparing for another posssible trap.
The tension rises as the arrow clunks to a stop on the third combo. Dgrim grunts a little as he heaves on the arm. It jolts into motion as it grids its way towards the last stop...
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With a mighty roar of grinding stone that echoed through the chamber, the embedded pillars in the main vault chamber opened. The snakes crafted into the four pillars slithered apart much as the northernmost pillar did before revealing the combination chamber, revealing five large chests in each hidden alcove.
Lavinia returned to the main vault room and spun slowly on the tip of her foot, like a young girl, laughing. "It's here. It's all here." She put a hand to her mouth, tears coming to her eyes. "My parents...they were always in debt...always struggling to keep up appearances...I didn't let myself believe that there would be...that there could be so much here."
Lavinia went to the alcove to the left of the combination chamber's entrance and opened a chest. Her expression remained neutral, but something was wrong. She cocked her head, staring into the chest. Then she opened another. And another.
"No," she said, shaking her head. "This isn't possible. There must be something left. They would have told me that things were this dire."
After searching each alcove and opening all but the last three chests, Lavinia's expression transformed from joy to determination to despair. She lifted open a chest and let out a cry of frustration. The chest was filled, but not with coins. Inside were stacks of ledgers, some so old that their bindings were long since rotted through. An iron coffer gave her momentary hope, but its contents was a pile of aged parchment with ornate handwriting and detailed sketches of animals, maps, and sea charts. Lavinia paused over these for a moment before moving onto the last two chests.
These two were neither empty nor filled with anything less than precious metals and jewels. Lavinia Vanderboren let out a deep sigh and sat back upon the cold stone floor. "Oh thank the gods."
After Lavinia moves from the third alcove, Bryson walks to the first and looks inside the chests. He then turns toward the rest of the group and shakes his head somberly. His gaze then moves to Lavinia as she continues to open empty chests. His heart sinks each time she opens another. Upon seeing that first chest in the last alcove wasn't empty, he had a surge of joy followed by disappointment and then joy again when the last two chests were indeed full of money. Lavinia soon finds Bryson's hand on her shoulder when she sits down in relief. "Should we get these to the carriage, Ma'am?"
Instinctively reacting to the threat, the dwarven warrior draws his axe and shield as his face molds itself into that of rage, before quickly realizing there was no threat. Dgrim regains his composure just as Lavinia loses hers, and he watches the woman search her claim.
Curious, Dgrim follows Bryson and looks inside each of the chests. He becomes especially interested when he sees the pile of documents, and examines them more closely. "Lady Lavinia, what do you plan on doing now? Are you going to try collecting the debts to your parents?"
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After Lavinia moves from the third alcove, Bryson walks to the first and looks inside the chests. He then turns toward the rest of the group and shakes his head somberly. His gaze then moves to Lavinia as she continues to open empty chests. His heart sinks each time she opens another. Upon seeing that first chest in the last alcove wasn't empty, he had a surge of joy followed by disappointment and then joy again when the last two chests were indeed full of money. Lavinia soon finds Bryson's hand on her shoulder when she sits down in relief. "Should we get these to the carriage, Ma'am?"
"Yes, Bryson. Please."
Curious, Dgrim follows Bryson and looks inside each of the chests. He becomes especially interested when he sees the pile of documents, and examines them more closely. "Lady Lavinia, what do you plan on doing now? Are you going to try collecting the debts to your parents?"
Lavinia nodded. "If I'm going to have any chance of getting my affairs in order and keeping them as such, it will take more than what remains in these chests. I will speak with the families and businesses mentioned in these ledgers. If they honor their debts to my parents, the Vanderborens will not disappear quietly into the night." She looked around at the other alcoves, filled with empty chests. "It is very unlike my father to let things dwindle so far before calling in these debts. He was a proud man, but something about this still feels strange. Could one of you fetch the clerk that brought us to the vault. I should like to ask him if he remembers when my father last visited. Perhaps something I don't know forced his hand and he used the bulk of the money."
When the clerk arrived, he gave a small bow to Lady Lavinia and listened to her questions with an uncertain expression. "My Lady, were you not aware of your brother's visits?"
"My brother?" Lavinia repeated, startled.
"Yes, Lady. Vanthus Vanderboren has made three trips to the vault this very month. I assumed when you arrived that this was already known to you."
"Yer own brother was in yer vault milady? Is he the kind of sailor that would steal from ye?"
Spinnaker Jon puffs on his pipe, his thoughts taking a darker turn.
"Hmm... I'd say that your father may have not called in these debts for two possible reasens. One is that they may be somewhat...difficult to collect on due to the nature of the service rendered. The second reason may be that things wee not actually that bad at the time of your parents' passing milady. Which would bring us to your brother.
It doesn't bode well that a man would visit his paren't vault, without telling his sister, and more importantly without warning her of potential life threatening danger."
Ghirrak's voice takes on a dark tone, betraying the direction of his thoughts.
"agreed, this is a curious happenstance, your brother should not have been here, especially as you are the heir, I sense...someone up to no good..."
Annie swallowed disappointment as she saw the empty state of Lavinia's family coffers. Finding enough gold for immediate expenses and a means to get payment for past favors would give Lavinia the lifeline she needed to keep the family in good standing in in the city, but the betrayal by family could only sting deep.
"I'm sorry, Lavinia, that we weren't able to find all you were expecting." She hesitantly reached out and laid the tips of her fingers on Lavinia's arm in sympathy. "And I hope we find your brother was not the culprit behind the state of your vaults."
"Well, let's be as positive as possible," Annie said and joined the dour dwarf in moving the chests that still contained belongings into Lavinia's coach.
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"All of you have been so kind," Lavinia said, taking a moment to look at each of the adventurers in turn, her eyes lingering longer on Ghirrak's muscular form than the others. "It wounds me grievously to think that Vanthus could steal from us, but I no longer know what to believe about my brother. When I last confronted him about his behavior and the the company he's been keeping, he struck me..." She seemed incredibly embarrassed and ashamed. "I haven't seem him since. Please, if you wish to remain in my employ, I ask that you find my brother. I must speak with him again. He must be in mortal danger if he needed to drain so much of our family's wealth in secret. Help him find his way back to me if you can?"
Spinnaker Jon straightens up and looks outraged.
"For certain I'll lend ye' a hand in findin' yer brother; ye didn't even need t' ask yer ladyship."
The smoke from his pipe formed a tiny demonic looking creature, which floated over to threaten the clerk; he waived at it and it dissapated.
"T' start with, do ye know where he's been living at? Any places he may work or socialize at? Any particular friends we might call on?"
Ghirrak's eyes narrow slightly, the only sign of emotion.
"We will find him my lady, and we will speak with him. Whatever would bring a man to such desparation must be dealt with. You have my word."
Annie cocked her head to one side as she thought. "You mentioned that you confronted him about the company he was keeping. Do you remember any names?"
"I will hunt him and bring him to you."
"OI! WHUT!?!?" Bindlplotz lets out a gasp..."Yer own brother hit ye? Oi, what is wrong with that one?"
"Valthus... wasn't he the men in the portrait in the Lavinia's dining room?" said Sneaky aloud to no one in particular.
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Spinnaker Jon straightens up and looks outraged.
"For certain I'll lend ye' a hand in findin' yer brother; ye didn't even need t' ask yer ladyship."
The smoke from his pipe formed a tiny demonic looking creature, which floated over to threaten the clerk; he waived at it and it dissapated.
"T' start with, do ye know where he's been living at? Any places he may work or socialize at? Any particular friends we might call on?"
"When he first returned home, when I noticed the change in him, he'd taken up with a woman in the Azure District, but I never learned her name."
Ghirrak's eyes narrow slightly, the only sign of emotion.
"We will find him my lady, and we will speak with him. Whatever would bring a man to such desparation must be dealt with. You have my word."
Lavinia smiled at the half-orc. "I am certain there is no stronger bond."
Annie cocked her head to one side as she thought. "You mentioned that you confronted him about the company he was keeping. Do you remember any names?"
The noblewoman frowned. "I'm not certain, but there was one man. He was crude and behaved like a degenerate drunk, but his eyes were kind. Penkus, I think his name was. They talked in code. I wasn't able to follow the discussion with any certainty."
"I will hunt him and bring him to you."
"Please, despite what my brother has done, he is still the last of my family. I do not wish harm to come to him, whatever he may have done to me."
"OI! WHUT!?!?" Bindlplotz lets out a gasp..."Yer own brother hit ye? Oi, what is wrong with that one?"
Lavinia shook her head. "After a childhood prank, we were separated for many years. My parents believed it would do him good to spend time with our cousins, a family of farmers. Something terrible must have happened to change him so. In youth, we were as close as best friends."
"Valthus... wasn't he the men in the portrait in the Lavinia's dining room?" said Sneaky aloud to no one in particular.
"Vanthus," Lavinia said. "Yes. You've seen his portrait. I remember the day my father forced him to sit for it. He was very unkind to the artist. Brissa....something. If she'd not been clever enough to placate his ego, she would never have finished."
Spinnaker Jon's eyes almost pop out of his head as he almost swollows his pipe. After hacking for a moment he gasps out; "Penkus did ye' say? Why he is a born sailorman and me closest mate in the city. I wonder what 'e'd be doing with a noblemen?"
With that, Spinnaker Jon will bow and take his leave; taking Bryson Deepwinter and anyone else who would like to help.
He will try to gather info at the various districts, buying drinks for people and asking about Vanthus Vanderboren, his girlfriend in the Azure district and after his friend Penkus.
Azure district= Diplomacy: (1d20+3=16)
Merchant district= Diplomacy: (1d20+3=16)
Champion district= Diplomacy (Gather Info): (1d20+3=18)
Cudgel district= Diplomacy (Gather Info): (1d20+3=13)
Noble district= Diplomacy (Gather Info): (1d20+3=6)
Shadowshore district= Diplomacy (Gather Info): (1d20+3=9)
Sunrise district= Diplomacy (Gather Info): (1d20+3=19)
"Ah, Penkus. I know him, a little. When Vark attacked my in the Parrot, he came to my defense. I haven't seen him since, but if I can find him, I might be able to convince him to talk to me." Annie scratched the back of her head in a slightly embarassed gesture, unconciously mussing her hair. "Cayden Cailean blessed me that day with a gift of healing for those injured in the Parrot - and Penkus was one of those grievously hurt in that ugly exchange. I'll do what I can to find out about your brother's whereabouts, Miss Lavinia. Hopefully he's just in a bit of trouble and too embarassed about it to ask for help."
Azure district= Diplomacy:
Merchant district= Diplomacy:
Champion district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Cudgel district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Noble district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Shadowshore district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Sunrise district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Diplomacy checks to gather information may be made in each district of Sasserine: Azure, Merchant's, Champion's, Cudgel, Noble, Shadowshore, and Sunrise Districts.
In that order: Gather Info (1d20-1=16, 1d20-1=4, 1d20-1=16, 1d20-1=7, 1d20-1=18, 1d20-1=10, 1d20-1=5)
Bindlplotz spends some time combing his few contacts: Having the most luck in the Merchant district and the Champion district after a demonstration of his musket. He also had some phenomenal luck in the Cudgel district.
Azure district=
Merchant district=
Champion district=
Cudgel district=
Noble district=
Shadowshore district=
Sunrise district=
Diplomacy checks to gather information may be made in each district of Sasserine: Azure, Merchant's, Champion's, Cudgel, Noble, Shadowshore, and Sunrise Districts.In that order: Gather Info (1d20-1=16, 1d20-1=4, 1d20-1=16, 1d20-1=7, 1d20-1=18, 1d20-1=10, 1d20-1=5)
Sneaky will try to gather info at the various districts, searching any possible news from black market regarding Vanthus Vanderboren, his girlfriend in the Azure district and then his friend Penkus.
Azure district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Merchant district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Champion district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Cudgel district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Noble district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Shadowshore district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
Sunrise district= Diplomacy (Gather Info):
"Oi, Oim 'ere too!"
Spinnaker Jon, just an ordinary sailor, wanders on down to visit the "It Still Floats" shop. He approaches Panchi and talks shop for a while, then asks about Penkus.
"Say, I just remembered; me mate Penkus was going to visit yer shop. Did ye get him a good deal too?"
Diplomacy:
What's the DC to read those?
Dgrim goes along to the boat shop in the Shadowshore district. He asks directly, "Do you remember having a patron by the name of Vanderboren."
Diplomacy:
Annie smiled at Panchi as she walked in to It Still Floats!. "Hello there, Panchi. I have a quick question for you - I hope you don't mind. I work over at the Parrot, and I don't know if you heard, but we had a nasty altercation there a week or so ago. One of my regulars, Penkus, stepped in to help out when things got nasty, and he slipped out before I could see if he was all right. I haven't seen him at the Parrot since, and I'm worried he might've been hurt - I've been asking around the neighborhood and someone remembered seeing him in here with some other fellow. Have you seen him around? Did he look okay to you?" If she could find Penkus, he might help her out with finding Vanthus - asking too many questions about Vanthus might get back to him more quickly than questions about Penkus.
Bryson quickly comes to the conclusion that city hunting is not the same as wood hunting and does what he can to stay out of the way of those more adept at this sort of thing.