As you reach a decision, the beast begins to fade. Just before it winks out, it squeals "Liars!! We had a dddeeeeeeeaaaallll!" and suddenly, it's gone.
Rexus turns to you, holding a piece of paper. "Guys, I don't know for sure...But I think this may be relevant. It mentions using the a secret storage center at the Hocums Fantasmagorium."
Pausing, he looks to Crady and Pakuzzo. "My...my mom is still missing. She was a member of the Sacred Archivist order and she mentioned that place once to my...well...to Dad. She hasn't turned up yet...you think she may be hiding there? Would you be willing to check for me? I promise, I'll keep working on these documents for you. I...I just gotta find them, ya know?"
Crady nods. "Of course, friend. We'll be happy to."
”Indeed, how could we say no?” Sendi was glad to have the horrid creature gone. Nothing good could have come from dealing with it.
Titus heaves a sigh of relief at the expiration of the little creature, then shakes his head at his own failures in dealing with it. Well...at least there's one less of such little creatures in the world now... He then looks up to Rexus, and seems quite happy to be set upon another task.
He thinks back, wondering if he'd heard of this place before.
Philacris sighs gratefully as the imp is banished. She spends moment rubbing the palms of her hands into her cheeks, trying to compose herself. When she rejoins the group, it's with a slight scowl.
"Well, that was mostly a waste of time." She crosses her arms "Though if she was being honest about leaving compulsions on the other members of your little band, it's probably good we got rid of her now rather than later. She could have been quite the thorn later on."
When Rexus interrupts, Phila takes a look at the paper he's brandishing. "Hmm, so the old Silver Ravens had a secret store room there? Even if we don't find your mother there, it sounds as though it might be worth checking." Phila raises and eyebrow as she inspects the paper.
'Though I have no idea why he'd think anyone would be hiding in a secret store-room.'
"And Rexus, is Rex fine? You look like a Rex to me." She clears her throat "As I'm new to this-" She waves a hand at the underground base, secret coded documents, and general population "-scrappy organization, I would appreciate a bit of an explanation. Your parents are missing? Who were they?"
"Good! Good! So pleased to hear...huh? Who are they?" replies the man. "Well, they are Mom and Dad...Mr Aneran and Mrs Porcia Victocora."
Looking at the woman with clear confusion, he mumbles "Rex is...fine I suppose. I'm Rexus Victocora of the Victocora family. We are...well...were noble's in this land. We were, and I still am, at odds with the Thrunes. The redacting of information, the torture, the downright brutality of it all! Not to mention the idiotic laws!"
"We could have dealt with the rules well enough...but the lieing...the deceit...the down right re-writing history! My parents instilled in me a deep sense of honor. One that values knowledge and personal freedom over all else, with just enough distant oversight..."
"I don't know for sure, but I believe mom was part of the underground movement to repair and protect the histories of this town. Restore the knowledge, if you will!"
The name rings a bell...something on the tip of your tongue. You recall the name as a place that was created years ago for entertainment, but it didn't last.
You recall the structure was the passion of aa struggling stage magician and salesman named Braeden "Hocum" Azperex. The man had the building constructed a year after the Chelish Civil War with the goal of "bringing whimsy and joy back to Kintargo."
It served as a museum of fantastic oddities and "authentic" magical phenomena. He was able to transform his concept into a minor success for many years, but when the exhibits lost some of their novelty, it struggled severely. Its doors closed for good about 20 years ago.
Pakuzzo claps a clawed hand on Rexus' shoulder.
"You can count on us. The rebellion looks after its own. We can hit the storage first and then head right over to the remains of the Archives."
”I feel your pain. To rewrite history does a disservice to all generations that come. It is a vile crime.”
Titus looks at Rexus with new respect, and nods his head in agreement. I come from a noble family as well, though a minor one. We'll find your mother, Rexus, and you just keep on working on the rest of those documents.
He turns to the others, and shakes his head slightly. The only bit I can remember about this Hocums Fantasmagorium is that it is a place created some time ago for entertainment, but didn't last. Could be abandoned at this point...good place for a hideout I'd guess.
"I know the way!" Crady chimes in. "We'll leave when all are ready."
Phila, now composed, nods at Rexus' words with sad acknowledgement. "Your parents certainly sound like righteous sorts, if they stood up to the Thrunes openly. Though I understand that no noblewoman stays so for long if the Thrunes are displeased... that dynasty lives and breathes oppression, and tolerates dissent about as well as I tolerate obnoxious imps." Her eyes sparkle with sudden amusement.
"As for Hocum's, I remember when Braeden stopped by my store a number of years back looking for some rare tinctures for his museum of wonders. The place was rather popular back in the day. It was a shame that he wasn't able to keep things going." She rubs the side of her nose as she thinks about the current state of the building "They never replaced the building, so it should still be there, abandoned, just as you say Titus."
When Crady chimes in she says "Excellent Mr. Crady, I'll rely on you then. We'll need to cross the bridge again, yes?"
As the group prepares to leave, Philacris spends a moment on an incantation. As she releases it, her body transforms, gaining height and visibly getting significantly older. She spends a moment adjusting her resized cloak and clothing before turning a flat gaze on the party. "Pays to be careful if we're travelling through the city. Especially with the guard possibly keeping an eye on this place."
"I'm really starting to hate that bridge."
"I'm really starting to hate that bridge."
"It's not too bad", considers the urban druid. "It's all in how you look at it. If, like me, you see Kintargo as a microcosm of nature, the bridge and it's toll is just a obstacle to overcome or go around. Like coming across a brambles in the forest, you can either go around or hack through it. The trick is to know the best way without damaging the environment."
It's fairly easy for Crady to guide you through the streets to the old building. The random patrols and frightened citizens don't give you any trouble as you pass through. The large building takes up an entire city block and appears abandoned from across the street.
The sprawling, single-story structure has certainly seen better days. The building's stone facade stands out amid the brick-lined walls of its neighboring structures, and numerous windows to the left and right are boarded up. Signs advertise rates and incredible exhibits within, and above everything a crimson sign announces "Hocum's Fantasmagorium!" A large lock hangs from the front door.
[ooc]Maps Updated: Slide 1
Philacris appraises the structure and then the people walking around. "Mr. Crady, are there any back doors to this place? If we're going to take a closer look at it, breaking the front door's lock in the middle of the day probably isn't the best way."
At Philacris's advice, Crady walks the perimeter of the building, noticing any guards and doors.
Titus clunks through Kintargo with the normal grace afforded a big man dressed in heavy armor, which is very little. Standing near the front of the building, he attempts to appear nonchalant, even leaning his back up against the wall as if lounging in a light discussion with the others.
After seeing Crady walk around the building, he waits till a count of thirty and follows, attempting to make it appear random. Titus has no doubt that he was failing at the act, but no harm in trying.
Pakuzzo takes a silver from his purse and starts flipping it as he walks, seeming to pay more attention to the task than to looking around. He'll attempt to reach the side door Philacris mentioned.
He waits a few ticks for Crady and Titus to make their moves, then saunters onward. He's trying to look as much like a random bystander as possible.
Once he's sure that he can get inside without drawing attention, he'll leave the door ajar with one foot and let Vinz sneak in after him.
The dwarf-sized bird flutters down from his perch and ambles on foot into the doorway after Pakuzzo, not making a sound all the while.
Philacris beckons Crady over with a casual wave of her hand. "Mr. Crady, I think you've missed this one." There's just a bit of snark in the tone of her voice.
She sizes up the side door right before Pakuzzo goes in, checking for any traps set up (squatters protecting their home maybe?).
If she doesn't see anything unusual, she glances at the street to make sure they're not attracting too much attention and follows the tengu and his raven into the building.
Sendi followed, trying to look nonchalant about it.
A young child pulls at a womans skirt and points towards Crady as he walks down the side of the building.
"Honey, we don't stare at such men. Perhaps he was once a cleric or something. In life, all can fall on hard times."
Stepping forward, she tosses 2 copper pieces to the sage. "May Asmodeus bless you sir." she calls out, before heading down the street.
Titus gets an odd look or two as he heads down the alley, but with a shrug they continue on their way.
As Philacris inspects the door, she comes to the realization its locked as well! She does not see any obvious traps.
A young child pulls at a womans skirt and points towards Crady as he walks down the side of the building.
"Honey, we don't stare at such men. Perhaps he was once a cleric or something. In life, all can fall on hard times."
Stepping forward, she tosses 2 copper pieces to the sage. "May Asmodeus bless you sir." she calls out, before heading down the street.
Metronicus leans down to pick up the 2 copper. "Thank you, Ma'am. And may Kintargo shine around you!" Crady calls out to retreating mother and child.
Waved over by the elf wizard, Crady looks at the door and lock and curses."Even if I took all night, I couldn't get by this lock. It's just too advanced for me."
Pakuzzo looks over the lock, then appears embarrassed.
"Er...I hate to admit this, but lock-picking was never my forte. I usually just hid and waited for someone else to enter and then snuck in after them."
”A locked door. The bane of any rebellion. Let’s find a window.”
Philacris responds directly to Pakuzzo's admission that lock-picking isn't his forte "Nor is it mine. But to think the new Silver Ravens are so easily stymied by a lock..." She hides a smile "Surely you have a 'minion' that could help with this?"
At Sendi's comment she follows with "If you'd go so far as to break a window, maybe one a little away from the main road would be best? The noise will be hard to disguise."
Titus snorts at Sendi's flippant remark, and nods. Around back, then? Perhaps with the building as a barrier, we can hide the noise from passerby...unless the alley behind has prying eyes, of course.
Pakuzzo scratches the back of his head at Philacris's comment.
"What, like to summon? 'Fraid not. All I can manage right now is a few animals, and they're no better with locks than I am. Now, if you're referring to Vinz, well..."
He looks at the bird. Vinz cocks his head and looks back at the tengu inquisitively.
"...Yeah, that's not going to work either," he shrugs.
Hearing Sendi and Titus talk about avoiding notice, he chimes in:
"Hey, if we're going to break a window, there's one trick I know. Drape a cloth over it and then strike it through the cloth; it muffles the noise and minimizes the spread of broken glass."
Philacris wanders around to the back of the building. As she walks she says "Ah, your imp problem mentioned that you had minions. Other members of the Silver Ravens? I would expect at least one of them is good at opening locks."
Eyeing the windows, and then checking around for witnesses, she says "Seems like a plan. Be quick about it though."
Titus does his best to use his bulk to block the window and allow Pakuzzo to try his trick.
As you take a look inside, you spy overturned desks and scattered paperwork cover the floor of this large workroom; a door hangs open on the walls to the southeast to reveal an empty office, containing a number of bedrolls and supplies. A human man stands in the middle of the room, his back to you showing the symbol of Asmodeus on his cloak. He doesn't seem to have noticed you, as he reads something in his hands.
Peering through the window, you spot a circular alcove off a hallway that cradles a lovingly maintained statue of a regal man, his arms outstretched and his chest adorned with a carving of a winged eye. Empty picture frames line the walls.
You recognize the statue as a depiction of the dead god Aroden
Crady shakes his head and whispers "Aroden. Poor bastard. I feel that statue is a good sign. Too bad he's in bad placement, but I don't see any other way."
"Hmm, that rube in there sure doesn't seem to be Rex's long lost mother. We'll probably have to deal with him later." Philacris thinks about her available magic and shakes her head in dismay at her options. It had already been a long day, or at least felt like it.
"I agree with your analysis Mr. Crady. Birdie?" She looks over at Pakuzzo, and while she repeats her jab from earlier in the day, its with none of the acid. After all, they're all on the same side now... or close to it.
'Am I already part of their little band of miscreants? Dear. That was quick. Breaking into buildings in search of records and lost rebels and relatives. Skulduggery and all that.'
She gives a little grin at Pakuzzo, nudging her head in the direction of the window. "Window here is ready for you to work your magic."
He nods at the elf and the sage, then pulls out a dirty length of cloth he'd manage to scrounge up.
"On it. Keep a lookout going."
Pakuzzo creeps up to the window nearest the statue , drapes the cloth over the frame, unsheathes his scimitar and then bashes the window through the cloth with the pommel.
Once manages to squeeze his way inside, he gestures for Vinz to follow him past the statue.
Seeing Pakuzzo beckon, Vinz hops up on the windowsill and shimmies past the statue to land on the floor near his master.
As the urban druid tries to slip in the door, his waist gets stuck in the frame.
"A little help, please?" Crady whispered.
Pakuzzo reaches past the statues, careful not to jostle it, and grabs onto Crady.
"Wriggle your hips a bit, and try to suck in your gut, man..."
Pakuzzo reaches past the statues, careful not to jostle it, and grabs onto Crady.
"Wriggle your hips a bit, and try to suck in your gut, man..."
"What do you think I'm doing?" Crady whispered back in frustration.
Sendi followed behind the rest of the party.
Looking down the vacant hall, see what appears to be some kind of insect exhibit on the one end . The other end of the hallway leads into a gallery containing statues of some kind. .
From your current vantage point, you can't quite make out the finer details of either room.
Sendi felt her clothes get stuck on the statue. She looked back in consternation, then after taking a deep breath, calmed herself and took the time to properly get past the statue. A lesson from the gods, even a dead one, in taking one's time.
Titus sighs at the situation; it seemed as if his faith and interest in the more martial practices of his religion did little to help him in the Silver Ravens so far. Nor did his armor, unfortunately. This isn't going to go well...
Attempting to arrange his armor as well as he's able for a tight fit, he tries to squeeze through the small opening.