The Old Observatory

[CGM3]

“Well, if nobody here thinks they can jigger the lock -- providing it is locked -- I guess two or three of us will have to try and force it open,” Cyrius declares, and steps forward to 1316 to assist in the attempt.

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Strength is 14.

[Duniagdra]

Marcus will add his strength too.

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Str 14

[patransom]

Cyrius steps up to examine the door. There is no lock on it, so it must merely be stuck. He makes a half-hearted effort to push it open, with no luck. Marcus comes over to help, but their efforts are, at first, uncoordinated. In a second effort, however, the two of them shove together and easily push the door open. The room beyond appears to have once been an office, but it does not look like it has been used in years. Dust covers the floor and the battered-looking desk in the middle of the room.

ACTIVE EFFECTS & CONDITIONS    Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp damage

 

[Duniagdra]

“Okay. So it's to the second floor then. Let's go. Be alert, as I'm sure by now our presence is known.”

[CGM3]

“Shouldn't we at least look through that desk?” Cyrius suggests. “It might contain a floor plan, or something else of interest.”

[Duniagdra]

“Oh. That might be wise.”

[kabkal]

Lola will continue to keep watch, and let those more suited to searching a desk do their bit, staying out of their way.

[Duniagdra]

Marcus sends the servant in to open draws in case of traps.

[patransom]

The unseen servant opens all of the desk drawers. They are empty, except for dust.

ACTIVE EFFECTS & CONDITIONS    Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp damage

 

[Duniagdra]

Marcus will have a look at what might still remain on the desk.

Perception Check for searching desk (1d20+1=7)

[patransom]

Marcus' search finds nothing but dust.

[kabkal]

Lola goes in and looks at the desk as well, and finds dust as well (I am pretty sure that is all she finds).

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Search of desk (1d20+3=6)

[CGM3]

“I guess that leaves us the stairs, then,” Cyrius opines.

[patransom]

As expected, Lola finds nothing but dust in the desk.

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    You can take 20 searching the office, if you want... there's nothing to find here. What will the party do next?

[Duniagdra]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    I thought the party was moving to the stairs? That's what my post indicated. I was going to the stairs.

[kabkal]

Lola will follow to the stairs.

[CGM3]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Onward to... the stairs!

[tdsprouse]

Stairrs

[patransom]

The party climbs the stairs, which lead to a massive bedchamber that fills an entire floor of the observatory tower. Doors on the north and west walls appear to lead to small closets and another set of stairs leads upward to the next story. Light filtering in from the tall windows in the north and south walls catches motes of dust in the calm air. Key features of the room are as follows:

- A fine bed with plump red linen sheets squats upon a dais along the northwest cradle of the tower's arc. A nightstand next to the bed holds a wax-choked candlestick and a black book bound with brown and red leather.

- At the midpoint of the western wall a strange form stands rigid atop a short wooden stool, as tall as a halfling and clothed in a fine black suit and tophat. Clean cloth bandages wrap every inch of the figure's skin. A pair of ash-tinted spectacles rests upon a long skinny nose. The diminutive figure holds a silver platter as if presenting a meal, and upon the tray rests the freshly preserved severed head of a middle-aged human woman. A platinum piece sits upon her outstretched, purple tongue.

- A messy desk rests against the opposite wall, piled high with loose papers. An apparatus holding four long tubes filled with colored liquid peeks out from the clutter.

- A massive white stone statue of a thin human man with outstretched angelic wings and a beatific look upon his idealized face looms large in the southeast arc of the tower wall. The angel holds a sword in one hand and cradles a harp with the other. The presentation conjures thoughts of mausoleum peaks or the graves of important men. Tall letters etched upon the statue’s base spell out a single word: "Filge."

ACTIVE EFFECTS & CONDITIONS    Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp damage

 

[CGM3]

“Filge,” Cyrius reads the word as he steps to 0506 and watches the room, keeping an eye on the bandaged figure. “That's the wizard who recently hooked up with this gang. Maybe this is his room. Recently decapitated heads seem appropriate decor for a necromancer.”

[tdsprouse]

“Aye, Appropriate. And creepy.” Tex steps into teh room, moving to 0509.

[kabkal]

If it appears safe (i.e. no statue coming to life) Lola will make her way up to 1011 and without touching look at the book to see if she can tell anything about it.

[Duniagdra]

Marcus sends the servant to molest the bandaged figure to test if it's a threat. He also accompanies Lola to the book for examination.

[patransom]

Marcus sends the servant to molest the bandaged figure to test if it's a threat. He also accompanies Lola to the book for examination.

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    What specific directions does Marcus give the unseen servant? It makes a difference in this case...

[Duniagdra]

Marcus sends the servant to molest the bandaged figure to test if it's a threat. He also accompanies Lola to the book for examination.

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    What specific directions does Marcus give the unseen servant? It makes a difference in this case...

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    607-907-908, molest the figure, 909-1110, study the book with Lola.

[patransom]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Oh sorry, I meant molest the figure how... What does the servant do to the figure?

[Duniagdra]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Oh sorry, I meant molest the figure how... What does the servant do to the figure?

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Remove and replace the coin from the severed head. Tamper with the tray. Tug on the bandages. Anything of that sort. Marcus' intent is to leave no potential threat behind him, but to expose them front and center.

[patransom]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Precisely what I was looking for...

Cyrius and Tex move into the room, while Lola and Marcus move over to examine the book. It has no title, lettering, or other symbols on the cover, so there's no telling what's inside without opening it.

At the same time, Marcus begins commanding his unseen servant to molest the bandaged figure with a head on its tray. He starts by telling the servant to remove the platinum coin from the tongue of the severed head. As soon as the servant does this, the head begins to shout, “ INTRUDER! INTRUDER! INTRUDER! ”

ACTIVE EFFECTS & CONDITIONS    Texudus TreeBender - 6 hp damage Rounds since the head began shouting: 0

 

[kabkal]

At the yelling Lola will turn and draw her sword waiting to see what enters the room.

[CGM3]

“Ekskremento!” Cyrius curses in his native tongue as the severed head begins shouting. “Do we go upstairs, back downstairs, wait for a response, or try to hide in that closet over there? I don't think putting the coin back will help.”