After Joren voices his concern that Lanya may be captured, Ashley's concern for the woman is at the forefront of her mind. She stalks through the empty room straight for the door at the far end of the room. Throwing caution to the wind, if the door is unlocked, she opens it wide hoping for answers.
As she prepares to throw open the door, she notes that it has a heavy duty bolt affixed that can only be unlocked from her side. And unlocked is how she finds it. She opens the door to discover it is a rear entrance to the building. Or rather, a rear exit that was left unsecured. She looks out now over the mine. To her right are an assortment of crates and carts. Operations below seem to be running normally.
As the others search for any sign of the Marshal, Malachi pushes aside some of the papers on a desk and dumps the items he picked up from Andra’s office. “Samir, come look at these” he motions him over “I took these from Andra’s office. You may have interest in some of the tools. After the explosion, they all started to glow. Even these pieces with half carved runes. What do you make of it?” Malachi looks closer himself to see if he can determine what the items do and why they are glowing and tries to help Samir study the items.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Samir moves to look over what Malachi has found, adjusting his glasses and making small, curious sounds under his breath as he looks them over. He uses an errant pen from the desk as a tool to shift them and turn them about at first, until he believes it safe to touch them.
Samir investigates the items thoroughly, and sees the same runes as Malachi, though the glow appears greatly diminished. Even as Samir looks, the glow and the runic script seems to fade gradually, like a sword pulled from the forge and allowed to cool. But one thing that does not go away is the unmistakable static tingle of an item with magic coursing through it. A feeling Samir is well familiar with, though he is normally the one channeling magic through the items. These objects, however, appear to be producing magic on their own. From the look of the still fading runes, Samir can only reach one conclusion:
These items possess a Godtongue wholly distinct from the one belonging to Razmus. The All Purpose Tool catches Samir's eye, and he quickly recognizes that such an item, with its innate magical imbuement would certainly enhance the quality of his artificing significantly.
When he taps one of the stones, it makes a predictable sound, but the other stone seems to echo it as well. Samir tests out a couple of other sounds and quickly determines that the stones appear to have a limited capacity to transmit sound to one another.
With just what he could piece together from context about the magical functions of those two items, Samir's mind kicks into overdrive. He starts mapping different interpretations and functions onto the still-fading runes, racing against the clock. A satisfying and intuitive comprehension clicks into place as this Godtongue speaks to him in a way that Razmus's twisted and jagged script never did.
In quick succession, Samir puts together a couple of theories about the other 4 items that hadn't been tampered with. The goggles appear to boost one's analytical abilities, making it easier to identify and examine other items with magical properties. The ring seems capable of projecting some kind of targeted force at a decent range. The vial looks like if it were to be filled with a sorcerer's blood, it would create a resonance with their magic that would strengthen its effects. The amulet bears an image on face that resembles the symbol for the Blue Lady on Marion's Tabard, and would also appear to augment magic in some way.
But what eludes Samir is why Andra would have these objects with him. That is, of course, until he looks at the discarded items in the box Malachi had brought along. The magical runes have almost completely faded by this point, but Samir can make out just enough to see that Andra had been trying, without great success, to break and corrupt the magic hidden within by using a strategic placement of his own physically carved runes in Razmus's Godtongue. But while none of the items seem to have been successfully corrupted by Razmus's power, it would appear that each of the tampered items has had its magic altered unpredictably. Due to the tampering, Samir would need much more time to determine their full effects if possible, as they may have been altered, replaced, or nullified entirely.
He is almost feverish, poring over the items that Malachi has presented him. Samir can feel the presence of power and energy in each of the items. Each knick-knack and otherwise seemingly benign piece has somehow been gifted with an innate, independent magic that flies in the face of so much that was believed about the Laws of Arcanum and the underpinning of magical study. His mind flickers to the Lady (for that is truly he who believes he must have spoken with now) in the water and the shimmering threads of magic that moved at her beck and call. Threads that seem to linger in his mind, as if they were laced across his skin.
Quickly, he begins to separate different items here and there, his mind churning with ideas about what they could do and to what purpose they might turn them in order to staunch the corruption of Razmus and its cult. "Ashley." He speaks quickly, sliding the vial to one spot, indicating that the fire genasi should take it. "Marion." The amulet. "Malachi." The ring. "Vilus." The goggles. "Joren." The stones.
In hurried speech he rattles off brief and simple explanations of what each does, hoping it is enough for the moment and that when more time presents itself they can speak of these things at greater length. For now, however, Samir fears what might be happening in the city and their failure in finding the Marshall already. The rest he quickly scoops into his satchel. "I fear these other items are more complicated, and will take further time to examine and understand. It appears Andra had already begun attempting to corrupt the magic that they hold." Hefting the tool in one hand, he nods and slips it into his pocket for safekeeping.
Vilus shifts back into his usual form and slips on the goggles, to begin with nothing happens. "I'll ...uh... keep these on me, the relevance isn't lost on me, believe it. You know they call what I am, 'The Eye' within my organisation, so goggles seem fitting, thanks!"
After spending some time with the goggles vilus seems to figure out their magical potential and he observes the surroundings in an attempt to piece together their next objective, the mines are here and likely Andra, but the group want to see Lanya first. Possibly back yo the town hall.
Joren smiles appreciatively, but hands one of the stones right back to Samir.
"Best using these to communicate if split apart. Or if we are together, possibly leave one in a particular spot for Malachi or Vilus to be projecting their voice from the other. Could be other uses I had not thought of too. That being as it may, well done identifying these, Samir!"
Marion idly glances at some of the papers on the desks while Samir and Malachi look over the objects. Receiving the amulet, she puts it around her neck and says, "That's her symbol. Thank you for this. Wait..."She drops down into a crouch, suddenly intent. She picks a piece of paper from the ground that looks like an application for a warrant. On it, there is a smear of red.
"Blood. Still wet." She looks about, and spies another drop on the ground, closer to the back door that Ashley was checking out. "Ashley, was that door unlocked before you opened it?"
As Samir doles out the items he has figured out, Ashley holds up the vial to the light, looking at it intently, wondering what it does. "Thanks Samir." She looks over the other items briefly before he sweeps them into his satchel, wondering what those all mean...
As Marion addresses Ashley, she looks up to her, alarm in her eyes. "Yes, it was! Is that, is that blood?! Come on, we need to find her!" and she rushes towards the back door.
Malachi could see Samir’s excitement as he inspected the items taken from Andra’s office and he felt his own rise as well. He takes the ring Samir offers and turns it over in his hand, looking at the finish and decoration before placing it on a finger of his right hand. “Hmm, I wonder what type of force? Thank you, Samir” He turns his attention to the discarded items and, vain as ever, selects a small hand mirror. He holds it up and, for the first time, gets a good look at the marking on his forehead before placing the mirror in his satchel.
“Blood, where?”He looks up at Marion’s exclamation and moves to follow Ashley toward the back door.
Joren, having taken one of the stones and left the other with Samir for now, also takes the handaxe, not having time to think through the other items at the moment. He follows Ashley and Malachi to the door and moves his echo ahead in a protective position to support them.
At the sight of blood, possibly Marshal Lanya's blood, a controlled rage starts to build in his heart.
Vilus hunches down spotting a few more drops of blood, he tests how wet the drops still are and rubs it between his fingers slightly, looking to the door and fully stepping out he points out cart tracks, his eyes squinting and surveying the area "the blood trail stops here, this was quick work, sloppy... Looks like they had to bungle her into a cart and wheel her down toward that mine shaft elevator, the amount of blood doesn't denote anything arterial, but I can't account for further injury after the first attack or internal bleeding.
Our actions within the next hour will be critical, our only direction now is forwards into the mine." Vilus looks stern but calculating, it's obvious that his experience with these kinds of situations doesn't come from the non-hostile party in an abduction, this unsettles him.
"You're certain that's where they went?" Samir stands behind the others, adjusting his gear, his lips set into a hard line. To think that someone might have attacked the Marshall, perhaps even killed her. It was an unthinkable act. "If so, we need to move quickly. There's no telling how injured the Marshall might be, if it is her."
“If there is no time to waste, then let’s go”Malachi moves forward and attempts to follow any blood trail into the mine “Even if we can’t follow a trail, I have a hunch we will find the Marshal and Andra near the tunnel we broke through.” He looks over at Vilus “We may have to bluff our way through miners or guards.”
Vilus morphs into the foreman that first escorted the group out of the mines and looks to Malachi, "this ought to do it, I reckon it's been long enough that this one should be off shift and safely tucked away at home eh?, Ahmin I think his name was... Hopefully this whole web clears up once we have Andra, he'd signed papers to have that tunnel we came through excavated some more, so I think you're right Mal"
Hurrying out the door, the adventurers make their way down the path leading to the elevator. With a nod from Vilus in his foreman's disguise, one of the operators at the top pulls a lever, and the winch system begins to lower the platform. The platform shudders to a stop at the level where the operator assumed Ahmin would be headed. The level he normally works at. The level that the cultist tunnel had breached. Making straight for the tunnel, the group walks for many long minutes wishing they had a minecart like last time.
Finally, they round the last bend to find... nothing. Well... Almost nothing. The tunnel is empty, save for an empty cart, and ends a short way up ahead. Samir is quick to note that the mining apparatus he had seen when first they'd entered the tunnel is no longer there. Vilus, meanwhile, spies another small smear of blood in the empty cart. About as fresh as what they had observed in the office.
As Vilus points out the blood in the empty cart, she starts looking around desperately. But then stops, taking control of her emotions, she steps back a minute and takes in the entire scene of the area they were just in yesterday. Noting what was there and what has changed since, trying to garner any clues as to what might have happened and where the Marshall could be.
Ashley detects an chalky smell in the air and realizes she is breathing in fine particles of stone dust. For it to be in the air would indicate digging had been done rather recently here.
She remembers how the miners had gathered up the rubble and used what looked like liquid stone to seal up the opening between their tunnel and the cult's. The work had been quick yet meticulous. But upon closer inspection, the rocks at the top of the makeshift wall look loose. Carelessly rearranged with chunks of the dried liquid stone in between.
Ashley comes to two conclusions:
1. The entrance to the other tunnel had very recently been reopened enough for a person to fit through, and then loosely blocked off again.
2. It would be tough for Andra to get through that much stone on his own with such limited time.
As the conclusions form in her head, Ashley turns to her friends wide and wild eyed, "She's sealed up!! C'mon, we gotta help her!" She whirls back to the newly formed wall, waves her hand briefly, bringing forth her mage hand, then digging in her pack bringing forth two daggers. Giving one to her spectral hand, she fervently starts using the daggers to start digging away at the chunks that appear to be most hastily glued back in place.
As she digs, she starts calling out to her, "Lanya! Lanya, we're coming, hold on!!"
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After Joren voices his concern that Lanya may be captured, Ashley's concern for the woman is at the forefront of her mind. She stalks through the empty room straight for the door at the far end of the room. Throwing caution to the wind, if the door is unlocked, she opens it wide hoping for answers.
As she prepares to throw open the door, she notes that it has a heavy duty bolt affixed that can only be unlocked from her side. And unlocked is how she finds it. She opens the door to discover it is a rear entrance to the building. Or rather, a rear exit that was left unsecured. She looks out now over the mine. To her right are an assortment of crates and carts. Operations below seem to be running normally.
As the others search for any sign of the Marshal, Malachi pushes aside some of the papers on a desk and dumps the items he picked up from Andra’s office. “Samir, come look at these” he motions him over “I took these from Andra’s office. You may have interest in some of the tools. After the explosion, they all started to glow. Even these pieces with half carved runes. What do you make of it?” Malachi looks closer himself to see if he can determine what the items do and why they are glowing and tries to help Samir study the items.
Samir moves to look over what Malachi has found, adjusting his glasses and making small, curious sounds under his breath as he looks them over. He uses an errant pen from the desk as a tool to shift them and turn them about at first, until he believes it safe to touch them.
20 Arcana
Samir investigates the items thoroughly, and sees the same runes as Malachi, though the glow appears greatly diminished. Even as Samir looks, the glow and the runic script seems to fade gradually, like a sword pulled from the forge and allowed to cool. But one thing that does not go away is the unmistakable static tingle of an item with magic coursing through it. A feeling Samir is well familiar with, though he is normally the one channeling magic through the items. These objects, however, appear to be producing magic on their own. From the look of the still fading runes, Samir can only reach one conclusion:
These items possess a Godtongue wholly distinct from the one belonging to Razmus. The All Purpose Tool catches Samir's eye, and he quickly recognizes that such an item, with its innate magical imbuement would certainly enhance the quality of his artificing significantly.
When he taps one of the stones, it makes a predictable sound, but the other stone seems to echo it as well. Samir tests out a couple of other sounds and quickly determines that the stones appear to have a limited capacity to transmit sound to one another.
With just what he could piece together from context about the magical functions of those two items, Samir's mind kicks into overdrive. He starts mapping different interpretations and functions onto the still-fading runes, racing against the clock. A satisfying and intuitive comprehension clicks into place as this Godtongue speaks to him in a way that Razmus's twisted and jagged script never did.
In quick succession, Samir puts together a couple of theories about the other 4 items that hadn't been tampered with. The goggles appear to boost one's analytical abilities, making it easier to identify and examine other items with magical properties. The ring seems capable of projecting some kind of targeted force at a decent range. The vial looks like if it were to be filled with a sorcerer's blood, it would create a resonance with their magic that would strengthen its effects. The amulet bears an image on face that resembles the symbol for the Blue Lady on Marion's Tabard, and would also appear to augment magic in some way.
But what eludes Samir is why Andra would have these objects with him. That is, of course, until he looks at the discarded items in the box Malachi had brought along. The magical runes have almost completely faded by this point, but Samir can make out just enough to see that Andra had been trying, without great success, to break and corrupt the magic hidden within by using a strategic placement of his own physically carved runes in Razmus's Godtongue. But while none of the items seem to have been successfully corrupted by Razmus's power, it would appear that each of the tampered items has had its magic altered unpredictably. Due to the tampering, Samir would need much more time to determine their full effects if possible, as they may have been altered, replaced, or nullified entirely.
He is almost feverish, poring over the items that Malachi has presented him. Samir can feel the presence of power and energy in each of the items. Each knick-knack and otherwise seemingly benign piece has somehow been gifted with an innate, independent magic that flies in the face of so much that was believed about the Laws of Arcanum and the underpinning of magical study. His mind flickers to the Lady (for that is truly he who believes he must have spoken with now) in the water and the shimmering threads of magic that moved at her beck and call. Threads that seem to linger in his mind, as if they were laced across his skin.
Quickly, he begins to separate different items here and there, his mind churning with ideas about what they could do and to what purpose they might turn them in order to staunch the corruption of Razmus and its cult. "Ashley." He speaks quickly, sliding the vial to one spot, indicating that the fire genasi should take it. "Marion." The amulet. "Malachi." The ring. "Vilus." The goggles. "Joren." The stones.
In hurried speech he rattles off brief and simple explanations of what each does, hoping it is enough for the moment and that when more time presents itself they can speak of these things at greater length. For now, however, Samir fears what might be happening in the city and their failure in finding the Marshall already. The rest he quickly scoops into his satchel. "I fear these other items are more complicated, and will take further time to examine and understand. It appears Andra had already begun attempting to corrupt the magic that they hold." Hefting the tool in one hand, he nods and slips it into his pocket for safekeeping.
Vilus shifts back into his usual form and slips on the goggles, to begin with nothing happens. "I'll ...uh... keep these on me, the relevance isn't lost on me, believe it. You know they call what I am, 'The Eye' within my organisation, so goggles seem fitting, thanks!"
After spending some time with the goggles vilus seems to figure out their magical potential and he observes the surroundings in an attempt to piece together their next objective, the mines are here and likely Andra, but the group want to see Lanya first. Possibly back yo the town hall.
Joren smiles appreciatively, but hands one of the stones right back to Samir.
"Best using these to communicate if split apart. Or if we are together, possibly leave one in a particular spot for Malachi or Vilus to be projecting their voice from the other. Could be other uses I had not thought of too. That being as it may, well done identifying these, Samir!"
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
Marion idly glances at some of the papers on the desks while Samir and Malachi look over the objects. Receiving the amulet, she puts it around her neck and says, "That's her symbol. Thank you for this. Wait..." She drops down into a crouch, suddenly intent. She picks a piece of paper from the ground that looks like an application for a warrant. On it, there is a smear of red.
"Blood. Still wet." She looks about, and spies another drop on the ground, closer to the back door that Ashley was checking out. "Ashley, was that door unlocked before you opened it?"
As Samir doles out the items he has figured out, Ashley holds up the vial to the light, looking at it intently, wondering what it does. "Thanks Samir." She looks over the other items briefly before he sweeps them into his satchel, wondering what those all mean...
As Marion addresses Ashley, she looks up to her, alarm in her eyes. "Yes, it was! Is that, is that blood?! Come on, we need to find her!" and she rushes towards the back door.
Malachi could see Samir’s excitement as he inspected the items taken from Andra’s office and he felt his own rise as well. He takes the ring Samir offers and turns it over in his hand, looking at the finish and decoration before placing it on a finger of his right hand. “Hmm, I wonder what type of force? Thank you, Samir” He turns his attention to the discarded items and, vain as ever, selects a small hand mirror. He holds it up and, for the first time, gets a good look at the marking on his forehead before placing the mirror in his satchel.
“Blood, where?” He looks up at Marion’s exclamation and moves to follow Ashley toward the back door.
Joren, having taken one of the stones and left the other with Samir for now, also takes the handaxe, not having time to think through the other items at the moment. He follows Ashley and Malachi to the door and moves his echo ahead in a protective position to support them.
At the sight of blood, possibly Marshal Lanya's blood, a controlled rage starts to build in his heart.
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
Vilus hunches down spotting a few more drops of blood, he tests how wet the drops still are and rubs it between his fingers slightly, looking to the door and fully stepping out he points out cart tracks, his eyes squinting and surveying the area "the blood trail stops here, this was quick work, sloppy... Looks like they had to bungle her into a cart and wheel her down toward that mine shaft elevator, the amount of blood doesn't denote anything arterial, but I can't account for further injury after the first attack or internal bleeding.
Our actions within the next hour will be critical, our only direction now is forwards into the mine." Vilus looks stern but calculating, it's obvious that his experience with these kinds of situations doesn't come from the non-hostile party in an abduction, this unsettles him.
"You're certain that's where they went?" Samir stands behind the others, adjusting his gear, his lips set into a hard line. To think that someone might have attacked the Marshall, perhaps even killed her. It was an unthinkable act. "If so, we need to move quickly. There's no telling how injured the Marshall might be, if it is her."
“If there is no time to waste, then let’s go” Malachi moves forward and attempts to follow any blood trail into the mine “Even if we can’t follow a trail, I have a hunch we will find the Marshal and Andra near the tunnel we broke through.” He looks over at Vilus “We may have to bluff our way through miners or guards.”
Vilus morphs into the foreman that first escorted the group out of the mines and looks to Malachi, "this ought to do it, I reckon it's been long enough that this one should be off shift and safely tucked away at home eh?, Ahmin I think his name was... Hopefully this whole web clears up once we have Andra, he'd signed papers to have that tunnel we came through excavated some more, so I think you're right Mal"
Hurrying out the door, the adventurers make their way down the path leading to the elevator. With a nod from Vilus in his foreman's disguise, one of the operators at the top pulls a lever, and the winch system begins to lower the platform. The platform shudders to a stop at the level where the operator assumed Ahmin would be headed. The level he normally works at. The level that the cultist tunnel had breached. Making straight for the tunnel, the group walks for many long minutes wishing they had a minecart like last time.
Finally, they round the last bend to find... nothing. Well... Almost nothing. The tunnel is empty, save for an empty cart, and ends a short way up ahead. Samir is quick to note that the mining apparatus he had seen when first they'd entered the tunnel is no longer there. Vilus, meanwhile, spies another small smear of blood in the empty cart. About as fresh as what they had observed in the office.
As Vilus points out the blood in the empty cart, she starts looking around desperately. But then stops, taking control of her emotions, she steps back a minute and takes in the entire scene of the area they were just in yesterday. Noting what was there and what has changed since, trying to garner any clues as to what might have happened and where the Marshall could be.
Ashley detects an chalky smell in the air and realizes she is breathing in fine particles of stone dust. For it to be in the air would indicate digging had been done rather recently here.
She remembers how the miners had gathered up the rubble and used what looked like liquid stone to seal up the opening between their tunnel and the cult's. The work had been quick yet meticulous. But upon closer inspection, the rocks at the top of the makeshift wall look loose. Carelessly rearranged with chunks of the dried liquid stone in between.
Ashley comes to two conclusions:
1. The entrance to the other tunnel had very recently been reopened enough for a person to fit through, and then loosely blocked off again.
2. It would be tough for Andra to get through that much stone on his own with such limited time.
As the conclusions form in her head, Ashley turns to her friends wide and wild eyed, "She's sealed up!! C'mon, we gotta help her!" She whirls back to the newly formed wall, waves her hand briefly, bringing forth her mage hand, then digging in her pack bringing forth two daggers. Giving one to her spectral hand, she fervently starts using the daggers to start digging away at the chunks that appear to be most hastily glued back in place.
As she digs, she starts calling out to her, "Lanya! Lanya, we're coming, hold on!!"