Cob, the statues in the room are mostly half-finished. All of them seem to be carved from a block of stone with chisels and only one or two are that of a humanoid while the rest are still quite abstract to determine the shape of.
"My apologies," the chamberlain says. Drexon and Dvark, you notice a hint of something in the chamberlain's tone when he says that -- something practiced. "I had thought the room had been at least tidied up. Let us leave this room and continue to other rooms in the manse. Once again, my apologies for the inconvenience."
Drexon, taking a cursory glance at the room before you and the rest of the group are ushered out of the workshop by the chamberlain, you notice that the room looks too perfect. You have been to too many bars and gambler's dens to know the aftermath of a fight. This one looks too ordered.
The chamberlain waits until everyone is out of the apprentice workshop before locking the door and ushering you back to the main hallway. From there, he leads you to the other side of the hallway to an archway with a sign that said "Master Workshop". Instead of seeing the same common room, you enter a large rotunda with 4 double doors in the four cardinal directions. Scattered throughout the rotunda are work tables, almost finished statues, and reliefs. There is a lone mason in the rotunda, pounding a hammer on a chisel to finish a model of a tower with a diamond-shaped roof.
"I bid you welcome to the Master Workshop," the chamberlain says. "This is the place where the masters of the guild work. It is connected to 2 hallways that lead to the master's lodgings and their private studios. It is also connected to the current Grand Mason's office and the grand staircase that leads upstairs where the First Grand Mason's office resides."
"New visitors, Raymond?" The lone mason asks without turning his eyes from his work.
"Let me introduce you to the current Grand Mason of the guild, Hotis Garaton," the chamberlain says. "The current piece he is carving is the model of the Jewel Tower that is currently being constructed in Timaril. The Grand Mason has been commissioned by the Primarch's Office to carve a model that will be showcased when the tower is finally opened to the public on the 1st of Dawnlight next year."
The Grand Mason stops his work and turns to face the group. He is young, about early 30 in age, with well-trimmed hair and beard. The smile on his face is quite charming. There is a softness in his eyes when he sees the curious group before him. He is wearing a rolled white shirt and grey vest under a black apron that has been stained by white dust, probably leftover from his work on the white marble model he is working.
"A simple enough request by the Primarch that can be done by any masons in the Trammel," the Grand Mason says. "However, a correction to Raymond's explanation. This is not only a task for the Verdant Mason. The Primarch has commissioned all masons in the Verdant Trammel to undertake this job. The final goal is to present the complete model of the city of Timaril and its surrounding which will be showcased at the very top suite of the Jewel Tower when the tower is opened to the public."
As they enter the room and Drexon sees it is occupied, he once more whispers his words of focus before speaking.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Grand Mason Garaton", Drexon says with a sweeping bow.
"The Chamberlain was just explaining to us the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident with the apprentices. I am not sure how they can expect to rise to the top of their profession without the necessary discipline you have so obviously shown. And at such a young age as well. I wonder what came over them", he says, trying to use flattery to gain the good grace of the Grand Mason and perhaps encourage him to tell them more of the incident.
"Such disappointment, they are," Hotis says. "Despite our attempt to curb their more rambunctious nature, there is only so much we can do without truly oppressing them. However, we will be evaluating our disciplining method after this incident. We have begun their punishment immediately. That is why they are currently locked in their dorm while they heal and contemplate their wrongdoings. We have also recalled several master masons to give a lecture on proper conduct and perhaps offer some therapeutic insight on this matter. Worry not, ladies and gentlemen. This is an isolated incident. We will not let such misbehavior goes unpunished. It is not in their and our organization's best interest. In the past, such behavior had gotten a couple of masons killed and we don't want that for our apprentice and budding master masons."
Drexon watches the Grand Mason closely, not at all convinced by what he says. There is something off about this man.
He quickly telepathically speaks to Cob, "I think this one sent his apprentices to raid the warehouse. I will try and read his thoughts".
He reaches out with his mind, using his ability to sculpt magic to channel the energies through his ring without an outward sign of what he is doing. He attempts to connect to the mind of the Grand Mason.
"It was fortunate that such things happened under your own roof where you can control such things and no-one else can get hurt", he says. "My friend here is a healer, perhaps he should take a look", he says motioning to Dvark.
He quickly telepathically updates Dvark, "I think this one sent his apprentices to raid the warehouse.".
Action: Using Subtle metamagic to cast Detect thoughts - 1 minute remaining. Special: Concentration Detect thoughts - 1 minute remaining.
{{ OOC: If for some reason the Grand Masons thoughts cannot be read, he will shift to the Chamberlain before speaking }}
Eremoz wanders the room, looking at the various sculptures and works. “Who is in charge of your guards? It seems that some simple de-escalation training and a bit of review of whatever their standard operating procedures are could help mitigate further issues.” As he wanders the room, Eremoz watches his friends and attempts to meet their eyes. When he does, he motions his eyes back to the hallway area.
Drexon, reaching your mind to the Grand Mason's mind is strange. Something is twisting and writhing in the air, preventing you from connecting to it initially. You keep pushing for a few more seconds before you finally latch on. When you do, there is a sense of familiarity that disappears as soon as you feel it. It is foreign to the Grand Mason's mind but familiar to you. You think you have felt it in the past but can't remember anything about it.
You glimpse a brief vision of half a dozen young men, dressed in similar clothing as the Grand Mason and the chamberlain under their thick brown robes, limping up from an underground chamber. They looked bruised and cut, but the one that seems to be the leader grinned and gave a rolled-up parchment to you.
"No need to worry yourself," the Grand Mason says. "Let them stew in pain for a bit longer. We have patched them up, but we intentionally didn't administer any pain killer to them. We hope the pain will be a lesson so they wouldn't do something that rash again in the future." He looks toward Eremoz and nods in appreciation. "A good idea, sir. It has been a while since we review the security and safety protocol of the manse. Perhaps it is also time for an emergency guild-wide review."
The Grand Mason gives the chamberlain a nod after a while and motions the group toward a door on the eastern side of the rotunda. "Now, I believe Raymond is about to show you to the First Grand Mason's office. I apologize beforehand that you will not be able to enter the office, only looking in from the outside. Since we lost a valuable statuette from the office, we have restricted the access to the office. Fortunately, we have replaced the wall of the office with glass so you can see the office in its entirety without going in. Enjoy the rest of the tour."
Cob looks back to where the apprentice's live and starts trying to see if he can make sense of where it would be on the outside of the building.
"If we can't get to them through here, maybe they've an open window I can find and see what's going on with the apprentices," Cob thinks back to Drexon.
”Sconce by the guard outside the Apprentice Wing is marked with another five-leaf clover. Could be another stash.” Eremoz finishes checking the sculptures and gives a nod to the Grand Mason before continuing the tour.
Cob, during the time in the apprentice wing, you don't quite see any visible window. Before you enter the museum, you also noted that the entirety of the manse except the front entrance was covered by other buildings like a facade. There could be an opening somewhere if you want to fly over some buildings to search for it. It would be a rather conspicuous endeavor, even at night.
Drexon, as the Grand Mason returns to his work, you get another glimpse of a vision. You see the model that the Grand Mason is building being carved from a solid block of marble with care. A strange instrument is being held near the model, pulsing a blue-green light. "Soon," you hear whispered by a voice you don't recognize.
A frown crosses Drexon's face as he sees the vision and hears the unfamiliar voice, just he realises that Eremoz has replied.
He passes on the message to each of his companions in turn, to make sure they are all aware of what Eremoz saw.
"I am sure the rest of the tour will be equally fascinating", he says to the Grand Mason.
As they leave the Grand Mason, he wonders how they can ditch the chamberlain and have a proper look around. With the last of his ability to read thoughts, he switches to reading the Chamberlain's surface thoughts.
"What do you make of the ruckus with the apprentices? Sound a bit odd to me".
{{ OOC: If there is any time left, does he get anything from the chamberlain? }}
"Teenagers will be teenagers," the chamberlain says. "Do not worry about them. It is not the first incident throughout the history of the guild, and it will not be the last. As the Grand Mason said, we only need to adjust accordingly to handle future incidents. They are becoming more and more sensitive and creative."
A short passageway opens and leads toward a staircase when the group walks through the east door. A grand staircase twists around to an upper floor. Just like any other object in the manse, the staircase is made entirely of stone -- sandstone. It is carved beautifully with the depiction of people laboring, crafting, and building. The centerpiece on the grand staircase is a relief of the guild's symbol, a mosaic of differently colored stones.
Drexon, you feel the same resistance when you try to connect with the chamberlain's mind. It feels as if there is a net of unknown power masking the chamberlain's mind that feels familiar to you before it fades and you manage to link yourself. For the most part, the mind of the chamberlain is calm and collected. There is nary a thought crossing his mind during your query. However, your vision tilts slightly when the chamberlain leads the group through the east door of the rotunda. You see a faint outline of a hand pressing something on the wall along the short passageway. The floor before the grand staircase falls to create a staircase downstairs. The spell connecting you to the chamberlain's mind finishes shortly after.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Cob falls back and whispers to the others. "There's another secret switch on the wall in here. Take a quick look."
He pretends to be distracted and bumps into the passageway wall and quickly runs his hands over as much of it as possible as he looks for the possible switch.
"Unfortunately, no," the chamberlain says as he motions toward the staircase. "While the entire manse was indeed designed by the First Grand Mason, this particular piece was a gift from his apprentice at the time. During that time, the Grand Mason still doesn't have an office and the manse is only partially constructed. The original plan was a single-floor complex. To commemorate the mid-construction milestone, the First Grand Mason's apprentice created this grand staircase and the relief centerpiece. This piece earned him his mastery and allowed the worker to work on a second floor."
Drexon and Cob, while you manage to distract the chamberlain enough to ensure he doesn't look back, you don't quite find what you are looking for. The entire surface of the wall is smooth without any indentation.
"I think it is time you were completely honest with my friends and I, do as we say, and discretely show us all the places in the building you would normally hide from outsiders", Drexonsuggests to the Chamberlain, mixing his words with magic to compel the chamberlain to do as instructed.
If he thinks the chamberlain might resist, he will distract him whilst encouraging Cob. "We have lots of questions, right my friend?", he says with a wink at Cob.
Action: Suggestion - DC14 Wis Save Reaction: If he succeeds his save, Silvery Barbs - reroll save and give advantage to Cob
Eremoz continues to follow along, admiring the craftsmanship of the Manse. He is slightly caught off guard by Drexon’s sudden change in tact, but posts himself near the doorway.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Cob watches the interaction between Drexon and the chamberlain and waits to see if the Chamberlain falls under Drexon's spell or not.
If he doesn't, Cob will first try good old persuasion (Persuasion w/advantage from Silvery Barbs: 18 ) and ask "When I feel against the wall back there, I was sure there was a secret panel. Is it an old mason secret door? We'd love to see that in action."
If persuasion doesn't work (and the chamberlain wasn't charmed by Drexon), Cob would resort more to his inherent fey abilities to persuade those around him and martial his Fey Presence (Wis DC 14 or charmed).
The chamberlain looks at Drexon askance. He is about to deny it and continue the tour, but Cob's declaration interests the other tourists enough that they begin to ask about it.
"Perhaps," the chamberlain replies after a while. He moves toward the middle of the short passageway leading to the grand staircase and moves his hand over a false brick on the wall. It has a slightly different hue compared to the other bricks around it that would be otherwise missed if not outrightly pointed or remembered. It has a faint symbol of a five-leaf clover carved on it. "The manse, as explained before, was constructed by someone who held the Mistress of Memories in very high regard. There are many secrets hidden in the manse. This is one such hidden passageway that we discovered quite a long time ago. Pressing this particular brick will cause a mechanism under our feet to shift the floor into a staircase leading down. It will lead us right into the sewer system. I do not recommend doing so as the smell would be terrible."
Cob, the statues in the room are mostly half-finished. All of them seem to be carved from a block of stone with chisels and only one or two are that of a humanoid while the rest are still quite abstract to determine the shape of.
"My apologies," the chamberlain says. Drexon and Dvark, you notice a hint of something in the chamberlain's tone when he says that -- something practiced. "I had thought the room had been at least tidied up. Let us leave this room and continue to other rooms in the manse. Once again, my apologies for the inconvenience."
Drexon, taking a cursory glance at the room before you and the rest of the group are ushered out of the workshop by the chamberlain, you notice that the room looks too perfect. You have been to too many bars and gambler's dens to know the aftermath of a fight. This one looks too ordered.
The chamberlain waits until everyone is out of the apprentice workshop before locking the door and ushering you back to the main hallway. From there, he leads you to the other side of the hallway to an archway with a sign that said "Master Workshop". Instead of seeing the same common room, you enter a large rotunda with 4 double doors in the four cardinal directions. Scattered throughout the rotunda are work tables, almost finished statues, and reliefs. There is a lone mason in the rotunda, pounding a hammer on a chisel to finish a model of a tower with a diamond-shaped roof.
"I bid you welcome to the Master Workshop," the chamberlain says. "This is the place where the masters of the guild work. It is connected to 2 hallways that lead to the master's lodgings and their private studios. It is also connected to the current Grand Mason's office and the grand staircase that leads upstairs where the First Grand Mason's office resides."
"New visitors, Raymond?" The lone mason asks without turning his eyes from his work.
"Let me introduce you to the current Grand Mason of the guild, Hotis Garaton," the chamberlain says. "The current piece he is carving is the model of the Jewel Tower that is currently being constructed in Timaril. The Grand Mason has been commissioned by the Primarch's Office to carve a model that will be showcased when the tower is finally opened to the public on the 1st of Dawnlight next year."
The Grand Mason stops his work and turns to face the group. He is young, about early 30 in age, with well-trimmed hair and beard. The smile on his face is quite charming. There is a softness in his eyes when he sees the curious group before him. He is wearing a rolled white shirt and grey vest under a black apron that has been stained by white dust, probably leftover from his work on the white marble model he is working.
"A simple enough request by the Primarch that can be done by any masons in the Trammel," the Grand Mason says. "However, a correction to Raymond's explanation. This is not only a task for the Verdant Mason. The Primarch has commissioned all masons in the Verdant Trammel to undertake this job. The final goal is to present the complete model of the city of Timaril and its surrounding which will be showcased at the very top suite of the Jewel Tower when the tower is opened to the public."
As they enter the room and Drexon sees it is occupied, he once more whispers his words of focus before speaking.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Grand Mason Garaton", Drexon says with a sweeping bow.
"The Chamberlain was just explaining to us the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident with the apprentices. I am not sure how they can expect to rise to the top of their profession without the necessary discipline you have so obviously shown. And at such a young age as well. I wonder what came over them", he says, trying to use flattery to gain the good grace of the Grand Mason and perhaps encourage him to tell them more of the incident.
Persuasion / Deception (with Guidance): 1+6+4=11 (Ouch, nat 1!)
"Such disappointment, they are," Hotis says. "Despite our attempt to curb their more rambunctious nature, there is only so much we can do without truly oppressing them. However, we will be evaluating our disciplining method after this incident. We have begun their punishment immediately. That is why they are currently locked in their dorm while they heal and contemplate their wrongdoings. We have also recalled several master masons to give a lecture on proper conduct and perhaps offer some therapeutic insight on this matter. Worry not, ladies and gentlemen. This is an isolated incident. We will not let such misbehavior goes unpunished. It is not in their and our organization's best interest. In the past, such behavior had gotten a couple of masons killed and we don't want that for our apprentice and budding master masons."
Drexon listens to the Grand Mason, trying to decide if he is telling the truth, and if so, is it the whole truth.
Insight: 20+5 = 25 (And now a nat 20, what are the chances!)
Drexon watches the Grand Mason closely, not at all convinced by what he says. There is something off about this man.
He quickly telepathically speaks to Cob, "I think this one sent his apprentices to raid the warehouse. I will try and read his thoughts".
He reaches out with his mind, using his ability to sculpt magic to channel the energies through his ring without an outward sign of what he is doing. He attempts to connect to the mind of the Grand Mason.
"It was fortunate that such things happened under your own roof where you can control such things and no-one else can get hurt", he says. "My friend here is a healer, perhaps he should take a look", he says motioning to Dvark.
He quickly telepathically updates Dvark, "I think this one sent his apprentices to raid the warehouse.".
Action: Using Subtle metamagic to cast Detect thoughts - 1 minute remaining.
Special: Concentration Detect thoughts - 1 minute remaining.
{{ OOC: If for some reason the Grand Masons thoughts cannot be read, he will shift to the Chamberlain before speaking }}
Eremoz wanders the room, looking at the various sculptures and works. “Who is in charge of your guards? It seems that some simple de-escalation training and a bit of review of whatever their standard operating procedures are could help mitigate further issues.” As he wanders the room, Eremoz watches his friends and attempts to meet their eyes. When he does, he motions his eyes back to the hallway area.
Drexon, reaching your mind to the Grand Mason's mind is strange. Something is twisting and writhing in the air, preventing you from connecting to it initially. You keep pushing for a few more seconds before you finally latch on. When you do, there is a sense of familiarity that disappears as soon as you feel it. It is foreign to the Grand Mason's mind but familiar to you. You think you have felt it in the past but can't remember anything about it.
You glimpse a brief vision of half a dozen young men, dressed in similar clothing as the Grand Mason and the chamberlain under their thick brown robes, limping up from an underground chamber. They looked bruised and cut, but the one that seems to be the leader grinned and gave a rolled-up parchment to you.
"No need to worry yourself," the Grand Mason says. "Let them stew in pain for a bit longer. We have patched them up, but we intentionally didn't administer any pain killer to them. We hope the pain will be a lesson so they wouldn't do something that rash again in the future." He looks toward Eremoz and nods in appreciation. "A good idea, sir. It has been a while since we review the security and safety protocol of the manse. Perhaps it is also time for an emergency guild-wide review."
The Grand Mason gives the chamberlain a nod after a while and motions the group toward a door on the eastern side of the rotunda. "Now, I believe Raymond is about to show you to the First Grand Mason's office. I apologize beforehand that you will not be able to enter the office, only looking in from the outside. Since we lost a valuable statuette from the office, we have restricted the access to the office. Fortunately, we have replaced the wall of the office with glass so you can see the office in its entirety without going in. Enjoy the rest of the tour."
Drexon keeps his mind linked to the Grand Mason, reading their thoughts, but noticing Eremoz motion he forms a telepathic link to him.
"You have seen something?".
Special: Concentration Detect thoughts - 50 seconds ish remaining.
Cob looks back to where the apprentice's live and starts trying to see if he can make sense of where it would be on the outside of the building.
"If we can't get to them through here, maybe they've an open window I can find and see what's going on with the apprentices," Cob thinks back to Drexon.
”Sconce by the guard outside the Apprentice Wing is marked with another five-leaf clover. Could be another stash.” Eremoz finishes checking the sculptures and gives a nod to the Grand Mason before continuing the tour.
Cob, during the time in the apprentice wing, you don't quite see any visible window. Before you enter the museum, you also noted that the entirety of the manse except the front entrance was covered by other buildings like a facade. There could be an opening somewhere if you want to fly over some buildings to search for it. It would be a rather conspicuous endeavor, even at night.
Drexon, as the Grand Mason returns to his work, you get another glimpse of a vision. You see the model that the Grand Mason is building being carved from a solid block of marble with care. A strange instrument is being held near the model, pulsing a blue-green light. "Soon," you hear whispered by a voice you don't recognize.
A frown crosses Drexon's face as he sees the vision and hears the unfamiliar voice, just he realises that Eremoz has replied.
He passes on the message to each of his companions in turn, to make sure they are all aware of what Eremoz saw.
"I am sure the rest of the tour will be equally fascinating", he says to the Grand Mason.
As they leave the Grand Mason, he wonders how they can ditch the chamberlain and have a proper look around. With the last of his ability to read thoughts, he switches to reading the Chamberlain's surface thoughts.
"What do you make of the ruckus with the apprentices? Sound a bit odd to me".
{{ OOC: If there is any time left, does he get anything from the chamberlain? }}
"Teenagers will be teenagers," the chamberlain says. "Do not worry about them. It is not the first incident throughout the history of the guild, and it will not be the last. As the Grand Mason said, we only need to adjust accordingly to handle future incidents. They are becoming more and more sensitive and creative."
A short passageway opens and leads toward a staircase when the group walks through the east door. A grand staircase twists around to an upper floor. Just like any other object in the manse, the staircase is made entirely of stone -- sandstone. It is carved beautifully with the depiction of people laboring, crafting, and building. The centerpiece on the grand staircase is a relief of the guild's symbol, a mosaic of differently colored stones.
Drexon, you feel the same resistance when you try to connect with the chamberlain's mind. It feels as if there is a net of unknown power masking the chamberlain's mind that feels familiar to you before it fades and you manage to link yourself. For the most part, the mind of the chamberlain is calm and collected. There is nary a thought crossing his mind during your query. However, your vision tilts slightly when the chamberlain leads the group through the east door of the rotunda. You see a faint outline of a hand pressing something on the wall along the short passageway. The floor before the grand staircase falls to create a staircase downstairs. The spell connecting you to the chamberlain's mind finishes shortly after.
Drexon looks at the wall of the passageway, trying to determine where the hand in his vision pressed.
"I expect you are right", he says to the Chamberlain.
If he doesn't find the secret switch, he will motion the Chamberlain up the stairs first and telepathically tell Cob that there is one.
He will then continue to distract the Chamberlain while Cob and the others have a quick look themselves, assuming Cob tells the others.
"I expect you are right. These stairs are wonderfully carved. Was it the first Grand Mason who created them?".
Investigation: 4+2=6 (Passive: 12)
Deception: 12+6=18 (to distract the Chamberlain)
Cob falls back and whispers to the others. "There's another secret switch on the wall in here. Take a quick look."
He pretends to be distracted and bumps into the passageway wall and quickly runs his hands over as much of it as possible as he looks for the possible switch.
Deception: 9
Search (Perception +1 or Investigation +3): 3
"Unfortunately, no," the chamberlain says as he motions toward the staircase. "While the entire manse was indeed designed by the First Grand Mason, this particular piece was a gift from his apprentice at the time. During that time, the Grand Mason still doesn't have an office and the manse is only partially constructed. The original plan was a single-floor complex. To commemorate the mid-construction milestone, the First Grand Mason's apprentice created this grand staircase and the relief centerpiece. This piece earned him his mastery and allowed the worker to work on a second floor."
Drexon and Cob, while you manage to distract the chamberlain enough to ensure he doesn't look back, you don't quite find what you are looking for. The entire surface of the wall is smooth without any indentation.
"I think it is time you were completely honest with my friends and I, do as we say, and discretely show us all the places in the building you would normally hide from outsiders", Drexon suggests to the Chamberlain, mixing his words with magic to compel the chamberlain to do as instructed.
If he thinks the chamberlain might resist, he will distract him whilst encouraging Cob. "We have lots of questions, right my friend?", he says with a wink at Cob.
Action: Suggestion - DC14 Wis Save
Reaction: If he succeeds his save, Silvery Barbs - reroll save and give advantage to Cob
Eremoz continues to follow along, admiring the craftsmanship of the Manse. He is slightly caught off guard by Drexon’s sudden change in tact, but posts himself near the doorway.
Cob watches the interaction between Drexon and the chamberlain and waits to see if the Chamberlain falls under Drexon's spell or not.
If he doesn't, Cob will first try good old persuasion (Persuasion w/advantage from Silvery Barbs: 18 ) and ask "When I feel against the wall back there, I was sure there was a secret panel. Is it an old mason secret door? We'd love to see that in action."
If persuasion doesn't work (and the chamberlain wasn't charmed by Drexon), Cob would resort more to his inherent fey abilities to persuade those around him and martial his Fey Presence (Wis DC 14 or charmed).
The chamberlain looks at Drexon askance. He is about to deny it and continue the tour, but Cob's declaration interests the other tourists enough that they begin to ask about it.
"Perhaps," the chamberlain replies after a while. He moves toward the middle of the short passageway leading to the grand staircase and moves his hand over a false brick on the wall. It has a slightly different hue compared to the other bricks around it that would be otherwise missed if not outrightly pointed or remembered. It has a faint symbol of a five-leaf clover carved on it. "The manse, as explained before, was constructed by someone who held the Mistress of Memories in very high regard. There are many secrets hidden in the manse. This is one such hidden passageway that we discovered quite a long time ago. Pressing this particular brick will cause a mechanism under our feet to shift the floor into a staircase leading down. It will lead us right into the sewer system. I do not recommend doing so as the smell would be terrible."