Candlekeep Mysteries

(Considering how banged up Erudisia was, this can be a test of the spring, is there actually any healing power?)

Erudisia will haltingly make her way near to the swimming halflings. 

“That physical therapy has left me more sore and sorry for myself than I expected to be, coming here. You were both wonderful, have you been going often?”

(Erudisia discovers that the spring does not heal HP. Her arcane sense indicates the spring certainly offers potent  restorative magic though…)

“It’s my second time. First time since we got married,” answers Rory. “Her first time,” she says, eyes pointing to her wife, her voice slightly brittle. Whimsible offers a brittle smile in return.

“You did great too!,” Rory says to Erudisia as an afterthought, forcing an energetic smile as her eyes bulge in witness to the Moonshae Lady’s bruises. 

Meredith looks down at those in the pool, " I, on the other hand.....did not.", she grinned.

" Does our ' coach' offer private training lessons?"

Quote from Damian_May >>

Meredith looks down at those in the pool, " I, on the other hand.....did not.", she grinned.

" Does our ' coach' offer private training lessons?"

 “Oh don’t you worry, Meredith,” Rory says, “you did just fine. Half of success in life is just showing up. And here you are.” She says this to Meredith, but her eyes and tone search for her mate, an olive branch.

”Private training lessons,” echoes Sgt. Wyvernwallace. “I like the sound of that.” He smiles, trying to conceal what might be lasciviousness or ardor mixed with fear. “SAETH!,” he calls. A moment later Saeth enters the pool area and after a brief exchange with the sergeant, leaves again in search of Azirssa. 

I almost forgot an important detail. You notice, as Saeth enters the pool room, a certain reticence. His eyes are slits focused on the pool, the waters of which he does not enter. When he turns to leave, he walks a few steps, then, quite suddenly, stops. His muscles flex, he seems unsteady on his feet for a moment, like a tree awaiting one final felling axe blow. But the blow doesn’t come. He continues on his way, exiting tge room. 

You three, in the pool and at this moment close to each other, immediately hear a titter come from the water. The naiad’s voice. “Be wary of my home, demon,” she whispers, pleased. You see only clear blue water. The sergeant and halflings seem not to have heard it or noticed anything awry.

With Saeth gone and no other minions in the pool, Erudisia will swim lazily between her halfling friends and the sergeant, and pose her question casually, wherever she can insert it into the conversation naturally. 

“—no, no, we came on a recommendation from my friend, Alana Silvershield of Baldur’s gate. In fact, I half expected to find her here, but she must have left just before yesterday, do you know her?”

“The Alana Silvershield, of the Baldur’s Gate Silvershields?,” Whimsible, who had held to a moody silence until now, asks, awestruck. “You know her??? Why, I read all the society papers I can get my hands on and the Silvershields…” she continues in an conspiratorial whisper… “are rich as sin!”

“Whimsible,” Rory chides, although her chiding is more goading.

“Yes! Why I read they have a palace the size of our village, with 100 men-at-arms and women!, and the Erieu d’Agnofisseur is their tailor!”

“You don’t say!,” says Rory, now getting bored.

Meanwhile, the sergeant has also perked up.

“You’re from Baldur’s Gate then? My mate worked for the Silvershields for a time. Honorable folk.”

“But no. Alana Silvershield hasn’t been here for the last six days, since our arrival,” Whimsible picks up. “And I would know her, for I study the sketches of the rich and fam--…” she trails off. “But… now that you mention it. The day we arrived. Rory… remember? There was a young lady here. She was wearing a veil. Not tall, not short. She kept to herself. Morbidly shy, she seemed. But… she must have checked out. I have seen no sign of the girl since then. That was Alana Silvershield??” She turns the idea over in her head, incredulous.

Meredith frowned.....could Erudisias friend be here still, held captive.....or worse......

Erudisia smiles fondly. “That sounds like her. Some of those born to famous and powerful families thrive in the omnipresent attention of the wider circles while so of u— those shy back from the regard.”

”How sad to have missed her, I should sorely like to see her again.”

With that Erudisia will clumsily pull her battered limbs from the pool. Is there a towel, slippers?

(You would have changed into swimsuits in the changing rooms adjacent to the pool room.)

You three dry off using towels that had been left for you in the changing rooms, change back into your own clothes, and, leaving the halflings and sergeant in the pool, reenter the lobby where Saeth remains at his welcome desk. It is now late morning. (Where to next?)

Erudisia will take the arms of Meredith and Bell and unless they indicate otherwise walk them into the grounds without saying a word in front of Saeth. 

Meredith follows demurely, more than a little worried about Ms Silvershield now....which brings her mind back to Baldurs Gate and ALL of her other worries.......she's on edge.

Passive Perception:  11

Bell notes the change as they leave the clean, ordered area of the spa and step past the the manicured flowerbeds of the outdoor garden.  The air grows heavy, thick with the intoxicating scent of crushed lilies and honeysuckle, overpowering the usual sharp smell of bath salts and rubbing ointments.  The sound of the hum of buzzing insects and a low, melodic thrumming that seems to vibrate within her chest.

A path winds through towering, ancient trees — silver-barked oaks and weeping willows that seem to bow under the weight of glowing, pale moss. Irregular, picturesque growth defines this area, with thorny roses intertwined with bright, glowing fey-flowers that pulsate with a soft, bioluminescent light. Mist hangs low over the ground, weaving between stone statues that are beautiful, yet subtly off-putting — figures of nymphs frozen in poses of extreme vanity, their polished faces too perfect, their expressions slightly hollow.

Bell whispers to her companions, "Is it me or does it feel as if the statues are watching us?"

Moving deeper into the woods, the garden-like order of the garden gives way to the random, jumbled chaos of neglected gardens.  The path has more broken stepping stones and bramble spills into the path - grabbing at hems and sleeves.  Further wandering brings the group to a forgotten, secluded clearing. 

...and at the edge of this clearing, your steps lead you, soon enough, to what surely is the abandoned, ancient shrine. A hush hangs over the place. Although the clearing was abuzz with insects and the air above it crisscrossed by sparrows and small wrens, no creature ventures near the crumbling stone building. Studying it for a few moments, you decide that it must once have been a beautiful, though modest, structure. Above the front doors of the shrine, engraved images of Sune are still visible on the moss-covered stone facade. The goddess' face, in each image, gazes down welcomingly on the now-broken path by which the faithful would have approached. The stone doors beneath this line of bas reliefs are bordered by a faint inscription, visible through moss and thin vines growing upon the doorframe:

“Welcome, dearest ones. Come find the beauty within you.”

However, when you try the doors, they do not yield. On closer inspection, they appear to be sealed shut by some sort of thick, clear resin. Little One gives a gentle push and pull, to no avail. He takes a deep breath, inhaling and expelling a huge volume of air, and turns to you. "I can try harder?"

Meredith motions to wait and does a circumnavigation of the building looking for other means of entry.

Perception- 23

Investigation- 21

Meredith discovers no other doors into the shrine. There are four stained glass windows, but each is sealed shut with the same resin. They offer only the vaguest view within. Stumped momentarily, Meredith is studying the image of Sune depicted in greens and blues in one of the windows when it occurs to her that there is some light coming from inside (due to her high perception roll). A cloud passes overhead  high above, obscuring the sunlight for a moment. The light inside dims to nothing. When the cloud passes, the light returns. A patch of the floor. (I’ll give inspiration to whoever can guess why.)