Dragon of Icespire Peak ***CLOSED***

Minsys scratches his head.  "Uh... give me a sec, imma gonna drag a boar corpse in here.  Ya can eat a little bit then maybe ya just show me.  Don't really know my way around here." 

He then goes outside and drags a boar carcus in.

Vaxis seems a bit amused. He pulls a bit of his rations out and places it near the rats.

"I am not knowing what is going on...but little beasts like yourselves need a bit more than meat to live on. It will be our secret. And then when you have your fill, you can show friend Misys whatever it is you told him."

The wizard stands in front of the staff and concentrates on its form, invoking the Weave as she grabs hold of it.

She holds her breath as her hand wraps around the bone-white shaft, ready for anything...

The rats gorge themselves on the feast laid before them and then lead Minsys and Vaxis to the downstairs parlor, where they dig out an old brass key from the drawer of a smashed up desk in the corner. From there, they proceed to the library, where another key is found collecting dust behind a grandfather clock. The third leg of their scavenger hunt brings them up the spiral staircase to the master bedroom where Connak, Tink and Tabesha'l are exploring. One rat scrambles up the chimney and a few moments later, returns with a soot covered key, with indications of silver poking through the grime.

Tabesha'l does not immediately explode when she grasps the staff from its holdings on the wall above the mantle...in fact, she does not explode at all, nor does anything else dangerous appear to happen from her taking the staff down from its resting place.

The party has found 3 keys, 4 keyways, and old bone staff (wreathed in illusion) and a secret room containing a chest and a cloak that have yet to be inspected...

Connak stands guard in front of the doors to the north, to keep anyone from walking into the Stirge nest.

Minsys is surprised.  He had been thinking more gold and silver but keys.  Keys lock up important things so it's likely worth it to check these out.  He bends down near the rats and says, "Thank you, you have held up your bargain well.  One warning, that tree is bad news, it is fed blood and if it runs out it may attack you and your kin."

Minsys would then yell out to the crew, "Hey, I got keys.  Help find me some locks."

Still observing the staff with a mixture of awe and anxiety as she turns it into her hands, Tabesha'l answers Minsys' call:

" I daresay said-locks are presently here, good Minsys... thanks to our perspicacious tinkering companion !"

As she says this she smiles graciously at Tink, then turns her attention to the velvet-lined compartment uncovered by the artificer's efforts:

" Yes. I see. Four keys of some sort are needed, obviously... and then probably yon staff ? I fear the worst, I certainly do..." she says, frowning as she inspects the strange oblong alcove, before calling back to Minsys: 

" How many keys didst thou say thou hath in thy possession, presently ? T'would seem we needeth a full foursome !"

Minsys comes over to Tab while blowing hot breath on thr keys and shinning them up.  "I got three keys."

" How splendid !" the elven witch nods enthusiastically as she inspects the proffered keys nested in the half-orc's callused palm. " Now... we just needeth to find yet another one, most likely. Mayhaps in yon chest ? My devilish pet can of course assist in looking. Just do be mindful of its tricks, though, yes ?" she adds with a sweet, yet somewhat disturbing smile. " He doeth love a prank so, poor dear."

With a shrug Minsys gives over the keys and moves to the chest.  With his boot he will flick open and latch that is there and moves and otherwise kick the lid open.

Tink follows Minsys and watches from a distance as he kicks open the chest, curious as to what exactly is going to happen and ofcourse what it holds within.

Inside, Minsys finds a small journal and a magnifying glass. A small potion bottle with an iridescent blue liquid, bubbling of its own accord, lie next to them.

With a sigh he says, "another book and bottle here.  And something like a glass on a stick."

Tabesha'l, who's also done her best to take a peak behind the imposing mass of the half-orc's back, taps her lower lip with a perfectly manicured finger as she wonders aloud:

" We have thus a magnifying glass, a mysterious book, and one potion of the like, I gather, that will also prove to be part of this new enigma. What thinketh thee, dear friends ? I daresay yon vial contains something whose magical effects shallt necessarily compound with said-items already found. Now, wouldn't that be just the thing... ? How adorable !"

Tickled by this new challenge, she gives a crystalline, tittering laugh.

Connak stares unblinking at Tabesha'l, questioning his past decision to adventure with the High Elf.

Breaking from his thoughts, he mentions, "Maybe that journal might hold some explanations..."

While Connak keeps watch down the hall from the door, the others continue to search the room for additional clues. At first inspection, the journal's pages appear to be blank. Arvi flits about the secret vault finding mostly dusty knick-knacks but stops to inspect the cloak further. The flowing garment of purple, black and dark green has not a speck of dust on it and he notices two long, squid-like tentacles descending from the hood down past the hem, each adorned with several menacing-looking spikes protruding from the "clubs" (i.e. the ellipse-shaped pads at the ends of the tentacle stalks, as they are commonly called among the nautical and/or seafaring industries.) The fabric has a slight iridescent sheen, which seems to appear and disappear at random, rather than in response to the angle at which light strikes the surface of the curious item.

Whisker goes up to paw at the cloak but is quickly called back by Tink who then leans in close herself to take a look, "Well these certainly seem to be an interesting find. The cloak is definitely of some unique tailoring. Unfortunately I do not have the right spells prepared to find out what they actually are. I should be able to do so once we get some rest and I can do the appropriate research though. Probably best for us to just keep them safe and for no one to put it on for now."

Minsys will bed down and take the bottle and the journal.  He will open the journal and shake it upside down incase something falls out.  Then pass it to Tab and search the box further incase there is something underneath the items or there is a false bottom or sides, heck even for a hidden spot in the lid.

"People think they are smart with their hidden spots.... but if you just smash it, all is revealed... but people pay for fancy boxes so no smashin today."

Perception 4

As Minsys shakes the book out (and finds nothing hidden) Arvi slips into the cloak, which immediately re-sizes to fit his small demonic body. The tentacles then animate and begin floating about, as if they had minds of their own.

" Arvi... ! ARVI ! Arviithix From The Abyss, stop such foolishness this very minute ! I beseech thee, Ô Creature Most Foul." Tabesha'l exclaims, witnessing the demonic familiar's surprising initiative. " Now, wouldst thee look at what thou hath wrought, praytell ? Thee Hellish Laggard, Thee Distemperate Buzzing Lummox !"

The elven wizard seems to be fuming but a small sparkle of curiosity mixed with wondrous glee shows on her face as she observes the cloak's magic taking hold on her Quasit. " At least let thy own mistress - who happens to be I meself, presently, as thee well knoweth - decide whether or not thou shallt be doted which such magics, and not before we has't the opportunity to detect exactly what powers yon cape possesses !" Then after a moment considering, she adds half to herself, " although of course a demon familiar would know all about possessing, 'tis somewhat hard to argue against..."

She finally gives Tink and those present an apologetical smile and concludes: " I truly do not know what came upon him. The cheek of the Demonic Help these days... truly inadmissible !" she continues with a wry grin, " I of course could complain to the High Demon Lord responsible for Arvi's terrible manners, yet t'would be a safe bet to assume none of us here would enjoy the prospect of said-conversation ? Indeed we would not."