"Nope. Found a secret shrine with this book in it and a statue of a blind god with one hand. Don't happen to know who that is, would you? There was a brass scale as well, if that helps. Oh, I checked out the warehouses as well but there wasn't anything in them."

Zelra hands Ola the book before kneeling down in front of the door and trying to pick the lock. "Did you guys find anything?"

Thieves' Tools: 17

"It was Tyr. Meaning, you found the shrine from the picture." Ola took the book and flipped through the pages. "And as I said - absolutely nothing here. Unless beacon on the the other side shads some light on events here (Ola did not notice the pan) we are no closer to solving this puzzle than before."

After hearing what the others found Uragum smiled and gave their account.  "We found a magic stone slab with arcane runes and a hand print.  It appears to be the door that goes deeper but we cant open it.  Guessing there is a catalyst or such.  Words, material, something.  We were hoping someone found some clues..   like that book you found... Can I see it?" he asked.

When Ola was done with the book (should not take too long to realize if she understands anything in it), she gladly handed it over to Uragum. "I doubt you could find ... that catalyst? ... here. But if it is a door, you say, then - as strange as it sounds - it seems to be the only place where guards could go. Very strange indeed."

OOC: Sorry for the confusion in the wording, Sylyra, I meant 'markings' in the sense that the contraption is magical in nature, but it doesn't have any physical markings (like glyphs) on it.

Zelra easily disarms the lock upon the door while Ola and Uragum examine the book that she found in the East Tower.

The book is a journal, and difficult to read, lacking easy reference points like dates. The pages are covered in random notes, including sentences in the margins. The jumbled collection of thoughts and notes will take time and focus to fully comprehend, but the handwriting is decent.

Uragum's attention is drawn to the last page in the journal:

Again, not finding anything of note, lizard-Sylyra descends to the balcony room. Once the others gain entry, he shifts back into his elven form. "Nothing," he says flatly.

While Uragum is reading about passwords, hand-prints and doors, Ola checked the book they found before - The Book of Moonsea Cults, page 78. May be that part will be readable?

At the last page Uragum laughs and sets it down pointing.  "There, see it says to enter hand plus 'Toe Mano, Toe Megalo.'"  

"The stone slab protecting the entrance has a recessed hand print.  I bet we place our hand on it say the phrase and it will open.  I'll put 10 gold on it." he says.

Sylyra walks over and looks at the journal. "What language is that?"

"Thorass, if you believe the journal." Ola tapped her finger on the book. "I do not like that part about "curses" and "spirits" there. Did you feel anything suspicious about that door with symbols? Though, it seems we have no choice - there are no answers here. Unless some of you know how to spark the magic in that beacon. May be this is time for people of Phlan to learn how to use oil and fire instead."

"Shall we return to the West tower?"

"I think it is time to return and try to enter.  I'm not sure what we will face but I think there will be some hostility.  We best exercise caution.  That said, I propose you allow a small break before hand.  I would like to cast a spell and gather some energy back to be best prepared.  Plus, we could have a quick meal for before all this unknown." Uragum says.

---

Uragum is proposing to cast mage armor, then taking a short rest so he can use arcane recovery to gain the spell slot back.

"Well before we go to the west tower, what about the beacon? Was it there? Did you find how to turn it on?"

"Have a look," Sylyra says, making a half-hearted gesture at the ladder. Still looking at the journal page, the elf reads, "'The hooly blisful martir for to seke. That hem hath holpen whan that they were seke.'" He looks up. "It sounds like they're looking for a martyr."

As the others look through the book, Zelra will head up the ladder and, if the beacon is up there, try to see if there's a way to turn it on.

Ola visited the beacon too before they left for West tower, and after the journal entrance about spirits looked around suspiciously (Divine Sense). Not sensing anything (most likely) she simply walked around the beacon - not trying to activate it (if Zelra and Sylyra could not do it, unlikely she would know what to do) but more to estimate if usual oil-fire-mirrors beacon could be installed here instead.

OOC: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe anybody grabbed the book from Igan's quarters. You'll have to return there to examine it.

Sylyra Arcana: 21
Zelra Arcana: 21

Zelra and Ola climb the ladder to the small room that houses the beacon. It is a beautiful device, made of crystal and brass, and clearly magical in nature as it doesn't appear to have any place for a fire to light it.

For Zelra:

For Ola:

OOC: If everyone is on board with Uragum's plan, just confirm when you are ready to take a short rest and where you are doing so.

OOC: Ola was the last one who hold the books, and though I did not say explicitly "she put them into backpack" I did not say "she returned it to the sofa" either. So, to your interpretation.

"There is some presence here," suddenly declared Ola. "Undead. Right in the beacon room. Since we can not see it, it must be a ghost or a spirit - I can not say more precise, but it is here." "Anyone knows how to talk to spirits?"

She turned into direction where she sensed the presence and just talked: "Whoever you are, we mean you no harm. We came to restore the beacon." She waited for some kind of answer and then suggested it herself: "If you can hear us, give some sign."

To Uragum, Zelra agrees with his suggestion of getting a quick meal but as Ola starts speaking to a ghost, she becomes a bit more observant, looking around for said ghost.

Uragum turns his head to the side, makes a quick gesture, points a quick finger at Ola and in a voice only she can hear screams "AHHHhhhhHhh."

(("Not funny," heard Uragum in response. Ola was absolutely no fun and too concentrated right now for silly games.))