The remainder of the group decides to press on to reach the ultimate destination of Natalya’s directions: the quarters of Ayala Javeski, the leader of the Tower Girls and the place where Natalya discovered the Shard of Pride in a secret room.
Descending another set of stairs, the party enters a spear-shaped room with siccatite doors covered in fiery runes at one end. At the other end, they are ambushed by Ayala, who has fallen back to her last stronghold with her surviving Tower Girls after stationing the bulk of her followers to repel the intruders. Cornered, the Tower Girls fight to the death, but are ultimately slain by the group. In hybrid wererat form, Ayala fights fiercly, poisoning first Krangk with a handcrossbow bolt, then Alejandro with a snap of a bloodroot poisoned bladed scarf. As the party briefly withdraws to regroup, she slips into a room adjoining her bedroom, and moments later the party sees her gear next to a small hole in the wall, which leads to the shaft above the entrance alcove.
It is only with the directions that Natalya provided that the party is able to discover the very well hidden secret room in Ayala’s quarters. It was so well hidden that apparently even Ayala had not yet discovered it- Natalya explained that she only had time to snatch the shard and leave remaining treasures in the room before her fellow Tower Girls found her. Lying in the secret room is the person from whom the shard was taken- deceased. A decayed skeleton dressed in a very nice chain shirt and holding a masterwork rapier lies in the small room. A silk rope, a pouch with 250 gp and an intricate golden pendant are also on this body. (email me questions; include group as appropriate)
In the other rooms where the last vestige of the Tower Girls were slaughtered are all the treasures the Tower Girls have scavenged from the Crow. Heaped on a table are sections of wall mural, ancient coins, pieces of jewelry, gems, bits and pieces of pottery and more for eventual sale in Magnimar. It will take some time to determine the value of these ancient treasures, and the party decides to pack it up and evaluate it back in the city. The party also finds several journals on the table, written in Varisian, providing details on Ayala’s history with and plans for the Tower Girls, including her increasing frustration at Natalya’s betrayal and attempt to seize control of the group. (upon request I will provide you with these details… if you read and write Varisian).
Under the bed in Ayala’s red curtained bedroom, a small chest is found holding 87 gp and 175 sp.
The two Tower Girls who fell defending their leader each have short swords and hand crossbows, studded leather armor, a smokestick bag, a tanglefoot bag, a climber’s kit, silk rope and grappling hook, a second story harness and thieves tools.
As the party packs up the belongings of the dead Tower Girls, Garath studies the siccatite doors, and murmurs that the metal is one of the seven types of skymetal. The tiles on the doors bear the Thassilonian runes in a pattern that some of you recognize- they resemble the Paradox Box, and when two runes on one door are touched simultaneously, they magically exchange places. After a few more burns (which eventually have to be healed before Garath burns off his arms- knock of a charge from the CLW wand!!), the young wizard further discovers that runes cannot move from one door to the other. A pair of picks lays nearby, and it appears that the Tower Girls were close to giving up on solving the doors’ puzzle and attempting to crash through in the same manner as the entrance to the Crow.
There are two different sets of runes on each door. The left set spells “LISTEN” while the right spells “THE EYES.”
By the time the group has finished loading their plunder and tossing the home of the now "disbanded" Tower Girls' gang and returned to the entrance alcove, they find Olar and Lan waiting there in their fishing boat, appearing very nervous.
“The monk said you would be here,” Lan stammers, looking down quickly. “And the bloody woman said we should come get you.” Olan jumps quickly onto the shore from the boat and reaches as if to help load the group’s gear. He is careful not to make eye contact with any of you, but you see him catching sidelong glances at your bloody armor and weapons, and the gore smeared on the sacks of plunder you carry.
“Is it true?” he murmurs to Alejandro as he helps the party load the boat. “You killed all of them? Like the monk said?” (Regardless of your response, Lan and Olar help you load anything you like, and row you back to anyplace you want on the shore, then protest that they have work to do, sick children, nagging wives and several other pressing items they must return to. A sense motive check (DC 4) reveals that they just want to get out of there. They will engage in some small conversation during the row back. Email the group if you wish to chat with them.)
After returning to your quarters in Beacon’s Point, you receive word by messenger that Sheila wants to hear about your progress in the Crow, and has asked you to discreetly come to the Manor. You make your way up the Seacleft to the Shore in pairs and cloaks that cover your gear, and two by two you arrive at the Manor, bringing with you (anything you want to show to Shiela?). (We can play out this conversation by email. Shiela will ask what happened, and Natalya is there as you give your report. I’d love to hear someone’s recounting of what went on.)
After meeting at the Pathfinder Lodge, you decide to conduct some other business. As you move about the city to sell and buy loot, you walk down the Seacleft and you pass by Arvensoar, where you turned the criminal Plutivarch Dremis into Lieutenant Kasadei. A quick glance at the wall of rewards reveals several sketches of faces you recognize- a woman with the sides of her head shaved, a toothless woman with a penchant for swearing, and several more. Each was wanted for questioning or arrest in connections with burglaries of businesses, with a variety of rewards offered. Sadly, each reward offer specifies that they must be turned in alive, and those among you who are lawful, good, or even practical wonder briefly if the experience of capturing them and turning them in might have been even more rewarding than murdering them. Leiutenant Kasadei eyes you as you pass by, and no sense motive is required to see the respect, caution and distrust in her eyes. (Anyone who so desires can RP a chat with her.)
(you need to compile, appraise, claim, sell and divide the loot. Gather information checks required to find a few shops. Diplomacy checks involved to negotiate prices. Requests for specific magic items possible; method of searching for them has previously described. I will shortly be posting a list of various bargain items you run into around the city.)
When inevitably confronted by his compatriots about his relating the events of the defeat of the Tower Girls to Olaf and Lan, Lao is slightly confused by the anger directed at him. He says:
ReplyDelete"I was wounded and covered in blood when I encountered those fellows. Olaf and Lan were concerned for our group and asked me what happened; I suspect so that they could offer assistance. Seeing as they had helped us before, I counted them as friends and answered rather than standing mute. You may recall that I have taken an oath to always speak the truth. Regardless, I simply related the facts to them as best I knew them. They seemed to react badly to the information, however; they paled and excused themselves almost immediately. I thought it was curious but didn't regard it as a matter of import--otherwise I would have mentioned it earlier. If this upsets you, I will be more selective in whom I confide in the future. If you will excuse me, I have duties to attend to."
Without waiting for a response, Lao Che leaves the room, muttering and shaking his head, "The things that upset them are most baffling indeed."