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Academy of Drell, Part III

Rallyn talks about feeling better; he appears to be recovering a bit. After inquiring about Charlotte and Keith, he, Arana and Kith decide they'd best proceed ahead.

Yodwin's door gently opens the door after getting no response from Yodwin.

The door creaks open, squeaking slightly from age. Yodwin's room, illuminated by Arana's light, seems undisturbed and the bed appears unslept in, the covers only rumpled where last you'd seen him sitting in meditation on the edge of the bed. Yodwin is nowhere to be seen and the only other change to the room is the lack of the walking staff.

Keith decides to throw aside the shackles of complacency and smash a window open with the pommel of his blade after climbing a trellis*. The window breaks with a single well-placed blow**.

Charlotte realizes the door doesn't appear as if it will be breaking down under her fire assault and joins Keith on the trellis. After breaking aside the few shards of remaining glass wedged in the window frame, the two clamber inside carefully avoiding the sharp remnants.

Charlotte sends an Astral Construct with a briefly scrawled message to the library, to tell her companions where she is.

As constructs with an INT of zero, I don't believe ACs can speak, although they probably understand simple instructions.

The interior of Coles villa is well lit and bright, sunlight streaming in from the copious windows on the inner wall of the atrium. The floors are some sort of imported white marble, with streaks of golden metal running throughout. Each tile seems to be set in the same pattern as it was quarried, lending a very natural aura to the entire area.

The entire villa is quiet and serene. Save for the freshly broken window letting in cool air, it's quite warm and comfortable here.

Together they walk down the wide central stairwell leading to the first floor door. As this is the "public area" of the building, both have been here before and can find their way around easily. The door is barred from the inside with a double-drop bolt in both the ceiling and floor. It unlocks easily with little pressure-- obviously counertweighted.

*Generally, architecture of the Empire is highly defensive and first floor windows are almost unheard of, save in public buildings which are open full-time (inns and the like). Private residences and government buildings almost never have ground floor windows. Coles villa is a bit of both, but he is lax in that there is a trellis nearby.

Building styles are very similar to the Roman model. Private homes tend to be four-sided, rectangular and blocky, with openings on the second floor and above. The interior of these buildings often have an open atrium in the center.

** Glass is very rare in the Empire. While it exists in the southern half of the empire and in the central capital region, its expense prohibits it form common use anywhere else. Typically northern homes will have oiled parchment in lieu of glass. Occasionally they will have crystal windows, but while these are sturdier than glass, they are almost as expensive to manufacture because they are very time consuming and take special skill in lead use to link the panes of crystal together.

Another common method, especially this far north, is to leave the windows shuttered in the cold season, only opening them in the rare warmer days.

An uncommon substitute for glass is glassteel, but this takes high-level magic to create and is also expensive, but a good long-term investment.
 

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Interesting decor...

Keith follows moving slowly and silently... across the room... his steps measured and well paced... he follows Charlotte his blade drawn and ready...

Move Silently; rolled 12+9=21 skill check
 
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Kith trying to cover for Yodwin...

What the hell did she call us?

She called –you- a pig


Kith shrugs and looks around in Yodwin’s room.

“Well now that’s odd. Yodwin must be out for a stroll.”

You mean on the lam?

Yeah but I don’t want them to know that!


“Any suggestions? Besides waiting around for Yodwin to return from his morning constituional.”

I am not sure if the Library crewe are supposed to have the note from Charlotte yet--- I am going with not yet...
 

Keith follows Charlotte, moving slowly and silently. Together the two scour the villa of Coles, but he is nowhere to be found.

Only one thing stands out as being off-kilter in the entire manse: an ebony walking stick is lying atop the breakfast table, small flecks of grass still visible on its shod foot.

Kith cannot find Yodwin anywhere in his tiny cubicle. It is relatively unchanged from his visit the night before, except for a small note, written in a neat hand, lying in plain sight on the nightstand. It looks as if it were meant to be discovered.

The note reads:
My Friends,

Whilst I was preparing to fall asleep, it hit me as a waking dream. I know from whence comes this evil man. My mind is old and failing, but I remembered so much! There are still parts I find tantalizingly hidden from me, but I will explain it all. I'm so happy I cannot sleep and will await you at the grove on the east side of the plateau, for I know you are returning to see me in the morning.

All praise the Empire,
(signed)Yodwin, the Blue."

Just as Kith is finishing readin the note, an Astral Construct arrives, delivering the message from Charlotte, before vanishing in a slick film of ectoplasm.

****** ... making some assumptions here... *********

The entire group (even Maerath, who takes a few moments out of studying his new scroll), arrives at the grove.

The old nature priest, Emair, is still waiting at the grove, with Ellie.

Ellie comes forward, very excited, "This man has seen Yodwin and Coles!"

The elderly priest clears his throat, and explains.

"While meditating all through the night, three things disturbed my peaceful rest. I saw a man dressed in black, wearing a helmet with downward curved horns, walked into the grove. He looked around but apparently did not see me -- because then he did something I'd never seen before -- he walked into the placid pool in the middle of the grove, and disappeared from sight. I expected him to surface for air, but he never returned.

"Then a few hours before dawn, I saw Yodwin and Coles walk into the grove, while it was still dark, and do the same thing. They, too, appeared to not see me.

"By then I was interminably curious, so after finishing my night of prayer and vigil, I investigated the pool... deep within the pool I found a cave, under the water. I only went a few feet into the cave. There's fresh air and signs of footprints, but all three men are gone."

[color= blue] This should give everyone time to make some preparations. Talk among yourselves; be back Tuesday morning.[/color]
 


Bold actions...

"Oooo. Adventure, excitement and I just happen to have all of my gear! Must be my lucky day," Arana speaks with girlish giddiness. She begins tightening the straps on her backpack and resecuring her belongings.

She then begins to step into the pool and turns back towards the others. "Last one in is a rotten egg." With a wicked smile, she turns around and heads towards the cave in the pool.
 

Whoa. I was expecting a lot of text. LOL. Ah well, let's give everyone a chance to post what they want to do. I'm off today, so I'll check back every few hours and when we've got a bit more, I'll proceed. I'm hoping it's just because it was a busy weekend for everyone.
 

"I see. Hmmm, so we got a secret type meeting in a cave under a pool of water? Glad I brought my stuff."

Kith looks around at the group. Ses that they all appear fairly prepared.

"Looks like we are ready."

"Any objections to me taking point?"

Lets go little buddy.

But I don't like water!

Then get in the carrier... It might keep you dry... heh

Phbbbt. Damn it all right


Kith stuffs the ferret into the carrier, and wades out into the pool...

Assuming noone stops me... Sorry for the lack of interest thisweekend... I just got Dungeon Seige... All I can say is WOW... Its like they knew exactly what I wanted...
 

Having silently followed everybody from the library, Sildarin curses in his mind for not bringing his armor.
Too bad I don't know how to swim.
If it makes you feel better, neither can I.
Ha ha.


He hopes that Serbanas' blade isn't going to get all rusty and then enters the water.
 

Rallyn shrugs and gathers up a few stones to put in his pockets.

"I hope the entrance is close enough to walk along the bottom to, because I can't swim. Good thing I can float."

Rallyn winks and wades into the water after a deep breath.

Once under, he summons 4 dancing lights to act as lanterns for the party's progress.
 

Into the Woods

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