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Message: <blockquote data-quote="H.M.Gimlord" data-source="post: 5850344" data-attributes="member: 79440">Max rifles through the odments in the room to the north, looking more for loot than for anything in particular, and he certainly finds that for which he is looking. On a table near the curtains at the back of the room lie two gloves that look as though they are made of fine velvet. That alone causes Max to take notice. Dawning the gloves, however, he finds that the palms are plated in a stiff assortment of metallic tiles. Finding them a surprisingly comfortable fit, he flexes his hands open within the gloves to make sure that the metallic tiles don't interfere with his grip. As he does so, the tiles suddenly expand and radiate circularly to form a disc-shaped shield which dissappears with equal suddenness as he, once again, closes his fist. Impressed, Max figures this could come in handy deflecting attacks from a distance. Behind a tapestry on the wall, he finds something that looks to be a bear trap affixed to the end of an axe. The weapon looks quite deadly, and he wonders if the axe was actually fashioned with the attachment in mind, or later added by a half-good artisan despirate to make a more potent weapon. In either case, he figures the designer succeeded. Seraphine and Haruka move down the corridor in the direction of Aaron's last sounds, finding a light illuminating a larger room from behind a doorway.  Pushing through they see Aaron tied to a chair and gagged while Draglin, Gloom, Mab, and Max rummage through the contents of the room. Dead bodies litter the floor, but they are in far to long a state of decay to be the work of these adventurers. If there was a fight here, it happened long ago - a few weeks by the look of it. Max and Haruka lock eyes in recognition...[GM]OK @<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=79956" target="_blank">dimsdale</a> , now's your chance to RP your meeting.Max's Treasure: Flesh Grinder Greataxe +3 and Gloves of Missile Deflection[/GM][sblock=Gloom]Your natural insight serves you well. You remember...This is the hideout of thieves about which Jahred told you. The age and state of decay of the bodies reveals that these are obviously the thieves that the earlier adventurers overcame.  If this is the case, the man you have tied up might have valuable information as to the history of this place and, perhaps, where to find Professor Aramista. In addition, a thorough search of this area may be equally revealing.[/sblock][sblock=Synopsis of story to this point] You are currently located just outside of a cliffside port city named Rioc Alair. The cellar in which they are now belongs to a harbor-side tavern and inn called The Crystal Mug. Your original party was employed by a gentleman named Jahred who is the leader of the primary constabulary group of Rioc Alair called The Night Watch, to determine the whereabouts of "Professor Aramista" who has gone missing now for several weeks. Your group have inspected the professors office and found the following documents and curiosities (see clues below) In their investigation, the group has also discovered that a previous group of adventurers were instrumental in ratting out a den of thieves being given sanctuary in this cellar hideout. The proprietor of this establishment at the time, a man named Blagarm Barblacken, was arrested and exiled, while all but one of the tieves were hunted down and executed (most of them as a result of the skirmish the aftermath of which you see here). The band of thieves was evidently led by a well-to-do member of society named Lars Hallmaster who left town with the city's Master Armorer, a dwarf named Hankel Mast, some time before the hideout was exposed. The preivous group of adventurers that dispatched the thieves continued to pursue Lord Hallmaster in hopes of rescuing Hankel, believing him to be a lost heir to some kind of fortune. Upon learning of the hideout from Jahred, your party expressed a desire to investigate, and were given a document signed by the Governor of Rioc Alair, Lord Ekton, giving you privilege to use whatever means necessary to complete your mission. While talking with Jahred, they also met a man named Vythdar Astrix, a representative of the people of Rioc Alair to Lord Ekton's court. He, too, expressed an interest in seeing the professor found, and returned to Rioc Alair. Upon arriving at The Crystal Mug, the group was set upon by a band of rough thugs. As the battle wound down, the last of the thugs made a dash for the cellar, in which Dante was killed in a trap, most likely a remnant of the thieves' devices. The poor thug, however executed poor judgement in his escape attempt, by attempting to flee through a locked cellar door. Cornered by Gloom and Draglin, the fellow fell hard. Upon the thug's chest (as well as others as some of you remember), is an ensignia of polished, gray leather in the shape of a dragon. Clues from the professor's office: [sblock=Documents left spread out on the professor's bed][sblock=A letter]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/Schematics-2.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock]This is a map that you recognized as the same map that Jahred showed you back at the Hanged Man in Daunton.[sblock=Map]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/AvenrocandErkemhestcopy-2.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock]The letter appears to be a draft that was not completed. It is not clear if a completed copy was sent or if Professor Aramista left before he had the chance.[/sblock][sblock=Items on the desk]Several codices are open to pages depicting machinery for smelting metals:<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/ForgeSchematics2-1.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/ForgeSchematics1-1.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />One document lies next to these codices written in a strange script<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/History-1.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[sblock=History DC 25]It is a form of dwarven script. If you can read dwarven you can ask the DM for a translation.[/sblock][/sblock][sblock= Documents found on the professor's reading table]Three maps:[sblock=Map 1]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/ThemouthoftheFluss.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock][sblock=Map 2]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/Aleinheist-1.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock][sblock=Map 3]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/TheDeadSwampUntranslated.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock][/sblock] [/sblock]</blockquote>

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