Here is a crude visual representation of the writing on the cloth.  The dark swath represents some sort of liquid that seems to have spilled across it to reveal the more roughly written words.

Malissin will sniff the paper to try and detect what kind of liquid it is. Does it have a pungent aroma like urine? Citrusy smell like lemon? Sweat?

It smells a little bit like sour or fermented grape juice, though obviously faded with time.

Borimer keeps vigil with a hand on his sword pommel, eyes scanning the exits and staying alert for the snake woman.

Flint identifies the crown.  Surprisingly, it is a crown of opposite alignment.  Whoever wears it instantly acts permanently in the opposite alignment he currently has.  It is no wonder the king was acting with such evil wickedness after being so loved by his subjects.  This crown is a fake, and cursed to boot.

Other info on the crown of opposite alignment:

Only a wish can restore former alignment, and the affected individual will not make any attempt to return to the former alignment.

If magic is detected for, it radiates magic of an indeterminate sort. Once placed upon the head, however, its curse immediately takes effect, and the alignment of the wearer is radically altered—good to evil, neutral to some absolute commitment (LE, LG, CE, CG) as radically different from the former alignment as possible. Alteration in alignment is mental and, once effected, is desired by the individual changed by the magic.

OOC: Assuming Flint shares this information with the rest of the group...

"Would it be possible to get Elyssa to wear this? If she's as evil as she seems perhaps we can turn an enemy into an ally. If that were the case I could stick to the shadows during an engagement, approach from behind and plop it on her head."

OOC: Her name is "Esylia."  I have to wonder how it would work on someone who is certifiably insane...

"Well, I wonder if we could get or trick Esylia to put this on?"

Flint looks around to find a bit of old blanket or something to wrap the crown in commenting "Wouldn't want to see anyone put it on by mistake...".


OOC: BTW - I started posting this over 1/2 hour ago...but got distracted by work and now see that Mal has the same idea, LOL
This message was last edited by the player at 22:38, Tue 11 Sept 2012.

OOC: Now you just have to figure out how it will go over those snakes she calls hair.

FYI, the King's touch was a use of the "imprisonment" wizard spell:

When an imprisonment spell is cast and the victim is touched, the recipient is entombed in a state of suspended animation (see the 9th-level wizard spell temporal stasis) in a small sphere far beneath the surface of the earth. The victim remains there unless a reverse of the spell, with the creature's name and background, is cast.

If you hadn't killed him, his next ability was a reverse gravity type of spell.  Disintegration is what was used on Edmure.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:24, Wed 12 Sept 2012.

"Putting the crown on Esylia is a good idea, but it would be very difficult. I'm not sure if it would work or not, however, so the risk might not be worth the trouble." Kahan replied, offering to take the crown and keep it in the party's portable hole for safe keeping. "It might be better to keep it out of Esylia's hands instead of attempting to get her to wear it. She might be able to do the same thing to us with it should she figure out what it is."

Chuckling a bit Flint hands the crown which has been wrapped in odd bits of cloth from around the room to Kahan.  He comments "Yes, I know.  That would have been too easy."

Gathering his stuff and surveying the shrinking group, Flint Says "Well, lets see if we can try to not lose any more party members this time, shall we?  Have we decided where we want to go yet?  Return to where we left off?"

Harak had been standing back during the fight, afraid that his hand-to-hand fighting style as a monk would not serve well against a lich.  He apologizes to everyone for his absent-mindedness, assures them it will not continue, and assists as needed with other preparations.

"I'm all for figuring out this code and getting out of here, with or without Esylia dead," he says as he engages in stretching and limbering exercises to prepare for the day after the night's rest.

Harak also thanks Kahan for the healing spell.

Malissin continues studying the note in his hands.

"Does anyone have any wine? I wonder if there is more to this message..."

I don't think anyone has wine.

You hear an unearthly scream coming from somewhere in the temple, unlike anything you have ever heard before.

"We might want to get moving if we want to have any chance of finding Androlus (?) alive..."

"And Harak, I don't think we don't have much choice with regards to Esylia.  We need to use the Ark, and according to THAT note" Flint points to the note Mal seems to be fondling "we need the missing crystals to make it work...and I'll give you one guess who has them or knows where they are."

With that said Flint starts heading quietly out of the room (OOC: room 21 via 7 -> 9 -> 13 ^ 21)
This message was last edited by the player at 22:30, Wed 12 Sept 2012.

Malissin will follow Flint as he seems to know what he's doing and where he's going. Once they get to the stairs, Malissin will drift into the shadows and start hiding and move silently.

OOC: Did Flint hand Mal the crown?

Borimer follows after the courageous Flint who leads the way into the heart of darkness.  The warrior is happy with his companion's choice to take the front position, and understands the decision. It's where all the action happens.

:)

The party makes it without incident to room 21.  The only thing different is that all the doors have been closed again in room 21.

OOC: No, I gave it to Kahan to put into "storage" (the portable hole) about two posts back



OOC: LMAO...I was just getting tired of asking "are we going yet?"


"Malissin, can you check that southern door for traps?  Be careful as we have a history of encountering 'grenade like' objects or traps.....I think Elysia is trying to deter us from following her"

After putting the crown into the portable hole, Kahan follows after the others, holding his mace close to him as they wander through the rooms, leery of any surprises they  might encounter. "I think Esylia is playing with us. If she wanted us dead, she would simply come and kill us. She is enjoying the hunt, thinking we are lesser beings who pose no real threat to her. We should either do something that will prove we are a force to be reckoned with, or perhaps there is some way we could use her arrogance against her." Kahan stated as he watched the elf check for traps, careful to stay out of the way of any impending explosions.

"Draw her into an ambush? She may attack if she thinks one of us is alone."

Borimer sizes up each of his comrades as potential bait for this fatal trap.

Malissin begins his search of the southern door.