"I prefer to trust my keen Elvish senses," Aurion says loftily, "but it never hurts to have a backup." He quirks a smile as he accepts the wand.

He sends gnomes scurrying to find sticky take, or glue if tape hasn't been invented yet, and soon has several map sheets stuck together in a three dimensional map of the passages between and around the two towers. "Omphalos said the belt would be on the second level. There are several doors and passages we have not yet explored. And that diamond between the two doors, Harmon and Sydni ... I know we thought it wasn't the Mind of Balance because it was not enchanted, but its just so perfectly positioned. I'd love to see Leisha have another go at convincing those doors to give it up."

He eats well then heads off to sleep.

"Ah yes, Brindle, if the gnomes don't know the passwords then unfortunately you'll need to keep swallowing that brew over and over again." He can't hide the smirk. "But at least I can share some of the cost..." He gives Brindle two pearls.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:20, Sun 26 June 2022.

The gnomes seem pleased to have been able to be of assistance and are eager to help further as best as they can ...

The Helm they know nothing about, though the mention of fire spells alarms them somewhat. "You mean to say, it's just been sitting there all this time and if we'd muttered the wrong word nearby it might have gone off ?!!" one of them mutters, though he is quickly shusshed by his fellows.   A search of the Lost and Found box does, however uncover a piece of parchment with passwords for the wand and helm, though Gnevron cautions you not to test out the latter within the White Tower lest you inadvertently win the war for the Dark Side !

OOC: Wand of Secret Doors - password: 'Sesame Seeds'; Helm of Brilliance - Diamond password: 'Jubilee', Ruby password: 'Tuesday',  Fire Opal password: 'Coober' Opal Password: 'Pedy'

Packed lunches, you didn't even need to ask.

Strong liquor isn't a problem - it seems that Gnomes, even such upright denizens as these, like a drink as much as the next Dwarf of Halfling, and a small cask of something suitably potent ("just keep your lanterns at a distance when you pull the cork out") is provided.

Belts are a bit more difficult - they do manage to find a handful (5) between them, but all are gnome sized.

And sausages, alas, prove impossible, the last of them having been wolfed down decades ago.

Furthermore, Berkam-Shem, in his befuddled state is deliriously happy to confide that his bracers were used for protection and need no command word.

OOC: Bracers of Armor +2

And in this time and place stuck in the past there is no sticky tape, but the gnomes are happy to provide a rather pungent glue to assist Aurion's cartographic quest.

Brindle surfaces from his sleep looking much refreshed and is very pleased that the mysteries of the wand, helm and bracers were able to be solved without needing to resort to magic.

He cheerfully hands the two pearls back to Aurion, bidding him keep them safe until they are needed in future.

"So my friends, shall we let Tesseryn wear the Helm of Brilliance? Aurion has the wand to help uncover any secret doors. Does anyone want to wear Berkam Shem's Bracers of Armor? They are not much use to me as my Mage Armor spell is stronger and they don't provide any additional protection while that is in effect, and I note that Wrukaog is already wearing a set of bracers of his own."

Then he offers a small chest to the gnomes.

"You folks might find something of use in here, well more use to you than to me, anyway. It belonged to the mayor. Invoices, receipts, threatening letters, that sort of thing. I will just keep one of these notes that has an wax seal of his mayoral ring, as a souvenir," he says with a grin.

"Yes, I will wear the helm."  Tesseryn confirms, "Trust that I will use its powers to destroy the Tower of Set.  And it looks well on me I think."

He thanks the gnomes again as he packs his lunch and the belts.  "Are we ready?  We seek Mitra's belt.  Where shall we explore first?"

OOC: in the Majesty game that Tesseryn's character was originally based on, paladins wore an odd-looking helmet with a Phillips-head indent that copped a lot of player comment.  One of the catch calls of the paladins was "Dauros grant me better headgear".

"Oh please, keep them." Aurion insists, "I do know that spell, but I'm not swallowing that muck ever again."

"Well, after breakfast, first I'll be heading upstairs to get the mayor's ring back from Rukbat. I'd really prefer that he thinks we're still guarding the puppy, so I don't want him to see me, so 'borrow' may be a stretch. Anyone else want to come along? And not be seen, or heard." Aurion looks dubiously at Wrukaog and Tesseryn.

He unfolds the map that he compiled with the gnomes (see OOC thread, thanks Skald). "If your belt is on the second level, there are plenty of places to explore. I'll leave the map with you, and catch up with you when II'm done upstairs."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:56, Tue 26 July 2022.

Tesseryn readies the larger party for departure.  "Good hunting then, Aurion.  We will start by visiting Sam, then explore the doors leading from his room." He indicates the area between the white and dark towers on Aurion's map (map for group 2), then folds the pungent parchment and stores it in his pack.

With a last grateful salute to the generous gnomes, he clanks off, heading first past the puppy room, then downstairs and through Berkam Shem's back door, finally approaching Samalgidaceon's room.  He remains alert, interested to notice any signs of comings-and-goings since they were there the day before. He does not illuminate the Helm of Brilliance, instead trusting his own eyes to pierce the darkness.

Once that noisy procession has shuffled off, Aurion makes his own quiet departure. With a muttered word and a shrug he armours his robe, then he slippers off and up the stairs leading into the Constabulary Cellar.

Lavish best wishes from the Gnomes (in particular to Brindle for bring them some fresh reading material) ringing in everyone's ears, Cogwitz elects to accompany Aurion, both as a bit of muscle, but mostly because the Elf's plan promises to be highly amusing and he's always up for a heist.

Which leaves just everyone else to follow Tesseryn as the ex-Paladin leads them all on a merry and nostalgic tour of the first and second levels of the treacherous halls that lie between towers White and Dark (and if Leisha has a look in her eyes that says "if anyone asked me, I'd say we were going the long way round", she can certainly be forgiven).

After another game with the rope and Gratchscartch's keen senses to navigate the area of utter darkness that sits between the antechamber to the lesser temple of Set and the area where the goblins made their home before Tesseryn sent them (and the Gnoll chased them) to attack Ishpemo, to finally stand before one of the several doors to Sam's chamber, taking just a moment to do a head count and for any last minute preparations.

Meantime Aurion, with Cogwitz following after him, grinning inanely, has had plenty of time to make his way up the stairs to the cellar of the mayoral demesne, and is delighted, as he peers surreptitiously out the door, to find the mansion seemingly full of goblins who are generally wrecking the place and having a great time.

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated for Group 0, showing Sam's room ...

Brindle uses that pause to cast a spell of Mage Armor upon himself, then when everyone is ready, he gestures for someone to open the door to Samalgidacion's chamber.

Wrukaog grows more and more impatient with every delay.

As soon as Brindle gives the signal he flings open the door and marches into the chamber.

And hot on his heels, Tesseryn clanks in holding a handful of small belts.  "Sam!  We've found more belts to trade.  Are any of these the one you seek?"  He's sure none of them are, and perhaps its mean to get the statue's hopes up, but perhaps it'll bring him some relief from the monotony of pacing his room, or perhaps it'll turn up some useful surprise.  Who knows?  Or perhaps Tesseryn will call it even for the trick Sam played on him, swapping one cursed goblin-faced belt for another worse one that he cannot remove.  He waggles the belts enticingly.

While Sam is distracted he asks, "Has anyone else come through here in since we last saw you, Sam?"

OOC: last time Sam had no objection to us exploring through the doors from his room, so perhaps we should start there.  Does anyone want to suggest a direction, or just open a door at random?

OOC: Well, we are at the western door of Sam's chamber. Looking at the Game Map for Group 2 the northern door leads back north then east to the circular corridor outside the white tower that had that huge stone ball rolling round it, then further north and east to the two talkative doors.

It looks like the southern door might connect into the area of darkness we just came through. Let's open that southern door first to check that. I don't fancy exploring in pitch darkness though, so if the southern door is just darkness lets just close it and move on to the eastern door after that.

OOC: agreed

"At some point, Master Cogwitz, I'm going to ask you to 'pick a pocket'. Will that sit well with you?" Aurion grins back at the halfling. "And would you rather that I made you invisible first?" He waits for Cogwitz reply, and will cast the spell if requested before entering the manor. He also pauses to cast Prestidigitation.

Arriving at the manor house Aurion laughs to see the goblins running amok. "Well i'm sure this is exactly what Tesseryn had in mind for them."

Stepping up behind the nearest goblin he snaps in Goblin tongue "Where's your leader? The big one!" Wisps of green smoke drift from his collar and cuffs as if his robe is venting poison gas, and two snakes peer out from the depths of his hood, forked tongues flickering between fangs dripping with the promise of venom.

This time it is Wrukaog who flings the door open (Tesseryn went first last time), though it is impatience that drives the big Orc, not any sense of fairness that it is now his turn.

Beyond is the now very familiar circular chamber, almost certainly seventy feet across, with a tall ceiling, doors to the north, east and south, and a large hole in the floor nearby.

The stone statue with the unfortunately fashioned features and still humiliating attired in red shorts, black pointy-toed shoes, an ornately floral patterned vest over a ruffled shirt, and a red pillbox hat with an inordinately large broom, turns around with an enthusiasm borne of having been at this for a long time with no end in sight.

"Your belts !" Samalgidacion greets the ex-Paladin who is flanked by Gratchscarch and the ex-prisoners.  "Give them to me !  Oh,for Set's sake it's you lot again !"

Somewhat mollified by the fistful of belts that Tesseryn proffers, Sam deigns to reply to the ex-Paladin as he checks them carefully.

"No ! Nobody !  I live in hope, but every time the door opens it's you !"

With a sigh that tells you these five belts do not number the one he's looking for, the towering statue removes his hat, pulls out an equal number of what appear to be equally unremakrable belts in exchange, hands them over to Tesseryn and finally drops the gnome's belts into his hat with a second sigh, before setting it back atop his head.

Meantime Brindle, Wrukaog and Leisha head over to the southern door, and the big Orc once more does the honours, revealing not the expected all-consuming darkness, but a more normally shadowy chamber, another circular affair, perhaps forty feet in diameter, with a 5' diameter tarnished silver basin in the centre, around which is curled a two-headed snake.

The chamber has a door to the west, and a five foot wide opening to the east.

And meanwhiles, Aurion, fresh from casting invisiblity on Cogwitz, remonstrates with the first unfortunate goblin to venture near, causing that poor creature to wet himself as he at first shakes his head and secondly risks an "upses, upses !" pointing to the ceiling (and assumedly the upper floor) in a brave effort to clarify his meaning.

OOC: Maps of the proceedings (Group 0 and Group 2) updated ...

Tesseryn stores the belts in his pack. "We'll keep looking." he assures Sam as he crosses the room and opens the door to the east.  Choices ... chaos ... the more the better.

Pleased at the goblin's reaction, but giving absolutely no hint that he's pleased about anything at all, Aurion dismisses the goblin with a green smokey wave of his hand and wastes no time as he heads off in the indicated direction, 'upses'. He hopes the invisible halfling can keep up.

A chuckle from somewhere near tells Aurion that his invisible halfling shadow still lurks nearby and moreover is much amused.

"They're certainly going to remember our visit to this village!" Cogwitz guffaws.

Brindle peeks into the southern chamber and studies the two-headed snake for a few moments before speaking.

"Hello, friend snake! Are you able to speak?" he enquires.

Gleefully opening the eastern door, Tesseryn is greeted by the sight of a corridor stretching away but a short distance till it runs into another corridor which in turn joins, to the north, the circular passageway where you encountered the huge metal ball rolling about, and, to the south, a sharp turn to the east.

At the southern door, Brindle receives no answer from the two-headed snake ... which one supposes is an answer after all.  Unless it's lying.

Meantime, far above, Aurion and the invisible Cogwitz get further above as they take to the stairs, treading familiar ground as the pair make their way to the now deceased mayor's bedchamber where they find a number of goblins wrecking the place (some would say that they do so gleefully, though it invite unwanted comparison), whilst their illustrious leader jumps up and down on the bed.

OOC: Maps of the proceedings (Group 0 and Group 2) updated ...

Wrukaog grunts softly and mutters, "Dumb snake!"

He turns to Samalgidacion and beckons him over.

"What yer reckon, Sam? Would a two-head snake make a good belt?" he asks with a toothy grin.

"Do you know anything about the snake or the bowl it guards?" Brindle asks Sam.

Tesseryn looks over towards Brindle and calls out "Let's split up to search more ground.  We'll keep heading west.  Should you do likewise then perhaps we will meet up."  He plunges into the darkness, taking the passage south and then west.

Smoking poisonously, Aurion looms in the doorway. He's delighted to see the new occupants settling in comfortably, but he resists the urge to join in or even grin. He draws a rod from within his robe and slaps it against his plam impatiently. "Niccce! Very nice! But my massster growsss impatient for newsss of the treacherousss humansss who dwelt here. What iss left of Issshpemo? And what of Ssskilvashara?" then in an even darker tone "And where isss Rukbat?!"