Shadow War campaign In-Game: Chapter 42- The Temple Awaits

[Gaumer]

"Oi...? Aye, testin' a bit, eh?

Be goin' 'head just be tellin' me what to be doin'."

[Navarre]

{I'm guessing Liv has gone downstairs then? If so, that's fine. Just remember you're cramped down there. Moira and Odren are still upstairs.}

[Navarre]

Mirage points with his nose at the large picture hanging directly over a small round door in the north wall of this room. Coby stands under the picture with his ear pressed to the door.

The picture is a group portrait. It shows eleven people, all (but one) wearing long robes trimmed in intricate white embroidery along the sleeves, hem, and collar. Three of these people stand in the front center while the remaining eight are lined behind them, four to a side.

Upon each of the robes are three Arcane runes. One is a large rune affixed to the center of the chest. Eight of the people in the portrait bear a different rune while the three in the front bear the same.

All eleven bear a smaller rune on either side of their high collar. Both of these runes are identical: a white tower.

The first person in the back row is a cute Half-Folke female who is advancing in her years. Her hair is still golden and swirls in a gravity-defying spiral above her head. She is wearing a dark blue robe. She also wears a large pendant on a silver chain; a sapphire set in two crisscrossing silver rings.

The next person is Landru. He looks a little younger perhaps but it's hard to tell. He is dressed much as you always see him, right down to his purple pointed hat. But his robe bears the chest rune and the two small tower runes, which you have never seen until now.

Third in line is a human who is very thin, almost gaunt looking. He has brown hair that is cut very unevenly and does not at all flatter his features. He wears an orange robe. Every finger and even his thumbs bears an impressive looking ring. He also wears a silver headband, an amulet, and a somewhat feminine-looking brooch.

The last person on that side of the center is a beautiful women who is clearly Kaazradi. Her red hair hangs to her waist and is as thick and curly as you could imagine yet seems to have a buoyant vitality to it that matches its lustrous sheen. She seems to be fairly young but is older than Abby. Her robe is yellow and a small purse-like bag is slung over her shoulder.

On the right-hand side of the picture, the first person is Hayden Hyde. He stands slightly forward of the others, as if subconsciously edging himself toward the front. He wears a red robe and appears to be the youngest of all assembled. He is smiling, looking every inch the refined gentleman.

On his left is a creature you may only have heard about. He appears to be a cross between a man and a tiger, wearing a green robe. Beneath his robe, which is worn open, you see clothing worthy of the wealthiest of Nobles. He wears a ring on either paw. He stands taller than the rest and his body looks broad and powerful but there is a hint of malevolence in his eyes. He has a walking stick topped with an emerald the size of a human fist.

Next is another human male with black hair like Hyde's but worn on a long braid on either side. Clad in a light blue robe, he stands with his arms crossed, tilting his head down at you. He looks rather unassuming compared to the rest.

Lastly in the row is an amazing female creature who floats cross-legged  in the air, suspended by nothing. She wears loose-fitting indigo pants and shoes that curl at the toes like Landru's. Her mid-riff is bare and toned, her breasts covered in a swath of indigo fabric that is fluttering about her in dizzying waves. She wears a veil over her lower face and her hair is tucked under a tightly-wrapped turban. But you see she has jet black hair and olive skin darker than Odren's. She is the only one not wearing a robe like the others though her half-blouse does bear the runes.

In front of this assembly are three other people, all wearing black robes. They stand in a "V" formation so that the one in the center is farthest into the foreground of everyone.

The person of the three on the far left is a human male. He has brown hair and looks a little short of thirty years of age. For some reason the man looks very familiar to you, Faerun, even though you're pretty sure you haven't seen him before.

The person on the far right is a human female with red hair. She resembles Moira much more so than Rachel, however. She is tall and pleasant looking, with a short attractive bob cut to her layered hair. Her pale skin and blue eyes, as well as her features, suggest she could easily be of Shrine Island descent. She too wears a black robe with the white runes.

The man in the center is a voluminous human man who looks as if walking would be a chore. He sports a full beard and shaggy long hair, looking not unlike Bedlor in that regard. He wears a single pinky ring; an amethyst set into gold. His black robe fits him well but has obviously been custom tailored from a tremendous amount of cloth. Instead of the white embroidery that all the other robes share, his embroidery is silver. His chest rune is the same tower rune as is on either side of his color. He is smiling, his hands clasped together and resting on the top of his enormous, solid-looking stomach.

[Navarre]

Faerun finds the following Divination scrolls:

0-Level
Detect Magic
Detect Poison

1st-Level
Detect Secret Doors
Detect Undead
Identify

2nd-Level
None

3rd-Level
Tongues

4th-Level
Arcane Eye

5th-Level
Prying Eyes

[Web.Metz]

"No Locate Object scrolls either. So annoying. If we could cast Locate Object, we could divine the location of the closet cure for Flesh to Stone with a few castings."

As Faerun laments, he spots the painting.

"This is very important. I definitely need to make a copy of this painting."

Faerun attempt to redraw the picture as best as he can using supplies handy.
{Also, since those are arcane runes, I can probably identify the schools.}
Drawing Check to replicate painting of Alabaster Tower wizards (1d20+7=17)

[sab39]

I look at the painting too.

"Bedlam, when you get a chance, I'd be curious what you make of the breeze Coby is feeling through that door..."

[Gaumer]

"Oi, which'n now?"

Bedlor looks closely at the door, checking it out very well.

[Web.Metz]

Faerun is also very curious on why Grand Mage Reese Cortez seems familiar to him.

[chrysalis]

"Oi...? Aye, testin' a bit, eh?

Be goin' 'head just be tellin' me what to be doin'."

"I'm going to slowly move my hand to the dice. I want to see at what point I can feel the nebulite. I will stop before I touch them though. I don't want to harm you."

[Navarre]

Liv, you move your hand as close to the dice as you possibly can without touching them. Nothing happens.

[Navarre]

Bedlor, you hear the purple martin sparrow chirp from the brim of your hat.

"I know! Yes! Message from George....!"

Although your magical effect fades from your senses at that moment, you see the sparrow hop over to clutch the frame of the painting on the bottom left. It draws its head close to the image of the Half-Folke female in the dark blue robe and then looks at you, chirping excitedly.

[Navarre]

Faerun, you make an attempt to reproduce the painting. It takes quite a while to draw so many people and you feel the pressure of time upon you.

You work for as long as you dare. The end result is...adequate. You think anyone who looked at your sketch could recognize the people within if they knew them from the general features and design. It is regrettable that it's not up to your usual standards of perfection but it will do.

{School runes placed into quote below in bold}

The picture is a group portrait. It shows eleven people, all (but one) wearing long robes trimmed in intricate white embroidery along the sleeves, hem, and collar. Three of these people stand in the front center while the remaining eight are lined behind them, four to a side.

Upon each of the robes are three Arcane runes. One is a large rune affixed to the center of the chest. Eight of the people in the portrait bear a different rune while the three in the front bear the same.

All eleven bear a smaller rune on either side of their high collar. Both of these runes are identical: a white tower.

The first person in the back row is a cute Half-Folke female who is advancing in her years. Her hair is still golden and swirls in a gravity-defying spiral above her head. She is wearing a dark blue robe. She also wears a large pendant on a silver chain; a sapphire set in two crisscrossing silver rings. Enchantment

The next person is Landru. He looks a little younger perhaps but it's hard to tell. He is dressed much as you always see him, right down to his purple pointed hat. But his robe bears the chest rune and the two small tower runes, which you have never seen until now. Illusion

Third in line is a human who is very thin, almost gaunt looking. He has brown hair that is cut very unevenly and does not at all flatter his features. He wears an orange robe. Every finger and even his thumbs bears an impressive looking ring. He also wears a silver headband, an amulet, and a somewhat feminine-looking brooch. Abjuration

The last person on that side of the center is a beautiful women who is clearly Kaazradi. Her red hair hangs to her waist and is as thick and curly as you could imagine yet seems to have a buoyant vitality to it that matches its lustrous sheen. She seems to be fairly young but is older than Abby. Her robe is yellow and a small purse-like bag is slung over her shoulder. Evocation

On the right-hand side of the picture, the first person is Hayden Hyde. He stands slightly forward of the others, as if subconsciously edging himself toward the front. He wears a red robe and appears to be the youngest of all assembled. He is smiling, looking every inch the refined gentleman. Necromancy

On his left is a creature you may only have heard about. He appears to be a cross between a man and a tiger, wearing a green robe. Beneath his robe, which is worn open, you see clothing worthy of the wealthiest of Nobles. He wears a ring on either paw. He stands taller than the rest and his body looks broad and powerful but there is a hint of malevolence in his eyes. He has a walking stick topped with an emerald the size of a human fist. Conjuration

Next is another human male with black hair like Hyde's but worn on a long braid on either side. Clad in a light blue robe, he stands with his arms crossed, tilting his head down at you. He looks rather unassuming compared to the rest. Transmutation

Lastly in the row is an amazing female creature who floats cross-legged  in the air, suspended by nothing. She wears loose-fitting indigo pants and shoes that curl at the toes like Landru's. Her mid-riff is bare and toned, her breasts covered in a swath of indigo fabric that is fluttering about her in dizzying waves. She wears a veil over her lower face and her hair is tucked under a tightly-wrapped turban. But you see she has jet black hair and olive skin darker than Odren's. She is the only one not wearing a robe like the others though her half-blouse does bear the runes. Divination

In front of this assembly are three other people, all wearing black robes. They stand in a "V" formation so that the one in the center is farthest into the foreground of everyone.

The person of the three on the far left is a human male. He has brown hair and looks a little short of thirty years of age. For some reason the man looks very familiar to you, Faerun, even though you're pretty sure you haven't seen him before.

The person on the far right is a human female with red hair. She resembles Moira much more so than Rachel, however. She is tall and pleasant looking, with a short attractive bob cut to her layered hair. Her pale skin and blue eyes, as well as her features, suggest she could easily be of Shrine Island descent. She too wears a black robe with the white runes.

The man in the center is a voluminous human man who looks as if walking would be a chore. He sports a full beard and shaggy long hair, looking not unlike Bedlor in that regard. He wears a single pinky ring; an amethyst set into gold. His black robe fits him well but has obviously been custom tailored from a tremendous amount of cloth. Instead of the white embroidery that all the other robes share, his embroidery is silver. His chest rune is the same tower rune as is on either side of his color. He is smiling, his hands clasped together and resting on the top of his enormous, solid-looking stomach.

[Web.Metz]

Faerun looks at his drawing, not liking how it turned out. However there is no time to perfect it, so faerun takes a look at the painting sighs.
"...later."

Faerun looks at the bird seeing if it has any message tied to its leg.

[Navarre]

Although you suspect an Animal Messenger spell may have been placed on the bird, you see no physical message. Apparently, the one who placed the message intends for Landru to get it directly from the bird.

[Navarre]

Bedlor, you draw close to the door. Your sense of direction and elevation tells you that this wall would correspond with the front of Bill's carpentry shop above, placing you just below the edge of the main street.

The temperature and speed of the draft from behind the door, as well as the smell of the settled dirt suggests to you that the tunnel has not been dug recently. It should be a small tunnel, right at Landru's height (3' 5").

You also sense that the air wafting around the door is not coming straight toward you from the north. Instead it is coming from almost directly northeast.