What the Stranger Knows.

[Lioslaith]

The boxy Math Wizard smiles with its oddly wide mouth. "Aha! You are a philosopher, looking to answer difficult questions with the comforting logic of mathematics! A wise man, to understand your lowly understanding and search for solace under the tutelage of one such as myself! Of course, your question has many variables. Is the passenger being observed before, during, or after the subtraction? How many dimensions is the train travelling through? And of course, is it a true subtraction, or a substitution? Can you answer any of these variable? Without more information my equation will be vague at best, misleading at worst."

Fenris watches the exchange with the mechanical thing and then offers the following, "Consider the passenger to be watched, though not constantly monitored during all phases. It is intended to be a true subtraction though a substitution could be made. Does any of that help?"

[agignac]

The Math Wizard cut off his lecture mid-word and turned to Fenris. "It seems you have given me all the information you have. It will not be the most precise equation, but we must work with what we have. Math modrons! Calculate!"

The ten round modrons reach into their chest and pull out a stack of thin metal sheets, each one inscribed with a single digit or mathematical symbol. They shuffle through the sheets, then put most of the stack away and hold one sheet up. The ten modrons, holding their single sheets side-by-side, create the following answer.

45>x>10±27

"There you have it!" the boxy modron says happily. "Glad to help. Now, I must work on my own equation, unless you have another urgent mathematical question?"

[Auranghzeb]

Oh, Thank you, now we only need to find a fitting question for that data.

Let's find Siobhan

Tedras waved goodbye and went looking for Siobhan.

Tedras Human Battlemaster8/rogue1=9 AC: 16| HP: 74/74 | Initiative: + STR: 10 | DEX: 18 | CON: 14| INT: 8 | WIS: 13 | CHA:14 Superiority Dice: 5/5 d8 -Brace -Bait and Switch -Commander's Strike -Pushing Attack -Quick Toss Active Effects: None Conditions: None

[Lioslaith]

Fenris chuckles at the answer, ”Thank you for the work. We appreciate it.”. He then follows Tedras out the door, pausing just before he exits “Would you happen to be able to tell me how many cars there are before the prison car?”

[Infernally Clay]

Rafe Haugen Dhampir Hexblade Warlock 9 AC: 19 | HP: 75/75 | Initiative: +2 STR: -1 | DEX: +2 | CON: +3 | INT: +1 | WIS: +4 | CHA: +8 Spell Slots: 5th: 2/2 Hexblade Curse: 1/1 Accursed Spectre: 1/1 Ghostly Gaze: 1/1 Active Effects: None Concentrating: None Conditions: None

"Allow me," Rafe says, as he heads into the water-filled carriage. One advantage of being dead, he finds, is not needing to breathe. He will check the other door and mentally note how long it takes to cross the length of the carriage and, using his Earring of Message, relay the information to Tedras.

[agignac]

Without needing to take a deep breath, Rafe enters the water-filled train car.

The water is cold, but not dangerously so. The brightly-coloured fish dart away from the strange figure entering the car, hiding behind rocks, algae and coral. Rafe immediately begins to float - it's hard to walk through water. It only takes twenty seconds or so to swim across the train car. The door on the other end opens easily, and the dhampir uses the doorframe to pull himself back into a vertical position. A moment later, he steps through the door, and finds himself completely dry as he stands between the two cars.

The next car doesn't have a window in the door, and looks like a more "serious" door. He guesses this is the jail car.

[Lioslaith]

Fenris watches Rafe traverse the car without any issues, mentally counting off the seconds as he stands there. When Rafe makes it to the other side Fenris turns to the other and shrugs. He draws his rapier, takes a deep breath and proceeds into the water car to try and make his way across it.

[Auranghzeb]

I guess that's the way...
Says Tedras as he follows the others.

Tedras is a prodigious swimmer

Spoiler: Swim check

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(1d20+8)[16]

[Lioslaith]

"I think I expected that to be more than it was. What's next?"

[agignac]

The jail car is taller then the two cars you've just been through, looking more like a two-story car. It is square and appears to be made of thick iron. The windowless door before you is locked. There is a narrow walkway built into the jail car on its left side, complete with a guard-rail - clearly you are meant to go around this car, not through it.

As you look at the car, the landscape around the train suddenly changes dramatically. The train is now flying over a storm-lashed sea, and icy rain pelts the train. Lightning flashes nearby, and the accompanying crash of thunder temporarily deafens you and rattles your bones. Flying in the sky around you are silent spectral women warriors, in ghostly chariots being pulled by ghostly steeds. They appear to be watching the train intently.

[Lioslaith]

"Do we want to try and pick the lock? Recon the car? I'm open to suggestions here."

[Auranghzeb]

Not a bad Idea, but I'll need someone to watch over those ladies, they may be waiting their chance to take the prisoner.

Tedras pulls out a set of thieves tools but before using them, Tedra stops with a hunch.

Hum, I think this time is a good as any other for a little Augury.

Focusing on the whole situation: the door, the guards rail, the valkires; Tedras spends the Augury granted by the deck.

Is it a good idea to open the door like this?

[Auranghzeb]

Oh, well, it seems fate is not with us.

Smiling, Tedras puts the thieves tools away and instead knocks the heavy door twice.


Message from the train staff, message from the train staff. Possible threat needing evacuation due to unexpected loss of internal containment of water in wagon Z45.

Spoiler: Deception

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(1d20+10)[28]

[agignac]

Tedras knocks on the door, which booms deeply. He begins his attempted deception, but before he gets more than a few words out of his mouth, you all hear a commotion above you. Looking up, you see two modrons on the jail cars roof. Unlike the modrons you've seen so far, these are roughly star shaped, with a head in the middle of the the five arms. Each arm holds a sword.

One is shouting at you in the mechanical tongue they speak. You don't understand its words, but by its gestures you infer it's telling you to go around, or go back. They are clearly guarding the car.

Spoiler: pentadrone guard looks like this, but with swords

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I'm assuming we've lost Siobhan and Clancy. I'll have them hang out in the math car for now, in case she reappears. But assume she's not with you. Ennius is with you, as they're on vacay and will be back soon.

[Auranghzeb]

Do you know if these guys are dangerous? Asks Tedras in a low voice while eyeing the the swords on the pentadrones and stepping back from the door.

Because my sword is itching for some sparring.

Showing both empty hands, Tedras addresses the pentadrones and walks backwards ready for combat, shall the pentadrones move in closer.

Ok ok, we must have made a mistake. We will double check.

[The Hellbug]

Ennius echoes Tedras's acquiescent gesture. "Even if they aren't, it's too soon for that," he urges the duelist with a cautious whisper, "remember, the train itself thinks. It may have a way to know what's going on back here. I'll get a better look as we pass."

The warlock then addresses the star-shaped modrons. "Our mistake, no need for that," he replies conciliatorily, "we'll just be on our way." He points towards the walkway around the outside of the car and its discouraging sentinels. "It is safe, right?"

Meanwhile, Ennius calls on the power of his patron. The only outward sign is a cataract-like clouding of his eyes, but he blinks and they return to their normal appearance. To him, though, the world changes, and he attempts to see through the wall of the prison car with his new ghostly sight.

Spoiler: OOC

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Activating Ghostly Gaze. Here's the effect:
As an action, you gain the ability to see through solid objects to a range of 30 feet. Within that range, you have darkvision if you don't already have it. This special sight lasts for 1 minute or until your concentration ends (as if you were concentrating on a spell). During that time, you perceive objects as ghostly, transparent images.

[agignac]

Ennius, followed by the others, makes his way around the jail car, holding tightly to the railing. The weather is horrific; cold rain pelts everybody, and the wind threatens to snatch you away. The ground isn't visible below, as clouds or mist block the way. Ahead you can see another two cars, and then ahead of that, the engine.

Using his ghostly sight, Ennius focuses on seeing inside the jail car. As he begins to walk along the side, he sees that inside there is a spiral iron staircase, leading to the upper "floor" of the jail car. There is a matching stair in the other corner. Beside the far staircase, he can see a windowless door that has a gear-shaped lock in the middle of it. As he moves another few feet, suddenly he is looking into a cell, instead of into the main car. The cell appears to be 10x10 feet, brightly lit, and contains a tall, fat, green-skinned, red-winged humanoid-looking creature, with a pug-like face and nasty expression. The ghost sight doesn't go through the door of the cell; just into the cell itself. Another step, and suddenly Ennius is looking into the jail car again. He can see two cell doors on the opposite wall, but no sign of the cell he just looked into.

Looking up, he can tell that there are two protruding balconies on the upper floor, and the far wall has two cell doors upstairs as well. There's also a tall, blue-skinned person with fiery wings and a pointed helm stands leaning against the upper balcony railing. A massive mace rests at its side.

Another few steps, and suddenly Ennius is looking into another cell. This one contains a nearly-naked woman with feathery wings. She looks devastatingly sexy, with a few wisps of cloth doing more to emphasize her curves than conceal them.

Again, Ennius moves past the cell, and is looking into the jail car again. He sees two more staircases at this end - each of the two upper balconies clearly has a staircase at each end. Glancing up, Ennius sees a skylight at the top of the jail car. He can also see a total of four pentadrones on the roof. They seem to be stationed one at each corner. They don't seem to be bothered by the weather, nor the valkyries circling the train.

Then you make it to the far end of the car, and are faced with another door to enter the next car.

[Lioslaith]

Fenris keeps an eye out for Ennius as he helps him navigate the walkway around the prison car while using his sight. Once they reach the platform he tries the handle on the next car in the line.

[Auranghzeb]

Tedras hears Ennius carefully.
Hum, this is going to be complicated. Did you see any latches or emergency exits we could try? Nevermind, in any case we need to get out of the rain before making any plands.

[The Hellbug]

Once Ennius has carefully followed his fellows to the other side, he relays what he's seen inside the prison car, conjuring up an illusory miniature replica of what he has just observed as an aide. Using this, he points out each detail of the prison's interior as he describes it. "It looks like eight cells, two on each side on the ground level and two on each side on the top level. The top level is a pair of walkways each running lengthwise down the car," he explains, "besides the doors on either end of the car, which appear securely locked, a skylight in the roof is the only way in. For residents, there are two more of the modrons on the roof for a total of four and an angel, a deva, in the car itself--not something I'd care to fight for reasons beyond just that it'd be depriving the world of a champion of Good. We can't, of course, rule out the possibility of more guards that are hidden."

"Now, the cells themselves are where it gets more interesting. Normally, my patron's gift allows me to see through any sort of physical barrier, but I could only penetrate the outer train walls with my sight, at least with respect to the cells. Very peculiar. Since there are no guards there, you'd think those would be the ones that need to be most secure. Anyways, because of that, I was only able to see into these two cells." The warlock points at the two 'ground'-level cells on the side of the train with the outer walkway. "This one holds a nycoloth, a real ugly brute of a fiend. The other contains an erinyes, a type of devil that you wouldn't be faulted for mistaking for an angel, at first glance at least. Beautiful as they are--and the one in this cell, she is--they lack the telltale serenity of a celestial. I've never met one, but I've every source I've read calls them as cruel and wicked as any other of their kind. And not to be underestimated."

"Unfortunately," Ennius concludes, banishing the illusion once his companions are satisfied, "either could be our Stranger or they could be neither, given we know nothing of them but their moniker and their predilection for collecting truenames. There are six more cells after all. But it's a start. And without closer look, likely from the inside, I haven't a clue as to what's causing the cells behave so strangely. Any thoughts?"

[agignac]

I'm going to bookend Ennius's description with what you see in the next car, since Fenris wanted to get out of the rain.

Fenris opens the next door, which opens easily, just like the others had. For the first time, you enter what looks to be a completely normal train car. There's a corridor that runs down one side, and you can infer there are a few passenger cabins on the other side. Before you turn the corner, Ennius catches you all up on what he saw.

Insert Ennius post.

Still shaking off water, you hear a commotion in the main corridor. You turn the corner to see a peculiar site. A mind flayer in a beige coat kneels beside a body lying prone on the floor. Three curious onlookers - a cambion, a drow, and a bronze dwarf with flames for hair - poke their heads out of nearby cabins. "No one move a muscle!" warns the mind flayer, "this whole car just became a crime scene!"

Spoiler

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[Lioslaith]

Fenris cranes forward a bit, taking in the scene before them. Trying to discern any details that might help.

Spoiler: Perception

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28 rolled in chat.

[The Hellbug]

"Heavens!" Ennius exclaims, cautiously scanning the motley bunch of inhabitants of the passenger car--truly a train service for absolutely all kinds of passengers. The mind flayer is the wildest of the bunch and, knowing their reputation, the warlock isn't certain he shouldn't be putting them at the top of the list of suspects, assuming the prone figure is indeed dead.

"Are you sure they're dead? Not merely injured or only mostly dead?" he asks hopefully, scooting along the wall to give the scene wide enough berth that he won't disturb it while getting a closer look at the victim. If it is a murder, alongside the planned jailbreak this is going to be a very eventful train passage indeed.

[agignac]

Spoiler: Fenris perception

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There was a privy on your left as you entered the car. Symmetry suggests another one at the other end. The dead person is an aasimar, dressed is expensive-looking adventurer's clothes - or at least a version of adventurer's clothes that a rich person might imagine. There is ink on his fingers.

In response to Ennius's questions, the mindflayer says, "Alas, the victim has no heartbeat, nor breath. He is indubitably dead! The game is afoot!"

It is only now that you all realize he is speaking with you telepathically, not out loud.

[Lioslaith]

Fenris nods his head indicating he is going to approach. He introduces himself as he does so, "Greetings I am Fenris and these are my colleagues, we are but passengers on this train. If you would permit me, I have some skill at deduction and we would be willing to assist." As he gets closer he begins to kneel down to start an investigation and will do so unless stopped.

[agignac]

Fenris kneels down to examine the body. The aasimar is pretty freshly dead, not even cool yet. It looks like he was walking down the hallway, away from the privy you came in next to. Based on the angle of the body, its likely that he was attacked from the hallway, or cabin a or b (a has the cambion looking out, and b has the drow). It doesn't appear to have been moved.

To determine cause of death, try medicine or arcana.

[The Hellbug]

"The game?" Ennius answers apprehensively. When Fenris confidently steps forward to examine the body though, the warlock adapts and falls into step. If things get out of hand here, it could endanger the Golden Vault's mission. "What do you mean by that? A man is dead. This is nothing to take lightly."

[agignac]

"A figure of speech, as it were," the mindflayer projects at you all, waving a hand in dismissal of Ennius's concerns. "And while we all die in the end, you are correct, this is not to be taken lightly. In fact, I intend to find the murderer, and have them brought to justice. I am Ignacious Inkblot, and it will not take long to deduce what happened here. Though the assistance of those who were indubitably not in the train car at the time of the death would be most advantageous."

Turning to Fenris, he asks, "What do you make of the cause of death?"

[Lioslaith]

”Someone should look as well. It may have been done by magical means and not a blade.”

Fenris rolls the body over somewhat unceremoniously and jerks open his shirt, revealing three strange marks on his chest, as if 3 bolts of force impacted him there, breaking ribs and stopping his heart. ”I am no expert in the arcane arts, but that appears to be some sort of spell or perhaps a wand and is likely what killed him.”

[Infernally Clay]

Rafe Haugen Dhampir Hexblade Warlock 9 AC: 19 | HP: 75/75 | Initiative: +2 STR: -1 | DEX: +2 | CON: +3 | INT: +1 | WIS: +4 | CHA: +8 Spell Slots: 5th: 2/2 Hexblade Curse: 1/1 Accursed Spectre: 1/1 Ghostly Gaze: 1/1 Active Effects: None Concentrating: None Conditions: None

Rafe looks over the body as well, trying to confirm Fenris' suspicions. He knew a fair bit about these things, although nobody on the train needed to know that.

Spoiler

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Arcana check: (1d20+5)[7]