Café de Nuit

Tucked between the glorious master suite and the second floor of the echoing Grand Entrance is the Manoir’s Gallery.

A small room, further segmented by thin display walls, is used to hold and display the finest works of art the Fraternity has in its possession. While you have seen other works on display throughout the Manoir, these works are truly remarkable. A few, you notice with surprise, were crafted by members of the Fraternity itself.

On the South wall, to your left after entering the room, is a large Barovian woodcarving depicting Strahd the First’s victory over the Tergs. Beside that is a portrait of the same figure, this one done in a medieval style taking some artistic liberties. A noble pallor for one, unlikely that such a martial figure would have such an aristocratic hue, and hints at possible elven ancestry with his peaked ears.

Moving clockwise down the room you come to the Western wall. Directly across from the door -in the position most likely to attract attention- is a startling Darkonian work depicting the End Times when the dead rise against the living. The images of an assault by the slain is both evocative and disturbing and the horror portrayed sends the faintest of shivers down your spine. For the Fraternity it is a reminder of the forces they are involved with. Despite the ban of necromantic magic in the organization, dark magics are still a formidable force.

On the Northern wall are the statues and busts collected by the Fraternity. Some left out in the open while others sealed in glass cases. A sculpt of a horse, likely from Nova Vassa, catches your eye. The steed depicted is strong and heroic, rippling muscles are delicately molded into the clay. And yet, the horse appears to be listing to the side, limping from some unseen impairment. A curious opposition between the healthy and the infirm.

Even here, away from the bustle and combat in front of the Library, the squeals of the rats can be heard. A few of the furry critters wander away from the swarm and down the hall, running between the sculptures and busts.

Hartly regarded the rats with a cool glare as he inched his way into the gallery. Proding a few out of the way with his staff, he kept one of his spells forward in his mind in case they decided that he looked like a tasty morsel.

Now where... ah. Striding towards the statuette, he went to get the holy water.

Amongst the collection of paintings and sculptures sit a particular marble bust with with a bronze placard. The figure looks like an aged gentleman. However, a pair of horns and slitted eyes reveal him to be more than merely human. Perhaps, this figure was a caliban or something more sinister. Whatever the history might be, the placard indicates him as Reginald Reuland.

As Hartly examines the bust and its decorated stand, he notices that the back of the stand is actually some sort of puzzle box. With the correct pattern, he could unlock the drawer and retrieve the aforementioned flasks of holy water. Unfortunatly, an incorrectly pattern could just as likely trigger a hidden trap...

Hartly furrowed his brow in annoyance.

One would think that he would have remembered a point like this. He thought as he examined the puzzle box. Cursing Reuland's thoughtlessness, he cast a spell to detect the presence of power. (Detect magic)

He concentrated for a time on the bust and puzzle lock, before casting his gaze around the rest of the room.

Making sure the rats had come no closer, he studied the puzzle, looking for anything of note.

Despite the supposed oversight on the Fraternity member's part, Hartly needed to unravel the puzzle before him in order to obtain the flasks of holy water hidden inside. Examing the podium closer, he noticed that it consisted of a dozen interlocking pieces. With some skill and patience, it seemed that sliding the pieces away in the correct order would open the panel. The difficulty would be correctly determining which pieces to move.

Taking a deep breath and looking around the room, Hartly noticed something else of import. A painting of Van Rijn stood off to the side. The painting, which must have been commission several years ago, showed a younger and healthier man sitting in a plush leather chair. A set of books laid across his lap. Two of these books dealt with languages. However, the third books was entitled The Philosopher's Stone.

Not having time to waste examing the painting at the moment, Hartly looked back to the puzzling podium...

OCC - van Rijn is a Rowlings fan? I knew he was evil!

Hartly looked at the puzzle and began to move it's pieces. It reminded him of an trap he'd watched an associate disarm in an ancient Akiri tomb. That hadn't ended well, but he had high hopes for-

There was a click, just long enough for the tall man to realize his mistake.

A pulse of energy caught him full in the chest... and did nothing. Blinking in surprise, Hartly stretched a little, and found his muscles a little less tense.

Mr. Reuland must be expecting some very odd thieves to use 'pious' energy for a trap.

Hearing the space click open, he looked inside to retrieve the water.

Despite the strange puzzle and seemingly harmless trap, as the strange doctor had promised, the podium contained five silver flasks, which contained a pint of holy water within each one. Whatever the specific need for the holy water or the trap remained undetermined, however, they were available for Hartly to add to his arsenal.

David of the FoS wrote:OCC - van Rijn is a Rowlings fan? I knew he was evil!

Yep! He's evil to his very core...

Hartly snatched up the holy water to place in his jacket pocket. He turned to leave when noticed movement through the window. He saw the shambling horde heading towards the house and frowned.

This has not been a good night.

He left the room.