Crowsworn Hideout (Abadius (I) 17th, 4708 AR)

The cells contained two prisoners: elven dilettante Syrdathiel and Josiah were the only prisoners. Syrdathiel was just brought here a short while ago. Josiah was a cleric of the local temple of Shelyn. Josiah became suspicious of evil supernatural activity in the community some time ago. When he investigated the Glass Menagerie one night, the rogues picked him up and imprisoned him. Since then, the Mistress has been torturing him.

Syrdathiel's interrogation and torture had been left to the gang's resident sorcerer, who had only just begun toying with the recent arrival. Two Crowsworn thugs assisted him in managing the prisoners. Each of the three Crowsworn in the room also had a skeleton key that opened the cells within.

Josiah told the heroes of the torment he's experienced at the hands of the Mistress, whom he described as a sultry woman of incredible evil who he was certain wasn't actually human as she appeared. While the scrolls and potions in the sorcerer's possession originally belonged to Josiah, he offered them to the heroes in thanks for rescuing him. He didn't know where his holy symbol and the rest of his gear were taken, but he guessed they were long ago fenced into Absalom's black markets.

Syrdathiel explained how he was captured by a band of Crowsworn in the Golden Serpent pretending to be Pathfinders, and how they took his documents from him when they abducted him. He wasn't sure what the gang's plan for him was, but he was grateful for the heroes' help and promised to make their sacrifice to save him worth their while, though without his documents he wasn't sure how he could actually do that.

When freed from their cells, the two prisoners fled the hideout up the rope ladder. The heroes escorted Syrdathiel to the Pathfinder hideout, so they could rendevouz with him later. They also took the captured Crowsworn thug to the Pathfinder Lodge.

Andoran faction heroes were interested in saving Syrdathiel's life. Once Syrdathiel was rescued from a near death confrontation, it was possible to free him from his imprisonment. In fact, it was essential to save him from the Crowsworn to complete the mission.

The doors at the end of the corridor were unlocked.

The Octagon. The floor of this large octagonal shaped room was separated into three descending tiers. The middle floor was ten feet below the top, and the bottom was fifteen feet lower yet. Sets of double doors faced north and east on the top tier, while similar doors faced west and south on the middle tier. Stairs on the west end of the room connected the top and middle tiers, as did a mounted ladder to the southwest. Nothing connected to the bottom floor, but a solitary ladder lay on the floor of the middle tier. A hinged ten-foot-by-ten-foot iron grate sits at the very bottom, from which comes the sound of running water. A comfortable chair is perched in the southwest corner of the upper tier, affording a bird's-eye view of the whole chamber.

The area was unlit and the walls were sheer and smooth.

The Dandasukas. This octagonal room was lavishly decorated with fine carpets, wall hangings, and two comfortable beds. Each bed was paired with its own table and chest, while a single basin and mirror sat on another table against the center of the east wall.

The door to this room was unlocked, but the chamber was occupied. The rakshasas who dwelt here had no need for a light source, so it remained darkened.

The two shapeshifters who called this chamber their own were subordinates to the Mistress, and belonged to a lesser caste of rakshasa. One of them was willing to surrender quickly in combat (particularly when one of them was already dead and not a witness to the other's infidelity to their Mistress). In exchange for his life, he could only offer a vow to leave Absalom forever, their treasure, and to provide basic information about the Mistress. The Pathfinders did not take him up on his offer.

The dandasukas initially appeared as diabolical halflings with large, eerie, toothsome, and unwholesome grins. They danced and capered when they moved about the battle area, chuckling and hooting at nothing amusing. They dropped these disguises when their special abilities required their true hideous forms.

The dandasukas favored melee over spellcasting, and they looked for opportunities to gain sneak attacks whenever possible. As long as both dandasukas were alive and lightly injured, they fought mercilessly. When either was killed, the other tried to surrendered when severely injured and tried to negotiate terms for long-term escape.

Each of the dandasukas had a chest of gold and magic items they had acquired. The chests contained a total of 100 gp, a scroll of displacement, and a scroll of keen edge.

Audience Chamber. This spacious room was bare except for a polished wooden desk at its north end. A comfortable padded chair sat behind the desk, while two less luxurious chairs flanked either side of it. A banner of a flying crow hung on the wall behind the desk. Two tables abutted either wall. Each table had heavy gouges in its surface, as if blades had been embedded in it temporarily. The double doors to the south were partially ajar.

This area was unlit. Both sets of double doors leading to the octagon were unlocked. The doors to the immediate south were ajar. The doors to the Mistress' bedroom were locked.

Mistress' Bedroom. This opulently decorated bedroom was dominated by a huge comfortable bed along the center of the west wall. Silk privacy curtains embroidered with exotic Vudran designs flanked either side of the headboard, while a dresser and wardrobe rested against the north and south walls. To the northeast was a personal table with vanity mirror and basin, and to the southeast was a small writing table.

The Mistress had locked the door to her chamber. Possessing darkvision, she had no need for lighting, and the room was shrouded in darkness.

The rakshasa Mistress made her stand here. Initially, she appeared in the form of Sendeli Foxglove. She looked down at her body with a look of admiration. "She's a little slender for my taste, but she has a pretty face, don't you think?" the guild leader cooed seductively. She followed this up with an ear splitting scream and assumed her true form.

When not sheathed behind a mask of humanity, the Mistress had a lithe humanoid form with a scaly red skin and a viciously fanged mouth from which a long forked tongue extended. In place of arms, she had a writhing mass of three colorful vipers protruding from her silken sleeves. She wore no armor but rather a clinging black-and-red silk robe and a flashy gold-embroidered cape.

A raktavarna, which was in Aranthor's possession, took this opportunity to reveal itself. The disguised spy reverted to its true form, a serpentine creature made of gold, blood, and smoke, with glowing ruby eyes and teeth that looked like forged silver blades. It attacked Aranthor relentlessly.

The Mistress was surrounded by an invisible but tangible field of force. The heroes forced her into close combat. In close combat, she made full attacks against Gryxxa, confusing her.