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Rishi	Before all of you stands the Orichalcum Door of the Workshop of the Solar who used to create things here. It is well ornimented, with five sturdy locks upon the door, things of such cunning complexity that any mortal thief would likely give up on the spot.
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk looks at the door and starts touching the dials determining how the locks interact with each other. She pulls out her tools once again to begin working on the door.
Nine Roads Alani	There's a professional, curious interest in the series of locks, or at least that's what it looks like from watching Alani's face as she looks on. She's not only studying the locks themselves from her position to one side of the door, but studying Silk and her technique with the perception of a craftswoman. She doesn't speak up or interrupt, clearly watching the acknowledged master's technique.
Serene Herald	Herald hangs back a bit, as this is out of his expertise, but he does watch intently, as high skill deserves to be admired. And learned from. "What do you hope to find within? And what do you think will be there?"
Rishi	Of course, under Silk's expert fingers, even locks of the First Age open quickly. Alani barely has time to watch before there is a slight click and the bolts on the door slide back, smoothly and noiselessly. Inside, is ...unexpected. It's a plush sitting room, intimately sized for two people. Around the small, but elegant, table are two chairs that are almost works of art themselves. Silk hangings and banners adorn the walls, concealed lights give the place the warm glow of money. There are no obvious doors here, but the wall hangings cover several places one might place a door.
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk gets to work on the door. With the skill of a expert and a little bit of solar magic she starts working on each lock. She keeps working each of the locks making minor adjustments to each as she goes. "Since we don't have the keys to keep the locks engaged, I have to keep moving some of the tools to maintain pressure. I ran into something similar recently." She looks at Alani "Can I borrow the puzzle box for a while? I'm planning a trip away from Great Forks and it would be really helpful. I can return it to you when I get back if you want."
Misa	"Well I must say I did... not expect the 'workshop' to just be a place to relax. Surely there must be more to it, unless this is some first age sorcery with which I am unfamiliar," muses Misa aloud as the sight of the place is revealed, arms crossed idly and floating blades hovering close to her back. After a moment they fan out across the small room Silk has revealed, the sheathed tips of them pushing aside these silk drapings to see if there is indeed anything under them.
Nine Roads Alani	Well. As the locks fall one by one to Silk's effortlessly quick, deft workmanship, Alani is almost visibly taking notes with her eyes. Silk is already well aware that Alani is no slouch with a lock herself, but like in any endeavor of study, there's always another plateau to reach. Tucked along each of her arms, among the crispy blackened remains of Alani's robes are a pair of delicate latticework creations, one bracelet and anklet on each arm. She looks down at them in thought for a moment, then looks back at Silk for a long, thoughtful moment as all four of them peer inside the room. As Alani is looking around, eyes alert for danger, she quietly replies. "Will it? Aside from the inscription, I'm not actually sure what precisely it does, and I've not gotten the impression you know either. Or do you? Either way, I'm intensely curious and I'd like to at least learn more about it." Alani pauses for a moment, then adds, "As for borrowing it, I'm not entirely sure who owns it. As...attuned...as I was to the tomb, I can guarantee it was not mine in a past life." She chuckles. "I already found that place. And found this big honkin' -wheel- there. Not sure if the puzzle box is cooler or not, but it's certainly more mysterious."
Serene Herald	When the door is open, Herald is about to move, but freezes until the blades have passed. Only then does he step warily inside, to watch them both, and what they uncover. "Certainly there has to be more. This looks like a study. Perhaps where plans were drawn up first, but the actual work..."
Rishi	One of the silk drapings slides aside easily on some hidden mechanism, revealing an empty display stand. Another two lift up to reveal two more doors. One has a series of five locks on it, as the Workshop door did. The other has only one lock upon it, but the number of wards, gears, tumblers, sorcerous interlocks, and other systems imply that this is likely the true Main Workshop.
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk looks into the room and watches Misa's swords look around the room. "Well looks like there is another secret room. You want to take a crack at that one Alani? As for the puzzle box, I got an idea that I can bond with it and find out."
Misa	"Well, something makes me think that writing 'Workshop' over this entire room makes the next layer of obfuscation seem a little... unnecessary? I'm no great creator of subterfuge but even a cursory glance showed the results," muses Misa aloud, walking into the room to sit rather unbidden in one of the seats, looking about the room for a longish moment. "Not great with the doors, myself, but I do wonder how long that display has been empty..." she adds, scratching lightly and absently at her cheek.,
Nine Roads Alani	"Well," Alani muses as she enters the room and has a long look around. "If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that if we wanted to learn more about the pair of ghosts we just met, we're in much the right place." She looks thoughtful, walking over and touching the back of one of the incredibly ornate chairs facing each other on one side of the room. "Two women, a deft roguish sort guarding...who? Her insane Solar friend, maybe? Lover? This room seems awful intimate for just a pair of friends." She chuckles, genuinely amused. "I bet they were adorable together when they first met. And you, Silk, seem to know more about what's in that tomb than I do. I kind of wonder if that was the tomb of the first ghost we ran into, despite her being outside it." Alani's expression suddenly changes, a dawning memory clearly overtaking her features. She snaps her fingers, the sound loud in between the words the four are exchanging. "Eternally Chasing Dawn. I -know- this story. At least, the broad strokes. A Sidereal who was torn between loyalties. I forget her real name, but Eternally Chasing Dawn is kind of the name of the story, and I think what she was known as, partly because she was known for working in the pre-dawn hours, and for...well, chasing after her Dawn Caste lover. So when her lover--I'm sorry, I can't really remember -her- name either--finally cracked and had to be put down, Chasing Dawn insisted on doing it herself. The story didn't really get into what the two -did- together, but I'm sure the story talked about both of them bonding over being artisans. I imagine sorcerous artificers qualifies."
Rishi	Despite looking elegantly spindly, the chair shifts slightly under Misa, adjusting to fit her exactly and suddenly being the most comfortable chair she's ever sat on.
Serene Herald	"Perhaps since the dead were interred here," Question replies to Misa. "I do not think anyone broke in here, until just now, so..." He shakes his head, and half-listens to the story being told. "I have to admit that it is uncanny to see people meeting the ghosts of their past lives. It suggests a strange connection to run through things, and certainly interesting to study. But for now..." He looks to the pair talking, "It looks as though they have found mystery and wonder within here. Delightful."
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk listens to Alani's story about the sidereal and the solar and smiles. "That was a lovely story." Silk walks over to the door with the 5 locks on it. "This looks very familiar." She gets to work on this set of locks. It takes a few moments more than the previous door. The locks all click open and she gentlely opens it. "Another tomb or the workshop?" She hefts the cube in her hand once more. "Guess there's only one way to find out."
Rishi	Behind the door with five locks is a well appointed storeroom, with a number of empty glass and jadesteel display boxes in many different sizes, presumably for the storage and transport of artifacts. Along the other wall are two ...they look like a cross between a weapon stand and a shrine. While they're empty, the swords Misa has claimed seem like they would fit well on one of them, while Silk's new daggers would fit on the other.
Nine Roads Alani	Alani watches with a bit of a smile tugging at her lips as Silk picks these locks with ease as well. "Why, Silk, you handle those locks as if you knew ahead of time what to do." She chuckles teasingly. "In truth, I'm not entirely sure whether that's true or not. But it -would- make for an interesting end to the story. "Speaking of ends to the story, Eternally Chasing Dawn does have one. The insane Dawn Caste was very powerful, but the Sidereal knew her lover too well and struck when the time was right. They killed each other simultaneously, and their circlemates interred them so they could be together forever. It didn't say precisely that the Sidereal was guarding the Solar, but it makes sense." Alani's voice trails off as she looks over Silk's shoulder into the storeroom. "Well. We might well want to look in here, but I have the feeling the best stuff is already in our hands. I, for one, heartily intend to leave here with my arms laden with goodies either way. And I can't wait to see what's being that other door. Should be enlightening."
Misa	A quirk of the brow from Misa at the revelations behind the door. "You are likely right, Question," she notes to the man, shrugging a little bit. "But I... don't feel any particular kinship for any supposed past lives. Just because I inherited some spark of power... I can't say it makes me feel beholden to the idea of this person, even if she did seem to be enjoying herself rather more than I tend to." She hooks under the rack for the swords with one of the floating weapons, drawing it nearer to herself with a curious look. "Unusual, to see a single stand for two sets of swords," she muses, frowning a little. "Also- I don't suppose any of you are sorcerer enough to open the other one? Even I recognize some of those markings."
Serene Herald	"I am glad you have found things to delight you all," Question says in some amusement. "I have not seen anything truly suitable for me. At least not yet. As for sorcery?" He shrugs. "I have some skill with it. Let me see...." He goes to the warded door then. "I can at least get through those, but I have no skill at picking locks, though I could try to use sorcery as well for the purely phsyical portion. Unless--Madam Lotus, would you assist with those?"
Silk Moon Lotus	"See if there is a book on how the puzzlebox works. It's called "The Journey" A folding boat. I'm going to take a crack at this door. Question, care to assist me with the sorcerous part?" Silk walks up to the door and starts examining it with her eye for cracking locks. "This one is warded somehow. I think I can do it. If I screw this up, be ready for the sorcery to lash out."
Serene Herald	Perfect Question nods, and starts to draw in motes of essence from the surroundings, seeking to hold them in reserve, if fate goes against the attemt. "Hopefulyl this should work...if not, well...at least we can see what is left in the other boxes."
Nine Roads Alani	Alani looks curiously at the door, and again she's studying Silk's technique, but this time with an additional dimension. "You know, I do know my way around locks and wards. And I've definitely seen some of this before, but..hmm. Interesting." Her musing is cut short as Silk goes to work. As Silk works on the door, Alani also looks at Perfect Question. "Hm. You know, for someone who's studied occultt weirdness as long as I have, I really -should- learn sorcery. Nothing really stopping me, except for the umpteen thousand -other- things I'm also studying." She chuckles again, shaking her head. "It's on the list. Somewhere. In between martial arts and flower arranging."
Rishi	The Door is insistent, unyielding, and complex...but Silk's deft fingers manage to twist everything into the perfect configuration and the door silently opens. Behind it is an enormous hexagonal room cut from the native stone. The main floor is suprisingly empty, but around the edges and in the corners are many interesting things: a waterfall behind a minor ward, likely for purification
Rishi	The Door is insistent, unyielding, and complex...but Silk's deft fingers manage to twist everything into the perfect configuration and the door silently opens. Behind it is an enormous hexagonal room cut from the native stone. The main floor is suprisingly empty, but around the edges and in the corners are many interesting things: a waterfall behind a minor ward, likely for purification and cleaning A series of Cabinets covering one wall, likely containing tools A set of hutches inset in the opposing wall, each with a different type of metal ingot A large and comfortable looking pile of pillows, shoved into a corner and made into a nest big enough for two A Hatch and lever, the hatch visibly radiating heat
Misa	"Well... it just seems to keep going deeper, hm?" questions Misa as an idle comment, finally rising from that chair to walk into the apparent workshop. She wanders to the cabinets first of all, opening them curiously as perhaps the least offensive/dangerous-seeming option.
Serene Herald	"It looks like this is the end. I suspect lava behind that last hatch, and the lever might open it...." After that obeservation, Question goes to the previous room with the mostly empty boxes, to start searching through them, as none have yet touched it. Going methodicly from one to the next.
Rishi	Inside the cabinets are tools. Many normal hammers and such, though exquisitly made. As you look further, you find more and more strange devices, of which only some are recognizable. Checking through the boxes in the other room, you find that, apparently, there was a missed order or something, as one of the boxes contains a very elegantly designed Dragon's Tear Tiara. It looks like they even pre-installed the Hearthstone.
Nine Roads Alani	Alani looks at Question and nods, a bit of a smile on her face. As he leaves, she remarks to the others, "Good. I don't want him to leave empty handed, and I'd actually be kind of surprised if there -weren't- something nice in at least one of them. That said, let's see what we have here..." Alani looks around, her eyes traveling from one to the next. "...Mmm. Yeah. That's a furnace of -some- kind, and I think I have been scorched enough for one day." "Now that is a gorgeous waterfall. I wonder if it's pure enough to be of any use dealing with that horrible darkness back the way we came." Alani actually walks to and peers in the cabinet over Misa's shoulder. "I wonder if any of these are artifacts themselves. The best craftsmanship requires the best tools, after all..." "I'll check the ingots last," she muses. "Might be something nice there." "And...last but not least. I was right. Gods those two must have been adorable in life."
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk looks around the room, "This is certainly a workshop. Looks like this was the last of it. A good deal of stuff here to recover." She walks back over to one of the chairs and sits down. The chair adjusting itself as she settles into it. "I think I want to take this home."
Rishi	Checking the ingot hutches, the ones for iron, copper, steel, red jade, and orichalcum all seem to be connected to tunnels further back in the walls, likely so the manse can refill them. There are still a few ingots left in each hutch. The other ones for Moonsilver, Starmetal, the other colors of Jade, and Adamant are all mostly empty.
Rishi	Once the investigations are finished and it is time to leave with your treasures, getting out is as simple as walking up the ramp, opening a warded gate, destroying a bunch of hungry ghosts, evading a few more "weird broken manse" things, and then heading out. Nothing you can't handle. As for the Collector, it seems to have vanished. It likely sensed that you had destroyed the prey it was after and ran away, leaving behind some of the hungry ghosts in a stupid attempt to slow you down. . Once back on the surface, you take another look at the relatively small surface complex, that's still bigger than a modern village, before heading off.