Chapter 6: The Vanderboren Vault, Part 1

"Well, I'm impressed," said Lavinia.

It was the next day, and we were back in Vanderboren Manor. After Liona and I finished our magic preparations for the day (and I re-shaped my water-walking sandals back into the shock gloves), we had all taken a morning outing to the market to sell our loot (which, to my astonishment, fetched exactly the price Snickers named), during which time Kala spent her share on a replenishing food pouch and a shoulder perch for Squawk, Snickers bought an assortment of odds and ends and complained that the fancy sword was too big for him to use, and Liona traded said fancy sword for a fancy dagger that she promised would be useful for a communication ritual. I wasn't sure what to buy, so I decided to save most of my share, although I did purchase a morningstar and a heavy wooden shield, as well as a bottle of what the trader called "liquid sunlight," figuring it could be useful as a light source that wouldn't go out. Then we reported back in to our employer. We explained that Soller Vark had been running an animal smuggling racket and was trying to use the boat as a cheaper alternative to a dockside warehouse; and we showed her the signet ring, along with the note that was folded up and threaded through it, which seemed to contain some kind of riddle:

Chimera looks to sunrise

Cyclops looks to sunset

Medusa looks to sunrise

Umber Hulk looks to sunset

Basilisk looks to sunrise

None of us could figure out what it meant. Lavinia seemed pleased regardless.

"You've more than earned the gold I promised you," she continued. "But I wonder if you might stay on as my retainers. I'm sure I would have more work for you in the coming weeks. In fact, I actually have another job in mind that you've proved yourselves more than capable of."

"What pay like?" demanded Snickers.

"I'm prepared to offer a monthly salary of 100 gp each, plus hazard pay and a bonus for each job you complete," she answered.

"What job in mind?" Snickers said suspiciously.

"Well, now that I have the signet ring, I have to actually get into the vault." Lavinia took a deep breath. "I've never been in the vault before. There's supposed to be a guardian, a construct of some kind. I don't know the passphrase to bypass it. If it isn't programmed to recognize my bloodline automatically, it might attack. I want you all there for protection. Additionally..." She indicated the note from the ring. "I have no idea what this 'sunrise and sunset' business is, but my father must have left it for a reason. Perhaps the vault itself will contain additional context. It would be nice to have some extra brains around to help figure it out."

"So what if nothing attacks you and you manage to solve the puzzle yourself?" I said.

Lavinia smiled. "Then I still pay you, of course. That's how this works."

"What health plan like? Snickers want dental!" said Snickers.

"I'm the health plan, doofus," said Liona. "You don't like my healing, I'll be happy to knock your teeth out."

Lavinia raised one hand. "I actually will cover healing costs for injuries sustained in my service," she said. "Provided Ms. Fairweather doesn't get to them first, of course."

"Ooh, I'm in, then," said Liona.

"Snickers too," said Snickers.

"Sure," I said.

"SQUAWK!" said Squawk. We all stared. "He says we're in, too," Kala translated. "He wants to be paid in sunflower seeds, though. Is that okay?"

Lavinia shrugged. "Sure, I can throw in a bag of sunflower seeds for the bird. Why not?"

"I think that's what he said, anyway. I'm still not very fluent in bird," muttered Kala.

"If it's all right with all of you, I'd like to try and open the vault now," Lavinia said. "Would you all accompany me to Castle Teraknian? There is a coach waiting for us outside."

Of course we all said yes.