GM Pox |
The guard relaxes a bit as Marius's silver tongue goes to work. "You guys don't look like your from around here so I'll give you a freebie. Unless you and your friends here wanna find the dungeon I would abstain from such threatening gesture's while in Tephu. Good day." And with that the guards meander off and things go back to normal, well minus the merchants peddling their wares at yall. Most are giving Logos the stink eye presently..
Logos The Mad |
Logos returns to normal, panting, and bows to the guardsman.
When he is gone, he shrugs. "Sorry, I've found that being nice to peddlers encourages them. Being polite but firm does the same thing. However, convincing them one is Mad seems to cause them to leave one alone. Usually by the time they find out one is not likely to kill them randomly, they've given up on the idea of selling one a 2 copper item for 2 platinum."
Logos The Mad |
"Nah, I didn't hurt anyone. Most you get is a day or two, free food, and some peace and quiet."
Calla Voni |
On the first day Calla uses their night rest to craft a little bit on her large tent, starting Hemket's Endless Ammunition quiver (1/4k paid). She is animating her defending bone and walking around with Mage Armor.
The arcanist draws a conversation with the group to see what else they know about Tephu. If this was Sothis they would have some contacts, but here there was nothing.
K.Local: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (2) + 17 = 19
Calla was never bothered by merchants, but this was before she became a powerful Archmage, and specially rich. She produces several potions from her pockets and begin to sell it to the boring merchants, knowing this would usually drive them away. Profession Merchant: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 If this doesn't work she will use Disguise Self on herself, to look like a beggar.
She keeps a special attention to her equipment, for fear of anything being stolen. She ask directions to the helpful guard and leads the party to the library, and they find an Inn nearby (one that's at least clean and comfortable, of course) to rest and be able to move in and out from the library faster.
Logos The Mad |
"So, what are we searching for in the library?" Logos asks, as Calla picks out their inn in relation to the library.
Logos has Kn(Arcana), and can look up stuff related to that in the library, or at least provide Aid Another rolls.
Hadjii |
I suppose I've overstated the amount of time Hadjii can be a wolf: I want Hadjii to scribe scrolls and train animals every evening, so unless his Unseen Servant can do the scribing under Hadjii's control while Hadjii is in wolf form, Hadjii will have to be human in the evenings. He'll still fly like an eagle for an hour or so in the mornings, then wolf-out for 9 hours, but he won't use his extra wolf-only morph in the evenings -- he'll craft scrolls of CLW, and continue training Hyenas, whenever Calla is crafting.
I assume scribing and crafting supplies are readily available in Tephu...
"I too can help research in the library! I may not be as learned as Ms Voni, but I can still help study history and local information, as well as arcana and religion."
Calla Voni |
"Well, let's go together! He are looking for information on Hakotep, which may also be referred to as the Sky Pharaoh, or the Forgotten Pharaoh. If those references lead nowhere, try Thrice-Divided Soul. Now, the reason why he has been forgotten is a mystery, so that is worth researching too, as to say what would be a crime for a pharaoh, or something like that. Furthermore, the mask was hidden on the Erudite Eye, and it may be that the other parts are still in the dead city. Djedihepet was the high priest who founded it, so there may be information related to that. Djederet II was the pharaoh, so we may also understand more about him, since he was a close friend to the high priest. There is also the need to know which is the city they came from, since they founded Wati. That city will probably have another piece of Hakotep's soul. We need to know what their shame was, and why did they need to hide it. The Observatory of Truth and Wisdom may also be a potent source of information. I have a guess there is more to that miniature city than we were able to find, and the stars chart may also indicate something, although we don't know what exactly, yet."
"The thing is, if that cult wants to resurrect Hakotep, they will certainly need the Mask. But, any piece of the pharaoh's soul might be powerful enough to wrack entire cities, so we need to find more about it, and fast. If we find where the pieces are, we find the cult. We rested for too long. Let's go!"
Can we take 20 researching in the library?
Hemket |
"Uhh, ok then. Can I just go to a tavern and wait? You completely lost me. I'm not really all that much for book learning. I know a little about pharonic bloodlines, but since we already have he guy's name and all, I doubt I can add much. "
Logos The Mad |
Logos listens to Calla for a few minutes, then shrugs. "Right, research pharoahs and souls. Got it."
Take 10 or 20 on Kn(Arcana), whichever the GM allows, 15 or 25
Hadjii |
"I will assist Calla, filtering books she needs from those that won't be useful for this kind of research, fetching books, and logging what she has learned..."
Hadjii's Knowledge:Arcana check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Hadjii's Knowledge:History check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Hadjii's Knowledge:Local check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Hadjii's Knowledge:Religion check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
hey! good rolls on Knowledge checks! I guess The Hadj needs to be in a library to roll well on that kind of thing!
Hadjii doesn't help with Arcana, but should be providing a +2 on Calla's History, Local, and Religion checks...
GM Pox |
Bare with me guys, work has been busy the last few days.. This will be the last wek of the outage.
GM Pox |
Until I get internet hooked up at my new house the map will have to wait unfort.. Sry.
Some details about the city though. It is divided into 4 major districts.
This crowded and chaotic district has grown up between the river and the Old City. The New City is the center of trade in Tephu, and the streets of the district are congested and noisy. This district caters to visitors, who can find welcoming coffee houses, take a deserved bath in a hammam, or barter for commodities such as dates, olives, carpets, and of course papyrus. The New City is separated from the River Sphinx by an earthen embankment. Beyond this levee—which teems with traders, guides, and children—are the papyrus fields, filled with carefully tended plants guarded jealously by their owners and hired workers. Sturdy piers stretch into these reeds, allowing moorage for harvesting boats, and further out, where the river is deeper, providing safe harbor for shipping vessels and the barges of visiting dignitaries.
The original city of Tephu was built at a distance from the river to avoid the worst of the annual flooding, with stone walls to keep out the rest. Throughout the Old City, remnants of the past stare mournfully from sandstone walls worn by time. Sandstorms over the ages have worn away many of the features of the dozens of statues and hieroglyphs that populate the plaza; some are known only because of diligent record keeping by the scribes of the Great Library. The Old City is built around the Great Plaza, which was built upon the ruin of the old palace. This airy, open space amid the bustle of the city is home to both the Sanctuary of Nethys and the Great Library. In the plaza’s atmosphere of calm, sisters of Nethys shuff le past temple guards, wealthy merchants, and scholars. The library’s Outer Sanctum stands at the heart of the Great Plaza, surrounded government buildings and the finest townhouses and offices of Tephu’s worthiest citizens. Two gates allow access into the Old City—the Gate of the Sun, which faces the river, and the Gate of the Moon, which faces the desert. However, countless alleys and passages have punctured the old walls over the centuries, leaving the surrounding wall riddled with holes that allow people to pass into the Old City. While beggars and pilgrims are not turned away from entering the Old City, peddlers and hawkers are actively and aggressively removed. The area is diligently patrolled by the Tephu watch, who aren’t known for their patience.
The edges of Tephu where the city greets the desert are collectively known as the Outer City; here the poor and working class make their homes. The back streets are crammed with improvised dwellings, children at play, and squalid souks selling anything from rope to staple foods to flax. Those toiling in the date orchards and papyrus mills return to this district each night, and the scent of garlic, onions, beer, and sweat wafts from cramped houses and small public squares.
Tephu’s canal, named Wadjet’s Walk in honor of the goddess of the Sphinx River, runs through the district that shares its name. The Walk was designed to bring water deeper into the city and to facilitate trade. It flows through the city, f lanked on both sides by fine apartments, the offices of the papyrus merchants, and bustling markets. Water is drawn from the canal by those locals not wealthy enough to have access to wells, while laundry women ply their trade at its edges, carefully watching out for the crocodiles that also call the canal home. Wadjet’s Walk is navigable by all but the largest sailing vessels, and visitors regularly arrive at the Old City to visit the haty-a (or governor) via this canal. The merchants, traders, and wealthier artisans of Tephu live in this district in colorful riads with lush green courtyards and beautiful arched doorways. Others make do with simpler dwellings, generally mud brick or sandstone compounds and apartments. Mausoleums, souks, and even fortified communal granaries are crammed side by side with temples, small palaces, papyrus mills, and warehouses. When particularly popular or notable caravans come to town, the squares are overtaken by bright circular tents while carts and overloaded camels block the streets.
It takes Calla a solid day to recieve this information. She also recieves the name of a very nice inn, Inn of the Desert Winds.
She also finds out that the Gate of the Sun is the main thoroughfare between the Old City and the New City. A row of guards ensures that the hawkers, false guides, and other shady dealers who cram the gate do not enter the Old City, but they allow in pilgrims, beggars seeking alms, and those with official business.
This is where the group must go to gain admittance to the Old City.
GM Pox |
We'll deal with knowledge rolls once/if you gain access to the Great Library. There is other information on notable sites in the city if yall wish to persue such things.
Calla Voni |
"I have a feeling that his will be no easy task... I also find this history of pilgrims and beggars to be a blatant lie! We should try the official business route, right? Are any of you feeling talkative today?"
Marius Bergan |
"They should let in a cleric of Nethys since we go to find knowledge all the time."
Calla Voni |
"So, please tell them that with your mighty powers of persuasion!"
Hadjii |
With a couple of cute animals along!
GM Pox |
Dressed nicely along with Marius's words the group has no problem getting through the Gate of the Sun and easily get to the Library. Upon arrving you see.
"The high blue dome of Tephu’s Great Library, topped with shining gold pinnacles, towers over the surrounding buildings. Huge columns rise from immense footings along the edifice’s sheer walls."
Approaching the main entrance yall see.
"Enormous bronze doors, etched with the images of rampant sphinxes, lead into the library’s cavernous interior"
4 guards are posted here and as you approach one gives you a halting gesture. "Good day. What is your business at the Great Library of Tephu?" They each wear chainmail and carry a spear.
Hadjii |
these guys are normal library guards, right? They have some kind of livery making that clear?
Hadjii's Perception check: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21
and they're just doing their jobs?
Hadjii's Sense Motive check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Hadjii observes all this without speaking; he makes puppy-like noises and nuzzles up to Sheeba, trying to make it look like he and Sheeba are just a couple of nice, pleasant pets...
Calla Voni |
"A good day to you too, sir! We seek information that might prevent the destruction from some Osiriani cities, including this one. The matter requires urgency." Of course, the Arcanist would go straight to the point, instead of using some more persuasion with the man.
Diplomacy if needed: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
GM Pox |
These appear to be normal guards yes. Their seem to be following standard protocol for people they do not recognize.
The guard eyes go wide as you tell him what your looking for..
1d20 ⇒ 13 He was about to laugh but picked up on the sincerity of Calla's words.
"You all may enter, but pets are strictly forbidden in the Great Library. Accidents cannot be afforded, I'm sure you understand. There is temporary stables around the corner for such things. As far as the information you seek I would suggest you talk to the curator's. They should be able to help you further." He was not overly surprised by your statements, almost as if he's heard end of the world soothe sayers before.
It costs 5 silver to stable Sheeba for the day. 5 silver to stable Hadjii as well lol.
Let me know what yall wanna do.
Hadjii |
ooohh, fine! Hadjii will drop out of Wild Shape, cast Carry Companion on Sheeba, and tuck her figurine in with the three hyena figurines.
"Someday, I will be a wolf all day! Oh yes!"
Logos The Mad |
"You should have stayed a puppy, I would have paid your kennel fees, and even sprung extra for an extra bone, and for the stable boy to rub your belly."
Calla Voni |
What a pity, Calla was about to cast Anthropomorphic animal spell on Sheba...
"Thanks for the help." We seek out the curator and ask for advice and on how does the library work, to get a better grip on where to look.
Are we keeping anything secret?
Hadjii |
I (the player) forgot about the mask -- but Hadjii wouldn't! As a wolf, he turns to nuzzle his face in his big companion's fur, then morphs out of wild shape with his face thus obscured. He takes the mask off as part of the morph action -- making is look like a final somatic component of some kind of morph spell -- and stuffs it in his Haversack before anyone can get a good look. Then he casts Carry Companion, and picks up the new figurine, before turning his face in a way that someone can see it properly.
He smirks at the guard on his way in:
"Thank you, good sir, for the advice about pets!"
GM Pox |
1d20 ⇒ 10
The guard rubs his eyes making sure of what he just saw. He mumbles something about spellcasters before waving you through.. "Check in at the foyer desk once inside." Entering the complex you all see.
"A large, ornate desk lit by a magnificent lantern seemingly made of water stands in the center of this entrance hall. Statues of enigmatic sphinxes sit in each corner of the room, their gazes an impossible mixture of pleasure and defiance. Archways in three walls open into larger spaces, the chambers beyond drowning in books, ledgers, librams, scrolls, clay tablets, tomes, and other more obscure forms of record, held in countless shelves and cabinets. The smell of old books is almost overpowering"
Approaching the desk you see a pair of what appear to be Cleric's of Nethys atteding it. They smile as you approach and then give a nod to Marius as his holy symbol becomes visible. One speaks up. "Good day and welcome to the Great Library of Tephu. How may we assist you today?"
Calla Voni |
"Whoa! You know, I always wanted to come here! Such a pity we don't have much time..." She seems reverent and contained, but her unstopping hands denounce she's eager to be searching and reading.
Anyway, the visage of the two clerics bring her back and her mind rushes up to process the best rote to get to the subject without letting them know it, cause obviously they would at any costs try to protect their faith's shame at all costs. A good thing overall, she hoped, but not for their peculiar quest. She gave the others a quick side look, hoping they would not speak more than necessary. "Hello! We are a group of winners of Wati's Lottery, and we found some weird things about some places in the Dead City while exploring it. So we were ordered to come here and find out more about some specific sites and, if we find anything that does not match your information, provide you with some feedback on their current state. Could you lead us to a section that contain information about the old sites in the dead city, or perhaps specifically the Observatory of Truth and Wisdom?"
Marius Bergan |
Marius smiles back at his fellow clerics.
"Yeah, and those Pharasma worshipers couldn't even keep their city from having an undead uprising. It was sad really, so Nethys had to deal with it in the end."
GM Pox |
The woman smiles. "Of course!" She points to her left and then right. "The outer stacks are held in those areas and are free to research." She motions behind her, or to the north. "The Great Chamber of Knowledge holds a much more vast collection of information, but is 50gp per day of research. The Chamber also contains the Upper Stacks, which can be dagerous to research but hasn't been jumbled up as much."
Ok so the fun part begins. Researching this place is not the same as normal. The amount of crap here is enormous so it takes a while to find details your looking for. For each day of research, dawn til dusk, you may make a Research Check. Research checks are similiar to knowledge checks and can be assisted. There is a base DC for each area and if you pass or meet it you may roll to reduce area's knowledge points. Once the knowledge points are reduced so far you locate info you are seeking. Since you all lack a bard either Marius or Calla will have to best chance at making this quick. Any questions?
She finishes up with a smile to Marius. "Those Pharasmins do have a hrd time keeping the dead dead lol.."
GM Pox |
You may assist and you can make the checks untrained as well. This is certainly a group effort thing. The checks aren't easy so it will take a long dam time if yall dont work together. You get but 1 check per day.
Hadjii |
"I will assist Calla, filtering books she needs from those that won't be useful for this kind of research, fetching books, and logging what she has learned..."
Hadjii's Knowledge:Arcana check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Hadjii's Knowledge:History check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Hadjii's Knowledge:Local check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Hadjii's Knowledge:Religion check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22hey! good rolls on Knowledge checks! I guess The Hadj needs to be in a library to roll well on that kind of thing!
Hadjii doesn't help with Arcana, but should be providing a +2 on Calla's History, Local, and Religion checks...
if my previous post applies, Hadjii helps with 3 knowledge areas the first day (but not Arcana). If it's just one overall check per day, then the above rolls suggest he wasn't helpful the first day -- then he caught on to how best to help her research routine, and she gets +2 from Hadjii for days 2, 3, and 4...
Sheeba wants to help, too!
GM Pox |
Each area has specific knowledge rolls that can be used in it, so yall just need to let me know where you search. Outer Stacks, The Great Chamber of Knowledge, or the Upper Stacks. The last 2 require a 50gp donation per day per person to research in. Thats 50gp for both not each.
Logos The Mad |
I suggest we spread around, and take a couple of days.
Upper Stacks 50GP : Kn(arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Upper Stacks 50GP : Kn(arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
GM Pox |
There is but 1 roll per day for the whole group.. I would sugest Calla rolls it since she has the chance to reduce the knowledge points the most. You will deff assist Logos.
So are yall searching the upper stacks first?
Hemket |
If we already started there, I suppose so. I would have suggested the free stuff to start, but it doesn't much matter since I imagine we have to do it all eventually.
to assist Calla
knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
GM Pox |
Just in case i was confusing ill go over it again.
The outer sanctum consists of the outer stacks, upper stacks, and great chamber. Each area has different subjects to study therefore require different knowledge rolls. 1 person rolls, the rest of you may assist him/her. If you make the check you reduce the area's knowledge points by a certain number. Calla has the best chance at reducing the number in a decent amount of time.
1 roll per day, therefore you can only search 1 place per day.
Logos The Mad |
Just use my two rolls for the first two kn(arcana) checks as aid others then. Since I don't know what we roll in each location.
Hemket |
It might be good if you listed the relevant skills per area (I didn't see any mention of this by area, but I could have missed it). In my case it will likely just be a d20+2 since I am untrained in most of what is likely to be relevant.
Logos The Mad |
It's important to remember that you can only aid another if you are capable of hitting the DC in the first place. So, Logos can only aid on kn(arcana) checks of DC 28 or less. For those with no ranks in kn, they can only aid another on DC 10 or less DCs (which means they can only help if the person rolls horribly).
GM Pox |
After paying yalls 50gp each you move into the Great Chamber of Knowledge.
"This breathtaking chamber is a vast, pillared hall soaring upward to a great dome overhead, an airy vastness appropriately painted with stars and clouds. A ring of columns runs around the perimeter, supporting a gallery at the base of the dome. Countless shelves divide the chamber, rising so high that ladders are needed to climb them. These shelves are in turn separated by a bewildering variety of boxes, cabinets, cases, and chests. Littered among these towers of knowledge are benches, reading tables, huge desks for spreading maps, and elaborate displays. The flickering light of lamps and lanterns mingle throughout the space."
At the far end you all see..
"An immense, circular bronze door rises amid a wall of huge limestone blocks at the rear of the library. A single hieroglyph of an eye engraved in the center is the door’s only feature."
Moving to the upper stacks, which are above the great chamber you see.
"The vaulted dome of the library rises like the heavens above the floor of the main chamber. A broad balcony circles the base of the dome, lined with shelves and piles of books that loom like cliffs on the brink of collapse. A jumbling array of ladders climb to these teetering shelves, propped against the stacks, hung from ledges, dangling from wires overhanging the library far below, or fashioned from spikes hammered into the walls."
Researching the Upper Stacks is dangerous as the clerics told yall. Only flyiers/levitators can search it without using the ladders. If using the ladders you need to roll climb checks..
Logos The Mad |
Can we take 10? Logos has a +8, which should be good for climbing ladders?