"Hmmm" the man strokes his beard. "I am not familiar with that particular tome. You may have better luck on the 5th floor." He runs his finger across the spines of several books before pausing, and then retrieving a book. The man pages swiftly through a few chapters and then begins reading.
After reading a few pages, he turns and slowly begins walking to one of the study tables still reading as he walks.
A few of the patrons leave the floor and some new patrons arrive on the floor.
The growing sound of a dozen or so footsteps coming up the stairs can now be heard through out the room.
The source of the footsteps now make themselves apparent. About 20 librarians enter the room. They arrange themselves through out the room with wands pulled out and ready.
"Do not be alarmed," one of the floor librarian announces. "These librarians are merely resetting the dimensional lock that protects our collection. They will be completed shortly and then you can resume your browsing.
Map with new librarians in position
"That's a lot of librarians."
Savendir regards the development with some alarm. He tries to assess the librarians' attention.
"Oog, it seems to me that this legion of librarians would just get in each other's way."
That green glow did fade away. Maybe they are here to renew it, Zarine thinks, though she keeps an eye on the proceedings with interest.
Savendir regards the librarians with wariness. He does not discern dishonesty, per se, but he knows well that this place is somehow connected with the trafficking of kidnap victims, so is inclined to trust no one.
I think we are ready to start. Here is a recap of the story so far.
A group of adventurers were hired to find the missing scion of a Korvosan nobleman, Nadu.
After nearly being killed in Sirathu, Savendir agrees to track down Cerpera's captors. He joins up with Ilias and Oog in the Pharasmin temple in Sirathu.
Meanwhile, Zarine, Nyxalia and Owen have been hired by Rodril Brole. Rodril has been hired by Vaden Pierrsiff to find his son after he heard rumors that captives were being moved through Kaer Maga. Rodril is a step brother of Jol Haverston who runs one of the most successful general stores in Downmarket and thus has some influence in this part of town. Rodril has used this influence to gain the assistance of Fraderk Braejar, the daytime Watch Captain of this district.
Rodril suggested that you each spend some time in the city gathering information and then reporting to Fraderk to coordinate your plans. While each of you are aware that Rodril has hired others, this will be the first time you have actually met each other.
Everyone meets in the office of Fraderk Braejar. At the meeting, Nyxalia shares the intelligence she has gathered, "I did some digging and found that every two months a caravan of three wagons arrives from the East. It is never accompanied by any other wagons and has several humanoids that appear to be protecting it".
Waiting for that to sink in, she then continues, "On the opposite months, a similar caravan of three wagons departs Kaer Maga and heads east over the Storval Plateau. I don't know the origin or destination of these caravans but I've heard rumours that they travel through Urglin and Urgir".
At Carthon's warehouse, you capture Lady Zinnastina and Dreth and save Cerpera. At the warehouse you find a similar ledger showing shipments to and from Kaer Maga to Sirathu and Urglin. You also find a charred note (thanks to the fireball trap that Zarine accidentally set off.)
~~ ~~~ 21 Lamas~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~ook ~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~ ~~~ Theras~~~ Spire. ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~
Owen remembers the following clue, a mysterious tome found in the Therassic Spire. It is rumored to have information leading to the location and origin of an ancient artifact.
You question Cerpera, Lady Zinnastina and Dreth which yields the following:
From Cerpera, "When Lady Zinnastina arrived with Dreth, she told us that Pharasma had sent her to assist me as I communicated Pharasma's words to the people of Sirathu. However, shortly after her arrival, I found my connection to Pharasma waning and often I found my waking hours to be very clouded. On the day that I disappeared, I had a vision from Pharasma just before I spoke. She showed me Lady Zinnastina's true nature and when I began to tell everyone in the square, I blacked out. When I woke, I found myself tied in a chair in some large building."
"I'm not completely sure. The visions Pharasma sent me were confusing. First it was an image of Lady Zinnastina putting something in my drink each morning, then it shifted to Dreth sneaking around at night and causing people I don't recognize to fall over somehow. Finally, it was an image of several people bound and gagged in a covered wagon. I think that Lady Zinnastina realized that I was about to reveal her treachery when she silenced me."
Dreth is unable to speak because his tongue has been cut out. Owen deduces from the missing tongue the following: You connect the worship of Norgorber and the missing tongue to a rumor you have heard about a very secretive cult of assassins. The assassins all have their tongues cut out to keep the cult's secrets. They always work in pairs and one of the assassin's tongues is magically restored for the duration of the mission. Very little is known about the cult because it is feared that talking too much about the cult leads to being placed on the assassin's list.
Lady Zinnastina refused to share the secrets of cult and commits suicide rather than yield any information.
This brings you up to today, 21 Lamashan 4711. You are on the 6th floor, Rare Books. Several library patrons are looking at books. There is a green hue, and over 20 librarian/wizards have just entered the floor and are spreading out.
Cerpera is still recovering at Nyxalia's temple. Dreth has been turned over to the authorities.
"Hurm..."
A murmur on the library floor rises as the librarians begin casting their spells. The green hue in the room starts to brighten. Suddenly, Patron #2 bolts into the rare book room. Then a cry of anguish is unleashed and the wizard standing outside the rare book room begins to slump to the floor.
Owen
Other 1
Savendir
Nyxalia
Other 2
Zarine
Other 3
Other 4
Ilias
Owen, based on an announcement by the floor librarians a minute ago, you know that the wizards have arrived to renew the dimensional lock spells that are used to protect the collection on this floor. You surmise that the murmuring is the sound of the wizards casting their spell. There are about 20 wizard/librarians on the floor in addition to the normal floor librarians.
"You're right, Oog. I need to see if someone else is in league with the murderous patron." Ilias looks warily around for some nearby malfeasance.
Owen visibly eyeballs each of the wizards, shaking his head. He moves behind the nearest bookshelf, stepping behind Savendir, and vanishes.
Owen moves past Savendir between two shelves of books and goes invisible.
One of the library patrons pulls a knife and attacks the wizard in the corner of the room. The patron standing next to the fallen wizard in the middle of the room also brandishes a dagger.
Savendir
Nyxalia
Other 2
Zarine
Other 3
Other 4
Ilias
End Rd 1
Owen
B1 and B2
Lathe in hand, the gruff tradesman looks up as the group of wizards enter.
Studying the Wizards preparing the spell, Nyxalia is surprised to see one of the patrons pull a knife and stab at one of the Wizards near her. She races towards the melee to help the wounded Librarian.
Ulath
Savendir
Nyxalia (posted)
Other 2
Zarine
Other 3
Other 4
Ilias
End Rd 1
Owen
B1 and B2
Nyxalia arrives in time to see the man preparing to strike the wizard again.
Savendir rushes out from the aisle with his bow at the ready. He looses an arrow at one of the attackers.
"Throw down your weapons, rogues!" He declares, without waiting to see whether the struck assailant still lives.
Savendir's arrow strikes the assailant in a kidney. The man cries out in pain severely injured but still standing. The arrow still protruding from his back, the man turns and faces Savendir.
"So you want to play hero and get involved in affairs that do not concern you!" he growls in reply.
Ulath You will start at U18
Other 2
Zarine
Other 3
Other 4
Ilias
End Rd 1
Owen
B1 and B2
Savendir
Nyxalia
Holding a small chisel in his hand, with which he was attending to the bookshelves, the thick-set man bustles forward. "Oi, what do you think you're playing at. Sling yer hook before I get t' old bill on you." He warns the man, shaking his occupied fist angrily.
Between Savendir's arrow and Ulath threatening him with a chisel, the attacker seems suddenly unsure about what to do next.
The man standing near the bookcase nearest the exit draws a dart and throws it at Savendir. , . In addition to the pain of the dart entering his body, Savendir feels a burning sensation around the wound.
The man standing in front of the aisle that Savendir was in, turns and rushes at Ulath brandishing a sap. , He waps the dwarf hard on the head. "Stay out of this, this is of no concern of yours!" orders the man.
Init Order
Zarine
Other 3
Other 4
Ilias
End Rd 1
Owen
B1 and B2
Ulath
Savendir
Nyxalia
Other 2
[dice=Fortitude]1d20+5
Savendir is able resist the effect from the burning sensation.
The fewer of them standing, the better, Zarine thinks as she slips out of the stacks to stick the man attacking the dwarf straight in the kidneys.
Zarine moves into position to help the library patron that has stepped up to protect the library. She take a stab at the brute but he manages to dodge her attack.
The man that ran into the rare book room, snatches the ancient tome that the librarian was studying and runs back out. . The man who Zarine had chatted with earlier begins to murmur a spell. He touches the thief and they both disappear.
Init Order
Ilias
End Rd 1
Owen
B1 and B2
Ulath
Savendir
Nyxalia
P1 and P2
Zarine
Silently, Owen creeps around to the other side of the bookcase, then shifts behind the dart-thrower. In a single swift motion, Owen grabs the man by his hair, pressing his jeweled dagger to the man's throat and slamming him into the bookcase.
"Tell me who you work for, and I'll make the pain go away," Owen whispers.
"I'm not sure if they allow animals in the library, Oog, but it's special circumstances."
Ilias uses [i]summon monster II[/url] to call a celestial wolf to AE14.
"Sic 'im, Wolfie!"
+2 if the target is evil.
"You'll get him next time, Wolfie!"
Ilias uses summon monster II to call a celestial wolf to AE14.
Owen moves up to the man who threw the dart at Savendir and successfully grabs the man. Between Owen's dagger pressing against his throat and the snarling dire wolf on the other side, the man quickly ceases his struggles.
"M M Max" stammers the man. "Maxkevlay Soncatim. Don't kill me, I just hired on with him for the day."
The man who attacked the first wizard makes a break through the bookcases and heads for the stairs. B1 takes a stab at Nyxalia. , The dagger jabs into Nyxalia's stomach. The man begins to get away from Nyxalia.
Init Order
Ulath
Savendir
Nyxalia
P1 and P2
Zarine
Ilias
End Rd 2
Owen
B1 and B2
Ilias uses summon monster II to call a celestial wolf to AE14.
"The thief has been teleported away." Savendir reports with urgency. "They cannot get far, but far enough to be out of the Spire, or perhaps on another floor."
"Don't let them get away!" he cries. He rushes to intercept the fleeing attacker and unleashes an arrow.
Rubbing his shoulder with his spare hand; he gruffly replies "Don't anger me, I may've stayed owt."
He swings a meaty fist containing a chisel at his opponent before him.
Savendir moves into position to attack the fleeing accomplice but misses with his arrow. Ulath successfully smashes his chisel into the cheek of the man threatening him.
As blood begins to pour down the man's face, he takes another swing at Ulath with his sap. , Then he steps out from between Ulath and Zarine. The other man being held by Owen, "Pleads please don't hurt me, I didn't sign up for this, I was just suppose to be a lookout."
Init Order
Nyxalia
Zarine
Ilias
End Rd 2
Owen
B1 and B2
Ulath
Savendir
P1 and P2
The other man being held by Owen pleads, "Please don't hurt me, I didn't sign up for this, I was just supposed to be a lookout."
Owen digs the dagger in deeper, whispering into the man's ear.
"Your problem. Not mine. Tell me more."
Nyaxlia grimaces at the wound in her abdomen, and steps up to the retreating man, swinging first one fist and then the other at him, acid dripping from the first attack.
The attacker is able to dodge Nyxalia's first fist with a bob to his left but as he comes back up right, Nyxalia's second fist slams into his jaw.
Owen continues to question the restrained man.
Init Order
Zarine
Ilias
End Rd 2
Owen (posted)
B1 and B2
Ulath
Savendir
P1 and P2
Nyxalia
Hearing Savendir's shout, Zarine takes a second to hiss "Hold him here!" to the strange dwarf before dashing towards the stairs.
Init Order
Ilias
End Rd 2
Owen (posted)
B1 and B2
Ulath
Savendir
P1 and P2
Nyxalia
Zarine
Ilias's wolf continues to menace the man held by Owen.
The man trying to escape moves past Zarine and attempts to open the door to continue his escape. The man near Nyxalia attacks again. , , ,
His blade plunges deep into Nyxalia and does additional damage, then the man takes another 5 foot step back.
Init Order
Ulath
Savendir
P1 and P2
Nyxalia
Zarine
Ilias [can post an additional action)
End Rd 3
Owen
B1 and B2
Zarine's blade flashes, but the escapee slips by.