In yer library readin yer books!
Located in the Taldan Capitol city of Oppara, Venture-Captain Muesello’s lodge hides behind the facade of a simple bait and tackle shop, which
Muesello dutifully maintains to provide Pathfinders a local base of operations that doesn’t invite much scrutiny. His pockmarked face breaks into a smile as bell on the door jingles, and he motions for everyone to gather in the building’s back room before locking up the shop and propping a sign in the window that reads “Gone fishing.” Lady Glorianna Morilla sits at a table by a small fireplace and Muesello introduces her with the full formalities as a guest of the Society.
Venture-Captain Muesello quietly closes the door behind him before speaking. “The Pathfinder Society does not have a sterling reputation in Taldor, despite my and others’ efforts to impress the local movers and shakers. As a result, the most prestigious universities and colleges often deny our agents access to the best libraries in Oppara, thinking we are meddling good-for-nothings. As one of the oldest intact civilizations near the Inner Sea, these libraries no doubt house some very precious volumes. Recently we received a most wonderful opportunity—an invitation, really, from a very powerful patron,” he adds as he withdraws a scroll tube with a broken wax seal from his apron.
“This patron will secure us a couple hours in the rare books collection at the Kitharodian Academy, during which we may peruse for whatever we wish so long as we also retrieve several documents of interest for our friend. That,” he punctuates by tapping the scroll tube on the table, “is where things get interesting. Apparently there is an even more precious archive hidden beneath the academy’s library, and our patron believes it to contain numerous original records and undoctored historical accounts otherwise unknown to the world! Our contact knowshow to get into the archive and has shared the secret with us. Two hours is little time, so you must make the most of your time. I know it will be tempting to research other interests, but it would be selfish for the Society to think of itself when the Worldwound’s borders threaten to envelop Mendev and beyond. I am sending you in with the express purpose of uncovering more information about the Shining Crusade, the sustained war against the Whispering Tyrant a millennium ago.”
Lady Morilla snaps open a fan to fend off the room’s growing warmth, adding, “Historically, Taldor is the authority on massive military campaigns, but most texts have undergone extensive revision to serve some political agenda or another. Entering this hidden archive is an excellent opportunity to learn from the real mistakes of the past and apply those lessons to the Mendevian Crusade.
“Remember that you have permission to be in the academy’s library, but not in this secret archive, so do everything you can to avoid being noticed while exploring. In fact, the fewer clues you leave of your passage, the better. Specifically do not steal or destroy any of the library’s contents. A few slip-ups might alert the authorities that someone has been poking around, and too many with give them enough evidence to trace this act to us.”
Muesello opens a drawer in the table and begins pulling out a couple small parcels wrapped in cloth. “Any questions?"
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"What? What? Yes! The Kitharodian Academy, eh? Ah, but my son Trotter would be quite jealous, what? Who? Yes! Quite Jealous!"
"So we are to break into this secret archive as subtly as possible and find more about the Shining Crusade? What? Sounds simple enough! How will we know what to look for? How will this place be organized? Hey!"
The little halfling sits astride his trusty pygmy brachiosaurus like usual, his Jalmerayan herald waiting patiently in the background.
Muesello responds. “The rare books collection are kept in several small study rooms attached to the main library. I know nothing of the archives below, but I imagine they are carved from the rocky hill that the academy is built on.”
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A large mountain of a man in in flashy wizard robes enters the room and declares.
"Tim was informed you need help with books."
He then brings a large stone tome up to eye level with one muscular arm and begins to trace the symbols on the cover out with his other hand. The book has a small hole in the middle matching up with the pupil of a large eye on the underside of the tome. Otherwise, the book is decorated with various symbols and writing in broken Draconic.
"Tim knows much about books, lots about Taldor books."
Lady Morilla is genuinely surprised to see Tim walk in.
"Why yes, we do Tim. I did not realize you were called for this mission. We need you to find some very special books." She smiles.
"I will have Ambrus' job for this.."
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A Mwangi (Bekyar, to be exact) follows behind him and comments, "Lord Timothy, I believe Mr. Muesello may be referring to other skills with literature." His clean-shaven face shows signs of age, including balding, half-closed eyes, and a few wrinkles. He adjusts his gloves of his semi-formal travel-ware and his two violin cases as he redirects his voice back to the venture-captain and his guest. "Good evening, Mr. Musello, Lady Morilla," he says with a bow. "This is Lord Timothy Davoker, and I am his humble servant, Wadsworth." He raises from his bow. "What should we expect in the Kitharodian?
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A tall, skinny man with a somewhat sever countenance steps into the room and quickly examines all present. You are asking that we retrieve information on the Shining Crusade for the Society's..ally or that is the information we are concerned with and there are other documents to procure for our friend? How are managing to gain access?"
"You are there to do research. One of the conditions of access is that you retrieve some documents for our patron while you are there. However, you are also there to find this hidden archive that contains unedited content on the Shining Crusade and their war against the Whispering Tyrant over a millenia ago."
"If the archive is truly secret, then it’s unlikely that you will encounter many people. I imagine there might be traps, so be careful
and resourceful.”
"And these don't belong to you specifically so just take what we need and get out as quickly as possible."
As Venture-Captain Muesello holds the scroll tube, you identify the broken seal of Princess Eutropia—Grand Prince Stavian III’s only child, who
has been maneuvering to take the throne upon his death, despite the nation’s tradition of crowning a male heir.
"Do you have any other questions?"
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Wadsworth contemplates the situation, but decides it is none of his concern yet that his benefactor may have less-than-credible motives.
"Sir Henry, I need only purchase a scroll in case of emergency. Then I shall be prepared."
150, scroll of Invis.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"You are dismissed then. You have one day to purchase supplies or prepare new spells or otherwise get ready for this mission."
Muesello makes his way out, though Lady Morilla requests that Wadsworth, Henry and reluctantly Tim stay behind as she wants to have a word with them.
"Most of Taldor’s shortsighted nobles have not deigned to aid the Mendevian Crusade in any significant way, and as you may know, I am raising an independent army to march to the Worldwound and reignite the glory that Taldor once commanded. All goes well, but the demons act more quickly than we can recruit. We need something—some kind of holy relic or the like—that the noble and the brave can rally behind. This nation has led countless crusades, but the public records contain little reliable information. If you find clues about such an object, record everything that you can about it so that we might use it for the good of Avistan.”
While that is going on, Muesello walks up to Nikomedes away from all that and hands him a small scrap of paper.
"Ambrus contacted me with this message. It is some Taldan Cipher that the society cannot yet crack. If you find any notes about old codes for this message, report back with your findings."
K-Y-V-W-K-C-E-C-O-O-M-I-M-E-C-F-G-C-Q-F-C
Muesello makes sure that the PCs receive the magic items, the letters, and several dozen sheets of paper with writing utensils before calling the meeting to an end.
You are now just outside the Kitharodian Academy, where crowds of commoners and nobility alike jostle to enter the music hall. You have no difficulty pushing their way into the increasingly crowded building, but convincing an usher or other member of the Kitharodian staff to show you to the library requires effort.
The library is nearly empty thanks to the imminent performance, but a young Taldan man does greet you. "Hail and well met. I am Tobias, the librarian on duty. How can I be of assistance?"
Tobias quickly reads it over before showing you to a restricted section of the library. "Here you are. However all visitors must leave the library once the performance concludes in two hours. And I do request that you leave any animals outside please. This is a library, not a zoo." He says looking at Henry and Indiana.
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"Mr. Tobias, I mean no offense, but I ask if would you deny any full man his aide beast? Ser Henry's height deficiency is one that I believe will affect the quality of our visit, as he will be unable to reach the higher shelves without his companion. I trust him to be a well-trained beast, lest the Crown would not have let him into the country, would it have?"
"Alright, as long as it behaves." He relents as he leaves you to your research.
A large table stands at the center of this large room, whose walls are lined with rows upon rows of inset shelves. A set of double doors is the only way into the room, and two stone statues depicting bearded scholars with open books are the only other decorations.
Most of the books in this section are workbooks of famous composers, original copies of musical treatises, and withered manuscripts describing various operatic traditions from beyond the Taldan empire. Despite their academic value, the texts here are of little use in completing your mission. The both of the statues hold blunt styluses—sometimes used to help read old, fragile texts—that point to their books, but only the western statue’s book actually any words: a column of words that reads “Innovation, respect, knowledge, courage, integrity, honor, excellence, glory” in that order.
Eventually after helping each other out, you discover that a section of the west wall is hinged to swing outward, and that the mechanism for opening it must be nearby. You also realize the right arm of the western statue can be rotated up or down by several degrees, allowing one to shift the word that the statue’s stylus points at. To open the secret door, one must shift the statue’s arm so that its stylus points to the words honor, courage, and glory, in that order. The door has a latch on its interior that allows it to be opened and closed from the other side.
The spiral staircase here descends into a long stone hallway stretches from north to south with several sets of doors along its east and west walls. The south wall bears a 10-foot-square field of carved divots that create no particular pattern. An inscription above the carving reads “The keenest eyes cannot see everything. Always remember to see the big picture."