To research a specific topic or question within a library, a character must succeed at a Research check using one of the skills listed in the library’s stat block. A Research check is akin to a Knowledge check, though each library stat block lists the specific skills that can be used for Research checks based on the nature of that library’s collections. A library’s Complexity rating serves as the DC for Research checks that attempt to unravel that library’s clues. Some libraries grant a bonus on the Research check due to their quality or thoroughness of subject matter. Attempting a Research check requires an uninterrupted 8-hour period of research, and a character cannot take 10 or 20 on a Research check. Each 8-hour period of research grants a cumulative +1 bonus on Research checks. If a researcher stops researching at the same library for a month or more, she loses any cumulative bonuses gained for that library thus far. Up to two additional characters can use the aid another action to assist a primary researcher.
Succeeding at a Research check reduces a library’s knowledge points, similar to the way dealing damage reduces a creature’s hit points. As a library’s knowledge points decrease, it reveals its secrets. Characters learn information when a library’s knowledge points reach various thresholds, as detailed in each library’s stat block. The amount of knowledge points reduced on a successful Research check depends on the primary researcher’s training in the skill she used for the Research check and the type of library. A primary researcher reduces a library’s kp by 1d12 + her Intelligence modifier if she has 10 ranks in the skill used for the Research check, Skill Focus in the skill, or both 5 ranks in the skill and the skill as a class skill. She reduces a library’s kp by 1d8 + her Intelligence modifier if she has 5 ranks in the skill or the skill is a class skill for her (she gains no additional benefit if both conditions apply). Otherwise, she reduces a library’s kp by 1d4 + her Intelligence modifier.
In addition to these base amounts, for every 5 by which a Research check exceeds the library’s Complexity rating, the library’s knowledge points are reduced by 1 additional point. Rolling a natural 20 on a Research check acts like a critical threat. If the researcher confirms the critical hit by succeeding at a second Research check with all the same modifiers (this takes no additional time), the resulting knowledge point reduction is doubled. Conversely, rolling a natural 1 on a Research check automatically results in failure, and the library’s knowledge points increase by 1/4 of the library’s maximum knowledge points as the library’s complexity causes a researcher to follow a wrong avenue of investigation.
When a library’s knowledge points are reduced to 0, the characters have learned everything they can from that library and gain experience points according to the library’s CR. To learn additional information, they must visit another library and continue their research there.
Filbert has little to no bonus to offer to the more studious of the group, outside of studies related to engineering or jewelry crafting, so leaving Agrippa, Zarine and the others to the library he moves to help the town folk seal off the cavern Stellae and the subterranean access from the lake.
During his time at the masion he located a small dark curias, apparently well made, stuffed in the back of the stable. Very lightweight it appeared to have been made of leaves but they were as hard as steel to his probing fingers.
Trying it on he found it fit him to a tee and an unbidden memory of him riding Pearl surfaced.
Zandomir isn't sure what he can contribute to the research either, so he accompanies Filbert to lend what knowledge he has about engineering.
When he has time, Zan also further enhances his bow and picks up a cloak to boost his resistances.
The lore masters of Irori have a saying, 'A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.' When you looked back on things later, it felt to you as if your journey truly began as you prepared to leaved Thrushmoor. It was an unusually fine morning, with a light wind and no rain when you walked down one of the mossy quays thrusting into Avalon Bay. Few of the simple fisherfolk, coal barges from Hyannis, and lake traders docked there where capable of making the long journey to Cassomir. Fortunately Cesadia Wrentz had promised to introduce you to a certain halfling captain called Skywin Freeling, and her ship the Sellen Starling.
As you draw close to the Sellen Starling you overhear someone who must be Skywin arguing with the harbormaster about the poorly loaded hardwood which was causing her ship to list badly.
"I’m not making them reload it," says the fat man in an ill-fitting harbormaster’s jerkin, "And you’d best be on your way shortly, shorty."
Some how despite his dishevelled appearance the man managed to be incredibly pompous which on reflection was quite an achievement.
The curly-haired halfling woman in high leather boots is visibly angry and she jabs her finger up at the man, "What do you mean, you won’t reload it?! It’s loaded wrong! Ships can’t just list to one side like you drunkards. Hardwood is heavy and as thick as your skull— your people loaded it nine stacks deep to port and three stacks starboard. I’ve got to get it all the way to Cassomir, and I won’t make it if my boat rolls as easy as your sister!"
The man was about to retort when they notice your approach, they both stop to look at you quizzically, as if to say what do you want?
Filbert joins the others, visibly, as they walk down the dock, trying to be on his best behavior, however the harbor master is getting a bit under his skin as he understands the import of the captain's complaint
"Hmm, we're looking for Captain Freeling, my dear you seem to fit that bill. However it seems as if this fellow here is trying to sink you before you get out of the harbor, if that leaning ship over there is any indication." Filbert says pointing at the leaning ship, something about it grates on him.
Elevating a nearby plank with a pail of paint on it , he raises it over the harbor master, politely pointing upwards when it is in position. The board slowly listing both towards the harbor master and away from him.
"Are you sure the ship should be listing, hmmm let see if I list this just right...."
Agrippa stands near the little gnome and grins at the harbormaster.
He can move things. Things he can't even see. Why, I bet he could move parts of one of us just as easily as that board there.
I bet if the Starling weren't so wobbly, maybe Master Filbert's ire would be sated.
Zan would prefer to handle the hardwood himself. No need to cause more conflict than necessary.
Still, conflict is already present and Filbert seems to know what he's doing, so the warpriest goes along with it.
"You really don't want to upset Filbert further. He's normally a reasonable individual, but he does have his limits."
The Harbor Master turns crimson and scolds Filbert, "I'm not fooled by the likes of you. Returning to type eh? Once a thug always a thug! I'll be reporting this incident to the proper authorities!" He abruptly turns to leave and walks or more accurately waddles away as fast his plump little legs will carry him.
Apparently Skywin found this hilarious and was desperately trying to hold a straight face, "You must be the ones Cesadia told me about! Did you see that Toad's face?!" Sobering somewhat she adds, "Oh goodness, but as funny as that was it didn't really help. We can't depart with the boat listing like that and there's no way he'll help now."
You look and the boat is listing terribly and even landlubbers know that isn't a good thing!
Master Freeling, how might we be of assistance.
Skywin scratches her head before asking, "Well now you ask... Can he do that trick with the hardwood planks? It was a neat trick that plank o' pine but hardwood is two or three times heavier."
Filbert sighs and with a shake of his head and a wry smile returns the plank to where it came from. "I guess there's no time like now to begin correcting their mistake. Captain, if you'll direct I'm sure I can start putting your ship right, so that we can set sail. Granted, I may need to sleep the rest of the day after I'm done. When need be, I can move up to 6-7 thousand pounds for several minutes and with some skill."
Filbert's statement raises an eyebrow, "You can move six to seven thousand pounds with your mind. Now that I gotta see!"
Zandomir looks over at Filbert and says, "I don't mind lifting or directing the wood if it would help you out. No sense in straining yourself before we even begin the trip."
I can see to our sleeping quarters, if you let me know where they are. Any other passengers on the ship we should be worried about?
Lizzie stands with some bafflement, as Filbert scares the bejeebs out of the fat man.
"Works, i suppose...", she softly lets out.
The Sellen Starling is a wide keelboat that has seen much use along the Sellen Passage. Like many keelboats, the Sellen Starling has a single large sail and several long poles for navigation. Its spacious hold is divided into port and starboard sections, as the keel and mounting for the mast take up the center portion of the hold. A shipment of rare hardwoods fills most of the keelboat’s
hold currently. The keelboat’s cabin is divided into a small captain’s room to the fore and a large room aft; this aft room is used for food storage and berths for the occasional paying passengers.
Skywin replies, "You'll be in the aft cabin. I'm afraid you'll be sharing with Wreben and Gossa, they're scholars or something. Wreben is the whip-thin one with long, stringy, dark hair. Gossa is stout and shortsighted one with the intricately braided blond hair."
"Thank you for having us, Skywin. I'll make due with what accommodations you're able to provide. Please let us know if we can help with anything further here. If not, seeing as we'll be spending some time with them, I wouldn't mind meeting this Wreben and this Gossa."
With a enw destination in mind and needing a ship Momijii went with the others to the port to try and find one when they saw the harbor master being an ass. She was about to try and intercede when it seemed that Filbert solved the problem for them.
With their passage secured Momijii bowed to the captain and said, "My thanks for a place to stay Captain. It is an honor to travel with you."
With the keel boat's balance properly restored, the crew help you load your luggand and stow it inside the large aft cabin. The crew number about a dozen and are hard workers but none of them have much to say, generally being too busy with various errands. The two other passengers however prove to be marginally better if somewhat aloof conversationalists. It's apparent both sages are primarily interested in rather esoteric scholarly pursuits.
Wreben greets you warmly enough as you board, "Greetings fellow travelers. I'm professor Malliver and this is professor Kelkin. We're from the institute in Cassomir and after an enlightening six months it's time to return."
"Indeed, welcome." rumbled his portly companion, "I must say we've enjoyed our time in Ustalav. A fine chance to see in person some architecture from the Age of Enthronement. Too bad you didn't find those scrolls pertaining to the Shining Crusade, Malliver..."
"Ah but I had a chance to cogitate Kelkin, without the distractions of the faculty. I finally had time to write my paper, I believe it to be seminal" replied Wreben.
Gossa nodded, "Indeed sir. Indeed. I too had the chance to put pen to parchment, we shall return refreshed and invigorated. Those fools at the Archaeology department shall get their comeuppance for our papers will the talk of the autumn conference!".
Their conversation went on this way for some time, and it was difficult to get a word in edgeways.
The crew make ready to depart and just as the gangplank is being pulled back, a heavily loaded Winter comes running along. To everyone's surprise she jumps aboard and grins, "A carrier pigeon came. I've been ordered to try and apprehend Lowls, hope you've got room for one more!"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
This ritual itself must be cast at night on the Material Plane. The casters begin chanting the incantation while they pass around the miniature staircase, feeling each of its 70 steps. With each passing, the staircase appears a bit heavier and a bit larger. The primary caster drops the miniature staircase on the ground as the incantation is completed. Success opens a portal where the staircase lands, revealing steps leading downward from wherever the ritual was performed (even if performed upon a rooftop or the deck of a ship). The casters can step forward to descend this staircase together; doing so puts the Material Plane bodies of the casters to sleep and thrusts their psyches into the Dreamlands. Before the completion of the ritual, the primary caster can utter a specific string of words that allows the portal to open in a specific area of the Dreamlands. Otherwise, the portal opens at a place known as the Forsaken Caravanserai. In the Dreamlands, the casters manifest lucid bodies identical to their Material Plane bodies, but take the ritual’s backlash damage. Any caster wishing to wake from the Dreamlands and return to her body on the Material Plane must succeed at a DC 25 concentration check to do so. This is a full-round action
that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. The DC of this check is reduced by 1 for every 2d6 points of damage the traveler willingly takes to her physical body as part of the full-round action (this damage can’t be reduced in any way). If successful, the caster awakens. The caster can try again if she fails her concentration check. A caster can use her character level + her Charisma modifier as her bonus on the concentration check if she isn’t a spellcaster or if that value is higher than her usual concentration bonus.
When the party is alone, Zarine updates them on her studies.
I think I might be able to complete the Dreamlands ritual, but it does carry some risk.
Can you explain what you mean by backlash damage a little more? I am trying to figure out if this is worth doing at all, and I don't feel like I have enough information. Also, is there anything that I can study that might point out some other place in the dreamlands that might be better to go than the default?
When meeting Wreben and Gossa
What's the Shining Crusade?
"Ah!" Professor Maliver perked up, "Well the Shining Crusade was a decades-long war fought by the Taldoran Empire, the dwarves of the Kingdom of Kraggodan, and the Knights of Ozem against the forces of the Whispering Tyrant of Ustalav. It began in 3754 AR and ended with the Tyrant's defeat and imprisonment in 3827 AR."
He smiled his eyes lighting up, "It's quite a torrid tale. The Whispering Tyrant of course was the wizard-king Tar-Baphon although he wasn't called that at first. In the 9th century AR, he terrorized central Avistan. An immensely powerful necromancer, he followed the strictures of the Whispering Way, longing for immortality through undeath. He and his undead minions were so powerful that it took the power of the god Aroden himself to finally defeat him. In a mighty battle, he slew the tyrant in 896 AR on the Isle of Terror in Lake Encarthan. That's partly why we came here of course to visit the Isle."
He takes a breath before continuing, "Everyone thought that was the end of it, indeed nothing was heard of the wizard king for thousands of years. Unfortunately that was far from the end, you see through the power of his magic he was reborn as a lich in 3203 AR, now calling himself the Whispering Tyrant. Gathering his undead followers, he traveled north into what is now the Hold of Belkzen. There he unified the quarreling orc tribes by promising them the riches of the southern lands of central Avistan. By the end of 3203 they had conquered Ustalav and brought its people under Tar-Baphon's control. He consolidated his rule over the next 600 years, turning Ustalav into a byword for terror and decadence!"
In addition to all this your memories were stolen, there's only one way to get them back. Also your best chance of finding out what the heck Lowls was up to is to follow his trail wherever it leads across the multiverse. One final (bad) reason is traveling to Cassomir is going to take a long time, what else are you going to do? ;)"[/b]
Zandomir listens to Wreben's explanation of the Shining Crusade. The warpriest is somewhat interested, but also concerned with the here and now threat of Lowls and whatever it is he's up to.
Not wanting to seem rude, Zan chimes in, "Tar-Baphon doesn't seem to rule Ustalav today. How was he finally defeated?"
Zarine listens, entranced by the story... not really connecting it to any current danger.
Wreben replies at once, "The thing you have to understand is Tar-Baphon is half way to godhood and as such 'finally defeated' doesn't make sense in the way a mortal can be 'finally defeated'... Anyhow the short answer is by 3754 Taldor aided by the dwarven kingdom of Kraggodan and the Knights of Ozem had had enough and they stated what became known as the Shining Crusade. The campaign was as brutal as it was long. It took until In 3801 AR before the crusaders finally established a beachhead in the (then) Ustalavic town of Vellumis, and began the slow and bloody process of advancing to Gallowspire. This advance soon became mired down and it seemed the stalemate would go on forever so in 3818 AR the Knights of Ozem summoned Arazni, the Herald of Aroden, hoping to break through the Tyrant's lines. For a time it seemed to be working but in 3823 AR, the Tyrant contrived to kill Arazni! This was a terrible setback and it wasn't until 3827 AR, that the crusaders finally reached Gallowspire in ruined Adorak. The Taldan general, Arnisant, fought the Tyrant and, using the artifact known as the Shield of Aroden, was able to withstand the lich's magic. When the shield eventually shattered, it burned the lich with holy fire, weakening the Tyrant enough that the crusaders were able to imprison him beneath Gallowspire, using a powerful magic ward known as the Great Seal. The province of Lastwall was then established forever to watch uneasily over the Tyrant's prison."
As Professor Malliver completes his story you glance outside and realize the sun will be setting soon and that you are well out into Lake Encarthan. The breeze is light and the water calm, soon it will be night. The delicious smell of a roast wafts in from the galley causing your stomachs to rumble! You noticed a large amount of food and produce carried on, although Skywin mentioned earlier that if you wanted fresh meat after a few days you'd have to go hunting, although they'd be able to buy more at various settlements along the way.
Over dinner one of you asks Skywin what the itinerary is for the next few days and she tells you, "Tomorrow we'll enter the Mighty River Sellen. A day or so later we'll pass the village of Illmarsh. A forsaken backwater best avoided, no ship receives a friendly welcome there! My plan is to sail past during the predawn while they're all still in bed. I'm not really expecting any problems but you can never be too careful."
Do you know why they are so hostile?
Filbert grins widely at the spread before them on the table,
"Captain witb this fare, I'll rearrange the cargo daily......Illmarsh, sounds like a well named place with that description."
"Even if nothing happens, I appreciate the warning. I would ask that you make sure we're all awake when we near Illmarsh. Best to all be alert in case we run into trouble."
Agrippa studies with Zarine, the two of them comparing notes and Agrippa sharing his esoteric knowledge.
Indeed. Such a ritual may have...unintended consequences. Agrippa has a faraway look
He finally shakes his head and says But it is the only way to track that foul brigand Lowls and recover our memories.
Regarding Illmarsh Agrippa knows that the town is rumored as cursed...and that the Old Cults have a strong following there.
It would be best if we didn't linger. he says to the others
Skywin scratches her ear as she thinks, "Hmm. Honestly couldn't say, been like that as long as I remember. My Da reckoned they were borne apart, hating outsiders."
Replying to Zandomir she promises, "Yes we'll need everyone to be up and ready just in case."
As paying passengers, the scholars where naturally also dinning with the captain. Professor Kelkin glanced at Malliver and asked, "Wasn't Illmarsh originally called Baytown?"
Delighted to be talking about something he knew, Malliver replied at length, "Indeed it was. Name didn't fit, not when you consider it's in the nastiest stretch of swamp in Ustalav. Never been there myself but I've read accounts of those who have. A common phrase among Ustalavians is 'No one goes to Illmarsh'. That it has such a reputation even among Versex’s unfriendly standards speaks volumes!"
He grins at all of you before continuing, "Illmarsh is a small town of antiquated, split-log buildings. Almost it's entire economy is based around fishing, although the wharves like everything else are rotting away. The town is surrounded on three sides by the swampy Soddentimbers, the marshy western reaches of the Forest of Veils. We'll be able to smell it before we get there, it's supposed to have a dank mildewy odor. That smell pervades everything, and as such it's said you can smell somebody from Illmarsh from across the street, not that they ever travel much. Oh and several occasions over the past couple centuries, sickness and plague have sprung from the unwholesome pools and thickets of the Soddentimbers, giving the young settlement once known as Baytown its new name, Illmarsh. And to top it off, as Mr Agrippa says supposedly most of the locals worship the Old Cults. All in all I think Captain Freeling is wise to slip past."
Zandomir becomes more and more uneasy as Wreben explains Illmarsh's history. He doubts he'll be able to rest easy till they're clear of the place. They just got done with one cult, Zan's not eager to encounter another.
The next day passes uneventfully (except for rain showers) as you sail south east across Lake Encarthan. That evening in through the mist you spot the marshy headwaters of the River Sellen, which flows hundreds of miles to far off Cassomir. Captain Freeling weighs anchor several miles out and waits till the predawn.
During the night, the fog settled in a thick layer like a blanket over the lake and the surrounding environs making it impossible to see more than a few feet.
"Cursed fog! This is going to slow us right down. Normally I'd pass Illmarsh as quickly as possible but I can't risk crashing into something." lamented captain Freeling once you awoke to a breakfast of porridge and stewed fruit.