Braelex spends the downtime wandering the library alone, looking for any interesting treatises on alchemy or related topics.
Braelex finds a ton of information on alternative alchemy topics.
Posted the loot discoveries in Discussion.
After rest and research, the party lets the cantankerous librarian lead them to the secret door.
The maze of cluttered bookshelves has been cleared away from the wall in this deep storeroom far under the Spire’s ground floor. In its place, several wooden reading tables have been overturned and stacked to create a curved barricade surrounding a portion of the stone wall. A lighter patch shows where a tapestry once hung—now crumpled and forgotten on a nearby shelf—and a stone door, so perfectly made that it would be almost invisible when shut, hangs slightly ajar.
A full dozen librarians—old and strangely stunted humanoids of various races, all in red robes—sit on cushions and chairs around the barricade, keeping watch against anything that might come through the door. Several have wands or staves close at hand. No one makes any protests when Koifa explains the situation, nor does anyone try
to stop you from clambering over the barricade and passing through the door.
Vargun stops here, "This is it for me. I wish you luck and be sure to send word to the Augur Temple if you survive."
Koifa leads you down along stone hallway that is only 5 feet wide, and curves frequently as it leads steadily downward, at times turning into a staircase. The passage extends for hundreds of feet before finally reaching a stone door similar to the one in the spire, hanging open and leading into another area.
Koifa indicates the door hanging open, "Let me show you what this looks like when closed and show you how to note its lines." She does so and then bids you farewell, heading back up the stairs before pausing to remind you once again about the previous party
"Don't forget, find Hasari, Perotus, Luonim the Vast, and Silasni."
This chamber is bare save for a single ornate, high-backed wooden chair against the wall. In the room’s center, a headsized blob of condensed purple fluid slowly pulses and warps, like a drop of heavy oil suspended underwater. When you step through the doorway, a pleasant, female voice asks in time with the blob's pulsing,
Andel translates for the group. "The blob is asking us to state our query."
He rubs his chin and tries to determine what sort of creature the blob is. "What are you? What questions may we ask you?"
Andel feels a massive mental pressure as he asks his question (in Thassilonian, I presume?.
The blob pulses with an alien silence and then transforms into an arcane symbol and the party is awash with a crippling draining sensation.
Nalar lets out a cry and falls on his face, all the strength gone from his limbs unable to even move. Thyrl hangs in the air, limbs dangling as it looks at the floor unable to lift it's head. With a frustrated growl it rotates on it's back to glare at Andel.
Braelex flinches but withstands the powerful magic. She reflexively raises her crossbow, but stops short of aiming at the blob. "What are we dealing with here?"
Braelex recalls some ancient Thassilonian text about the Runelords using magical research assistants similar to this one to easily access information from a library that it had studied. They were also used as secretaries of sort. It appears this one has some sort of trap built in to prevent someone other than the Runelord that built it from plumbing its depths. Perhaps if she could study it for a moment, she might be able to discover a bypass or away to shut it down.
Andel and Vuloo are crushed by the symbol as well.
Barely standing Relan drops and shrugs out of gear. I fear we must retreat Braelex. You must move the others back out of range of whatever that is. I hope the effect is temporary.
Concerned that the party is too weak to even retreat Relan takes a moment to shed his armor and retrieve a potion from his belt pouch. He then administer it to Vuloo, hoping to restore him enough to be able to help everyone else. I am going to need to replace this. states as he pours the restorative liquid down the hafling's throat.
"Runelord..." Braelex thinks for a moment, then studies the rune intently. "I am Sorshen," she declares, approaching the symbol slowly. "You will obey your creator." She looks for a way to control or deactivate the assistant.
"Sorshen? You are speaking a strange language, it is hard to interpret your request. You have changed your hair, but analysis shows it is you. Why did Karzoug not give you the pass phrase?"
The blob pulses after several moments as the symbol (2 rounds). Its voice rings out again.
"Translation, anyone?" Braelex asides to the group.
It agrees you are Sorshen but wants to know why Karzoug did not give you the passphraze. And it does not like what you have done with your hair.
Braelex thinks for a second then nods and speaks to the assistant. "The reason I look different, cannot recall the pass phrase nor speak Thassilonian, is because this body is a clone I recently took possession of. Something... went wrong in the transfer process when my previous body died, and I lost much."
"I do not understand this language. Your lackey seems to speak Thassilonian. Can he translate? Or if you provide me with a book written in both Thassilonian and your language I can built a language library."
The entity wants me to translate. I can do that. It also suggested that you provide it a book written in Thassilonian and the common tongue so it can learn. Also it considers me your servant.
Braelex quietly looks to Relan, Nalar or Andel for a translation.
Vuloo is at 1 Con, concious and able to speak but unable to stand without a lot of help.
Vuloo will cast lessor restoration on himself:
He then begins restoring the others:
; Andel
; Nalar
; Relan
He then begins dragging his gear out of the room. "We need to retreat and recover."
Braelex listens to Relan's translation and cannot suppress a smirk. "Yes, 'servant'. I believe we do have something we could use to teach the assistant. Nalar, Andel?" She snaps her fingers imperiously, eyebrow arched.
Are you sure that teaching this thing is wise. It has already attacked us once 'mistress' Relan warns. He will continue to translate mostly accurate information with his own edits for what he thinks is efficiency.
Straining from the effort Nalar brings himself to his feet, shuffling towards a wall to brace himself for support.
Andel wearily speaks to the guardian.
Braelex sighs imperiously and taps her foot, "Well?"
Andel translates for the others. "Perhaps Mistress Sorshen you would like the agent to assist us with research? It would be helpful to know more about what lies within the caverns below Kaer Maga and the denizens that inhabit them."
"If we are authorized why did you attack us?"
Braelex nods to Andel's suggestion. "Yes, whatever it can help me recall will aid my mission." She sighs in annoyance as Nalar and the assistant continue to chat in Thassilonian. "And can we get it to speak in the common tongue, even as distasteful as it is?"
Nalar seeing Braelex's annoyance bows to her. "My humblest appoliges your radiance." He grovels, playing the part of servant. "We need but merely provide the creature with a book written in both common and Thassilonian. If we return to the library it should be a simple enough manner to acquire one." Nalar shakily braces himself against the wall. "And maybe we could recover some of our strength at the same time."
Braelex nods, "Make it so."
Vuloo will cast restoration on Relan. He follows the others to the library.
The party wearily progresses back up the hall, helping the weaker ones walk. You pass back through the barricade less than 15 minutes from your last crossing to the surprise of the librarian/guards. Once they realize it is you, one quips.
"Giving up already, Ehud? Too much for you glorious Pathfinders? Gonna let that blood-drunk gnome and his team best you?"
"We encountered a fully functional thasslonian defense system cum research assistant and were drained in our successful attempt to pacify it. Now we are coming back to recover and bring it a syllabus for Thassalonian to Taldane conversion." Nalar bites back, leaning heavily on the librarian/guard. "Surely I don't need to explain why access to one of the runelord's personal research assistants would be worth the effort of returning here."
The other librarians shoot hard looks at the librarian who spoke up. To his credit the man winces and flushes red with chagrin as he nods and stammers out, Ah, no ... of course, we have an entire section of the library dedicated to translated Thasilonian texts. There has been a resurgence in interest since the discovery and subsequent destruction of the Runelord Karzoug up north a few years ago."
He offers Nalar an arm, "Would you like am escort ... or directions?"
Nalar gratefully takes the arm. "Please, if you could also consult with my colleague Vuloo if he needs anything to speed our recovery." He smiles at the assistant with a cunning light in his eyes. "And I don't suppose the recovery of such a valuable asset in anyway entitles us to a reward?"