You emerge from the Dark Depository relatively quickly and, seeing as you're all in one piece, surprise the librarian assigned to keep watch on you.
Done already? Well, good enough - the more sealed we keep that place the better.
He locks the hatch leading down in the Depository soundly.
Now, I'm thrilled that you're ready to leave and please don't come back, we don't like researchers in here.
He makes impatient shooing motions to drive you away.
Thank you very much for your tolerance and patience with this, Sarenrae bless you.
Noonan then goes and buys some fine chocolates and wines, along with a bard who is skilled enough to edit in praises to their patron.
Off to the Vault of Hidden Wisdom then.
"So . . . You already know where this place is?"
Indeed!
I understand that Dwalindor has already put some time in a hidden vault...if you know what I mean
Crack of doom that contains things that mortals were not ment to know?
Noonan gathers info!
Finding more libraries.
Your trawling of library workers, street preachers pronouncing doom and mystery cultists lead you to the information that the Vault of Hidden Wisdom's location has been lost to time.
A aged beggar tells you that the Vault is a famous riddle. When he was a boy they said that the Tower of Ra's Glory at midday pointed the way to vault but unfortunately the tower's in ruins, its stone being used for new buildings in the city, so the exact point of the entrance is lost.
He does say that there might be a few men who used to live near the tower. He rattles his tin coin and after a donation points you to a hostelry.
Three old men, shriveled in the sun, sit drinking mint tea.
Noonan tips the man a gold coin and heads to the men. Greetings, I am a humble servant of Sarenrae who asks for a little of your time.
Noonan sits if they don't mind. I have learned that you lived near the Tower of Ra's Glory when it still stood and that at midday the shadow pointed towards the Vault of Hidden Wisdom. Would you be willing to share what you know if you found the entrance or perhaps know where I can learn how tall it was?
The three men chuckle.
The first one looks at you.
The Vault? The Vault is a myth. Ha! I remember the stories.
The second one smiles.
We used to play at the tower, I remember that well. Oh what a shame it collapsed during that earthquake.
The third one laughs.
We used to climb the tower, all the way to the top! You could see everywhere from the top.
The first one agrees.
You could.
The second one nods.
You really could.
The third one smiles.
It was tall! Three times the height of any other building in the city.
The second one nods.
50 stone blocks, stacked one on top of the other.
The first one shakes his head.
Now they're building shops from the tower of a god.
The third one laughs.
A dead god.
The second one hoots at the third one.
Gods can't die, they're gods.
Noonan chuckles. Climbing and other joys of the young were unfortunately out of my reach. Fate decided my back was twisted so standing atop a lofty perch was but a faint dream, but my hands were still fine so I put them to solving the ills of the body and my heart found the Dawnflower.
If Ra's voice has become fainter it does not mean he is gone. Tales on the lips and temple of the heart reach his ears and his blessings will still flow. Each stone is now part of this cities' history and so can touch even the humblest baker.
Hmm..if we can measure a block, we could get an idea of where to look.
Shad whispers to Dwalindor
"What was there at the top my friends? Was it covered with symbols? Was there a strange window? Was it capped in special stone? You have stoked my imagination. Tell us what more you can remember about those times. As though we were seeing it through your eyes."
Oh, it was just the usual.
Another one nods.
Heiroglyphs glorifying Ra, the great and terrible.
Another one sips his tea.
The great and wonderful.
The first one smiles.
The wonderful and terrible. Ra was god of the sun - everyone in Osirion lives by the sun.
The second one laughs.
Lives with the sun. They used it to tell time.
The third one shakes his head.
To point the way in the deserts.
The first one grumbles as he sips his tea.
To find the way through the city streets.
They laugh again.
And now they build shops! I hear an apothecary is using the tower stones to build a storage shed.
The second one grumbles.
We need an apothecary.
The third one nods.
I do like that ointment for my joints. Makes me move like a young man.
The first one nods.
A younger man, anyway.
Noonan looks at his friends. Might be wise to check out the apothecary and examine the stones.
Turning back to the men. Thank you for your help, I will be sure to get some of the ointment from the apothecary for you as a token of appreciation.
Do you need any other healing? Or just the ointment?
Shad says to the men, prepared to offer some of his powers to them.
"Yes, thank you gentlemen."
They wave you away.
We're old, not sick.
The second one looks at the first one.
You're sick in the head.
The third one nods.
Everyone knows not to eat river fish.
As you leave they dissolve into tea drinking and bickering.
The apothecary shop has a sign out front in Osiriani, Taldan, and some language you don't recognize.
When you enter you're blasted by the scents of herbs, the bubbling of alchemical equipment, and by the bizarre sight of what appears to be a furred, tailed, albino goblin in a pharaonic headdress and beard behind the counter.
Welcome gentlemen! How can I help you today?
Need some ointment for some old joints.
We also have an..odd request.We have learned that the stones of this store were taken from the Tower of Ra and wish to examine your walls so we can measure the stones in order to find out how tall the tower was and where the shadow lay at a certain time of day. Would you be so kind as to allow us to examine your walls?
My walls?! Why, they're perfectly normal. Is this some kind of shakedown?
|
Dwalindor only half-scowls at the old men as they depart for the apothecary.
****
Fighting back his racial hatred of goblins, Dwalindor plays on the fears of the shopkeep. (assuming this really is a goblin)
Listen here! We just came from the palace and library. We need to check the architecture of this place.
Just answer the old man's questions and there won't be no problems.
Got it?
No shakedown at all, may we just examine your storage shed?
Why so dramatic? Let's just be friends. I will never understand you lightlanders and your squabbles!
Well can't you just hug and let bygones be bygones?
The goblin stares at Dwalindor like he's gone mad.
Why would there be problems? And what are you looking for in my storage shed? I built it because of...um, the need for more storage. Of course.
He looks very puzzled at Dwalindor's remark.
I haven't heard of a long history between Pahmet and us Osiriani. Although I don't care much for the idea of hugs.
We need to measure the stones used in it to estimate the height of the old Tower of Ra.
Oh! Well they're precisely 30 inches high. I had to know that in order to construct the shed.
Why do you need to know the height of the old Tower of Ra?
We are investigating certain legends about the tower and where the shadow falls. Certain hidden symbols and all. See if there is any truth to them.
Yes, well I'm sure that's all fine and good - secrets symbols are fascinating at times although quite often very mundane - but if you'd please leave I'm conducting some very important experiments.
He thinks for a moment.
Also it'd probably be best if you avoided sneezing at noon.
Noonan nods and leaves. Well we can find our selves someone who is good with math and buildings to work it out for us, be a bunch easier than us figuring out length of shadows and whatnot. Noonan tries to ask around for a skilled builder who can work out the math.
Noonan is able to to get the citizens of the city to points you to the astronomers at Tephu's observatory to tell you the position of sunrise through the year going back to the founding of the city but it occurs to Noonan that if you asked a scholar to "do the math" they'd have to tell them why which might lead to complications, even if you can find one.
spellcraft
Thorrpe and Noonan realize that if they can obtain a find the path spell scroll or stone tell they'd be able to find the exact spot the tower's shadow touched at noon on midsummer.
It will take advanced magic, but if we can find a scroll of magic that lets us speak with the stones or one that can trace the path of the shadow, we can find the location. let us ask the local temples. Noonan heads out to find said scroll.
"How expensive is this powerful magic you speak of? Is there a town planning map? Perhaps one to scale?"
It would be an advanced miracle, still out of my reach without significant prayer, and thus require a significant donation.