Doran gingerly follows, stopping to help Terra through if he makes it through.
You ascend the stairs, which winds several times around, crystals lighting up as you do. You come to another room at the top. It is absolutely covered with dust, but the air is quite fresh due to the giant, gaping hole in the ceiling opposite of where you stand. There are a few objects in the room, a large mahogany chest directly in front of you that seems to gleam in the light, a large bookcase containing tomes of various sizes and colors, a desk with a pile of dust in front of it, some sort of lever in the down position right under the hole, debris scattered under it, and finally, a rather large mosaic of a sitting regally, staring directly at you.
Tiriael approaches the bookcase, and after a a careful check, begins perusing them.
Te4rra seems at a loss at first. but she waits until others have gone then accepts Doran's help into the reverse gravity room.
she seems disoriented at first once through, as she tries to get her new bearings.
she doesn't realize she is holding Doran's hand a little longer than needed initally but soon lets go.
thanks..
She gets to the room entering but staying out of the way somewhat she continues to try and keep a sense for approaching danger.
The shelf appears to be devoid of any sort of malicious mechanism. Though all of the books are titled, you can't read them, for they are in a language you don't recognize. Except one, titled, A Grand Treatise About Dragons. You pull the book from the shelf and briefly look at it. It seems to be a rather extensive volume on the various characteristics of Dragons. It would take sometime to read the entire thing. You do notice however, as you flip through the pages, they don't seem to end.
Nebari grabs the shield once again as he enters the hidden room. Still floating a few inches off the ground he focuses his strange power into his eyes and scans the room.
"Those books have magic in them." Nebari says before walking over and inspecting the area around desk a little closer.
As Nebari studied the pile of dust by the desk, he noticed something, a piece of cloth. Upon pulling it from the dust, he ended up pulling a robe of red and orange silk. It eminated a moderate evocation aura in his sight.
The shelf appears to be devoid of any sort of malicious mechanism. Though all of the books are titled, you can't read them, for they are in a language you don't recognize. Except one, titled, A Grand Treatise About Dragons. You pull the book from the shelf and briefly look at it. It seems to be a rather extensive volume on the various characteristics of Dragons. It would take sometime to read the entire thing. You do notice however, as you flip through the pages, they don't seem to end.
** spoiler omitted **
"There is definitely magic all around us..." - Tiriael comments, apparently in rapture as she turns the pages of the book, one after the other.
After a few moments, she draws upon her magical energies to search for specific magic on this book.
"Well, if we're in some mage's house, we'd better be seriously careful. Trust me, when you can burn or break the world easily, you really really treasure the stuff you want to keep intact." While talking, Doran just barely manages not to trip over his own feet and smash a table.
Alaeron taps his chin as he looks around at all the magic books in the room. Not one for magic, he heads over to the desk, pulls out the chair and sits down. He checks for any drawers and if they are locked.
Knowing wizards, they are probably trapped, I shall be careful
Unable to discern the exact properties of the object in her hands, Tiriael turns her attention to the lever, trying to ascertain what may be its purpose.
Alaeron doesn't notice any traps so he opens up the drawers, looking for anything, and measuring the depth of each drawer, looking for false bottoms
Doran resists the temptation to similarly go rifling through the room.
Alaeron brings out the book and the diagram and stares at them for a moment before speaking up. "Can anyone understand this?"
"The lever has several markings, as if something was dropped on it, or someone hit it... I cannot tell exactly"
At Alaeron's request, she turns her attention to the book.
With another look at the lever, as if she had suddenly realized something, she comments - "Maybe the debris fell from the hole, onto the lever. I am not sure what it does though"
"Now this book here... I can't decipher it, as with many of the things in this place..."
With a quick gesture, she summons her magical powers, and takes another look at the book.
Putting the book away for the time being - "More if the same magic I cannot pierce" - Tiriael turns to the others - "What next? Shall we try the lever?"
Terra has not entered the room. but all of this emptiness has made her nervous.
she tries to calm down but ends up just figgitting and is soon pacing the stairs.
Curious, Piers takes the book back off the shelf and has a look at it himself. He had been hanging back a bit to let the specialists have a look first. He was not caster so his insights into the mind of a great wizard would be pretty limited.
The journal, on the other hand, proved more interesting. Reading the last few entries indicated what might of happened in the clearing.
Mid-Spring, Day 2 Week 3
Completed the device today, based off of Old Torig's design. Hopefully, mine will not cause the same result. Will test tomorrow.
Mid-Spring, Day 3 Week 3
Well, tested today, several giant beetles species appeared, came to the tower, and were zapped. At which point, they became intelligent and started arguing with each other. A fight broke out between them, three were killed before I turned off the device. Right after, they went back to being mindless creatures.
Mid-Spring, Day 6 Week 3
After several days of debating with Inaria, we came to the conclusion the device needs to be destroyed. Will dismantle after she leaves.
Mid-Spring, Day 7 Week 3
Inaria left this morning. Hope she can make it back before the fall. Despite my initial reservations of bringing a Witch into the party, I can't help but love her. Well, time to dis.........
The entry ends there with a long line going off of the page.
"Huh," Piers said, "Aparantly Ulric was planning on taking apart whatever was making the bugs think. The names 'Torig' or 'Inaria' ring any bells for anyone?"
"I believe Inaria was one of the seven." Nebari replies nonchalantly.
Piers gave Nebari the book.
"Our boy Ulric had a crush on the witch," Piers said, examining the pile of dust, "At least until he met the kind of fate that causes one to decide to draw a line in one's journal mid-statement."
Doran blinks for a moment and bends over, looking at the dust. "Damn. Bad way to go." He looks at the dust for a moment, then gets back up and grins. "Well, I guess looting and stripping the place is back on the agenda!"
The youth starts cheerfully rifling through the room, keeping his eyes and other senses tuned for valuable, useful and magical items.
"Well, Torig was a wizard of Ancient Arcadia, apparently extremely talented at creating magical items, and reported dean in an horrible research accident..." - Tiriael reports - "And Inaria was indeed one of the Seven - it is said she spent a long time in the Desert of Ghosts, trying to revive the Arcadian Empire... That is all I can remember"
Looking at the dust she ponders - "Could those be his remains..?"
"You'd know better than me, I've seen magic do some vicious things to a body and whoever snuck in here to off him would have to have been versed in it. Regardless, his killer is likely long dead and we're here for the amulet, remember?" Piers looks to the gaping hole in the ceiling next then examines the lever.
"Turning a man into dust is an exceptional feat even with magic, but not impossible considering were dealing with people who took on the terrasque."
"I vote we have a look up there before we go pulling any levers," Piers said, pointing up. "Any chance one of you could float up there with a rope?"
Alaeron will sit in quiet contemplation petting Nemesis, "Floating is a bit out of my specialty. I could swing my climbing anchor up there if you wish. Although that rot doesn't look promising."
Nebari once again dons his cloak before levitating to the ceiling.
Sticking your head out of the hole, you can see the all of the clearing and the endless sea of tree tops in all directions. Northeast of your position, you see the clusters of mountains marking the center of Azeem, which appear to be maybe two days journey.
"All I can see are trees and mountains up here." Nebari calls down.
"Ok, so.... As far as we know, Sorcerer Ulrich had travelled here to Azeem to keep the amulet safe and hidden - I say it would make perfect sense for it to be around here somewhere - unless that hole and the ashes mean someone broke in, killed Ulrich, and simply stole it" - Tiriael reasons.
"Which would mean we would need a clue to whomever could have done that" - she finishes, glancing around the room.
A slight breeze comes in through the hole in the ceiling and blows some of the dust pile away, revealing a gold chain. As Doran goes through the bookshelf, one volume in particular catches his attention, a book titled, Through the eye.
"Could it be...? - Tiriael whispers as she approaches the gold chain, picking it up with an hesitant hand.
At the end of the chain is a golden Hydra head, roughly the size of the heads on Nebari's shield, with a tiny ruby inset for the eye. It gleamed in the soft light.