No sun, no wind, no warm rain or cool spring. This is a blessing to some but a curse to others. I am not very good at stealth nor lying. I can however cast a few small spells and try to make those spells more like those of an apprentice wizard with some advice?
"I also have a few arcane spells available and can easily pretend to be a wizard. I'd recommend the sphere of invisibility. Haste is combat related and hopefully we won't be doing much of that...."
Looking around he considers the value of everything and just shrugs. "What here is of a permanent nature? If anything were taken would it disappear? And then our 'friends' might be coming after us for value that just disappeared."
Sunday, 2nd day of , 594 C.Y.
Weather outside the Wizard's Guild is unknown.
Current time is estimated to be a couple hours after sunrise.
-------------------------------------------------
After getting a decent night’s rest once their plans have been made, the adventurers are served a very fine breakfast before the appointed hour is upon them. Ready to infiltrate the library of the Wizard’s Guild, Morrow twists the ring as the others touch his arm and after a gut wrenching moment…
The party finds themselves standing in a bedroom of some sort, measuring roughly twenty-five feet square. The place is sparsely furnished save for a bed, a dresser, and a table with two chairs. A closed door is the only obvious means of exit, and the room seems unused. The sheets and blanket on the bed are neatly folded, and though the room is free of dust, the lack of personal items conveys the idea that nobody is using this room - at least not presently. The bottle that is their ride is nowhere to be seen – or at least it’s not out in the open.
----------------------------------------------
Ruins of Castle Greyhawk (Overview)
Map History of the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk
----------------------------------------------
PC Health & Notes
Reonnyn 59/59 [+1 luck bonus to all saving throws, ability checks and skill checks (Luck Stone); +6 to Bluff, Diplomacy & Intimidate checks (Invocation)]
Morrow 68/68
Morgrym 68/68
Verdan 54/54
Nebuzaradan 46/46
Nebuzaradan looks around the room, "Once I cast invisibility sphere, we will have 9 minutes of invisibility. I suggest you make other preparations and when everyone is ready, I can cast it as we head out the door and use our invisibility to find the special collections room."
Reonnyn nods slowly here, "No problem Neb. Maybe we should wait until we see if the coast is clear first before casting it and also we will need a way to mark this room so we do not get lost," he grins, "And also don't forget to put on your robes!"
Morgrym puts on the robes and palms his holy symbol so he might cast some spells if needed to look like a mage and says I have light and detect magic as well as protection from evil and obscuring mist for the day which are all also magic user spells according to my talk with our resident wizard, so I should be able to pass muster. Morgrym ties the chain around his waist like a belt and keeps the armor on under his robes having seen a few who can cast don armor before.
"I agree. Let's look around a little before you use the Invisibility. It only lasts 9 minutes and we may need it later far more than now. The door opening will attract more attention when nobody comes out than seeing us...."
"I can Detect Magic without casting a spell 5 times daily as a Duskblade ability. But that obscuring mist might be really useful if we need to back away and escape something. Maybe create the mist and then have Neb cast the Invisibility?"
"Well I guess this is it. Should I act like some type of armored construct or strip the armor off and be one of your assistants? Or maybe just be myself as you needed divine magic for some project? I do have the spell Iron Silence that will help with the noise of my armor.
The invisibility might be better served as a 'run away' spell."
"There are some more martial styles of magic, with those who wear armor. If it comes down to trying to convince someone of our status we should be able to pass you off in that manner. Of course you may want to conceal any obvious holy symbols."
Verdan starts to laugh as he looks at the giant sun symbol on his shield, and the sun relief on his armor.
"Well I guess I could try and disguise the symbols to make them more decorative."
Sunday, 2nd day of , 594 C.Y.
Weather outside the Wizard's Guild is unknown.
Current time is estimated to be a couple hours after sunrise.
-------------------------------------------------
Neb suggests casting the invisibility spell while most of the others ask the dwarf to delay that idea for a bit while they get the lay of the land, so to speak. Reonnyn reminds the others to don the robes, and the party does so. Morgrym keeps his armor on, having seen mage warriors before, and when Verdan voices his concern the others agree that an armored wizard, though certain uncommon, is not unheard of.
Morrow suggests taking a look through the door before casting Neb’s spell of concealment, and easing it open they find it opens into a well-lit hallway about fifteen feet wide and leading in both directions for over a hundred feet or so. Along their wall are several more single doors to their right (west on the map), and two more to their left (east on the map), beyond which is a set of double doors that stand open. A few feet beyond that is a staircase leading up. Excited mutterings can be heard beyond the open doors, and there appears to be additional illumination of a reddish hue emanating from within that room.
On the opposite wall, a short distance down the hallway to their left (east on the map) is a thick set of oaken doors with a plaque above that reads ‘Special Collections’. Other double doors can be seen along the same wall in both directions, another plaque above the nearest to their right (west on the map) reading ‘History & Geography’, and while other plaques set above the other doors can be glimpsed the writing cannot be discerned. It appears that the library is divided into many sections, and likely this corridor rings the entire central chamber that makes up the vast collection that the Wizard’s Guild has amassed over the centuries.
Thankfully, though not unexpectedly, the Thieves’ Guild has managed to place their point of entry very near their immediate goal. The hallway is mostly silent, though on occasion, a door further down the corridor opens and a robed wizard either exits one of the other rooms or the library itself. Nobody really seems to take notice of each other…
----------------------------------------------
Ruins of Castle Greyhawk (Overview)
Map History of the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk
----------------------------------------------
PC Health & Notes
Reonnyn 59/59 [+1 luck bonus to all saving throws, ability checks and skill checks (Luck Stone); +6 to Bluff, Diplomacy & Intimidate checks (Invocation)]
Morrow 68/68
Morgrym 68/68
Verdan 54/54
Nebuzaradan 46/46 [Greater Mage Armor (+6 armor bonus to AC) for 9 hours; Overland Flight (as Fly, with 40' speed and average maneuverability) for 9 hours]
To reduce the armor noise, Verdan cast Iron Silence.
”Let’s get to it then.” Nebuzaradan says and ambles into the hall headed to the special collections door. Once there he opens it and peruses the room before stepping in.
Reonnyn nods silently in agreement and takes up the rear of the party, knowing there weren't too many, if any, hobinz wizards out there.
Morrow just nods and walks along behind the wizard, not trying to gawk around like a tourist....
Like always Morgrym walks in like he owns the place and looks around with an air of "I belong here" as he follows along.
Sunday, 2nd day of , 594 C.Y.
Weather outside the Wizard's Guild is unknown.
Current time is estimated to be a couple hours after sunrise.
-------------------------------------------------
Verdan uses a divine spell to muffle the noise his armor will make as they cross the hallway toward the doors leading into the Wizard’s Guild special collections section of their massive library. Nobody seems to take particular notice of the party, though from their vantage point outside the library door it appears that anyone nearby appears to be focused on something happening in the room further up the corridor. As the party makes their move, the onlookers inside begin to backpedal a bit so as to stand just outside the doors – as though trying to make room while closely watching whatever is transpiring inside the chamber as they murmur excitedly among themselves. The illumination of many candles from within gives way to a lurid blue glow that gives the onlookers a sinister cast as they continue to gossip with each other.
Even as this occurs, Neb is opening the door to the library, revealing the vast interior, which smells of ancient parchment and moldering leather. The huge chamber is dominated by six immense, freestanding pairs of bookcases that stretch from floor to ceiling. These are flanked by a pair of bookcases that run the width of the chamber at either end where stone walls appear to partition this section from other areas of the library, with doors that would seem to allow access to those other areas. Faint globes of glowing magical light hover between each of the interior pairs of bookcases, providing illumination. There are no couches, chairs, desks nor any other furniture evident - only bookcases and the books they hold, many thousands of volumes in this section alone from the looks of it.
----------------------------------------------
Ruins of Castle Greyhawk (Overview)
Map History of the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk
----------------------------------------------
PC Health & Notes
Reonnyn 59/59 [+1 luck bonus to all saving throws, ability checks and skill checks (Luck Stone); +6 to Bluff, Diplomacy & Intimidate checks (Invocation)]
Morrow 68/68
Morgrym 68/68
Verdan 54/54 [Iron Silence (no AC penalty to Hide/Move Silently checks) for 9 hours]
Nebuzaradan 46/46 [Greater Mage Armor (+6 armor bonus to AC) for 9 hours; Overland Flight (as Fly, with 40' speed and average maneuverability) for 9 hours]
Morrow enters the room, turning his head back and forth to try and review the full details of the room. "I hope the books are in some sort of order. If not, finding the book that we need could take a week!"
Verdan spies around for the item they seek. He keeps looking for a bronze statue of a monkey about the size of a halfling child.
"Let's see what kind of order these things are in." Nebuzaradan says as he strides off to the left most pair of shelves. Once there he begins to review the books within easy reach and then moves from shelf to shelf and eventually the opposite shelf as well to try and discern a pattern.
Perception +0, K: Arcana +21, K: History +16
"We cannot waste a second here, let's get started..." Reonnyn groans inwardly as he stares at the sheer volume of tomes here. Still he knew time is of the essence here...
Not finding the monkey
Verdan walk up to the book shelf and says. "So me the book 'The Yragerne Accord of 393'.
And when nothing happen he shrugs his shoulders "Being a wizards library, one could hope. I guess we have to do the manual way."
Verdan starts to look for the book.
Knowledge (Arcana) +5
Knowledge (History) +4
Spot +3
Morgrym closes the door behind them and watches the door
Search is actually the name of the 3.5 skill. Neb, looks like yours is +6. But I think you've all got some base rolls out there, I'll just add the appropriate modifiers once I figure out what area you're searching in.
Search would be +5, so a whoppng 16 on my opening roll.
Neb, even though your magical headband doesn't give you extra skill points to spend, I think it still adds the 'new' modifier to existing skills. So you'd be at +6, for a 17 I think.
After 10 minutes of searching, nobody is able to locate the volume they're looking for. Given the sheer number of tomes, the fact that many of them have titles that are either faded with age or non-existent on either the spines or the covers, this could certainly take awhile...
Nebuzaradan moves to a different area and hopes to run across the book.
Verdan keeps looking on the same book shelf incase he missed something.
"This is like looking for a needle in a pile of haystacks!" Reonnyn mutters as he continues his search.
The minutes continue to trickle by, and though nobody has entered this section of the library since the party has arrived the tension can be felt in the air as the odds of such an occurrence seems to tilt against them with each passing second.
Still... what else can be done? The book must be found in order for the heroes to determine where in this vast place they must go...
Shaking his head and wondering if they will even find the book before it is too late Morrow moves and continues his search.
"Blast this is taking too long." He mumbles as he keeps looking.
Neb studies the volumes in the same general area again.
Morgrym checks either shelf next to the door while he guards it to ensure no one might come in placing his foot against it to hold the door in place.
Sunday, 2nd day of , 594 C.Y.
Weather outside the Wizard's Guild is unknown.
Current time is estimated to be a couple hours after sunrise.
-------------------------------------------------
The party continues to search the shelves, frustration mounting as they fail to find the book they’re looking for. But even as Verdan mumbles to himself in reflection of the entire group’s mindset, the door to the adjoining section of library to the south (left on the map) suddenly swings open, and Morgrym is first to see the horrifying creature that enters.
A large globe, perhaps eight feet in circumference and tinted a brilliant blue squeezes its bulk through the open door. An enormous eye in the center of the orb is shut tight, and a book floats in the air just in front of it as it levitates quietly through the archway. Eight tentacles writhe along the upper hemisphere of the globe, each of them with an eye perched upon the tip - though one of the stalks is partially wrapped up in some sort of cloth, its eye completely cloaked. The terrifying monster appears to be reading the pages of the book that levitates before it with one of its eyestalks as the others writhe like snakes, giving the creature the appearance of seeing in all directions at once.
And it appears that this is the case, as its great central eye suddenly opens, as though in surprise, and the book that hovers in front of it drops to the floor in a messy heap. Morgrym finds himself the target of all eight of those eyes (nine, if you count the one that’s covered), and its great mouth opens wide, exhibiting rows of sharp, dagger-like teeth as it hisses. “Dammit! You made me lose my page! What are you doing here? This is the Special Collections area!” The voice of the monster is somewhat cultured and almost... soft. But there is an unmistakable menace in its tone.
----------------------------------------------
Ruins of Castle Greyhawk (Overview)
Map History of the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk
----------------------------------------------
PC Health & Notes
Reonnyn 59/59 [+1 luck bonus to all saving throws, ability checks and skill checks (Luck Stone); +6 to Bluff, Diplomacy & Intimidate checks (Invocation)]
Morrow 68/68
Morgrym 68/68
Verdan 54/54 [Iron Silence (no AC penalty to Hide/Move Silently checks) for 9 hours]
Nebuzaradan 46/46 [Greater Mage Armor (+6 armor bonus to AC) for 9 hours; Overland Flight (as Fly, with 40' speed and average maneuverability) for 9 hours]
Reonnyn peeks out from behind the bookshelf, heart clenching in fear, as he surveys the beast.
A demon! Was it summoned here by our presence? In any event a fight will bring the whole Guild down on our necks! Best to use honeyed words here...
He steps out and assumed a non threatening posture here. "Forgive us Master. We did not mean to intrude upon your...studies. Our own Master was quite insistent that his task for us be completed right away. We shall be done shortly and out of your...tentacles' way!"
The creature actually harumphs as the halfling steps out and offers an apology. "Well... hmm... your master, eh? As long as you've got permission to be here, very well. But these books are quite rare and so must be protected, you understand. What task are you about? How many of you are there, anyway? I hear others milling about the shelves, getting your dirty little fingers all over my neatly arranged books. Who is your master that would send so many of you scurrying about my Special Collections library? I'll have a word with him, I tell you."
Morrow continues quietly scanning the titles, not touching anything while the creature is here. His skills aren't social so he tries to just avoid notice.
Verdan hearing Reonnyn talking to someone new, takes a peek at the intruder thinking that he may have to hit him on the head to knock out this person. Once seeing the floating eye Verdan ducks back in and tries to remember eveything about those creatures.
But he comes up blank.
Morgrym knows what ever this is is something he never wants to see again and says Pardon me Master as he steps out of the way of the thing but doesn't try lying or saying anything more for that matter letting those who can do the talking.
Nebuzaradan opts for a bit of honesty to see if it may help. He steps into the center aisle and approaches, ”Master, we have been sent to find and review The Yragerne Accord of 393. If you were to point us toward this history we would be able to get out of your way all the more quickly.
Reonnyn smiles disarmingly at the floating eyeball, inwardly wincing here at the dwur's bluntness, yet hiding his discomfort here. "Many apologies as to the hastiness of our methods here 'O Master! Normally we would take this at a more leisurely rate but our own Master was quite clear as to what is desired from us and the urgency of the task was pressed into our skulls forthwith! Our Master is not known for patience, a quality I have seen in abundance during my brief apprenticeship here!" Pausing nervously here he adds, "Should you know of the location of this tome then we can clean up here and be on our way!"
arcana +21, local +13
Sunday, 2nd day of , 594 C.Y.
Weather outside the Wizard's Guild is unknown.
Current time is estimated to be a couple hours after sunrise.
-------------------------------------------------
Reonnyn speaks eloquently, and Neb – though not a member of the Wizard’s Guild – knows a great deal about the place, including the names of some of the masters that are members themselves. Thanks to a timely name drop on the part of the dwarf, the monster of many eyes finally grunts and begins floating toward the bookcases that the halfling was standing beside. “Hmph. The Yragerne Accord, eh? Of 393, you say? Let’s see…” Again its great eye closes and one of the eye stalks peers up toward the highest shelf of the book case and immediately a very old tome about two inches thick slides free of the other books, then lowers gently toward Neb. “I believe this is what you’re looking for. Mind the pages, they are quite old and brittle. That’s a rather rare volume you know, though it dwells more on the mundane history of the Guild, rather than arcane mysteries. I suppose old Profion has his reasons for sending you after it – though I’m guessing it’s because you did something that rather annoyed him. Consider yourselves lucky to escape a worse fate. Anyway, when you’re finished, just set it on one of the lower shelves. I’ll stop by later during my rounds and return it to its correct place. I presume I need not remind you that the book should not be taken from this room under any circumstances.” As if to drive home the point, each of its eyes fixes upon the heroes for a long moment, and then the same eyestalk that brought the book to the hands of the dwarven wizard aims itself at the creature’s book that still lies sprawled on the floor and it levitates gently toward the monster, pages flipping along until it finally settles on where it left off. “No loitering now. Get the information you require and begone. I do not expect to see you again this morning.” There is a note of menace in the voice, and then its eyestalks turn away. The orb-like creature gently bobs along through the air, aimlessly meandering through the bookcases as it heads toward the door on the far side of the room, then pushes through and disappears from sight.
----------------------------------------------
Ruins of Castle Greyhawk (Overview)
Map History of the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk
----------------------------------------------
PC Health & Notes
Reonnyn 59/59 [+1 luck bonus to all saving throws, ability checks and skill checks (Luck Stone); +6 to Bluff, Diplomacy & Intimidate checks (Invocation)]
Morrow 68/68
Morgrym 68/68
Verdan 54/54 [Iron Silence (no AC penalty to Hide/Move Silently checks) for 9 hours]
Nebuzaradan 46/46 [Greater Mage Armor (+6 armor bonus to AC) for 9 hours; Overland Flight (as Fly, with 40' speed and average maneuverability) for 9 hours]