|
Seeing Zherohd awaken, Valerio's conscience is appeased and he instead raises his wand to his own mouth, opening wide. A single drop of viscous, crimson blood oozes from its tip and falls upon his tongue. Almost immediately Valerio's wounds begin to heal, his blood seemingly clawing his cuts closed as it retreats into his skin.
The books are actually in fairly good condition - a few have some cuts through the pages or covers from Tippy's dagger, but for the most part Mohok's quick thinking with his mace saved them from too much damage. So long as you put them back on the shelves, a quick glance will probably not notice anything amiss--particularly if the other library goers know to avoid this case anyway.
Valerio does notice something curious in the pile of defeated, previously-animated books, however. He picks up an old book with a faded green cover; the front has no title, but instead merely a hand-written date: 3764~3775 AR. An interesting year indeed, for your previous research tells you that those are dates during which the Shining Crusades were ongoing. Looking around the mess, there are actually quite a number of similar-looking logbooks here, about a dozen in total in fact. And even the slightest glance proves to you how valuable they are: handwritten notebooks from the generals of the Shining Crusade!
|
Card Catalogue: This aging card catalogue system notes where one might find various types of information. The reference is somewhat dated and inaccurate.
Clue: Use this clue to learn how many clues or texts remain in any two rooms.
Esoteric Alphabetisation: This library uses a strange system for organising its texts: it alphabetises its texts based on the progression of major musical scales instead of using the Taldan alphabet.
Clue: You may use this clue to grant a +2 bonus on all checks made to find texts in a single room for the rest of the scenario.
Taldan Cipher 1: This text describes a cipher in which one must read the message backwards, reading only every third letter; all other letters are ignored. The example the book provides is "RMNEB SISWD IILPL OTRSES," which means "soldier".
Ruined Book: This book is a testament to why libraries should prohibit food and drink; someone spilled a beverage on it and sheepishly put it back on the shelf, where it has sat for several months at least.
An Exciting Read: You have found several particularly engaging texts, and you find it particularly easy to concentrate on the reading.
Clue: Use this clue before a PC rolls a skill check to find a clue or text. He rolls twice and takes the higher of the two rolls.
Cross Reference: A book references another promising text. If only you could find where that other text is...
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +3 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
Hand-Written Notes: There are extensive notes scribbled in the margins of this book. These hand-written insights could be key to your next big discovery.
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +3 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
Prolific Author: It appears that a long-dead historian wrote more than a dozen books on the topics you're researching. Perhaps you can find other insightful books by this author.
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +3 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
Taldan Cipher 2: According to this text, one common cipher involves changing each consonant into the letter that comes three places after it in the alphabet and changing each vowel into the letter that comes two places before. For example, D would become G, U would become S, and Z would become C. (Since the vowels rotate backward and the consonants rotate forward, it's a particularly puzzling cipher to break.)
Failed Prophecies: This text gives a detailed analysis of hundreds of proclaimed "ironclad" prophecies that have failed since the disappearance of Aroden. The author speculates that any prophecy made by Arodenites should be viewed with considerable skepticism. (This is one of those "bogus" clues again that doesn't do anything.)
Encarthan Maps: These maps depict Lake Encarthan, the Isle of Terror, and the nations that surround it. Of particular interest are the hundreds of hand-drawn notes and lines showing troop movements, preserving the changing plans of the brilliant generals who orchestrated the Shining Crusade.
A Silver Horn: This text describes in detail an enchanted silver horn capable of granting courage in times of need, which Taldor used for the fifth Army of Exploration and much later during the Shining Crusade, when it was shattered into several pieces. A priest of Aroden prophesised that even if re-forged, the instrument would never sound again, and it was given a hero's burial. The text mentioned nothing of the horn's present location.
Hidden Gem: Right next to one great discovery, you make another incredible find!
Clue: Use this clue when you or another PC discovers a clue or text to find one additional clue or text, if any remain in the room. (If attempting to use this in a room that doesn't have any more clues, it doesn't count; this clue can be used again.)
Magical Assistance: Some of the bookshelves bear a minor enchantment that aids researches, such as briefly granting the benefits of read languages or creating an unseen servant to aid in collecting documents.
Clue: After the PCs roll skill checks to find documents, any of them may reroll the check before learning the result.
Generals' Logbooks: These journals record the perspectives of Taldan generals that led various phases of the Shining Crusade. Collectively, they provide valuable insight into challenges the crusaders had to overcome.
Shaking off his near death experience, Zherohd will use the hidden Gem to see if there's anything else of interest in this room before consulting the card catalogue to determine if there's anything left to find in the main room (with the lion in it)or in the lion blade's research room.
|
Mohok joins Zherohd, appreciating his logical approach to the problem. "I may not be much help, now that the flying books have been dealt with, but I can try," he says to Zherohd as they walk through the hallways.
If the blind guardian is within earshot as they walk past, he asks her, "Where do the stairs at the far end of the hall go?"
When Iliyana is collected (she stayed in the Lion Blades' office when Cesare had dashed out, not wanting to try her chances with whatever danger had been sprung upon you adventurers) and asked about the stairs at the end of the hall, she cocks her head at Mohok's question. "If I recall... it leads upstairs to another private study room." Anyone curious enough to head upstairs can indeed confirm that it opens up into a room not dissimilar to the one you left Muesello's magical cards in a little over an hour ago.
Two rows of tall bookshelves flank an imposing yet beautiful carved wooden desk that presides over the office, complete with a plush sitting chair almost fit for a king. An assortment of documents and scrivener's tools are lined up neatly on the desktop. The books here seem to lean towards the daily running of the library, although even a glance reveals some rather fancy hard-backed encyclopaedias and the like lined up along these shelves.
Tippy doesn't notice anything else amiss or interesting here in the dimly-lit room.
|
|
Scraping together as much of the information he can from the logbooks Valerio hurries into the much more grandiose office. He isn't really sure how much time they have left, and wants to make the most of it.
He quickly scans the room with detect magic, wouldn't want to mess with any more particularly aggressive novels, before jumping into another round of research; this time utilizing his knowledge that there is a particularly prolific author on the topic.
|
|
Clue: Use this clue to learn how many clues or texts remain in any two rooms.
Esoteric Alphabetisation: This library uses a strange system for organising its texts: it alphabetises its texts based on the progression of major musical scales instead of using the Taldan alphabet.
Clue: You may use this clue to grant a +2 bonus on all checks made to find texts in a single room for the rest of the scenario.
Cross Reference: A book references another promising text. If only you could find where that other text is...
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +3 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
Prolific Author: It appears that a long-dead historian wrote more than a dozen books on the topics you're researching. Perhaps you can find other insightful books by this author.
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +3 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
Ruined Book: This book is a testament to why libraries should prohibit food and drink; someone spilled a beverage on it and sheepishly put it back on the shelf, where it has sat for several months at least.
Failed Prophecies: This text gives a detailed analysis of hundreds of proclaimed "ironclad" prophecies that have failed since the disappearance of Aroden. The author speculates that any prophecy made by Arodenites should be viewed with considerable skepticism. (This is one of those "bogus" clues again that doesn't do anything.)
Taldan Cipher 1: This text describes a cipher in which one must read the message backwards, reading only every third letter; all other letters are ignored. The example the book provides is "RMNEB SISWD IILPL OTRSES," which means "soldier".
Taldan Cipher 2: According to this text, one common cipher involves changing each consonant into the letter that comes three places after it in the alphabet and changing each vowel into the letter that comes two places before. For example, D would become G, U would become S, and Z would become C. (Since the vowels rotate backward and the consonants rotate forward, it's a particularly puzzling cipher to break.)
An Exciting Read: You have found several particularly engaging texts, and you find it particularly easy to concentrate on the reading.
Clue: Use this clue before a PC rolls a skill check to find a clue or text. He rolls twice and takes the higher of the two rolls.
Hand-Written Notes: There are extensive notes scribbled in the margins of this book. These hand-written insights could be key to your next big discovery.
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +3 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
Hidden Gem: Right next to one great discovery, you make another incredible find!
Clue: Use this clue when you or another PC discovers a clue or text to find one additional clue or text, if any remain in the room. (If attempting to use this in a room that doesn't have any more clues, it doesn't count; this clue can be used again.)
Magical Assistance: Some of the bookshelves bear a minor enchantment that aids researches, such as briefly granting the benefits of read languages or creating an unseen servant to aid in collecting documents.
Clue: After the PCs roll skill checks to find documents, any of them may reroll the check before learning the result.
Encarthan Maps: These maps depict Lake Encarthan, the Isle of Terror, and the nations that surround it. Of particular interest are the hundreds of hand-drawn notes and lines showing troop movements, preserving the changing plans of the brilliant generals who orchestrated the Shining Crusade.
A Silver Horn: This text describes in detail an enchanted silver horn capable of granting courage in times of need, which Taldor used for the fifth Army of Exploration and much later during the Shining Crusade, when it was shattered into several pieces. A priest of Aroden prophesised that even if re-forged, the instrument would never sound again, and it was given a hero's burial. The text mentioned nothing of the horn's present location.
Generals' Logbooks: These journals record the perspectives of Taldan generals that led various phases of the Shining Crusade. Collectively, they provide valuable insight into challenges the crusaders had to overcome.
Anyhow, given that I know there's only one clue in the main library, and that we've already found stuff in the first couple rooms, I'll join in the search of the office and use the Hidden Gem if (when?) we find something there. I'm also going to use An Exciting Read to roll twice.
After entering the room, you discover that there is yet another portrait of Grand Prince Stavian III in this room, hung high above the doorway so that he and his particularly smug grin in this portrayal can watch over everything as he pleases. A brass plaque on the frame of the portrait reads, "A cunning lie is never told twice."
While searching around, Valerio opens up the top drawer of the administrator's desk. Inside he discovers two potion vials: one is filled with what appears to be gas rather than liquid, while the other has clear liquid inside, almost like water.
Zherohd finds quite the exciting tome--a revised edition of the cipher book you've all been chasing this long! It has even more information on a third type of cipher that you haven't seen before. The others, meanwhile, locate some academic papers with bibliographies almost as long as their actual reports. The papers themselves are dry and uninteresting, but perhaps some of these sources would come in handy, should you find them.
Bibliographic References: Several relevant books have extensive indices and bibliographies that might point to even greater discoveries.
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +5 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
You return to the study room with Iliyana and fill her in on the battle while searching around some more. She shakes her head sadly. "Now I understand why they warned me away from it... they certainly have some bizarre security measures here, don't they?"
Alas, for all your efforts you don't come up with anything else of note.
You stay behind to dutifully put back the books where they came from (Not an easy task at times, particularly when they're on the top shelf! Ah, the woes of being a halfling.) You ultimately come away from the affair with nothing more than the satisfaction that you've done a good job at hiding your presence here.
------------------
|
|
Clue: Use this clue when you or another PC discovers a clue or text to find one additional clue or text, if any remain in the room. (If attempting to use this in a room that doesn't have any more clues, it doesn't count; this clue can be used again.)
An Exciting Read: You have found several particularly engaging texts, and you find it particularly easy to concentrate on the reading.
Clue: Use this clue before a PC rolls a skill check to find a clue or text. He rolls twice and takes the higher of the two rolls.
Taldan Cipher 1: This text describes a cipher in which one must read the message backwards, reading only every third letter; all other letters are ignored. The example the book provides is "RMNEB SISWD IILPL OTRSES," which means "soldier".
Taldan Cipher 2: According to this text, one common cipher involves changing each consonant into the letter that comes three places after it in the alphabet and changing each vowel into the letter that comes two places before. For example, D would become G, U would become S, and Z would become C. (Since the vowels rotate backward and the consonants rotate forward, it's a particularly puzzling cipher to break.)
Taldan Cipher 3: This text contains an example of an encoded message that uses a common substitution cipher (in which each letter represents a different letter). It claims that "DQFIZ KPIED WZYWS QIVKO ZKXFW ZIMVT DQFXW CFPAF PDFZ VFTJF" translates to "The orcs of Tar-Baphon circle around the lake's western edge."
Hand-Written Notes: There are extensive notes scribbled in the margins of this book. These hand-written insights could be key to your next big discovery.
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +3 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
Magical Assistance: Some of the bookshelves bear a minor enchantment that aids researches, such as briefly granting the benefits of read languages or creating an unseen servant to aid in collecting documents.
Clue: After the PCs roll skill checks to find documents, any of them may reroll the check before learning the result.
Bibliographic References: Several relevant books have extensive indices and bibliographies that might point to even greater discoveries.
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +5 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
Encarthan Maps: These maps depict Lake Encarthan, the Isle of Terror, and the nations that surround it. Of particular interest are the hundreds of hand-drawn notes and lines showing troop movements, preserving the changing plans of the brilliant generals who orchestrated the Shining Crusade.
A Silver Horn: This text describes in detail an enchanted silver horn capable of granting courage in times of need, which Taldor used for the fifth Army of Exploration and much later during the Shining Crusade, when it was shattered into several pieces. A priest of Aroden prophesised that even if re-forged, the instrument would never sound again, and it was given a hero's burial. The text mentioned nothing of the horn's present location.
Generals' Logbooks: These journals record the perspectives of Taldan generals that led various phases of the Shining Crusade. Collectively, they provide valuable insight into challenges the crusaders had to overcome.
|
|
Valerio attempts to use his keep diabolical eyes to aid Mohok in his search around the room, and for once, his keen diabolical eyes actually seem surprisingly keen!
He also glances at the discovered potions and shakes his head, "I say we go with our better judgement and don't pilfer everything not nailed down, for once."
|
|
As Mohok carefully scans high and low in the room, being extremely thorough, Valerio prompts him, "Did you look under the desk?" Mohok rolls his great eyes ever so slightly and takes a quick peek under the heavy wooden desk, then starts in mild surprise.
"Well, look at that," he murmurs, then says more loudly, "There's a lever under the desk, hidden on the back leg, and they've painted it to look like a knot in the wood. And on the wall behind the desk, I can make out the faint outline of a doorway, though it's well hidden by all the fancy wood panelling. I'd guess that the lever will open this door. Maybe Tippy could take a look at it, and someone could scan it for magic, before we pop it open?"
Zosimos closely inspects the secret door and determines that there is indeed some kind of protective mechanism interleaved with it. It seems to be some kind of projectile that fires when you open the door. Using his various tools, he carefully operates on the opening where a dart appears to shoot through and snips some of the wiring that would activate the trap. Satisfied with his handiwork, Zosimos opens the door--and, thankfully, nothing shoots out at him. Beyond is a short, narrow hallway, the walls completely unadorned. It abruptly turns off to the south almost immediately.
The others are called back in once they're done their thing, and the party proceeds down the back entrance with wary curiosity. After opening another wooden doorway, you find yourselves in some kind of hidden vault of knowledge, the east and west walls lined by cabinets with two tall drawers apiece. Looking in the filing cabinets reveals that they are filled with dozens upon dozens of dossiers detailing the machinations of Lion Blade agents both past and present. Examining the documents in their entirety would take weeks, but even a cursory search of the papers shows that Taldor's most infamous spies maintain a presence in nearly every nation of the Inner Sea region and in numerous nations that lie beyond. There are other documents pertaining to known artifacts, holy sites, and cursed properties, but nothing that seems relevant to your task here today.
Six free-standing statuettes of lions in various poses stand variously atop the furniture here. Each miniature lion is portrayed in a different way:
* One crouches as if preparing to ambush its prey.
* The second is roaring as it leaps at prey.
* The third wears a yoke that is chained to a large block that the lion strains to pull.
* The fourth wears a tiny pair of spectacles and reads from an ornate scroll.
* The fifth is draped in the flag of Taldor.
* The sixth sits erect and wears a crown.
A relief carving of a lion's head - not unlike that of the Guardian back out in the main library - dominates the south wall, hanging imperiously over a low stone step. The step has four shallow, cylindrical recesses that are the same size as the base on each of the lion statuettes scattered about the room.
|
|
Mohok looks around the room, admiring the lion statues. He then turns his attention to the lion's head carved in relief on the wall a moment, then says, "Another secret door! Hidden behind the lion's head, and it looks like the steps underneath it are some kind of mechanism - but not to unlock the door. It has to do with some kind of trigger, I think. Zosimos, Tippy, would you take a look at this?"
|
|
I suspect the combination is something that a Lion Blade would know automatically. Perhaps some sort of motto of the organization that would match up to four of the statuettes? In any case, I shall entrust that Tippy and Zosimos will be able to puzzle it out.
With that, Zherohd begins searching the texts, and will make use of the hand-written notes.
Some of the party get to rifling through the filing cabinets for anything interesting while the others turn their attentions to the combination lock. It's brilliant, brilliant time-efficiency! In any case, Zherohd's panache with language causes his attention to be caught by one book in particular, its title a multi-lingual pun in three different languages. The text contains riddles, poetry, puns, and other such wordplay, but the curious part is one section on a somewhat familiar silver horn...
|
|
I'm pretty sure that four of the six statues match up to the portraits of Stavian that we've seen, given what that Stereogram said about "our monarch's virtues are our own". We'll still have to decide which four match, and what order to put them in the slots though.
Persevere
To serve Taldor, I must first learn the history of Taldor
In the end, loyalty is its own reward.
A cunning lie is never told twice.
One crouches as if preparing to ambush its prey.
The second is roaring as it leaps at prey.
The third wears a yoke that is chained to a large block that the lion strains to pull.
The fourth wears a tiny pair of spectacles and reads from an ornate scroll.
The fifth is draped in the flag of Taldor. Okay, that's not the flag of Taldor at all, but use your imagination. ;)
The sixth sits erect and wears a crown.
My guess is that the yoked statue is Perseverance, the bespectacled statue is the historian, the flag wearer is loyalty and the crouching lion is the liar. But I haven't the foggiest of what order to put them in.
I wonder if the statue or the lady know...
Taldan Cipher 1: This text describes a cipher in which one must read the message backwards, reading only every third letter; all other letters are ignored. The example the book provides is "RMNEB SISWD IILPL OTRSES," which means "soldier".
Taldan Cipher 2: According to this text, one common cipher involves changing each consonant into the letter that comes three places after it in the alphabet and changing each vowel into the letter that comes two places before. For example, D would become G, U would become S, and Z would become C. (Since the vowels rotate backward and the consonants rotate forward, it's a particularly puzzling cipher to break.)
Taldan Cipher 3: This text contains an example of an encoded message that uses a common substitution cipher (in which each letter represents a different letter). It claims that "DQFIZ KPIED WZYWS QIVKO ZKXFW ZIMVT DQFXW CFPAF PDFZ VFTJF" translates to "The orcs of Tar-Baphon circle around the lake's western edge."
Hand-Written Notes: There are extensive notes scribbled in the margins of this book. These hand-written insights could be key to your next big discovery.
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +3 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
Magical Assistance: Some of the bookshelves bear a minor enchantment that aids researches, such as briefly granting the benefits of read languages or creating an unseen servant to aid in collecting documents.
Clue: After the PCs roll skill checks to find documents, any of them may reroll the check before learning the result.
Bibliographic References: Several relevant books have extensive indices and bibliographies that might point to even greater discoveries.
Clue: You may use this clue to gain a +5 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.
Encarthan Maps: These maps depict Lake Encarthan, the Isle of Terror, and the nations that surround it. Of particular interest are the hundreds of hand-drawn notes and lines showing troop movements, preserving the changing plans of the brilliant generals who orchestrated the Shining Crusade.
A Silver Horn: This text describes in detail an enchanted silver horn capable of granting courage in times of need, which Taldor used for the fifth Army of Exploration and much later during the Shining Crusade, when it was shattered into several pieces. A priest of Aroden prophesised that even if re-forged, the instrument would never sound again, and it was given a hero's burial. The text mentioned nothing of the horn's present location.
Generals' Logbooks: These journals record the perspectives of Taldan generals that led various phases of the Shining Crusade. Collectively, they provide valuable insight into challenges the crusaders had to overcome.
Cryptic References: This text is a mess of esoteric poetry and obscure riddles. One of these entries describes a silver horn once used by Taldor, which seems to be hidden somewhere in southern Brevoy. Spending considerably more time analyzing the poem may reveal additional hints about this horn and its location.
If asked about the combination lock, Iliyana shakes her head. "I wasn't even aware this room existed..."
|
|
"Hmmm, I wonder," Mohok mutters slowly, his deep voice reverberating, "it looks like four of the little lion statues would fit in the little holes on the step under the lion's head. So how do we pick which lions?"
He squints one eye and scratches his head a moment, then asks his companions, "We saw some plaques or carvings on the way in here, could they be clues to which lions? The last one, in the blind guardian's room, no less, said 'In the end, loyalty is its own reward.' But which of these is the loyal lion?"
He looks around at the others and says, "Of course, that might have nothing to do with this puzzle. Any other ideas how we figure out which lions to use, or should we just try 'em and see if something terrible happens?"
