|
During Latheas' rant.
"Are you sure those were demons? They appeared more gargoylish to me."
Once Latheas has blown off steam, Maximo gives Nigel a pat on the arm. "Everyone's just a little excited right now. I'm sure tomorrow will be a more typical day of research." He says with regret.
***
Maximo arrives to the Museum the next day with supplies suitable for a picnic. Settling down in his chair again he picks up book with a title in draconic, marked with a lace handkerchief, and continues reading where he left off.
"How do they do it?" He muses to himself. "Such small words scribed with such large claws..."
Nigel again has no satisfying answer for Latheas. "I guess I have just been lucky. Then again, didn't you hear about the time everyone was turned into monkeys and I was almost sacrificed to a monkey god? Maybe you have a point about hiring some priests though...."
The Collection Esoterica contains a substantial list of unusual supernatural objects from around the Inner Sea region and beyond, some even come from unidentified lands. However, this initial investigation uncovers no reference to any kind of lantern.
A few hours later, though, you find a water-damaged journal containing a sketch of a metal-framed lantern of exquisite (though infernal) design. The writing indicates that the lantern was gifted to the Blakros Museum, but with no legible indication of when or from whom. You are even able to make out some of the smudged text to learn that it was gifted 47 years ago.
---
After a night of rest and another day of studying, you come across a few other key pieces of information:
The buyer of an auction lot in Kintargo 47 years ago donated many of those items to the museum. However, the reference numbers in the auction lot receipt do not correspond to the entries in the Blakros Museum’s codices of acquisition. In fact, someone altered the codices and replaced the original pages with forgeries to conceal the truth.
A battered journal makes passing reference to “duplicate copies” of all Blakros Museum codices involving magical items registered with Forae Logos, per the Founding Law of Absalom. Unaltered copies of the codices detailing the lantern are likely still kept within Forae Logos, Absalom’s largest library.
|
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
That is all there is to it. It really is quite simple.
Latheas looks down at the papers and sighs. He was hoping for a thoughtful discussion of the diabolic and the constraints on bending time and space, but rather he gets meatheads and gobbledygook.
He puts half the Quarr's stack into the shortest book he can find: Dwarven War Heroes and the Yaks They Love, and the other half he saves for his next trip to the loo.
Picking at another stack of books, he continues his research.
Know (Arcana)
"Boring. Boring. BORING!" Latheas begins to moan after the third day of research. "If we don't find anything soon, I'm going to have Nigel send out for some beer and entertainment. This is lame and we need a break."
|
Quarr jerks his head up with a queer look on his face.
He holds one of the books out. Someone glued these pages in an wrote them with a child's crayon nonetheless.
And this book.... Quarr says throwing it to the floor ... says that an exact copy should be kept back in Absalom..... in Forae Logos!
The little gnomes eyes grow wide in excitement. Finally a true library!
It seems someone has been tampering with these books. No wonder they were so boring.
|
|
"Hah. The gunman didn't even think to bring his own to the book reading? Idiot..." he comments as he pops the cork on his wineskin and guzzles down several ounces of fortified wine.
As the red liquid stains his mustache and beard, Thorgrim rests his elbow on the hilt of his piston maul. He roughly wipes away the lingering rivulets and looks over Quarr's head at the book he is so excited about.
"You find exciting? Blech." Thorgrim comments. "More shadow demons please."
|
|
"If we don't find anything soon, I'm going to have Nigel send out for some beer and entertainment. This is lame and we need a break."
"Whine?" Maximo says to Latheas. He then gestures to a refreshment platter beside him. "Or perhaps some Galtan Brie and or Rasmiran smoked sausage? That reminds me of one of my adventures. Have I told you about the Treacherous Jester of Taldor? In the end you could say the joke was on him! Hah!"
At Quarr's revelation Maximo kicks out of his chair and dons his helm.
"Excellent work master Quarr. Let us away to the Forae Logos post-haste, before Latheas dies of bordom, Thorgrim gets drunk, or Nikomedes roll his eyes so hard they become stuck looking at the top of his skull!"
Maximo stops everyone's complaining by pointing out the significance of the finding: you can now leave this forsaken basement archive and travel to one of the grandest libraries in the area! Granted, this prospect is not as exciting for everyone present.
The Forae Logos is a tremendous building, as much a cathedral as it is a library. Beyond its imposing entry arch stands the grand foyer, an immense chamber of tiered balconies decorated with ancient marble statues, creeping ivy, and an overhead skylight decorated with astrological designs.
In spite of the structure's serene grandeur, a palpable sense of tension hangs in the air. Dozens of heavily armored guards brandishing halberds observe the foyer from the balconies, and few visitors grave the spacious hall, making it feel unwelcomingly empty. "Excuse me!" calls out an immaculately groomed man with a thick Kelish accent, dull orange skin, faintly incandescent tattoos along his neck, and golden eyes that seem to flicker like candlelight. Accompanied by two of the Learned Guard, he swiftly moves to intercept your party.
"I am Second Archivist Qilaus Sandaril of Farae Logos. I regret to inform you that we are in a state of heightened security at the present and can only admit visitors on a case-by-case basis for the foreseeable future."
|
|
Thorgrim will address the man in Hallit once he hears the familiar affectation.
Thorgrim bows his head slightly at the man as he finishes.
|
|
About to introduce himself with flare, Maximo is surprised into silence for a moment by Thorgrim's sudden decision to practice a foreign language. Looking to Nicomedes, he whispers in a stage-aside (meaning he's not really whispering at all). "That sounds quite like Hallit to me. Wouldn't Kelish be the more obvious assumption here with Archivist? Or the civilized tongue of Taldor."
Stepping forward, Maximo drops into a deep bow. "Archivist Qilaus, allow me to introduce myself. Baron Maximo Interresante of Taldor, at your service, and in desperate need of yours this fine day. What is the reason for this heightened security you speak of? As it so happens, we are experts on exterminating trouble from ruins, sewers, lairs, and museums. Libraries should pose little challenge."
|
|
Quarr digs through his bag. We are looking for a lantern of sorts. One that steals one's soul.... He says as he pulls a small lantern out of his pack. ...Kind of like this one. Have you ever seen anything like it in your volumes? Quarr says as he begins to get quite excited holding the lantern as high as he can up to the man.
The man stares dumbfounded at Thorgrim for a minute, his mouth hanging open in confusion until Maximo speaks up.
" What is the reason for this heightened security you speak of? As it so happens, we are experts on exterminating trouble from ruins, sewers, lairs, and museums. Libraries should pose little challenge."
Archivist Qilaus clears his throat and explains, "An unknown party broke into a sealed records wing several days ago. An altercation of some nature occurred, whereby dangerous magic was unleashed. We have contained this effect but have yet to discover the nature of the intrusion or undo the damage."
"The wing houses a collection of magical books with dangerous properties-too many to list in passing conversation. Our preliminary investigation suggested at least one planar breach. We are awaiting the arrival of a specialist from Nex before we proceed further but if you are willing to look into the matter, I would have to get the permission of Head Librarian Brivit Nae. Barring any official warrant of the like, I doubt she would allow visitors."
We are looking for a lantern of sorts. One that steals one's soul.... He says as he pulls a small lantern out of his pack. ...Kind of like this one. Have you ever seen anything like it in your volumes? Quarr says as he begins to get quite excited holding the lantern as high as he can up to the man.
Qilaus leans over and takes a discerning look. "Hmm. I do not know about this but you are welcome to explore the rest of the archives now that you are aware of the security risks recently."
|
|
Niko arches an eyebrow as he regards the man.
Is there a requirement of blind servility to regulation for one to become a librarian?
Sighing, Niko puts on a smile and nods. "Very well. If you would be so kind as to fetch Miss Nae, perhaps we could busy ourselves in the....less hazardous stacks. Could one of your assistants point us in the right direction?"
|
|
Quarr quickly begins to scamper off to look at all of the books before he realizes that he has no idea where he is going.
Hearing Nikomedes question Quarr returns nearly bouncing in place as his wings twitch from excitement. If a passerby didn't know any better he would look like a little child that is about to wet himself unless he finds a bathroom soon.
"Barring any official warrant of the like, I doubt she would allow visitors."
----
Archivst Qilaus nods and snaps his fingers to fetch an assistant curator who shows you to the appropriate area to find the book that you need.
The unwieldy ledger describes a lantern with an intricate metal frame included as part of an estate auction in the Chelish city Kintargo. An anonymous buyer purchased a sizeable lot that included the lantern, and that person in turn donated much of the objects to the Blakros Museum in 4668 ar.
The documentation details the lantern’s legendary ability to absorb the soul of a dying man, and anyone holding the lantern could demand that the imprisoned spirit answer her questions. The stories suggest that it could hold but one soul, and the curator speculates that capturing another might set the current captive free. However, according to the documents, the lantern’s inactive state suggests the powers are either fictional or dormant. You, of course, suspect otherwise.
|
|
Niko give Qilaus a perfunctory bow and follows the assistant to the area with the ledger. After reading the entry, he ponders for a minute, then checks to make sure no one is within earshot, and says. "I could probably forge a warrant yo get us into the other area, or we could send someone back to the Lodge and see if Shaine has some pull with the Grand Council. Any other ideas?"
|
|
"You there! Boy!" Thorgrim barks at the assistant curator. "Fetch Qilaus immediately." the Ulfen man commands of the small, bookish man.
---
Once Qilaus arrives, Thorgrim decides to take point. "We need an audience with the Head Librarian immediately. Take us to her." he says to the man.
He picks up Quarr by the collar of his shirt as the gnome holds out the letter of writ. "This should suffice in place of a warrant."
The curator starts in alarm at Thorgrim's command. "Second Archivist Sandaril, if you please, sir," he mutters as he scurries off to find Qilaus.
Moments later Qilaus returns and looks over the note, his head nodding in understanding. "You may speak with the Head Librarian if you wish but that is not necessary. This is all the authority that you need. Sandaril, would you escort them with a quartet of Learned Guard to the sealed wing? They have graciously offered to help us."
The curator nods and, with the guards, leads the way. Sandaril warns you that the area beyond is not only under the effects of a dimensional lock spell (cast by one of the library’s staff mages), but also whatever unknown fallout that still persist from the battle days earlier.
Second Archivist Sandaril dismisses the ward sealing the wing with a wave of a wand. After sparks cease dancing across the doors, two of the Learned Guard move to pull them open to reveal a ten-foot-wide hallway littered with scorched books and drifting motes of multicolored light. Where the hallway turns, shifting hues of iridescent light drift like oil slicks in the air, accompanied by strange, disembodied noises of distant laughter and whimpering agony.
Sandaril looks anxious as the group enters, and the Learned Guard swiftly shut the door behind you. Soon after closing the doors, Sandaril’s muffled incantation on the other side precedes a final click as the entrance is sealed once more.
This hallway connects the sealed wing to the Forae Logos proper. At the end of the hall there is a foyer filled with a shifting haze of multicolored lights and phantasmal sounds that change in hue and tone at random intervals.
|
|
"Woah! WOAH! WOAH!!" Latheas tries to stop Sandaril before the wards are broken, then quickly draws his bow when it is too late.
"Ah Piddlespot!" Latheas yells again in the library. "Tell us again about the nature of the threat within? From Geb you say? Maybe a gebbering mouther? The undead thing that sucks...a lot? Or was it a band of roving gebbons?"
Latheas begins to armor and magic up.
"Remember, we don't want the books alive. No disintegrations," Latheas wags his finger at Quart.
|
|
Niko acts as if he is not surprised by the mousy librarian's actions, as he pulls out a flask filled will a deep red, almost black substance and drinks it down.
Holding a pistol in one hand and his walking stick in the other, he kneels down and listens at the door.
If he doesn't hear anything unusual, he'll open the door when the team is ready.
|
|
What do you even call a living book?
"A plethora of pages of course!" Maximo replies as though the answer is obvious.
Looking back at the locked door, he makes a "hmmm" sound and reaches into the pockets of his coat, recovering a small vial and metal flask. "I believe a toast to danger is in order here." He raises them both in a jolly salute and drinks.
The effect of the vial produces a familiar glowing mist, but the flask does something quite... transformative.
Color flushes through Maximo's face. As he brushes a hand over it and through his hair, a change comes upon him. His wrinkles and gray hair seem to be wiped away. He suddenly stands taller, his shoulders filling the coat that was before a little loose upon him.
"Onward my friends!"
|
|
"I can get behind that." Thorgrim states as he quaffs from his wineskin. It doesn't seem to have the protective powers of Maximo's blend of extracts, but the Ulfen man enjoys it the same.
"Well, I guess we should move on." Thorgrim says as he draws his piston maul, slots in a Thunderstone and strides boldly to the door.
He looks over the door for a second to see if he can find a weak spot or any traps.
He shrugs either way as he hefts the adamantine maul and slams it into the offending doors, trying to break his way in.
There don't seem to be any traps on the door but before Niko can finish his inspection Thorgrim pushes through to the front and gives the doors a hearty blast to throw them open!
Once a repository for dangerous magical books, the library now resembles a battlefield. Tables are overturned and books litter the floor. Some of these tomes float listlessly in the air as if they weighed nothing, their pages slowly turning by unseen hands. Others lie in smoldering heaps on the floor, arcing with sporadic gouts of electricity or flame. Haunting music fills the library, a mixture of Taldan nursery rhymes and lilting, arrhythmic tunes plucked on invisible strings.
Up around the next alcove you hear a disturbing writhing sound. An animated husk from an enormous spider seems filled with thousands of living spiders that fall from its body like drops of blood. It is surrounded by a murky fog. Horrid shapes form within this cloying green mist, which pulses sporadically and with seeming voracity.
|
|
Niko reflexively scrmables backward as Thorgrim busts the doors open. A look of fury etches itself onto his face and he is about to say something to Thorgrim, when the room catches his eye. Biting down his remark, he squints into the room. "A deathweb and a hungry fog, wonderful." He says dryly, then begins ticking off what he knows of both. "Fire, use fire. Don't let the deathweb infect you, and we need to split them up or destroy the fog first."
Swearing softly, Niko drinks back another extract, causing his outline to become blurry, as he digs out some flasks of alchemist fire from his pack.
|
|
Round 1, Init 20
Latheas flies up 20', trying to stay out of reach of the creepy crawlies.
Know (dungeoneering) -
Know (religion)
Latheas confirms what Niko suggests.
"Fire is good," Latheas says, noting the books and pages flying around. He debates burning the entire place to the ground, but instead releases the arcane energy that boost speed and movement to all.
[ dice]1d20+14+1+2-2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP,-rapid,+bard)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP,+bard)
[ dice]1d20+14+1+2-2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP,-rapid,+bard)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP,+bard)
[ dice]1d20+9+1+2-2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP,-rapid,+bard)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP,+bard)
[ dice]1d20+14+1+2[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP)
[ dice]1d20+9+1+2[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP)
damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP)
|
|
Quarr is absolutely amazed as he sees all of the books floating into the air. But his amazement and wonder is cut short as the foggy spider enters his view.
As Nikomedes and Latheas begin speaking of burning the area Quarr's face turns to shock. But....but....but all of the knowledge here.
His face turns to sadness as his shooulders and wings slump down slighty in defeat. His hands shakily close around a larget vial from his pouch.
I did not want to meet this side of me again for awhile....Pulling the stopper the gnome quickly drinks the contents of his vial.
Just as soon as he finishes he drops the glass container to the ground with a crash as his arm lurches forward and bones begin to snap violently all throughout his body. One of the gnomes arm's grows significantly thinner and longer as the right side of his face begins to harden and shrivel, turning his eye's a fire red. The little gnomes chest heaves and contorts causing Quarr to breath heavy and frantically like a pug dog as his eyes narrow to thin slits.
Speaking his voice changes to a more deeper, feral tone. Fire? You want FIRE! I will give fire! Reaching into his pack Quarr grasps a bomb in each of his hands.
Latheas hastes everyone's movements and Quarr follows Maximo's example by drinking an agent to alter his features.
As Latheas casts his spell, he finds himself fighting against the primal magic in this area. Luckily he is able to control his power and focus into the desired effect.
Thorgrim then strides boldly forward to meet the undead-fog duo in combat! The undead spider abomination lurches forward sickeningly as the fog trails behind.
|
|
Taking a small step forward Quarr begins to cackle madly as his chest heaves. A long line of drool extends from his mouth to the floor as he walks, leaving a small trail of slime like a snail.
With hands moving faster than anyone would have expected Quarr begins to hurl bombs at a blinding speed.
Quarr continues a deep laugh as flames erupt all around the room causing intense heat and smoke to quickly fill the chamber.
LOCK ME IN HERE! LOCK ME IN HERE HAHAHAHA!
|
|
Round 2, Init 20
Latheas 5' flaps to get a clear shot at the deathweb.
to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP,-rapid,+haste)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP)
to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP,-rapid,+haste)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP)
to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP,-rapid,+haste)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP)
to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP,-rapid,+haste)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP)
[ dice]1d20+14+1+2-2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP,-rapid,+bard)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP,+bard)
[ dice]1d20+14+1+2-2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP,-rapid,+bard)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP,+bard)
[ dice]1d20+9+1+2-2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP,-rapid,+bard)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP,+bard)
[ dice]1d20+14+1+2[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP)
magic damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP)
[ dice]1d20+9+1+2[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,-DA,+AP)
damage (+PBS,+DA,+AP)
Quarr's flurry of bombs tear apart the spider! Without the hungry fog to heal it, the husk collapses in a heap of burned spider corpses!
|
|
Thorgrim sees the fog advance slowly and shrugs. "Time for ranged combat, friends?" asks the Ulfen man to no one in particular as arrows and bombs fly over his head.
The Ulfen man drops his piston maul to the ground and he draws a trident from his back with surprising speed. He hefts the forked spear at the Hungry Fog with both hands while taking a single step forward.
As the one releases, the Ulfen man spins on his back heel, grabbing another trident, and chucking it with both hands as well, gaining that extra strength with each rippling muscle.
Finally, the speed granted by Lathy lets Thorgrim grab a third trident and throw it at the Hungry Fog before the man stands upright and pulls a fourth trident into his hands.
As Maximo charges across the floor to get at the evil fog, an arc of flame suddenly leaps up from the floor!
The flames then leap from Maximo to Thorgrim and Latheas!
Despite this Maximo and Latheas easily dispatch the necromantic fog before it has the chance to do anything dastardly!
You are now free to search the wing.
---
Also in this wing there is a room dedicated to the study of the lower planes, particularly Hell and its infuriatingly complex legal system as well as codices on the Abyss and Abaddon. Several of the books are burned beyond recognition, while others are weeping blood into slowly evaporating pools. A palpable presence of dread and desperation fills the entire chamber and spending too much time in this room leaves anyone in a state of despair.
---
Another library room seems largely untouched by the battle that has affected most of the rest of the wing. Bookcases that rise from floor to ceiling line the walls of this spacious library, and the table in the middle of the room is strewn with open books and crumpled notes referencing lists of books and page numbers. These jotting look fairly recent.
All of the books in this vast collection detail the myriad planes. Some of the books here also detail the enigmatic Dimension of Dreams and the creatures that reside within.
---
Another collection in this wing holds myriad books with fantastical titles such as Journey to the Heart of Mnemovore, Prisoners of the Crux, Seekers of Jandalay, and Visions of Herald's Hall. These and more analyze known demiplanes, pocket dimensions, and other interstitial dimensions such as the First World and the Plane of Time.
---
Finally, there is a small library which feels unusually claustrophobic, with its looming shelves rising higher than the room is wide. Books are scattered across the floor, though none of them appear damaged. Rather, this library looks like it was hastily searched.
Most of the books reference features, traits, and inhabitants of the Astral Plane. A handful reference an esoteric plane hidden within the Astral Plane known as the Akashic Record.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Quarrs eyes squint into narrow uneven slits as the fire leaps all about the chamber.
Leaping into the air the little mutant gnome peers all about as he finds the arm under the table.
Diving down Quarr crashes into the table with little grace as he knocks over all of the contents onto the floor. Grasping the human arm he holds it in the air and begins waggling it all about.
With a deeper voice than normal and still breathing quite heavily Quarr holds the severed arm out to the wounded Maximo as if to help the man back to his feet.
Need a hand?
*******************************************************
After a short time of looking around Quarr's mutagen begins to wear off as his features return to normal, well as normal as Quarr is with his green hair and bat-like wings.
With his more destructive side dormant Quarr dives into the pile of books with keen interest once again as he spends the first day looking around at all of the different volumes and titles.
|
|
Maximo vanishes for a moment in the flames. As they subside he reappears, standing with his greatsword as if posing for a portrait. He would look heroic, but wisps of smoke drift from his coat and an ember smolders at the end of his mustache.
"Victory is ours!" He smiles and casually pinches out the ember.
When Quarr approaches with the arm he gives it a Lastwall fist bump before realizing it isn't attached to the gnome. "Shelyn's glaive! What are you doing with that?"
***
Maximo's mutagen wears off sooner then Quarr's leaving him drained and a little cranky and confused. Rather then aid in research this time he gathers some alchemical supplies and brews up another concoction to replenish fill his flask.