"Strong assessment. A cautious approach means determining the nature of these books."
Purpose Creche steps out of the observation room, sits cross legged on the floor, and spreads the books before him.
Purpose tries to reach out to the books to seek who handled them, but finds his divination efforts rebuffed. The Spellcraft portion still works. The necromancy effect is preserving the books, and the abjuration aura is explosive runes on one particular book.
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Joli emerges from the water and shakes his head. "It seems the force of my tongue lashings is much greater in the water. Let the fishies beware!"
His chest puffs up a bit until he looks again toward the water elemental. "If such a one is vulnerable, our foes could have ensorcelled any of us." He scrutinizes his companions. Unable to look most of them in the eye, he hops up to hold their gaze, if briefly.
"Hm. You all seem pretty normal to me." Well, if you can call any of us normal.
Purpose Creche cocks his head at the books.
"Hm. An utter lack of psychic impression. But these," he says, unfurling two pale fingers onto their covers, "are magically preserved."
"This." The fingers curl up to join their comrades, all of which then flare outwards. "This will explode if opened. I will leave it for now."
He gingerly places the trapped book in his pack, then glances through the remaining two.
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These books primarily contain complicated research into constructing new ioun stones and different ways to incorporate them into items for combat such as gauntlets, armor, and weapons, while other manuals discuss applications where ioun stones are built into homes and other buildings in constructions called matrixes. These matrixes could do things like sustain the inhabitants without them having to eat or drink, provide magical power to other devices in the building, and increase physical and mental strength and stamina, among other things. There is also a spellbook.
”Extremely interesting. Incorporating ioun stones into equipment. Architecture. Possible applications in the immediate future.” He closes the books. ”But not now. What is upstairs?”
He again draws his bow and moves cautiously to the foot of the stairs.
Joli shrugs and quietly joins his wooden friend in slinking up the stairs.
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Toby, eager to be away from the weird tank and the freshly=bathed elemental, follows up the stairs.
You climb the stairs to the third floor. Almost the entirety of this floor is open. A ramp rises from the second floor along the southwestern wall of the chamber. In the center of the room is a vast tank of water with transparent walls and no floor that extends down to the story below. A single transparent door with an opaque handle is built into the eastern face of the tank. Just east of the tank is a much smaller transparent chamber with a similar door. This one contains no water, however, and a blanket is hung casually over the open door. On the floor nearby are some damp blankets, and pots and bowls that contain picked-over rations and the remains of partially eaten fish.
Two humans clamor to their feet as you enter. A red-haired woman with green eyes and a tall man with a bushy mustache and a square jaw stand in front of you. They both look starved and soaked and, oddly, their skin is transparent, revealing muscle tissue, organs, and sinew threaded by spidery veins and capillaries pulsing with blood. Once-thick hair lies damp and plastered to their skulls, all the more horrific due to the lack of visible skin. The only evidence of skin is a glistening patina coating flesh never meant to be exposed.
The woman speaks. "Have...have you come to rescue us? Did you kill the skum?"
Purpose Creche lowers his bow. "We killed the skum. We're here to help." He cocks his head. "Are you Eliza Haniver? The celedons said she never returned from this tower." Cautious of domination, he scrutinizes their reactions.
Joli steps forward and bows. "Yes. As he said. We come from the settlement, under order from Ramona Avandth. We would free you, tis true. I'm Joli!" He gazes into their eyes, taking their measure. "What are your names?"
Are you walking jellyfish?
Silt peers at their transparent skin, to see if he notices any more detail.
"Yes, my name is Eliza. And this is Rayland. The Bountiful Venture Company...that feels like a thousand years ago. They've done...they've done something to our minds. The skum, they kept us prisoner here. But you...you've come to rescue us! Thank Erastil!"
"Eliza. Rayland. Well met. Why don't we go outside to talk. Some fresh air might do you some good." Joli walks forward with a smile on his face, hugging the walls as he goes. He leaves his rapier in its sheath.
Joli… jellyfish die. They die in air. Jellyfish never leave their skin, which is the water.
Silt ruffles his hat, trying to think. These, they are diseaed. He looks at the floor. We cannot help them. He clutches is fist. Not yet…
No! Jellyfish are puddles in air. So these will be, too. Silt gestures at the humanoids. We can cure these when we can find a way to cure disease, or make the skinless walk in the sun. Silt pauses to think, then points downward . Until then? They must live like anemone.
"We could walk along the coast. Joli could prayersong for water. The disease may not be an impediment. But." Purpose Creche extends his hands, palms up, and spreads his fingers in a conciliatory gesture. "Eliza. I am sorry, but I must ask. 'They've done something to our minds.' Who are they. What have they done."
"I don't...I don't know. I saw the tower from where I met the statues. They didn't know what it was, but I wanted to see. There weren't skum here then...I came to this floor, I opened that tank," she gestures to the small tank next to Rayland, "and then it all goes fuzzy..."
"Indeed, there is much water to be found around the island. I've found some very nice freshwater streams if you prefer." Joli ponders a moment, recalling the research his friends have shared with him. "Eliza, do you know what happened to Una? Barnabas?"
He examines both of the colonists, trying to assess their readiness for battle.
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”Why would you open that tank?” Cedar narrows his eyes. ”And was Rayland here when you arrived?”
Cedar scratches his chin. ”We’ve read of conflict in the settlement. Weren’t the two of you working in opposition? How coincidental that you’re now here, together...”
Cedar detects for magic on the two of them.
"I found a key downstairs. And it seemed like there was someone in there. I thought maybe it was a human survivor. Can you imagine what they could tell us! But I don't remember much after that...working in opposition? I don't know...I don't know what's been happening."
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"Eliza, Rayland, we do wish to help heal what they've done to your minds. Perhaps you could put down your arms, that we might give you the care you deserve. You're safe with us!" Joli beams, looking to Cedar to back up his claim.
I think it likely this will come to blows. I hope we can find a way to free their minds.
Eliza sets down her longspear, but Rayland stands stiffly in position.
"I know he's acting strangely, but he just hasn't handled this situation very well. They've been doing...things to our minds."
"I'm sure Father Easy can help with any mental distress. Let's return to the colony. We'll keep you safe on the way. And I can help carry your belongings." Purpose Creche slowly walks to the longspear and crouches to pick it up.
"Father...Easy? Well, I'm happy to come back to the village. We should be cautious though...there could be more skum."
"A colonist. Erastilian clergyman. Purpose Creche twines his fingers around the spear's haft. He turns his perception inwards; his curling grasp is a focal point, drawing him down the iron spiral of his mind. But his inner eye sees nothing but a faintly glowing white field extending in all directions.
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Silt is suspicious… But he is also thinking a lot about jellyfish.
"Listen, it's great to meet you and all, but...could we maybe finish this conversation outside? This place is creepy, and the sooner we're out of it the better."
"Yes, of course. Tell me more about the village. How many people are there now? You said Ramona is the leader now?"
Silt slowly counts on his fingers, but gives up. Too many for Silt to count, along with one Karl. We don’t fear the Skum.
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Did I say that?
"So you know Ramona then? Things are coming along quite well. We're establishing a pub, for entertainment and morale. But it's not really our job to count the people. Our job is to protect them. We've banished all kinds of threats. Grindylows, chokers, skum, of course, and some strange brain sucking creature."
Joli walks to Cedar and puts a hand on his leg. ”But we really should talk about this later once we’ve cleared your minds up. Shall we go?" He squeezes a bit too hard, pressing towards the door.
"Certainly! I'm happy to see the end of this place."
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Just east of the tank is a much smaller transparent chamber with a similar door. This one contains no water, however, and a blanket is hung casually over the open door.
Silt will walk over and push the blanket aside, but not step in. Is there anything to see in here upon closer inspection?
While he walks over to the chamber, he looks over his shoulder and asks, How will we keep you wet the whole way back? Jellyfish die in hot sun.
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As Silt walks over to the small tank, Rayland stiffly puts an arm out to stop him.
Purpose Creche steps forward, though he does not brandish the spear."Rayland. What is in the tank?"
Silt pushes past and throws aside the curtain
Silt tears away the blanket, revealing a magical symbol inscribed on the door. There are suddenly two each of Rayland and Eliza, who bellows, "Bloody hell, Rayland, if your mind weren't so weak, we almost had them!" There is a sudden tension on both humans, as though something outside their control was winding up both of them.
Joli
Toby
Silt
Eliza
Cedar
Rayland
Purpose