"Tomid, the usual please."
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After drinks are had, you are shown to the library. It is a gorgeous room, extravagantly fitted with rows upon rows of black leather bound books inscribed with golden words. The floor and ceiling are made from polished granite, enchanted to look like the night sky. The book are ordered by subject, and this library seems to have an extensive amount of topics to be read. At the centre of the room there is a large open book, resting on a marble pedestal, the blood red letters on it seem to dance as you enter the room. "Here it is! Here it is!" says the boy, excitement pouring out with each word
Bennevy approaches the large book with keen interest. He tries to recall if he has read of any books matching its description.
Tomid makes himself a highball to go and hurries to catch up with the others. Impressed with the room and the sheer number of books he whistles. Counting on his fingers for a moment he gives up and comments That's a lot of books. I wonder if one of um can tell us what is goin on outside?
Sid let out a whistle in appreciation of the sheer number of books and the work needed to write all of them.
Alphabetical order, eh. Let's see what is here under u for undead.
Kiriko look at the opened book carefully, not looking at it directly, as books with moving letters are never good news.
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Bennevy
"Hmm outside, well there are a few books on the lands beyond the city, is that what you wanted?"
Sid make a perception check to find the book you want
"Where it is? They have newer heard of the Dewey system?"
Not finding at first glance what he wanted Sid start a more methodical search.
Bennevy approaches the book and, muttering under his breath in Aklo, moves his hand across his eyes and then over the open pages.
"It is possible to get some book on loan? Or they can be read only here?"
"This tome is an index of all of the books contained in the library. Is there anything specifically you would like me to look for?" Bennevy asks the group.
Kiriko looks thoughtful for a moment "I was always curious about the creatures living under the city, I have heard that there are undead down there and other things even more rare and sometimes even sentient creatures."
Bennevy looks through the list for books on Leshy.
Bennevy nods slightly in Kiriko's direction, and scans the index for titles that may relate to sentient undead.
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Bennevy
Bennevy mumbles the titles several times over until he has fixed them in his mind.
He looks to Kiriko and says casually "The sewers are so dark, like sky during an eclipse. Whatever lives down there would likely kill you as surely as if the block magisters ordered you to be publicly executed. I think the only way to find your way through is to go back the way you and your friends came in the first time. The sewer network is a dark pit. It is ironic to think that some people see them as a refuge from law and order, while others imagine an all-encomassing prison."
Kiriko takes a look at the index herself. After looking she begins to wander through the library, picking books of different subjects to read, including cooking, alchemy, bestiaries, the geography of the city and the books Bennevy mentioned.
Sid is oblivious of the secret communications between Bennevy and Kirico. Fe find a comfortable seat and start reading his two books.
"Tis one is really a good book for a stormy night while sitting with a pipe and some hot cocoa near the fireplace" he say, showing "Societies of the Undead".
"It send that chill down your spine that make you appreciate more the pleasures of life."
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Alright what we'll do is this, for the knowledge you guys want to find, write the question you are finding the answer for, then do the knowledge check for it, given the library and the books you have found topics on the undead and the undergound will have a +4 bonus to it.
Bennevy if you want you can use the knowledge checks you had already rolled instead of rolling new ones
Questions being researched:
Is there any recorded event similar to what happened to our block?
Is there any mention of the people of our world owing allegiance to undead beings beyond our world?
Is there any mention of the people fighting back or rebelling?
What exactly are the beings from outside the world, and what are their vulnerabilities?
*Bennevy will also look for anything resembling spells or magical rites associated with the aforementioned.*
Tomid digs into the books as well. He will try to assist others and also wants to know:
1) Who and/or what was the thing that came into the bar with them?
2) Has such an event ever happened before?
3) What is happening?
4) What can be done about it?
5) Who, if anyone, should they report it to?
Here are some assist rolls.
There are other destroyed or silent towers?
Either Knowledge Geography or Local, both are at +6
Helping Bennevy with his questions:
Is there any recorded event similar to what happened to our block?
Is there any mention of the people of our world owing allegiance to undead beings beyond our world?
Is there any mention of the people fighting back or rebelling?
What exactly are the beings from outside the world, and what are their vulnerabilities?
Helping Tomid
Who and/or what was the thing that came into the bar with them?
Has such an event ever happened before?
What is happening?
What can be done about it?
Who, if anyone, should they report it to?
"It seem I have a knack at finding the right books."
Kiriko puts down her books and starts reading and memorizing passages that seems useful to her.
Creatures matching the description of the undead we talked to.
Rough map of the sewer system
What creatures in the sewer system are edible or have alchemical applications
Common weak points of undeads
Geography of the surrounding city area
Useful cooking recipes (trail rations , food that is easy to store)
Basic theory of necromancy
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So from your collective research you get the following pieces of information:
First there is a large organisation of undead and other worldly beings that live in the moon. Mostly these other creatures are aberrations. These undead have been around for a long time, they seem to take a great interest in keeping the status quo, and seem to intervene whenever something that would upset the way things are, usually by causing a massacre. As such there is a long history of Tower Blocks being purged in this manner, even though it is usually kept quiet, and eventually the Block becomes a Silent Block, and left as a hazard. From what you can gather there are around 500 such blocks throughout the city. Unfortunately there current system does not have an authority to talk to about such incidents, though you could theoretically rope in a noble or two to gain protection or something similar. As for the Undead that was in the bar, from what you read this was a bloody skeleton that was wearing some sort of synthetic skin to appear like a living being, it seems that is a normal practise for the undead organisation. As for common weaknesses of the undead there are two big ones, first they are weak against positive energy which harms them like negative energy would harm a living creature. Secondly many undead are weak against sunlight, while this is not universal those that are weak against sunlight can quickly die or will be unable to do much when in it. From a theological point of view you find that undead are the shadow of life, the opposite, it is believed is that life is freedom and growth, while undeath is oppression and stagnation. Thus all undead are lawful evil and are compelled to subjugate the living to whatever unknown ideals they hold. On the other hand this means that undead are unlikely to attack without some provocation first.
You find a few recipes for trail rations, and a local map for the sewers, though from what you’ve read, the sewer system is extensive, massive and leads to some sort of underground kingdom of what used to be the slaves that helped build the city who were freed or ran away. There aren’t any well known particularly tasty creatures in the sewers with the exception of the sewer shrimp which is a well known delicacy but only rarely enjoyed by the most wealthy and effectively never by anyone else.
How could I have lived all my life in my little block and not known about any of this? Tomid wonders aloud. And what is there to do about it? I am only one small halfling after all. Can I unknow this?
"It's worse than that," Bennevy whispers, so as not to be overheard by their guide. "the Guild and the nobles have been aware of this sort of thing happening before. They have not tried to prevent it, nor have they seen fit to warn the populace before any of these purges. We have been living lives as precarious as your average herd of beef cattle."
" fight or flight"
Kiriko pauses for a moment.
"fight will be difficult at best, we don't stand a chance alone, we would need an organization ourselve."
" flight would be the sensible option, we could lay low in some other part of the city, go into the wild or go down to the realm below."
Bennevy puts up a cautionary hand to quiet the discussion. "Someone is coming," he says.
"Ream below? No thanks."
Tomid hears it too and moves behind a desk and stealths.
Noticing the footsteps Kiriko hides behind one of the bookshelves in a way that allows her to change her position to a lazy leaning without much moving.
"What ... is happening?"
(end in a whisper)
"Hiding, right, like I was capable to do that. We weren't allowed there?"
Bennevy awkwardly tries to move behind one of the shelves.
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Alright you don't wait that long when two creatures enter the room, one is a large foul looking female humanoid, with pale green skin, stretched over her bones with almost nothing between the two, yet dressed in a very expensive and lavish black dress. The second is a small odd shaped flying thing with many little limbs on its underside that end in claws, flying on mosquito like wings. So far it seems they haven't spotted you. What do you do?
Sid state dumbfounded.
What are those?
Feeling completely out of his element he look for the exits and a way to make a hasty departure.
Tomic does not move a muscle. He wants to see what these things do here.
Kiriko scans the creatures, trying to get a feel for their intention and the room for an exit.