"Very well, Master McDarrow," Taltōsh said with a bow. He glided off to research what he could find out about the amulet, The Grey Novel, and if there are any references to a vampire named Nikolai.
Taltōsh perused the tomes and scrolls of The Great Library at great length, cross-referencing manuscripts if necessary, and asking for help from the librarians when necessary.
The sage couldn't find any references in the historical texts he examined, but felt that the tomes on mystical objects were most illuminating.
Adriel rolled his eyes.
Very well. If we must.
Adriel collaspes into a chair exhausted with his efforts. How he hated study.
Despite quite a bit of natural talent he and books didn't get along.
Taltōsh perused the tomes and scrolls of The Great Library at great length, cross-referencing manuscripts if necessary, and asking for help from the librarians when necessary.
The sage couldn't find any references in the historical texts he examined, but felt that the tomes on mystical objects were most illuminating.
Arasmes starts out with good intentions. Reasoning that a relevant book might have a magically concealed passage he calls on his Mark for help, and wanders around the library looking for any sources of magic that are bound to a book.
Finding a book with an aura he takes it to a small room and starts poring over the dry, boring Osiriani text.
Books. Why did it have to be books?
Fighting back his natural urge to sleep he doesn't notice at first when the candle goes out.
So Boring.
He starts to blink. The blinks become longer.
He yawns a little.
His blinks slow.
Yawns again.
Dark
Yawn.
Warm
...
Dark
...
It is with a start that Arasmes wakes up some hours later.
Going to the custodians of the library, Yolk asks them if they can help him gather books related to a man named Nikolai, any associations with archaeological digs and a recovered amulet and finally any information regarding the Grey Novel.
After he's done talking to the custodians, Yolk casts detect magic and walks around the library while concentrating on detect magic trying to identify magical books and gather them for the purposes of doing research on them.
After gathering all of the books and piling them onto a table for everyone to read. He begins the laborious task of researching yet another library.
Gryfford puts the flyer in his pocket.
Glancing around him, he seems to look for something.
He's soon found just what he looked for, at 600 paces from him: an enormous granite statue in the semblance of a minotaur roaring at the sky, his mighty fists clutching around the haft of an elaborate mace of curious design.
Some stairs have been carved in the statue and they get up from the base, leading between the horns of the granite beast.
Gryfford goes to the base of the minotaur and begins the ascent. Soon he reaches the top.
There he takes in the sight of the city, with its skyline dotted with many strange grand monuments and the colossal mass of the bridge overshadowing a good part of the city.
The swordsman is visibly impressed.
I could lose myself here...
That thought is strangely comforting to him.
"I wish you could see it, dad. It's so big... so big... It's the biggest city I've ever seen" he says to the wind.
Then he sees it: the rundown part of the city, its colours bleak, its aura of quiet despair unmistakable amid the more gallant neighborhoods.
"And here it is, Sharpest ! There's one in every city: the quarter of tears, like dad used to say. Where the downtrodden and hopeless go to stay apart from the others."
Gryfford looks at the sun to check the hour.
Well, it's almost noon. Plenty of time to go look for that pale son of a b&*!&, that monster Nikolaï.
Gryfford goes down the minotaur's stairs, and takes the direction of the seediest part of the city.
Library
Angus heads off in his own direction. Yolk seems to gather quite a few of the right books, giving you an advantage of narrowing down where you need to search. After hours of studying. You meet back up at the entrance of the library and Angus. turns and says, "Did you find anything of use?"
Gryff
You don't directly find anyone who's heard of a Nikolai. In fact you meet a couple who's son is named Nikolas, but when you meet him you know that's not who you're looking for. As you travel through the city on your journey you see what appear to be two tough looking men starting to cause a scene with a vendor. "I said it's time you paid up!" The vendor cowers before them. "I...uh..don't have the money... please tell him I'll get it too him as soon as I can."
Gryfford pauses and ponders:
Racket in progress... If I intervene and I cut them down, they (or their friends) will come back when I'm not around anymore, and they will take it out on the vendor...
Still, it's always tempting to bash some ill-behaved heads in... But no ! that's not why I'm here for.
Gryfford sighs.
After his extensive research, Taltōsh was ready to share his discoveries with the others.
In answer to Angus' question, the sage replied, "With Yolk's much appreciated help, I located three tomes that should prove valuable."
"The first is titled 'The Darkest Arcana: A Guide to Creating Zombies.'
"The second: 'Vampires, Werewolves and the Lich'."
"However, this book was the most interesting."
Taltōsh flourished a book titled 'Magical Jewelry: A Firsthand Archaeological Account'.
"Apparently, there was an amulet imbued with planar magics that is said to open a portal to the plane of shadows. It is a purple gem whose largest dimension is about three inches, that glows with a reddish-purple hue."
Pausing for effect, he then concluded with, "It is called the 'Dark Eye'."
Adriel, who continued to look bored, walks over.with a.book in hand.
He nonchalently drops it on the table.
Found Angus Macdarrow in that one. It points to an abandoned structure not far from Sandpoint. I traced the Map and wrote directions on a piece of parchment.
Arasmes pulls out the book, Temples of Golarion, that Angus found for him, as well as Nikolai's map.
"Sandpoint, sandpoint..."
He mutters, cross referencing the various locations.
"Huh." says Arasmes
"My eyes are killing me. Can someone confirm that these do all match? If so, looks like Nikolai's mark is the abandoned structure Adriel found, which is an old Temple."
Taltōsh peered over Arasmes' shoulder to examine the maps.
"Yes, Arasmes, they do. Hmm... intriguing."
"Would that be where our original vision took place?"
Unknowingly twirling his beard between his fingers causing a mass of knots.
As each of you discuss what you found Angus pipes up, "How very odd. The Dark Eye you say? Hmm, I don't think that it was the building we saw in the vision. My father told me stories of an old took refuge in when he was first in this land. It doesn't sound like the vision, but it does seem to be located where this ruin is..." He trails off and looks deep in thought.
"Anyway we ought to be getting back to the temple, we can have some dinner and find out if our missing companion discovered anything on his own."]
"Aye, let's get to it then." Yolk says, trying to smooth his knotted beard.
"Very well, Master McDarrow," Taltōsh replied, as his head turned to give him a final glance at the many books of the library.
Perhaps it is for the best, he thought wistfully. One could get lost amongst so many books.
"Dinner? Is it that late? I must have..." slept "...read longer than I thought. I need to get into town!"
He turns to Yolk
"Good job finding that book Yolk! Wish I'd had a study partner like you when I was a student!"
Mmm...yes. Well done Taltosh.
In truth Adriel was relieved to be going home.
Let's hope no one else has fallen in our absence.
As you exit the library, you pick your way through the city. You find that going down the massive staircase is much easier than the climb up it. You reach the temple just as the sun reaches the horizon. You encounter Gryff who arrives about the same time that you do.
After dinner you each head to your separate quarters in the temple.
"Greetings, Gryfford. Did your day proceed smoothly?" Taltōsh inquired of the warrior.
To the cleric, the sage replied, [b]"My thanks."
When he entered his room, Taltōsh cast detect magic upon the vial.
"It was smooth enough, Taltōsh. Magnimar's an interesting city : they even have an arena ! But I learned nothing about Nikolaï or the amulet. I hope you've been luckier than me."
"Indeed. We've learned about an amulet called the 'Dark Eye' that is purported to allow travel to the plane of Shadow."
"Also, a map of a location near Sandpoint that may be relevant."
"The Plane of Shadow ? How sinister !"
"I had planned to fight here, in the arena, but if we have enough informations, it's better than we act quickly on it."
"So, we leave tomorrow morning and go back to Sandpoint ?"
Arasmes slinks out of the temple, carrying his dog in a sack and leaving behind a "Out to meet friends. Back later. A" note.
Gryfford, I hope that you are doing well and that you are staying safe. I have little to occupy my time here now that Master McDarrow isn't around. To tell the truth I'm probably shirking my duties more than I ought. Oh well, please return safely and soon. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you. -Alia
You sense an aura of Abjuration coming off this vial(due to your CRIT) you also are able to identify this as a potion of protection from evil. ;)
Arasmes:
You leave the temple and make your way down into the lower district you get less and less strange looks the farther down you go. You see a hanging sign with a dwarf in a pot of water. As you enter the old tavern you see it's quite crowded. The bartender is a young elven lady and she is passing out dark colored drinks to various patrons.
Well, well. What have we here.
Grabbing some dinner, Yolk quietly goes back to his room.
Arasmes smiles charmingly at the young bartender,
"Beautiful night tonight!"
He places some silver down on the bar and still smiling says "Tell me when this runs out."
"Well" Gryfford says "I'm going to bed. I'm sure the next days will be interesting enough that I'd better be well rested."
Gryfford salutes his comrades and retires for the night.
With Sharpest besides him on the couch, the swordsman falls asleep smiling while rereading the small scripted note he found in his bedroom earlier.
No doubt he makes sweet dreams.
"Master McDarrow, while it seems we may be ready to return to Sandpoint on the morrow, do you think there is more to learn here before we leave?" Taltōsh asked the paladin.
Arasmes:
The bartender takes your coin and smiles broadly and puts a glass of some green liquor in front of you. She then turns back and begins helping other customers. As you look around the room you can tell this tavern attracts a very strange crowd. There are a group of kobolds sitting at a table to your right. Along the left wall what appears to be a coven of witches are looking through a book and laughing periodically. Time passes, and patrons begin to leave and it gets less and less crowded. Eventually you think that the mysterious host must have changed their mind a Minotaur wearing leather armor carrying a large axe on his belt walks up and taps you on the shoulder. He leans down to look at you and speaks in what he must think is a whisper, but is still quite loud."Are you Arasmes?"
Taltōsh headed to Angus McDarrow's quarters to ask him about returning to Sandpoint.
Arasmes looks up at the Minotaur.
And up. And up.
In for a penny...
Smiling, and trying - unsuccessfully - to look confident and relaxed, while radiating an aura of danger, Arasmes leans back, puts his boots up and looks up at the giant figure above him.
"That I am, friend. I'm waiting here to see a woman about a dog. Care for a drink?"
Arasmes
The Minotaur looks down at you and smiles slightly, " You're funny little man, I've been told to take you to meet someone." His hand rests on the axe and continues smiling.
"By all means, lead on!"
Arasmes stands up, picking up his sack of dog with one hand.
Damn. I hope he isn't with Lamashtu.
"Yes, Master McDarrow. It should be most suitable when we face Nikolai. Good evening." With that, the hooded sage withdrew to his own room to retire for the evening.
You follow the Minotaur through the tavern to a back door he knocks three times and you hear a knock in response. The door opens and the hulking figure ushers you into the room then stands guard outside. Inside the room is a cloaked figure sitting at a table.
As you approach the figure slides back the hood of the robe revealing the young woman from the bordello the night before. She waves her hand and offers you a chair. "Please sit, Your comments weren't lost last eve, but perhaps a bit of tact would do you good. Not everyone needs to know your motives." She smiles slyly...
"I'm sorry about that."
Arasmes smiles disarmingly and sits down
" I'm not used to all this cloak and dagger stuff."
"I am Arasmes, child of Izora, child of Kemnebi - Blood Lord of Geb."
"I don't need to know who you are - really are, or anything that would get you in trouble with the local law. I'm working with a strange bunch at the moment, one of whom is a Paladin, so the less I know the better."
Looking earnestly in Elowain's eye Arasmes continues
"Have you heard of a Haemovore named Nikolai?"
The young woman smiles at you. "For all intents and purposes you may call me Elowain. Your appearance at the bordello last night was most interesting. I refrained from saying anything then, because it wasn't the appropriate place..." She pauses and listens to your question.
"Nikolai?" she tries to appear calm, but it is clear she is somewhat unsettled.
"That is a name I haven't heard in a long time. I'm sorry but I must go..." She hastily dons the hood of the cloak and begins to stand up.
"Wait!"
Arasmes stands quickly, one arm outstretched
"I think Nikolai is going to start a war - I need to know what you know!"
She hesitates for a moment, then rushes forward, "If it is what you think it is, then the world is gonna get much smaller darling. Let me look into something and I'll let you know what I find." she smiles again unconvincingly, then makes for the door.
"He must really scare you. Would sanctuary in Geb make a difference?"
She smiles back at you, her confidence seems to have increased.
"It is not him I fear, but what he stands for. Do not worry about me, I will be fine, as I said I must speak with colleagues. I will contact you again soon."
She winks and then breezes out the door.