I instinctively places himself between Phoebe and the Librarian.
The girl keeps herself in-check... as long as she's not threatened. A library is safe enough.
Phoebe takes a cue from Ianez and Sandru, and powers down.
The librarian hears Ianez out, but sniffs at his request. He taps his temple. "We are thieves. The catalog be in here."
However, he relents and is open to Sandru's entreaty.
He strides over to the bookshelves and retrieves a leather-bound journal. It is written in by an unnamed alchemist who recorded several entries describing pilgrimage to an ancient, abandoned temple of Pharasma, and an observatory known as the 'Tower out of Time'. The journal includes a description of the tower. But the details of its exact location are frustratingly vague.
These pages are bookmarked with a folded piece of paper, scribbled with a faded note reading (see "Running Out of Time" on page 452. Filed under 'Arcane' downstairs.) The note was written by the librarian some time ago, and refers to a book called Running Out of Time: Discourses on Temporal Dynamics, which is kept in the bookstacks.
I am pleased I have contributed more than violence as I stalk across The Desert.
Thank you... Do you have a name? I am Sandru.
"Sandru, might I have an aside?"
"I need to repair the damage my Manservant has taken. I don't know if you remember the initial damage he took to his cognomatrix? It damaged certain precautions I had had installed."
"I have noticed - and I'm sure you have too - that its intelligence has markedly and rapidly increased recently. This has allowed it to activate certain latent skills."
"This workshop has the tools to repair the damage to the cognomatrix, something I believe must be done soon or risk him becoming permanently - and explosively - inoperative."
"I find myself faced with a dilemma, however. My initial precautions would be useless now - far stronger measures would be required. I find myself wrestling with a moral puzzle. Given my feelings about the Doctor - well I have come to you."
"On one hand, I can simply repair the damage properly, in which case there is little doubt his intellect and sentience will continue to advance."
"On the other hand I could use the opportunity to install some much stronger precautions. His intellect would grow a little more, then stop, and over time he would have periods of much less intellect and sentience - periods that increase in duration and frequency. I believe this means there would be no risk of him developing independence"
La Siréene looks around the premises, and then turns to the librarian, casting Persistent Charm Person as she speaks.
"Thanks, for your hospitality. I intend to make use of the crafting equipment, and rest. Do you have masterwork tools fit for crafting magical items?"
Then, she turns to the others.
"Alright, here you go - have a goodberry each. One of these should be enough to satisfy your hunger." La Siréene hands out a goodberry each to Sandru, Phoebe, Caromarc, Ianez, Blackacre, Quinn, and herself, winking at Quinn and Sandru as she hands them their berries.
Would you like one? I offer my berry to the Librarian.
The stoic monk lets the others deal with the librarian. He would rather let his senses expand and take in all that which is hidden from plain view.
Quinn starts to ramdonly look at books, hoping to see anything that might spark an interest, or something that he does not understand.
Blackacre wanders the room briefly, looking over the books.
He wanders back toward the librarian during the discussion of the catalog.
We appreciate your assistance, my good man. I am having trouble placing your accent - the Shackles, perhaps?
I have a couple of questions for you, if you don't mind. The first is about the dwarf who preceeded us - what was he looking for and where did he go?
The librarian takes the goodberry, pops it in his mouth, and chews slowly, savoring the taste.
He turns to Blackacre, "Ya. I am from de Shackles, from a place called Shark Island, northwest of Besmara's Throne and east of Raptor Island. De place is ruled by the pirate lord, Avimar Sorrinash. We oft have troubles from raiding Sahuagin."
The goodberry is delicious, and the man welcomes the chance to talk about his homeland a little bit. He continues on, answering Blackacre's question. "I don't know what de dwarf was looking for exactly. But he seemed interested in dat book you have der, same as you." The librarian pauses and thinks for a moment. "Maybe he searching for same thing as you, but just one step ahead?"
"As for where he went, he was insistent. Very rude. A pain in de backside. I didn't want to deal wit him anymore. So, I think as dat book mentions, I let him into de bookstacks."
Quinn moves over to Sandru and clears his throat. "Ahem." Followed by that he removes his water skin and takes a sip."Throat's a little dry."
The monk tilts his a little, indicating to the half orc to come and follow him. He walks back to the books and pulls one out, reads the title, then places it back in the book shelf. He does this a couple of times to various books on the shelf, not to rile up suspicion, and makes his way to the other end of the room. Once there he whispers to Sandru, "Secret sliding panel here. I'll cover for you."
Can we time travel?
The librarian shakes himself out of his reverie about The Shackles and his run-in with the dwarf.
"Sorry, lady. You asked me a question, I meant to answer you. Yes, de work station over there has masterwork tools." He points to the alcove with the bench and the tools.
At Sandru's question, Phoebe shakes her head. "Not without Agnes. Or until we find the information we're looking for. She said we'd be able to find a way to time-travel on our own...to the doctor hiding in the future, in his pocket dimension. But first we need to find the instructions to learn how that is done."
I meant here, now... five minutes into the past. Gain on that Dwarf. My stride is twice his, maybe... Who else is fast? I move to the panel indicated by Quinn.
Come, Phoebe.
The panel is stuck.
La Siréene moves over to the workbench, inspecting the tools with care. "I'd like improve upon some of my earlier creations. If anyone requires a magic item, I'd be happy to craft it, so long as you provide the materials."
La Siréene looks around at her allies, smiling.
"I'll have some left over once I'm done. I'd be happy to spend them towards crafting something nice for one of you."
Phoebe, please step behind Uncle Quinn. I try again.
I try again.
The manservant - now much more normal looking - notices Sandru playing with something and drifts over, still cleaning.
"Can I help, Sandru? I don't have your way with mechanics, but Master Caromarc has outfitted me with tools"
Phoebe leaves Sandru's side, and approaches Ianez. She leans in close to him. "Sandru wants you to join him," she whispers conspiratorially.
She breaks from him and walks towards the librarian, glaring. No-good, dirty, lying thief, she grumbles under her breath. The oracle shoots a pleading look up to the ceiling, and sighs. For Agnes...
"You've been helpful to us thus far. Such nice hospitality." Though Phoebe tries to play coy, she delivers her lines with angry intensity that undercuts her attempt to play cute. "See my Auntie over there?" she says, pointing to La Siréene busily crafting at the work station. "She's a great crafter, but she hasn't worked with..." She takes a pair of tongs from the table and waves them around, crinkling her nose in disgust. "Oh my god! What is this for? To rip out tongues?"
She refocuses. "See if she needs any help."
"Here, thief," she adds curtly, and tosses Sandru's pouch filled with gems and coin at him. "This will make it worth your while."
The librarian is surprised at Phoebe's direct speech. However, years of living in the Shackles and working for thieves has taught him the virtues of patience and not overreacting. "Big words for such a small girl," he says. "I'm not sure I like you, but I like your friends. So I'll do as you say." He takes the pouch, looks inside, closes it again, then turns to La Siréene. He watches silently over her shoulder for several minutes.
Finally, he clears his throat. "Lady, how's it going?" he asks. "You need anything?"
Ianez nods to the librarian and makes his way over to Sandru. "You called?"
I verily glare at the Manservant. Then, I activate a power of my shadow armor... as I stare at La Siréene's back, before replying to him.
I whisper. Go get... modified. Quinn, Phoebe, Ianez will follow the dwarf once the Librarian is, helping La Siréene. Please tell Caromarc... discretely. Blackacre should stay with you.
Ianez hears my exchange with the construct.
Keeping an eye on Phoebe's progress, I can't help but be proud.
La Siréene smiles, first at Sandru's plan, then at the librarian.
"Why, yes, thank you. Weaving the spells, now, that I have no problem with, but these tools are not familiar to me. Might you assist me in handling them as I work?"
La Siréene brandishes her headband, sets it steady an apparatus apparently more fit to lock limbs in place, then waves at the librarian absentmindly to hand her a precision engraving tool. "Hand me a… lets say a 5 by 13.“
La Siréene sets to work.
"First, we'll improve this headband. Then, we'll set to work on some little trinkets for the rest of my group, as needed."
As soon as Phoebe returns, Sandru takes her hand and slips through the panel-opening.
, 30 hidden/secret, 32 traps.
You step through the panel, and descend down a dark, cramped stairwell. The ceiling is low overhead. The steps are narrow. It takes careful effort not to lose your balance and tumble down them. At the bottom of the stairs is a gap in the wall. It opens up into a large, underground vault.
This appears to be the library's collection...the real collection...what the journal and the librarian referred to as 'The Bookstacks'. There are large bookshelves on either side of the room, arranged in rows, with an aisle running down the center. Books are organized and filed under different subject headings, encompassing the entire scope of knowledge in Golarion, or at least in Ustalav. This sea of tomes is vast in number. You see walls of paper, as far as the eye can see.
The room is dimly lit. There's a thick layer of grime and cobwebs covering all of the books. There is no one else in the room. There are no traps nearby. Sandru, Quinn, Ianez, and Phoebe enter the bookstacks near the rows labeled 'R1' and 'R7'.
__________________
Ianez draws a dagger and intones a quick cantrip before beginning his search. In response, the dagger's blade begins to glow.
Blackacre nods at Sandru and proceeds to aid Ianez in his search.
Quinn helps in the search but also casts Detect Magic to pinpoint anthing arcane.
It immediately becomes apparent that the bookstacks are so vast, and so dusty, that the only way to search them is one row at a time.
As the extent and scope of the Anaphexian holdings becomes apparent to him, the archaeologist gazes upon the assembled lore with an almost palpable hunger. "By all the gods, living and dead and in between...I have dreamed of a place like this, but I never thought it existed. Never."
Quinn does a slight gasp at the sight of this place then begins to start casting. He casts a Light spell on the tip of his bow and as he moves towards the right casts Detect Magic.
An intriguing tale, but not very useful for your purposes. This row is filled with interesting things. However, you do not find the book about time travel.
Quinn searches one of the rows, and discovers that it's filled with archival materials that are packed for storage and inaccessible. They are impossible to browse. This isn't what he's looking for.
Ianez emerges from the depths of the Planes stacks, rubbing his eyes. "It was not to be found there. I think I had better play to my strength, then." He makes his way up near the entrance and begins to look over the History shelves.
Where do I start?