|
Thanks to Tatiana's crowd navigation skills and Aramil's Taldan diplomacy, party was able to reach massive gates of Academy pretty quick. As they knocked, deep echo feels the hall and then young Taldan man appears.
"Greating to you, dear visitors. I am Tobias, how can I help you tonight? What brings you in our library, when best of the famous taldan bards are eager to demonstrate their performance for you?"
|
Tatiana pulls out the scroll tube that contains the letter allowing admittance to the library, then hands it over to Tobias. With a warm smile, Tatiana begins explaining the group’s eagerness to access the library. We are here to enjoy the opportunity to delve into some of your wonderful library’s vast knowledge.
|
|
Tobias checks Arch-Exarch's letter and looks at unexpected visitors:
"OK, this paper is pretty clear, so you are allowed to enter. Please, leave your cloaks or any dirty stuff you have here and follow me."
While walking through the hallway, he describes basic rules:
"No food in the library. Wash and wipe your hands before touching books. Some of them are very old, so do not carry them open. Put them on table before opening. Keep your workplace clean. Behave yourselves quietly. You will not be disturbed, but you should not disturb others. Don't make me come and give you warnings. You should live library as soon as concert ends."
As he spoke, group passed several doors, table with comfortable chair and small everburning torch of intricate form, with several papers and open books , than made couple turns and then Tobias opened a big door for them.
"This is a rare books section. Enjoy your time here!"
A large table stands at the center of this large room, whose walls are lined with rows upon rows of inset shelves. A set of double doors is the only way into the room, and two stone statues depicting bearded scholars with open books are the only other decorations.
|
As the clerk leaves, Onyo glances around the room, overwhlemed by the ammount of voumes and potential knowledge surrounding them. He quickly grabs at the first book he can find and starts to open it before he stops himself. Wait. We must try to complete the mission first. Then opportunities to exploit this chance can be indulged. Quicker we find what we're looking for, more chance to persue own interests.
Onyo rasps out to his comrades as he slips his illusion card underneath the central table. "So, the clock has started. Must be efficient. If our intelligence thinks this archive can be found through 'honor, courage, and glory', likely referring to military. Any of you experts on warfare, or the Whispering Tyrant's battles? Might be prudent to begin our efforts there."
As he speaks, he moves about the stacks, scanning about trying to find any tomes focusing on warfare and the Crusades.
|
|
Most of the books in this section were workbooks of famous composers, original copies of musical treatises, and withered manuscripts describing various operatic traditions from beyond the Taldan empire. Despite their academic value, the texts here were of little use in completing the Pathfinders’ mission, but they took all Tatiana's imagination and she jumped deep into concealed details of well-known art pieces.
As Onyo started looking for any clues, he found out that bookshelf on north-west wall of is a door of secret passage, but it will probably bring a lot of noise to brake it down.
While Odmar checked statues, he found out that only the western statue’s book actually have any words: a column of words that reads “Innovation, respect, knowledge, courage, integrity, honour, excellence, glory”.
Meanwhile, agents could hear a distant sounds of orchestra started to play some intricate tune. Tatiana put away book she was reading and announced, that party still have couple minutes, before performance starts.
|
|
"Here! Bookshelf mobile, of sorts. It is concealing something, must be a trick or catch to manipulate it." Onyo reports to his comrades. He pores over the shelves in front of him, crouching and hopping up to see if he notices a release of some sorts.
Taking a step back from the shelf to give others a chance to inspect it, the Wayang pushes himself upwards to see what the northman had been glanicng at. Hmm, odd inscription. Bit repetitive. Onyo scribbles down the words on a scrap from his pocket. I,R,K,C,I,H,E,G. Perhaps an accrostic?
|
Odmar tries to touch "Glory" with the stylus. If that doesn't work, he will move the stylus from edge to edge to see the movement boundries and try to touch all the words just to see what happens and even if that is not the case, he will try to outline the words with the stylus(starting with Glory, of course).
"People around here sure know how to make hidden mechanisms. Does anyone have some knowledge in engineering? I think, it could be helpful in this case."
|
|
With Onyo's advice, Odmar understood how it works. When he touched words in correct sequence, quiet knock could be heard from a bookcase side. Light touch and agents saw, it swinging around, opening 15-foot long passage to a spiral staircase leading downstairs.
And suddenly, everything goes silent. It seems you can even hear your own heartbeat for a moment, when drums start a thundering staccato of performance intro.
|
|
Odmar found nothing suspicious. Looks like this passage is used from time to time, but not often, probably once or two per week. Some kept the hallway clean and spiral staircase descending into underground was in good condition. It is nice contrast, comparing to half-ruined stairwells and trashed passages usually seen in the undergrounds.
|
|
Onyo allows himself a smug smirk and slicks his frazzled hiar back. "Of course. Rudimentary access point triggered by minimal linguistic cypher. Our intellignece assisted, but Taldoran obsessions with prestige add to predictability. Perhaps this mission will not be as formidable as feared."
Onyo pokes his head forward and glances around. "Clean in here. Could be due to Taldan formality. Could also indicate frequent use, occupation. Perhaps someone with more common ethnicity or a honeyed-tongue should lead. I can follow directly of course."
As the rest of his companions jostle into position, Onyo examines the backside of the swinging bookcase, looking to see if it can easily be opened from the inside. Those illusion cards are quite ingenious, but still won't help when they're next to a left-open door giving ourselves away.
|
|
Tatiana removes the folded pathfinder banner from her belt pouch, then refastens it the pole. After securing the banner she takes out her illusion card and places it under one of the chairs.
Flag-bearer As long as you hold your clan, house, or party’s flag, members of that allegiance within 30 feet who can see the flag (including yourself ) gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws against fear and charm effects. You must hold the flag in one hand in order to grant this bonus. If the standard is taken by the enemy or destroyed, this bonus becomes a penalty, affecting all creatures that the bonus previously affected for 1 hour (or until you reclaim the lost flag).
|
|
Upon entering the darkness, Tatiana makes an intricate gesture with her hand, and then speaks a few words in her native Varisian language. “Convoca lumina interioar”
After her brief verbal command, a small whelp of light forms on the flagpole in her left hand.
|
|
Behind the door a long stone hallway stretched from north to south with several sets of doors along its east and west walls. The south wall bears a 10-foot-square field of carved divots that create no particular pattern. An inscription above the carving reads “The keenest eyes cannot see everything. Always remember to see the big picture.”
|
|
Bah, more hallways. We came here for books, not stonework Onyo grumbles to himself. His long ears perk upwards, trying to catch any snippets of the orchestra above. Very quickly however, he starts fidgeting and brushes forward, nearly tripping over the bottom of his robe as he does so.
"Come on, we must be quick about this. Much to discover and too little precious time for delay." Onyo waddles up to the first door in the hallway and gives it a quick scan. Then , he opens it.
|
|
"Well?...what are we waiting for?" Flash follows Onyo and stands besides him at the door, with small clay pot in one hand and his pick in another. Whispering to Onyo, Flash says, "If there are any baddies inside, THIS will take care of them.." He flips the clay pot in the air and catches it as he speaks.
|
|
Onyo, Aramil and others were looking for books. And they found them behind set of double doors leading south.
Thousands of books line the dozens of shelves in this high-ceilinged library. Several tables and chairs near the center of the room provide a place to read quietly, and five rows of pew-like benches are facing towards complete darkness in the other end of this room.