|
The door is locked. As Aramil tried to open it, party heard a deep laugh. "Not so fast, curious minds," said Lion, "The area behind this door is meant for Lion Blades. Administrator will be dissapoined if I will let anyone go there."
He paused for a moment and then, probably, he had an idea: "Let's say you earn your passage with a clever riddle: the answer should be Guardian, Taldor or Lion. Or something else, equally great and noble, like me."
|
"A riddle, hmm? Very well, you're on" says Aramil with a sly grin on his face. After a few moments he looks back at the lion and says "All right, how about this?
Born a prince, but not destined to be king.
He must fight for his title against claw, hoof, and wing.
No one gives him crown, for he must grow his own.
None can steal it, for it is his and his alone.
Few see his as arrogant but all know him and his pride,
For all see him as the king in the land where he resides."
|
As Onyo walks, he turns over the passage from the Venture Captain in his mind.
NWYZNFCFMMPGPCFIJFTIF? No, can't be right. Error in translation: has to be flaw in my perspective.
Stopping next to Tatiana, the Wayang opens his mouth to ask the woman for advice with the cipher, but catches himself. Maybe best to wait until away from the Lion. Intelligence hints at unexpected power, and creature/creation/thing appears to be quite loyal to Taldor. Inadvisable to hint at Lodge subterfuge within its presence.
His thoughts are interrupted by Aramil's boldly proclaimed riddle. Onyo cracks a thin smile as it concludes. Hmm. Florid, and don't understand opening line. Still, a fair enough composition.
|
|
"Oh, this is great riddle," Guardian seemed to be flattered, "you have cunning mind and talent for oratory. Have you considered becoming a Lion Blade and fight for the glory of Taldor against unseen foes, that can not be confronted directly?"
Meanwhile, Tatiana heard a quiet knock and door opens. Long stone hallway behind that terminates in an ascending spiral staircase to the east. Doors line the hall on the north and south.
|
Odmar, all of a sudden, went into the reading the book so much, that when he rose his head he didn't find anyone around him. He quickly placed a book back and returned to the big library room.
"Hey! Sorry, I got a bit carried away. Did I miss anything?"
As he saw the opened door, he moved inside and looked around.
"Well, I guess we start at the beginning" and he went to the door at the end of the corridor and opened it.
|
|
As guys opened door, they saw small and simple quarters that are sparsely decorated with only simple furniture and a stoic portrait of Grand Prince Stavian III. Room is kept tidy, but there were still a few signs of daily wear and use such as a small tray bearing the remains of a meal on the desk.
The few possessions here are of little value to the Pathfinders. More interest to them is a middle-aged woman, sitting at the desk and repairing a book. As she heard the door opened, she turned her head and Pathfinders were able to see a cloth blindfold covering her eyes. Portrait
She speaks quietly: "Hello, friends! How could I help you?"
|
|
Onyo starts at the sound of a woman's voice. The Wayang tenses. Unfortunate, if not unforeseen. Had hoped to avoid detection entirely. Must have words with Venture Captain over definition of 'secret' archive.
Looking past Odmar and Aramil, Onyo relaxes, slightly, as he gets a glimpse of the librarian. Well at least perception impaired. Thank the Eye for small favors. He stands in the doorway and sublty attempts to clear his throat before speaking, straining to smooth out his typical rasp into something more imperious-sounding.
"Ah, you are the Caretaker then? The Guardian mentionned you might be back here. Must say: your filing system is significantly obtuse. Still, that's part of the challenge too, yes?"
|
|
"Filing system is a legacy, that we inherited with all these books. You, probably, knew that, when joined Lion Blades, young man. My name is Iliyana and this is my room. I like people adress me by name, not by my job. What is your name? You needed some help, didn't you?"
She slowly put her book away and stand up, turning her face to door.
|
|
No, of course not. This lady is a scholar, not an enemy. Still yourself for now: blindness does not correlate with deafness. Onyo hastily whispers to Hork. He then turns back towards Iliyana, nervously trying to get a read on the woman.
”Leo Darius, my lady. And must say, it is one thing to be told of these archives and their legacy. Quite another actually move amongst them.
And yes, it appears we could use some assistance. Sent down to examine works regarding the great Shining Crusade. Need to access logbooks of commanders; glimpses of past can help guide us to future greatness once again.”
|
|
"Your apologies are accepted. But most of teachers here do not like, when students are whispering something instead of saying that out loud."
She walked out of her room and looked a bit questioning: "Assignment, you say? Strange.. Everyone should be up there, listening for the performance. But, probably you pissed someone,", she paused for a moment, "Since you are here, you can start your work. Do you know book names you are looking for? Or you expected, that I will have something already written from previous years?" She smiled. "No, miracles occasionally happen, but here they tend to happen very rarely"
|
Tatiana carefully glances around the room, watching for any other potential threat, then speaks to the librarian. Mis Iliyana, I apologize for our newness to the organization. It would seem we only have the subject matter that we need to research. We were hoping you would be able to point us in the right direction. Anything on the Shinning Crusade or the Whispering Tyrant would be useful.
|
|
"Lion did mention one text I believe. Silver Horn, was it not, Owyn?" Onyo asks, recalling the Lion's booming response to whatever Amaril had been whispering about. Nature of that scheme unimportant of course. All have secrets after all. Still, provides starting point, focus for her.
"Of course, even enchanted objects no replacement for flesh-and-blood researchers. It is always down to real folk to do the hard work to keep everything strong." the Wayang says as he attempts to flatter, yes, that is the word Iliyana to assist his comrade.
Unfortunately, this act is akin to having a fish try to walk, and the scholar gets the sense he isn't quite helping matters.
|
|
Looking around Tatiana found several book scattered around Iliyana's quarters: some of them are prepared to repair, laying open on her desk, some others have traces of fresh glue and are fixed under small press standing in a corner. From her position it was impossible to look at titles, but she noticed a bronze plague on Prince portrait, that said: “In the end, loyalty is its own reward.”
"I'd like to help you, but I cannot do much now.. It's clouded.. But I can give you an extra hand. You mentioned "A Silver Horn". I do remember this book, but this is not a best one about Shining Crusade. The author wasn't very keen in wielding words and phrases together, you should look for "Encarthan Maps" as well. Than you can understand more."
She paused, refreshing something in her memory.
"Actually, I've heard Administrator was searching Encarthan Maps last week, so probably it must be somewhere nearby: in storage, in his room or some other place. Might even be he put it back at its shelf, though that's unlikely. He usually forgets about such minor things as order and system, when it is convenient to him."
|
|
”Encarthan Maps you say? Of course better prose not necessarily key to useful information, assuming still pass bar of ‘legibile’. However, could be just what is needed.”
“Administrator’s room down the hall? Do not mean to intrude of course. Still, knowledge must be known in order to be put to service, and material access is of utmost importance…”
|
|
Both Hork and Odmar were able to ensure than books in Caretaker's room have little to no interest to them. She left her room trying to talk with others.
"Administrator's room is in the end of this corridor", she waived her hand to east. "Anyway, you must wait for him, since he doesn't like when people come in his room, when he is out. He will be back as soon as performance ends."
Tatiana reached for another door and checked it, but found nothing unusual. Decided, door contains no traps, she tried to open it, but it was locked. Same disappointment struck Aramil as well.
"And careful with those doors, we recently changed all locks. People need special allowance, to access books stored there and it might cost you a lot if you haven't got it"
Last words of a sentence were said in less quiet tone, and <your character> had a hunch, she has some issue with allowance or those books in her past.
|
|
After feeling some concern in the old ladies voice, Tatiana moves back over to the care taker.
My dear Illyana, I can assure you, we will be most carful in our research. We will not wrinkle a single page or crinkle a single binder. We are only here to acquire information. Nothing more. I believe we are meant to acquire this information without being detected or divulging our intent. This is the way of Lion blade is it not? That being said, I’m afraid if we tell you anything more about what we are doing, we will fail in our mission. Please allow us to continue reading about this great event in history.
|
|
Hork yawns a bit after glacing about the room a few times.
"Hork is pretty certain that there's nothing useful here. Hork thinks we should use our time more wisely elsewhere."
"Hork and others promise to not harm the books. Hork is a scholar and reads all the time. Hork loves books more than anything else. Missus Tatiana is right, you can trust Hork and friends."
|
|
After a brief review of the caretakers premises, Odmar decided to leave the room and went to Tatiana with a slight grin on his face. He then took out a set finely crafted thieves tools and winked to his lovely companion.
Those locks may be new, but that won't save them from a good old lockpick. I'll probably crack those as soon as the old lady leaves. She may be blind, but she still is somehow aware of her surroundings.
|
|
"Thank you M'lady. You're assistance is much appreciated." Onyo says, moving forward slightly as she enters the hall.
He then hobbles over towards Tatiana. As he approaches however, Onoy notices her struggle against the loced door. Dast! Redundancy of obstructions would be admirable, were they not frustrating Us
|
|
Onyo waits fidgeting as the theif tinkers with the door's lock. As soon as the alchemist hears the *click* of the mechanism give, he hurries past Odmar to enter the room. Gazing around at the newly revealed archive, the Wayang vaguely hears his comrade mutter something about closed doors.
"Yes, yes. open doors. Good I can begin here."
Moving through the chamber, he begins to pick through the material, examining the scattered pages and open volumes on the desks as he searched for anything referencing the Crusades. As he goes, he makes an effort to attempt to note the positions of the items strewn accross the tables and stations.
Caretaker aware of us. Lion aware of us. Must try to put everything back in its place; 'stealth' mission already too noticeable.
|
|
"What the...? I guess, I underestimated this lock!" Odmar rolled up his sleeves, showing his determination and started working with the lock once again.
With the help of his companions, it seems, the work became easier.
"Ok...now hold here...good...now push and twist...excellent" he mumbled to his assistants.
|
|
Honk and Onyo started researching notes and books scattered in working room, meanwhile Odmar and his companions was able to open the second door. This door led to a medium-sized room. Bookcases, cover nearly every inch of the walls in this room, which is faintly illuminated by the magical light in the ceiling. A glass-paned door seals each pannel of shelfs, keeping anchient tomes stored there free of dust.
|
|
Onyo dances around the room, fltting between desks. For a while a set of notes on something called "The Shining Triumph" catch his attention, but to the scholar's dismay they turn out to actually be about a variant illumination spell. Any other day would be useful. Right now, not worth time. Hmph.
As he tries to re-splay the notes accross the table in the way he found them, Onyo ponders the scrap of nonsenical phrase Valdin had tasked them with. Cost of working for others I'm finding. Can no longer just engage in magical research, must be distracted by intrigue to THEN get access to information. Frustratingly backwards.
He moves over towards a new desk, piled with promising texts on chargin tactics, when Onyo halts with a flash of insight. "Of course! Backwards. Have been approcahing text wrong: not Encrypting but Decrypting. Simple, foolish mistake. Of course should not have been expected to be versed in skullduggery in the first palce..." the wayang mutters to himself as he quickly jots letters down onto a spare scrap of his papers.
h-a/v-s-t-h-e/z-b-e/z-l-l-o/j-f-o/j-b-e/z-c-e/z-n-c-e/z. "Has the Bell of Obecence"? He frowns. Hmm, seem both incomplete and mispelled. But something. Next quiet moment will ask Flash or Tatiana for second opinion. With a small shrug, Onyo continues his research.