Flynn pulls the lever and hears a puff of compressed air as the trap triggers. Luckily for him, he severed the tube that delivered the air to the tube with the dart in it, and nothing happens. The Maiden approaches the door, which now opens easily. You enter the next room.
Cabinets with two tall drawers each line the east and west walls of this room. A relief carving of a lion’s head dominates the south wall, hanging imperiously over a low stone step. The stone step below the Lion carving has four shallow, cylindrical recesses that are the same size as the base on each of the six freestanding statuettes scattered about the room. Six freestanding statuettes of lions in various poses stand atop the furniture.
One crouches as if preparing to ambush its prey. The second is roaring as it leaps at prey. The third wears a yoke that is chained to a large block that the lion strains to pull. The fourth wears a tiny pair of spectacles and reads from an ornate scroll. The fifth is draped in the flag of Taldor. The sixth sits erect and wears a crown.
Charis walks in, take a quick glance around the room and notices another secret door under the lion carving. The cylindrical step below the door seems like it acts as some sort of combination lock. However, not to the door. The door seems to be unlocked already.
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"Think we should try to figure out this step lock before trying to open that door...Charis, can you see any traps?"
Flyn looks at the statues...and also for traps...
Recalling the clues they've found, Flyn mutters...
"Our monarch's virtues are our own:
To serve Taldor, I must first learn the history of Taldor
A cunning lie is never told twice
Persevere, persevere, persevere!
In the end, loyalty is its own reward"
Flyn frowns. "Four virtues, six statues...four slots in the combination lock...I think we must decide which four statues match the virtues from the clues...
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Flyn nods in agreement to Syl'las and Kiboko's observations.
"Shall I?"
Flyn places the lion reading the scoll in the first slot, followed by the lion in ambush in the second, the lion pulling the stone third, and finally the lion draped in the flag in the final slot...and waits to see what happens...
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"You two have a good point..."
One crouches as if preparing to ambush its prey. - Cunning Lies
The second is roaring as it leaps at prey.
The third wears a yoke that is chained to a large block that the lion strains to pull. - Perseverance
The fourth wears a tiny pair of spectacles and reads from an ornate scroll. - History
The fifth is draped in the flag of Taldor. - Loyalty
The sixth sits erect and wears a crown. - Monarch's Virtues
The Maiden examines the statues. "That's my best guess. But I don't know which four we want to use."
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Suddenly recalling that the door was not locked, Flyn slaps his forehead...
"I was waiting for some kind of sign once we put the statues in place...but since the door is not locked, perhaps we should just open it now..."
Checking again to make sure the statues are in, hopefully, the proper order, Flyn opens the door...
Flynn draws his bow and approaches the door. He warily reaches forward and opens the door, revealing another secret room. Whatever defensive purpose the statues might serve seems to have been disabled by placing the four statues representing the virtues in the correct order.
Chests of expert craftsmanship line the walls, and on the far side of the room stand two bookshelves burdened with yellow paged tomes and sundry ancient trinkets. Banners and tapestries cover nearly every inch of the walls, each representing long dead nations or depicting conflicts left not chronicled.
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Before entering the newly revealed room, Flyn pays a reminder...
"We don't need to forget to search this room (B11)..."
"Also, has anyone attempted to craft a potion-looking substance to replace the potions we took (from B10)?"
Flyn then enters and searches the new room (B12)...he's also drawn to the shield the Maiden found...
"What do you make of the shield Charis?"
Oret tries to be of some usefulness, he continues to cast detect magic into the new room, and looks out for anything that he possibly understands.
[dice=perception]d20+2
[dice=kn. Religion]d20+3
Whoops, sorry. The two statues that you did not use in one of the four slots both radiate conjuration magic. The shield that Charis found also radiates conjuration magic.
The statues aren't really anything you've heard of before. But based on the strings of magic you see about them, they seem to be connected to the room you are in. They seem to summon some sort of creature, and their activation seems to be tied to the opening of the door and the slots where you placed the other four lions. You suspect that they will be useless outside of this room, and removing them from the room might cause them to summon whatever it is they summon.
The shield is a riddle wrapped in an enigma as far as Kiboko is concerned.
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"We must leave these statuettes where they are, lest their summoning magic be triggered. That rules them out as potential vessels for the Guardian. As for the shield, its magic is beyond Kiboko's knowledge. Bring it to the Guardian, Flyn. Only the Guardian can know for certain."
The magic items having been examined, Kiboko helps with cataloguing the remaining tomes.
After thoroughly searching this room, you turn up two texts:
Grave Consequences: This is a thin journal that explores the origins of
Tar-Baphon, studies the circumstance of his lichdom, and analyzes what the author knew of his necromantic techniques from the perspective of a scholar searching for a weak spot in the Whispering Tyrant’s defenses.
Lines of Succession:This long scroll details the rules of succession throughout the history of Taldor. It also highlights times when the nation chose an heir in a way that was an exception to the rules. This
matches the description of what the Pathfinder Society is tasked to recover for Princess Eutropia.
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"Yes, Kiboko, I agree...let's gather all the information together and then we can see the librarian and Guardian...
To save time I'll run show this shield to the Guardian while y'all approach the librarian...and I'll meet you back there...
Have we 'replaced' the potions we borrowed?"
Flyn puts the shield and the accumulated texts in his backpack. After everyone has cleared B12, he makes sure that door is shut and then replaces the lion statuettes back in their original spot. He then heads to see the Guardian in the main library chamber, shutting and locking the previous locked doors behind him, giving Syl'las the keys to return to the librarian...
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"We can only replace the potions with water. If whoever placed them there comes for them, they will know the difference. But to a stranger, who does not know what they hold, maybe it is worthwhile."
Kiboko fills the original potion vials with water, decanting the Gaseous Form potion into a waterskin.
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Once the 'potions' and statuettes are put back and the doors locked, Flyn goes to the main library chamber to see the Guardian. He pulls the shield out of his backpack and approaches the Guardian with it...
"Hail noble one. We found this shield in one of the restricted rooms...all we know is that it radiates magic...is this useful as a receptacle for you?"
While watching the Guardian inspect the shield, Flyn decides to ask another question. "Noble one, what else might you know of the blind librarian's situation? From what you told us earlier, we fear she might be held here against her will..."
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"I am with Kiboko, we shall meet this librarian." Some amount of frustration can be heard in Oret's voice, as he still didn't realise how all the doors are opening, or where Syllas got the keys from.
Approaching the librarian, Oret introduces himself as a guard of Adabar and asks her If all is alright with her.
To Flynn: Hmmmm, yes I do believe that should serve. Lift it up and touch it to the carving. As far as the librarian... held against her will is a bit too simple. She serves here in an attempt to make up for her husband's seditious acts against Taldor. It was this or exile.
To Oret and Kiboko: As you enter, the librarian is quietly sitting on her bed. The music of the big concert can be heard gently drifting through the ventilation system. She appears to be listening intently to the music and is unaware of the party. When you speak, librarian seems surprised that there is anyone else in the library. Oh? Hello? Who are you? Are you new Lion Blades? I'd expect you to be at the concert. As for if I am alright... yes, as well as any other day. As far as helping me... no. There is nothing you can do. You'll probably just reshelve books in the wrong place and end up making my life harder.
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Flyn turns to Artus. "Thanks for watching my back. Please discreetly inform the others what the Guardian has informed us on the librarian...once the Guardian has been transferred to the shield, I will join you shortly..."
Flyn then holds the shield up to the carving as the Guardian instructed...once complete, he'll put the shield in his backpack, telling the Guardian he must be quiet until they clear the grounds...he'll put his backpack on underneath his cloak. Then he'll join the rest of his party...
Flynn holds the shield up to the statue. There is a flash of light, and the statue is now dead and lifeless. The shield thanks you for your kindness in letting him experience the outside world. Inspecting the newly inhabited shield, the word 'Glorymane' has been emblazoned in gold script across the back of the shield.
The librarian seems confused. What? You never told me who you are... but um... I guess if you are leaving, I'll just return to listening to the concert in my room.
you guys have achieved all of your objectives in the library and are running short on time. If anyone has any last things they want to do before leaving, speak now. Also, if you are going to try to replace the keys on the Librarian, I'm going to need a sleight of hand roll if you want to put them back on her belt, or a stealth roll if you are going to leave them on her nightstand or bed or somewhere not on her person.
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Flyn will take the keys and place them on her nightstand, and leave the room...
"Come on, let's head back to the concert..."
Flyn walks quickly back to the study room they began in...once the party's all there, he'll shut the secret door, and start to collect the illusion cards, keeping an eye on the door...