|
Not to be outwitted by a door, Piper remembers that one of the female small ones was searching doors as if she had experience with such matters. I cannot make the same mistake with their names again, I don't care what Father says, they do not all look the same! Keia is the one who gets lost in the books, I think she called herself the historian. It must have been the other one. Feona!"
She then walks over to the table and looks at what the others are studying, remembering what Tugo said. It rang odd to her. Obecience, is that even a word? I have never heard it uttered. Obedience, maybe even Obeisance. But not Obecience
She looks to Keia and asks her, "Have you ever heard of a Bell of Obedience or Obeisance in your history studies by any chance?"
Not waiting to hear an answer, she doesn't want to be rude but they *are* on a time limit here, she turns to Feona and asks, "Might we please use your skills to check these doors?" Pointing to the ones that Decado and Tugo are in front of.
Feona Longtoes's nimble fingers get to work. She slides her tools into seams peers through cracks and presses on discolorations. She finds no traps but also fails to open either door.
A deep, booming voice with an ancient accent sounds across the room. "FAILED THE DOORR SO EARRLY LITTLE LION BLADES?" The voice almost pushes against your chest. "COME TO ME," it demands. "NOW."
The voice emanates from the carving of the lion in the east wall.
|
"Ah ha ha," Arvyx laughs, both nervously and quietly in response to the outburst. "I think it's fair to consider us compliant to your requests, Mr. Lion; however, given our cooperation, might it be reasonable to lower your voice a little? There's a performance going on nearby, and I would hate to get everyone's fancy pantaloons in knots if we were to make too much noise." True to his word, Arvyx begins to head toward the lion carving.
We're Lion Blades now? How fantastic!
|
|
The voice speaking up nearly caused him to draw his blades and getin a fighting stance. Gorum willing he would be the first one to draw blood. When he realized it was just a voice that beckoned them over a frown caressed his features for a moment before he made his way over to the statue. His eyes betrayed some worry at the title but also worry about what they might have triggered.
|
Looking up from the book she had pulled off the shelf Keia gave Piper a quizzical look, not quite sure what had brought the question up. Well whatever it was she scrunched her face in thought "Obeisance...Obeisance..." A stray nail tapping against her teeth as she thought on it.
Whether the thought came to her or not, the sudden presence of a talking lion, a statue lion at that, was rather startling. "Oh, err.. hello there sir...ma'am?...Your Felineness." What was the proper address for a stone lion? No one taught you these things in school. "Don't mind us, just some curios scholars searching for knowledge in these great halls." What? It might work, maybe he/she/cat was a friendly lion?
As the party gathers in front of him the voice booms out again, although it is a little quieter. "FOR THE SAKE OF THE PERFORMANCE. YES, A LITTLE QUIETERR. ANSWERR ME THIS: ARRE YOU LION BLADES?" it asks.
Answer truthfully, while standing in front of the remarkable carving it is not possible to lie. One may be evasive or even silent, but a magical compulsion keeps one from actually lieing.
|
|
He was regarding the rest of the party and pondered the course of action for a moment. There were several outcomes to the question that had been asked and each one of them could end desastrous. He had no knowledge whatsoever about who or what the Lion Blades were and why it was of importance, some sense of dread filled him due to this. He wondered if the "answers" or "questions" his companions were asking were the way to go and frowned for a brief moment. For now he remained silent but ready to interact with the magical creature in hopes someone of his party was able to discern who or what a lion blade is
|
|
The booming voice startled Piper into silence and Buck stood alert, hackles raised and a low growl growing in his throat. But upon the second question that was growled out of the statue, Piper places her hand on Buck and responds, "I am a lion shaman, and Buck here is a lion. But we don't carry blades so I am not sure what a Lion Blade would look like. If you are recruiting, I might be interested."
"WHAT IS A LION BLADE? EVEN THE RECRUITS AREN'T TOLD OF THE LION BLADES. YOU ARE CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN THE LIBRARY OF THE LION AREN'T YOU? THIS NEW ADMINISTRATOR IS MORE SERIOUS ABOUT THE 'SECRET' IN HIS SECRET ORGANIZATION THAN OTHERS BEFORE. ALRIGHT, I WILL LET HIM HAVE THAT. LION'S BLADES ARE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING TALDOR'S INTERESTS. " The living statue pauses before continuing. "WELL THEN, WHAT NEWS CAN YOU TELL ME? WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IN THE THE WORLD OUTSIDE?" He continues the conversation in an avuncular fashion, inquiring who you are, why are you here and the like.
|
Tugo thanks Sinashakti for this stroke of luck and bows to begin his introduction, "My name is Tugo, formerly of the house of Tannim, Knight of the Molthune Empire of Ramgate. I've been doing the work of a messenger these past few years with my lovely friend Lizelotti, here. I've therefore gone far and wide, and seen much."
He goes on about his more interesting deliveries as long as the lion is interested.
He is interested in all the stories you are willing to impart. He is a historian and called the Gaurdian. He is particularly interested in adventures you have had or regional politics.
|
|
"I'm- uh- Just a Historian your Felineness, I just- uh- know things." Keia stumbled over herself a bit as spoke, squirming a little uncomfortable in front of the statue. It was very strange you know, speaking to statues, particularly statues that she would assume were also guardians of a library that she wasn't legally supposed to be in. Of course it could also be argued that a library, any library, was exactly where a historian belonged, but that was a different matter entirely and she wasn't the kind of person to go around arguing semantics with statues of lions.
|
|
Frowning for a moment at the Guardian and then listening to tugo he waits a bit before he speaks "honored one, I am Decado, member of the society and in their service I have traveled to one of the fair cities next to the world wound. Upon my arrival there the city became under attack of demons and with the help of others that threat got neutralized but at a great cost for the city and those taking care of the defense of the city... " catching his breath for a moment and also gathering his thoughts " I am sure you are more then interested in the exploits from the fights and the demons I have encountered there and I am more the willing to share those stories with you another time as I want to make sure my companions have their own heroic tales... "
|
|
"Most recently, a mercenary fighting in a scuffle against the Chelish...erm...somewhere, hired me out to deliver a package with great speed to an address here in Taldor. I, of course, assumed it was intelligence for the big-wigs, and so delivered it with utmost haste and priority. When I arrived at the address, however, I found it was his own home! Not only that, but the package was a stuffed bear the man had made from his cloak and straw he found. And I'd gotten it to her right in time for her birthday!
Not what I expected, but much more rewarding..."
|
|
Piper tips her head to the Lion, and gives a commend for Buck to sit and heal. After Tugo regales the stone feline with one of his entertaining stories, she speaks up, "I am Piper Penelope, lion shaman for the forests of the Great Empire of Taldor. I am also an agent of the Pathfinder Society and as an agent I seek the history of Taldor wherever I can find it. My adventures take me many places to protect our fair city. None of which is as interesting as this beautiful library for which you were bestowed the honor of guarding. And may I introduce Buck, he strives to be as mighty and knowledgeable as you."
Piper isn't used to being such a flatterer but she hopes by sweetening up to the lion, he will quiet down and maybe let them in those rooms behind him.
The conversation continues in what is hopefully progress for the pathfinders.
|
|
Tell him about the one with the gauntlets in the pyre! votes one part of Arvyx's inner dialogue.
Not a chance, retorts a harsher mind-speaker. We still haven't figured out the details, and if we're lucky, neither has the duchess! The less said, the better.
"Salumatations, oh lord of stone walls and leonine statuary. We are Arvyx—can't tell you how excited I am to tell you a riveting tale about that duchess—" He stops suddenly as if paralyzed as his inner dialogue shouts NO in unison. "Oh, but that's an unexciting tale. I'm sure you'd much rather hear of villainy properly thwarted," he guarantees with a knowing wink.
"Yes, we were sent by Jorsal of Lauterbury—a fine chap, really; you'd like his style—to investigate a house once held by a rabble-rousing dwarf who had as many tattoos as Taldor's had military victories, yet his inky chronicles were not half so glorious, you see," he adds with a wink. "Indeed, he had undergone some treachery in the basement depths below a shining city that sparkles like a polished aegis against the tide of abyssal fiends who would stomp out all that is good in this world. His experiments were dark: fleshcrafting, consorting with fiends, and making deals with demons as treacherous as a Kelish sultan is fat." He adds another wink for good measure.
"Fortunately, there were some crafty sleuths on his trail—my humble self included. We ferreted out his plans just in time to make a daring escape when his servants rose up to strike at us in retaliation. Ah, but a fiend with a tweaked nose strikes accurately as a cross-eyed cyclops, and we fled the premises only to collapse the mess in on itself, slaying the abominations within that had for so long marinated in the alluring yet foul sauce that is unholiness!" He tries to wink again but gets overzealous and simply blinks both eyes simultaneously. In an attempt to cover up the hiccup, he bows deeply and motions toward the doors.
"Yet with all that resourcefulness, it seems we are stymied by these doors—too beautifully crafted to deserve a neophyte's ham-fisted attempts to batter it down. Woe, that sweet maidens may perish or brave knights fall ignobly in ambush for our lack of proper reconnaissance and research!"
|
|
Feona clears her throat, having sat back to listen to her companions, and stands on her tiptoes, trying to get a better look at the talking lion. "Well, growing up in a family of gypsys, I've traveled all over Avistan and other parts of Golarion. One of my favorite memories is the time my Uncle Rudy Roundbelly snuck up behind a big ol' boar bear, who was sleeping in the blackberry bushes, and slapped her right on the ar....er...rear end. He did it on a dare, you see? My Da dared him he couldn't do it and he said he could, so he did...and the bear woke up...naturally, which is what anyone would do when you get slapped back there...chased Uncle Rudy down the hill and right into our camp!
You've never seen people scatter so fast in your life! That bear was chasing Uncle Rudy all around the campsite, tearing up jack, trying to eat him! Uncle Rudy finally ran up a tree and when the big boar tried to climb the tree, my Da and a bunch of others spear 'im and shot 'im full of arrows until he run off!
That poor ol' bear is prolly still out there somewhere picking arrows out of his arse! Wooowhee!"
Feona slaps her knees and laughs loud and long.
As Feona shares her story the space in front of the Guardian fills with light and colors. The light forms into an image of a bear chasing a halfling down a hill and into a campsite of scattering people hither and non.
The Gaurdian smiles. "VERY INTERESTING MISS LONGTOES. BUT AS A HISTORIAN I AM INCLINED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THESE DEMON WARS YOUR COMPANIONS MENTIONED."
|
|
He frowned for a moment before a smile caressed his features once more as he started to speak. "Honored one, One other story I can share with you from that faithful day when the world wound opened itself and sent forward it's minions to attack the city was an heroic fight between me and 3 other companions where we ensured the safety of a few dozen citizens while fighting off demons, undead and other vile creatures. There was even a being that nearly killed one of my companions with a massive greataxe, however due to him being in favor of someone from above he survived the attack to fight another day! Which we did ofcourse when the city was besieged we went towards the ramparts to assist and defend a crew that was using a trebuchet against demonic attacks. Here we encountered demons that were able to fly over the ground onwards to the ramparts, attacked several off the Trebuchet crew and killed them! When there was a lull in the combat me and my 3 companions went outside to see if we could find any survivors or wounded soldiers and get them back to the ramparts. After a few attacks on us we managed to get back in the city and started to use the Trebuchet once more... However our luck wasn't holding and we had several demons attacking us once more and they all fell to the blades, spells and arrows of my companions and myself... After a long and bloody fight the Demons and 3 of their commanders, if you can call them that, were defeated and the city was rescued!" Taking a breath before giving a bow to the statue. "Someday I hope to give you the names of those demons we fought but my knowledge of these creatures is limited as I am not a historian, an investigator or others like my companions. My way is the way of the sword in service of Gorum..."
Ho Ho!" the Guardian follows with great interest and the Seige of the Diamond City plays out in front of the party as Decado relates the tale. The Gaurdian flourishes many of the details including one rabble rousing dwarf with 'as many tattoos as Taldan military victories.' The guardian is very well versed in the history of Taldor and knows a great deal of her victories and defeats... "AS BEFITS ONE WHO HAS RECORDED THEM FOR SO LONG. AH, IF ONLY I COULD SEE THE WORLD FIRST HAND. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR STORIES. AS MAGNIFICENT AS I AM THAT IS MY LIMITATION." He pauses,"HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING AS MAGNIFICENT AS ME, THIS ANIMATED SCULPTURE?
Provided everyone is suitably impressed by the statue (and remember there is no lying to him) the Gaurdian becomes quite friendly towards you 'little lions'. "AS I SAID BEFORE THESE DOORS ARE LOCKED, AND THE MOST CAREFULLY GUARDED BOOKS LAY BEYOND. It sends a conspirational wink in the party's direction. "I THINK I CAN TRUST YOU WITH THE KEY." The Gaurdian shakes its head a something slides from its mane.
|
|
Piper smiles glad that her companions were able to please the magnificent feline before them. She is also relieved as she didn't have any stories regarding the Worldwound as her duties to the Society has taken her elsewhere in Golarian. She notices the thing that slides from his mane as it bounces to the ground. "Thank you, your Majesty. Your existence is awe-inspiring. Myself and Buck can only wish to become as great of a force as you! She bows deeply as she finishes and reaches to pick up what was dropped.
Buck who has sat mesmerized by this statue that moves walks over to it and gently bumps his head against the lion as if to 'pet' him.
|
|
I was more impressed by the sight of that bear chasing my uncle around the camp... Feona thinks to herself, and is about to say as much, when the Guardian produces the key to the secret library. Figuring she can tell it that AFTER they have what they seek, she smiles and nods and waits to enter with her companions.
"THE CARETAKER LIVES BEYOND AND HOLDS OTHER KEYS. BE KIND TO HER, AS HER SIGHT AND SON ARE PROTECTED FOR HER SERVICES." The Guardian does not let the key go when Piper takes it. It shakes it's glorious mane and says, "ONE LAST THING. AN EVEN GREATER TASK. I WISH TO TRAVEL BEYOND THESE WALLS. SEARCH FOR A RECEPTACLE WORTHY OF MY MAGNIFICENCE THAT I MAY TRAVEL WITH YOU." With this he lets go the key and wishes you well.
Piper leads to the north door which opens into a second long stone hall much like the first. This terminates in an ascending spiral staircase to the north and doors line the hall on the east and the west (where you came from).
|
|
"Many doors—perhaps too many doors,"Arvyx muses aloud with a hint of accusatory suspicion directed at the building (as though the architecture were secretly responsible for this affront). "We are leaving several other doors unopened in the other direction, but perhaps this is a mission where we need not overturn every rock." He gives a bow to the others and adds, "I'll follow your lead but wouldn't mind a close look before you start pulling handles."
|
|
Upon hearing Arvyx rattle on about doors, Piper remembers there are others across the hallway from where they just were. Shrugging, she thinks to herself we can investigate those later if time allows.
Out loud she states, "I wouldn't mind taking a quick look into these doors before heading up. Those stairs might just lead to the library or the theater above anyway. Arvyx would you mind taking a look at that door before we open it?" She points to the southernmost doors on the east side of the hallway.
Arvyx slips his tools into the seem and pries a few places then tests the tension on the door. All of which indicate to him there are not any traps on it.
Feona checks the doors Arvyx misses and gladly opens any she feels are not laden with traps.
The southern door Arvyx just checked for traps opens to small and simple quarters are sparsely decorated with only simple furniture and a stoic portrait of Grand Prince Stavian III.
A woman sits at a desk partially listening the music above. She turns to the open door, though her eyes are covered with a red bandage. "Hello?"
|
|
Arvyx has a moment of ghastly panic as he views the red bandage.
Oh no! Her eyes torn out and bleeding that much—wait, she doesn't look to be in pain. He scratches his head for a moment before winking to the others, concentrating for a moment, and changing his shape to that of the librarian who led them to the rare books collection.
"Ah, so the lion spoke, so you are here. I trust we haven't startled you?" inquires the librarian in Arvyx's clothing. Hmmm…I'll need to get an outfit that actually changes form with me.
"Looking for a book, ma'am, and despite being in my element, I'm not so familiar with the cataloguing system. Might I impose on you for some assistance?"
Feona's search yields no obvious trip wires, pressure plates or hidden catches on the next three doors. Two of them are locked though.
"Tobias? I did not recognize you.
I can try and help you. What book are you looking for?"
Feona s not successful. Though this is three rounds of searching and two of picking, it is concurrent with Avaryx conversation.
|
|
Piper stands in the hallway observing Feona do her thing--mentally hoping she doesn't open another door that brings on trouble--and listening to the conversation Arvyx is having with the woman inside the room. She stands alert for any trouble but remains quiet as to not give away her presence. Buck is alert and aware but being quiet as well.