Aureth stammers out a "thu...thu...thank you." Clearly he is intimidated by Asbques.
"Alright I will take these stacks upstairs and see what I can find out about the shaking and if we are on the right track." Taking the three, one she thought she had found and the other two and start making her way out and heading upstairs.
Mistress Lucinda appears in front of Stella rushing toward her. Her face is ashen, her mouth set in a grim expression, and she looks frightened. When she sees Stella she struggles to regain her composure, and takes Stella by the arm without stopping her downward rush.
As she pulls Stella along she says, ”Don’t say a word, just come with me, quickly.”
Lucinda dashes down the passageway to the chamber where the other students are working, pulling Stella all the way.
When they reach the entrance to the chamber, Lucinda takes a deep breath and then, in a stern and commanding tone she explains,
”I want you all to listen very carefully and do not interrupt. Something strange has happened outside, in the city, something I’ve no explanation for at this time. I want all of you to stay put, right here, don’t leave the archive for any reason until I return. I’m going to go directly to Principal Carroll’s residence, and bring him back here. When he is here he and I will try to determine what we will do next. Listen to me,” a note of panic rises in her voice, ”this place is safe, so stay here, don’t go into the streets. Do you understand, stay here until we return.”
When she is finished she hugs Stella, and smiles at her. Then she runs back they way she came.
"But what do we do if...nevermind, I guess." Aureth says to her vanishing back.
As soon as she's gone, Aureth will say "We should go see what's happening. My dad would say that there might be adventure afoot!" In a smaller voice, he adds "I miss my dad. I wonder where he and mom are now."
Grinning mischeviously the tiefling grabs Aureth by the shoulder. "She told us to stay down here, she didn't say we had to stay in this room. We're going to go find something more interesting!" She starts to drag her (according to her) new plaything out of the room with her.
Aureth sputtered and then followed along behind.
Stella was surprised and would hug Mistress Lucinda tightly fear settling in the pit of her stomach. Would she see her again. It was there for a brief moment, but she smiled at her and sent a silent prayer up to the gods of good to watch over her. Watching her leave she would look at the others.
"She was scared....truly scared. I agree I want to see what is going on but let us wait just a bit. Plus, she said to stay here at the Archive and not go into the streets. There is more here than just this room. Maybe we can explore that so we can kill the time. There might be another way out." She watched as even she was talking her sister dragged him out.
"Come on. Let us follow her." She sighs.
Slightly annoyed at EVERYONE following her she decides to head away from the exit. She stops and the first intersection and looks down both passages trying to determine which looks more interesting.
"Who made her the boss?" Anion asks Rovasi. When is looks like the little gnome might be about to say something, he puts hand up to stop him. "Never mind. Let's just go."
Anion follows the others to the hall. Seeing the others bunching up here, he wonders what the problem is. "What's going on? Why'd you three stop after three steps?"
"We should just go upstairs and see what's going on. It's probably related to that quake that happened earlier. Maybe there are people who need help outside? We could help 'em, no problem. We're wizards, after all!"
"I like her, she's spunky but I think she wants to kick me like a ball hah." Rovasi runs to catch up, nearly knocking over several stacks.
"Aureth, we are apprentice wizards. Plus, Mistress Lucinda wanted us to stay safe down here. That tells me it is possibly dangerous enough that the more powerful wizards are handling it." Stella looked back at everyone and grinned seeing them follow. It was better to stay together as a group. Her Halo lighting the way in the middle of the group.
Replying to Stella without looking at her, he says "My dad says that adventurers are people who don't do what normal people tell them to do. He also says that you have to be willing to go the places that normal people wouldn't." Then in a low voice that he hopes Asbques can't hear, he adds "Your sister is scary."
Saturday Morning, the Archives
Leading a single file procession of the rest of the students (who have relinquished all ideas of completing any assigned tasks for the moment) Asbques marches off to the east, and comes, first, to a narrow flight of stone steps that descend just five feet to the south. Peeking into the room at the bottom of the steps, and bringing everyone to halt as she does, she sees what appears to be some kind of work room. The walls of the room are lined with work tables, and several peculiar objects, all heavily burdened with many paper tags attached to them with string, are set upon the benches. But, she cannot see all of the room, and it looks boring to her.
Looking to the east, ahead of her, she sees something interesting, and as each of the other students leans either left or right to see past her, the sight is shared by all.
The passageway goes east for fifteen feet and then opens up into a sort of alcove, and in the wall to the east is a strange sight. It appears to be what was once an elaborate arch with flanking columns carved to resemble warrior maidens. The top of the arch is decorated with the scene of a battle chariot thundering across the heavens, being driven by a youthful looking man with rays emanating all around him.
But the arch has been filled in with bricks, and in the center of this cheaply constructed brick wall stands a heavy, but short, wooden door and across the door are several chains. Each chain is locked, with a large pad lock, to a ring set in the bricks to either side of the door.
"Indeed, but you must have wisdom as an adventurer. Plus, you must be equipped. We need to find the proper tools for adventuring shouldn't we? At least all the stories I remember said something about finding the right weapons or such." Then she gasped looking ahead.
Stella grins. "Now Aureth, I think this is somewhere we are not supposed to go. What would your father say about multiple locks on a door. Those maidens are beautiful.
"My father we would say 'Oooo, I love picking locks.'" Rovasi says pulling a pin out of his hair.
"Let's see what's inside"
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Grinning Asbques moves to let Rovasi pass and nudges him encouragingly with a grin. "We weren't TOLD anywhere was off limits."
"Alright, wish that constable hadn't kept my tools haha." Rovasi tries to pick the locks.
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"You don't have to be told to see they didn't want anyone getting in here. Do you need lockpicks?" Stella reached in her pocket wondering where she had stuffed the ones she had taken from her sister.
"My dad would say that necessity is the mother of invention." and with that, Aureth begins turning his pockets out: "lessee here: a dagger, a piece of flint, so we can start a fire, a sack, my pocket watch, a mirror, a sunrod, and the alchemical stuff from that paper that's due next week. What do the rest of you have?"
Saturday Morning, in the Archives
Thought he pad locks appear old, and not too complicated, Rovasi struggles with them. He tries again and again, once he realizes that nothing bad is going to happen if he gets it wrong. For a moment he feels as if he has jammed the lock he is working on and the pin from his hair won’t budge, but he grimaces, and pushes hard to the side and the pin finally comes free. Working for what seems like ages, he can’t seem to give up and finally, one of the locks opens.
With a better understanding of how the locks work, Rovasi sets to opening all of them and after a long while of fidgeting and even at times climbing up to stand on one of the chains, all of the locks are opened.
The rest of the students watch him work and with each success curiosity builds.
All that is left to do no is remove the chains and try to open the door.
Aureth moves forward and begins removing chains, saying "I can't wait to see what's on the other side!" all talk of checking the surface gone in a rush of curious excitement.
Sometimes curiosity got the better of her, also waiting helped, but while he worked she would check the room with the strange curios and piles of things. Taking a look around wondering if she could spot anything.
Once she heard the chains rattling she would turn to head back out to watch.
"Man, I really have gotten sloppy. Well let's see what cool stuff they were hiding in here"
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"I hope it's books. You can learn all sorts of neat stuff in books."
Saturday Morning, the Temple in the Archives
I am assuming that Anion is carrying the small lamp, while Stella is seeing by the faint light of her halo
In the sheer darkness of the workroom Stella can make out all manner of tools and items some she thinks she can identify, while there are others she is certain she cannot. One bench, close to her on the left has a few items that she thinks are used in the making of small wind up mechanical toys, and these appear to be very well made. When she hears the chains being dropped to the floor making an awful racket, she hurries back to the corridor and peers over Anion’s shoulder.
When the door is opened a strange chamber is revealed.
The area is illuminated by the glow of some perpetual magic and it is difficult to tell where the light emanates from. There is a short entry hall, about five feet long and then the chamber opens up to be about forty feet square. Directly across from the door you can all see an ornate sarcophagus against the eastern wall on a raised platform and this is flanked by two columns that are smaller, but similar in design, to the columns flanking the door. In front of the sarcophagus, partially blocking the view is a short but wide pedestal and on this pedestal is large open book.
You may all make intuition checks, but only intuition checks, here, before entering the room. If you enter the room, make a Comeliness Check, this is a d100 roll and add your comeliness score.
Aureth sees the book on the pedestal and is standing before the book before his brain finishes telling him that this is a bad idea.
"Oh, glowy. Doesn't seem to locks and chains worthy though." Rovasi says as he enters the room.
Marching in like the owns the place Asbques barely looks around, heading straight for the book.
Anion feels a brief surge of excitement before the thoughts of the possible horrible things contained within cause him minor anticipation of dread. He urges Lyro to come back to him and the small fox perches on his shoulder.
Saturday Morning, Saturday Morning, the Temple in the Archives
As soon as the door is open the students rush headlong into the chamber driven by their curiosity, and unbound by their sense of danger. One by one they rush forward, but as Stella enters the room she pauses
The room is quiet, but as Aureth approaches the open book on the pedestal it slams shut all by itself. Then as Anion enters the room, the book opens again, and Aureth can see glowing words appear on the left page that read
"Woah what was that. " Rovasi walks towards the book to take a closer look.
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"So the choices we make are forever tied to who we are. For good or ill." Stella said and would see everyone crowding around the book. It didn't seem like she needed to go forward so she stayed by the door.
Walking around the room she looks to see if theres anything else of note.
Aureth will hang his head and move away from the neat book that doesn't seem to like him. "Sorry to bother you, mister book. I'll leave now." His body language seems to indicate that he's genuinely hurt.
Saturday Morning, the Temple in the Archives
The room is strangely comforting, and everyone senses a certain sort of calm unlike any they have ever felt before
As Rovasi approaches the book, passing Aureth as he mumbles, new words form on the left page as the old words dissolve.
”I accept your apology, Aureth. Well, now who is this? Ah, Rovasi. Yes, welcome. Now, eh, what’s that? Hmm, tell Miss Caelum, the Bright one not the Dark one, that she is possibly correct, and possibly incorrect. OH, I suppose I was a little abrupt with Aureth, I hope he understands. It has been a long time. Wait, what’s this? Tell the other Caelum that she should not look in places that were hidden for a reason. Now, WHERE IS ANION?”
She continues to poke at the hidden cracks.
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"Hey guys the book's talking to me. So cool, Stella he... she?... it says you're wrong and right. Ooh also its says your sister should stop snooping. Oh Aureth the book says its sorry for being for being abrupt. What a thoughtful book. Ooh Anion the book is looking for you. "
Stella perks up slightly. "Oh, well that is interesting. A sentient book? Or a conduit for someone? Asbques, I think it is best for now you quit snooping around. We have already opened this room. Let us leave it at that for now."
"Stupid book is not nice. It wrote some very mean things to me."
She sticks her tongue out at her sister but stops prying for the time being.
"Aureth, he did apologize. It is rude to call people stupid and you should apologize. Especially after he apologized for his abruptness."
Stella would move to Anion and would push him gently towards the book. "Anion, I believe the book wishes to speak with you."
"Books aren't people, so I don't have to worry about their feelings."
Saturday Morning, the Temple in the Archives
Apparently Anion is absent from these boards, I’ve sent him a PM, and there has been no response, so, we will try to navigate around this until he returns
Anion seems dumbstruck by the notion that a Book has asked to “speak” to him.
When Stella tries to gently persuade him to step forward, he balks, and Rovasi watches as the lettering on the left page fades and reforms into a new message
”I am not altogether surprised that Anion is shy. It would seem it is a part of his charm. Oh well, never mind all that."
This lettering too dissolves after a pause and a new message appears, this time with a more grandiose script
”Children, allow me to introduce myself. I am Oscar, Book IV of the Sentinel Edition of Magicostrum Indorectori, one of the Books of It‘Dupree MonStropidious. Through me my lady wishes to speak to the one of you who is, as she says, “Calling the shots.” She has informed me that she believed this would naturally be the one among you who is the most charming, but now she is quietly reflecting on the absurd possibility that she was mistaken. Could you all gather around, please, and I will once again attempt to ascertain the information my lady desires, and then, if she is through with her contemplations, perhaps she will entertain a question from you before she explains the reason for my interrupting you while you are at play.”