When the door is opened, the glow from Stella’s halo illuminates a small, comfortably decorated room, with two overstuffed arm chairs placed one to either side of a tall, odd curio like cabinet.
This curio cabinet (a sort of round glass enclosed cabinet), is tall, about as tall as a typical human, but the interior has no shelves. It is covered on three sides with clear glass, and the inside is shrouded in a strange blue mist. Hanging down from the top of this peculiar cabinet, on the inside, you can see long, articulated, but delicate looking arms made from what looks to be painted wood in dull colors and it may be that the wood is encrusted with gems, however the mist makes it difficult to make out small details.
"I will see what I can do." Stella said as she looked around the room. Moving forward towards the cabinet.
"I am guessing the principle sometimes had guests if there are two chairs." She asked as she stood next to the cabinet and looked it over. After examining it she would detect magic on it. Mostly just to see the great weave of magic around it.
As Stella approaches the curio, it seems to come to life
Across the top face of the device, symbols begin to appear in gold, as if they are being illuminated from within the top of the device. They flicker, and fade, and then reappear and begin to scroll from right to left. It would seem it is some sort of message, but the language and the characters are foreign to her. The blue glow from the device grows in intensity as the gaseous nature within grows thicker. The glow flickers, goes completely out, and then suddenly comes back to life, but now the gas is so thick that the strange wooden arms dangling inside the curio cannot be seen, but as she watches the mist within the curio swirl, an image begins to appear.
It is a human shape, in many ways it resembles Stella, but it is the shape of a man. The image forms, at first within the glass confines of the curio and then in the blink of an eye it shifts, and grows somewhat larger and appears in front of the cabinet. The image taking shape in front of the strange curio is that of a slim, attractive man, with elegant features, with a mature and worldly countenance. He is wearing a close fitting body suit of an uncommon looking material. The image seems to look directly at Stella, and then he lowers his arms holding his palms pointed forward, and speaks
“Nerad Colectik Juranto Muk Dolucta, Seri Eicha Eicha forcul,” the sounds are strange, and they do not seem to come from the image, but from somewhere behind the image.
Stella watched all of this in avid fascination. She had always loved magic in all its forms, but this...this was something unique. As the man form her eyes absorbed what he looked like. From the way it's hair was formed to the way his body looked under the body suit.
Imagine her surprise when the image jumped outside the cabinet. She started but didn't move. Looking back at him she would hold the construct in one hand and her other went to her skirt and she curtsied.
"I am sorry, I do not understand your language. Deborah, do you understand it?"
It is the language of the Beholder Lords, Deborah answers, I would be concerned greatly if you did. I can try to speak to the watcher on your behalf, if you would like. I will tell the watcher who you are. The words spoken are difficult, even for me to understand, as I was only a minor servant in my master's house. I think the watcher has said, "You should not be here, there is no reason, um, no reason at all, for you to be here without supervision," or something like that. What shall I say is your intention?
"The city is under attack. By two major forces. The Necromechadons and the Goblins. Two massive armies converging on this city destroying everything in their wake. My intention is to find a way to save the city and protect my sister and those I can. That is the reason I am here."
She said firmly and with conviction. "Right now I have guidance that may help in that. I must find It’Dupree in order to do so. I will need your help."
Unable to help herself she would continue the sonnet partially
That she might think me some untutor'd youth, unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young, although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false speaking tongue.
She curtsies slightly with a book in one hand.
"Pleasure to meet you Garanot Alafax Korbagaellia. It is indeed a beautiful sonnet. I know it seems impossible. But something I know to be a truth few believe. Nothing is Impossible, just improbable the moment you take it on. So you can be condescending to my goal but I won't give it up. May I ask why Chapter Four?"
She would open the book in her hands and flip through some pages looking it over.
Part of her wondered if that would be something she could do. After all, destroying anything or anyone without really good reason was not her style. Looking at her companion quietly as she flipped the pages.
Looking at the pages of the book, and seeing that they are now, as they were before blank, Stella has memories of just the other day when the book spoke to her, before it became the construct standing next to her.
The face of the image before her looks cold and detached.
Why? I will just say that the I believe that what It'Dupree did to these people, trapping their souls in books was cruel and heartless. These were her friends, and she took from them any chance they had of moving on to the heavens where their souls would rest in peace for eternity. By destroying book four, which I was told you are carrying, I can release the soul of the one who was so very helpful in my making me what I am today.
Stella would flip through the pages making sure not to go to the back. Her thoughts moving around.
"I doubt that is your true motivations. That seems to....nice. Even I wouldn't be that nice if someone was the reason I was trapped."
Stella would look at him. "I appreciate honesty. Even if I don't like the answer honesty has a way of settling the air and, freeing oneself." Holding the book up. "This is the book. How do you wish to see it destroyed?"
"I understand. What I would like to know is what this control panel looks like among various other things. I am guessing I will have to figure it out on my own. How to work it that is. Also, what about my friends and sister in the room above. I can not just leave them here. I will speak with them."
She would turn to Oscar before waiting for an answer from him. Once she has the answer she would head up to talk to her sister about coming with or at least getting the people there to the sanctuary where the ones they left behind were. "Maybe you can find a way on this side to save the city. Though I don't want to part."
Stella smiled at him. "I do not know where many of the teachers and students have gotten off to. Nor, where she has gone. It is possible that she got away. Thank you for the offer. I will extend it to them."
She would walk into the room with the fireplace and stroking through the book one last time would throw it into the fire and watched Oscar.
Once it burned she would head upstairs.
"I need to go to a different world. An individual can keep you hidden as best he can here in her basement. It is your choice to stay here and hide or do something else."
When Stella throws the Book in the fire, she sets Deborah down close to the fire place to watch the book burn, and then backs away, she turns to see Oscar standing close to her and the small woman like doll whispers,
I never liked being stuck in that damn book anyway
The others, hearing that there is safety in the basement, follow Stella back through the secret door and down the stairs.
Stella hugs Oscar lightly and nods. Heading back down stairs she would stop then starts searching the house. She would need knowledge and money to help her in this new world. If anything, at least money.
Searching the house
Stella finds
A Light Cross Bow, with ten bolts
A Rapier
some extra cloths (select one type of outfit to add to your inventory)
and a total of forty gold coins, twenty five silver coins, and seventy copper coins
She also finds, a few small pieces of assorted jewelry, mostly rings, bracelets and earrings (all non magical, made of gold and silver with mostly onyx and topaz gemstones) worth probably a total of five hundred gold pieces in this world.
Stella tries on the different dresses and such getting Oscar's opinion. She had no shyness about undressing in front of her and trying on clothes.
Dress 1
Couple more dresses
Last dress
"Can you help me decide? Which is your favorite?"
The first one is my favorite
Smiling she grinned and then promptly put it on Oscar.
"There you go Corrine. All yours. You deserve something pretty." She would ruffle through the closet and her eyes fell on something and she cooed. Pulling out the dress she put it on letting her wings slide over the top. "Perfect." She grins and shows it off.
Not completely certain that she is making the wisest choice possible, Stella rushes through the house, gathering up as many things as she can find that might be helpful to her in the world she knows nothing about.
At one point she pauses, when she is standing above a small dressing table looking at a modest collection of make up powders, and lip coloring oils, and wonders what has happened to the Principal, and then she wonders exactly what kind of "person" he really was.
On the campus he always presented himself as a plain dressed, very professional, kind and approachable, well, man. Yet his home was filled with the things someone would normally associate with a woman. Even the closet was filled with beautiful gowns, the kind that would cost a fortune in this city, but look as though they were never worn outside of the house at all.
The letters, Stella remembers, that she found in the basement of the library, seemed to indicate that there was a romantic relationship between the principal and Mistress Lucinda, but even she turned out to be something different from what she always presented herself to be.
It was clear to Stella that all people, even the professional, boring people who ran the school, had lives filled with secrets.
She remembers her urgency, and collects a few more things, filling a large carpet bag, and then holding it wide open she looks over the contents one item at a time, taking a mental note of all that she has collected. Should everything work out well in the end, she will probably want to repay the principal, should he survive, for the generosity his household was able to provide.
Stella would take a deep breath and said a prayer to the gods that as many in this town that could be saved were saved.
Looking at Oscar she smiled and reached out taking her hand. "Time to go." She said and would walk downstairs where the others waited. Going to the fireplace she looks to see if the book is done before she leans down and would pick up Deborah. "Ready to give your report to him?" She asked even as she straightened. "I am guessing you will be staying here to continue your vigil."
Yes, the book is destroyed, now take me back to the Watcher. I will remain behind to assist your friends. Should they need to flee this building there is a secret passage that exits into a garden shed on the property on the other side of the hill. Good luck Stella.
When Stella returns to the Watcher Curio, she is dressed and carrying the carpet bag in one hand, while she holds Oscar’s hand with the other.
Deborah relays the information about the destruction of the book to the watcher, and the image shows no sign of joy or relief
I had imagined, the image speaks quietly after a long silence, That some satisfaction would be gained by knowing I finally got my revenge, but perhaps time healed those wounds more than I realized. It is of no consequence. It’Dupree will know I had at least this small victory even after all these years.
Now if you are ready, I will cast a spell which will teleport you across a vast distance, incomprehensible to your mind. You will arrive on the world of Riom, on the continent of Garicadia. This continent is where the nation of Numeria is found, although the people of Numeria are fully aware of their countries peculiar origin, they are ignorant of the rest of their world. The people of Numeria do not know that to the west of their boarders a different nation has landed ships and begun to explore that continent. Hundreds of miles of wastelands, separate Numeria’s western most towns and the west coast of Garicadia. The people who now settle that coast land are also ignorant of the existence of the Numerian people, but in time, I imagine as it is with all such migrations of people, the two will eventually become aware of the existence of the others, and who knows where that will lead. I will send you to a marker, a place of importance to the primitive people who once inhabited Numeria before the great catastrophe that change the land nearly nine thousand years ago. It is a sacred cave, and it is located to the south of a town that is called Torch. This cave is a protected place, where once the birth of a great wise woman of the Lizard-folk of this world was laid to rest upon her death. Her tomb is protected by the gods she worshipped in life, and no harm can come to you while you are within this cave. It is safe to send you there. From this cave you will see the town of Torch to the north, but you should be far away enough from the town that no one will be aware of your arrival. Once you are there, you can travel to the town when you are ready, and begin your search for the artifact you need to free It’Dupree from herself imposed isolation. Return to the cave when you are ready, and summon my attention as I instructed you, and I will return you to this world. Then I will tell you where to take the object. Once you have brought the object into the necessary relationship with the other artifact, your fate will be in her hands and the hands of those who protect her.
Are you ready to go?
Stella would gently lift Deborah and she would kiss the constructs red eye before setting her down.
"Thank you Deborah for all your assistance." Turning to the curio cabinet and hologram she would lean up and gently kiss the hologram's cheek after gently touching the curio cabinet. Sure it wouldn't feel it but the gesture was still there.
"And thank you Garanot Alafax Korbagaellia. I will try to bring you many more sonnets and poetry from the other world for you to enjoy." Stepping back she picks up her bag and her familiar jumps up onto it with a purr. Her other hand hold's Oscar's.
"I am ready."