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Amarsia speaks up, "I'm not really fond of people putting others into unwilling or blackmail servitude. Surely there is a way for your son to be safe and you a fee person. We shouldn't allow this, I want to help. Come with us as we research, help us and we can find a solution together during or after, we are pressed for time."
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Lovissa frowns. "Such a thing is unforgivable!" She shakes her head. "Your bravery in the face of injustice is commendable. Tell me, what is your son's name? If there is information to be found here we will watch for it. And if there is not, I vow upon my honour I will use whatever resources are at my disposal to find him outside of these walls and ensure his safety. When he is free, I will come for you again."
There is a long pause, befitting the internal struggle of the library's caretaker.
"What you offer... finding my son... His... his name is Alexei. I... I would be afraid to leave the library without knowing he is safe. But if you are saying you will find him?"
Her voice almost cracks with the emotion of her son being free.
"Yes, I could be persuaded to leave if I knew he was in out from under the Lion Blade's control. What is it that you request for such a grand favor? I am of no use in helping you research, and little use beyond these keys." She motions to the key ring on her belt. "The necklace carries no magic, just the symbol of the Lion blades."
Another moment passes while she thinks. Reaching down she fingers the keys, before unclipping the ring from her belt- holding them out for whoever would take them. "There are three rooms on this side: The study chamber, the rare book collection, and the magistrates office. The middle room is the location of many of our rarest books. There is a center bookcase, encased in glass, that I was instructed never to open. Please see that these keys are returned to me. I wish to stay in my room and be able to maintain that I never left this room during the performance."
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"we're grateful for your help Iliyana, we may have luck finding word of your son in the magistrates office," Rorrim wishes Iliyana well and assists her as much as she needs into her room. Once the group is ready to move he says," We should be going friends we have many people to help and short time.Etna you are the infiltration expert, should we risk the magistrates office first or our primary objective? Whichever we save for last may be harder if the first goes south, we may need to save our invisibility potion to smuggle her out but the pass without trace should go to whoever is removing the texts we seek"
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"This is more than enough," Lovissa replies as she accepts the keys from Iliyana.
Looking at the others, Lovissa considers Rorrim's question. "I suggest we search the Magistrate's Office, then the rare book collection. The glass case may be warded or alarmed."
After a moment she adds, "Once we open the doors and ensure the rooms are safe we could split into two groups. It would speed our search."
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Rorrim considers the option of splitting up. "we now have four objectives, splitting up might cause all of them to slip through our fingers, possibly once one group is set up and has the materials they need,"
Lovissa breaks into a wide grin when Rorrim asks about linnorms. "They have not. I hope to be the first Halenbane to do so."
Rorrim laughs heartily obviously alittle sloshed being a bit of a lightweight."So after we kill this dragon what then? What does Llinorm Queen Lovissa do next? Btw what if I kill it too do I get a title?... Llinorm Consort?"
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"Fair," Lovissa remarks. She heads out into the hallway and waits to see what the others think.
Lovissa lets out a deep belly laugh. "Linnorm's consort?" she laughs again. "Apparently the first I'll be doing is saving you from mounting a linnorm. We'll add a 'Queen's' into that title somewhere. Then we can celebrate." She gives Rorrim a wink then takes a gulp of her ale. "As for my sovereignty." she grins widely. "Rule well. Live long. Hoard historical artifacts. Maybe even have a brood of children to carry on my name. You know. The good stuff." She chuckles and kicks her feet up on a nearby chair.
After a few moments she smiles fondly. "Open a museum. And a children's school." She thinks a moment more, then shrugs. "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
"And you? When you slay a linnorm what will you do?"
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"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!" **KA-RASH!**
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Rorrim is enjoying himself and in his attempt to keep up with the group has had a few more drinks than he realised "Mounting a Llinorm, wouldn't that make mother happy. No, If that day passes I'ld only be one step closer to my goal. Since you ask, I seek the means to kill a god. I tried to reach the starstone my first day in Absolom and only got a broken arm out of it. So for now I'll scrounge any dusty library I have to find the power I seek. Then," Rorrim tears off a scrap of his bindings and let's it fall. "Desna will remove me from this frail cocoon and give me wings, so I can rid the world of monstrosities"
Iliyana pauses for a moment, as if re-considering her offer, before holding out the keys.
"The less you disturb, the less risk I assume. I am trusting you with all that I have left in this world."
Quickly scanning the door, Etna nor Lovissa see nothing concerning. With an exchanged glance, Etna inserts the key and hears a satisfying click as the door unlocks. Swinging the door open, the pathfinders get their first glance inside the room.
Two rows of tall bookshelves flank the imposing yet beautiful wooden desk that presides over the room. Over the door hangs a portrait of Grand Prince Stavian III, portrayed wearing an especially smug grin. A brass plaque under the portrait reads “A cunning lie is never told twice.”
As you open your emotions to the complex and swirling magical energies in the room, you begin to notice an odd collection of divination and transmutation forces concentrating at the desk at the center of the room
While Lovissa magically examines the room, Etna and Rorrim begin to look about in a more traditional manner. Without spending a lot more time, it is impossible to examine all the texts and documents located here- but nothing stands out about the room beyond what is already described.
Each researching PC can attempt a Linguistics, Knowledge (history), or text-based Craft or Profession check (such as Profession [librarian] or Craft [bookbinding]) to find texts. You can use other skills at a disadvantage, provided you can justify that skills use.
After concentrating a little more, Lovissa can sense that the magical auras are not coming from the desk, but from inside of it. Furthermore, she denotes two distinct signatures that she interprets as two different objects producing magical energy.
While Lovissa focuses on the desk, Rorrim begins to systematically review the bookshelves that line the room. With Etna's help, he is sure that- while to process is a little slow- if there is something of value in this room, he will find it.
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Heading down the hall, Solemnia stops at the first door she comes to and unlocks it. Passing of the key to Amarisa, Solemnia swings the door open. She is greeted by a small room with 5 desks against the walls in various locations. Across the desks lay open books and documents. Several of the book appear to have locations marked in some way.
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Taking the key, Amarisa heads to the middle door, where the caretaker has mentioned the "rare books". Opening the door, she is greeted by a very dim room with every wall space covered in glass encased bookshelves.
Alrik quickly follows her into the room. He takes a careful glance around the room and notices that the glass cabinet on the center of the back wall looks more ornate than the rest, including a simple lock on the exterior of the glass. Inside, a stack of loose papers flutters in some unseen wind, while the edges of several books ruffle silently.
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Amarsia will start sifting through the stack of loose papers to see what's on them. She will also cast detect magic and concentrate observing the entire room with detect magic. If she detects magic she will Knowledge the aura.
If more than 1 aura and auras are different, here is additional knowledge rolls.
Solemnia enters into the study room, picking her way through the stacks of books and open documents. It takes a while to sift through all of the contents- especially while attempting to disturb the room in a noticeable manner.
It takes her about 30 minutes with very little luck when she moves a book on the bottom of a pile- finding an ancient map. Closer inspection seems to indicate that this is an original map of Lake Encathan, with Aroden's troop movements and tactics in his assault on Tar-Baphon.
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Approaching the desk, Lovissa follows the magical aura to the top drawer. Taking the next few minutes, she searches the desk thoroughly
Sliding open the top drawer, you find two corked bottles rolling around on the inside. The first is a dark grey color. Uncorking it you are overwhelmed with the smell of smoke. Recognizing this as a potion of gaseous form. Grabbing other other, you see a perfectly clear liquid with a sharp acidic smell. You immediately recognize this as an elixir of vision.
As you look at the underside of the desk itself, you notice a small lever.
In the other drawers you find a flask of cheap liquor, some wrinkled parchment, two quills and an ink blotter.
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Opening her eyes to magical energies, Amarisa looks about the dim room.
Each of the small, faint lights glows with a magical energy of a continual flame. The center cabinet on the back wall- the one that is locked- glows with a faint magical aura. Concentrating on the energy, you trace it to a collection of books and papers on the 3rd and 4th shelf. Your focus tells you that this is a single magical aura of transmutation.
Lovissa hears a loud click, as the wall behind her opens up.
Before she can react to the new door, two darts from the wall strike into her side. The pain itself is bearable, though annoying- but it is wooziness she feels coming on that is more concerning.
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Lovissa looks at her side in surprise, pulls out two darts and drops them into her belt pouch in a bit of a daze...
"Trap... My fault..." she grunts. She quickly toggles the switch back to its original position to prevent it from being noticed later.
She blinks a few times and shakes her head. "It's fine. I... I think I'm good. Let's get back to work."
It takes a few moments for the room to stop spinning- but eventually Lovissa is able to shake the wooziness. However, as she moves towards the bookshelves with the others there is a noticeable change in her balance.
The three pathfinders continue on in searching the bookshelves lining the room.
With their combined efforts, they uncover two documents of interest. One appears to be some sort of code- the other a book ruined by less than careful handling on the part of the magistrate.