Ellie nods at the suggestion. "I don't have much more to say about me, I think you know all the important stuff... but kissing sounds nice." She pulls Alessandra on top of her and holds her close, not letting her move away, relying on her superior fortitude to ensure that it's not her who goes breathless this time.
Ellie has slept a lot more soundly than usual, and blinks groggily as Alessandra shakes her awake. "Huh? Hmm? Oh... morning!" She hastily looks at both of them, blushing, but it seems that everything is as it should be.
She gives a selfconscious smile as Alessandra leaves her be to get dressed. "Uh, thanks. See you in a bit."
"You're welcome!" Alessandra replies, stealing a final kiss before she leaves.
"Let's get the others together and get moving before I get too distracted."
It takes some time alone to meditate and look over his spellbook, that Ulrich understands and comes to terms with his night with Gabriella. He sighs deeply, gets his stuff all packed up, and joins the party. Ulrich looks a lot calmer than usual, but he's also clearly sore. "Good morning. I am fully prepared for our journey. Shall we begin?"
------------------------------
Spells Prepared
------------------------------
0th (at will) Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Touch of Fatigue
1st Cause Fear, Dancing Lantern, Repair Undead, Vanish
2nd Blood Transcription, Boneshaker (x2)
After resting, you bid farewell to Kishokish and take to the Dead Roads once more. A few hours of walking along the pathways leads you to Salighara's Scriptorium. This sprawling wood-and-stone structure looks like a misplaced university building, with a grand entry on the southeast corner and a tall tower to the northwest. A path from the road leads directly to the entry.
Outside, you see a grim woman with a mostly humanoid form enwrapped in a cocoonlike lower body, wielding a large quill. She looks forlornly at the building, and as you draw near, she turns her dour gaze on you. "I am Salighara, a scholar and scribe of no small repute among the esteemed psychopomps. And you are Dr. Ulrich Kurbanov, Eldarel Japhol, the Filosovici twins, and Elká Syrellè, late of Roslar's Coffer. If I might hazard an educated guess, you seek to leave the Boneyard and return home to your world. To do so, you need my approval.
"I know why you would want to leave—Mictena has set her sights upon you as abominations. She wants to see you well and truly dead. I know all this because, frankly, she told me. Mictena came to me a short time ago, explaining that I would be well advised to see you slain. I'm a creature of logic and process, and Mictena's pleas were more impassioned than logical. In fact, I outright refused, insisting that I had more critical work to do. She was not well disposed to that response.
"My current field of study is dreams, and how mortal dreaming intersects with their fates and their desires. Don't assume I'm going on a tangent here—my conversation is scrupulously intentional, you'll see. My chief assistant and associate researcher, Mrs. Pedipalp, had been using my research equipment for her own studies into nightmares—things that terrify mortals. I wouldn't abide by it, and although I knew she coveted my Dream Gate, I'd assumed her distractions were mere... frippery.
"Well, after I declined Mictena's offer, it seems she went right to Mrs. Pedipalp. The rattletrap ousted me and appointed my assistant. My assistant! Mrs. Pedipalp is now master of the scriptorium, my staff, and my Dream Gate. An outrage! Well, her time as my assistant is finished. I will make this deal with you—if you enter my scriptorium and dispatch Mrs. Pedipalp in whatever manner you see fit, I will give you the stamps you need to continue on your journey home."
"Seems simple enough." Alessandra replies. "We need information though. Can you please describe the layout of your building and tell us everything about Mrs Pedipalp and whatever other assistance she may have?"
She's being very business like, possibly a response to the remarkably blunt outsider.
"Mrs. Pedipalp?" Gabriella repeats, looking at Salighara in disbelief. "That's a weird name." She shrugs her shoulders. "Not that it really matters. We oust Mrs. Pedalpusher, Pedalpalm, Pedipalp, and you get your old job back."
She looks at her sister.
"Lot's of 'upward mobility' going on in the Boneyard," she comments as an aside. She turns back to the scholar.
"Sounds like it would be easier to just talk to Mrs. ... whatever her name is and get our stamp from her. What else can you offer?"
Ellie gives Gabbi a slightly exasperated look: "How about a 'thank you for siding with us, and not with the crazy bonelady who wants us dead?'" she mutters. "Besides, I think we're better off dealing with the person who seems to be playing it straight with us, rather than someone who has betrayed once already."
She looks at Salighara. "Thank you for taking our side of it, and I'm sorry it cost you your place. We'll do what we can to help. What can you tell us about Mrs Pedipalp? Is she a psychopomp like you are?"
"The name sounds much like what one would expect from a Fey creature. Such a possibility is certainly possible, given that the tooth faeries from two days prior were, obvious, fey as well."
"Manners, girls!" Allie says, shooting looks at both her sister and Ellie. "My apologies Salighara. We've had some unpleasant meetings the past few days."
Gabriella glares at her sister.
Ellie wilts slightly as Alessandra shoots her a look: Sorry. I always say the wrong thing to her, don't I? I just thought it's better to side with someone who's agreed not to kill us- oh...
A very nasty thought strikes her. "Uh, Miss Salighara? Uh, when you say that Mrs Pedipalp replaced you, does that, uh, does that mean that she agreed to kill us for Mictena? Because that makes a big difference. It means she knows we're coming and has had time to prepare."
She stares at the house again, seeing it now as a fortress that's alert and ready to repel invaders. Nine-Eaves was bad enough, but at least those inside hadn't been expecting them...
Salighara scowls when you ask about Mrs. Pedipalp. "Were you not listening? She is my research assistant. She appears to be an elderly woman, but I am unsure as to her true nature. I brought her over from the Dimension of Dreams originally, just to interview her about her experiences, but she seemed like a perfectly acceptable housekeeper, and so I kept her on. This little incident certainly tarnishes my opinion of her. I will not be providing her with a letter of recommendation.
"She now commands my staff. The little... sort of clicky people. Made from wood. I don't know all their names! Their job was to not get in my way. I think it would be safe to assume that she is fully prepared to kill you if given a chance."
The psychopomp turns to Ulrich with a frown. "Hmm, it seems you have encountered the side effects of my previous experiments with planar thinness. When I opened a gate to the First World, several of its residents slipped through and escaped into the Boneyard before I could stop them. I trust you dealt with them appropriately."
She looks to Alessandra and sighs. "You have shown a modicum of respect, at least, so I shall offer you a boon. If one of you will step forward, I will loan you my ability to regenerate."
Gabriella will step forward and offer her arm for the glyph. "I wasn't trying to be disrespectful," the dhampir says contritely. Her words are directed at the scribe, but she looks at Ellie when she says them. "We're just trying to get back to the Prime in the most expedient fashion."
After Salighara inscribes the glyph, Gabbi gives an intake of breath. "It's cold," she hisses to her sister. "We do not want this spell cast upon either of us, trust me."
"Kamosh hates constructs. Very annoying!"
"Indeed." Replies Ulrich. He puts a hand to his forehead and sighs. "Most of my spells will be useless against the creatures made of wood, which as Kamosh has indicated, are likely constructs."
"Luckily one of us has magic that's very good with constructs." Alessandra replies, giving Ellie a big smile. "You going to go in front Darling?" She shoots Ellie a quick wink at this suggestion. "I'll be right behind you."
"Sorry..."
You step through the grand entry doors into the Scriptorium. Two wooden doors, deeply carved with images of quill pens and open books, stand to the east and west of this entry hall. The double door to the west has frosted glass windows that reveal only shifting shadows behind them. To the north is an alcove with several empty coat hooks. Another door stands to the south, and a sharply angled hall leads to the southwest. The room is lit by ominous, flickering lanterns.
Alessandra points to the western doors and heads that way, doing her best to tread quietly.
Several glass cases stand around this room or are mounted on the walls, each bearing several ancient sheets of parchment or a yellowing book. Each case is lit with only a small dim candle that casts flickering shadows around the room.
This gallery contains several notable works, including copies of pages from the Concordance of Rivals and an agreement with a contract devil in excruciatingly small print. Most of the cases bear small latches that open easily, but the contract case is locked.
"Nothing here," Gabbi says, through her eyes move longingly over the displayed parchments. "Let's keep moving."
As the group exits the hall and moves towards the south-westerly hallway, the inquisitor opens the southern door. She assumes it's just a closet, but doesn't like leaving a closed door behind them.
This room has a narrow peephole in the door and a single stool. When the door to this room is opened, a small humanoid creature flops out onto the floor! It seems to have been constructed out of wood, and has a vaguely female countenance. It also appears to be quite dead, with fresh blood leaking from numerous wounds!
Gabriella jumps back from the body and instinctively raises her crossbow at it. When it doesn't show any signs of moving she nudges it with her foot.
Alessandra looks at the contract case thoughfully for a few moments, before placing one hand on the lock.
She then examines the room with slightly glowing eyes for a few moments before following the group back into the entry-way.
The dead construct makes her pause as she examines the body. "If it's made of wood then how does it bleed?" She asks. "And what killed it?"
The lock shudders slightly but does not break. A few of the parchments glow with magical auras, but further investigation is interrupted by Gabriella's discovery of the body.
"Some of the contracts back there were magical." Allie comments, trying to find a distraction from the strangeness of the construct while Ulrich determines what happened. "I'll go back and take a quick look while you work out what happened here!"
The other cases open easily, allowing Alessandra to take the three magical scrolls within. They are scrolls of magic missile (CL 3rd), lesser confusion, and fireball.
The lock on the contract case proves resilient again. When Allie attempts to open it this time, though, a creature clambers out from its hiding spot under another case nearby. This ratlike creature has tiny human hands in place of its front paws, and an unnerving human face with a toothy mouth. "Hey! Hands off the merchandise! That one's mine!" he chitters angrily.
"Gabbi!" Alessandra calls over her shoulder before taking a step back from the case. "My apologies, I didn't realise there was anyone here. Have you lived here long?"
"A wyrwood, Gabriella. They are constructs, but infused with sentience through ioun stones. Odd however, is that it clearly bleeds, which it is not supposed to be able to do. From my analysis, I can see that it died by what would be an excruciating death, swarms of small bites. Ah, Kamosh, please accompany Alessandra."
Ulrich's deductions seem to indicate something is messing with your perceptions. You feel a little more prepared to deal with further illusions here.
***
The creature grunts and folds his arms over his furry chest. "A few months. That Salighara lady's gate drew me here from my home in the Dimension of Dreams. I slipped away and been hiding here ever since, trying to find a way out of the Boneyard. Name's Berthold."
He scurries over to the case with the infernal contract and taps on the glass. "This here contract's full of secrets, including my ticket out of here. But I can't get through the lock, and if I break the glass, the darkness will come and he'll find me. I know a lot about what's going on round here. You get me this contract and I'll tell you what I know."
The rat-thing licks his lips hungrily. "The contract, and a bit of blood. Just a sip! Either from the oldest of your friends, or the youngest."
Kamosh flutters over to Alessandra and perches on her shoulder. While she looks over the scrolls, Kamosh looks on with keen interest. "Oooo fancy."
The creature leaps out and Kamosh instantly tries to place it. He's no where near as smart as Ulrich, but he's heard enough ramblings to figure a few things out.
"Ratling! Seeker and hoarder of secrets! Scroll maker and blood drinker. Stay away from Kamosh's master. Kamosh is the better familiar! Squawk!!"
Ulrich gets suspicious about illusions and decides to tap a few things with his quarterstaff. The body of the wyrwood, the stool, the floor, each wall, and the ceiling. "Did you see where this creature came from? I perceived it flopping down from somewhere, but where?"
Why do I feel so jealous?
Berthold hisses at Kamosh. "Butt out, birdbrain!"
Ulrich doesn't find any illusions in the room. It looks like the wyrwood was propped against the door so that it would fall out when it was opened.
"What is it?" Gabbi responds to her sister as she enters the display room. When she sees the ratling she quickly pulls up her crossbow.
"What do you want, Ratling," she snarls.
Gabbi takes a moment to verify that the magical beast is, in fact, evil.
"Whatever arrangement we might come to, you'll get no blood from any of us, little beast," she counters, showing off her own sharp teeth. "We don't share with the likes of you. Your kind preys on children and the helpless. Why should we not cleanse your stain from the world?"
Alessandra nods to her sister, and leaps across the room attempting to grab the small creature.
Gabriella doesn't detect any evil aura coming from the ratling, but hemight just not be powerful enough to produce an aura.
"You're one to talk, vampire-spawn!" Berthold spits back at the dhampir.
He shrieks as Alessandra lunges at him, grabbing a hold and withering his flesh with her grasp!
Ellie is silent as they enter the house of oddness. When they encounter the rat-thing, she grips her flail, sure that things will go sour. And sure enough, they do - but the speed of it still catches her by surprise.
Ulrich steps into the room and reaches out with his right hand as if to grasp something. With intense concentration, he takes hold of the ratling's skeleton and shakes it vehemently.
Berthold shrieks as Ulrich's spell rattles its skeleton, causing grievous harm! The mangled ratling slumps in Alessandra's grasp, dying.
Ulrich treads forwards and grabs hold of the ratling's corpse. As he begins chanting the arcane words, his eyes glow red, his canines protrude, and he says in Necril "I will take your secrets, spellcaster." Then he bites into the ratling's neck, drinking the magic within his blood.
As Ulrich feasts on the dead ratling's blood, magical knowledge fills his mind.
Ellie shudders, and looks away as Ulrich feasts; but doesn't say anything.
Her eyes meet Alessandra's. "Did you want that lock picking?" She gestures with her heavy flail.
Gabriella leans close to Ellie.
"Even I wouldn't have tasted that thing's blood," she whispers.
She looks at the woman's flail. "Is that one of those masterwork lockpicks I keep hearing about?" She grins.
"Give me a little longer first sweetheart." Alessandra replies with a smile. "I think I might have finally figured out a good way to use my hands now."
Allie spends a minute or two poking and prodding at the lock.
Ulrich finishes drinking the ratling's blood, then drops the body and lets it clatter on the floor. He takes out a small knife from the healer's kit, and uses it to slice off the ratling's tongue. "It could speak any language. Yes I understand now. It is too powerful a divination spell for me to cast at this time, but I can write it down for later." As he wraps the tongue in some bandages and puts it in his spell component pouch, he says "I will need some time later today to write down the spell, and some coinage to infuse it with magic. When I become capable of casting it, anyone will be able to temporarily speak and understand any language they desire."
Then he realizes that his beard is soaked in blood. He mutters something about prestidigitation, then takes out his waterskin to help wash the blood off. "Pardon me."
"It's a good look for you, Ulrich," Gabbi says with a grin. "If I didn't know where it came from, I might be tempted to ..." she trails off as her tongue sneaks out to wet her lips.
"Ah, well thank you, Gabriella. I will make sure to find a more suitable host for the next time. I would enjoy that."