| The World's Most Interesting GM |
Among the many many many maps one particularly colorful silk one done in a Tian-style portrays Tian Xia mashed into the side of Avistan to create a strange supercontinent.
Beneath it, bobbing in the water, is a much smaller, but no less ornate art piece--an engraved wooden bookmark with a golden tassel. The thin plane of wood is etched with arcane designs in a vaguely Mwangi pattern.
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
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Just don't ask Johnny.
Kolris Isimlothe
|
Before Rectitude draws the items out of his hands, Kolris takes a moment to examine them himself.
Standard: activate detect magic spell-like ability
Knowledge (arcana), free inspiration, map: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 11 + (5) = 22
Spellcraft, free inspiration, map: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (11) + 9 + (4) = 24
Knowledge (arcana), free inspiration, bookmark: 1d20 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 11 + (2) = 20
Spellcraft, free inspiration, bookmark: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (13) + 9 + (5) = 27
I've never used so many of these Envoy abilities in a single game before!
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
Envoys and libraries are like the peanut butter and jelly of RPGs.
The big silk map is actually a very imaginative bit of artwork. To think that Golarion's landmasses could be collected in such manner. It's pretty amazing to think about. However there is actually something magical about it as well. The map legend, the place names, and web-thin lines connecting points on the map seem to make a magical latticework that Kolris imagines could be used for magical spacial travel.
You have discovered the world's largest scroll of dimensional travel.
The bookmark likewise contains a bit of magical glamour. It reminds you of a similar bookmark a female family member had in one of her arcane texts books. You remember commenting on it during your last visit telling her that you had half expected her to be reading this rather trashy novella that had been making the rounds rather than keeping her mind on her studies. Why ever did you think about that now?
Kolris Isimlothe
|
Pondering the strange memory, Kolris' mind finally wanders to the even more strange encounter earlier with Zarta. He mentally squirms a bit, but then recalls the task she'd given him. Ahhh... he thinks, this may be a good sign....
He quickly looks through the library one more time, this time focusing on the spines of books almost exclusively.
Perception, whispers of evil: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 1 = 32
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
Alas, after several minutes, Kolris only comes up with more maps and several oversized atlases.
While Kolris searches, was anyone else doing anything?
Perc (Tofang): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Perc (Fentar): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Perc (Jezu): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Perc (Rectitude): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Perc (Kolris): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18 +2 w/heightened awareness
Derkhan Ashgale
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"I think our friend may have forgotten our agreement." Derkhan says, gesturing at the rising water level.
"Perhaps we should move on?"
Tofang Siyaah
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Tofang looks at Kolris. ” You have to swim back to the big fish!“
He shakes his head.
”I am very sorry that you have to disturb the fish again but he has to a top pouring water into the library! I do not want to tell you that this is very damaging!“
Fentar Palomine
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Fentar boosts Derkhan onto the first row of bookshelves, the he shoulders arms and looks around for any more trouble.
perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
"I still think killing the big fish might be an option..."
Derkhan Ashgale
|
"Oh, you can kill most things, doesn't mean you should. It has a funny way of thinking, but I don't think its actively and intentionally doing harm."
"Let's move on. To the south-eastern wing, perhaps."
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
The party enters the southeaster section, one room of which seems to be a storage place for books pertaining to genealogy. However there is something odd about the room. Off in the corner behind the door the party discovers a patch of darkness that does not seem to fade regardless of how close they bring their lights.
Now what do you do?
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
The book disappears into the field of darkness.
Derkhan Ashgale
|
"Interesting." Derkhan says after clambering up one of the bookshelves.
"I, regrettably, find myself without a magical solution. Does anyone have an oil of daylight? Or one of those alexandrite gems that is so popular?"
Kolris Isimlothe
|
Kolris joins Rectitude and Derkhan near the darkness. He peers into it, but can't come up with anything to do. He calls out, "whoever's in there, you might as well come out; there's nowhere to go!"
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
Kolris joins Rectitude and Derkhan near the darkness. He peers into it, but can't come up with anything to do. He calls out, "whoever's in there, you might as well come out; there's nowhere to go!"
"-to go, go, go, go, o, o...!" The only sound that returns to the party's ears seems to be their own breathing, and the splashing of their movements.
Jezu Quakecaller
|
Jezu strains his ears to hear anything that they might have missed.
perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
Rectitude approaches with his lit sunrod and shines it in the darkness.
Stubbornly, the darkness remains dark.
Jezu doesn't hear any sounds that one might not expect in an underground library under four-feet of water.
Tofang Siyaah
|
Tofang now approaches too. Maybe with his dark vision he sees more?
perce : 0 + 1d20 + 8 ⇒ 0 + (14) + 8 = 22
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
Yes. Tofang can see a narrow alcove covered in recessed wall shelves stacked with paper, and books.
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
This goes about as well as you might expect having a small person on your shoulders who while they can see the way ahead from 8' up, can't see where your feet are in the water below, and then describe a path into a cluttered, narrow, flooded space that you can't see at all in. Yet it is possible.
Now what? Is anyone else doing anything?
Derkhan Ashgale
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Derkhan has a look around the non-magically darkened area.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Kolris Isimlothe
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I hate having to bring others into this, but Zarta asked for this specifically, and I can't do it alone, unfortunately. That bookmark, and now this darkness. Darklands? Darkness? It can't be coincidence.
"Tofang, Zarta asked me to look for a specific book. I think it might be the source of this darkness. Can you try throwing different books into a bag? If I'm right, the darkness should disappear when obscured by the bag, just like a source of light would."
Kolris unslings his handy haversack and offers it to the wayang. "Here, this will work as well as anything."
Tofang Siyaah
|
Tofang shrugs and starts searching trying to find the book Kolris mentioned.
perception : 0 + 1d20 + 8 ⇒ 0 + (4) + 8 = 12
If he finds the book he throws it in the bag of holding.
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
After a minute or two of scrabbling over Rectitude, grabbing sheaves of paper, codices, and other books. He finds one that when shoved into a bag makes the darkness disappear. In fact when he looks in the bag at it, the darkness glares out at him like a reverse spotlight.
The book itself is a large, awkward tome wrapped in leather of some kind that Tofang had get on tip-toes from Rectitude's shoulders to reach off the top shelf. The moment Tofang touched it observers from out side could see the darkness move with it.
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
Rectitude sees the light once more, Good-
As he begins to speak, a sound like a terror stricken crowd of dozens washes over and around Rectitude and Tofang. He tries again, and again is cut off by the cacophony. Even his and Tofang's breathing seems to cause the air to be filled with a soft susurration of a room filled with distressed people, and every audible sound made by the duo is punctuated by a number of shrill panicked screams.
Tofang Siyaah
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”Good! Now the book is safe with you Kolris. And everyone can see! Thanks also Rectitude!“ the Wayang says.
Kolris Isimlothe
|
"Thank you, Tofang, and you Rectitude." Kolris holds his hand out and takes his handy haversack back, shouldering it and cinching it back into place.
Wary of the cacophony when Rectitude spoke, Kolris begins to mutter under his breath. "Was that some kind of trap?"
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
”Goo-!“ the Wayang says.
The rest is possibly drowned out by the screams of the damned. This effect seems to occur whenever the bearer (whomever that is) makes a noise (any noise at all) until the haversack is sealed.
Now what do you do?
Kolris Isimlothe
|
Kolris seals the haversack tight, smiling sheepishly in apology for the trouble. He hefts the haversack back onto his shoulder and begins searching the rest of the Heritage Stacks.
Perception, whispers of evil: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 12 + 1 = 19
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
Kolris pulls from the water, near the back of the room a bit of scroll whose color seems familiar. It's another part of the scroll they are looking for!
Derkhan Ashgale
|
"Well done, Kolris! Surely Chaldira smiles upon our venture today."
We should continue on to one of the remaining wings.
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
You folks's call.
Kolris Isimlothe
|
Kolris follows. "Either is as good as the other; we'll have to search both."
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
The Dictionarium
Unlike the other doors you have encountered down here, this one is closed and locked.
Tofang Siyaah
|
Tofang moves forward.
He takes out his lockpick set and tries to open the door.
disable device : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
| The World's Most Interesting GM |
It is a simple lock, and gives way to Tofang's picks easily enough. Though it is certainly awkward trying pick the lock which is several inches beneath the water's surface.
Tofang Siyaah
|
Tofang opens the door and moves in.