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The scholar, with eager eyes and quick hands, makes a grab for the book, and puts it safety into his surprisingly spacious haversack.
"Let us be off!" he says.
"And hope that creature is long gone."
The ever-poor scholar joins Iovo in looking for any other "offerings" that might be worthwhile acquiring.
"I wonder who made this space, and what its original purpose was?" he muses.
After a few tense minutes, the pathfinders realize a couple things. Firstly, the water isn't getting deeper or receding. Secondly, the octo-dude isn't returning to attack them. Most importantly, there isn't another way out at the moment, though Iovo is pretty sure the mechanism for filling the room is on some sort of timer, so hopefully it'll drain eventually.
So, the group moves up into the room, Ironshanks guarding the door. Khellek lays out both books upon the altar and very quickly sees that the binding brackets are custom built to clip together. "It couldn't be that easy, could it?"
*SNAP*
And the devil book stops smoking and cursing. They seem at peace now.
Among the assorted coins and trinkets are a pearl of power (2nd level), an elemental gem (water), a silver raven figurine of wondrous power and a set of horseshoes of speed. The combined total of the coins and mundane art objects is 200 gp.
After about seven more minutes of searching and collecting, a grinding is heard from the other room. Glancing out there, the pathfinders see the water is being quickly siphoned out, leaving the room clear and exits visible. No Ursula to be seen.
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“Well, that was certainly interesting!”
Looking down the passage, Iovo asks “So should we report the murderer to the harbor patrol or Ollysta? I’m guessing the harbor patrol is probably better set up to find him.”
Looking to Khellek, she says “Thank you for that Heroism spell, by the way. I’m not sure that I could have managed that swim without it.”
——
That night, Iovo tries to make a few coins singing at a few of the taverns which allow it. She really does better when only expected to provide backup for her sister.
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"Magic horseshoes? Some people are WAY too into those hay burners." He throws another copper piece into the oversized bathtub, wishing the water to go away. Finally his wish comes true.
"Keep yer whits and eyes sharp, that squid could be lurkin' to ambush us at any time!" He leads the group back out of the tunnels, shield and axe at the ready.
The group warily climbs down, everyone up top watching as Ironshanks descends, ready to shoot anything that attacks. But nothing does. Either the octo-dude fled or is waiting further up to ambush them.
Carefully backtracking, the group of bedraggled pathfinders make it out of the warrens and back to the city proper. They quickly head to home base to secure the dangerous relic in the vaults for study. No tentacle monsters come to attack them, other than maybe in their dreams.
A few days later, they get very sincere thank you letters from both Venture Captain Amari Li and the Crusader Ollysta Zadrian. The former thanks you for your discretion and quick actions in collecting a wayward Tien Xia artifact. The latter is happy you assisted her in bargaining for the evil artifact in the market and in tracking down the other half of the book. You all hear through the grapevine that Yargos Gill has undertaken a contract with the society to work for them, under oversight of them, with various tasks.
A longer investigation into the crime scene along with your reports indicates evidence that Nicola, Yargo's assistant, was actually working with the cecaelia. She apparently knocked out Yargos and stabbed his other assistant to death before being killed by the devil. The octopus-humanoid hybrid has yet to be located. Perhaps he fled the city? Perhaps he is laying in wait for his next opportunity to do evil. Regardless, the pathfinder leadership is much less concerned with him than the danger posed by the books being separated.
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Iovo becomes very excited when she finds out she will be allowed access to one of the two tomes.
"This is wonderful! This gives me a chance to practice some of the proper handling procedures for dangerous magical items, and I get to study one of the tomes!" She does pause in consideration before adding "Might want to invest in some ear plugs though..."
She checks with Khellek to see which of the two he is going to study.
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"Fascinating. I already know Celestial, so perhaps I should learn Abyssal. That is not a language that many mortals know. Or at least, not one that many admit to knowing. There was this interesting book I saw in the Dark Archives that I have been meaning to peruse, and being able to do so without resort to spellcasting would be convenient."
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"Isn't Infernal the national language of Chelliax now? Formal court language or something like that...."
Looking to Ironshanks, she says "Many outsiders fail to learn Dwarven. I have no idea how much use you would have for it, but learning Celestial might allow you to ask for help someday. As for Infernal, hearing what the enemy is saying can also be useful at times."
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"Well, infernal is the language of the devils. Abyssal is the language of the abyss. Very important distinction. Devils twist your words around on themselves and then eat your soul. Demons just go straight for eating your body, and then your soul."
He offers a nod to Ironshanks. "I have mostly studied human languages, speaking - in addition to Taldane, Vudrani, Azlanti, Thassilonian, Tekritanin, Varisian, Ossaini, Tien, ancient Ossirani, Jiska, Polygloit, and Skald. I've never had the chance to learn your fine tongue."
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"Oh I do speak a little elven as well. They have quite the history you know. Quite!" says the scholar, unusually impressed.
He looks blankly at her as she talks about infernal, and then sighs.
"Oh, age must be getting to me. I knew that. Those blasted documents are still written in abyssal though. Hope yet springs eternal."