Tinker and Darven deduce the correct solution in turning the stylus to point at the words 'honor, courage, and glory' in that order, and an audible clank sounds from the secret door. Beyond it opens 15-foot passage that leads to a spiral staircase leading down. The secret door has a latch on the interior that allows it to be opened and closed from the other side.
And as if on cue, you can hear music starting to play as it echoes through the library.
Darven picks a collection of books for each pathfinder, and helps them set up their illusion cards on the bottom of their chairs. Once the room looks like they are deep in their research, the team goes to the passage and closes the secret door behind them.
The staircase leads quite deep down below the ground. The walls are smooth stone, and the floor is carved into intricate patterns to provide better footing than a polished floor might. The sounds of the concert become more muffled, and once at the bottom it can't be heard at all.
A strong wooden door closes the small, unlit antechamber, and opens up to a hallway. It stretches from north to south with several sets of doors along its east and west walls. The south wall bears a 10-foot-square field of carved divots that create no particular pattern. An inscription above the carving reads "The keenest eyes cannot see everything. Always remember to see the big picture." The hallways also has a slightly worn groove at the center.
Makras opens the double doors—which presents another set of double doors—eventually opening up to a grandious large, well-lit library. Thousands of books line the dozens of shelves in this high-ceilinged library. Several tables and chairs near the center of the room provide a place to read quietly, and five rows of pewlike benches nearby face an immense lion’s head carved from the eastern wall. Several wall sconces holding glass spheres emanate light throughout the hall.
Gillie climbs up and down the shelves, searching for volumes he would be interested in.
22 minutes passed.
During their research at some point Henrikuaxian can discern from the faint melody of the musical play an incoming dramatic piece. And sure enough, around 3 minutes after Henrikuaxian's estimate, a cacophony of cymbals and percussions echo faintly throughout the halls. It lasts only for a minute before dying down to a ordinary barely noticeable symphony.
The pathfinders eventually conclude the exhausting search in the large room, gathering a total of four interesting pieces of knowledge amidst of all the triviality. There might be more to uncover, however.
Apart from Gillie and Tinker, who are both preoccupied with the books behind the shelves, the pathfinders notice something odd about the lion's head statue. Keen-eyed Darven is first to observe how the head statue has turned slightly towards him, and snaps to its original position.
Gillie's hourglass is a bit under half-way done by the time they've conducted their research.
Makras advances and opens the double doors to see—yet again another set of double doors and opening them—another hallway stretching from one far end to another. There are multiple door on the other side, as well as a spiral staircase leading up on the eastern end.
"Alright then, you have seen through my ruse," a sudden, bellowing roar emanates from the lion head as it opens its mouth to speak. Its voice is deep and powerful with a received pronunciation. "Now that you have been meandering this great library for quite a while, it would be suitable for you to explain your presence to me, the Guardian. Are you all members of the Lion Blades?"
The pathfinder find themselves under the influence of a zone of truth spell, and cannot speak any deliberate or intentional lies.
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Henrikuaxian looks absolutely delighted at an actual talking lion head, and grins from ear to ear. "Magnificent, truly incredible! Are you actually a lion, or just talking through one?" When Tinker responds, Henrik points at him and says "We're together! We're here seeking knowledge from books, what else would one want from such an amazing library? Knowledge is everything!"
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At the sound of the roar Gillie makes a beeline towards the guardian climbing over bookshelves if necessary.
"WOW! You're alive? Are you going to try to kill us, that happens a lot."
Gillies ears prick up with interest at Tinker's response. "Are you? Wow! What's a Lion's blade? Does it mean a claw? Why would a lion use a blade?"
Nodding at Henrik's comments. "That's right! We're a team! And we're here on a very important mission!"
The lion head looks quizzically at each pathfinder, determining whether they are speaking the truth or not.
"It appears odd for a lion blade such as yourself to bring a foreign group affiliated to the Lion Blades to this library," the Guardian says with its deep voice, "while some of you seem interested in what mighty histories and legends this place holds, some appear more akin to jesters." The Guardian looks sternly at Makras and Gillie.
"Nevertheless I, the Magnificent Guardian, am here to keep order and see who traverses my halls. Who are you? Why have you come here? Why have you brought here a selection of seemingly random individuals? Since you are under my spell, you are to comply with my answers! After all I am the , you must be in awe to see such a marvel amidst the significant that is this library!" The Guardian puffs air out of its nostrils, much like a big cat would.
"And in addition you are to describe me the events of the outside world, for I will hold knowledge within me. You are to comply!"
Tinker happens to know a lot about the Lion Blades.
The Lion Blades of Taldor are a secret organization committed to protecting the interests of Taldor and its ruler, the Grand Prince. They oppose the enemies of the empire through infiltration, assassination, and espionage. The organization does not officially exist, which avoids criticism and oversight. Its members serve Taldor from the shadows without moral considerations. In regards to domestic enemies, one of their tasks is to keep a rein on corruption. Another is to keep any one faction of the imperial court from becoming a threat to Grand Prince Stavian III. The Lion Blades prefer crowded urban areas because they are masters of motion within the crowd. They are also quick, agile, knowledgeable, and masters of disguise. Although most Lion Blades work for the government, some hire themselves out to non-governmental organizations, work for themselves, or even become turncoats and serve Taldor's enemies. Of those who defect to another nation, most work for Cheliax, the nation most eager to accept such traitors.
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Gillir looks from Makras to the guardian and back.
"Oh I don't think he's jesting! Just odd! Nothing wrong with odd as the doctor used to say."
He does look genuinely wowed by the lion. Its size compared to his small (even for ratfolk) stature is definitely a factor.
"I really love your library! It seems very special so you must be very special since its your library! I can tell you lots of stuff if you want! What do you want to hear?"
Without waiting for a response Gillie dives into an unfocused and unpredictable high speed description of many unconnected events, both local scale and world wide.
"There is was a god in the far north who tried to stop his tribe getting sick with a poison but it didn't work so he got really angry but we found a cure for the poison and it made him happy again now he isn't attacking random people anymore, and there was a race in the Mwangi and the pathfinders were allowed to join and then some people cheated but we won because..."
Gillie doesn't seem to need to stop to draw breath.
"... I heard that a person had books from Cheliax that hadn't been changed and that's really cool because Cheliax changed lots of stuff in their books and we went and got them, well not we this group and me but we the pathfinders, my friend Tuck told me because he helped get the books, Tuck has really good cookies, he sometimes gets cookies from a shop called The Chocolate Chip Raisin and the baker's daughter accidently borrowed his secret cookbook and someone saw it and made some cookies and they tasted so good the baker invited them to come work with him and now the cookies are even better..."
Gillie wears his heart on his sleeve and it is plain to see he is full of genuine amazement at the library as well and awe of the Guardian.
He retells events with a sense of true joy reminiscent of a child recalling a holiday. He clearly wants nothing more than to tell the Guardian everything he can and is at no stage deliberately leaving things out or stretching the truth.
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Makras is about to retort, but then a surprisingly thoughtful look furrows his brow as he becomes lost in reverie. A jester it said. Aye! An apt metaphor for humanity. Gadflying across the stage, poking fun while the theatre/world crumbles all around it. Humanity! Laugh and bandy words to amuse yourselves, actor and audience alike, all the while forgetting the utter doom growing more and more certain with each passing second until . . . the final curtain. The world ends not with a bang, nor a whimper, but with applause . . .
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"Please forgive those of us who speak too quickly. We are humble researchers, and have never seen the likes of a Guardian as wondrous as you.
The outside world may have changed if you have not gone outside. The gravest threat to the Taldane empire are the demons that pour forth from the Worldwound. We seek allies - strong, noble allies - that can help us in this common threat to this plane of existence."
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Darven nods once again, "I am impressed with your desire to keep this library safe. Such sentiment resonates with my soul as well. Regardless of your spell, I speak the truth. Lies lead nowhere productive, which is part of why we are here. I am following Irori's example and seek to discover the truth of things. You may not be aware, but many documents outside these hidden sections have been altered and changed and resemble little of the truth."
Darven then thinks to himself of any stories he can share, "I always care a book or two with me, and I have heard of many interesting events. I would be happy to share my knowledge with you. Such is the goal of all librarians, right?"
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"Just like any security operation, information is compartmentalized on a need to know basis. Rather than trying to place members of the Lion Blades in foreign lands, it is easier to train foreigners here and have them return to their homes. They already know the specific mannerisms of their nation and just need to learn our tradecraft. A simple slip in spelling, pronunciation, or a hand gesture can be an agents undoing. Coming down here is part of their final test to see if they will be deployed back to their native countries and on what kind of missions. " Tinker said.
"Some of them should have spent more time opening their minds, not their mouths." he added, giving some of the group a harsh stare as he pulled out a journal and made some notes.
"Your 'pupils' certainly are convincing, agent. You may call my Glorymane but never use my name in vain," the Guardian says to Tinker, turning its attention to Gillie, "personal tales with little detail are worthless banter. Whereas this fine man's," now referring to Bocke, "news of an ongoing conquest are what I really want to hear! Though it saddens me to hear some are not keen to hear the might of our conquests in full detail, smudging the image of our noble warriors, lions! Alas, it is not my place to change history, but to record it! You might also want to relay those news to our caretaker who lives in this complex. Her chambers might be locked, as are some other doors."
"I can easily recite many tales and legends to you if you so wish, for I am a master of theatre and illusions!" the Guardian laughs as it shows its own repertoire of spells by creating an image of a glorious Taldan warrior clad in traditional Taldan armor, "the Third Army of Exploration was a legendary army that reach the Arcadian sea, conquering all land under Taldan rule! The magnificent flag portraying the noblest of creatures, the lion, flew in the banners on all the shores of the Inner Sea!" Glorymane pauses as if to inhale the glory that once was. "There are numerous stories to be told of our glorious past. You will find much of it here! And the most carefully guarded books are kept beyond!"
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Darven narrows his eyes, "Beyond? Can you show us where these texts are? I wish I could stay longer, and perhaps I will find a way to return to such a wonderful place and help maintain this collection. Alas, we have only be given a very narrow window of time to explore this grand library today."
Darven pulls out his personal copy of Unbinding the Fetters, "Would you be interested in perusing this text from Irori that describes a way to reach enlightenment? While I'm sure its a part of the collection upstairs, I doubt you would have seen a copy down here."
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Tinker nodded in agreement as he started to talk about the leader of the expedition and route they took. "Thank you for your time. The pupils will need to write a two scroll report of their interaction with you and what they had seen. Training the eyes is also important." he said, looking towards an exit so the group could resume their mission.
"By now you should have realized I am bound to this library, and this wall. I am unable to guide you," Glorymane explains with a hint of frustration, "are you searching for something specific?"
"But I am able to read your opus with the aid of my magic skills. Observe!" With much unneeded grandiosity it appears to yet again cast a spell, the book is gently taken from Darven's hand by an invisible creature, and it holds it in front of the Guardian.
"I will peruse this oeuvre," it says with some posh, "while I am certainly close to enlightement, it must be beneficial for me to learn more."