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Feeling a bit strange from the poison, Piotr shakes his head to clear his mind. He storms up to the gnome, drawing his blade.
"I should have cut you down!"
He snarls, spittle dripping from his sharp teeth and onto the gnome's face.
"Quit playing games with us! You better have a way to neutralize this poison coursing through my veins!"
Piotr trembles in anger and fear, afraid that the poison may do worse than just cloud his mind.
The gnome is clearly shaken.
“I … I can’t give you an antidote! I … am addicted to the plant!! I … I don’t know how to help!!“ he says with a quivering voice.
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"It should wear off after four hours," Elena explains with a sigh. "I guess by the time we finish the garden you should be ok. I... I do not know what to do with someone who's already addicted tho," she looks at the gnome with worry and with some sadness. "If this Dakang knows of the lie, it makes it even more worrisome. What can you tell us about him? The others have been a bit too vague about his description."
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In a fit of rage, Piotr raises his sword over his head and focuses his sights on the point where the gnome's neck meets the shoulders. He tenses the muscles in his arms for a powerful blow and...
"It should wear off after four hours," Elena explains with a sigh.
With his blade about to come down on the terrified gnome, Piotr quickly looks sideways at Elena.
"Y-y-you mean the poison isn't going to kill me?"He says in relief as he lowers his blade to his side.
"I'm getting really fed up with being in this garden..."
He scowls at the gnome as he slides his blade back into its scabbard.
"And dealing with this gnome."
He turns towards the southern doors.
"I want to leave this garden... for now."
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Let me see if I can possibly help with this. This may not help either of you, but it will certainly not harm anyone of worth.
Regardless of whether the prayers have any immediate effect or not, Goe Lem will gladly assist in the manual labor or putting the garden into shape.
While doing so he will try to have a moment of quite conversation with The White Rose Duelist. Drug addiction is anathema to both his and my deity. He should have the chance to recover own his own. When he is not looking pour this all around the stem of that vile bush. He then hands her a small stoppered glass tube.
The gnome is clearly afraid now and is about to leave.
"I ... I think that Dakang believes that this test gives everyone focus to concentrate on the teachings of Koroda!! But .. but ask himself please!" Gastidem says and starts taking a couple of steps back.
Miriya is clearly shaken but what she heard.
"I ... I cannot believe it!" she says and runs away into the building.
Miraya was with you the whole time so far. But she now left.
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"I need to take a time out... Give me a few minutes."
Piotr snarls, exasperated as he turns away.
Visibly shaken from the ordeal, Piotr the Beast lowers his head and walks to the set of double doors closest to the library. He turns to look in remorse at the group as he opens the door and steps inside. He closes the door quietly behind him.
Once inside, Piotr transforms back into human form.
"Aarrgghh, the pain!"
His nerves tattered and his heart racing from wondering about the detrimental effects the toxin flowing within his body could have, he presses his back against the corner beside the door and looks up as he takes a deep breath then exhales slowly. He slides his back down the wall until he's seated with his knees up in front of his chest. He places his forehead against his knees to meditate and quietly pray to Milani for guidance.
After a few minutes, Piotr stands and heads out the door into the garden. In repentance, he starts clearing the brush and debris by the door in silence as he reflects on all the good and bad that has transpired while being at this temple.
You need a little more than one and a half hours and complete the task of accurately sketching the original plan of the garden.
You significantly prune back the overgrowth to see how the original beds were designed.
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It seems more than passing odd that the 'Holy One' in charge of this place would let the gardens founder, leave a devotee addicted to a drug, and prohibit paying respects to the honored dead. Am I the only one that sees a potential problem here?
Oh well, I suppose I should reserve judgement until I hear the sermon. We can continue to record the contents of the library until it is time to attend the sermon.
He thumps his way toward the doors through which Piotr exited in order to head toward the library.
Serata is able to break down the door which leads her to the hallway or crypt that you already visited.
When Geo Lem moves towards the library he sees none of the acolytes and is presented with the same sight of a disorganized and not really well maintained trove of wisdom.
This spacious room is crammed with narrow bookshelves and large tables. Many shelves are empty and the remaining scrolls and tomes seem tattered and sagging. A small open door looks into a tidy office. The room is clean and bright despite a general atmosphere of abandonment.
Several windows look into a garden to the west.
To complete your assigned task of cataloging the library, you must meticulously log each book and scroll here. Although several of the shelves are empty, thousands of items remain, some nearly illegible due to age.
Serata searches the library office and finds a centuries-old catalog.
This old catalog dramatically reduces the time you must spend inventorying the library and shows that about half of the holy texts to Korada are missing from the shelves.
~
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Piotr's jaw drops in astonishment when he witnesses Serata's incredible feat of strength by ripping the boards off the entryway.
"Woah. I'll be sure to never make you angry."
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Upon discovery of the contents of the old catalogue, Piotr looks at his companions with a worried expression.
"I've had a suspicion something was not right all along. Like some of you mentioned earlier; an addict in charge of the garden (and trying to rip my arm off with that test) and the crypt filled with undead. Now we discover many of the holy texts to Korada missing. This is definitely not a temple dedicated to a benevolent deity... the main reason why I want to witness this sermon and listen to what kind of brainwashing Dakang is doing to the inhabitants."
The books here refer to Korada’s holy city of Vantian the Unshuttered, which continually crumbles into the sea of Ishiar while residents continually rebuild on the far side of the city.
The books also describe the double-arrow symbol of “celestial silence and contemplation” to be drawn over the mouth and eyes of adherents of Korada.
You recall the following information about the rites referenced in the library books.
None of the rites or symbols described are actually connected with Korada. There is no such “symbol of celestial silence and contemplation.” These books have been altered.
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"I found something. Look at this."
Piotr waves his companions over. He points to passages and drawings in a couple books he has open on the table.
"None of the rites or symbols described are actually connected with Korada. There is no such symbol of 'celestial silence and contemplation.' These books have been altered."
He gives the group a worried look.
You have now spent less than an hour and catalogued the library!
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"I think I saw a door leading into a storeroom near the front lobby area. We should look in there for any items related to Korada they may have hidden. If there is time before the sermon to check other areas, maybe we should give those a look as well."
Piotr reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crudely drawn charcoal map of the temple he's been working on since his arrival. He circles his finger around the incomplete southwestern area and the chapel.
"There's all this area to check out, if there's time."
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Piotr nods in return to Elena. Suddenly a loud grumble comes from his belly.
"I'm really hungry, though. I haven't eaten since breakfast back at the lodge."
Piotr then raises his brow and purses his lips in thought.
"I bet this Dakang leader is poisoning his flock with flayleaf so they'll believe everything he says. He must be brainwashing them to believe in some false deity and not the real Korada."
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Piotr leans into Valeros with a serious look on his face and grips the warrior's shoulder.
"Exactly, Valeros. We've learned enough of his deceit. I say we confront Dakang now... the sooner, the better."
Piotr grips the handle of his blade, and gives a knowing nod to his fellow warrior.
"Let's take him down."
He then peeks over his shoulder at the others, then looks back at Valeros.
"You think they're ready for the challenge to take Dakang down?"
Turning to take a look at the others, Piotr turns to give a nod of approval to Valeros. He feels confident that their companions are ready to confront the supposed priest of Korada.
"I really hate religious fanatics and people in positions of power that deceive others."
He snarls as he draws his sword.
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"Alright. Fine. We'll check out the other areas. If there are rakes and hedge clippers in that store room, I'm going to be very upset."
Piotr watches Serata suddenly slink down the hallway. When she's about twenty feet away, he gives the Pathfinder hand signal to be quiet to the others, then motions for them to follow. He continues following, making sure Serata has a good twenty to thirty foot distance ahead of the group.
Serata opens one of the double doors to look inside.
This dining room contains a banquet table, a massive slab of darkwood that has a bounty of simple vegetarian food.
A single ascetic inside is currently arranging a communal meal.