The party regroups, then heads south. There is a closed door, locked, with no scroll fragment pinned to it, so you elect to keep moving. The downstairs level appears to exhibit mirror symmetry about a plane bisecting it north to south. The southeast chamber door stands open, revealing yet another flooded room full of books--mostly genealogies, which prove almost as boring to the rest of the party as to Xanko. Seebonickk, Lybram, and Zim turn up another scroll fragment with a cursory search, though (see the slides).
Moving on to the final room in the northeast, its door also stands open. This room appears to have been for storing maps, and everyone except Xanko notices a silk map floating on the surface of the water. It shows a normal map of the world, except for having Tian Xia mashed into the side of Avistan.
With that, the party follows the hapless Virml back up the stairs, enduring the castigation of the birds as they pass through the fishin' hole, and going up to the mezzanine.
There is a strange creature on the floor of the mezzanine. It looks for all the world like a four-eyed, human-sized goldfish with tentacles. The water is flowing from a bulbous sac on its back. It looks up at Xanko as he leads the way up and says something in a language the fighter doesn't understand.
Malakar | Male LN Small Halfling Wizard 1 DARK ARCHIVE | HP 7/7 | AC 13, T 13, FF 11 | CMD 6 | F +2 R +5 W +3; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +3 | Speed 20ft | Spells 1st 3/3 | Acid Dart 6/7 | Active Conditions: None.
Malakar doesn't recognize the language either. "Hello fair creature," he begins in Common. "Are you able to stop the water flowing from your back? It's causing a lot of problems and we'd appreciate it if you stopped."
Malakar | Male LN Small Halfling Wizard 1 DARK ARCHIVE | HP 7/7 | AC 13, T 13, FF 11 | CMD 6 | F +2 R +5 W +3; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +3 | Speed 20ft | Spells 1st 3/3 | Acid Dart 6/7 | Active Conditions: None.
Knowledge (planes):1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
"This is likely a fey or other magical beast. From the First World. Not quite sure what it's saying though," he whispers to the others.
Male| LG cleric of Erastil 5| 13XP|43/43 HP| BAB3, CMB5, CMD16|AC20(15), T11, FF19(14)| Fort+6,Ref+3, Will+10| Perception+7|, Initiative+3|Used spells: Spirit wpn, shield of faith, sound burst, prayer|channels remain ing 5/5 Human Cleric of Erastil 5
"Seebonickk, could you please tell us what this creature is saying? Can you get it to stop the water?" Lybram asks the fast talking gnome.
"Did it see anything or anyone with Virml?" Lybram moves Virml forward so it can get a good look. "Ask it that too."
The fish-thing straightens up a bit, clearly won over by Zim's approach.
Since Zim is translating, I'll skip the spoiler tags.
"Ah, gnomes! I think I knew some gnomes, once, a long time ago...well, enough of that. Him, you know, that dreadful, haughty fox. I need to track him down, now that he's escaped."
At Lybram's request, the grodair fixes all four eyes on the apprentice. "No, you're not him. Wrong color altogether. Have you seen me before?"
Virml closes his mouth with an audible click, apparently feeling a little out of his depth. "No! No, I haven't seen anything like you before."
The grodair replies, "That's good, because I don't remember seeing you...what were we talking about again?"
"Of course! The fox! Yes, I was made to be part of his riddle prison, but he outwitted me...." Tears run from all four eyes at the painful memory. "Some clever magical ruse. It's what he does best, after all. Now, you asked me to stop the water. I will, but you have to bring me all six pieces of the riddle prison. It captured him before, and it can do it again. If you bring me that whiskered riddler alive, I'll take back all the water before we go back into the prison."
LN (she/her) gnome cleric of Abadar 2 | HP 13 | AC 21/12/20; -6 ACP | Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +6; +2 vs. illusions | Perc +5 (low-light vision) | Stealth +5 | Speed 30 | Spells: 1st 3/4 |
"Well, let's get to finding, so we can get out of this wet mess." Zim looks around here, in case we didn't find it yet, then heads for the area we haven't been in yet.
Male| LG cleric of Erastil 5| 13XP|43/43 HP| BAB3, CMB5, CMD16|AC20(15), T11, FF19(14)| Fort+6,Ref+3, Will+10| Perception+7|, Initiative+3|Used spells: Spirit wpn, shield of faith, sound burst, prayer|channels remain ing 5/5 Human Cleric of Erastil 5
"Malakar, where was that grate or sump you found earlier. Perhaps it leads to a different part of the basement."
Lybram claps the wizard on the should. "Lead on then."
Lybram will have Malakar show him the area.
Any way down or anything useful.
Malakar | Male LN Small Halfling Wizard 1 DARK ARCHIVE | HP 7/7 | AC 13, T 13, FF 11 | CMD 6 | F +2 R +5 W +3; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +3 | Speed 20ft | Spells 1st 3/3 | Acid Dart 6/7 | Active Conditions: None.
"Yes, yes! On the top floor Lybram. But you guys ignored me!" Malakar sighs. "Not sure where it goes though. Do you want to explore it?"
And thinking hard, "A magical disguise perhaps? Kitsunes are fox-like creatures that can shapeshift..." he trails off lost in thought.
Virml shakes his head. "I never saw you before you rescued me! I don't remember leaving the Archives after I read the scroll, and I think I would have remembered seeing Master Shaine."
With the flow of water halted (for the moment...), a quick examination of the grate that Malakar found shows that it opens onto the taxidermy storage area where the party found Virml and fought the unpleasant fey creatures.
Dice rolls:
Random Knowledge check:1d20 ⇒ 20
Xanko:
You remember that when you forced open the door to the taxidermy storage area, the water level inside the room was different from that inside the room. That suggests that the closed door was stopping water from flowing from one area to the other; since the room was being filled by water falling from the grate, it would fill at a different rate from the area outside. That would only be a curiosity, but there's another closed door in the lower level. If that door is also watertight, the contents of that room should still be dry.
Male| LG cleric of Erastil 5| 13XP|43/43 HP| BAB3, CMB5, CMD16|AC20(15), T11, FF19(14)| Fort+6,Ref+3, Will+10| Perception+7|, Initiative+3|Used spells: Spirit wpn, shield of faith, sound burst, prayer|channels remain ing 5/5 Human Cleric of Erastil 5
"There is that one locked door. Maybe there is a scroll piece behind it. Can anyone pick that lock? Or have other ideas about how to open it." Lybram locks around the room and even stops the leaving Virml. "How did you get in this area anyway? Do you have skills with locks?"
"Is it a magical lock? I've been known to bypass some locked doors and such.... but only if it does not involve magics..." Xanko says proudly to the others.
Lybram, to clarify, the door downstairs is the only one you've found that's locked. The door to the taxidermy storage area wasn't locked, but it was hard to open for some other reason (that Xanko has figured out due to his knowledge of engineering, so Xanko should look behind the spoiler).
"I remember when we forced open the door to the taxidermy storage area, the water level inside the room was different from that inside the room. That probably suggests that the closed door was stopping water from flowing from one area to the other; since the room was being filled by water falling from the grate, it would fill at a different rate from the area outside. That would only be a curiosity, but there's another closed door in the lower level. If that door is also watertight, the contents of that room should still be dry. Well maybe...I need a drink after all that thinking..." Xanko says to the others as he takes a swig from his flask.
Malakar | Male LN Small Halfling Wizard 1 DARK ARCHIVE | HP 7/7 | AC 13, T 13, FF 11 | CMD 6 | F +2 R +5 W +3; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +3 | Speed 20ft | Spells 1st 3/3 | Acid Dart 6/7 | Active Conditions: None.
You are now making me question if we should let him leave... but in character, Malakar wouldn't object.
"Can you unlock it?" the halfling looks at the others.
So that I'm sure what you're proposing to do with this door: you're going to unlock it and open it with no other preparation, except for making sure you're ready for a fight?
Male| LG cleric of Erastil 5| 13XP|43/43 HP| BAB3, CMB5, CMD16|AC20(15), T11, FF19(14)| Fort+6,Ref+3, Will+10| Perception+7|, Initiative+3|Used spells: Spirit wpn, shield of faith, sound burst, prayer|channels remain ing 5/5 Human Cleric of Erastil 5
Virml should probably stay with us as he is our proof to the identity shifting. Else we may not be able to who is actually who when we find the other scroll pieces. But Lybram would not insist. I think bad things will happen to poor Virml if he meets his double.
"Virml, are you sure you want to go alone with your double running around up there? It could be trouble." "We don't know who this other "Mr Fox" is or what he is planning"
GM can you place Xanko's token at the door that is locked on the mao so I know where. A bit confused there regarding placement.
"Well leeme take a kwik looksee on this lock. I don't care if the newbie stays or goes. Benefits with either or but they could also get in the way. Also... stand back in case this door goes BOOM!" Xanko says as he moves to the door taking out his thieving tools.
Xanko--done. I put the party in a loose array around the door.
Zim realizes that there are signs above the doors; the sign above the sole remaining closed door reads "Dictionarium." She hears nothing at the door.
There are plenty of empty shelves and such around that could be used to improvise a barrier. It wouldn't necessarily hold for a long time, but it would stop the worst of the immediate flow of water.
Xanko tries to pick the lock, but it proves unexpectedly difficult for the fighter to manage under water. He notices that the door opens away from the party, so if there's no water on the other side it would be hard to close against the inrush of water.
It takes some time, but Zim (with the assistance of, I presume, the rest of the party) is able to get a dam together. The project is helped a great deal by the lack of additional water, although it is necessary on a couple of occasions to go up and remind the grodair that she promised to stop (she's somewhat forgetful, if that wasn't obvious by now).
Since the door isn't trapped, Seebonickk or Xanko can open it, given time. True to its name, the Dictionarium contains an enormous number of books. Sitting out on one lectern is a traveler's dictionary for translating Sylvan into Common...quite useful, if the party didn't already have three people who were fluent in the language. There are no scroll fragments to be found, though, and you're quite sure you've searched everywhere they could be.
Where to now? Thinking back, you recall that the presumably false Virml was carrying several books and scrolls up to the Scriptorium.
"... bout time he did something useful other than almost drown in every room..." Xanko mutters to no one in particular after the gnome helps unlock the door.
Malakar | Male LN Small Halfling Wizard 1 DARK ARCHIVE | HP 7/7 | AC 13, T 13, FF 11 | CMD 6 | F +2 R +5 W +3; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +3 | Speed 20ft | Spells 1st 3/3 | Acid Dart 6/7 | Active Conditions: None.
Male| LG cleric of Erastil 5| 13XP|43/43 HP| BAB3, CMB5, CMD16|AC20(15), T11, FF19(14)| Fort+6,Ref+3, Will+10| Perception+7|, Initiative+3|Used spells: Spirit wpn, shield of faith, sound burst, prayer|channels remain ing 5/5 Human Cleric of Erastil 5
"Well the fake Virml better be there of we have lost this "fox" character."
"We should probably hurry." Lybram gathers his things starts for the scriptorium. "All those scrolls to copy." "I wonder if he was also stealing them. That sneaky fox!"
The party returns to the entryway where they first encountered Master Shaine, Paracountess Dralneen, and the ersatz Virml. A flight of stairs on the south end of the room leads up to the Scriptorium, and at the top of the stairs is a closed door.
I put the marching order on the steps as Xanko-Markus-Seebonickk-Malakar-Zim-Lybram, if that's OK. What do you do at the door?
Male Dwarf Monk 4, Hp:16/34, AC:24 T:16 FF 18; Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +8, +5 Init, +11 Perception (Darkvision), Active Effect: Fast Movement 30'
Markus has been silently plodding along with the group, impressed by their ability to talk down the fey creatures and bypass the locks they have encountered. So this whole flood was a ruse to steal the scrolls, I wonder what is on them which is so valuable?!? Seeing the closed door, Markus downs a potion, and a shimmering glow surrounds the monk for a moment.
"hey... hey... hey... why are you touching me...?" Xanko says to Zim. After getting the explanation he says "Ah... OK... that makes sense..."
He looks at the door for traps looksee for traps- admittingly not my best skill:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15 and if he sees none he will open the door unless it is locked...
disable a trap if there is one OR open the door if it locked:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Xanko doesn't find any traps. He throws the door open and by sheer good luck happens to be where several large ink bottles miss him as they roll by.
This large chamber is crammed with desks and lecterns designed for copying scrolls and manuscripts. Along the north wall, a tall, broad shelf sags with sheaves of parchment, while near the exit to the south, a stack of ceramic ink jugs stands near wall-mounted racks of quills. Two bays of windows on the west wall offer an impressive view of the Lodge’s greatest landmark, Skyreach Tower, while the eastern windows overlook the library’s main stacks.
Seated at a desk with a couple of piles of books is the Master of Scrolls, Kreighton Shaine. Oddly enough, there's a crocodile on the floor next to him. He looks up at the party's entrance and frowns. "Well? Have you found out what happened?"
Male Dwarf Monk 4, Hp:16/34, AC:24 T:16 FF 18; Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +8, +5 Init, +11 Perception (Darkvision), Active Effect: Fast Movement 30'
Wait, is this the real Master Shaine? What's with the crocodile? Are we being played? the dwarf seems momentarily confused by what they've discovered before deciding to go with his instincts, spinning back to this 'Master Shaine' finger pointing, Well 'Master Shaine' he says, sarcasm dripping in his voice, You see, there appears to be a shapeshifter somewhere in this library. They have already impersonated Virml; now, if you don't mind standing and stepping away from the crocodile; that would be great, 'Mr. Fox'....
Markus, even with your suspicions roused this sure looks like the Master of Scrolls to you. Xanko is distracted trying to avoid a puddle of ink, but everyone else has noticed that "Shaine's" hair is a little too red.
He laughs mockingly. "Took you long enough! Why, if I was as slow as you louts I would've been laughed out of my first riddle game and died of embarrassment!"
Round 1:
Initiative order
Xanko
Crocodile
"Shaine"
Zim
Markus
Lybram
Seebonickk
Malakar
He's on the far side of the crocodile, and Xanko can just reach him.
Round 1 (ongoing):
Initiative order
Xanko-acted
Crocodile-acted
"Shaine"-acted
Zim
Markus
Lybram
Seebonickk
Malakar
Xanko circles the crocodile and lunges at "Shaine," but the table gets in his way and he can't land the blow. "Shaine" tsks disapprovingly, shaking his head. "Going directly to the physical, are you? Well, that's not surprising for witless ones such as yourselves. You probably couldn't even figure out my name!" With that, the crocodile snaps at Xanko, but the fighter gets a chair between himself and the great reptile. "Shaine" retreats from the advancing human and goes up the wall.
Everyone but Xanko can act! Markus, you're close enough to spot one of the remaining scroll fragments on the desk next to where "Shaine" was sitting, and it looks like he's got another one stuck in his belt.
