Takuzo smiles at Zienvus. "A student, no. A researcher and librarian, yes. Please come, join me."
***
Lunja hangs on Sylva's every word. She asks lots of questions, amazed by the sprite's interstellar experiences. Eventually, the Garundi astronomer looks around before leaning closer to the sprite. "This manor has secrets of its own, you know. Dr. Ritalson keeps a mysterious key in the lounge next to the library. I've seen him replace the key in a nook in a fireplace mantle on a previous visit, but I'm not sure what it unlocks."
***
Batman wanders around the manor for a while, but he doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary.
Sylva shudders at the temptation she’s feeling.
“Are you suggesting I… that I… ‘investigate?’”
Dr. Ritalson was very kind to her when she tried to take that fork. (She has it in her room, but intends to put it back when it’s time to leave.)
“I don’t know if I should.” She looks to Lunja for guidance. “What, umm…?”
Sylva is struggling to even get her question out. In her heart she *knows* what she’s really asking:
—for Lunja to do the rationalizing so Sylva can convince herself that investing is not the same as breaking and entering. And really… I wouldn’t be *breaking*…
"Ah! A scholar!"
Zienvus begins name dropping the various libraries and universities he has visited across the Inner Sea.
"Have you ever come across Jonulith's Advanced Primer on the Tenebrific Cerebrum? It is a most chilling read, if not, dare I say, illuminating."
Sir Batman takes out his recorder, turns the crank, and turns back on his Theme Music for another 2 hour tour....
"I'm sure you're curious, as are the rest of us, as to our mysterious benefactor," Lunja says to Sylva. "He plays his cards close to his chest. I wonder what sort of secrets he might be hiding."
***
Takuzo lights up at Zienvus' academic knowledge. The two speak for some time. Eventually, Takuzo confides in the elf. "I've been having strange dreams lately. Dreams in which I am stalked through a vast, frozen library by a furry, horned monster. It has white fur and large, bulging yellow eyes. The last dream was a few weeks ago, and I finally got a good look at the creature. I'm convinced that it wasn't a monster, but in fact, a person dressed in a costume. Strange, yes?"
***
Batman stalks through the manor, quiet and observant. The manor is nearly empty, with only a half-dozen staff still on retainer. From overheard conversations, Batman learns that they fear they may be laid off at any moment, and have been quietly but dutifully doing what they can in the meantime. The manor has definitely seen better days. Dr. Ritalson has reduced the money for upkeep and retaining staff to a bare minimum.
Batman also discovers a a locked door on the manor’s ground floor, just off the library.
Standing stoically at the locked door, staring certain convictions catering to his beliefs, the Champion of Mazludeh recites his deity's Edicts.
Seek to improve yourself and your community, trust those you work with, encourage cooperation. Easy!
The bronze-colored bat-shaped Sprite then recites his Anathema.
Betray another's trust, place conflict between ideological differences over people's lives
Stumped by the conflicting synergies between them, the sprite laughs.
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Much to Sylva’s relief, Sir Bat calls to her! She shakes off her temptations and says, “That’s the Bat-Signal, and I gotta get to my Bat-Station! C’mon, Lunja!”
. . . .
Sylva arrives just in Bat-Time, only to see what Sir Bat really wants.
“Oh… the lock.” Great, now the Bronze Bat wants me to do his dirty work too! But she ponders rationalizes, “Well, you two obviously want me to get us past that lock, so… who am I to argue against the majority?”
Zienvus puffs on his pipe in contemplation, "Curious dreams are. Sometimes anxious recollections of the day's happenings or tomorrow's stressor, or, sometimes, portents delivered by way of the Ethereal Plane, hmm..."
He leans forward in his chair towards Takuzo, "Now, if I'm not mistaken you are a Gatwalker, as am I, correct? Do you think your dream may be intrusive recall of your experience beyond the gate during the missing moment?"
He leans back in his chair again and puffs on his pipe, then in a hushed tone, "Between you and me, my colleagues and I are to journey to the Crown of the World, on the trail of an entity known as Osoyo, the Blackfrost Whale. Does this name sound familiar to you? If your dreams are portents of things to come, I will consider their meaning further. Perhaps this mysterious foe isn't what it seems..."
He pauses as he hears shouting out in the halls outside the library, "Something is afoot..."
Takuzo frowns in thought. "It may be possible. This bares further investigation."
Sylva is able to locate and swipe the key from the fireplace mantel. The key unlocks the door Batman has found. Beyond, a spiral staircase winds down into a damp landing. The walls are set with red bricks, and there’s a door to the north. The mysterious key also unlocks this door.
This immense lecture hall would look more at home in a university than a basement. Several large, wooden timbers reinforce the red brick walls. To the south, five tiers of stadium seating support two rows of wooden benches, all facing a large stage, atop which sits two metal operating tables and four free-standing chalkboards, all backed by a large purple curtain that fully obscures the north wall.
With her preternatural awareness, Sylva spots a trap in this room. Several hidden nozzles are arranged around the seating area. There are pressure plates in the steps in the middle of the seating area that will trigger the trap.
Sylva is able to disable the gas trap. No sooner has she done so, though, than the curtain is torn aside and two hulking fiends resembling horned apes with rust-red fur burst through, eager to attack!
Before you can react, the fiends get within 30 feet of you and breathe forth blasts of flames! The fire ignites the fiends as well, setting them ablaze! One of them is scorched before the fire burns out, but the other one continues to burn.
Sir Batman's excitement is a bit tempered by the twice blown hot breathing of the two weirdos behind the curtains.
Don't let us interrupt your 30 seconds in heaven....
The smoking bronze-color bat-shaped Sprite Raises his Shield, Enters his Stance and Strides into the closest heavy breather to support the Rogue.
Carefully Sylva, they are hot under the collar!
Sylva rushes from the flames, rolling toward the enemy that took the most burn damage!
—but she trips over her own feet!
She punches the big jerk in the big toe.
She hits nothing but toenail.
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Zienvus finds his diminutive colleagues out in the hallway, opening locked doors, "What mischief are you getting us into, friends?" Nevertheless, he follows them down the dark passage, taking a moment to cast Mystic Armor before heading below.
Entering into the grand, subterranean lecture hall, he looks around with curiosity, "I wonder what sorts of examinations were performed here, under secrecy..."
But his ponderings are interrupted by the sudden appearance of more fiends, "Furry demons with horns, but their fur is red, not white..." he muses outloud, recalling the details of Takuzo's dream.
"Watch out! They're coming!"
Zienvus lifts his purple cape in time to catch the second gout of flames. He shakes his head and focuses on the fire breathing demon not bothered by the sprite duo.
He then encants and an orb of sigils swirls about he and Ravenna.
Snowy Owl had joined you when you went to explore the basement. Standing apart from the rest of the group, she was out of range of the fiends' fiery breath. Now, she calls on her occult magic to soothe Batman's burns.
The sprites move in to engage one of the fiends but fail to hit it. Zienvus dazes the other creature, weakening its mind.
The flanked fiend lashes out at Batman with its teeth and claws. He fends off the attacks with his shields. Meanwhile, the other fiend breathes fire at Zienvus again, setting itself ablaze anew! It then moves into melee range of the wizard.
Sylva chases the creature that dared ignore her!
“Hey! Just because you can easily step over the melee team, doesn’t mean you should!”
She cartwheels across the floor—“AIAIAIAIAI!!”—and wheel-kicks and axe-kicks the jerk that rushed the caster!
Sir Batman shivers as the Soothing source of healing envelops the bronze-colored bat-shaped Sprite.
Appreciate that, Snowy Owl!
The Champion of Mazludeh then Raises his Shield, Strides into a Flank with Sylva and attempts to Grapple the beastie!
Please stay still so our rogue can pin cushion you.
Thank you for your cooperation.
The sprites move to protect Zienvus. Sylva delivers two powerful kicks, then Batman jumps up and gets the furry fiend in a headlock, successfully grappling it!
Zienvus isn't feeling his best. He takes one step back away from the advancing fiend, continues concentrating on his sphere of swirling sigils , AND raises a magical shield of force.
Snowy Owl sends soothing magic Zienvus's way.
The unengaged fiend moves to flank Batman as both foes focus on the holy sprite! Only the first foe scores a hit--as it its teeth tear into Batman, similar wounds appear on its own body.
Both fiends continue to burn.
“Didn’t your summoner ever tell ya not to play with fire?”
Sylva continues to clobber the flanked foe!
“C’mon, Sir Bat—let’s clean up this hot mess!” In case word-plays are not the best way to communicate a plan, she adds, “In other words, hit the guy next to me so I can knock him out while he’s distracted.”
Relieved by Snowy Owl's soothing magic, and that the sprites have momentarily distracted the fiend's assault, Zienvus continues upholding the sphere of swirling protective sigils and casts a ray of frost at the nearest fiend.
"Cool your jets, as the young folks say!"
Sir Batman seems like he is really enjoying himself. The Champion of Mazludeh Shield Blocks the majority of the fiend's bite!
Sir Batman Raises his Shield!
The bronze-colored bat-shaped Sprite then winks at Sylva!
The Sprite attempts to keep it Grappled!
He shrugs.
Sylva unleashes a pair of critical hits on the fiend, laying it low. She moves to the next one, and as Batman moves in and smashes it with his shield, the rogue scores yet another critical hit! Zienvus and Snowy Owl finish off the fiend with an icy blast and a hurled projectile.
Behind the curtains that the fiends emerged from, you discover a hidden door...
Sylva eases out of her fighting stance, relaxes her clenched fists…
“Haha! Wow, that was not what I expected to find in Dr. Ritalson’s home!” She’s laughing from the relief—as in good thing we stopped this, but her face grows serious. “Hey wait a minute—if these things’re in his home, and we ain’t seen him… should we be worried?”
She considers the Doctor’s last letter, the reassignments, the invitations… at the very least, she doesn’t think he’s ‘in on it’—whatever ‘it’ might be. And there isn’t a trail of blood, so no sense worrying that he’s hurt-or-worse. He’s not home, she tells herself. That’s the story ya been told and you’re stickin’ to it (until further notice).
She puts on a smile. It’s probably convincing as far as false smiles go… but probably unconvincing since nobody follows ‘should-we-worry’ with a smile.
“Well… the good doctor definitely won’t object to further exploration. Are ya hurt?” she asks the men.
As Sylva patches him up, Zienvus contemplates the situation, "Strange, those fiends behaved in such self-destructive manner. Not in the least adaptive behavior. But, one mere mortal cannot comprehend a demon's logic."
In response to Sylva's own musings, "I believe the fiends were placed here to guard what is behind that secret threshold. One thing is certain, something is amiss here in this palace. I suggest we should press further and get to the bottom of it. Thank you dear."
Sir Batman begins playing Duck, Duck, Goose as he extrapolates upon the current discussion.
The mere presence of such demonic beings being brought here only departs deep and disturbing issues that most likely connect to our past, present and future circumstances.
Once everyone seems refreshed and informed, the grinning bronzed colored sprite hefts his trusty shield (after Revanna repairs it) and begins walking to the mysterious curtain and the hidden door....
Beyond the secret door, a narrow stone corridor leads into another room. This wide room is bisected by a dry sewage channel that dead ends against a relatively new-looking brick wall to the north. To the south, a set of four iron and wood chairs adorned with restraining straps sit against the wall. To the west, a ramp leads up to a door and a narrow walkway holding several barrels and crates. Two large metal tables sit elsewhere in the room, while to the north and further east stand shelves holding large collections of alchemical and surgical tools, books, and scrolls.
You may exit this room to the south.
A wealth of knowledge awaits you in dozens of densely-written notebooks and scrolls stored here. The notes are written in a mix of Common, Varisian, and Aklo. It will take quite some time to read through everything, however.
Among the numerous books and scrolls stored on the shelves here is a formula for the inveigle ritual. Additionally, there are two doses of slumber wine and a dozen doses of untainted cytillesh stored on the shelves.
Zienvus is hesitant to rummage through the items in the room, as he'd like to stay in the good graces of their host. However, he is disturbed by the implications of the decor down here, and, of course, his eye is drawn to the notebooks. He knows Common and Aklo, but the Varisian stumps him. However, he is prepared.
Sylva suggests, “I’ll stand guard while someone who can read all that reads all that.” She assumes that person is not Sir Bat, “Care to join me, Sir Bat? …in just standing here? Guarding?”
Sir Batman takes a look at the literature, notes and furnishings and snorts.
I am a bit concerned about the dry sewage channel that dead ends against a relatively new-looking brick wall to the north. But, yes, we shall stand guard.
The buoyant bronzed-colored bat-shaped Sprite leads the way to just outside where he can see both their Wizard and that new brick wall area....
After a few hours of studying the notes, Zienvus discovers that Dr. Ritalson discovered a a partial, oversized mummified hand in his belongings when he woke from his Missing Moment, and how he’s been growing that hand back into a full body. He calls the resulting creature “the Guest” and describes a containment chamber in a nearby underground chamber. These notes also reveal the uses for the three levers in that room.
Pulling the eastern lever causes the chains wrapped around the containment chamber's lid to relax and retract so the lid unseals and springs open (or does nothing if the lid is already up). Pulling the western lever tightens the chains and causes the lid to drop down and seal the chamber shut (or does nothing if the lid is already down). Central Lever: Pulling the central lever cycles the fluid in the tank, filtering it swiftly and clearing out any excess biomatter.
Zienvus knows there are many more secrets to uncover here...
Zienvus clucks his tongue, "This is... most unsettling. I propose we confront Dr. Ritalson about his so called 'Guest'. Given what we know about the culprit behind our Missing Moment, I believe our host should know the dangerous nature of the forces he is experimenting with."
He looks further about the room, at all the other filled notebooks, "The good Doctor has been very busy indeed..."
Sylva is in shock. “But… he was so forgiving when I stole his…”
Fork. It was a fork. A fork, even one made of pure silver, is nothing to a wealthy man. Sylva’s guilt was what made it something. And looking back, the good doctor even pulled Nox to a new operation when the elderly sprite seemed to care more about a serial killer than his innocent victim. He slapped me… and suddenly he was reassigned.
She dismisses this as coincidence. Nox’s replacement and other guests, such as Lunja, are obviously not ‘in on it’ or ‘keeping tabs.’
Focusing on the here-and-now: Sir Bat has always been a sprite Sylva trusted with her life. Snowy Owl has undergone a beautiful and holy transformation. And her trust to Zienvus is mutual, she’s sure, as he is sharing this information. And he was right… the fiends were here to guard Dr. Ritalson’s secret. Which means she was a fool to trust the ‘good’ doctor.
Maybe even ‘doctor’ should get air-quotes.
“Sir Bat, Zienvus… I fear the doctor—” (Sylva does not make air-quotes with her fingers.) “—has a reason for gathering us. That is, people with the mark of the missing moment.”
She activates the dweomerweave robe’s magic, transforming her outfit so the top is just a bandeau. And the bottom is a shin-length pair of cloths that cover her front and back but expose the sides of her legs.
The mark is nearly her full five-inch height! Two dots on her cheeks, one on each shoulder. The gate’s arc above her breasts, down her torso. The mountain peak at her belly button, with lines down each leg to form the mountainsides.
(Sylva is too ladylike to stand in the way that would correctly shape the slopes, but aside from that) she turns to Snowy Owl, letting the newly-ordained deity get a good look at the mark (or as much as Sylva is willing to show, for decency’s sake).
“Is there power in this mark?” Obviously there is, or she wouldn’t scream ice, but what Sylva means is: “Power that can be exploited, or…”
She recalls the fate that the victim on the horse had escaped… unlike her friend who (in a sense) became the monster that killed her. And she swallows hard, complexion paling…
“…consumed?”
Sir Batman seems a bit enthralled by all the levers....
The bronzed-colored bat-shaped Sprite snaps out of it (just as his innocent hand was reaching...) at Sylva's and Zienvus' voices echoing the identical thoughts that he has been having for quite a bit now.
Sir Batman turns his blue eyes on his friends.
I fear (not really because Champion!) that we have been duped from the beginning. Doctor Ritalson seems to be an originator of the Missing Moment. Or it's pawn, but in either case, this manor definitely needs to be turned upside down.
"Your marks seem to have given you the strange deviant abilities that you have demonstrated," Snowy Owl says. "My tribe gave me my mark as a sigil of protection, but it did not give me any unusual powers. Therefore it must be surmised that your abilities came from whatever happened during the Missing Moment. Perhaps we will learn more by reading further, or by exploring the rest of this complex."
Sylva replies to Snowy Owl, “Speaking of unusual powers, if any of you cast ice magic, I think I can actually harness the magic.”
She tries to avoid notice as the party pushes forward.
Sir Batman seems excited to pursue exploring rather than more booking....
The south passage leads into a larger room. This room appears to have once been a large reservoir, but today the rectangular pool is empty. To the east, another dry sewage tunnel provides an exit. Within the dry reservoir glows a ten-foot-diameter magical circle. Zienvus recognizes it as a warding diagram for use with planar binding rituals.
A few moments after you arrive, the temperature in the room drops precipitously, plummeting to freezing temperatures in the span of a few heartbeats. As frost starts to rime the edges and corners of the room, something monstrous oozes like ghostly tar out of the cracks in the ceiling, coagulating to float before you. It resembles a roiling tangle of shadowy black tentacles, rolls of glistening ectoplasmic lbubber, and dozens of pale, lidless eyes. It speaks in your minds with a voice that sounds like a whispering crowd speaking in synchronicity.
"Batman. Sylva. Zienvus. Welcome back. Have you found your lost time yet?"
Zienvus instinctively steels his mind against any sort of psychic threat, but eases, if only slightly as the strange creature addresses them. He replies, "Excuse me, but do we know each other?"
He looks at his sprite companions, "Have you met previously?"
Shivers running down his arms and legs (but not his spine, because Champion!), teeth chattering and nose running, the bronzed-colored bat-shaped Sprite sneezes.
Anyone else feel a bit chilly?
As the giant fish manifests and then speaks in his head, the Champion of Mazludeh starts to wonder if he may be just a little but not actually scared....
I feel like that fish taco I had for lunch may be returning...
Sylva replies, “I put one of Dr. Ritalson’s pure silver forks in my room, so that klepto-maniacal appetite of mine is satiated for now.”
She looks at Sir Bat and Zienivus for a moment, an expression of grim resignation betraying her bravado before she turns back to the monstrosity. “All I remember was money—but it’s money I can never have! And it’s money I don’t even want if I can’t earn it without bloodshed!
“So no, I don’t know what my Missing Moment is missing!! I don’t know if I wanna know.”
And from the quiver in her voice before she shuts up, Sir Bat has his answer. Yes, Sylva feels a chill. She’s terrified. Not just of the ooze-monster (though it certainly is on her Top Two list of Scary Things), but of the unknown. A memory was taken from Sylva and the other gatewalkers… what was it? How is it possible that so many people forgot? And why are demonic creatures so interested in those who bear the mark?
Zienvus is able to identify the strange entity as an animate dream. An animate dream coalesces from centuries of stray fragments of reverie and dream left behind as slumbering minds drift through the Dimension of Dreams. In most cases, these fragments simply disperse on their own, but when dreamers flee from nightmares back to the waking world, these fragments can take on a supernatural life of their own. Unlike most such beings, however, this one seems possessed of an acute intellect and purpose.
The being chuckles as it roils in the air. "Do not fret. I must congratulate you on coming so far. You will be with Osoyo again soon. In the meantime, continue on down the eastern passage. You'll find one of the blessed ones contained beyond the three vault doors. It will be able to hasten your return if you desire it so. Alas, you may need to search around for the combination, for I do not recall its details."
Sylva feels a sense of relief as the being does not attack. She isn’t sure whether she should follow its instructions… but it’s not like the mystery’s gonna solve itself.
She replies, “Haha, okay, thanks,” and starts moving toward the blessed one…
"Hmm..." Zienvus hesitates before leaving down the eastern corridor.
"Excuse me, but I don't mean to be impolite. You are aware of our monikers, but we don't know your name. Who are you in relation to Dr. Ritalson? What has he been up to in these subterranean lairs? What do you know of Osoyo?"
Sir Batman seems to be stunned to silence....
"Now is not the time for such reunions—I will await you among the Spires once you are ready to return," the being says. A moment later, it seems to fold in on itself, vanishing into a tangle of writhing shadows before disappearing completely.
Zienvus turns to Sir Batman, shrugs, and follows Sylva down the eastern passage.