Osiris waits quietly throughout the discussion. He nods in response to his companions mentioning to go to the stacks. Osiris eyes the gold the party won before focusing back towards Lemma. He is ready to follow the party.
After a tumultuous (but productive) day of confrontations and revelations, the party settles down for a much-needed night of rest. As the embers of their campfire dim and the sounds of the wilderness blend into a soothing backdrop, each member of the party drifts off into sleep. Among them, Leiko, experiences a profound and disquieting dream—a dream that seems both distant and intensely personal.
In her dream, Leiko finds herself back in her hometown, a place she left long ago. The streets are empty, shrouded in a thick fog that muffles sound and distorts shapes. Leiko is alone, walking down the familiar paths of her childhood, yet everything feels alien and foreboding. The buildings loom over her, their windows dark and uninviting.
As she walks, Leiko senses a presence watching her—a figure in a fine coat, adorned with a monstrous mask of white fur and thick horns. The figure stands at a distance, always at the edge of her vision. No matter how much she tries to approach or call out to it, the figure remains just out of reach, its gaze fixed upon her with an intensity that feels both invasive and curious.
The dream shifts, and Leiko finds herself in a forest similar to those she traveled through with her party. The trees are tall and seem to whisper secrets as their leaves rustle in a non-existent wind. Here too, the horned figure watches her from a distance, blending almost perfectly with the shadows of the trees. Leiko feels a mix of fear and fascination as she tries to understand the purpose of this silent observer.
Throughout the dream, the setting changes several times—from the streets of her hometown to various landscapes she's seen on her adventures. Each scene is imbued with a sense of isolation and an eerie calm. The horned figure never interacts with her directly but its presence is a constant, unsettling reminder that she is not alone.
The following morning Leiko wakes with a start, the images of the dream fresh in her mind. The figure in the horned mask lingers in her thoughts, a haunting symbol whose meaning she cannot unravel. She feels no physical effects from the dream, but the emotional impact is palpable—a mix of curiosity and unease that sets her on edge.
"Did you ever have a dream that you were so sure it was real?" ... Leiko pauses lost in thought "You all were there too. It was very strange, but I feel different. Not quite sure I am explaining this correctly."
She sighs as she grabs her trusty mithral tree, and starts to clean it.
"Shall we head out then to Quaking Stacks?"
Following their unsettling night and revealing discussions afterwards, the party embarks on their next investigative task at the Quaking Stacks, the grand library of Sevenarches. Unlike any traditional structure, the library is a testament to both historical resilience and magical innovation. Originally a spiraling stone tower, its ancient ruins have been beautifully reclaimed by a grove of magical aspen trees. These trees, intertwined and semi-sentient, have transformed the dilapidated tower into a living archive.
As the party approaches, they are struck by the sight of the library. The stone base of the old tower peeks out from beneath the entangled roots and branches that have grown over and through the structure. The resident druid-librarians, guardians of this unique knowledge repository, have masterfully shaped tree boles into shelves brimming with birch-bark scrolls and leather-bound tomes, while branches overhead form a natural roof that shields the precious texts from the elements.
The library's most astonishing feature, however, is the "library tree" itself—a single vast organism whose roots connect the entire grove. This living database not only stores vast quantities of information within its sap but can also guide patrons to the exact texts they require, reacting to the intellectual pursuits of its visitors.
With the barkwrit provided by Lemma, the party gains access to this extraordinary library. They are met by one of the library's caretakers, a knowledgeable druid who agrees to commune with the library tree. The tree responds to their inquiry, branches subtly shifting as it directs them towards the section of the stacks most likely to contain the records relevant to their quest.
As the branches part and the scrolls come into view, the party realizes the task ahead is not trivial. They must now comb through these sources by hand, interpreting the ancient scripts and extracting the necessary information about Kaneepo the Slim and the mysterious occurrences linked to the Thinlands.
Edra takes a Quick Look around and nods coming to a conclusion on the most effective strategy to tackle the library. ”Well it makes no sense to just sit here, let’s split up and look around, maybe try seeing how this supposed “sap” works.” Edra then pauses and speaks again, ”Taking a moment to actually think about it I’m not very honed in my investigative abilities, I’ll accompany Mr. Darby in his search instead”
Osiris steps towards the stacks of books; he moves from shelf to shelf, searching for the truth about Kaneepo and the Thinlands. A small grin creeps onto his face as he works deeper and deeper into the library’s contents.
”I prefer this to those audacious infiltrations we’ve been performing.”
"Have you ever seen a wonder such as this. Absolutely beautiful"
Leiko gets to work attempting to help decipher everything before them.
Thunder was uneasy among the books. He could read, but not well, and it was never an activity he found enjoyable. Instead of splitting off by himself, he followed behind the others, offering his thoughts and insights freely.
Onyinyo's eyes are wide as he looks at the tree. He mutters to himself about the endless knowledge to be found. Awed, he tries to focus and glean something useful.
◈
As the party delves into the wealth of knowledge within the Quaking Stacks, they uncover several crucial pieces of information that shed light on the enigmatic figure of Kaneepo the Slim and the mysterious Thinlands.
In a tome of ancient elven lore, Osiris and Edra stumble upon a significant passage. The text, weathered and written in elegant Elven script, describes the defeat and imprisonment of "a slender, lurking creature of shadows." Osiris, translating the text with Edra’s help, realizes that this could very well be a reference to Kaneepo the Slim. This revelation suggests that Kaneepo—or a being very much like them—has existed for millennia, a shadowy presence lurking through ages past.
Leiko, with Thunder Rolling close by, examines a volume of the Pathfinder Chronicles focusing on the First World. Within its detailed accounts, she finds a small yet telling footnote regarding the Thinlands. The footnote describes a colorless forest located in the shadowy realm of Nighthold, which was once ruled by the exiled Eldest Count Ranalc. This information paints the Thinlands as a place of eerie, otherworldly qualities, tied deeply to the fey and the shadows of the First World.
Enyo uncovers secret records detailing the powers of the Shadewither Key. These records reveal that the key can conjure a shadowy copy of its wearer, providing a mystical shield against attacks. This ability of the key hints at its significant power and the dangerous potential it holds in the wrong hands, particularly in those of Kaneepo.
"The eldest and the first world? Fey magics? This is not a good thing. The fey are fickle creatures, I have heard, quick to bargain and never fairly. Some have a liking for mortals, but most would sooner deceive, torment, or devour us. I do no like this at all."
"We should prepare to fight against fey, and then go and find the gorga attack victims and learn more of our foe."
"I agree. We mustn't let Kaneepo find the Key, assuming he doesn't have it yet. This sounds way worse than we originally thought. I wonder if there is anyway to send word to Dr. Ritalson of our findings so far, and what became of Bolan."
After completing their research at the Quaking Stacks, the party sets out to find and interview Abel “Pa” Moseby, the most recent victim of a gorga attack. The journey takes them through the picturesque countryside surrounding Sevenarches, a stark contrast to the grim tales they've uncovered.
The Moseby farm is a modest homestead surrounded by fields of turnips and other crops. The farmhouse itself is a simple, sturdy structure, but the atmosphere is heavy with grief and lingering fear. Inside, they find Abel Moseby lying in bed, his body wrapped in bandages, his eyes wide and haunted by recent events. The room is filled with the smell of medicinal herbs and the faint, comforting aroma of freshly baked bread from the kitchen.
Abel, or "Pa" as he is known, is eager to recount his harrowing experience. As the party enters, he looks up from his bed, clutching a half-empty mug of ale. His face brightens with the prospect of having someone to talk to, yet the sorrow in his eyes remains evident.
Abel says "My beautiful Shelyn! The best mule in the Kingdoms, she was! Those monsters, they took her from me..." He takes a swig from his mug, tears welling up in his eyes.
"You named your mule after the goddess of art and beauty? I like this man!"
Thunder tilted his head back and laughed at the ceiling. It was a deep, rumbling laugh that was will with merriment.
"Friend Moseby, can I aid you with some healing? I have certain gifts given by the friends of the woodlands that might aid your recovery. And then maybe you can tell us more of these attacks."
"Yes please, share an ale with us, and tell us of what those creatures did, so that we may best them and honor Shelyn!"
Abel looks up, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "I would be grateful for any help you can offer. My wounds, they ache something fierce." He gestures to his bandaged body, wincing slightly.
Onyinyo squats beside Leiko and hands her items as she requires them. Sadly, he is a bit distracted by Thunder's guffaw and is less than helpful.