O.L.L.I memorizes the notations.
"Fellow adventurers. This unit has discovered a list of portals and portal keys, which lead to chaotic and/or evil planes. Perhaps these portals were how Enoch obtained his merchandise."
O.L.L.I searches the hearth area one more time, determined to make sure no clue evades him.
Rennet
O.L.L.I
Reghar lights his big torch and gleefully taunts the viper tree, which recoils with a panicked hiss. Then he lumbers over to Rennet (the bum paladin can tell by the scent before he even gets there) and looks at the body.
"That him?", he asks gruffly.
Reghar rummages through his pouches, "Where's the bill?"
Warden:
O.L.L.I
Within is a thick journal bound in a rough, mottled reddish hide. The paper inside is smooth and fine, though of different thicknesses and ages, as if the tome has been expanded several times. Some sections are written in red ink, others in black or blue. There are sketched maps scattered throughout, seeming to denote troop movements, defensive fortifications, entrances and exits to planes, palaces and homes. There are also odd sketches here and there of colorful characters: humans, elves, halflings, tieflings, fiends, celestials. On one particular page, there are six assembled portraits (you note all of them seem to be Prime races), with names and information beneath them. Some of these are crossed out. Sections are written clearly in Planespeak, others in Abyssal and still others in the squiggly cipher you recognize from previous papers found in this location.
At the very bottom is a jade statuette of Demogorgon, carved masterfully and in sinuous detail.
Warden:
“Portals and Keys eh? Could be valuable,” comments Thorn, as he stuffs the last of the platinum coins from the table into his pack.
Warden:
** spoiler omitted **
The rear section (with the most frustrating encryption) is like a personal log: who has payed for what information, who is paying for spreading information, etc. Even though proper names aren't given, OLLI easily makes the logical conclusion that the journal's keeper (more than likely Enoch, the former proxy) is a double or triple agent, dealing information between several archdemons.
The statuette does not detect as magical, though it is likely quite valuable. There is a groove on the bottom; it is possible this was once part of an altar or some other fixture or could have been used to conceal small contraband materials.
Warden:
O.L.L.I straightens out, grasping the items he found.
"Fellow adventurers. This unit discovered a secret compartment. There is a journal information that this unit needs to process, but there is also a valuable statue."
Holds up jade statue of Demogorgon.
<Pointing at the the statue>
"Ugly thing! Throw it away!"
"Wait... I'm broke. Let's sell it."
“He’s an ugly one, ain’t he?” Thorn asks rhetorically, trotting over to look at the statue. He’s let his flames die away, but makes sure to stay well away from the tree. “Good thinking,” he adds in response to Reghar. “assuming it ain’t cursed or such.”
O.L.L.I bleeps
"This unit performed a comprehensive magical detection scan on the statuette when discovered. It reads negative."
Warden: ** spoiler omitted **
“Keep it then … look, this Enoch owed me mates a fair sum of jink, and the stuff we’ve found so far … well, it’ll all be worth a pretty penny I have no doubt, but it’ll not near cover the debts.” The bariaur scowls, then tries to peer at the documents that O.L.L.I. holds, followed by the books stacked by the bed.
“Did either of you happen across any interesting documents?” he asks casually, idly swishing the sword through the airspace by his right foreleg. “Promissory notes, treasure maps, property deeds, any such?”
O.L.L.I looks at Thorn, then shows him the book he discovered (from a distance)
"Fellow Adventurer Thorn. This unit discovered this journal with the statuette. It seems to be information on Enoch's business, but this unit will need time to decipher and assimilate all the information. When this unit has fully examined the book, you may have it."
O.L.L.I opens an interior compartment and stows the journal inside.
Thorn gazes at the modron with narrowed eyes for a moment, as if sizing him up, before visibly relaxing and letting out an amused snort. “Ha. You and books Box. Fair enough then, have a read. Now, what about those ones?” He heads over to Rennet, and looks at the body on the bed for a minute, before picking up one of the books on the nightstand.
“A little light reading?” he asks rhetorically, raising his eyebrows at Rennet.
O.L.L.I gazes over at the books Rennet is standing by.
"This unit would appreciate a chance to peruse those books as well, fellow adventurer Rennet."
The weathered sword speaks to Thorn.
Sparrow: "qUEstIoN."
Owl: "Who taught you to use a sword?"
Thorn was just about to put down the blade so as to better look at the book, lipping his lips hungrily with his pointed tongue at the thought of what knowledge might be contained within.
So he’s caught a little of guard when the sword addresses him.
“Er … from my sire, Gort,” he answers, sounding surprised, holding up the sword in front of his face. “And the flock at large. Why?”
There are three books on the bedstand. The most recent one with the freshest binding is entitled,"Fungus On the Planes: Common Misconceptions and Potentially Fatal Errors" by one Thaddius Smeel. There are a few well produced woodcuts of various specimens of fungus. A brief excerpt from the introduction:
"The Planes are rife with variegated and complex life: demons, devas, modrons, elementals, bariaur and even tieflings like your humble author. And petulant Githzerai like one Six Hungers Kett, who publishes pamphlets of slanderous bile and criminally inept suppositions on the subject of fungi without ever having so much as sampled the subject in its true depth. Let it be known, dear reader, that this is the most exhaustively researched tome on the subject you will find without somehow finding a Demiplane of Fungus. And you won't because I looked so leave it to the expert. The Planes. Many forms of life. But did you know, my dearest darling supplicant to my brimming cap of spongey [sic] knowledge, that fungi can be found on almost all of them? In even the most inhospitable planes of existence the tenacious fungus or one of its diverging offshoots can be found. Perhaps even in the empty cranium of a certain Gith? It is possible!"
The other two appear a good deal older. One is bound in simple leather, the embossed lettering faded almost beyond recognition. "The Baba Yaga, The Norns and the Tradition of Sorcery Among Women". The last is a collection of etchings, rather than a proper book. The pictures are well executed and all depict various factols in salacious and pornographic positions and actions, often together or joined by other famous faces in front of recognizable Sigillian landmarks. It would likely be more amusing if the faces were familiar: the book is long out of date because you only recognize a few of the particularly old factols. Still, if a Hardhead peered a berk with it, that berk would likely end up Out of Touch for a time.
Thorn quickly dismisses the fungus book after reading the first few lines, and appears torn between the one about sorcery and the one with the erotica…
For a moment, Thorn isn't sure of his ears. The sword speaks in one stern, gentle voice.
"I was curious if you remembered their lessons. Surely they told you that a fine weapon wielded well could mean your life or that of your comrades or flock? Surely your sire taught you respect for such a thing and yet you swing me about as a toy. I am... not as fine... as I was, but I am sharp, sir, still with many years of fine use. Please, respect me as you were taught and you will not be disappointed. An accident can be fatal, to you or your comrades."
Toward the end, the sword's voice seems to splinter again, becoming four voices speaking at once in a discordant unity. Then, it is silent for a moment.
Sparrow: "wHO's ttHE sTIFf?"
Crow: "Stab him again, make sure he's dead. I'll help."
Eagle:"I dearly hope he was not a friend of yours?"
Owl: "There's something wrong with it."
“-“
Thorn looks set to respond to the sword, but then bites back the comment, whether because he agrees with what was said, or just out of surprise at the unified voice.
“Don’t have a scabbard that fits,” he finally mumbles. He tries to remember if anything they’ve faced so far in this place wielded a straight blade. He holds the sword more carefully though …
“Hang about,” he then says, some of his usual brashness returning. “You, Owl. What do you mean something’s wrong?”
Looking over the corpse, there is something queer about it... but you're not entirely sure.
The sword seems to have some theories, though...
Owl: "Why would an attacker sever both the neck and the wrists?"
Eagle: "Look at the ankles: the skin has been stretched strangely."
Crow: "Not combat wounds. I'd run 'em through the gut for a nice slow death. Sheering through the ribcage to reach the heart wouldn't be difficult either or through the skull. A quick decap would separate the neck and head cleanly."
Sparrow: "SsEVEred arrRterrIES, nOT eNOuGH bBlOoD."
"Letters, words, books, giving me a headache."
"Letters, words, books, giving me a headache."
“Corpses and killer trees too, on the positive,” points out Thorn helpfully, as he looks at what the sword has pointed out in regards to the body.
“Could be right. Sacrifice perhaps?”
"Lookee, pretty nice birdies. I wonder how they taste."
O.L.L.I places the statuette of Demogorgon in his pouch for now. He faces the Viper Tree and addresses it briefly in Abyssal.
Abyssal:
"Letters, words, books, giving me a headache."
“Corpses and killer trees too, on the positive,” points out Thorn helpfully, as he looks at what the sword has pointed out in regards to the body.
“Could be right. Sacrifice perhaps?”
Owl: "A fine guess."
Crow: "I agree with the beast-man: let's kill something. Something small. Something that will bleed a lot and scream."
O.L.L.I places the statuette of Demogorgon in his pouch for now. He faces the Viper Tree and addresses it briefly in Abyssal.
Abyssal:
** spoiler omitted **
The tree's branches tremble and a hissing, ugly language issues from one of its "mouths".
Abyssal:
Perception check for Rennet (1d20+8=9)
Rennet looks over the body and shrugs, thumbing through the subversive erotica.
Now that Thorn is aware of inconsistencies and weirdness in the body, he can notice some other things that are bizarre. The skin seems very tight in places, not the least the ankles, but also the neck and the chest. Stretched, pulled taut. The tattoos are distorted in places and the face just looks... wrong. Like it's on the wrong skull.
“Hang me for a poxy whore,” says Thorn, examining the body. “This looks to have the wrong insides. What if this isn’t Enoch? Just Enoch’s skin on someone else’s body?”
He turns his torso to look at the others. “Balmy? Meybe … But run it through your brain pans; with ol’ Tentacle Arms in the dead book, Enoch lost his protection. Berk likely knew he wouldn’t get out of the Cage alive … so he faked his death. Did quite a fine job too; by the time we got up here, we were more’n half expecting to find him deceased, and we found what we expected. If not for the sword,” he restrains himself from swinging the weapon about in emphasis this time, “we may not have looked harder.”
He pauses to take in his companion’s reactions before continuing. “Questions are; where’s Enoch, whose face is he wearing, and who’s that,” he points to the body, “under the flesh mask?”
O.L.L.I bleeps and addresses his comrades.
"Fellow adventurers. The Viper Tree is sentient. This unit will try to see if he can extract information from it. If you can think of any questions to ask the tree this unit will translate them."
O.L.L.I turns back to the serpentine tree.
Abyssal:
"Letters, words, books, giving me a headache."
“Corpses and killer trees too, on the positive,” points out Thorn helpfully, as he looks at what the sword has pointed out in regards to the body.
“Could be right. Sacrifice perhaps?”
Owl: "A fine guess."
Crow: "I agree with the beast-man: let's kill something. Something small. Something that will bleed a lot and scream."
"Speak a lot of sense, the little birdies."
"I like them."
Looks at O.L.L.I.
"Ask the tree-thing, if it know a way for us to be stronger."
"Time to die, weakling!"
Reghar stabs the unconscious yuan-ti.
"What?! It'll kill us when we turn our backs!"
"Time to die, weakling!"
Reghar stabs the unconscious yuan-ti.
"What?! It'll kill us when we turn our backs!"
Reghar tosses the lit brand aside, a malicious grin on his face; Rennet only just manages to catch it before it could set the whole place ablaze. The half-orc then walks downstairs, popping his knuckles in anticipation...
O.L.L.I bleeps and addresses his comrades.
"Fellow adventurers. The Viper Tree is sentient. This unit will try to see if he can extract information from it. If you can think of any questions to ask the tree this unit will translate them."
O.L.L.I turns back to the serpentine tree.
Abyssal:
** spoiler omitted **
The tree's limbs twitch and it takes an experimental lunge at Reghar as he passes beyond it. It screeches briefly, then continues eagerly in its hissing, ugly language.
Abyssal:
O.L.L.I digests the information the tree imparts.
"Attention fellow adventurers. The Viper Tree saw Enoch put his visage on another, the one that is lying on the bed. This unit theorizes with a 56.6554% chance of accuracy that Enoch was attempting to 'give the laugh' to some group of rivals or foes by leaving a believable corpse behind. The Viper Tree desires to consume the defunct corpus on the bed. Perhaps if you are finished inspecting it it would make a good incentive to give it to the tree."
O.L.L.I turns back to the tree.
Abyssal:
Thorn stands a half step behind O.L.L.I., his head c ocked, though it is not clear whether or not he understands the strange conversation.
“It’s a tree Ol’. Don’t matter if it can prattle, I can’t see it doing much reasoning. I don’t think we’re going to get names and faces from it. Better to talk to that snake you’ve got tied up downstairs,” he says, suddenly remembering. “Hey, string me for a jester, mebye the half-orcs outthought us – gone to get ‘im?”
The viper tree continues to hiss out the grotesque syllables of the Abyssal language, but the modron may be losing it; it's testing its range more and more at Thorn and Rennet, seeing how close it can get, giving up... then forgetting and trying again.
Abyssal:
The viper tree's limbs rear back and snap again at Rennet and Thorn, still out of reach.
Reghar:
O.L.L.I bleeps thoughtfully
"That is an astute proposal fellow adventurer Thorn. This unit concurs. The Viper Tree seems to be barely sentient."
O.L.L.I scans the titles of the books Rennet had investigated.
"Felow adventurer Rennet. Can this unit take possesion of the books you have discovered? This unit wishes to make a comprehensive scan of their contents."
Whether or not Rennet coughs up the tomes, O.L.L.I will go to interrogate the bound yuan-ti.
"That is for being weak!"
Reghar thereafter rejoins the others, a disturbing grin on his face, fresh blood dripping from his spear.
O.L.L.I trundles down the stairs, running into Reghar about halfway to the opposite side. The half-orc's spear is dripping still-smoking blood and he has a crazed smile on his face.
O.L.L.I takes in the smoking bloodied spear and the crazed look on Reghar's face. The clockwork gears deep within his boxy form start to spin at an accelerated rate.
"Attention fellow adventurer Reghar. Were you attacked by another foe? What is your status?"
"Taken care of some trash. I, as you can see, am unhurt."
For James