Need help with the end of chapter 4

[soulnova]

My players have finally reached the library and one of the first things they asked the librarian was books to how to reconstruct the Hellstorm Flume in Sandpoint. They have given it a lot of importance since Quink first commented on that back in chapter 1. They in fact thought the giant raid had to do with recovering the tower to it's former glory. The PC want to use it as a deterrent...

In any case they plan to bring Quink to the library, buy several dozen blank books, ink and other supplies so he can stay there translating and copying the relevant information so they can read it and take it out of the library with them. I assume he will not let this opportunity slide and would accept in a heartbeat. Would his presence provide a bonus on their search of general information?

[tonyz]

Keep in mind that Quink can be as helpful as you like, with lots of background knowledge on Thassilon to fill stuff in and understand odd references. But equally he could be totally involved in his own researches and little help to the players, if you want it that way.

As a GM, I'd certainly reward players for bringing a sage to a library -- at least a +2 on their rolls, maybe a +4. Or just give them some extra stuff -- a spell Quink finds the missing pieces for, a scroll or map depicting something, maybe some Thassilonian command words. Whatever you think would be good to your players.

Reward them for doing smart things, and for getting involved with NPCs, and they will do more of that. This is usually a good thing.

[Tinalles]

My PCs were similarly interested in the Hellstorm Flume, which led me to build a whole mini-adventure around it, which you can find in the Community-Created Stuff thread. Because it was designed as a solo adventure you may need to beef it up a little if you want to seriously challenge a party of four.

As for restoring the Hellstorm Flume to functionality, you have a couple options:

Spoiler:

1) Let them. Sandpoint is not scheduled for further assaults in which the Hellstorm Flume would actually be useful, so if you want to let them sink a bunch of resources into restoring it, it won't make a great deal of difference to the plot.

2) Inform them, after some appropriate knowledge rolls and/or research in the library, that restoring it to functionality is extraordinarily difficult. If they can even figure out how, it will still take multiple YEARS of work and hundreds of thousands of gold pieces worth of research, development, and construction. Thus, it's not really feasible.

If they blow a bunch of money on something that never sees any actual use, you run the risk that they may feel cheated. It may also suck up resources they need later in the adventure. So if they insist on proceeding with plans to restore it, make sure it gets used at some point so they'll feel justified in their choices.

[Bellona]

Also, consider the fact that the Hellstorm Flumes were part of Alaznist's line of defence against her neighbour Karzoug. Specific information on how to construct one is highly unlikely to be found in the Therassic Order's libary. After all, I wouldn't expect to find detailed plans of top secret NORAD defence installations in the public libary, or even the Library of Congress.

Not even the main location in Book 5 would be likely to have that information. Alaznist's minions there would have sent her any relevant information, then wiped that part of their archives clean so as to prevent espionage before going on to their next research project.

[Latrecis]

Quink would give his left... arm to go to the Library. The mere suggestion should leave him delirious with enthusiasm.

He's a 7th level expert so he's unlikely to be better or more effective at using the library than 13th level pc's (expected level at the end of Book 4) though he could certainly aid a research effort. Or, as seems to be suggested by the OP, allow the pc's to multi-task - give him topics to research or transcribe items the pc's have already discovered.

Detailed plans for a Hellstorm Flume might be found in the Library - the monks gathered much information in their day and Karzoug may have made a study of them. If the players are serious about it, I don't see any reason not to let them research the methodology. You're free to make it as possible or impossible as you choose. Maybe you have to be a Runelord, perhaps even the Runelord of Wrath. Maybe it takes a Runewell. Those things would make it impossible. If you want it to be possible yet difficult, require things the pc's cannot yet possess. It takes a Wish along with other difficult to obtain materials. Base it on a Clockwork Goliath - twice as expensive perhaps. In this example its just a massive, artifact-like construct.

[tonyz]

Give him the plans (courtesy of Karzoug's bribes to one of the builders/designers), and let them restore the Flume.

Then when you reach the Eye of Greed, have a cutscene: Karzoug declares "I shall wipe your silly little homeland from the map in revenge!" and call up a scrying scene of an army of lamias descending on Sandpoint...

...only to be incinerated by Quink standing on top the Flume wielding mighty bolts of energy.

[soulnova]

I gave them the basic building constructions of the tower but not the firing mechanism. I established the energy source was too complicated to anyone of them to understand (got good engineering skill checks but lousy K.Arcana) and they hadn't seen anything like this before. Obviously, the instructions would also require the help of giants for the construction, expensive materials and at least a decade for it to be finished (at best).

Quink will likely provide a +2 on their research and translate directly for them. At the moment, they were able to talk with the librarian because the oracle had Tongues. I do plan for Quink to only request that any books he translates to keep his preface and signature, as well as rights to publish his own research study, etc.

[Yossarian]

I would recommend not giving them enough info to fully reconstruct it just from the library. The remaining information (assuming you want them to succeed) could be in The Halls of Wrath in Runeforge. Which would make more sense given thats where the super-secret magic research for Azlanist was done. That way you create even more motivation for your PCs to get into and through Runeforge.

I had the library as part of Karzoug's former territory. So whilst it contained information on the customs and history of Karzoug, it had limited and / or misleading information on the other runelords, including Azlanist and her flumes