Ciprian started examining the body of the Hooded Harbinger that lay upon the decking. The whole face was covered by a filthy hood and the reek was incredible. The hands of the creature were a dark mottled skin but each hand held five digits.
Pulling the hood off revealed another layer of stinking, rotten wrappings, he cut the next layer off and beneath was another layer. At this point he decided to stop trying to figure out what lay beneath and Erevel swung her mighty sword to cut off the head of the monster.
The body exploded in a massive flash of light and concussive force that completely obliterated all evidence of it.
The party took damage from the explosion but worse than that every member of the party except Erevel was blinded by the flash of light. In addition the concussive force had left Erevel, Gavril, Agna and Ursina deaf.
The party stumbled around and shook their heads trying to hear something. Erevel saw that nothing was left of the body or its ragged clothing. After the initial shock wore off but no one regained any hearing or sight, Erevel collected the party together while Ciprian and Armania discussed the next steps. Erevel finally led the party back to their cabins and after a short discussion, only two could talk, they decided to bed down for the night. Ciprian wanted Erevel to help them meet the Captain in the morning.
In the morning Erevel led Ciprian to the Captain. Ciprian explained the situation and asked the Captain for any help he could provide.
"Was this related to the exercise you were trying last night?" Yaqib inquired.
"Why yes, it was related," Ciprian responded.
"Was there any damage to the ship?"
"No, but we certainly do not plan on doing that again!"
"No, you certainly WON'T. What help are you looking for?"
"Is there a cleric on board the Incredible?"
"Yes, would you like to "see" him," the Captain said with a chuckle.
"Lead on," Ciprian responded.
The ships cleric was only a level 2 practitioner and therefore did not have access to the Remove Blindness/Deafness spell. He apologized profusely but was then cut off by Captain Yaqib who led the two party members back up to their cabins.
For the next two and a half weeks the heroes rested and recovered some of their sanity. They were not able to learn new spells or even memorize new spells as the main spellcasters were blind. At last they sailed up the Pashman River to the capital city of Qadira, the Glorious Katheer.
Erevel stood on the top deck as Katheer came into view. Before her was one of the greatest cities in the known world: a sprawling mass of glittering buildings, side-by-side with ancient creations that struggle to remain standing. By comparison, Cassomir was a village. Thousands of vessels plied the river, darting in and out of Katheer’s port. Countless laborers, sailors, and merchants infested the port, and in places the river was so thick with boats that it almost seems possible to cross it without getting wet feet.
Armania asked the cleric for directions to a temple of healing. She was directed to the Temple of Sarenrae and given instructions on how to get there. As soon as Erevel left the ship to search for a cart to carry the party she was besieged by traders, guides, and rogues offering everything from meals, to inns, to illicit drugs. Less savory offers were also requested from the half-elf. It seemed that every vice and virtue was available, albeit for a cost. Pushing her way through the crowd she happened upon an man offering transportation in a rickety looking cart. Ciprian and Armania thought he sounded honest and the group set off at the cost of a silver piece each to the Temple. The cartman took them by the most direct route along the main thoroughfares and they found themselves outside a large temple.
Inside the temple the party procured Remove Blindness/Deafness spells for each affliction. The nine spells cost 150 gp each, no surcharge. After Ciprian's unsuccessful attempts to hire a cleric to adventure with them the party asked about the University District and were pointed to the Venicaan College of Medicaments and Chirurgery, in the northwestern area of the city. The plan was to find Anya Chawaar and return her brother's notes on new techniques for dealing with hydrocephalus to her. They had found these notes in the Asylum and carried them hoping she would find them useful.
At the University, the gate was guarded and the party had to sign in to enter. It seemed as though some access was being monitored and limited. They learned the location of Doctor Chawaar's offices from the guards and headed directly there. After waiting for about an hour the group was ushered into Doctor Chawaar's office where she asked their business.
They provided her brother’s notebook to her. She initially asked what happened to him. She is shocked to hear about the madness that spread through the asylum and broke down in tears when she learns of the fate of her brother. As a reward for the notebook and for providing her the news of her brother, Doctor Chawaar offered the heroes 3,200 gp.
Armania recalled that their main mission to Katheer was to follow Lowls to the Mysterium asked Doctor Chawaar where the Mysterium was located. The doctor slowly shook her head at the mention of the Mysterium and related recent events.
"The Mysterium is presently closed, and the Stewards’ guards are stationed outside the library’s doors. The rumors I have heard suggest a group of thieves recently entered the place, triggering something terrible within. Locals say the guards are now trying to keep the something in, rather than keep people out. Most horribly the recent attack cost the lives of several members of the Stewards of the Vault, including the present master of the library, Elder Lythiin."
"Who are the Stewards?" Ciprian queried.
"They are the keepers of the Mysterium a sect of Nethys worshipers, who have turned the Mysterium into a temple of sorts. The Mysterium was built in the early decades of Katheer’s founding by Kelish scholars."
Albeit, Doctor Chawaar directed the party to the Mysterium which was also inside the University District.
"Thank You for your help," Armania stated.
Ciprian began to approach the guards, they came to attention quarterstaves at the ready. One moves toward Ciprian calling,
"Halt! The Mysterium is closed by order of the Stewards," the guard ordered.
"We need to get in for research," Ciprian continued.
"There is no way for us to let you in. You must see Elder Thyrr across the street at the apartments," the guard said.
Ciprian noticed that the guards in the back line next to the door were continually looking over their shoulders at the door and the roof as if they were worried about something coming out of the Mysterium.
"Thank you," said Ciprian as he led the party away.
As the party turned to leave they received a vision of thousands of yellow slugs oozing out of a crack in a basalt wall. They heard a voice whispering, “The touch of ruin, of death, is upon this place. More than the blot. More than the black stars. Many gather in this chaos. There are deep roots here, and that which should not be has been birthed within. This place is poisoned. Hurry—you must staunch the wound.”
Ciprian again taking the lead asked, "The Mysterium is closed. We are seeking access to follow the lead of a certain Count Lowls."
The gasp escaping from Elder Thyrr was patently audible. "What do you want with this erstwhile Count?"
Ciprian and Armania explained the parties past history, their association with Count Lowls and his betrayal of the group. They explained that they were planning on killing him or at least bringing him to justice for his many crimes against them, Versex and Thrushmoor. All the while Elder Thyrr displayed a sharp wit and interviewed the group for a few minutes testing their true motivations.
"Upon arriving at Katheer, Lowls and Mun immediately made their way to the Mysterium. Lowls knew of the hard times faced by the Stewards and was eventually able to bribe Elder Lythiin—the present keeper of the university—in gold and rare manuscripts in order to gain unfettered access to the library. Mun and Lowls slowly made their way down to the Soul of the library with some locally hired guards and found the Necronomicon within. They exited a week later with written notes and apparently the information they needed. Later Lowls and his group made an unauthorized visit to the library and triggered the defenses warding the Necronomicon.
"In response to the screams of escaping Nethysians, Elder Lythiin entered with a group of guards, though none have returned. I realize that the predicament within the Mysterium must be resolved, but I am afraid of making things worse."
"We are so sorry for these events," Armania responded. "We would be anxious to help. Have you seen Lowls since?"
"We do not know if Lowls has escaped, or if he is still within the library," the Elder answered.
"Can you tell us more about the defenses and how to get around them?" Ciprian queried displaying his holy symbol of Nethys.
"My primary motivation is to see the body of Elder Lythiin brought out and subsequently raised. I also wish the bodies of the other Nethysians treated with respect until the Mysterium is made safe and they can be put to rest properly. I also need your promise to recover or return the Necronomicon if you find it," Thyrr explained.
"If we find the Necronomicon we will certainly return it to the Stewards care," Armania assured the Elder.
Elder Thyrr told the party that the entry level of the Mysterium has an enchanted mirror that was supposed to summon axiomites to defend the library should its protections be breached, but something went terribly wrong, and hounds of Tindalos instead appeared in the halls. Thankfully, it seems the hounds have remained within the Mysterium and haven’t ventured into the city to terrorize the locals. Elder Thyrr also told the group that there is a spherical chamber in the ceiling of the Mysterium’s first level, built into the body of the pyramid. This chamber is used by priests who meditate in complete darkness while levitating, but Elder Thyrr believes that the chamber might provide protection from the hounds of Tindalos if the heroes need a place where they can rest or retreat to.
She further instructed that in order to make the Mysterium safe, they must venture to the depths of the building, to the level that contains the Soul—a chamber at the very core of the library—to find an angel statue without eyes, and insert their fingers into the eye sockets. A tolling bell will signify the wards have been reset.
"How does the chamber protect against the Hounds?" Ciprian replied with hyper interest.
"The Hounds have an ability to Teleport to any fixed angled surface, such as wall or ceiling. It cannot be used to enter a round or spherical environment," was Elder Thyss' response. "So do I have your agreement?"
"Yes, but we need to rest and recover spells and the like. Do you have rooms we could use?" Armania replied.
"Certainly you can stay here in the Stewards apartments. We will provide baths and food if you need them."
"We would appreciate both."
Elder Thyrr then told them that once they were let in, the guards will seal the outer door, and the group would be allowed out only after the bell tolls, signaling that the Mysterium is once again safe.
To navigate the library, Elder Thyrr instructed them that on each level of the Mysterium they need to find four different angelic statues with heads that swivel. These heads must be turned to face the walls they stand before, and once they are all properly manipulated, the gateways between the different levels of the library can be opened.
Thyrr warned the group of some lingering dangers in the lower levels of the Mysterium. She says that the last time the Mysterium’s wards were triggered (nearly a hundred years ago), many Nethysians and other scholars were killed; their lasting psychic impressions have been known to rear up at times in bizarre and dangerous manifestations when people are studying in the lower levels of the Mysterium. Those who venture to the lower levels frequently know to look out for these manifestations, and some even study accompanied by a priest so that they have a greater chance at combating them. Many of these manifestations were purged, but there are still numerous haunts that the clergy haven’t been able to figure out how to permanently get rid of. She also warned that some of these existing haunts might have warped and changed like the guardian mirror.
"Is there a priest that we could have accompany us in the library?" Ciprian asked.
"We have no Stewards or priests to spare and none of the town are willing to enter the library in its present condition," Elder Thyrr replied.
"Finally I must demand that before I allow you to enter you swear on whatever you hold dear to find and secure the body of Elder Lythiin. I ask that one of the PCs say a prayer over each body of Nethysian you find and wrap them in funerary cloths that I will provide."
If they make the library safe, she promised to allow them unfettered access to the library for a week
and provide them a cash reward.
"Even though the Stewards are low on cash I will raise cash to reward you for your efforts."
"Do you have maps of the library levels? Also what is the soul?" Ciprian queried.
"I have maps that I will provide tomorrow. The soul is an extra-dimensional space at the lowest level of the Mysterium. It is a secure depository for rare and dangerous books, like the Necronomicon. I have never been to the soul myself." Thyrr responded.
At this the group asked to shown to their rooms and began to settle down for the evening. Baths were provided and a lavish meal was delivered to their rooms.
DM's Notes: No new XP were garnered for the evening but much information was gathered.
No comments:
Post a Comment