Ch 3: Part 3: Library of Dust: Session 39

[14:24] <@Kilarra> *****Second Darkness*****
[14:24] <@Kilarra> ~~~Chapter 3: The Armageddon Echo~~~
[14:24] <@Kilarra> -Session 39-
[14:26] <@Kilarra> The party has just managed to bring down a group of roof mounted Drow protecting the perimeter of the library they were tasked with recapturing. Aluthyra took a grazing hit, but thus far everyone else is unharmed.
[14:26] * Kilarra drops the drow she fried and steps over to Aluthyra, checking her shoulder.
[14:27] * Aluthyra smiles to Kilarra, shaking her head. "My shoulder is fine for the time being. We should continue."
[14:30] * Kilarra nods and picks her crossbow back up, quickly stopping to scavenge some extra ammunition from the drow. "Let's see what these are good for."
[14:32] <Aluthyra> Tognik looks about the other corpses for any valuables.
[14:35] <@Kilarra> Each drow has a single potion of Cure Light Wounds, and the two skirmishers each had a smokestick, but other than that, all of their gear is pretty standard equipment that would not be worth the trouble for now.
[14:36] * Kilarra is kinda curious about the crossbow bolts, and loads one into her crossbow to test it.
[14:38] <Aluthyra> Tognik takes the potions, giving a single one to each of his companions.
[14:39] * Aluthyra drinks her potion, hoping its light healing will be enough for her shoulder.
[14:39] <@Kilarra> Kjell nods gratefully, then turns to the door
[14:40] * Kilarra motions for Tognik to keep the one he offered her; she had lots of her own.
[14:40] <Aluthyra> Tognik nods, adding the potion to his haversack.
[14:40] * Aluthyra follows after Kjell, bow at the ready.
[14:42] <@Kilarra> Kjell kicks in the door...
[14:42] <@Kilarra> The dimly lit lobby of this building is obscured by rubble and debris; scattered on the floor are dozens of crumbling books. Thick sheets of webbing cover one entire side of the chamber, concealing what lies beyond.
[14:43] <@Kilarra> Three enormous recluse spiders have dwelt in this chamber for some time.
[14:43] <@Kilarra> ANd they're right there, right now!
[14:47] * Aluthyra aims forward, shooting a duo arrows into the closest spider, a third into another; aiming the last carefully.
[14:49] <@Kilarra> Aluthrya pincushions the already dead spider with her second shot, the first one having been enough, and kills the second on her last shot.
[14:53] <@Kilarra> Kjell notes that these things aren't all that tough, but moving up to the last one through the web would be difficult. He stands defensively; Kilarra's crossbow might be enough.
[14:55] <@Kilarra> The last spider wastes no time scurrying along its web towards the intruders. The thing was larger than Tognik, and looms over ALuthyra, looking to take a bite.
[14:57] <@Kilarra> ALuthyra feels a twinge as the spider bites into her arm, but her monastic control over her body allows her to refute the attempted poison.
[15:00] <Aluthyra> Tognik moves behind Aluthyra, taking out his wand of curing if she takes any more serious damage.
[15:01] * Kilarra frowns at the spider and raises her crossbow. If anyone was going to be biting Aluthyra, it was her! She fires
[15:03] <@Kilarra> There's a whoosh of flame as the bolt impacts the Spider, torching it and a fair bit of the web surrounding it as well. The burst of fire is momentary, and doesn't linger.
[15:03] * Kilarra blinks and looks at her crossbow, "Holy shit."
[15:04] <@Kilarra> Kjell looks impressed, "Those will be quite useful I think, let's just hope we don't see them used against us frequently."
[15:05] * Aluthyra quirks her head back at Kilarra. "Those were the drow bolts..." She blinks. "Glad that was not used against me..."
[15:05] * Kilarra nods and plucks out one of the other bolts, "They probably used one of these. Minor enchantment, but nothing else. I imagine that was one of the alchemical weapons Shalelu mentioned last night."
[15:06] * Kilarra reloads her crossbow with a fresh +1 bolt, wanting to save the alchemical ones for now until she could acquire more of them.
[15:07] * Aluthyra nods, gesturing for Kjell to continue. "Then let us move..." She looks to the bite on her arm. "I am fine for now."
[15:11] <@Kilarra> Kjell looks left, then right
[15:11] <@Kilarra> There are doorways on either side, plus an open door opposite their entrance leading out into a courtyard.
[15:11] <@Kilarra> Kjell looks back, "Left or right?"
[15:14] <Aluthyra> Tognik shrugs. "Let's try the right."
[15:14] <@Kilarra> Kjell nods and steps up to the right door, pushing it open...
[15:15] <@Kilarra> This circular chamber has a crumbling staircase on the opposite wall, leading up to a balcony that rims the room ten feet above the floor. Arranged around the balcony are a number of short pillars, several of which support a faintly glowing crystal globe.
[15:16] <@Kilarra> As soon as the party enters the room, they are subjected to the rowdy hooting and hollaring of six dretches, who immediately move for a fight. The six of them are currently positioned on the balcony, near the crystal globes.
[15:17] * Aluthyra looks around as she enters, frowning as she notes the crumbling stairs-- then the dretches. She readies her bow...
[15:19] * Aluthyra fires a single arrow into three of the nearest dretches, hoping to end as many as she can quickly, before they reach the ground.
[15:20] * Kilarra notes to Aluthyra, "Cold Iron Arrows if you've got em."
[15:22] <@Kilarra> ALuthyra does indeed have Cold Iron arrows, and she catches the first Dretch right in the eye, knocking it off the balcony. The other two she manages to peg, nearly killing them outright as well.
[15:24] <@Kilarra> Kjell raises his spell are and unleashes a quintet of magic projectiles. He sends one each to the bloodied dretches, then three more into a third. He was disappointed that his favoured Lightning spells would be useless against these demons.
[15:25] <@Kilarra> Kjell's magic missiles finish off the two injured Dretches, and badly wounds the third, leaving it shrieking and curshing
[15:28] <Aluthyra> Tognik casts his favorite spell-- grease, pointing his finger to try and place it under the two uninjured dretches.
[15:35] <@Kilarra> One of the dretches slips on the grease and falls, toppling one of the podiums. The orb atop it shatters when it hits the floor, crackling with residual magic.
[15:36] <Aluthyra> Tognik hopes that orb wasn't valuable...
[15:36] <@Kilarra> The two dretches still standing each pick one of the orbs off the nearby podiums and hurl them at Tognik. The third attempts to stand...
[15:39] <@Kilarra> Instead is simply slips through the railing and falls to the floor
[15:41] <@Kilarra> The two thrown orbs shatter violently when they strike Tognik, blasting him with bits of shattered glass and minor electrical discharges
[15:42] * Tognik yelps, crying out in pain as some of the glass embeds itself in his skin.
[15:43] <@Kilarra> Aluthyra is in range of the magical burst, but is nimble enough to avoid getting hurt by it.
[15:44] * Kilarra doesn't like the looks of those exploding orb things, and casts a spell on herself to make it more difficult for ranged attacks to strike her. With any luck, it would last long enough to deal with any remaining drow and their pesky crossbows as well.
[15:47] * Aluthyra fires another trio of arrows. One into each of the three remaining dretches.
[15:49] <@Kilarra> Aluthyra finishes off the wounded dretch and the one that fell off the balcony. The last one standing is badly hurt.
[15:52] <@Kilarra> Kjell decides to try finishing it off the hard way, with a scorching Ray. They may be resistant to fire, but he didn't think it could take both rays in its condition.
[15:54] <@Kilarra> Kjell thought wrong, as the dretch remains standing
[15:56] <Aluthyra> Tognik tries to cause the remaining dretch to fall, casting a spell of grease underneath him.
[15:57] <@Kilarra> The dretch falls
[15:57] <@Kilarra> and splits its head open on the floor below
[15:59] <Aluthyra> Tognik sighs, pressing his wand to his chest and activating it three times.
[16:00] <Aluthyra> Tognik smiles, his wounds fully healed. He raises an eyebrow, looking to the globes, and asks, "Think those are worth anything?"
[16:01] <@Kilarra> Kjell shakes his head, "They're magical, so possibly, but we should focus on finishing our task first. Then we can see about lost elven knowledge."
[16:02] * Kilarra eyes Tognik again. Seriously, he was thinking about treasure when he nearly got his skull caved in?
[16:03] * Kilarra shakes her head, not understanding the gnome. She moves to position herself to head over to the other side of the library, in the room they had skipped.
[16:04] <Aluthyra> Tognik shrugs, following after with Aluthyra.
[16:08] <@Kilarra> Kjell leads back to the second room, glad that his shield was still holding up. He was disappointed about the wasted spell, but he still had Tyrant's Bane. He opens the next door quickly.
[16:08] <@Kilarra> This chamber was once used for displaying expertly crafted tapestries and paintings but over the years these have fallen into ruin, with only a few scraps of ancient fabric hanging on the walls. Thick spiderwebs cover much of the walls, but the only spiders to be found are of ordinary size.
[16:09] <@Kilarra> The only thing left here seems to be the door to the chamber beyond
[16:09] <@Kilarra> Kjell tries the door... which is locked. He looks back to Tognik, "Can you get this open by any chance?"
[16:11] <Aluthyra> Tognik nods, getting out his tools. "I can try!" He smiles, working at the lock.
[16:12] <@Kilarra> The lock opens with a satisfying click
[16:12] <@Kilarra> Kjell motions for Tognik to step back as he kicks in this one too. It was fun to be an adventurer sometimes.
[16:14] <Aluthyra> Tognik chuckles, stepping back to allow the kick.
[16:17] <@Kilarra> The center of this vast oval chamber is dominated by a number of tall stone bookcases coated in dust and cobwebs. Some of these shelves lean ominously to one side, their age clearly showing. Scattered about the floor of the chamber are thousands of crumbling tomes, most holding little more than scraps and dust, their knowledge forever lost.
[16:18] * Aluthyra looks about the chamber, checking for any hostiles or anything particularly eye-catching.
[16:21] <@Kilarra> Aluthrya and Tognik can spot two drow Skirmishers hiding in the Stacks, awaiting their arrival. Presumably they were alerted by the previous fighting. All of the group can see an important looking drow armed with a whip She was trying to hide too, but not very successfully.
[16:28] * Aluthyra aims towards the two hiding skirmishers, firing a single arrow into each of them. Turning towards the presumable leader, she fires a third carefully-placed arrow.
[16:31] * Aluthyra adds, yelling out to Kilarra and Kjell, "Two skirmishers in the back, hiding. Watch out."
[16:32] <@Kilarra> The arrows embed themselves in the shelves, but the third manages to hit the Captain in the back.
[16:37] <@Kilarra> Kjell decides to forgo engaging these drow from a distance and moves into the stacks to take a swing at one of them, putting both hands on Tyrant's Bane to deliver a bigger blow.
[16:39] <@Kilarra> Kjell swiftly decapitates the sneaky skirmisher.
[16:41] <@Kilarra> The other skirmisher attempts to attack ALuthyra form the cover of the shelves.
[16:41] <@Kilarra> He misses
[16:43] <Aluthyra> Tognik grabs a handful of pugwampi hair from his components pouch, mumbling in gnomish and pointing a finger towards the leader of the drow.
[16:46] <@Kilarra> The drow seems unaffected
[16:47] * Tognik groans. He'll be sticking with grease from now on.
[16:57] * Kilarra decides to help Aluthyra out with the Captain. Kjell could probably fry the other Drow through the bookcase if he wanted to.
[16:58] <Kilarra> Kilarra manages a lucky shot that catches the Drow Captain right in the neck. She's badly bloodied now, and shrieks a curse in undercommon.
[16:59] * Kilarra sneers and replies in abyssal; "Shethak t'kal!"
[17:02] <Kilarra> The Captain raises her free hand at Kilarra and mutters something. Kilarra feels tingly.
[17:02] <Kilarra> Kilarra feels for a moment like she might sieze up, but manages to shrug it off
[17:05] * Kilarra smirks. She sticks her tongue out at the drow
[17:09] * Aluthyra smiles, seeing the spell fail on Kilarra, and repays the drow captain with two more arrows directed her way.
[17:10] <Kilarra> Aluthyra is thwarted by the Drow Captain's armour and protective enchantments
[17:11] <Kilarra> Kjell moves around the stack to take care of the other drow skirmisher so they could focus on bringing down the captain
[17:14] <Kilarra> Said drow is quickly unseamed
[17:16] <Aluthyra> Tognik casts a spell of grease beneath the captain in an attempt to help Aluthyra.
[17:17] <Kilarra> The captain falls
[17:20] * Kilarra takes advantage of the drow Captain's fall to run up to her, placing a hand on her whip arm, "I'll be taking that in a moment."
[17:21] <Kilarra> The drow Captain doesn't get a chance to respond as Kilarra's negative energy surge sends her to whatever abyss she was destined for.
[17:24] * Aluthyra sighs, looking to the not-so-arrow-filled captain.
[17:25] * Kilarra quickly casts detect magic on the captain, hoping to find some useful stuff. The armour and shield she could care less about, but considering...
[17:26] <Aluthyra> Tognik looks around the area, and the drow, for any valuables, seeing as Kilarra is looking for magic items.
[17:27] <Kilarra> Kjell notes to Tognik, "We have a few minutes before the elves come to hold this position, so if you wanted to check those orbs, now would be an opportune time." He calls to Aluthyra, "As well, perhaps you, being the most perceptive of us, can find something useful in this mess of old papers and notes."
[17:28] <Kilarra> Kilarra finds a Wand, Four Scrolls, 10 more acid bolts, 20 gold pieces, and the whip is magical.
[17:28] * Aluthyra nods, starting to scrounge over the papers and books.
[17:28] * Kilarra grins and adds the whip to her pack. It would be nice to have one ready for further enchantment later or as a spare.
[17:28] <Aluthyra> Tognik grins, exiting the room quickly and moving back to room across the hall. Firstly, he casts a spell of detect magic on the orbs.
[17:30] <Kilarra> There are 9 orbs remaining intact, all of which have minor illusion auras save one, which has a slightly stronger aura.
[17:31] * Kilarra also collects additional bolts from the Skirmishers where possible, and discards her old, mundane bolts in favour of the alchemical ones
[17:32] <Aluthyra> Tognik tries to identify the stronger aura and its specifics.
[17:34] <Kilarra> The regular orbs show vague, shifting images of an ancient elven city, but the last one is different. As Soon as Tognik picks it up, it projects the image of an older, wizened looking elf. It introduces itself as Chief Lorekeeper Eloquan.
[17:39] <Kilarra> On the far side of the room, Aluthyra finds a few desks of surprisingly well preserved wood. Within one of them are six tomes, and some assorted scraps of paper pressed between their pages.
[17:39] <Kilarra> They are written in elven.
[17:39] <Kilarra> Kjell looks up to the illusory LIbrarian, then comes closer to Tognik, "What have you got here?"
[17:40] <Aluthyra> Tognik blinks. "Chief Lorekeeper Eloquan it introduced itself as... Not sure exactly."
[17:41] <Kilarra> Kjell looks to the librarian curiously. "It's possible this illusion contains some information recorded as part of the display." He decides to try something; "What is this place?"
[17:42] <Kilarra> The 'hologram' replies: "This is the library of Reenai, one of the oldest repositories of elven history and information in all of Golarion."
[17:44] <Kilarra> Aluthyra, not speaking Elven, can't really make anything out of the tomes.
[17:45] * Aluthyra frowns, calling over to Kilarra, "Kilarra, can you read elven?"
[17:45] <Kilarra> Kjell looks to Tognik, "I'm not sure what we could ask it, but I imagine the elves would relish the chance to partake of this holographic historian's knowledge."
[17:46] * Kilarra trots over to Aluthyra with her new bolts and a few scrolls. "Afraid not. Anything in infernal or Abyssal I could, but Elven not so much."
[17:46] <Aluthyra> Tognik nods. "I'm sure. Well, since they'll be on their way soon, maybe we should check if Aluthyra and Kilarra have found anything of note?"
[17:48] <Kilarra> Kjell nods, "Those demons have made enough of a mess of this place, so I think that would be best. Just be careful, I imagine that thing is fragile."
[17:50] * Tognik leaves the device alone. Hopefully the elves would have good use for it. Nodding, he returns to the other room.
[17:52] * Kilarra looks up, "Either of you speak Elven?"
[17:52] <Aluthyra> Tognik takes a quick look around the area, wanting to have a look around before heading over to Kilarra and Aluthyra.
[17:53] <Aluthyra> Tognik shakes his head while he searches. "No, but I have a wand that'd allow me to."
[17:53] * Kjell nods, "I can speak Elven. I always liked that language, so good for storytelling." He heads up to take a look at the books.
[17:54] <Kilarra> Underneath an ancient pile of crumbling pages, Tognik manages to find an intact scroll and a very curious looking tome
[17:55] <Kilarra> Kjell takes a look, skimming through the drow picked tomes and pages. "All these books seem to have a comment pair of subjects. 'The Great Beyond', and astronomy."
[17:56] <Aluthyra> Tognik examines the tome, opening its pages and detecting magic.
[17:58] <Kilarra> The tome is currently blank, but a strong transmutation aura comes off of it. This is a 'Blessed Book', up to 1000 pages worth of spells can be stored in it, even though it takes up less volume than would normally be needed. Not only that, but it could imprint spells from the Caster's memory, allowing them to forgo the usual costs associated with transcribing spells.
[17:58] <Kilarra> The Scroll reads as Moderate Divination, and is a scroll of 'Clairvoyance'.
[18:00] <Kilarra> The book has a lock, its durable pages bound with iron overlaid with silver
[18:01] <Aluthyra> Tognik grins, setting to work on the lock.
[18:02] <Kilarra> The book opens easily enough, but is blank inside
[18:03] <Kilarra> Kjell notes to the group, "There's a page bookmarked talking about the realm of shadow." He skims the exerpt; "Talking about how 'time can be mutable in such a domain'." He raises an eyebrow, that sounded ominous.
[18:05] * Kilarra doesnt really care about the specifics of the drow planning; she just knows they're off to a good start so far as ending it is concerned. She sorts her new bolts into her quiver and stashes the rest, then heads over to Aluthyra, rubbing her leg with her tail, "You alright?"
[18:05] * Aluthyra nods, smiling faintly. "Of course." She rubs the bite mark on her arm. "Just a little sore."
[18:06] * Kilarra nods, "Don't feel too bad about missing; we all have our off days. Oddly enough, normally this crossbow isn't worth a damn." She gestures to it, "But it seems to be its lucky day today."
[18:06] <Aluthyra> Tognik lets out a whooping cheer, calling Kjell over, "Kjell c'mere! Would you be interested in this spell book?" He grins. "If not, I could probably fetch a bit over 6000 gold."
[18:06] * Kilarra plucks out her wand and pokes the spider bite with it.
[18:08] * Kilarra also gives Kjell the wand she took from the Drow Captain; "Got a few charges of that magic missile spell on it, should help conserve some of your own juice
[18:08] <Kilarra> Kjell takes it thankfull, then heads over to Tognik. He takes a look at the book. "That is quite remarkable, but I don't think I need quite that much space. I've not even filled half of my own spellbook."
[18:08] * Kilarra frowns and pokes the stubborn bite again
[18:09] <Aluthyra> Tognik nods, placing the book in his packs. "Alright. Then we'll sell it when we're safe and sound."
[18:09] * Aluthyra smiles as the bite disappears. "Thank you, Kilarra." She leans over and gives the Cleric a quick hug.
[18:10] * Kilarra hugs back, smiling.
[18:10] <Kilarra> Kjell nods, "Sounds good."
[18:10] <Kilarra> A couple more minutes pass before a team of elves steps into the room, checking about. One of them salutes the PCs, "Good work, we'll hold it from here."
[18:12] <Kilarra> Kjell nudges Tognik, "That being the case, we should take what we have found back to Eviana; she will be able to make use of it, and keep that illusion orb out of harm."
[18:13] * Kilarra releases the hug when the elves arrive and heads over to them, smirking. She had been kinda hoping Kaerishiel would show up for her to boast to, but at least these elves appreciated their efforts.
[18:14] * Aluthyra follows Kilarra.
[18:15] <Aluthyra> Tognik nods. "Alright... you want to just pass on the info? I don't think keeping that illusion orb with us would be the best idea, especially if we're going to be seeing more battle."
[18:16] <Kilarra> Kjell shakes his head, "We have to go back to the camp to report to Eviana for our next task, and that camp will be the safest place to leave this intelligence, is what I meant."
[18:18] * Kilarra makes sure Aluthyra has a nice view so long as the aasimar remains behind her.
[18:20] <Kilarra> -End Session-
[18:21] <Kilarra> Rewards: 1 EL 3, 1 EL 7, 1 EL 8; 2200 Experience Each