9th Day of Huren (beginning of Fall) 1611 - Day 1
The PCs gather outside Lorcaster University and wait for Matreous to collect them - he does not arrive at the pre-arranged time. The PCs begin to make inquiries and with the the aid of Thurmund, they gain access to the University.
In the guest commons, they find the hall where they were to gather for a dinner and eat hoping that Matraeous will show up. He does not. The group, knowing Matraeus well, determins that this is not normal for the well organized Gnome and they seek out his room (Room 63).
Olivine picks the lock and they find the quarters amiss:
The book "The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces" is lying on the floor (Thurgood determines it is magic and is prevented from being taken into extradimensional spaces). The spine on the book is blank.
on the inside front cover is arcane writing (in Ranala's hand) which reads: "Room 63 LU Guest Commons, In: 'Knock Knock, I've come Home'"
on the inside of the rear cover is more of Ranala's handwritting: "Look backword [sic] to get outword [sic]"
Also in the room are some personal things, presumably belonging to Matraeous the Gnome:
Clothes that would fit a Gnome
A decidedly gnomish hat
a small gnome-sized brief-case
a planner containing a checklist:
"Rent room 63 / Guest commons"
"Donate 3 crates of books from office to LU"
"Use Knock Knock prase while touching red chest and the chest of gifts"
The room is furnished as follows:
Bed, desk, chair, wardrobe, wash basin, lamps, rug
After some investigation the PCs suspect Matreous followed the instructions, teleported / magically traveled somewhere (quite possibly an extradimensional space - thus dropping the book) and has not yet returned.
The PCs decide to follow suit. And they arrive in an extradimensional space containing a rather ornate mansion.
On the floor in the foyer/hallway lies Matraeous.
He has a wound on his arm
There is a Wood chest with a lock (but it is open)
The only thing in the chest is a note which reads:
"Lane - Boots and Traveler's clothes"
"Randy - Candle & jug"
"Thurgood - chain and glasses"
"Olivine - key and dagger"
"Korfel - small crystal vial and purple musical note brooch"
"Taraxacam - lapel pin, paper package"
"Joseph - necklace & ring"
"Prototype (don't give away)"
There is a red colored wood chest here as well, it was locked but opened by the PCs. It contains:
The Dark Forces: A guide to self protection
Deepwords: Fact or Fiction
Dysolm’s Guide to Transfiguration
Hiding in the Shadows
Files of Student records (those afflicted)
A map to Feldspar Castle (Tremon)
A feather quill
A bottle of ink
A stack of parchment
A set of scales
A mortar and pestle
A set of vials
Some loose coins
The PCs investigate the kitchen where a pair of Humunculi are. One with a decidedly female structure of well made craftsmanship is busy cooking. A decidedly dumpy (possibly male insipired) humunculus sits (apparently bored) watching the other one cook... In front of it is a pile of chopped carrots.
The party believes they may ahve caught site of the feminine humuculus before and is likely Ranala's. Thurgood realizes that Ranala is alive or the humunculus would cease to function. The hunculi can't speak and so getting information from this is difficult at best.
A haphazard antitoxin is concocted and administered to the unconscious Matraeous and he eventually gains consciousness. His first words are "Imp!" followed by being distraught of the "The treasures!" (intended for the PCs, which appear to be gone).
Matraus reveals:
Ranala came back from a journey after dying a being resurrected - she was not "the same" and lost for a bit.
Helping the students and her brother (staff instructor) recover from an Succubi infestation gave her purpose.
She seemed a bit paranoid to Matraeous that the master of the defeated Succubi may come looking for who thwarted their plan. and so she began figuring out ways to protect herself and/or hide/disappear. One of the protectives was a "prototype" - a small glass case (apparently enchanted) - Matreous does not know the details but suspects it to be some kind of "trap" or "prison" based on her experience / knowledge of something called a Demon Orb.
The PCs investigate a library and find...
Several piles of books animate and attack them.
A "favorites" stack of books:
A Mordainkainen book with "R" on the spine (no contents)
The Rebirth of a Wizard - a biography about a resurrected wizard Named Gilmond Bokane
Living in Extradimensional Spaces - a short guide to good and bad effect of living in extradimensional spaces
As I age - a guide to understanding life and death
Death is Temporary - a guide to adapting to life after resurrection
Things That Kill You Make You Stronger - a cheesy book about dealing with resurrection.
Things to do After you Die - a serious delve into how your life changes after you die.
Must See places in Primea - a sappy bucket list of things one should do before dying
The Mysteries of Life - a book of curious phenomena surrounding life and death (life is a cycle, relationships, reincarnation, resurrection, perspective).
To the Grave with Regrets - a book encouraging one to forgive and forget before dying.
The Art of Life and Death - a guide to getting the most from life
They also find (and take):
A jeweled letter opener (5gp value)
A Gold bookmark (5gp value)
Fine / fancy feminine reading glasses (10 gp value)
The PCs investigate an "exercise room" which contains
Weapon rack (4 daggers, 4 quarterstaffs, 20 darts in a bandolier)
2 Mannequins (beat up, dinged, burnt)
A broom
Chest of drawers
Healing potion (taken)
padded armor and helmet
Spell Scroll (usable by anyone) (Dancing Lights, Mending)
Towels
The PCs investigate a Study and find:
Cats
Paintings:
Ranager Fane (Ranala's Tiefling Brother)
A Motherly and Fatherly looking couple (Parents?)
A painting turned around, hidden behind a bookshelf and damaged - the subject is a female Human spellcaster (Matraeous says it is Jarene, but does not elaborate on who she is when pressed for information - in fact he avoids the subject).
More books of apparent importance, all written by Ranala:
Ranalas Journal (white cover with a unicorn and "RF" in gold leaf), appears 20 plus years old and well worn/used.
Chapter 1 contains childish writing about immature young-girl kind of things.
Chapter 8 magically encoded - deciphered by Thurgood (details her being violated by a demon named Grulash, seeded, slain and resurrected).
Chapter 14 - fear of what is next, feelings of being followed / watched... "will the Sucubi just 'let it die on the vine', or will they com back with a vengeance? Going into hiding / information gathering now that the work is done"
---The Inside front cover has "8 star 10 star 10 star 100 & 10 star 10 star 10 star" written on it.
A secret door is later found that leads downstairs
A Mordenkainen book with the letter "I" on the spine.
The PCs discover a dining room next to the kitchen:
large window that looks out onto a patio garden / arboretum
A crystal chandelier hangs over a dark wood table.
six matching chairs are at the table, a seventh chair sits in the corner - later one of the chairs is found in the hallway, it animates (its a mimic and is defeated)
there is a large tapestry depicting wine making.
A wine rack with assorted bottles.
In the Arboretum (illuminated by two hanging drift globes) the PCs believe they've cornered the imp which apparently attacked Matraeous. They press the attack and slay one of two Faerie Dragon. The PCs recover some treasures made by Ranala:
Joseph's ring
Taraxacam's pin
Korfel's vial
Olivine's key
Thurgood's glasses
Randy's candle and jub
Lane's boots
The PCs discover a laboratory / workshop:
Two large work tables cluttered with sheets of glass and glass cutting tools, metal edging, hinges and clasps.
There are several "in-progress", "failed", "broken" or "abandoned" small class cases in various states of construction.
Assorted books on glass work
An easel with a covered work - it is a stained glass window depicting Zane Silvester (one of the legendary / infamous personalities of the realm)
A Mordenkainen book with the letter "T".
An Illusory Orrery (simulated universe)
apparently set to the current year
spinning the globe in the middle clockwise advances the simulation, counter-clockwise reverses the simulation
The PCs find Ranala's bed room - and a cat that takes a liking to Olivine.
Off the bedroom is a balcony - a contraption controls the colors of the surrounding miasma as well as sounds and scents that can be made to permeate the place.
The PCs use the secret door later discovered in the library to descend into the basement area. There they find imp tracks (half running, half flying) down the hallway. The PCs divert into a very old workshop where the tracks went and left... they find a glass key and take a short rest
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