Session 21 - Knowledge is Power
General Summary
For two days, the members of The Phoenix Army searched for Arimanthos. Finding nothing, they begin to help rebuild the town of Jura.
Volos informs Wilvert of a magical tome that can help identify sources of demonic magic. The gnome realizes that this book can help locate the demon general in Sandpoint. As he prepares to inform his friends, a portal opens and Zubarin and Myles step through.
The paladin hands a sealed letter to Skara from Omarim. The head wizard congratulates the young man on his capture of Lord Volos and instructs him to bring the sorcerer back to Sandpoint for a trial and execution. After sharing the letter with Wilvert, they decide Volos makes a better friend than an enemy in the fight against the demons. A furious Myles tells the group that Omarim will hear of their disobedience.
Lord Volos, along with Terry and Radolf, guides the group east to the free city of Seo-Song the last known location of the demon tome. Four days into their journey, they come across two men being attacked by a bear. Malifax is able to scare off the beast, but one of the two men dies of his wounds.
Upon inspection, the group finds the dead man is handcuffed to a living dwarf. Ghostclaw searches the deceased man and finds a wanted poster. Despite being written in a forgien language, Ghostclaw determines the dwarf is wanted alive in a town called Balatanka. The wanted dwarf introduces himself as Husgar and swears he has no clue why he would be wanted. Taking the magical chain Wilvert found in Gemspire, Ghostclaw decides to claim the dwarf's bounty.
"If you are heading to Seo-Song, you will need a translator," Husgar shouts, "You won't last a day without my knowledge of their culture."
The next day, the group arrives at Seo-Song. Husgar informs the group of a library where many old books are stored. Supplies are low from the long journey, so shops are visited.
Ghostclaw discovers he is being followed, but before he has time to react, a Jade Serpent Assassin stabs him in the side. Feeling dizzy, Ghostclaw reaches for his tomahawk, but a bolt of lightning comes out of nowhere and kills the assassin.
A door opens and a familiar man beckons them inside, it's Rahim the leader of the Red Sand Consortium.
"Fools, they are already looking for you, why would you attract them with a flashy spell?" the old man scolds.
Skara is confused thinking Rahim was the source of the bolt, but worry for Ghostclaw quickly overshadows it. Wilvert removes the dagger and identifies a sleeping agent on it. Using his vast alchemical knowledge, the gnome is able to counteract the poison. Radolf points out that the Jade Serpent Assassins are among the best in the world. If the assassin had wanted him dead, he would be.
Still pondering what The Jade Empress could want with Skara and Ghostclaw, Rahim offers the group a deal. His spies in the al Shabaab Oasis saw Skara searching for "Mythril's Gauntlet," if they enter The Ancient Library and retrieve the "Library's Heart," he will trade. The deal is struck.
When approaching The Ancient Library, a merchant calls out to them. One of the few people in this city who speaks their language, he warns them that many who enter the building never return. Fearing nothing, the group enters anyway.
Nothing comes easy, and The Ancient Library requires a sharp mind to progress. First they find themselves in the dark, small enchanted lanterns float over their heads. Once lit, the lights follow them around the first floor. They notice that the books seem to want to be read; books that each person wants seem to find and fly to them. Wilvert discovers that wanting a staircase causes the books to form one, bringing them to the second floor.
Hundreds of feet up, light produced by glowing mushrooms allow them to ditch the lanterns. Here they find scholars studying dusty tomes. One of them holds up his hand; vines stretch out and place an apple in it. When questioned, he doesn't even look up from his book.
"The library provides," he murmurs.
Volos notices a man who doesn't seem to be absorbed in books. Mage wants to go to the third floor to find his friend. Working together the two spell casters enchant the vines to bring them up to the final floor.
Finally on the top floor, the group begins to look for the demon tome. Ghostclaw follows Mage sensing something strange about him. Wilvert, Fenrir, and Skara find a reference desk and ask an unhelpful librarian. Seemingly ignoring their questions, he offers them books he thinks they will find interesting and encourages them to sit down and study.
Meanwhile, Ghostclaw stalks Mage and finds that his friend is The Bald Mage. The elf spring into action and attacks. A poisonous arrow stops him from escaping yet again. Mage is outed as a demon and begins to cast a spell, and the group draw their weapons and join the fray. The librarians move in unison to protect the books, dropping their illusions and revealing themselves as Mind Flayers.
Volos casts his wondrous wand and kills a Mind Flayer. Ghostclaw kills another, as Mage freezes Fenrir solid. Wilvert is badly hurt by a third Mind Flayer when a bolt of lightning hits it. A healing spell also flies at the young gnome, it's source? Godric.
Wilvert finishes off the weakened Mind Flayer, and Ghostclaw kills Mage right before he shatters the frozen Fenrir.
Godric enters a small room and Ghostclaw, suspicious, follows. Inside, Godric has stabbed an Elder Brain and takes a beating red stone out of it.
"The Red Sand Consortium won't be needing this," he tells Ghostclaw. He hands the elf Mythril's Gauntlet and the demon tome, "Dead men don't want for much."
Something tells Ghostclaw that he should let Godric go. Before he leaves, Ghostclaw uses the magic of the library to summon a book, Aldalome Historia Vol.27.
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