Session XXVI: Battling for Knowledge Report

General Summary

Uncovering ancient secrets

The Colossus & Librarian

With Nalan still prone due to the heavy bones, a powerful foe emerges from the apparating bones: a Bone colossus. While an intimidating sight, the adventurers manage to make short work of it, taking only minimal damage. It is not soon after another entity reveals itself: the Grand Archives' Librarian. The Librarian asks them for the password but when none is given, battle ensues. The Librarian summons rays of pure lyrium energy, frightening the adventurers. Nalan manages to climb up the book cases to the balcony above, and strikes down the foe. Upon the disappearing of the Librarian, the Grand statue in the corner glows red no more.

Image of the Librarian

Scouring for Knowledge

The adventurers start gathering books from the Archives, avoiding the backroom where stairs to the upper floor are presumed to be. With the Archives being Grand as they are, gathering their footing remains hard. Balin approaches the bath toward the north-west and drinks the remaining water there. Upon a successful Constitution Saving Throw, he manages to hold in the liquid against his body's will. Soon he is able to instantly comprehend all information from a book held to him, with his first reading being a book describing how the Gildians cooked their pasta. Intrigued by the liquid, John stores most of the remaining water in a flask for later usage.
Many different books are held for Balin to read, among them:

• "Ballads of the Realms", describing to the Gildian children where not to venture. For instance, there is a song about the Troll Gorge and the terrors that await there. The adventurers add jokingly to the book their own ballad about: Don't go to the woods near the purple plains, don't keep a campfire light on there, don't let your wizard read a book while on guard, or the Scorpions will get you.
• "Ballads on the Conquest & Founding of Khazat: Mount Krembor", which details the campaign of King Raelon Gundyr I venturing to Mount Krembor together with his dwarven allies Grond & Brolof. They fight the demons inhabiting the mountain to build the city of Khazat on their remains.
• "A historian's views on the Elven War(s)", detailing the accounts of the first elven war between the allied Kingdoms of Gildin & Grond, versus the Elves of the Glade. The war ends in a treaty where the the Dunmer of the North keep in control of the Purple Plains and the northern mountains of Rhunaar (this roughly corresponds to the ancient map of Rhunaar the adventurers acquired when rumaging through Azaroth's belongings).
• "Rumours of the Mountain", a book describing the weird color of vegetation found surrounding the mystique lonely purple mountain at the center of the island. It describes the healing plants found in the north-eastern woods there, the cockatrice which scavenge the lands. It ends with the description of a mage named Laurius, who is said to have discovered the true origins of the magenta colouring, although these findings were not disclosed to the author nor the populace.
• "Institutions of Spell Castings", which details the divisions of institutions of mages in the Kingdom of Gildin. Only the Clerics of Trinity, the White Robes and the Black Robes are allowed to research the arts of magic. The Clerics and White Robes operate from the nation's capital of Gildin, while the Black Robes find their home in the College of Indolis. Mages are first trained as initiates before deciding which College to join for further study. The black robes specialized in the more vile kinds of magic, among which necromancy, demonology and even bits of sangromancy.

After reading a lot, Balin receives a lot of psychic damage from reading the books, failing his Intelligence Saving Throws. Yet, the adventurers push on to the dimly lit room, with a chest in the center of it surrounded by dim blue lights. The adventurers expect the metal chest to be a Mimic and proceed with caution. When Balin opens the chest a harsh crying erupts from the chest, causing necrotic damage all around. Suddenly, the true mimic jumps down from the small railing above to feast upon Balin. Battle erupts, and together the adventurers manage to shut the maws of the Mimic. Scavenging the loot they find a turquoise gem with a strong magic aura surrounding it. Upon magical detecting investigation by Oswald, he discovers the item is linked to the magic school of divination. Furthermore, the adventurers find a spell scroll.
Now scavenging the upper quarters, they find a very large tome on the balcony looking down on the central room. Upon approach, they are quickly attacked by ghastly hands appearing from the book cases. Oswald is grappled by them while Nalan makes for the large tome. Oswald is shortly strangled before being freed by Balin's bolts as Nalan escapes with the tome. Upon investigation by Oswald, he discovers the heavy tome is called the "Book of Initiates". The Book holds the basics of spellcasting taught in the former "College of Gildin" to pupils before they decide whether to take the White or Black robe. The following spells are described throughout the book:

• Cause Fear (1st: necromancy)
• Frost Fingers (1st: evocation)
• Jump (1st: transmutation)
• Mage Armor (1st: abjuration)
• Magic Missile (1st: evocation)
• Shield (1st: abjuration)
• Thunderwave (1st: evocation)
• Darkvision (2nd: transmutation)
• Gift of Gab (2nd: enchantment)
• Hold Person (2nd: enchantment)
• Levitate (2nd: transmutation)
• Misty Step (2nd: conjuration)

Gildin: Grand Archives

Open full size

Map of Gildin's Grand Archives, showing the castle courtyard, the Giant's resting place, and the remains of the palace grounds.

Overview of the Grand Archives

The Librarian's return

After spending roughly an hour scavenging knowledge from the Archives, Oswald offering all his belongings to Nalan if he ensures the book leaves the Archives in one piece, the statue in the corner glows red once more and the Librarian apparates again. Not immediately hostile this time, the Librarian explains he is a captive of Thorlok and is only temporarily not affected by Thorlok curse of enslavement. He explains either calling him by his true name or destruction of his soul gem, will allow the curse to be undone. The adventurers manage to ask a few questions to the Librarian, see below, and promise to free him from his terrible curse before the Librarian regains his hostility toward the adventurers and battle ensues.
Questions asked to Librarian

• The adventurers are pointed toward the records regarding the Royal Family of Gildin
• The adventurers are pointed toward a tome translating basic Dovah (Draconic) into Common.

The Wrath of Thorlok

After the battle, Nalan breaks the priorly glowing statue to find a lyrium encased soul gem of sorts. Upon touching it, John hears crackling of armor in the distance. Soon the source of the noise is revealed: an ensemble of eight Berenike Knights led by a Skull Commander. As the adventurers start barricading the metal gate from the Archives to the courtyard, a small impish creature appears out of nowhere on the archway in the central room. Through its mouth, the voice of the Lich Thorlok echoes. Thorlok offers the adventurers an ultimatum: They either hand over the Sanguine's Rose immediately together with the soul gem, and in return are given access to the knowledge of the Archives. If not, their souls shall not find rest in the afterlife, but utter torment. The adventurers refuse Thorlok's demands, and the knights march onward to the Archives.
John decides to Misty Step to one of the courtyard's battle towers, making effective use of the castle's bailey. Meanwhile, Oswald unleashes his fiery wrath upon the knights, firing two Fireballs onto the foes. This causes 4/8 Berenike knights to vanish into ash, with the four remaining being heavily damaged (for a total of 587 damage by the entire party). The Skull Commander makes escapes out of sight through the archway leading to the palace grounds, as his remaining knights smash down the barricaded door.

Rewards Granted

• Turquoise magic stone
• Book of Initiates
• Flask of Knowledge Liquid

Campaign

The Island of Runaar

Protagonists

Nalan

Oswald Fleetfeet

TN halfling(gnome) (cloistered scholar)
wizard 5

26 / 26 HP

STR
8

DEX
15

CON
13

INT
19

WIS
16

CHA
10

John Doe

Lawful Neutral Wood Elf (Inheritor)
Ranger 6

63 / 63 HP

STR
9

DEX
18

CON
14

INT
18

WIS
16

CHA
13

Report Date

16 Jun 2021

Primary Location

Gildin