The Realm of Ganoltir: Strife, Exploration, and Prosperity
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Grozzuk was clearly shaken by being nearly knocked over, staring aghast as the person walked past. "How? How does one not notice Grozzuk? Lord of the Arena?" He said out loud, not really hearing Gamil at first. "How could they just... not..." He trailed off, the lack of attention getting to him slightly.
[sblock=Cinder]Your studies do not help you here.[/sblock]
[sblock=Mechanics]History: 14(1d20) +15 = 29
Arcana: 9(1d20) +15 = 24[/sblock]
"No," Cinder says, after wracking her brain for a moment. She is shocked and a bit scared of the apparent disconnect between themselves and the people before them. Are they incorporeal, or are we? Have we become ghosts? "What did it feel like when they... passed through?" she asks the two men who'd been hit by the passersby.
"I got two theories," Gamil says, unable to answer Cinder's question. "Either this is another time, and we're seeing it play out. That, or this is now."
"Regardless, I want to see how this all works." The goblin tries to pick up a pebble, putting it in the way of somebody who is walking, to see if it is kicked aside.
[sblock=Mechanics]I'm trying to see if we can indirectly act upon this instance of this world, if not actively by being seen/felt by the NPCs.[/sblock]
[sblock=Gamil]The pebble resists your efforts, as if it weighed many tons. As you strain your hardest, you see it wobble slightly. It seems you are not entirely unable to affect this world, but your influence is severely limited.[/sblock]
Grozzuk looked back at Cinder, his voice dropping. "It was like... being hit by a wall. When they shoved into me, they didn't move at all, as if I didn't exist."
"So then they're not entirely ethereal if they can produce force," Lorion says, both frightened from and curious about the strange nature of this realm and its inhabitants. At Gamil's theories, he remarks, "The infernal residue seems out of place if this is to be some time in the past."
"Could be the future," Gamil remarks as he lets go of the pebble, unhappy with his inability to move it. "Regardless, we're here. And we can't be seen -- for now."
The goblin looks toward the doors where the acolytes left from. "Might as well see what this place is." He struts toward the building, entering it.
Cinder nods to Gamil, as shocked as the other's by Grozzuk's words. "And we should avoid more contact, if we can. Who knows what the lingering effects of such contact might be." Hopefully no more exposure to the infernal magic, she thinks, following after her goblin companion.
The party enters the temple and begins to look around. The interior is wide and spacious, the walls made of smooth, light-grey stone. It is not an ostentatious place, but the size and quality masonry give it a somber dignity. Ahead of you is a short entry hall which widens into a nave before an altar. The altar is draped with light blue cloth displaying seven white stars in an arch, the insignia of Ostea.
In the entryway there are two doorways to your left and two to your right. One on the left is marked "Library", one to the right is marked "Infirmary". The other two are smaller and unassuming. There are a few acolytes bustling around the doorway to the infirmary, but there is enough space that you are easily able to stay out of the way. You recall the damage to the temple was mostly on the side to your left.
Looks like whatever attack happened here has marred both the building and its people, Gamil assumes. He peeks into the infirmary, hoping to catch a glimpse of any telling injuries or possible casualties.
Ostea, Cinder thinks, eyeing the alter in the distance. Perhaps this entire... illusion is some sort of test? She continues to inch forward down the hall, nervously peering into the room marked as the temple's library. What could have happened in here?
Lorion glances around the ruined temple, curious as to what secrets the strange building holds. Joining Cinder, he peeks into the archway marked as the library, curious if any of it remains intact. Perhaps some books in here could shed some light on our whereabouts.
Grozzuk shook his head to bring himself back to reality. "Where should we go? Lorion? Cinder? Any ideas?"
[sblock=Gamil]There are several rooms in the infirmary, connected by the hallway you peeked into from the entryway. The angle is wrong for you to see into most of them, but from the activity you would guess that several of the rooms are occupied. After a few rooms, the hallway turns to the left, and the first room on the far wall you can see into. You can see an older, human monk sitting on a cot.
A younger man, a nurse or medic, is helping to set his arm into a sling.
You pick up snatches of words from the people bustling around, punctuated by soft grunts and moans of pain from the wounded. "...the Stars, we might get everyone through this alive..." "...they want with us?" "Nobody tried to play hero..." "...knows? Do Demons even want like normal..."[/sblock]
[sblock=In the Library]The library seems to have been the focus of the destruction. There's a large hole in the thick, stone wall, and a lot of damage to the furnishings. Broken shelves and scattered tomes are everywhere.
A couple of acolytes are trying to sort books and scrolls into piles based on level of damage. A few workers are clearing wreckage away from the walls so the repairs can get under way. "At this rate it'll be ages before we know what they took.", one of the acolytes says.
"What do they want with Extraplanar Studies anyway?
Don't seem to have much trouble getting out of Hell." The other says, "Maybe they're hoping to find someplace better than this one."[/sblock]
"Demons," Cinder mutters quietly, loud enough Lorion would hear, but likely not the others. Extraplanar Studies? Do they seek to invade other planes? Different part of ours? "This seems very ominous," she says, more loudly than before, confident that the folks in the Library cannot hear her anymore than they can see her. "If the demons came here to steal texts, those texts must have something especially... worrying in them."
Lorion listens in awe as the temple keepers speak, intrigued to learn more about what had occurred. At Cinder's comment, he replies, "Perhaps these thefts are behind this strange magic. Though I can't say for sure without knowing the books' contents." If the demons are in fact behind this, it can't be good.
Gamil peeks around for a calendar or any sort of way to determine the date. Is this happening now? In our world? How am I here...?
[sblock=Mechanics]Calendar?[/sblock]
Grozzuk stood and looked at the party, unsure of how to proceed. If even Cinder and Lorion weren't totally sure of what was going on, how could he be? "Perhaps we should look around, maybe the deeper we go, the more answers could be revealed?" He said, not totally sure of himself.
[sblock=Library Crew]Following the trail of chaos and mess, you push in deeper, past a couple rows of shelves and into a separate reading room. The shelves here only have one row of books each, but each book is several feet tall and many are bound in wood or metal instead of leather. One lies open on a sturdy table, pages ripped from its center, while several more are fallen down on the floor. Cinder and Lorion cannot read the script they are written in, but it makes sense to Grozzuk.
They're written in Draconic.[/sblock]
[sblock=Gamil]Gamil checks a couple rooms, and soon finds a simple calendar. The date is not marked, but it hangs open to the second month of Summer, past the solstice. This seems off somehow, but Gamil finds he can't precisely track the days that passed since they left for Rhapsody.[/sblock]
"Wow..." Cinder mouths quietly, at the sight of the massive texts. She takes a moment to wander the length of the shelf, trying to spot any texts with names she can make out, or to see if she recognizes any in particular. Who would even need a book this large? She pays little mind to the large, open text, realizing quickly she is unable to make anything of its text.
[sblock=Mechanics]Perception to find works that Cinder can potential read, or recognizes: 21
History, to see if Cinder has any prior knowledge of similar massive books: 13[/sblock]
Lorion stands in awe as he looks among the colossal books, unsure if he's ever seen such a thing. The demons stole books this size? They must be important if they're worth the effort of lifting. Peering into a book, he finds the text unrecognizable, his eyes widening at the unfamiliar sight. Looking towards his peers, he asks, "Have either of you seen this language?"
[sblock=Mechanics]History to see if Lorion has ever seen books similar: 7(1d20) +15 = 22[/sblock]
The goblin steps back toward his allies, shaking his head in confusion. "Date's all wrong. Just past the solstice," Gamil says, frowning. "Don't seem right."
He looks up at the taller folk. "Find anything?"
[sblock=Cinder]You don't find any big books you can read, but you do find a somewhat organized collection of notes on the larger tomes in common. Placing the notes to the tomes would take some time without being able to read the titles, though. These were clearly made by someone who knows both languages and just wrote notes in common because it's his native tongue.[/sblock]
[sblock=Lorion]You've heard of these, but haven't seen them before. If they are what they seem to be, then they are dragon tomes, written by and for dragons, and easily over a thousand years old, utterly irreplaceable. The tearing of the one on the table is easily more property damage than everything else here.[/sblock]
Cinder frowns when it becomes clear that she will not be able to glean any information from the strangely-large volumes. Noticing the notes that accompany the text, she steps over to them and attempts to shift them around to get a better sense of their contents. However, it quickly becomes clear that - like with the people in the hallway - she is unable to effectively interact with the documents. Sighing, she instead bends down to read them as best as possible in their current location.
When Gamil comes in from the other wing of the temple, Cinder glances his way briefly, before continuing her examination of the notes. "Just these giant books," she says, assuming the man will notice the huge tomes without needing her to point them out. "It's difficult to say what they're about, but there seem to be some notes here that are legible."
[sblock=OOC]What do the notes in common say?[/sblock]
Lorion's eyes widen as he realizes what the tomes are, though he is disappointed that he's unable to read them and learn of their contents. However, his eyes begin to shift between the illegible tomes and his draconic companion. "These are dragon tomes. Think you can read them, Grozzuk?" he says, eager to discover what the tomes say.
Grozzuk's head snapped to attention as Lorion called to him and said "I can take a look...", before stepping over and quickly starting read. Though it's well known he doesn't read often, you could see his eyes light up slightly as he read through what was there and attempted to piece together what might have been taken. "Hmm... Aah..." He muttered under his breath and tried to absorb what he could, lightly tapping his claws onto his chest as he continued to read.
Gamil runs a hand over the spine of a metal-bound tome, an eyebrow raising at the measure. "Somebody really wants these safe," he notes, though mostly to himself. Not making sense of any of the Draconic script on the book Grozzuk pores over, the goblin sniffs the air and scans around idly as the dragonborn reads.
[sblock=Grozzuk]You can read it, though you stumble over some of the words. You don't read a lot of your native tongue, and the script is old.
"In Our great wisdom and graciousness, We recognize that some worms have made contributions to the field of Planar Realities. These are of use, as even the Exalted Manakodo Rion has only twenty-four hours each day.
Hagasha Tetsun has made numerous tools for improving the stability of portals. These are useful yet uninteresting and podestrian. We will record them for posterity.
Kurofuji Minoru has done many reckless experiments regarding Planar Binding. She is reckless and difficult, but if her madness has method, her Planar Tethers may one day expand Our Empire."
It seems to be a synopsis. The full records are torn out.[/sblock]
[sblock=Gamil]You can see a few wisps on the air, a purple dark enough to nearly be black. It smells like sulfur. A bit stale, now, but you can tell the demons came in here, whereas you didn't pick it up in the infirmary.[/sblock]
[sblock=Cinder]The notes are patchy and clearly not meant to be read by anyone else, but you glean that the note-writer considered the author of this book to be a spoiled noble, so vain as to be unreliable. He likely did more taking credit and making a name for himself than actual scholarship. The book was his focus because one of the colleagues he mentions, Minori, was an esteemed sage and most of her work is lost to time, but he gets her name wrong so it usually wasn't considered a reference to her. The note-writer was trying to cross-reference this with other scraps of info to try and locate anything more about her, but he hasn't gotten much of anywhere yet.[/sblock]
[sblock=Damocles]You find yourself in the catacombs again. It feels safe, here.
After a long moment, you remember hiding in here when something scary came to the temple. You've felt so out of sorts lately, and you can't seem to find your sword.
The door to the catacombs opens, you squint at the sudden light. A pretty, young acolyte looks in at you and smiles. "There are some people here you'll want to meet." he says softly. They're up in the library."[/sblock]
Grozzuk closed the book. "They were experimenting with planes and portals. Dangerous stuff, well long before my time, or my parent's, or my parent's parents." He nodded. "Most of the entries are missing, we would have to find the rest in order to paint a clearer picture." He threw it in his backpack, hoping to read more later if they found the rest of the pieces. (EDIT) Or at least, he would have, but that was the order of events that played out in his head. In reality, he nearly threw out his back just trying to lift that thing, before letting go and awkwardly stepping back.
"Whoever was reading this doesn't put much stock in it," Cinder chimes in, as Grozzuk reveals the contents of the visible pages. "Looks like they thought the author was vain and unreliable, so hopefully - if demons did take those pages - they find them less than useful." She shudders briefly at the thought of the demons using the gleaned knowledge from the giant pages to travel freely through space and time.
She ponders for a moment the mention of the name in the notes - Minori. Who was she? "They also seemed especially interested in a sage named Minori, which I think was the entire reason they were reading this book to begin with. The author seems to claim she is a colleague. Anyone know much about her?" Cinder asks, turning specifically to Lorion, the only other mage in the group.
[sblock=Mechanics]History to see if I know anything more about Minori or her supposedly-lost work: 22[/sblock]
"Sounds like half of the scholars from my homeland," the elf says with a laugh, "though more the vain than the unreliable." He hopes, however, that the dryad is correct and that the demons find little use from the ravaged tome. I'd rather they not get a hold of anything actually valuable.
At Cinder's question, Lorion ponders for a moment, unsure if he's familiar with the likes of Minori is any way.
[sblock=Mechanics]History to see if he knows anything about Minori: 4(1d20) +15 = 19[/sblock]
For a few moments, Damocles can do nothing but blink in the acolyte's direction. Then, with a slight shake of the head, he looks down at his hands, forming and unforming a fist. Everything seems so...unclear. Like I've been wading through a fog. Looking back up at the acolyte, the tiefling finally opens his mouth to respond, Where...How did I come to be here? Who am I meeting? What was...was I fighting? or running?
[sblock=Cinder]You remember hearing old tales about a Minori who was a sage or researcher of some kind trying to study the borders of the fey realm in Senshenk. The ordeal didn't seem to have a lasting impact, but it's always told as though she was the villain.[/sblock]
[sblock=Lorion]The name rings a bell, she was a dragon scholar or something, but you don't recall anything else.[/sblock]
[sblock=Damocles]The acolyte puts a hand on your shoulder, as if to gently guide you. "You were in an accident, and got hurt. You came here to rest while you regained your strength." As he speaks, his patient tone sparks a memory. You have had some version of this conversation with him many times. No one else has acknowledged you for...well, no one talks to you here. And it makes sense that you've been recovering, you've been so weak you can't even remember opening the door on your own. As you blink yourself awake, you see your bare hand over the deep red trim on his robe. "Come."[/sblock]
Damocles opens his mouth to protest the acolyte's words, and then shuts it again. I...its not clear, but that does seem...familiar. Maybe these people I'm supposed to meet can give me clearer answers? What accident? I don't THINK I feel any pain or new scars. Just...odd. He gives a slow nod and moves through the door.
Lorion shakes his head at his dryad friend's query. "All I know is that she was some kind of dragon scholar, but I couldn't tell you anything more," he says, his curiosity now piqued over the identity of this author.
Cinder frowns as the name comes back to her, if only vaguely. "I do recall vague stories of her attempting to invade the fey realms, or so it was believed. If that was her true goal..." The woman's anxiety begins to come to the forefront of her mind, thoughts of her brothers and sisters of the Oakengrove being set up by demons in their once safe space. Could that really happen? I mustn't...
Gamil frowns at the talk of historical entities invading other realms, aware of the strange irony of he and his allies' presence here. Wherever here is.
He impatiently paces through the library, unsure of how to proceed. Little out of my element here. Sometimes I wish this line of work was as straightforward as life in Cankerstack. Assface here stabbed Scumrat here -- easy. Throw 'em both in the cage til they tell the truth. The goblin sighs. Nope. Now it's all dusty tomes and demon invasions.
Gamil paces the library a couple times, going from one possible entry point to the next, as though he were a watchman doing his normal beat. On his second lap, he pokes his head out into the hallway and glances to each side. To his left, the nave is still mostly empty, but for one figure. A tiefling man with a slightly unsteady gait is making his way around the altar.
Gamil realizes this man doesn't seem to hurt his eyes with intense color like everything else here.
Gamil holds steady, watching the strange tiefling. Why's this one not glowin' like the others? he thinks. Hm. We don't glow either.
[sblock=OOC]What is he doing?[/sblock]
As he walks into the library, Damocles begins to regain his sense of balance despite feeling unsteady. One foot in front of the other. Whatever happened, I just need to face it head on and get back to what I was...what WAS I doing?
Shaking his head a little, as if to clear it, Damocles enters the heavily damaged library. What happened here? Scattered tomes with titles in Draconic are tossed hither and thither. After peering at a couple of them, Damocles notices a goblin watching him from across the room. For just a moment, a sense of familiarity flashes through the tiefling's mind but is gone even more quickly than it came. Straightening his posture and folding his arms in a way that somehow feels like an old habit, Damocles calls out in a clear voice, "Do I know you, friend? I have spoken with precious few others since coming to this place."
Gamil's eyes go wide, and he stares at the tiefling for a few moments. Looking down at himself, then behind him, the goblin turns back to face the stranger. "You... can see me?" he manages, befuddled.
Nodding to the confused goblin, Damocles continues, "I can.
Are you one of those I am to be received by? I was told there were people in the library I needed to meet once I regained a measure of my strength." He turns his gaze over the rest of the wrecked room briefly before settling his eyes back on the goblin. "Since most here have eyes that pass over me as though I am invisible, you immediately seemed different."
Somebody was expectin' us, looks like. Gamil scratches his head, looking the tiefling up and down. "Dunno. You should come with me, though. I got others here. Plus, you bein' able to see me and all is a first."
Regain his strength? What's this loon talking about? The goblin shrugs as he walks the man to meet his allies.
As the goblin turns and begins walking, Damocles hesitates for a bare second. It isn't as though I have much of a choice. Even if it provokes more questions, I need answers as to what's going on. With a swift nod, he strides after the goblin's retreating back.
Cinder's mind wanders, with thoughts of all the negative possibilities such a text - and such a woman - might entail if within the possession of demon armies. She is snapped out of her thoughts, however, as the sound of footsteps coming back down the hall can be heard. Not one set, but two. Turning, she spots Gamil, followed shortly after by a tiefling.
Gripping her staff more tightly, as she always does when nervous, the woman faces the two men as they approach. "Who is this?" she asks, looking rapidly between Gamil and the other man, not sure if he is meant to be friend or foe. He seems so... familiar.
Lorion's eyes widen with fear and amazement as the goblin returns with another in tow. Was someone else here with us this whole time? Who is he? Noticing Cinder's defensive stance, he mimics it, adding, "And can he see us?" Eyeing the tiefling more closely, he can't help but feel that he's seem the man before, but he can't recall where.