3 - Shraevyn's Tomb

[Sellsword]

Entering the room carefully, Valandil and Kordannaghlan focus on searching for other hidden doors as well as traps before allowing others to enter. Once satisfied that the room is safe and that there are no other surprises lurking, they usher the rest to enter. Mandons and Alarim hang back in the corridor to keep watch on both the tomb entrance as well as the larger chamber ahead.

Amarandé, Lirion, Valandil and Theoath examine the tomes carefully while Kord focuses on the locked drawer. Confident that the lock possesses no threat, the thief begins working on the rusted lock to force it open while the others crane necks to read faded titles on book spines. The books all bear titles in the common tongue, though several possess flourishes of script that would seem to indicate regional tendencies. Most, unfortunately, do not appear to be of great value, mostly due to their condition. There are a few common volumes that would survive removal from the tomb--while not worth much in terms of gold, to the right person they might serve well as gifts.

Two tomes, however, are discovered by Amarandé and Lirion that demand attention. Both appear to have been authored by Shraevyn, though they were hidden among the ordinary work on the shelves. One is leather-bond with gold lettering, entitled The Art of Weaponcrafting. The tome details the magic-holding powers of various metals and the steps used in removing metal impurities before forging. Also included within its pages is a lengthy prayer to Tymora, asking for luck. The tome would be of great value to the right interests.

Lirion notices the heaviness of the second book when he tries to remove it from the shelf; its cover is made of platinum. Etched on the front is the title Metal Spellweaving. The book discusses the most efficient order in which to cast spells into a weapon. There are innumerable columns of percentages, charts, diagrams, and other information found throughout its pages. Though certainly valuable for the materials used in crafting the cover, the contents are perhaps even more valuable. All other books in the room crumble and turn to dust as soon as they are handled.

Across the chamber, Kord startles himself as a loud *pop* indicates that the lock has been broken, allowing access to the drawer. All of the other drawers are empty. Within the locked drawer, however, is a bone scroll tube. When shown to the mages in the group, the symbols are confounding--Amarandé and Theoath, however, recognize the symbols as rooted in divine magic, though not particularly indicative as magic belonging to any particular god. Examining the text and symbols, they determine that they detail rituals to cast several priestly spells.

OOC: The scroll contains three priest spells: animal friendship, magical stone and heat metal. Amarandé is the only one in the group able to use the scroll. Besides the two tomes detailed above, none of the other books on the shelves have any apparent value, but Theoath can definitely find something suitable to gift the Lady Silverhand among them. Feel free to come up with a title/subject matter for the found tome yourself if you want!

The room is otherwise empty. I'll pause here to allow for reactions, questions, or any further actions, otherwise I'll progress the game in the next post.

 

[rauhric]

THEOATH "THEO" GRANGER
Human, LG, Paladin of Chauntea [3]
AC 5 | HP 16

---

Theo smiles as he seems to find something so special he is almost sure his Lady Silverhand has not heard of it. "This book would be perfect for my Lady Silverhand, the Bard of Shadowdale. 201, A Sea Odyssey."

---

 

OoC: I found a link of in-universe books and this title is a parody of 2001, A Space Odyssey.

[stonedzep]

Lirion Eldermist

"This is surely something that Lhaeo and Elminster would appreciate seeing..." Lirion blows some dust off it, then bends on his knees to carefully place it into his backpack.

[Arbuthnott]

Amarandé similarly tucks his book away into the bowels of his robe with a contented chuckle. "You'll want to peruse this later on, Lirion; it promises to be an enlightening read."

"Nevertheless, we should move on. Those spiders weren't silent, and there's no telling what ears are about this place."

[cybersavant]

 

Kordannaghlan Penniesaver (gnome f2/th3) AC 09 Hp 16 thac0 19

 

"Why is there a hidden library in a tomb?" Kordannaghlan looks around and then reenters the hall, slowly moving further in as he scans for traps and anything of note.

 

Show this

broadsword thac0 19, 1att/rnd, 2d4/1d6+1, spd5; dagger thac0 19 2att/rnd, d4/d3; shortbow thac0 19, 2a/rnd, d6

gnome, common, giant, goblin, kobold

 

wi/10' unsafe walls 1-7traps 45traps 45traps 45traps 45traps 45traps 45

 

Edited April 6 by cybersavant (see edit history)

[Chaz Hoosier]

Jack Coldwater

HP: 23/23 AC: 6

---

Jack peers into the room. His look of horror at the sight of books rather is more dramatic than the expression he made at the skeleton creatures. "BOOKS! Well... I wonder if they are worth anything?" He picks up one the more intact books gingerly and runs his eyes over the pages as if the book might actually explode. His friends know, by now, that literacy is not one of Jack's strengths.

 

OOC

 

 

[Excior]

Valandil completes his search of the inner chamber and returns to the outer room, his senses keen and alert. Sheathing his sword, he swiftly retrieves his bow from his shoulder, the familiar weight reassuring in his hands. With practiced ease, he nocks an arrow, ready to draw and shoot at a moment's notice.

Positioning himself strategically, Valandil maintains a vigilant watch over the surroundings. His elven eyes scan the area, attuned to any signs of movement or danger. In the quiet of the tomb, his presence is a silent guardian, poised and prepared for any potential threats.

 

[rauhric]

THEOATH "THEO" GRANGER
Human, LG, Paladin of Chauntea [3]
AC 5 | HP 16

---

Theo stows his gift for Lady Silverhand and asks his companions, "I have heard that sometimes secret passages are built behind bookshelves. Do we think that maybe such a secret passage exist here?"

---

 

OoC: He will look around, but he is not really sure what he is looking for. Maybe he can focus his attention on the bookshelves themselves. Something that could operate as a lever. His Int is 12 and Wis is 13, so he is slightly above average in both (not ignorant or a fool).

Edited April 8 by rauhric (see edit history)

[Chaz Hoosier]

Jack Coldwater

HP: 23/23 AC: 6

---

Jack tosses the book aside casually and looks the room over.

 

 

 

OOC

Find/Remove traps: 95%
Detect Noise: 85%

 

[Arbuthnott]

Stood in the centre of the library, Amarandé glances about idly before throwing another handful of flour into the air, his keen eyes tracking the room's airflow as the fine particles disperse.

[Sellsword]

Amarandé stands in a cloud of flour, watching it drift slowly to the ground, as Theo, Kord and Jack look over the hidden library carefully. Kordannaghlan's question--why a hidden library in a tomb--remains unanswered. However, given Shraevyn's field of study, it stands to reason that this only became a tomb upon the Shraevyn's demise. In all likelihood, it served as a workshop while the weapons-mage lived. The fact that Shraevyn went to such great lengths to leave riddles and traps hints at his eccentricity. Unfortunately, more remains unknown than known about the wizard.

Confident that the room contains no other hidden treasures, traps, or secret egresses, you focus your attentions on the path forward. Rejoining your companions in the main corridor, you make your way into the large chamber ahead. As you approach, more globes of red light above your heads activate, bathing the chamber in a scarlet glow.

More of the crimson globes sway lazily from the domed ceiling of this chamber. Cracks run across the surface of the plaster, making a beautiful pattern in the stone. Nevertheless, it appears secure.

The first thing you notice in this chamber is a huge silver circle, 30 feet in diameter, that has been inlaid into the stone floor. A large sun symbol is set into its center. Eight round, shallow depressions encircle the outer edge of the symbol, and each depression nearly touches a ray from the sun.

Ten small alcoves are set into the walls, five each on the north and south sides of the chamber. A glint in the darkness of each alcove catches your eye. When you move closer to inspect the alcoves, you find a golden three-foot-tall pot in each one. A message appears to have been melted into the silver door to the west. In common, it reads:

Some decisions are more lasting than others.

Beneath the writing on the door you see a strange symbol. None of you recognize the symbol as anything you have seen--either in the tomb or in your travels and studies before arriving--though Valandil seems to read something into it that others don't.

OOC: Each of the 10 alcoves is identified by a letter (A-J) on the map above, with a golden pot in each. From a distance, all of the pots appear to be identical--if you wish to inspect the pots, please be specific in both the pot you wish to inspect and the actions you take to inspect them. If there are other actions you wish to take in the chamber, please let me know!

[stonedzep]

On 4/6/2024 at 12:50 AM, Arbuthnott said:

Amarandé similarly tucks his book away into the bowels of his robe with a contented chuckle. "You'll want to peruse this later on, Lirion; it promises to be an enlightening read."

"Nevertheless, we should move on. Those spiders weren't silent, and there's no telling what ears are about this place."

Lirion Eldermist

"oh, I'd gladly devour its content as soon as we'll get out and safe from here. You'll be happy to learn what's in the one I'm taking back also, I'm sure" ...after granting himself and his comrade greater knowledge, Lirion then looks ahead, in what kind of place are him and the company delving?

[Lord Foul]

"Well this looks interesting. Ten golden pots but only eight indentations to put them in. Anyone else get the feeling we have to decide which two to leave?"

 

[rauhric]

THEOATH "THEO" GRANGER
Human, LG, Paladin of Chauntea [3]
AC 5 | HP 16

---

Theo tells his companions, "Look at all this work. I don't know what this rooms is for, but the circle on the floor reminds me of the summoning circles that conjurers would make in their private sanctums. My Lady Silverhand would weave tales about how foolish casters who would conjurer powerful creatures from realms beyond and trap them in a circle and question them or command them to do things. I wonder if this is something similar?"

---

 

OoC: The triangles look like alchemy symbols to me. I doubt Theo would know that.

Edited April 16 by rauhric (see edit history)

[Arbuthnott]

"A valid assumption," Amarandé inclines his head to Mandons, before turning to Theoath. "And a valid concern. I'm afraid I am unlearned in such feats; perhaps there is another way through the door, without subscribing to whatever twisted game this may be?"

As he turns his mind inwards to the puzzle, he goes to examine the pot at marked A; at first simply looking at it closer, then poking into the empty air above it with his staff. After that, he'll tentatively poke it with a finger, and if nothing untoward happens he'll give it a little wiggle to test the stability of the stone beneath it, before finally attempting to retrieve the pot from its alcove to properly peer inside.