Lament of Vilarus (Part 4)
Vilarus's Retreat, midday (?), the library.
The library is not exactly in disarray, but the rummaging of the Yeithari has left books stacked in almost random ways. There's an underlying order to it, you're sure of it, but the exact method eludes you.
The two creatures, all rugose cones and tentacles, gesture to the party. Their telepathic contacts are becoming less uneven, smoother now if somewhat unnerving. "We cannot read these books. We have been searching for a dictionary, or some other means, but the language eludes us thus far."
A few bright blue gemstones are placed on another table, lit from within by a soft glow. "These generate some sort of visual and audio record, but again we do not understand the language. The entity depicted appears to be a biped similar to yourselves."
Karasu stands with Corey, his fingers moving silently to the other man. Asking him if the creatures standing before them are evil or not. Suggesting that the paladin keep an eye out for anything that might be evil if not. Particularly dangers from the sky. Even indoors as they are in the library, Karasu is keenly aware of what is above him. The idea of flying dangers has set him on edge and he has drawn his short sword in readiness of a fight should it come to one.
Cor'ethil seems to concentrate for a moment again as he looks at the two creatures. "Not evil," he murmurs to Karasu, knowing his husband's subtle glances in the way that some diviners can glean great and terrible messages from the arrangements of bird feathers: esoteric and unknowable to some, but perfectly legible to him. So he looks at the creatures, and then the books...
"May we see them?" Corey asks. "I mean. If you're willing. It might be nice to hit the books again... Err, metaphor, sorry, 'research the books'. I have ample practice, you see."
A beat. "My twin sister's both a cleric and a wizard." Corey laughs a little. "She has her nose in a book most of the time. I used to hold them up for her. Then she learned the mage hand spell and didn't need me anymore."
GAME: Magpie rolls knowledge/arcana: (2)+17: 19 GAME: Magpie rolls knowledge/arcana: (4)+17: 21
Lost libraries. Is there truly no greater joy than finding one? Walking into a library on any day, one feels *blanketed* in words, swaddled by knowledge and tales, comforted by the idea that no matter what answers you seek, sooner or later you'll find them.
- This* library, however... it could answer questions Magpie *doesn't even know to ask!* And five minutes is *certain* to sprout questions like trees under a druid's hand!
- And then those questions could be answered.*
Hopefully, Magpie could be forgiven for just standing in the middle of the library floor for a minute, soaking up the weight of possibility represented by this aged, rumpled granary of arcane lore. She does snap out of it, however, when the Yeithari repeat that they do not know the languages. << So uh, >> she thinks in response to the conical beings' frustration, pursing her lips. << I got an idea? If *I* can understand it, and *you're* sitting in my head while I do... Will that help? >>
Blinking, it occurs to the gnome that the rest of her companions might not be able to *hear* her thinky thoughts the way the Yeithari seem to, and clears her throat. "I'm thinkin', we probably want to see that image they were talking about, and maybe if they're sitting in my head while *I* watch, possibility that they can understand too. If not, I can just translate anyway."
Murder peers and sniffs at the oddly stacked books, and eyes the cone people for a few moments while they murmur these things into her head. She is still less than enthusiastic about them in her head but she's stopped frothing at the mouth at least. She exhales noisily through her nose, which makes a little bit of a whistling sound.
"Well... we're here now... may as well see what this thingies do and say, and maybe we can put it into words these ... people ... can understand."
There's some telepathic discussion between the two Yeithari, as they slide a few books over. They all seem to be written in an old, old sildanyari dialect -- it takes a few minutes to parse, and if nothing else it's an amazing look back at how a language can change over a millenium -- even one used by the long-lived elves.
At Magpie's suggestion, though, the Yeithari become excited. "We have many telepathic gifts. If we link to you, perhaps we could draw at least a basic understanding of the language. We would not injure you." Carefully, one of the Yeithari shuffles around next to Magpie, and offers her a tentacle tipped with a pincer. "When you are ready."
Karasu stays near the door, keeping a weather eye out on the sky. There are windows of course, but they're too high up in the library's walls to be of use to him. Hopefully the angle is such that they will be of little tactical use to a creature that can fly as well. He keeps an ear open on the conversation, but doesn't add to it for the moment. Magpie can volunteer to be a guinea pig, so long as those things don't try to read his mind or Cor'ethil's…
<< That sounds fair, >> Magpie thinks slowly. << And it'd get you a lot farther than just having us translate, things *always* get lost that way. >>
Stretching up one tiny arm, she takes hold of the pincer, then with her free hand reaches out to boop the leftmost gemstone.
"Wish me luck guys," she says around a sigh. "I'd ask you to let me know if I lose the ability to speak an actual language, but, I probably wouldn't understand anyway."
For science!
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6: (1): 1
Corey gets to reading books as they're handed to him. His silver eyes are wide with wonder... At least at first. Then he starts reading the particulars, and his dark brows knit together in focus.
He's so honed in that it must be something complex. Some long-forgotten words to an ancient melody--
"Yeah, this one's just a book on abjuration magic for second-year students." Corey offers this with a laugh. "It's interesting, don't get me wrong, but it's interesting from a magic history perspective."
He continues with the other books and divulges a short time later, "The second book is a text on creating 'speakstones'--which, I'm going to make an educated guess and say it's the little blue gemstone that Magpie just booped. The third book is probably written by a druid, because it's about nature and balancing an ecosystem... Although probably could be a follower of the White Stag, too." Corey beams. "It's kind of what we're about!"
The Goblin looks both relieved and concerned at Magpie's eagerness to have some alien being rifle around her mind.
"Good luck.", Murder says softly to the Gnome. She glances at Karasu and then to Corey. "I would hazard a guess that your guess is good, Corey. Let's hope we can find whatever our uh... new friends are looking for, before something else finds us."
Carver has squatted down, holding a rather casual posture comfortably. She is not adding much to this conversation. Most of it is meaningless to her. Lost in translation, actually, ancient knowledge scribed in a language she cannot read. The rest is a telepathic intrusion that she is keen to be free of. The creatures are unsettling.
Maybe not their fault. Definitely still true. She looks up at Corey at the last exclamation. "Coul' be. I assume all of it is simply history though and not immediately relevant?"
The Yeithari's eyes pulse in sequence, and Magpie's eyes take on a similar glow as well before the pulsing settles. At her touch, the little blue gemstone glows, and projects a half-size familiar image -- that of the Archmage Vilarus, standing proudly. He clears his throat, and says, "Welcome to my home, the Realm of Vilarus, honored guests. I am..." He pauses, and shakes his head. "'Realm of Vilarus?' No, no, that's absurd. Too overblown."
A feminine voice comes from an unseen speaker. "What are you complaining about, master? You wrote it."
Vilarus gives the unseen voice a mock-reproving glare. "Not helping, Anya. Come now, I have to record -something- for Reeve. Let me think... ah. Alright. From the start."
The wizard composes himself, and then begins gesturing grandly. "Welcome, benighted souls, to the Last Safe Home for Wizardhood! I am your host..." And then he can't keep a straight face, and his laughter blends with that of the unseen Anya. After several minutes, Vilarus gets a hold of himself, and waves a hand. "Let's start over. I think we need a new script. Turn that off, would you Anya?" There's the voice again, "Yes sir." And the image disappears.
The Yeithari turn to each other, and their telepathic communication is 'audible' to all. "It worked. Although the context is strange. If this is the master of this place, where is he?"
The books are an assortment of mage-books, and the mage in the image had spoken of the 'last safe home' for wizards. Even if it had been a joke of sorts, it implies to Karasu that the mage had expected some kind of calamity to befall the material plane. Though which calamity is an interesting question. Karasu doesn't say anything though, continuing his vigil silently. Either someone will think along the same lines as he or not. The questions he has to pose are not important enough to him to break his silence upon them.
The Goblin eyes Magpie with growing concern as her eyes pulse in sequence like the Yeithari's, a pale, green hand slowly reaching up to grasp the sword pommel above her right shoulder. A comforting habit.
She squints at the voice and image that plays. "I don't know what he's saying... but the way he's talkin' and lookin', I'd say he's dictating something..." Murder rubs at her face.
"He certainly sounds like a wizard who thinks highly of himself."
Corey smiles as he watches the exchange between the wizard and his unseen... assistant? Might be. "Wonder who Anya was... Or is." He nods to the Yeithari's comment.
He looks to Murder. "He's trying but failing at reciting his little 'welcome' message. The image is playback of a past time, kind of like the other. He's laughing because it sounds kind of ridiculous. He said, 'Welcome, benighted souls'. I'm pretty sure I read that phrase in one of Mother's old sildanyari epics of adventure and smut."
He coughs. "They're basically just high-brow Crimson Pen books. Don't tell people back in Llyranost I said that, though."
Magpie's pulsing eyes squint for a moment, asymmetrically. At least now the sensation is less like when you're eating noodles but cough, and an *entire noodle* coils up in your sinus and you have to pull it out.
Not *entirely* unlike that, but... less.
The offer of an exchange program is met with curious, distracted interest -- definitely something to give a good think after this job is done -- but her attention rests fully on the image.
...Which point she snorts, holding back laughter. "Yeah, he's probably the *least* full-of-himself wizard I think I've seen... Wonder if he got it right the next time."
With that, she boops the next gemstone in line.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6: (6): 6
Carver observes this moment of levity between man and woman, their language music to her ears but the sentiment easy to reckon between the laugh-lines. People, even ancient out of time wizards, are just people in the end. Keen to be remembered. To have a legacy. To share that with those you love.
She nods as others explain the context.
When Magpie boops the second gemstone, it glows, and creates a different image. This one, though, is of a half-elven girl of perhaps fourteen summers. Her blonde hair is cut short, though not unfashionably so, and she's dressed in simpler robes.
"I know you're going to be busy next week, master, so I figured I'd record this and slip it in with the post. Happy birthday, from your student Anya."
"There's a lot I wanted to say in this, but it'll just embarrass both of us, so I'll keep it short. You told me we had a lot more in common than just being 'half-breeds', and you've never given up on me. Thank you, sir. No matter what happens, I'll make you proud."
Anya gives a rather cheeky grin. "And now, back to that enchantment essay. You did say it was due when you got back."
Then the image fades.
GAME: Murder rolls perception: (3)+21: 24 GAME: Karasu rolls Perception: (6)+20: 26 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+15: (9)+15: 24 GAME: Carver rolls perception: (1)+21: 22 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+32: (6)+32: 38 GAME: Murder rolls perception: (10)+21: 31 GAME: Corey rolls Perception: (11)+22: 33 GAME: Magpie rolls perception: (4)+13: 17
Karasu draws his dagger, Toge in an instant and shuts the door to the library with a harsh click. He backs away from the door, looking at the windows with discomfort in his gaze. "We have got incoming. Some sort of flying eels with tentacles. They are flickering in and out of existence. Anyone know what those might be?" He hopes so because he's at a loss. He suspects 'dangerous' will do as a descriptor. He can hear them through the door. Hissing through the air.
GAME: Carver rolls knowledge/dungeoneering+4: (2)+13+4: 19
Murder eyes the half-elven girl as she appears, her expression softening. "His daughter? Or the assistant?", she wonders of the others. "If he's gone, I wonder what happened to her? Did she have a good life? I assume having Sylvan blood is not enough to live a thousand years..."
The Goblin goes silent then, an ear cocked. The hand on her sword's pommel moves to grip the handle, and the blade is pulled free. "Something is here.. coming in from above."
She glances at Karasu as he moves to shut the door, showing that he hears what she is hearing.
GAME: Carver rolls Knowledge/Dungeoneering+4: (6)+13+4: 23 GAME: Corey rolls Knowledge/The Planes: (9)+8: 17 GAME: Magpie rolls knowledge/the planes: (4)+18: 22
"Apprentice," Magpie states with certainty. "And it sounds like he was a good guy; you don't get birthday messages if you're a tyrant. I mean, unless you made a *special point* of being a tyrant *about* your birthday, but the whole message woulda been differen-- fewmets."
The telepathic alarm comes mid-explanation, and Magpie's head jerks up. "Sky Reavers," she says after a moment's thought. "Karasu, get away from the door! You're gonna want room, it won't hold them for long!"
At which point Magpie pauses, and looks around the room. "...Though uh... any chance we can move this outside?"
Cor'ethil looks sad at Murder's question. "Half-sil don't live forever," he says softly. "Maybe two centuries at most, barring great magic or cultivation of physical perfection." That makes his heart hurt to think about. His friend, the Archmage Telamon, will be gone before Cor'ethil realizes it.
So will Karasu.
Yet there's little time for dwelling on that sadness. Something's coming. He unsheathes his rapier, especially as he concentrates and alarm flashes across Corey's face. "Evil incoming!" he says. "Prepare yourself!"
Carver joins Deathless, mounting in one smooth motion. She almost seems to strap herself in, a few extra steps in securing for potential battle. "Polyps." It is not much of an explanation but she does not have much information to go on. She clicks her tongue to her mount, whose ears flick back tight and tense.
As she does, she cast a quick spell in preparation, leaning down to brush a hand across Deathless's neck as she chants.
GAME: Carver casts Freedom of Movement. Caster Level: 14 DC: 18 GAME: Carver rolls weapon18-2: (4)+24+-2: 26 GAME: Carver rolls weapon18-2: (4)+24+-2: 26 GAME: Carver rolls weapon18-2: (9)+24+-2: 31 GAME: Carver rolls weapon8-7: (17)+0+-7: 10 GAME: Carver rolls weapon18-7: (19)+24+-7: 36 GAME: Carver rolls weapon18-12: (17)+24+-12: 29 GAME: Carver rolls 2d6+10+2d6+10+2d6+10: (3)+10+(7)+10+(5)+10: 45 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (20): 20 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (82): 82 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (64): 64
Deathless and Carver lead the charge outside, the ranger ducking through to greet the aberrations gathering at their door. Or the wizard's door, since they have no proper claim on the building. Not even finder's keepers since the Yrth found it first. Unless they die during the attack.
She clicks her tongue and both she and the horse speed across the battlefield, a flurry of arrows snip-piercing into the segmented hides of the flying creatures.
Lack of reaction to physical stimuli usually means one thing. Aw, dang it
Corey draws forward, determination creasing on his brow as he stops at the frontline. Unafraid of the horrors that are to come, he begins to intone his prayer:
"Exceedingly sharp, bane to dark: I call on Cen to bring the spark." <Celestial>
The paladin smiles brightly as his rapier begins to glow, occupied by the divine spirit he has bonded with. "Don't worry!" he calls out to his friends. "I'm here, and I'll make sure we'll get through this okay!"
Karasu glances over at Magpie, and knowing that the mage is unlikely to have much in the way of armor, he provides a little more by making an occult symbol with his fingers. The warding of ill luck will give her a little defense where she is lacking it and then he hurries with his weapons drawn to catch up to Corey. "Seems like they are not always here." He remarks coolly. "Do not forget that you have Toge as well Cor'ethil. It will provide you with some range if you require it."
"FINALLY!", the Goblin yells, running out the door with the others. "Ewwwwh... they are ugly! And I should know ugly, I'm a Goblin!" Her blade begins to glow a bright blue, and the wee woman moves in line with Corey and Karasu. "Do you know what things critters are weak to? Some crack in their armor we can hurt them with?"
GAME: Karasu rolls Reflex: (5)+19: 24 GAME: Corey rolls Reflex: (5)+20: 25 GAME: Murder rolls reflex: (14)+15: 29 GAME: Corey rolls Reflex: (11)+20: 31 GAME: Karasu rolls Reflex: (12)+19: 31 GAME: Telamon rolls 14d6: (50): 50 GAME: Magpie rolls will: (15)+11: 26 GAME: Karasu rolls Will: (20)+14: 34 (CRITICAL SUCCESS) GAME: Murder rolls will: (3)+10: 13 GAME: Carver rolls will: (7)+11: 18 GAME: Corey rolls Will: (6)+18: 24 GAME: Murder rolls will+4: (4)+10+4: 18 GAME: Telamon rolls 5d6: (16): 16
The flying polyps move in to attack. Three targeting the heroes, while others dart and flinch away from the blue-white flashes of the Yeithari's lightning guns. One of the polyps expels a blast of air that detonates at the feet of Corey, Karasu, and Murder, though the damage is limited. A second one moves forward, screeching horribly, trying to instill fear in the heroes' hearts, while the third fades from view…
GAME: Magpie rolls ranged+3: (11)+10+3: 24
Hustling forward, Magpie dips a shoulder, allowing the crossbow strapped to her back to jounce loose and swing down into her waiting hand. Holding it at the ready, she skids to a halt and shakes her head to clear the a choral screeching from her outsized ears, then sets the weapon's stock against her shoulder. "Don't worry, y'all," she calls over the din of battle. "From the look of it I got *just* the answer to this problem!"
Tilting her head to bring the massive creature in line with her sights, she squeezes the trigger...
...And the bolt goes wide.
"Of... fffffffffffffffffffffffffucking.... course I missed..."
The telepathic shout is almost a bit painful, as the Yeithari call to you. "Lightning! Use lightning, bipeds! They wither at its touch!" One of the other polyps attacking the library is transfixed by two sizzling beams, jerking and twitching for a moment before it suddenly explodes into shreds of burning plasm.
GAME: Carver rolls weapon18-3: (8)+24+-3: 29 GAME: Carver rolls weapon18-3: (16)+24+-3: 37 GAME: Carver rolls weapon18-3: (18)+24+-3: 39 GAME: Carver rolls weapon18-8: (11)+24+-8: 27 GAME: Carver rolls weapon18-13: (11)+24+-13: 22 GAME: Carver rolls 4d6+14+2d6+14+2d6+14: (18)+14+(7)+14+(7)+14: 74
Carver feels the scream roiling down her vertebrae, stomach twisting into knots. She is not so unaware that the monstrous's creature is dangerous so much as its magic instills fear, the most basic of survival instincts. Danger, danger, danger!
She has trained to manage the taste of bile in the back of her throat. She can still aim and she can still fire, her strange bow almost singing.
GAME: Corey rolls weapon9+4: (19)+22+4: 45 (THREAT) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (1): 1 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+18: (19)+18: 37 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (2): 2 GAME: Murder casts Dragon's Breath. Caster Level: 15 DC: 17
Corey glares down one of the horrid creatures, and he approaches, drawing the dagger that Karasu has mentioned. "Right!" he says, and Toge gets fished out of his belt to throw at the polyp. However, the dagger strays just short of its intended target, and it arcs gracefully back through the air to Corey's hand.
"Oh, that was kind of fun," Corey murmurs cheerfully. "I see why you throw weapons, Karasu!"
Karasu moves up to stand at Cor'ethil's side against the advancing creatures. Sky Ravagers as Magpie had called them. Whatever they are, they are clearly deadly foes and he echoes Cor'ethil's motion, throwing his own Toge at the creature. Unfortunately it winks out of existence at the exact moment of contact and Karasu murmurs a foul curse in xian. Time to try other tactics it seems... unless it helpfully moves closer that is.
GAME: Murder rolls bloodrager: (8)+15: 23 GAME: Murder rolls bloodrager: (6)+15: 21 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+21: (20)+21: 41 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+21: (15)+21: 36 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+18: (4)+18: 22 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+28: (8)+28: 36
Murder grunts in pain at the psychic screeching, and gives her head a shake. "These things are annoying...", she grumbles. Then one of the 'new friends' says to use lightning...
"ALRIGHTY! Come and get some!" Little fingers trace out arcane symbols in the air, while she utters something in Goblin-talk, and then INHALES deeply, far longer than one might expect of a pair of little lungs.
There's a huge crackle as Murder exhales a lightning bolt that seeks out the nearest polyp. There's a loud bang as it hits, and seemingly fizzles.
The Goblin pouts. "Lightning, huh?"
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+21: (16)+21: 37
The flying polyps swarm in, eager to get up close and personal with the small creatures attacking them. A tentacle wraps around Corey, squeezing painfully, while another gropes for Murder but fails to grasp her. The third polyp suddenly appears past the pillars, looming over Magpie ominously and drooling from several of its mouths.
GAME: Magpie casts Ball Lightning. Caster Level: 14 DC: 22 GAME: Magpie rolls sorcerer+2: (2)+14+2: 18 GAME: Magpie rolls sorcerer+2: (6)+14+2: 22 GAME: Magpie rolls sorcerer+2: (7)+14+2: 23 GAME: Magpie rolls sorcerer+2: (8)+14+2: 24
"...Lighning, huh?" Magpie echoes, though less frustrated-sounding than Murder... though perhaps it's because she *saw* the goblin's spell fizzle, and seemed to recognize the pattern of spalling mana.
Rolling up her sleeves, she makes a few wide, sweeping gestures in the air in front of her, gathering up the *absolutely dense* ambient magical energy permeating the air and rolling it into a ball, speaking words that perhaps only the Yeithari can hear without their minds twisting just... a fraction to the left. Rolling the ball over her fingers, she tosses it up in the air, and with a snap of her fingers it disappears into a puff of actinic light.
A heartbeat later, a bolt of yellow-green lightning strikes the ground on the *other* side of Karasu from her, spawning three roiling balls of seething electricity that streak out toward their targets...
...and just sort of *donk* against the polyps, like moths against a lantern's glass.
"...Lightning, huh?" Magpie repeats as she slots another bolt into her crossbow, sounding *much* more like Murder in this moment.
And the electric spheres continue their fruitless battering.
-TBC