Scholarly Inquiries
An Ancient Library
- The ancient structure’s doors opens to a small and narrow stone pathway. Thoradin determines that the structure is very old, and probably dates back from Primordial Ages.
- The party enters and see a dated Library. The shelves are filled with scrolls, but they use primordial script.
- Splix casts Comprehend Languages. Other members of the party explore the Library.
- Noah and Theobald sees three stone pillars, each displaying a plaque containing a carved inscription. Noah successfully translates the inscriptions by consulting her translation book for primordial language.
- Each inscription contains a riddle.
Riddle 1: Unwelcome, difficult, precious, and rare. What am I?
Riddle 2: What should you add to a barrel of ale to make it lighter? What am I?
Riddle 3: I have rivers without water, forests without trees, mountains without stones, cities without houses. What am I?
- Thoradin and Kiris checks the two spell circles on the stone floor. Kiris sees that the sigils on the spell circles pertain to a certain conjuration spell.
- Adikia and Adeena investigates the statue on the northeastern part of the Library that is surrounded by shelves. The statue depicts of a celestial defeating a devil-like entity. Adeena thinks that the celestial creature resembles the Annatars they once met. The symbols on the devil are similar to those they saw when the party encountered Auriel Furwish in Calyxius’ lair.
- Arc ascends the stairs to the second floor. He sees a makeshift camp. Arc checks it, and sees a foot-high pile of books written by Dorfir Embersense. Arc also steals a pack of rations.
- Arc scours the second floor and sees two humanoids, a bearded old elf and a female human, resting on a table. After a brief confrontation, Arc determines that the two are Splix’s colleagues: Dorfir Embersense and Fiamil.
- Splix reads a scroll that retells the major events that happened during the Primordial Ages.
Dorfir and Fiamil
- The party meets Dorfir Embersense and Fiamil Underwood. The party updates the two on what happened during the two weeks they are researching inside the Library.
- Adeena asks Dorfir Embersense about a spell that could protect the Bloated Dragon from magical attacks. Dorfir Embersense recalls that an artifact of sorts protects Asteri District. The party informs him that the district is devastated during the Assault on Asteri.
- Adikia asks Dorfir Embersense about Feypeak. Dorfir Embersense only recounts information that Adikia already knows.
- During the party’s conversation, Splix and Fiamil wander off into the pillars. They suddenly disappear into a hole in the floor.
- The party checks the pillars. The two riddles are now blank; only the third riddle remains.
- Theobald solves the last riddle. A hole appears on the floor and the party is sucked into it. Dorfir remains on the floor.
Trial of the Sphinx
- The party meets a decaying, seemingly undead sphinx. They see the unconscious bodies of Splix and Fiamil on the ground.
- The sphinx asks each member of the party to exchange their Mythic Items for their freedom.
- Adikia successfully offers only a piece of her Aureate Rapier.
- Theobald offers Matunda’s Mace in exchange for the party’s freedom, including Splix and Fiamil. The sphinx accepts the offer, but only frees him, Splix and Fiamil.
- Unwilling to give up their items, the party fights the sphinx.
- During the fight, the sphinx teleports to the first floor and fatally wounds Dorfir Embersense and Fiamil.
- Arc recovers Theobald’s Matunda’s Mace, along with a tiara and a hefty amount of gold.
- Backed into a corner, the sphinx collapses the structure. The party attempts to escape.
- The party defeats the sphinx successfully and escapes the collapsing Library.
- Theobald casts revivify on both Dorfir Embersense and Fiamil Underwood. Arc uses the diamond from the tiara for one cast.
- The party realizes that the Bloated Dragon is nowhere to be found.