[pnpgm] Game Update #92 - File #499 - Books/Scrolls of Library

Scott Adams longshot at darktech.org
Fri Nov 28 18:38:26 CET 2008


s
  HT Alias/Player          Character Name    Type    Status/Notes  Sex
  -- -----------------------------------------------------------------
  R1 John Haight...........Arawn.............Druid  .Normal/Alfar  Ma
  ?? Chris Wells...........Ben'dar...........Warrior.Normal/Human  Ma
  R1 Tom Corckett..........Caladan...........Wizard  Normal/Human  Ma
  W2 Marcel Liberty........Chion.............Sailor..Normal/Human  Ma
  -- Tobie Bonahoom........Fremea............Sidh....NormalFaerry  Fe
  Do David Sanders.........Kiet.Sunan........Acrobat Normal/Human  Ma
  R? J H Hooten............Raban.Usherwood...Bard....Normal/Human..Ma
  W4 Wout Broere...........Unali.............Ninja...Normal/Human  Fe
  R4 Alex Koponen..........Z'leyra...........Healer..Normal/Human  Fe
     Animals: Corona [Eagle] Z'leyra, Boyzdar [Wolf] (Strie'bog),
             
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     Game Update #92 in sequence (file #499)      
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     Admin Notes: None. 
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     [Recap]

        From Ben'dar: [Re: Actions]
          Ben'Dar glares at the unconscious guard, frustrated that his plan
          did not work.  But he cannot fault the man's courage.  Later when
          Caladan suggests killing him, Ben'Dar shakes his head violently.
          "No, my friend.  You taught me once long ago that such an action
          would be wrong.  Besides, we have need of him alive."  With that,
          Ben'Dar motions to Raban and says, "Hoist him up.  We'll use him
          to get into that locked room."  Ben'Dar doesn't understand magic
          well, so this may be a foolish move, but he wants to see what the
          guard was willing to die to protect.  He uses the guard's hand to
          hold the keys and tries the keys in the locked door one at a time
          until he finds one that works.  He is careful not to touch the
          door or the handle himself, but instead uses the unconscious
          man's hand to unlock and open the door.  Then, using the
          unconscious guard as a shield against any magical wards in the
          room, he will advance into the room after Fremea and Arawn inspect
          it.  Of course, if there are bad guys inside, he'll toss the
          guard's body aside and attack, this time to kill.  After seeing
          what the men of this place have been up to, he has decided that
          they will all die.
        GM: Ack. 

                        ------------------------

        From Chion: [Re: Actions]
          Chion figures that the key to the warded door probably has some
          magic on it was well and will ask Fremea to scan them for an aura.
          If none can be found, he will attempt to eliminate the keys which
          don't "fit" the lock and see what they are left with. "I knew all
          those days of making locks would come in handy." He will wink at
          Z'leyra and smile.

          He will ask the man without a tounge if someone sent him here or
          how he got here. If he was abducted while the castle was in route
          or if he was captured trying to explore. And if the later, how did
          he come to be up in the sky (with only knowing one spell).

         Bef no "key" can be found for the door, Chion suggests they go
          through the interogation room wall to get in (manually or with
          magic, he doesn't care which, although they don't have mining
          equipment on them).
        GM: Ack. Z'leyra isn't with you. :)

                        ------------------------

        From Unali: [Re: Votes/etc.]
          Unali votes for the stairs at the front entrance.

          She urges those who want to open the door in the basement right
          now: "Let us first explore the top floor and make sure this place
          is secured. This guard proves there may be more upstairs who have
          orders not to wander around. That doesn't mean they could strike
          us unaware.

          At least this door is not moving, but it is protected. It should
          not be our top priority right now and we probably should figure
          out how to disarm it before we do something stupid."
        GM: Ack. 

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     [New Stuff]

        [Ma 2nd, 1633TH. 5th Day of Adventure #4.
        [Location: Chaos domain, Dark Lands, 9 Miles up, Flying Island]

        [Time: 11:25am]

        [Meanwhile earlier in the Main room Kiet has a good thought.]

        Kiet: "Z'leyra, I am an idiot.  I don't believe that our 'host'
          uses magic words to gain entrance to his warded areas...I'll
          be willing to wager that he WORE something that was the key...
          and whoever wore it wasn't attacked by the spells.  Is there
          any chance that what he wore didn't burn up with him?"

          "Z'leyra, who has possession of the sword that A'kril was
          carrying?  Also, the powder?"

          "I would be willing to run down the Party to let them know
          this might be worthwhile.  What do you think?"

        [Z'leyra looks up from the books and knows this is true.  Some
         wards can detect objects or people.  In Ticasi teachers wore
         amulets for certain rooms.  She considers this and points to
         the equipment A'kril wore.  His magical armor, sword and the
         magical powder.  Everything else burned up.  The keys found
         under the couch seemed to be for the armory but may have
         been what the bodyguard had not A'kril.]

        [As Kiet inspects the items Z'leyra goes back to her books and
         the scrolls from the library. Her inventory leads to these
         results...]

        GM: The same basic information would be gleamed by those picking
            up the books outside the library.  So this is shared info.
            I had to redo the list as Arawn's clever use of the rules
            led to a conclusion of more books than originally had.

        [The inventory leads to 24 books and 18 scrolls.  It appears
         that auras were only found on 1 book and 1 scroll.  The others
         have none at all.  At least 2 books and 9 scrolls have runes.
         But runes don't mean magic per se just magical context and
         no wards.  They may indicate magical stuff inside but nothing
         usually to worry about.  Runes are those things magic users
         code and decode or translate the information - or at the very
         least index the information with quick images.]

        [The main book that seems to be of great potential is the Blue Book.
         It has to be some form of Tome.  It has a soft blue bound leather
         back and front.  Center of front cover is a white whirling circle
         with white wispy like arms spinning out in directions around the
         circle.  The arms seem to be shifted in one direction as if circle
         is spinning or moving.  Pages are bluish/white with gold leaf
         edges. First 90 pages are text.  Then 20 pages of text and some
         pictures of animals.  Then 48-50 pages of text and pictures of
         items.  The next 50 pages are text and runes.  It is about 200
         pages in total.  The last 50 pages seem to have the aura around
         them and thus only a brief glance was seen before closing the
         book on them.  In most cases Arawn and Z'leyra know that book
         wards take time to activate.  Most aren't instant unless they
         seek to harm.  Most are made to protect the book itself.  The
         animal pictures seem familiar to some including Arawn and Z'leyra.
         The animals seem to include Storm demons, Storm dragons, Sea
         Dragons, Sea Giant, big squids, mer like people and trolds.  All
         creatures some in the party have encountered before. The
         others aren't known. The item pictures seem to have things
         that are known as well Agate, Coral, Fire snake bones, Hyacinthius,
         Meteorite, Beithirius, Enhanced, Jacinth among a few others.]

        [The next is a ruby book named due to small ruby stones in each
         corner of the front cover inset into brown fine textured leather.
         Pages are a light tan.  It contains text and runes of about 30
         pages in total.]

        [book 3 is 25 pages of text and has some axe pictures.  Book 4 32
         pages with repeating crossbow pictures. Book 5 28 pages with some
         scimitar pictures. Book 6 is 100 pages with pictures it seems
         of stone and sculpture art.]

        [Book 7 - 9 look to be legal texts in the way they have bullet like
         paragraph and sections common to most legal layouts.  They are 143,
         204 and 246 pages.  Book 9 has tattered pages.]

        [Book 10-17 has simple text.  They are 122, 159, 192, 434, 233, 41,
         219 and 254 pages respectively.  Book 10 has some pictures of
         men and women.  Book 13 has tattered pages.]

        [Books 18-24 all have text for standard books.  They are 223, 294,
         174, 85, 95, 22 118 pages.  Book 18 has picture of men and women
         as well.  Books 20-23 seem to be journal style books from the
         looks of them.  Book 24 seems to be a journal but also has
         magical rune images in it.]

        [The scrolls laid out look old as the books but are various in
         styles and shape of text body. Scrolls 1-3 seem to be message
         style scrolls based on the format.  Scroll 4 looks to be some
         text list of some form.  Scroll 5-6 look to be letters based
         on the format.  Scroll 7 has text and some magical rune/images.
         Scroll 8-10 are message format scrolls.   Scrolls 11-15 are
         scrolls of text and runes.  Scrolls 16-18 seem to be blank but
         have signs they are magically coded.]

        [The fascinating thing are four maps that seem to be found.
         One is a continent map showing a large land mass.  It seem to
         be too big for a small island.  But it is something that most
         have not seen based on the few seconds of study.  The second map
         looks to be a area map of some large island and some smaller
         islands.  Speculation this could be A'krill's home island.
         The third map is a area map but is mostly green like it is
         showing a jungle or forest.  The fourth map seems to show
         bits and pieces of a map but may be decayed ink or some
         magic that seems to block the total picture.]

        [All text shown in books, scrolls and maps are foreign to everyone.
         Runes will have to be studied and decoded with more time.  The
         text list scroll seems to fascinate Z'leyra.  She has heard
         that in Ticasi ancient languages were learned by simple lists
         like this scroll.  It looks to be a possible inventory or
         shopping list.  It lists text that could indicate items and
         what looks to be numbers.  Z'leyra and Arawn know that decoding
         this list could give a key to the other text.  Otherwise
         extensive study will have to be made that could take weeks
         or years.]



                                ----------------------

        [Time: 11:29am]

        [Chion asks how the apprentice got up here.  The man quickly writes
         a long passage of notes.  Chion reads and reads out loud the
         results.  It seems the apprentice was riding in the forest to visit
         a sick relative when suddenly he was attacked by flying creatures.
         Based on his hand gestures and body languages it seems to be
         gargoyles were the creatures.  They grabbed him and flew him here.
         But he was knocked out and not sure how long it took.  The place
         could've been just above the trees at night he might not have
         known.  He was asked questions like who was the leader here in
         these lands.  What forces did the Dark Lands have.  What level of
         magical might did they have.  Things like that but the apprentice
         would not answer any questions. The creatures bought up a small
         child from some village and if he didn't answer they three him tot
         he bone room.  They did anyway when he tried to escape.  He never
         saw her again.  He doesn't know what is in the locked room.  When
         he refused they cut out his tongue.  He assumes he was to be a
         pet's dinner soon.]

        [Everyone glances at or away from the man wondering what he has
         been put through.  Ben'dar having been tortured by Climan priests
         knows all too well what can happen.]

        [Ben'dar glares at the unconscious guard, frustrated that the plan
         didn't work.  Of course guards are stupid and likely he felt with
         his armor and skills he could handle the situation.  Among normal
         people maybe but not this group.  But when Caladan mentions taking
         out the guard, in anger due to the rooms, Ben'dar shakes his head
         violently and speaks.]

        Ben'dar: "No, my friend.  You taught me once long ago that such an
          action would be wrong.  Besides, we have need of him alive."

        [Caladan considers this and nods.  He thank gestures to the man and
         the man with no tongue.  He tries to convey the question if he cut
         his tongue out.  He makes a cutting motion and asks with his hands.
         the man seems to understand and shakes his head.  Caladan nods.]

        Caladan: "Fine.  I doubt this guard would be part of the torture.
          Likely A'kril and his friends."

        [Ben'dar turns to Raban and speaks.]

        Ben'dar: "Hoist him up.  We'll use him to get into that locked
          room."

        [Inside Ben'dar agrees that all should die but for now he'll go
         the peace route and use the guard.  He wonders how many folks have
         been fed to the monsters for entertainment in the bone room?  How
         many tortured or abused? At least there were no female prisoners
         or we'd have Raban tearing the place down.]

        [Chion asks Fremea to scan the keys from the guard as well as Arawn.
         But none of the keys or the chain have any inkling of an aura.
         Chion tries to eliminate the keys from what have been used
         and what fit for the cells.  Having locksmith skills do help.]

        Chion: "I knew all those days of making locks would come in handy."

        [As Chion looks at the keys he suggests going through the walls.
         But Unali and Ben'dar report the bone room have metal walls and
         that could take some time.  The storage room has stone walls
         but there seems to be 2-8 feet of rock between storage and the
         locked room. Could go from the hallway and diagonal to the room
         and only take 2-4 feet.  But Caladan reminds the party.]

        Caladan: "We are just below the courtyard.  I would say the water
          collection room.  We don't know if there are pipes all over the
          place.  That could be a problem.  Also based on the distance
          we descended the ground isn't that thick.  We could risk
          a cave in and then we could have a bigger problem."

        [As the others discuss exploring the locked room Unali speaks up.]

        Unali: "Let us first explore the top floor and make sure this place
          is secured. This guard proves there may be more upstairs who have
          orders not to wander around. That doesn't mean they could strike
          us unaware.

          At least this door is not moving, but it is protected. It should
          not be our top priority right now and we probably should figure
          out how to disarm it before we do something stupid."

        [Caladan nods and asks Chion to task the man if he saw others
         enter or exit the room lately.  The man writes down that he
         has not seen anyone since he has been here. He thinks at least
         three maybe four days.]

        Caladan: "So it must be a item room not people laying in wait."

        Actions? Comments?

        Next Update...Monday...

        GM: Player map updated with basement level - weblink.

        GM: Bit of a rushed update.  Was going to go into a bit more
            detail on things but want to get this out to give folks
            5 days to reply (Thur-Monday afternoon).  I figure folks
            will be on vacation or such.  its mainly for purposes
            of giving out info on the books. 

        GM: Upper Level Exploration -

                             No Vote 
                        Main Entrance Stairs     Courtyard Stairs
            Ben'dar             X                       -
            Caladan             X                       -
            Arawn               -                       -
            Chion               -                       -
            Fremea              -                       -
            Raban               -                       -
            Unali               X                       -

            Note: One more for front and majority made. 

        GM: Hope all had a good thanksgiving.  Here is what we'll do.
            who wants to complete Ben'dar's idea to open the door
            or follow Unali's idea and finish going upstairs?

                          Enter locked room     Finish exploring 
            Ben'dar             X                       -
            Caladan             -                       X
            Arawn               -                       -
            Chion               X                       -
            Fremea              -                       -
            Raban               -                       -
            Unali               -                       X
                     
            Note: 2:2 right now.  4 is a majority.  So 2 more votes
            will decide it.  I did the above based on posted actions.
            Once get the votes we'll continue either way based
            on what I have.  Ben'dar's plan is solid and still can
            be done.  I suspect Arawn has lost computer access since
            he reported computer problems awhile back.  I guess he
            hasn't been able to recover yet.






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