[LPF] Kostry Kopec

Anaerion moves to the book to study it. Hefting it, he can see where Malkovian's problem lay: Between cover and pages, it weighs around 10 pounds, outside his amulet's native magical abilities to move. At a glance, the book must be around 500 pages. The cover bears a large inset crystal and a series of metal insect-like clasps which would seem to act as locks of some kind.

While the text itself is in a language Anaerion doesn't speak (He can't be sure of which language without more study), there is an inscription on the first page he can read:

May we, The Five Elder Keepers, prevail over the scourge of simplistic thought and lesser men.

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Beneath this are four signatures: Glem Baskerwhel, Arlend Hyve, Sulm Marshan, and Rupman Myre. The bottom of the page, just below the fouth signature, has been ripped out.

One section of the book is marked by a red silk bookmark. While the main text is still indescipherable due to its tongue, there appear to be extensive annotations in Common, though the wizard realizes he'd need time (and probably some measure of understanding of the base manuscript to provide context) in order to puzzle out the meaning.

Ausk, meanwhile, begins to explore and study the cave. The altar and book suggest some manner of ritual, but he has little insights into what it might be for.

As to the area, he discovers that four passages branch off from the cavern, but only the one to the southeast has not been blocked by a series of relatively new-looking iron bars. The southwestern passage does not have the same phosporesence as the main cavern, but the half-orc's vision is unimpaired by such matters. From where he stands, it appears there is (or was) some sort of camp there.

[sblock=ooc]Didn't want to move anyone into a new 'room' without asking, but Ausk's darkvision lets him at least get a basic impression of the line-of-sight elements in there.

perrinmiller said:

Does Mending cantrip work to fix broken arrows?

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If the ammunition had the broken condition (having been Sundered or something similar), I'd think you might be able to use mending on it, but the 'lost ammunition' rules say that failure on the 50% recovery chance results in the ammunition being "destroyed or lost." I read that as meaning failing the roll leaves nothing a character can do to recover the ammunition. Let me know if I'm missing another section or supplementary information.[/sblock]

"Very well, the gift of life shall go to those wanting." Kanli reaches out, petting the panther. Kalgor adds more protection that had just run out before the fight.

Not all of the wounds have healed on either Gragnor or Kalgor.
[sblock=ooc]Mending is also a 10 minute cantrip.[/sblock]
[sblock=mini-stats]Kalgor AC 15 HP 33/45, Init +2, Perception +8/+10 vs human, Darkvision, Move 20' STR 18 Dex 14
+1 Greatsword +8, 2d6+7+1 dirty fighting trait when flanking, or
Handbo +7, d6+4
Comp Longbow, +6, d8+4..... Arrows 10 Normal, 5 CI, 3 Blunt, 2 Smoking
Fort: +5, Reflex +5, Will +5
...Summoner Cantrips: Detect Magic, Acid Splash, Arcane Mark, Mage Hand, Jolt
...... . . Mage Cantrips: Read Magic, Prestidigitation, Dancing Lights
.,....Summoner 1st Lvl: 3/4 remaining; Lesser Rejuvenate Eidolon, Shield, Magic Fang, Expeditious Retreat
..,,,Mage 1st Lvl Spells: 3; Mage Armor(3hr), Vanish(3r), Enlarge Self*(3m), Bonded Amulet
...,,......,..Racial Spells: 1/day, not used; Daylight (50 minutes)
,.Summoner Monster II: 4/4 remaining; std action SLA summon, (3 min), Celestial Hyena, d3 Celestial dogs, d3 celestial eagles
.,,.........Battle Shaper: 4/4 remaining; swift action to grow a claw, bite or gore attack
...,,.......Combat Feats: Precise Strike
.............Consumables: 2 Alchemist's Fires, 1 Cure Light Wounds potion
Effects:

Gragnor HP: 19/26, AC 25 with Mage Armor ...... Move 40'
Bite +8, d4; Claw +8, d3; Claw +8, d3
Fort +3, Reflex +7, Will +1, Evasion
Perception +14, Stealth +14, Darkvision
Acrobatics +18, Init +4, Precise Strike
Effects: Mage Armor[/sblock]

Coming back from his inspections, Ausk pulls out a wand, and taps Kalgor and Gragnor a few times with it. "There's a camp to the southeast that may hold clues. Otherwise, the bars to the other tunnels are too fresh for me to be comfortable with their presence. We should keep moving."

OOC: That should be enough to put both of them back at full.

"Oh, I doubt the book will speak back as well. If anything, its pointless. I cannot comprehend what it is saying at..."

"Sorry to intrude, but the book does have some...revelations. " Anaerion says, speaking over the voice with a sudden urgency in his voice. "I have not yet figured out what the book says, as it is in a language I do not comprehend. However, I am not worried about that right now. More importantly, I have found at least a clue as to who may know more information. At least 4 names, of at least a group of 5. 'Glem Baskerwhel, Arlend Hyve, Sulm Marshan, and Rupman Myre', and at least one more. Someone ripped out the name afterwards, probally to hide the mastermind. "

He shows the names to the party around him before continuing with "One section of the book is heavy with annotations, clearly written to include instructions on what was done. I can decipher it, but it will take some time. I know of a way to be able to read these pages, and maybe it will reveal what these..what was it? Elder Keepers? Anyway, what these people were doing with this book might hold the clue we need to know what we are dealing with."


[sblock=Know Checks]
How many Know checks did Anaerion try jk? I was going to start rolling for Arcane/Dungeonerring/Planes, unless you already rolled for them. I would think the group has not been here long enough to know anything about the names, so I would forgo Local until we learn more from either the mayor or town guard.

As for actual reading it, the only way for him to do that is to use Comprehend language, but he needs 500 minutes of languages reading to read the entire book. Although, I do not know how much he actually needs to read to summarize.
[/sblock]

Tyrien, Half-elven Archeress

Tyrien's Ioun Torch provides enough illumination for her low-light vision to see into the other chamber that Ausk mentioned and she continues to move into that short passageway to get a slightly better look.

She remarks, "With those relatively new iron bars, and this looking to be a dead-end. Where does that slime trail lead? Maybe the water has an underwater passage?"

[sblock=OOC]Sure, 50% lost arrows are gone. Not really what I was referring to, honestly. What about mending the broken arrows that actually hit their targets? Rules say they are destroyed, but we all know that under normal circumstances that is usually not true in RL, maybe just broken off. Not that I am really worried about it, I should have more than enough for the whole adventure. I am just being cheap and curious. [/sblock][sblock=Mini Stats]Initiative: +7 Perception: +11 (low-light vision)
AC: 20 (15 flat-footed, 15 Touch)
HP: 40 Current: 40
CMB: +6 CMD: 21(16ff) Fort: +5 Reflex: +9 Will: +4
+2 Will vs. Enchantments
Special: Immune to Magical Sleep
Current Conditions in Effect: PBS, Precise Shot, Arcane Strike (+1 Dmg), Resistance, Ioun Stone illumination (in darkness), Deadly Aim (-2Att/+4dmg)
Current Weapon in Hand: Longbow
Chakrams: 8/8 Remaining

Bardic Performance: 5/5 Rounds Remaining
Spells Remaining: Cantrips: (Message, Resistance, Mending, Prestidigitation)
1st Level 2/2 (Cure Light Wounds, Timely Inspiration)[/sblock]___________________________________________

Tyrien e'Adrianne

Moving into the side cavern, Tyrien discovers what looks to have been a campsite for five, judging by the number of empty bedrolls along the walls. A few shelves with scattered books on them, a fire pit, and even a crude wooden table provide the furnishings for the site. In addition to the books (which Tyrien finds are in a language she does not know), there are also scattered pieces of parchment. Notes of some kind, in the same obscure language.

Even as Tyrien suggests an underwater passage, it occurs to her that the slime trail has been drier the lower into the cavern the group has progressed, which--in combination with the barred passages--might suggest the creature started here and exited at the surface, not the other way around.

[sblock=ooc]JS, I didn't really roll any Know checks, since there's not much Anaerion can Know right off the bat as regards the book since he can't actually check without deciphering it, either through magical or mundane (Linguistics check) means. He's not studied anything else in the chamber that I'm aware of, focusing on the book.

The name "Elder Keepers" seems to jibe with what he knows of the Old Cults the symbol above invoked, but until he can sit down and study the manuscript (at least an hour of study for the annotated section, longer if he's having to manually translate), he won't have any new insight just from seeing the book.

You're right on the names, though: I'm not comfortable letting Know (Local) cover folks when you've not even been in town a day. I will point out, however, that there may be some information starting with this post that the party has already learned which might be relevant.

PM, while I think there is certainly a generalized case to be made about the verismilitude of the ammunition rules, barring an LPF house rule, I think the word 'destroyed' is pretty definitive when it comes to repairing spent ammo, so I'd say no.[/sblock]

jkason said:

[sblock=ooc]JS, I didn't really roll any Know checks, since there's not much Anaerion can Know right off the bat as regards the book since he can't actually check without deciphering it, either through magical or mundane (Linguistics check) means. He's not studied anything else in the chamber that I'm aware of, focusing on the book.

The name "Elder Keepers" seems to jibe with what he knows of the Old Cults the symbol above invoked, but until he can sit down and study the manuscript (at least an hour of study for the annotated section, longer if he's having to manually translate), he won't have any new insight just from seeing the book.

You're right on the names, though: I'm not comfortable letting Know (Local) cover folks when you've not even been in town a day. I will point out, however, that there may be some information starting with this post that the party has already learned which might be relevant.

[/sblock]

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OCC: Ya, book is top priority for him right now; He does not want to have an ego battle. Anaerion would want to try and translate the book, as he finds it way to suspicious.

"So, we are pausing to investigate." Looking at the cat, "So much for the timing on that spell."

Kalgor looks over the notes, extra books, and then peeks over Anaerion's shoulder to try to decipher the language.

"See? This is why you need to teach me how to read. I can be translating this for you while you go kill the beast!" Malkovian interjects. Anaerion, trying to figure out what language it is, simply grunts in acknowledgement.

Tyrien, Half-elven Archeress

Tyrien looks curiously at the drier slime trail and the others pouring over the book.

Before they are too engrossed, she asks, “What are we going to do about the trail? It looks like the critter started here and went up. Unless it morphs and can squeeze through bars, the thing had to come from the water.”

“I suppose there could be a secret passage we haven’t found though... If we are planning to stay here for a bit reading, Kitty and I can continue searching around. I think there was some scraps of parchment and even more books to read as well in the side chamber over there.”

[sblock=Mini Stats]Initiative: +7 Perception: +11 (low-light vision)
AC: 20 (15 flat-footed, 15 Touch)
HP: 40 Current: 40
CMB: +6 CMD: 21(16ff) Fort: +5 Reflex: +9 Will: +4
+2 Will vs. Enchantments
Special: Immune to Magical Sleep
Current Conditions in Effect: PBS, Precise Shot, Arcane Strike (+1 Dmg), Resistance, Ioun Stone illumination (in darkness), Deadly Aim (-2Att/+4dmg)
Current Weapon in Hand: Longbow
Chakrams: 8/8 Remaining

Bardic Performance: 5/5 Rounds Remaining
Spells Remaining: Cantrips: (Message, Resistance, Mending, Prestidigitation)
1st Level 2/2 (Cure Light Wounds, Timely Inspiration)[/sblock]___________________________________________

Tyrien e'Adrianne