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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Altalazar" data-source="post: 3990208" data-attributes="member: 939">Baron Cordozo – Chapter Three-Hundred – We Explore, then we Burn    We explored the remaineder of the library, first scouring the rooms on the first floor we had only briefly examined earlier before turning our attention to the rooms left unopened.  Morwen and Ee prepared to open the first such door while we waited in the middle of the main stacks of books to see what she found.  We did not have to wait long.      As soon as the door was opened, the room was filled with fire, much to Tuvstarr’s horror.      Higgins, with the aid of magic, was able to deftly roll out of the way as the most massive, horrible ball of fire we had ever encountered filled half the library, incinerating the books instantly, and, but for our magical protections and reflexes, it would have reduced all of us instantly to ashes.  Before we could react, we were also washed over with a blast of cold from the doorway, which was far far less harmful than the fire, but it hurt some a bit more, because of the lack of cold protection for some.  And then a loud wail of the dead filled the room, a horrid screech that seemed to make death a preferable option to avoid hearing the voice any further.  The final act was a curtain of fire that came down across the doorway, blocking our entrance and also removing the room beyond from our view.  Fortunately, when the flames and frost settled, no one was dead, though we were all certainly worried about what may come next from beyond the curtain of flames before us.      Apparently the heavens were aligned strangely, because despite the much more nimble reflexes of most of my companions, I reacted first.  The first thing we needed was to be able to see, so I concentrated quickly on the wall of fire, found its anchoring point, and then mentally ripped it from its moorings, causing it to sputter and die, revealing the room beyond.  I could only see two heavily armored humanoids, similar to what we saw earlier in the library.  It looked like the room beyond was much larger.  Wishing to weaken them (and hoping to weaken whomever was sending such powerful enchantments our way), I send forth a colulmn of stygian energy to drain away their life force, throwing all of my concentration into the effort.  Then, with my second mind, I quickly tried to dominate them, but they proved impervious.  Perhaps they are more automaton than human.       It was then that I heard a voice from the room shout “Run, they’ll kill you!”  From the tone of the voice and its inflection, I determined that this voice was for our benefit.  Though, as it ultimately turned out, it was the black armored “men” and their wizardly lord who should have taken his advice.      Through the doorway, I could see a large green hand of force appear and start to crush one of the armored figures.  The gestures and motion of Tuvstarr made it clear that this hand was courtesy of her magic.  Looking at her soft glow, I was again reminded that her “Blinding Glory” was still active, probably leaving all of our opponents blind from the time they opened the door.  As if in response to this, a bright flash of light covered all of us, injuring us slightly.  Apparently the wizard was now hiding amongst the books on the main library floor and aiming his magic at us.      I looked around for him, but Nin spotted him first and he ran toward him, his chain flying high.      Higgins ran forward to Morwen and held out his stone of spell storing, offering the boon of foresight to her, something we all probably ought have had the foresight to do long before ever opening that door.      Looking back toward the mage, I began to summon my valkries.  I knew that they would probably be no match for him toe to toe, but they would help anchor him for Nin’s chains.      Ee rushed forward into the room and began cutting down the armored “men” one by one.  Looking behind me, I noticed that Posiedon was gone.  I could feel waves of mental energy crackling through the ether of the room beyond the doorway, placing him within it.      Higgins ran away from the doorway toward Nin and enchanted his chain-arm, giving him the “dolorous blow” boon, aiding his most grievious hits.  Higgins then prepared his stone of spell storing for another little surprise for Nin.      By the time Nin arrived near the mage, my valkries had flanked him.  I ran back to see him, but before I could do more, he attempted to escape.  I could feel his magic start to wrap around him and transport him away.  I quickly tried to lock him down with my mind, anchoring him, for a moment, to the room, but he managed to slip away from my grasp, teleporting inside one of the eggs outside.  Well, if I cannot stop him, I can join him.      I quickly ran forward and grasped Higgins, Nin, and Tuvstarr, who had also run toward the mage before his quick exit.  As I weaved the power through my mind, Nin touched Higgin’s rock and became half-insubstantial just as we transported into the wizard’s blue egg.      Nin attacked him in rapid succession as soon as we arrived, but somehow he managed to avoid most of the blows.  It was then that I felt an alarming thought come from this wizard.  A thought of desperation.  The staff he held in his hands had great power within it.  Sensing the nearness of his own death, a plan began to form in his mind to break it in a retributive strike, searing the flesh off of all of our bodies in the cramped egg, him included.  Thinking fast, in an effort to avoid this fate, I shoved my finger right up under the mage’s chin (in the close quarters we were in, I could barely do much else) and let the full force of my maximized crystal shards rip into his flesh.  In the next instance, his corpse lay at our feet.      We gathered up his body and returned to the library, just in time to see Ee, Morwen, and Posiedon finshing off the dozen or so armored “men.”  It was then that we had time to chat with the young scholar who was apparently their “guest” before we intervened.          Baron Cordozo – Chapter Three-Hundred One – The Scholar Speaks    The man was apparently impressed that we rescued him.  I guess he expected us to die.  I was happy to correct his expectations.      “My name is Emery.  I was abducted by the Cult of the Forgotten Word and forced to be their slave.  They are dedicated to stealing the collective knowledge of the world in order to plunge it into darkness.  They are after the Praxis Tome.”    Here we go again, I thought, as I parroted his next words in my own mind even before he could say it.  “… likely the most important non-arcane Tome ever to be produced by mankind.  It has the potential to inspire an entire generation of scholars and philosophers.”      “So we’ve heard,” I said, trying not to sound unimpressed.      “Once they are done here, they plan to raid two more libraries, perhaps one in Cauldron,” he continued.  Tuvstarr’s blood boiled and I could almost hear her thoughts of retribution even through her mind blank.      He continued to talk and we had many questions.  What he told us next was particularly interesting – and disturbing.</blockquote>

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