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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ancalagon" data-source="post: 7275037" data-attributes="member: 23">I'm so sorry for the delay!  Been busy with some things and neglected this thread.  So, let's keep going shall we?SESSION 16 I am not certain whether it is light or dark above ground, but our bodies are telling us that it is dark. Many things have happened in just the few short hours since I last wrote here. I am afraid that I will have to summarize. Blades and Corwin agreed that Blades should have the newly discovered long sword, and that I would enchant Corwin's two-handed sword with Arms of Flame. We traveled down the stairway until we reached a layer of mist, about four inches thick. I was very suspicious of the mist; but seeing no alternatives, we pressed through it. We later discovered that we were stuck on the other side. When we tried to go back up the stairway, the mist seemed to continue on forever; however, a single step backwards instantly brought one back outside the mist. Some strange magic is at work here; we will have to find another way out--if there is one. At the bottom of the stairs were a set of large double doors, a statue of Oghma, a podium, and three doors leading to very distinct branches of the underground complex. The double doors lead to the "Vault of Knowledge", the object of our quest. Unfortunately, we cannot get through them--yet. They are magically sealed. We first investigated the southern section of the complex, which seems to be an academic wing. After an exhaustive search of the complex, we have found two laboratories, some sort of "cold room", a classroom, living quarters, and other areas dedicated to the improvement of the mind. The first room contained several large stuffed creatures, as well as many jars containing various substances--including a green slime. We briefly surveyed the metal instruments and examination table, then went to another room. The lynx, Tanvil, had heard moaning behind its door. As we approached the door, we too heard the eerie moaning. As we opened the door, a ghostly spirit attacked Blades, trying to drain the life from him. Blades, however, was protected by negative plane protection, and the spirit received only a nasty shock. We struck it a few times, and Suleiman dispatched it with a magic missile. Notably, Blades seemed to have gone into some kind of combat trance, perhaps brought on by the magical sword discovered in the chapel upstairs. The ghost was guarding a map room filled with maps and a few books, including one on Ionia. We tried several more doors nearby; one turned out to be an entrance to a trapped room. As Blades stepped inside, iron bars slammed down. Amazingly, Suleiman bent the bars with his bare hands, and Blades was free. If Suleiman ever becomes a fighter, he will be a dangerous one. The next door held a room full of ink, cloth, and paste, as well as a little paper. Seeing nothing else of interest, we continued to a room with glass set into the wall, covered with condensation. Cold air flowed from under a nearby door. I think it must be some kind of cold storage room, but we have yet to investigate further. A book on a shelf in this room was entitled Cimbrian Cantrips. Suleiman was curious, and opened the book. To our surprise, a large winged lizard appeared, wielding a polearm. It made a beeline for Suleiman, striking him. Blades managed to kill it. According to Suleiman, it was a devil of the Nine Hells--and perhaps a servant of Tiamat, the Chromatic Dragon. Mystified, we continued on. We returned to the map room so that Rinver and Suleiman could rememorize their spells, and then proceeded through a door, down some steps, and into lecture hall. Magic theory was still written on the board, and four books on magic lay on a desk. Rinver took them. The next room had six cots, for students. Some books were scattered around. After that we found a latrine, in which lived a phosphorescent moss that tried to poison Corwin. We decided to leave it alone, to investigate a magical door that we could not break through. Finis weakened it by cleverly using warp wood, and Blades smashed through. A conference room was revealed. Slumped over the long table was a single skeleton. A book lay on the table, entitled Drudwas' Diary. A plate of metal fell from it and clanked on the floor as we opened it, and we read the last entry. Apparently, Drudwas was charged with protecting the library, and he has hidden parts of a key around the complex, in the form of these small plates (which are scattered around in various books), with letters on them. We must assemble the plates, and "speak the Binder's name", to gain access to the library. In a nearby living chamber, Suleiman found a Manual of Gainful Exercise--as if he needs to improve his physical fitness! Next we discovered a room with some kind of magical circle in the floor. The insubstantial form of one of the ogres we killed in Prolingmur appeared in the circle. We dismissed it, and then Suleiman stepped into the circle. Another ogre appeared, and took possession of Suleiman's body. It tried to escape, but I quickly read off a scroll of exorcism, and Suleiman was returned to his body. Once again, we returned to the map room, to rest and tend the few wounds we had received today. Interestingly, we found a map of Duncan Keep on the wall. If you will recall, we found a map indicating a treasure at Duncan Keep on our very first adventure together. Rinver opened up a book, and a plate fell out of it. Suddenly, another Devil appeared, and knocked Rinver unconscious. Finis and I tended to Rinver, while Blades managed to hold it off, and kill it. We have deduced that books with alliteration in the title--like Drudwas' Diary and Gnomish Nomenclature--each hold a plate. If we can find all the books with such a pattern, we will have the key. For now, we are all weary; exploring dangerous, dark corridors is tiring business. We have set up camp in the map room. I believe we will be safe enough in here. July 23rd We started our day with a healthy meal of rations. I think that I shall have to start casting create food and water soon, to conserve our food. Corwin eats enough food for three ordinary men. I suppose he must keep his extraordinary strength up. It occurred to several of us that we had passed up a book called Ankheg Anatomy, which is about the beasts the locals call Lomcor. As Blades grabbed the book, a Flesh Golem, which had been standing motionless (and we had hoped it would stay that way), attacked. Corwin, much to our surprise, struck a mighty blow, knocking its head clear off of its shoulders. Unfortunately, the head flew straight towards the table on which the jar of green slime sat. Finis, in a brilliant display of quick thinking, batted the head out into the hallway with his staff, before it hit the table. Blades opened the book, and a red demonic bear appeared. Blades and Corwin attacked it, but it breathed flame on them, burning them badly. Nonetheless, they managed to defeat it. I moved to grab the book, which had fallen on the floor, but a drop of green slime fell on my hand! In the fight, the flames and jostling had knocked several jars from the table. The pain was incredible, as the slime attempted to gain control of my body. Once again, Finis came to the rescue, quickly providing a cure disease. I owe him my life! After carefully grabbing the book, we ran out and set fire to the room--we did not want the slime coming after us later! We now had three plates. After stopping to rememorize, we opened Eihnerjarn Edas in the students' room. A white scaled winged creature attacked with a large flail--it was yet another servant of Tiamat (what an unusual choice of creature for guarding books!). Blades dispatched it. Next we opened Gnomish Nomenclature, and a huge black devil appeared. We fought it valiantly, and were doing well, when suddenly, as one of Suleiman's magic missiles went off, a "hole in space" opened, and a large, incredibly ugly beast stepped through. Finis shouted "Fruk! Fruk!", or something like that. I am not sure what a Fruk is, but they are not very friendly. We managed to dispatch the first devil, but this new creature was proving tough. Much to our horror, it paused and began concentrating--perhaps to summon some of its fellows. Fortunately, I managed to strike it and disrupt its concentration. It went straight for Blades, and almost killed him. Finis and I desperately poured healing magic into Blades, and he somehow managed to dispatch it. It was an amazing display of martial prowess, but I'd rather not see it again. According to Suleiman, the Fruk was a Demon! I cannot believe we were victorious; our luck seems to be taking a turn for the better (or perhaps for the worse--I suppose it depends on how you look at it). Rinver seems extremely surly, and is unwilling to talk to Suleiman (again). We now have the letters M, A, E, N, and D. After returning to the map room, I cast create food and water, and we settled in to rest. If we can keep up this pace, we should be out of here relatively soon.</blockquote>

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