[Library] Bumble's great collection of unforgettable adventures

[Kathy]

NOTE for the public:
This is still work in progress, I'm working on it!

SUMMARY and status (:smallsmile:=completed; :smallfrown:=incomplete/absent)

Bumble's diary, volume 1 (mundane book). :smallsmile:
The fabulous world of Alice Whitehare (magic book). :smallsmile:
Title to be defined (epic book). :smallfrown:
Title to be defined (artifact book). :smallfrown:
The nosy noisy noose (guardian). :smallsmile:
Something to be defined (object). :smallfrown:
Something to be defined (item 1). :smallfrown:
Something to be defined (item 2). :smallfrown:



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Bumble's great collection of unforgettable adventures

Summary of idea and theme: Many have heard of Bumble, great adventurer and fabled mage of the past (at least in her opinion). Curious and talkative (even for a gnome) she has travelled the realms in search of adventures and stories. Reached the venerable age of 222 years (which surprised most who had known her) she finally decided to settle down. Between the interesting items she had collected during her adventures, and the books she herself had written in her spare time, she easily filled up the small keep she had built for herself. Throughout the lands, people in search of forgotten legends, epic tales or mysterious lore came to Bumble Keep.

[more to come]

The main thread of the library is Bumble's adventures, especially those connected to the world of fey. Mainly the library will contain books of stories, and the items mostly designed for bards (Perform[oratory/sing]) and some arcane users.

[Kathy]

Bumble's diary, volume 1
(Non-magical text)


***Preface***
It was a month or so ago, when we were visiting Tanhal market, that I saw all those books lying around, and just could not resist. Yes, my backpack is about to explode, and Murg is already carrying a bunch of my stuff, but... You see, I just realized how good it will be, when I get old, to sit down in a comfortable armchair and read of all the wonderful adventures I have lived. I am sure Donk and Murg will agree, even if now they say that I will not reach old age because they will bury me in all my crap. They are orcs, you know, and not very smart (even for orcs), so I haven't yet been able to explain to them that I do not collect crap, but treasures. Anyway I like them, plus they are very good to have around. Last week, for example, a small band of goblins decided that they would have liked to have a go at us and steal our possessions. Not that I don't understand them (I have some really wonderful items, like a whistle that seems not to work, even though the previous owner assured me that it can be used to summon dragons, and that only they can hear it), but it is just not polite. Nevertheless, I admit that it could have been hard to get away from them alone, but Murg and Donk hardly had any problems, and actually enjoyed themselves a lot hitting them with their big clubs. And I had my moment of glory, too, when I hit one of them with my magic missile and it fell to the ground. Donk was so impressed!

The problem is that things started to happen: we had to leave town, because Miss Lyl had an important scroll to deliver in Malt, then, once there, there was Koln, the silk merchant, who needed an escort...All these things were pretty boring (except for the goblin part), but I just did not find the time or inspiration: after all, I do not want to fill this diary with stories of boring silk merchants, do I? But then the most fantastic thing happened to us! Yesterday evening, after we had made camp, Murg, Donk and I decided to take a walk and look for some berries: we had seen some on the way and you know how Murg loves them! Well, we did not find berries, but something far better!

As we were walking in the wood, we reached a small clearing, not more than 30 ft wide, and almost perfectly circular. And in the center there were 12 large mushrooms, all set in a circular around the most wonderful berry bush you can imagine. But as we rushed towards it, just as soon as we entered the mushroom circle, everything changed. It felt as if we were falling, even though the ground was still under our feet. When I woke up (yes...incredible! we actually fell asleep!) we were in the same clearing, but the moon was shining and a dozen or so small creatures were around us...with their bows drawn! Now you can imagine how Murg and Donk could have reacted, but luckily they were still asleep. The pixies (that's what they said they are) are actually very nice people, once you get to know them! And they always enjoy a good story! It took some time to convince them that we were really friends (yes, even the two orcs), but by the time Murg and Donk woke up we were good friends. They had some great stories, you know!

We actually decided to stay with them for some time! I hope Koln doesn't worry too much, but, after all, he had almost arrived...And it's not like we were doing anything too bad, since he hasn't paid us yet. Anyway, I've written enough, and I hear Kilt calling me, so I have to run!

Bumble's diary, book 1, page 1

A whole section of the East library is filled with battered books. Their covers are so ruined, that one can hardly guess how they were decorated, if indeed they were. Most of them (especially those in the highest rows) show the clear signs of having met water and worse. Some of the covers are held close with pieces of strings. The only clearly legible thing on the covers is the single number that is written on the back of each of them in what appears to be golden ink (and that has been clearly added successively).
Book 1 is undoubtedly the one in worst condition. Two strings are the only way to keep it together, since not only the cover, but all the pages within it fall apart. Browsing through it, you see that in many places the ink seems washed away, so that only the ghosts of Bumble's words can be seen. Yet it is enough, and the stories, written in dark blue ink, can still be read, if with some difficulty. The handwriting is small, and not excessively clear. In some pages it is hardly recognizable as such, and one can immagine the small gnome writing on horseback or on the deck of a ship.


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The fabulous world of Alice Whitehare
(Magical text)


***Galhorn, summer solstice***
The last days have been really boring: since we have returned from the Black Keep we have been more or less sitting around, waiting for something to happen. The only thing that has saved me from going completely mad is that book that Kilt and his friends had given me such a long time ago, and which I have never had time to read. They had told me that I should wait for a time in which I could go through it with some calm, so at least there is some advantage in days like these.

As they have recommended, I have been reading it for at least four hours a day, which could be a lot if the book wasn't so good. Bu they insisted so much on this, that i have promised I would not even look at it before I had enough time...And so I did, and it was very good of me, because some days in the past were really boring too...even though not as much as the las week or so!

The book is a little bit difficult, because it is full of words in Sylvan that crop now and then when you least expect them. "Alice was walking around the sanath when she met the frosh man"...now, how did I know that sanath was road and frosh dark? I suppose I should ask Kilt about it...ven though I already imagine him replying "Why shouldn't you know it? it's what they mean!" Sometimes it can be hard to talk to him! Anyway, for some reason, understanding the book is becoming easier as the story proceeds, and sometimes I don't even realize that whole sentences are written in Sylvan!

The book talks about the adventures of a young pixie, who leaves her family to explore the marvels of the world...In some sense her story is like mine, and I do hope I can have as fascinating adventures as hers...Like the time she spent on a pirate ship on the seas...I've decided that I will do that too, and I don't care if Murg says that he gets seasick...He can stay in town and wait for my return! Since I have only a few pages missing I guess I'd better go back to reading...especially because it seems that tomorrow morning we'll be finally leaving: a fat silk merchant, Mr Kol, needs an escort to Taniha and has hired us (well, actually he only wanted to hire Murg and Donk, but then we convinced him that I was needed too...which is very silly, because, to be honest, I'm much more useful than the twins, and much more of company too!)

Bumble's diary, book 4, page 62

Description: As most of the other books in Bumble's library, "The fabulous world of Alice Whitehare" appears battered and ruined, even if not as badly as other tomes. The cover is of a dark green material, similar to velvet, even though it is clearly more resistant, and the title is written in golden ink. The picture of a pixie, with a rapier in one hand and a wand in the other, Alice Whitehare, one supposes, is painted on the first page. If one browses rapidly through the book, it appears like a common story book, divided in short chapters, and decorated by simple black and white drawings, most of which representing Alice. A more careful reading, though, reveals that in the text are used words in a different language (Sylvan): there are only few of them in the first chapters, but they become more frequent, finally substituting Common completely in the last chapter of the book.
Properties: When the book is first opened, the reader must succeed a DC 15 Intelligence check. If the check is failed then the book can be read, but nothing else happens. If the reader succeeds the check then the book has two effects on the reader.
First of all it allows the reader to learn Sylvan very quickly: once the book is finished, the reader speaks the language as fluently as his native tongue. Sylvan is learnt even if it is not one of the bonus language of the character. Moreover, in describing the adventures of the pixie Alice, the book allows the reader to better understand the psycology of the fey. As a consequence, the reader gains both a +2 competence bonus on Charisma and Charisma-based skill checks when dealing with fey. Reading the book more than once does not give any additional advantage.
Creation: Aura; CL 12; Craft Wonderous item, Tongues, Resistance, creator must be of the fey (sprite, nymph,dryad,...); Price 30.000gp; Weight 5lb.

[Kathy]

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[Kathy]

The nosy noisy noose
(Guardian)


***Home, Mayflowers 3, evening***
Something very exciting happened to me last night: I was happily sitting in my armchari, reading the story of Nick Longharm and his crew, when a noise from outside the door caught my attention. I had hardly the time to put the book down, when a group of 4 people entered the room! Now, for a moment I thought it were Kilt and the others (they so much enjoyed this type of games!), but, no, these people were far too tall to be pixies! And they didn't fly, which is always a giveaway (never met a pixie who would walk when he could fly). Anyway, I was about to ask them what they were doing in my place when they looked at me and flew. I wonder if age has made me so ugly? Well, you will understand that I do not appreciate people breaking in my house, and then leaving without a word of explanation. For a moment I wondered what to do, my reflexes are not those of my youth, you know, and I wasn't even sure that I still remembered the words of my spell correctly (Lisa once turned her companion to a puppy, instead than making him larger: it was very happy to see the wolf yelp and jump at flies, even though it wasn't very useful against the ogres we were facing). Luckily I did, and they were really surprised when they discovered they could not move a single step! I always liked that spell, by far my favorite! We had a little chat, and once I explained them a few things I freed them so they could give me their version of things. They were not bad people, and the young gnome reminded me so much of myself at her age, that I let them go with a simple scolding. They were so frightened that I'm sure they won't come back.
But still this is annoying, for it means that I have to do something about this place, especially if I leave for a time. Now, the rest of the house has nothing I can't live without...quite the opposite, actually, since the rooms are so full that I can barely walk through them, but the library is another thing...
First thing tomorrow morning I'm going to visit Kilt and the others: I'm sure they'll work out something to keep people away, without hurting anybody! After all, I didn't like to be hurt, did I?


Bumble's diary, book 79, page 38

Description: The idea of this trap is to discourage people from entering the library, possibly without hurting them. Whenever someone steps within 5ft of the door to the library (coming from the outside corridor) he, and everyone within 10ft of the door, disappears, reappearing on the street, before the front door (which will be locked, even if it had been previously been opened). At the same time a small group of pixies is summoned: while they do not attack the intruder (unless he tries to break into the house again while they are around), they laugh at him in a high pitched voice, attracting the attention of whoever might be in the surrounding (they are automatically heard by anyone within a 30ft radius of the house, those farther away must succeed a Listen check (DC 10+ 1 for every 10ft of distance). The pixies have had many occasions to intervene in similar situations, and they enjoy trying to anger the intruders to the breaking point (A barbarian, or any other class with the "Rage" ability, must succeed a DC 12 Will save or enter the rage: in this case the rage lasts until the pixies disappear, or until the character ends the turns of rage at his disposal for the day).
The pixies will follow the intruders even if they leave the house, and keep their noisy activity for as long as the spell which has summoned them lasts.

Mechanics: The trap is actually composed of two separate parts. Whenever a person enters the designed area, the trap springs, locking the front door and summoning the pixies. Originally the pixies were supposed to go and ask for help, while the intruders were kept inside the house. Only a second moment a permanent (via Permanency spell) Teleportation circle) has been added outside the library door.

Trap: CR 9; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm,5ft area); automatic reset; spell effects (1. Arcane lock on the main door*; 2. Summon nature's ally IX, 18th level druid, 1d4+1 pixies appear outside the main door**); Search DC 34; Disable device DC 34; Cost: 80.500gp, 3.220xp.
The trigger of the trap coincides with the area of the permanent Teleportation circle (18th level wizard, teleports outside the main door) to cause the final effect. The spell exists independently of the trap and must be dispelled separately.

* The spell is cast again, so that the effect of a previous Dispel magic or similar spell is removed before the required 10min are passed.
**The pixies behave as described above.



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[Kathy]

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