Planescape: Center of All - IC

[Archmage1]

Looks like I'll have to clear off the snow and ice here, or a lot of this is going to be useless. It might be useless anyway, but there isn't enough time to review it solidly. But I can take a look while I'm clearing this ice away. A pity, though. I only prepared two prestidigitations today, and I've already used one. That doesn't leave one for tonight, but with a bit of luck, I'll be able to have a bath instead.
With a brief, mournful look down at her somewhat windblown and dust stained dress, Eilyra quickly chants once more, casting prestidigitation, and starts to use it to clear the snow and dust away from the books, to prevent them from being damaged when the Frostfell was dispelled.
As she goes, she gives the books an intense once-over, to try to get an idea of their contents. If she doesn't speak the language, a quick casting of Comprehend Languages follows.

Spoiler: Actions

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Using haste empowered prestidigitation(So 2 shots per turn for the next 18 rounds) to clear snow from the books, and making an attempt at reading the titles of the books in question, to get an idea of their contents.

She speaks and reads Common, Elven, Abyssal, Draconic, Infernal, Goblin, Orc, and Gnome. If the language isn't among those, then she'll cast comprehend languages, to read it.

[kinem]

The books are in a variety of languages, and in ancient dialects, though some languages have changed more than others over the years. Some books are in languages that Eilyra doesn't recognize, so she casts a spell to better read them. Most of them seem to deal with planar travel, religion, and magic. It would take a long time to get a full picture. One of the open books is entitled Gate Keys and written in Infernal.

[Cavir]

Avakuss turns to make sure there were no other enemies about. There were still the issues of the frost and Maw. Eilyra gets busy with the books. Rather than let the books accumulate more snow, he works to remove that issue. "Are any of the books showing signs of magic? Don't want to set off any traps. I can see about removing the snow and maw. Move away so I won't hit you with it." He moves to the southern part of the room. Once the others move out of the way and give the ok, Avakuss will manifest his power to cancel the spells.

Spoiler: OOC

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Unless there are objections or Dispel Psionics won't touch spells, use Dispel Psionics 10PP targeting between where the lich was and where the avatar cast frostfell so that I can include the center points of both spells.
Frostfell: (1d20+20)[24]
Maw: (1d20+20)[24]
EDIT: That was a total waste of 10% of my remaining PP if used.

[kinem]

Center says “Good idea”. He tries dispelling the effects with his own spell-like ability. Since he can keep trying it, he succeeds soon enough.

None of the books appear magical.

[Cavir]

Avakuss was glad Center saved him the effort. Instead he took to searching the remains of the quasit then the beds in the back. Anything worthwhile? Any signs of who had been there? "That lich is NOT going to be happy when he reforms. Too bad we didn't learn anything about it first. Can one of its bones help with divination?" After about another minute he shrinks back down to his normal goliath stature.

[paradox26]

Taric returns himself to his normal size, from his shrunken state. He nods slightly in gratefulness at Center, and says, "I will heal soon enough, but it will take about ten minutes for me to return to full health, so if you can heal at will, then that will speed things along and I will be ready to continue."

He picks up his weapon that he dropped, and takes up a guard position over the room, just in case anything comes in or suddenly teleports into the room. He looks occasionally over to the others as they study the books, but such things aren't really his area of understanding, so he figures he would be better off continuing to guard rather than getting involved. He does listen tot he discussion, though, in case something occurs to him that passes by the others, unlikely as that may be.

[kinem]

Center tells Taric “I’ll let you heal yourself then. My healing of others is limited to thrice a day.”

When the cold spell ends, the snow remains but begins to melt ... which might actually be worse for the books.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra continues her rapid desnowing of the books, casting haste a 2nd time once her current haste expires.

Spoiler: OOC

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She can clear 36 cubic feet of snow/dust over 18 rounds, then another 44 over 22 rounds, after she re-hastes. Is that sufficient to desnow the books?

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash drops to the floor as the combat ends. She starts a more careful assessment of the room, made all the easier when Centre manages to raise the temperature.

*Yes, having part of the lich's remains in our possession will help in tracking him down later, as needed. Please, before you start touching things, allow me to assess the threat.*

She stares at the remains of their opponents, and then takes to the air again to survey the floor, walls, shelves and eventually ceiling for sign of unpleasant surprises.

Once she is satisfied that the room is safe, she turns to her colleagues.

*All clear. Hmm. How's the book-drying going. I could make the room hot and dry, to help with evaporation, but it'll take twenty minutes.*

Spoiler

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Greater Arcane Sight to identify any magic auras that aren't us. Then she makes a long series of search checks that she'll take 10 on if she can. Search is +37 for Ash.

[Cavir]

Avakuss sees the issue Eilyra is dealing with. He shrinks back to his normal size and begins aiding her. He pulls out two sacks from his pack and lays them out so that there is a dry spot for the dried books. As the stack begins to pile up he carefully moves them into his Handy Haversack. "Might as well take it all with us and sort through the books later."

[Toliudar]

Ash

As she continues her examination, Ash sends to her colleagues.

*Is it just me, or is the very idea of a library of the cult of Tharizdun bizarre? I mean, Tharizdun was an insane god bent on the destruction of all things. Libraries are, if nothing else, a way to organize thoughts, preserve knowledge.

*Plus, I see no symbols or signs here that actually link this place with Tharizdun.*

[Archmage1]

Looking up momentarily from her focus on preventing the books in the melting library from being damaged, Eilyra replies as she moves to the next bookshelf. "There was some on the door, but Tharizdun's cult... isn't necessarily Tharizdun's cult, if that makes sense. He tends to like unknowning followers. The titles so far in this place..." She pauses for a moment, as she focuses on drying off another shelf, before she resumes speaking. "Have been very focused on planar mechanics, which makes sense for someone trying to break into a planar prison." She looks to Avakuss. "You were with the group that identified this as a Tharizdun library, right? What made you reach that conclusion?"
While waiting for a response, she continues her rapid cleaning efforts, along with her analysis efforts.

[Cavir]

Avakuss kept his book work going while his disciplined mind searched for the details of when he had first encountered Rule of Three.

"We didn't determine that. We didn't get in here, nor even saw the door leading into here. We owed Rule a favor. He told us the tale he heard from a Tharizdun cultist who conveniently died shortly after. Supposedly the cultists were trying to escape from their plane to this place to rebuild but encountered the beast we just slew back in the cavern. The one cultist made it back to Sigil but others didn't. One of the dead was known to have a Deck of Many Things. Rule tasked us with getting it for him. Back then the main tunnel was deadly enough. When we faced the beast we barely grabbed the pack and made it back without killing each other. I handed the pack to Rule for him to pull out the deck, but then he kept the whole pack so I don't know what else was in there."

"He did mention the cultists knew the value of a long game like he did. That always stuck with me, but I haven't been involved with him enough to know what his long game might be."

" 'A library of the cult of Tharizdun'. That is a good point. Maybe that is a front for those trying to control or release Tharizdun?"

"There are many things to ponder about the situation we just walked into. How did the lich get in here? Seems like he hadn't been here very long, but long enough to make the trap outside. How did he get past the chaos beast? Charm monster? I didn't think that would work on the beast. Why didn't the beast bother the bloodhulks? With the Symbol on the door in the cavern I don't think it was a simple case of teleporting past all that. Who is that lich and his friend? What were they after? Apparently it is something worth coming for themselves. Is that 'friend' actually dead or did we just make two powerful enemies to watch out for?"

Once the books are cleaned and collected he'll take to collecting the heavy armors and any other items off the soldiers, leaving the others the lighter work of searching.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash glances up for only a moment to look at Avarkuss.

*Those are all interesting questions. If the lich knew about this place, he could come through the portal and teleport straight here - there are no magical barriers up around this place. And from what I understand of avatarists, the friend who did not speak is definitely not dead. Again, if we take the objects that he left behind, there's some chance that I'll be able to learn more from them later.*

[Archmage1]

Still cleaning away, Eilyra frowns. The Avatarist is still around, and what's the chance that it is near the lich's phylactery? And this library... it doesn't fit a cult, but it might have been coopted by one. This is pandemonium, which wouldn't be a bad place to study the effects of planar magics of various sorts.
Despite the direction of her thoughts, her cleaning continues to be swift, and certain, preserving the various books from the damage the thoughtless avatarist had caused. "It sounds rather like there is little reason to believe that this is a place of Tharizdun. It may be a research library of some long gone mage, or even that of the lich itself. If it is, however, there may be additional chambers above, or below us. Mages always do seem to build towers, not manors." She falls silent as she swiftly glides over to the next bookshelf, before resuming her cleaning. "As for getting past? Invisibility, plus a teleport would have sufficed. It could also have been a bound guardian. The Black Beast of Bedlam is a fairly good choice for a guardian, as it is quite loud, has excellent senses, and is difficult to disable via magic. The Bloodhulks seem like something a lich and an avatarist working together might well choose to employ."
She takes another breath, and looks over, towards Avakuss and Ash for a moment. "But what it sought? Now, that is a question. Based on the timeframe it gave us, it was here for something specific, something that will be done within a week. Either there's something unknown involved, or they are likely working with our enemies. They claimed to not be Tharzidun servants, but Tharizdun does love patsies. We can ask them, once the lich reforms. They might even not attempt to murder us." She smiles, grimly, before she turns back to the books, and resumes her preservation efforts.

[kinem]

The following items are found.

OOC: Since you'll ID them eventually, I'll just list what they are:

On the lich:
-Vest of resistance +5, cloak of charisma +6, chain shirt +5, ring of protection +5, +5 amulet of natural armor, Deadwalker's Ring, Scout's Headband, spell component pouch
-100 gp black sapphires (x10), 50 gp onyx, 5,000 gp powdered diamond and opal
- A nonmagical ceremonial robe with some kind of symbol on it worn over the chain shirt.
(Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) DC 30 to ID)
- A large iron key, which looks the right size for the door to to the library. The key's handle is a gate key like the one Rule gave Center: a black metal triangle, three inches across, with an inverted "Y" inlaid in copper.

Spoiler: gate key

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On the quasit: a Rod of Wonder.

On the constructs: Large Mwk greatsword (x3), Large full plate armor (x3).
These are nonmagical, except that the armor the vanished construct had been wearing still has the Symbol of Weakness under the ink. Perhaps the ink could be cleaned off in a way that wouldn't ruin the symbol.

Books: There are about 2000 books/scrolls/etc. overall. None are magical. Eilyra gets most of them free of snow, but some are ruined and many probably crumbled many years ago. Overall, they were surprisingly well-preserved. Some are weighty tomes, but many are short monographs. The total weight of books and scrolls is probably about 4000 lbs.

Ash finds the hole in a back corner of the cavern. A breeze blows into it. There are other small holes around the cavern from which air enters or leaves. As well as promoting air circulation the hole was probably used as a waste chute while the library was occupied; it was therefore crucial to making the cavern a viable place to live in.

Spoiler: map

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A = Avakuss (squeezing), C = Center, H = Ash
E = Eilyra, T = Taric

Wooden Soldier = 1, 2 (both destroyed)
L = Lich (dead), Q = Quasit (dead)

** = stone door (propped in place)
# = Table & chairs, B = bookshelf
& = bed, 0 = hole

XXXXXXXXX**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX..XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.TXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX1122XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX.1122.XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXX....H...XXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX....BB....XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX.....BB...CCXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX#.....BBAAACC#XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX#......BBAAA...#XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX#.....L...AAA....#XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXX.....BB.....BB.....XXXXXXX
XXXXXX.....BB...##.Q.BB.....XXXXXX
XXXXX.....BB....##..E.BB.....XXXXX
XXXX.....BB.....##.....BB.....XXXX
XXX.....BB..............BB.....XXX
XX.............................X0X
X&&&&&&&&&&&&&.#############.....X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Center says "Remember, the Cult changed over the years. It started as a group that didn't worship the mad god, but wanted to summon and control him."

[Archmage1]

As she finishes clearing the last of the shelves of their rapidly melting snow and ice, Eilyra looks around, at the busily searching group of adventurers, and around the library, doing some quick mental math, before she comments once more. "I think we're not going to have a lot of luck taking all of these books with us. There are simply too many to fit, unless we have a lot more storage space than I think, but I can use a few spells, and read a decent chunk of them in an hour or so. That might at least help limit what we need to consider carrying." Pausing briefly, she moves over the lich's remains, and scoops them up(Bones and all), using the armor to contain them, and places them on an empty table, before she takes a look inside some of the bags. "It'll take a few minutes to identify the equipment of the lich as well. From the gems here, I'd guess that he was a necromancer, and a skilled one. But that can wait, I think."
She looks over at Ash, near a hole, and walks over towards her.
"Do you think you could send an eye down there, see if there's anything to worry about there? If not, it's probably safer to read the books here. Less risk of us damaging them. These are old." She smiles for a brief, strained moment, almost freezing in pain at a memory, before she continues. "Some of them, even older than I am."

As she talks, and examines, she focuses on her pearls of power, as well as her vest, restoring some of her drained magical resources, and recharging her sword.

Spoiler: Actions

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Using 3 Pearl of Power(3) to restore 2 haste, and 1 vampiric touch.
Casting a vampiric touch to recharge the bloodstone in her sword.
Using the Vest of the Archmagi to restore Time Stop.
Using a pearl of power(4) to restore dimensional anchor

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash drifts back to the rest of the group to report on her findings of the holes. She nods at Eilyra's suggestion.

*I was thinking of the same thing. And if we don't want to linger here, I don't feel all that sad about carting away books that were assembled to help in drawing on the power of a mad god.*

She slides a small square of fabric out of an inside pocket and spreads it out on the floor, where a pit of sorts is revealed. Inside is a complicated metal and wood frame with a series of ladders leading down to an office, laboratory and bedchamber.

*You're welcome to stack the books up on the lower level. We can take them with us.*

She drifts back to the holes and conjures a small glowing sphere, which she sends down the hole. She settles to the floor and closes her eyes, focusing inward.

Spoiler: OOC

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Ash opens up an enveloping pit on the floor. It should be able to accommodate any books we need to take with us.

She starts off by sending an Arcane Eye down the hole to explore the other side.

[kinem]

Spoiler: Ash

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It seems to just be a very long, dark tunnel that may go on for miles. It varies between 1-3' in diameter and there are some signs of trash and excrement.

[Toliudar]

Ash

After several minutes, Ash opens her eyes again.

*The hole just goes on and on. It seems to be ventilation and excrement elimination - which explains the smell.

*And now, let me see if I can learn something more about the pair who wouldn't share.*

She goes over to the remains of their opponents and settles cross-legged by the hacked-up remains of a wooden automaton. She begins another spell.

Spoiler: OOC

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Ash will cast Discern Location, using the broken automaton as a belonging of the avatarist.

[Cavir]

Avakuss looks at the enveloping pit. "Even easier. Would the construct bodies be of any value?" He'll help move the books, and the constructs if valuable.

As Ash works on her spell, Avakuss searches the bedding and desks, hoping for signs of who was there before the lich.

[Archmage1]

While Ash explores the tunnel, Eilyra turns her attention to the books, casting scholar's touch, and starting to read through the open books, and the books on the table, before starting with some of the more interesting titles she saw while removing snow.

[paradox26]

Taric looks over in curiosity at where the others are studying the books. "It sounds likely that Tharizdun may be somehow, maybe using his cultists, behind the lich's presence. I suspect that they duped the lich into coming here in an attempt to free him," Taric says.

"Incidentally, if no one else wants it, I will take that amulet that was left behind. You can argue over the rest of the stuff, as you like," he adds offhand.

[kinem]

Spoiler: Ash

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The Discern Location spell reveals the following:
Place: Meeting Hall
Community: Aelcliff
Province: Dorburn
Country: Bavia
Continent: Arutlan
Plane: Prime Material

[kinem]

Spoiler: Eilyra

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It seems that the lich had been researching the use of portals and portal keys.

There is a mention of the imprisonment of Tharizdun in the Gate Keys book in Infernal. The author is listed as Manapora, but if it was written by the Mad Rajah himself, this must be a copy made long after his imprisonment. The author offers some thoughts on how a Gate could be prepared so as open to the same plane as another whose Gate Key is present, and suggests that such a Gate must be located at a nexus of many kinds of energy. It states that three projects along such lines are underway.

Some of the other books mention planar Gates as well, but none come close to the same level of detail.

One book is apparently a work of the Cult. It mentions a Gate that was built in the Outlands, but slid into the Grey Waste and was overrun by Yugoloths. The cultist wasn't sure that such a Gate could still work, and states that the Cult's efforts would be better spend on one of the other projects.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash is still for several minutes, her irises flickering rapidly behind closed lids. Then her eyes snap open and she climbs to her feet.

*The avatarist is back on the material plane, in a meeting hall n a country called Bavia. I believe that, with some remnants of these statues, I can track him.

*I would recommend that, as soon as we are able, we travel to this Bavia and track the avatarist down. He will likely know more about what was being researched here, and perhaps where to find the lich's phylactery.*

[Archmage1]

Her scholar's touch having finished working, Eilyra frowns, thoughtfully, as she considers what she had learned. Planar gate, and gate keys. And preparations for such. And that three such projects were underway. No details on where, really. This gate in the Outlands, and then in the Grey Waste might be of interest, however, but the other two? Perhaps some mention of them might be in the other books?
"It looks like they were working on gate projects. Three of them, specifically, but the only one discussed in detail here was in the Grey Wastes when the book was written. It may still be there, but was noted as being potentially non-viable. I'll need more time to see if there are any more details on the other two projects, or any further updates. If we can actually find the lich, and the avatarist, it might be helpful to have a conversation with them."

With that, she starts going through the books on the shelves, using scholar's touch to read them, and to direct her reading towards other books, searching for more information on the locations of those other two projects, or further information on the gate in the Grey Wastes.

Or just planar knowledge she doesn't already know.

Spoiler: OOC

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That seems like a bit of a long bet, but we have a library, and Eilyra can read through quite a few more books. So... time to do so. She can read another 396 books by burning her 1st and 2nd level slots, and her restoration techniques for them.

[kinem]

Spoiler: Eilyra

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Eilyra comes across a few references to three Gates: One on the Outlands; one on the Prime Material Plane; and one on the Astral Plane. The Astral Plane Gate was built on the body of an ancient dead god known as Quilo.

[paradox26]

Taric takes note of what is being said, but has little meaningful to contribute to the discussion, so he continues to simply guard the room. He does note, however, "I would like to hunt this avatarist down, and if we can get the lich rebuilt then it will be much weaker without its familiar or magical items. I think we should finish them off before we continue onwards. Especially if they are seeking to do the same thing as us."

[Archmage1]

Eilyra continues to use scholar's touch to read books as she helps Avakuss and Ash to transfer books to the enveloping pit, looking thoughtful every now and then, but disappointed most of the time. After around forty minutes of this, she shakes her head. "At this point, most of these books aren't really containing anything new. Three potential locations: The Outlands, which, presumably, slid into the Grey wastes. On a prime, although, sadly, it doesn't have enough details to show which one, although the lich may be a hint, and the Astral Plane, on the corpse of Quilo."

As she continues to transfer books to Ash to be stored, she asks a question, as though she'd had a sudden thought. "What were the dimensions of the hole? Was it uniform in diameter, and smooth, or an adapted natural hole?"