Trick or Treat: Literary Edition
Log Info
- Title: Trick or Treat: Literary Edition
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Irshya, Telamon, Ravenstongue, Vaera
- Place: A14: Quill's Repose, City Library
- Time: Friday, October 29, 2021, 3:30 PM
- Summary: Some adventurers are in the Quill's Repose to do some research when they notice some noble children, a mix of humans, elves and half-elves, clustered around a table. They are in their rebellious phase, have located a kulthian tome and removed it from the restricted section. They surround it, and are led in a chant. Despite the adventurer's best efforts, something happens! There are loud crashes from the floor above, as books fly off the shelves and then cascade down to the ground floor of the library, flooding it. A huge mass of books swarms towards the tome. Individual books start ripping themselves apart, plastering people with their pages, and sucking them in. A dwarf is sent to the sewers. Lady Octagna manages to hold off a little, and the students are snapped up, one by one. Telamon is laid low by the tumble of books. Pothy, Ravenstongue's familiar, dives through the fray and catches the tome. Octagna's last instructions were that the tome must be re-connected to the leyline anchor. Everyone rushes upstairs to do that, with Pothy leading the charge. Just as the Raven arrives at the anchor point, he is snapped up into a book. Ravenstongue is frantic, desperate to save her familiar. Irshya is caling lightning down, all around the library, energizing the books to the point where they close themselves. Vaera and Telamon struggle to make their way through the fray, and Ravenstongue finds the lock and gets the book neutralized. It takes some work afterwords to free everyone, but this is accomplished. The tetchy teens are Expelled!
-=--=--=--=--=--=--<* A14: Quill's Repose, City Library *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
A large hallway, circular in design, is what lies beyond the large doors that let visitors in to the public library. Two guards stand in these doors at all times, employees of the city Watch, hired by the library for protection and to prevent theft of books. The head librarian is more of the same--a retired Watch member, herself: Lady Octagna is a great oruch whose lined face bears with it, as well, the scars of old battle. These days, she battles over books and the impudence of Society, Engineering, and Temple students alike, who spend long hours toiling within the Library's walls and basement.
A sign above proclaims the loan of books to be illegal, and that books may not travel further than the doors. Loud noises are hushed by the Lady Octagna, whose grand stature is said to be second to none. Her movements are rarely heard, though they are often seen, marking her quite agile in her elderly age. Rumors, too, place her as a curmudgeon'd ally of Madame Gelfure, the two of them going back years, with a tradition of lunches or the occasional breakfast.
The hall has marble floors, and two staircases lead upwards, one to the left and another to the right. Bright blue carpets cover the steps to lend to the quiet atmosphere of the great library. Straight ahead of the entryway, a tall archway leads into the main library, with study tables between rows and rows of books. The upper levels contain the city records to the left, and the right is a closed off area for library staff.
The symbols of Navos, the Scribe, may be seen in the markings of columns, in the relief of marble. Marble is the prevalent building material, giving the rooms a regal, official and solemn feeling. A few benches line the walls of the circular hall, and a desk sits to the right of the entrance, a secretary always attending it to help guests, even late into the night. The occasional Seer or Temperance may also be seen, offering advisement and wisdom within the great halls.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= In the Stacks =-=-=-=-= Irshya 3'0" 35 Lb Goblin Female A small, blue-skinned Goblin in sea-green robes. Telamon 5'6" 140 Lb Half-Elf Male A platinum-blond half-sil man with dancing dark eyes. Ravenstongue 5'0" 99 Lb Half-Elf Female Short half-elf girl with violet eyes and black hair. Vaera 7'0" 262 Lb Sith-Makar Female A tall, dark red Makari with a wooden leg. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= In the Pines =-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
It's a blustery day. Fair weather clouds drift through a vibrant blue sky, and while the sun is shining, it doesn't warm.
Inside the library, things are much as they always are. Light shines in, small carved gargoyles and other creatures look down. There are books, none of which may be removed. Lady Octagna guards the exit carefully. Researchers are reminded to keep it down.
A group of teenagers are near the restricted section. The other restricted section, and are crowded around some tome. They are nearly universally dressed in black, except for one in white, and are a collection of humans, half-elves, and dawn elves.
A surly looking dwarf is reading alone. It appears to be a history of mining disasters, or perhaps, of sewers.
There are spooky decorations in the children's section, and a reading going on.
The door cracks open, ever so slightly, and a shadow can be seen. The person is quite short, the eye pressed to the crack not even three feet from the ground. The door opens further and a blue Goblin enters, resplendent in sea-foam green robes. Leaning on her trident, and walking with a pronounced limp, she slowly shuffles across the floor, looking to disappear into the stacks.
Telamon is parked in the astronomy section, examining a tome depicting the night sky and the movements of the stars, and making comparisons to some notes he's brought with him. After several minutes, he pauses, peers at his notes, then at the book, and just shakes his head before setting both down and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Carefully, he closes the book, replacing it, before collecting his notes again and taking a walk past the children's section, smiling slightly at the kids gathered there.
Ravenstongue strides into the library with Pothy, as per usual, on her shoulder, not long after the blue goblin enters. The pale raven finishes scarfing down what appears to be the last of a sweetroll as Ravenstongue peers out to the the stacks of shelves and looks out at the group of teenagers by the restricted section. While she's not much older than they are, she seems to scrunch up her face in thought and looks to Pothy. "Hopefully not getting into trouble," she murmurs to the bird.
"Trouble," Pothy says, having swallowed the last of his carb-loaded sweet, before he catches sight of Telamon and croaks, "Snacks!" at him. To Pothy, a familiar face means the very good possibility of a treat... Or maybe, in this season, a trick instead.
Vaera was off to herself at a table with several books and scrolls open, and more being in various half written states of formulae and diagrams. Even still, not many woshed to interact with the person immersed in Kulthian work, out of fear and superstition. The red makari did occassionally look up and over the room to see the groups gathered in the room. She keeps an eye on them, but most of her attention is on her work.
She does pause to wave to Ravemstongue and Irshya, recognizing the two.
Lady Octagna, retired captain of the watch and now guardian of the stacks, stares silently at the fishy goblin and the mage with the talkative albino raven. The platinum haired half-elf and redscale had been given a glare earlier. The new arrivals get an unexpected greeting. "Hey."
Plus the usual warning, "Keep it down," as well as, "Noise bugs 'em" and a nod towards the gargoyles framing the window. Perhaps it is something seasonal, the carvings have always been there, or maybe a joke.
Telamon flicks a glance at the teenagers as well, but so long as they're not causing trouble... he catches sight of Ravenstongue when Pothy speaks up -- loudly -- and he chuckles, bringing his finger to his lips playfully in mock reproach before approaching Raven. "What brings you out here?" he murmurs when he gets close. "The usual arcane lore, or something a little more esoteric -- like 'what tales do they tell the children'?" He inclines his head at the children's area with a wry grin.
Irshya jumps at the sudden greeting and warning, and scuttles off into the stacks, her limp even more pronounced. She then begins to wander, eyeing the books stacked up eye, having to squint at the ones on the highest of shelves. The Gobbo soon huffs, peering at one of the highest shelves. A hand reaches up, experimentally, to pull on a shelf closest to her. Pulling on it. Testing it with her weight. She glances around nonchalantly, eyeing those nearby.
No one seems to be watching the gobbo, the stacks are sturdy enough, made of solid wood that has darkened with age to be almost black. Ravenstongue shushes Pothy after he croaks at Telamon, but is clearly happy to see Telamon, perhaps almost as much as Pothy is--although Pothy seems to deflate a little when he realizes that Telamon isn't going to feed him right off the bat. The corvid sulks for a moment quietly. The early bird... does not always get the worm. Sad raven hours.
"I was here for more research," Ravenstongue says, whispering, "but... Well, seems like something's happening here. What's up with the gargoyles?"
The group of teenage summoners chant, very quietly. Their words can't be heard, but there is a distinct Kulthian aspect to them, although they are severely mispronounced, the accent of the uninitiated. There's a clear leader to the group, a half-elf with sharp, black clothing that has a lot of embellishments, and even an attempt at a beard to show he's not like other elves.
The gargoyles are dusty, some have animal faces, others a caricature that suggests they might have represented notable city members of ages past.
The dwarf licks a finger then turns the page. Not the best practice for a book on sewers.
GAME: Vaera rolls perception: (18)+9: 27
The dark-clad teenagers are reciting words of power, very badly. Exactly what their ritual is meant to accomplish isn't clear, although it involves a binding, an awakening, or summoning.
Ravenstongue looks back over at the teenage cult members and says, "Okay, something's not right," still in that hushed whisper to Telamon. She slinks away from him and attempts to try and walk... Well, trying not to be obvious, but is trying to walk closer to them to see what the youth are up to these days.
Telamon pauses, as Raven starts to move away. Of course, he follows her; he's curious, and perhaps a little concerned, as to what might be transpiring that could've disturbed her. "What're those idiots doing?" he murmurs back to Raven, as the two of them approach.
GAME: Telamon rolls Perception: (9)+7: 16 GAME: Telamon rolls stealth: (7)+2: 9 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls stealth: (16)+2: 18 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Perception: (8)+4: 12, "+2 to my Perc roll because of Alertness from Pothy, so 14"
Vaera squints when she picks up the Kulthian tongue, and she sighs, closing up her books. She half steps, half clacks her way over to where the group was gathered, and she pauses nearby, looming over most of the group.
"You really should cut that out before someone is injured, you know." She states in a low growl. "Including yourselves."
The black clad teenagers are all chanting, they have a book which has a broken chain on it, and a very unpleasant looking leather cover.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (7)+4: 11
The teenagers don't look up, deep as they are in their ritual. The redscale's words startle them out of the efforts. "Oh!" "Ah!" Several of them look down and away, although their sharp leader and the one in an ivory gown stare back at her.
Upstairs, there is a noise. A thump and a crash, as if something dropped and was shattered. Accompanying it are the words of doom. "Oops."
Followed by, "Oh no."
A wispy column of purple smoke forms between the pages of the book and the ceiling above. There's a brief pulse of dark light, an ultravoliet-edged glow that is difficult to look at. It traces a lightning-like pattern across the wood of the ceiling.
Out by the windows, the eyes of the gargolyes begin to glow with a similar, eerie luminescence.
That's when the crashing starts. As if every book flew off the shelves above and landed on the floor at once. A muffled, thumping and scraping follows, crossing upstairs.
A waterfall of books appears, coming over the upper balcony, thumping into the floor.
"NOOOOOO!" Lady Octagna screams. Her worst nightmare has come true. The books are walking out by themselves.
GAME: Irshya rolls climb: (11)+climb: 11 (vs DC10)
The Gobbo was carefully, quietly, climbing the shelves, the desired book on the very highest shelf. Because of course it would be. The chanting from the table on the other side of her shelf cause her ears to rise up. Then... noises are heard from above, drawing Irshya's curious gaze. Her expression changes to one of surprise and dread, and her ascent becomes hurried, heedless of what books may be jostled or fall due to her passing.
Vaera squints when the would-be cult members do not stop, but before she can more forcefully interrupt things, the room whirls into activity, despite Sandy not ebing present. The red makari looks around, taking stock of the situation, and looking to the librarian for any sort of guidance about what may be allowed.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "all k/dungeoneering DC15 to know things, K/arcana DC20 for mages" GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (7)+11: 18 <OOC> Ravenstongue says, "Ravenstongue is super concerned about those books." <OOC> Ravenstongue says, "She's going to turn to the teenage cult members and demand to know what the heck they just did."
Ravenstongue looks at the bookstorm. She groans a little in frustration as she's unable to discern what exactly is possessing the books now. "What were you kids doing?" she asks, her violet eyes staring them down.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Do they still have the book open? Can I grab it?" GAME: Telamon rolls CMB: (19)+2: 21
While the teenagers are momentarily distracted by Ravenstongue, Telamon steps in suddenly and neatly snatches the book away. He growls something in Oruch -- it's a fine language to curse at people in, and this seems oddly appropriate. He glances at the opened spot, but then curses again. "I don't read... whatever this is. Idiots! Imbeciles!"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "NPCs are going with the bookstack, so I'll include them here. posing, making some rolls, then posing some more."
"That's our book!" A half-sil girl grabs at the tome as it is torn from amidst them. "Summoning a demon." Another one says. "A small one!", "Very small." Two others chime in. The leader, the one in majestic black cape nods and says, "The council affirms it is possible. We refuse to obey restrictive edicts. We are students!"
"We're not idiots." Another retorts, asserting despite evidence to the contrary.
Out by the doors, Lady Octagna, being an oruch, a librarian, and a former guard knows what to do. Yell. "SHHHH!" She strides towards the waterfall, "Don't harm the books. The students are expendable. Use a dispel magic or something."
The elderly librarian grabs at one of the books, which is flopping around on the floor like a fish. "Get back on the shelf!"
The dwarf meanwhile is having trouble, the book he's holding flops out of his hands. He grabs at it, tearing out a page. Another page falls free, then another until he's surrounded by a whirlwind of paper and books. For a brief moment, a dark vision appears of a mine tunnel or sewer shaft, which he falls into. The pages instantly vanish, and the book falls to the floor, inert, and a little larger.
GAME: Vaera rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: (13)+5: 18
They were messing with something construct or possession related.
The knuckleheads try to steal their tome back, their attempt misses.
GAME: Irshya rolls 1d20+4: (14)+4: 18 (AOO to grab a book) GAME: Telamon uses an AoO! 0 remaining. GAME: Telamon rolls cmb: (13)+2: 15 (AOO to grab a book) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (12): 12 (Book CMB) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (11): 11 (Book CMB)
The tide is rising, the books fall and flow, piling up on the floor.
A huge cluster of them surges towards the summoners. A swirling mass of tomes, it splits as it crosses the tables, some flying underneath, some above.
A few, leading the pack are grabbed by the gobbo-shark and the half-sil. Incensed, the books spread open and flap pages at their captors. Several tear out and swirl around them, much like they did the dwarf.
GAME: Irshya rolls ranged+3: (11)+7+3: 21
Irshya pants as she pulls herself atop the shelving stack, and slowly stands. "Never... a dull moment, huh?" The Dwarf's disappearance is eyed warily, and then, as a book swooshes by, a wee blue hand reaches out to snatch it from the air. She grins at her success, but then grunts as she struggles to keep it from nomphing on her like the other one did on the Dwarf.
The Gobbo eyes the group of 'summoners' below, their casual indifference to the enormity of their act causing her to frown.
A moment later, that same book collides with the student leader's head.
"What you're doing is evil, and you shall rot in the nine hells for such.", she calls out, crossing her arms and giving them a frowning of a lifetime.
Telamon says, "Or worse -- you'll be EXPELLED."
Vaera runs over to the book that swallowed the dwarf, and picks it up to try and figure out what happened. "The books are either constructs or posessed!" Vaera shouts, glaring at the would be cultists. "Could burn them if it comes to it, but if you want to slow them down, if there's any ice magic you can use, that could slow it down, possibly."
It appears to be a book on great sewers of the world, with your guide Fabuloso Guginhelm.
Vaera turns back to the book, leafing through it, trying to see if she could figure out how to reverse it.
Flipping through, it seems to be an architectural work, with some 'inserts', that appear to be the guide's personal commentary on the surroundings. At the front of the book, a lot of 'Oh slap me skillies wot am I doin' here?', near the back he seems resigned and 'into' it'.
<OOC> Ravenstongue says, "Wonder if Pothy could snatch a book out of the storm?" GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 1d20+1: (13)+1: 14 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Success! Pothy has a book." <OOC> Ravenstongue says, "I'd like to have Ravenstongue inspect it for some sort of indication of what's going on magically."
Ravenstongue cannot fly.
However, Pothy can. He sees everyone trying to grab books and... Well, the books aren't food, so he doesn't have any particular motivation for them, but he can certainly sense the distress in Ravenstongue's eyes. He flies up and snatches one out of the sky, returning it to Ravenstongue's hand for safekeeping.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "you... get AOO'd when you pass the swarm" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+13: (12)+13: 25 (Swarm AOO) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+5: (8)+5: 13 GAME: Swarm damaged Telamon for 13 points. -2 HP remaining. (DYING)
Telamon almost insouciantly tosses the struggling book at one of the students. "Here, read this instead." Then he whirls on his heel, hauling it towards Lady Octagna. "Mistress Librarian! Can you make anything out of--"
And then it's clear Telamon didn't keep good tactical sense, because the swarm of books is evidently NOT focused on the students. There's a -barrage- of heavy tax tomes that send the half-sil spinning, with one striking him squarely in the head; he tumbles, sprawling as the forbidden text slides out of his hands and he lies there limp.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (3): 3 (Number of books activating) <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "books attack Octagna, Ravenstongue, and students" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (10)+5: 15 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (9)+5: 14 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (18)+5: 23 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Ravens, you're grappled, the paper surrounding and pasting to you" <OOC> Ravenstongue says, "Ouchie ouch."
The animated books flutter and flop. The one that Lady Octagna is struggling with is on the verge of tearing out a page, when she shouts at it, "You are NOT defacing yourself!" She slams it shut so hard it goes inert.
"Stop throwing the books! On the shelves!"
Easier said than done, as Ravenstongue finds herself assaulted by print, pages slapping over her face, encasing her hands like a glove, one stuffing itself in her mouth.
Pothy squawks, "Mine! Mine!" Concerned for his possession.
Meanwhile, the books hit the students. A swirl of sheets, and the dual slaps as the leader and one of the study group are absorbed.
The massive swarm breaks up, a stream of books flying towards Telamon's prone form. The remainder continue in a looser group to the original summoning table.
GAME: Irshya casts Call Lightning. Caster Level: 5 DC: -86 <OOC> Irshya says, "She is zapping the book attempting to eat Telamon," <OOC> Irshya says, "and also moving along the top of the shelf towards where Telamon fell." GAME: Irshya rolls 3d6: (13): 13
The Gobbo giggles at the satisfying thwapping sound the book makes upon contact, but the amused expression quickly changes to one of concern as people being to disappear. She squeaks as Telamon is attacked, and falls to the ground.
"Careful, stay clear of those books!", she shouts. Irshya begins to pray then, her holy symbol glowing. There's a crack of thunder, and then a sudden flash of lightning INSIDE the library, followed by another flash and crack as the book gets hammered by a bolt.
The Gobbo begins to move towards the fallen Telamon, her expression one of concentration.
GAME: Vaera rolls cmb: (17)+5: 22
Vaera sees everything going on, the mage go skidding, and everything else. She turns around to see another of the books behind her, and lunges, squeezing the book shut and attempting to stop it from tearing itself apart.
"Librarian, if you do not give us permission to damage these books not holding people in them, then this one will do so regardless, so this place is not shut down for harboring summoners, willingly or not." She shouts at the older oruch.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, roll CMB!" GAME: Ravenstongue rolls CMB: (17)+2: 19 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, you succeed (Book's CMD 15), you can escape or take control"
Ravenstongue manages to break free of the pages that bind her, a surprising growl coming from the little half-sil lady. "Navos the Raven, I beg your forgiveness for this transgression," she says, sprinting with Pothy to Telamon's unconscious body.
"Navos," Pothy says reverently, his blue eyes glowing for just half a second, before no more.
GAME: Telamon rolls Constitution-2: (16)+1+-2: 15
Telamon seems to be ... well, unconscious and injured, but not dying yet. But he sees terrible things in his dreams! Gargoyles... with spectacles... holding copies of the Alexandria City tax code!
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (11)+5: 16 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (9)+5: 14 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (3): 3 (Number of books activating) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25
The cascade of books from the upper floor continues. Lady Octagna ignores it, striding towards the group of adventurers, a book held firmly under her arm. She glowers, staring down at the tome the half-elf dropped when he fell unconscious. "Oh THAT book. Those Idiots."
At the opposite end of the study tables, the group of students are beset by a swirling mass. Two of them are papered over, and vanish, the books that assaulted them falling inert. One struggles, finding herself mummified in the same way Ravenstongue was. The last man, a weedy and weak looking elf, raps the book diving towards him on the spine. "Stop that!"
It stops, drops and sits in front of him.
"Look out." Octagna says, as the novel that gripped Ravenstongue comes after her. The oruch librarian doesn't notice the one swooping in towards her.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "1d4 1 Ravens, 2 Pothy, 3 Irshya, 4 Telamon" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4: (4): 4 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls cmb: (14)+2: 16 (AOO Grab book) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (3)+5: 8
Ravenstongue sees the novel that had grabbed her go for her downed friend. She growls again as she snatches it out from mid-air and weaves around its attack of protestation. "You are not going to hurt my friend!" she says, rebuking the book for its rude actions.
"Get that upstairs." Lady Octagna points at the tome on the ground, kicking the broken chain with her sensible shoes, "re-attach it to the Ley-Line anchor. That will shut its nonsense down."
Solid advice, and the last thing she says as she's unexpectedly bonked by the Encylopaedia of Monsters, 'Dj-Dz', an unexpectedly large book as it covers dragons, all colours, and various minor monsters grouped under 'Dungeon'.
She vanishes. The encyclopaedia volume falls to the floor.
GAME: Irshya rolls 1d20+4: (2)+4: 6 (AOO grab book - Fail) GAME: Irshya rolls 3d6: (13): 13 GAME: Irshya damaged Telamon for -13 points. 11 HP remaining. GAME: Irshya damaged Vaera for -13 points. 37 HP remaining.
The Gobbo continues her trek across the top of the stack, pausing above where Telamon lays. She grabs her holy symbol, the Serpent's Compass, and thrusts it forward. "Rah-dah!", she calls out, which brings forth a bright glow that radiates outwards from the symbol. Those nearby are encompassed by it.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "you could CMB a grapple 'to damage' it, and maybe stun it by slamming it shut" <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "roll CMB" GAME: Vaera rolls cmb: (10)+5: 15 GAME: Vaera rolls 1d3+1: (2)+1: 3 GAME: Vaera rolls knowledge/military theory: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)
Vaera growls as the book tries to tear itself apart, and she squeezes it shut, before slamming it into the end of the bookshelf she was next to, until it was no longer moving. She then looked around, trying to take stock of the situation.
The book's title is 'Basic Battle Tactics'.
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls CMB: (5)+2: 7 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 1d20+6: (6)+6: 12 (Fly DC12 to get full movement with it, otherwise half)
Ravenstongue attempts to follow what everyone else is doing and tries to slap the book into becoming a docile book again.
Except... Well, once a book lover, always a book lover. Even when the book has threatened her life and her friend's, she can only bring herself to a little tiny pat. This is ineffective.
Meanwhile, Pothy sighs. "I gotta do all the work around here," he says, mimicking a very worn out, grumpy man's voice, before he picks up the book. Clearly, eating everything that everyone has ever offered him has somehow caused the familiar to have the bulk he needs to carry such a heavy book as he soars into the air with it.
<OOC> Irshya will use her call lightning spell. "Four more bolts, one a round. Though she has 9 more rounds left". GAME: Irshya rolls 3d6: (11): 11 (Lightning damage) <OOC> Telamon says, "I think I can only move 30 because I have to spend one action to stand up." GAME: Vaera rolls cmb: (14)+5: 19 (Grabbing book) GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Bluff: (10)+9: 19 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, you get 60, you're on card 2" GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 1d20+6: (18)+6: 24 (Pothy Fly) <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, he's most of the way there."
Telamon wakes up out of a horrible dream involving books, gargoyles, and whatnot. Well... crap, the books are still rolling around. Scrambling to his feet, he slides across a table to avoid the other books, fumbling around in his hip pouch as he does. "Where is it, where is it..."
As Telamon staggers to his feet, the Gobbo lets out a huff of relief. She raises up her hand, and above there is an ominous rumble of thunder. With a cackle, Irshya swings her hand down, a bolt of lightning slamming into a book chasing Pothy. "Nevermore!", she yells.
Pothy continues to soar into the air, unfettered and unbound. Ravenstongue follows behind him, dashing up the stairs just as freely as her familiar.
Vaera finds yet another book behind her when she finishes dealing with the last one, and she growls again. She was hoping that every book in the library would not have to be put down, but for now, there was another tome that needed to be wrangled, and she grabs another threatening to tear itself apart.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25 (CMB) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (3): 3, "okay, 1 goes for Irshy" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (19)+5: 24 (CMB) <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "and CMB on Vaera" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (2)+5: 7 (CMB)
There seems to be an endless supply of books. It is a library, there are a lot. More cascade down and several surge in a stream towards Ravenstongue, Vaera and Irshya. The gobbo finds herself with a mouthful of paper.
The redscale, clearly isn't a bookwrym, the book menacing her bounces off.
Down at the student's table, the weedy guy goes over to help the human girl in a slinky back dress that has a deep V down the front and a deeper one down the back. As he comes beside her, she's surrounded in a whirlwind of paper, and vanishes.
A book drops closed on the table, now titled 'Demona's Tricks and Traps'.
<OOC> Irshya says, "I will call down the lightning on it. xD" GAME: Irshya rolls 3d6: (7): 7 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Bluff: (9)+9: 18 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Bluff: (12)+9: 21 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 1d20+6: (4)+6: 10 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "pothy gets only 20', halfway there" <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Ravens you move across the upper floor, and can see Pothy flying ahead of you, a book was blocking him" <OOC> Telamon will hit one of the ones attacking Vaera with a Flare. GAME: Telamon casts Flare. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14 <OOC> Telamon will then make his way south, trying to remain clear of the book, as I make for the stairs. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (12): 12 (Book Fort Save) GAME: Vaera rolls cmb: (9)+5: 14 GAME: Vaera rolls 1d3+1: (3)+1: 4
Telamon sees Vaera being pressed by two more books, and while she slams one shut, the other's still up. He's... not keen on destroying them, so he gestures, and there's a bright SNAP of silver-blue light around the book, hopefully dazzling it and making it less effective at being grabby. "Do we have a plan?" he asks as he moves closer.
Ravenstongue catches up somewhat to her familiar, who struggled with his path by a book that blocked his path. The two continue moving quickly... As the raven flies, you could say.
Vaera manages to grab another book, and this one is summarily smashed into the bookshelf several times, before it is dropped onto the floor.
"I do not have a plan, save to stop them from leaving. We may need to gather the books that appeared to absorb the people here, and leave. But these books cannot be allowed to escape. I will burn down this building, if it comes to that. There appears to be no end to them." She shouts back to Telamon.
Irshya gags as a page tries to jump down her throat. After making several choked sounds, she spits, and shrieks, with a bolt of lightning striking the combined Goblin-book creature. As the brightness clears, it leaves Irshya standing, a little wobbly, and smoke wafting from her ears.
"Burn what down?", Irshya wonders loudly of Vaera, "The library?" A devious grin spreads across her face. "I can do that!"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (5): 5 (Number of books activating) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (8)+5: 13 (Book CMB) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (9)+5: 14 (Book CMB) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (5)+5: 10 (Book CMB)
More books appear, battering at Vaera, Irshya, and the student, as others swirl randomly about before zeroing in on their targets. One flies straight up, following Ravenstongue.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Five foot step south, cast mage armor, glare at the one that just appeared behind me" <OOC> Telamon says, "Bluff, 'Hey look, that summoner who called you is over that way!' *point*" GAME: Telamon casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15 GAME: Telamon rolls Bluff: (8)+9: 17 <OOC> Ravenstongue says, "Continuing to run and Pothy continues to fly!" GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Bluff: (8)+9: 17 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls 1d20+6: (6)+6: 12 (Pothy Fly) <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Pothy makes it to the Circle and you almost get there" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9 (AOO on Ravenstongue) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (13)+5: 18 (AOO on Pothy) GAME: Irshya rolls 3d6: (11): 11 <OOC> Vaera says, "I'm going to eat an AOO to move north and start picking up the tomes that absorbed people" GAME: Vaera rolls spellcraft: (2)+5: 7 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (9)+5: 14 (AOO on Vaera)
This is getting out of hand. More books coming down, and as much as he likes books, Vaera's idea is starting to look attractive. "Let's call that one plan B!" Another book comes soaring down nearby, and Telamon deftly dances away, gesturing and murmuring, as a shimmer of light wraps itself around him before fading. "Hey, look over there! It's the guy who animated you! Go bug him for a bit!"
Pothy makes it to the circle, but is surrounded by books as he flies. He croaks angrily at them, not at all appreciative of their presence. Ravenstongue almost makes it to him but grimaces as she sees him surrounded by books. "Pothy!" she cries out.
With the book thudding to the floor, Vaera ducks out of the way of another that was sneaking up on her.. she runs to where the dwarf and Oruch were, scooping up the tomes. "If it is our back up plan, I will prepare for it." She shouts back, looking to see where else people had been taken.
Irshya, looking more than a little annoyed, stalks along the top of the stack. The Gobbo pauses in her stalking to bring down another lightning bolt, zapping another book out of the air. "This is pissing Irshya off!", she growls. "Are you almost there yet?", she calls out. "Put the darn book back in!"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (6): 6 (New Books appearing) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (9)+5: 14 (on Vaera) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (11)+5: 16 (on Irshya) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11 (on Student) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (5)+5: 10 (on Pothy)
Books, books, books!
More and more books, they aren't stopping. One bounces off Vaera, another shreds itself and Irshya finds herself plastered in pages. The weedy student manages to beat off the book that menaces him.
Pothy, is not so lucky. He's covered in paper and vanishes.
The tome is still in play, barely.
<OOC> Irshya says, "Irshya will simply fall off the stack and attempt to land on the book." GAME: Irshya rolls 1d6: (4): 4 (Irshya falling damage on a book) <OOC> Irshya says, "The Gobbo will head for the stairs." GAME: Irshya rolls bluff: (7)+1: 8 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Pothy has vanished into a book. The tome falls to the ground" <OOC> Telamon will take a double move diagonally to the stairs and run up them, hoping that book is still bedazzled. GAME: Telamon rolls Bluff: (14)+9: 23 <OOC> Ravenstongue says, "Raven is going to try and grab the tome and hook it up to the leyline like the librarian said." <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, k/arc DC20 to make your UMD DC20, otherwise 'blindly activate' is DC25" GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (4)+11: 15 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Use Magic Device: (5)+9: 14 <OOC> Irshya says, "Also can Ravens have my reroll?" GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Use Magic Device: (12)+9: 21 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "make a pose, you've got the book, the chain, the anchor, not... sure how it works." GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (19)+5: 24 (Aoo on Vaera)
Irshya falls off the shelf, landing on the book that has her, slamming it shut. The shark-gobbo runs to help!
Ravenstongue is stunned for just a second as she sees Pothy disappear into a book. Tears roll down her face, but she runs forward anyway. "Pothy, no, please--don't leave me alone, you're all I have left of mom," she murmurs, her hands gripping the most important tome of the hour as she tries to interface with the chain, the book, the anchor... It's not working. The tears keep flowing.
The book has a prominent white raven on the cover now, and a shiny title, "Pothy Presents: Mud tiles, making and baking."
Telamon runs for the stairs, reaching the second floor. He moves along the rows, trying to get line of sight on Ravenstongue and Pothy.
There's no Pothy!
Vaera moves to gather up the books.
GAME: Irshya rolls 3d6: (13): 13 (Lightning Damage) <OOC> Irshya can also throw a two dispel magics. GAME: Telamon casts Snapdragon Fireworks. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15 GAME: Telamon rolls Bluff: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (3): 3 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (4): 4 <OOC> Ravenstongue says, "Doing the same as before for Ravens. Knowledge/Arcana and then Use Magic Device, or just the UMD?" GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Use Magic Device: (20)+9: 29 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, there's an ornate silver lock you notice, and it has extra tiny chains to hook up to it" <OOC> Vaera says, "trying to escape grapple" GAME: Vaera rolls cmb: (4)+5: 9
Telamon twists his fingers together as he runs along upstars, and a tiny silver-blue dragon appears in his palm. "Leave her ALONE, damn it," he growls, pitching -- and the little dragonet zips like a dart through the air, detonating with a multicolored flash against the book and knocking it away. "Raven, now would be a good time...!"
Ravenstongue brushes aside her tears, and she finally recognizes what's going on. She hooks the tome into the tiny, tiny chains, almost as delicate as... Pothy's feathers...
"Please work, please work, I can't... I can't lose him. Please Navos, hear me..." Ravenstongue murmurs.
The shark-gobbo tears up the stairs like a moray through a reef, then runs along the stacks, "Irshya coming!" Another bolt of lightning sears down, rocking the library and sending a book to the floor.
As the sorcerous half-elf hooks up the lock and the tiny chains, she feels a tingle, a surge of magical energy as soon as the last one is linked up.
The eldrich tome flutters, and glows briefly.
The library responds, the vine-like traces that spread across ceiling and walls light up in a chase of energy, back to the book, and then go dark once more.
All books, flying and falling off the shelves, stop what they're doing and fall to the floor.
The very first thing Ravenstongue does is grab the book that Pothy had turned into. She runs her fingers down the cover of that white raven and she just... lets it go. She sobs. "I did it, so please come back, Pothy!"
Vaera spends several seconds tearing off the now inert paper before she shoves the book away, and the makari turns her attention to gathering up the rest of the tomes.
The books do not immediately release the individuals they took into their pages. Some experimentation and Irshya is able to pop Lady Octagna out with her dispel magic spell. Once free, the oruch is able to direct everyone in regards to the solution.
Which is largely, dispel magic, and a few break enchantments, and sometimes asking nicely and simply reading the book.
She's unhappy, "I told you to use cold. Why'd you have to set them on fire, or rip them up? They never hurt anyone."
Except for that punch that laid out Telamon, and all the students which were eaten, and the dwarf...
Pothy is freed, once the right spells are used, and several students are banned for life. Whether it's an oruch's or an elf's isn't explained.
"Ach! Dat's n'moren'me wanted ta know about sewers. I'll never get this stink outta me beard." The dwarf grumbles, "book learnin', s'not real experience. I dinna know wot that was."
Ravenstongue slinks away with Pothy from the library, now significantly less literary in form, as she cradles him like a baby in her arms. "You... Are getting a /feast/ tonight, Pothy," she says, happy tears in her eyes.
Pothy, who is simply just soaking up all of the attention from his teary-eyed mistress croaks, "Now we're talking!"
Combatty
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 4 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
27 Irshya 1 Flat-footed (4 rnds active)
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25 Vaera 1
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20 Ravenstongue 1
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16 Telamon 1
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>> 15 Bookstack 1 <<
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==============================================================================
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| Name | Race | Class | CHP | HP | AC/FF/T |CMD |For |Ref |Wil |
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|Irshya |GOBLIN |Clr | 29 | 29 |19/16/14 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 8 |
|Ravenstong|HALF-ELF |Sor | 18 | 18 |12/10/12 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
|Telamon |HALF-ELF |Sor | 11 | 11 |12/10/12 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|Vaera |SITH-MAKAR|Rgr | 25 | 37 |19/15/14 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 3 |
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Name | CHP (T) | HP |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Irshya........| 29 | 29 |
| Ravenstongue..| 18 | 18 |
| Telamon.......| 11 | 11 |
| Vaera.........| 25 | 37 |
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Chase Card Instructions
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Okay, some info, and maybe Telamon gets back."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "you're onto 'chase cards'."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Each card is a certain distance (1 move) to cross, then 1 of 2 skill rolls to leave the card."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Or, instead of the skill, you can do an attack."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "if your move is >30', you get a +2 on the skill roll, more time"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "there are 2 paths to the anchor point. Up the stairs (top or bottom), or Flying. Pothy is flying. That's 2 cards, the stairs are 6 cards."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Stairs route, DC10 Athletics to leave the card, or DC15 Bluff. Flying, DC12 Fly or DC 15 stealth."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "we'll switch to PCs all roll, then NPCs roll, and you can chose to leave card or attack (with CMB) the books on your card. Make sense?"
Map!
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mm0qtygbbyz
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Green is party: Raven is Ravens, Serpent is Vaera, JAWS is Irshya, Telamon, orb-staff."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Blue glasses are people reading books, Octagna and Dwarf"