Ancient Tome Found
It's Kesenday, Rhaltaas 20 11:46:40 1019. The full moon isn't up. The tide is low and rising. Fair weather clouds drift through the blue sky from the west. The wind is gusty.
A14: Sage Orum's Plaza, University District
This is a windy, but otherwise very pleasant fall day. [[Ga'Elian Faravanilas|Ga'Elian] is meandering through the plaza, heading westward, on foot. In his hands is an ornate book.
Having resettled in the floating city of Rune, Gedryn still makes a daily treck through the portal to check in with his former instructors at the Society of Arcanists. No longer dressed in the peasant robes of an apprentice, he's wearing something a bit more stylish though moderately priced. While stepping from the Society's headquarters he spies Eli and calls to him - in his book-tongue version of Elvish. "Ga'Elian..."
Ga'Elian looks up when his name is called, and smiles, recognizing the caller. He diverts to approach. "Good day, master Gedryn. You seem to be doing well. Spending your time mostly in Rune nowadays, are you?"
Gedryn walks up to a comfortable distance to the elf and bows in greeting. "Good day," he smiles. "Yes, I've moved my things to a place in the floating city and have continued my studies there. My former teachers think I'm crazy for going there considering their reconstruction after the war."
Ga'Elian handwaves the comment. "Oh, I doubt there's any real cause for concern. Many others seem to be quite content to reside there." Then, "Oh. Hey. Look what I found yesterday along the Eldwyn Road. I think it might have been dropped or fallen." He holds out the ornate book, which has skin-covered wood covers, and vellum pages, there are runes on the cover expertly inscribed in gold, and the leather is tooled in a geometric design. The cover is scuffed and dusty, but despite the lack of any obvious shutting mechanism, the book remains closed. Ga'Elian says, "The odd thing is, no matter what I've tried, I can't seem to get the darned thing to open."
The young wizard's eyes focus upon the book as sharply as an owl would spy a chipmunk in the forest. With twitchy fingers he does his best to look casually interested at best and reaches for it with a polite offer. "Can I examine that for you?" Oh the eager antici....pation that crawls through his voice. The book, the pages...oh what secrets they might hold.
GAME: Gedryn rolls intelligence: (17)+4: 21
GAME: Gedryn refreshes spells.
GAME: Gedryn casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14
Ga'Elian hands the book over. He says, "I can tell it's some sort of rune, but it isn't any I recognize, and I speak several languages."
There is a moderate aura of abjuration and faint glimmers of transmutation and universal magic. The runes appear to be possibly ancient Kulthian, except the biggest one which seems to be the focus of the universalist magic aura.
Ged's eyes widen as he feels the different schools of magic vibrate from within the cover. "There's magic here," his voice speaks with obvious excitement. "And these," he gestures across the cover of the book to the various runes enscribed, "...are Kulthian. These are ancient magics my friend. Where ever," he has to swallow to get his heart back into his chest, "...wherever did you find it?"
Ga'Elian smiles, "Like I said, on the Eldwyn Road, just laying in the dirt." He points off to the northwest. "There were wagon tracks, horse prints, and humanoid footprints all over the area, so I couldn't associate it with any particular source."
Gedryn hrms, "Must have been dropped by a wizard or perhaps a book seller - though I can't imagine any wizard that would let such a prize out of their sight." His half-trembling fingers dance across the surface of the book, his skin softly caressing each of the runic letters as tries to will himself to understand them. Once he's over his initial shock and awe of the tome he tries to control his rampant curiosity and examine the piece more carefully. How as it bound? What letters are written and where. How are they arranged? Are they magical in and of themselves?
Ga'Elian shrugs, "As for reading ancient Kulthian, there're probably a good many folks who can do that right there in the Artificers Hall. They teach the language there, as the artifice magic of the Kulthians was extremely potent." The binding is difficult to discern owing to the book being closed. Upon closer inspection, there is a small Glyph of Warding pressed into the leather at the bottom middle of the back cover. This seems to be the source of the abjuration aura.
Gedryn asks, "Would you care to accompany me to the hall then - or I could accompany you. I do love a good mystery..."
Ga'Elian nods, "Sure. Oh, and by the way, did you know about the tunnels that were discovered under the artificers hall last year?" He turns to head that way, content to let Gedryn carry the tome.
As the two walk towards the artificer's hall, Gedryn -clutches- the book close to his chest as though protecting it from the elements like a parent might do to a child.
A14: Artificer's Hall
The Artificers Hall is just as busy as the Society of Progressive Arcanists, as there are students, researchers, and others going about various bits of business. Ga'Elian says, "I know the dean of Kulthian Studies, a gnomish doctor by the name of Argus Bumblebottom. His office is this way." He leads out.
Gedryn shakes his head in silent humor of the many curious names used by the Gnomes and follows the elven ranger towards the doctor's office. Staff in one hand and book in the other, dressed in the modest attire of a wizard of Rune he -feels- like a wizard for one of the first times in his life.
Ga'Elian knocks on the professor's open door and looks inside, finding the professor half-dozing over a stack of papers, he calls, "Professor? Do you remember me? I have found another book that seems to want your attention." At this the professor looks up wit a start, then, rising, nearly trips over his own chair as he says, "And how could I forget you after that business with the supposed conspiracy?" Ga'Elian smiles at the gnome and walks right up to the desk. My friend here, Master Gedryn of Rune, has been looking at the book, and cannot read what appear to be some Kulthian runes. Since we were nearby, I suggested that you migh be able to assist." He nods for Gedryn to enter,
Gedryn respectfully enters the Gnome's office, his eyes dancing around the space to pick up what odd and wonderful excentricities an artificer might have. The book, richly adorned with runes, is held close to his chest in a protective gesture as he bows before the master. "Good day professor," his voice is bright, hopeful and with at least an attempt to control his excitement. Once his introductions have been made, he unfurls his grasp and extends the book for the gnome to see the front cover where the kulthian runes have been inscribed. "I've detected several schools of magic within the book but here," he shows the rune on the spine, "appears to be a glyph of warding of some kind."
The gnome looks at the runes, and very quickly points to the Kulthian ones. He says, "This means 'research, findings, or study', and the this other one simply means 'journal, log, or written record'. I can only imagine that the author felt his research was to be protected if he put such a glyph upon it, but examining the contents would likely reveal more. Have you opened it yet? Oh, and you might think that mixing Eldritch and Kulthian writing in the same volume might be somewhat unususal, but Eldritch writings tend to carry power, where Kulthian was used that way sometimes, but was also a vernacular language in ancient days, much like the Sildanyari Mynsandraal or even such languages as Draconic or Sylvan."
To all of this, Ga'Elian seems content to listen, but responds, "I've tried to open the book, but cannot, at least without destroying it."
Gedryn hrms, "Thankfully I can read Eldritch but Kulthian was...uh...on my list" he smiles a bit at the professor and resists the urge to jot down some notes on the translations. "I worry that since it can't be opened by mundane means that it must be protected - somehow. My best guess would be that a 'Knock' spell might allow it to be opened safely."
The professor says, "Clearly the magic protecting the book is of arcane derivation. I am aware of spellcraft to some extent, but I should think you, as a wizard, would be better verses in the sorts of enchantments that might prevent a book from being opened. You did point out a glyph of warding. If you're not careful, you may bypass the locking magic only to be exposed to the consequences of that glyph. In any case, should you decide that you are willing to part with that specimen, I would be willing to acquire it for my department as an original from the time and culture we study. While I appreciate the opportunity to view this piece, I have more mundane demands upon my time just now, so must ask you to excuse me. Perhaps when you've sorted out the mystery we can discuss it over supper."
Ga'Elian responds, "Thank you. We'll stop taking up your time." He heads back toward the corridor.
Gedryn returns the book to the protection of his iron-strong grip and bows before the gnome, turning to leave his office so as not to disrupt his day any longer. However, the mention of the glyph does give him some ideas. All he needs now is some space. For that, he heads outside and pauses to wait for Ga'Elian.
A14: Sage Orum's Plaza, University District
Once outside and away from the hustle and bustle of the arcanist hall, Gedryn turns the book over to get a better look at that glyph of warding on the spine so that he might attempt to identify its purpose.
GAME: Gedryn rolls spellcraft: (7)+10: 17
<OOC> Ga'Elian says, "Insufficient to tell more than that it is a glyph of warding, and that GoW is a permanent-duration spell, and that the magic of this glyph has likely been active for > 1,000 years."
Ga'Elian follows the exuberant wizard outside again, pointing out a pair of guarded double doors on one side of the lobby. He said, "You might find what's behind those doors interesting. I'd be happy to show you, sometime."
Once outside, the elf asks, "So, where to now, oh tracker of clues?" He smirks.
Gedryn hrms, "I would need to show this to a more senior wizard and ask him to identify the warding glyph - possibly advise how to open the text. Until it can be opened - it's just a curiosity but, from what I can tell...a very -old- curiosity." The wizard turns to head towards the Arcanists Society, "Care to accompany me?"
Ga'Elian shrugs, "Gladly."