Tag: mythal

Report 26: Save the Library

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, SvalaLeave a comment

Planning

  • The Keeper of Tomes is glad to see we were able to retrieve Mordenkainen.
  • They discuss what must be done and Mr. Trisfir and Mr. Darkfoot are recruited to work with them on the single use disjunction.
  • There are three options to power the device – getting Mystra’s help, using the Mythal, or the power of a demigod.
  • I speak with Oghma about these very dubious options, He tells me that no gods will help us break Mystra’s rules, but that there is great danger waiting for us, though using the Mythal itself to power the item is not a direct threat to the Library.
  • The Mythal seems to be our only way, and two tendays later, Mr. Trisfir emerges with a sledgehammer shaped item, which he intends to strike the Mythal with to break the Timestop spell.

The Mythal

  • We head back down to the Mythal with The Keeper’s assistance.
  • Everything is quiet, even Miirrym.
  • Until the living spell room, this time, however it is a vague two-dimensional shape that begins cutting people down – a Blade of Disaster?
  • One of the worst spells we have come across, but we eventually prevail and move along.
  • Once back in the Mythal library, Mr. Trisfir edits the book we used the last time, to allow for easier access inside.
  • Mr. Darkfoot and Ms. Lendiel head inside with the hammer, and she strikes the Mythal a resounding blow.
  • There is a loud crack in the air, and color and light returns to the room even as the hammer dims.
  • I feel a sense of deific anger at our act, but we do not have time to deal with Mystra right now.
  • Power stops flowing from the Mythal as it begins to pulse.
  • The Keeper and Mr. Trisfir fly in to examine the cracked tablet and begin repairs, which takes several hours.
  • Once done, they return and Mr. Trisfir fixes the conduit in the viewing library, returning it to its original state.
  • Slowly, power starts flowing outward again, refilling the library with the Mythal’s power.

Blackout

  • We head back up to the top, leaving the Undercroft, to find the entryway dark and empty of guards.
  • An explosion draws our attention, and we rush to find Great Reader Ag barking orders as a group fights a Pit Fiend and two Barbed Devils.
  • We join the fight, taking down these infernal intruders, fearful of what else this power outage might have let into the Library.
  • Fighting our way towards the Tower of Exhaultation, we find a Leviathan in the courtyard, which swallows Mr. Trisfir for a short time before Shohei can finish it off.
  • The top of the tower explodes above us and we rush up through the air to find Miirrym in a corporeal form.
  • She is alive and has only the memories of who she was before her death, thinking this is her first attack on the Library those many years ago.
  • We manage to take her down, Questdrone landing the final blow, and the body falls, already decaying to the ground far below.
  • Moments later, power finally reach the conduits in the tower, indicating the Mythal has returned to full power.

Clean-Up

  • Everyone returns below to help with the final mopping up of invaders, Ms. Rosewood and I healing who we can.
  • The final toll in the morning is 40 dead avowed, 3 dead archmages, incredible structural damage and loss of books and artifacts, and a blight on the ground where Miirrym fell.
  • I pledge all of my power to bring back as many of the dead as I am able, while others offer to help with the reconstruction.
  • Back in The Room, another doorway has appeared – this one leading to a dusty room with tattered tapestries and a single ten-foot tall 12-sided crystal with mirrored surfaces.
  • It is a scrying focus, but I cannot see Miirrym through it – I am worried for the dragon.
  • Casting out to Oghma for knowledge, I learn that it is The Mirror of Errant Sight, a lost artifact of Eberron, with a will of its own that does not brook misuse.
  • Ms. Lendiel falls asleep while I study it, and yet, a reflection of her stabs at me so viciously, that I must call Petra for aid in removing ourselves from the room.

Report 24: The Keeper of Tomes

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, SvalaLeave a comment

Back Home

  • Cover of Clouds takes Peddle and Yorgen home with her.
  • Mr. Darkfoot convinces the group that the skull we found would be safer with him, but the next time he comes around, he has large chains on his wrists, so I’m not so sure.
  • There is a silver key waiting for us in The Room, which opens a door to a room filled with teleportation circles leading all over Faerûn and into the Undercroft.
  • I set to work reading the scroll Mask gave me, and when I finish, a stone golem is in the room, staring at me – I name him Petra, but I’m not sure what to do with him.
  • Shohei wishes to purify the sword we found in Chult – Backtalker – with the power of his Goddess Queen. It seems though, that rather than purification, he absorbs the powers of the sword for it turns to rust and he is then able to summon a larger blade made of magic that looks fairly similar, but for the raven feathers, the aura of evil suppressed for now.
  • Questdrone heads up to Baldur’s Gate to look for a new dino pet, but comes back disappointed.

Broken Conduits

  • The Keeper has been secluded for a while and everyone is very busy.
  • More containment issues and fires in the Library!
  • Mr. Trisfir finds that the conduits where the fires broke out have been changed – the law preventing fires edited.
  • Mr. Trisfir and Mr. Darkfoot go speak to the First Reader and he sends them to check the others.
  • Every conduit in the Library has had a word erased, different words, changing individual rules, every rule in one place or another.

Going Down

  • Mr. Trisfir and Mr. Darkfoot fill the rest of us in so we can make a plan to help.
  • I ask Oghma for answers – the damages are intentional, by a force inside the Library, and something to do with the Keeper.
  • The First Reader decides to forge us a writ of passage to go find the Keeper.
  • We use our new found teleportation circle to enter the Undercroft.
  • It takes us to Miirym’s private sorting room.
  • The others try to deceive her about our presence, but she only calms when I tell her it was an accident of trying to teleport here.
  • The spectral dragon lets us go and we head down to the caves and back to the Mythal viewing chamber.
  • Unfortunately, we run into a living spell – Mighty Fortress – which delays us for some time and with many accidental effects of the wild magic down there.

The Mythal

  • Inside the viewing room, we find gear for four people and some books and papers lying about is if in use.
  • The viewing window is dark, but Mr. Darkfoot peers through to see that the Mythal, the floating tablets, and the Keeper of Tomes are all frozen into stillness inside.
  • Their supplies have barely been touched, whatever happened was weeks ago.
  • With haste, we read through the open books and spread papers of mythal lore.
  • A journal of activity – Archmagus Kyrran interface and did not return. Great Scribe entered and did not return. Another blank. The Keeper must now enter.
  • We relay a message to The First Reader who suggests the Keeper cast Timestop, and that he would understand if we came back, but asks us to find out what has happened.
  • The door we used before no longer exists into the Mythal’s chamber, but the conduit in here is still functioning, as are all the rest so the Mythal, while frozen, is still functioning.
  • Mr. Trisfir believes he can use the conduit in this room to create some protections and get a couple people into the Mythal room.
  • Using the conduit and his Staff, Mr. Trisfir is able to create a doorway through the stone wall, and fortunately, the Timestop does not flood in.
  • The room’s colors are muted and grey, and I toss a pebble to see where the Timestop barrier is, a few inches beyond our door.
  • Mr. Trisfir is able to use one of the books here and the conduit, to create a small bubble of protection against the Timestop.
  • Questdrone uses it to go inside and see that the rules on the tablets are indeed rewritten. The tablet with a prohibition against changing the rules is cracked, and the words missing above are also missing here.
  • He is able to bring The Keeper out and back up to the viewing room, where we explain how long he has been trapped.
  • He explains that his Archmagus friend went inside, there was a crack and he was gone. He does not remember the two Great Scribes who were also here and gone. He saw the crack expanding on the tablet and felt imminent dread, so he went in and cast his Timestop, but the Mythal took hold of the spell.
  • He does not know who has done this, but believes he knows a man who can help undo the Timestop, he will find him and send us to retrieve him.
  • After getting back up to our Room, we wonder if it is part of the disappearing Darkfoot records, if Mask or one of his agents, or an agent of the Darkfoot family itself is here, sabotaging the Library.

Report 20: The High Mythal of Candlekeep

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, SvalaLeave a comment

The Library of the Mythal

  • The crescent room is lined with bookshelves which are full of lore and history of the High Mythal seen through the viewing wall.
  • A central dais in the room holds the symbol of Candlekeep and the names of the mages who worked to harness the Mythal’s power.
  • The Mythal itself stands below, occasionally sending sparks of power out to metal and stone slates rotating in the air around it.
  • These slates covered in magical runes and spell work, I immediately set ROK to copying down what he can see.
  • The others investigate the books, while I study the spells.
  • Ms. Lendiel tells us that it is called “Eternal Knowledge Through Which Time Holds No Command.”
    • She says it used to be bigger, more chaotic, and colorful.
    • They harnessed it, causing it to shrink and come under control.
    • I don’t know that it likes being controlled, the green looks sad somehow.
    • I cross check with the books she has found, to pinpoint how long ago the vision in my dream was and start writing down names
    • None of them sound familiar, and there is no record of his accident.
  • I want to get closer to the Mythal, we’ve gotten this far, and we weren’t told Not to get close, just that we should be Able to, and to be careful if we do somehow manage it.
  • I’m not the only one, but there are several objections, so we decide to sleep on it.

Entering The Mythal Room

  • He is there, in my dreams, older, sadder, alone – Who Are You? What do you want?
  • Sleeping has only made Mr. Darkfoot, Shohei, and Ms. Lendiel more interested in getting past the viewing wall.
  • Questdrone and Ms. Rosewood enter a Rope Trick, wanting nothing to do with the Mythal.
  • The rest of us study the magic protecting it, these are high level protections.
    • But we can see a way to interact; it will be extremely dangerous, but possible.
    • My first attempt is nearly catastrophic, causing the light in the room to flash and dim.
    • With a little more care, and assistance, I crack the first level of protections, bringing the door itself into reality.
    • Mr. Darkfoot, Shohei, and Mr. Trisfir manage to sidestep the traps on the door together.
  • The window becomes solid, and a wooden door is available to be opened – disappearing when it does.
  • The resonant hum of the Mythal washes over us, almost like a song, welcoming us to come closer.
  • Ropes are tied together and Shohei lowers us down – Me, Ms. Lendiel, Mr. Darkfoot, and then climbs down himself, with Mr. Trisfir managing the rope from above.

The High Mythal of Candlekeep

  • I sit down against the wall, recording every bit of spellwork I can see.
    • The hum is uncomfortable down here, but I start up a Detect Magic ritual to better examine everything. This causes a very strange smell to float around me.
    • A ring of crystals around it states the name Ms. Lendiel found above, and is inscribe with the Rules of the Library.
    • The slates are each emanating a single school of magic, and also contain the Rules of Candlekeep.
    • The Mythal itself is an absence of these schools, rather pouring out raw magic, it appears a bright void to the detect spell.
    • The other three begin to approach the Mythal, I caution them, and wish I could, as well, but touching it is not being careful.
    • Mr. Darkfoot is thrown from his feet, and I hurry to stabilize him.
    • The other two slump, but look satisfied with whatever happened.
    • Mr. Darkfoot wants to try again, so I cast Deathward on him, and hand him my amulet of health to borrow for the duration.
    • He has more success this time, but none of them will tell me what happened.
    • I must not touch it without permission, no matter how much I wish to, the Tome Keeper said he would get me access to other mythals. Perhaps when I know more.

Report 18: Catacombs and Caverns

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, SvalaLeave a comment

Meeting Miirym

  • Miirym speaks to us in their own language, asking us to identify ourselves as they smell the Keeper’s magic, but not him.
  • I offer up the Writ as proof of permission to be here.
  • They tell us it has been a long time since the collections were added to, and welcome us to the catacombs, showing us their translucent form that was once a great silver dragon.
  • They will not keep us from our search but bid us leave all as we find it, for they are proud of their organization of materials.

The Catacombs

  • We are now surrounded by the dead of Candlekeep, Avowed laid to rest after a lifetime of service.
  • The first exit we find leads to an antechamber to the tombs – another way in for a different purpose – a room with altars and tables to prepare the dead.
  • Further on we find a massive room with spiraling walkway going both up and down.
  • Bookshelves, passageways, and several large double doors fill this space.
  • We decide to start at the very top and work our way down.
  • The top door sets of a Banshee Scream, but we are all well away and safe.
  • The path beyond leads to a room full of doors and passageways.
  • The first room is full of ravens, and the second that same impossible decrepit tavern, so we stop checking doors and head back down the spiral.
  • The second door is much hard to open, and Mr. Darkfoot gets ensorcelled and kills Tuppance and tries to attack Ms. Rosewood, but I dispel the magic on him.
  • When we get through, it leads us to a a room with thousands of glowing crystals and a singular podium.
  • These are Crystals of Notation – we have found the Echoes of Alaundo.
  • We head back out and further down, to the very base of the spiral.
  • The next door paralyzes Questdrone, and Mr. Darkfoot has to fix him before we can proceed.

The Chamber of Lost Lore

  • A spherical room with sloped ceiling and a deep basin with a prayer circle in the middle and full bookshelves all around the edges.
  • The ceiling holds a beautiful mosaic of the Library above.
  • The books, we discover, hold lore about Candlekeep itself.
  • One tells us that the prayer circle is used by the Avowed to speak to the spirit of Candlekeep itself to ask questions.
  • Looking through the books reveals much of this storied institution and the great mythal below.
    • It was crafted in the time of Mystra, before such magics were banned.
    • It is a True Mythal, made by the ancient elves.
    • It was found here, buried deep within the ground, and an ancient citadel once stood where Candlekeep now stands.
    • Through the work of Archmages and master craftmen, the housing units were created to drawn upon its power through the weave itself.
    • However, the power can only be drawn short distances, and this has set the boundaries of the Library.
    • The housing units are the programming, setting the rules, and there were a number of mishaps early on.
    • The mythal itself refuses to be used for violence or conflict and the first Candlekeep crumbled to dust when this was attempted.
  • Mr. Trisfir agrees to ask questions on my behalf, as I have yet to put myself forward to officially become avowed and we discuss what it is we will ask for quite a while.
  • When he meditates and then casts the spell, the room darkens, the mosaic above alights, and a wispy, humanoid figure with fiery hair manifests above the basin.
    • Where can we find books about True Mythals? In many places throughout the Library, but for the books we seek, we must go to the library by the main housing units near the Library’s Mythal.
    • How do we get there? There are three passageways, but we must take the 5th door to the vaults, and turn away from the sea, to the place furthest into the cliff.
    • Where might we find information on the human mages who most worked with True Mythals? The very same place.
    • What dangers might we face on our way there? The caverns themselves are a deterrent; the doors uniquely trapped, and the Mythal itself protected by a prismatic wall and other high level magics.
    • Mr. Darkfoot asks for the final question, as I have no others. How could we bypass the prohibition on interdimensional travel within the Library? The spirit shows how a specific housing unit might be altered to allow such a thing. I am concerned what he might do with this information.
  • Ms. Lendiel asks for privacy as she speaks to the spirit, so we drop a silence on those of us not in her immediate circle and rest while she speaks with the spirit.
  • After, we all take a long rest to recover ourselves from the long trek down here, and in preparation for the final thrust down into the caverns.
  • When we return to the spiral room, Miirym is waiting and asks of us what we have learned, but Mr. Trisfir tells them simply information on where to go next.
  • Mr. Darkfoot unlocks the final door, and Miirym comments on his skill, reminding us all not to steal anything.

The Caverns Below

  • Greeted by stale rotting air and sea water, we slip and slide our way down to strange unnatural rock formations.
  • Turning inland, away from the sea, we find irregularly lit caverns and tunnels.
  • The first large room we find contains a strange, glowing, amorphous shape at the center.
  • Looking carefully, it appears to be a living spell – perhaps a Prismatic Spray.
  • As soon as we enter it attacks, and will not be dispelled, but Shohei manages to destroy it, and several of us are caught in the resulting explosion.
  • Some quick magic keeps Ms. Rosewood from turning to stone and we continue on.
  • The next room is a large library, but Ms. Lendiel finds many pressure plates througout.
  • Mr. Darkfoot marks them to keep us safe, disabling them as he can.
  • There is a glyph of warding beyond the exit that he studies while we check out the books.
  • Ms. Lendiel said they were safe, but one sends out a pulse of energy that curses everyone.
  • Meanwhile, Mr. Darkfoot attempts to dispel the glyph, but when he fails, Questdrone orders us all back and sets it off himself, absorbing a chain lightening all himself.
  • We rush through the hall as the tide begins to roll in.