Summary XXXII: Some Things We Always Meant to Get Around to but Never Did
1. Castle enclosed courtyard: killed a couple of mobile tentacle-using
trees (that looked dead): by lightning bolts and having Henry fly over them,
dousing them with standard oil and then lighting them on fire with arrows.
2. Explored other rooms within the castle tower:
More alchemy rooms, and a room with a research library on
Lightning-related magics, in Runic I. Within this room was a _Wizard
Locked_ cabinet which contained a RUNE for DANGER and a large locked book,
and a key. The book, which radiated Type 5 magic of ABJURATION/NECROMANCY,
was labelled "The Tale of Years." Before this, we had been told that in
opening the cabinet "No benefit could result." The _Augury_ for opening the
book and reading it was more ambiguous (and yet not): Would it be
beneficial for the party to unlock, open the book, and look inside? "Yes,
but vast disaster is the more likely result." "The Tale of Years" is an
often-used title for chronologies, but what this book does is up for grabs.
Here are some theories:
A. It's a lich-maker. If you read it, you become a lich or
have a better chance of becoming a lich.
B. It's ABJURATION side is linked in some way to the methods
used to contain the LE force.
C. In general, it could be a mini-codex of sorts.
D. There are many other possibilities, but it appears that it
SHOULD have some kind of link to the Lightning fetish of Tan-El and
this research library, but it is not clear that it does, since
NECROMANCY at the least has little to do with Lightning.
3. Puzzle box ID and "cantoulope rind" Though it appears that the Puzzle
box needs to be taken to a better sage (we believe it to be the
alchemy-kit-in-a-box), the "cantoulope rind" is a magical eye-protection visor.
4. Divination on L-shaped building within the Castle which is thought to
enclose the LE force (very interesting!): 5000 or so g.p.
"Forces of XXXXXXX have been left beyond the reach of
otherworldly forces. Mandred once held sway here. There is an overwhelming
chance of provoking the minor ire of many deities of good. There is a tiny
chance of enraging the forces of Lawful Evil."
XXXXXXX is a major archdevil of the underworld, and though his name
does not likely have the same effect as the last infernal power's name, it
is not wise to speak it.
Oh, and more inkling that going in the L-shaped building without a plan is
bad: Benefit from going through brass door? "Not by ANY measure."
Why colonize an ORDINARY ruined city, when you can have forces of vast evil,
death, destruction, decay, unknown dangers, all built by the
Sphinx-described "ambitious but lazy" golem-crazed former inhabitants of
TAN-EL!!
Later!
Alegra/Kyle