Emirikol, Part III scene 10

[subplotkudzu]

As the smoke settled around the prone halfling the occupants of the library regained their wits. The frst to do so was an aristocratic elven woman who strode over, righted the panicked halfling and with a few questions and a stern tone gained a sketch of what had happened below: Nardo, the halfling in question, had been bringing a morning restorative to Martin and Dr. Thorngreen in the restricted stacks when the he heard a loud bang. This was followed by an explosion of white smoke which engulfed whole of the room containing the two scholars - Martin staggered out of the smoke only to be grabbed about the neck by a tentacle and dragged back. This was when Nardo fled. The elven women became somewhat ashen herself at this news, and prepared to head down to investigate when she was stopped by some of the other staff - the Loremistress was acting irrationally, and could hardly investigate this alone and unarmed.

At this the our three nobles stepped forward, offering their swords as one and neatly ending the argument. When asked to introduce themselves Dietrich replied that he was the lady's dinner companion two nights from now - at which pronouncement her features went from deep concern to puzzlement to the ghost of a smile as she placed him as the new lord Von Eisenwald. Gladly accepting their help she formally introduced herself as Portia d'Ferrantino, Loremistress of the library, and sketched out the situation: Waldo Thorngreen and her son Martin D'Ferrantino were in the process of cataloging a new collection of arcane texts by the conjurer Albatier, and it is possible that some accident might have occurred. The arcane research room was still hazy, but much of the particulate matter had settled to the floor, revealing that someone had been dragged from the research room to the stacks, and there were multiple sets off prints wearing heavy boots in addition to the light slippers favored by Dr. Thorngreen.

Cybele called forth her sorceress sight, but found no magic in the room other than the faint slimmer fo the spellbooks and the knife on lady d'Ferrantino's him. After a moment's thought she was able to place the scent and texture of the dust - it was builder's plaster. This hypothesis was born out when the tracks led to a hole in the wall, the door that was once covered lying in shattered pieces in the thick dust and the once hidden stairwell revealed. Hiram recalled an anecdote about the original Ferrantino library, how it had been taken in the chaos invasion, every book that had not been salvaged destroyed by the enemy and the structure used as a stables. Indeed, the lower levels held their fell beasts - griffins, hippogriffs and even a catoblepas. Lady Portia said that the records were unclear on that last: it might have been a basilisk. (Tom: it's a regular petrification ho-down!) In any event, the old Loremasters escaped with all the books they could manage and eventually rebuilt this library. She is, however, at a loss concerning the existence of this passage or what it might contain.

Not Griffin nor hippogriff, catoblepas or basilisk fit the hob nailed boots and tentacles thus far in evidence, and the things they did know was down there were the young d'Ferrantino and Dr. Thorngreen, so with magical energies illuming their path and with blades drawn the quartet descended into the darkness. The circular stairs and craved walls match the design of the rest of the old library above, and when they reach their base and witness what the lights reveal, the blood rushes from lady d'Ferrantino far features and she faints dead away. 

To be continued.