Finally a man of reason! The Avowed seems very happy with your headwrap. Well the curse started about a week ago or at least that's when it got out of hand... that damn rhyme your companion is singing. It gets in your head if you hear it and eventually drives you mad beyond hope. So we've quarantined everyone who is singing it and those exposed in the Firefly Cellar underneath the House of Rest. Thanks to some excellent work by the head of the CIA we believe that is where the curse started. As for seeing the First Reader that is absolutely off limits, no chance. You are exposed and need to be quarantined immediately. The real question is what to do with her.... Doesn't look like she is in any condition to sing... I could take her to the healers... Worst case they make me take her to the Cellar also.

The avowed starts motioning for you all to follow to The House Rest

Quote from Oberon99 >>

Ludolf shakes his head and turns away from the avowed, noticing Triäsa singing the creepy nursery rhyme. "Are you okay Triäsa?" He asks, clearly worried, as the hlaf-elven bard starts over for the third time.
Insight: 14

 You are all technically silenced by his spell till you move out into the Keep. He also won't drop the silence until after Triäsa stops singing... Will take about a minute...

Quote from Alsdad >>

Quote from Oberon99 >>

Ludolf shakes his head and turns away from the avowed, noticing Triäsa singing the creepy nursery rhyme. "Are you okay Triäsa?" He asks, clearly worried, as the hlaf-elven bard starts over for the third time.
Insight: 14

 You are all technically silenced by his spell till you move out into the Keep. He also won't drop the silence until after Triäsa stops singing... Will take about a minute...

 Oops, sorry, editing.

Ludolf follows the avowed to the House of Rest, turning to Triäsa as they walk "Are you okay Triäsa?" He asks, clearly worried. "You started singing that creepy nursery rhyme."

"Stupid rhyme's been a bug in the back of my brain since Fembris sang it at us..." Daventry mutters once out of the silence spell.

She looks to the Avowed, then one of the psychics. "Tell him Fistandia needs urgent care, and has not been exposed to any such singing except this very last moment... And maybe mention that she could be a bit crazed when she wakes up?" 

Triäsa looks pained while singing and greatly relieved to have stopped. "I was well aware I was singing it!"  she says sharply. "I just could not stop!"

"We have been hearing that... thing, almost since we got here to Candlekeep! It just keeps growing. But it definitely came back in my head at the chateaux. It must be related somehow."

"I'm sorry Triäsa, I didn't know." Ludolf says apologetically. "It would seem as if the origin of this curse is Candlekeep then, and hopefully we can find its source and...take care of it." He says hoping to be encouraging, laying a friendly hand on Triäsa's shoulder.

As they follow, Pardot continues to speak telepathically to the guard, saying, "Fistandia here needs help. Though we are happy to quarantine for now, her condition will not allow her to do so. She is a well known researcher for the Keep. Please find a healer that can treat her." He then adds, trying to get information about the song, "Does anyone know how this curse is spreading? Does keeping your ears covered protect you?" he asks the last line pointing to his new ear covers.

Triäsa glances to Ludolf, "Sorry about snapping. Not being able to control myself has me a little upset." She then turns to the Avowed. "So what is this Firefly Cellar? I presume that is where you are taking us? To be locked up?"  There is a hint in her tone that she is not very excited about being locked up. 

The Avowed nods his head at Pardot's thoughts and screams. "I'll take her to the healers as soon as I get you all quarantined that's most important. We think anyone who consciously hears the song is cursed. So if your friend here has been like this she is probably OK, I mean she is clearly not OK but unlikely to be cursed... This curse causes folks to sing and sing and sing, eventually, they can't think or do anything else. It's really annoying. But a few people have really lost it. They cut their own tongues out to stop but even that didn't work. They kept trying to sing the rhyme without a tongue...." He quickens his pace. 

The Court of Air is completely abandoned not a single person walks the usually crowded cobblestones. Fortunately it only takes you  few moments to get to the House of Rest. Inside there are two more Avowed, a large Half-orc and an even larger Dragonborn. Both wear similar strange headgear as your guide.  They stand next a really large chest just next to the welcome desk. Thinking back to your travels in and out of the building you seem to recall there being a small trapdoor in the floor here before.

Your escort stares silently at the other two Avowed for a moment. They look very concerned as they briefly turn their attention to you all. They then each grab a side of the chest and with a great strain they lift the object from the floor to reveal a trapdoor. One of the very silently mumbles a word and the door glows briefly after which he opens it.

"OK down you go! Once this is all sorted out we'll let you out and back to life as usual. Ask around for Fembris, she's in charge down there. Hard to miss her, short little gnome, lots of energy." 

The trapdoor reveals very nice marble stairs that seem to spiral down below the building.

Ludolf glances over at the others before walking down the marble spiral stair.
"Take good care of Fistandia now. She will need help to heal her fractured mind." Ludolf messages the avowed before dissapearing down the stairs.

Pardot, as they walk, keeps a close eye out on the quarantine procedures, as well as any of those who are 'infected' to see how they are acting, as well as looking at the different guards to see how they are protecting themselves. ((perception 31))

Triäsa watches as they are escorted down these marbled stairs. "It at least will be good to see Fembris." There is a hint of irritation in her voice however. 

Perhaps reluctantly one by one you head down the steps to the floor below. As the last of you descend you see the hatch above close suddenly you hear a lock snap shut, a blueish glow radiates from the wooden door and the sliding of the chest over top. 

The circular room contains curved, dark wood bookcases packed with books of assorted shapes, sizes, and ages. Flowers in ceramic pots line the tops of the shelves, giving the area a sweet fragrance. Alcoves are spaced at regular intervals around the perimeter of the room. Four of them contain polished bronze statues of bespectacled scholars, and three hold overstuffed chairs. In the center of the room, a brass railing surrounds an overlook that gives a view of the lower level of the stacks.

Hanging from the ceiling, above the opening in the floor, is an enormous stone sculpture of an open book that looks as though the cover is flapping to keep it aloft. A spiral staircase to the east leads down, as well as up to the trapdoor exit set into the ceiling. The occasional errant firefly flits about.

There does not appear to be any inhabitants in this area.

Triäsa takes a brief moment to look around this place.  "I expected more people to be here," she says with confusion.  She walks over to the railing of the overlook in the center of the room, peering down to see if she can see anyone.  Or hear. 

"And why are there stacks of books here under the House of Rest? What an odd place to keep books," she adds.

"So... do we just wait here?" Pardot asks looking around, checking the wraps on his head. "We could check down below just to see what's around. I don't think I'd been down here yet even prowling with Pocket." He then looks up towards the trapdoor and says, "I might be able to sneak out... but if I'm affected as well I don't want to spread it." 

"No, curious place this. Perhaps we should continue downstairs?" Ludolf suggests, walking up by Triäsa, also looking down below.
Perception if needed: 18

As you look down below you see the people, the cursed. It is hard to say how many there are from your current level as you have a rather obscured view. Except for Pardot you just see small dots of people milling about feet below you. Pardot you note a few other details. Directly below you is a round table that is broken on one end almost as if something fell on top of it. You also note that there is very little noise. Their should be a rather notable echo up the balcony but you hear nothing. You also see a small figure in familar robes of the Avowed bouncing back and forth almost certainly Fembris.

You do not think a small bug would fit in through the hatch particularly with the lage chest that was laying on top of it.