Daventry shakes off the strange trance. "Shit. Shit shit." She looks towards the nightstand and footlocker for just a moment, but decides she's seen enough, and sprints out the room, feet leaving a trail of embers as she rushes out into the hallway, looking for clear air.

(10 damage to get out entirely?)

"Daventry, thank the gods you're alright." Ludolf says with relief as the shield maiden finally emerges from the inferno that used to be Matreous quarters. He then does his best to help with stopping the fire from spreading.

The flames pour on and on for what seems like an eternity. In reality it has hardly been five minutes from when Daventry emerged covered in the ash and some of Matreous' apartment and Pardot, Fistandia and Triäsa ran down the hallway yelling for help. The trio sprints down a hall and set of steps where Fistandia leads them into a busier corridor with young scholars milling about. "FIRE, BIG BIG FIRE! FOLLOW ME!" She grabs a rather confused looking young man with dirty blonde hair, perhaps 15 years old, tall and thin with round glasses and the blue robe of a junior Avowed, "Water, Can you make some!?" She yells in his face. His reply is quick nod that prompts the gnome to grab him by the collar and start dragging him to the scene of the fire.

The boy looks at the blaze, pale and wide eyed but his state of shock is interrupted by a swift slap on the back side by your gnomish companion, "Chop, Chop!! Let's get the water flowing!"

His hands start shaking as he glances awkwardly around. Not seeing any other options he spits into his hand creating a small drop of water. He holds his palms out and water begins to pour from the surface of his hands onto the floor and nearest flames. While affective it is very slow progress. 

Daventry pulls Ludolf aside, when she can... once the coughing from the smoke lightens up a bit. 

"Matreous... he might not have been devoured, but he's one of the Man in Black's for sure. I saw the symbol of the trapezohedron blazed into runes in his bedroom, along with... something else. It was like a cosmic writhing mass of tentacles with a million eyes and only one big eye, simultaneously."

Triäsa is happy that at least they found someone to create water to fight the fire with.  Although she feels a bit out of place not helping more.  "Is there something more I can do to help?" she asks.  "I can always carry a bucket or something." 

"I see..." Ludolf says grimly to Daventry, his brows furrowing, pondering the thing she saw, what entity from the Far Realms it could have been, hardly noticing the work being done with putting out the fire.

LotFR: 87

Amazed at how quickly the fire was able to spread, and a bit depressed at just how little he is/was able to do to stop it, Pardot goes around using shape water to move any puddles being formed around and druidcraft to stop any small flames in corners that may have been missed, kicking at the soot and wet ash at the ground curious to see if he’ll uncover anything at all which wasn’t completely turned into carbon. ((perception 19))

Working with the young man you all manage to putt the flames out in a rather efficient and safe manner. Unfortunately the entire apartment was set to go up like a chimney. Soot and ash cover everything. The chalk on the back walls is now unrecognizable as it is burned and covered in water. Whatever horror that was there is mercifully washed away. None of the texts in the room are salvageable. 

Fistandia kicks the pile of soot sending a giant black cloud into the air, "These better not have been my books... That man will pay dearly for this tragic loss!" She is clearly very angry as her teeth clench and her hands ball into a fist. The young man she kidnapped pushes his glasses back up his nose after he cleans the lens, "Uh I have an exam... like now... can I go?" His voice cracks with uncertainty as he looks at you all with a rather tired eyes. 

"Yes, you may. You did very well young man, tell me your name and I will inform the First Reader of your invaluable help here." Ludolf says with a grateful nod to the student.
He then looks inside Matreous quarters, hoping something is salvageable but wary about what Daventry found.
Investigation: 13 + Guidance: 4
"I'm fairly certain Matreous took your library with him to Waterdeep." He says to Fistandia as he cautiously enters the apartment again.

"Uh, Todd... Thanks... Professor is absolutely never going to believe this..." He mumbles as he shuffles quickly down the hallway. Ludolf pokes around the apartment but unfortunately there does not appear to be anything new of interest. 

"Hmpf that no good weirdo! We have to find him. This is absolutely, 100%, without a doubt a tragedy and disaster! You said he is off to Waterdeep? Then that's where I am going." The gnome turns on her heel and marches down the hall with purpose and intent. 

"Wait, we're not at all sure." Ludolf says, quickly walking after Fistandia. "We were planning to go there soon, maybe you can come with us?" He suggests.
Persuasion if applicable: 27

"Aye, Fistandia. We plan on speaking to the captain of the ship bound for Gripli. Jans, I believe his name is. See if we can beat Matreous to Waterdeep by going via the sea, and maybe figure out what's going on in Gripli enroute to cause the Keep such supply issues." Daventry says.

She frowns at her singed clothing. "Damn, I liked this dress. At least it seemed to ward off the flame." She smooths out the cloth as best she can, and her skin seems to glow a radiant shine for just a moment.

(Lay on Hands: 10 healing) 

Triäsa adds, "We only presume he is headed there.  We found a slip of paper with the name Maria Yellowcrest of Waterdeep." She isn't sure at this point if Fistandia is still listening to any of them. "Maybe it would help if she goes by land and we by sea?" 

"Land, sea, dragon.... We have to find those books! I locked them up for a reason, they are dangerous!" She stops and faces the group. "I suppose there are alot of preparations to be made before we make any journey." She snaps her fingers and her quill appears. Pulling out her trusty journal she starts writing furiously and mumbling to no one in particular, "Waterdeep... Let's see. The City of Splendor... Been a while since I was there... Interesting, interesting. Now if we walk a brisk pace a month? Dear me no that won't do at all.... A good ship 1 maybe 2 weeks... We'll need supplies..." Her voice trails off in a string of logistics and details.

About this time an eclectic army of Candlekeep custodians come running down the hallway. You recognize the group as some of the team that helped renovate the Mansion. At the lead is a curious pair.  A dwarf, Buron Sternmettle and a gnome, Stonky J Noptopper you've had very brief, passing interactions with both of them but nothing memorable. 

The two immediately start barking orders, "Chicken Peach! Grab the mops and brooms! Donkey Biscuit buckets, now! Goat Beet and Horse Egg secure the perimeter no one gets in till we know the structural integrity of this floor. Alpaca Macadamia Nut, clear out the Civs. Everyone else, start cleaning, let's move people." shouts Buron and a flurry of activity erupts around you. Stonky approaches you with fierce gnomish authority, "OK you five clear out! There will certainly be a formal investigation and your presence will be required for interviews I am sure but the team I are going to take it from here. Now, CLEAR OUT!" The gnome has wild, dirty purple hair spiked all over his head. He gesticulates wildly as he talks. 

Triäsa looks a little surprised at Stonky's abrupt authoritarian manner. "I understand the need for safety, but are you certain you are up to the task of seeing that no evidence is destroyed in your zealous work?" She casts an eye over to Fistandia's frantic writing as well as she waits for Stonky's response. 

Ludolf nods in agreement with Triäsa, taking a step closer to Mr. Noptopper. "We will of course cooperate with your investigation but we are very interested in anything you find in there that might have survived the conflagration." He says with a firm but polite voice.

Persuasion to get the Candlekeep custodians to cooperate: 11

Sigh, lucky persuasion reroll: 11

As Triäsa speaks to Stonky you see Buron just behind him.. The color drains from his face and starts waving his hands in a futile attempt to cut you off. Stonky's eyes get narrow and you can see anger paint face and he starts yelling. "UP TO THE TASK!? AM I SURE WE ARE UP TO THE TASK?!?! NO ONE RESPECTS THE BEST CUSTOIDAL ENGINEERS IN ALL OF TORIL! WE'LL SHOW YOU JUST WHAT WE CAN DO! THEN YOU'LL COME BACK AND BEG FORGIVENESS FOR BEING SO RUDE!" He takes a deep breath before finishing "YES MA'AM! WE ARE UP TO THE TASK!"

Buron sighs heavily and places a hand on the gnomes back, "Now, now Stonky I am sure she didn't mean any offense... Just calm down. We will of course catalog anything that might be useful and not destroyed." He says to Ludolf in a more calm voice. "But perhaps for now it is best if you all just.... move along...."

Stonky then starts pacing back and forth trying to walk off a rather extreme amount of anger, muttering under his breath.

As Stonky starts yelling, Ludolf takes a quick step between the gnome and the young half-elven bard, his face strained with anger but holding his tongue. "Yes, we will leave you to your most competent work." He says a bit dryly, turning to leave. "I thought I would look into the name of Yellowcrest. Perhaps dinner at the mansion later?" He says to the others as they start leaving.

Daventry looks over the rest of the group as Ludolf suggests splitting up. She's healed, but covered in dark soot. "Triasa, Pardot... are you two alright? I can take a look at your wounds if you would like. I... think I can do something about those now."