"Cassra is correct. The Archives is a labyrinth that holds resources that have existed in Phlan long before even I arrived to oversee operations at the Library. As a newer scribe, it is unusual that Ellison would have duties there. We do not often send scribes to the Archives alone - it is not an easy task to find a specific item there, let alone find your way back out," Openrael explains.

"It would not surprise me to learn these disappearances are connected," he answers Briny, "Unfortunately, the best resource to ask about it would be Garda himself."

Cassra sighs as the notion. "Well, I'll do the best I can to escort you there when you're ready," she says.

Hex is ready to go when everyone else is.

Sylyra is also ready.

Ready as well, right before we get there, as a precaution will cast mage armor.

Down hallways and staircases, and through passageways and storage rooms, Cassra moves with definite purpose, descending staircase after staircase with a lamp held over her head.

Finally, the scribe stops at a door and pushes it open. The smell of stagnant air and ancient dust fills the stairwell.

"Inside," she says.

This section of the library is deep beneath the ground and in complete darkness. The only light at the moment is the meager lamp that Cassra holds above her head.

Sylyra hesitates. "After you," he says with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

Hex heads inside first, trying to see what little she can without much light. She pulls out a torch and looks to Cassra for permission. "Don't want to accidentally light up something important."

"A covered flame would be best," Cassra suggests, "But if you need it to see better, you can use a torch. Just keep it as far away from the shelves as possible."

The lack of reverberation from spoken words suggests the magnitude of the Archives. Aisles and aisles of shelves stretch as far as you can see in all directions. "You can see why Master Openrael was dubious that Ellison could find his way around," Cassra says.

OOC: Which character(s) would like to lead the search?

Hex will light the torch if anyone in the party doesn't have darkvision, heeding Cassra's advice and staying as far from shelves as possible. She'll also be happy to lead the search if no one else wishes to. 

Sylyra has darkvision, but he's making sure to be last, and he's keeping an eye out for another ambush.

Briny's eyes seem to light up as she listens to the lack of echoes and peers around at the part of the archives that she can see from where she is. "I could use some light, it's not as easy for me to find my way in the dark. Should we, um, call out for Ellison as we go? or is that still frowned upon in this section of the library?"

Hex Investigation: 1

Hex and Cassra lead the party through the Library's archives and the immensity of the task before you. In addition to its size and sprawling nature, the Archives is nowhere near uniform. Some paths lead toward dead-end rooms and ancient offices, but many more open doors to additional sections of the Archives with just as many rows of shelving as the area in which you arrived. Before you know it, an hour has passed with no sign of Ellison.

"So...how did you all get to be here?" Cassra asks to break up the monotony. "Not just here helping to track down lost books, but...here in Phlan? I come across journals and memoirs written by the adventuring sort from time to time. They usually start with dead parents, come to think of it, so...feel free not to go into detail if it's too painful."

Briny waits a few moments, but the silence after that question seems to grow more and more heavy in her mind until she decides to speak up. "Well, haha, nothing so tragic as that for me. I still have living parents over in- a... rural place you've probably never heard of. I started traveling around to visit libraries actually, there's so much information just waiting to be read and shared in places like this! Her eyes brighten as she talks briefly of libraries, books, and information she has read about sorcerer lineages. The adventuring part does pay the bills better though, and I like the free-lance style. There's more freedom than being tied to a shop. Or farm, or serving on a lord's estate." She hurries to add those last 2 options at the end. "Just to give a few random examples." She chuckles awkwardly and falls silent, waiting for the next person to speak.

Hex Investigation: 3

Jumping at the chance to speak more of books and libraries, Cassra speaks with Briny over the course of another hour of wandering and searching. "I am curious then, are you aware of where your abilities come from?" Cassra asks when Briny mentions sorcerous origins. "I have many opportunities to speak with wizards in my line of work, but I'm not terribly familiar with the differences in sorcerous magic. I know only that sorcerers are born with their abilities, and that they can come from many origins."

As the search continues, Cassra also provides other opportunities for others to answer her original question.

"My story isn't particularly interesting. Was a rowdy kid who go picked up and taught how to fight and survive properly. Now I just wander around from place to place. I'm sure you've heard that kind of story many times before." Hex lets out a light-hearted laugh and shrugs. When Cassra asks her question Briny, she perks up in interest as well.

In the torchlight it's hard to tell if Briny is getting a little color in her face or not. "Oh, I assumed that most people would know that just by looking at me. Or, have they faded? Here, if you bring the torch closer and look at my jaw you might see the impression of scales." She tilts her head so that her jaw and neck are more exposed and the party can see a hint of scales (or maybe the illusion of them?) going up her neck and then fading away as they reach her jaw. "They are in a couple of other places too, like along the side of my forearms, and seem to make my skin a bit tougher. Somewhere back in my ancestry we were blessed by a dragon, I'm... not exactly sure in what way. People like me are known to show up in our family but when I asked where we came from everyone would either change the subject or say that it's not something they talk about." Hearing Hex's brief explanation she asks her own followup question. "What made you leave your town? I've met plenty of people who preferred to pick fights in their own hometown for their whole lives."

"I'm sorry to interrupt such a lively conversation," Uragum interests and then holds up part of his shirt showing some blood bandages.  "But it seems that my wounds sustained in the street fight could use some rebandaging.   Could we stop for a rest while I get these situated again?"

Hex leans in to get a better look at Briny's scales, intrigued by them. At the followup question, however, she looks back up at Briny's face, slightly surprised, and steps back. She quickly glances to the ground and gives a nonchalant shrug, doing a bad job at hiding her wistful expression. "I found a friend worth following."

As Uragum speaks up about his wound, Hex frowns and turns to Cassra. "Is it safe to take a bit of a short break in here?"