"Yes, many cases now. We've encountered many strange things but nothing quite like this." Inquisitive answered the dragonborn, looking in the distance as if thinking as they walked, his hands in the pockets of his dark green trenchcoat. "We haven't got many solid leads yet but I can't shake the feeling there is something connecting the victims and that the are all being targeted because of this by someone who arrived here recently. I don't really think the carnival as such is responsible but whoever is likely has some connection to it. When you were at Calda's place, did you find any connection to the carnival there other than the tickets the EPD already found?"

Truador nods, "The fact that we don't have a solid lead is what makes this difficult. Like I said, I do think this is somehow connected to the carnival, though I doubt the carnival, and those who run it, are the ones responsible. I feel that a lot of you misunderstood when I said somewhat at the carnival is likely the one cursing these people. Yes, it could be some one who works there, but I think that it is more likely someone who is simply using the carnival as cover." The dragonborn doesn't sound annoyed when he says this, he just keeps talking in his normal calm tone. He continues, "No, we didn't find anything else that could be a solid link between her and the carnival. Though, the fact that she was apparently seeing a strange woman follow her, only strengthens my current theory. She had clearly never seen this woman before and, If my memory serves me correctly, she even said the woman may have been here for the carnival."

"Oh, interesting." Inquistive said, looking over at the dragonborn as they walked. "How did you know she was followed? Do we have any description of this woman other than that she was strange?"

"She wrote about it in her journal. Unfortunately, we didn't get any description other than the fact that it was a woman. I believe that Elibyn wrote something about being followed or at least fealing like she was being followed as well. Though she did not specify who or what was following her." The dragonborn scratches the back of his neck as he continues. "In Calda's case, we questioned whether this woman was just another hallucination. However, while this might still be the case, we think that this was indeed a real person. Calda mentioned this woman following her before her writing became warped from sickness. We came to the conclusion that this woman may be the one, or someone working for the one, who put the curses on the victims. This woman was likely observing her handiwork, and as she continued her work, she became more cautious of being seen."

Inquistive listened and nodded as the dragonborn spoke. "I suppose we will find quite a few women associated with the carnival but perhaps we should keep our eyes open nonetheless, we might even be under surveillance ourselves." He said grimly as they neared the library. Before entering the tiefling commanded the invisible Redraziel to keep an eye out for anyone following him around.

Redraziel perception: 11

DM

(Because the four of you are now in the same place, I'll stop with the 'Group 1' 'Group 2' stuff.)

Because neither of you have any clue where the library is, Truador and Inquisitive, it takes you a while of walking up and down the main street before you find it---at the very end of the road. You see the same garden bed and patch of grass Zanibi and Marvin saw marking the end of the street, and the carnival in full blast a ways away. Opening the doors to the library and walking into its cool air, you look around and see no one.

Zanibi and Marvin, you hear the sharp cry of a bell being rung at the front of the library and Josias' ears perk up at the sound. "One moment," he says, excusing himself and hopping through the aisles of bookshelves.

A small harengon---surely the librarian---bounds towards where the other half of your group stands. "How do ya do, gentlemen. Can I help you?"

Inquisitive:

Nyral:

"We are looking for our associates, a gnome and a large bearded man if you could tell us where to find them." Inquisitive said with apolite smile, looking around the library, trying to assess what kind of books could be expected in a library such as this.

DM

"Ah, they're right over there." The librarian points in the direction of where Zanibi and Marvin stand, and you can see them through the gaps between the books on some backless bookshelves. As you move towards them, you notice that---however organized the library may be---it is a small library. The diversity of knowledge is vast, but a large portion of the shelves are bare. Some sections have full bookshelves: Fiction, Newspaper Archives, even sections on Farming, all filled to the brim with books. Most of the shelves have few books, and some are even empty save a book or two.

Inquisitive:

Nyral:

Inquistitive nodded and thanked the librarian and walked over to Zanibi and Marvin, talking to them in a lowered voice as would be appropriate in a library. "How are we doing? Found anything relevant to the investigation out yet?" He said looking between the gnome and the large bearded man. "We are ready to head over to the carnival when you are."

(Sorry for the wait and the short post! I've had a lot of homework!)

Truador nods and follows Inquisitive through the library then waits to hear Zanibi and Marvin's response.

Quote from Tez005 >>

Group 1: Zanibi, Marvin

Josias considers this for a moment, placing the stack of books in his arms on the empty cart next to him. "I was wondering which one it was," he mutters, mostly to himself. "I don't know why, but every time I put it on a shelf it moves somewhere else within the day by itself. It tends to roam around the library like cattle. I think the book itself is magic, though I've never bothered to check." He says all this nonchalantly, as if a book growing legs and wandering around the library by itself was a regular occurrence. "If it's not hiding behind the books in the Non-Fiction area, then it's most likely under the front desk or wedged between the newspaper archive booklets. They're over there," He points to another section of the library, all the way on one side. "I can look at the front desk, and around the library in case it's somewhere else."

 Zanibi seems to take Josias' comment in stride. The gnome sets out to the Non-fiction area to try to find the book. If not there, she looks to see if it was found at the front desk.  (Investigation if needed: 21)

When Inquisitive and Truador arrive, Zanibi briefly says, "Not really much here. An old book on basic arcana brought back memories but was of no real help. There is a missing book which Josias says might be magic. Looking for it now."

"So, we'll wait then to see if they can find the missing book, and then we get Nyral at the Lazy Peacock before visiting the carnival." Inquisitive said with a nod, then starting to pace back and forth, waiting for the librarian to return.

(Yes please, Redraziel has standing instructions to flutter around invisible, keeping an eye out for anyone that seems to follow us.)

Thank goodness a book as evasive as this one is eye-catching, because when you arrive at the Non-Fiction section you spot the big red gem embedded in its spine peeking out from under a bookshelf. Bending down to pull it out from under there, you look at the old leather cover. The binding is rough, and a few cracks expose the old wood beneath it. Engraved into the leather is the title 'Spellbinder' in inky cursive. There is nothing else on the front or back covers, not even an author's name. As you crack open the spine, you can feel a slow, pulsing pressure build around your head and neck and you start to cough, afraid you'll choke.

Make a CON Saving Throw, Zanibi!

Inquisitive:

DM

Nyral:

"If you give me a description of this magic book, I can try to help look for it." Truador replies.