Gnome's OOTA Story Thread [CLOSED]

"Khessa, from what I've heard, I think learning more of this Gromph seems reasonable," Katryl responds. "This crystal - it can only be used once per day?" After another pause she adds, "Do you suppose we could find more of these crystals so we each could seek out information each day?" 

"Yes, only once per day" Khessa confirms. "Having more crystals would be great!" her blue eyes shine with excitement "You Angels have always so good ideas... But this one, as you surely remember, was a gift by Stonespeaker Hgraam in Gracklstugh... So to get more, your best bet might be to find some other Stonespeaker here. Maybe you celestials are able to will yourself to a Stonespeaker and convince him!"

Horkas harrumphs as Khessa implies he can "will" himself anywhere here in the library...he is still a bit sensitive about his absolute failure to 'will' himself anywhere except their little encampment!

"It would seem quite the coincidence if there happened to be a stonespeaker here with a crystal to give us.  But I suppose it's at least worth checking out," Katryl says. She enjoys the meal that had been provided to them and sticks around a bit to chat with anyone should they wish.  Eventually though she heads off to her room. "Well, let's hope our endeavors will be successful tomorrow," she says as she heads off.  

Alone, she will briefly thank Lunaria's Mistress - for that is how she thinks of the goddess - for her guidance so far. And ask for her blessing to the group's endeavors and most especially for Lunaria's safety. 

Afterwards she tries to get some sleep.  

After enjoying the company and conversation of both the Celestials and Mortals who are part of the army, Khessa wanders around Gravenhollow a little longer, unable to sleep amid so much knowledge waiting to be examined.

The blonde arcane warrior makes long attempts to perfect her arcane knowledge, looking for relevant facts (unusual magical phenomena that have occurred, events connected to certain spells - perhaps to their unusual but effective use, invention of new spells).

'Hey, big sister...' Anator at a certain point feels compelled to remind her 'Aren't you afraid of being too tired tomorrow if you don't get at least a little rest? Your friends may need your help... and maybe you won't be able to help them at your best, if you lack clarity, right?'
'Thanks Anator...' the tall adventuress concedes 'You're probably right - the lure of knowledge is getting me a little carried away here. After all, it's not like I have to discover all the secrets of Gravenhollow today... All right, I'm going to rest'.

Khessa falls asleep easily and peacefully, in the peaceful oasis of Gravenhollow. The Underdark is ravaged... it is transforming into a layer of the Abyss... and if this is not prevented, the entire Prime Material Plane will probably have a similar fate. Yet, there, in that center of knowledge, corruption seems almost far away. Even one of the Demon Lords, creatures who represent evil and destruction incarnate, walked those corridors peacefully, without raiding, without massacring, without corrupting reality. This does not mean, of course, that the terrible threat should be ignored... absolutely not! But it is comforting that there is a place where that threat has not managed to make its way. And that place is a place of knowledge. 'Perhaps, it will really be knowledge, the decisive weapon, the one that will allow us to triumph...' is her last thought - before her blue eyes close and a hint of a smile of hope appears on her face.

With another day before you in the Library, what are the rest of you doing while Lulu walks off on her mission?))

(If I understood correctly, Lulu left while we were sleeping. Presumably she made it back before we were awake?)

Katryl awakens in the morning - if it can still be called morning with no sunrise or other signs of change to the world around them. She leaves her simple accommodations and starts to look for a bit of breakfast.  And for her other companions. 

Horkas also sleeps peacefully - the first time in months...the next morning - well, he assumes it is morning with no sun to gage the passage of time - he cleans himself, checks the fittings and gears of both Skitter and the Guardian, and then heads out to find his companions and breakfast!

Khessa awakens to the pleasant sensation of Gravenhollow's serenity surrounding her, a serenity that makes the Demon Lords' Madness and its attendant threat to the life and sanity of all creation seem far away. Even before she has finished washing and dressing, she caresses the sparkling surface of the Stonespeaker Crystal with her hand... and smiles as she feels the eldritch object once again pulsating with power. And since the peaceful night's rest makes her feel herself 'pulsating with power' as well, she takes advantage of it to carefully reread her spellbook, both fixing in memory the spells that could be useful to her during the day, and meditating on the arcane notes taken on the most disparate occasions.

Once out of her room, while waiting to rejoin the Angels, the blonde arcane warrior makes sure that the infantrymen are well and have rested, after which she trains with them... because even if Gravenhollow is an oasis of peace, sooner or later it will be necessary to return to the Demon-infested Underdark, a place transformed by the influence of the Lords of the Abyss... therefore martial, physical and psychological training should by no means be neglected!

When the group is reunited, the tall adventuress is eager to get to work and proposes: "So, Angels? Do you agree to use the Crystal to try to visualize what our 'dear' Gromph did to allow the Demon Lords' access to the Prime Material Plane - and in particular the Underdark?"

[[ OOC: And if no one objects, she uses the Stonespeaker Crystal for that purpose... ]]

Quote from Painted_Beyond >>

Once out of her room, while waiting to rejoin the Angels, the blonde arcane warrior makes sure that the infantrymen are well and have rested, after which she trains with them... because even if Gravenhollow is an oasis of peace, sooner or later it will be necessary to return to the Demon-infested Underdark, a place transformed by the influence of the Lords of the Abyss... therefore martial, physical and psychological training should by no means be neglected!

 

 Upon hearing the sounds of combat, Khessa and the others are quickly approached by the large basilisk and 6 galeb duhr. "Please cease your actions or we will ask you to leave," the basilisk says in a slow but insistent tone.

After her morning communion, Lulu feeds and waters her reptilian roommates before seeking out the scouts to request they take them for a morning walk. Considering the safety of the library, she leaves her armor behind, wearing only her silver-threaded vestments and a leather wrap belt.

She smiles softly at sight of the others and greets with a tip of her head, hearing them already in discussion. Lulu is likely last to join them, her usual air of unhurriedness more... sluggish today.

"Okay b4dasses... We are guests, after all, so it's only right that we adapt to the requests of the hosts" Khessa sighs, turning to the infantry, and shrugs. "It seems we will have to resign ourselves to a kind of and holiday..." she cancels the weapons portion of the training.

"Is carrying out physical exercises allowed instead?" the blonde arcane warrior asks the basilisk "We could do it inside our quarters, if you're afraid we'll disturb here..."

"How exactly does the crystal work?" Katryl asks after the human had proposed the endeavors for the day. "I suppose knowing how the demons got access would be a good place to start.  Once we know how it happened we can ask the questions about how to repair the damage that was done." 

"As if you Angels didn't already know, Katryl..." Khessa smiles, convinced that the Celestial in Genasi form is once again testing her "Once you are attuned to the Crystal, as I have been for some time now, you just need to focus on it, focus your gaze inside... and concentrate on the fact you would like to see".

"The process isn't complicated at all..." the blonde arcane warrior clarifies "And it doesn't consume but a small fraction of the crystal's native magical power... However, for some reason, it only works once a day" she shrugs. "It seems rather arbitrary, but so it is. Subsequent attempts to gain a vision here in Gravenhollow don't work until the next day".

“So do we all agree, Angels?” the tall adventurer then asks for confirmation, eager to make the best possible use of the only vision that the Stonespeaker Crystal can grant her for that day "Shall I try to see how the Demon Lords got access to the Underdark?"

[[ OOC: If we all agree, this is the fact Khessa is trying to see with the Stonespeaker Crystal ]]

Horkas nods and crosses his little gnome fingers for luck =)

Having relaxed and meditatet in his luxurious quarters, the noble Drow rejoins with the others, willing forth a sumptuous morning meal consisting of various drow delicacies, enjoying them as he listens to the delusional human proposition. He hoped for her sake, and his own, that they would find a way to restore her sanity sooner rather than later. "Yes, we know some of it but having the full picture of what made the Demon Lords come here will be most helpful to our mission I believe." He says as he finishes his meal, ready to make use of the Stonespeker Crystal.

Lulu nods in agreement. She makes a mental note to search for information on how to break the hold of Madness upon their human companion. Perhaps even the Keepers themselves would be able to help.

The basilisk mentions that exercise is acceptable as long as it isn't violent.

You can head off to use the stonespeaker crystal, where you can learn that Gromph performed some sort of wildly dangerous and powerful demonic ritual in Menzoberranzan, but that is all that is know, as no one was standing there with him to witness exactly what he did.

While the Library cannot tell you how to rid someone of madness, asking around the Keepers mention the basilisk has the power to restore people turned to stone by their gaze, so perhaps they can relieve madness as well.

"Gromph performed some sort of wildly dangerous and powerful demonic ritual in Menzoberranzan," sighs Khessa, a little disappointed, after using the Stonespeaker Crystal "but that is all that is know, as no one was standing there with him to witness exactly what he did".

"Perhaps our next step should be to find out where Gromph is and what he is doing now..." the blonde arcane warrior desperately tries to put what she has just learned to use "If the ritual he performed allowed the Demon Lords to come, perhaps there is a way to reverse or undo it - and force the Demon Lords to leave... Banishing them the hard way - by fighting them - it would be challenging even for you, Angels, I'm afraid".

"I also really wonder," adds the tall adventuress "what motivation pushed Gromph to favor the coming of the Demon Lords... Did he hope for a reward by them? Or did he even delude himself into dominating them? Or perhaps, simply, his lucidity had already been previously compromised by their madness?"

"I'm not entirely sure the Archmage of Menzoberranzan actually intended to release the Demon Lords into the Underdark, there was mention of bungling the ritual. I agree finding out more about that ritual should be a priority, even if Gravenhollow holds no more information on it. Perhaps our investigation will eventually take us to the City of Spiders." The noble Drow says, looking around at the others in the team for more thoughts.

Later he would thank the Keeper and turn, possibly in the company of Lunaria, to seek out the Basilisk, hoping it will indeed have the powers to cure the human from her insanity.

Persuasion if needed to convince the Basilisk to help: 13 Another roll if help action is provided: 26 + Luck: 9