Katryl isn't quite sure what all happened, other than the gnome is back with them. "Horkas!" she calls out. "At long last we have found you!" She grins a bit as she glances at Lulu.
Khessa pats enthusiastically the holy firbolg on the shoulder: "Great job! Lulu 2 - Gromph 0!"
The blonde arcane warrior also hugs Horkas: "Welcome back, my friend!" and she also takes the diamond, since it must be of great value.
But there must be a great value in knowledge as well, here... The tall adventuress asks the dremoness: "We found our friend by ourselves. So, the backup question: is Gromph's grimoire warded? And if yes, any idea about how to bypass the wards?"
Khessa starts in the meantime looking around among the other books... There can be useful arcane knowledge also there, nor only in the requested grimoire...
Lulu crouches and envelops her friend with armored arms, even her tufted tail coiling around the gnome. "Are ye alright? If ye wanted a vacation home in a diamond, all ye needed to do was say so!" she laughs, the sound heavy with relief. She pulls back to give Horkas a look, the barest bit of mistiness to her eyes, "Or were ye just that determined to beat us here?"
When (if?) Lulu receives the diamond she found back from Khessa as she asked, she puts it safely away on her person in case any of them again need Restoration... or, Goddess forbid, Revivifying or Raising. She's hesitant to stray too far from Horkas' side, but eyes the apparent exit and the void it contains--ready to leave the place that nearly stole her friend forever.
"Well, I'll never again go into the Hall of Mirrors at a carnival!" the artificer exclaims in response to his friends' questions. "Dunno what happened - must have bumbled into a magical trap of some sort. But I see you've found a way to extract me AND find this room full of wondrous items!" He can't help but look around a bit enviously at everything, especially the large book just screaming "Read me to learn the secrets of the multiverse!" but he's learned to keep his hands to himself. For now...
It should be noted too that the books are all glowing from detect magic too, both from the books themselves and around them, indicating things could magically happen if tampered with.
"Good, then I suggest we take what we came for and leave." The noble drow says, his purple eyes not leaving the trapped Yochlol. "Question is what we do with this one?"
Khessa takes the time to cast another ritual, summoning her Faithful Butler to help: "Ok, let's take what we need - just with a little precaution". So she sends the Butler to collect the Grimoire and to open it in front of her. She begins to scroll through the arcane knowledge contained therein, but makes sure that it's her Butler the one touching the Grimoire and turning the pages - she does not touch it.
If, as far as the blonde arcane warrior understands, that is indeed the Grimoire that Vizeran wanted, she copies into her own spellbook the notions that she did not already know (probably a lot) and, at the same time, she uses the inks present in the sanctum to slightly modify some details in the original Grimoire (all the detail not directly concerning the summoning of the Demon Lords)... so that subsequent readers of the Grimoire looking for information not directly related to the ritual performed to summon the Demon Lords (other spells... other arcane knowledge...) will get the wrong information and be fatally led into error.
[[ OOC: In normal language, it would be enough to add a few 'not's' here and there, for example - in the language of magic, though probably more symbolic , I imagine that a similar expedient could exist? Perhaps it is not unthinkable to alter some symbols by transforming them into others, thus altering the meaning of the magical text? ]]
As for the other books, the tall adventuress has her Butler manipulate them (and turn pages) while she reads them to try to figure out which ones might be the richest in arcane knowledge - and those, Horkas permitting, are placed by the Butler in the Bag of Holding. "They could be very interesting reading... and after we have copied their content, we could also raise some of money by selling them, I suppose".
(Khessa make 2 checks: Arcana to figure out the best way to attempt to disrupt the writings, and Sleight of Hand or Performance to actually make the desired notations. You may do so after the following event, just when she is ready to do that task.)
Unfortunately though, as the butler takes a book off the shelf there is an explosion of heat, as the books were trapped (post #5656 and Lulu's response), and fire erupts all around the room!
Everyone make a Constitution Saving throw, DC 16. Take 11 fire damage on a failed save and 1 point of exhaustion, half as much on a success and no exhaustion.
The room will be consumed by the fire in one minute.
Y'alara's body vaporizes from the blast of heat and fire.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
[[ OOC: As posted, Khessa first focuses on the Grimoire, so her checks about that happen first. Only after having examined the Grimoire she sends the Butler to get one of the other books. ]]
[[ OOC: As posted, Khessa first focuses on the Grimoire, so her checks about that happen first. Only after having examined the Grimoire she sends the Butler to get one of the other books. ]]
Arcana: 7
Sleight of Hand: 3
Constitution Saving throw, DC 16: 23
[[ OOC: From the checks, I'm guessing that Khessa fails miserably at altering the Grimoire - either because she doesn't understand how to do it, or because the 'tweaks' went terribly wrong. So... ]]
Frustrated by her inability to subtly sabotage the Grimoire, Khessa then physically ruins the pages not related to the Demon Lords' ritual, tearing some, spilling ink on others, or scorching others, as if the Grimoire had been involved in some 'magical accident' (which is not impossible, given that Gromph had to quickly escape from a band of Demon Lords).
After that, the blonde arcane warrior sends the Butler to retrieve a tome that seems interesting to her, hoping that a mere 'force' like the Butler won't trigger any traps... but she is terribly wrong! A sudden explosion of fire hits the laboratory, incinerating the demoness and setting most of the things on fire.
The tall adventuress, as much as she considers it incredibly stupid for an archmage to trap his study with a trap that threatens the invaders - but also destroys the precious arcane content - does not let herself be surprised and grits her teeth... And she remains atonished! The flames barely make her jump, for a slight burn. Apparently, the trap has done much more damage to the materials of the study than to the invaders - even if, absurdly, it has incinerated a creature of the power of a demoness.
'Maybe she was severely weakened?' Giving up on figuring out the mysteries of Gromph's spells (whose mind is probably severely compromised anyway, considering he met all the Demon Lords at once) Khessa worries about the other party members: "Everything okay? Did it feel more like a wave of hot water than a blaze of fire to you too? Anyway, sorry about that and... yes," she sighs, in response to Traydark "we have the Grimoire, we couldn't take anything else... Let's just get out of there".
Katryl mutters under her breath. "Greedy humans, and... ughhh!" She is not as susceptible to the flames as most, but still is singed a bit. To the others she calls out, "Guess we have to get out now! Would have been nice to actually figure where we were going first!" Her eyes are glowing a bright orange, nearly matching the color of the flames.
((Please tell me if this isn't applicable, but Lulu is currently concentrating on Detect Magic and has the Warcaster feat which grants adv on CON saves to maintain concentration... that would apply here, right? Gonna roll as if it does, but if it doesn't, I'll take the first roll!)) CON save: 19/18 +2 21
Lulu sighs again as her warning goes unheeded and braces herself for the explosion. After the room is engulfed, she pats the smoldering parts of her vestments and quickly herds everyone towards the exit void lest they be consumed by the fire.
"Hopefully this way leads back to where we came from." The noble drow says in response to the fire genasi as he follows the firbolg. "There is still the matter of where to place the dark heart."
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Katryl isn't quite sure what all happened, other than the gnome is back with them. "Horkas!" she calls out. "At long last we have found you!" She grins a bit as she glances at Lulu.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Khessa pats enthusiastically the holy firbolg on the shoulder: "Great job! Lulu 2 - Gromph 0!"
The blonde arcane warrior also hugs Horkas: "Welcome back, my friend!" and she also takes the diamond, since it must be of great value.
But there must be a great value in knowledge as well, here... The tall adventuress asks the dremoness: "We found our friend by ourselves. So, the backup question: is Gromph's grimoire warded? And if yes, any idea about how to bypass the wards?"
Khessa starts in the meantime looking around among the other books... There can be useful arcane knowledge also there, nor only in the requested grimoire...
Lulu crouches and envelops her friend with armored arms, even her tufted tail coiling around the gnome. "Are ye alright? If ye wanted a vacation home in a diamond, all ye needed to do was say so!" she laughs, the sound heavy with relief. She pulls back to give Horkas a look, the barest bit of mistiness to her eyes, "Or were ye just that determined to beat us here?"
When (if?) Lulu receives the diamond she found back from Khessa as she asked, she puts it safely away on her person in case any of them again need Restoration... or, Goddess forbid, Revivifying or Raising. She's hesitant to stray too far from Horkas' side, but eyes the apparent exit and the void it contains--ready to leave the place that nearly stole her friend forever.
"Well, I'll never again go into the Hall of Mirrors at a carnival!" the artificer exclaims in response to his friends' questions. "Dunno what happened - must have bumbled into a magical trap of some sort. But I see you've found a way to extract me AND find this room full of wondrous items!" He can't help but look around a bit enviously at everything, especially the large book just screaming "Read me to learn the secrets of the multiverse!" but he's learned to keep his hands to himself. For now...
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Gromph's book, while emanating an aura as being magical, it does not appear to have any auras of protection on or around it at all.
There are books and such probably in the neighborhood of 15,000 gold worth around the sanctum, depending on just what Khessa wants to take.
It should be noted too that the books are all glowing from detect magic too, both from the books themselves and around them, indicating things could magically happen if tampered with.
"The grimoire seems safe to touch," Lulu explains. "I see no wards about it, though there seems to be something on the other books."
"Good, then I suggest we take what we came for and leave." The noble drow says, his purple eyes not leaving the trapped Yochlol. "Question is what we do with this one?"
Khessa takes the time to cast another ritual, summoning her Faithful Butler to help: "Ok, let's take what we need - just with a little precaution". So she sends the Butler to collect the Grimoire and to open it in front of her. She begins to scroll through the arcane knowledge contained therein, but makes sure that it's her Butler the one touching the Grimoire and turning the pages - she does not touch it.
If, as far as the blonde arcane warrior understands, that is indeed the Grimoire that Vizeran wanted, she copies into her own spellbook the notions that she did not already know (probably a lot) and, at the same time, she uses the inks present in the sanctum to slightly modify some details in the original Grimoire (all the detail not directly concerning the summoning of the Demon Lords)... so that subsequent readers of the Grimoire looking for information not directly related to the ritual performed to summon the Demon Lords (other spells... other arcane knowledge...) will get the wrong information and be fatally led into error.
[[ OOC: In normal language, it would be enough to add a few 'not's' here and there, for example - in the language of magic, though probably more symbolic , I imagine that a similar expedient could exist? Perhaps it is not unthinkable to alter some symbols by transforming them into others, thus altering the meaning of the magical text? ]]
As for the other books, the tall adventuress has her Butler manipulate them (and turn pages) while she reads them to try to figure out which ones might be the richest in arcane knowledge - and those, Horkas permitting, are placed by the Butler in the Bag of Holding. "They could be very interesting reading... and after we have copied their content, we could also raise some of money by selling them, I suppose".
(Khessa make 2 checks: Arcana to figure out the best way to attempt to disrupt the writings, and Sleight of Hand or Performance to actually make the desired notations. You may do so after the following event, just when she is ready to do that task.)
Unfortunately though, as the butler takes a book off the shelf there is an explosion of heat, as the books were trapped (post #5656 and Lulu's response), and fire erupts all around the room!
Everyone make a Constitution Saving throw, DC 16. Take 11 fire damage on a failed save and 1 point of exhaustion, half as much on a success and no exhaustion.
The room will be consumed by the fire in one minute.
Y'alara's body vaporizes from the blast of heat and fire.
(lol wow that was a terrible dice roll :D )
"Can we leave now?" The noble drow growls as he tries to put out the fire on his exquisitie green cloak, giving the cabbage farmer a glare.
Con save: 16
Con save: 15
"Ow ow ow!!" the gnome exclaims as he hastily pats out the burning parts of his beard!
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
[[ OOC: As posted, Khessa first focuses on the Grimoire, so her checks about that happen first. Only after having examined the Grimoire she sends the Butler to get one of the other books. ]]
Arcana: 6
Sleight of Hand: 3
Constitution Saving throw, DC 16: 18
[[ OOC: From the checks, I'm guessing that Khessa fails miserably at altering the Grimoire - either because she doesn't understand how to do it, or because the 'tweaks' went terribly wrong. So... ]]
Frustrated by her inability to subtly sabotage the Grimoire, Khessa then physically ruins the pages not related to the Demon Lords' ritual, tearing some, spilling ink on others, or scorching others, as if the Grimoire had been involved in some 'magical accident' (which is not impossible, given that Gromph had to quickly escape from a band of Demon Lords).
After that, the blonde arcane warrior sends the Butler to retrieve a tome that seems interesting to her, hoping that a mere 'force' like the Butler won't trigger any traps... but she is terribly wrong! A sudden explosion of fire hits the laboratory, incinerating the demoness and setting most of the things on fire.
The tall adventuress, as much as she considers it incredibly stupid for an archmage to trap his study with a trap that threatens the invaders - but also destroys the precious arcane content - does not let herself be surprised and grits her teeth... And she remains atonished! The flames barely make her jump, for a slight burn. Apparently, the trap has done much more damage to the materials of the study than to the invaders - even if, absurdly, it has incinerated a creature of the power of a demoness.
'Maybe she was severely weakened?' Giving up on figuring out the mysteries of Gromph's spells (whose mind is probably severely compromised anyway, considering he met all the Demon Lords at once) Khessa worries about the other party members: "Everything okay? Did it feel more like a wave of hot water than a blaze of fire to you too? Anyway, sorry about that and... yes," she sighs, in response to Traydark "we have the Grimoire, we couldn't take anything else... Let's just get out of there".
(CON Save: 9)
Katryl mutters under her breath. "Greedy humans, and... ughhh!" She is not as susceptible to the flames as most, but still is singed a bit. To the others she calls out, "Guess we have to get out now! Would have been nice to actually figure where we were going first!" Her eyes are glowing a bright orange, nearly matching the color of the flames.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
((Please tell me if this isn't applicable, but Lulu is currently concentrating on Detect Magic and has the Warcaster feat which grants adv on CON saves to maintain concentration... that would apply here, right? Gonna roll as if it does, but if it doesn't, I'll take the first roll!))
CON save: 19/18 +2 21
Lulu sighs again as her warning goes unheeded and braces herself for the explosion. After the room is engulfed, she pats the smoldering parts of her vestments and quickly herds everyone towards the exit void lest they be consumed by the fire.
"Hopefully this way leads back to where we came from." The noble drow says in response to the fire genasi as he follows the firbolg. "There is still the matter of where to place the dark heart."
"So we're going into that portal? OK...here we go!" Horkas says and then leaps into the swirling darkness to escape the building inferno.
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?