Meredith moves to examine the books on the tables.
Investigation- 15
The books on the tables cover a variety of topics: the natural sciences, astronomy, astrology, physiology, and natural philosophy. But with her investigation roll of 15, Bell finds something else. Under one of the heavier tomes, the bard finds another book, this one closed. On its cover, exactly the same image as on the cover of The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces: the imposing, embossed bust of Mordenkainen.
Opening the book, Meredith find its pages are all blank. Turning the inch-wide volume over in her hands, she finds a clue that demands her attention. A single large letter is imprinted on its spine. Vertical when the spine is held to point up and down, it is positioned exactly in the spine's center and embossed in gold leaf: the letter T.
Erudisia gasps in delight and rushes in to the room to examine the beautiful star map.
The star map is rendered in fine detail, some stars a mere dot of yellow or orange paint, others, large silver circles the size of a large coin. Do the stars represent the true constellations, or are they simply an artistic interpretation of a starry night? How would Erudisia determine this? (Choose: roll Nature, Survival, or History)
While the others are searching the room and investigating books, Erudisiaremains entranced by the fine star map. Memories, long forgotten, come back to her; her father teaching her of the constellations of Moonshae and the ffolk. Of the mighty bear and its fool-hardy cub, chasing each other across the sky as one sought to save the other from constant folly, as was the way of parents. Some parents.
She remembers the tome of astrologicka she was given, the stars each drawn with faces and heraldry, and how she poured through it night after night, cover to cover, reading the same stories again and again, feeling the ink on the page.
She tries now to marry up those long-distant memories with the map in front of her. (History: 13)
Erudisia notes that the star map, although somewhat illustrative rather than exact, is rendered in fine detail. Erudisia recognizes among the points and circles so illustrated the constellations visible in the night sky from the Moonshae Isles, which of course would be the same constellations visible from the Sword Coast.
What she finds curious is that there are exactly five stars which are rendered much larger than the others, and these particular stars are not part of the same constellation. In fact, there is nothing she is aware of — and her memory is serving her well at this moment — which would suggest that the five should be made larger at all.
Erudisia taps her fingers against her chin, tapping, tapping tapping…
”Well there’s nothing, here,” she says to the others. “Nothing but a beautiful and ordinary star map.”
She turns to head back to the group. Before suddenly spinning on her heel. “Except!” She holds one finger up towards the map. “Except a puzzle of fiendish subtlety! I suspect Fistandia has hidden more behind this door and the stars shall guide our way. Though I don’t know how.”
Meredith shook her head sadly but she did recall another trick her employer had taught her and frowned in concentration as she muttered to herself to cast it.
Bell looks at Erudisia confused. "You do understand - once I invoke Light on something, it only stays until I dismiss it or cast Light again. I do not have the means to 'light up' all five stars at once. If you have a preferred sequence or just 'do it randomly', I can light each - one at a time."
" I think just 'Light' something and touch that to each one? Or did I misunderstand? I do that.......", Merediths voice drifted off unsurely at the end.
Bell looks at Erudisia confused. "You do understand - once I invoke Light on something, it only stays until I dismiss it or cast Light again. I do not have the means to 'light up' all five stars at once. If you have a preferred sequence or just 'do it randomly', I can light each - one at a time."
We'll say Erudisia and Bell try some experiments with the light. To no avail. However, following this exercise, you remember the locations of the five big stars on the star map fairly well.
The door opens, and Meredith steps through, onto a grassy knoll on a moonless night. Springy turf compresses underfoot, and there is a fragrant smell of cut grass and pine blowing from the edge of the meadow. Above, the open sky. Sharp and clear, the stars shine down with an almost fierce light. If Meredith turns to look behind her, nothing has changed. Erudisia, Bell, and Rogi are there, framed by the severe rectangle of the doorway, lit by warm lamp light. But the door seems almost like an illusion from the perspective of Meredith’s position under the open sky. For she does not see an exterior to the mansion. It’s like she has stepped out of the mansion and into another dimension of night and stars. Yet the grassy knoll is not unmarked by thinking persons. Five telescopes, pointing toward the constellations above, stand at the knoll’s perimeter, each one mounted on a small bronze platform. In the center of the knoll, a one-foot-diameter sphere of clear crystal sits in a circular brass stand.
Erudisiasteps through and smells the sweet fragrances of the dew, feels this illusionary wind against her skin and allows herself on a brief moment to indulge in it.
"We have such little time. Let us aim the five telescopes towards the constellations which received particular attention on the star map outside. Perhaps Fistandia has left a message in the stars for us." Erudisiathen proceeds to one telescope to find the first of the five constellations.
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The books on the tables cover a variety of topics: the natural sciences, astronomy, astrology, physiology, and natural philosophy. But with her investigation roll of 15, Bell finds something else. Under one of the heavier tomes, the bard finds another book, this one closed. On its cover, exactly the same image as on the cover of The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces: the imposing, embossed bust of Mordenkainen.
Opening the book, Meredith find its pages are all blank. Turning the inch-wide volume over in her hands, she finds a clue that demands her attention. A single large letter is imprinted on its spine. Vertical when the spine is held to point up and down, it is positioned exactly in the spine's center and embossed in gold leaf: the letter T.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Meredith held up the book to show the others, " Got a T."
Bell looks around the laboratory slowly. "Any other books with single letters on the spine?"
{game log} Perception Check: 12 +1 = 13
There are no other books in this room with a single letter on their spine, Bell finds, after spending a few minutes checking the tables and shelves.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
While the others are searching the room and investigating books, Erudisia remains entranced by the fine star map. Memories, long forgotten, come back to her; her father teaching her of the constellations of Moonshae and the ffolk. Of the mighty bear and its fool-hardy cub, chasing each other across the sky as one sought to save the other from constant folly, as was the way of parents. Some parents.
She remembers the tome of astrologicka she was given, the stars each drawn with faces and heraldry, and how she poured through it night after night, cover to cover, reading the same stories again and again, feeling the ink on the page.
She tries now to marry up those long-distant memories with the map in front of her. (History: 13)
Erudisia notes that the star map, although somewhat illustrative rather than exact, is rendered in fine detail. Erudisia recognizes among the points and circles so illustrated the constellations visible in the night sky from the Moonshae Isles, which of course would be the same constellations visible from the Sword Coast.
What she finds curious is that there are exactly five stars which are rendered much larger than the others, and these particular stars are not part of the same constellation. In fact, there is nothing she is aware of — and her memory is serving her well at this moment — which would suggest that the five should be made larger at all.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Reminder:
The far wall is almost completely covered by a map of the night sky, with a golden sunburst in the center above a closed door.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Erudisia taps her fingers against her chin, tapping, tapping tapping…
”Well there’s nothing, here,” she says to the others. “Nothing but a beautiful and ordinary star map.”
She turns to head back to the group. Before suddenly spinning on her heel. “Except!” She holds one finger up towards the map. “Except a puzzle of fiendish subtlety! I suspect Fistandia has hidden more behind this door and the stars shall guide our way. Though I don’t know how.”
”Can any of our band make magical light?”
Bell raises her hand slowly. "I practiced the Light cantrip."
Meredith shook her head sadly but she did recall another trick her employer had taught her and frowned in concentration as she muttered to herself to cast it.
( Comprehend Languages- 1 hour)
Erudisia nods to Bell. "Can you touch your Light spell to these five stars here, here, here, here and here? There's something of the wyrd about them."
Bell looks at Erudisia confused. "You do understand - once I invoke Light on something, it only stays until I dismiss it or cast Light again. I do not have the means to 'light up' all five stars at once. If you have a preferred sequence or just 'do it randomly', I can light each - one at a time."
" I think just 'Light' something and touch that to each one? Or did I misunderstand? I do that.......", Merediths voice drifted off unsurely at the end.
To be clear, no one has tried to open the door yet. Could be locked, could be unlocked. Right now it remains closed.
We'll say Erudisia and Bell try some experiments with the light. To no avail. However, following this exercise, you remember the locations of the five big stars on the star map fairly well.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Meredith tried the door...
The door opens, and Meredith steps through, onto a grassy knoll on a moonless night. Springy turf compresses underfoot, and there is a fragrant smell of cut grass and pine blowing from the edge of the meadow. Above, the open sky. Sharp and clear, the stars shine down with an almost fierce light. If Meredith turns to look behind her, nothing has changed. Erudisia, Bell, and Rogi are there, framed by the severe rectangle of the doorway, lit by warm lamp light. But the door seems almost like an illusion from the perspective of Meredith’s position under the open sky. For she does not see an exterior to the mansion. It’s like she has stepped out of the mansion and into another dimension of night and stars. Yet the grassy knoll is not unmarked by thinking persons. Five telescopes, pointing toward the constellations above, stand at the knoll’s perimeter, each one mounted on a small bronze platform. In the center of the knoll, a one-foot-diameter sphere of clear crystal sits in a circular brass stand.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
(Can we see through the door clearly, or is it more like the original door to the mansion from Erudusia, Rogi and Bell’s side?)
(You can see clearly from the laboratory to the grassy knoll.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
" This is lovely.", commented Meredith to herself...and headed towards the telescopes.
Erudisia steps through and smells the sweet fragrances of the dew, feels this illusionary wind against her skin and allows herself on a brief moment to indulge in it.
"We have such little time. Let us aim the five telescopes towards the constellations which received particular attention on the star map outside. Perhaps Fistandia has left a message in the stars for us." Erudisia then proceeds to one telescope to find the first of the five constellations.