Hildigrim looks up at Jorin. "I hadn't thought of that. You think it's more than just putting the books back on the shelf in the correct order?"

Quillary will pick up one of the books, Sight of Poem and Prophecy, and will slip it into the first position. "Falling stars are a sign of prophecy, whispering what will happen, has happened, or may happen, like falling embers as fire destroys and brings rebirth," she says quietly.

She pauses to see if anything does, in fact, happen. ;)

Quote from Mingofaust >>

Quillary will pick up one of the books, Sight of Poem and Prophecy, and will slip it into the first position. "Falling stars are a sign of prophecy, whispering what will happen, has happened, or may happen, like falling embers as fire destroys and brings rebirth," she says quietly.

She pauses to see if anything does, in fact, happen. ;)

Nothing happens. But there are 3 more empty slots, waiting to be filled.

Taking Quillary's action as a cue to proceed, Hildigrim puts the next three in so that the order is Sight of Poem and Prophecy, Arcane Glimpses to Simplify Everyday Woes with Frost and More, A Touch of Bone, and Heartbeats and Other Grand Illusions.

Once all the slots are filled, you can see the books move down a fraction of an inch, then start vibrating. There is the muffled sound of gears grinds for two seconds... then nothing.

Hildigrim stares at the shelf for a moment. This seemed like the right answer, and the others agreed. He kicks the bookshelf in frustration.

The gear noises pick up again. After another two seconds, the bookcase groans under an invisible weight before collapsing in on itself and vanishing. A stairwell stands before you. A crisp breeze and the sound of clinking chains both echo upwards.

(OOC: Any special actions before heading downstairs, or just the usual battle precautions?)

Hildigrim throws a fist into the air and whoops. He then looks down the stairwell.

Perception: 19

How dark is it? Are we going to need light for those of us without darkvision?

The moth-eaten half-elf woman smiles at Hildi. "It was well done, Hildigrim. Now, we should be more quiet. I will go ahead." Quillary will tap the cat skull and cast Shillelagh so that her Bonus Action is free if she needs it, then will proceed down the stairs as quietly as she can, listening and looking.

Stealth: 18
Perception: 9
Fun d20 for kicks: 14

The stairwell uncovers an old cellar, which reeks pungently of wet paper, burning fat, and mold. There are candles balanced upon piles of books and tabletops, illuminating the room in an eerie crimson hue.

(All your stealthiness is for naught, as Seren is too impatient to wait, and pushes into the room.) She staggers back a step at the sight of her son, “Andras!” she exclaims, “What in the hells have you done to yourself?”

Andras doesn’t seem to notice your entry immediately. He stands bent over a table, his hands grasping the wooden surface on either side of the tome he is reading. A blue light pulses through his veins as he curses under his breath.

The floor is wet with the occasional pool of groundwater that has seeped through the stonework. The area is clustered with tomes and stacks of parchment, making it cumbersome to maneuver without toppling a candle. (OOC: The candles can be a hazard, unless you are cautious.)

The candles do provide dim light for the entire area. The hue of the lighting is ominous, and the scent of the smoke is unpleasant.

There are two skulks chained in the corner of the room, illuminated by the unusual candlelight. (You can see them, without the use of mirrors.) One tugs at its chains in greeting, as it immediately tries to lunge at your group. (Neither of them can reach you, unless you deliberately decide to get closer.)

Hildigrim is having a hard time ignoring the stacks of books!

Quote from Quasimodal >>

Once all the slots are filled, you can see the books move down a fraction of an inch, then start vibrating. There is the muffled sound of gears grinds for two seconds... then nothing.

Hildigrim stares at the shelf for a moment. This seemed like the right answer, and the others agreed. He kicks the bookshelf in frustration.

The gear noises pick up again. After another two seconds, the bookcase groans under an invisible weight before collapsing in on itself and vanishing. A stairwell stands before you. A crisp breeze and the sound of clinking chains both echo upwards.

(OOC: Any special actions before heading downstairs, or just the usual battle precautions?)

 Wait did I actually guess the order??? Oh wait, just read it again, we got lucky haha.

Pascal claps the halfling on the back, “Well, I suppose we ought to have considered that as a possibility before, no? Sometimes you just gotta break the puzzle, eh, bon ami?”

As Seren staggers back, Quillary will push ahead of her, closing the distance to Andras and protecting the woman, holding her club and shield at the Ready, spores circling in a gray nimbus.

OOC > Move to within melee range of Andras and Ready an attack with her club if Andras makes a hostile move (incl. spell casting jibber-jabber).

When the bookcase crumbles, Jorin lets out a canon-blast laugh, "All we had to do was kick it!  I will keep this in mind for next time." He claps Hildi on the shoulder, "The strength of your leg is indeed impressive, my friend."

[Upon arriving in the cellar]

Jorin has both axes up and ready at the sight of the chained Skulks.  A low growl rumbles from behind beared teeth, "Answer your mother, Andras."

Quote from JcAndD >>

 Wait did I actually guess the order??? Oh wait, just read it again, we got lucky haha.

(OOC: It was the eight schools of Wizardry, like your party discussed. I threw in the "false fail", because I am Neutral Evil, heh heh heh.

When I ran this almost a year ago at a con, one of the groups also thought it might be the location that the books were found. As Jorin pointed out, it works for 3 out of the 4 books. That is why I gave the hint that the riddle also mentioned the eight schools, so you weren't spinning your wheels.)

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

Hildigrim is having a hard time ignoring the stacks of books!

He is also worried about the candles burning on top of the books. If Drusk or Jorin goes charging in and knocks the candles over, a whole lot of books are going to burn.

Quote from Mingofaust >>

As Seren staggers back, Quillary will push ahead of her, closing the distance to Andras and protecting the woman, holding her club and shield at the Ready, spores circling in a gray nimbus.

OOC > Move to within melee range of Andras and Ready an attack with her club if Andras makes a hostile move (incl. spell casting jibber-jabber).

(OOC: You will have to tread a fine line. With your passive Insight, you'd be aware that Seren knows in her head that there is real trouble going on, but in her heart she doesn't want you to hurt her boy.)

Quote from Guiltysparc >>

Jorin has both axes up and ready at the sight of the chained Skulks.  A low growl rumbles from behind beared teeth, "Answer your mother, Andras."

Andras is only somewhat aware that strangers are here. The eyes look in your direction, but don't focus on you. Andras starts to babble about the grip of the black blood, ripping and festering in their fey heritage. "It is as they said," he claims, "it is deeper within. The Howling Disease."

At Jorin's words, Andras eyes wander past Quillary, to recognize Seren behind her. "I'm sorry you had to see this. But my path has been forged. I must see this to the end. You surely see their tremendous pain, their unrelenting pain. You will understand, when it is over."

Pascal will subtle spell Hold Person on Andras, DC 12.

Hildigrim finally pulls his eyes away form the stacks when Andras speaks. He carefully moves around to stand on the other side of the table from Andras (or beside it if the table is up against something). "Sir Andras," the halfling says carefully, "my name is Hildigrim Goodbody. My friends and I were sent here to investigate the whereabouts of a missing barge and lucked into aiding your mother. She accompanied us here, as she was worried after you, and we've been disturbed by our discovery of the events which seem to have rendered this place a ghost town of sorts. You speak as if you have a task you feel needs to be completed. May I ask what this task is?"

Insight: 8

Before Andras can reply to Hildigrim, he noticeably stiffens. Some magic (like a subtle Hold Person) is affecting him. Before he is paralyzed, he manages to blurt out, "Can't... interrupt... the... ritual..."

Whatever ritual he was in the middle of, now runs uncontrolled. The skulks in the corner become frantic, lunging again and again, straining against their chains. Andras is held still, but a scream rips through him. The pulsing blue fire pours out of his eyes and mouth as it tears him apart internally. His screams start to overlap with each other, a harmony of horror as his flesh burns away.  When the horrific sound fades, all that remains is a spectral image of Andras. It looks towards you with malice.

(OOC: And this thing is longer bound by Hold Person...  That escalated quicker than expected. I will post a map shortly. Combat is starting.)

Everyone can post their round 1 action. Remember to include your Initiative roll, and include two generic d20 rolls for each round, in case I need them. (If you forget, then I will roll them.)

The party members are in orange. Seren is blue. The skulks in the SW corner (still bound by chains) are in green, while the Andras wraith-like creature is also in green. The grey squares are support columns. Yellow circles are the candles. (If you move in those squares, let me know if you are taking any precautions, or moving normally.)

OoC - that escalated quickly lol

Pascal takes a step back, “Well, friends, ‘fraid that was the last o’ juice I had for those kinda spells. Won’t lie, didn’t see him burning into a ghost comin’!”

Pascal is going to target the three candles immediately next to Quillary with Control Flames, causing them to double in brightness!

Initiative: 5

d20s: 15, 10