Chen hovers through the next door, into a well lit and well maintained hallway that stretches for 20 feet and reaches another door.  He diffuses through the next door and finds another octagonal room beyond. This room is also well maintained and seemingly structurally sound with the same mix of elven and ancient Netheril style. This room is full of tiny automatons that have been carefully placed upon the many shelves on the exterior walls. While many appear to be toys for children, a few sport amazing detail work. Another door leads out from the far side of this room.  9. Like the other, it is well lit. Numerous books are stacked neatly on several books shelves...and a single pulled thread also hangs in the middle of this room, glowing green...the color of conjuration.   Chen also notices a heavy iron bolt sunk into the floor. A single chain seems firmly attached to it, but fades away into nothingness only a foot from the bolt. 

Chen feels this is what he was sent in to find, and knowing many in his party will know what to make of his discoveries, and feeling as though he couldn't possibly remember any more details than those he has already seen, he decides to make his way back to the group. But when he gets to the T-junction, he decides to quickly explore beyond the door at the other branch...

This door leads to yet another octagonal room.  The only exit is another door on the left side of the room.  4

This room is full of dancing images of people and places from all across the world. It's impossible to say if these events are happening, or already happened far in the past, but it is a magnificent sight indeed!  A single pulled thread keyed to divination magic is in the center of the room, and a number of books have been carefully placed on shelves.

He floats back to the group through the cracks.  

It's been about fifteen minutes outside while Chen explored.  Fi'Finnella went looking after the crow. The creature showed no sign of noticing the imp, but simply stayed about 400 feet back, crouched in the underbranches of a tree, staring intently at the group.

Toc ends his spell and Chen becomes solid once more so that he's able to relay all that he's found.  

Jezun is meditating, aware that Chen has returned, ready to learn what is inside and what it might mean. He will mainly listen to Toc's reaction to it all. But his main focus is hopefully recharging his inner Ki for the next challenge.

     Well Fianna is attempting to get a short rest in while we hang out on the side of the mountain and wait for Chen to Vapor-Peep through it... So Fi'Finella will basically just spy on the spy, trying to take up a position 20-30 feet behind the bird...

For those of you wishing to get a short rest in, you're disappointed when Chen arrives back 15 minutes later.  But, seeming how everyone wants to rest for a bit, you hang around for another 45 minutes or so, settling down for a bit of a rest...and wait.  Eventually you get your rest in and are feeling ready to proceed.  Toc looks to everyone, then bangs his staff on the rocky rubble just outside the blocked section.  A smooth passage seems to cut straight through rock to the opening beyond.  Toc makes an "after you" motion to the group as you move within. The elven and Netheril mix of architecture on the cracked and crumbling walls look intentionally joined together....Toc examines them with interest at the party proceeds.

(Which way, to the left / chain, or the other way?)

 Mirica fully used the short break (7 + 4 + 5 HD) and now curiously followed group's usual scouts. She did not understand much in architect but the notion of the two being mixed raised an obvious suspicion - unlikely it was done for pure aesthetics, someone was using magic of both cultures. As if one was not deadly enough.

"To the chain? To break it in case it can bind more demons?" Mirica suspected the learned part of the group would rather check the books, but book never rarely attack and she would prefer to kill the obvious threat first.

How many of these magic schools are there again? Chen asks the spellcasters. Maybe there is a room for each one.

Chen is happy to go first, if everyone consents, just in case we need a damage soak.

Toc mutters, "8 of them. The octagonal shape of the rooms are common in the minds of strict wizards."  

The group returns down, and, rather than seeping under the door, Chen opens it. It is unlocked and opens easily.  6

The group is presented with the first room Chen encountered....an octagonal room with a door on the right side. Books, calculations on the walls, transparent shields on the walls, and a torn thread of abjuration floating in the middle.  Unlike other torn threads that have seemingly influenced those who get too close to try and seal them with magic, these ones seem...somehow stable. 

Chen leads you through a door, down a short hallway, and another door into the next room. 3

This next room is well maintained and seemingly structurally sound with the same mix of elven and ancient Netheril style. This room is full of tiny automatons that have been carefully placed upon the many shelves on the exterior walls. While many appear to be toys for children, a few sport amazing detail work. Another door leads out from the far side of this room.  Like the other, it is well lit. Numerous books are stacked neatly on several books shelves...and a single pulled thread also hangs in the middle of this room, glowing green...the color of conjuration.   You also notice a heavy iron bolt sunk into the floor. A single chain seems firmly attached to it, but fades away into nothingness only a foot from the bolt. 

Toc walks up to it carefully and begins examining it.  A few minutes later he stands up.  "I'm not exactly sure, but, I'd guess those demons were summoned here, and this chain and bolt system somehow binds them. That would mean whoever lives here sent them to attack us....and also knew where we were....and cared for some reason."

The door opens and a figure walks in. You all see what looks like....an old elf.  Very old. It's rare to see an elf look even sort of aged, but....this one looks like a veritable old man. His skin is so thin and wrinkled that it practically looks translucent, and his muscles beneath look atrophed. You would guess that he is undead. He does NOT look up, or seem to notice you. He simply walks over to a book shelf, picks up a book very carefully, and begins flipping through it. 

Toc looks at the group, confusiong on his face, and says in a half-whisper voice, "He is a Baelnorn....an elf that has undergone a modified process to become a Lich of sorts...but...tied to the Mythal, and good in nature. Here to protect Myth Drannor and it's Mythal. Though....I'm unsure why he isn't reacting to our presence."  

Chen initially comes alert and grips his weapon as the figure enters, but relaxes a little as he realises it doesn't appear to see them. If Jezun's greeting ilicits no response, Chen will reach out a hand and see if he can touch the baelnorn.

Jezun steps forward and says in a calm friendly voice, not a whisper: "Hello, sir? Did you mean to attack us with those demons on a string? I hope not, I've never met someone with such neat toys. And I really hope you're not friends with that mean green dragon. Maybe you could tell us about them. Also, do you mind if I take a look at one of these figurines? They're very nice."

He seems to notice suddenly and looks up at Jezun, then glancing around at the party.  "Oh...hello there. Demons, on a string? Heavens no. A mean dragon? Of course not. Dragons are forbidden from entering the Mythal and I can not leave it. The figures? Please, be careful, they are fragile but certainly you may take a look."

((Fianna used 9 hit dice to recover to full...))

     Once the rest was over, before anything else, Fianna instructs Fi’Finella to attack.  The imp familiar, having stayed invisible and within 20-30 feet of the crow that has been watching the party, flies up from behind and strikes out!

     Fi’Finella flies straight for the spying bird from behind, angling to fly just over it’s head so she can lash out with her stinger tail at the feathered observer.

Attack: 18 Damage: 7

if hits, target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

     After making the flyover attack, Fi’Finella will stop and turn, ready to continue the fight or possibly follow if the bird flees...

     Fianna continues on as regular, though tries to go slow enough to not fully enter the cave and rooms until the familiar is complete...

"Benevolent, huh?" Demon summoning of any sort was far off on the scale of benevolence for her, but so was the necromancy in general. She listen to the answer and came to the view of that elf as well to ask her questions: "That chain - you can see it, right? On the other side of it is a demon. Did you conjure it? If so, then what for?"  

     In the more here and now, Fianna pulls up her Eldritch Sight ( Detect Magic ) as they enter the cave and traverse though.  She’s watching out for magical traps or threads or whatever the sight allows.   When the Baelnorn enters she most definitely checks him out, but also scans the books, the toys... but the bolt and chain get the most scrutiny.

     As she is preoccupied looking around at everything she stars to the edges of the room, not engaging the Good Lich?

Fi'Finnella's attack is swift, silent, and effective. The dead crow drops from the branch...but dissolves into nothing before reaching the ground....all signs of its existence gone. 

The Baelnorn looks at Mirica for the first time, "Oh, welcome, my name is Quaryl Tellasarim. The chain, hmmm, let me see..."  he glances to the chain.  "Oh, someone has summoned something and chained it here....likely with a servitude pact. Very interesting, and quite well done I must say, very precise, and the binding to a physical restraint is really quite nice. Really something I myself might do.  But I can not see what is on the other end, without traveling after it...but, I have company so should not. Welcome to my domain." 

Fianna looks around. Everything here seems magical.  The pulled thread wavers with magic, the walls, floor and ceiling are all magical, and many of the devices seem to be enchanted. The books are magical. Quaryl himself has numerous magical aura's over his body, from abjuration to divination.

     ((All much as expected, still needed to be done...))

     Once Fi’Finella has completed her attack on the spy and advises Fianna of such, Fianna dismisses her from existence, then recalls her back next to her.  Fi’Finella immediately returns to invisibility and crawls inside Fianna’s backpack...

      All caught up now:  “So you say you do not know who did the summoning or binding?” Fianna asks, distractedly, while looking at the shelves and such.  
     “Wasn’t you, of course.  Was it?” Fianna asks but quickly gives a dismissive laugh.  “But do share, long timer, who was your last guest?”

     While asking, Fianna will turn to look at her host.  If they are looking at her as well she’ll incline her head and gesture at the books and knickknacks, silently asking permission to peruse...

"Mirica Gale," introduced herself priestess remembering some manners but could not help not to mention to Toc: "Your Baelnorns can be benevolent, but from what I see, I would not trust them with a broom to sweep dust." She patiently smiled to Quaryl. "There is no need to get out - on the other side of the chain is a demon. And there were four of them out there. Should you be the one with this refine summon, may I ask what would be the purpose for you to call demons here?"

Jezun walks over and picks up a figurine and looks at it, idly listening to the back and forth, and wondering if the old elf ghost is going to talk about whether he knows the dragon.

Quaryl looks to the group noticing each of them....a furrow on his face, "No...no, I do not believe I summoned them. Why would I?" He turns to Fianna, "Hello there. My name is Quaryl. What is your name?  Yes, you may touch, but please be gentle, they are delicate. My last guest? Well...I've had not had any since the destruction of the two cities. I found myself trapped here, the magic has prevented me to leave. Though I sometimes receive message through the Codex. It is a magic book...I found it in the ruins of my passages some time ago. Someone who calls himself "The Warlock" sometimes send me helpful information through it."  He smiles in a kindly fashion to the group.