"Whoa. Maybe a little more finesse before having Oak smash it to pieces," Aimon chimes in.

"Pass it here."

(Thieves' Tools: 9 or clearly not - bash away)

Caelynn jumps as Aimon suddenly emerges from the shadows, but passes him the book anyways.

Trill pats Eldeth and gives the others a worried shake of the head.

Oak accepts the book from Aimon and Caelynn. He turns it over in his hands, and runs his finger over the symbol on the cover trying to work out what it might signify.

”gGrrumph!” snorts Oak. “I’ll give it a try... but that fight took a lot out of me......”.

He grasps each side of the clasp in his hands and his arm muscles flex and strain.... Then he snorts again and redoubles his efforts, “nNnnnghh!...”:

Strength check (disadvantage from exhaustion #1): 8 

“pPaaahhh.....” he lets out his held-breath, and relaxes again, passing the book back to Caelynn. “I’m sorry... I’ll try again later” he says collapsing back again, beside Eldeth.

Then he remembers something and asks, ”Does anyone know what this could be?”. He holds up the little green vial  he found...

"That's alright. We can try again when we're all a bit more rested." Caelynn places the book in her bag once more. "I can take a look at it, if you'd like." She takes the tiny vial and holds it up to eye level, gently swishing the liquid.

(What sort of check would you like me to make to identify it?)

Make an Arcana check.

Seeing the commotion caused over the book, Jimjar walks over to Caelynn and says, "I bet I can open it." If you hand it to him, he sits crosslegged near you and pulls out his tools for opening locks. 

Thieve's Tool check: 25

With his tools, he makes quick work of the clasp. He hands it back to you with a smug smile on his face and says, "Here you are, m'lady."

The pages within the book are covered in spidery handwriting in an archaic form of Elvish. If you wish to read it, make an Intelligence check.

Caelynn smiles brightly. "Thank you, Jimjar! I didn't know you knew how to pick locks." She scans the pages briefly, furrowing her brow at the ancient script.

Arcana: 5

Intelligence: 21

You aren't quite sure what the vial contains, but you get the feeling it has magical properties.

Thumbing through the pages, with some difficulty, you ascertain that this use to be a dairy/notebook for someone named Ayarna Nenaiy'Eayl. It speaks of her duty as an advisor to the throne. It talks on how creatures from the Darklake were testing the borders of the city of Nethenday. Nethenday, in Elvish, means Star in the Earth. You assume that this is what the ruined city you are currently in used to be called. It says that after lengthy battle with the creatures of the lake, a mysterious figure appeared and assisted them in driving the creatures back to the lake. The newcomer was powerful in arcane magic. After the right was over, she revealed herself to be a half-elf women who called herself Brysis of Kaem. She was invited to meet the queen and king as an honorary guest. Afterwards, she decided that she would love in the city. Over the years, she gained political power and the love of the people. Soon, she too became an advisor to the queen and king. The author of the book shares their doubts on Brysis's intentions. The author believes that she has a secret agenda. Brysis eventually became the queen of Nethenday after the first queen died of a crippling disease. The king took Brysis to marry. Soon afterwards, the king was killed in an assassination by enemies. The author is skeptical. Through her charisma, she rallied up the citizens into an angry fervor. She convinced the people that if they participated in an arcane ritual of her design, they would create an artifact that would slay the assassins. She called the artifact the Tear of Sorrows. The author says that the ritual is suppose to take place that night. That is the last entry.

“What if someone tastes what’s in the vial? Just a drop?” Aimon asks. “My father always seemed to be able to figure out which potion was what from the smallest taste.”

Then he shrugs.

”Never tried it myself though.”

"Be my guest." Caelynn passes the vial to Aimon. Once she finishes reading the diary, she summarizes its contents to the group.

Fingers crossed that it's not poison, Aimon takes a tiny taste of the liquid, hoping that will reveal what it is.

The sip that you has a flavor that reminds stomach acid. Grimacing at the taste, you get a feeling that this vial will make you resistant to acid for 1 hour after drinking.

"Whew," Aimon says. "Well it won't kill us and if we run into anything flinging acid around it may help, but it's not going to help Eldeth."

"What do you make of the story?" he asks the others. "I'm not sure what that really says about the stone Trill carries. But the last entry being before this ritual and now we are in the middle of a dead city with everyone that lived here are now little piles of dust. We'll, sorry Trill, but it's making kind of glad you're the one carrying that thing."

Kneeling near Eldeth.

"We could make you comfortable here and just nip down and retrieve the sword and be back before you know it."

He looks around the bleak destruction that is the room.

"Well, as comfortable as possible. Unless you'd prefer to come with us."

"No, I should come with," Eldeth says stubbornly. She stands up to prove she is able to go, but she almost blacks out and has to put a hand against the wall to steady herself. With sweat running down her defiant features, she says, "I would rather die in combat than cowaring in a corner." She looks to everyone, "If I die, take my hammer to my family in Guantlgrym."

Not sure how to respond to that, Aimon thinks to himself. Hiding in a corner rather than being struck down in combat doesn't sound so bad to him. But he can see she is determined. He turns to the others.

"Do any of you know anything about those wraith things we fought?" he asks. "Is it possible that if we destroy their leader that the affects on Eldeth could be reversed? That always happened in the stories my mother would tell me growing up."

Oak stands, approaches Eldeth, and kneels before her. “Mmm... If you’re determined you come, can you use this?...”. He unslings his shortbow and quiver and holds it out to the dwarf. “You could try and stay out of harms way? Just fire when you can. I will keep whatever’s in there off you...”.  

She lives looks at the now and arrows with a slightly skeptical look, but accepts them. "These are not dwarven weapons, but have they will do." She looks at the awning darkness of the tunnel and says determined, "Let's give them hell."

“Haaaargh! That’s the spirit!!.... and if you fall I will make sure your hammer makes it home!...” Oak grins at Eldeth “We’re ready!”, he announces to the room...

In his head, Aimon lets the voice know that they’re coming.

”I can try and stick to the shadows and go a little ways ahead to see what’s down there,” he says to the others.

(Stealth: 26 )

Oak nods at Aimon and follows slowly and carefully about 30ft afterwards, beckoning the others to stick with him for now...