Day 17 of Harvester
Feno and Eldriel both awoke to the delicious smell of breakfast coming from the kitchen of the Foaming Mug. After getting up and ready for the day, they both made their way down to the common area and enjoyed breakfast, and the company of their fellow companions, namely Gnorcia, Niki, Lhoss, and Kyro. Eldriel went back upstairs to his normal daytime routine, while Feno and the rest decided to get an early start on their day to try to claim the silver they had hidden in the barrowmaze the last time they were there. They head towards the dim forest in the now familiar path towards the barrowmaze.
As they enter the dim forest, the group has a collective sense of foreboding and gloom befall them. Each of them in their unique way, feel as though they are being watched. Feno, initially though, is too preoccupied with his own thoughts to pay any attention to these feelings or those of the group and wanders ahead. Lhoss, ever cautious, asks the group to stop, and they all agree, including Feno. While Lhoss climbs a tree to get a better view of her surroundings, Feno starts to break apart a dry ration into small chunks. The rest of the group take better strategic positions, and Feno begins to toss the ration pieces into forest in an attempt to flush out the creature/creatures that have spooked everyone else. Fortunately for the group the food has no effect on drawing anything out of the woods. They agree to keep moving and move at a much faster pace to try to get out of the dim forest, hoping that doing so will alleviate the feelings of gloom and fear. When they arrive at the barrowmarsh, however, the feelings are still there, and more intense than before. They move and arrive at the entrance of the barrowmaze, and enter.
Upon entering the barrowmaze, the group is surprised the over-powerering feeling sense of doom and gloom that had followed them since the dim forest had seemingly disappeared. They proceed to follow the winding paths and passages through the underground labyrinth towards their hidden riches. While heading towards that particular area, Niki spots a hidden worn brass urn along the wall that they hadn't seen before. Upon investigation, the urn is filled with a large number of teeth, of various types and lengths. Gnorcia and Lhoss are particularly disgusted by this, and the group continues towards the area the coins are located, leaving the urn alone. They soon arrive at the obelisk room and discover to their surprise that it has been completely restored (the group had previously destroyed it in a previous visit). They move towards the area that leads to the natural caverns to the east of this room.
In the area that leads to the caverns, the group discovers a boot print heading away from the caverns. After briefly looking at each other's feet, and comparing boot prints, they conclude that it came from someone not in the party. Kyro steps up, examines it, and determines that it is a human boot print in this particularly muddy area. The group makes their way through the cavern paths, and twists and turns, until they reach the room where they storied the silver and copper under their camo tarp. Instead of money they find a note that reads:
"Thanks for the goodies, Saviors of Orlane!"
The loss of the hidden coins, and the tarp, annoy the group, especially Lhoss. Wanting to get something out of this adventure, the decide to continue exploring and soon discover a nearby room that contains a 16 ft statue of a four-armed demon. With quick inspection, they see that upon each hand is a skull engraved with a corresponding symbol: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. They also feel the air becoming noticeably colder. Niki sweeps the area and discovers a hidden pit trap near a hallway nearby. This room has two doors: a door south that reeks of death and decomposition, which the party opted not to open, and the door north, which they opened. This door opened up to an ancient library filled with shelves of ancient tomes of knowledge of ages long lost. Having a flashback to when Titania was lost to a magical book, the group asks Niki to cast detect magic, to see if anything is magical inside this library. Fortunately, nothing is found to be magical. What they do find, after doing some searching, is:
1. The Barrowmaze Codex - A beautifully bound book with an ornate leather cover, embossed with the sigils of long-forgotten wizards. The pages are yellowed and filled with meticulously hand-written incantations, rituals, and maps of the Barrowmaze. It is said that this ancient codex contains the secrets of unlocking the maze's hidden chambers and lost treasures.
2. The Barrowmarsh Scrolls - A collection of delicate, rolled scrolls sealed with wax and bearing the official seal of the Gran March. These scrolls contain detailed historical records, describing ecological changes in the Barrowmarsh over centuries and the various attempts to reclaim the land. They are considered valuable for their historical insights and ecological data.
3. Grand Marsh Royal Edicts - Official proclamations issued by the Gran March's rulers, written on parchment in elegant calligraphy and sealed with the royal crest. These edicts detail land rights, taxation policies, and governance structures in the region, including the Barrowmarsh. They are valuable for understanding the regions political history and legal framework.
4. The Barrowmaze Alchemical Grimoire - A collection of loose, weathered papers covered in cryptic symbols, formulae, and diagrams. These hand-scribed notes contain the research and experiments of an alchemist who once sought to harness the unique properties of the Barrowmaze's flora for their elixirs and potions. The grimoire's secrets are still sought after by modern-day alchemists.
5. The Lost Journal of Barrowmaze Explorer - A worn and tattered journal filled with the scribbled notes and sketches of an early explorer of the Barrowmarsh. The journal details their encounters with mysterious creatures, local flora, and interactions with the indigenous people. It also contains a hand-drawn map of the region, offering unique insights into the uncharted territories of the Barrowmarsh.
6. A Unique Scroll of Mummification - The scroll outlines the process the people of the Barrowmarsh use to mummify remains.
After discussing the best methods to keep this ancient knowledge safe, they store them (using the bag of holding, a secure chest, and a few scroll tubes) and continue to explore the surrounding area. Niki and Gnorcia proceed to the room to the north and discover a room with three other doors. They try to open the doors, but the cold temperatures seemingly affect them, and they are unable to open the doors. Niki heads back to the the library and Lhoss joins Gnorcia in trying to open the doors open up. With their lock picking abilities, they are able to unlock the door to the north, which Lhoss cautiously opens up. Both Lhoss and Gnorcia are hit with an icy blast of cold air, and are just able to shut the door, but not before taking icy damage. They both return to the library shivering from the cold and requesting some healing from Niki. Gnorcia bear hugs Feno, since the cold is not bothering him, trying to steal some of his body heat. The group closes both doors to the library, and Niki heals both Lhoss and Gnorcia in turn. While doing so, Feno begins to search the library more extensively, and discovers a leather scroll tube among the books. Kyro and Lhoss join in, and discover a scroll tube made of wood, a tube made of bone, and another tube made of leather. Niki sits downs and rememorizes the spells she has spent so far on the adventure, fearing they may be needed sooner rather than later...
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