Heading down the stairs.

[ermanaric]

Ermanaric agrees with Subdolus.

[trp2fan]

Calhagn says, "Let's do it."

[Ska]

Tiberious will use his cloak to hide himself as he follows the group into the next room.

If things get out of hand, he will attempt to back attack the halfling and deliver a devastating (stunning) Martin Landrau karate chop to the back of the neck of the hobbit. (To stun, not kill)

[AxeMental]

The fighters move first into the room, a 70x70 foot room with wood panel ceiling and slate floor. Within the room are lines of book shelves filled with all sorts of scrolls and texts. Also against the walls are 3 small tables with drawers to each side with chairs and lamps. One is lit (with a low wick) on the north wall. In the extreme Southeast corner of the room is a hallway (out of site of you). Piles of books and scrolls lie about the chamber haphazardly thrown, some torn apart. Subjects (from a quick scan) focus on a broad range of things (herbology, sailing charts and accounts, magical texts etc.). Also a vast history of the region is here, some in common others in dwarf and elven. The Halfling is no were to be seen. Smythus casts a detect magic spell quickly and sees several books glowing magical on the ground as if carelessly tossed, as well as a scroll on one of the shelves. He also detects Ruinbottles magical weapons lieing on the ground under one of the nearby tables.




Just as your about to investigate further Ruinbottle pops in from invisibility, there are 4 of him total (obviously mirror image). He has a sick twisted expression and his eyes seem to almost glow with insanity and cruelty. Holding out his hand he begins to cast a spell. The group is not surprised. You win initiative. What do you do.

[Semaj The Silent]

Sog casts Hold Person on Ruinbottle.

[AxeMental]

BTW the initiative role was group 3, monster 2. So your spell Sog will go off after his.
Smythus casts a command "DIE!" but the spell has no effect on the possessed fellow. Caladin, holding back a bit outside the room (having taken major damage) moves himself in posiiton enough to cast magic missile (slow would likely capture some of the group your so close to the mirror images, so he opts for MM). 1 magic missile is sent into each of the 4 images, however they disappear inches from them (undoubtedly a shield spell, the Yellow Wizard thinks).

(OOC: the halfling is only 12 feet away, and I'm assuming the fighters are using their swords (as no one said they were taking out bows), if you planned on using your arrows let me know) -As the fighters rush forward (and hopefully subdue) the halfling, Zargon and Emeranic run smack into a 6x6 stairwell leading down to a second floor of the library. The narrow staircase was hidden by an illusion of floor (which wasn't detected by anyone) disapating once touched. Zargon saves (with a 16) and manages to keep his balance and jump to the side just in time (but recovery takes the rest of the round). Emeranic (rolling a 7) steps into the center of the illusion, and falls straight down the stairway smashing hard against steep granite steps, and then rolling down 6 feet before stopping himself taking 4 pts damage (and loosing the rest of this round and requiring half of next to get back up to do battle) BTW the stairway seems to go down another 50 feet, and dim light can be seen from that direction. Calhagan didn't move over the stairs (by chance). So, Cal can attack. Do you wish to use 1 or 2 weapons?

(OOC: SKA its not possible to use your cloak in this situation. Considering the mirror image, I'll assume you will throw daggers. If you didn't wish to do this let me know).

Tiberious and Subdolus hold back with the wizard and throw daggers. 1 of Tiberious's and both of Subdolus's hit, and 3 images disappear (incredibly non hit the halfling, so he continues his spell). (OOC Cal, you reach the halfling before the images disappear, so you will have a 1/4 chance of selecting the correct one. Once Cal goes that will be everyone and the monster will counter-attack, and then afterword Sogs spell will be completed, if he's able to).

[trp2fan]

Calhagn attacks with his sword, striking to subdue the halfling.

[AxeMental]

I forgot, Miles casts a color spray hitting all 4 images, however none seem to be effected.

Cal hits one of the images (also hit by a dagger) causing it to disappear.

Counter Attack: The halfling grins broadly as he completes his spell and launches a small ball of fire which travels into the center of your group before exploding into a huge ball of flame engulfling the PCs (Subdolus, TIberious and Cadellin are in its outer range and will have to save or take half damage). Emeranic, who had fallen down the stairs is below the effect of the spell, jumping backward he avoides tounges of flame boiling down from the room above, reaching inches above his head. Zargon, Miles, Cal and Subdolus and Tiberious fail to save (though Tiberious uses his monk ability and avoids all effects of the spell). Sog, Smythus, Cadellin (luckily) save.

All those who fail take 39 pts of damage (except Sub who takes 20) Sog, and Smythus take 20 each, and Cadellin takes none.

The room explodes in flame, huge shelves of books erupt into fire in a 30 foot area around you. The cieling is also burning as air rushes from the stairway below to feed the flame. Much of your equipment is ruined (though your armor and weapons though sizzling hot are OK) and your skin hair and clothing is badly burnt or in some cases still burning. The halfling laughs madly, the red glow reflected in his now very evil sinister eyes.

Initiative: Halfling 3, group 2. Ruinbottle casts a spell and jumps clear across the room (with a jump spell) and out of site down the hall on the south end....an old book under his arm. You can follow him if you hurry, but the library is quickly becoming an inferno, the wooden cieling exploding in flames (you figure it will be impassable in a round or 2). The magical scrolls and books (detected by Smythus) have not been effected....yet, but the flames are spreading in there direction and will be their in a round or 2. Of course, those with missile weapons that are at the front can attempt missile weapons, but the smoke is so thick you'll get a minus to hit.

You will need to choose quickly what you want to do (follow the halfling, retreat back up the sairs, collect the magical scrolls and books and then retreate, or you migh head down the stairs emeranic fell down.

[Semaj The Silent]

Sog scans for the motionless and begins casting CLWs as needed to prevent death.

[subdolus]

Subdolus quickly looks around to see who is closest to the magical writings. He yells to Tiberious, "Grab the book," while pointing at the previously glowing item closest to him.

He then heads for which ever of the two remaining writings is farthest from the rest of the group. While heading for it he yells to the group for somone to grab the last remaining item.

If noone has picked a route yet he then yells for everyone to get down the stairs. He realizes they have a man down them that they can't currently see.

[AxeMental]

Tiberious moves like lightning and grabs the scroll (which is farther away and requires his speed to reach intime) on the shelf seconds before its engulfed, and dodging burning debree wich falls from the wooden cieling like rain.

Subdolus grabs the 2 heavy books and heads back, but takes 5 pts of damage from burns from the walls of fire around him.

Zargon finds his friend and employer Miles the gnome dead (brought to -15). Everyone else is up and Sogathan helps everyone else down the stairs. Once everyone is in the lower stairwell the group continues down, the fire above growing violent. The room 50 feet below is 40 x50 and just below the one above. On the side wall (as you enter) is a lever carved to look like a thigh bone. This room too is a library, but one of evil. Covering its 4 large bookshelves are ancient texts of curses, black magic (of a sort very old) and accounts of hell and its occupants. Some of the books breath and sweat, others bleed.

Occasionally black images dart back and forth between the texts and shelves "lower entities and spirits in the either hanging out near these books absorbing thier negative power" says Sog.

The south wall contains a fire place giving fresh air to the room (though its not lit). The light alluminating the room is cast by a floating eye 2 feet across with 2 pupils. Its light is redish but bright enough to read by. "This is the library of a sorcerer" says Cadellin after 10 minutes of study. "A powerful breed of spell caster using magic very old. It combines elements of both clerical and magician magic, as well as some of its own black sort. These fellows commune with devils and demons, and often bond themselves to their service or perhaps it works the other way.

After a few hours the cieling upstairs collapses blocking your escape. Apparently the timbers were structural. The fighters check it out and say it would take days to clear it.

Of the books and scroll recoverd. One is a manual of golems describing how to make clay golems. This Cadellin hands the volume to Sog, "a page is missing from the appendix, something about binding, I don't know what it was about though". Smythus's jaw drops but says nothing.

The next volume is of potion making. The section on longevity potions is missing (Cadelllin pockets this).

Lastly is a scroll, it raises intellegence by 1-4 points if under 15, and 1 point if over. It must be read for 24 hours. "This Scroll can be used by anyone, says the magic user". Who wishes to carry it or use it.

After 30 hours everyone is healed and spells are rememorized. Zargon do you wish to bring the gnome with you (he could be wrapped and carried out, if a way is found)?

[subdolus]

"My good wizard I would think the scroll will do the most good in your hands. Now, how do we get out of here." Subdolus begins searching the library for hidden doors, traps and compartments. He will start at the fireplace and work his way around to the right.

[AxeMental]

No secret compartments or doors are found (after an extensive search). However, the chimney is wide enough for a single person to go up. The back draft is fridgid, but eventually stops after the fire upstairs goes out.

Smythus and Sog examine the titles and glyphs etched into the stone wall. Both clerics agree only the blackest of clerics or wizards would find these books useful. It seems Smythus has his limits to how "deep" he will go.

Cadellin reads the scroll (an hour into the 30 hour wait) after 24 hours the inquisitive wizard seems a bit sharper and his intellegence increases by 1 point (but he requires a another full days rest).

Do the scouts wish to head up the chimney? Will they use a light source? Thin Tail the rat crawls out of the bottom of Subdolus's back pack, the top of his head and wiskers a bit singed. The group watches as Subdolus and Thin Tail converse with little squeeks and motions. Thin Tail tells Subdolus he'd never been so scared then when he saw that ball of fire. He tells him he would agree to help scout ahead and report back (though both of you know this might be a dangerous task for the little fellow).

[subdolus]

Subdolus tells Thin Tail to proceed until he finds either, danger, the end of the shaft or an alternate route. He is then to return and report what he has found.

[AxeMental]

Thin Tail disappears up the dirty fire place and returns several minutes later (no encounters).
Breathing heavily "The passage leads up about 10 of your heigth before metal bars block the path so that you could not fit. I went past these bars and found the chimney has a small opening in it, the size of a mouse hole. I crawled out of this hole (only a foot deep) and it lead to a very dark room. I was too frieghtened, continued upward instead. eventually I reached a point I couldn't continue, as it was blocked by a family of large hairy spiders, each 10 times my size. I think this is not a very safe way to go, and there was no food or any of my kind!"

You feed the small grey rat and it crawls on your back looking around at the others.