Day 26.3: New Friend & Old Enemies

Deciding to make sure there wasn’t another way through (its not paranoia if it’s real), the party moves around to the final hallway on the far side of the arena. Kiren sees what looks like a Naga – not real friendly types and hate night hags – carrying a stack of books. According to Mutu they don’t have any real weaknesses and Charles knew they tended to be very spiritual/mystic types. We decided (voluntold) Charles would be the best bet to approach her. As the party approaches behind Charles, Kiren feels a pull towards one of the books she has stacked on the table – similar to when the page got drawn out of her. Focusing, Kiren can make out the title – Scriptorium Extenibus – the book we need, but doubt she would be willing to part with it.

Charles approaches and asks what she needs all the books for (ok Kiren might have said that and made it look like Charles asked). The Naga pulls out a large gem which Charles recognized as a soul gem – item that can trap a soul from moving on – claiming a night hag trapped her niece within and she needed all the books to free her. We mentioned that Charles has the ability to release trapped souls. Hesitant, but the Naga allows Charles to try. Multitudes of memories wash over us of a young Naga’s life cut short and trapped. A vision of a young Naga appears and a golden crown falls to the ground as the spirit, now free of her imprisonment, fades. Diana sends Him after to make sure nothing else interferes with the young naga reaching a peaceful end. Grateful, the Naga introduces herself as ISHTI and gives us the gift of the golden crown, which turns out to be a Soul Piercer Circlet – will protect one’s soul from attack. Kiren figuring why not, ask Ishti directly as she is a mystic if she might see where the party’s path forward lies.

Looks at constellation – seems unhappy

“Intention of what you seek” You must follow the path offered to get top the quill, but it will fight back. Warns it is a double-edged tool. Be careful what you seek to use it to do. Visions (1) A lone figure on a battlefield who won but lost all in the battle (2) Woman preserved knowledge at the cost of her life (3) girl brought back the sun only to be forgotten.

Finally, the party approaches the creature Charles identified as Lorien – an ancient sphinx – who seemed bored with his job as guardian of the path. The party decided to answer his riddles vs strike out with steel. Three riddles whose answers were Shadows, Tomorrow, Lie. Upon completing the riddles, Lorien opens a passage for us to follow. Before leaving, Kiren poses her own riddle to the sphinx, who lights up like astray sky. (bringing him a moment of happiness, fills Kiren with an odd joy of her own – not something she is used to…)

Crossing the portal, we find ourselves in blackness of nowhere, leaving an impression of a vast sanctum – like a forgotten floating page of paper/ink/memory, until suddenly we are somewhere and 3 creatures appear out of our past forming figures of Jenny “Dreadful”, Gregory “Pedantic”, and another who Kiren could only name as “Fritos”. The party engages and Charles finally free to engage in fire play, finds the creatures are susceptible to fire – as if they were pages from a book…