Bookcasing the Joint¶
2023-Mar-10
- Upon entering, the trio discover that the event is a masquerade, and don black half-masks
- Tactus Avorio, the lord of the house, greets the newcomers. He is wearing a gold suit but rather than being tacky, Tactus is resplendent
- Rowan wanders off so that he can use his divine sense, and gets strong feedback of a holy or consecrated aura coming from the basement level
- Rulkorf schmoozes and makes a great impression. Other guests all belong to minor houses
- Kleb assertively establishes his presence in the main room before crossing outside near the fountain and noticing two guards slumped on a bench. Upon closer inspection he realizes they’ve been killed, presumably by the thieves
- Baron Pellen, manager of an independent family business, speaks to Rulkorf of rumors surrounding mysterious illness and the decline of certain greater houses. He seems to be subtly judgmental of the party’s presence at the event, but thinks highly of Lord Avorio
- Kleb and Rowan do some snooping around the foyer but discover nothing,and turn their attention to the closet/fireplace area. Rulkorf inquires about the Avorios, and the other guests share what little they know – Tactus is a big game hunter while Cirilla is an avid collector of magical items
- The dwarf tries to get a personal audience with the lord to see his hunting trophies, but is directed to speak with the lady instead in the library
- Kleb joins Rulkorf in the library, meeting up with Cirilla and a few other party guests, while Rowan heads into the study. The paladin finds a small group drinking, and he flexes his inner alcohol snob, winning them over by sharing some of Hanano’s special drink as well as his bottomless vodka supply
- Cirilla poses a riddle to the duo, solvable entirely from within the library:
- “In order to gain all knowledge, one must know where to start. Count on your enemies. This room is dedicated to the defeat of all within.”
- After they struggle for a bit, she reveals a revised statement: In order to gain all knowledge, one must know where to start. Count in your enemies, but not for their heart. This room is dedicated to the defeat of all within.
- The library seems dedicated to hunting and monster slaying, with books on different species and conditions. There are a number of paintings in the library, each depicting different monsters (17 total, split among 7 unique kinds). The number of each type of monster, used as an index into its name, selects a letter. This anagram can be solved for: OWLBEAR
- With the answer written on parchment, a bookcase splits apart to reveal a set of hidden tomes