Troubles with Tomes¶

Read the Following Aloud:¶

After an evening of visiting sages and magic shops, you found no one that could read the tomes of the Council. A few offered to buy the tomes, though. You suppose you could find someone from which to buy the information you seek, everything was for sale in Kaer Maga after all. Luckily, it didn’t come to that. Upon returning to your room at The Ready Blade, the barkeep handed you a note that had been left by a messenger.

“I have what you seek. Bring the tomes and meet me next to the shrine to Razmir on the Street of Little Gods at midnight. I will tell you the way to the Vault of the Sleepers,” signed Grissom of the Circle. If anyone was to know about the Vault, it would be an Arcanist, and with the tomes, you might actually be able to pay their price now. This could be a wonderful turn of luck.

Or it could be too good to be true. The Street of Little Gods is far from the areas of the city visitors frequent, but there are enough nighttime worshipers that the minor promenade remains lit and active. In contrast, the shrine dedicated to the Living God casts dark shadows that almost seem to dance in the glow of the enchanted lampposts.

The ominous atmosphere is broken by the grunts and squishes of a morbidly obese man waddling toward you… another bloatmage.

“I am Grissom. You brought the tomes?” he blurts out, obviously knowing who you are. Given your last encounter with a bloatmage, you have a feeling things will turn out poorly, but you also have little choice if you are to find Lysanar. Grissom begins to inspect the tomes when you hand them over. “I must determine that they are genuine. I’m sure you understand.” Examining the strange writing inside the top book, he waves his hand, speaking an incantation… and vanishes. Yeah, this is going to go bad.

Suddenly you hear the familiar sound of the grunting and squishing of a bloated person trying to quickly move down one of the alleys. If you hurry you can catch him.

Suggested Villain: Bloatmage (from 7-1)

Development:¶

Panting and bleeding from multiple wounds, Grissom looks up at you in fear. “Please don’t kill me! I actually know how to get to the Vault of the Sleepers. I’ll tell you! One of the Ardoc sons has been making secret trips into the Undercity with his blood-bound companion. One of my spies heard him mention finding the Vault. It has been a while since his last visit to the city; I’m sure his father must be getting worried. I can set up a meeting with him for you.”

While you are not happy that Grissom attempted to rob you, it is unlikely that the patriarch of the Ardoc family would give you the time normally. It seems you need to get something nicer to wear.