Toxoglossa 2019/05/15(Wed)19:41 No. 932954 ID: 7816e7
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“Ughhh.”

Toxoglossa 2019/05/15(Wed)19:42 No. 932955 ID: 7816e7
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“Blehhhhh.”

Toxoglossa 2019/05/15(Wed)19:42 No. 932956 ID: 7816e7
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“Shhh!” The head librarian shoots a glare at the mouse.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/15(Wed)19:43 No. 932957 ID: 7816e7
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Gabe pulls himself up out of his boneless slouch and stares back at the book in front of him. Slowly his neck gives way and his head rolls, touching ear to shoulder as if reading sideways would make the dry historical tome any more interesting.

Gabe’s eyes roll over to his partner, nose deep in a book about known vampire lord history. A page turns reverently under Casey’s snout as her eyes snap to the beginning of the next passage. A notebook sits next to her, half filled with scribbles. Her hand moves snake-like, jotting down a tangent to explore as she continues to read.

Gabe whispers, “Ugggh there’s nothing here, its just he begat this and she begat that...” he flops over the pages dramatically, “It’s so boooring.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Casey agrees, only half listening. “You said it...” her finger traces a passage and she takes another note.

All work and no play makes Gabe a dull boy.

Who's up for a fun study method?

Boy, the character design sure took a turn...

Gabe go try looking up something different, like fae history.

>>932961
That might be what he's already reading, given that Casey is jotting down notes about vampire history.

How long have you been at this, Gabe? it might be time for a break.

Grumble that the city could have coughed up the dough for a research team to do this so you wouldn't have to, given that, y'know, the fate of the whole city is at stake.

Get up, stretch and tell Casey your brain is frazzled. You're gonna take a little stroll, get some fresh air and a coffee. Ask if she wants you to get her anything while you're up.

And when you get back, instead of slogging through that whole dry text try skimming for the relevant names you know and work back from any hits.

Fuck homework
You're not getting anything done here
Lets just... GATE the the knowledge INTO our brain!

Go talk to the librarian about what you are researching. I bet they would have suggestions of better stuff to look through.

Find a source that's a little less primary, maybe a 'notes on' book that includes context and is easier to look through.

>>932957
Gabe, behave yourself or the head librarian will come over and smack you with a ruler!

just speed read

>>932957
ask Casey if its ok for you to attempt seduce the librarian to relieve boredom, or is that rude when doing a group project?

Get yourself some notepads and pencils or something so you can doodle to relieve boredom. And also take notes if you do find something useful.

Offer to eat out librarian if she helps.

>>932957
Have you tried looking in the children's books?

Sure, it may seem like a dumb idea, but there must have been a few children's books with stories about Augustine Moot in them. Even if those stories have a few details changed to make them child friendly, there could still be a few things in them that may not be in these other books.

Investigate sources of ancient folklore about Augustine Moot and try to pin down the more credible ones by cross-referencing what might actually fit her timeline and be the root cause of the tale. Lean on research and compilations created by more competent individuals of the past.

If nothing else, it's gotta be more entertaining than dry geneaologies!

Go to the head librarian and apologize. Then apologize with your dick.

Screw it, look for secret passages for forbidden books. These things are made just for the funsies.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/16(Thu)20:03 No. 933073 ID: 7816e7
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“You should stretch your legs, Gabe.” Casey suggests; continuing to read as fey drama and bitter conflict swirls in her mind.

“Maybe the head librarian would know where to look?” The mouse slithers out of his chair and stands, casually stretching his lithe frame.

“You’re not gonna go flirt with her are you?” Casey mutters with a smile.

“Heh, I do like the bookish type, don’t I?” Gabe replies, his innuendo laced eyebrow wiggle unnoticed by his partner. “Nah, I don’t think Mariana would appreciate me trying to hit on her wife.” Gabe swivels on a heel and heads over, his footsteps muted by worn carpet as he sidles up to the librarian’s desk.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/16(Thu)20:03 No. 933074 ID: 7816e7
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“Hey Ashe, how’s it goin’?”

“Pretty good, Gabe. How can I help you?” She squints behind her half-moon glasses with uncanny patience. 

“I’m wondering where’s the good shit. You know...”

“The... good shit?” The lizard blinks as if it were scheduled on a calendar.

“The real shit. The ollllld shit.” Gabe pinches his fingers and waggles them.

“Gabe, those books would fall apart the second you touched them. We have archivists scouring our collection for clues, but these things take time.” She cocks an eyebrow over the frame of her glasses. “Half of them are written in fey runes that require translation.”

“Oh... well, are there any more modern translations?”

She scratches her scales thoughtfully, “I know Kol was poking around the fey lit section earlier, maybe he’s found something?”

Probably not but it's worth the diversion.

>>933074
Let's go see if Kol found anything.

And before you even think about trying it, don't even try portaling yourself over there!

T e a m s t u d y

Ask Ashe if it would help to have a fey working on translating those runes. 'Cause you know two... Er... Maybe not Nixxy. Her around priceless, fragile tomes sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. But besides Caleb and Nixxy, there's Rodwin, the devil up on the bargast. He'd probably know archaic fey runes.

Then ask Ashe to point you in the direction of the fey literature section, thank her and head on your way to meet with Kol.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/17(Fri)20:03 No. 933166 ID: 7816e7
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“Yeahhhh, I’m gonna go see how he’s doing...” An impish smile on his face, Gabe heads off between the shelves.

A thundercloud of suspicion crosses the librarian’s mind and she calls after him, “No gating in the library!”

The mouse waves back as he turns a corner.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/17(Fri)20:03 No. 933167 ID: 7816e7
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Gabe’s bare feet pad softly through the great library of the Sender Order. Carved into the stone of Moot Point itself, the cavernous space is lit with giant, flat windows and broken up by massive pillars. Made with the same techniques as the school itself, the senders didn’t so much as build the library, rather they removed everything that was in the way. Cut with mathematical precision, the walls, floor and shelves all form perfect cross sections of the mountain. Many historic buildings in the city still feature curiously smooth stonework, obviously taken from the unwanted slabs cast aside by the early senders.

Gabe peeks left and right as he crosses the isles. Row upon row of catalogs, ledgers and histories line the isles or pile up on tables. In some places, scrolls roost in pigeonholes, their thick vellum and parchment yellowing in the dry air. Old tomes bound in exotic leathers are chained to lecterns, or transferred tiny sheets of glass for preservation. Young senders-to-be meander this way and that with anxious expressions: looking for obscure texts to satisfy the most demanding of professors.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/17(Fri)20:03 No. 933168 ID: 7816e7
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He eventually comes to the fey literature section, its neatly bound tomes collected in rows dedicated to specific fey courts and legends. As Gabe works his way down the isle, he spies a ropey tail swaying between The Knight in Green be he so Merry and Fables for Lost Children.

Well, walk over and say hello!

Also, ask if there's anyone named Gawain in the book about the green knight.

>>933167
>this is dug into a cliffside
Uh I guess the cave-in risk is handwaved away somehow.
>>933168
Go whisper a hello. Maybe grab some ass.

Port his tail straight into your mouth

Oh some entertainment! See how long you can watch.

>>933167

You know, Toxo, now you have me wondering whether or not early senders might have had a capacity to shape gates in anything but a flat disk. Like a hyperbolic curve or even an enclosed region!

>>933171
While it's true sn arched ceiling would be more structurally sound than what's depicted, all else being equal, approximately flat ceilings could work if it's a sturdy enough type of rock. Looks like those pillars aren't more than twenty feet apart, at least on the more visible axis. The ceiling might be arched in some way that's concealed by perspective along the shelves.

Also, given that water and fire elementals are well-known in setting, and this place was built by a group which specializes in dealing with such entities in general, it's very plausible earth elementals were involved in selecting an appropriate site and/or providing subsequent maintenance, repair, even supernatural reinforcement, or at least warnings about potential structural problems while there's still time to do something.

Make sure it's him and not his uncle or someone else before you go up and act too friendly.

>>933253
I agree. It would be really awkward if you grabbed the wrong person’s tail!

Toxoglossa 2019/05/18(Sat)17:57 No. 933276 ID: 7816e7
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Kol feels a tug at his tail. He finds himself being gently towed backwards until his butt is flush with the shelf. An unseen hand gives his backside a squeeze accompanied by a quiet “Honk.”

“Hi, Gabe.” Kol tucks a thumb in the book he was reading and tries to look behind him.

“How’d you know it was me? Coulda’a been a student reaching for a book and accidentally grabbing a bookworm.” He gives his partner’s tail another tug. “You find anything interesting?”

“Not much. Rodwin mentioned a war on the Plains of Dawn, but it seems like it was a campaign so dull and unmentionable the fey barely wrote about it. It didn’t so much as end as everyone lost interest.” Kol yawns, his brain frazzled by rather boring military history.

Pull his pants down.

Alright let's try the children's books next then. Could be some hints in there now that we know what we're looking for.

>>933276

New hair, huh? Just how long have we been at this hunt, and how much of our year remains?

>>933277
I'd advise against such action in the library. It's worse than portaling, and we don't ant to piss off the librarian.

>>933277
Maybe just a little bit in the back for access.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/19(Sun)12:09 No. 933387 ID: 7816e7
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“I know the feeling. How about we take a break?” Gabe suggests, his hand reaching under Kol’s waistband. “Wanna show me your bookworm?” He drags the medium's pants down a bit and gives him a fondle. "I missed you these last couple of weeks."

The medium checks either end of the isle, hearing a murmur from around the corner. “Uh, maybe somewhere more out of the way?”

Nah, Gabe's already plenty out of the way, it'll be fine.

Okay, sure, this will probably be breaking a bunch of library rules so it'd be better to avoid getting caught.

>>933396
Yes, let's avoid getting caught with our pants down!

Normally I would say have at it, but you guys reeeeaaaally need to not get kicked out of the library. At least go to a stairwell, or some section that nobody uses, or something like that.

... Actually, Gabe, did you ever manage that personal pocket dimension trick from your fae theatre friend?

>>933406
he did it's a question of how big he has gotten it by now

>>933387

>Falling book

ABORT MISSION!! ABORT MISSION!!

Yeah, definitely find a private spot, away from the books. Ashe would figuratively skin you two alive if you get the books... sticky.

>>933406
>... Actually, Gabe, did you ever manage that personal pocket dimension trick from your fae theatre friend?
Probably not yet, but he does still have Vivian's permission to enter her heart's pocket dimension, doesn't he? She wouldn't mind Gabe bringing a friend, would she? Ah, but if Gabe has to Gate to get there, then he can't do so in the library. And if they have to leave the library to do so, then they may as well Gate back home for their sex break and not bother Vivian at all.

So, instead, find a windowless study room, supply closet or some other private room. Preferably one with good sound insulation.

Look, there's a lot of bookshelves here, the chances of someone seeing you must be one in a hundred! And if they do then they were a nerd for looking.

>>933417
>Probably not yet
Actually, yes, he has learned how to make it already. He’s been seen using it a few times when everyone was traveling atop the Bargast earlier.

But it’s like >>933409 said, the only question is how big he’s made his pocket dimension by now.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/19(Sun)18:48 No. 933439 ID: 7816e7
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Gabe runs around the corner and excitedly takes Kol’s hand. Together they hurry over to a space between a couple of columns, tucked behind a couple of comfy chairs.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/19(Sun)18:48 No. 933440 ID: 7816e7
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Gabe positions Kol so that it looks as though he’s leaning against the wall and drops to his knees in front of him, hopefully unnoticed. He fiddles with Kol’s pants, trying to muffle the clink of his belt buckle as his shaft bobs free.

“Boy I really missed this...” Gabe licks his lips, his breath hot against Kol’s belly. “You get up to some good, salty fun with Caleb while you were gone?” He massages the base of Kol’s dick, bringing him to his full size.

“Heh, well, fishing is really boring.” Kol admits with a rosy blush. “Not a lot to do, you know?”

Tell me everything.

>>933440
So, did he and Caleb find the fish they were looking for?

Toxoglossa 2019/05/20(Mon)20:15 No. 933556 ID: 7816e7
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“Ooh, I bet you did plenty. I would have loved to see that: a couple of weeks of getting wrecked by selkie dick. Why don't you tell me about it?” Gabe winks and slips Kol’s shaft between his lips.

“Ah-“ Kol manages to stifle his moan. His knees wobble under Gabe’s ministrations and he leans against the wall. He bucks lightly into the blowjob, his hand encouraging Gabe and helping set the pace. "Ah- We started off just kind of fooling around while waiting for fish to bite. I wanted Caleb to feel comfortable, you know?"

Gabe mumbles a "Mmhmm…" into Kol's crotch.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/20(Mon)20:15 No. 933557 ID: 7816e7
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"Caleb's not much for oral, but his hands- Ah- Man, those hands are amazing: so powerful and so big. But he's-uh- used to working with them, and he knows exactly what he's doing."

Toxoglossa 2019/05/20(Mon)20:15 No. 933558 ID: 7816e7
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"I think he was a bit worried about hurting me, you know… after last time. Ah-Caleb let me set the pace, gave me plenty of control; it was very sweet. Once we got going though, he would slam me down on his dick, over and over. Fates-uhh! I- I could ride him for hours."

Toxoglossa 2019/05/20(Mon)20:15 No. 933559 ID: 7816e7
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"Which was good, 'cause Caleb was really pent up. I- I swear, every time he came I could feel him filling me up. I- Ah- I loved it: feeling his cum leaking out of me as he fucked me senseless. I'd pass out, exhausted and dripping; laying on his chest, feeling his heart racing and his breath hot in my ear. Knowing that as soon as I was ready, he'd take me again and make me his…

That's sweet! Almost just a little too sweet. Hmm. Wait until you're done before you ask, Gabe, but is it possible a little cinder-spark or two of Caleb's last lover got left behind after that body-sharing adventure?

It occurs to me that Kol is a hit with fae who have big deer eyes. I wonder if there's a pattern, but we don't have enough data.

Also, go to the bathroom. This is a library, no liquids allowed outside of containers. Including yours.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/21(Tue)19:26 No. 933668 ID: 7816e7
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“Mmmm-“ Gabe pulls away, leaving a ghostly ring of lipstick. “Wow, you guys were busy. You think Adrian was giving you any tips?”

“Heh. It did feel kinda... familiar? Its weird, like there was some lingering connection. Ah!” Kol gasps as Gabe slips a finger under his tail.

“Good to know you’re not completely stretched out back there.” Gabe remarks as he teases his partner and finds his sweet spot.

“G-Gabe!” Kol bites his lip as the pleasurable pressure starts to build. His knees go weak and he pushes another hand against the wall for support.

“You gonna cum? Come on, give it to me, big guy.” Gabe opens his mouth and shows off an inviting, pink tongue.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/21(Tue)19:26 No. 933669 ID: 7816e7
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Stone shifts and Kol suddenly tumbles into the dark, taking Gabe with him.

>>933669
TUCK AND ROLL
TUCK AND ROLL

I feel like this is enough of an emergency situation to break library rules and portal out.
Just... look behind you first to make sure you aren't gonna cut anything important (and also to be sure you're not at the bottom already anyway)

Or, actually, maybe Kol can salvage the situation via his strength?

ohhh no.

Gabe, you need to get your right arm around the back of your head. Your left hand needs to not grab ANYTHING, at all.

Kol... Uh, fuck. Try and keep your head up and make sure the first collision you have with the floor is your arms and not your head.

...Either of them!

>>933669
A secret passage? Maybe the information you're looking for is down here?

Gabe was kneeling when he fell back, so I think he isn't gonna impact the stairs so badly as long as he tucks in. Most he should get is bruises. That is, as long as Kol doesn't fall on him.

Kol, spirit boost or whatever yourself and shoot a arm out to the nearest wall to push yourself to the side so you don't land on Gabe. Roll over at the same time and then curl up to protect yourself.

Dammit Gabe why weren't you wearing a skirt again?! We could've positioned ourselves for optimal gravity assisted entrance.

Brace your head and try to gain some traction with your legs! Or portal if you are that good.

oh no protect Kol's dick!!!

... and your heads, I guess.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/22(Wed)18:58 No. 933745 ID: 7816e7
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The pair manage to protect their more sensitive bits as they roll down the stairs, landing in an undignified heap. They groan and untangle themselves, thankful that they avoided any major injury.

Kol grabs his pants and drags them awkwardly up to his waistline. “Gabe, what the fuck? Did you know this was here?”

Gabe coughs, sending up a small cloud of dust. “Ack! I think I choked on your dick for a second. What is this? Where are we?”

Finish the job.

>>933745

Clearly we are in {unintelligible markings}, which is just behind whatever section we were previously in.

That section is now the Blowjobs, But Dangerously section.

This section is, too, by proxy.

Those marks on the wall might shed some light on things.

The mood's been killed for the moment. Time to get down to business, not blowjobs.

From the layer of dust it's a solid bet this place hasn't been opened up in a long time. The both of you hold still and examine the dust on the floor for footprints. If there are and how deep they are will tell you how long it's been since anyone has been in here.

Gabe knows the layout of the Sender school, right? Can he take a guess about where and what this hidden area is under or above?

There also looks like some markings on the wall behind Gabe. Do they look like anything to either of you?

And don't proceed any farther in. There's the risk of danger in there, and nobody else knowing where you are means if something bad befalls you then it'll be a long time before anyone searches for you. Also, hidden ancient passages are right up Casey's alley and she will not forgive you two if you don't get her in on this ASAP. So go get Casey and perhaps Ashe as well, just to show her where there's a hidden passage in her library.

>>933745
Gabe, does you little pocket dimension have a lantern or some kinda light source? You might need one to see what’s down here.

And maybe you guys should consider telling the head librarian about this secret area of her library that she doesn’t know about.

>>933745
Oh, good feelings gone. What light source do you have around here?

What would Frillsby and Gallsby do?

Don't do that, blue ball blue mouse for fun later and go get Casey and start exploring.

Go get Casey, and maybe see about acquiring supplies for a good old fashioned dungeon crawl.

It seems that when you casually leaned on a wall while absolutely nothing interesting was happening, you discovered a secret passage! Ashe might know where this leads, and if she doesn't she may need to be informed that it exists. Either way, talking to her seems prudent.

>>933777
Yell for her from inside the entrance. Hell, if this gets the librarians attention she might be interested too.

Looks to be some manner of secret chamber.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/23(Thu)19:46 No. 933868 ID: 7816e7
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“Hey it says something here!”
His fingers trace a series of carved symbols, the edges still crisp despite their obvious age.

Kol buckles his belt and checks them out. “Can you read what it says?”

“Uh. It looks like the kind of runes we have etched around the school but... I can’t make anything out of it.”

Toxoglossa 2019/05/23(Thu)19:46 No. 933869 ID: 7816e7
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The pair exchange a glance in the dark and agree. “Casey?”

“Yeah we should go get her.”

“Well, you should. I don’t exactly want to be walking around like this.” The tent in Kol’s pants shifts, ad small dark stain of pre-cum leaks through.

“Heh heh, its cute seeing you pent up.” Gabe leers and runs a couple fingers up the length of the bulge. “Okay, be right back. Just hang onto that load for me, okay?” The sender gives him a quick kiss on the cheek and scurries off.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/23(Thu)19:46 No. 933870 ID: 7816e7
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"Psst, hey Case. Case!"

"Mmh?"

We found a secret room, with secret runes!!

>>933870
There's a secret room, and Kol has a boner!

>>933874
This one.

>>933874
clearly this

>>933870
Get directly next to her ear so that she can clearly hear you say this: >>933874 !

>>933870
Whisper in her ear.

"Ssssecretsss."

Waggle your fingers dramatically.

"As in, me and Kol literally fell into a secret passage that I don't think anyone knows about. 's real dusty 'n old, and I know you love your dust. Oh and there's old runes or weird symbols to translate."

Kol and I triggered a secret door with a blowjob

>>933870
"Remember that temple where you and Mr. Ochre found that secret room, where you guys found Flashing Feathers trapped in that pot? Yeah, me and Kol just found a secret room here in the library and I came to get you just in case there's another imprisoned god that you can set free in there."

>>933961
And if there is, Gabe calls dibs.

>>933967
Unless Kol found it while Gabe is out here getting Casey. Then it becomes “first come, first serve” and Gabe will have tragically missed out on getting to sex a god again!

>>933870
"Wanna join me and Kol in plumbing a secret tunnel?"

Toxoglossa 2019/05/26(Sun)15:55 No. 934096 ID: 7816e7
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Gabe leans closer, until he’s right in her ear and whispers, “Psst, Case, we found a secret passage with mystery runes and shit. Wanna see?” He waggles his fingers dramatically but isn’t sure she notices.

Casey’s eyes pause mid-sentence and she clicks her tongue thoughtfully. Weighing her options, she shuts her notepad, stands and follows Gabe without a word.

Gabe leads her back to the hidden door and gives her a thumbs up. “Eh? Told ya.”

She runs her hand down the smooth, featureless edge where the passage opens and nods. “Huh... I’ll be honest, I kinda thought you were just trying to get me to sneak off for a quickie...”

“What, me? Never!” These are hallowed halls, Ms. Leander!” Gabe’s hand goes to his heart in mock outrage.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/26(Sun)15:55 No. 934097 ID: 7816e7
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They descend into the passage, finding Kol still struggling to hide the tent in his pants. He waves, looking bashful.

“I see, Very hallowed.” Casey giggles and flicks her tail under his nose playfully. “Where’s this ancient writing?”

“Uh, over there.” Kol points the magelight for her. “This tunnel keeps going too.” He waves the lantern and the light disappears into a long corridor.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/26(Sun)15:55 No. 934098 ID: 7816e7
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Casey takes a look at the runes and scowls at if for a while, “Gud werk ya figurt owt me hidy plase...Gud luk figurn me ridlz...”

So, this is more "student with too much free time", not "ancient mystery"? Though, I'm wondering how long ago this person might have written this. It could still be theoretically very old, given that Casey seems to be reading it like some old dialect thing rather than a code of any kind.

Is there really nothing else in here? Just an empty space? Not even some ancient booze stash? It says "hidey place".

>>934098
Oh. Well, let's at least see what's down here. It'll be a good distraction if nothing else.

..Uh oh. Keep reading. Look around for anything you can't read, too.

The very sharp edges of the runes points to them being made by a Sender Gate-cutting them. Not surprising given the location. But it's highly doubtful such a hidden area was done by one person and still kept hidden. Likely this place was already here for a long time before being found by the message writer. Ask Casey how long its been since this runic language was in common use in the Sender school.

Put one of the comfy chairs in the doorway to block it from closing behind you and check for a control to open it from the inside. While Gabe can Gate y'all out if you get trapped, it's best not to rely solely on him. And if the door is stuck open, then if y'all don't come out then eventually someone will come to investigate.

Only way to go is down the corridor. Be on the lookout for more messages etched in the stone, on floor, ceiling and walls. And make sure to mark the direction you came from at any intersections to come to.

Gabe, make it your secondary mission to keep teasing Kol so he doesn't lose his erection throughout the entirety of this expedition, but without him going off. Start by running your tail over that tent in his trousers and go from there. Make him squirm~

Um, where'd the magelight Kol was holding before handing it to Casey come from? Not from Gabe's pocket dimension 'cause he's not allowed to Gate in the library. And it's rather too big to have fit in Kol's pockets. Was it just on the floor inside the hidden door?

>>934098

Perverted old pirate ghost, ahoy ...?

Well it was established that Moot came from nothing and could barely read and write so... possibly on the right track.

How old is this writing? Broken old language..is the writer illiterate?

>>934096
>”Huh...I’ll be honest, I kinda thought you were just trying to get me to sneak off for a quickie...”
“A quickie is how we found this place.”

>>934098
Ask Casey if there’s supposed to be an accent or if that’s just really old and/or really bad handwriting?

We should also check and make sure we clear this place of any potential death traps before we tell anyone else about this place.

Wait she expected a quickie but she came with anyway, eh?

But might as well follow the writing even if it's nothing. There's more likely to be something in here than in some dusty old book.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/27(Mon)18:08 No. 934213 ID: 7816e7
File 155900571491.png - (98.96KB , 700x583 , 9-28.png )

She stands up and brushes her hair out of her eyes. “No wonder you couldn’t read it: who ever wrote must have been just writing phonetically. You get that sometimes with older texts, since literacy was exclusive to those that could afford it. A lot of common folk just made do with sounding things out.”

"That reminds me: I was talking to Mariana a while back and she said something about Augustine Moot. One of the reasons she didn’t leave any records or anything is that she was pretty much illiterate until later in her life."

"And she decided to found a school? Bold move, I guess." She shines the light down the corridor and grins, "But now I'm interested. It could be nothing, but we should investigate."

The guides carry on down the tunnel. Casey pans the light around, searching for traps or clues.

“This is taking us right into the heart of the mountain...” Gabe points out as he traces the smooth stonework.

"Shh!" Casey stops them as her light illuminates a pair of stone doors. "I suppose this is one of the 'ridlz'…"

Toxoglossa 2019/05/27(Mon)18:08 No. 934214 ID: 7816e7
File 155900571823.png - (132.06KB , 700x583 , 9-29.png )

Hey, wake up. Someone's coming!

The three guides huddle together, their backs against one another. "What was that? Who's there?"

Oh wow, its about time, hang on

A pair of faintly glowing figures slip through the ceiling as if it were nothing. Reclining in mid air, the two spirits assess the trespassers.

"Is this right? They don’t seem like the type…"

"Does it matter? We've got a job right?"

"Might as well, its been ages since we've had anything to do."

"Right! This is, as you guessed, a riddle!" The jackal beams at them with a ghostly smile. "There are two doors! The right one will take you further into the mountain. The wrong door will boot you out and activate a ward that seals the chambers for, what like a hundred years?"

"Yeah, give or take." The lizard nods. "You get to ask us one question! But, one of us always lies!" His fingers wiggle like a pair of crafty spiders.

"And one of us always tells the truth! Simple, yeah?"

They pause for a moment and high five.

"Nailed it!"

"You guys have no idea how many times we practiced that…"

That's an old, old puzzle and I doubt you two managed to remember which one is supposed to be which since both of you were telling us about the puzzle. Anyway, the right question is to ask either of you which door the other guy would tell us to take if we asked him which door to take, then take the opposite door. That wasn't an actual question, so do you two ever get bored of this? Also you cockblocked us, not cool.

>>934214
Which door leads to a better riddle?

>>934214
Wanna Smash?

>>934214
What kind of spirits are these? They don't look similar to any we've seen before.
Also they're cute. Not gonna do Kol's boner any favors here.

>>934217
Yep that's the answer. Gotta involve both "door guards" in the question to get a reliable answer.

Can we get names before we get started?

fake them out.

Say, DO NOT ASK, "Well I guess you two know which of you is which, then."

Look like you are mulling it over. Maybe we'll get lucky and the tedium of guarding this room for hundreds of years will leave them vulnerable to poker based trickery and other forms of shenanigans.

>>934214

Oh my fates, just invite these horny nerds along. It's gotta be way better than being stuck here doing nothing.

Afterwards we can all have kinky ghost sex.

Absolutely indirectly ask if they've forgotten who lies and who tells the truth, because that's gonna be funny.

>>934214
ask if they want to fuck.

You can bypass the "one question" thing by talking to each other using statements and seeing if they respond. Like "Casey, Kol, I'm wondering if any question will count or just one we address towards them" and "Kol, given how long these two must have been here, I'm not sure they'd remember themselves which one of them is supposed to be which" and "They both explained, so that might mean part of the explanation was a lie, too".

Then you see if they take the non-question prompt to say anything further.

If you want my take at actually solving the riddle: the lizard said "one of us always lies". Always would mean that the explanation was included as well (try explaining this reasoning aloud, just in case). If that's true, then the other one has to be lying, but that would mean "one of us always tells the truth" is a lie, which means both of them can lie, which means always lying could have been a lie, which means both of them can tell the truth or lie as they feel like it.

So my solution is: use a small guesstimate portal to the space just on the other side of the doors to peek what's on the other side of them without actually opening them, which is presumably the trigger for anything bad.

>>934232
And if they can just trigger the ward whenever they think about it?

I think the solution would be asking either one something like this:

"If I asked your partner to show me an incorrect door, which door would they indicate?"

If we ask the liar, they will indicate the correct door, because their partner would actually indicated the correct door. If we ask the truthful one, they'll also indicate the correct door, because the liar would show us the correct door if we asked that question.

I know this works for versions of the riddle with two doors, and I think it should work with three as well, though I'm not sure.

>>934232
>So my solution is: use a small guesstimate portal to the space just on the other side of the doors to peek what's on the other side of them without actually opening them, which is presumably the trigger for anything bad.
Considering this is hidden in the Sender Order's school, whoever built this place likely figured Senders would be the ones most likely to find this place, therefore there's fair odds they put in counters to using Gates in such a way. They could be blocked, or they may even trigger the fail state for cheating.

I think a safer way would be for Kol to separate his spirit from his body just enough so he can stick his spirit's head through the wall to see what's beyond each door. Less likely to be countermeasures for spirit walking than gating in here.

>>934232
>Use gates to cheat
>>934245
>Use spirit walking to cheat
Or we could just not be a bunch of cheating assholes and just solve the riddle normally?

It's really not that hard to solve.

Mention that since they both took part in explaining the rules, if one of them always lies, you can't trust their explanation of the rules.

>>934217
Yeah it's straightforward assuming they don't mess up

>>934246
I agree with not being a cheating asshole. Let’s not be a killjoy to these guys!

full kill joy mode

explain to them fully how this riddle works and how to get the answer but that only works if they themselves know which is which

then explain how it doesn't really matter anyway because one of you can use gates and one of you can spirit walk and this is in a library in a school for magic users and we're friends with like three fay and a god so they might as well just let us through and help us because well have sexy times afterwards

once we deal with this knights and knaves game the spirits are playing, there are questions to be answers like what were they like in life, when did they pass away and how they came to guard these doors?

also if they know anything that will help you out information wise when it about Augustine Moot and things like the library, if they feel like joining up or following/leading us though the building. that will be helpful as well.

Leave without saying anything. Notify a senior librarian before proceeding. Consider whether this secret passage predates the development of any portal techniques which might be used to trivially bypass it, such as beacons. Look up blueprints for the library, see if you can narrow down what sort of shape "deeper into the mountain" would have to be.

>people wondering if they remember the correct door or remember who is supposed to lie/tell the truth
They just told us that they've been rehearsing the entire time they've been down here waiting for someone to show up.

That tells me that they know their roles and know the correct door. I don't think we're going to trip them up like you guys are hoping will happen.

>>934286
Also, if the liar was the one that told us the other always tells the truth, that would make that a lie. Wouldn't that mean that both of them are liars and we can't trust what either of them tell us?

Line up in a line. Ask one of them who has the longest tail.

It's easily observable and confirmable.

Then, you know which one the other is and you can ask which door is which and know whether they're lying or not.

>>934291
We have ONE question. The puzzle requires you to ask a question which determines the correct door. Determining who is lying and who is telling the truth is not required.

>>934291
>Line up and each of you ask a question
We have one question, not one question for each person!

>>934292
Alright, then asking the question >>934244 suggested would be the best choice to determine the correct door, right?

>>934296
I believe doing what was suggested here >>934217 is the best way for us to determine the correct door.

>>934249

This guy gets it.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/28(Tue)20:49 No. 934349 ID: 7816e7
File 155910178024.png - (150.30KB , 700x583 , 9-30.png )

“Okay, how about this: you,” Casey points to the jackal, “What would your partner say is the incorrect door?” She folds her arms with a smug grin.

The ghosts exchange glances and go into a huddle.

“Who’s turn is it? Am I the liar today?”
“-I dunno. I thought it was my turn-“
“You were supposed to be keeping track of that, Rufus! We’re gonna look like idiots!”
“What’s with that guy? Is he turned on by all this?”
“Focus, man! Who’s the liar?”
“Uh, is it Tuesday? If it is, then I’m the liar, right?” 
“Forget it, we wait all this time and fuck it all up cause we can’t figure out a schedule...”

They unhuddle and sigh, their spirits deflated. “Okay, yeah we forgot which one is which…”

“Heyyy, how can we trust you?” Gabe scratches his chin and squints, his eyes flickering between them. ”You both told us the rules, so what if you’re both liars?”

They stare blankly for a moment and the lizard pipes up, “Wait, what? No, one of us doesn’t literally lie all the time; that’d be crazy. Its just puzzle logic. What's the point of a puzzle if you don’t know the rules, right?”

Toxoglossa 2019/05/28(Tue)20:49 No. 934350 ID: 7816e7
File 155910178559.png - (113.23KB , 700x583 , 9-31.png )

“Speaking of puzzle, what’s with your friend?” Rufus, the jackal leers at Kol, “He some kind of fey? Got a riddle fetish?”

Kol clears his throat, “It’s unrelated, it just hasn’t gone down yet!”

Casey steps between them, “Hey now, we’re very sorry your puzzle didn’t work out like you hoped. But we’d like to get through. Is there something we can work out that will satisfy you?”

“Satisfy, eh?” Rufus’s ears perk up.

Yeah if you two forgot the riddle and we got the right question to answer it let's just fuck and call it even.

>>934286
>the latest update
smuganimegirl.png

Eh, the mood is a bit off though.

Again: what kind of spirits are these? Elementals? Ghosts? Some kind of pure energy being?

"Sorry Kol, but this appears to be less of a puzzle and more of a transaction.

And let's face it, this is important."

We must sacrifice kol for the greater good, we will remember you dear friend.

... Wait did you ask if he was a fey because you thought he had a riddle fetish? Do fey all have riddle fetishes? That is some very useful information.

Anyway, let's hear what they'd like, but if it involves fucking they could at least tell us their names and some minimal background info first, and you guys do the same. Don't want to be completely impersonal.

Speaking of not being impersonal, maybe you should tell them about the whole giant dog threat? If the worst comes to worst then these guys are down here where no-one even knew anyone was around and they shouldn't get stuck here without even knowing what's happened.

They've been waiting an awful long time right? Surely it'd prove an equal measure of skill to satisfy them both in a different way.

>>934377
>... Wait did you ask if he was a fey because you thought he had a riddle fetish?
They might’ve asked him that because he probably smelled like Caleb. Kol did spend a lot of time with him, so he might smell like a fey right now.

>>934379
I would like to feel confident that Kol took a shower after coming back from a long sailing trip.

Ask Rufus what he has in mind that'd be satisfactory. While it feels like it'll be something sexual, best not to assume that and make a offer that's off the mark. Hear what he wants and figure if it's acceptable or negotiate with him.

Since they're spirits, presumably they're incorporeal and can't interact with the physical world. That'll be a issue if Rufus wants sex. So far the only way we know of that he could do that is if he possesses or co-occupies Kol's body and Kol may not be down to do that with some stranger. Ah, but Rufus doesn't know Kol is a medium, so he likely wouldn't suggest something he doesn't know they can do. So Rufus may just want to watch 'em have sex. Anyway it goes, whoever is involved will have to be okay with it. No pressuring 'em into it.

>>934350
Let's talk mergers.

>>934381
Would a normal shower be enough to wash away the smell of a fey? It could be a smell that only other spirits can smell and showering doesn't wash it off.

>>934350
Yes please help us help you help us AND help you by letting us pass through curing Kol's poor yon boner

Kol can help one of them. Casey can help the other.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/30(Thu)19:58 No. 934489 ID: 7816e7
File 155927149365.png - (172.81KB , 700x583 , 9-32.png )

“You’re a medium, right?” The jackal continues, “Pezzi and I were too!”

“Lost our bodies sealing a mana well. We’ve been guarding this place ever since.” Pezzi nods a little sadly. “The Guardian Alliance used to use these chambers to meet in secret, but those days are long gone.”

“So, when you said ‘satisfy’ you meant...” Kol asks.

Rufus floats on his back, drifting lazily in the dark, “We’re all pretty pent up, I was just thinking it might be fun if we helped each other out.” He shrugs, “You guys got the question right, even if we screwed up the answer, so I understand if you’d rather move on. But if you’re okay with it, I think Pezzi and I would love to share your handsome body for a bit...” He winks at his suddenly flustered partner, “Even if he’s too shy to admit it.”

>>934489
Uh... so they died while projecting their spirits, and thus aren't quite ghosts? So they don't need mana to survive, which would eventually turn them into liches?
I wonder how many forms of undead there are...

Anyway, sharing your body with two former Mediums sounds like good Medium training.

still gotta make sure we put up the spirit barrier thing just in case these kiddos want to escape without asking. otherwise may as well right?

Sure why not, you got blueballed earlier anyway. Finish the job.

I mean, three bodies and five minds could work

>>934489
Sure, might as well do it. You and Gabe were already doing that when you found this place and I’m sure Casey would be more than happy to join in as well.

Kol: “You’re already naked, Gabe?! All I did was blink and your clothes were gone! How did you do that so fast?!”

Gabe: “Practice.”

Help your fellow mediums out. After all, you'd probably want help in their position too!

Hey maybe you can get people coming down here more in the future?

>>934489
Might as well help out.

>>934496
That made me laugh. And that does sound like something that would happen.

>>934489

I mean, why not? They ARE asking, and they certainly are cute, too.

Toxoglossa 2019/05/31(Fri)19:31 No. 934582 ID: 7816e7
File 155935629161.png - (202.68KB , 700x694 , 9-33.png )

“If you guys are cool with it, sure!” Kol closes his eyes and feels his mind open to the spirits. A slight chill passes through him as they settle in alongside his soul.

He opens his eyes and grins. “Ooh this is nice. I’ve missed this.” “Oh wow that’s a rush!”

Toxoglossa 2019/05/31(Fri)19:31 No. 934583 ID: 7816e7
File 155935629538.png - (109.66KB , 700x410 , 9-34.png )

The walls flare red for a second as Gabe snaps his fingers. “Just in case. Now how about we finish what we started, Kol?” He sidles up beside the medium, his grabby hands drawing a moan from the spirits. He plops down in front of them and starts fiddling with Kol’s belt.

“Actually, mind if I join you?” Casey slips in next to Gabe as Kol’s cock bobs into view. Kol gasps in chorus with himself as the two mice get to work, happily lapping at his shaft in alternating turns.

Someone work the balls.

Uhhh... Gabe and Casey should ask what they like.

Give the mice some head pats, lads.

Considering that this is for the spirits...

Gabe and Casey should work the shaft, then figure out who's going to be on it and who will be attending Kol's mouth during round two. (I'm thinking rock-paper-scissors)

>>934582
Inspired by the positioning of the spirits as they move in, here, how about Gabe behind and Casey in front for a nice sandwich?

Toxoglossa 2019/06/01(Sat)17:18 No. 934649 ID: 7816e7
File 155943469753.png - (121.01KB , 700x456 , 9-35.png )

The mice feel Kol’s hands on their heads. Soft fingertips tease their ears and Gabe shudders, his eyelids fluttering. Together, their ministrations draw out a steady taste of pre, which they share with small exchanges of tongues. Gabe and Casey lick their lips and look up at their partner expectedly.

“Having fun?” Asks Casey.

Kol nods back. “Oh yeah, wonderful!” “You guys are great!” “Ohhhh, yess...”

“It’s been a while hasn’t it?” She winks, “Is there anything you guys want to try out?”

Kol feels an internal discussion flicker behind his eyes, reading their desires as they listen to his. “Welllll, one of us always tops.” “And one of us always bottoms.”

Sounds like you need a sandwich.

>>934649
Time to strip down and sandwich up.

Oblige them, then.

Gabe on top and Casey on bottom, with aura tentacles.

>>934649
Hey now, we're past the stage of riddles

“Welllll, one of us always tops.” “And one of us always bottoms.”

but you always cum as one I assume? and tentacle aura always a good idea

>>934649
If I asked you if your partner tops, what would they say?

>>934783
No, no, you've lost half the analogy, it's something more like "If I told you to tell your partner to bend over, what would go wrong."

Can you... share Kol's body in a particular orientation?

Toxoglossa 2019/06/04(Tue)17:36 No. 934839 ID: 7816e7
File 155969498196.png - (185.89KB , 657x700 , 9-36.png )

Casey lays back and pulls aside her bodysuit with a finger, "I think we can solve this riddle, right Gabe?"

"Oooh, yeah." He slips in behind Kol and rocks his shaft back and forth beneath his tail. "This is more my kind of puzzle." A slick sheen gleams on his cock. Gabe tucks a small vial of lubricant back into his pants and gleefully discards them. "Good thing I figured we'd get bored."

The three mice shuffle loose from their clothing and drift to the floor in the dark. Casey pulls Kol's body close and helps slowly guide him in. "That’s it- no lower, there…" She sighs as they push forward, filling her with a single smooth motion. "Ah! Okay, that’s good. Are you guys okay?"

Kol closes his eyes and nods. He grinds against where they meet hungrily and leans forward. "Oh, this… yes I missed this…" "Oh, you're so warm inside, it feels so good!"

"We're just getting started!" Gabe slips inside, feeling Kol accept him and snugs up against his butt. "Mmmm, good to know you're still tight back here. You ready?"

"Ah! Yes! Give it to me!" "Oh, wow that’s- that’s something. Ooooh yeah…"

Toxoglossa 2019/06/04(Tue)17:36 No. 934840 ID: 7816e7
File 155969498711.png - (190.18KB , 689x700 , 9-37.png )

They start slow, five minds coordinating three bodies, they work together to find a rhythm that feels comfortable. Gabe fills Kol. Koll fills Casey. Pezzi and Rufus moan and writhe with pleasure as corporeal sensations tingle through them for the first time in centuries. Their bodies piston back and forth, maintaining a careful balance between one another's needs.

A glow goes unnoticed behind them until Gabe gasps. The familiar smoothness of Casey's aura pierces him, steadily stretching as it flows inside. "Ah! Yeah! Y-yeah! Fffffffuck, Case!" The mouse's knees buckle and his pace falters as the tendril coils like a living thing.

"Hey-hey, don't stop!" Kol pants, "We're getting close!"

S a n d w i c h t i m e

Get it together, Gabe.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/05(Wed)20:07 No. 934959 ID: 7816e7
File 155979047565.png - (189.71KB , 700x500 , 9-38.png )

Gabe wraps his arms around Kol and hangs on tight. “Ah! I’m bout to cum! Case, give it to me!”

Casey clenches her fist and her aura ripples in response. Her spell drills Gabe, bucking him forward as it fills and stretches him. The momentum carries him into Kol and, as his cock twitches ominously inside, it pounds a furious tempo against needy flesh.

Kol moans a choir of ecstasy. Nailed down into Casey’s waiting pussy, he pushes back against Gabe’s thrusting, only to be driven in again and again. Overwhelmed, trying just to hold out for a few more moments, Kol, Rufus and Pezzi blur as they lose their senses of self and succumb to the haze of pleasure.

Casey grins and huffs, the air driven out of her each time Kol slaps against her hips. Her fingers slip down to where they meet and her body welcomes him, rubbing furiously at her clit. She bites her lip and watches the expressions on her partners, judging that they’re mere seconds from cresting as she races to catch up with them.

She feels Kol’s body lock up, shuddering as heat pulses within her. A moment later Gabe follows him, his gasping cries punctuated by frantic thrusts. “Hang on guys, almost there.” Casey warns, as her binding spell flexes and coils.

Already spent, Kol and Gabe push back weakly against Casey’s aura. The tendril pistons in and out and the three mice slap against each other in a squeaky Newton’s cradle. Casey’s finger works a blur between her legs as cum spreads across her thighs and through her fur. Her hips buck up to meet the messy thrusts and she throws her head back. Her eyes screw shut and legs quake as climax rushes over her.

Good work team. Let's take a breather before the next room.

Y'all hug each other close and roll to the side together to rest a bit and bask in the afterglow and warmth of each other. Maybe Casey can form a mat of aura tentacles for a few minutes so y'all don't have to lay on the hard, cold floor. And Casey could deeply kiss Kol too, since Pezzi and Rufus haven't felt that in a long time as well.

Ask the two ghost guys how that felt for 'em. A greatly satisfying experience after so many centuries, hopefully. Also ask if they'd tag along on your journey into the mountain, if their duty doesn't hold 'em here. Perhaps one or the other or both riding in the "backseat" of Kol's body. And ask if they could possibly leave the mountain for awhile, either together or one at a time. No doubt they'd like to experience more sharing Kol's form, such as food and drink. Oh, and ask if they surely remember which door is the correct one. It's just to be absolutely sure, y'know.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/07(Fri)19:38 No. 935113 ID: 7816e7
File 155996153399.png - (128.70KB , 700x632 , 9-39.png )

Kol collapses, sprawled over Casey in a boneless heap. The spirits inside pant as long forgotten endorphins run through borrowed veins. The shared body fumbles awkwardly, trying to make sense of all of the sensory information and coordinate worn out muscles and joints.

Casey pulls them close and their eyes open wide as they kiss. All other thought goes out the window while her tongue tangles with theirs. When they pull back and remember to breathe, she asks, “How was that, guys?”

“Ah- Fate, that was amazing!” “I know, right? Hah, I wish I had done that while I had a body.”
“Do you three do this kind of stuff often?”

Toxoglossa 2019/06/07(Fri)19:38 No. 935114 ID: 7816e7
File 155996153943.png - (93.13KB , 466x700 , 9-40.png )

“Oof, More than you’d think.”Says Gabe, standing up and slipping free. His dick bobs and drips, glistening in the magelight as his erection fades. “But not as much I’d like...” He opens a small gate, fishing out a rag to wipe himself off.

Kol pulls himself up into a kneeling position and Casey stretches as he stands. “Mmph, we gotta find more comfortable places to fool around. Fates, you guys made a mess.” She accepts the rag from Gabe and tries to brush her fur clean of cum.

“Tell me about it...” Kol chuckles, “I’m with Gabe though; we should do that more often.” He buckles up his pants despite the slippery sensation oozing beneath his tail. “I hope you two were satisfied.”

Toxoglossa 2019/06/07(Fri)19:39 No. 935115 ID: 7816e7
File 155996154817.png - (142.28KB , 466x700 , 9-41.png )

The spirits, Rufus and Pezzi pull free from his body all smiles and tangled limbs. “Yes. Absolutely yes. That was wonderful! I’ll be dreaming of that for centuries...” Rufus lolls, pawing at his partner. “Pezzi, I’m officially a switch now. If we ever get corporeal bodies again I want you to fuck me in the ass. Okay?”

The lizard nods shyly, his shoulders all bunched up in the excitement. “Ye-yeah, I’d l-like that...”

“Well you guys could come with us if you want! We might need the help figuring out the next riddles...” Gabe suggests. “I mean its not like this place will stay secret for long, now that we found it...”

“Mmm true. What do you think ,Pezzi?”

“Its- its been a long time... I’d like to go out, see what’s happened to the world since we lost our bodies...”

“Yeah, nothing keeping us here anymore. Hundreds of years and we couldn’t do our job right, might as well go with you and see if we can be of some help.”

“Sooooo,” Casey asks, “which door is the right one? You remember that, right?

Toxoglossa 2019/06/07(Fri)19:39 No. 935116 ID: 7816e7
File 155996155617.png - (91.82KB , 526x700 , 9-42.png )

“Oh yeah, its the left one. Right?”

“Yup. At least we can help with that...”

Casey takes hold of the handle and pushes the door inward. Beyond the frame is a solid white glow, much like the surface of a gate.

“Oh yeah the guardians put a spacial charm in place for the next bit.” Rufus floats up to the surface, “If I remember right, things get a bit weird in there. Might want to avoid using gates while we’re inside.”

Maybe we should grabs some water and refresh before we go out of gate range?

Refreshing before you go further is a good idea, yeah. While you do that, maybe fill the spirits in on the broader situation? You never know, they might know something.

>>935116
Spacial distortion, I'm guessing. I wonder how they did it.
Ask who built this place, and why.

>>935144
All of this

Extract any other stuff you might need from the pocket dimension before proceeding. Leave a message about what you're up to where somebody responsible will find it, so if you get stuck, backup will be coming in days rather than decades.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/10(Mon)13:48 No. 935338 ID: 7816e7
File 156019970688.png - (152.16KB , 700x560 , 9-43.png )

Casey pauses and turns back to Gabe. “Better grab anything me might need before heading in, then.”

The Sender cracks his knuckles and opens up his storage portal. He pulls out a backpack fixed to a frame and sets it down. He extracts a thermos and some dry granola for the group and passes them around for everyone. Gabe holds the bag up for the ghostly mediums and asks, “You guys need anything?” They thank him but wave a “no”.

Kol shoulders the backpack with a grunt. “Nice, Gabe. How much can you store now?”

“Its about as big as a closet. I’m trying to at least make sure everything I store is useful though.” The glowing red hole in space shrinks away into empty air. “It’s nothing as amazing as Vivian’s. Delilah and I spent a weekend exploring once and it just seemed to keep going.”

"Let's hope whatever's on the other side isn't that big." Casey scribbles a note on a piece of scrap paper and sticks it to the door-frame. "I don't want the senders to have to come rescue us. We ready?"

Toxoglossa 2019/06/10(Mon)13:48 No. 935339 ID: 7816e7
File 156019971190.png - (197.24KB , 700x700 , 9-44.png )

With everyone prepared, they step through the glowing rectangle. Emerging on the other side, they find themselves in a large room terraced with staircases. Windows and doors pigeonhole the walls, pointing up, down and sideways in an architectural mess. The design appears to be completely nonsensical regardless of where a viewer is standing and what their gravitational orientation is.

"Awwww lichfire. Its one of these?" Gabe slouches.

Damn, and you guys just had a bunch of sex. It would have been fun to play around with the messed-up gravity directions, assuming those are a thing.

Well, let's see. Things of note:
- The door immediately above you is darker on the inside than the others.
- There are only two rounded doors, the others are square.
- There's only one door that looks like it has two "floors", the one to the right of the bottom of the stairs in front of you.

"Just what is "one of these," and why did you sound like you'd rather crawl across broken glass than deal with this?"

It's looking like you're facing some kind of spacial fuckery maze. This could potentially be real nasty to figure out. Something like shifting parts around behind you if you go the wrong way will make the usual maze trick of marking where you came from or following the right hand wall ineffectual. And you better hope the maze maker designed it to dump you out at the entrance and not trap you if you went too far the wrong way.

Anyway, first off, check if you can freely walk back out the way you came in; Wouldn't be surprising if the way back out isn't the same gateway now. And as you go in, mark the way you came from with chalk or anything else you have. Ask Pezzi and Rufus if they know who designed this place. Perhaps it'll be someone Gabe knows of and if they had any particular quirks or tricks they put into spaces like this.

Time to start marking entrances and exits with chalk so you know what leads where.

Okay, hm. Gabe, you seem to know about this, care to explain/answer questions?

1: Is travel limited solely to the staircases?

2: is it possible to jump off the 'floor' and land on the surface that used to be a 'wall', without pratfalling due to gravity, or is that right out?

3: can one simply walk off of the edge of a 90 degree surface and continue walking after a 90 degree shift, albeit very careful?

4: do we have a ball of string and other miscellaneous supplies for marking doorways such as tape/markers/paper?

>>935339

Hope you brought your chalk.

>>935373
Oh, and a mass on a long string (like a plumb bob) to check for gravity shifts. Useful to check that gravity where you're gonna step is the way you want it, and also for putting over the edge of ledges to see if stepping off will be a fall or not.

>>935339
We uh, have any way of pathmarking?

Toxoglossa 2019/06/12(Wed)17:10 No. 935573 ID: 7816e7
File 156038465386.png - (146.15KB , 700x571 , 9-45.png )

“Yeaaah, the Senders made us solve one for an exam once: something about learning how to navigate space and keep from being disoriented. Its just a maze but the gravity and physics are all weird.” Gabe rolls his eyes, “You have to find the right combination of doors to orient yourself for the exit.”

“Well, with all of us working together, we might be able to solve it quicker. As long as we’re methodical about it. Here...” she takes out her pencil and scribbles the number 1 on the doorframe of the entrance. “That’s our starting point.” She sticks her head through to check and verifies that it still leads to the library. “Okay, good. Gabe did you pack any string?”

“Mmm nope, there’s a couple feet of rope for the hammock. But that’s it.”

“Since when do we have a hammock?” Kol demands.

Gabe shrugs, “You we’re talking about how comfy they are! I wanted to try it out!”

“Well, I’m not sure how far it’ll stretch, but...” Casey extends her binding spell, “We could use my aura. We should start out by figuring out what doors lead where. Rufus and Pezzi, since gravity isn’t really an issue for you two, would you mind floating through some doorways so we can find out which ones are linked?”

The disembodied spirits give her a thumbs up and start floating through the open doors one after another. Casey follows along, using her aura tentacle to crudely mark the linked doorways.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/12(Wed)17:10 No. 935574 ID: 7816e7
File 156038465703.png - (138.85KB , 700x694 , 9-46.png )

“Okay,” she pauses and examines the results. “These all seem to lead to one another as expected but I noticed one thing.” She points to door number 5. “This one is set up so that you can enter it from two different angles. If we find the right combination of doors, we can orient ourselves to pass through it upside down, which I’m guessing will take us through.”

>>935574
>enter door 4 upside down
Clarification please? Aren't we currently standing "upside down" compared to door 4? Also it looks very awkward to enter that door(well, either of them) in more than one angle.
The diagram has one door 5 shaded in, and it looks much easier to enter that one upside down. Was THAT the right door?

... I think you mean the one marked 5? And, to be clear, gravity only changes for you if you go through a door? That means some of these doors are pretty dangerous to go through the wrong way.

To get to door 5 upside down, you need one of the 3s or either one of the 4s, but you'll have some climbing to do, so we need an answer on how well you can do that. Casey, can you shape your aura to form a ladder that other people can climb?

Uh.. which door 4? I can see hitting one of those from the side, but not sure how you would get to either of them upsidown.

Also there's a door in the initial shot that isn't shown in the diagram. It's right above the left door 4.

Slight edit, text changed to door 5

Down the stairs right in front of you, through door 8, turn left, up the shallow-looking stairs, turn right, down into door 5.

>>935584
That would put us into door 5 while gravity is pointing left. That might work?

We might need it to point up, which means we need to go through door 3 right before door 5. In that case, door 2 is a dead end since there are no other doors oriented that way.

How about this: enter 5 the correct way, then 7, then 3, then 5 the wrong way.

Okay, before we try anything else we should see what happens to gabe's rope by inserting it into the #5 door from the wrong entrance (the one at the bottom of the flight of stairs we're on)

If nothing happens to aside from a major shift in gravitty then the easiest (and very gordian) solution is to simply re-orient everyone using aura tentacles and walk them through the door.

Casey can do a handstand after helping the other two.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/13(Thu)20:09 No. 935699 ID: 7816e7
File 156048177062.png - (125.16KB , 624x700 , 9-47.png )

“Let’s see if this works...” Casey extends her aura on ahead, looping it through door 5, then door 7, around to door 3 and back into door 5. The end of the tendril disappears into the darkness and Casey pumps her other fist. “Got it! Follow me, guys!”

She takes the lead and they clamber over the mismatched geometry into the correct doors. Passing one another inverted, Casey jumps up and gives Gabe a high five.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/13(Thu)20:09 No. 935700 ID: 7816e7
File 156048177609.png - (178.93KB , 700x700 , 9-48.png )

They pass through the door, once more into shadow. Kol pulls out the magelight again and feels a slight chill turning it on as the device pulls a minute charge of mana from his body.“Do you two remember anything else about what’s down here?”

Pezzi scratches at his chin and thinks, “I remember The guardian used to have some kind of beast from the feywilds living down here, but that was centuries ago. I can’t imagine it would be still alive.”


As Kol waves the light scatters and reflects off of a layer of water a couple inches deep and smooth as a mirror. A drop of water somewhere ahead echoes and a second later an imperceptible ripple disturbs the surface. "Huh, looks like a you guys have a leak somewhere."

Noooope. Get away from the edge. If it's a fey creature, it might still be alive. And the drip cannot be coincidental given the intent behind the design of this place. I'm thinking it's a kelpie or worse and it'll try to snatch someone into the water to drown them.

>>935700
>beast from the feywilds
>centuries ago
If it *did* die... it might have left a ghost. Or it's just a very long-lived animal? We know elementals can live that long.
Also, I wouldn't be surprised if that water is from the beast. Don't move any further. Shine your light all over the room(or corridor?) to see what's in it. If you can't see anything then I suppose we can begin to move forwards... just uh, make sure that water is as deep as it looks and isn't actually a lake with an illusion on it. Remember we are potentially going to have to deal with fey magic. Poke the water with something.

magelight points up now. Find that 'leak'

Toxoglossa 2019/06/14(Fri)17:59 No. 935805 ID: 7816e7
File 156056035833.png - (88.60KB , 700x637 , 9-49.png )

The light swings upwards, tracing along the ceiling. Kol mutters, “Aw man, really hoping its not another kelpie. Nixxy is already enough to handle, thank you.” He spots a gleaming refraction of light. A single drop of water beads out of a crack in the stone, traces down a tiny stalactite before dripping into the placid reservoir.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/14(Fri)17:59 No. 935806 ID: 7816e7
File 156056036431.png - (94.00KB , 700x437 , 9-50.png )

“Looks like it isn’t very deep. Should we keep going?”

“I suppose so, we’ve gone this far already.” Gabe and Casey shrug.

Kol rolls up his cuffs and splashes into the ankle deep water. “Huh, not as cold as I expected.”

“Let’s keep an eye out. Rufus and Pezzi can you watch our backs?” Casey cautiously steps into the water and waves to the two lost spirits.

“I suppose so, not like anything is going to attack us...”

The group wades into the tunnel, finding that it opens up after about a dozen feet. Kol’s light waves over a low, wide ceiling carved from intersecting arches. The resulting vaulted space seems mostly empty, save for a few heavy stone tables and the odd overturned chair.

>>935805
...yep that really is a leak. It's been there long enough to form a stalactite.

>>935806
Is that something on the bottom of that overturned table? If not I guess we should just try some doors.
Can Gabe use portals now that we're past the maze?

There must have been something or someone real strong and angry to be able to flip a stone table over. Hopefully they're not still down here.

Inspect the furniture and the floor where the tables were flipped over for any items that were left behind. And it's peculiar that the wooden chair hasn't collapsed from rot from water exposure by now. Give it a poke to see if it's just about to disintegrate or if it's solid. If it's solid then something is weird with the water and you ought to be suspicious of it.

And thinking of water, check if Gabe can Gate. If he can then he could make a drain hole to clear the water out. ...Y'know, shouldn't there be drain holes built into this place already? Water does tend to condensate in caves, so whoever built this place ought to have put drains in to channel the damp out. And if there aren't any, then shouldn't the water be much higher than it is? It's cool in here, so it wouldn't evaporate much and keep building up, right? So how come it isn't?

>>935806
Let's check the door on the other side of the over turntable. Seems like there's a raised section in the wall next to it.

Is that stalagmite setting off anybody's OCD in this otherwise completely geometric basement?

I hope opening up one of those doors doesn't flood the room you're trying to enter.

>>935894
>I hope opening up one of those doors doesn't flood the room you're trying to enter.
Oh, that raises another question: Why haven't the wooden doors rotted from all the water? At least at the bottom. It's rather suspicious if they haven't and there isn't a fitting explanation like them having magical or mundane wood treatment back in the day.

>>935906
They could be stone doors.

>>935806

Doesn't the style of this seem oddly familiar? Kind of like when we talked to the fey guy on the barghast?

The architecture is very atypical, too, given what we know of how the library itself was created. Especially considering that vaulted ceilings were designed for structural support.

Does either Rufus or Pezzi have any knowledge of this room beyond that its former occupant was fey?

Toxoglossa 2019/06/15(Sat)18:08 No. 935957 ID: 7816e7
File 156064733098.png - (132.05KB , 497x700 , 9-51.png )

They slosh through the dark, inspecting the upturned table. Casey’s foot nudges something and she fishes around and finds a leather book cover and clasp. It seems fairly well preserved. although the pages have long since disappeared into pulp. The brass latch on the front reveals a corroded seal of the Sender Order. She sighs, “I hope something down here is still intact. Gabe, do you think its safe to use gates down here?”

“Let me check...” He closes his eyes and tries to call up a beacon. “Oh wow, that’s interesting... We’re definitely not in the spacial warp anymore. But we’re not even in Moot Point; this is somewhere to the... southeast? A couple of miles out of town.”

“Do you think you could use a gate to drain the water?”

“I could try, let me just take a peek so I’m not dumping it out in some guy’s living room.” He makes a couple of peepholes before being satisfied. “Okay, I found a pond I can dump it in. Hang on.”

He flexes his fingers and opens a gate at floor level about two feet wide and watches as the water rushes in. The flow goes on for what feels like an unusual amount of time with no sign of abating. “Fates, how much is there?”

Toxoglossa 2019/06/15(Sat)18:08 No. 935958 ID: 7816e7
File 156064733540.png - (175.12KB , 700x700 , 9-52.png )

Kol tugs at his cuffs and shines the light on his legs. “Wait, is it getting deeper?”

>>935958
It only started getting deeper when Gabe tried to drain away the water. So hopefully if Gabe stops trying to draw away the water, the water lever will stop rising.

Oh gee wow, what's that, a test for people who use gates all the time where you were explicitly warned not to fuck around with gates doesn't let you teleport water away with gates? Shock and amazement.

Stop that immediately. It looks like the gate's just duplicating whatever water's going through it.

>>935960
>water lever will stop rising.
water level will stop rising.

I want to know what water does in the prior room with all the gravitational shifts

Yep there's a water spirit in here alright. Trying to drain the water awakened it. Find where the new water flow is coming from.

if it duplicates water trying to leave, what if we try to add water? (brought to you by stupiD idEas Inc.)

>>935973
Water is already being added back in by an unknown source, and at an evidently faster rate than gabe's portal is removing. We don't need to start portaling in water because that's just going to fill the chamber faster.

>>935958
So what did we learn? We learned that if you find a secret chamber built by your city's founder, where everything inside is built as a test, you don't try to cheat the test!

Augustine Moot built this place, so it's pretty damn obvious that she would put in countermeasures against the same type of magic she uses. Most likely as a way of teaching whoever comes here a lesson in not relying on their magic to solve everything.

It was pretty foolish to just immediately try using gates instead of actually looking around first to see if there was something else we could've done to get rid of the water. Hopefully the increased water level didn't mess up anything further in.

>>935958

Can't help but feel that what we're doing is causing whatever water's backed up elsewhere to form an inrush, which considering the size of the portal, our limited rate of draining, and the VERY uncertain knowledge of how much more water is in here is exceedingly dangerous.

Let's shut the portal before things get worse and just hope we don't get too soggy in sloshing around to explore?

Ask Rufus and Pezzi to scout beyond the doors and check if any of them are barred or blocked from the far side. Once the spirit guys report back, physically check if the doors that lead to apparently safe areas are stuck or too heavy to move. If the water level keeps rising in here, then any doors open into this chamber will become increasingly hard to open due to water pressure if the areas beyond have lower or no water, so get those first. Inversely, doors that open outward will become easier to open, possibly even pushed open on their own by the pressure.

Check where the new water flow is coming from by closing the Gate and observing both that and if it stops rising. Then test whether just putting it through a Gate or if trying to drain it away is causing it to rise by creating a Gate in the floor to one in the ceiling and checking if the water rises from it flowing through.

Since there was, and possibly still is, a beast from the Feywilds down here and this water may be connected with it, especially if its behavior is magical, then conferring with Nixxy on this would make sense. Make a Gate (on the wall) to her place and give her a scoop of the water to check if it's got traces of Fey or other magic on it. Also ask her what aquatic Feywilds beasts may have been brought here as a guardian. You may also want to bring Nixxy here if the water starts to get to be too much.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/16(Sun)14:16 No. 936039 ID: 7816e7
File 156071978693.png - (147.81KB , 700x507 , 9-53.png )

“Gabe, shut the gate!” Casey waves at him desperately.

The portal winks out of existence with a splash and as the ripples fade away, the guides stand stock still. Their ears swivel and strain as the last drips echo against the ceiling. “...I think it stopped...” Casey whispers.

“Hello? Is someone there?” Kol calls, his voice bouncing back at him like a stranger.

A second voice echoes through the chamber. Its direction impossible to discern, the one word warbles uncertainly: “H-hewwo?”

Ask if they're behind one of these doors. Knock at each one in turn, see if they respond.

>>936039

>H-Hewwo?
Heeeeeeeeeccccckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk ...

*snrk*
Hi there, who are you?

>>936039
>“H-hewwo?”
Either it’s a child or someone that doesn’t speak very well. Or both.

Call out and tell them that you’d like to talk. Then politely ask if they would like to come out.

henllo
owo
oh herro

Also we should get Nixxy in here to help and as backup.

And also could Vivian help translate those old fey texts?

>>936135
Let’s at least see if we can figure out what’s here on our own before we start bringing in more people.

UwU

>>936039

Gabe, go full owo

Toxoglossa 2019/06/18(Tue)18:57 No. 936340 ID: 7816e7
File 156090943539.png - (68.08KB , 493x700 , 9-54.png )

“Hey, where are you?” Casey cups her hands around her ears, listening for a source to the voice.

“I-I’m in hewre. Whewre are you?”

“We’re in the big room with the tables.” Casey responds. “Are you okay? Do you need help?”

Toxoglossa 2019/06/18(Tue)18:57 No. 936341 ID: 7816e7
File 156090944133.png - (128.98KB , 700x700 , 9-55.png )

She sloshes in the direction of the unseen person and peeks through the door. She can just make out a shape standing upright in the gloom.

It moves slightly as the door creaks, “Is-is dat you?” Its voice is high pitched and curious.

>>936341
Time for introductions I suppose.
...is that a Kappa?

>>936341
Axotl? Get some light in there with an aura tentacle. Be ready to pull back and get that door closed with that same tentacle.

An axolotl would suggest this is a young Water Elemental.

A axolotl kappa?

>>936345
Or that I guess.

Ask it who "you" is. Or, rather, was. And also what its name is and if it was what raised the water level in here just a moment ago.

>>936345
Considering what the ancient water elemental upstream of Delilah's spa looked like (see >>868255 for reference,) it's quite possible this is a young, or possibly stunted, water elemental. Get some light on it and get Gabe to have a look see for comparison, since he saw the big old water elemental. ...Did he ever get that elemental's name?

>>936341

Huh. Old lecture hall.

... iiiiiiiiiiinteresting.

'Is-is dat you' ...

does it mean it talking about someone that either look like you or someone that look totally different that it met before? or does it mean are you the one making that noise /movement in the water behind the door? or maybe it both and/or something else beside that? .

Toxoglossa 2019/06/20(Thu)19:21 No. 936624 ID: 7816e7
File 156108371884.png - (135.91KB , 700x700 , 9-56.png )

“In here, hang on I’ll make some light...”
Casey turns back to the room and sees it empty

“Wait, wha-?” On instinct her aura unwinds, filling the space with glowing light.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/20(Thu)19:22 No. 936625 ID: 7816e7
File 156108372315.png - (166.28KB , 651x700 , 9-57.png )

Something uncomfortably close glistens in the dark. “Hewwo!”

The light catches the figure full in the face. A semi-translucent blue shape grins toothlessly at her. A pair of dark spots dot the creature’s blunt head, seeming to float an inch or two under its skin. A mane of diaphanous frills dangle wetly as it beams back at her.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/20(Thu)19:22 No. 936626 ID: 7816e7
File 156108373024.png - (173.45KB , 700x500 , 9-58.png )

She falls back with a splash and a firm grip catches her around the waist. “Cawefuww! Awre you okay? Sowwy if I scawred you.”

Casey feels a hand patting carefully at her fur. “Ooh! You awre aww fuwwy! I thouwt you wewre anothewr ewementawl.” The creature’s mouth seems fixed in a permanent oval, making enunciation a bit of a challenge. Its head flops sideways with a gloomp. “I’m Fennew. Nice to meet you! I nevewr had vistowrs befowr!”

>Hewwo
With that accent we have no choice but to exterminate it for the good of society.

>>936626
"Fennel"? Wait, other elementals?
Ohhh I get it! The crack in the ceiling must allow other Water Elementals to enter the area. That's good, that means Fennel wasn't alone all this time.

Introduce yourselves. Ask if there's anyone else here? You can stay and visit for a bit, you brought the door guards with you.

and it Nice to meet you as well Fennew.
wait a minute. you said you haven't seen visitors before until now. does that mean you were alone by your self for all we know could a been an very long time? how did you came to be as in were you born/created here or were you somehow move here either by your own doing or by someone else? and what did you do in your spare time until you have met me plus the others close by with us?

Well it's only proper that you introduce yourself and the rest of your crew. There's no way to tell time down here is there? So there's no way to know how long they've been here.

"Nice to meet you too, Fennel! And a little surprising. I'm Casey. Me and my friends are exploring this place. So far it's been kind of a secret magic puzzle maze, so that's why you haven't gotten visitors before... If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been living here?"

Theory: That "beast from the feywilds" was, Pezzi implied, something that could die of old age. So, it was probably something that needed to eat and drink. In which case, it needed a way to get fresh water. So maybe whatever was responsible for that has malfunctioned somehow? The drip from the ceiling could have created this amount over time, but it wouldn't have caused the weird drain-reversal effect.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/23(Sun)12:38 No. 936974 ID: 7816e7
File 156131872526.png - (229.88KB , 700x700 , 9-59.png )

“Fennel, right? Nice to meet you too. I-I’m Casey. I’m a spirit guide.” She relaxes bit by bit as the elemental pats her arm. “Are there more like you here?”

Fennel lets out a soggy sigh. “Dere used to be. But dey lefd a whiwle ago. I tuwned dis pwace into a spwing a few yeawrs ago hoping dey wouwld come back.”

“Well, if you’d like I could introduce you to my friends.”

Her mouth contorts into a perfect “O”. “Dere awre mowre of you? Suwre! Wead the way!” The undine’s tail unwraps itself from around Casey’s waist and takes her hand expectantly.

Casey leads her back into the main hall and waves. “Hey guys, this is Fennel. She's been living here a while.”

Fennel shrinks back from the magelight a bit, shading their eyespots. “Oh wow, dats bwight!” Kol aims the light at the ceiling, scattering a dim, but usable light through the room.

“Hey there! I’m Gabe and that’s Kol.” Gabe waves and indicates the two spirits, “and that’s Rufus and Pezzi.”

Fennel cocks her head back and forth, zeroing in on his voice. “So many peopwle! Nice to meet you aww!” She sloshes up to the mice and extends a hand and Gabe clasps it. “Ooh, you’wre fuwwy too? I see.” Her hand roams down his arm and catches the edge of his sash. “I don’t suppose any of you awre undines?”

“No, all of us are mortals.” Says Kol.

“Or former mortals” supplies Rufus.

She really is green around the gills, huh. Ask her what she knows about this place.

>>936974
Strange, she shielded her eyes from the light but otherwise seems to act like she's blind. Is her eyesight just really bad?

Does she know how to proceed further in?

Tell Fennel that unfortunately you three don't know any undines. Y'all haven't even met a undine... No, wait, Gabe did briefly meet with that big, old undine in the spring upstream from Delilah's spa. But that one sleeps nearly all the time and all the other undines keep away from his territory 'cause he's so old. Doubtful he'd enjoy Fennel visiting, and he wouldn't even fit in this place to visit her. ...Hm. Nixxy did visit that old undine looking to be his consort. Perhaps she has a thing for undines and would like to meet Fennel.

Ask Fennel why she's looking for undines. Is she lonely down here? If she is, why hasn't she left to travel and meet other undines and other folk? Maybe even resettle elsewhere.

The Guardian Alliance used to keep some kind of feywild beast down here, centuries ago, so maybe it was a undine and Fennel and the other undines came from it. Ask Fennel where she and the other undines that used to be here came from and also why the other undines left and have not even visited her since. And tell her what Rufus and Pezzi told y'all about a feywild beast being kept down here a few centuries ago and ask if she's seen any signs of it and what it was.

And on the subject of the Guardian Alliance, ask Fennel if there was anything left down here of interest. Like magical items or fancy stuff or any books or scrolls that didn't get soaked and rotted. Oh, and did Fennel or any of the other undines that lived down here try to pass through the way y'all came in? You do hope none of them got trapped in the extra-spatial maze.

Also ask Fennel if she could lower the water level in here so it'd be easier for your group to move about. The water's not cold, but it does slow your walking.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/26(Wed)19:49 No. 937358 ID: 7816e7
File 156160377036.png - (133.71KB , 572x700 , 9-60.png )

Gabe brightens up, “I met an undine a couple of months ago. Biiiig guy, likes to sleep a lot?”

“Oooh I heawed of him:the owd dweamewr. No most undines stay away fwom him, they say he’s vewy tewrwtowiawl.” Fennel sighs with a glub.

“Why’re you looking for other undines? Are you lonely down here?” Kol scratches his chin and knits his brow.

“Me and my fwends found dis pwace years ago. We wewre gonna make it spwing, but dey fought it was too cweepy hewre. The wawwls awre too smoove, and pewfect, dey said it was unnatuwawl. Dey wewre wowwied whoevewr made it wouwd come back and kick us out. We had an awgument and dey weft to find somewhewre ewlse...” her head droops, trailing her sparkling frills down her shoulders.

“Why’d you stay then?”

“Its hawd to find a space dis big, and I wike the shape! The echoes awre so neat! Making a cavewn takes yeawrs and yeawrs just to cawve out a tiny howle bawewly big enough fowr one of us.” She beams, stretching out her arms and basking in the open room.

Casey holds up empty book binding and hands it to the elemental. “When you found this place, was there more stuff like this? Books, scrolls, maps maybe?”

Translucent fingers run over the ruined book and trace the sigil. “Ooooh. Yeah, though... a wot of dem feww apawrt. When we fought abouwt whether owr not to stay, some things wike this wewre knocked ovewr. I twied to pick evweything up again but these just kind got aww soggy and wotted.” Casey groans and sags: the earliest writings of the Guardian Alliance, ruined by arguing elementals. “There might be some of dem that stiww intact. I wemembew some of dem fewt diffewent and I put dem up away fwom the wawtewr.”

>>937358
Well, people *might* reclaim the place, it was secret until now.
Ask her to show you the special stuff.

Check the room for any surviving paper or other important information that hasn't been subjected to the entropy of water exposure.

>>937358
It was very considerate of her to try and save what she could. Thank her for that.

Thank Fennel for putting what she could away from the water and ask her to lead us to where they are kept.

On the way tell her that y'all are so interested in what was left behind here because this place was the secret meeting hall of the Guardian Alliance several centuries ago. We're hoping to find out more about their early days and founding members from what's here.

Also tell her that the walls are so perfectly smooth because they were cut out of the solid rock by Senders using Gating magic. The way y'all got here was via a secret entrance hidden in the library of the Sender Order's school in Moot Point.

And if Fennel's worried about folks taking this place back and kicking her out... We don't know. The modern Guardian Alliance might make a claim they own this place, but they probably wouldn't throw Fennel out if they did take ownership. But even if Fennel does get kicked out we'll make sure she has a home, even if we have to cut it out of the rock. And, just so she knows, there'll almost certainly be archaeologists who'll want to search the place, so she should expect more visitors.

...Oh, and ask Fennel how she and her fellow undines got in and out of this place, since they obviously didn't come in the way y'all did. Could they slip out through just that little drip of water y'all saw when you came in.

You know what fixes ruined books?

Mending (spell) is what fixes books.

Have the nice elemental show you around her place.

Toxoglossa 2019/06/27(Thu)19:06 No. 937465 ID: 7816e7
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“Oh thank the Fates,” Relief washes over Casey and she brightens up. “Would you mind showing us where you kept them? Its important to preserve as much as we can from this place.”

“Suwre!” Fennel beams with a wobbly sketch of a smile. “What was dis pwace anyway?” The elemental reaches out a hand, which stretches until it finds a wall and uses it to trace her way through the chamber.

“It used to belong to the first Spirit Guardians. Its connected to the Sender Academy in Moot Point by a spacial warp.”

“Ohhh! Dat’s what dat is! We stayed out of dewre because the gwavity made us feewl sick.” She shrugs and her body ripples.

“Before the school existed, Madame Moot and her comrades met here in secret. Its where they trained the first generation of guardians for the impossible task ahead of them.” Rufus floats along behind as they slosh through the ankle deep water. "Pretty neat, eh?"

Fennel opens the large double door at the end of the hall, into a chamber in which a wide, stone table occupies most of the room. In the dark, it looks almost like an altar. A pair of small, dark shapes sit in the middle of the surface.

“I put dem hewre because I figuwred it wouwdn’t get knocked ovewr. I hope deywre safe.” She wrings her hands together nervously. “Sowwry, we didn’t mean to damage dem.”

>>937465
Only two left. This is a disaster. I guess we'll just have to make do.
Make a beacon so you can lead other people back here later, and retrieve the documents to be brought somewhere they can be carefully examined and preserved without further damage.

...Try not to let your collective frustration show.

fail anyway. Take what little is left and make a report on this place to whatever higher-ups would be interested.

>>937465
Humidity is still very much a thing. We have to be very careful.