Night at the Library

Settling down to rest, to regain some strength before the rest of the challenges that Mount Snaefang might offer, the party makes themselves comfortable in the library. A cursory examination of the library seem to indicate that almost half the tomes in the cavernous hall have been removed at some stage. Still, the insatiable curiousity of the party leads them to investigate some of the remaining books. The majority of the books are written, surprisingly enough, in an archaic form of common, which is made even less comprehensible by the rather complex choice of words and sentence structures that you find. It seems most of the books are on various engineering, natural sciences and magic, describing a variety of odd devices(complete with detailed charts and figures) and scientific principles.

Your guide through this strange storehouse of information, Skichit the Hamster tries to be as forthcoming as he(?) possibly can, but it is obvious that the rodent cannot read common. He does, however seem to have some comprehension of the glyphs that seem to have been the gnomes' own language. Most of the remaining books in this language seem to have been aimed at a younger audience, with colourful and cute characters explaining what seems to be various applications of alchemy, mechanics and steam power. One particularly cute book, seem to be about a group of happy hamsters, smiling as they run on giant wheels that power some contraption whose nature you do not understand. Through a lengthy process of trying to communicate rather abstract concepts with a spoken vocabulary of some 300 words, he explains that most of the books written in Gnomish, have been taken somewhere else by his people. When asked where, he points to the "Spare Parts" section of your map. He also says something about a 'Captain' who will be happy to answer some questions.

In the section of the library that holds the empty dais where the Gondian Primer was meant to be, you find what seem to be work desks. Most of these particular books are on the topic of astronomy. After a lengthy examination, requiring pooling of knowledge from the party , it seems that most of the books are about solar eclipses. Looking at the Starcharts, Telfis seems to recall that this particular configuration of stars played an important role in the "Eclipse of Doom", an omen of destruction in the epic poem of King Riel, and the fall of his house. This particular story took place over 2000 years ago, though....


You rest in the chamber, until suddenly, the sounds of rodents screeching reach you from the top of the chamber. Making their way down the spiralling metal staircase, they seem to speak frantically to your guide, using a combination of screeching as well as their sound-slates. The words you can hear are "Danger", "Death" , "Kobolds" , "Captain" and "Fire".

The hamsters turn to you, begging you with their big innocent eyes, "Help us!, the kobolds are attacking us!"