Day 116: Starday the 12th, Abadius, 4708
I awoke with a great amount of trepidation, and enthusiasm about the different tasks I had set for myself. Two completely different tasks, but equally as vital. If I could convince the Decemvirate that the library was a sufficient find, then they could take over the copying and custody of it. I'd still visit the Librarian from time to time, once I found a way to ensure that I could get there quickly enough. Maybe the new plane would help with that? Honestly, I needed to make sure that whatever I designed would be big enough to hold the bikes and all of the people who could be going with us, but not too big to need a long runway.
Also, I know that magic can do a lot, but I don't know if VTOL is something I am shooting for just yet. Maybe on a Mark II or something like that. When Savah and I got up, there was breakfast ready for everyone. Jonathan was back on his game. We all enjoyed a quality meal together and discussed our various plans. Shalelu had some work to do with Luma, so she'd be gone most of the day. That left Faunra working on her rituals of transference for most of the items that she'd be working with. Jonathan would be heading out with Savah and Shayliss to do heavy lifting. Dame Rebekah and Chelger had been put in charge of getting the donations that we had agreed upon to the proper authorities. That left me to go talk to Sheila Heidmarch and maybe a shadowy figurehead of an organization.
Everyone packed up what they needed and headed out, with me being the last to leave the Kaijitsu Villa. I realized that we really needed some place of our own here in Magnimar if it was going to take the better part of a day to make a simple trip here. Maybe once I get the plane built, I can figure out a way to have a hanger here and one in Sandpoint. I got on my bike, dressed mainly for walking around town, with Faunra having my armor, my machete, and much more of my gear, I rode over as armed as I could be in a fancy suit, with my pistol tucked into the underarm holster.
I rode along at a leisurely twelve miles an hour, zipping through the streets of Magnimar like it was nothing. People gave me looks, certainly, but I guess that quite a few had been seeing something similar since I started making bikes for more and more people. Or at least Igor and Veronica had been, whenever the order comes up. I made my way to Heidmarch Manor, where we had dropped off Sheila and Canayven last night, and got my bike into an empty stable, which I assumed was there for guests. I used my prestidigitation powers to clean up the road debris and style my hair. I made my way up to the front door of the manor and knocked.
The door was answered by a woman who was clearly a wizard. She asked who I was and who I was there to see. I responded back that I was here to speak to Sheila Heidmarch regarding a discovery that my group had recently made, and that she was expecting me. The woman scoffed and told me to wait in the foyer. I thanked her and went to a room where there were leather cushioned benches lining the walls. I sat down and looked around the walls. There was a wide variety of mementos and treasures from far and wide. I think that I might do the same eventually, maybe if I get the plane working right I can take Savah on vacations.
While I was waiting, I decided to take out my tablet and start listing up what I needed to do for the plane. Might was well get something done while I was waiting, I thought. I managed to get a fair amount further than I was anticipating, when Sheila came to the foyer and asked me to follow her into a library. Sheila asked me to have a seat while she got someone for me to meet. I sat down and pulled up the relevant details on both my cell phone and tablet, just to make things go quicker.
When Sheila came back, there was a masked woman that she led into the room with her. The masked woman tilted her head slightly, but said nothing at the moment. Sheila introduced me to the masked woman and gave a brief explanation that I had a lot of finds to offer up to the Pathfinder society. The masked woman motioned for me to start, and I loaded up the video of us travelling through the Catacombs below the Glassworks. Then I played the videos of us investigating Thistletop, then the caverns underneath Destrier Manor, the fight with Black Magga, then the Dam at Skull Crossing, then I continued with the video of the Temple complex beneath Sandpoint. The masked woman didn't show any sign of impression. Then I loaded up the video of the Therassic Library.
That took her a bit aback, which I could tell even with her mask. I told her that this wasn't all. I hadn't told this to Sheila, but I had discussed this with Faunra last night. I told them both that I was acquainted with two individuals who existed back during Thassilon's heyday. Not just the Librarian, but another individual who was willing to talk with the Pathfinders about what they knew of the time period. The masked woman looked to Sheila and nodded slightly.
Sheila spoke up and said that the amount of evidence that we have provided of our finds is far beyond what a normal Pathfinder might be able to bring about. The masked woman spoke and added that the fact that it is in a form that can be watched by others allows for double checking and prevention of bias is an even greater boon. They then asked what it would take to get this material transferred to another medium. I told them that this is technology, not magic, and it has been hard for me to reproduce this. I added that I had heard of other sources of technology, but that I didn't even know if they were compatible with my own, but that I could transcribe what the videos show, along with my comments, and have drawings done of key moments.
The masked woman seemed to weigh that and asked how long that would take. I thought about it and did some math. It takes hours to animate seconds, but only drawing key points would make it a lot quicker. I noted that the transcription and comments would be much quicker, which could be done within a week, with up to fifteen copies being made at the same time. The drawings would take a while, unless there was a way to make a permanent illusion of a scene a lot quicker.
The masked woman said that there were spells that might be twisted to do something similar to that, and that a magical item could be created to do that. I said that I had known that there were spells to reproduce written work, but not pictures. I told her that it was good to have something like that, and that an item that did both would be a great addition to a team that would be sent to the Therassic Library. I told her that it would be great to have something like that myself, for the University that I would be starting in Sandpoint. Especially if we can find some way to mass produce the blank books that would be needed. I trailed off when I noticed that it wasn't especially pertinent to the discussion.
The masked woman asked me if there was anything else that I could provide that would be pertinent to our possible induction to the Pathfinders. I asked if they were interested in more than just information about ancient Thassilon, and the woman told me that they might be interested in in all sorts of information, but that this depends on what I have available. I smiled and said that I was bringing technology to this world, and that the Pathfinders would be welcome to learn it. The masked woman asked what technology could do. I told her that it was like magic, but that it didn't take years of training to utilize. The woman asked if I could demonstrate, and I used my phone to take her picture. I showed it to her and she nodded thoughtfully. I showed her where to push and she took a picture of Sheila. I showed Sheila how and she took a picture of a book illustration.
When the picture taking was done, I told them that I could keep these pictures and pull them up whenever needed. I also showed them that I could delete the pictures, starting with the picture of the masked woman. She asked if I would be making the phone available to the Pathfinders. I told them that I would not, but that I would be working on making an equivalent once I advanced the technology level of this world. I hastily added that I could transfer written information from a book, to my phone via the camera, then to another book via a spell.
The masked woman nodded and said that she would take all of this information in to a discussion with the rest of the Decemvirate and bring back a decision. I noted that I could provide the location of the Library with over twenty-four thousand written works immediately, if that would help with any decision that the Decemvirate would make. I added that I would also be bringing written works in the fields of science, biology, chemistry, and philosophy if this would also help. The masked woman said that she would be willing to bring these along with her, if I could provide them by the end of the day. I asked Sheila if she had any blank books that I could use. Sheila grabbed three books from a nearby shelf, so I told them that I would take these books and return with them filled by the end of the day.
Sheila wished me well and the masked woman nodded. I headed back to the stables to get my bike and felt that I was being watched. I got on and directed myself to the Villa, where I retreated back to a quiet room to work on transferring info. After I got myself set up, I started making the three basic books that I had made for Chask and the home library. After five hours, I had finished the three books. I had not gotten anything done with the aircraft, but I had finished what I had intended to do for the Pathfinder Society, and honestly, design was going to be only so much of a part of the whole project.
I left the room to see that Faunra had finished up with a fair amount of the project work that she was doing, and was getting a snack. We chatted for a bit before she had to head back to some more transference rituals, and I had to head back to Heidmarch Manor. I wished her luck and she did the same. I made my way back to stables and headed back to Pathfinder Lodge. When I got back there, the same disaffected young woman wizard answered the door and led me to the Foyer. It didn't take too long for Sheila to be ready to see me.
Sheila and the masked woman were back in the study, and I presented them with the three filled books. The masked woman looked to cast some spell and then seemed to power through all three of the copies that I had made. Sheila and I waited without saying much. After the masked woman had finished reading all three of the volumes, she asked if this was the summation of what knowledge I could bring forth to the Pathfinders. I told her that this wasn't even the start, that these were just the building blocks to begin the learning process that I would be starting at my University, and that the science and engineering of my home world would be made as much available as possible.
The masked woman said that she would take this information to the rest of the Decemvirate, but that they would have an answer within a moon. I noted that we would probably be away hunting down another Thassilonian ruin in that time, but that Sheila would know how to get ahold of me. The masked woman asked what we were searching for, and I told her that we had to head to the Runeforge. I didn't know if she was secretly a minion of Karzoug, so I didn't add any more information.
The Masked woman said that if we were heading to the Runeforge, and were willing to bring back more evidence similar to what we had brought forth from the previous ruins, we would be fully inducted into the Pathfinders. I told her that I would make this acceptance for my group, and that we would provide the Pathfinders with the location of the Therassic Library and the passcode to get past the traps, so that they can start the process of having scribes make the copies. The masked woman nodded and held out a hand. I shook it and she took a look at the ring on that hand. She asked me where I had gotten it.
It was the ring that I had with the Vegvisir, and I told her that it was a symbol from my home world that was there to help people find their way in rough weather. She nodded and noted that it was enchanted very specially, and that I should keep hold of it. She noted that she would issue out the wayfinders for the rest of the group and they would be delivered to the Kaijitsu Villa tomorrow morning. The masked woman lifted my hand up to the mask's lips and whispered a word. The runes of my ring glowed and the head of the ring projected into a three-inch diameter circle. The masked woman said that this ring had been enchanted to act as a very unusual style of wayfinder, one that can hide a small amount of material inside, as long as it can fit into the ring's extradimensional space.
I knew that Faunra had used something as the basis for what she had transferred the enchantment into the ring, but I never asked her what. I nodded along dumbly, and thanked her for showing me this. I didn't ever really think about the usage of another extradimensional space, but it was something that I could definitely use. Three inches in diameter is not that much, but the length would be something like twenty feet long at that measurement. The weight limit wasn't all that much to write about, ten pounds. I don't know who wrote these laws of supernatural physics, because there are only a few things that weigh ten pounds or less that occupy a cubic foot of space, and none of them are especially useful. I figure that I will just load it with loaded magazines for my pistol or other emergency gear.
I thanked them and told them that I would let everyone in the group know about our induction. The masked woman noted that there wasn't going to be any special ceremony, but that our main point of contact would be Sheila. She also told me that there were factions inside the organization that we should watch out for, but that if we ever needed to get in touch with her, Sheila could get in touch with her easily enough. The masked woman added that we had done good work for the Pathfinder Society and that we will likely rise up through the ranks quickly.
I left in a bit of a blur, not exactly expecting everything that was said, but realizing that it did conform to a fair amount of what I should have expected if I had thought about it long enough. I immediately headed back to the Villa, and by that time, everyone was back. I told them all of what I had experienced with the Pathfinder Decemvirate member, and how we were all official Pathfinders now. Jonathan asked what it required of us, and I told them that we just needed to keep them up to date with all of the Thassilonian ruins that we come across, the more detailed the better. Jonathan nodded and was silent. I added that I didn't feel the need to have temples to that deity see the light of day, so we could ignore that part of it. Jonathan nodded a bit more freely.
Faunra broke the awkwardness of the conversation with explaining to everyone what their new gear did. Apparently one of the upgrades that she had chosen for me was the equivalent of a set of jump jets that could be used to launch me up to maximum distance of one mile if jumping horizontal or over one thousand feet straight up. I don't think that this will be very necessary in the near future, but she assured me that if coupled with a feather falling enchantment or a way to glide, I could easily be able to travel a much further distance. Honestly, I think that she took a little too much from watching the Avengers.
The others were each getting upgrades on top of everything else that they had previously had as well, and Faunra noted that she had spent all of her magical energy, so we would need to be heading out in the morning at the earliest, if we wanted to teleport. Dame Rebekah noted that she had used a lot of her divinely granted miracles at the Chapel to help for worshipers. Jonathan noted that he had even used a lot of his abilities in taking Savah around, and could use some rest. I thought that I had not used much of my magical might, but I must have forgotten because I didn't really have anything on tap either, so we opted for a nice relaxing night in the Villa.
We were discussing what we should do about dinner when there was a knock on the front door to the Villa's foyer. I went over to answer, and there was a young Half-Elven page there, looking cautiously at me. The page asked if I was a Kaijitsu, and I told them that none of us were, but we had gotten let to use the Villa while Ameiko was in Sandpoint at her establishment. The page nodded and told us that they had been told to invite the residents of the Villa to the Osprey Club tonight. I told them that I would have to ask the others, but that I was thanking them for the invite. The page looked a bit askew, but when I palmed them a platinum piece, they looked very happy and ran off to their next task.
I asked everyone what they thought or knew about the Osprey Club, and no one had any extremely negative information, other than that it was a high end establishment, where the movers and shakers of Magnimar might be found, and it was invite only. Savah told us that normally only the members of the prestigious families of Magnimar and their guests were allowed. Jonathan smiled and asked if we could pass as guests of the Kaijitsu's, right? I looked to the morale guide of the group, Dame Rebekah. Dame Rebekah kind of shrugged, and said that it shouldn't hurt anyone to just pop in, get a good meal, and meander our way back to get rest for the night.
We got together what we could for looking dashing, I with the suit I was still wearing and my enchanted CK Ramses Box Tuxedo shoes. Savah was wearing her fine dress, and we used our gear's enchantments to make them look like they would be appropriate for the evening. When we came out of our room, it took everyone else a little while longer to make it to the common room. Savah asked if I was certain that it was a good idea to get into the Pathfinders. I told her that I had enough information to keep them satisfied for at least a year from when we stop this thing, and even then I can add more information from the other books that I have on my tablet without needing to worry about dangers. Savah nodded, and noted that they might even be able to get me more of the batteries that I had gotten from the Consortium.
Soon, Jonathan and Shayliss came out in their fancy attire., looking ready for a little mischief. The two of them complemented our attire, and we did the same if theirs. Jonathan asked if I thought that the Pathfinders were really a good choice. I told him that they seemed better and safer than the Consortium, but that anyone of the group was more than free to leave. Jonathan asked if they might be able to help him with what he was looking for with his revenge. I told him that they would be an ideal group of people to ask, if he was seeking out knowledge.
Faunra and Shalelu were the next out, with their attire similarly stunning. I thanked Faunra for all of the upgrades and enhancements that she had provided to the equipment that we had, especially with the improvements to my armor and even my clothes. Faunra smiled and said that this was all good practice for when she made it back to her home village in the past. I blanched and she asked me what was wrong. I told her that it was not the time to talk about this. Faunra said that she'd be finishing up more of the enchantments in the coming days while we got our next "expedition" cleared for supplies through the Pathfinders.
With that, Dame Rebekah and Chelger came out in their fancy attire. We were all ready, so we headed out to get to the Osprey Club. I asked them if we should take the "party barge". Jonathan's eyebrow lifted, and he likewise lifted the barge from yesterday, and brought it over to us. We all got in and he lifted it up further, floating us lazily over to the gate, which he then thru open with another usage of his powers, before floating us through it and closing the gate as well.
We float down the road at a leisurely six miles an hour rate, and made our way to the Osprey Club. We touched down outside the gate and disembarked from our "transport". The gatemen outside the Club asked us who we were. Savah nudged me forward and I indicated who we were, and whose guests we were. The gatemen looked like they were not going to let us in for a moment until it seemed like one's attention went distant for a moment. I could make out the whispered magical conversation from ten feet away, it was a sultry female voice telling the gateman to let us in, and direct us to the lounge. Savah seemed to make it out as well, because she smiled at me before the gateman told the other one that we were clear to come in.
The eight of us went into the courtyard through the gate, and I told the gateman who had received the message that we would make our way to the lounge, thank you. He blanched a bit and just nodded and pointed. I guess when you are so close to death as we have been over the last few months, you get a lot more observant. We went up to the lounge and it was a veritable cornucopia of high end Magnimar families. Not only the noble clans from Sandpoint, but others as well. It turned out that we even had a friend already inside. It was Luma!
Luma was absolutely dreading being here today, or at least that was what she had said. She told us that she had missed the watch gladiator match at the Serpent's Run and didn't get back in town herself until this morning. She told us that she had been asked to do a special mission by Randred and wasn't free until today. When Jonathan asked her why she had decided to drop by the Osprey Club today, Luma said that she was told that we would be dropping by at some time tonight.
Shalelu stopped Luma and told her that she didn't need an excuse to drop by the Villa while we were there, but that we might end up looking for a Villa of our own or something similar. I noted that the roads that the giant crew would be working on would make travel to and from Sandpoint even quicker. Dame Rebekah asked if we would be putting a roadway to Manor. I told her that we could talk to the giant crew and figure out what they need when they were done with the main road. Luma seemed a bit interested in the roads, and I told her that on her next trip to Sandpoint, she could see the progress.
We talked a bit about all of our events during the past few weeks. We placed orders for drinks and meals when the time came and we were all luxuriating in the well-appointed lounge. The couches were plush and had clearly been enchanted to self-clean magically. After a few hours, we received a note from the proprietor that she would request our presence. Luma smiled and noted that it wasn't that common that people received a personal request from Kayasi Zivatchi, and that it was something that we shouldn't delay or tarry on. As we were getting up to leave, Luma whispered something to Shalelu and Shalelu nodded.
While we were walking, guided by one of the valets, we noticed all manner of rooms dedicated to any number of debaucheries. There was a gaming room, where card games and other activities were taking place, a smoking lounge where people in overstuffed coats smoked various items while seated in overstuffed chairs, and even more scandalous rooms where we didn't look into. When we got to where the valet was leading us, I presumed that it wasn't the office for the owner, but a room set aside for use with such a large group as us.
Kayasi introduced herself and asked us to make ourselves comfortable. We all sat down on the various couches and chairs that had doubtlessly been hastily assembled in the room. They looked mostly like they matched, but the more that you looked, the more you noticed that they were from two different sets. I thanked Kayasi for the group and we all took our seats. Kayasi sent out the valet with orders to bring back drinks. When they left, she asked us where we all had come from to rise so fast in the upper crust of Magnimar.
Everyone kind of looked to me and I shrugged, and told her that we had been from multiple different areas. I added that most of us were from Varisia, if from areas outside of Sandpoint, but that we had all kind of met at the Sandpoint Swallowtail Festival, when we all helped stop a goblin invasion. Kayasi smiled and noted that she had heard of that and how we had worked to expulse them. She then said that she had heard about how we had saved the Lord-Mayor, and lots of the other things that we had done. She then asked us how we had managed to get on Lonjiku's good side.
I noted kind of sheepishly that Lonjiku had passed on, and Ameiko was the scion of the family now. Kayasi nodded and said that she had heard as such and was just testing us. Kayasi said that she did have access to all kinds of information and gossip about Magnimarians and those from the surrounding towns and villages, and that she had spent a fair amount of time looking into upstart heroes like us. Kayasi tried to set our minds at ease, with saying that she wasn't in conflict with us or our apparent goals, it's just that when someone comes in and starts upsetting the current order, it is good to learn all you can about them.
I took this in and looked at the others. I asked why we had been personally allowed to come in, and she told us that we were now influential in Magnimar. It didn't befit her to not offer up her establishment, especially when we were so close to it. It might be seen as a snub by our part, rather than her, and that false snub would do just as much damage to the reputation to the business as a real one. I smiled when I realized the sensitive position that we had put her, and thus other exclusive places into. As long as we were in Sandpoint, it wasn't seen as an issue. Since we had gotten an exclusive box at the Serpent's Run, without reservation, and were personally called out by the Lord-Mayor at one of the city's feasts, we were now movers and shakers.
We had donated thousands to various temples and churches in the city, been involved in activities that had completely changed the trajectory of the city and Varisia as a whole, and fortified the city's alliance with other outer settlements by running to aid them in their hour of need. We were bringing new schools of thought in science and magic to the area, and were quickly becoming big players. More important than anything else, we were effective. Kayasi told us all of this, reiterating what we had done over the past few months. Apparently there were even rumors that I was an ancient Azlanti who had been in stasis and come back to bring Varisia to better times. I told Kayasi that there were a lot of rumors about me, but that few of them were true, and Kayasi told me that she knew this, but that it didn't hurt to keep up appearances of mystique.
Kayasi finished with telling us that we were of course welcome here at the Osprey Club any time we so desired, and that the gatemen would all be briefed on this. She wished us well and told us that she had said her peace. She added after a thought that it would be helpful if we could be seen flying away from the club when we left, especially if we used the same magic boat. Jonathan noted that the boat wasn't magical, but Kayasi just brushed it off and wished us an entertaining evening.
The valets brought up a sumptuous feast in addition the drinks we had ordered. It seemed like they were attempts to recreate a lot of the meals that Jonathan or I had brought to Sandpoint. There were also some favorites from the people who were more native to Sandpoint, including a version of the Hagfish's pie that Savah loved, and a shepherd pie that Shalelu dived into. I was kind of impressed with how thoroughly the woman had gathered all of this information about us. It was a little bit creepy in some ways, but honestly, I had never been treated to this level of scrutiny outside of the government back in the old world.
We ate our fill and talked a bit about what we were going to have to deal with in this city. Savah told everyone that we were now stuck with this level of fame in Magnimar, at least until someone else comes along and takes the spotlight. Savah added that we were all going to end up being approached by other groups, except for the Aspis Consortium who I had quite thoroughly pissed off. Shalelu agreed, but noted that some of the groups were decent enough. I added that we should try to keep our influence positive at least as much as we can.
Faunra agreed with me and added that it would take her a few days to finish off all of the upgrades that she wanted to add to our equipment. I added that it was going to take a fair amount of time and money to build the plane, and that it would need some further enchantment by Faunra as well. Faunra agreed, but said that we needed to get to the Runeforge before we work on the plane, because we don't know how long we have to get there. I noted that I would find out what the Pathfinders were going to do for us tomorrow morning, and we could head back tomorrow as well.
Dame Rebekah asked if there was any chance that there might be discounts on what we might be able to buy by going through the Pathfinders. I noted that when I went to pick up everything tomorrow and asked them what kinds of benefits we were entitled to. Dame Rebekah thanked me and said that this might help us even more. I noted that Savah was getting us good prices on stuff already, and she noted that she didn't mind being the go-between for another group, as it helps her get her foot in the door for other sales.
Jonathan took all of this in, and simply noted that none of this food was at his level. I laughed a little and agreed to what Jonathan had said. We all laughed a little and Jonathan noted that he might have to open up a restaurant here as well. We all laughed some more and finished up our food. We got up and decided that we would walk about the area and the grounds a little, just to fulfill what was requested by the owner. Jonathan offered up a tip for the valet's, because even though the food wasn't up to his level, he knew what the servers got paid.
We made our way back through the building, skipping by the garishly appointed rooms that were obviously designated with carnal intent. We saw some of the smoking rooms and gaming rooms. We looked in to some of them briefly, just to make our presence and mild interest known, and continued on. The thing it reminded me most of was the opium den back in the that Indiana Jones scene. More spread out among rooms, granted, but the general vibe was that it was an exclusive drug den.
We took an obligatory walk around the grounds and got ourselves situated for "The Party Barge's" take off. Jonathan lifted us up and we floated away at a leisurely pace. We took a lap around city about twenty feet above road level and made our way back to the Villa. There were stares enough at the sight, but we didn't mind too much. When we got home, we all decided to split up and get some rest. It was odd that we were getting less rest when we were in these comfortable beds, but I understood that this was part of the enchantment for the rooks. Getting one of these Savah and I would make a great equivalent of an RV.
Savah and I retired to bed and got out of our fancy clothes. I gave her a more thorough tale of what had went on with the Decemvirate member and she asked pertinent questions to bring more things into focus. I was certain that there was some kind of magic afoot that I didn't realize at the time, but nothing that I had provided was that dangerous to what we were doing in the near future. Savah agreed with me and we settled down to relax and unwind after this day of intrigue and chicanery.