#hector smashed it in act 1 XD

[blackjackkent]

OK, with Gale in tow, we're off to talk to the bookseller downstairs:

"(Literature department. Can I help you?)" the tome-seller at the rear of Sundries stage-whispers as Rakha approaches.

"Why are you whispering?" asks Rakha at a completely normal volume, having never been in a library or, frankly, been much concerned about delicacy.

"(Whisht! These books are sensitive!)" the woman hisses. "(They prefer an environment of quiet reverence.)"

(A/N: One of the options here is to then immediately shout at the top of your lungs, "IS THAT TRUE, BOOKS? ARE YOU SENSITIVE?" At this point, you're kicked out of the conversation, Gale disapproves -1, and both nearby stacks of books explode in a fireball. XD And then the bookseller won't talk to you again until you pay 400 gold to cover the damages.

Tempting, but Rakha isn't really interested in causing trouble; as usual, she just wants answers and wants them now.)

"(I'm trying to find out about a particular Netherese crown)" Rakha says, agreeably lowering her voice; with her particular mannerisms, the effect is a sort of rumbly murmur, like an earth elemental with a head cold. "(Have you anything on that subject?)"

The woman's eyebrows shoot up, startled. "(Bold!)" she whispers. "(You might've heard that our library has a collection other shops would lack the skill to curate. Between us, even Master Lorroakan was reluctant to house them in his tower. The pen is mightier than the magic wand, apparently.)" She snickers briefly before returning to a serious attitude. "(They're locked away for their and our customers' safety. Our finest reserve includes the 'Tharchiate Codex,' 'The Annals of Karsus: A Netherese Folly', 'Sights of the Seelie,' and 'The Curriculum of Strategy.' Do any of those interest you?)"

All of them interest Rakha, in fact. If these are tomes of magic knowledge, then she wants all of them and every bit of information they can provide her. But there isn't time, not now, to be distracted from the main point. The Annals of Karsus is certainly what she wants - information on Netherese magic.

Something, however, gives her a moment's pause - something she hasn't thought about in some time.

Nestled deep in her pack, untouched for months now and almost forgotten in her haze of other problems, is a book. The Necromancy of Thay, found in the basement of the blighted village near the place where the nautiloid crashed. A book full of magic which, even in those early days, she was able to subdue with her own natural power - but which, nevertheless, holds secrets she was not able to unlock.

It belonged, Gale explained to her, to a Red Wizard of a far-off country called Thay. And he used the word Tharchiate as an adjective to describe some of the magic from that place.

"(The Tharchiate Codex)" she hears herself say before she's realized she's going to ask.

The bookseller gives her a careful, narrow look. "(Interesting choice)" she says slowly. "(If I didn't know better, I'd think you might have 'The Necromancy of Thay' in your position. I'd advise tremendous care with the Tharchiate Codex. The cost of unlocking its mysteries is onerous.)"

Interesting. This is not an answer, and the woman seems to know it perfectly well - but also quite clearly has no further interest in giving more information. "(The Annals of Karsus)" Rakha says, somewhat irritably. Her voice starts to lift a little in volume and one of the nearby books emits a threatening belch of sparks.

The shopkeep raises an eyebrow. "(It is said to be written by Lord Karsus himself)" she intones dramatically. "(The Netherese arcanist who attempted to replace the goddess Mystra, failed, and was banished for the attempt. Great magical knowledge lies within those pages, but not many can withstand it.)"

"(That's it! That's what I need!)" Gale hisses eagerly from behind Rakha.

Narrator: The Annals of Karsus would no doubt have much to say about the crown's true nature, if only you could read them...

"(Sounds perfect. How much to buy it from you?)" Rakha asks briskly, ignoring the little voice in her head intimating that this isn't possible.

"(Buy?!)" Rakha can hear the effort in the woman's voice not to break her own rule and shout. "(Books as temperamental as these are not on sale!)" she hisses. "(They are secured in our vault, where none can harm them, nor can they do any harm. Consider yourself lucky to have learned of such a book's existence - and then forget about it. The Annals of Karsus are best left unread.)"

Rakha releases a heavy breath between her teeth. No doubt this woman knows what she is talking about, but the truth is it doesn't matter. Gale has said this book is important if they are to stop the Chosen and the Elder Brain. And, perhaps more importantly - these are books full of answers and this woman is trying to keep them from her.

She leans forward, drawing her lips back a little from her teeth. [INTIMIDATION] "(Unless you want a very nasty paper cut)" she rumbles, "(you're going to tell me how to get into that vault.)"

A little of the blood seems to drain out of the woman's face - but to her credit, she stands her ground and holds Rakha's eye contact. "(Customers like you are why I prefer the company of books)" she growls. "(The only way to gain access to the vault is through my office. And before you ask - no, you are not allowed in there either.)"

Ah. There it is. "(Thank you)" Rakha says curtly, turning away. "(I've learned more than enough.)"

"(You certainly have!)" the bookseller hisses irritably at her retreating back. "(Even simple knowledge of these tomes is enough to stimulate most.)"

-----

"Well. What a lovely woman," Gale says as they move out of earshot of the bookseller - and the books. "A proper respect for the power which can be contained in a volume of knowledge. Truly admirable in all respects."

Wyll gives him a sidelong look. "Are you intending to suggest we give up the search?" he asks, his lips twitching.

"Oh, most certainly not," Gale says cheerfully. "This is a case far too important for petty, quibbling regulations - and with Lorroakan out of the picture, we have full run of the place and I see no reason why we shouldn't take advantage of it. Still - always nice to see someone taking their work seriously." He rubs his jaw thoughtfully. "Those Annals are definitely precisely what I need. Somewhere in that vault are pages with all the answers about how that brain is being controlled."

"And the Tharchiate Codex," Rakha mutters distractedly. "Answers about the Necromancy of Thay." Absently she puts a hand on her pack where the heavy outline of the ancient book still sits.

"Yes, yes," Gale agrees brightly. "Much to be gleaned in that regard as well - if you feel your mental stamina is up to the challenge."

"Oh, good," Jaheira quips sardonically. "In my experience it is always a good sign when a book comes with a warning label."

[blackjackkent]

All right, I do after all have a bit of time to kill before GW2 events tonight, so let's finish out this fight with Aradin I guess.

I backed up just slightly because I realized we can tell Aylin about the impending threat of Aradin's kidnapping attempt. She responded with the sort of subtlety and restraint that we have come to expect from her:

"A mercenary, you say. Then I must find who has set a price upon my head and take theirs in kind. I will sleep with both eyes open this night."

>:) Lorroakan better watch his ass.

Anyway, on to the combat:

So here's the thing. I expected that this wouldn't be like trying to fight Aradin's band as we saw them in act 1; we're much more powerful now so that would make for a very stupid fight. And indeed, his companions are a crowd of seven fighters of varying classes, all Level 8 with roughly 70HP.

Aradin himself, however...

Oh. Oh no.

"Poor stupid lad" indeed... :/ I honestly feel bad beating him; this is such an ill-advised, foolish venture on his part. Hector's pretty upset that he wasn't able to talk him down.

As with the previous camp fight that we had (with the vampire spawn), only the active party (plus Aylin) gets to fight here, and I don't get control over Aylin. Hopefully she fights a bit better than she did against Ketheric.

This is not a hard fight - more annoying than anything else. Karlach one-shot poor Aradin right out of the gate and the rest of the fight was spent cleaning up all of his lackeys. My biggest concern ended up being that the whole battle took place around the hookah area and I didn't want to smash it, which reduced some of the AOEs I could use.

I had Jaheira use Confusion and Gale use Slow, which turned most of the group on each other very ineffectually. Aylin cast Moonbeam and rolled around the battlefield causing damage to everyone which was very satisfying to watch. And sooner or later they all fell like dominoes.

Aylin is VERY ANGRY about the whole thing afterward.

"Our camp has been besieged by bribelings. And Dame Aylin is the prize that seduced them. I found a note on one of the foes. It read of the wizard Lorroakan and his designs upon my capture. To Ramazith's Tower they were meant to take me."

"Ho! Won't Lorroakan be surprsied when Dame Aylin trounces him in his own citadel. Let us hie us to his chambers, his lair, when morning breaks. We will see him undone in the style of the dead, unburied Ketheric Thorm!"

Well. Hector was already probably going to go beat him up for the crimes of a) almost killing Hector in the street, b) probably beating up Rolan and also random customers, c) being a general toolbag, but doing it with Aylin's help sounds MUCH more fun. >:)

So that will be something for me to look forward to tomorrow after work. XD

(Also, Aylin then proceeded to start flapping her wings and gliding around the Elfsong rooms repeatedly and GLOWING VERY BRIGHTLY after this conversation, which feels like it must have been REAL annoying for everyone trying to get some sleep afterwards. XD )

Eventually she disappeared so I'm assuming it was just waiting for her Moonlight spell to wear off.

And hey, the hookah survived!