Closed [Hall of Robes] Curiosity of curiosities

[Gybe]

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Timestamp 75th of Summer 515AV

Finishing his morning ritual of speaking in the square, bringing his fish in, and general spreading of information and knowledge he learned that some people had heard that three monks of Laat were known to have headed off into the Celestial Square and were seen entering the Western district. It was a topic that made him consider what else had been going on in the city lately. Figuring that he would check it out the burly man made his way from the Herring square and into the Celestial district. After getting a bit chummy with some of the townsfolk there he learned that the monks indeed did not go into the Western district but rather came to the Hall of Robes. There these citizens heard from other citizens of the Celestial district that they had witnessed a great fight between four monks of Xannos and the three that came from his district. Puzzled by this, he didn't find it out completely out of the ordinary.

While he continued to track down the original spreaders of this witnessed information he pondered if there was even a formal challenge between them. Why wait till the cover of darkness to fight when you want all to see you in your victory? He didn't like it and it felt a little off for them to have been woken up by this fight. Never-the-less when he found the originators of the rumors he spoke to them at length at what they saw and what had happened. It seemed that this event wasn't the typical monk clan fighting another. Furthermore they spoke about how they managed to head off with some scrolls and a tablet. Gybe thought this was highly unusual. While yes, the monks came and took what they wanted, why again wait til night and be sneaky about it?

With that he proceeded to head into the Hall of Robes itself. Immediately the smell of old paper hit his nose. It was still quite early in the morning and many of the Nykans hadn't even gotten up yet. He nodded to the monks at the door and walked inside. The smooth stone tiled floors beckoned him forward and with testing eyes he scanned ahead of himself.

Other's Words -- My Words -- My Thoughts

[Gybe]

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There was a smell of dye in the air as well as the lingering presence of fabric from when it is weaved. Somehow his movement through the room kicked up what lingering microscopic fibers were in the room and gave it a distinct odor besides the smell of scrolls and things. "What were you doing in here?" he thought to himself as he meandered. Eventually coming to a room full of cloth he decided it wouldn't likely have been there that they were interested in. The monks robes were manufactured here from various textiles and were each the custom work of some very talented hands. Even now someone was in the building weaving at this early hour as they seemed to take shifts. He gave the man a little wave and continued on. Eventually he came to a place that was built for containing information concerning the monks, their organization and their various other texts. The scent of old paper was even stronger here and his senses told him this, this was where he was going to find what he wanted.

The room was extensive and he didn't have all day to search for what they took. Whatever it was it happened last night and would be fresh. He began to travel down the rows of tomes and scrolls, his hand lightly rapping at the end of them. Each scroll he could see a light layer of dust on the outer protecting layer of material, be it made of wood or some precious stone. Quite a few chimes had passed since coming in and the heat of the day was starting to make the room a bit hotter. He sweat down on his forehead as he moved carefully forward. Eventually he came to a spot that had dust missing from the scrolls underneath. It was a possible candidate. As he observed the dust and getting closer to it he looked to the older scrolls in the section that had not been disturbed. When someone removed a scroll it was done carefully and the dust layer on the scroll underneath it was smooth, often with the knuckle marks of the one taking it out. Looking back to this marking on the top of the scrolls he could see it was hastily snatched. Huge amounts of dust were missing and they perhaps even scratched the casing of the scroll underneath it. This was not a normal removal and so he deduced this must be where they took it from.

He moved to the section header and could read it. It gave him a general idea of what the scrolls were about and he contemplated what they would be doing in a section on 'Monster Encounters'. Puzzled he thought perhaps he better take a look at the scrolls and see what information would be missing. As he carefully opened each he worded out various beast types that were still here: Rozacopotl, Quamr and some others. While they had been disturbed it was seemingly the Relic section that had some scrolls missing. What type of information would have been in the scrolls to deal with Relics that they just had to have it and sneak it out in the middle of the night? Now he knew he was onto something. When a librarian came by carrying some scrolls he noticed Gybe walking around; yet having caught onto the sound of his footfalls, first moved to a different section and with hands in his pockets tried to disguise himself as someone just browsing to pass time.

Other's Words -- My Words -- My Thoughts

[Gybe]

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"Can I help you find something?" the man asked Gybe.

With a shrug and a shake of his head he smirked and said, "Well not really I guess. I am just passing some time. I was just seeing what all information is in here. Seems pretty extensive."

The man with a single nod of the head seemed pleased at least that he was occupied where he was. Gybe wasn't sure but he could swear he detected a hint of nervousness in him even being in this area. It made him question telling the librarian why he was really here and asking what happened. He wanted to find out himself first and then maybe play dumb and see what the man had to say, but for now the librarian left him to his searching, suggesting a section far away from here that had to do with the history of the monks.

He nodded and said he'd check it out, but when the librarian left to put some scrolls away he headed out of the library and down the hall. Dusting off his hands he made sure to rub all the dirt from them before continuing. He spit and worked them up, then lifting up his shirt he rubbed the dirt off on his stomach which hid it from sight. Glancing back down at his hands he could see they were now clean. After a little bit of searching he found an Archeology room and thought this may be where he could find a tablet.

Other's Words -- My Words -- My Thoughts

[Balderdash]

The treasures dredged from the endless dark were guarded more closely than relatively easily replaceable books. Most everything was encased in glass, and a pair of surly looking guards stood at the far end of the room. Despite the city's age, relics from Nykalia were quite scant. An urn here, some old weapons there, on occasion a relief or piece of molding. Drawing Gybe's attention immediately was a series of stone tablets hugging the wall, partially because their container was a touch large for the number currently in it, and because close examination would reveal dust-free squares where old ones must have sat. The tablets seemed to describe some sort of battle. The first tablet was missing, but the second showed what seemed to be an ooze encroaching upon a band of warriors. The third one depicted men fighting each other, one side's eyes carved with pupils deep and dots in the irises. One of the men with strange eyes was lifting his opponent over his head, another ripping his foe's arm clean off. Evidently, those with deep pupils were gifted with preternatural strength. The forth showed the men with deep pupils appearing aged and weak, the fifth a victory. The sixth was missing. Whilst there was writing carved above the scenes, it was in Nader-Canoch and thus unintelligible to Gybe.

[Gybe]

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Upon looking into the room he could see the various treasures and relics of ages past. Despite the monks in the room, of whom he paid little mind to, he seemed to be scanning various relics. His intent however was to eventually get close to the glass cases and after a few chimes of looking, he made his way up to them. Giving a nod to the monks who guarded them he folded his arms across his chest and then reached up to stroke his wiry beard in thought. One of the tablets was missing, he knew that, but which one? The last one or the first one? He didn't want to be caught staring at a big empty glass case with these guys here. They would be suspicious immediately. He would have to play it off.

"Maaannn..." he started at the second one and began to study its features very carefully. He could see how there was an ooze that overtook some warriors. He scanned it completely up and down, making sure to observe all what he could from it before moving onto the next one. Once done with that one he continued on till he came to the sixth one. He looked up and down at the empty glass and then at the monk next to him. He then looked back at the glass and knelt down slowly to observe the dust in the bottom of it to see if it had been disturbed. "This must keep these pretty well protected." he muttered to himself as he got up slowly and moved to the first glass case to check it out the same. "Hmm Interesting." He didn't need the guard's input but on the subject, but now he moved over to what seemed to be the titles to these tablets and he pointed to them. He did his best to remember the symbols in case these guys didn't want to tell him what it said. With a calm and cool demeanor he nodded to the stones. "I wish I could read that...I'm sure you guys know what it says. Right? You think you could tell me?" He feigned dumb but in a cool way. He never wanted to come off as weak around monks. If you were weak you weren't worth his time. If he seemed like a cool headed Nykan who just couldn't read, then they maybe would consider it.

Other's Words -- My Words -- My Thoughts

[Balderdash]

The two guards looked at each other in silent communication for a few ticks before one nodded and walked over to stand beside Gybe. "Its blood was the ink of the world; it chased us." the man said, pointing with his finger as he read. He paused briefly as he moved to the second tablet. "It turned all it touched to its will. Its warriors had the strength of ten men." 'The ink burned their bodies and souls. Its slaves withered and died." Moving to the fifth, he said with a faint smile, "We broke their spent bodies. Their spirits are free. Its ink flees our torches, seeking new prey. We chase." The tablets available finished, Gybe's impromptu translator shrugged. "That's all. The Nykalians were famed for their resilience. A trait its successor has inherited. Enjoy the halls." With that, he returned to his post.

[Gybe]

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Gybe made way for the guard to explain and nodded as he worded out what the first tablet meant. That really caught his attention, even moreso as he moved to the second one. At that point it didn't seem like something he could use, but then the last section really meant something to him. "They withered and died...", he thought and considered as the man continued to read. He found it interesting that the called it an Ink, like it was an ooze made of black.

Notice the change in his tone as he read the fifth one Gybe assumed the man was smiling and glanced up to see that in fact he was. He could hear the pride in it was they said they broke their spend bodies. He conveniently left out about the missing tablets and so he was the fool here, not Gybe. He knew better and said, "Thanks." He proceeded to head around the room some more looking or anything that was a relic of the same era that could be related to this ooze. After all it didn't say they defeated it, and that could be what the Laat monks were so freaked out about to come in the middle of the night to grab the tablets.

Considering the thought, what if the ooze was intelligent? What if those who were under its control did what it willed. Could the three Laat monks have defeated the four Xannos monks because of super strength? This disturbed him a bit and he considered as he looked about trying to make sure he didn't miss anything.

Other's Words -- My Words -- My Thoughts

[Gybe]

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Having searched the building it was now getting closer to the ninth bell in the morning. People were starting to rise and move about the city and he was a bit sore from the catch early in the morning, but this could be a lucky break. What if he sat on his hands and just let it pass him by? With determination he moved out the door to the streets. He figured that the monks would have headed back toward the Eastern district, recalling which way the witnesses he questioned earlier saw them run off to. Started to approach the bridges and saw the monks on them. If they were being sneaky then they wouldn't likely want to be seen right? Just to be sure though he crossed the bridge and every once in a while he would stop and ask some of his fellow eastern district citizens if early in the night they heard running down the streets. If so he would continue on, if not, like a hunter tracking his game he would try to figure out where else they could have taken it.

It seemed that no-one really had heard much except on the main streets. That information could have been anything though so he considered where they could have gone. He stood there stumped for a bit and then began to wander the eastern district. The hall of robes was a significant place, and the monks there guarding it hardly seemed thrown off by the fact the stones were missing. So this had to have been some kind of inside job of some sort, so that meant it may have been official. His reasoning could have been wrong, but he decided it best perhaps to head down toward the Heavy Coffers Headquarters. The monks could easily hide something in there. What he was going to do when he got there was another matter.

After a bit of a walk he finally arrived at the Coffers. It was an architectural wonder and very beautiful to see, but that didn't matter to the seaman. Even as he walked in and could see the gilded seating in the garden he was not phased. His mind reached for the location of this tablet. It was a long shot he figured but as he moved around the pentagon interior with the sound of business in the distance, he saw the dormitories. They likely wouldn't hold anything of importance in there. It's not like he would be stupid enough to go into a monk's dorm. That's asking to have your head cracked. So that left the training rooms and the bank. The bank he figured would be where the things were, but he couldn't likely in there and ask to see the stone. Telling a monk he knew they were there would be wrong and stupid as well. For now he observed the going ons of the room and where the monks moved. He thought he had heard rumors of the money being under the bank but he wasn't sure. For now he just cased the place to see what was possible and what wasnt.

Other's Words -- My Words -- My Thoughts

[Gybe]

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Gybe shook his head at the thought of this place. It was definitely a dead end. The only thing he would have considered were the rumors of there being money under the city and tunnels. It was pointless though. A waste of a morning. It was interesting to learn about some relic ooze that would take over the minds of others, hollow out their eyes, and give them super strength. As he head to the bank to check it out he could hear some people talking about someones head getting squished inward. That struck him as somewhat strange and so he listened in. Supposedly somewhere in the western district there had been a murder. It was so gruesome sounding that it made him consider that this could be related.

It was something at least, and while he was sure his search possibly could lead back to here, he decided what was best would be to research all the webs of information before this got worse. Granted he may have wanted it to get way worse, but he thought that perhaps it would be best to investigate to say the least. He missed some details but the western quarter was what he mainly got and headed out that way. After a long walk across the bridges and paths he eventually ended back in the domain of Xannos. He found it strange that it was here that the Laat monks fought the four Xannos monks and won. The guard's voice seemed cocky in the Hall of Robes, as if he had continued on in that tradition himself. He beat back the beast himself. Maybe it wasn't the Laat monks who were possessed by this ink, but rather the Xannos monks who were. Knowing how to defeat the ooze and its people with light could have been the reason for their success. He considered all this till he got to the center of business where people congregated.

It was here that he pursued investing in information, listening in here, formulating there, trying to get a grasp on this situation and where it happened. Over time as it was getting to be about noon he heard a conversation that led him to discover that there was a scuffle in the alleyway between a monk who matched a certain description, one with acid burns on his wrists and various other things that struck Gybe as highly coincidental. He had met the man not many days ago, and from what it seemed, possibly on the day of the tragedy itself. He would have to track down Rador again and figure out where he was keeping himself. It was possible it was someone else, but he figured he would risk it and ask.

Other's Words -- My Words -- My Thoughts

[Sayana]

Don't forget to edit/delete your grade request. If there's anything I may have missed, please PM me and I'll be happy to look into it.

 

Gybe

Skills

• Intelligence: 5
• Logic: 5
• Observation: 5
• Investigation: 5
• Acting: 2
• Subterfuge: 2
• Rhetoric: 2
• Persuasion: 1
• Tracking: 1
• Land Navigation: 2

Lores

• Location: Hall of Robes
• Intelligence: Picking up city gossip
• Investigation: Old paper smells more pungent than new paper
• Investigation: Disturbed dust may mean recent activity
• Acting: Playing dumb but not too dumb
• Scrolls on Relics stolen in the middle of the night
• The translation of the words upon the ancient Nykalian tablets
• "Ink": Relic ooze that takes over the mind, hollows out eyes and gives superstrength
• Location: Heavy Coffers Headquarters
• Rumors of an incident: Three Laat monks defeated four Xannos monks in a fight

Comments: Great thread. I loved the intrigue and investigation. One thing I'd like to note, and I don't think I've ever said this, is that I think you overplayed your observation skills. There were several times that he was noticing the slightest detail or hearing footsteps that most people wouldn't catch. However I wasn't too picky since he has competent intelligence. But just be mindful of that in future.

Your Grader,

Sayana

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