Re: Chapter 3: Legacy of Io
A troop of seven angels fly up to the party. They bow as one and draw their swords in salute of Darratheir.
"Hail, servant of Ioun," they say in one voice. "Your arrival has been expected. Come with us."
They lead the party forward off the beach into Hestavar. White sand gives way to sculpted marble and manicured cobblestone as the heroes make their way into the city proper. The vast majority of the city lies above them on the many earthmotes that rise to the heavens. Even at ground level, the bustle of an active, thriving metropolis envelops the characters. The open, airy streets, lined with beautiful homes and businesses of all descriptions, are thronged with exalted going about their business and troops of angels going about their gods’ business. Despite all the activity, there remains a sense of peace and contentment that no mortal city could duplicate.
etting anywhere in a massive, bustling city built on hundreds of independent and sometimes mobile floating chunks of rock is a daunting task for outsiders. Fortunately for the heroes, the natives of Hestavar take great pride in their ability to navigate the confusing three-dimensional maze and especially as they have eager and commissioned guides like their angel guides, the party is able to lead them on.
Kerith-Ald occupies the entirety of its own earthmote. The majority of the many structures on the earthmote are given over to the magic academy, university, and vast library that make the tiny island of rock perhaps the greatest center of knowledge that exists. The Swan Tower for which the complex is named rises above all the others and is the private resting place and retreat of the goddess Ioun. The fabulous library of the Swan Tower is far too large to be contained within any single structure on the earthmote; it is spread among several adjoining buildings. The storied halls are overflowing with every manner of tome, scroll, and loose paper imag- inable, all meticulously cataloged and filed on one of the countless shelves or in some other receptacle by a veritable army of scribes and librarians. The knowledge contained within the library is freely available to all who seek it, but those that abuse this hospitality quickly find themselves expelled and barred from reentry by the hosts of Ioun.
Here, standing and waiting for the party, is an amazing being. Resplendant in a whilte robe with a long, flowing white beard, this is clearly Athearsauriv, exarch of Ioun, who has taken a deva form for purposes of speaking with you.
"I send you greetings on behalf of our lady, Darratheir, and greeting to your allies. Erathis, Ioun, and Pelor have withdrawn from Hestavar to attend a meeting of gods to discuss Tiamat's actions. They wished that I would convey to you her desire that you use whatever resources you find here to aid you in your task. You will find that each of you will be able to find knowledge here, each in your own way."
And what he speaks is true--this place contains wonderful inventions to let even the illiterate learn things that they seek to learn!
Skill challenge! You are researching more information about this flesh-covered arrow here. You can use the obvious skills--Arcana, History, Religion. You can also use CHA skills to find someone to get help. And, if you describe it cleverly, you can use physical skills to aid the others as well. A well-thought-out or well-written description of what you are doing will lower the DC for your check.
What do you do?