A tired and bent old man sits in the throne, his rich robes hanging loosely from him.
"Greetings, seekers. I am Patrick."
He sighs. "Once I fought. Then I built. Now I just wait."
0
fought
0
His gaze grows distant. "Oh, that was long ago. I was one of a group of magi who formed this society, who made it possible. To make it possible, we first had to defeat the demon Grah-Hoth. I helped lead the attack. I helped seal him in his prison."
0
prison
0
"Oh, it doesn't matter. Not anymore. He's gone, and his foul fort lies in ruin. And sealed forever."
0
fort
110
0
built
0
"I was one of the Triad that ruled the tower of Magi for many years. We, and those under us, wrote most of the books of magic you will find in the libraries down here, pouring forth our memories of magical secrets onto crude, handmade paper."
"Thanks to that task, our art flourishes down here. I also led some research."
0
research
0
His empty gaze suddenly focuses, and he looks at you intently. "On things it can bring great danger to know. Is there a particular thing you seek?"
0
password
111
0
wait
0
"For my wife."
0
wife
109
1
stnd
0
A young blonde woman sits at the table, reading intently. Books are stacked all around her.
"I'm Rita." She has a thick accent you don't recognize.
She smiles broadly. "I have been honored with the privilege of studying under Patrick in his libraries. My research goes slowly, but I have great hopes for it! It's been difficult, as Patrick hasn't been involved."
1
research
0
"Yes, on magical items. There are few of these down here, but several sorts of magical charms have been found, and I am trying to tell what they do. I am working on a certain necklace now. It is slow work, but I keep at it." She starts looking around.
"I have written a paper on several other sorts of necklaces. It's here somewhere..."
1
necklace
0
"The Necklace of Fangs is a Nephilim artifact, well known in the world above. It makes a user more skilled, and what is more, it seems to occasionally bless the wearer as well! A remarkable item."
2
stnd
0
A big, beefy guy with a flushed face bustles around. He's stirring something up in a big bowl.
"Hiya' folks. Welcome to my kitchen! I'm Marco."
"I'm makin' dinner." He proffers the bowl. "Want a taste?"
2
taste
0
He gives you a spoonful of some sort of pasta sauce. It tastes hideous. Marco notes your reaction. "Hmmph. Not quite there yet. I'm having trouble with the ingredients."
2
ingred
0
"Well, I was a cook on the surface before my mouth landed me down here. Since then, I've been trying to make a good pasta sauce, but I just can't seem to get the ingredients to make it work. If someone could bring me some decent oil or some garlic..."
"Well, I'm just dreaming."
3
stnd
0
A black man with very short hair and clothes made for easy travelling sits at the table, poring over a tome.
"Hi. I'm Kai."
He holds up the scroll for you to see. "I'm from up Formello way, but I came down here to see this."
3
scroll
0
"It's a recipe for a special potion, that almost, but didn't quite work. I hope to improve it. Then I'm going to go to the Mage's Tower and try to learn how to make graymold salve." He looks you over. "I've also been doing some teaching."
"I know a recipe for a nice
glowing nettle healing potion
which you could buy."
3
graymold
0
"The main alchemist in the Tower of Magi, I've heard, knows how to make it. I forget his name, but I'm going there next. Graymold makes an excellent curative."
3
purch
16
Kai the alchemist
6
6
4
stnd
0
A young woman with short, bright yellow hair bounces around the room, looking through scroll after scroll.
"I'm Anji!"
She slows down a bit. "I'm looking for accounts of the First Expedition. There are certain items they brought with which I'd like to find. If, of course ..." She coughs. Twice. "... my health permits."
4
exped
0
"The people who came down here first and got slaughtered, silly!"
4
items
0
"What I'm mainly looking for is information about 'Smite.' That's a giant-slaying hammer! There's a lot of trouble with the giants to the north. Finding it would be really valuable."
4
health
0
She coughs. "It's the cave. All the dampness, you know. It gives me a terrible cough!"
4
cough
0
She sneezes. "All the mold also makes me sneeze! And the chill makes my joints ache! Oh, and I cough!" She coughs.
5
stnd
0
A pale young man lies in the bed.
He coughs heartily. "Adam."
"I'm one of Patrick's apprentices, but I've been sick for a while."
5
sick
0
"I have the flu. I'll be fine in a while. It's a pain. I get fevers and headaches and stuff, and I'm not allowed near the scrolls."
5
scroll
0
"I was doing research! Did you know that a crystal shield helps against basilisks, but a crystal wand helps against undead? I was researching about the uses of various crystals. They're really, really versatile!"
6
stnd
0
A man with one leg and a bitter, angry expression hobbles about the halls. He supports himself with a polished cavewood cane.
"Granby. Captain Granby." He sounds disgusted when he says captain.
"I'm the captain of the tower guard. Big honor, huh?"
6
honor
0
He gives you an ugly smile. "It's my big reward! Years of service aboveground, but someone wants my post, plays a few tricks, and gets me down here. Join the army down here, lead a charge on the Nephilim fort, and..." He looks at his leg.
"I end up at the tower."
6
tower
0
"The tower of Patrick. Far away from anything important and everything interesting. Guarding books! Books! Oh, just go away. I'm sick of all of you."
0
graymold
0
"Yes. Graymold salve is the last hope she has - on the surface, it's the most powerful general cure for disease known. It's an amazing plant. But graymold is rare, and I don't know if anyone down here knows how to make a proper salve from it.
"But - if you can find some and save my wife, I will do all for you I can."
0
tower
0
"The Tower of Magi. I was part of the first Triad, with Erika and Solberg. But Solberg is gone now. Nobody knows where he is. Erika left to plot her revenge on those on the surface. And I came here."
1
patrick
0
"His wife, Hathwisa, is gravely ill. She's been so for some time. And when she dies, I don't think Patrick will live long either. And we'll all be on our own."
0
akhro
0
"Ah, yes. An unpleasant memory. That was Grah-Hoth's fortress. We sealed it after it was destroyed. Many horrors are trapped inside that dire fort."
25
stnd
0
A guard stands here, looking bored.
"Draig."
He grunts. "I'll protect the tower if it's attacked. As if that would happen."
