<strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">SENTHAYNATRIX LITERATOR</span></strong>(http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=563156)<br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Statblock</div><div class="spoiler_body">Female Neutral Kobold Alchemist, Level 1, Init 2, HP 8/8, Speed 20 (30)<br/>AC 15, Touch 13, Flat-footed 13, CMD 10, Fort 2, Ref 4, Will 1, CMB -2, Base Attack Bonus 0   <br/>  Light Crossbow (10 normal, 5 iron, 5 silver (carried, rest in pack)) +3 (1d6, 19-20/x2)<br/>  Morningstar 0 (1d6, x2)<br/>Cold Iron Dagger, Cold Iron (1) 0 (1d3, 19-20/x2)<br/>  Lamellar Cuirass (+2 Armor, +2 Dex, +1 Size)<br/>Abilities Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 10<br/></div></div><br/><strong>Where: The Way Back to the Lorrimor House<br/>Tagged: Innoki<br/></strong><br/><br/><br/>At the tall elf's assertion of the likely outcome of this mess, Senthaynatrix's head bobs slightly, a motion that is almost more birdlike than a humanoid sign of agreement. "Perhapss. Not that matterss involving necromansserss and criminal ssoulss sseem likely to end prettily even with the besst of planss. Sstill, ssome coordination sseemss preferable."<br/><br/>As the mismatched pair approach the door of the Lorrimor House, Senthaynatrix offers up her own notebook in one gloved hand. "Ssertainly I can read Elvissh. Ssome of the poetry iss quite pleassant. I find it more often aspiress to a higher, almosst draconic realm, rather than the more earthy and banal topicss of human prosse."<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">The Kobold's Notebook</div><div class="spoiler_body">...is densely packed with very precise, tiny handwriting, almost all of it in the Common tongue (although there are a few paragraphs towards the beginning which are boldly stroked in some other very different alphabet; something simple of line but inherently powerful...Draconic?. <br/><br/>Most of the notebook's contents discuss languages, natural philosophy, and alchemical compounds, and there are many references to other texts, but here and there a carefully sketched diagram breaks the dense flood of the kobold's handwriting. The more recent pages include diverse notes of apparently overheard advice about ways to travel from Lepidstadt to Ravengro, lists of possible things to bring, many of them crossed out and overwritten, and at one point in rather larger and more hurried writing the inscription <strong><em>"OF COURSE THEY WERE BANDITS. WHO ELSE WOULD SUGGEST A SHORT CUT THROUGH BANDIT-INFESTED WOODS?"</em></strong><br/><br/>Her post-arrival notes begin with speculative sketches and annotations which the kobold made while picking the lock on the purple text from the box in Lorrimor's Will. There are detailed assessments of perceived resistance and rotation of the tumblers, as well as a few diagrams of what the lock's mechanism might look like (clearly complex). And then the tables of carefully cribbed cypher begin. Almost twenty pages of nothing but columns of letters and numbers, equations and symbols, culminating in a final cypher grid circled with a quick stroke of the pen. Even if she spent most of the day working on it, it's an insane undertaking...And yet, apparently a successful one. The pages thereafter contain an assortment of notes about mathematical and mystical ceremonies, none of which seem particularly evil, finally broken by the bolder statement <strong>"Palatine Eye? This has <em>NOTHING</em> to do with the Whispering Way! Why was this book with the others?"</strong><br/><br/>And then the scary bits coalesce onto the page. There's almost an entire page which is nothing <em>but</em> a list of dozens of vile cults, apparently collected from the Professor's library. The Aspis Consortium of Garund, some sort of skinchanger cult in Magnimar...Even a group of Elves in service to Treerazor. Each group's name is followed by a terse list of their interests. Necromancy shows up in quite a few. The Whispering Way is at the top of the list. Several passages from various books follow, there is a precis of one of the books (apparently the one written on the mystery parchment, which Senthaynatrix has marked with the chilling query <strong>"Prob. Human or Humanoid? <em>It should be.</em>"</strong>) <em>The Umbral Leaves</em>, a holy text of Zon-Kuthon. There's a great deal here about acquiring power over death (or undeath) through pain and torture. Another precis seems to summarize the other book from the Professor's will, <em>Serving Your Hunger</em>. This is the book of Urgathoa, who Senthaynatrix has noted was mythically the First Undead. There's a great deal about gluttony, cannibalism, and voluntary infection with plague...All as forms of worship and, again, means to power beyond death.<br/><br/>Beyond that is a tight description of Professor Lorrimor's concerns about the Whispering Way, including references to which of his books contained which notes, including page numbers. This cult apparently does not have a book of worship, but passes on their beliefs and philosophies orally. They are all necromancers, and would-be liches or other powerful undead, seeking immortality beyond the grave through pain and torture. As Quentin noted, they crush the lower part of the face and skull of those who turn against them so that the corpses may not be interrogated by magics. <br/><br/>Last but not least, some of the notes directly link the Whispering Way to the Necromancer Geb, who purportedly acquired the knowledge needed to create his eponymous nation of undeath from another powerful necromancer who was a member (possibly head?) of the Whispering Way...Someone named <strong>"Tar-Baphon."</strong> For the first time, Senthaynatrix's impeccable handwriting seems shaky. The phrase <strong>"More powerful than Geb? Geb's mentor? Is this the making of another Geb?"</strong> Apparently, In the time since Tar-Baphon was imprisoned in the Gallowspire, the Way has been researching hauntings and manifestations, including how to move, transfer, contain and generally manipulate them. At the same time, the cult has invested more research into alchemy and genealogy. In the wake of this review of Lorrimor's library, the kobold has penned in such unpleasant questions as <strong>"Poss. genealogical connection...Any relatives of Tar-Baphon or Geb at Ravengro prison?" "Relatives of other notable undead powers? What do Pharasmins know? How to ask w/o becoming suspected of necromancy or worse?"</strong> and <strong>"Why alchemy now? What forms of alchemy most lend themselves to control/achievement of undeath? How? Is there alchemy that disrupts undeath?"</strong></div></div><br/>EDIT: Spelling.