Taking Back Book Club

## Firsthand Account: Abizu

Abizu, Cain, Feral, Gilgimesh and Kaladin set out to reclaim the Aetheneum from enemy control.  We dispatched a few construct wolves outside its entrance, and then discovered iron soldiers immediately within.  We used a grease spell on the doorway that toppled several of them.  We also found a fatal flaw in the design of the iron soldiers - once toppled, they were unable to stand back up nor attack from the ground.  Sturdy and dangerous as they are, they posed little threat once knocked on the ground.

Making our way further into the library, we were joined by Evangelina.  We disposed of more constructs and eventually ran into a few shadows which were dispatched quickly.  This is the first I'd seen of undead among the invasion forces, if that's what they were.  It is concerning and warrants further investigation.

We made our way to a study and Kaladin entered, speaking with a magical talking cat about portals in the library and our ultimate objective.  In addition to clearing out the library of enemies, we would have to disable a portal network that the dragonborn had commandeered when they captured the location.  The key to this portal network was a tome owned by Caerovi but left in the library during the assault.  After much more searching and several more dragonborn, leading up to an ambush in a room they had converted for target practice, we finally obtained this tome.

The portal room itself was guarded by a large Juggernaut construct.  Evaluating our current resources, we determined we had little chance of defeating it in straight combat.  Instead we elected to use stealth, illusion magic and distraction to occupy the construct long enough to have Gilgimesh close the portal and then withdraw.  We would require more robust methods of attack to bring down the heavily fortified construct.  We successfully closed the portal and left it there.  Thankfully it seems trapped in the room for the time being.

## Firsthand Account: Kaladin

Kaladin was adament among with the other wizards to reclaim what was one of the last strongholds of the enemy, their beloved Atheneum. Gathering together Abizu, the tactical leader along with Gil, Cain, and Feral, they gathered and entered the library. Some initial skirmishes were rough, but thankfully Eva was able to show show up with the great hero Luci to help join the fray. Fighting Shadows and constructs and dragonborn alike, they eventually make it to the hidden entrance to Cearovis' hidden sanctum.

Kaladin uses the password given to him by Cearovis to enter and found Tim Purrton, the cat lovin' lich friend of the library. He reveals that the enemy has discovered Cearovis' journal with the passcodes to the portal network. The party eventually discovers the book and prepare to enter the portal. Realizing that Abizu would not like Tim, Kaladin and Eva convince him to change his form, into that of a cat in a suit. The party looks through the portal and see another juggernaut guarding the portal. The party runs distraction while Feral, under the spell invisibility is able to sneak underneath and invoke the incantation. The party escapes, but not before Eva kisses Abizu to avoid her noticing that Tim was not all that he seemed.

Book Club is back on!