Wine in the West Wing

###### Autumn Year 720 - Day Twenty Five - The Southern Lands

Kargrimm read some books trying to learn more of the local area, it was a land of vast forest, mountains to the north where a Dwarven stronghold once stood, also mentioned was a monastery, that he deduced was where he currently stood.

Valrith knocked on the next door, a large Troll type fellow answered.

Nephrus used his mage hand to open the locked door, he poked his head through to peep. He saw the large being, as well as two familiar figures, and more unknown people.

The other group of adventurers were escorted through the locked door, Kargrimm sat at their table. They had taken out all the books about that very monastery, they seemed to be planning a fight there in the building. The Troll arrived at the table and asked to see Valrith’s library card, as she handed it over, Nephrus used a minor illusion to alter the library card in a very fancy way.

As we entered the next room the Troll handed us two visitors passes. This seemed to be some sort of VIP library area, at the far end is a statue. Kargrimm had heard of these, it was a statue in some sort of time loop that repaired itself after being smashed.

We are taken to the supervisor,

*“Thank you Jeffery”*

Innij is here, she smiled with a curious expression, inwardly chuckling to herself.

The supervisor was not convinced by Valrith’s library card. However the woman did perhaps need some help there in the monastery. They had a splinter group, renowned scholars but they had gone a different direction. She would like them incapacitated. The split off faction was in the west wing. She would like them alive if possible. She could put the group in contact with someone who had knowledge of The Lich. She clicked her fingers and beautiful gold all access library cards appeared in the air.

The three traveled to the west wing, there were spectres aimlessly floating through the hallways. The group decided to walk the hall, Valrith brushed up against one of the spectres, she was instantly teleported to a realm of endless grey, Silvanus sat on a throne. Valrith felt that something was wrong there, there was no life there, man made stone, no trees. The silvanus’ wished Valrith to kill her employer, the library supervisor.

The three walked further down the hall and then down some stairs into a sort of cave, a carved door stood before them. Valrith knocked, a wizard answered. Nephrus pretended to be the tea lady.

Kargrimm asked what they did here

They explain that they have constructed the worlds first artificial Soulforge. Kargrimm asked where they found the fuel, a man with a cart sold them a load of soul crystals. Got enough of them together to reach soul criticality, a soul reaction as it were. The main wizard was the Director of practically applied magic, and he did not want to talk to the supervisor.

The heroes decided to get these wizard drunk with all of the wine Kargrimm had collected after superior guilt tripping by the Dwarf. The drunk wizards did not like the other scholars as they wouldn’t let the wizards use the souls for power.

As they drank they spilt secrets, they are using souls of Dwarves, Kargrimm, enraged, swung the empty bottle at the wizard but the tea trolley was in the way. He pushed it aside and tackled the middle wizard to the ground and Valrith grappled the other. Nephrus got involved in a slap fight with the third.

Eventually they dragged the three old men towards the east wing, Nephrus touched the ghosts and was teleported to the endless void Valrith was in earlier. “The Fiend” conversed with him. He learned that the compass was not simply so, it was a prison.

The trio of elderly scholars were escorted to the east wing.

Nephrus saw wings on the supervisor, shadowy wings.

The woman lead them to the managers room in the south. Along a long corridor. Where the heroes set eyes upon the Soulsmith they were searching for.

> *“So what brings you to my monastery?”*
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