Part 15: The library of Saross
Part XV: The library of Saross
Last time, Lord Gaelius charged Octavia with finding the Temple of Thor-Agoth so he could seal it forever. Presently, we're in the Trade District, which offers an abundance of merchants with unique items that are way out of our price range, so I won't show any of that. If you have a ton of money and can't craft your own stuff, I suppose this is your place.
We're visiting Abukar, who lives in this... observatory?
Thanks for making me climb to the top floor, asshole.
He's as friendly as Feng. I guess being prickly comes with the job.
: What is this thing?
Say, do you know Abdul Alhazred?
: What did the scrolls say?
: You've mentioned the library of Saross. Do you know where it is?
: What did you seek at the library?
: I thought magic was gone from this world.
: Our own backyard? You mean the Abyss?
And so, Abukar became a pioneer in the study of electromagnetism.
: Prophesized?
: This device, do you still have it?Aw, I wanna detect energy fluctuations too!
: So, you wanted to explore the Abyss?
We have some things to show him.
First, let's give him the metal sphere Feng said was "just a bead from some necklace."
Abukar seems to think it's more than that. If we show him the Jellyfish artifact...
Okay?
If we show him the map:
Thanks, we already know it was a tremendous failure.
: What do you know of Thor-Agoth?
I don't think we're going to get anything coherent out of Abukar.
Let's check out Saross for ourselves. It's far to the west of Maadoran.
Beautiful, yet desolate.
Argh. I'm capturing this at an unusual resolution (1024 x 768) because if I capture at my native resolution (2560 x 1440), the screenshots look shitty and indecipherable after conversion. Unfortunately, this means the text gets cut off at the edges sometimes. Bear with it for this update.
Before we talk to the prospector, let's walk around back.
We can move this rubble here.
Interesting. Let's talk to the prospector.
Finally, someone with manners.
god fucking damn it
Two can play at that game.
Eat shit
He has an air valve. As you do.
Time to explore and find some lost knowledge.
There came a great disturbance in the town of Lakia by the Nazvian Sea, with confusion and flight.
[...] And all the people fled from the ships of the kingdom of Qantaar, which had crossed the sea, inflicting every kind of punishment upon the people of Lakia.
[...] The Imperial army, being blessed and varying in design, fell upon the enemy. Slain were the men, their ships set aflame, the women taken into bondage.
Something about the First of the Magi: he who built his ascent up to the sky, he who founded his vaulted dome above Maadoran, he who raised the mighty pillars...
Presumably, this is about Ibn Hadad.
Upstairs...
Not much left. Maybe the basement holds more.
Yikes, it's dark. Where's a torch when you need one?
This machine in the back could help.
The prospector must've been down here.
Needs an oil injector. Didn't Abukar say he was in these ruins?
Back in Maadoran...
: I found an old machine beneath the library of Saross, but it's missing some parts.
: Is that why you've disabled the generator? So that nobody can find that "nothing" you want to keep hidden?
Definitely an oil injector. Abukar mentioned the Curio seller, but we have what we need to fix the machine.
Our alchemy skill (4) is high enough, so we get a bonus!
If only Feng could see us now.
Pretty. Let's hope we get a more material reward.
damn it
A scroll in a side room is more promising: the locations of Zamedi and Inferiae are revealed. Antidas mentioned Zamedi is the only Magi tower left intact.
War did come, and like the army who brought it, the magnitude humbled all that came before. Men and towns burned alike and even the seas stirred with the fury of war.
The sun became as night, and the moon ceased to shine. The war continued with the passing of many years and although countless thousands had died,
[...] The Qantari Servants of Power called upon the Gods of Chaos, who came forth like an eruption consuming the armies and fleets of men[...]
If I have this right, the scrolls say Qantaar attacked Lakia (a raid?), but the Imperial army stop them. A year later, Qantaar retaliates with a massive invasion force and calls upon the "Gods of Chaos" which lay waste to the land. The Magi summon otherwordly beings who fight back, then leave this realm. Both Qantaar and the Empire are devastated and the land is changed irrevocably. This lines up with what the legends say. Maybe they're true?
More locations. This is gonna be a long chapter.
I didn't capture it here, but a message pops up saying the air vent on the surface indicates a room beyond this wall. If you didn't find the air vent, having high PER lets you spot the hidden door. Turning on the lights helps.
This looks different.
...
What?
Next Time: Slumming it