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Quest 307 of The Archives of the Abyssal Veil

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by

Dale
in

Guild Instructions

  • Interested parties must register with Clerk Thistle to secure exclusive salvage rights.
  • All avatars must provide a soul-signature and current tier-slot audit at the time of registration.
  • Any archival data or secondary relics found alongside the objective remain the property of the Tide-Forged Scholarchs and must be turned in for tax processing.

Money Reward

  • 1,200 Silver Pieces upon the successful recovery and verification of the relic.

Uncommon Magical Rewards

  • One Lens of the Meticulous Scribe (reveals invisible ink and microscopic Vo-Run scripts).
  • Three Vials of High-Pressure Purified Steam (used for powering Tier 2 mechanical gear).

The Objective

  • Locate and retrieve the Scholarch’s Mantle of the Radiant Whisper 104. This Tier 2 merged relic was last seen in the possession of a High Archivist within the sunken library of the Abyssal Veil. The mantle is easily identified by its indigo sea-silk and the constant, clinical white light it emits.

Difficulties

  • The library is located in a Somewhat Safe area, but the specific archival vaults are designated as Unsafe, reducing Armor Class by half.
  • The environment is completely submerged in high-pressure salt water.
  • Presence of “Archival Wraiths” and “Ink-Leeches” that target the magical integrity of gear.

Problems

  • The archives are spirit-infested; the “Sorrow-Dust” of forgotten texts has manifested into hostile incorporeal entities.
  • Recent ley line tremors have caused several mechanical steam-locks to jam, sealing off the primary research chambers.
  • A “rule breaker” has been reported in the lower levels, reportedly using telepathy to manipulate the localized dust spirits.

Who to Ask for More Information

  • Master Scribe Elwin at the Tide-Forged Consulate.
  • The Quartermaster of the Skydrift Research Zeppelin, currently docked at the North Pier.

Potential Environments

  • Sunken Stone Libraries
  • Silt-Choked Reading Rooms
  • High-Pressure Steam Conduits
  • Bioluminescent Coral Archives

Tags

  • Retrieval, Aquatic, Scholarch-Lore, Tier-2-Relic, Unsafe-Area, Spirit-Combat, Archival-Salvage, High-Pressure, Vo-Run, Shamanic-Weaving, Sunken-Ruins, Mental-Fortitude

Registration Process

Registration occurs at the Guild’s primary mechanical desk. Clerk Thistle directs the party to place their hands on the copper-inlaid stone slab, which hums with magic flow. This process records the party’s soul signatures into a steam-printed ledger. Once the “Mind’s Eye” of the desk confirms the avatars are Tier 1 or higher, Thistle stamps the board with the Guild’s official seal, legally prohibiting any other parties from attempting the same retrieval.

Guild Warnings and Preparation

The clerk provides a series of specific warnings regarding the nature of the Abyssal Veil:

  • Magical Integrity Warning: The clerk warns that the Ink-Leeches in the archives do not just bite flesh; they siphon magic circuits. If an item’s magical integrity hit points reach zero, it will become mundane until repaired.
  • The Unsafe Vaults: Thistle explicitly mentions that once the party crosses into the restricted archives, their AC will be halved. Precision and avoiding spirit-contact are highlighted as the only ways to preserve HP.
  • Preparation Requirements: The clerk explains that because of the depth and pressure, the party requires pressurized diving suits and specialized “spirit-salt” to ward off incorporeal entities. High-intensity underwater lanterns are also suggested, as the silt can be impenetrable to mundane light.

Distance and Duration

  • Distance: The Abyssal Veil is located roughly 120 miles off the coast of the main trade hub, situated in a deep oceanic trench.
  • Duration: Travel via a specialized deep-sea submersible will take approximately 18 hours. The Guild grants the party five in-world days to recover the mantle before the submersible is recalled.

Additional Information

The clerk adds that the Scholarch’s Mantle of the Radiant Whisper 104 is a Tier 2 item. He reminds the party that touching it will be painful and cause HP loss for any avatar currently at Tier 1, as per the established 2d4 pain interval rules. He suggests bringing a lead-lined container to transport the item if the party does not have a Tier 2 member to wear it.

The Writ of Questing

To assist with the initial costs, Clerk Thistle issues a Writ of Questing.

  • Purpose: This is a promissory note that the party can take to local general stores or Guild-affiliated outfitters to obtain mundane gear they currently lack, such as air bladders, heavy rope, or basic rations.
  • Nature of the Note: This is not a gift. It is an advance on their reward. The total value of the items taken will be subtracted from the 1,200 Silver Piece payout. If the party fails the quest, the debt is recorded against their souls, and they must perform manual labor at the Guild’s steam-docks to pay off the balance.

Mood setting excerpt from:
Tome Title: The Liturgy of the Sunless Archive
Chapter Number: XXVII
Chapter Title: The Sifting of the Sorrow-Dust

In depths where the weight of the water is truth, And the silence is thick as the stone, The scholar shall find in the days of their youth, That the spirit must wander alone.

The sea-silk shall shimmer in indigo light, Through the silt of the forgotten age, But beware of the ink that consumes the sight, And the wraiths that are bound to the page.

For the Mantle of One-Hundred-Four is a sun, That burns with a clinical flame, But when the long dance of the leeches is done, The light shall be all that remains of a name.

The runes shall hum loud in the shoulder of silver, To siphon the magic of old, While the skin of the avatar starts to shiver, In currents that run bitter cold.

Your armor shall thin like a dream in the morning, When the vaults of the veil are in sight, So heed the old Scribe and his clinical warning, Lest you drown in the washing of light.

For the dust of the sorrow is hungry for gears, And the spirits shall feast on the hum, Until the last echo of whispering fears, Is all that the heart has become.

Guide Manager’s Notes:

This quest is the ultimate test of a party’s ability to manage magical resources and handle high-pressure environmental hazards. Since we are dealing with a Tier 2 merged relic, the stakes are elevated—the party isn’t just fighting monsters; they are fighting the environment and the sheer weight of the item they’ve been sent to find. Here is how you can run this as a high-octane archival heist.

  • Step 1: The Debt-Heavy Kickoff. Get the party into the Guild and let them feel the tension of the “Writ of Questing.” Remind them that every breathing bladder and spirit-salt pouch they buy is silver coming directly out of their pocket. Encourage them to haggle with Thistle or use their Mind’s Eye to find the “best-value” gear in the guild’s inventory.
  • Step 2: The Descent. The 18-hour submersible ride is your chance to set the mood. Describe the groaning of the mechanical hull as the pressure increases. Use this time for the party to prep their gear—greasing their joints to prevent salt-corrosion and double-checking their magic circuits. This is a great time for a “long rest” before the action starts.
  • Step 3: Entering the Archive. The party exits the submersible into the “Somewhat Safe” upper library. The water is murky and filled with “Sorrow-Dust.” Use the Ambient Luminescence rules here—the library is pitch black, and their lanterns will only cut through so much silt. Describe the eerie beauty of the bioluminescent coral growing over stone bookshelves.
  • Step 4: The AC Drop. As soon as they pass through the great mechanical steam-locks into the restricted vaults, tell them clearly: “Your Armor Class is now halved.” Watch the panic set in as they realize that even the smallest Ink-Leech is now a major threat. This forces them to prioritize stealth and range over tanking hits.
  • Step 5: The Ink-Leech Swarm. Throw a swarm of Ink-Leeches at them. These aren’t regular pests; they target “Magical Integrity.” Describe the leeches latching onto their weapons and armor, causing the magic flow to flicker. The players have to shake them off before their gear goes mundane.
  • Step 6: The Jammed Steam-Lock. The path to the High Archivist’s chamber is blocked by a massive, rusted gear-gate. The party needs to use their “High-Pressure Purified Steam” vials to jumpstart the mechanism. This is a mini-puzzle where they have to align the magic circuits while holding off a few Archival Wraiths.
  • Step 7: Identifying the Goal. Using the “Lens of the Meticulous Scribe,” the party can find the faint trail of indigo sea-silk fibers left by the High Archivist. This leads them into the deepest, most silt-choked reading room. The “Mind’s Eye” should be active here, looking for that specific cool white light.
  • Step 8: The Wraith of the Archivist. The High Archivist is now an Archival Wraith, and they are still wearing the Mantle. The light of the mantle makes the Wraith visible but also incredibly dangerous. The Wraith will use the “Beam of Purging Truth” against the party, trying to “cleanse” their memories.
  • Step 9: The Painful Recovery. Once the Wraith is defeated (and vaporizes into sparks!), the party has to pick up the Mantle. Since it’s a Tier 2 item, whoever touches it starts taking damage from the 2d4 pain interval immediately. It’s a “hot potato” situation—do they risk carrying it by hand, or do they try to stuff it into a lead-lined container?
  • Step 10: The Rule Breaker’s Interference. On the way out, the “rule breaker” makes their move. They use telepathy to command the local “Sorrow-Dust” to form a physical barrier. This isn’t a combat encounter as much as it is a negotiation or a test of will. The rule breaker might offer to help them for a “memory” in exchange—play up the psychological aspect of Saṃsāra here.
  • Step 11: The Submersible Dash. The party has to get back to the submersible before their air bladders run dry. The “Radiant Dustveil” of the mantle (if they can figure out how to trigger it) can be used to clear the silt path, but it’ll cost them in more pain intervals.
  • Step 12: The Final Payout. Back at the Guild, Clerk Thistle audits the item. If it’s damaged, the payout drops. After subtracting the Writ of Questing debt, see what’s left of that 1,200 Silver. It’s a perfect moment for the party to realize they’ve survived one of the toughest environments in the world.