The fellowship awoke and immediately noticed the robed skeleton sitting at the desk that they somehow missed the night before in their exhaustion. The robed skeleton appeared to be a mage who had met his end while he was working on a scroll. Arbun was able to detect that the scroll was a scroll of invulnerability but something seemed off about the scroll. Perhaps it was the phrasing or the timing – Arbun just couldn’t put his finger on it.

They took the scroll regardless and then before they left they also decided to take the pen from the robed skeleton. This caused the skeleton to animate and he immediately attacked. Although the mage skeleton had considerable magic, he ultimately was no match for our fellowship.

The party continued on and came upon another robed skeleton working on a scroll. Arbun was able to determine that this scroll was a scroll of invisibility, but it again seemed off. Once again, Arbun could not put his finger on what the difference was. This time the party decided to not take the pen from the skeleton, much to Jesoc’s chagrin.

The party asked Arbun to smell the scrolls and both gave off a scent of fresh flowers – a key indicator or evocation magic.

Curiosity got the better of the fellowship and Arbun decided to use the invisibility scroll on himself. Immediately after he cast it, everything went dark for Arbun – HE WAS BLIND!

The fellowship quickly decided on what to do – Jesoc picked up Arbun on his back and they continued to explore.

They explored some study rooms and found them to be empty. While they were appointed with red candles, red quills, and red ink – they were empty with no robed skeletons or anything else of note.

That is, except for one of the study rooms where they found the following note that seemed to be addressed to Engwa.

“Engwa, Serke has left Dol Amroth for our home with the prize from Minas Tirith. Ninque remains in Dol Guldur to seek for her stone. Nixe and Vasa have split up to search Minas Morgul and Cirith Ungol for their stone. The accursed spider thinks it is one of her brood and is hiding it. Do not fail us, we need the Annuminas seeing stone – T”

The fellowship recognized the names and locations mentioned in the note and were disturbed that it was signed with a single ‘T”. They surmised that this note was from Thuringwethil and she was indeed more than just a rumour.

The party continued to explore the rest of the third floor and found the rest of the study rooms empty except for the red candles, red quills, and red ink. They did come across one more robed skeleton writing a scroll of greater restoration that again seemed off. They took the scroll and once again decided to not remove the pen from the skeleton’s bony hand and continued on their way.

They then came upon what seemed to be a potion workshop. There were a multitude of empty flasks, dry powders, and mortars and pestles. More importantly, there were 8 flasks along the wall filled with coloured liquids:

• 2 Orange potions

• 2 Blue potions

• 2 Clear potions

• 2 Red Potions

Arbun smelled that all of the potions emanated a scent of fresh flowers to indicate evocation. They guessed that the Red potions are typically healing potions and that Blue potions are typically power potions, but had no idea what the other potions could be.

Arbun, already blind, felt brave and decided to drink a clear potion. Arbun quickly drank the tasteless potion but it had no effect.

Jesoc decided to try one of the red potions. Jesoc drank the tasteless red potion and all of his wounds were healed. From behind him, Jesoc then heard Arbun yelp as it seems Jesoc’s wounds had been transferred to Arbun – doubly!

Undeterred, Arbun then decided to drink a red potion. This time the tasteless potion’s effect was immediately apparent! Arbun could see again and his wounds had been healed. From behind him Arbun heard Hallamir scream in pain. It seemed that Arbun’s wounded had been transferred to Hallamir- again doubly!

Kifak was somewhat annoyed with this foolish experimentation and took the remaining potions before anyone else made a rash decision.

The fellowship finally made it into the last unexplored room and found that there were just two purple potted flowers on a table. They poured the last clear potion into a flower pot but there was no effect. The fellowship took the two plants and headed to the observatory.

The fellowship found the observatory with a solid stone door engraved with an image of the white tree of Gondor. There were seven key holes dispersed throughout the tree’s branches. The party inserted the keys and one by one they turned and the door opened.

Unable to remove the keys from the door and secure the door, the company took an hour to rest in the entry way and allow Kifak to place glyphs on the door so that they couldn’t be ambushed.

After the glyphs were in place the party continued on and found a lava river in the next room. It appeared that lava river was only 5 feet across so Hallamir, Arbun, and Jesoc all decided to jump across. To their surprise the lava river was actually 20 feet across and the true width was hidden by an illusion. Hallamir, Arbun, and Jesoc quickly pulled themselves free from the scalding lava and proceeded to set up a line to zipline Kifak over.

The fellowship could see the huge 80 foot telescope to the north but decided to explore the rest of the rooms first. They opened the door and found what appeared to be a study room. Unfortunately, no one looked at the door frame. If they did they would have seen glyphs of warding that protected the room. When they entered the room they all were enveloped in elemental fire damage and left everyone smoking and charred,

From then on, the fellowship explored the other rooms more cautiously – for a while. They came upon a dusty kitchen, astrologers chambers, and barracks. In the last room of the barracks they found a large chest that was surrounded by sand.

On alert, the party fired a few arrows at the chest thinking it might be a mimic. After the arrows bounced off normally, Jesoc approached. Jesoc asked Arbun to smell the chest and Arbun reported that the chest smelled of crisp pear.

Undeterred, Jesoc opened the chest and he immediately disappeared! Jesoc found himself in a chest quickly filling with sand. Jesoc slashed against the lid again and again and the rest of the fellowship could see the chest bouncing back and forth. Finally Jesoc struck a mighty blow and the chest popped open and Jesoc found himself outside of the chest again. The chest then slammed shut and party decided to leave well enough alone and went to explore the telescope.

The fellowship returned to the telescope and found a large 80 foot telescope with four large sections. Kifak looked into the eye piece but couldn’t see any stars! He looked up at the sky and saw a clear night with a multitude of stars. Kifak guess that something must be blocking the telescope. After seeing that the eye piece wasn’t covered, Hallamir sent Tallulahbell flying up to investigate and sure enough there was an orb blocking the end of the telescope. Unfortunately, Tallulahbell couldn’t lift the orb.

Arbun and Jesoc decided the climb the telescope together and they successfully got to the top and discovered that the object blocking the telescope was indeed the Palantir of Annuminas!

Arbun and Jesoc carefully placed the Palantir into the bag but not before Jesoc had a terrifying image of a female Vampyre under a dark starless sky.

Arbun and Jesoc climbed down and shared what they had found and seen. The fellowship then decided to return to barracks of Fornost and report what they had found to the wardens of Annuminas.

The wardens were very disturbed about what they had heard and the state of Annuminas but welcomed them in and offered them food, drink, and lodging.

Before they retired, Kifak decided to send messages to the king to update him and heard some disturbing news. Kifak asked about how many Palantir the king had and was shocked to receive an answer of zero. They learned that Royal Seer was dead and the bag that held all the Palantirs they had found was stolen.

Suddenly, they all understood what prize was stolen by Serke that was mentioned in the note.

The fellowship agreed that their next step would be to visit Uruial and receive the Shackles of Manwe as per their agreement with the Dragon.

They also hoped they could convince Uruial to be an ally and to learn how they could defeat Thuringwethil.

Foolish? Sure, but it is all they had.