Malkonius makes his way down the hall towards Rune's room. With him, he carries the rack that once held the Hammer of Espidrel. Upon reaching the Golem's door, he gives three hearty knocks and calls out for him,
"Ohhhhh Ruuuuunnne! I've brought with me a mighty fine piece o' history that I'd like to investigate some more! Care to com'n join meh with this?"
[DJ has given me permission to use the librarian/historian NPC "Pamela Neville" that he created for one of the Cenotaph mods for this]
Hearing the echo of Rune's voice(?), (she was still unsure how to refer to the golem half the time) echo through the library, Pamela Neville pushed her glasses up on her nose and pulled a pair of archivist's gloves from her pocket, slipping them on. Oils and other secretions created by living beings, particularly mammalian in nature, often had a detrimental effect on books and other archived materials. For this reason and several others that involved how she had funded her education, archival gloves were a must, and if there was an artifact or book to be examined, it needed to be removed from the potentially corrosive effects of dwarvish hands.
Walking as quickly as she could without running towards Rune's voice, she wove back and forth through the stacks until she was standing next to the golem.
"What's this I hear about a piece of history?"
Leaning in to get a closer look, she began muttering under her breath.
"Well preserved, at least half an age old based on the way the wood has colored over time though I'd need to take a closer look to be sure. Rune, what sorts of magnification equipment is available in the library?"
Examining it further, she inspected the runes carved into the wood. (Translate.)
Here stands the hammer of Espidrel, Mason of the Mountains, who wrought the heart of a mountain for its head, adamantium ore for its handle, and wrought them together in the belly of a volcano.
"Well that can't be right can it? That would make it at least....four or five ages old! What sort of skills have you at your disposal?" she asked the dwarf, peering at him over her spectacles, which had once again slipped down on her nose.
Malkonius, having apparently already walked down to the library to discuss this ojbect with Rune, directs his attention to Pamela.
"Well there lass, you'd be right in saying that this rack is ancient, but look how firm the wood still is! There's hardly any saggin' or wrinkled spots! Anyway, enough eye'n and fondl'n this fine rack here. I'm not sure what ye've got in mind, but I'm fairly well versed in the art of enchantment. Other than that, I must admit that my minin' and smithin' skills need some work.... I've not been payin' them much mind since taking up residence here... Anyway, I'm more than happy to help where I can in finding out more about this artifact!"
(Enchanter 59, miner 21, weaponsmith 15, armorsmith 15, inspect magic, commune earth, inspect arms).
Weylyn made his way over to the others "Did I hear you right? 4 or 5 AGES?" He looked between her and the dwarf, his tail giving a wag before he could stop it. "Not even here 3 days and you've already got something like this. Is there anything I can do to help?"
[armorsmithing 32, forager 20, weaponsmithing 15, inspect magic, inspect aura, translate, inspect secret, track sabotage(highly unlikely)]
Rune joins the gathered Docents around the rack. "This one was curious to this piece's fate after we recovered it. We should set to finding the hammer itself immediately. Malkonius, what's makes the hammers special beyond its previous bearer? Does it have the ability to mold exceptional materials? What would the Urodeqs need it for?" emits from the construct.
(Forager 120, inspect magic, dispel, portal, adapt gas, inspect arms, Translate, conjure)
Swift comes down the stairs reading an old scroll nearly oblivious of the small group that has gathered. "Diagon did some marvelous enchantments using gems as magic foci. I wonder if...."
The tall ixifar bumps into the back of Weylyn.
"Oh! I'm sorry. I found this linear script in Sirison and..." Swift stops and stares at the rack. "What do you have their Mal? That looks quite ancient.
(Inspect Magic, Translate, Conjure, Enchanter 52, Jeweler 22, Apothecary 15)
Foragers below level 50 can tell that the wood is not anything currently growing on any of the shards, likely an extinct species. Foragers above 50 can tell that the wood is five ages old but has been preserved with the oil of a certain tree growing in the firetorn forest. Foragers above 100 can tell that the oil has been reapplied multiple times over the years, but not for at least 500-600 years.
Enchanters up to level 20 can see that it has an enchantment on it. Levels 20-50 can see that the enchantment is on the script specifically. Levels 50-100 can tell that the enchantment on the script is a further preservation, and while inspecting it will notice traces of another enchantment which has faded over time (will need further inspection or a group inspection)
Miners will note that there is a chip of some kind of stone embedded in the underside of the rack.
Commune earth will not work on wood.
Alchemy can be used to run tests on the rock.
"I presume hammers are used in mining," Pamela said dryly, frowning. "I didn't think Uordeq mined, but I am certainly not an expert in such things. As for what the hammer does, I presume any hammer owned or made by Espidrel would have exceptional capabilities."
Swift's eyes grow wide with wonder.
"Wow! Impressive work! Uordeq you say. Hrmmmmm..... To be honest, I'm almost afriad to touch it."
Swift carfully rolls up the scroll he was reading. "Should we run an investigation on this Master Rune? We may find something of use in this artifact in it's materials or preservation enchantments."
Rune nods, "We have many questions that need answered. That wood is strange. Its similar to a species in the Firetorn forest. We could start looking there, but this one would see no real reason to unless something else lead us there."
Rune walks over to a shelf, browses for a moment, and returns with a book covered in dwarven runes. The construct opens in and after flipping through afew pages emits, "Interesting. This book says the hammer was used to create the race of dwarves. Perhaps they seek to create a new race," the golem pauses, "...or destroy an old one"
"Please forgive my ignorance, but where is the hammer now? Who has it? The implications of this may be world changing."
Swift bends to look closer that the wooden rack. "Their appears to be two enchantments on this peice, not one. The first is helping to keep the artifact preserved and resist time. The second is...well, fading. What the second enchantment does, I have no idea. We should endevor to find out."
"Mal and Pamela, please take this up to the enchantment room. Mal and I will have a closer look at the enchantment fading within."
Swift thinks for a moment. "Weylyn, please come with us. We may need your eyes and your insight into metalworking my prove useful. We will also need to search the stacks for an additional information on this Hammer of Espiderl. Any historical evidence including songs, stories, and legends."
The stacks will turn up several legends on the hammer. As they are legends, they can be taken with a grain of salt, especially the ones written by dwarves as who doesn't love to tell a big fish story?
-Glorious Dwarvern Legends- an old tome which states the hammer of Espidrel was essential in the creation of the dwarvern race when weilded by Espidrel himself and was used in creating Forgehome Falls by one of the ancient dwarf kings. Supposedly at the beginning of time, Espidrel's hammer crushed the flames of a thousand campfires to create the sun.
-Songs of the Smallfolk- a book of songs, one has a few lines about Espidrel's hammer being used in tandem with a staff of Istensia to create a hospital and healer's haven in the mountains. Another song mentions a dwarf 'hung like Espidrel's hammer." A gnomish song has a line about an adventuring tinker who borrows Espidrel's hammer to create a wagon of holding as a gift to a powerful king.-
-Magycal Relics- a tattered pamphlet listing artifacts of various immortals and what is known about them. It postulates the Espidrel's hammer is a legend and does not actually exist.
-Tales of the Immortals- Describes the creation of the dwarves with the assistance of Espidrel's hammer. Notes about its other properties suggest it can crush things of immense strength, must have a weilder of 'true dwarf nature' to be used, that Espidrel kept it hung on his wall when not using it.
Weylyn shifted though the stacks of books, folklore and oral history. After a while he spoke "Well... there's plenty of legends around the hammer, even setting aside the dwarven lore on account of hyperbole. Unfortunantly it doesn't help that some of the sources don't consider the hammer real." he sighed his ears drooping as he pulled an open book closer to him, rereading one of the songs of the smallfolk "And there's not much here that we even have a chance to find any proof of. Maybe one of the locations it says the hammer helped build?" The fox ulf stood up and started pacing slightly speaking his thoughts out loud. "Forgehome doesn't really say much since the dwarves would probably claim that either way, but maybe this 'healer's haven'?" He asked no one in particular
The construct's markings and runes glint and flicker as it thinks, eventually it emits; "This one suggests a trip to the Firetorn forest. We should seek out any volcanic activity there, and then find the trees that produce the oil that has been applied to this. Perhaps there was a grove near the forge where this hammer was made. This could lead us to who stole it." The golem nods, "This one thinks if the goal is to destroy the hammer, that is where they would try to do it."
Weylyn thought about the golems words. "Well heading to the Firetorn forest wouldn't hurt." He agreed before tilting his head in a curious manner "Why do you think they mean to destroy it, Rune-san? Rather than say use it. If nothing else to spite the Dwarves more."
"This one considered that," Rune emits, nodding. "This one cannot see the hammer letting itself be used by Urodeqs.This one hopes to find fragments or the same metal that was useing in the hammer in its construction, to perhaps find the hammer. Like using a convicts clothes to help a dog find them."
Rune falls silent for a moment, but then emits "Perhaps Keg's son has already used the hammer."
Weylyn thought for a moment "If the rumors were true it might help explain how they got Espedril's Heart... not that I have any clue as to how..." he paused for a minute "It would explain why he was made a general. I doubt just a turncoat would be allowed to lead an attack on the Dwarf capital when so many of their own would probably want to be the one in charge... in any event we don't know enough about the hammer to know if it would or wouldn't at the moment.."
The ulf cut himself off "Sorry, Rune-san. I'm rambling." he appologised "I think you have a good idea, there. At least it's the best starting point I can see as it's a known location. My only idea was to attempt to find any clue as to whether one of these locations that the hammer created existed and see if we can find magical or aura residue." he said before cutting off sheepishly as he started rambling again.
Malkonius returns to the mount, and cheerily picks up it. He announces to anyone in the vicinity:
"Well, everyone. I appreciate all the help in lookin' into Espidrel's Hammer. Now that we have been gifted the Sacred Hammer from the Forge Father, we have a use for this mount again. I'll be bringin' it to hold our hammer until we need to use it. Again, many thanks."
Malkonius walks off, bringing the hammer's mount with him.
Rune hears it's name being called, and emits "This one is in the library." loud enough for it to echo through the halls and rooms of the tower