#baronyofthesilverwolf

Gwen can read it, but it's out of sight for the shorter fellows. Meanwhile, Thistle has found a vial of shimmering, silvery liquid, almost empty but for a small amount at the bottom. The vial is labeled "Tears of the Moon" and the cork is old and crumbling.

Wisdom forged in star's embrace,
Her name reveals the hidden place.

Gwen can read.

Gwen blows on the dusty spot

The words coming clear as she tries not to sneeze

Thistle pockets the vial.

Nose wipe, then she reads

"N, Nephrite, Nunki... O, Onyx, Orion..." Art continues.

Gwen reads, and, Thistle pokes and prods.

"Q, Quartz, Quasar. R, Ruby, Rigel." Subtle glamour flowing, now Art's rather than that in the room.

As Thistle rummages through the chamber, she uncovers a finely crafted stone mason's hammer. It has a sturdy wooden handle, with intricate engravings on its metal head. The hammer appears to be both a tool and a piece of art.

Citrine is buzzing around curiously.

"Wisdom forged in star's embrace,
Her name reveals the hidden place." Gwen blurts

AS GWEN SPEAKS THAT OUT LOUD... nothing happens. What did you expect?!

"Anyone got an idea what to do with that?"

"........Not Isolde?"

As Thistle speaks the name, there is a soft rumble and the wall moves

BLINK.

There is a waver in the magic Art is attempting as he calls out, "Hey! What did you find?"

"A door?"

"OKay... that did it. Her name revealed the hidden place. Doh"

"Oh, rubbish - " He mutters, then, "Uh... Uh... V... uh..." His magic trembles and starts to fade.

"Vanadium"

"Venus?"

"Vanadium! Vega... wolframite..." He continues, giving a thumbs up to Thistle.

The passage way leads down.... down into the dark.

Meanwhile, Citrine is playing with something she found, a small, delicate brooch that was buried in the dust on the floor. She turns and whirrs her wings to shoo the dust away, then admires the sparkle.

"Citrine, may I see it?"

Citrine blows a raspberry at Gwen and moves to a higher spot near the ceiling.

"Brat with wings"

But she is not going to push for it

"Z, Zircon, Zeta Tauri!"

Art finishes, and there is a small blossom of glamour, that sinks into him and the journal. His eyes glow the same golden-blue that shouldn't be a color, but somehow is, as the runes on the walls, as he starts to read.

Thistle stills, waiting for Art.

A cool breeze comes up the passage way, and the sound of dripping echoes.

He rubs at his eyes, and blinks after a few minutes. He may have actually forgotten they are waiting...

"Can someone be both a genius and a moron at the same time?" He asks, perhaps rhetorically?

"You want an HONEST answer to that?" She asks

He gives her a mock scowl. (It looks devastatingly cute on him, somehow)

"Sir Stoneweaver - Caelan - he knew what he needed to do, but he couldn’t admit he was wrong. His pride prevented him from acknowledging the failure of his initial attempts. Instead, he clung to those materials, insisting they were the solution even when they clearly weren’t.”

"Right..."

"Sunk cost is a helluva drug."

"Doubly so for a Dragon."

"Doubling Down on a scew up to save pride. "

A grin over at Gwen. "Jinx!"

"I owe you a coke" She concedes

Art’s gaze shifts to the journal, holding it out for them to see, though it is still a mass of gobbledygook to them.

“This journal is a mix of technical notes and personal reflections. Caelan was both brilliant and deeply frustrated. We’ve got the information we need to proceed, but we also have to grapple with the fact that his pride kept him from solving it in his time."

"Well, none of us are him, and none of us are egomaniacs."

"And Thistle, here... before the cantrip wears off..." He flips through the book, skimming, and then shoves a page at her. "What do you see here? It reminds me of some of the noodly art swirls you have been working into the rims of your pottery... I thought it was just a neat pattern..."

He holds the page open to the Nocker.

Gwen tilts her head

Swirls, and runes, or glyphs, what's the difference, really? Signs...

She traces the swirl with a calloused fingertip.

As Gwen squints over Thistle's shoulder, she notices that some of the swirly bits look kinda like old runes she has seen in other fae workings, but none of them are quite right. Maybe just a coincidence.

But Thistle?

Thistle looks at it, and something clicks in her mind. They are neither fae runes nor alchemical symbols, but a combination of both. In one, an alchemical symbol for "Transformation" is paired with a ancient fae rune representing "Glamour" - for what is magic but transformation, and what is transformation but magic? And here, the symbol for fire, with a rune that represents passion... There, the sign for water and a rune for sorrow... Neither and both, making a new script that is unintelligible unless you have seen the pattern.

It unfolds, and she understands.

"......... *&^%$##%..."