The Knowledge of the Buried

The party took stock of the situation and tried to plot their next move. They were eager to move on but they were held back by what they would be leaving in the mostly unexplored basement. They knew there was some entity named Philip below and his power and motivations were unclear.
They met up with Lincoln, who had sought them out and bought with them a formal fellow by the name of Ignatius Bancroft (one of the The Five Families). He had renounced his family and was now working against them, trying to prevent them from accruing the Gifts of the Eight. In doing so he'd learnt of the good natured party who had collected half of them so far and tracked them down, to join them and keep an eye over the items. He also was able to bestow descriptions of 3 of the 4 remaining items: the Prison being a model of a office or study, made in jade; Mirage is a blue hued sword; and Gloomskin is a black fur cloak.
Unable to leave the remaining researchers and Philip in the basement uncheck the party split up to source information and hunt the basement. Ignatius was able to learn the names of the librarians working at the time: Isasias Wethern, Kennith Phillips and Dillon Wyrick. Somnis was able to find two people from 150 years ago who still had outstanding books. One was Dorian Faulknen with the book "Power of Memory: How to Remember Everything You Ever Read Ever" and Avery O'Heron with the book "101 Birds around West Aller". Lincoln learnt of the attack as a part of the Brute Uprising 150 years ago, was unable to glean names, but learnt the papers covered it as a heroic conquering of the elitist manipulators by the everyman.
Alda and Gao, hunting in the basement found six nothics crawling along a mound of books, occasionally pausing to read from one of the books and then moving on. As they entered the room an Allip rose out of the mound of books and challenged them. He grew angry and asked them to leave if they would not aid his research to know everything. With a little cajoling he revealed he was Philip Hyland, that he had been here 150 years and had read everything. The artifact book which turned him into and allip had been moved here by its makers for safe keeping and he suspected now the basement wasn't sealed it might be removed by its makers once more. The whole party was eventually gathered, and Somnis suggested that Philip might benefit from practical application of his amassed knowledge, which Philip took to mean teach everyone EVERYTHING he knew. When he tried to share a fraction of it with the party their minds bled, but it did not deter Philip and so the party realised he must be stopped.
Combat broke out with Philip rallied his researchers to join him. Uncertain as to who's side the researchers were on the initial attacks focused on Philip, that was until a shatter spell from Lincoln caused the mound of books in the centre of the room to rise up. The pages fluttered and covers stuck together as the mound formed itself loosely into the shape of a dinosaur: a threatening Thesaurus. With is roar echoed a hundred synonyms for pain which made the mind spin. It could no well stand before Gao and his Hellsplitter. With a doom wrenching crack, lightning flashed through the room and the rending blade of havok and misery tore through an infinitude of pages. Letters and half words snowed down around Gao as he stood in the remains of the Thesaurus.
The battle continued on until Philip was struck down by a vengeful Chas Burcham, the only nothic to ally himself with the party from the beginning. One surviving nothic surrendered, Colby Kingston. The two of them vowed to reinstate the basement of the library to its former glory so all of Aller could come and learn, though both also feared how their new warped appearances would be met by the public.
The party gathered themselves together, along with two new companions (but missing one dear friend), and headed toward New Rousanage to learn what befell their powerstation.