A Curious Request
Log Info
- Title: A Curious Request
- Emitter: Whirlpool
- Characters: Ashes, Silmeria, Zaxx, Edinaz
- Place: Dragonier
- Time: Wednesday, March 31, 2021, 9:22 PM
- Summary: Divination has determined the perfect adventuring party. Two Vardaman priestess, and two fighters, and a Tsurian, to say nothing of the orc, to go to Dragonier and fight wights and a void dragon. The actual adventurers are less convinced of the Twin Hearts Grove Druids' results, but agree... to RIDE WORMS THROUGH THE GROUND. Indeed, they do, although Lysos decides to forego changing her vision to everything pink until after the trip. Riding a pink worm into a pink tunnel might be a bit much for sense strained by the journey. They arrive. Ashes and Silmeria go scouting. They come back. They suggest a frontal assault. This seems readily agreed upon. Silmeria finalizes the plan...
-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ashes 5'11" 177 Lb Hobgoblin Female A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face Silmeria 5'8" 126 Lb Human Female A sweet-looking blond human in a long black dress and breastplate. Lysos 5'6" 105 Lb Human/Tsuran Female Dark eyes, dark hair, olive skin, a jotun-sized chip on the shoulder. Zaxx 5'2" 152 Lb Shadow Elf Male Compactly built, bald man with dark skin and pointy ears. Edinaz 6'10" 296 Lb Half-Orc Male Grey-skinned half-oruch, extensive black ink. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-= Sirs arriving unfashionably late -=-=-=-=-=-=-= Baz da Ork 7'0" 320 Lb Orc Male 7' 320 pounds of metal, muscle and stupid. WAAAGH! -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=--=--=--=--=--=---=--=-- Whirlpool 5'0" Otyugh I am stinky! -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
...the good news is that yyou've all received the same message. There's an older threat and it's one that needs contending with. A problem out of Dragonier.
That's why you've been summoned to the border, through whatever means work best for you, of the nation of Dragonier and are invited to a place known as the Twin Hearts Grove, an established druid's grove, now, that's working to combat the threat of undead from the blighted and fallen nation.
You await, having been delivered by airshi and then foot, to a comfortable grassy glade, your guides having left youhere for the moment. Lysos has arrived.
An ashen Arvec stands at a casual attention, legs straight, back straight, her cavalry armour aligned and supporting itself as much as it can. She wears a helmet, with a visor, which is down and obscuring her face. She seems as serious as an Arvek Nar can be.
Except for the parasol, which is casually held against her shoulder. Much like her armour and clothing theme, it is various greys and silver. Much like her, it is decorated with bones and skulls. Stylized, cartoonish skulls that are almost cute.
She hasn't spoken unless someone has made an effort to speak to her.
"... not enough, it can't compare to love," Lysos sings quietly, under her breath really, accompanied by soft humming as she waits.. almost the antithesis of Ashes, swaying a little bit from foot to foot as if just a thought away from dancing. She's let her pack fall to the ground beside her, holding her staff casually with one hand while looking about.
A second Vardaman stands next to Ashes, looking the very image of a sober priestess; black cassock, sand-colored lace cuffs and matching gunbelt, silver-rimmed pince-nez spectacles. The only thing that cracks that facade, is the gentle humor in the set of her face.
But As Silmeria stares across the border into Dragonier, humor fades far away, and all that remains is a sort of grim, dreading resolve. The Land of the Dead, Heth's playground, and an even greater insult to Vardama than any Thulite horrorshow.
Must be springtime. Even the mul's valiant steed, is a little antsy and searches for seasonal interests. The frowning rider/carried merely holds to the saddle and adjusts the fit f his very rumpled, ancient leather hat, because his airship sickness is not yet fully overcome naturally.
A Thulite Horror Show is perhaps the /best/ description for Dragonier.
Eventually, a figure emerges from the woods... well, more specifically, emerges FROM a tree. Out of the trunk. He literally steps out of it. Presently dressed in a tunic and green cloak, the gnome pulls his hood down and beams. "It's good you all made it. Alexandrian adventurers, as I live and breathe, are mongst my favorite people. You were specifically chosen for this by divinations that implied you'd each have the best chance for success."
HE waves a hand in the air and an illusory image appears, one of ...
...well, if we're being honest, it's a drawgon. A black dragon, sure, but not a Black Dragon.There's something distincvtly off about it. It appearws to be observing a collection of undead, who are ... mining metal? It's in some kind of cavern.
"We've located a Void Dragon, one of Heth's blighted children, and we need it destroyed before it arms the undead with star metals. That's what its looking for, what it's found down there. AN old site of a star metal impact deep in Dragonier."
"Oh," Ashes says, raising the visor of her helm and taking a look. Her face is a skull, some sort of tattoo or bleaching on the skin, emphasing her calling. She gazes at the illusions, seeking out detais. It's unlikely she'll need to tell that black dragon from some other one, wouldn't hurt to know some features though.
The undead, mining, get a longer observation. Finally she focuses on the cavern. She adjusts the parasol, letting her free hand dangle.
"Do you want the star metal too?" She could probably grab a chunk, depending how it goes.
There are times when one feels the weight of destiny teetering over one's head. 'Go into Dragonier and kill one of Heth's brood' is a request *fraught* with the kind of things that could end horribly, horribler, or worse. Either way, it'll be a tale out of legend for whoever survives.
Closing her eyes for a moment, Silmeria draws in a deep, steadying breath, and nods slowly. "Is there anything you can tell us about the area, or the broodling, that we'll need to know to mount an effective assault?"
Lysos's wide-eyed reaction to the gnome's arrival gives way to mirth as she snorts in a rather unladylike fashion. "Your divination told you that, did it?" she asks, grinning as if the little man just told a grand joke. She crouches down to retrieve her pack, still grinning as she straightens and slings it over her shoulder. An odd mood to be in perhaps, considering the nature of the revealed objective.. she's likely fixating to avoid the panic.
"No, the divination was explicit," explains the gnome, gently, to Lysos. "Though I'd wager, seeing your aura now, that if something is going to go horrifically wrong, it's probably going to happen to you. We'd prefer the star metal stay in the ground, but if it's been located, it's not going to be possible. We'll deal with it. We just need the wights and the dragon dealt with. Not an easy task, but you're uniquely equipped to do it, and thankfully, the dragon appears young."
This is not that reassuring.
"We all contribute in our own, unique ways, right?" Lysos confirms the gnome's reading... then lets out a sigh as the weight of the task begins to sink in. Reinforced, no doubt, by the somber attitudes of the others. "Is the dragon... uh... dead?"
"We're the pacifiers. Ok." Ashlee says in a monotone, staring at the gnome. The group is likely right for the wights too, but she refrains from saying that. Her parasol is adjusted, her lips squeeze together a little more firmly. Questions, questions, what's a good question to ask?
Stay away from dragon, far away, it will have lots of sharp bits and acid. Perhaps she should have asked the Seer about his heritage a little more. Oh well. Don't let wights touch, and... have some abilities for dealing with them, which she doesn't. Hmmm.
"Any left over siege equipment near it?"
Zaxx grumps very deeply, and loudly, "Void means emptiness. It is an anti life dragon, an anti material dragon or so. I fazed out a second after the mention of star metal crater. Thank you for your advice." The mighty mule brays indignantly and the mul shushes.
"Okay," Silmeria says, drawing herself up. "That's... encouraging. Siege equipment would be nice, mining explosives would be a treat as well. If it comes to it, I'm certain we'll find a way..."
Taking her spectacles off, the priestess rubs her face for a moment, and when the glasses are replaced, her face is bright and cheery. "So!" Which way to the crater, then?"
"There's mining equipment, yes. The wights are the miners, of course, but there qare others coming ... more powerful ones under the Void Dragon's call, seeking Heth's agenda."
The gnome lets out a sigh. "I can't say much more than that. Divinationm is annoyingly non-specific, but I can at least point you in the right place."
GAME: Edinaz rolls knowledge/arcana: (4)+5: 9 GAME: Ashes rolls knowledge/arcana: (15)+16: 31 GAME: Silmeria rolls knowledge/arcana: (5)+10: 15 GAME: Ashes rolls knowledge/religion: (3)+16: 19 GAME: Silmeria rolls knowledge/religion: (7)+11: 18 GAME: Lysos rolls knowledge/theory_of_everything: (19)+knowledge/theory_of_everything: 19
While Void Dragons are not especially well known, they've become better known as a result of Heth in learned circles. They are dangerous, capable of magically inducing aphyxia, and are quite solid. They are ALL linked to Heth as far as anyone knows, who is the First Born Dragon of Ea, according to rumors and lore. In any event, it's very bad news all around. Fortunately, they're all young. But they were involved in, say, the coup attempt to overthrow the kingdom of Dun Mordren a few years ago
Ashlee stares off into the distance revealed by the absence of the gnome's illusion. She seems to think about things a little bit. Then she speaks about the things she thought about, "Void dragons are solid, and can suffocate you. They're all linked to Heth, and also tried to overthrow Dun Mordren a few years ago."
"Bad news." She breathes, thinking a little more. "Wights... don't touch. Can't remember anything else."
Her training was for vampires, after all.
Lysos takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, looking for all the world like she's trying to center herself. Or at least recapture her earlier state of carefreeness. When they open again, she nods to Ashes, tightens her grip on her staff. "Alright. I'm ready."
Edinaz grunts. "Don't let them grab you, and if they do, get out of the grab. They suck away life. 's all I remember from fighting them in the city."
"I have tools to help deal with that," Silmeria says, frowning in thought as she racks her brains to recall any information on the void dragonlings. "Suffocating... That's good to know. We'll not want to be separated. The more that can surround us, the worse it'll be. But on the other hand... Be not afraid." The priestess nods to Ashes, smiling. "We walk under Feiu of the Tears. She'll certainly smile on this fight, and if She approves..."
"Right. We'll deliver you near to the locale by burrowers. It's the safest way to move through Dragonier unnoticed. Are you comfortable leaving your friend with us?" asks the gnome of Zaxx.
In any event, you'll soon be strapped to the back of burrowers, provided with a bottle of air to breathe through while under the earth, bundled up in protective garments and leathers and ...
..well, giant worm-back is not a fun experience. You're buffeted by the earth and are quickly sore from it, but you'll endure. Edinaz makes sure everything is secure, and tripe-lashed in, then clutches onto his bottle of air like it's a... well, it is a lifeline. He can't speak to complain, so it's true, he does endure.
Zaxx shrugs, "I can entrust you with my four legged friend. Any others can speak for themselves, fair-y friend."
"Well, that looks terrible," Lysos comments in a way that indicates she thinks the gnome is joking. But as people get wrapped up and strapped in and supplied with air, it becomes obvious that Tarien had no part in this. Or maybe /that/'s the joke. "Oh, stars.." she mutters. At some point during her own preparation for an experience she will never, ever tell anyone about, she gets back to humming to herself, as if that were a lifeline more than the bottle of air.
"Well this is new," Silmeria mutters. And new and interesting is good, right?
...Right?
And as it turns out, being strapped to a worm and scraped along the sides of freshly-eaten rock tunnels is both new, and interesting. ...And very, very bruising. And when the trip is finally over, it would be completely undignified to gasp for air like a landed fish.
But Silmeria isn't *that* much of a lady, and as soon as she's allowed, there will be gasping and falling over aplenty.
It's... a unique experience. The ashen Arvec tucks her parasol away, is wrapped up, strapped down, and taken into the earth by a worm. It's a blur of uncomfortable horror. It's like all the components of a proper burial arranged the wrong way. She reflects on the circumstances that brought her to this place. A gnome mostly. This is not the dignified way she wanted to go to the grave.
Ash holds her bottle, suckling the air, feeling the earth rumble by on the other side of the leather cladding she's beneath. It's so far beyond any experience she has had she's unsure how to react, and rides through it hiding her terror.
Then it's over. Her stare is a lot more intense as she's freed.
Edinaz takes a moment at the end, curled over his bottle, sucking on it to steady himself, before he finally straightens up, and closes his eyes. "We have to leave, too."
The ashen Arvec turns her unblinking, wide gaze on Edinaz. She says in quiet monotone, "Not... necessarily..."
She checks the bottle, takes a couple of the straps and ties it to her chest where she can get at it if her hands are occupied. It was strapped in nice and tight. Lysos would swear it. But when they emerge at their destination, her staff and her pack are just... gone. Not that the young tsuran has much to say about that.. the moment she is freed from the back of the burrower she is on the ground, clutching at it. "Walking. I'm walking home. Definitely walking home."
You're deposited into a shallow cave-mouth by the creatures, sheltered from the Dragoneiri contryside, and within proximity of the mine. You can hear this because you can hear the distant, gutteral howls of wights on the wind.
It's dark in here, and you're safe for the moment, but there's no telling how long before they'll notice your presence. The worms retreat into the shallow pits beneath your feet. They'll wait here for you.
"...I would definitely not walk back," Silmeria grates in a hoarse whispers, struggling to her feet, and patting herself down for bruises. Finding less than expected, she resettles her gunbelt and takes the time to ready both gun and shield. "One does not simple walk out of Dragonier, not anymore."
"Ranged or Melee?" Ashlee looks at Silmeria, clutching her satchel in front of her. She hasn't reached inside yet. She glances in the direction of the activity, then looks around at someone else in the group. She knows Lysos. "Do you want me to take a look?"
Edinaz stows the bottle, and checks his sword-hilts. Still there. He adjusts the fall of his cloak, then lifts his chin. "Time to find them." He just doesn't want to talk about the worms anymore. "Quietly, if you can."
"Ranged," Silmeria answers, "but I find it best to be flexible about where to be." When Ashes volunteers to scout, the Speaker nods, smiling. "Stay safe, Mourner."
GAME: Lysos casts Prestidigitation. Caster Level: 6 DC: 16
Lysos just pounds the ground a few times with her fist, before taking a deep breath and letting it out again. "Maybe.." she says to Ashes. "Or no. Or.. I don't know. Like Edin said, maybe. Quietly." She slowly sheds the protective leathers and overgarments, then, stashing them near the worm holes... and then notes her missing equipment. To this she just sighs and shrugs, as though it were the price of doing business, and goes about straightening her shawl, headscarf and skirts. "
Zaxx stays very calm to almost merry during the underground travels. He can see far, comparatively, and does not show any signs of claustrophobia. He leaves the travel opportunity and waits. The bald man's chain armor and steel boots do not make him sneak by any means.
<OOC> Ashes says, "So, +1 to counter ACP, because the Creeping enchant doesn't counter the ACP properly,
+3 from Chippen,
+5 from Shadow.
I'll also use the Creeping 'one minute' bonus, which is the enchant of the armour +2"
GAME: Ashes rolls stealth+2+3+5+2: (10)+18+2+3+5+2: 40
GAME: Ashes rolls perception: (9)+3: 12
GAME: Silmeria rolls perception: (7)+20: 27
Hobgoblins are monsters too, and the ashen Arvec is the sort that doesn't go bump in the night. She simply vanishes into the gloom and darkness. In full metal cavalry armour! Armour that has a few more shadows attached to it than it should, that's strangely quiet even at a full jog.
Which, she's moving a lot slower than now. Ashes finds a wall, follows it, approaching the noise and looking around. She can see in the dark too, that's a big advantage. Although not a lot seems to be revealing itself to her.
The two sneak nicelt. Nothing sees them. Silmeria points out to Ashes before long the mouth to the mine. There's a lot of old mining equipment scattered around the front of it and tracks and so on for mining carts. There are a number of undead rotating in and out. They're doing the job, depositing debris outside hte mine, and so on. They look ... hungry.
Trailing in Ashes' wake, Silmeria breathes slow and quiet, keeping a sharp lookout for anything that might... interrupt... their progress. Before terribly long, she transfers her gun to her shield hand long enough to tap the Hobkin's back, silently gesturing the moving undead around the mouth of the mine.
The illusion of the dragon showed it watching inside. Not here.
Ashlee halts, there's a bare imperceptible nod of her head. She watches the undead, pointing at each one and raising her hand a little, adding a finger each time, trying for a total count.
Alternate mine entrances. The group has burrowers. It would be possible to breach under the ground. Also, to figure out a way to lure the wights away from the entrance. There are options. Options which should be discussed.
Edinaz hunkers down, waiting for the scouts to return.
The Mourner and the Speaker watch for a while longer, Ash still attempting to get the wight head count. She makes another gesture, for the two to return.
They creep back as silently as they left, appearing suddenly amongst the group. Ashlee speaks, keeping her voice low and monotone.
"There are a bunch dumping the mining waste outside. There is mining equipment. The wights look hungry. They could be lured, by a summons or a burrower."
She points at the holes where their transport friends are hiding, "We could use them to dig us an entrance inside. We could set an ambush. There are options, but we should decide quickly."
Edinaz scowls. "We need the worms to leave. We can bait the wights ourselves, too."
"Like as not they've had precious little to feed upon," Silmeria muses, glancing over her shoulder. "I'm fairly confident in my ability to lure them away if needs be... But I think I'd prefer to cover the group a touch more... personally."
Pursing her lips, the Speaker gives the matter some thought. "I... absolutely hate to say this, but I wonder if a frontal assault isn't *honestly* the best idea-- and hear me out first."
"The mine is a natural choke," she continues. "There'll only be so many to crowd us, as close as the tunnels are. If we pop in somewhere else, well... then we're *certain* to be surrounded, without having knowledge of the path we took in to help us. And for every foot of ground we gain, will be less undead to fight when we find the broodling."
Edinaz nods once, curtly. "I don't mind that as an approach."
Ashlee listens, nods, "I could web the tunnel. That would slow them coming out. I have a Magic Circle against Evil, and Consecrate. Both would help a little."
Edinaz pauses. "We should probably save our resources for the voidling." He frowns. "I can get into place more easily -- I have a potion leftover from an infiltration mission -- the wights won't see me too well at first."
Zaxx stares at the other, "Baiting? How? Are you talking about risking your life? Do you have a ghost touch fishing rig? What overcomes their reasoning or wickedness?"
Silmeria turns back to Zaxx, smiling. "By running," she says simply. "I *could,* and I've a fair few tricks to keep it from being a suicide run... but all those tricks would just as well serve us all in a frontal assault. If we want to be quiet about it, I *can* also scribe a rune of silence onto something that would precede us into the mine, and allow us to fight without raising an alarm."
"Webbing the tunnel will slow them. Also good if the dragon comes. I can save the others for later." Ashes says. She glances at Zaxx, then Silmeria, "You shouldn't run. You could scribe a bolt."
Zaxx rolls his darkness piercing eyes, "Inconceivable!" He bangs his head to a nearby wall and returns, "No really, what..." The mul sighs, "What will protect us from the dragon's breath, please?"
Edinaz grunts. "Webs against a dragon? Maybe keep it to the silence." He looks at Zaxx. "Luck, and not being where it breathes?"
At this question, Silmeria pauses, and trots back to their entry point, to retrieve the bottle of air handed to her to keep her alive on the way here. Returning to the group, she simply holds up the bottle, wiggling it slightly. "Keep a hand free?"
Ashlee relents to the criticism. No web then. She tells Zaxx, "a Base. Some of the slag might help."
She looks at Silmeria, and taps the bottle she's had strapped between her breasts, nods.
She takes her light crossbow out of her satchel. "Tell me where you want me."
Edinaz nods curtly, looks to Silmeria. "Best if you places us all to start."
Zaxx groans silently, "Did you see prints or claw marks or tail swipes or get a guess at the wingspan, please? Can we collapse something on the beast?" He nods at Silmeria, "Agreed. But that only works when the breath turns into something real or at least physical. Fire, lightning, ice acid, goo. Gas and clouds and immaterial things will not really protect."
No one saw the dragon itself outside the illusory image. It wasn't huge in compared to the wights in said image. The wights were normal sized, compared to Ashes and Silmeria. Odds are even on any wager that it's not that much bigger than any of you.
"No. The dragon is inside." Ash says, "No marks outside. After the wights the mining equipment can be searched."
Zaxx scratches his chin with the back of his thumb, "I hear you. At least it is not as big as the huge beasts who visited the great city."
Edinaz nods quietly. "So let's move quickly, and make sure it doesn't have time to set up."
With the various ideas and contributions laid out, Silmeria nods to each in turn, considering carefully. Then looking back to the mouth of the mine, she speaks the words that will seal their fates;
"All right. Here's the plan..."
