Pharast 1, 4712
Following the confrontation with the magma dragons, the party is winded but excited. They managed to slaughter two dragons! After taking a breather, they decide to continue exploring this level of the Emerald Spire. After all, there shouldn't be much left to chart. Thorne and Rowen are exhausted after this battle and managed to recuperate two of the bolts of dragon slaying +10. They decide it would be wiser for them to return to Fort Inevitable and place the bolts in a safe place. They use the rope back to the Spire, and, using the token, transport away from this level.
Roscoe, Darelle, and Daryle decide to remain and continue their exploration. They struggle to string a rope between the Spire and the edge of the cave on the other side of the Spire, but eventually they succeed. Roscoe is the first one across, followed closely by his sisters. This large cave slopes down and eventually leads to the staircase to the eleventh level, but what immediately attracts the Coopers' attention is the presence of a hobgoblin chained to the wall. Wearing only a loin cloth and worn leather boots, he seems dehydrated but still aware. His gear and backpack are piled nearby. He appears to be a sacrifice delivered to the dragons. Darelle notices that though he is worse for wear for having been here, he has not been affected by the extreme heat.
Roscoe examines the creature, and discovers that the symbol that was present on the mechanical dogs that attacked Fort Inevitable a while back are also present on the manacles. Could it be that whomever delivered the hobgoblin to the dragon is connected to the maker of the dogs? Daryle notes that this symbol is similar in many ways to the one Klarklosh used on his machines. The hobgolbin, who identifies himself as Omok, states that he saw a bunch of angry goblins who ambushed him. He was hunting them down when he came upon these goblins. He was taking advantage of the town's disarray to plunder the Emerald Spire. His story seems confused, and Daryle gets in his face trying to assert the truth. Omok is all over the place, but she's eventually convince that he tells a version of the truth, though she plans on keeping a close eye on him.
After much questioning, Roscoe unchains the hobgoblin and agrees to let him accompany them on their quest. Darelle heals him and helps him with water and food. Omok dresses himself and is finally ready. The party moves down the cave and comes upon what looks like a large aquarium window. On the other side is a pool of water that reaches up to eye level at the window. Beyond that is a small ledge that connects to a tunnel, and on that ledge is the dragons' hoard. But how do they get there? They search for a secret passage in their current cave, but they cannot find one. Reluctantly they decide to backtrack to the main cave and look there. Eventually, they discover a secret tunnel which leads to a small river of lava.
Omok is the first one to cross, after stripping down. Unfortunately for him, his pants, which he had placed on his head, fall in the lava and burn to ashes. Roscoe follows. The sisters look at each other. There is no way Daryle will remove her pants, and Daryle is wearing a dress. They decide to string another rope across the river, and successfully cross it.
In the dragons' hoard, aside from the usual coinage and gems, they discover five strange items. The biggest of them, which immediately attracts Omok's attention, is a large steel case featuring skulls and various evil looking runes around it. Roscoe casts detect evil and is almost blinded. Clearly, whatever this is should not be left behind. Meanwhile, Darelle and Daryle find a miniature wooden sculpture of a tree, a large leather belt with golden runes, a long sword that faintly shimmers, and a potion. The twins pick up the items while Roscoe and Omok argue about what to do with the case. Omok attempts to open it, but it is locked. They eventually decide they will carry it with them. Unfortunately, it is too big for one, so both of them must take it along.
Returning to the staircase after struggling to get the case over the lava, the Coopers decide to head down to the 11th level. Roscoe and Omok are carrying the steel case between themselves, with Darelle up front and Daryle closing the march. They descend about 150 feet when they finally emerge from the magma formed tunnels into a large made area. The floors are made of flagstones, while small continual lights give off a faint light. The Spire is in this room, and Daryle locates the level's name, Yarrik. Across from the Spire is a set of bronze double doors that are covered with seals made of cloth that is now threadbare it is so old, as well as runes inscribed around the door frame. The doors push inside the room. Clearly, someone a long time ago wanted to keep something locked behind these doors. But the seals show that they have not been disturbed in eons.
Darelle knocks on the door. No one answers, and no sound can be heard from the other side. After much debate, Roscoe and Omok leave the chest by the Spire. Daryle spends time examining the runes, and discovers a few words she's familiar with. She picks up the words beware, Yarrik, and curse. Omok attempts to open the door, but it is locked, and the seal remains intact. Roscoe and Omok decide to use the magical steel chest to batter the door down. Their swing is so powerful that the double doors swing open. The steel case pops open as well, and a large book falls out. Made of humanoid skin and covered in lettering written in blood, the book oozes evil. Omok looks at the name, and he immediately recognizes that the party is in possession of a chapter from the Book of the Damned. No one touches the book, and Roscoe carefully wraps it back up into the steel case. Omok and the Hellknight return the chest to the Spire.
A large hallway heads to another set of bronze doors. Side passages leave on either side. Two automatons stand guard, and as the Coopers come closer they activate and begin to fight. Darelle attempts to retrieve the chest but she's not strong enough to move it. Omok uses his ring of the Ram to push backward one of the automatons. Roscoe, and Daryle batter the creatures, while Darelle uses the sword she found and discovers its true nature. The Coopers emerge triumphant after a few minutes of intense combat. But with the combat concluded, the doors to this level close, and the Coopers are locked in!
Before opening the door, Roscoe decides to head into one of the side corridors. He can see a door, but for every step he takes the door seems to get further and further. After struggling for what feels like an hour, he reaches the door, but it turns out to be a fake. He backtracks to a perpendicular corridor and discovers another hallway. The same thing happens. He attempts to walk backwards, forward, and by marking the wall but every time it takes roughly an hour to cross what looks like a 40 feet corridor.
Meanwhile, Darelle wanders in after her brother, but then loses sight of her. She experiences the same feeling as Roscoe did. Eventually she reaches the first fake door. She decide to tie a rope on the handle to help her, and she strings it along behind her. She eventually reaches the perpendicular hallway as well, and hears Roscoe's faint yells.
Daryle and Omok were still in the main corridor when Darelle and Roscoe vanished, and they follow along. Daryle quickly figures out something is not right, and she begins to draw in chalk on the wall. She runs out of chalk before she runs out of wall, but eventually they reach the fake door. They decide to head back to the main corridor, and they emerge from the side hallway roughly eight hours later, exhausted from their trip. Roscoe is next eight hours later than the first two, followed by Darelle four hours after that. All told, various members of the party spent twenty hours in the side corridors. They decide to rest for the night.
After recuperating the Coopers decide to proceed, since they are stuck anyway. They open the double doors, and in an octagonal room they find a statue in the far corner as well as a fountain in the middle. Suddenly three fire elementals appear, and they attack the group. The fighting is hard, and it seems that every time a spell is cast by one of the party members a fire ball emerges from the fountain and strikes that person. Daryle unleashes a series of arrows, while Omok repeatedly uses his ring of the Ram to damage the elementals. Darelle fights with her sword, while Roscoe lands some mighty blows against the enemy. Omok channels energy and heals the member of the group, and even Roscoe has to heal himself since he has suffered significant damage from the relentless elemental attack. Eventually, though, the Coopers are triumphant, but not before Darelle is swallowed inside one of the fire elementals before being rescued by her siblings. Following this encounter, Darelle feels strange. It is as if a part of the elemental power was left behind in her...
Friday, August 26, 2016
Friday, August 5, 2016
Thorne, dragon slayer!
Calistril 28, 4712
It has been two days since most of Fort Inevitable was destroyed in a magical fire. The town is still reeling with the lack of shelter and food, and plummeting temperatures. Emergency actions taken by Roscoe and his officers have managed to house most of the residents in the remaining housing stock, but many citizens have been sent to surrounding localities, including Dimsdale, and about three hundred people are camped in the fields outside the Fort.
Roscoe hosts a leadership meeting with his officers when the door to the Council Chamber opens. The Mistress of Thorns steps and advises Roscoe on what steps must be taken to rectify the situation following the fire in Fort Inevitable. Specifically, she is concerned with three issues: the lack of wood for rebuilding, the lack of food, and the critical shortage of housing stock. On the first, she recommends that Roscoe orders the harvesting of as much quality lumber as possible to speed up the rebuilding of the town. He agrees and orders that it be so. On the second issue, she tells the Hellknights that she has organized a caravan that will arrive within a month carrying much needed supplies to alleviate the worst of the famine. This caravan will be accompanied by a small party of devils to assure security. Roscoe agrees to this as well. Finally, on the third issue, the Mistress recommends that buildings should fit more dwellings to allow the relocation of all people who lost their lodgings during the fire. On this topic, Maralictor Wirt tells Roscoe that she has already begun working on a new urban plan that will redesign roads and services. Roscoe tells her to pursue this goal.
Finally, the Mistress of Thorns addresses Roscoe again. Mentioning that she has heard of his troubles dealing with the magma dragons, she offers him tools to deal with them. First, she presents him with four bolts of dragon slaying +10. These must be fired with a man portable ballista, which she offers to Roscoe as well. With this equipment, Roscoe and his siblings should be able to deal with the threats of the dragons.
When news filters down to Thorne about the food convoy, he begins to plan and organize a task force to defeat the devils and capture the food on its way to Fort Inevitable. On a completely unrelated issue to the fire, Thorne had acquired six months' worth of hard tack biscuits he meant to send to the front in the Mendev crusades. They arrived about a month ago, and have been stored in a farm owned by associates. He now sees an opportunity to save the town from starvation and make a tidy profit at the same time.
Due to the housing crisis, Gerald has been forced to welcome three large families to his house. This interrupts his studies, so he becomes very adept at writing scrolls of sleep. He also sends a message to Abernard through Cassandra requesting advice on possible magical remodeling of his house, much like the old wizard had done himself. He also locks up all of his magical supplies to ensure they don't end up in a dish
Rowen, a wizard recently arrived in Fort Inevitable, offers his services to the Hellknights in the wake of the disaster. Roscoe interviews him and agrees to let him join the reconstruction effort on a interim basis.
Having discovered that Cassandra and Nissa have not in fact perished in the explosion that destroyed Abernard's house but were rather at an acquaintance's house in the countryside, Roscoe decides to meet with them to discuss the source of the explosion. The two have been relocated to the camp on the training fields, and Roscoe finds them there. He interrogates Cassandra on her whereabouts and determines that she is truthful when she mentions that both herself and her daughter were not involved in the house's destruction. When he asks her whether she might have been the target of the destruction, Cassandra appears to be genuinely puzzled. Who would want to harm her?
Thorne's arrests papers having disappeared, the thief decides to find his brother and become Fort Inevitable's hero by solving the food crisis with his warehoused merchandise. He looks up Roscoe in the tent city, and they negotiate a deal. Thorne is made quartermaster of Fort Inevitable. He is granted access to the treasury so he can secure quick payment for the food. There are about 125,000 crowns in the treasury at this time. Roscoe also mandates Thorne to hire masons, timber wrights, carpenters, and other builders to rebuild the town. Thorne says he can find these people but this will be costly. Thorne plans on heading to Daggermark and secure workers from their prisons and bring them back.
Daryle finds Maralictor Wirt and organizes a hunting party. Darelle joins the party, but they don't travel near the Fort. They are unable to find any prey, and the forest is filled with traps, most of which will not catch anything they are so poorly designed. It's only been two days since the catastrophe that wiped three fourths of the town, and already the people are hungry!
With the affairs of state now in order, the Coopers return to the Emerald Spire and descend to the Magma level equipped with the Mistress of Thorn's new gear. Their plan is simple. They will come down to the third level, then will use the spire transport to land on the tenth level. They will cross over the lava lake, set up the ballista, and lure the young magma dragons out to their demise.
Rowen and Thorne appear by the Spire first. Thorne checks the rope they had previously strung, and it is still standing. It appears to be secure. Thorne crawls the rope and makes it across. Rowen then teleports across. Daryle, Roscoe and Darelle then come in using the second transport token. Daryle crosses the magma lake using the cable. Darelle and Roscoe also make it. Thorne sets up a trip wire at the back of the room to prevent an ambush from the rear. They arrange themselves in a line. Rowen casts invisibility on each member of the party, then true strike. He will handle the firing of the weapon, while Thorne will reload between rounds.
The party throws stones into the lava lake, and makes a lot of noise. Nothing happens on the first or second attempt, but on the third attempt the female and dominant magma dragon emerges from the lava and climbs up in the air. The battle is on. Rowen looses the first bolt, which successfully hits the female, but not before she's able to breathe on the party, causing considerable damage. Her brother emerges from the lava as well, and he joins the attack. He also breathes on the party. Everyone successfully attack the dragons but the situation is dire. Rowen manages to fire the second bolt, hitting the female who crashes on the ground near them. The male sees where the bolts are coming from, so on his second pass he grabs Rowen and almost throws him in the lava.
Darelle summons a blue pegasus and heads up for the dragon. She lands a mighty blow on the beast, but he in turn inflicts enough damage to her magical construct to destroy it. Falling to the ground, Darelle barely manages to grab the cable. She climbs back to the Spire ledge.
As the magma dragon comes for one more pass, Rowen releases another bolt, hitting him square in the chest. Thorne also takes a shot with his small bow, and he is amazed that his arrow is true. The dragon is hit in his one functional eye, and arrow penetrating deep in his brain. He crashes into the lava, and quickly sinks out of view. The Coopers have defeated the magma dragons!
It has been two days since most of Fort Inevitable was destroyed in a magical fire. The town is still reeling with the lack of shelter and food, and plummeting temperatures. Emergency actions taken by Roscoe and his officers have managed to house most of the residents in the remaining housing stock, but many citizens have been sent to surrounding localities, including Dimsdale, and about three hundred people are camped in the fields outside the Fort.
Roscoe hosts a leadership meeting with his officers when the door to the Council Chamber opens. The Mistress of Thorns steps and advises Roscoe on what steps must be taken to rectify the situation following the fire in Fort Inevitable. Specifically, she is concerned with three issues: the lack of wood for rebuilding, the lack of food, and the critical shortage of housing stock. On the first, she recommends that Roscoe orders the harvesting of as much quality lumber as possible to speed up the rebuilding of the town. He agrees and orders that it be so. On the second issue, she tells the Hellknights that she has organized a caravan that will arrive within a month carrying much needed supplies to alleviate the worst of the famine. This caravan will be accompanied by a small party of devils to assure security. Roscoe agrees to this as well. Finally, on the third issue, the Mistress recommends that buildings should fit more dwellings to allow the relocation of all people who lost their lodgings during the fire. On this topic, Maralictor Wirt tells Roscoe that she has already begun working on a new urban plan that will redesign roads and services. Roscoe tells her to pursue this goal.
Finally, the Mistress of Thorns addresses Roscoe again. Mentioning that she has heard of his troubles dealing with the magma dragons, she offers him tools to deal with them. First, she presents him with four bolts of dragon slaying +10. These must be fired with a man portable ballista, which she offers to Roscoe as well. With this equipment, Roscoe and his siblings should be able to deal with the threats of the dragons.
When news filters down to Thorne about the food convoy, he begins to plan and organize a task force to defeat the devils and capture the food on its way to Fort Inevitable. On a completely unrelated issue to the fire, Thorne had acquired six months' worth of hard tack biscuits he meant to send to the front in the Mendev crusades. They arrived about a month ago, and have been stored in a farm owned by associates. He now sees an opportunity to save the town from starvation and make a tidy profit at the same time.
Due to the housing crisis, Gerald has been forced to welcome three large families to his house. This interrupts his studies, so he becomes very adept at writing scrolls of sleep. He also sends a message to Abernard through Cassandra requesting advice on possible magical remodeling of his house, much like the old wizard had done himself. He also locks up all of his magical supplies to ensure they don't end up in a dish
Rowen, a wizard recently arrived in Fort Inevitable, offers his services to the Hellknights in the wake of the disaster. Roscoe interviews him and agrees to let him join the reconstruction effort on a interim basis.
Having discovered that Cassandra and Nissa have not in fact perished in the explosion that destroyed Abernard's house but were rather at an acquaintance's house in the countryside, Roscoe decides to meet with them to discuss the source of the explosion. The two have been relocated to the camp on the training fields, and Roscoe finds them there. He interrogates Cassandra on her whereabouts and determines that she is truthful when she mentions that both herself and her daughter were not involved in the house's destruction. When he asks her whether she might have been the target of the destruction, Cassandra appears to be genuinely puzzled. Who would want to harm her?
Thorne's arrests papers having disappeared, the thief decides to find his brother and become Fort Inevitable's hero by solving the food crisis with his warehoused merchandise. He looks up Roscoe in the tent city, and they negotiate a deal. Thorne is made quartermaster of Fort Inevitable. He is granted access to the treasury so he can secure quick payment for the food. There are about 125,000 crowns in the treasury at this time. Roscoe also mandates Thorne to hire masons, timber wrights, carpenters, and other builders to rebuild the town. Thorne says he can find these people but this will be costly. Thorne plans on heading to Daggermark and secure workers from their prisons and bring them back.
Daryle finds Maralictor Wirt and organizes a hunting party. Darelle joins the party, but they don't travel near the Fort. They are unable to find any prey, and the forest is filled with traps, most of which will not catch anything they are so poorly designed. It's only been two days since the catastrophe that wiped three fourths of the town, and already the people are hungry!
With the affairs of state now in order, the Coopers return to the Emerald Spire and descend to the Magma level equipped with the Mistress of Thorn's new gear. Their plan is simple. They will come down to the third level, then will use the spire transport to land on the tenth level. They will cross over the lava lake, set up the ballista, and lure the young magma dragons out to their demise.
Rowen and Thorne appear by the Spire first. Thorne checks the rope they had previously strung, and it is still standing. It appears to be secure. Thorne crawls the rope and makes it across. Rowen then teleports across. Daryle, Roscoe and Darelle then come in using the second transport token. Daryle crosses the magma lake using the cable. Darelle and Roscoe also make it. Thorne sets up a trip wire at the back of the room to prevent an ambush from the rear. They arrange themselves in a line. Rowen casts invisibility on each member of the party, then true strike. He will handle the firing of the weapon, while Thorne will reload between rounds.
The party throws stones into the lava lake, and makes a lot of noise. Nothing happens on the first or second attempt, but on the third attempt the female and dominant magma dragon emerges from the lava and climbs up in the air. The battle is on. Rowen looses the first bolt, which successfully hits the female, but not before she's able to breathe on the party, causing considerable damage. Her brother emerges from the lava as well, and he joins the attack. He also breathes on the party. Everyone successfully attack the dragons but the situation is dire. Rowen manages to fire the second bolt, hitting the female who crashes on the ground near them. The male sees where the bolts are coming from, so on his second pass he grabs Rowen and almost throws him in the lava.
Darelle summons a blue pegasus and heads up for the dragon. She lands a mighty blow on the beast, but he in turn inflicts enough damage to her magical construct to destroy it. Falling to the ground, Darelle barely manages to grab the cable. She climbs back to the Spire ledge.
As the magma dragon comes for one more pass, Rowen releases another bolt, hitting him square in the chest. Thorne also takes a shot with his small bow, and he is amazed that his arrow is true. The dragon is hit in his one functional eye, and arrow penetrating deep in his brain. He crashes into the lava, and quickly sinks out of view. The Coopers have defeated the magma dragons!
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