Lamashan 18, 4712, continued
With the Coopers sisters and their ally Dhukhean reunited aboard the ship, they stealthily move down the creaking steps. In the hold of the ship is a tall and muscular individual lifting weights, facing a mirror and admiring himself while exercising. Daryle hears the sea waters lapping at the side of the ship, indicating that they are below the water line. The muscle man, clearly intended as a line of defense against intruders, does not notice the invisible ranger. Darelle who also consumed a potion of invisibility, stands next to where she thinks her sister is. Dhukhean, who does not have the means to magically disappaer, also attempts to remain stealthy though his heavy armor is rather unwieldy for such an activity. However, the thug is so engrossed in himself that he fails to notice the intruders.
Daryle moves parallel to the ship's wall, and soon notices a small secret door leading away from the cargo hold. Keeping an eye on the thug to ensure that he does not move, she carefully opens the door, bracing for water to rush in. Neither happens. Instead, she discovers an underwater tunnel that leads back to the pier. She enters. Darelle chances the passage next, and she successfully reach the tunnel. Only Dhukhean is left by the stairs to the ship's deck. The thug is still lifting weights, sweating profusely and admiring himself in the mirror. The dwarf decides to also attempt the move across the hold. Luck is with him, and he too crosses without being noticed. With all three of them in the tunnel, Daryle softly closes the secret door and spikes it so the thug will be hard pressed to open it.
The tunnel emerges back under the Old Fishery, in a room that appears to have been hastily constructed using the pilings to support a platform and crude walls. In the middle of the room is an opening leading into the sea, and the rangers immediately spot two large sharks lazily swimming around. On one of the pilings they see a set of manacles hanging from a rope and a system of pulleys that can be pulled from the safety of the deck. The amount of clutter in this large room is overwhelming. A small wooden door leads to another room. Daryle checks the door, and notices that it is locked. Darelle steps up and uses her tools to unlock it.
Two small candles are the only illumination in this room, which is as overcrowded as the other room. A mix of sweat, rot, and old age overpowers the nose, and Daryle shakes with disdain. Sitting at a small desk counting piles of silver coin is an old man, in his early eighties. He does not notice that the door was opened. The sisters are sure they are now in the presence of the infamous Gadrien. The invisible sisters position themselves in the room, and Dhukhean enters the room and smashes Gadrien's left arm before grabbing his face and demanding to know who is patron is. Gadrien is startled and soils himself before regaining his composure. He refused to answer the dwarf's question, and instead asks how he might have wronged any dwarf. Dhukhean leans in, and casts cure light wounds to heal Gadrien's arm. He then breaks it again, before questioning the rogue one more time. Gadrien inquires if they were sent by the Grey Mantis or by the Sable Company. Dhukhean replies that he was sent by the Fellowship of the Longbeard, and he threatens to hurt Gadrien again if he doesn't talk. Gadrien agrees to talk if Dhukhean will then depart the premises. The dwarf agrees. Gadrien identifies Verik Vancaskerkin as his patron. He tells Dhukhean that Verik works for the Korvosan Guard. Dhukhean writes Verik's name with Gadrien's blood on a piece of paper, and tells him that he did promise to leave, but not to let the rogue live. Gadrien smiles a crooked and evil smirk, and tells the dwarf that his death would bury many secrets, secrets that are worth their much gold. Dhukhean replies that he has ways of making bodies talk. Gadrien's smirks widens.
Daryle notices that during this time Gadrien's left foot has been slowly moving. She yells a warning, but she is powerless to prevent Gadrien from activating a trap. The entire floor by the desk drops in the choppy waters below, attracting the sharks. Gadrien and his desk remain bolted to the wall. Dhukhean manages to jump through the door, while Darelle lands on Gadrien's lap. She uses her wand of magic missiles, while Daryle fires a few arrows. The wounds are enough to kill Gadrien.
Dhukhean searches the piles of objects littered throughout the main room. He finds a gold ingot worth about 100 crowns. This ingot bears the Cheliax coat of arms. He then discovers a miniature gold crown worth 350 crowns, a fist-sized scrimshaw carving of a kraken with garnets for eyes worth 200 crowns, and a silver ring worth 150 crowns. The ring bears the inscription “For Emmah—the light in my nights." The dwarf then comes across a highly realistic and highly scandalous ivory figurine of two entwined succubi worth 450 crowns, a masterwork shuriken, an adamantine arrowhead worth about 500 crowns, an abalone-shell holy symbol of Shelyn worth 300 crowns, a tiny glass tube containing a dose of oil of keen edge, an obsidian wand of magic missile (23 charges), a crystalline vial, itself worth 50 crowns, which contains a dose of silversheen, and a bejeweled brooch with a broken clasp. The circular gold brooch depicts a pseudodragon and an imp coiled around each other in an almost yin-yang pattern. The pseudodragon’s eye is an amethyst, while the imp’s eye is an emerald. The brooch is worth more than everything else put together, and it looks familiar to the dwarf, but Dhukhean can't immediately place where he has seen it. Upon further reflection, he remembers Queen Ileosa wore such a brooch not a month ago during the Breaching Festival.
Darelle uses her jar of cloud to create a floor to replace the pieces now at the bottom of the river twenty feet below, and she rifles through Gadrien's desk, finding his ledger books and whom he has collected money from over the last year, as well as more than a dozen shady deals the rogue has been conducting in Korvosa. Daryle searches Gadrien's wardrobe and comes upon Zellara's head in a hat box located above the wardrobe. She has been dead at least a month. Whom did they meet at her house?
Walking on the cloud, Daryle searches Gadrien's body, and discovers a signet ring of the Korvosan Guard inscribed with the name Verik on the inside. Done with her search, she shoves the body in the water below, where it is quickly eaten by the two sharks.
Ready to leave, the Coopers decide that they don't want to pass through the ship. There are no obvious means of escape except for the waters below, however, so Dhukhean decides to collapse one of the pillars holding the floor above, both to damage the building and collapse the floor, creating an exit for them. The floor collapses, providing a ramp to climb back in the slurry room. The foremen are dumbfounded, and immediately run away, quickly followed by screaming orphans.
Daryle announces that they should set the building ablaze, to destroy this nest of villainy and to prevent any other group from setting up shop. Darelle feels that the thug training in the hold of the ship deserves a chance to escape, so she runs through the tunnel to warn him. Simple-minded, the thug introduces himself as Kevin, and proudly tells Darelle that his job is to open and close the door and only let Gadrien through, but since she came from the other side she must be all right. She tells him he can leave, Gadrien is dead. Kevin appears not to understand this concept, so she tells him to follow her. Kevin agrees. He grabs his weights, then drops them to grab his bag, but returns to the weights and drops his bag for them. He is utterly bewildered, so Darelle grabs his bag and leads him to the road. Daryle and Dhukhean set the Old Fishery and the ship on fire. Darelle runs back in the building to retrieve Zellara's head, and places it in her bag of holding.
Outside, they realize that no patrol responds to the fire. They notice that many areas of town are featuring large pillars of thick black smoke. They stop a passerby, who informs them that King Eodred II has died in the night, the victim of an assassination. He then curses Queen Ileosa, and wishes her a speedy death before leaving the wharf to join a mob heading southwest. The Coopers board the jar of cloud and take a bird's eye view of Korvosa. There are several riots going on in various neighborhoods, and large mobs are converging on Castle Korvosa. The Korvosan Guard has congregated around the Castle and is violently putting down the mobs. North Point is heavily defended by Hellknights, who are protecting Chelish interests. The Sable Company hovers in the air, assisting detachments of Korvosan Guards, but appear overwhelmed. The city is in utter chaos.
Dhukhean has a theory that the master of puppet has given Gadrien tokens from each of the factions currently fighting in Korvosa. Daryle decides that they must help the city, so Darelle lands her cloud in North Point. Dhukhean recognizes the Hellknight in charge. It is none other than Lictor Severs DiViri, head of the Order of the Nail and usually headquartered at nearby Citadel Vraid but now here in Korvosa supervising the Hellknights' effort at quelling the riots. Daryle decide not to meet with the Lictor at the moment, even though she is aware that the man's daughter, Chaid DiViri, a Hellknight officer, perished in the Emerald Spire a few years back. Sir Maurice is there, however, and Daryle attracts his attention. Sir Maurice meets with them and listens to what Daryle has to say, and advises that now is not the time to distract the Lictor. If she really wants to help, she can patrol the city and stop crime. When asked why the Hellknights do not deploy more widely, Sir Maurice informs her that the Lictor's orders are to only protect Chelish interests in Korvosa, and the fate of the local Varisians and Shoanti are not their concern.
The Coopers decide to split up and meet at dusk at Zellara's house. Daryle thus decides to go hunting. She comes across a large mob attacking a lone Korvosan Guard. She successfully defuses the situation and sends the mob on its way to Castle Korvosa. The guardsman, Grau Soldado, is drunk, and Daryle manages to convince him that he stands for the defense and protection of the city and its people, not of the Queen, something Soldado has trouble accepting, but eventually Daryle manages to convince him as well, and he drunkenly heads back towards the Guards' headquarters.
Darelle and Dhukhean meanwhile go to visit Pastries and Things, the bakery she helped a few weeks ago. She tells him they took care of Gadrien and she compensate them for the money they paid to the villain. The baker, Ernest Mildenhall, tells Darelle of the history of Korvosa and particularly of its conflicts and domination by Chelish nobles despite its supposed independence and claims by Varisia. Darelle also reflects that some of this chaos could be caused by Duke Mosley, a member of the Order of the Nail, who might appreciate a closer base of operations than the Emerald Spire. Ernest informs Darelle that the most likely successor to the Queen were she to also die or abdicate would be a member of House Arkona, the wealthiest noble family in Korvosa. Darelle departs the bakery with a basket full of goodies.
At dusk they arrive at Zellara's house. There they confront the imposter, who claims to be the real Zellara. When Darelle produces the head, Zellara shimmers and glows, revealing that she is a ghost. She tells the Coopers she needed their help to defeat Gadrien. A month ago, she had indeed suffered the assault she had described, but in the process she had not managed to escape but instead had been murdered. She thanks the Coopers and Dhukhean profusely for their help, and she gives them her deck of Harrow cards. She tells them that on the table they will find a deed signed and notarized, giving them ownership of her house. She can't always follow the Coopers, but they can consult her anytime through her Harrow deck. The sisters and the dwarf decide to spend the night at Zellara's house, so as to avoid looting and mobs still roaming the streets of Korvosa.
Showing posts with label Chaid DiViri. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chaid DiViri. Show all posts
Friday, March 9, 2018
Friday, June 10, 2016
Magma dragons, they're so cute! Wait, that really hurts!
Abadius 21, 4712, part 3
Having discovered the body of the Hellknight commander, the Coopers stand around and discuss what to do about Chaid DiViri. Roscoe took the armor and now proudly wears it, but Aoz indicates that the body should be brought back to Fort Inevitable.
Daryle states that their options are rather limited. They can either go back up one level to the Lady of Thorns' domain, or they can continue to scout and find the Spire on this level. With access to the Spire, they could use one of the Spire token to bypass the Mistress and her minions.
Roscoe, Daryle and Thorne cross the bridge once at a time, while Darelle and Gerald, accompanied by their two Hellknight soldiers, remain behind. Thorne notices that there are three strange unnatural smoke floating near the cavern's ceiling. He tells his siblings to backtrack, and they carefully walk across the bridge.
After some observations, the Coopers notice that the creatures remain in their area. Gerald converses with Aoz, and they determine that the entities flying seem to be protecting something. A Hellknight is sent to the stairs, and he is not attacked. He returns, and he still is not attacked. The Coopers decide to explore and not walk back under the creatures.
Thorne walks ahead of Daryle and squeezes through a tunnel. The fumes are thick here and he almost chokes on them. Coming out of the small tunnel, he stumbles upon a pile of metallic slag. He fires an arrow at it, and when it moves towards him he moves back through the tunnel and reports. Roscoe listens to the description, then tells the rest of the party that it's probably some sort of metallic ooze.
Roscoe removes the armor, and squeezes through the tunnel, emerging on the other side. He also has difficulty breathing, and he tells the others. Daryle places a wet cloth on her mouth, and walks through the tunnel, followed in a similar fashion by Darelle and Gerald. Thorne remains behind with the Hellknight soldiers. The Coopers attack the ooze, which burrows into the ground and emerges between the Coopers, thus providing three different angles of attack. The fight is intense, and as they are hit they find themselves covered by metallic slag which immediately cauterizes the wound but causes burn damage.
Thorne, meanwhile, hears the sounds of battle. Suddenly a large creature bursts through the wall and attack. Tall and heavy, this monster charges the first Hellknight and bites his head off. Thorne runs away back towards the bridge. He knows he can't fight it off, but maybe he can trick it. The second Hellknight puts a valiant fight, but he is also overcome by the monster. He taunts it, then runs across the bridge. The monster leaps to the other side, but Thorne dives under it and emerges back on the bridge. As the monster turns around, it is attacked by the caustic stalkers. The combat is swift, and the grey render dies a horrible death. They do not cross the magma river, however. Thorne heads back to the tunnel.
Roscoe lands several impressive blows, while Daryle and Darelle attack them from their side. Gerald casts several rays of frost, which severely injure the ooze. Darelle manages the killing blow, and the metallic slag slowly begins to drain back into the magma. Within the remains of the ooze Thorne discovers a mighty bow, as well as a strange rune in the floor in the shape of a T, along with an arrow pointed to the southern ledge.
The party continues and enters a larger cavern. A large pool of lava is smoldering fifty feet below the floor of the cave, and a cliff leads down to the lava. Across the pool is a small island where the Spire is located, glowing eerily green in the reddish light of the cave. Gerald bends down and examines the cliff' surface. He finds that it would be sheer madness to attempt to climb down. Through much effort and many attempts, Thorne and Roscoe manage to secure a rope to the Spire so they can crawl across. and leave this level. Gerald, however, has other ideas. The sorcerer uses dimension door and takes Darelle and Roscoe with him to the stone platform by the Spire. Roscoe immediately senses that something is wrong. Suddenly two young magma dragons emerge from the magma and attack the Hellknight. Gerald returns to the cliff side and manages to bring Thorne and Roscoe with him, while the sisters fire arrows at the dragons.
Roscoe and Darelle use a spire token and they are the first ones back to the Splinterdeen level. The dragons continue attack Thorne and Daryle, while Gerald delays and launches another magic missile. Daryle falls prey to the female dragon and suffers a grievous wound but still manages to transport out with Thorne. Gerald grabs Aoz but cuts himself, falling unconscious. In the process, though he touches with his own spire transport the Spire and managed to arrive back on the 3rd level.
Abadius 22, 4712
Bloodied and bruised, the Coopers emerge early in the morning and begin the trek back to Fort Inevitable to heal and recuperate.
Having discovered the body of the Hellknight commander, the Coopers stand around and discuss what to do about Chaid DiViri. Roscoe took the armor and now proudly wears it, but Aoz indicates that the body should be brought back to Fort Inevitable.
Daryle states that their options are rather limited. They can either go back up one level to the Lady of Thorns' domain, or they can continue to scout and find the Spire on this level. With access to the Spire, they could use one of the Spire token to bypass the Mistress and her minions.
Roscoe, Daryle and Thorne cross the bridge once at a time, while Darelle and Gerald, accompanied by their two Hellknight soldiers, remain behind. Thorne notices that there are three strange unnatural smoke floating near the cavern's ceiling. He tells his siblings to backtrack, and they carefully walk across the bridge.
After some observations, the Coopers notice that the creatures remain in their area. Gerald converses with Aoz, and they determine that the entities flying seem to be protecting something. A Hellknight is sent to the stairs, and he is not attacked. He returns, and he still is not attacked. The Coopers decide to explore and not walk back under the creatures.
Thorne walks ahead of Daryle and squeezes through a tunnel. The fumes are thick here and he almost chokes on them. Coming out of the small tunnel, he stumbles upon a pile of metallic slag. He fires an arrow at it, and when it moves towards him he moves back through the tunnel and reports. Roscoe listens to the description, then tells the rest of the party that it's probably some sort of metallic ooze.
Roscoe removes the armor, and squeezes through the tunnel, emerging on the other side. He also has difficulty breathing, and he tells the others. Daryle places a wet cloth on her mouth, and walks through the tunnel, followed in a similar fashion by Darelle and Gerald. Thorne remains behind with the Hellknight soldiers. The Coopers attack the ooze, which burrows into the ground and emerges between the Coopers, thus providing three different angles of attack. The fight is intense, and as they are hit they find themselves covered by metallic slag which immediately cauterizes the wound but causes burn damage.
Thorne, meanwhile, hears the sounds of battle. Suddenly a large creature bursts through the wall and attack. Tall and heavy, this monster charges the first Hellknight and bites his head off. Thorne runs away back towards the bridge. He knows he can't fight it off, but maybe he can trick it. The second Hellknight puts a valiant fight, but he is also overcome by the monster. He taunts it, then runs across the bridge. The monster leaps to the other side, but Thorne dives under it and emerges back on the bridge. As the monster turns around, it is attacked by the caustic stalkers. The combat is swift, and the grey render dies a horrible death. They do not cross the magma river, however. Thorne heads back to the tunnel.
Roscoe lands several impressive blows, while Daryle and Darelle attack them from their side. Gerald casts several rays of frost, which severely injure the ooze. Darelle manages the killing blow, and the metallic slag slowly begins to drain back into the magma. Within the remains of the ooze Thorne discovers a mighty bow, as well as a strange rune in the floor in the shape of a T, along with an arrow pointed to the southern ledge.
The party continues and enters a larger cavern. A large pool of lava is smoldering fifty feet below the floor of the cave, and a cliff leads down to the lava. Across the pool is a small island where the Spire is located, glowing eerily green in the reddish light of the cave. Gerald bends down and examines the cliff' surface. He finds that it would be sheer madness to attempt to climb down. Through much effort and many attempts, Thorne and Roscoe manage to secure a rope to the Spire so they can crawl across. and leave this level. Gerald, however, has other ideas. The sorcerer uses dimension door and takes Darelle and Roscoe with him to the stone platform by the Spire. Roscoe immediately senses that something is wrong. Suddenly two young magma dragons emerge from the magma and attack the Hellknight. Gerald returns to the cliff side and manages to bring Thorne and Roscoe with him, while the sisters fire arrows at the dragons.
Roscoe and Darelle use a spire token and they are the first ones back to the Splinterdeen level. The dragons continue attack Thorne and Daryle, while Gerald delays and launches another magic missile. Daryle falls prey to the female dragon and suffers a grievous wound but still manages to transport out with Thorne. Gerald grabs Aoz but cuts himself, falling unconscious. In the process, though he touches with his own spire transport the Spire and managed to arrive back on the 3rd level.
Abadius 22, 4712
Bloodied and bruised, the Coopers emerge early in the morning and begin the trek back to Fort Inevitable to heal and recuperate.
Friday, May 20, 2016
So that's what happened to the last Hellknight expedition
Abadius 21, 4712, part 2
As the Coopers proceed in the small hallway, the floor collapses. Daryle jumps out of the way, but the remaining Coopers and their two Hellknight soldiers fall in the pit along with the floor rubble. Most of them are lightly injured by the fall and by the spikes at the bottom of the pit, but Gerald's fall lands him straight on four spikes, skewering him. They find themselves ten feet below the floor.
With Daryle on one side of the room and the remaining members of the party in the pit, the Mistress of Thorns teleports in a flash of purple lightning. Finding them in quite a predicament, she cackles and launches two attacks on the Coopers. Thorne is the first one to regain his wits, and he begins to negotiate a solution with the devil. She really wants the spire tokens, but the Coopers will not exchange them. After much discussion, the Mistress agrees to arm the Coopers, and provide them with valuable information on the level below in exchange for Roscoe's soul as well as the right to come to Fort Inevitable and provide advisory services to the Hellknight Commander and his Council. She provides the Coopers with rings of protection against heat, as well as weapons. She informs them that the level below is called the Magma Vault and is ruled by two dragons with very hostile intentions.
The Coopers thus continue down to the Magma Vault. Reaching the floor, they discover that this is a very active volcanic environment. There are marks of recent lava flows. Walking through the first room, they discover a scene of ancient carnage. Heavily armored bodies lie about the room, pierced by thousands of crystal shards. More than three dozen Hellknights perished here some time ago. The Coopers carefully search the bodies, and discover that the crystals are in fact crystaline creatures from the outer planes. Their equipment is rendered and useless. Roscoe analyzes the situation and determines that the Hellknights were ambushed and perished here.
The Coopers are suddenly startled when one of these crystaline creatures floats in the room, chased by a strange floating ball of flesh sporting one eye and several blades sticking out in all directions. Gerald recognizes the creature as being an augur kyton. The augur kyton attacks the crystaline creature and kills it before the Coopers react. Roscoe recognizes the armor worn by the augur kyton as being Hellknight in origin and he even spots the insigna of the Order of the Pike. Wearily, both parties manage to establish a level of trust as it becomes clear that Aoz, the augur kyton, was part of the Hellknight expedition. Unable to speak, Aoz nevertheless manages to communicate that he wants the Coopers to follow him.
As Aoz floats ahead, Roscoe and the rest of the party follow. They arrive in a room cut in half by a lava flow. A small earthen bridge joins the two sides of the room. Aoz floats easily across, but Roscoe is weary of the quality of the bridge. The Coopers examine it and guess that it probably will support the weight of one person at a time, but since none of them are experts they are wont to take the chance.
Gerald eventually decides to mends the bridge. At least, this will provide a modicum of strength to the structure. Carefully, the Coopers cross one at a time along with the remaining Hellknight soldiers, and despite a few scares they all manage to safely cross the obstacle. Aoz floats down a corridor, and leads the group straight to a dead end. There, they find the body of three more Hellknights as well as that of Chaid DiViri, who has been missing. She appears to have been partially fused to the edge of the wall. Darelle and Daryle work together to pry her off the wall, and eventually they manage to take her out of her armor. She has partially burned in it, but somehow her body has not deteriorated any further. Aoz appears upset, and through much effort he manages to communicate to Gerald that he wishes that her body be taken back to Fort Inevitable. In her gear Roscoe discovers her journal, in which she relates her intent to continue exploring this level of the Emerald Spire and continue downward.
Gerald carefully wraps the body and the Coopers are now faced with a decision. They can head back to Fort Inevitable by climbing back one level, but that puts them back in the clutches of the Mistress of Thorns. Or they can forge ahead and hope to locate the Spire on this level. Aoz indicates that dangers lay in the direction of the Spire, but he can take them close. However, he does not wish to do so. What will the Coopers do?
As the Coopers proceed in the small hallway, the floor collapses. Daryle jumps out of the way, but the remaining Coopers and their two Hellknight soldiers fall in the pit along with the floor rubble. Most of them are lightly injured by the fall and by the spikes at the bottom of the pit, but Gerald's fall lands him straight on four spikes, skewering him. They find themselves ten feet below the floor.
With Daryle on one side of the room and the remaining members of the party in the pit, the Mistress of Thorns teleports in a flash of purple lightning. Finding them in quite a predicament, she cackles and launches two attacks on the Coopers. Thorne is the first one to regain his wits, and he begins to negotiate a solution with the devil. She really wants the spire tokens, but the Coopers will not exchange them. After much discussion, the Mistress agrees to arm the Coopers, and provide them with valuable information on the level below in exchange for Roscoe's soul as well as the right to come to Fort Inevitable and provide advisory services to the Hellknight Commander and his Council. She provides the Coopers with rings of protection against heat, as well as weapons. She informs them that the level below is called the Magma Vault and is ruled by two dragons with very hostile intentions.
The Coopers thus continue down to the Magma Vault. Reaching the floor, they discover that this is a very active volcanic environment. There are marks of recent lava flows. Walking through the first room, they discover a scene of ancient carnage. Heavily armored bodies lie about the room, pierced by thousands of crystal shards. More than three dozen Hellknights perished here some time ago. The Coopers carefully search the bodies, and discover that the crystals are in fact crystaline creatures from the outer planes. Their equipment is rendered and useless. Roscoe analyzes the situation and determines that the Hellknights were ambushed and perished here.
The Coopers are suddenly startled when one of these crystaline creatures floats in the room, chased by a strange floating ball of flesh sporting one eye and several blades sticking out in all directions. Gerald recognizes the creature as being an augur kyton. The augur kyton attacks the crystaline creature and kills it before the Coopers react. Roscoe recognizes the armor worn by the augur kyton as being Hellknight in origin and he even spots the insigna of the Order of the Pike. Wearily, both parties manage to establish a level of trust as it becomes clear that Aoz, the augur kyton, was part of the Hellknight expedition. Unable to speak, Aoz nevertheless manages to communicate that he wants the Coopers to follow him.
As Aoz floats ahead, Roscoe and the rest of the party follow. They arrive in a room cut in half by a lava flow. A small earthen bridge joins the two sides of the room. Aoz floats easily across, but Roscoe is weary of the quality of the bridge. The Coopers examine it and guess that it probably will support the weight of one person at a time, but since none of them are experts they are wont to take the chance.
Gerald eventually decides to mends the bridge. At least, this will provide a modicum of strength to the structure. Carefully, the Coopers cross one at a time along with the remaining Hellknight soldiers, and despite a few scares they all manage to safely cross the obstacle. Aoz floats down a corridor, and leads the group straight to a dead end. There, they find the body of three more Hellknights as well as that of Chaid DiViri, who has been missing. She appears to have been partially fused to the edge of the wall. Darelle and Daryle work together to pry her off the wall, and eventually they manage to take her out of her armor. She has partially burned in it, but somehow her body has not deteriorated any further. Aoz appears upset, and through much effort he manages to communicate to Gerald that he wishes that her body be taken back to Fort Inevitable. In her gear Roscoe discovers her journal, in which she relates her intent to continue exploring this level of the Emerald Spire and continue downward.
Gerald carefully wraps the body and the Coopers are now faced with a decision. They can head back to Fort Inevitable by climbing back one level, but that puts them back in the clutches of the Mistress of Thorns. Or they can forge ahead and hope to locate the Spire on this level. Aoz indicates that dangers lay in the direction of the Spire, but he can take them close. However, he does not wish to do so. What will the Coopers do?
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Of course this would happen to Gerald
Erastus 3, 4711
In the morning, the Coopers search the rest of the room. Roscoe seizes two bone priests outfits, while Gerald grabs a black ritual candle.
Aidan decides to explore the room next door, and gets smashed when the ceiling drops on him. The chest he tried to open was a trap. Aidan repeats the process several times, while Gerald also becomes a victim of the roof trap.
Feeling slightly refreshed, the Coopers decide to finish exploring this level of the Emerald Spire. They head towards one of the rooms left behind. Upon opening the door, they discover the moon spiders' nest. Roscoe comes up with a clever plan to incinerate the babies that rush at them, and after setting it up with Darelle and Daryle, the spiders die in a fiery inferno. Looting the room, they discover several cocoons of small spiders. Gerald grabs some of the webbing for spell components, while Daryle fills a small jar of moon spider eggs. Gerald decides to do the same, but he adds a ray of frost to freeze them inside his jar.
Returning towards the northeast corner of the dungeon, they enter a crypt with eight sarcophagi placed at equal distance from each other. Each one is inscribed in Azlani. Gerald carefully copies the name in passable Azlani: Valeros, Codwin, Kreedis, Jamus, Teedum, Carmoth, Delduin, and Aylsande. All but Aylsande are male. Upon touching one of the sarcophagi, the lids slide open and six skeletons emerge, charging the Coopers. Gerald manages to delay Aylsande by appealing to her mercy but the skeleton has been dead too long to recall its former life, and in the end she joins the fray.
Gerald is incapacitated, but Roscoe manages to turn the tide and slay the last skeleton in an epic battle. As a result, they get their hands on a crown, two bracers, a silken ceremonial armor, and a short sword for each skeleton. In the remaining two sarcophagi they discover two intact skeletons and also remove their equipment.
They also discover that one of the sarcophagi actually covers a staircase leading to the third level of the Emerald Spire. Having cleared the second level of the Spire, the Coopers decide to return to Fort Inevitable to rest and stock up on healing potions.
As payment for exiting the Spire, Daryle gives Greenhide one of the silken armor that had been badly damaged in the fight against the skeleton, but the goblin appears either not to notice or not to care and he thanks them.
Back at Fort Inevitable, Gerald presents the map of the 2nd level to Abernard Royst, and also inquires if the old sage knows the names Gerald discovered. Abernard tells him that he does not, but he will conduct some research and let the sorcerer know what he finds out.
Daryle sells one of the Azlani bracers to Tom Braddon, Thorn's employer at the General Store.
Roscoe reports on his mission to the Spire with Lady Commander Audara Drovust. She informs him that about two years ago, a large party of Hellknights led by Chaid DiViri entered the Spire and went as far as the 8th level of the dungeon. Upon their last trip outside the Spire, DiViri had reported there was a strange level below rumored to be connected to the plane of fire, with powerful lawful magic. So DiViri returned to the Spire with twenty-eight Hellknights. They were never seen again. Drovust entrusts Roscoe with finding any remains or items so that a proper chronicle can be written.
Erastus 6, 4711
After three days of rest, the Coopers purchase several scrolls and potions of healing. They head back to the Emerald Spire, and travel down to the 3rd level. There, they discover that a stair case leads down to the 4th level, but that the rest of this level has been barricaded by humans. After several conversations, they realize that these brigands know their brother Thorn, but they will not grant them passage through the 3rd level.
Gerald comes up with a clever plan. They are here to deliver the "magical" head of a skeletal cat to Klarkosh, the overlord of the first six levels, and they must take the head down personally.
Eventually, after several back and forth, the brigands agree to let one of the Coopers through the gate and take him down to see Klarkosh. The party agrees that it's a good idea, and Gerald volunteers for the courrier duty. So, of course, Gerald goes through the gate ...
After a few hours, with Gerald not returning, Roscoe, Darelle and Daryle return to Fort Inevitable, with a Cooper missing.
In the morning, the Coopers search the rest of the room. Roscoe seizes two bone priests outfits, while Gerald grabs a black ritual candle.
Aidan decides to explore the room next door, and gets smashed when the ceiling drops on him. The chest he tried to open was a trap. Aidan repeats the process several times, while Gerald also becomes a victim of the roof trap.
Feeling slightly refreshed, the Coopers decide to finish exploring this level of the Emerald Spire. They head towards one of the rooms left behind. Upon opening the door, they discover the moon spiders' nest. Roscoe comes up with a clever plan to incinerate the babies that rush at them, and after setting it up with Darelle and Daryle, the spiders die in a fiery inferno. Looting the room, they discover several cocoons of small spiders. Gerald grabs some of the webbing for spell components, while Daryle fills a small jar of moon spider eggs. Gerald decides to do the same, but he adds a ray of frost to freeze them inside his jar.
Returning towards the northeast corner of the dungeon, they enter a crypt with eight sarcophagi placed at equal distance from each other. Each one is inscribed in Azlani. Gerald carefully copies the name in passable Azlani: Valeros, Codwin, Kreedis, Jamus, Teedum, Carmoth, Delduin, and Aylsande. All but Aylsande are male. Upon touching one of the sarcophagi, the lids slide open and six skeletons emerge, charging the Coopers. Gerald manages to delay Aylsande by appealing to her mercy but the skeleton has been dead too long to recall its former life, and in the end she joins the fray.
Gerald is incapacitated, but Roscoe manages to turn the tide and slay the last skeleton in an epic battle. As a result, they get their hands on a crown, two bracers, a silken ceremonial armor, and a short sword for each skeleton. In the remaining two sarcophagi they discover two intact skeletons and also remove their equipment.
They also discover that one of the sarcophagi actually covers a staircase leading to the third level of the Emerald Spire. Having cleared the second level of the Spire, the Coopers decide to return to Fort Inevitable to rest and stock up on healing potions.
As payment for exiting the Spire, Daryle gives Greenhide one of the silken armor that had been badly damaged in the fight against the skeleton, but the goblin appears either not to notice or not to care and he thanks them.
Back at Fort Inevitable, Gerald presents the map of the 2nd level to Abernard Royst, and also inquires if the old sage knows the names Gerald discovered. Abernard tells him that he does not, but he will conduct some research and let the sorcerer know what he finds out.
Daryle sells one of the Azlani bracers to Tom Braddon, Thorn's employer at the General Store.
Roscoe reports on his mission to the Spire with Lady Commander Audara Drovust. She informs him that about two years ago, a large party of Hellknights led by Chaid DiViri entered the Spire and went as far as the 8th level of the dungeon. Upon their last trip outside the Spire, DiViri had reported there was a strange level below rumored to be connected to the plane of fire, with powerful lawful magic. So DiViri returned to the Spire with twenty-eight Hellknights. They were never seen again. Drovust entrusts Roscoe with finding any remains or items so that a proper chronicle can be written.
Erastus 6, 4711
After three days of rest, the Coopers purchase several scrolls and potions of healing. They head back to the Emerald Spire, and travel down to the 3rd level. There, they discover that a stair case leads down to the 4th level, but that the rest of this level has been barricaded by humans. After several conversations, they realize that these brigands know their brother Thorn, but they will not grant them passage through the 3rd level.
Gerald comes up with a clever plan. They are here to deliver the "magical" head of a skeletal cat to Klarkosh, the overlord of the first six levels, and they must take the head down personally.
Eventually, after several back and forth, the brigands agree to let one of the Coopers through the gate and take him down to see Klarkosh. The party agrees that it's a good idea, and Gerald volunteers for the courrier duty. So, of course, Gerald goes through the gate ...
After a few hours, with Gerald not returning, Roscoe, Darelle and Daryle return to Fort Inevitable, with a Cooper missing.
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