Neruzavin
Twisting towers rise as high as 400ft, looming far taller than even Absalom's impressive cityscape. When combined with the claustrophobic streets, carved with uncanny precision in mockery of humanoid trails, you often lose sight of the sky even when looking straight up.
Neruzavin feels utterly abandoned. Anemic clouds silently whip by overhead, practically untouched by the desert winds, as though any hint of motion would offend the barren terraces, towers, and tiles. Streets bend at irregular angles and end abruptly as if such mundane thoroughfares were never intended to be functional. Walls seem to retract inward out of the corner of one's eyes, only to bulge uncomfortably upon closer examination, like malignant architectural tumors grant unholy animation by optical illusions. And yet, even these oddities are easily confirmed by touch.
The size of Neruzavin would easily classify it as a metropolis, were it fully occupied. Yet a baffling number of buildings have no entrances or windows. A few have been dug into revealing either solid stone or incomprehensible tunnels of varying widths. When the wind does stir the dusty streets these tunnels whistle with jarring harmonics. It's almost enough to distract you from the fact that the wind doesn't originate from the east or west, but from somewhere below, like the exhalation of a buried titan.
The camels become agitated.
The city is cooler than the surrounding desert.
You have trouble navigating the city.
Once the grand and marvelous city comes into view, Theophilus will begin casting buffs.
He also Hexes his peeps!
Looking upward at the marvelous display of architecture, the Witch simply stares in awe and wonderment. That is until they get close enough, that his Camel decides it wants nothing to do with touring the place!
Theo graciously departs company with said camel, allowing them each to tour whatever which way the other desires!
Such a fine example of architecture! I find the way the engineers developed the science to construct this place a salute to innovation!
Theo wonders a bit inside. He glances about to the right, left, sideways, and he even stands on his head for a few minutes.
I say we wonder aimlessly; allowing the city to direct our steps to our destination.
When they arrived at the alien city, Mara intone several prayers to bolster her companions.
She said to the others, "I think we will have to leave the camels; they seem very agitated, and will be difficult to control."
She took out her compass to see if it would help her navigate the bizarre layout. She tried to determine what was making it so hard to navigate here.
She flew up to get an aerial view of the city, to help get her bearings.
The camels quickly retreat back to the desert.
Mara starts to use her compass and her training to try to navigate the maze of Neruzavin. But the dizzying architecture from some insane mind confounds her. Even the compass behaves erratically, giving impossible results. When she takes flight she can easily avoid dead-ends but the skyline makes no sense, as if turning slightly rotates her almost all the way round and looking back results in no change at all.
Dervak is unnerved by the alien landscape. It reminds him of who he used to be, and what else used to share his mind.
He nods as Mara suggests letting the camels go. Stupid beasts. I envy them.
The bloodrager walks warily through Neruzavin, his sword drawn. He follows Theophilus's example and casts See Invisibility.
Theophilus seems okay here... I don't like it. I can tell Mara doesn't either. But she is not as used to being lost and out of her depth as I am.
He lets the witch decide where to go, but will take the lead ahead of his less-armored friend.
Allegra casts extended magic vestment as part of her morning preparations.
She lets her camel go with a fond pat.
The navigation quickly frustrates her, but she does what she can to help Mara.
Theophilus steps inside with Dervak. The Witch then spins himself around and around and around and around and around.
He then stumbles in whatever direction he falls!
The White Rabbit just looks at Dervak.
Everyone, but perhaps Dervak, ignores Theo’s antics and begins to methodically try to retrace Count Lowls steps. A number of strategies are employed, marking landmarks as they pass, using chalk or other markings indicating which way they went, holding to one side of a wall, plotting bearings on paper.
You notice small patches of hair-thin fungal growths and alien rhizomes throughout the city, clinging to the walls and ground. By mid-morning and on the occasion you can see the sky, you spy a horned drake circling above you in ominous peaks, like some oversized carrion bird.
By noon you hear the roar of something close. You brace for a confrontation from some blind alley, but nothing comes. Searching nearby turns up nothing either. It's only later and what feels like a mile away that you discover the remains of what appears to be a dragon, its corpse bloated with fungal blight. A recent victim from a violent confrontation.
It becomes clear you must make camp and sleep within the city.
Ci Ci wakes with a startled gasp and begins checking herself all over for the strange rhizomes.
Allegra sleeps makes sure to set up a watch order including scheduled rounds through the campsite, and makes sure everyone gets their turn.
When CiCi seems to be in some distress, it sets off alarm bells in her mind. "Miss Barchetta, are you well? Do you require any aid?"
Theophilus seems to be sleeping just fine actually.
"A...a nightmare? Vision? P-portent? Not sure..." Ci Ci mutters in reply to Allegra. "If anyone starts acting erratically...well...more than usual," she adds, nodding towards Theo, "we need to see if they have been infected...fungus growing on them. I suppose it could be symbolic, and I am taking it too literally, but it was so real. It seemed like a legitimate threat."
Mara discussed where to camp with her comrades, "Mother Grim Moon said she slept beneath each pillar once. I suppose we could camp at the base of the first pillar. How that will affect our dreams I cannot say. But it seems we're unable to make any progress at the moment. I can pray for a secluded sylvan hideaway."
**********
When Ci Ci awoke from her nightmare, the shaman examined everyone for any physical signs of infection.
Mara finds no sign of fungal infection among the group.
Theophilus will cast his buffs after a quick cup of tea.
He also Hexes his peeps!
(Healer's Handbook pg. 17): The witch can touch a creature to suppress or protect it from more debilitating negative conditions. Each time she uses this hex, the witch either chooses the blinded or deafened condition, or chooses a type of effect: curse, disease, or poison. If the target is or later becomes afflicted with the chosen condition or effect, that condition or effect is suppressed for a number of minutes equal to the witch’s level. Alternatively, for 24 hours the witch can grant her target a +4 circumstance bonus on saving throws against effects that cause any two of the above conditions or effects (witch’s choice; she can choose any combination of conditions or effects, as long as she chooses only two total). At 15th level, the witch can choose up to two total conditions or types of effects to suppress or three total conditions or types of effects to grant a circumstance bonus against each time she uses the major ameliorating hex. Once a creature has benefited from this hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours.
Theo makes ready to continue through this fine example of architecture, construction, and ingenuity!
I haven't felt this at home; since...Dervak when have I felt this at home?
Theo makes ready to continue through this fine example of architecture, construction, and ingenuity!
I haven't felt this at home; since...Dervak when have I felt this at home?
"Uhhh... the asylum? The Dreamlands? Yeah. The Dreamlands. At the ball."
Theo winks at Dervak.
The asylum did have those nice jackets!
Mara tried to choose a relatively secluded and defensible spot to camp for the night.
"We need to organize watches," she said to her team-mates. "I'd prefer last watch, so I can cast my first spell of the new day when I can still see the night sky."
1st lvl (6): Ant Haul, Liberating Command, Protection from Evil, Unbreakable Heart x2, open slot, Color Spray (spirit)
2nd lvl (6): Barkskin x3, Calm Emotions, Delay Poison, Resist Energy, Hypnotic Pattern (spirit)
3rd lvl (6): Heroism x4, Dispel Magic, open slot, Daylight (spirit)
4th lvl (5): Blessing of Fervor, Freedom of Movement, Slowing Mud, Spiritual Ally, open slot, Rainbow Pattern (spirit)
5th lvl (4): Baleful Polymorph, Breath of Life x2, Overland Flight (spirit)
6th lvl (3): Greater Dispel Magic, Wall of Stone, open slot, Chain Lightning (spirit)
The next morning
Neruzavin continues to be a tangle of dark towers and illogical streets, with little by which to navigate.
Theo prods Dervak to lead the way by tapping him and urgently pointing.
The White Rabbit seems to be in agreement.
"Ummm, you saw that right?" Ci Ci says to Theo, nodding her head in the direction she saw the figure.
Dervak will take the lead in the direction that Theo indicates.
By this point, Mara was ready to let someone else take the lead. She followed behind Dervak.
The phantom only Ci Ci and Theo can see disappears around a corner but down a nearby alley the pair continue to have a shared hallucination. They hear a voice which Theo recognizes, Count Lowls. The phantasmal voice echos several times, "We're turning right here; I have foreseen this path before!" Traveling down the alley they hear distant screaming. ”There are tendrils growing from her skin! We have to burn the body! Quick!” Traveling to the source the only evidence you find is a charred stain on the ground. Once again Ci Ci and Theo spy a traveler turning down a corner.
Following these visions the party is led down a winding path to a dark, basalt tower over 400ft tall with severe corners and concave sides that nonetheless appear to bulge outwards.
Standing before the tower are two humanoid figures, each carries a flaming sword that matches their flaming wings. As the pair turn their gaze on you, you see that they have no mouths. Their eyes pierce your soul, judging you for your past deeds or misdeeds. You’ve encountered their kind before, Excinder Archons. One was stationed in the Mysterium’s depths, corrupted, before you destroyed it. They are Heaven’s censors no doubt here to destroy the vile Necronomicon.
Holy S~## Batman! Excinder Archons!
The White Rabbit (somehow suddenly wearing a Batman costume) kicks the Mad Hatter.
Theo grins.
He walks within speaking range of the two archons.
The White Rabbit demonstrates a rabbit punch.
Theo grins.
As my companion has so nicely reminded me; time is of the essence! We have come to put an end to Lowls! Who's with us!
Oh, wait for the most opportune moment prior to trying your cool little Censor Text trick. I can make him even more susceptible.
He winks.
"We are truly here to stop Count Lowls," Ci Ci states in agreement. "We are not allied with him in his goals, and would stop him from unleashing whatever lies below."
"Why are they bothering to guard yet another dead end?"
Mara stopped to examined the corpse.
When they arrived at the base of the tower, she bowed and addressed the archons in Celestial,
She said to Allegra, "I can see a pair of stone double doors in the tower."
"Uh, I'm sorry about your friend. The one in the Mysterium. He was not well. He attacked us and I had to kill him.
I made it quick."
The exscinder archons eyes flare with intense light as you speak to them.
In your minds you hear a voice that sounds like its made of clear crystal, "Mortals, you bring disturbing news but we detect no deception in your account. We do not begrudge your destruction of our colleague. We are Aumensilakos and Yrisolma of the Great Library of Harmonious Scripture on the fourth tier of Heaven. We have come here to take the vile text to the torch in the Heresy Ovens within the Vault of Correction. The text lies within the this very tower but even with our clarity of sight we are not able to perceive the entrance. If you say you see a set of doors then you will enter and retrieve the text for us."
Evidently only those of us that visited the Dreamlands (or perhaps spoke to the Mad Prophet?) can see the doors.
Mara whispered to her comrades, "They don't seem concerned about Lowls or his plan. Just the book."
She asked Aumensilakos and Yrisolma, "How long has the book been within the tower, and how did it get here? Did Haserton Lowls place it within?"
Theo winks at the Archons.
Easy peesy, Aumensilakos and Yrisolma of the Great Library of Harmonious Scripture on the fourth tier of Heaven!
The MadHatter begins to walk up to the front door.
Are you guys coming? Evil Book, End of Days, working for Heaven now! Busy! Busy! Busy!
"Yes, Theophilus, I am coming.
Cerise, Allegra, do you not see the doors?"
Allegra is a creature of Law like the archons... maybe that explains it?
”I can see them,” Ci Ci replies, indicating to the doors with her hand.
"I would bet that if Allegra had such a nightmare - or had lived through what the three of us had lived through - then she would be able to see the doors too.
I think seeing the doors means we have been affected by this thing from beyond... I don't know if it has any control over us, but if it does, we will have to do whatever we can to resist."
The bloodrager gives a bitter laugh. "Been here before. I can give you some tips. Can't say I was always successful."
She asked Aumensilakos and Yrisolma, "How long has the book been within the tower, and how did it get here? Did Haserton Lowls place it within?"
The archons answer, "We do not know mortal. We arrived here only yesterday."
Mara shrugged and headed towards the door. She said to her friends, "Give me a moment to cast some spells before we go inside. We have to expect trouble."
She recited a few prayers to prepare for the likely dangers within.
Theophilus begins doing some fancy card tricks.
Just wondering if my buffs were still working?
He then gathers up some loose stones, tosses them in front of Dervak, and bends down close to his boots.
See if you can step easily through my difficult terrain, my good Dervak.
"Well, if it's time to kit up for fight..." Ci Ci says, reaching into her component pouch.
Allegra confirms the party's suspicions. "I cannot see any doors. You may be right, Dervak, but I don't see that it changes anything. If you can guide me through them, I will accompany you and provide what assistance I can."
Dervak, Mara, Theo, and Ci Ci open the door and can see what lies beyond. Allegra and the Archons see no such door and when the rest of the party enters it’s as if they disappear into the wall. When Allegra tries to enter what she is assured to be an open door, she is blocked by solid stone.
Inside
The walls of this hall bulge and curve with unsettlingly organic concavities. Thousands of sinuous etchings trace their way down the walls, as if the walls were scarred by roots or marred by burrowing worms fleeing some peril from above. Three staircases arch, dip, and intertwine as they ascend dizzyingly to a series of hexagonal passageways. The area is dark, only sparse sunlight reaches it. In your peripheral vision the wall seems to flex and contract, as if the tower were breathing. The stairs here ascend at inconsistent angles, sometimes climbing like ladders and other times descending several feet to weave underneath another staircase.
Three figures rise from the floor each vaguely humanoid but bloated and distended. Erupting from the skin are ropey fungus-like growths and a web of grotesque fibers. Ci Ci recognizes these creatures from her dream. A fourth figure remains on the floor, seemingly normal but not responsive.
Round 1
Well, isn't this special.
The Witch uses a new Hex on Red.
Dervak, may I suggest the Red one there first?
Mara concentrated, speeding up the flow of time for her companions. "What are those monstrosities?" she cried.
"On it, Theophilus."
Dervak flies forward in a blur of light and tries to cut down Red.
Theophilus frowns.
The Hex works better if the target is not cut to ribbons prior to attacking. We may need to reevaluate this particular play...
Dervak destroys the armored fungal man with two strokes. When it collapses a cloud of shimmering spores puff up around it.
One of the infested people atop the stairs speaks an evocation and points at Dervak. He's engulfed in fire.
Allegra attempts to move forward and presumably just bounces off the wall. She looks over to the party with in frustration, and she enacts Sacred Armor as a swift action and casts Divine Favor as a standard.
Dervak will just hold where he is, rather than retcon.