King Aodhan berates Asrabey, "By all the Stars in the blurry sky, have you no decency, no consideration nor common sense, I am conducting talks with the Danorans about finally getting a lasting peace and you barge in here like a stampeding elephant as if nothing else exists on Lanjyr. I expect you to leave here forthwith"
Knowledge Nobility/Diplomacy DC 27
relations, but the Danorans don’t pick it up.
Asrabey's face turns red and then he departs.
Most everyone else lets out the breaths they’ve been holding, and Aodhan jokes that dessert should be ready now. Han Jierre declines politely, saying he will take his leave so Risur can deal with its fey allies. He nods to Brakken to verify they’re still scheduled to meet the next morning, and with that the Danoran delegation leaves with as much dignity as is possible.
After the Danorans leave, the King says, "Constables, would you please follow me? We need to have a chat."
Johnathan seems intensely interested when Cauldron Hill pops up, but can't seem to follow the politics of whatever is going on.
At the King's request, Johnathan looks around for Delft, to see if he has permission--then remembers this is The King and hurries to follow. He whispers loudly to Cretien, "Did you hear him say Cauldron Hill? Through the Bleak Gate?"
Femi snaps to his feet when the King summons them and follows his majesty to wherever he may lead. He too is concerned about what just transpired, but he can't quite connect the dots. But then, that's what Kings are for, right?
Brakken follows, and promises the king he has information of
import, but Minister Lee closes the door in his face, then casts a spell to sound-proof the room.
King Aodhan is furious and says, "Constables, I don’t buy that load of crap from both Han and Lya Jierres’ story that the evidence of their involvement is just a coincidence, but I wanted them to
think I did. Now any element of surprise you might have had is blown
because that incompetent clown Asrabey likes making a dramatic entrance, just a side bar when I read the report that constable Harn took him out with one shot last year made me happy. Nevertheless, I
recognize that you could use the high elf’s help in a fight, so if you want him to come with it is up to you."
Femi is uneasy, but the King is right. They can use all the firepower they can lay their hands on.
"Yes, your Majesty, I think having him along will be fine. And, at least for a time, he'll be out of your hair." he grins.
The King says, "What do the rest of you think?"
All of you here the familiar sound of Brakkan in your heads, "“I’m a telepath, and I read the Jierres’ minds. Please let me in.”
"That is... really uncomfortable. The Brakkan just told me he's a telepath and read Jierres' minds, and to let him in," Jonathan looks around, unsure if anyone else heard that or just him...
Iva nods. "I heard him too." She allows Brakkan into her head. "The elf was helpful before. Wasn't he?"
The King says, "I thought I may have eaten something foul because I had heard him too. If he has some insight on the Jierres. Lee, let the minotaur in."
Lee says, "Yes, my liege." as he unlocks the door and lets in the minotaur.
Brakken comes is and says, "Your Highness, thank you for allowing me in."
King Aodhan says, "So, Mediator what has picked up."
Brakken says, "When Asrabey Varal made his request to you, I was able to casually read the surface thoughts of all those in attendance. Han Jierre’s reaction was the most shocking, and I could tell he was quite worried about what Varal may unearth during his expedition to the hill. The Sovereign was also concerned that the knowledge might endanger his niece Lya."
Johnathan nods respectfully to the minotaur when he enters, awaiting the news.
"We have to go then!" Johnathan blurts, excited, then disappointed. "I have to stay...but you have to uncover it then, whatever it is they're hiding."
"So, they are involved in all this then."
Brakken says, "Constable, I am not sure what exactly you mean but I have gotten a sense all night that everyone has been hiding
things from each other, and that it all revolves around Lya’s involvement
in something far greater than I can read. But I know that Cauldron
Hill is at the center of it, because the last thought he overheard before
the Danorans left was Han thinking, “I’ll have to send a messenger to
Cauldron Hill.” From Lya on the other hand... I sensed that she suddenly grew wary of her uncle, as if Asrabey’s arrival had confirmed some suspicion she had about her uncle’s activities. But she seemed to not know about Cauldron Hill per se."
Femi is surprised by the telepathic minotaur. He does best to try and keep his cool as more curtains are pulled back revealing even more truth. He's still dizzyingly confused, but he starts to wonder if Lya is party innocent in all this.
"Are we ready to move on Cauldron Hill then? If everything points to it, it seems we must go."
"And quickly, if you want to beat their messenger."
The King says, "If he is sending a messenger then maybe the Ob does not know an attack is imminent."
PM Lee says, "I will have my aids monitor the Sovereign's rooms here to see if anyone tries to take the message."
The King takes out his pocket watch and says, "The ritual to get you into the Bleak Gate is set for midnight. Are there anyone you would like to bring with you? The PM can cast "sendings" for them if you wish."
"No, I guess just us sire." Femi grins, as ready as he's going to be for this. He'll want to change out of his dress clothes naturally, but presumably the rest of his gear is somewhere near.
"I'm in need of better weapons and some other gear, especially healing items, if possible. We know this isn't going to be easy for us. I'll speak with the Prime Minister with your permission."
"Thank you for the information Brakken. It will hopefully give us an advantage in the next engagement."
Femi will pick up a Ring of Forcefangs for 8,000gp at the commissary if such an item is available.
He gets some rest, mostly by filling out the more mundane of his paperwork piling up as his mind thinks about what's to come - and all the things that can go wrong.
Iva requisitions a magical incredibly sharp kukri, and three potions of cure Moderate Wounds. "Should we invite an ally along? The elf will already be there, correct?"
The King says, "I will meet you quarter to 12 at the base of Cauldron Hill."
It takes you about 35 minutes to get back to HQ and you go and process your requisitions and luckily they have all of what you were looking for in stock.
In Addition there is a care package for each of you from Doyle Idylls the mayor of the Cloudwood writes that he is
thrilled at the turn of events, containing two potions of cure moderate wounds, a potion of heroism, and an oil of align weapon.
Femi nods to the king, "Your majesty."
Later, "I think we should invite everyone along. This is not going to be easy, and it's critical we succeed. This feels like a pivotal moment. Let's not waste it by being careless."
After the picking up your gear and making contact with Kvartiy, the party take a carriage from RHC HQ to a wooded grove at the foot of Cauldron Hill.
Sixty soldiers wait
around an unlit bonfire. Stover Delft is also there to wish the party off, and has brought along Alexander Grappa. Asrabey and Kvartiy arrives on their own.
Minister Lee draws a ritual circle with powdered rust and then hands
out thimble-sized charm bags woven with pieces of a Risuri flag. The
king stands aside, concentrating and gathering power. A flicker of weakness passes through the crowd, and everyone present somehow knows
that the king is drawing upon his people to perform the ritual.
At midnight, with no moon in the sky and no city lights visible through the trees, the king explains, "Soldiers, Constables, I would like to thank you on the behalf of the people of Risur for what you are about to endeavor upon. I do not ask you to risk your lives lightly. There is something insidious happening on the other side of the Bleak Gate and we need to find out what it is. I pray to the Old Gods and to Miller that you all shall return. Be forewarned, once you appear in the Bleak Gate, you will be stuck there at least until the sun rises, though its light will be
barely noticeable on that plane. After sunrise, if you want to return you need to tear open the charm bags, which will end the spell’s effect on you. Also be warned that when the spell ends, they’ll appear in the equivalent spot in this world—the terrain is the same, but structures might be very
different, so be careful, you do not want to materialize underground because you may be impaled by the root of a tree. If you don’t open the bags by sunset, which will
be in about eighteen hours, you’ll be trapped there."
Femi takes the charm bag and secures it safely - knowing it's his life if he doesn't keep it. "Thank you my lord. We'll do what we can for you."
He considers his gear, tightens his grip on his staff, and follows the others.
Cretien tucks the pouch into a pocket within the breast of his coat before fastening it back closed and nodding.
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Johnathan is standing next to Delft when you all arrive, wearing plain commoners clothes, no RHC uniform. He watches the ritual quietly, stoic.
Before they go, he approaches Cretien, expression unreadable. "Be careful out there. If you die, I'll be the only one left," he holds out a ring and amulet. "You'll need these more than me. Good luck professor."
Delft looks a little more caring than usual and says, "Constable Holbrook, are you sure you do not want to join them on their mission?"
He then spits some chaw on the ground and says, "Well, I put my faith in each one of you and do come back alive. If it weren't for my damned bum leg, I would be going in with you."
Johnathan lowers his voice, but in this quiet moment it's not hard to make out what he's saying to Delft. "Every day I...things get more confusing. I thought I was better, that I had it under control, but it's getting worse. I keep seeing things, moving, just out of sight, just in the shadow, in the corners of my eyes. And every time I close my eyes I'm somewhere else, infinite, all void and emptiness--but not empty, not really, something watches out there--and when I strike out to defend myself, from these things, from those shapes moving in the corners of my vision, from the dark figures, they turn into regular people, friends," he doesn't sound afraid, just tired.
But desperation begins to show through the cracks as he goes on, "I've hurt people, accidentally killed...innocents. And now when I see something lunging at me from the dark, I hesitate. I wait to see if it turns out to just be an old shopkeep asking me if I need help, or a friend checking on me, or you. If I go back out there, I'm either going to hesitate and get someone killed--or I'm going to hurt a friend. I can't risk that."
"Well, it would be good to have you along, but if you stay behind you are guaranteed to survive. I can't, in good conscience, persuade you towards either path. It is your decision. If you do choose to stay, then I will accept the ring and amulet. I'll give you my old ring as it is similar but of a lower magical quality."
Femi is surprised at Johnathan's withdrawal. After all, he just arrived, "Yes, do please come. Join us and we will face our demons together."
He tries to be encouraging, but understands each of us must go their own way.
"Thank you both, but I'm a danger to you all, and the mission. Be careful out there," and then Johnathan blinks out of existence.
With that the King finishes the ritual and asks you to enter into the Bleak Gate and then you walk into the circle with Asrabey, Grappa and Kvartiy and 27 Risuri soldiers. With a dim implosion the ritual ends and you are in the Bleak Gate.
Sounds do not echo in the Bleak Gate, but neither is there ambient
noise to muffle them. The water is still, the sky black, cloudless, starless.
Where you appear, you smell an ever present stench of burnt
engine oil and hear a dull hiss coming from the direction of Cauldron
Hill: the faint exhalations of dozens of steam boilers.
The city exists just as in the real world, the same buildings, the same
trees, but wholly unoccupied. A single flicker of light could can be seen
for miles, but there’s no light to be seen.
Iva stands quietly as the ritual is completed and Johnathon speaks his piece to Cretien then blinks away.
Iva stands still and carefully looks around the dark area without saying a word.
Femi shrugs as Johnathan dimension doors away. "We could have used his help."
He watches the finishing of the ritual and then is plunged in darkness. He asks the group in a whisper, "I can provide light - but are we ready for the folks that may summon to our location? How should we proceed?"
If folks agree, or are unsure, he'll cast Dancing Lights, summoning the light some 100' away to see what happens and to see who may be attracted to the light, without immediately exposing the team.
Cretien completes the exchange with Jonathan and nods to his teammate as he disappears. "Hope to see you again."
------------------------------------------------------------------
As he enters the Bleak Gate, he takes a quick inventory of everything, something of a nervous tick of his. One can never be too ready
No Dancing Lights Iva, Chretien, Rognar
Dancing Lights
Kvartiy and says, "I see two possibilities we can try to go through the area where the smoke is coming or one of the two big doors. What do you think?"
Femi will cast the Dancing Lights, if only so he can see something in the dark.
He'll suggest, "Let's check the smoke. I dunno if anyone has a way to get in there, but we should see if it's a possible pass before knocking at the front door." he grins.
Kvartiy says, "Sounds good to me."
You make your way up Cauldron hill and at first you can smell the general location of the smoke and it seems to be coming from a patch of rocks and trees that you can pinpoint the location by sound and eventually by the smoke and steam billowing out. There is a grated cover.
GM Rolls
Careful everyone." she moves carefully up the hill trying to stay in the shadows as much as possible.
Hmm a grated cover."
Femi examines the grate. Is it large enough to pass through? Is it a chimney? Is it openable (I have the Knock spell, so I'm looking to see if it's hinged, locked, etc.)?
Is it possible in any creative way to use this as an entrance?
"Well, I think we can get in this way maybe. I should be able to unlock this with a spell if it's bolted at all. Dunno how far we'll have to go in the smoke, but we could send someone in on a rope to see where it leads."
"Or we can head in one of the doors. Announce our presence, if they don't already know we're here." he gestures to the lights.
If no one is opposed, he'll send the dancing lights through the grate to see what can be seen below.