"Time is not something to be had, friend. It is no posession to be wielded by our likes. "
A chuckling voice comes from the opposite direction. As he approaches, you see closer that this is a dark elf in navy blue ornate robes. Behind him, as though walking out of the shadows of death, is a dwarven woman, looking confused, and lost. With a flick of his wrists, he hands her some folded clothing to put on. They are beautifully woven light materials, but strong as steel. "Witness, I keep telling you, the cloth is not a constriction, it is a display of the self. Do you see the blossom pattern on the hem? A tree of many fruits. I knew you would like it."
As your group approaches, he sweeps his hand briskly, as though swatting a fly. The rubble that had been brought down a moment ago disappears, leaving only bodies behind. With the tunnel repaired as though nothing had ever happened, the bodies of the dead seem strangely out of place. It looks as though they had just resigned to lie down in the tunnel and not to rise again.
" This dark elf has been touched by my protégé, and has barred me from entering this place. She represents the last resistance of the drow here. You are safe for the time being. Dwarven burials are a very important rite and should not be overlooked or taken lightly. "
He awaits your questioning.
"Who are you, who is the lady, and are you saying the drow leader barred you from coming here, and if so how?"
Remembering the voice of the hooded elf from the Tavern, Alric's first instinct is to lay into him with his claws. But seeing the magic he wrought upon the rubble, he checks his anger. Instead he moves to Thundrik's body, closing his eyes and placing two coppers upon the eyelids.
"One for the ferryman, one for the tax. May it speed you to the Hereafter."
"And while your at it, why didn't you step in earlier at the tavern?"
He pauses for a moment, comtemplating more the nature of your questioning than the actual demands. " I like your spunk. You experience each moment with a goal. I am Kronos, the Ancient one. I have been watching you for a while now. I am the cause of the misery that has befallen this world, and I need your help to set it right. To your third question: Yes and No. Lashilsh was responsible for my inability to come here, but she did not cause it. In fact, she may not even have been aware of her influence. As I said, she was touched by my protégé, Kronos, the Son. Those who he draws close to are able to repel me. That is where you come in. He has several lieutenants like Lashilsh across the world and I need you to destroy them so that the Son's plans do not come to fruitition. As to my friend here, I'll let her introduce herself. "
Turning to Alric. " I did what I could. My powers are much reduced from what they oft' can be. In particular when around the Son's lieutenants. I am sorry that I could not have provided more assistance. "
" Have you any other questions for me, my children? " He surveys the room.
"While your'e providing assistance might you know where the drow put my stuff?"
" Aside from what you can see here , most supplies would be either destroyed or used up by the people of the town. Lashilsh was also very passionate about darkness. She saw it as the embrace of power around her. Most mundane light sources are destroyed once brought into the city. Items for healing would have been used to keep the slaves and the people alive and prepared for work and raids. Is there a specific object you seek?"
You folks put a lot of stock in this mans word. I for one will never believe any word that comes from Drow lips.
Sumatek moves over to the Drow females body and picks up the Rapier. He moves it through a series of attacks to gain the balance of the weapon. Looking at Kronos he says...
Sumatek picks up one of the hand crossbows and gathers 20 bolts for it. He will continue to move around the area picking up these items as well:
1 flask of acid.
2 unnamed vial (I am asuming the Knockout poison)
40 GP.
All the while Sumatek keeps the female drow's rapier in hand and ready. He will re-join the group and wait until they are ready to move on.
Witness bashfully finishes putting on the ornate clothing given to her. As she looks down the tunnel, she is overcome with a sense of deja-vu. There is something there. Another body. She knows it with as much certainty as anything. She has no clue where she is, or how she got there, but there is something that informs her on the deepest level about this body in the next room.
Kronos looks at Sumatek and frowns at him. He begins as though this conversation were already an ongoing debate. His response is in
Will also take his ring of deflection, once he can identify it, and examine the magic items, using perception and sipping the potions including the still unknown one i got off the guard, and read magic on the scrolls.
"Hmmm, I had an Ivory rod of Metamagic, and several scrolls. I am surprised that any mage should not wield it, yet it does not seem to be here"
"That sort of magic would be kept in the back chambers of the drow temple. I shall retrieve it for you. " Kronos waves his hands with incredible speed and dexterity. Then he hands you your rod of metamagic as though pulled from out of the air.
Looking vaguely through the heroes, Witness drifts toward the far tunnel. "I need... something is there...". When she sees the body, she stops short, transfixed.
Alric can identify a second potion of invisibility from the vials.
Witness sees a familiar form with a few goblin dogs beginning to chew on the body. They look up to see who has interrupted their meal. They growl at you as you stare at their meal with a similar lust to their own. Your hunger however is not for food, but for knowledge. Who is this person? Why do you know him? How did he come to be here? Who am I? Why can't I remember my past? Why am I here? You realize that you may also be experiencing the other kind of hunger. Your stomach growls loudly. When did you eat last? So many questions. Maybe the dark elf will have some answers. He seems to know you familiarly.
Witness turns and walks back over to the drow and puts a hand on his shoulder. "What happened to me?", she says, desperation tinging her voice.
Speaking to the mysterious drow: "I seem to remember some tale of the world ending soon. Does your son have anything to do with that or is that just an old tale? I would also like to know what we have to do next. I don't think taking out an outpost will sit well with the "higher ups".
Speaking to the others: "We should take what valuables we can find, and try to sell them to get better gear if we are taking on the whole of the underdark."
edit:
Kronos turns to Witness. "A change of perspective, old friend. The details will return later. You need to remember now that you are a part of something larger than yourself. One of many."
Kronos then turns to Casvian's question, addressing the whole group.
"My protégé was indeed instrumental in the creation of the tale. He affected the mind of that prophet those many years ago. The fabrication of this story was multifunctional. Kronos set a motivating deadline for himself, and he is now able to take advantage of the chaos and panic to complete the implementation of his plans. As far as the realization of the prophecy's claims, that is where you come in. I suggest you get out of the underdark here. Return the freed slaves to their families, and prepare yourselves for the coming storm. Make your allies, gather your faculties, say your prayers. I suggest you return to Startville. It is the closest urban location in the light. Be on guard though as you are there. Kronos, the Son has a lieutenant nearby to there. I can tell you that they have not struck yet, but something is coming. I need you to investigate. You might start by speaking to the locals there. Now, I suggest you return to the temple and gather the others for your ascent."
She points back toward the body. "That man in there, do I know him? I feel like I should." She turns towards the rest of the party. "Do you know who I am?"
" Witness, my child, this man is you. So are the rest of these people. You are connected to all living things. This is all that you need to know. If you wish to seek the answers, you must take that journey alone. "
Kronos takes the rapier presented to him by Sumatek and examines it thoroughly. As he looks it over, he responds to Sumatek's observations.
Witness looked up at the drow bemusedly. She felt that at some point in the past, she wouldn't have tolerated such a ephemeral answer, but for things were so strange and new that she was not inclined to push the issue. She took stock of the group in front of her -- presumably they must be mercenaries; such a varied group of fighters and magic users generally meant trouble for someone. She minced around the rapier that Kronos and the half-elf were bent over. "You should destroy that. It has done many terrible deeds and is so steeped in blood that I doubt it can be redeemed." The words were out of her mouth before she even knew she was saying them.
Weapons are instruments and tools. They do not choose their possesor. I will choose to use this weapon for a useful purpose... against its former possessor and her allies.
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"I think Her Flatness has had enough"
Having been distracted while getting re-acquainted with her beloved weapon, Edelle finally pays real attention to what has been going on around her.
Your suggestion makes sense, if you can give us directions or a guide out of the underdark we will investigate what is happening in that region.
It makes sense to attempt a sense motive check on anyone attempting to manipulate our actions:
Sense Motive:
Kronos speak with absolute sincerity. There is not the hint of deception in his voice or mannerisms. " You should head north out of the town and hold right to leave. There will be a water hazard for you to face, but I am confident in your abilities to succeed if you take your time. Follow the water downstream until you see the light of day and you will be free. Now if there are no more questions, I must not stay too long. Every moment sent here may alert the Son to our plans."
One last bit, you keep calling your student "The Son." Are you trying to say that you want us to assassinate your kid?
" I once loved the young Kronos as my own son. I trained him over the years and he developed to be a mirror of me in many ways. However, where I found balance and respect for the fragile mortality of life, he found contempt. He saw those without immortal life as being inferior to himself. He now seeks to destroy the world as recreate it in his own image. So to answer your question, he is my son in the sense that I created him. Whether or not he is of my blood directly is inconsequential. "
"What is inconsequential is subjective on many occasions. I think we should move on while we can. We will find out how truthfully he is soon enough I guess."
sense motive:
Satisfied with Kronos' explanation, although he still was very suspicious of Kronos' true intentions, Sumatek will move ahead and begin scouting ahead in the drection Kronos indicated.
perception for badguys
perception for traps
stealth
Off we go, I should be at the front of the main group of us.
Now I've got my Bardiche back would someone care to carry the torch?
Perception:
PS:I am using 15 because I will be putting another rank in perception when I do level.
perception:
Lets just go, I know the place in question. Oh, and if anyone sees a dour fellow with a dog, tell him he doesn't have to cut off his finger.
With that, Alric stuffs the remainder of the unclaimed loot into his backback and sets off down the tunnel with the others.
Your group returns north through the tunnels, coming to the drowtown. As you pass, you see many bodies moving about in and out of the temple, a funeral pyre is being prepared for those lost in the incursion. They have been waiting for your return before igniting the spark. One short man approaches your group, his body still covered in wretched dirt and filth. "We're going to light the place up and head home. Found a map in the back room of the temple, along with some other goodies. We're taking what we can for the journey, looks to be a couple rough miles to the surface then, we guess, fifty to return to startville. More than a day's journey, especially with wounded. Rest for the night and then we'll head out. You folks are looking pretty banged up. Why not head into the temple? There are beds there and food."
Sorry we need to keep moving, but I think we can spare a few minutes to share some food with you though.
I wouldn't recommend spending longer here that you absolutely must, the longer you spend here the more likely you are for some friends of our defeated foes to turn up.
The man seems cautious. " ...Alright, you can leave if you want to, but I don't think we have to worry about the dark elves anymore. " He opens wide the doors of the temple. Before you, covering the walls of the temple are thousands of symbols written in an ancient tongue. He tells you this is the old language of aklo. One of the others has translated it as a prophecy contingent on the last death of the last drow noble in this town. "It lit up a short time before you arrived here. Says that this day will herald the coming of the end of the world. For now, I don't care about that though. I'm free. " He says with passion. " And I intend to live what life I have left. "
You group eats together with the newly freed men and women, the atmosphere is ecstatic with the electric energy of life. When a hot meal has been finished and your gear is loaded down, you are ready to continue at your leisure.
Actually I would rather have our casters rested and ready. I myself would like a chance to sleep off the effects of the drow poison I walked into. We have shown good teamwork and control so far and if for some reason any drow were fool enough to assault an equipped group as large as this then they better be prepared for a hard fight. I would vote for a meal, a good sleep and move out double time in the morning.
That is a very nice prophesy, guess it'll be fine to stay the night.
Casvian makes a vote to rest or not rest based on the above information.
Sleep now. Think later.
Your group gets a well earned rest and recovery. In the morning the atmosphere is a but more sombre. People pay their respects to those lost and gather their gear. Altogether, there are about 20 of you together. A number of valuable and rare relics from the temple have been taken as prizes. It is suggested that the profit gained from these items should be used to construct a proper monument recognizing the events of recent times and those lost. As you head north, all proceeds well. No sign of drow or other trouble until you reach a small inlet at the end of a tunnel. From the other side, water can be heard rushing by. According to the map, this is where the drow travel to get to and from the surface. It seems an unlikely place, but the map is quite clear that this is the correct route down the stream.
Could someone cast light on a stone so we can work out what how to get passed this? That is unless someone *knows* how to get passed?
Morning, and casting Extended Mage Armor.
One caster comes from the crowd, his staff glowing, but that is extinguished when he picks up a pebble and casts a spell on it. The bulb of arcane energy jumps from glowing on the rod to the pebble and he tosses it into the fast current. You can see that the stream flows rapidly, as though under pressure from this point. On the left, water pushes against a smaller opening and spreads out from there. You estimate that the flow of the water could sweep away anyone not properly ready to swim, but that a modest amount of skill should be enough to keep afloat. As the map says you should go downstream, propulsion will not be an issue, but you note that the pebble strikes some very jagged looking rocks and a low ceiling a bit further down before disappearing.
Sumatek begins to search the area for signs of how previous travelers may have moved thru here. He also seaches for tie off points to help control the swim downstream.
we have a good length of rope maybe we could tie off somewhere and make sure the weak swimmers dont get pulled down. Maybe have the strongest act as the one braced off feeding out rope till the swimmer gets to a safe place to get out. Then draw the rope back up and do it again. I'm not the best swimmer but I could go first and see where it takes us.
It is unclear exactly how the drow would have made this journey. You cannot see any hidden doors, levers, or anything of the type. You do, however notice a piece of cloth hanging off of a sharp rock in the water. Upon inspecting it closer, it matches the colours worn by the drow guards.
Argent moves up the the front of the group. He still looks winded from his experiences so far, but he insists upon going first. "I'll not be babied by the likes of you people. " He says harshly before tying off the rope onto a solid stalagmite and diving into the rushing water. Unraveler in his belt shines brightly even underwater. He disappears under the rapids. What seems like an eternity afterwards, the rope goes taught. No sounds can be heard over the rushing waves.
Stupid impulsive people, anyone hear if that guy tell anyone what him pulling the rope tight would mean?
I'm going to guess that it means "I'm dangling downstream at the end of a rope." But perhaps I can ask.
Message Spell: Argent! What is going on?!