Cypher idea: a clear glass tube that when broken in two allows communication at a distance for one hour after breaking between the people holding the pieces.
That's perfect.
Balon's definitely staying on! I'll spend my XP soon.
Excellent!
Still in.
And after what happened to my friend Elochaid, I'd maybe not experiment too much with that stuff.... safety first, kids.
I miss Elochaid. So sneaky. So stupid.
I miss Elochaid. So sneaky. So stupid.Still in.
And after what happened to my friend Elochaid, I'd maybe not experiment too much with that stuff.... safety first, kids.
Onwards and upwards...
You all do what you can to bring comfort and aid to the poor villagers of the town. Unfortunately, though their madness has passed, they must now deal with the guilt of what they have done and the nightmares of what they have seen. The sight of Boregal floating along next to you does nothing but anger the survivors and you all realize that you should leave the town quickly before any more violence erupts.
As you trudge out of town the way you came you are left with a choice. The town of Druissi lies a couple days easy hiking from you. The town is noted for treating travelers well and could be a place to ID your new artifact as well as do some trading. Another possibility would be to head towards where the mysterious structure should appear next according to your notes. Going directly there would allow you to arrive several days before the structure should appear. You think it would be possible to make it to Druissi and still have time to get to the site but it will be close.
Balon will move for getting Boregal out of the town as quickly as possible, onward to Druissi. "If we have time to stock up on assorted cyphers before the structural apparition event, we should," he reasons, as they hightail it out of town. "Still, I want to get there as quickly as possible. Shall we take it easy today, then go at forced march pace tomorrow to make it there sooner?"
Indeed. I don't like the idea of running into a potential fight unprepared.
He nods in agreement with the rest of Balon's proposal, clearly still unhappy with the release of Boregal, but he won't make an issue of it.
"Sounds fine ... as long as we make it back in time to intercept the structure ...", again, this strange apparition could be just the ticket out of here that Callidus needs.
"Did you ever figure out where all it goes?" Galahad asks, bored with the drudgery of the trip and looking to put his mind on something else.
Amazingly for the first time that you have travelled together you actually have two days of pleasant travel. The weather cooperates by being warm and pleasant. The road is level and well-paved. Travelers are friendly and interested in the sight of a shriveled, disembodied brain that floats along next to you. Small villages are scattered along the route providing opportunities to stop and enjoy the local cuisine.
After two days, you arrive at the small town of Druissi. The center of the town is dominated by the 'Catherdral' of the Order of Truth. Numerous inns that cater to travelers line the Main Street. Most have signs saying some variation of 'Unlimited Hot Water.'
The only sign of all not being quite right is that many of the buildings show signs of recent damage with workers busily making repairs.
Raising his arm above his head and smelling his arm pit Callidus exclaims, "Nice ... I could use a nice hot wash down!"
"I hear that. A lot of drit blowing around out here."
I suppose we ought to stop by the cathedral first, so we know we aren't going to accidentally summon say an army of walking table berserkers to destroy the world.
Nasir looks across the town at all the construction.
"Having some trouble here. Perhaps the generous people of Druissi could use some assistance...", he says.
"Perhaps," Galahad says in response to Nasir, "But my stomach could use some assistance first."
"Read a book about walking table berserkers once," Balon muses as they walk, keeping an admirably straight face. "The Tallriders of the Mahogany Isles, charging into battle on their ottoman steeds. Their battlecry: 'USE A COASTER!'"
The 6 travelers (5 weary humans and 1 floating brain) enter the Cathedral. The Aeon priest greets you all pleasantly. It would normally cost 20 shin to have an artifact ID'ed but given Amadeus membership the priest does not charge the group anything. He takes the rod and examines it physically and then through his connection with the Numenera.
"Interesting item...if you press both of these buttons at the same time while pointing it at a target it will release a bolt of energy that will both damage and stun the target. It appears to have an almost unlimited range but for your ability to hit anything not fairly close by depends on your skill at holding the rod on target."
The priest pulls Amadeus aside...
Of course, Father. Whatever you ask.
Amadeus salutes the Priest and returns to the group.
It seems the mayor is in need of some help. I am going to speak with him, if you would like to come as well.
"What are we to do with our friend here in the meantime?" Balon asks, gesturing to Boregal.
"Why can't I come with you friend Balon? I am enjoying seeing the 9th Age," Boregal asks Balon.
I think he's best with us rather than flitting about frightening children.
"They might even be amazed, rather than frightened."
You all follow the priest's directions to the Mayor's house. He looks at you warily until you explain that the priest had sent you to deal with a problem that the town has been having. Once he hears that he relaxes and invites you into his parlor asking you all to make yourself comfortable as he explains what's happening.
"You probably should know a bit of history about our town. Our ancestors built the town of Druissi on a half-buried hulk of an ancient, unknown structure because they knew of
the boon it would bring their families. Heat rises constantly from the synth and steel hulk year-round, warming homes, cooking food, and saving lives during the winter."
The mayor pauses as a servant girl brings you all cups of hot Klath as well as candied flutter-byes (a local delicacy).
After taking a sip of his Klath, the mayor continues his story, "last week a small earthquake hit the town. No one was injured and the damage to our buildings was minor."
The mayor pauses again for another sip of Klath and then taking a deep breath finishes his story, "After the earthquake, more of the wreckage has been revealed, including an area where the metal seems to have rent apart, leaving small openings in the side. Our once-coveted warmth is now alternately freezing and boiling, a dark orange liquid sometimes seeps from the earth into the floors homes, and even worse some residents of Druissi have gone missing. I'm doing my best to keep people calm, but members of the Hozai—a small religious group forecasting doom—are prophesying that a great evil is awakening in the earth and coming for those who have abused its power.
The mayor looks at you each in turn, "I need you to enter the structure and find out what is going on and to put a stop to it."
who's gone missing?
Mark raises an eyebrow. Candied flutter-byes...well, if my adventuring career doesn't work out, I can settle down here and harvest the bloody things, he thinks to himself.
Aloud, and after Amadeus' question has been answered, Balon asks, "Have you any...er...wise men? People who have studied the orange liquid? Has anyone approached the rent?"
Nasir readily devours the candied insects.
"Think these Hozai got somethin' to do with it?", he asks through a mouth full of free food.
who's gone missing?
"Two that I know of so far. The first was Rosie Geirn who, to also answer your friend's question, was attempting to figure out what the orange liquid is and went to the rent to take samples. That was two days ago and no one has seen her since. Her husband is Peter Geirn," the mayor adds and gives you directions to the Geirn's home in case you would like to speak to Peter. "The other disappearance was Yokam Bliema. As far as I know he wasn't exploring but his friends have said that no one has seen him either in a few days." The mayor also gives you directions to Yokam's house.
Nasir readily devours the candied insects.
"Think these Hozai got somethin' to do with it?", he asks through a mouth full of free food.
The mayor looks askance at Nasir's lack of manners but still answers his question quickly, "I honestly don't think so but their leader Nerr is a bloodworm tick of the worst sort so I wouldn't put anything past him." The mayor gives you directions to the Hozai chapel adding that the 10 members of the group all live together at the chapel.
"did the two disappear around the same time of day as each other?"
"did the two disappear around the same time of day as each other?"
"No one knows when Yokam disappeared, his friends came to me earlier today saying that he hasn't been seen in a couple of days. Rosie left her house at first light two days ago and that was the last time her husband saw her."
Balon considers this. "Has Peter been interviewed already or might we gain some insight by talking to him?" he asks.
Balon considers this. "Has Peter been interviewed already or might we gain some insight by talking to him?" he asks.
"Hmmm...Of course I talked to him when he came to tell me that Rosie hadn't returned. He was extremely upset and I'm not exactly trained to find missing people so there may well be something that I either didn't ask that I should have or something he forgot to mention at the time."
Balon has to smile despite the grim situation. "I'm not exactly trained in finding missing people either..." he glances at his companions. "Anyone else?"
Nasir wipes his hands on his pants and picks up his cup.
"I just happen to be a bounty hunter. We get to Bilema's house, I might be able to track where he went- same for Geirn once we get down to the ruin. As for questioning... well, we need to know if they got any enemies, if they were acting weird. Any medical conditions. The usual. Worth bracing this Nerr scumbag, see what he's got to say about all this. Was he talking about this apocalypse disaster nonsense before the earthquake?"
Nasir wipes his hands on his pants and picks up his cup.
"I just happen to be a bounty hunter. We get to Bilema's house, I might be able to track where he went- same for Geirn once we get down to the ruin. As for questioning... well, we need to know if they got any enemies, if they were acting weird. Any medical conditions. The usual. Worth bracing this Nerr scumbag, see what he's got to say about all this. Was he talking about this apocalypse disaster nonsense before the earthquake?"
"That tick has been the rotten tooth in the mouth that is our town for years. He's always complaining about something but he never talked about a monstrous evil before now."
Callidus listens to events unfold, realizing as the conversation progresses that they are getting involved ... ah drit ... there goes my ride out of here in that magic house ...
Galahad turns to Beale, asking, "Does any of this sound familiar to you? From the sounds of it, this newly opened place is ancient."
Amadeus turns to Callidus and whispers You know, I wouldn't hold it against you if you'd rather go and study the flying block! I understand. This is something I have to investigate, but I know you really wanted to go check it out.
Galahad turns to Beale, asking, "Does any of this sound familiar to you? From the sounds of it, this newly opened place is ancient."
Callidus listens to events unfold, realizing as the conversation progresses that they are getting involved ... ah drit ... there goes my ride out of here in that magic house ...
"Hmm, does anyone remember much about this place? I have read my share of books, but many of the historical ones were historical fantasy..."
"Meh ... I never much cared about history or other useless trivia ... now, the oozing structure ... I might be able to figure that out if I could see it."
History:
Nasir grunts something from behind his cup, but it's unintelligible while he's slurping his drink down.
"My preference is to see more of Nasir's tracking skills in action," Balon comments, tapping a finger against his chin. "Besides, those missing might be in mortal peril. We should prioritize finding them."
"Sounds good to me. We know nothing. Time to act."
"Sounds good to me. We know nothing. Time to act."
From the outside Bilema's house appears no different than those of his neighbors. There is a locked front door and a gate in a fence that leads around to a small garden in behind the house.
Nasir looks over the grounds- checking for footprints or signs of trouble.
Tracking, trained:
Nasir closely and with great skill examines the footprints around the front door of Bilema's house. Dropping to all fours, he peers at each print, feeling the drit and even smelling the footprints.
"Ah, he is quite the skilled bounty hunter, it seems" Galahad says, referencing Nasir.