The Tragedy of Hero's (Inactive)

Game Master fnord72

Not at all being the kind of question she expected, she's taken aback a moment before shaking her head. Turning to Derric, she beckons him over and relays the question to him.

"I've never heard of it myself. There might be something about it in the library at the Tower, it was already chock full of planar knowledge when we started. However, it's just as likely that we'll find something here at the Acadamae than at the Tower."

Derric frowned, wracking his memory for anything.

"I'll jump back to the Tower tomorrow, get everybody there to start going through through the books there, then come back here and try and find it in the library here."

Currency is exchanged and I'll move up to day two. What kind of check would help me out here? I'd ask around schools, officials, and anybody of renowned intelligence in the city as to what may have happened and where I could get more information.

Hase relays his cryptic clue
"So, the Tower. The Academae. Anywhere else likely to have information? Or any one?"

Can Hase make a knowledge roll to identify places most likely to have the information?

Hase figures that if there is anything on the material plane that would have any information, it would be in any of the great libraries.

The Acadamae does have an extensive library, as does most of the capitals of the world.

Sustos arrives in Absalom to find it is also in disarray. The observatory that was on the outskirts of town was destroyed, along with a block of tenements around it. Search and rescue has been proceeding all night, though at this point they are moving to recovery operations.

The grand council has also been in closed session. The watch has been called out along with the militia. People are being asked to remain calm, and allow the authorities to look into the phenomena visible in the sky.

For every two hours spent researching in a library, one of the references previously noted for Gelein is found. No more than three are in any one library.

Provided people split up, this should have everyone on the same page at about the same time.

Sounds like a plan.

Sounds good

"I think we should split up. I'll start looking through this library. We can meet up tomorrow and share notes. Where?" Hase's voice is abrupt and clipped.

I'll head back to the Tower, meet up here at the end of tomorrow?

Xara nods. "Agreed. And no more taking on mega-demons by yourself, unless of course, you don't have a choice."

Hase nods, and heads to the Library

Over the course of the last few days the reddish lightning like flares from the new light source have spread across nearly half the day time sky.

The initial fears of most people has had a couple of days to calm down, though the emotional state is obviously subdued. For the most part the riots and mobs have broken up, or returned home. This morning, it feels almost like people are starting to forget about the new sky, they are going about their business, bakers were up before dawn baking bread, and other craftsmen have also resumed their trades. While there is still a heavy blanket of worry and fear dampening most people, children are back to playing in the streets. But now they are staying much closer to their homes instead of wandering about the neighborhood.

Since the mysterious letter appeared before you, you have learned that all the major observatories have disappeared. Some of the events had no loss of life other than three leading astronomers missing. Unfortunately, most of the events were... violent. Some of the more remote observatories experienced only total destruction and loss of life from anyone in the building, those in cities or more developed areas suffered a greater destruction with horrific loss of life.

The observatory in Whitethrone was the worst. With news only arriving that morning it was learned that the observatory and a significant portion of the mountain top were now nothing more than a smoking crater. The town below the observatory has been effectively destroyed by the landslide and falling rocks, demolishing or severely damaging most buildings. Out of several thousand inhabitants, only a few dozen survivors have been located so far.

It is with some trepidation that you wait patiently as the hour approaches three days hence the mysterious letter arrived.

PLEASE POST WHERE YOU ARE, A DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

Gelein is atop Maelstrom's Heart, at the highest point of the temple's tower. Upon the stone floor of the tower he scan's the surrounding area for miles. The stone archs the only obstruction from the growing alien sky.

Xara, Derric, and Hase, along with cohorts and other groupies, have met back up on the grounds of the Academy. They might as well stick together for the appointed hour. Any preferences? Maybe in an isolated place, just in case? A specially-created demiplane might work, or might be a really bad idea.

Hase was spending some time setting up a demiplane for evacuation (he doesn't know the effort is doomed). If anyone of you wants to evac people there they are welcome too. His plan is to leave his Cohort looking after it, so if you guys want to take your lieutenants Hase can ask him to look after your people too.

Sustos is still in the city of Absalom he is standing in the city square observing people and the sky in quiet contemplation, he knows something must be done about this but waits for the great minds of the world to set a plan in motion before taking any initiative but he is ready to defend the people in case demons start to pour out of the sky.

I assume there would be several large shops and office type buildings around.

ok, so some of the descriptions were a bit vague... going with what we have

Exactly three days from when you first saw the golden letter you sense something, a tingling up your back, a feeling of a presence unseen. You are unable to determine if it is malevolent or amiable, though you get the idea that either is not far from the surface.

The presence is felt as a weight on your shoulders, at first it is barely felt, and then it grows. Bearing down upon you, heavier and heavier. And just as you feel certain that your knees will buckle under the pressure it lifts suddenly.

Geleinwas enjoying his solitude upon the uppermost level of the temple he had built. In the distance he saw a bird lazily flapping its wings across the sky when he sees a haze of mist swirl into being around the top of the tower, clouding the vista before him, as if he were looking through a veil. The bird floats motionless, wings mid-flap.

Xara and Derrick have been watching as Hase spends his time creating a temporary demiplane and trying to entice people into it. Hase is listening to one citizen explain why they don't want to go into the portal when a wave of energy, barely visible, spreads out from Derrick, Hase, and Xara, as the energy flows through the man before Hase, he suddenly stops speaking mid-sentence, frozen. The wave spreads out and where each wave meets another, joins and continues to spread out. In the blink of an eye it has spread as far as any of the three could see.

Sustos found that as he stood in the city square people continued about their business, though they unconsciously maintained a space around him of about twenty feet. Most people simply ignored the stranger. One young child, a hand gripped by her parent holds a cone of shaved ice in the other and stares intently at the new armored Sustos, standing as if a statue. Sustos watches as the girl's shaved ice falls off the cone and stops in mid-air, a foot off the ground. He also sees people stopping mid-stride in an ever-expanding wave from him, as far as he can see.

Gelein rolls his eyes, he would never understand the dramatics. He guessed it was something about serving Nethys that made him harder to impress in that sense.

"Well I expect this has something to do with the letter as it is about that time."

He did not expect a reply but he cast a detection spell in case and looked around.

Where, exactly, are you looking? it's a cone

Sorry, was kind of leaving it up to Hase, since it's his demi-plane. Are we on his demi-plane, or in Korvosa urging people into the portal?

Are Fritz, Trig, and the other cohorts similarly frozen?

Points to robe of eyes, it can see in every direction, and even if it is a cone you can scan things around you until you run into something. Sense its a at will I can recast as much as needed.

Hase turns to his companions, some of the greatest arcane powers in the land
"Was that you?"
The heck? spellcraft 1d20 + 41 ⇒ (12) + 41 = 53

Seems reasonable assumption to me

"What? Like some sort of magical fart?" Xara asks, eyebrows and hackles raised.

grr, lost my post

Gelein stands upon his tower, his many eyes looking in every direction, unable to locate a source of the magics he is witnessing. It is only when he looks to himself that he sees overwhelming aura's. Squinting against the brilliance, he is able to determine that powerful conjuration and transmutation spells are at work upon himself.

****
The descriptions were, unfortunately, vague. So I moved on with what information I had. The energy wave propagates from each of you, regardless if you are on the demi-plane or material plane. Only the players are free to act and move.

Xara reaches out to try to snap Fritz and Trig out of the magical deep freeze.

"This is not good. Where's the letter we're supposed to touch?"

"HELLO???!!" she shouts to the multi-verse.

Not me, but it seems to be something like the time stop spell. But it wasn't me." Derric paused, "I wonder..." the sorcerer trailed off as he casted a quick spell, seeing what would happen if he stopped time in stopped time.

Time Stop, and don't tell me that you guys weren't thinking about it either.

Honestly I thought you would have tried mages disjunction. ;)

Hase starts casting, adding
"No, Xara. That looked like some enormous spell. I didn't cast it, and before I started panicking I wanted to check you hadn't either."
Hase casts Stilled Iron Body - his best defence spell. This *might* be an attack, after all.

@DM Fnord - Quick thought - do the spells work?

That comes second. Screwing around with physics comes first

Since everybody else seems to be testing things, Xara lets them, simply casting detect magic to look about.

Derric goes through the motions of casting Time Stop, he does not see a discernible difference as he watches Hase cast a spell, enveloping his body in iron.

Hase, until the spell ends, you don't have any respiration, therefore you can not speak verbally, which means that on top of the spell failure chance, you also can't use spells with verbal components.

Upon casting her spell, Xara identifies that overwhelming aura's of conjuration and transmutation are emanating from Hase and Derric, and herself, should she look.

Xara curses as the light of overwhelming magic nearly blinds her eyes.

"Is this what time stop is like?" Xara asks Derric. "There's some seriously powerful magic on us all. Obviously."

"Yeah, this is what it looks like, kinda." Derric replied, "I'd try to disjunction it off of us, but it could get hazy, due to the fact that it could seriously damage or destroy our stuff. Alternatively, I could try and dispel it off of us, but I might not be powerful enough to be able to break it. Our third option is to explore until it wears off. Time Stop doesn't usually last that long."

Sure - house rule for creatures with no respiration?

"Magic is a pain in my ass..."

Only a few seconds have passed since the spell's activation. Fading into view about a foot in front of you and level with your chest the translucent and golden letter reappears. As before, with a touch of your finger it unfolds.

The sign has come, an end draws near. Choose now to interfere.

The red button, three inches across, raises itself from the sheet of paper extending up an inch. At the same time, you see a feint circle appear around you, it is ten feet from you.

You do not see a letter or circle around the others (Derric, Hase, Xara).

Upon the red button the runes for the number 89 appear in glowing silver.

Xara doesn't hestitate more than a moment. "I assume you each have your own glowing, floating letters with a big red button on it?"

"Shall we push?"

With a second to hover her finger over the button, (unless somebody has some brilliant insights to stop her) she pushes.

Glein shrugs, it is what it is. He pushes the button, at least he would find the source of such nonsense as the letter.

I should add that I will need a description of what is in the circle with you...

Gelein is currently alone, unless your allowing cohorts in which case sure his is with him. ;)

Xara will certainly make sure to stand with Fritz and Trig in her little 10-foot circle, if that's what you mean, touching them if possible. If she can only touch one, she touches Fritz and tries to keep Trig close enough. Hopefully, when whatever happens happens, she can resummon Trig if needed.

I think now people be seeing why I asked for descriptions of surroundings... please take careful note that where this game is going will allow less and less opportunity for 'oops, I just posted a really quick and short response, let me rephrase that'

Well really you said not to involve cohorts early on, which is why I kept mine out of the picture. But if everyone else with a cohort has them around all the time its kinda pointless for me to be the only one following that rule you know. Not going to the only one doing without if its allowed. Etheir way I am good just need a little continuity.

Hase stands a little apart from the others, on a beautiful lush lawn (a few feet from his left foot is a "Keep off the grass" sign that he ignored.)
He reaches into his pack and pulls out the frozen body of Noiso. He regrets he didn't leave more of a message for his parents, for his friends, for Rogar - but to try to do so is to risk his invitation disappearing, and therefore risking his chance to stop the Godwar.

Hase presses the button.

Standing beside Gemmel, Derric saw the circle draw itself around him, taking in the paved pathway heading towards the academy and about a foot of grass on each side.

"This is it."the sorcerer murmured, "Time to save the world again."

Setting his shoulders, his face a grim mask, Derric reached out solemnly, reaching out to the letter. His eyes grew harder as he finished the letter, processing the red button with the shimmering numbers upon it.

Hearing Xara speak, he replied, "Yeah, interesting that I can't see it around you." Derric paused. "I suppose it's time to see how deep this rabbit hole goes. the abjurer continued, reaching out to press the large button.

I'll be damned if some gods decide that this world will be their battleground. This world is ours, not theirs. Derric thought, as his hand pushed down on the red button.

I went looking through my old posts, I couldn't find one statint to leave cohorts out of it, I did find one stating that followers would best be left as part of the background.

After a couple of seconds the silver 89 morphs to a 55. Several seconds after that it morphs again to 34...

Derric's mind raced as he tried to determine what the numbers meant. Nothing coming to mind, he called out to the other two.

"Any idea what this countdown means? It can't be anything good."

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (2) + 22 = 24

Hase, not known for his patience, presses the button a few more times, then holds it down.