Quercus who is called 'The Thousandborn' by the inhabitants of Aelyosos due to the fact that he inhabits the town since the oldest times, resides in a small, century-old estate build high up at the north-eastern slopes overseeing Aelyosos.
The estate consist of one central Manson build from white stone, surrounded by a hip-high wall of carefully layered stones and old but well-grown trees planted in a regular distance.
A sprawling garden covers half a square kilometer of the slope behind the main house. White pillars, waterplays, pavilions and small groups of wildly different kind of trees and plants are playfully scattered around the area with walkways made of stone, flanked by overgrown pillars connecting them.
A lot of wildlife can be seen if one has the patience to settle down at one of the pavilions or the terrace on the rear of the house: birds, mice and other small wildlife make up the biggest part, but if one is lucky and particulary patient, once might also see a small herd of deer lead by a majestic white stag.
The patient and keen eye might note that several of the plants in the garden seem to be rather awake and sometimes even walk around to settle down in another spot.
He who dabbles in knowledge might recognize these plants to be of various kind of Leshys - intelligent plants once grown as servants for powerful fey but now a wildly disparate species on their own right.
Here, Quercus resides, caring for his kindred and the garden.
It is here where he invites anyone who asks for his talents, either as a Guardian or as a Diplomat to smooth over conflicts, knowing well that the calmness of his garden is the best place to talk calm and reasonable.
Aramyros was born a noble and has since followed his father's foot steps into Aelyosos' politics. He's a well-respected member of the city council that consists of the major noble and merchant families. In contrast to the typical hypocritical backroom charades that most members of an oligarchy maintain, Aramyros is famous for his integrity. His word is as strong as the Obari Ocean is deep. He is both adored and feared for his strict but fair rulings in city matters. When Aramyros rises to speak people listen and few doubt or contradict him. Nevertheless, he has no ambition to rise in power as that would eventually lead him off course in serving all Aelyososans equally. There is, of course, another reason.
A politician during the day, he serves and protects the city during the night as well. Diaphorae may have died, but the Alabaster Empress' divine power has not yet faded. Aramyros belongs to the few fortunate that may draw from it. His pledge to protect and rule just was of such honesty that he was deemed worthy. He chose to not go public, but keep his powers a secret. Thus he is able to work against evil and chaos from two different angles: An honest man of the law and a mighty warrior rooting out evil. Nobody has yet had a clue that the masked folk hero called Astrapios and the noble Aramyros are one and the same. Nobody, except his loyal aid and secretary Grammateos who will cover for him if neccessary.
The sun rises slowly, forcing out the cold of the night with the first rays of warm light showering the white houses of Aelyosos.
But soon enough, the majority of the large town still fast asleep, screaming, wailing echoes from the northern slopes echo over the sleeping town and the weak lights of the rising sun are intermixed with the shine of flames!
Whether you are awake or still fast asleep, soon a powerful mental voice springs you to action.
Some may know the voice, others may guess its origin: it is the voice of the Hero-God Kelksiomedes, deity of Aelyosos.
Hear my call, children of close and far.
Murder, theft and pillage has come to my town.
Meet me at the garden of the Thousandborn."
Aramyros was indeed still asleep. He had a long night of roaming the dark city streets. A group of lowlives had set up shop near the port and was smuggling children from far away into the city. He had put an end to this disturbance of the city's order.
With the voice in his head he was now fully awake. Within seconds he was dressed as Astrapios. He quickly wrote a note and left it in the kitchen for his aid to find.
I am needed. Probably won't make it today. Reschedule.
His aid Grammateos will see this in a few hours and will know what to do. City hall must wait today.
A tall human male with an ornated helmet arrives at the garden only minutes after the wake-up call. It seems he must have been running here and live close by.
The helmet hides most of his facial features and seems to protect his head heavily. In contrast he wasn't wearing any visible armor on his body. At least that's what the others could figure out from the cloak waving in the morning breeze.
A boat comes in to Aelyosos's port early in the morning. This is not unusual. What causes a stir is one of the passengers that disembarks from it--a massive leonine figure, who stands head and shoulders above most of the people around him, with a wild mane that runs down over his foriegn-style armor. On his back is slung a massive club ringed with bands of Elysian bronze, as well as a bow so large no normal human could fire it.
The dockhands watch nervously as he strides off the ship and looks about uncertainly, noting the huge claws at the ends of this fingers and toes. Strange things came into port here from time to time, which only meant that they were accustomed to giving them space and hoping nothing happened. Today, at least, the strange man-beast turns and starts walking into town without any incident, and they all breathe a sigh of relief.
Ktinos has not walked far when a voice speaks in his mind. Subconciously one of his hands goes to his head. Hearing voices was nothing new to him, but this was not one of the Beasts. Who was it that called him?
The Chimera within him laughs at the thought of men dying. Ktinos growls slightly, baring a large fangs and startling a passerby. Ashamed, the beast-man lowers his hand and says in a voice deep as a well, "Apologies, it was not you. Tell me, where is the Garden of the Thousandborn?"
He listens carefully to the hesitant directions given him, then strides through town, wishing to see just who it was that would speak to him.
Menophotine sleepily groans and blindly swipes at whatever had hit her on the face.
Her eyes open a crack, letting in the soft light of early morning. The light is swiftly overwhelmed by the hellfire of her own irises, projecting a promise of violent retribution upon whomever disturbs her slumber. Her gaze meets another pair of eyes mere inches from her face, cold lavender and deeply hooded. The bloody vengeance in her stare beats furiously against the impenetrable mild disinterest that can only come from a cat’s gaze, lasting only a few heartbeats before settling to a simmer. She opens her mouth to speak and
”Ye gods, I'm awake! She swipes away at the cat's paw, just too slow to stop it from battering her face a fourth time. She groggily gazes out the window and continues, ”It’s been, what, three hours at most since I got back from my patrols?”
Two and a half by my count. I don't know why that's important, the Master has summoned you.” Kelenarkios, her sleepless feline Silvanshee familiar, chastises the sleepy tiefling from his vantage point floating several inches above her sheets.
”I heard.” She lays still, staring at the cieling for a moment as she calculates how long it will likely take some of the other Pharossi to reach the Thousandborn, and how much sleep she might be able to make up in the difference.
”I’m going to drag you out of bed if you lie there any longer, child.” The cat floats demurely as Menophotine rolls her eyes and shifts up onto one elbow.
”Fine, grab my things and I will get ready.” The black cat floats off into her lab as she gets up and freshens up with a quick application of prestidigitation. As she folds and drapes a simple blue silk chiton about herself, she calls out ”You know, he’s lucky I didn't need to dip into my spells last night. I could have really been caught out here. Spent.”
The silvanshee floats back through the lab doorway carrying a flask-laden leather belt with a small rucksack attached. She takes it and fastens the blue garment around her waist with it. His mouth now free, Kelenarkios responds, ”Lucky, or unfathomably wise.”
Throwing on sandals, a dark cloak, and grabbing her horacalcum blade Hekation Crescent, soon Menophotine and Kelenarkios are out the door and walking the short distance to the gardens, two swift shadows on the early morning streets.
You approach the estate from wherever the call reached you and the smell and flickering light of fires slowly gets stronger.
It seems that a sizable fire is raging within the sprawling gardens behind the two-story manson, which lies further uphill than most buildings around.
The final approach to the house takes you over a well-used path filled with small stones.
There are others in front (or behind) you.
Some that you may know, some that are new to you.
None of them looks like your ordinary citizen ...
Behind you, in the heart of Ayolosos, the fire bells start ringing, raising the townsfolk from their beds, calling for their arms to fight the fire.
For if it is not stopped soon, it may spread over the dry hills and finally roll down into the town itself!
The Chimera:
Can you ssssmellll it, fool?
You barely arrivvvvvved, and it started already!
The world around youuuuu will alwayssssss burn...
As you turn to see who is following, you notice a powerful-build catfolk with a bestial aura and sharp eyes you never saw before - which is quite surprising giving his appearance and your ... part-time activities.
Do you know that man with that strange helmet?
The dark knight that the townsfolk insist is watching the darkest corners of the street at night?
It appears I'm just in time. Astrapios knows the estate. Not because his own is not far from here, but he knows who lives here. The Thousandborn is one of the eldest, if not The eldest member of the Pharossi. They respected each other very much, dealt with several threats together in the past. Why is there fire here? An accident? Who'd attack that old tree and think he'd get away with it?
Than he looked back to see, if other followed the call. And he saw an unsually big catfolk coming his way. Well that one's knew. But if he runs this way he must have heard the call. And that means he must be trustworthy. But better be sure. He stopped for the catfolk to approach and checked him out thoroughly. But he didn't detect any evil, which means he was right after all.
"No time to loose, introductions can be done later. Follow me this way. And welcome to Aelyosos!" The well-built human shouts at the catfolk and points toward the right side of the house. Once they reach the house and get a first few of the garden, he stops once more and speaks a short prayer to Diaphorae.
Ktinos grits his teeth and growls. Don't gloat like you started it, he thinks at the voice in his head.
He almost misses the fact that helmeted human is speaking to him due to the Chimera's distraction. He catches just enough to nod and say, "Thank you," before falling in behind him.
It's only now that he starts to wonder just how he can help fight a fire. Breathing fire at it would hardly be helpful, and he doesn't have any buckets for water--not that buckets of water seem like they would be enough for a fire of this size.
You would have passed several wells on the way.
The ocean is like half a kilometers away, so that is out of question.
Quercus garden has several small ponds in it and even small running streams - but you would not know since you were not there yet.
Ethana was sitting quietly, meditating on the roof of one of the Hero-god temples when the alert came. Immediately, her eyes slammed open, and seeing the distant flames, cursed quietly to herself, leaps off the building, and using every trick in the book, raced towards the garden at her top speed.
She arrives at the garden just moments after the others do, her mind racing into overdrive.
The young tiefling bounds up the hill, cloak flapping behind her and the large black cat loping along at her heels. She nods to Astrapios, familiar enough with him as another of the city's heros, especially those who tend to operate at night. She mentally makes a note to check up on the local gossip after all this is through to find any names that were conspicuously absent and update Astrapios's page in her notebook. She casts an apprising look at the newcomer as well, scanning his defenses and searching her memories for any stories she might have heard of such a figure.
She keeps moving as she gets to them, pulling out a wand and casting Mage Armor on herself.
The cat leaps ahead of her, urging them all onwards. "The master is waiting, let's not dally"
The call from Kelksiomedes came at a good time for Gosor on this day. The tall taurian was sitting in a small, dark corner of a common house in a small cluser of houses just outside town. His shape filled the space so and the stool he sat on groaned with his weight with each move.
The taurian had been there for the better part of 6 hours, drinking the cheap wine in a slow, measured pace. Mostly it was his excuse to be there, though he had to admit some fondness for it as well, rough though this particular vintage might be. He'd been there long enough that the other patrons had eventually stopped paying so much attention to him and had gone about their business as though he wasn't there. This is what Gosor needed.
Gosor had been following rumors for a week now. Rumors of members of a Baphomet cult here in the city itself. The latest trail had lead here and now he was sitting and listening. Playing the drunk, sulking warrior for those that came in and out, but paying close attention to anything that might lead him closer to finding and destroying Baphomet's taint.
The taurian sighed as he took one more drink. This sort of thing was much easier when he knew who had the information he wanted. Skulking about like this should be beneath him, but until he had his next lead he had to wait, watching and listening. It was driving him crazy.
And then Kelksiomedes called! There was urgency, there was a need for action. There was a present danger to deal with, not a hidden organization to try to uncover. Gosor stood, carefully ducking under the beams that he knew he would hit his head on once more if he didn't avoid, tossed a coin to the bar, mumbled his thanks, and then took off for the garden of the Thousandborn at a run.
As he came to the estate and saw the flames licking at the buildings and threatening to pour out into the countryside a chill ran down Gosor's spine. This was something important. This was something immediate. This was a chance for action! Seeing those who had arrived earlier he quickly scans the group for anyone he knows, or anyone who seems to be taking charge.
With a bellow to make sure he is heard by everyone, Gosor makes his entrance known. He is done with subtlety today. "Know now that Gosor Proudhoof has arrived to answer Kelksiomedes's call. Someone explain this fire! How are we stopping it and do we know who set it?"
Menophotine waves to the minotaur."Gosor! Glad you could make it. Still answering the call."
Kelenarkios glances at the assembled heroes, speeding towards their destination, and makes a grim face. "I'll scout ahead and report back.". At this, he flies off towards the source of the fire.
Lady Zal was sipping tea, when the voice came. The fine noble who had hired her to check he was not being cuckold by his wife, had been in tears when informed not only was she having an tryst behind his back, it was the captain of his body guard. A well strapped Half-orc who liked the use of the whip.
"Truth is my lord you fine wife is board with you. But there is hope, have the half orc killed, which I can offer as a service and build a play dungeon in you keep. Again a service I can arrange, as I know just the..."
She stopped as a voice sort to speak to her, she had her mind guards up but there was no stopping this.
After it had concluded, she stood.
"Well my lord our time is up, As I said, have a think about it and if you go for my suggestion, I will send and assassin and builder round tomorrow. Payment as normal."
And with that she ushered the Fat Nobel out the door of her office to her secretaries room.
"William show His lordship to his cartage and pack my things, I feel a new case has just come in."
William was an old balding human who she had picked up a few years back and who had stuck around. He was useful as a servant and because he slept in the office kept it safe.
"The voice mama?"
"Yes William the voice, its not often a god asks for help openly, something is up and I mean to get to the bottom of it."
Lady Zal was what was known as a 'Fixer', you had coin and you had a problem you came to see Lady Zal. In the underworld and high society of the town, come city.she was well known and respected. Note because she was feared but because she was discreet. The Sign outside her offices read.
Legal and diplomatic Adviser.
Many a Noble came to her door and may left happy with the outcome. That gave her a level of protection and freedom to operate. But she also had rules, she would not knowingly harm a child. She followed no god or cult least she upset others. And she never sold out a client. Other than that, she did what every paid the best. And right now a god was asking for help, and that meant opportunity.
Lady Zal looked prim and proper, her clothing a simple uniform, the only weapon she seemed to have a dagger in one boot. She had the look of an under-elf, white hair dark skin, which if one looked close has a fine tracery of power throbbing in it. As lady Zal got close on her carriage to the Grove of the Thousandborn. She spotted flame and smoke. Other rushing ahead. She banged on the carriage roof.
"Stop Ill get out here please"
She said passing coin to the driver and vacating her seat out the door and as she did, a pair of force wings sprouted form her back. She leaped into the air. As she did she pulled a small Crystal from her belt and throw it ahead of her. She flow away then stopped and came back, flying with her as she flow up.
::"I want you to go scout ahead, go see where center point of the conflagration is and report back understood"::
::"Understood"::
Her psicyral sent back, and shot off into the dark.
Lady Zal looked down, to see who had also come.
She know most of the faces below, spotting Gosor and Menophotine.
Well, well,what are they up to.
There was no point shouting from where she was, just to much noise from below. So she sent to there minds instead.
::"Well, well Gosor, Menophotine nice to see you once again. So any idea whats in the 9 Hells is going on? Holy ****!! that's a big cat person, sorry... did not mean to send that last one. So any ideas."::
A smile splits Gosor's face as he recognizes friends. "Good to see we've got doers here. Menophotine, Lady Zaz, Ethana. I think I saw the feline one following Astrapios as they entered the complex. One can only assume that Quercus is around here somewhere as it's his estate. Unless we hear that they need help in there we'd best see what we can do to stop this fire from spreading to the city. A fire in the city's worse than almost anything we could have here."
Gosor looks around to see if there are any obvious solutions and swears some at the dry terrain around him. His training from years as an officer on the Fleeting Gull and in the town milita way back in Kospathos kick in quickly though as he attempts to organize those who have arrived to help. "Back on the Gull, Captain Bestor would have called down a torrent to deal with this, but it's a trick he never taught me. If any of you can get water here in quantity and quickly, do so. The same for anyone who can get the wind blowing away from town. If you can, tell us what help you need.
"Those that can't, we should see if we can make a fire line. Let's start clearing out at least a 10 foot line of all major vegetation and buildings between the estate and the town."
Ktinos feels almost overwhelmed by all that is happening at once, wary of these new people, especially the one speaking in his mind. He had enough voices in his head already. He notes the minotaur with some surprise, not accustomed to someone towering over him.
"I know not, though if there are large things for holding water and a nearby stream I could carry a great deal," he responds to said minotaur's demand.
Rushing from all over Ayolosos, our heroes heed the call of the Hero-God of this flourishing city and arrive at a place of chaos and disorder.
The main door of the estate is closed fast - so you follow round the house to get to the fires in the sprawling garden behind it.
The view is a shock for everyone who was here before. The well-cared-for garden lies in ruin, flames spread from at least a dozen different areas, several pillars and pavilions are toppled and the inhabitants (animal and plants alike) are fleeing the grounds - if they still can. Several Lechys are passing you during the approach, wailing in terror.
And with good reason!
In the center of the scene, a huge wingless drake of a deep brown colour is thrashing around in what can only be described as a mad fury! It's claws bury deep into the earth, to dislodge walking stones and throw them dozens of meter through the air where they crash with terrible force.
It snaps its sharp maw at unseen things around it and the long tail is whipping around like a thorny, 20 feet long whip.
Mid-snap, the drake suddenly freezes and its pitch-black eye focuses on you...
This is a splinter drake.
It's not a real drake but in fact a plant creature which is fiercely territorial and possesses great strength and a powerful breath weapon of poisonous thorns.
As you get closer you recognize this shape.
It is one of the favourite plant shapes of Hortulanos Vetos - one of the high priests (actually high druid) of Kelksiomedes!
Can it truly be him???
The group ran around the house partly focussing on the task ahead, partly greeting and organizing each other.
At the site of the chaos and the strange creature in the middle they halt. "Whoever thinks he can, should take care of the fire not spreading. The rest follow me!"
"Splinter drake! Watch the thorns, they're poisonous! It may be High Druid Vetos."
Menophotine moves up 30 feet and casts shield. As as swift action, ddhe spends an arcane point to enhance her weapon to +2 keen. Kelenarkios joins her and casts guidance on her.
Ktinos hesitates a moment as the Lion surges within him at the thought of fresh prey, struggling to stay in control of himself.
Ethana charges in, eyes focused on the thorn drake (or shapeshifted druid, apparently?), but her attention is still enough that, with a little prodding from Minavra's guidance as the angel rested on her head as a helmet. Crossing the vast distance in the blink of an eye,
she rears back her spear, magical runes flaring along the head, enchanting it even more, and drives it into the hide of the drake.
On her head, as she goes to strike, Minavra uses her powers to grant Ethana extra vigor.
The drake roars deafening as Ethanas spear bites deep into its bark-skin protecting the long neck.
Initiative:
[32] Menophite - moved 30, cast shield and enhanced weapon
[26] Ethana - ran 200ft in less than 10 sec and poked a drake in the face
[11] Astrapios - moved 60, cast haste
[11] Drake - sliced for 35, ???
[06] Ktinos
[??] Gosor
[??] Lady Zal
"Anybody seen Quercus?"
Gosor measures the distance with his eye as he watches Ethana's burst of speed. Nodding he shouts to everyone "I'll work on the fire for now, but if that might be High Druid Vetos we should try to calm him down and check for enchantments before killing him!"
Turning his attention to the fire, Gosor moves to the boundary of the burning zone closest to the path to town and prepares the gestures and chants necessary to call forth a downpour on the edge of the flames, hoping to halt the blaze's progress.
Spends 1 inspiration
Lady Zal is to high and had to fly down over the subject.
yes is was a plant drake, but where was its owner.
"Hold your fire, Look at it, it's reacting to something other than us. It's troubled by unseen things, so subdue it"
Gosor takes a few quick steps to the right and calls down a few gallons of water directly onto a fully-lit tree, causing thick fumes of smoke and vapor to rise all around it.
While effective, he gets the feeling that this is a heracles fight he has lost before starting. With more than a dozen big and several small fires over an area of several hundred square meter, the small amount of water he can produce will likely not suffice.
With a bang of remembrance you remind yourself that there are a couple of clerics of Kelksiomedes in town that are tasked to fight fires with powerful, wide-ranging weather-controlling spells.
Once the fire bells have started ringing, those clerics will soon arrive at the place of fire and start their conjunctions to call a down a powerful rain.
From your high vintage point, you get a rather clear picture of the full scope of the devastation brought to this place.
To you, the fire and destruction has a clear point of origin: a (now destroyed) pavilion in the midst of the garden.
All around this pavilion, pillars are toppled, fires are burning and the tracks of the drake are imprinted deep in beds of flowers and beside pools of disturbed water.
The two dozen or so areas filled with roaring flames are located in a seemingly random area within a few hundred feet around the pavilion.
Your trained mind also notices a disruption in this pattern.
Three dots of brightly burning plants are outside the roughly circular area of devastation and in a more or less straight line towards the ocean.
Looking back towards the town, you can see a large group of persons rushing towards the estate.
Most are still in simply tunics and on bare foot, but some clearly wear the uniforms of the town guard and a small group of elderly people seem to wear blue-coloured clerical robes.
The drake thrashes wildly and snaps and claws against the spear-wielding offender in front of him!
HP: base 238, reduced to 200-35=165
+ acid maw + poison
Its snapping maw and one of its lethal thron-claws catch the agile fighter and sharp pain runs through her. Seconds after the bite, her body starts to feel dizzy.
End of Round 1 / Start of Round 2
Initiative:
[32] Menophite - moved 30, cast shield and enhanced weapon
[26] Ethana - ran 200ft in less than 10 sec and poked a drake in the face, took 20 damage, 4 acid damage, poisoned, ongoing acid damage for rounds
[20] Gosor - moved 30 ft, starts firefighting
[13] Lady Zal - flying sentry
[11] Astrapios - moved 60, cast haste
[11] Drake - sliced for 35, clawed&bit Ethna
[06] Ktinos - still up
Menophotine moves up 60 more feet (total 90) and uses barroom brawler to also learn Shapeshifter's Foil. As a swift action, she Scouts the Drake:
Kelenarkios flies off to find the nearest animals fleeing the area and asks them (speak with animals) "When did that creature get here? Have you seen Quercus? Has there been anyone else here?"
Having had time to get himself under control (and get the benefits of haste), Ktinos considers his options. He sees how the drake is acting oddly, and thinks he might be able to aid with subduing it by calling on the strength of the Beasts.
Focusing his will, he calls upon the size and strength of the Lion, the wings of the Griffon, and the speed of... well, all of them put together, just about. He swells to four times his normal height as a pair of massive eagle wings burst from his shoulderblades.
he roars above the din of combat as he races to reach the drake.
You halt a small Sunflower lechy which tries to get away from the sound of battle with a horrified expression carved into her yellow-and-black face.
"Please help us, mamsel.
HE stole the seed!
HE stabbed the gardener in the back!
SHE threw fire from the sky and laughed at us!"
The Griffon:
"You better use those wings I gave you, or you felt them the last time for today!"
The Lion & The Chimera in surprising union:
"Bite it! Rend it! Best it! Drink from it!"
Round 2
Initiative:
[32] Menophite - talking to a frightened sunflower lechy
[26] Ethana - ??? (poisoned, ongoing acid)
[20] Gosor - ???
[13] Lady Zal - ??? (flying)
[11] Astrapios - ???
[11] Drake - ???
[06] Ktinos - ??? (grew outrageously big)
The Silvanshee agathion will attempt to calm the leshy down diplomatically. . "It's okay, we're here to stop them and set things right....hey...calm down?!
Astrapios was equally impressed by the huge cat that just overtook him on the rush towards the planty dragon. What happened to Vetos? Is he possessed? Enchanted? Who could do that with a seasoned druid like him? And where the hell was Quercus? Many questions rushed through his head. "Gosor and Lady Zal are right! And stay close to me!" He confirmed shouting.
He moved another 60 ft. and then halted again. "Holy Diaphorae lend me your protection!" Suddenly, from nothing, a large, brightly shining owl with angelic wings appeared in the sky. Its light shining stronger than the burning garden. It surged towards Astrapios and seemed to meld with him.
Ethana tries to block the drake's thrashing on her shield, but finds herself overwhelmed.
She responds with a desperate flurry of blows, throwing everything she has at the drake before withdrawing and composing herself.
Gosor frowns at the progress being made by his water. Although his concentrated downpour is having a very local effect, it's clear that he isn't going to stop the fire alone. On the other hand, not fighting the fire would let it spread even more and that's not acceptable either.
As he glances over at the conflict with the drake he sees that the others are either engaged with it or nearing it quickly. Shaking his head in the dual frustration of the clearly losing battle with the fire and not being in the fight with something he could hit with his fauchard, the taurian grits his teeth and continues his fire fighting attempts. Some days you don't get to do the things you'd like to do.
"I'm going to slow the fire's spread as much as I can while you deal with the drake, but we'll need a better solution than me on this front, and we'll need it soon!"