Lucien drops the wounded creature as it flies upward.
Terex invisibly follows the gargoyles into the air, but he doesn't break his stealth just yet, not wanting to be their sole target.
Gift steps back.
"Spider Stairs"
Spider stood up then walked to the stairs and started up them.
8 tones of metal,
Gift walks behind it, using Spider as a shield she points her weapon at a gargureal and fires. Then hides behind under spider,
Slowly they move up the stairs.
"I'm heading up come if you want some fun"
Spider Mech halts at the base of the stairs (or after the first step caves in), realizing the ancient stone stair case is too weak to support it (it could attempt to get up the cliff face itself but there's a risk of falling, climb 27, since the cliff face isn't that strong either).
Two of the three remaining gargoyles throw rocks at the party (which land too wide to do damage). And then all three take cover on an outcropping near the stairs, at about 150' height. You hear a gargling, jeering noise from them.
Rollo cast Ice Storm in the gargoyles' hiding area.
Rollo thinks to his friends.
I shall turn invisible. Gather around me and I shall Dimension Door us to the dig site.
The dwarf attempts to fall back to Rollo without triggering attacks of opportunity.
Lucien keeps eyes on the gargoyles, but moves in close to Rollo.
"Spider home"
She says and ports herself to the dig site before the others.
::"I'll scout see you there"::
and she is gone.
While spider turns and runs off home.
The next round, Rollo will be able to Dimension door anyone not already there to Garmond's target and at that point the gargoyles break free of the web and flee along the cliffs to the North
Once at the small level area, Garmond consults an instrument like an astrolabe, takes out a small silver shovel and digs a hole two feet deep. At that point, he take out a shovel, digs a hole about two feet deep and remove a mithral case apparently buried there some time previously.
Opening the case, he displays a set of obscure and elaborately forged and decorated silverware; forks with two or six tinges, spoons with strange holes and so-forth. "The last set of Valdoxian cutlery, several eon old. Lady Rospail will be quite pleased - and my rivals will be dismayed. I will return now, thank you friends. "
(At that point, <sparkle> gives Terex a sensation these cliffs are honeycombed with little gates, mostly to obscure, "dead" planes and dimensions...)
You then climb or dimensional down to the ground and Garmond lead back to an area near the park at Ambramber Alley. Here, he offers you 5,000 gp worth of platinum for your aid and say "My lady Rospail said she may invite Rollo and friends to discuss his exceptional planar knowledge. She is unpredictable, so I cannot promise anything. But be ready."
Having nothing else immediately to do, you return home to the sports complex, where a small late summer barbecue is happening. The night is pleasant, the air smells of jasmine.
Later in the evening, the party receives a message from Boreneas through his soul gem, "Joven Gondalfos has resurrected Cindera! To tell the truth, he seems to be acting in a more and more unpredictable fashion. He's talking of sending the heroes of Žemėia to fight another group as some sort of sport. You may wish to come soon to see what you can do. This inner level is strange but I may be able to guide.."
Curious, Terex lingers behind the rest of the group, and explores around a little with <Shimmer>, seeing if he can identify any reason for the odd gates in these cliffs.
*****
Once back at the sports complex, Terex seeks out an opportunity to chat with Armaund.
You hadn't been off your home plane before you joined us, right, Armaund? the little dragon asks. What do you think of it? Myself, I almost think it's strange how many things are the same as much as how many are different between planes.
*****
So how do we want to approach this? I don't think we're going to just sit around and let Joven play around with Arlo's people like it's a game... right? Terex asks after the message from Boreneas comes through. Myself I'd say let's try to stealthily infiltrate now, but... that might be easier for me than some of you.
So how do we want to approach this? I don't think we're going to just sit around and let Joven play around with Arlo's people like it's a game... right? Terex asks after the message from Boreneas comes through. Myself I'd say let's try to stealthily infiltrate now, but... that might be easier for me than some of you.
Arlo sits down and thinks to the group. "I'm not going to say that I don't want to save these last Heroes of Žemėia. If, as a group, we were able to rescue them restored, The Organization could have several agents almost as good as me, but these restored individuals just as much have a right to live a normal life after this fiasco as anyone else. But I've been in The Organization long enough to know 'The Mission Comes First'. If Terex wanted to do some recognizance, and thinks he can succeed, I say go for it. Good intel is always welcome.
At the cliff: After exploring the cliff for a short time, Terex realizes the area is one manifestation of an interplanar phenomenon known as "The Wall". This is essentially area in which the detritus of 1000s of worlds is compressed and gradually expelled - an endless archeological site. It seems quite possible this could be the source of the souls that ghosts barter on the sublevels...
Back at the sports complex: Armaund folds his hands behind his head and considers Terex' question. "Certainly this place is strange... Let me see, I began in the mountains, of the world of the Oomsatta. There, the dragons were aware of the many worlds and the highest mages among us traveled between them. But there, I failed to defend my land and was cast off into the world of the human, taking human form for so long I had nearly forgotten my nature when you first met me... In my time as a human trader and explorer, I saw much of the world beyond the mountains and the Free Lands... this is stranger than all that but it is a natural continuation of my adventures. And I read the Organization's manuals each night, they are quite instructive...I have much to learn but I'm quick study. Our situation is a riddle but what's better than a good riddle. What I'd like is a large fire but I feasted before I came so I won't be hungry for a year or two."
Gift ports up and finds a post to shoot from, but then the others came and the fight was over. The others worked to just some spoons out the ground. But Gift was fascinated by the portals in the clifts.
Terex and his little ball seem to have found something. And with a little joint work, she tags along with him.
::"Dad, I'm staying with Terex a while, to explore the gates and area here. Mum will want all the data I can get on this place for research."::
She suspected Garmond's little astrolabe did a similar thing to her own internal psionic powers. So she brought up her full array of powers and starts to investigate. Looking for other artifacts that had come through the gates to lost planes. She suspected something and wanted to work out of her suspicions were right. After all her mother had given her an investigating mind not dissimilar from her own.
She calls over to Blue.
::"Hay Blue!, Me an Terex are having a look at these Portals, you want to come to have a look what's on the other side of some?"::
She has a big grin on her face.
Detect Psionics/magic - Aura Sight - Empathy [Which also works with AI and constructs for her] + Planar Travel [if needed] Vacuum and cold do not bother her + Adapt Body if needed.
If she finds a gate leading to anything other than an empty or too hostile plane she will step into it and have a look around. Hoping the others do the same.
Rollo defers to Arlo in this mission, as it has advanced to personal for the dwarf. The dhampir will confer with Armaund about his findings around the city.
I am up for Terex and Blue scouting out the next move. I can cast Heroism on you both before you go.
Arlo nods at the dhampir. "Your cover is the best meaning of gaining entrance to the Gondalfos estate. Lord Rollo has established a reputation of the outlandish. Let's use it."
Lucien nods to Rollo. "Fine by me." Then he joins Gift and Terex. "Sounds fascinating. Let's see where they lead!"
"The Wall" is fairly well known to those versed in the lore of the many worlds and each section is known to be different. Once you hold the globe within 100', <Sparkle> is able to open up the variety of gates that just below the surface of the structure - exploring is fairly quick process. You spend the afternoon and scan ten planes - they're different style of limitless storage area. One has nothing but stack clothing and magazines, another has bureaus and bureaus of strange but not terribly valuable curios in an endless maze of underground passage. And so forth. The high-point of your findings is a series of grooved music disks wherein a variety of haunting and inspiring melodies are recorded - GIFT is able to decode the arcane technology (but you can keep a variety of miscellaneous things if you wish).
So it seems it is indeed hard to find the parts of The Wall where more interesting objects and individuals exist and you recall that some legendary characters have lifetimes attempting to extract secrets from the structure. Indeed, the Organization's manual gives some notes about avoiding obsession with the thing. But for the next assignment, you're attempted to request an expedition exploring it more widely.
But eventually, you tear yourselves away and return to the Sport Complex where the rest of the planning can happen.
Terex is curious at first about "The Wall", but it doesn't take him long to start growing sad. This is the ruins of so many planes, so many people's lives... soon after he starts encouraging the others to leave with him.
************
You know, Armaund, I've been curious about that. What's it like, eating fire? I've seen dragons from many different planes but your home was the first where I'd encountered dragons that do that. In fact, that's one of the things I find interesting with the planes--there are dragons everywhere!
He pauses a moment, then adds, The interesting thing is, on a lot of planes dragons, for all our strengths, are in decline compared to the humanoids.
************
What I'd suggest is that we all go to the inner level, then Blue and I can scout ahead a bit and come back to get you when we have a good idea of which way we're going, Terex suggests.
Gift is like Terex fascinated at first but then gets a little bored, walking around what seems the be the multiverse's junk shop. Then she comes upon the disks. And at once has found something she likes. A teenage girl and music. It does not take her long to work out the sound is encoded into the wave-like structures in the groves. With some scrap and a little work, she is able to craft a player to transpose quickly the disk contents to her PDA. Soon music was playing, as she read some magazines she had found.
When they go she takes a lot of items with her, stocking up Spiders hold with this and that. Some clothing, magazines, and other odd items of Kipple from now dead planes.
===============
Later she comes down to be with the others as they plan.
She has a new set of clothing while shopping and a new sonic pistol in place of her bulky force blaster. Holstered on her hip. She goes and sits on a window ledge, earphones on, she looks at the city. Seemingly lost in her own thoughts. while the others make plans.
After a night of discussion, the party determines that they have the resources to make their way through the Inner Level to the Gondalfos Manor, where Terex and Blue can attempt closer observation. The gem you retrieved from Hanlo Este's desk will serve once you get the activation phrase, which Rollo in a fit of inspiration guesses. Looking at Boreneas strange map and considering all the cryptic hints you've gotten, you plot possible courses towards the manor, depending on where you emerge.
The next evening (going at night, hoping for stealth), you set out to gate next to the small park in Ambramber Alley. Once <sparkle> activates the gate, you enter and the same Crystaline dwarf is still at the same table. In the same bland, neutral voice he states the conditions of entry and you activate the "Great Gem" and he makes a gesture that sends you through to the Inner Level...
Looking around, you are greeted by a different, mostly deserted, older city - it's all paths, overgrown gardens, little stone buildings, strange monuments, small trees growing from cracks in the stone and similar things - only the occasional elf or fey-human, in various livery, can be seen. The sky is filled with stars and the moon is high in the sky. Looking around in the moonlight, you also sense something strange... and <sparkle> shows first Terex and then the group a different view of this level - here, multi-color ectoplasm hangs low like clouds or fog and a multitude of spirits and demi-spirits can be seen. Some hurry about, notably including ghosts from the sublayers of the Great Gambling hall. Other spirits loiter in groups, smoking and huddled around spirit fires...
Orienting yourselves and consulting the map, you're soon fairly certain about the direction to Gondalfos Manor and set off. Moving as unobtrusively as possible.
However, moving through an especially shadowy park, a group of what appears to be unemployed ghosts or half-ghosts move to accost you. You sense their from maybe 250' away - they're moving too quickly to evade (~ 90') but you can take other measures... And from this distance, they are able to send thoughts. "We see you have no livery... There will be only a small toll... just a sliver of soul from a couple of you...
Earlier Terex with Armaund: Armaund sits back and blows a smoke ring, "What is eating fire like? He considers. "In human form, my dragon part is far from me. I remember it is perhaps like this human 'smoking' of tobacco, yet with only the stimulation and never a let down. My people are strongly aligned with fire and earth, it seems fitting we should consume these for our existence... what do these other dragons you know of consume? As for decline... as you recall, our people are a primal people, created with the world, we naturally decline in number while the humans and even Oomsatta multiply... thankfully, time itself means less to us..."
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However, moving through an especially shadowy park, a group of what appears to be unemployed ghosts or half-ghosts move to accost you. You sense their from maybe 250' away - they're moving too quickly to evade (~ 90') but you can take other measures... And from this distance, they are able to send thoughts. "We see you have no livery... There will be only a small toll... just a sliver of soul from a couple of you."
"You sad fu<kers obviously don't know who your fu<king with!" Arlo snarls, drawing his holy longsword. "Leave us be or we'll leave you in slivers!"
As the group is allowed to pass by the Crystalline dwarf is still at the same table. In the same bland, neutral voice he states the conditions of entry, Rollo stop to whisper in his ear.
A dwarf with such talents idly sitting about a small room as a gate keeper seems to be lower than warranted. How about you consider a change of employment?
He hands the dwarf an Organization business card and winks.
Great benefits also!
Walking the path through the park, the dhampir smiles at the peacefulness of it all.
Seems such a shame destroying all this.
He grins.
As the Park Patrons approach their group, the Sage smiles at Arlo's response to their business offer.
You boys should consider, perhaps, retiring for the evening. This is not the group you're looking for.
The shiftless ghosts first beg, threaten again and then shuffle away with only few other spirits taking notice. By this time, the party has got a hang of Boreneas' map and the spirits approach and you are able to navigate fairly easily to Gondalfos Manor.
Looking from an conveniently concealed vantage point, you see an elaborate stone and metal complex. There's a single, large central building as well as a series of walls and long, lower outbuilding. All buildings have strange fluting, carving, inlay and designs, a vast variety with a vague central theme. The carvings, notably, show scenes apparently from a wide of planes; demons, spaceships, magic and so-forth mingle freely.
The central building appears to be actively guarded and patrolled by a number of ghost-guards, of a sort you feel certain have life-sense. There are a few windows but these are barred and may also be closely watched. But the outbuildings seem less guarded and could be more easily scanned.
You are able to mentally communicate with Boreneas through this process. However, it becomes clear that a large portion of the humanoid inhabitants of the this inner plane believe the illusionary surface you saw when you entered. And this includes Boreneas, who is somewhat baffled by the manor. Still, you are able to determine that he is in one of outbuildings and the resurrected heroes are somewhat nearby though he's not sure of their exact location. Also, he comments that the heroes may be pitted against another group on the day of a festival, about two and half weeks from now.
Armaund, at one point, asks Boreneas if Joven refers any location where a lich's phylactery or undead materials might be kept and Boreneas says he occasionally makes references to visiting "the crypt" though he's not sure where that is. You consider your options...
What do you mean, time means less to you? Terex asks Armaund. Are you just referring to how long big dragons like you live, or is there something more to it? There's just a hint of bitterness in the phrase 'big dragons like you'.
******************
Terex is, again, radiating anger at the sights around him. This whole plane is rotten to the core! he telepathically snarls. When we're done with our mission we should find a way to tear this whole thing down! Trading souls and enslaving ghosts! Accompanying these thoughts are images of the buildings around the group in flames.
The rest of the group can still feel him seething as they arrive at the Gondalfos Manor. With difficulty the little dragon focuses himself on the here and now. Since we probably can't just tear this whole place down, we should start by looking around the areas we can get to without being detected. Maybe start with the northeast building?
The dhampir smiles at Terex.
Perhaps, we secure our objectives; then we come back for our vacation.
"Yes, that's not a bad idea. This whole place is...unsettling." Lucien says, looking around a bit nervously.
Somewhat unsettled by the general area, Blue and Terex begin searching the accessible parts of grounds of The Gondalfos Manor complex, finding Boreneas' quarters and then expanding from there in an effort to find the twelve heroes Boreneas described retrieving. Carefully and stealthily entering a succession of store rooms, you find first a first all manner of interplanar memorabilia and curios (some things of value or historical interest but no powerful magic). Finally, you able to find seven of twelve individuals. They are being kept in a luxurious if sealed set of suites, bordered on all sides by walls of force - it being night, they seem to be sleeping.
At that point, you return to the group, only a little extra time before dawn here, at which point hiding will become considerably harder. So with any last minute actions, you return home.
As they got ready to go, Gift took a copy of Spiders AI core and placed it into her whist comms unit. Then picked up her sonic pistol, strapped it around her waist. slinging a jacket on she went to join the others.
=========
As they passed by the odd dwarf she popped a chunk of gum into her mouth and started to chew.
=======
Then when they passed faced off to the ghosts she stood just behind her father, fists up and ready.
Powers Running
--:Conceal Thoughts [Incarnated Power]
--:Detect Psionics/magic [Incarnated Power]
--:Detect Teleportation [Incarnated Power]
--:Know Direction and location [Incarnated Power]
--:Internal Armor 11pp. +9AC [Exstended power] [11 hours] [Enhancement
--:Environment-shield 24 Hours [Always used] mins [7pp = See power]
Terex doesn't draw the heroes' attention, though it would be simple to telepathically communicate with them in spite of the defenses. Once back with the others, he 'says' I'd like to return and try to identify these crypts before we move. We're going to want to hit all of our objectives at once, so we'd better get an idea of where the phylactery is before we try anything
So, the digests findings at the Gondalfos Complex, considering the organization of the area and where the historical items were placed. While you have a certain feeling phylactery and a couple of the heroes may be in the very well guarded inner keep.
In communicating with Boreneas, he's usually in his quarters, tasked now by Jovan with writing a complete summary of his life in Žemėia and his betrayal of the plane. Jovan asking him to describe his inner turmoil in detail. The process sends the ex-chancellor into a deeper state of depression, where aiding may be all that's keeping him sane. Occasionally, though, he is taken into the main house for various formal tea ceremonies the various Gondalfos engage in.
Effectively, you're waiting for the formal summons to the Manor that may come from Garmond. However, on the fourth day, a paper airplane flies through an open window at quarters in the Sports Complex and lands on Rollo's desk. After carefully and cautious examining the thing, you open it to find a note: "Dear friends, I have discovered a number of things you may find interesting concerning the family. I would share them with you but I must ask a favor from you - please come and rescue me. I am being held at 152 Driftwood Street, in the basement. Come and release me and I shall reveal much. (signed) Rea" So your old aquitance Rhea has surfaced, after the month you've been here.
A bit of investigation shows 152 Driftwood Street is a small, apparently deserted building in the docks, on the opposite side of Syranix from the Sport Complex.
Gift spends days exploring the city, her classes were dull and done before lunch. The current form of spider was not really what she wanted. He was just too bulky for a city. Soon she was burning the midnight oil working on him as a new design. Popping out and picking up this and that with the money they had gotten. She did seem to be spending a lot of time at the cliff they had found. picking up odd bits and bobs of junk. She invites the others outside to see the latest incarnation of Spider.
She seems very proud of the pile of junk hoving above their heads.
As the party observes the old building found on the note, Armaund says, "If the Rhea person is being held here, I would be willing to help rescue her - but we should also be careful to avoid any traps. Actually, if it is a trap, we may discover something about who set it. I sense that the ground floor is deserted but what's in the basement is another matter. Shall we proceed? Blue or Terex are our investigators, right?"
I'll go take a look around. With my expanded range, I might even be able to keep in touch with you the whole time!
Terex cautiously enters, wary of traps, and looks around the first floor.
Rollo immediately upon reading the missive from Rhea; furiously finds his companions to lead a rescue!
Rollo casts spells on the party as they entertain the vision of the targeted building by the docks.
Terex carefully investigates the first floor of the small outbuilding. It's a single 30' x 30' room. It seems harmless - a variety of sails, ropes and equipment. It seems that the basement can be reached by a trapdoor but with appropriate caution, the group finds a small hole in the floor and manages to view the basement without entering (the basement has the same dimensions).
And you see ... a cage with a young woman inside, apparently reading by mage light (looks like Rhea). On the floor around the cage, you can see painted a series of interlocked squares and triangles, with various runes and the runes seem to extend to the ceiling. So the location does seem like a magical prison - anyone opening the basement door would certainly summon ... something. However, you notice that the magic misses a few floor boards of the ceiling so it would be possible for Terex (or Minna or anyone small sized) to enter the area with triggering the magic (unless they touched a solid surface).
Gift ports to the top of the redesigned 'Spider', pulling the top hatch up, she drops in. the hatch closes and she bobs along with the group in her flying mini-sub.
Once at the house she goes to hight and drops her mini spider drops at key overlooking sites around the area. from some 200' feet up she comms link down to the others by means of the rings.
"Surveillance in place, and the area look normal. You're safe to proceed in."
She waits as they do, feeding to her dad info on what's going on around the house.
Okay, so if we go through here... Terex telepathically points out the possible entry. Actually, let me go through first, I should be able to handle this.
Carefully prying the boards in question up, Terexaltherin slips into the basement and sets to work disabling the magical defenses.
After a bit of fumble and then proceeding slowly, Terex is able to disable the device for, he estimates, ten rounds.
You just to break the bars. Rhea has not been alerted to your presence.
Rollo watches for anything approaching the building that Terex and Rhea are occupying.
The spider drones fanned out off the flying deployment drone. Gift in her flying-Mini-sub looked at the small black and white oil lens screens, showing what each Drone could see.
Her feet up and chawing some gum she flipped a small knob-like switch from a toaster.
One of her Dones dropped onto Rollo's shoulder. Made itself and home and from a little speaker inside it, her voice came.
"My Lord, do you think you could scan the area for scrying-magics. I just have a feeling something is off here, and I can't detect that kind of thing."
200 feet up she flipped the swish off and leaned back in her webbing seat.
Lucien stays by the door to the outside, watching for anyone responding to their entry, anyone watching the building, or just anything out of the ordinary.
As the party members outside the building observes carefully, when Armaund hears the Terex has disabled the spell, he carefully pries open a floorboard and then attempts to wrench open the cage, succeeding after a couple tries.
As Armaund approached to open the cage, did you the head of a bird on Rhea?
As this is happening, the character outside notice the sound like a group of people and GIFT's drone observes a group of twenty sailors, each with the head of a bird and human-like body, walk out of a back alley and into view, apparently headed your way (they're coming from the bottom on map).
Once Rhea is on the first floor, she whispers "we should leave quickly, I believe the Sandrazians will soon come for me" (Armaund would mention telepathically that maybe Rhea is a shapeshifter but he thinks it really is her).
Terex does feel like the whole thing was just a bit too easy, so he's not surprised when those outside report people coming.
He also notices something odd about Rhea. While it doesn't seem impossible that she was hiding something like being a shapeshifter, it does seem awfully suspicious...
It seems like there's a pretty good chance this is a trap, but we still need to know how and why, Terex 'says', making sure to exclude maybe-Rhea from the conversation. There's definitely something off about Rhea. I think I saw her looking different for just a moment. Regardless we do need to move quickly.
The little dragon fires off a brief thought to <Shimmer> to make sure there isn't any planar strangeness going on here before turning his telepathy to maybe-Rhea. So how did you get captured? Why are these guys after you?