Quite happy to be a shield, as he was tough by mortal standards - rice paper by the standards of the immortals, of course, but most things were, including trees and castles - Transient waited until the others decided what was happening. "Welcome, then, Leska."
As the one in front, Transient scanned the area too before marching in, because falling down a hole was funny, but awkward.
[dice=Perception]1d20+10
Krat looks at Eleven_Zee_Alpha and tilts his head slightly. "Based on what your body just seems to have done I wonder how much the hits will slow you down in the long run, but I agree that Transient seems sturdier and, as he's offered to go first, I'm happy to follow him." Looking around the cavern they are all in Krat points to the north, there looks to be an opening through there. Shall we start in that direction?
[dice=Perception to detect any dangers or objects of interest in the direction of the northwest corner of the room (and the doorway)]1d20 +9
Krat falls in next to Eleven_Zee_Alpha following Transient, keeping alert and pulling out his rapier as he goes. Leksa silently takes up a position at the rear, putting away the rope they showed the group and using his quarterstaff as a walking stick.
She nods at Krat
"I was designed to be reliant"
Is all she says. then she joins the others looksing into the gloom.
Her mechanical eyes glow blue in the dark.
"I can not see much, we should enter that space and look more"
The small party exit the dark and, yes, dark, narrow passage, to emerge onto a worked limestone floor. Looking about, they apprehend that they have entered a large square chamber hewn completely from limestone. They also notice two large doors, also made of stone, one to the right side, and one to the left, in the two corners of the room. Otherwise, there are no features of interest in the large chamber. The entirety of the stonework is covered with complex and often disturbing carvings reminiscent of those of ophiduan architecture, though apparently an earlier predecessor of the same style.
Seeing an empty room, she puts her gun away and goes to look around the space for surveillance deceives
"Stone doors, not metal ones, how odd"
She also studies the writing on the walls.
"Not my people, at least," Transient murmured, clearly pleased by that. They were nowhere near deep enough, really, but it was still a possibility. "I wonder whose people it was?"
Gleam, in response, searched it's memories for answers.
As the group enters the room Leksa looks around, trying to put a context to what they see before them.
As they gaze at the strange room they also speak to the group. "You mentioned being ready for danger earlier. Given how little I know of this place, and I assume that goes for you as well, perhaps I can help us to prepare? If you would consent I can link our minds lightly in a collective, nothing intrusive, but it might give us some advantage, or counter disadvantages, should we encounter anything which means us harm."
As the others examine the strange carvings and other features of the room, Krat makes his way cautiously to the door on the left. "I don't know what this place is, but something intentionally dug its way in here, so we need to keep an eye out for new visitors other than ourselves. I'm going to check this door for traps and any signs that it's been used recently. If you see anything unusual and aren't sure if it's going to attack you in some way, let me know. Though if it's a creature that's actively attacking that's more the department of our friend with an axe." Krat gives a quick, toothy grin at Transient.
19 Perception check.
At the Dromite's offer to form a collective, Krat narrows his eyes a little, suspiciously.
Squinting at the insectiod for a second, Krat then shrugs. "I don't know what's down here, so if you say it can help us I'm willing to give your link a try."
As the others examine the strange carvings and other features of the room, Krat makes his way cautiously to the door on the left. "I don't know what this place is, but something intentionally dug its way in here, so we need to keep an eye out for new visitors other than ourselves. I'm going to check this door for traps and any signs that it's been used recently. If you see anything unusual and aren't sure if it's going to attack you in some way, let me know. Though if it's a creature that's actively attacking that's more the department of our friend with an axe." Krat gives a quick, toothy grin at Transient.
[dice=Perception to see if anyone seems to have been in the room recently]1d20 + 8
19 Perception check.
At the Dromite's offer to form a collective, Krat narrows his eyes a little, suspiciously.
[dice=Sense Motive to determine Leksa's intention]1d20 + 8
Squinting at the insectiod for a second, Krat then shrugs. "I don't know what's down here, so if you say it can help us I'm willing to give your link a try."
"Not my people, at least," Transient murmured, clearly pleased by that. They were nowhere near deep enough, really, but it was still a possibility. "I wonder whose people it was?"
Gleam, in response, searched it's memories for answers.
[dice=Knowledge (History)]1d20+1
As the group enters the room Leksa looks around, trying to put a context to what they see before them.
[dice=Knowledge (History)]1d20 + 8
As they gaze at the strange room they also speak to the group. "You mentioned being ready for danger earlier. Given how little I know of this place, and I assume that goes for you as well, perhaps I can help us to prepare? If you would consent I can link our minds lightly in a collective, nothing intrusive, but it might give us some advantage, or counter disadvantages, should we encounter anything which means us harm."
Leksa recalls legends of the time before the Impact, the so-called 'Age of the Sorcerer-Kings'. In this time, it is said that Ksaren was visited by travelers from the myriad planes of existence, a phenomenon now almost unheard of in the current epoch: the Age of the Mind Exalted. It is said that the ancient sorcerer-monarchs imprisoned horrors from the darkest of the netherworlds for their own amusement or service. Some believe that the city that existed before Arbil was the demesne of one such diabolist, and that a vast diablerie is hidden beneath the present form of the Protectorate metropolis.
Seeing an empty room, she puts her gun away and goes to look around the space for surveillance deceives
"Stone doors, not metal ones, how odd"
She also studies the writing on the walls.
The language is some sort of archaic version of the present tongue of the Protectorate, almost as if the modern Ophiduan language were a distant descendant. Its hieroglyphic system is considerably more complicated, and only vague insinuations of its meaning can be deduced. The android is able to understand that the writing designates the chamber and the adjoining complex as a prison in a "place of power" -- the unreadable name is long and presumably designates the name of the city-state that existed before Arbil, whatever it was. Whatever its linguistic realization might be, it's probably many dozens of syllables long, and essentially unpronounceable by a human mouth. This prison contains the various dark entities that were imprisoned by the ruler of the ancient city-state, whose name, again, is unable to be extracted with the android's unsure knowledge of the ancient language.
[/Spoiler]
Seeing an empty room, she puts her gun away and goes to look around the space for surveillance deceives
"Stone doors, not metal ones, how odd"
She also studies the writing on the walls.
"This language is some sort of archaic version of the present tongue of the Protectorate, almost as if the modern Ophiduan language were a distant descendant. But a hieroglyphic system considerably more complicated. I can only vaguely insinuate its meaning and just deduced basic things. It basically designates this chamber and the adjoining complex as a prison in a "place of power" Whatever that is, context is all. Then an unreadable name, here see."
She points
"Presumably designates the name of the city-state that existed before Arbil, whatever that was. It's many dozens of syllables long, and essentially unpronounceable by most organic mouths."
She moves on and points at another bit of writing.
"This prison contains various dark entities that were imprisoned by the 'ruler' Long name again, of this ancient city-state, long name again."
She addresses the others now.
"So a long lost prison full of things, that if they get out will kill and hurt many of the citizens above. Well now we know what the old dead guy means by danger shall we go. The safe root for us would be to leave the city to its fate."
"Depends on what's imprisoned. Depends on what it can do. Depends on what it wants to do." Transient frowned. There were things that would hold a grudge simply because you could have freed them and didn't, and there were things that would try and bring about the end times for giggles. It was really funny, admittedly, but how could the laughter last if the joke ended? "The deaths of so many will draw the attention of things. We might not be able to run far enough."
She looks at Transient.
"It was a suggested course of action. Another viewpoint is that most things are just hungry. Hunger looks very like evil from the wrong end of the cutlery. So we could just be dealing with things long dead or dormant."
She looks at Transient.
"It was a suggested course of action. Another viewpoint is that most things are just hungry. Hunger looks very like evil from the wrong end of the cutlery. So we could just be dealing with things long dead or dormant."
She walks up and kicks open a door,
"You coming?"
"Seems like a plan," Transient agreed. Hopefully whatever was imprisoned was dead, shy or not interested in leaving.
She walks up and kicks open a door,
"You coming?"
The door opens into a large chamber occupied by a green-skinned brute of feral appearance. The creature snarls at the explorers as they enter, revealing a pair of large, sharp fangs.
Transient waved a hand. "Greetings! I don't suppose you happen to be able to tell us about this place?" The bulky warrior was clearly unbothered by the creatures appearance, either thanks to his faith in his opalescent armour or because some of his best friends had fangs. If he had friends.
Transient waved a hand. "Greetings! I don't suppose you happen to be able to tell us about this place?" The bulky warrior was clearly unbothered by the creatures appearance, either thanks to his faith in his opalescent armour or because some of his best friends had fangs. If he had friends.
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20+11
The creature bares its tusks again and issues a feral grunt at Transient.
It then brandishes a distinctive blade -- what appear to be twelve blades stacked, one on top of the other, and mounted on a single pommel. The weapon ends with a dozen threatening points that are coated in a dark, viscous liquid. The creature turns the blade towards Transient, but makes no further aggressive gesture. Its armor is made up of metal scales that appear to resemble the chitinous plates of an insect or crustacean. Its helmet is shaped in the image of a scorpion's head, with the creature's head contained within the insect's gaping maw.
Transient grunted, but made no move to attack either, the massive, black axe held loosely to the side for now. That looked like venom or poison, and while he was resilient he wasn't sure if this was the fun kind of poison that showed a thousand pretty colours before death or the make your blood boil kind, and it would be rude to take any until he was sure. He repeated his greeting in Dwarf, Undercommon, Goblin and, oddly, Celestial to see if this one didn't speak Common, and hoped Clear knew what it was.
Transient grunted, but made no move to attack either, the massive, black axe held loosely to the side for now. That looked like venom or poison, and while he was resilient he wasn't sure if this was the fun kind of poison that showed a thousand pretty colours before death or the make your blood boil kind, and it would be rude to take any until he was sure. He repeated his greeting in Dwarf, Undercommon, Goblin and, oddly, Celestial to see if this one didn't speak Common, and hoped Clear knew what it was.
[dice=Clear Knowledge Check]1d20+1
The creature continues in its hostile glare... and then a flash of knowing appears within its grey eyes at Transient's use of Undercommon. It responds in the same language,
Transient smiles. "He says this is the ancient diablerie of the Sorcerer King Cazmatlaloc the Dread King."
Focusing on his new friend, Transient nodded.
Transient smiles. "He says this is the ancient diablerie of the Sorcerer King Cazmatlaloc the Dread King."
Focusing on his new friend, Transient nodded.
** spoiler omitted **
Transient nodded along. Well. This was a lot to process. It seemed off that the being didn't know of the Duergar, but it probably helped here. He explained to the others, "His name is Bataar Tengi of the Orkhan, and there prophets foresaw a darkness coming for there home, apparently many miles beneath the surface. They're investigating this place because his people were in ancient times slaves to Sorcerer Queen Söğüt-Khagatan the Amber Witch, who was an ally to this place's former king, and this was a prison where he kept monsters he called to fight for him. Also, there are some constructs hunting him, and killed the rest of his party."
Eleven_Zee_Alpha just stops moving, in still mode she waits to hear more.
Transient nodded along. Well. This was a lot to process. It seemed off that the being didn't know of the Duergar, but it probably helped here. He explained to the others, "His name is Bataar Tengi of the Orkhan, and there prophets foresaw a darkness coming for there home, apparently many miles beneath the surface. They're investigating this place because his people were in ancient times slaves to Sorcerer Queen Söğüt-Khagatan the Amber Witch, who was an ally to this place's former king, and this was a prison where he kept monsters he called to fight for him. Also, there are some constructs hunting him, and killed the rest of his party."
** spoiler omitted **
The shaman foresaw some manner of darkness descending upon the land, though its exact nature I do not know, nor did he.
"OK, so generic 'the darkness is coming' prophecy." Transient supplied to the others, then paused. "Although you'd think an underground race wouldn't fear the darkness? The darkness is here. It's comfy. Does anyone have anything they'd like to ask our new friend Bataar?"
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I think everyone else gave up on this game -- if you'd like to keep playing, just write a post that gets you back to the market on the other side of the city to join table 2.
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Its just slowed to the point there was no point posting,
Stalled, which was a shame as it looked great.
Sebecloki, always love your games. Just felt checking a game not moving was getting me down is all. :(
It's fine, things don't work out for different reasons, but i am going to shut down a table at this point.