what is the purpose of battling each other when neither can effect any change? You can't destroy him it seems and he can't destroy you. If we take the diamond and do good with it, what will you do then when both sides have nothing to fight over?
I don't want to kill him. He's my brother.
The Goblin placed the diamond in a belt pouch and sits down cross-legged, looking up at the door.
Hmm... brother. Hargro... can tell me 'bout this place?
With the expansion of the Empire (City State of the World
Emperor, otherwise known as Viridistan) and the extension
of her protection to other, less ominous trade routes,
Redmoon Pass has become frequented only by ignorant,
wayward or weather driven travellers who fear the whim of
the elements more than they dread the terror of old legends.
Situated centrally in the pass, the tiny village of Mitra's Fist
appears to be a haven from the many storms that stalk
wayfarers in the high mountain reaches. Even so, the wise
and knowing do their best to avoid Mitra's Fist, better known
as "Mitra's Curse".
Legend and Church history relate that it is nigh unto fifteen
centuries since the patriarch of Law and Good, Mitra,
established a sanctuary in this mountain pass. Tales were
told of his holiness and many pilgrims sought the wise man
to be healed and blessed. He was indeed a living Saint.
Near the end of his mortal years, it became his task to
lead a holy crusade against worshippers of the snake demon,
Set, destroying the demon's mortal form and routing his
army of evil. However, as a result of the encounter, Mitra
also died.
It was not long before pilgrims once again came to the
sanctuary seeking healing and blessing. Mitra's former
assistants began to call on their mentor's name, finding
power in it. Soon, Mitra's hermitage became the first temple
of the god Mitra. As the centuries fled by and the religion
spread, the founding place was not forgotten. Devotees
erected a tall, ornate, White Tower over the place where the
crumbling first temple once stood. Temple rites were
conducted by a High Priest and his entourage of patriarchs.
Not only humans, but also good creatures could often be
found waiting faithfully on the now ascended god.
After the battle, a millennium passed before Set, no longer
a demon, but a god of evil, saw fit to attack the birthplace of
the religion that opposed his.
On an overcast lightless night, a mighty tower of black
stone from the abyss appeared mysteriously out of nowhere,
crushing fully half the village in its wake. That night, those
villagers who could not reach the comparative safety of the
White Tower of Mitra were destroyed in the carnage that
ravaged the surrounding land. Very few survived to tell the
tale of what would happen.
The battle that week was dear. Mitra’s high priest was
murdered as he prayed and all but a few of his attendants
slain. Only the creatures of law helped the living survive.
The final events came quickly as the surrounding mountains
reacted to the disturbing power of magic that roiled the
ground. Landslides that left the village strangely intact,
though buried came down around them. Soon the area in
the pass was covered to depths of hundreds of feet.
The mystery of the destruction of the shrine was never
truly solved by those who investigated. The church, though
dumbstruck, quietly moved the spiritual heart of the religion
to the site of the battle in which Mitra originally died, in
Modron, some hundreds of leagues away.
Within a decade, a village of treasure seekers grew atop
the debris piles, guided by tales and maps. The small hamlet
of tents and shacks became known as Mitra's Fist or as
"Mitra's Curse" to unbelievers. After several years, the church
of Mitra built a shrine and established a mission to keep an
eye on the fortune hunters, in case any of the lost artifacts of
their god should turn up.
It took a hundred years of digging before searchers found
the location of the original village. However, they
encountered the unexpected. Something was digging up to
meet them. Small amounts of treasure began to trickle out
the tunnels and Mitra's Fist became a popular stop for
trader’s enroute to the cities of the newly founded empire It
was ten decades before news stopped coming from the village
and caravan leaders found excuses to brave the danger
fraught western passes rather than use Redmoon Pass.
Mitra's Fist had changed almost overnight. Some force had
possessed the village and its occupants, causing them to slay
children, non-humans and Mitraic priests in one night of
hell possessed fury. It is rumored that these are the very same
villagers who have inhabited the old decaying buildings of
Mitra's Fist for three hundred years since, never aging.
For three centuries the village of Mitra's Fist has existed,
unmolested by the outside world. Few have noticed that the
village has had the same occupants for over ten generations.
Only few have noticed because only those few telling the tale
have visited the village and have not fell prey to the sharp,
ceremonial dagger of Avvakris, High Priest of Set.
Whoaa...
This people that chased me, you talk about them. Hmm... They didn't know my name, very strange.
No matter, I get over it.
So, that's it?!
Kill Set High Priest. higher they are, harder they fall. Destroy dagger, release souls to rest. Easy.
He hides his silver holy symbol of Mitra. I no get that here, no grave robber. And, Mitra is man? Sounds like woman name.
He stands up.
Hargro, thank you.
Now, I have a chance if Sydney no kill bigguns. Maybe they useful. I don't know.
Anything you need you ask, neh?
Whoaa...
Kill Set High Priest. higher they are, harder they fall. Destroy dagger, release souls to rest. Easy.
He hides his silver holy symbol of Mitra. I no get that here, no grave robber. And, Mitra is man? Sounds like woman name.
He stands up.
Hargro, thank you.
Now, I have a chance if Sydney no kill bigguns. Maybe they useful. I don't know.
Anything you need you ask, neh?
Yes, Fralk, when we arrived here with the caravan, they tried getting us drunk at the inn and kidnapped all of our employers. Then tried killing or capturing us, but we hid and attacked when ready. We killed a number of his cronies, the sheriff, inn keeper, and Avvakris himself by storming his compound. They are all literly dust. We have Avvakris ring but non of us except Felix can touch it, it's too evil. We need to find a way to destroy it.
Hargrove, I have a lot of questions:
Do you know how to destroy the ring?
Do you know how many temples of set we need to destroy here and what creatures we face, what will hurt them?
Which way is the dark tower?
What creature lurks at the bottom?
Do you know where the white tower is?
Are there any conversations you overheard or things you have seen that might be helpful to us to cleanse this place of evil?
I personally want to know if you know of any magic here that might be helpful and where to find it? Like spells we can teach each other or items?
Can you explain how it is that time has been magically effected here for 300 years that prevents aging or is it a time dilation like on the outer planes??
Can you help us with the map so we know what areas to go to and where the traps or bad areas are?
Last but not least, what can we do for you and your brother?
I could teach you Alter Self, both you and hingest!
When you cast this spell, you can assume the form of any Small or Medium creature of the humanoid type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, and swim 30 feet.
cast detect magic, not touching anything, double checking anything Tal is not sure about, also Arcane Mark each item successfully identified that does not radiate evil.
Avaarkis
+2 Chainmail
Very evil ring of Seti (Tal'Ariel :-) )
+2 Heavy Mace
ring of protecion +2
Belt of mighty constitution +2Merth the Sheriff
+2 unholy longsword
+2 breast plate
+1 heavy steel shield
ring of protecion +2
ring of counterspells
boots: SpeedHan Filo -+2 chainmail, +1 halberd
Gernstead the Grim - +2 chainmail w armor spikes,
+2 bastard sword (Ciri), amulet of mighty fists +2Scarvonii the Dark,- +2 chainmail, +1 composite longbow, +1 longsword
Melkor Stoneteeth -+1 studded leather, +1 great sword
The ring can allow you to bypass many of the traps and creatures within the place. As to how to destroy it, I do not know. It is an evil artifact.
You did not see the gnomes and the paladin when you came in? They are in the White Tower above.
There is nothing at the bottom, it is at the top you see, but first you must go to the bottom. More I cannot tell you.
We don't leave here so we don't know all of this place. We were created this way. Why would we want to change?
No one knows what force has possessed Mitra's Fist these many years, except that it is evil.
"Wait, I thought we were at the top working our way down? This place is strange, and you say the White Tower is up. So the top of the Dark Tower and the White Tower touch?"
"As for why you might want to change, it would give you mobility and allow you see see more things than a couple of meaningless hallways. Thus you could do more good in more areas. Maybe you even find a place where just being a door, if that is what you prefer, has greater meaning and serves a greater purpose of good. Basically, with mobility, you open the door to many possibilities." Rhaym chuckles a bit at his word play.
Where you came in is at the top of the White Tower, yes. They stand across from each other. Go down.
I must stay here to keep watch on my brother. I cannot leave.
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"So if this was the white tower, I'm guessing the black tower will be even stranger and more dangerous. Lovely, I suppose we'd better get started." remarked Jim.
Thank you, Hargro... even you throw fireball at me. I not forget you.
May I pass... un-mol-est-ed?
Hargrove opens himself up for you to pass. Meanwhile Sydney starts to heat himself up which will eventually set the webs on fire.
The Goblin joins the bigguns.
You guys know about fireball? He waggles his finger admonishingly.
Where you came in is at the top of the White Tower, yes. They stand across from each other. Go down.
I must stay here to keep watch on my brother. I cannot leave.
moved to 18 hallway
Two gargoyles accend from the heights and attack Ciri
roll init everyone
Rhaym moves with Ciri and attempts to intercede and take the damage that Ciri would have taken assuming those attacking Ciri could hit him instead.
And this would have been a passive perception.
The goblin seems concerned. Lady, you OK?!
What these things? Flying statues? I pass them and they not move before. Tricksy... He offers a scowl.
Brandishing his dogslicer, Come down! Cut you like dogs you are!
Two attack Ciri
and two attack Sir Rhaym
Sir Rhaym .
Thoron
Ciri
Jim
Fralk
Felix
...casting defensively magic missile...
...casting defensively magic missile...
Oh, that was nice... one day, I do that!
Hold on, Lady... I think of somethin'! Looking feverishly about, the goblin sees only one viable place to post himself. But, he'll have to run a gauntlet.
Steeling his resolve and clicking his boots, he tumbles, nearly dancing with the lady as he passes her to post up opposite the other greenskin.
Ho ho! His silvery blade scrapes against the stone form of the enemy. Then he yells in another tongue...
Oh... ahead in dark, passage go up!
Sir Rhaym .
Jim
Felix
As Fralk moves into flanking position Felix quickly stabs his blade into the gargoyle between them.
The F boys manage to kill that gargoyle in between them.
The F boys manage to kill that gargoyle in between them.
Jim hesitated and the others swarmed the Gargoyle cutting it down. 'Rats' he thought, \'This place is getting to me, I'm loosing my touch...'
Glancing at Thoron, Jim said, "Might be worth checking out, wonder what it connects to."
Sir Rhyme, I need you!!!
Rhaym turns and attacks the Gargoyle harrassing the Princess and then he takes a step to his left giving room for perhaps Thoron to join the front ranks.
-- Those were miserable attack rolls but in case either hit
One gargoyle attacks Ciri
Lord Rhayon
Fralk