Yeah, Ron's kind of key. But I'm 100% onboard with a fresh start with the rest of you.
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Does that mean this game might not be over? Huzzah! Big picture: Aboleths are bad. When we fought the cult under the mountain, we discovered they were attacking an Ancient Seal on the Aboleths' prison. That seal was guarded by agents of the long vanished Ancient Empire. The agents told us there were two other seals, and also an Archive that would have the locations of those seals, as well as other things that might help us fight the Aboleths. Campaign Front: Defend the seals on the Aboleths' prison. From the agents' very old map, we determined the archive is presumably in/under modern day Boqueq, far from our home continent. Ron teleported us all to the capital city. From their library, we have a rough idea of how to get there... And that the Iron Lord possesses mighty divinations that could help us find out more about the seals. The iron Lord also, however, holds a long ago grudge against our own Ron, but we're going to ask her for help anyway. Once we're done here, our presumed next step would be an expedition to the archive, either the long way around via roads, or by cutting through the jungle of the Gorilla God. (Current or near future dangers: Ron and the Iron Lord, Roshan and the Green Vance, spend time or race through the jungle.) Did I miss anything?
Let's see, is the forum working again? If so, hopeful bump!
Once the party regroups, Belym listens to Ron's findings and shares her own.
"Yes, please." Belym replies. When Roshan returns, Belym looks at her. "Would it be better for you to leave us here? Ron and I can see what we can find, and I don't think either of us would earn this Green Vance's notice. "
Belym thanks the older gentleman. "One other thing - do you have an archive of maps, by chance? I'd like to study both older ones as well as some more current ones of the surrounding area. "
Belym nods in agreement. "The obelisk."
After determining that they're not in immediate danger, Belym moves to one of the food carts and acquires a sample of the local cuisine. (Surfacer food is generally lacking the strong mineral tang of most dwarven fare, but Belym's developed a but of a taste for the more heavily spiced dishes nonetheless.) As she does, she both watches the locals' reactions to herself and Jera, and tries to get a feel for the local geography, and how it might like up with that ancient map.
Quick bump to commemorate two years since the first "real" IC post for this game! It's been a blast, all!
"Knew you would say that, Therain." Belym says with a smile. "Good stone and a sharp axe for your travels." She hands over a sizable pouch. "This should aid you on your way."
Once the group's business with the duchess is concluded, Belym seeks out her cousins. Over a few rounds, she grills them about what they've found, and then relays the details of her own journeys (glossing over her departure from the clan). "So here we are. If you're headed to the hold, I'll send you back with coin aplenty, but I need to see this thing with the aboleths through. Will either of you join me?"
Belym nods at Ron. "Makes sense." She confers with the leader of the gatekeepers, and asks if sealing up the door would be useful.
A young dwarf girl stands on a stool beside her father, as he unrolls an old, well-preserved sheet of parchment. "And this, little one", the elder dwarf says, " shows our family's history." The map is covered with notes, marks, and lines, in a broad variety of hands. " This right here is where we are now..." ============== Belym mutters "Get out!" before returning to the rest of the group. " If we get close, I think I can probably find the vault", she reports.
Belym mutters to herself, " Should that list include arrogance?" Aloud, she replies, "Alright, I guess that'll have to do then." Belym heads out to the antechamber, and kneels, pressing fists of stone and flesh to the floor. She casts her thoughts into the stone, but without the focus she usually applies, instead listening for what memories may be there, finding what may feel unique to this place.
Belym nods. "Alright. How do we even find the archive? "
"Defenses? That sounds ominous. What kind of defenses?" Belym asks.
End of session stuff: Did we learn something new and important about the world?
Did we overcome a notable monster or enemy?
Did we loot a memorable treasure?
Alignment (Use your Conduit to help someone at cost to your body): eh, not so much - didn't really pay any costs this go round. 3 XP is enough to level! Bumping Dex (checking the rules, I see the 15 I currently have was only a +1, so....whoops.)
"I doubt you'll be able to discover what happened; there hasn't been a Surfacer empire worthy of the title for centuries, maybe millennia." She glances back at the door, and the chamber beyond. " Can your seal be fixed? Are there others like it? "
" How long have you been in here? " Belym asks, almost the same time as Roshan.
Belym moves to help tend to the wounded person, pulling a set of bandages as she does so. "Belym Felstone, and some friends of mine. Glad we made it in time. Who are you? "
Belym enters the gap in the door, flaming sword out for illumination, and carefully approaches the two figures she saw earlier.
As the abomination closes, Belym unleashes a torrent of ice at it, trying to drive it back.
Defy Dex:
Belym watches Conwall and Uxfaris for a few moments. Rocks don't seem like they'd do much good. Belym spots Ron still aflame, and an idea strikes her. She focuses for a moment; a layer of frost settles on her, as a barrage of ice shards fly towards the cult leader.
A large cavern, in which hundreds of dwarves are gathered in small groups. Atop a dais at one end, Stonespeaker Sitlynn recites a passage in Elder Dwarfish; even those (like Belym) who can't speak the tongue feel the significance of the words. As the Speaker finishes, four assistants strike the exposed granite node behind her with mallets; the low booming sound they make echoes perfectly through the chamber, reverberating for minutes. When the last echoes trail off, all present erupt in cheers; Belym, Arika, and the three other Felstones, as well as those here from other clans, are now full adults. =======================
If the crack in the door is still accessible: Belym carefully slips past the visage of Hebron (Dead Surfacer gods and ancient horrors. What am I doing?) and moves towards the two figures she glimpsed previously, studying them as she approaches. Who or what are they?
Yeah. It's not *too* crazy compared to a melee class rolling H&S for 1d10+1d6+1d4+4 or something, but it beats the snot out of a caster trying to melee for 1d4 :p though I definitely also just handed the DM a golden opportunity, basically explicitly ignoring defense in order to counterattack. Without Elemental Defense I'd be expecting to lose a massive chunk of HP at best.
As the cultists close, Belym unleashes her conduit, along with slashes from her flaming sword. [Ooc]Spend 3 defend hold for "deal damage equal to your level"; 21 damage in 3 packets. As the aboleths respond, she clutches her head...
Spout Lore, if required, on the source of the light:
Belym uses her conduit to raise her stone arm, and flings herself at the first cultist to approach the gap in the aboleth door.
With her target sent flying, she turns to face the remainder of the cult, planting her feet. Conduit open, she readies a barrage of earth for anyone else attempting to enter the doorway behind her.
Belym contemplates her elemental for a moment, before sending it to attack the lone cultist near the aboleth door...
And focuses her attention on the door itself, studying it for weaknesses that she might be able to reinforce.
With a moment to breathe, Belym kneels, pressing her stone fist to the floor. Binding. Hunter's instincts, trapper's strength. Binding.
Belym follows her comrades in, and unleashes a barrage at the largest cluster of cultists she sees:
3 healing potions, 150 gold.
Belym nods and approaches the portal. " That's a new trick, Ron." she comments with a smile. A nod indicates she's ready to go.
Belym pipes up. "Plague, traitors in the court... Seems like chaos was doing just fine before we showed up. Got anything helpful? "
Belym accompanies her friends.
Belym points to Zandil's name. "That's who we're looking for, most likely.". She also points at Briamar. " If I remember what Tom said correctly, it's possible this alchemist might be of use to us as well."
Lore: Doppelgangers are a thing, elves are demons, plague is aboleth-created, and there's a captive golem somewhere. Loot: Ghost cuffs. (Did Sarah/Sephrahime have anything?) Enemy: wRong, Sarah Alignment: Use your Conduit to help someone at cost to your body - pretty sure I've triggered that with a 7-9 at some point. Bonds: I'll have to mull on this a little bit, think my bond with Ron might need an update. 4 XP brings me to 12/14.
As a heads up, my posting schedule may be erratic for a while. Got a new baby to take care of! If it becomes problematic, let me know and I'll bow out.
Belym nods, content for now with what the others have said.
"I'm not sure you'll believe me; some mornings I don't believe it myself. But Ron's good people, Conwall has saved my life more than once, and Roshan... isn't bad." she replies, quietly. " We came here on hearing of a plague; another friend, a surfacer priest, thought he could help, but he didn't survive." "What news from Bogdoruhl? Did you make it there?"
"Yep, still here. Long story. It's good to see you two," Belym says, giving one-armed hugs to Jera and even Therain. "So, do I need to thank you for rescuing Ron, or the other way around? "
Belym returns Ron's smile, once the initial shock wears off. Hers widens further on hearing that her kin are near. " As Roshan said - the plan is to get through the portal first. We can catch up on the other side." With that, she leads the way back through.
Belym maintains a ready stance as she watches the confrontation. The stone dog's agitation belies the dwarf's outward calm.
Belym glares at "Sarah". "We will not abandon Roshan to you." She stomps one foot for emphasis, and also to pull stone from the earth behind their adversaries, cutting off the obvious escape routes...
Belym pivots to the remaining hellf, and unleashes a torrent of stone, trying to push it away before it reaches her:
As the others engage, Belym opens her conduit wide, attacking the target she'd previously indicated with stone and her elemental.
Belym glares at "Sarah", pointedly ignoring Conwall. "Just because someone else held the knife doesn't mean the deaths aren't your fault." She glances at Roshan, expecting the Templar to have taken the initiative by now.
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