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Telessar tucks his shadow into his bag of holding. Lays a hand on the Taldan and walks back to the teleportation area. He pauses to incribe a glowing sigil (a glowing aldori sword cloaked in darkness). He closes his eyes and reopens them back in the chambers of Pharasma in Absolom. Go about your business, I will speak with the lady. He pauses to bribe the guards, who point out a priest walking the halls. He then pays for both a blessing and a communion and is ushered to the throne for these services. Telessar's prayer follows:
My lady of death, your humble servant returns to this temple perhaps for the last time. In the deep places of the earth there are many who slander your grand game. Too long do they bide your summons. They wait and watch and fear you, help me bring them to your embrace. Help me remove their fears. Look kindly on these gifts o great Pharasma. Until my final day, where I too will walk the paths of the Dead.
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Erastus 17th, 4714
The morning following our feast, I rose to greet my companions in the main hall. Everyone was already gathered there, our shared sense of eagerness palpable, as it seemed they had been waiting only upon me. Chazz stood beside Pontificor (The Great!. . .) in his glittering mithral plate and tower shield, engaged with the gnome in some sort of hand-slapping game. Acknowledging me with a single wink, he went on to punish poor Pontificor with his staggering hand-eye coordination and speed. Hrogarth, always in his house cat state, sat lazily upon a central table, apparently deep in concentration. His alert eyes caught my entrance immediately, and his simple nod informed me that he had already cast his find the path spell and was ready for departure. Kyros was diligently double-checking his preparations, assuring himself that he had forgotten nothing. A warm smile and a greeting from him demonstrated that he was ready to set out. Pontificor, for his part, was determined in his attempts to resist Chazz's lightning slaps, but to no avail. Upon noting my entrance, his attention was immediately drawn away from their game, and he circled about me nearly bouncing with excitement yammering that he was ready to begin our "path-searching". Righty stood among us poised, and appearing the most casual and relaxed of us. A delicate bottle of fine elven brandy in his hand, already opened, was raised slightly with a smile to greet my arrival. Sheliantha, her implacable radiance always compelling my immediate attention, was smiling and gesturing with her diminutive companion. She seemingly lit up even more powerfully at my presence, and that may have, uh. . .caused me to stand dumbfounded for a moment longer than I care to admit. . . that was embarrassing. Telessar, on the other hand, stood as her polar opposite. The severity of the grim elf struck an impressive figure, his hand resting on his dueling sword in contemplation of the challenge before him, as his animate shadow skulked disconcertingly about his form. Ven, not one to begin this expedition unprepared or at a disadvantage, already had bow in hand, and several stacks of parchment, ink, and quills with which to employ his talents in cartography on our behalf. A nod upon my arrival told me that he was ready for the long journey ahead. And Violetta. . .she relaxed about us with the sense of supreme confidence that only a true archmage could realistically manage under such circumstances. A playful, wholly unconcerned smile greeted my arrival from her, and she effortlessly rose to join my side.
As we finished off the very simple breakfast Marlow gracefully brought out to us, the fifteen minutes required allowed my to outline the goals of our venture, the rules of engagement I expected, and our plans for travel in the dark with my colleagues. I shall include the key points here for historical purposes:
Goals
- Discover the ruined serpentfolk city of Sverenagati. Map the ruins. Collect and document all arcane and historical relics and legacies of note.
- Map the route from The Deep Lodge to Sverenagati as accurately as possible.
- Remain vigilant of items of interest en route.
Rules of Engagement
- Entreat diplomatically first with any encountered entities which are not immediately hostile.
- Where conflicts can be avoided, either physically, magically, or socially, do so.
- If we are met with assault upon our persons, terminate any threat swiftly and decisively.
- No one gets left behind under any circumstances.
Travel
- Hrogarth shall provide accurate guidance to Sverenagati through use of his find the path spell.
- Telessar and Ven will serve as our advance scouts along the path Hrogarth indicates, remaining within two-hundred feet of our primary party at all times.
- No light unless specific circumstances demand it. Any member of our venture who cannot see naturally in the dark shall be magically enchanted to do so by grace of Violetta's arcane mastery.
- Each day will see ten hours of travel, which is the precise duration of two castings of find the path from Hrogarth.
There was some light discussion regarding these topics, but there was largely a consensus that these practices were in our best interests in the long term. Upon that understanding, our expedition set out from The Deep Lodge, thrill of a new adventure fresh upon our spirits.
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"At 200 feet we can use message communication. My range is around 270ft Thus grimoir need not leave my side." Telessar hands the scarab beetle to his shade, "The lady blesses us this day." The normally oblivious elf is brimming with joy...an unsettling sight or an improvement depending on your mood.
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Another smile flashes on Sheliantha's lips. "Pontificor, just as you know precisely to the inch how far a color spray from your fingers will make a goblin 'taste the rainbow', others have calibrated their own spells. Go ahead and walk on and one of us can tell you to stop as needed. Besides, I'd rather you were close enough to me so that your mighty lights can protect me from whatever fierceness we may encounter." She hovers and then glides towards the gnome. "And when there's a break, Cuorecielo is always interested in stories of places she hasn't been."
She offers Pontificor a few jelly beans, each of its own color, before looking everyone over.
"Val, are we to identify ourselves as Pathfinders? As members of the Deep Lodge? Knowing a little of what to say to creatures we meet ahead of time is very useful."
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What would be considered fashionable for the caves. I'm thinking half drow, male, spider silk armor. A dark black cloak perhaps, velvet interior. Tanned dark leather boots with matching gloves. Ill keep the rapier but use a mithril hue. Where oh where shall I place the crown, ahh a silver crown hidden amongst the strands of webs.
Righty pulls a mirror to admire his new facade...breathtaking, certainly this is THE style of the moment. I speak undercommon if it helps, and I have encountered drow once before, yet they were not in the talking mood.
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"Very nice, Righty. I actually own - employ - a tailor with a certain expertise in drow fashions. He has a talent for designing apparel suited to my azure complexion. Suiadan Miruvor, who mostly serves the High Aristocracy of Kyonin. He's referral only, normally, though I expect you may have at least heard of him"*
Violetta herself wears almost nothing - she is bare of foot, her close fitting robes wrapped with artful carelessness about her. From her haversack, she produces a jade circlet, slipping it over a delicate wrist as she utters an arcane word, passing her hand over her face, in an instant becoming, herself, a beautiful drow woman. (Spellcraft DC 24 reveals a casting of shapechange)
"Of course, the other approach, in such a place as this, is to be a drow. Whether such a form helps or hinders diplomacy with the locals will remain to be seen, but I can assume such forms as are necessary."
"If our purpose is "contact", we are well to present ourselves as Pathfinders; the name will carry little or no weight of preconception in these dark places, and so we may take the opportunity to craft our own lore. For those occasions when we seek to pass undetected, I shall veil our passing in the apparent skins of local fauna."
"Of course, for those inevitable times when neither words nor stealth suffice, well... we can deal with that when it happens."
*I actually have an old fiction (from our RP in my retirement group!) about "acquiring" said tailor, which, while off-topic for this thread, I'll happily share as "background" if folks so desire (or send it to you, Righty, if you want a good tailor to refer to!)
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As the group readies its collective gear, Violetta bestows darkvision upon those who may need it, and fortifies herself necromantically with greater false life and mind blank.
For now, she will walk with the others, her bare feet untroubled even by flinty outcroppings of bladelike, volcanic stone; she is impervious to almost any "natural" source of damage, save for items fashioned of cold iron.
A creature of forests and dappled sunlight, she dislikes the dank places beneath the Earth, but curiosity (and boredom with the daily affairs of above) has her looking forward to new vistas, even as they might become ever darker and more alien with descent.
She could hasten things by taking her charges into the strange, twilight realm between material and shadow, but such travel seems inadvisable in this underworld; the denizens of shadow reflect their material counterparts, and the notion of encountering a shadowy aboleth or neolithid... Violetta is supremely confident, but she is also cautious.
"Well, fine day for a stroll, everyone? Let's see where this road leads."
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"I am not much for words that aren't deception or brow beating some poor demon. When it comes to the persuasive diplomacy, I wholly leave that matter to the discretion of you and Violetta. I will say only that I would rather make potential new friends than certain new enemies, and trust you to handle that as the situation warrants. Violetta is certainly correct that to the local denizens, our Society is not well known."
"We have a small measure of positive interaction with the Svirfneblin. I highly doubt that any long term relationship of any genuine value will be had with the Dark Folk, Drow, Duergar, or Ghouls. Still, if even a single immediate conflict can be avoided with words, we are better off."
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In any event...Telessar begins the day with ablative barrier, mage armor, and overland flight. He recalls these via his pearls of power and adds armor to his shade. He checks his wrist sheathes and places a wand of create pit and a wand of murderous command therein. Telessar and Grimoir draw swords and glide out 200 feet awaiting the march.
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"We have a small measure of positive interaction with the Svirfneblin. I highly doubt that any long term relationship of any genuine value will be had with the Dark Folk, Drow, Duergar, or Ghouls. Still, if even a single immediate conflict can be avoided with words, we are better off."
Just lemme know before thigns get violent. I can turn on the gnome magi-teli-vision and as long as you talls do not threaten'em. They will just watch my beautiful gnomey magic and we can armscay icklyquay!
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"I might not be much of a talker, but I will endeavor to translate for anybody who can't speak a language. I will also put my utmost into avoiding confrontational situations."
"Well, Ven, I hope we can work well together. I have had past successes with talking to new types of people, but my own skills as a linguist leave something to be desired. With the help of yourself, and my friend Cuorecielo, this expedition may be one of finding and making allies, rather than a running fight, or source of new enemies."
Sheliantha flashes one of her dazzling smiles, encouraging the man so used to solitary passages in the Darklands.
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I've always been prepared to fight. Yet I hope it doesn't have to end like that. Ghouls... I mean what can you do. Other denizens may be more open to discussions beyond what I taste like. I do find it strange, its more been the Society giving me a name, picture, and asked me to introduce someone into the afterlife. The opportunity to talk is a novel idea.
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Retirement has been DULL. Val Morik, I would be more than happy to join your lodge. I have no ties to Taldor. My seneschal can take care of my town house in Absalom. My search for a husband has been fruitless.
I am not the best combatant, but I have many useful skills. I even have a lyre of building that I would be more than happy to put to good use. Expanding the lodge and reinforcing the surrounding caves would be simple. My healing skills are excellent as well.
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Erastus 20th, 4714
Our spirits were high as we left the warm comforts of The Deep Lodge behind us, Storn literally re-sealing the opening he created for our departure along the lodge's doorless stone walls. As Violetta and Hrogarth took a few moments to employ their magic to provide sight to those who could not see in the lightless depths, as well as quicken the pace of our less expeditious pathfinders, Sheliantha and I briefly discussed protocol for conversing with the natives. Ven and Telessar dutifully took point some two-hundred feet ahead of our party, and Ven immediately began mapping our discernible surroundings along the road to Sverenagati. As our expedition took it's first steps along designated path, it did so to the cheerful bouncing and calls of Pontificor the Great! rapidly and repeatedly attempting to determine just how far away from us he could roam and still be heard.
We employed a simple system of message spells to maintain communication between Hrogarth's supernatural intuition of where to go and our forward party's current position. When necessary, either myself or Telessar's shadow supplemented this procedure with a basic hustle to and fro. The tunnels we traveled through were clearly worked, and though their expanse spread forth well out of the range of our darkvision, the relatively low ceilings indicated to us that while these "side" tunnels were quite large, their width was far from endless. Towards the end of our first day's travel, we happened upon a strange crystal formation branching off just northeast of the tunnel we traveled. Perhaps fittingly enough, Pontificor was the first to notice the minuscule sliver of silver light the very edge of their luminescence bled into our tunnel. As the second of Hrogarth's find the path spells was nearing the end of it's duration, we decided to cautiously investigate our new discovery. Ven and Telessar broke away from our primary path down the small side tunnel only two emerge less than a minute later to indicate it was safe. They led us down a narrow single-file crevasse some forty-feet long into a small circular fissure that contained a campfire-sized cluster of silvery crystal upon the ground. After members of our expedition cast cautionary spells to determine the substance's nature, we determined that these crystals were neither magical nor harmful. Baffled as to how they might contain their light, several members of the expedition took sliver samples of the rocks, which continued to shed a few inches of the silvery radiance. We resolved to spend the remainder of our evening at that location, and a pair of rope trick spells from Violetta guaranteed our safety for the night, hidden away in their extradimensional refuge.
Half-day through morning two of our journey, our "side" tunnel opened up into something obviously. . .more. The tunnels we presently stood in had clearly been worked, and were impossibly immense. In places, occasional half-words, unknown glyphs, and strange long since dried secretions marked the one wall we emerged against from the side tunnel. We reasoned that they likely served as some manner of major "road" within Sekamina, a realization which quickly informed us that we would be far more likely to encounter denizens of Sekamina upon this path. A brief deliberation found that our options were to trust in Hrogarth's spell and follow the known, if dangerous path, or wander blindly through the endless side tunnels in what we hoped was the general direction of Sverenagti. Though some were less pleased than others, it was decided that continuing upon our known road was the only sane option. It didn't help that Telessar most prophetically professed that "death was in the stale air. . .The Lady of Graves is near" before returning to his forward position. He would turn out to be correct.
Just over eight hours into our travel, a mere two hours since encountering the main tunnels, we came upon a bloody scene. Five crudely shaped humanoids several of us swiftly identified as morlocks laid dead upon the ground, their corpses carefully arranged in ring shape, likely to serve as some manner of warning. Their blood lay spilled upon the ground, their wounds telling tale of death through slashing weapons and crossbow bolts upon examination. Hrogarth instantly recognized they had also been poisoned, and made us aware of such. The only sign of their assailants were the fresh scuffle marks of the soft boots of lithe humanoid creatures. The tracks were faint, but Hrogarth and Ven quickly proclaimed their numbers to be half a dozen or so. Though undeterred, we proceeded cautiously forward, our path no doubt likely to cross the party responsible for the decomposing morlocks behind us.
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Sheliantha follows with the main party, floating along comfortably and quietly. She seems to take the time to get used to darkvision, and looks over all of the interesting sights to be seen. Occasionally, she speaks in hushed tones to her familiar, Cuorecielo, on the sights, or getting language lessons, but the volume is indeed very low.
She looks over the slain ... former enemies, and tries to piece together what the reasoning of the specific placement might be.
edit:
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Telessar examines the dead with grim fascination. "A warning you say, but for whom..."
The elf glares at Righty and turns away.
"I would like to meet the blade that dispatched so many. I do not understand the use of poison.. gazing back to Grimoir, it is not an efficient method of weakening the foe. Maybe its a cultural habit."
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Immune to poison herself, Violetta casually handles a spent crossbow bolt. Having used spent ammunition to magically find enemies in the past, she briefly considers it, but feels confident that the party will meet the attackers soon enough.
Careless, leaving such things behind in a world inhabited by practitioners of sorcery. These drow have grown complacent, limited to morlocks as prey.
She confers briefly with Sheliantha on the arrangements of corpses -
Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 24 = (20) + 24 = 44
- adding considerable insight (if applicable and whatever that might be!)
Indeed, Righty, assuming it was a single blade which dispatched them all; you're a master of the form, do these wounds appear to all stem from a common weapon? A scouting party seems more likely, but their leader could be worth some attention, if so.
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"I have had encounters enough with drow to recognize tell of their presence when I see it. It likely won't be long before we stumble into the party responsible for this. If we can avoid a fight, I'd like too. . .but if not, let's try to take one alive to see what Violetta can glean from it."
After a moment of consideration, Val Morik turns to face Righty and Telessar.
"Gentlemen, I would like to ask you what might amount to a. . .sensitive question. Very nearly every elf I have conversed with on the matter of drow has not only vehemently denounced their very existence, but turned quite cross with me at their mention. Do you share this sentiment?"
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Ahh.. a touchy subject for my Kyonin brethren. These people if drow have abandoned the elven pantheon for less than wholesome alternatives. It is said they missed the boat when the starstone fell.. I was not present so what is really true. Telessar of course may know more than I, as I spent my early years in charming Taldor.
My information is second hand from an drow cleric that I entertained. Unfortunately she was too dangerous to release and too resolute to turn.
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"Get a proper name... Drow aren't elves, and sadly you aren't either." Telessar responds as he moves away from the impersonator.
"Its a waste of time to study history, stick them with your blade and see if they bleed. Enchant your weapon sufficiently and you don't really have to ask who they are. Carry adamantine and anything that doesn't bleed gets chopped up into little pieces."
"Grimoir explain it to him." Telessar walks back to the front. His shade twists his head slightly and bows and glides away. The shade seems unable to add more.
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Righty smiles at Pontificator's story. Obviously and strangely saddened from the rebuke of his kindred.
"Forlorn elves are raised among the other races and as such are not prepared for the stream of death around them. Some become detached and perhaps disillusioned. Some break away and travel to Kyonin, to find the lure of paradise lost by ancient tradition. Telessar and I are equally banished. He can not return and strays from the traditional path. I will never be accepted if I return as I am born away from the path."
He raises a flask and straightens, For Calistria our savored sting!" His rainments flash from drow mage, to a yellow black temple garment, and finally settled into a dull grey.
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Sheliantha moves closer, and speaks softly. "I feel that is tragic, that there is no path for redemption. No way to make your peace, and fit in where you might want to be."
There's an answering nod from the familiar azata, Cuorecielo, and a shared sigh from the pair before the sorceress speaks again. "One thing that pathsearchers..., err, finders" She offers a smile to the Gnome problem-solver. "get to do, is see many parts of the world, or even worlds, and see how cultures deal with things. Observing such might help in acquiring answers to those desires you might have. If I can help in any way, please let me know."
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Tragedy is the elven way. If you live long enough to watch your foes glide down the river oftimes you are willing to let nature do your work.
If you spend 40 years on a project is it not perfectly achieved? If you live 400 years what knowledge is beyond your reach?
The real tragedy is to be stuck in time, believing you have achieved perfection. ..only to find simple Demons have undone your greatest works. Further that you cannot dislodge them. Or (his voice to a whisper) that it is possible for you to fall into Demonic influence yourself.
I believe it is as good of an explanation as can be made....and one benefit of being outside looking in.