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whoiam
2012-12-01, 02:25 PM
There was a mountain, tallest of all the mountains on the edge of Cethial. It's peak had been carved into an odd combination of watchtower and and pedestal: a central plateau surrounded by four slightly lower pointed promontories, each pointing at one of what had, back before the cracking of the world, been points on the compass. The spaces had for ages been bare and featureless, too high for anything but the touch of ice and snow. With but one exception - in the middle of the plateau, a low stone couch (quite similar in design to a divan) stood. It's size gave away its intended occupant - the spot could have only existed for the benefit of a Dragon. It, like the remainder of the peak, seemed remarkably well preserved. There were only three changes between the site of today and the site of ancient times - two rough stone staircases, leading up to the north and south promontories, and a deep hole in the centre of the divan.

The peak was called 'Narodnaya'. Ages ago, this had been the seat of the Eldest of Reds, titular leader of the Chromatic Dragons. It had been the highest of mountains in the center of the first continent, and from here, the strongest of the dragons of ancient times had looked down upon his dominion. The mountain itself was littered with old dragon tunnels: during the civil war, it had served as the Chromatic Dragons' command centre. Dozens of Elder Dragons had planned their campaigns from under this peak, and legions uncounted of mortal thralls had marched out of the lower levels at their bidding.

If all had gone to plan in the civil war, this peak would have still been the centre of the world. But the Eldest of Reds had lost his war, and the rebellion that followed cost his heirs their throne, and slowly the secrets of Narodnaya were lost to history.

It was the dragons who had repaired the facilities under the mountains, and they who had suggested the high command move in here. Most of the ancient wards were still in place - protection against spying, against intrusion, against teleportation or assault. In truth, the only way to kill the occupants of this mountain was to march openly up to an entrance, and fight your way through the complex by main force or sheer numbers. Only once in its history had this mountain been breached, and mortals had died by the hundreds of thousands to do it.

The group who were gathering on the peak today had little interest in the meetings going on in the lower chambers. Sure, they cared that the meetings happened, for the decisions made here affected the shape of the war... and what mattered more than that? But that had a more immediate concern. They had all been called to a meeting of their own.

As they came up either the north or the south stairs, and emerged onto the exposed promontories, they could hardly fail to notice the dragons. There were dozens around the peak, mostly younger dragons patrolling the skies above the mountain. As each person reached the top, one of the smaller dragons would approach. After a careful study of each one, they would be directed towards the eastern promontory.

There was only one dragon there. He was around the size of the next five biggest dragons on the peak combined. He was (said a common rumour) the oldest still-living thing in the world. And according to the note each of you bore, he was expecting you...


For reference, the 'North' and 'South' promontories point along the spine of the mountain range, 'West' points back over the Isthmus, and 'East' points into Cethial proper.

They don't match up with the compass directions anymore because of the movement of the landmasses when the continents were split apart - Cethial went east and north, Algamar west and south. Both rotated a little anti-clockwise, so the peak is now about 5 degrees off accurate.

Natives of Cethial would know of this mountain's history (they used to celebrate the battle where they finally managed to breach it), although it is many generations since anyone saw any part of it except the exposed peak.

Natives of Algamar would only be familiar with it if they had ranks in Knowledge (History) and managed a DC(20) check. Or if they had Knowledge (Local: Cethial), any ranks at all.

Your characters all know who Svataril is, and may, at your discretions, decide if you've ever seen him before or you're only familiar via reputation (and the fact he's your Supreme Commander. Alas, he gets no giant robot.)

Oh, and Svataril, while a very, very big dragon, isn't five times as big as any other dragon. It's just that he's the only Elder up on the peak - the patrolling dragons are all relatively young. There are other metallic Elders involved in the war effort, they're just on more important missions than 'patrol the skies'.

kemmotar
2012-12-01, 11:45 PM
Mereek

Wahh...yer a big one. Biggest I ever seen I reckon. Heard you was big...old they say...some say oldest of the dragons. That true?

Mereek said as he entered the room looking up at the dragon, clearly impressed and curious.

BelGareth
2012-12-02, 01:15 AM
Targana, the Mountain that moves, moved through the mountainous stone steps up to the promontory, she felt at home here, a feeling of belonging and friendship. This stone was old, it was experienced and she could feel that as she climbed the steps with the massive Goliath hammer resting on her shoulders comfortably.

The 60 pound weapon of war, crafted by her people, by design and make, was a fearsome sight, and she never traveled without it. She always enjoyed watching the smaller people's eyes widen at the sight of it, especially when she dropped it to the floor, usually cracking a tile or cobbelstone.

She worked her way up, tirelessly to the top, once there she paused and breathed deep, the air here was pure, cold and musky with the scent of the mountain. It reminded her of home.

Sighing, thinking about people and places long gone to her she moved on. Moments later she was challenged by a lesser dragon, one tasked with patrol duty, she proved to have the authority necessary, the note in her hand was proof enough, apparently. The Old Brass directed her towards a chamber with an opening big enough for a much larger of his kind.

Entering she sees another being had beaten her there, a small human, armed with 2 axes, she smiles a feral grin as she recognizes another warrior. This should be fun.

Looking to the immense Dragon she drops the greathammer on the floor headfirst and bows.

"Mighty Svataril, it is both a pleasure and an honor to meet you."

She stands back up and awaits, it was obvious at the presence of this other warrior, who was considerably different style of expertise than hers that a group was being formed. She would wait, as the Mountain did and see the outcome.

TriumphantHero
2012-12-02, 02:44 AM
Varsalis, a lithe elf, looks like he hasn't slept in a week. His robe is torn in places and fraying at the edges, and his hair is a total mess, orange locks forming a mane. A raven is perched on his shoulder. He says in a weary voice, "Varsalis of Evenblade, reporting for duty."

Medic!
2012-12-02, 04:42 AM
Whirun of Cethial
Pretty acurate picture of Whirun, for those so inclined:
http://suikogaishi.wikispaces.com/file/view/FuSuLu-Concept.jpg/297218784/FuSuLu-Concept.jpg

Whirun follows Mereek up the steps to the promontory, seeming to glide and dance from step to step like a maiden in a meadow.

He settles down on his haunches, looking very much like any village old-timer squatting around a campfire to talk about the weather, drawing his tiger-skin cloak around him. "Oh aye...that dragon's every bit as old as they say, and older still. Old as the hills, old as the mountains, old as the sea." He states this like a laundry-list, monotone and flat, matter-of-fact-ly.

With a brighter, conversational tone, "Svataril, Dragon Most Beloved of the Moon, that is there before us. What's to do, Mighty Elder?" The last comes out with an audible measure of respect.

Lexin
2012-12-02, 08:14 AM
Vlad, the Shadow

A human, in dark-grey cloak with deep hood, walks towards the forming group. As he approaches he removes the hood, showing a plain face, with a small scar on his left cheek, covered with short brown beard.
He has a buckler strapped to his left arm, but no visible armor. He has rapier on his belt, with dark, crystal handle and a short bow on his back... just next to a huge, even impractical quiver.

"Vlad." he shares his name to others before tuning to the dragon "I came here, as commanded." He says with a polite nod.

kemmotar
2012-12-02, 08:46 AM
Mereek

Yer a stuffy lot. Don't be so formal.

Mereek observed as he turned around to face the rest of the group.

I'm pretty sure he'd know all our names and what we look like and maybe even more than we know bout ourselves. The name's Mereek by the way.

He said going around shaking everyone's hand.

Theoboldi
2012-12-02, 09:39 AM
Having sat on a nearby chair unnoticed, a man in dressed in raggy cloth and worn armor rises. His face is surprisingly unremarkable, they very definition of plain. The hank of brown hair atop his head seems very unkempt, and his voice, though his words are polite, carries a slight tone of mistrust.

"Good evening. I am Devon Glyph." He shakes Mereek's hand, then turns towards Svataril, waiting for him to speak.

whoiam
2012-12-02, 10:57 AM
"...Dragon Most Beloved of the Moon?" There was really only one way to describe Svataril's voice right now: Desperately struggling not to laugh. "My, how times have changed. I remember a time when I was heralded as the 'Vanguard of the Dawn', but the moon? That's certainly a new one for me.

To address a few of your other misconceptions, I am currently the oldest known active Dragon. I did not always hold that title - this peak, for instance, was carved when my grandfather was still juvenile.

On Algamar alone there are about a dozen dragons older than me who were lost to torpor rather than death - they may still revive, though none of us know when or how it might happen. If we did we would have woken them already, we could have used the help.

As to the Chromatic Elders... We know a few survived the civil war - it was they who cracked the continents apart, after all - but I have no idea if any of them survived the rebellion or the demons and the records of ages and bloodlines are long since lost to history.

Now, we'll start with some ancient history. It's probably quite boring, I know, but it's important for you to know how, and why, we have a chance of winning this war... and where your impending mission fits in.

Reality exists as a series of Planes. They can essentially be split into two types, Inner and Outer Planes. An Outer Plane tends to be very... homogeneous. It attracts particular types of energy or matter, or specific concepts or souls. They have, in short, some unifying theme.

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, imagine a world made up of many small islands. All the gold is on one island, the silver on another, the iron on a third, the coal on a fourth, and the food on a fifth. Certain beings can survive in such places - being so closely aligned to the contents of a specific plane that they need nothing else. But for the most part, such places are extremely inhospitable to life.

The other type is the Inner Plane. It is, simply, a plane made up of a combination of one or more Outer Planes. We live, as you've probably guessed, on a world in an Inner Plane. Occasionally, it has been possible to contact or travel to the Outer Planes connected to us. Elemental Planes, Magical Planes... and the Afterlives.

When the first Dragons were in their youth, planar travel was a trivial affair. Dying just meant that your trips to this world were restricted to holidays, not that you were forever lost. During this time we learned of several possible destinations for a soul after death, but the majority went to one of two planes. There have been various religions on this world in its known history, but they all feature some variation on the concept of Heaven and Hell. Because those are real places, that our ancestors got to see directly.

Unfortunately, many of the common depictions of Hell as a place of eternal cruelty and suffering are... more or less accurate. And in the ancient times, many of the denizens of that accursed place sought to avoid their fates by returning here. What had been a trickle soon turned into a flood, and the emerging races of this world were endangered by this invasion.

We were lucky that first time. The Elder Gods, as they call themselves, had been watching us. They were the entities that had created and aligned the Planes originally. And we were... an experiment, I think you would say. They were less than pleased that their experiment was to be cut short, so they intervened just the once to give us a chance.

Travel between planes which had been onmi-directional and relatively easy became easy in only one direction - from Inner to Outer. The souls of the dead can get to Heaven or Hell with ease, but neither Demon nor Angel nor commonly worshipped Deity has been able to make the reverse journey since the Elder Gods sealed them away.

The problem is that you cannot create a perfect seal if you have to leave holes in it. While the outer planes could not force a passage through to our world... we did have the power to force a passage through to theirs.

The first time that happened was at the end of the Draconic Civil War. The Chromatics cracked the world apart... and used so much magic to do so that they cracked the barrier between us and Hell in the process. Closing those cracks again was the original reason for the truce at the end of the war - and once the demons had been fought off, neither side retained the strength to carry the war to the other.

You are now living in - and hopefully, through, the second.

What we've managed to piece together is this: the cracks from the end of the Civil War were repaired, yes, but they're still the weakest parts of the barrier. Someone or something managed to open one of those cracks in the heart of Cethial, and as the Demons have taken the locations of the other cracks they've opened those as well. The good news is, we Dragons have not forgotten the magics we used to seal them the first time around. And with many thousands of years to refine the spells, we may even manage to do a better job with these seals than we did with the previous set.

The bad news is, we don't know where the Cethial cracks *are*. The Chromatic Dragons did, but we'd long since stopped speaking by this time. If any of their former subjects retained that knowledge, it did not manage to escape Cethial along with the refugees.

We do not have the army to retake the entire continent by force and comb it from one end to the other to find each crack. But if we can find the locations, it might be possible to close the cracks *first*, then slowly whittle down the Demons' numbers until a proper liberation actually becomes feasible.

This is where you six come in. You, and a couple of other groups like you, will be sent to try and find old maps. There are plenty of places we can search - old Mages' Libraries, the ruins of the Chromatics, old caves and the like. We could even try raiding Demons' camps, in the hopes that they have a map of the cracks they've opened.

But I think our best chance is looking for the maps the Chromatics left behind.

Now, any questions before I move on to the briefing for your first target?"

kemmotar
2012-12-02, 11:19 AM
Mereek

Say we find the maps and say we close them. How can ye know that's all of em? An most important, if someone opened em can't he just do it again if we dun find 'im?

TriumphantHero
2012-12-02, 12:17 PM
"We may not have the manpower to scour the whole continent, but these demons seem to. What's to prevent them from showing up in force wherever we decide to look and put an end to it there?"

whoiam
2012-12-02, 01:35 PM
"We know how many we're looking for. It took every Ancient Wyrm the Chromatics still had to crack the world - 21 Dragons in all. The cracks were created in two locations per Dragon - at the position of each Dragon at the time of casting, and at the position on which they had focused their effort. That's 20 cracks in mainland Cethial, 20 cracks in mainland Algamar, and two cracks at either end of the Isthmus. The 20 in Algamar were never re-opened, the two on the Isthmus have been re-sealed. It just leaves the 20 on Cethial. We just don't know where on the continent they are.

As to the threat of them being re-opened, yes, that's really possible. We've altered the spell we'll be using to seal them, hopefully by enough to delay any attempt to re-open them long enough for us to gain a decisive advantage in the war. But we do not know for certain if our efforts will hold them closed for that long. If we cannot hold them closed, there are one or two other tricks we could attempt... But, I hope you will understand that I have reasons for not discussing the backup plans with you. Primarily because of the risk of capture: I do not wish you to divulge approaches that may depend greatly on the Demons being unaware of what, exactly, we've done.

One of the main reasons why I am telling you the primary plan is that, as I mentioned, we have fought this war before. The Demons know full well that we will have to try going after their portals at some point.

As for the threat of being swarmed... It's possible. Ideally you are trying not to be sufficiently conspicuous to draw mass action from their forces - that's why you'll be travelling as a party of six, not an army of sixty thousand. You're also being sent out without knowledge of the sites any of the other groups will be searching - If any of the other groups are compromised, your route and destination will still remain secure.

Remember, we need information, not heroics. Avoid notice where you can. Every missing patrol, every raided supply dump, just increases the chances they'll hunt you down. The best possible outcome to this mission is that they never even realise we deployed you."

Theoboldi
2012-12-02, 01:59 PM
Devon

"Actually, I have another question. How can we be sure that the demons aren't trying the same thing, infiltrating Algamar to reopen those cracks that are still closed? Have troops been deployed to preserve those?

Also, how much information do we have on the travelling routes of the demons? I assume it isn't much, but any information could help us at avoiding them. Of course, we probably should be avoiding the road at any cost, but if we ever need to use it, this information could save our lives."

Lexin
2012-12-02, 02:45 PM
Vlad, the Shadow

"Would we get any means to contact you on this mission? It might be easier to sent you the information and receive the next location via magic than physically coming back here."

Medic!
2012-12-02, 05:45 PM
Whirun

Whirun sticks a finger up under his mask to scratch at his chin, listening intently to the dragon. "Ohhhh not to worry on that at all. Inconspicuous is something Whirun of Cethial is widely known for!" He cackles as though he's made a grand joke. "After all, you're not the only Beloved of the Moon here today, Great Wyrm...though I can't figure out which of us she loves more. 'Course the wench won't just come out and say which."

As the party's questions begin rolling out, Whirun turns a baleful glare on them, "If'n "ifs" and "buts" were pillars an' struts, we wouldn't be on a damned mountain. You worry too much! Ye've Whirun of Cethial with you! The witch Shoglig told me the time and place of my death. Magic shared is no magic at all, so I won't tell you when or where it'll be, but know this: It's not here, and it's not today. Nothin' to worry on, lads! 'Course Shoglig didn't say anything 'bout the rest o' you... The last bit is spoken thoughtfully, as if it were a riddle Whirun's on the cusp of solving.

kemmotar
2012-12-02, 06:40 PM
Mereek

Oh the fancy words are fine an all, matter o' the fact is we go in, find it and come back and tell you where it was. Then you close em all and hope it lasts long enough for you to do your magicky thing. Then we hope they aint smarter en you or we die. Works for me.

Mereek shrugged.

Tell us where we need ta go and what we do then, and we'll be off.

TriumphantHero
2012-12-04, 11:48 AM
"Agreed. The sooner we do this, the fewer we have to bury afterwards."

BelGareth
2012-12-05, 02:23 AM
Targana listens and watches, as the cold pass to the mountain, not voicing her opinion, for she was the mountain, what did these puny mortals need of her advice?

She says with a toothy feral grin, "Well then, are we done asking questions? I think we should be off, I am eager to bludgeon something, preferably a demon. I do so hope they try to stop us."

She was easily the tallest person, part the dragon of course, and she stood tall and proud among them, holding onto her mighty weapon with both hands on the hilt.

BelGareth
2012-12-11, 03:28 AM
Targana wonders why the Dragon is taking so long in responding, maybe it had fallen asleep?

kemmotar
2012-12-14, 01:07 PM
Mereek pokes the dragon in the eye...with a stick.

whoiam
2012-12-17, 07:30 PM
"In order:

Our cracks are... guarded. I will again plead secrecy at this point. They did attempt to open one of the cracks in Algamar - the one at the end of the Isthmus, during their initial assault. It was most gratifying to know our defences were still operational. Suffice it to say that the failed attempt at opening that crack is what roused my kindred to war. In many cases, including my own, because it was the wards around that crack that actually woke us up.

As to travelling routes, some, but none that will matter to you. One of our strongest tactical advantages over Demonkind is that while we have a navy, they do not. They're disinclined to deal with large bodies of water. Now we do not have enough ships to wage an amphibious war of any realistic scale... but we certainly have enough to ferry small teams around the coast and insert them well back from the majority of the fighting.

This being your first team outing, I've selected a nice, quiet, near-coastal target for you to search. With luck, you won't see any opposition at all. I wouldn't put much faith in luck, however.

There is a mirror on the boat that is magically twinned with one here in Narodnaya. If you make it back to the boat, that is your quickest and safest means of communicating with us. It should only be answered by Elder Dragons: If you see anyone else come to the mirror, refuse to talk without one of us present. Keep it covered when it's not in use.

When you are on land... if you have any communication magic, such as scrolls or spells of sending, these can be used. I would highly recommend you not do so unless you are facing certain death: We probably cannot help you, but anything you can report may save the lives of operatives in the other teams. The reason I council against this is simple: most of the skilled wizards in the Demons' armies will be between you and us. If they have anything prepared to eavesdrop on such communications - and while such magic is far from standard, it *does* exist - then trying to communicate past their lines is essentially a death sentence. Communication with your boat may be less risky if the forces in your vicinity are not currently alert."

In response to Whirun's comments, a look faintly reminiscent of alarm spreads across the Dragon's face.

"While I am sure Shoglig's predictions are a great comfort to you, do be careful out there as well. I have seen predictions of the future ruined before because the subject of them did something... stupid. This is the thing about the future - there's rarely only one of them that could come to pass, and as I'm sure you have heard, Fate can grow ornery when it believes it is being taken for granted.

Any further questions, or shall I show you to your boat?"


Targana wonders why the Dragon is taking so long in responding, maybe it had fallen asleep?


Mereek pokes the dragon in the eye...with a stick.

I'll pretend you posted those in the OOC thread :P

kemmotar
2012-12-18, 10:17 AM
Mereek

A boat ye say...and who'll be mindin the boat then? If it be a small jaunt, aye..no problem. But if we need ta go further in, a boat's pretty easy to spot if it'll carry all o'us and our provisions an so we dinna drown in the first storm we find. Guess the question is, is it just your average wooden ship?Or does it have sumthin special ta help with?

Lexin
2012-12-18, 10:27 AM
Vlad, the Shadow

"A boat you say? I don't think I ever traveled by one." he shrugs "How bad could be..."

Theoboldi
2012-12-18, 11:30 AM
Devon

"A boat does sound like the most sensible idea in that case. Of course, this assumes that the coastlines are unguarded, but I see no reason why the demons would be particularly interested in the location you are sending us to. They don't know that we are looking for maps, after all."

He pauses for a second, glancing over the other people in the room.

"Will we get someone to drive the boat for us? I don't know about the others, but I have no experience maneuvering ships."

TriumphantHero
2012-12-18, 12:58 PM
Varsalis

"By sea...that seems like it should work. I'm prepared to set out."

Medic!
2012-12-18, 06:00 PM
Whirun

"Don't be worryin' on that account, we 'ave a pirate in our midst, sure'n he knows how to sail a boat!" Whirun slaps Mereek on the back, giving him a conspiratorial eye.

"And if he don't, just ask his parrot!" indicating his companion's eagle. "It was all foretold ya see. Shoglig told me I'd be shown my destiny by a roasted pirate." He turns a glare on the group, "You all worry too much, girls! Let's be off!"

whoiam
2012-12-21, 12:21 AM
"Your crew... is called Harkajup Pabi, or 'Angry Waters' in the common tongue. Her mother tells me that she prefers to be addressed simply as 'Jup'. She is an adult Bronze Dragon, and will be responsible for operating your ship. I believe she will tow you the majority of the time. A larger ship with a full crew would be faster, wind willing... but we doubt it will be very helpful. Remember that the demons have no navy... and so, no reason to leave the coastal winds alone. We've lost several sail ships to 'freak' weather already. They're only safe if they remain far out of sight of land.

But apart from the Dragon towing you, it is an entirely normal wooden boat. An old fishing boat, to be precise. Large enough to carry a half-dozen crew and several days' catch. Not exactly luxorious, but of the ships we had available it was the smallest we could find that could survive the trip bearing the six of you.

Now are you ready to begin?"

Theoboldi
2012-12-21, 01:02 PM
Devon

"Interesting. A dragon towing our ship will increase our speed to a respectable level, while simultaniously providing protection should we encounter anything on the shores or at sea."

Devon picks up his backpack, resting it on his back.

"I see no other reasons to delay this any longer. Time is short enough as it is. Lead me to the boat."

Lexin
2012-12-21, 01:05 PM
Vlad, the Shadow

"Ready." he says simply. He is a type of men who thinks better during the action than before it, so he doesn't see much point of sitting here and talking after he got all the information he needed.

TriumphantHero
2012-12-21, 07:09 PM
"I am ready to depart as well."

kemmotar
2012-12-21, 08:57 PM
Mereek

I gotta an erand ta run first. Shouldna take long...but otherwise, I'm ready as well.

Turning to Whirun he said

I don't know bout bein a pirate. Life's big and it aint over...but maurice better not hear ya callin him a parrot..he don't like that...hahaha.

BelGareth
2012-12-22, 11:51 PM
Targana simply grunts, tired of waiting to leave she merely says "I am ready."

kemmotar
2013-01-08, 09:22 PM
Mereek

Mereek hustled to the outskirts of town to the family dojo. His father received him in the main training area and talked for a time watching the younger members of the family struggle with each other. Mereek bowed respectfully and took his leave. He wasn't much for ceremony. He found his sister waiting for him sitting on his bed as he knew she would be.

He picked her up off the bed and gave her tiny body a big hug and she gave him a big kiss her wide eyes tearing up.

What've I told you Asa? There be no need for tears. Now, remember I'll be back for this little girl so don't ye lose or yer brother shall be cross with ya.

The little girl took the small copper pendant and clutched it in her small hands not speaking a word. They both nodded and Mereek turned away and left heading for the port to meet up with the rest of his newly acquired team mates.