No Dungeons, Lots of Dragons, Nowhere to Run - IC

[CowMasterTrojan]

Spoiler

Show

oh sorry, that was a intimidate check as blight threatened some random person.

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

In that case, the only thing that happens is the man flinches away and the hostility becomes directed at Blight as well as Salazar.

Whoever touches the door, feels an unpleasant tingling spread up their arm and along it, then through the rest of their body. As they step inside, the tingling increases, and the other begins to feel it as well.

The sensation feels like it should hurt, but doesn't. It's nothing like the pain you'd expect for trespassing on ground sacred to Bahamut.

Looking around, you see great shelves filling the place where once acolytes of Bahamut spent time in prayer and meditation. They stretch up to the great dome above, still richly decorated with murals of Bahamut locked in combat with Tiamat, whose temple stands adjacent to his own - though the paint is cracked and flaking.

It seems that the walls have been knocked through and passages built, linking the building with its neighbours; the former temples of Tiamat and Chronepsis.

You don't have much time for examination, however, as a fussy-looking middle aged human in an aescetic's robes hurries towards you wringing his hands, with a frown on his face.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we do not allow any of the Old Races in here," he says, addressing Blight. "Your slave must remain outside. Just tie his leash to something, I'm sure no-one in their right mind want want a kobold of all things," he adds with a sneer.

For the record, you are aware of a number of other people in the library, and the sounds of the street outside still filter in through the closed doors.

[CowMasterTrojan]

Upon opening the door, Salazar grits his teeth is surprise. He finds himself shaking slightly as this place puts him off guard.

Blight is also surprised, not expecting such a feeling in a place that is no longer a holy place. A look of surprise is visibly noticeable on his face until the man approaches.

After listening to the middle aged man, Salazar gulps and looks slowly at Blight. He knows this place has made them both feel... off. And this man just insulted both him and Blight. It is possible Blight may tear his throat out in full view of everyone else, not caring of the possibilities.

Blight, on the other hand, completely ignores Salazar. Inside him an anger boils, and for a moment he says nothing. But then he speaks in almost a hiss.
"You want my servant to go outside? You want my servant to go outside?.... LOOK AT ME WHEN I SPEAK!" He barks suddenly. If the man looks him in the eye, he needs to make a DC 42 will save or be dominated. "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? No, of course you don't. You wouldn't dare speak to me that way if you did. Nor would you ask my servant to leave. He will not leave. I need his assistance here. If you have a problem with it, I ASSURE you... you will regret it. He is going to stay in here, understand?"

Spoiler

Show

In case he doesn't look or is immune or made the save,
Intimidate check (1d20+17)[23]

"Now since you have volunteered, why don't you help me find the information I need. I am looking for anything on the warring wizards. Can you do that?"

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

Sorry for slow update, weds was a really long day.

Ooh. He nearly made his save

(1d20)[19]

The man meekly bows his head. "Of course, I understand completely. If you would care to follow me?"

He leads you to a section near the back of the library; it seems it isn't visited too often, and is largely a collection of folk lore and old legends by the look of things. There's a thin layer of dust over everything. It takes up two adjacent side rooms, though, and your new friend directs you to the second room.

Your new guide clicks his tongue and mutters something about needing to send the cleaning staff in, then turns to you and indicates the shelves.

"If we have anything on the subject it will be here, I'm unsure of where, exactly, as this section is rather poorly catalogued. There's not much call for tales of the old days - we keep these here mostly because we haven't found a buyer for them yet.

Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asks, turning to leave.

[CowMasterTrojan]

Spoiler

Show

1) No worry about the delay. I understand how life gets.
2) My apologies for my slow response. I happened to check your post right after you posted the spoiler message and the dice roll, and it didn't notify me after you edited it. So I almost didn't notice you posted anything new.

"Well you seemed to know enough about them to lead us here, you must be a knowledgeable... fellow. What do you know about the warring wizards?"

Before he begins to respond, Blight turns to salazar. "Servant, start searching. Now!" He commands with a brushing aside hand motion . And with that he turns back to the man, possibly sitting or leaning on something.

"But I thought you were going to help..."
"SILENCE SERVANT! You know your task, get to it. If I feel I have the energy, I will search as well."
"..." Salazar angrily glances at Blight for a moment with an angry eye, then turns to the books and begins going over them. He casts comprehend languages and begins searching.

Spoiler

Show

The duration of the spell is 190 minutes. He takes 20 on the search check, giving him 25. At that rate, he does a 5ft section every 2 minutes. So he should be able to search 95 sections that are 5 ft in volume.

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

I wasn't actually going to mak you roll a search check - 'cause you can basically take 5 million here if you like. I'll get to the results of your search in the next post, probably.

"I know very little, I'm afraid. They're just a piece of folklore around here. Several hundred years ago, at least, there were two wizards lived in these highlands. They each had a tower here, but they couldn't stand one another. They fought for years and in the process destroyed and reshaped the Sanscarr Highlands over and over. One day, they just vanished. No-one knows what happened to them, or has heard of them since.

Those are the bare bones of the myth. Beyond that, I couldn't tell you more,"

[CowMasterTrojan]

"Very interesting... well that is all I needed. You may leave now." Blight says as he gestures 'away' with his hands.

After he leaves, he turns in Salazar's direction.
"Several hundred years ago? I believe that old Wyvern has lost her mind and given you bad Intel. Either they aren't human, or it wasn't them."

"I don't know. Would you give me some time to look over these books. Or better yet, help? Either way, they are wizards. Extending your life by centuries isn't THAT hard."

"Right, but most aren't stupid enough to sell their soul."

"Hey, you know what? Shut up!" Salazar says before continuing his searches.

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

Uh... you know that Cirkes told you to look for their tombs, right?

The man bows and disappears through the door.

By the time you finish searching the room, you've found half a dozen books that outline the same basic myth your 'guide' related to you, just with varying levels of detail. You find very little in them to help you. However, you do at last locate a book called "Myth or Mystery - the Warring Wizards" by Eirin Sandbarr.

In it, is a detailed study of where the towers may have stood, and some speculation as to their origins, identities and eventual fates. While the author supports the theory that the wizards killed one another, he does make note of a tale that they are both now undead creatures locked in eternal battle, and references a number of strange occurences around the areas the towers were in.

The book says the most likely sites for the towers are on Aisolon Hill and Verchin Pass.

[CowMasterTrojan]

Spoiler

Show

Yeah, cirkes told me to find where they were buried. I kinda had a memory lapse. Consider it a conversation caused my Salazar missing out on a key detail when explaining everything to blight.

Salazar begins looking for a map so he can locate and travel to Aisolon Hill and Verchin Pass.

Realizing that Salazar is basically done, Blight wanders off to examine the area that used to be a temple of Chronepsis.

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

Okay - wasn't sure if I'd been unintentionally cryptic or something.

Salazar locates the places on a map without any particular difficulty.

As Blight steps out of the room, however, he hears a scuffling sound from the room next to the one they'd searched, followed by the sound of something hitting the floor and the scent of fresh blood.

[CowMasterTrojan]

Blight steps out of the room, contemplating whether he should level this building just because they have disrespected the dragon gods. He had no love for Tiamat or Bahamut, but to do this to their temple... it was sacrilegious. They should have destroyed the building and built over it, not just redecorated it. If he had the time, he pondered, would he see through the project of killing them all. His gut said no, but he would leave enough wights to finish the job. That was at least a satisfying thought.

Taking another step, his smile fades as he immediately turns his head in the direction of the other room. His draconic ears sharp as a adamant knife. The sound of someone being attacked. Here? Fascinating. But I shouldn't go in there, it will escalate. And the kobold would be SO mad at me. Besides, I would much rather spend time seeing what's left of Chronepsis' temple.

He takes another step, and then the smell hits his nostrils. BLOOD?!! It smells so good... I forgot to feed before we came into town. I have grown so accustom to the nurishment of the plane of shadow, I forget that I must do that more here. It smells so delicious... but I shouldn't. It will escalate.
Who cares, I'll keep it quiet. But... the kobold!
Forget him, he doesn't have to know. And even if he does, it's not your fault. It's your nature.
Yes, yes it is in my nature. I want blood, and I shall have it.
After debating with himself for a few moments, Blight fully turns and enters the other room. He wears no weapon, doesn't try to hide his steps, and his pale face looks almost ready to rage like a barbarian.

Spoiler

Show

Salazar Begins copying the map and uses Amanuensis to copy the book. What are the names of the waring wizards?

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

[Coughs] Totally didn't forget this was waiting for an update

There are a variety of names; Septimus, Algernon, Wilhelm, Anton, Aslo, Kanie, Hepsa, Yarin, Maler and Terin - there's no particular indication as to which wizard the names may belong to.

As Blight steps in to the room, he sees the man who guided Salazar and himself through the library lying on the floor in a pool of blood. He appears to be pretty dead, judging by the fact that his head's a good three feet away from his neck.

The books here are stored in untidy heaps - made more untidy by the creatures that are ransacking the shelves on the back wall. They're swaddled in thick fur-lined cloaks that obscure everything about them, but one of their hoods has fallen back, revealing a head that seems to be made from blue crystal - it is studded with spikes and has strange ridges and furrows. There are three figures, and they all seem to have human builds.

They don't seem to have noticed Blight, and as they go through the shelves they glances at the title of each book in turn then throw it down on the floor in disgust. There are loose pages fluttering everywhere from the ill-treatment of the books.

[CowMasterTrojan]

Spoiler

Show

more will come tonight. But just for reference, how big is this room? any obstacles between blight and the creatures. Also, what knowledge check to see if blight knows anything about what they are?

[CowMasterTrojan]

Knowledge (Nature, religion, the planes or arcana) (1d20+42)[45] +2 for arcana

Blight's cold eyes survey the scene for only a moment.
No head. Darn, I had hoped he was just bleeding to death. Now I'm hungry.
Blight uses a standard action to use alternate form to take the form of a Troglodyte. Those within 30 ft should quickly notice a stench. As a swift action, he activates his epic divine might feat. With his surprise round over, he makes his presence known.

"You have come for the book on the waring wizards, have you not? Bow down and recognize me as your new master, and I shall let you live. Or if you prefer death, come at me!"

With that, Blight adapts a very relaxed stance. Almost as if he is unprepared to be attacked. (Attackers gain a +4 to hit, but provoke a AoO with every attack.)

Initiative (1d20+11)[31]

At the moment his AC is 34, Touch 22, Flat footed 34. He holds no weapons but has a bite and claw attack.

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

You've never seen anything like them before, but have heard some vague tales about creatures of blue crystal from the remotest regions of frozen wastes of the South.

Please make 3 AoOs.

At your words, the three figures whirl and hiss at you in union, revealing inhuman, spiked crystaline features, and bound across the room to attack you.

[CowMasterTrojan]

Spoiler

Show

with that knowledge roll can i at least determine if they are undead or not? it they aren't, blight would use claw attacks because they bestow negative levels. if they are undead, he would use unarmed attacks.

AoO 1 (1d20+29)[42]
claw damage (1d6+35)[38]
unarmed damafe (1d8+35)[40]

AoO 2 (1d20+29)[40]
claw (1d6+35)[39]
unarmed (1d8+35)[42]

AoO 3 (1d20+29)[43]
claw (1d6+35)[38]
unarmed (1d8+35)[42]

claw attacks bestow a negative level. However each negative level bestowed causes the victim to lose 22hp instead of the usual 5. The other normal penalties still apply.

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

They're not undead. They're also nothing natural, either.

Without effort, Blight cuts down two of the creatures. They collapse, screeching and hissing into a pool of pale blood liquid that runs from their wounds.

The third creature, despite oozing from some fairly major wounds, scrabbles ineffectually at you - you easily avoid its attacks.

[CowMasterTrojan]

(1d20+29)[38]
[roll]1d6+35[roll]

(1d20+24)[41]
[roll]1d6+35[roll]

(1d20+19)[27]
[roll]1d6+35[roll]

Spoiler

Show

Going to assume it's dead. Is the creature's blood red? If yes, then Blight shall help himself to a taste. If not, he will leave them be and survey the books they were going through, trying to get a sense of what they were looking for. (he has a suspicion)

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

The blood is pale blue as I failed to say in the above post

The books on the shelves seem to relate to the far south, and are a collection of myths and legends from Fel'mass. The books on the floor are more of the same.

[CowMasterTrojan]

"Curse you... I'm so hungry now... And you aren't even edible..."

He leans over and takes the corpse of the librarian, and gently licks the trickling blood from the stump that used to be his neck.
Yuck, it gets old so fast... Well I think I'll go have some fun now.

Blight casts invisibility and leaves the room of bodies to go back to the open room. He scouts out how many people are here, how many exits, and then moves on to examining the area of the building that belonged to Chronepsis.

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

...how many exits for people, or how many for dragons?

If required, a dragon could probably smash their way out of the building.

There are two dozen people in the library all told, but none of them seems to have noticed anything out of the ordinary. Most are in distant parts of the library. There's a front door in the temple of Bahamut (the main building), the doors to the temple of Tiamat and Chronepsis have been bricked up, although each temple has a backdoor still in place - presumably in case of fire.

Like the temple of Bahamut, the temple of Chronepsis has been converted to a library - where once clerics walked in contemplation, there now stand endless shelves, and dusty scholars wander amongst them. The ancient murals on the ceilings are worn and chipped, though there appear to be some efforts being made to restore them - or paint over them - to judge by the scaffolding in place. There are empty alcoves where statues must have once stood, and a neglected altar at the head of the room. One area of the temple has been cordoned off, and there seems to be some work going on on the floor - maybe an excavation. But no-one is there right now, and the work doesn't seem to have gotten very far.


As you walk through the temple, noses wrinkle and people look around as they catch your troglodyte stench.

[Also, you killed the creature quite spectacularly - essentially ripped it to pieces.]

[CowMasterTrojan]

Spoiler

Show

Sorry for not responding, my RL may have gotten real messy. If you don't hear from me again soon, that's why. I haven't quit.

And i was curious about exits for humans incase i need to seal them off. Dragons don't use doors.

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

No worries. Real life wins every time, so just let me know when you're back.

Also, yeah, those are the people doors

[CowMasterTrojan]

Spoiler

Show

It's a matter of not knowing when I will be going, rather than being gone, it appears. Well at least I got a warning off.

Blight gives the excavation a better look. Is there anything to indicate why they may be digging in the middle of the temple?

You said no one is in the area, so Blight casts summon IV to summon (1d3)[3] small earth elementals.

[In terran]"Spread out and Search below this area for one minute. Bring me anything you find or news of anything you can't bring me." (Each one is around for almost two minutes, so that hopefully will be enough to bring back anything useful)
Let us see if magic can do what man meant to do, in a fraction of the time...

Also, when this is over it is very likely he is going to murder someone who is off by themselves, draining them dry of blood.

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

Ah, alright then. I wasn't massively awake when I posted, so you'll have to fogive me.

If you don't mind, I think I'll start re-recruiting in a week or two - when the current spate of epic games has died down. I'll keep your game solo until they play to a point when they can be added in. You may need the help later on.

There's no real sign of anything to indicate why they would be - they've just prised the flagstones up, and seem to be digging down in to the foundations. The missing flagstones aren't anywhere to be seen, though.

The earth elementals vanish down through the foundations. After a minute they reappear and inform you that there's a large chamber about thirty feet down. It seems to contain a number of sarcophagi.

[CowMasterTrojan]

Spoiler

Show

That's fine with me. Drop me a link when you make it, I wouldn't mind keeping an eye out on it.

His initial instinct to dimension door right in, Blight catches himself just at the last moment.

I have a kobold, and he can teleport much better than I. Plus whatever is down there is undead. He would be useful. Perhaps I shall summon him

Returning to the kobold, Blight casts message and then returns to the room.
"Salazar. I have found something we must investigate. Clean up the mess in the other room and meet me in the former temple of Chronepsis"

Nearly done copying the book, Salazar sighs with annoyance. He waits and finishes copying the book (It does a page a round), before heading out. Stopping by the adjacent room, Salazar jumps backwards and falls when he see's the carnage. But he is a wise creature, and notices the state of the headless man.
For once, Blight may not be to blame. He would never kill someone that way, let alone leave such a mess. Whatever these creatures were... Damn him, why didn't he say he was attacked.

Casting telekinesis, he searches the bodies and then moves the bodies all into one big pile. He casts disintegrate, destroying a 10ft cube of non living matter. The creatures almost seem to evaporate from the ray's power.

Hobbling through the Library on a makeshift rod/cane, he gives a dirty look to the other patrons with his one available eye. The hostilities combined with Blight's trouble are finally starting to get to him.

Entering the temple, Salazar immediately hears
"Took you long enough..."

"Excuse me... last time I checked I wasn't screwing around. I was doing the work that is important. The work you are supposed to help me with. Wait... why are you a troglodyte?"

"Believe it or not, I do have relevant information for you. But I'm only going to tell you if you help me here. There's a secret chamber 30 feet below. Let's teleport down there and take a look. Or else I don't tell you what I've learned. And what form I'm in is irrelevant. Let it go. "

"Figures" Salazar grumbles and casts dimension door over the instructed spot. Salazar and Blight teleport hopefully into the open chamber, and look around with their darkvision.

[Aneurin]

Spoiler

Show

Of course.

The bodies have nothing of interesting on them - a handful of silver and copper coins, and a few personal items as well as the fur lined clothing. The coins are Fel'mass make.

Your former guide has 13 gold pieces on him, but little else.

You receive a nasty shock when you teleport down there - it turns out the elementals weren't as accurate as you'd have liked. When they told you thirty feet down, they meant the ceiling of the tomb was thirty feet down. Fortunately it's not a long drop, and you land with everything but your dignity intact.

Looking around, the area is seventy feet long, fifty wide and about ten high. There are a number of richly decorated humanoid-sized sarcophagi around the edges. In the middle, there's a wide, open paved space with a statue of a dragon in the very centre. At the feet of the statue, is something in a display case. The ceiling there is significantly higher - maybe twenty feet. About where the excavation in the room above is, there's a ladder that climbs straight into the ceiling.

There is an oppressive feeling here; almost as if you're being watched, and a sensation crawls across your skin. Salazar feels a burning sensation all over his body - Salazar merely has a shiver run down his spine.

[CowMasterTrojan]

Salazar casts detect magic and scans the area slowly, pausing to identify any auras he may find.

Meanwhile blight stands tapping his foot for a minute or two impatiently before finally approaching the object at the base of the dragon wirhout an ounce of fear.

[Aneurin]

There's only one source of auras you can make out; the display case has an almost blinding aura that shifts between Divination, Abjuration and Enchantment. You think there might be a slight aura from the statue, but it's hard to tell.

The display case is covered in a layer of dust that makes it impossible to see the contents. The statue itself is of a particularly serene-looking dragon. As Blight approaches, he notices a growing sensation of awe tinged with apprehension. There's something not quite right about the feel of the room, particularly as you draw near the statue.

It's like you can hear something on the edge of your mind calling to you, whispering, but you can't quite make out the words.

[CowMasterTrojan]

Now in a bigger area, Blight returns to his normal form. He stretches his wings and his head immediately slopes down to look at the display case. His curiosity all over his face. Very carefully he blows away the dust to see the object behind the dust, even using mage hand if necessary.

"Oh yeah... that thing is defiantly trapped. Some enchantment though, so you may be immune to some of it. But Abjuration is abjuration. I'm betting you take whatever is in there, and the statue comes to life. Maybe the corpses rise too, but I doubt it. No necromancy."

"Salazar... Do you believe in fate? Because I feel a sense of Awe here. I was meant to be here. And if I didn't join you on this mission, I never would have come here. And If I didn't worship Chronepsis I never would have come into the temple. And if the humans hadn't started a pathetic excavation, I never would have found this. I was meant to find this item. It was meant for me...."

"Right.... Well what is it anyway?" Salazar says, walking closer once Blight has finished blowing off the dust.