[DnD4E] Snowbody's Keep on the Shadowfell (IC)

[Lycan 01]

Zimelda says nothing to the man's observations of her gear. She'd known it hadn't been tampered with. Or at least, she was almost absolutely certain...

Shaking the seeds of doubt and concern from her mind, the Drow begins to pace casually while Valthrun does his magic, quite literally. "So, Kobold women. They can be priests? I expected them to have a male-dominated society..." she idly observes. "The priest we fought was a sterile female..."

[Snowbody]

Alessa
I shall have to leave this plane eventually, Sage Valthrun. I must finish what my predecessor started; I will not rest until I am destroyed, or I have seen the true death of the Demon Prince of Undeath. My trials on this plane are but a proving ground to master my abilities; one day, perhaps decades or centuries from now, I shall return to my home to wage war on the Abyss, she states matter-of-factly as she engrosses herself in the pages of the proffered book.

"Fascinating. What abilities have you gained control of since you found yourself on this plane? Besides shapeshifting of course."

Alessa:

Spoiler

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Since Alessa has studied the book, she gets a +2 on all untrained skill checks related to planes, portals, or distant worlds. Others probably would too. It does not stack with the +5 from skill training, and only gives a +1 if there is some other bonus to untrained skills.

Mertes
"We cannot stop hi, he have been banned from this land. That would be against Lord Padraig orders. He might not be the best father, but he is doing what he thing is best for you."
"I have no clue of what your rite of passage is, and I dont want insult you in your beleifs, but for me it isnt the rite itself that make someone a man. Right now you're becoming a man, not by your own choice, but by your father's as you have to take care of yourself. You have to be strong now, your destiny is in your own hands now."

"We don't know what it is either! Dad would never tell us, said it would spoil it if we knew before. Did you have one? What was it like? Hey maybe him leaving us is part of it."

"So, Kobold women. They can be priests? I expected them to have a male-dominated society..." she idly observes. "The priest we fought was a sterile female..."

"In my limited research on kobolds so far, they are indeed male-dominated, and I'd never heard of a female being a priest. What kind of dragon was she dedicated to? I suppose she's dead and I'll have to just find out what I can from your observations. Any possibility of resurrecting her? I speak Draconic."

[Lycan 01]

"I'm not sure she worshiped a dragon," Zimelda muses. "Her loyalties appeared to be not to Tiamet, but to the Horned One. Or at least, someone who in turn served him. Between its many attempts to insult or breath acid on us, it made many fanatical statements of devotion to them... And there is no chance of resurrecting it. We destroyed the body completely, at Arjhan's behest..." she solemnly states.

[Shadow_Elf]

Alessa
I am a water elemental. I am sure you can extrapolate my basic abilities; I would demonstrate, but I fear your tower would end up the worse for wear, she says passively; though she has trouble conveying irritation in facial expression, she is becoming bored with being treated as a science project. She had enough of that in the Underdark.

[Dekkah]

Mertes
Looking at the youngs men, Mertes remember his own trials, that were relatively similar to the two younglings.
"As I said, there is no real rite of passage in my tribe. Most of the time, when you were old or strong enough to take arms and join the battles was the time you'd become a man. Sometimes, like in my case, you had to become a man sooner than that, when you ended up the oldest living member of the family and had to take care of yourself and possibly others."

[Snowbody]

OOC all

Sorry--system crashed while I was composing the post.

Mertes
"As I said, there is no real rite of passage in my tribe. Most of the time, when you were old or strong enough to take arms and join the battles was the time you'd become a man. Sometimes, like in my case, you had to become a man sooner than that, when you ended up the oldest living member of the family and had to take care of yourself and possibly others."

"So it's a trial by combat?"
"All right! A fight! We're up for that!"
"Howzat go...it will be a great honor to fight alongside you to the end, brother Mertes!" He tries to make his voice sound deeper, gruffer, what he imagines is "heroic".

Alessa
I am a water elemental. I am sure you can extrapolate my basic abilities; I would demonstrate, but I fear your tower would end up the worse for wear, she says passively; though she has trouble conveying irritation in facial expression, she is becoming bored with being treated as a science project. She had enough of that in the Underdark.

Valthrun seems flustered or agitated. "Yes, yes, quite, manipulating water, using it as a weapon, moving through it and resisting being moved, elementals have been widely studied...though it's always been difficult to overcome the elemental's pull to its home plane..." He notices that he is only further annoying Alessa with questions about her nature. "Say, that is a remarkably...ambitious life goal, bringing down a demon prince. Best of luck to you. Have you encountered any adherents of Pelor or the Raven Queen? I'm certain they'd fully support your mission to root out the undead and their would-be lord."

"I'm not sure she worshiped a dragon," Zimelda muses. "Her loyalties appeared to be not to Tiamet, but to the Horned One. Or at least, someone who in turn served him. Between its many attempts to insult or breath acid on us, it made many fanatical statements of devotion to them... And there is no chance of resurrecting it. We destroyed the body completely, at Arjhan's behest..." she solemnly states.

He sighs. "Can't expect paranoid adventurers to do anything else. Pity, that. A sterile female, you say? Those are killed as soon as it's clear they're not oviparous. She must have manifested her powers at a young age. Acid probably means a black dragon was worshiped at some point in the clan's past. That might be a clue.
"I've almost ascertained the last ritual that used the mirror. And there's also a latent scrying effect, might as well activate it too." He concentrates for a second "Well, it looks like the last ritual performed on the mirror was to suppress a powerful...."

The mirror flashes to life, and a horned demonic face, lit by an arcane glow, fills the glass:

It doesn't move.

[Lycan 01]

Zimelda immediately forgets whatever annoyance she had with the sage, as it is replaced by surprise and horror. The Drow's armor clanks loudly as she hurls herself backwards from the mirror, landing in a tense stance. She relaxes slightly when the image doesn't move.

"Is... that what I think it is?" she whispers.

[Dekkah]

Mertes
SAtisfied that he spur the two kids into the right path, he tells them,
"We first gather your equipment, then we join the other at the temple. Once we are finished with our buisness in town, we are gonna head out. Come on, hurry up now."

[Snowbody]

Mertes and Arjhan accompany the boys into their house. It is dirty and disheveled, with the exception of a cooking area around the fireplace which is clean and proper. Most of the items have been taken but there's a collection of flavorful herbs. The boys pick up their slings and stuff them and various other items into their packs.

[Shadow_Elf]

Alessa
As the face becomes clear, Alessa unleashes an inhuman shriek. The elemental dissolves, and in her place a roiling column of seawater begins to whirl around, consuming the chair she was sitting in. The sounds of waves and thunderstorms are heard; a speaker of the Primordial tongue might interpret them otherwise, but to those present, it is just violent noise. Steam rises from the pillar as the elemental's uncontrollable fury rises.

[Snowbody]

Valthrun, upon recognizing the face of Orcus, had become paralyzed with shock and indecision, but when he sees Alessa's reaction, he moves quickly. Speaking arcane words, he waves his hands like he's trying to break the connection but to no avail. He's visibly sweating. Something's wrong.

Another figure strides into view in the mirror. Dressed in a cape, with headgear made from a ram's skull, and a skull motif on his robes. Zimelda recognizes him as the shadow-thing from the burial site--Kalarel?

The arrogant and evil face of the Priest of Orcus fills the mirror, but it bears a look of confusion, as if he isn't seeing what he expected.

[Lycan 01]

"YOU!!" Zimelda snarls, striding towards the mirror defiantly. "I thought I killed you already?!" However, upon seeing his confusion, she throws her head back and laughs haughtily. "Oh, my apologies! Are we interrupting something? I hope it wasn't important..." she croons with a smirk.

[Snowbody]

Zimelda and Alessa
OOC: I'm assuming that Alessa is still "Stunned"

Kalarel looks incredulous. "A female defeated my alter ego?" Suddenly anger flashes across his face, and he calls to someone other than Zimelda. "Irontooth! Cease this foolishness at once! Breaking captives is your job, not mine! You know how valuable my time is! Even if you did capture the artifact and one of them, you know you shouldn't let them near each other, even with a magic circle! Prepare them both for transport to the Keep at once, we need sacrifices and the Bloodreavers haven't acquired any yet. " The voice is the same as the shadowy apparition at the dragon site. He obviously thinks Zimelda and the mirror were both captured by this "Irontooth".

Valthrun, realizing that his attempts to close the connection by magic are fruitless, loops around toward the magic circle. (Passive insight: success) He's going to try to shut the case unless someone stops him.

---

1
Mertes and Arjhan
As they pack up the remnants of their childhood, the boys try to come up with some good memories of living in the tenement. There aren't many. Leaving it all behind, they accompany Mertes and Arjhan to the temple. Both of them are somewhat reluctant to enter, doubtless Goyle Sr.'s influence.

The main hall of the temple is empty except for an itinerant pilgrim of Avandra kneeling in prayer, so the adventurers make their way to the Chamber of Healing. There an acolyte informs them that Sister Linora is not in, as she is making her customary rounds of the outlying farms to tend to the sick, injured, and aged, but Ian, the chief acolyte, is diagnosing Douven. Ian turns out to be the acolyte who had talked with the party the previous evening and had discussed kobold religious practices and the extent of tolerance practiced and preached at the temple.

Douven is resting comfortably in the bed as the acolyte examines him.

[Lycan 01]

Zimelda waves her hand at Valthrun, gesturing for him to wait.

She then looks back at the man in the mirror, and scowls. "Break me? Bah. I am here of my own accord. A Priestess of Lolth should always lend her aid to a diabolical plot, should she not?" she says, idly waving her hand. "It seems I have uncovered something of a conspiracy. A conspiracy for a different deity, yes. But a conspiracy none-the-less..." the Drow muses with a smirk. "So, tell me, how may I be of service?" she purrs.

Spoiler

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Bluff!

(1d20+3)[12]

[Shadow_Elf]

Alessa
The elemental storm begins to calm, and it reassembles into a humanoid mass of water. Steam continues to rise from Alessa. She holds out a hand towards Valthrun without saying a word, allowing Zimelda a chance at whatever deception she is weaving.

[Snowbody]

OOC: Kalarel's passive insight is higher than that, but I want to see where this is going. Actually, I don't think Zimelda technically told any lies!

Noting the signals sent by Alessa and Zimelda, Valthrun takes up his position just outside the circle, out of sight of the mirror. He readies himself to leap in and slam the case shut.

Kalarel again calls out, "Irontooth?" Then something dawns on him. Wait...if you banished the shade...you're one of that old goat's mercs that drove off Agrid!" Suddenly his face goes blank. "I believe it would be mutually beneficial for us to come to an understanding. As you have surmised, there are inevitable events in motion, advance knowledge which would be incalculably valuable to the right people. I also am not lacking in gold. What I desire is simple. The mirror in front of you rightfully belongs to me; note how it is under my complete control. It is useless in your hands; selling it would yield a few hundred gold at most; you can do much better by bringing it to me."

He seems perfectly forthright and convincing.

[Lycan 01]

"Hah. Hah hah," Zimelda laughs artificially, before deadpanning: "No."

A smirk curls across the Drow's features. "I did not get where I am today by blindly obeying every order, failing to ask questions, and ignoring my suspicions. You say there are events set in motions; what sort? As much as I would love to help you with your diabolical plot, there are a few issues that may arise from such a course of action."

Zimelda shrugs, idly clasping her hands together in contemplation. "Lolth loves her conspiracies. She loves it when a plan comes together, especially if it wreaks catastrophic havoc. But she has her own schemes and plans in motion. And if your plot is potentially counter-productive to her own, I don't have much reason to help you, now do I?" she arches a silver eyebrow. "So tell me what you're doing. What effect will your plans have on the Surface World, the Underdark, those damned elves, the very fabric of existence itself... If our goals are mutually exclusive, or at the very least will not conflict, then I may be willing to comply with your request, or perhaps even offer my own assistance," she smirks.

[Snowbody]

"If our goals conflict, you are not willing to deal. I understand, I would insist on the same. But if either of us reveals anything we risk compromising our own position. So here is my proposal. Bring the mirror to the Winterhaven crossroads tonight at dusk. I will send another shade. It knows what I do, but cannot communicate back to me. Tell it what your mistresses' plans are. If our aims are compatible, it will direct you to the proper location. If they conflict, that will be the end of things. In any event, it may be destroyed and whatever you have told it will perish with it. Is that acceptable?"

[Lycan 01]

Zimelda scowls. "I have met your Shades, and I must say, dealing with them is not a prospect that appeals to me. They talk too much, and know exactly what to say to annoy me. And let me guess, I am to come alone?" she asks, her expression dubious. "Your offer is... questionable, to say the least. Perhaps it would be safer-" she idly draws her mace, "If I just smashed this odd little mirror, and washed my hands of the matter?"

[Snowbody]

Zimelda and Alessa

Valthrun draws his breath in sharply when Zimelda suggests smashing the mirror.

Fear briefly flashes over Kalarel's face, before the priest of Orcus recovers his composure. "Wary of an ambush? No, you don't need to be alone, the shade is expendable. Bring your friends, bring the entire Winterhaven guard for all I care. If you smash the mirror you get nothing, and the inevitable events will still proceed."

Passive insight: success - he's more worried about losing the mirror than he's letting on

[Dekkah]

Mertes
At the temple, Mertes await patiently that the acolyte finish checking up Douven and can barely hide his sadness as he sees the man so afflicted.
When the priest is done, Mertes ask him,
"How is he?"

[Lycan 01]

"No they won't," Zimelda flatly states, calling his bluff. "Or perhaps they will, but not without great difficulty. You want this mirror more than you're willing to let on. I can see the worry etched into your features," she purrs.

The Drow takes a step towards the mirror, hefting her mace - and then pauses. "So how did you get the Kobolds on your side?" she asks, suddenly changing topics. "I am curious. Silly little lizards do not seem like ideal followers for the Horned Prince. What did you do, promise to resurrect that old dragon skeleton for them? That is what I would have done..." she shrugs aloofly. "Either way, using the kobolds seems to have been a smart choice, and given you several advantages..."

[Snowbody]

Mertes and Arjhan

Ian: "Hello, Avandra's grace be with you, are you in need of healing? Oh, you're finally here, Avandra be praised! The guard who brought Mr. Staul here told me you had an urgent audience with Lord Padraig; I hope it went well. Your friend is traumatized in body and mind, fortunately nothing life-threatening as far as I can tell. But he shouldn't be walking, and his intelligible speech is limited to the simplest phrases. I think it's just mental trauma rather than any kind of curse. He'll probably need magical healing; we'll have to wait for Sister Linora to confirm that. She should be back tonight." He seems shaken up that anyone would torture an old man so.

---

1

Zimelda and Alessa

Kalarel has completely recovered his composure, but Valthrun seems more nervous. The evil priest retorts, "Strange then that your employer didn't destroy it as soon as he found it. Maybe he knows its value better than you do. Do you want to risk angering him and damaging your reputation?"

When Zimelda hoists her mace, Valthrun waves his hand at her, palm out, as if to warn her off.

Kalarel makes a great show of being shocked, putting his fingers to his chin and opening his mouth in 'surprise'. "Kobolds? On my side? How wonderful to have some friends! You'd think someone would have told me before! What about the kobolds -- how much do they know about this 'alliance'?" The irony and arrogance have returned, matching his shade's taunting from the dragon site fight. A flicker of smugness goes over his face when Zimelda alludes to Orcus.

[Lycan 01]

Zimelda gives the priest an exasperated glance. "Really? You wish to be snide to me when I have your precious mirror in my possession?" she deadpans.

The Drow then shrugs. "Well, if this is how you treat your business partners, then clearly I have no business with you..." she muses, before striding purposefully towards the mirror.

Spoiler

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She's going to shut the chest, not smash the mirror.

Bad guy doesn't have to know that, though...

[Snowbody]

Zimelda and Alessa
Valthrun calls out "No! Don't do it!" and moves between Zimelda and the mirror, his hand out to stop her.

Kalarel's eyes widen as the old sage comes into his field of view. The evil priest's hand reaches below the bottom of the mirror and his arm muscles tighten.

OOC: you can easily get past Valthrun, he doesn't have an MBA

[Lycan 01]

Zimelda easily sidesteps the old man, and as quickly as her armored form can move, she tries to slam the chest shut and sever the ritual's connection.

Once she concludes that action, she turns to Valthrun with irritation burning in her eyes. "Do you really think I am that stupid?" she hisses venomously. "I had no real intention of destroying the mirror, especially if it could be used as a bargaining chip." The Drow then turns and looks away, looking rather perturbed. "And now that damn necromancer knows of your involvement, which rather complicates my plans..." she huffs. "So much for that..."

[Shadow_Elf]

Alessa
I am not a great admirer of the Spider Queen, but at least she is not the unholy embodiment of undeath. Surely, Lady Zimelda, you do not wish to deal with this heretic mage honestly? I will accept nothing less than death for the followers of the Horned Lord.

[Lycan 01]

"Bah," Zimelda waves her hand dismissively. "Even if I did want to work with the Horned Whatever's followers - and I do not - I would never work with that man. Aside from the fact that he is a man, he has managed to irk me in several ways, and I quite enjoy the idea of irritating him and/or smashing his face into a chunky pulp with my mace," she factually quips with a cheerful smile. "I simply wanted to see how much information I could worm out of him, and mess with his head a bit if given the chance. I managed to do a little of both, at least..." she shrugs.

[Snowbody]

Zimelda and Alessa
OOC: Not quite that simple

As Zimelda pushes past him, Valthrun stumbles into the magic circle. As the sage falls, Kalarel lifts a skull-headed rod and swings it toward the mirror, calling out "Ruin.". Magical energy surges from the mirror, impacting Valthrun full on, continuing to the edges of the magic circle where it dissipates.

Valthrun lies motionless on the ground, dark energy still clinging to the parts of him that are inside the magic circle and sapping his lifeforce. The case is closed and the mirror is hidden; somehow he managed to close the case as he was falling.

[Lycan 01]

"Stupid old man!" Zimelda barks, immediately kneeling over the fallen scholar. She grabs onto his shoulders and rolls him over onto his back, before gritting her teeth and attempting to channel enough healing energies to counter-act the necrotic forces ravaging the old man's body.

Spoiler

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Healing Word: Healing surge, extra HP, bla bla bla it probably doesn't really matter.