The Angel War | Hope Extinct -- Chapter 1: The Siege of Fort Dynas

[ColdCoffee]

O'Connor summons up a large book from across the room into his open hand. it's a photo album. Carefully, he combs the pages until he comes across one particular image that he shows to Reggie. It's a picture of a courthouse with large marble steps that stretch up towards the tall structure itself. Its carved to resmbled a woman holding in her hands a large shield, with the insignia of Ru'Tabre blazened upon the shield's surface.

"This. This is where Kielah works. Before the war, our family would visit her on numerous occasions. You'll see we frequented the site on numerous occasions based on this picture. Will this picture be enough for you?"
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Eidas nods to Anarto's question. "Unfortunately we do not know anything else regarding these tunnels. This discovery, needless to say, is groundbreaking. it changes all we would know about northern habitations. Perhaps there are more hidden socieites waiting to be discvoered. But alas, the full extent of that expedition will have to wait. No use welcoming more into full fledge civilization when its about to collapse in upon itself. I wager if it ever reaches that point we should be seeking them out to welcome us into their soceity.

Our scouts say they are either inhabited or are being used by the Dynasi already, however if they had been used by the Dynasi they would have at least left a detachment to guard the entrance. That being said, no dynasi guards were found, nor their remains if they had been killed. We're truly grasping at straws. At the very least, I do agree with you Anarto. If they do occupy the tunnels, it would make sense to clear them of the passage anyway.

Unless you have any other questions, I'll adjourn this meeting. I have much to do to ensure our transportation north for the entire army is organized and ready. Also, please visit the quartermaster at your earliest convenience. Powerful artifacts were found and we believe they could help you on the trek ahead.

Spoiler: GM Note

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Unless you want to RP some fluff amongst yourselves (which I do enjoy) let me know via OOC or PM when you're ready to move the campaign story along. Also, I will be sending each of you a PM indicating the treasure the quartermaster shared with you, so stay tuned.

[Thokk_Smash]

Reggie nods. That should do quite nicely. Once we're there, we'll need to get you all to Kielah quickly, and then we'll be on our way.

He telepathically relays to Ayla, We have a picture that you can use to guide your spell, Ayla. Whenever you are ready, we're ready.

Back to O'Connor, he asks, What do you propose we do with the dispelling artifact? It only works for you--or, your identity--but I'm not sure you want to keep any trace of Dynasi involvement with you. Our arcanists may be able to glean useful info from it, so I'd be willing to take it off your hands.

[Nevershutup]

Elsin

A fter Eidas is done speaking, Elsin rises to leave. "Thank you Eidas. I will report to the quartermaster immediately. Farewell, my friends." At that, he leaves to the Quartermaster, and retrieves his items. After he does that, he begins meditating, and recharging the Celestial pool of magic that he used on the battlefield.

(Meditating to recharge Celestial Magic I)

Ayla

Ayla, after hearing a description of the room, teleports into it. "Hello everyone. I am Ayla, Reginald's friend. If everyone could gather in a circle, and link hands, I can get us to Ru'Tabre, after I see the picture." She tries to appear friendly, and non-threatening as she says this.

[Hexalan]

"A complete civilization, hidden and hitherto unknown to the world at large...and so close to our goal. We can only hope that they would be friendlier to us that the Dynasi. This is not a good time for surprises. But if the Dynasi do not yet control the tunnels, we can hope some boon lies beyond them." Malcador says in response to Eidas's sparse explanation, before leaving the tent.

Later, at the quartermaster, as she receives her share of Dynasi loot, she pauses at the small crystal orb, and stares at it for a minute, rubbing its surface, as if trying to determine some hidden power. When her silent gaze is over, she turns to the quartermaster and asks him, "Do you know where this came from?"

[Jojomo]

Giving a curt nod to Elsin as he departs, Anarto lingers for a while to examine the map, attempting to memorise the important features. When he departs, he slips out of the camp, away from the bustle and commotion and spends a while wandering in solitary contemplation. While he'd been expecting casualties in the battle, he had hope that with their leaders dead the Dynasi forces would surrender, avoiding the need for bloodshed. Instead, whatever madness had taken hold of the Inner Circle had spilled over here, and instead their forces had been decimated, with not inconsiderable losses on the allied side after the dragon's assault on the Inevitable.

In the end he returns to his tent and rests, though in a few hours he is awake once more and staring east to greet the dawn.

[ColdCoffee]

Spoiler: GM Note

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FINALLY MOVING THINGS ALONG! HURRAY!

O'Connor looks at Reggie. "Leave it with me, I would ask of you. Ru'Tabre, as you may know, is home to some of the most gifted artificers in all Illystene. With a little luck, I could share this nugget with them. Learn its secrets. How it works. How to tinker with it. With any luck we can learn how to disable these abominations.

Ayla arrives to facilitate the gate spell. Soon, all the family is swept away to the calm remote environment shown in the picturebook. The courthouse stands as depicted. The weather here is much more hospitable. People make there way abouts the town as if there was no war to be found anywhere in the world.

The family soon identify Kielah and meet her with open arms. She's a middle aged woman who looks to be fully garbed in the clergy. From her extravagant earrings to the boldness of her necklace, much is to be implied regarding her status. Everyone shares their thanks and regards, and soon Ayla and Reginald return to the occupied camp.

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Three Days Later

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Following Eidas' map, you've trecked fof the beatne path through several miles of mountanous tundra. Or perhaps you flew, in this case the harsh winds bit away at you fierecly, not rendering any damage, but annoying nonetheless. You came across no Dynasi activity, fortunately.

With about an hour left of daylight left, you arrive at the entrance. You may find it odd that it was suggested dwarves created these tunnels, because as far as you're concenred the tunnel is dwarving you instead. The tunnel seems big enough to provide underground passage to gargantuans. You guess the doorway is at least 100ft high. The tunnel itself shows no sign of narrowing down to a normal sized tunnel. You can see further inside. Even still, the torches illuminating the tunnel seem way too big for a normal human to wield. If they are dwarves, then they must be really, really big.

Both sides of the doorway have a humanoid warrior wielding club and shield carved in Stone. They extned to the full hieght of the tunnel itself. Above the doorway reads the folowing

"Losuc Alolupo Scarurit, Quxprorav Varligahn"

Spoiler: Knowledge History or GeographyDC 35 (Ancient Knowledge Pieces Derived together)

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Passage from the People Below, We Who Defy Varligahn

[Jojomo]

Standing before the immense carvings, Anarto is quite impressed that a civilisation capable of producing such monuments could have thrived in this benighted place. He glances around the group, "Do any of you recognise the writing above the door? It isn't written in any language I'm familiar with. As for the scale of this place," he shakes his head in wonder, "is it possible giants could have built this?"

He takes a moment to examine the walls more closely, looking to see how much work has gone into producing these tunnels.

Spoiler: OOC

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In that last paragraph, I'm fishing for whether the walls are unworked stone or if the builders have gone to the trouble of making this massive system with smooth stone walls.

[Thokk_Smash]

Reggie shakes his head. It looks so familiar, on the tip of my tongue…but no, I can't tell what it says.

And don't giants and dwarves hate each other on principle? Although I suppose nothing is impossible.

He cautiously approaches the door and inspects it for traps. Not for himself, for his skill is such that traps pose him no threat, but for the sake of his allies.

Spoiler

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Search: (1d20+30)[42]

Per the Rogue fix, Reggie isn't considered a valid target for any trap.

[ColdCoffee]

Reggie's search reveals a well hidden explosive trap at the base of the door. The trigger mechanism, however, appears to be a very large pressure plate at the base of the door, perhaps designed for a victim with very large feet.

[Thokk_Smash]

Reggie sets to work quickly disarming the trap, although he mentions the odd trigger mechanism to the others. Built for giant people, and trapped to keep other giant people out. I cannot wait to see what we find inside. His voice is positively brimming with excitement.

Spoiler

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Take 10 on Disable Device for 37.

[Jojomo]

Anarto crooks an eyebrow as Reggie goes to work on the mechanism, mildly amused at the other man's eagerness. "Do you think it strange that the builders would have trapped the entrance to keep their own kind out? Do you think it would have even triggered if one of us had stepped on it?"

[Thokk_Smash]

Who says it has to be their own kind they were keeping out? Reggie asks idly in return, as he thinks about what could be hidden behind the doors. Probably plenty of other big races besides the ones who built this. However, if it were built to keep their own kind out, then that would speak to their society.

I think it would've been a poor trap if it only worked on creatures of a certain weight. Although that would ensure that someone of a dwarf's stature could go through without fear.

[Hexalan]

"The trap could be newer. Giants might've built this place, then between then and now dwarves conquered it and made it their own." Malcador muses. "How long do you think it's been since someone was here?" She casually glances around, as if searching for signs of recent use.

Spoiler

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Not really spot check material (but here's one anyway! Spot: (1d20+12)[18]), just looking around for obvious things, i.e. 6 inches of dust on the ground, toxic mold growing on the walls, a dozen of those statues creeping up behind us, etc.

[Thokk_Smash]

((OOC: Knowledge (Dungeoneering) to guess how old the trap is: (1d20+17)[30]))

[ColdCoffee]

Reggie looks the trap over. Assessing the materials used for the trap and the amount of dust and dirt acumulated, he guestimates that its been in place for about a month. Malcador is able to sense that aside from your group, no one has ventured into this tunnel from the outside in the last few months, whereas the ground on the other side of the trap, the plated floors descending into the underground tunnel, seem traveresed only recently, perhaps in the last couple of days.

[Thokk_Smash]

Well, it seems like the trap actually hasn't been here that long; only about a month or so, Reggie says as he continues to disable the trap so that the others can get past it.

[ColdCoffee]

With an audible "thud", it would appear that Reggie successfully disabled the trap permanently.

Spoiler: Listen DC 15

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You hear footsteps coming from behind you.

Spoiler: For Aran

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These are your footsteps. You've finally caught up to these heroes that Jarvan asked you personally to accompany. You survey the immediate scenery. Big open gate that hints at an underground civilization. The tunnel size and outlying statues give hint to the size of its occupants should any have survived these many years of supposed isolation. You read the the words at the top of the tunnel door, "Losuc Alolupo Scarurit, Quxprorav Varligahn".

Spoiler: DC 35 Knowledge History or geography roll

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It reads "Passage from the People Below, We Who Defy Varligahn".

OOC: An official welcome to the game, Tempestfury!

[Hexalan]

Malcador idly looks down the tunnel past the trap, and turns to Reggie as he disables the trap. "I do hope that was a good thud." Then, hearing some bad thuds from up the tunnel, she snaps around and stares into the darkness where she saw nothing. The lights in her eyes dim, then flare up into tiny pinpoints of harsh radiance as she still sees nothing. "Something approaches." She points forward, and tendrils of her mind shoot out into the darkness, searching for death.

Spoiler

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Casts Deathwatch up the tunnel.

[ColdCoffee]

Malcador casts her spell into the cold dimly lit tunnel.

Spoiler: For Malcador: deathwatch results

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You immediately sense something roughly thirty feet from you inwards towards the tunnel. It's undead, whatever it is, but you don't seem to be able to see it.

[Thokk_Smash]

Reggie nods once at his handiwork before he notices something beneath the thud. He turns around, one hand going to his kukri warily. Anyone there? he asks.

[Hexalan]

"Something unliving." Malcador draws her sword his well, and glares into the ill-lit cave with her dark-perceiving eyes.

[ColdCoffee]

Spoiler: For Anarto

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Your present stance allows you to see a creature 30 feet in front of you in the entry tunnel. It looks like a large wolf, but with three heads and a single horn protruding from each of its' foreheads. It bears golden collars on each neck and golden bracelets around each of its ankles. It notices you locking glances with it. It appears startled. It looks as if its going to run deep into the tunnel any moment. Despite this, it doesn't take its eyes off of you. It glares at you with razor sharp teeth showing.

[Jojomo]

I can sense it too, Anarto sends telepathically, it looks like a three-headed, horned wolf. However it seems more startled than threatening. It is wearing collars and anklets made of what I think are gold, it might be some kind of guard dog.

Moving slowly in an attempt to avoid startling the creature further, he raises his hands to demonstrate that he is unarmed, although the irony of the gesture being almost meaningless for all three of them does not escape him.

[Thokk_Smash]

Wait, there's something ahead of us, too? I heard something behind, Reggie says, eyes darting back and forth between where Anarto is looking and the outer portion of the cave.

[Jojomo]

There are footsteps behind us as well, Anarto replies, as casually as if commenting on the weather, I simply assumed you had both heard them, whoever it is is making no great attempt at stealth.

He keeps his gaze locked forwards on the strange creature inside the tunnel, hands still raised in an effort to seem less threatening.

Spoiler: OOC

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Listen: (1d20+35)[48] attempting to pinpoint the footsteps behind (unless they're within 30' already).

[Tempestfury]

To those with extremely sharp eyesight, or perhaps supernatural senses, there was a small shimmer making it way over to the group, gliding across the ground with its approach. This invisible being was known as Aran, and stealth was his speciality, so he wanted to see just how good this group was at handling stealthed targets. Though he himself carried no ill-intent towards them.

As he moved carefully across the ground, the human recalled what had brought him there. He had been going over some reports from his intelligence division, when he was called to attend an audience with Jarvin VII. An interrogation of an ex-Dynasi admiral with important news from the front. News that could potentially turn the tide of battle if used correctly

He had heard about the dragons from his reports, but this rift was new information that he had never heard about before, and was worrying. These creatures... who knew where they came from and what damage that could wreck. He greatly wished that would use the artifact wisely and not activate in on accident. What interested Aran however, was the group that was at the centre of all this, a group that now investigating what might be a series of underground tunnels... a group that could benefit from his abilities and connection.

So, here he was, moving across a wasteland to join this group on their quest. Coming towards them invisible and silently might be taken badly, but it was an important test to Aran... and he was so used to be invisible now that he had to be reminded to become visible at times even when in the capital of the Republic.

Spoiler: Rolls

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'Move Silently' - (1d20+33)[51]

[ColdCoffee]

OOC: Map of the area. Posts your locations in the OOC thread asap please. The cave is on a rocky mountainside, and there was an ancient grey road you followed to get tehre, with snow covered trees around you (yes they are green, but imagine the snow!!)

[Thokk_Smash]

((Reggie will be at L5

Listen, needing a natural 20: (1d20+26)[35]))

Reggie looks warily down the corridor, wishing he could see through invisibility. An invisible guard dog will be annoying to fight.

[ColdCoffee]

Spoiler: For those who can see the invisible undead creature

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All six of the wolf's ears perk up, as if it hears something new. Its nostrils are sniffing supposedly a new scent. Its collars and anklets faintly glow, but only for a second, and just bright enough for you to confirm it happened without a doubt. Bracing itself, it quickly turns about and darts full sprint into the depths of the cave. After about 100ft the creature becomes almost impossible to make out.

You all can hear the patter-patter of footsteps, sounding like that of a beast, at first very close but going away. It sounds as if it is going into the cave ahead of you.

[Thokk_Smash]

Reggie slipped down his mask just before the undead dog scurried away. The invisible creature became visible to him as the lenses covered his eyes, and he followed it until it left his field of view.

Well, if that thing can talk, the element of surprise has taken a hit, he says with a shrug. He gestures for the others to follow him as he descends into the tunnel, bringing out his everburning torch for the benefit of the others. If he needed to scout ahead, he'd let them know then go on ahead. He keeps his ears out for sounds of trouble.

Spoiler

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Listen check: (1d20+26)[30]