Scarlet Snow [IC]

[ICN]

Vindira spends a moment in contemplation before answering. When she does speak, her voice is careful and deliberate. "The exchange I propose is the knowledge for a task of your choosing, with the terms and conditions of said task set in advance to ensure mutual satisfaction. I'm sure that while the city's reserves of knowledge are vast, there are areas where it is incomplete. Additionally, certain similarities to the past events that lead to Nithveil's sequestering suggests to me that matters in the Material Plane may be particularly relevant to your interests at this time. Is there anything you need done?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy: (1d20+28)[48]

[Athaleon]

"I assume that Fafnheir was too powerful for them to destroy outright. We'll have to find the cause for the reawakening and put an end to it. Or find some way to shuffle him to the next plane, preferably an emptier one, before he's awakened."

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Adolin, Currial, and Nirallus

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"Fafnheir isn't but a shadow of what he once was," the wight says. "But he is still one of the Eldest, a primal force of the world. Not even the power of his peers can keep him down indefinitely. Should he reawaken fully, I expect they will go and take more permanent measures against him. You would likely wish to be on another continent in that event, of course."

Spoiler: Kazu and Voren

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Stengrim nods absently, and has already gone back to his work before you're out the door.

The accommodations are in the guard barracks, a large wooden building near the center of the settlement. The space provided is somewhat cramped with all of Kazu's associates, and the food is simple and bland. As promised, though, it's at least sufficient to keep you functioning.

Melody eats, and after dinner spends a short time conversing with one of the whores loitering around the barracks. In the morning, she's ready to go shortly after dawn.

The tunnel system of Kopparberget is extremely extensive, but thus far the duergar have been seen only in the deeper section of the southern tunnels. The miners have set up a staging area in a large open space one level above where the duergar are active. The tunnel leading up to the upper levels is guarded by another clockwork golem. Within the staging area, a small forge has been set up for the repair of weapons and armor, and there are several people tending to the wounded. Additionally, an enterprising merchant has set up a stall offering basic goods to the mercenaries who've been trying to clear the area out.

Other than the tunnel you entered from, there are five openings off of the room.

Spoiler: OOC

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You can make any preparations you want to before heading down; I just wanted to keep things moving, and it seemed safe to assume you were going down to the mines next.

Also, I have the map drawn for this area, but not updated online. I should have the map updated tomorrow. For now, we'll just label the tunnels as west, north, east, southeast, and southwest. In the interest of not wasting time, I'll go ahead and tell you that the west and north tunnels are basically just a short loop off this room.

And as a final note, after this room you can assume that all areas within the mine are unlit.

Spoiler: Vindira

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"A task," Grommiskalt says. "Hmm. Yes, I think there might be something. You are a follower of the one they call Blackfingers, yes? There is a book of his that I have been wanting to add to my collection for some time. An accounting of his Ascension, titled Behind the Mask. I believe that his cult in Kalsgard still has a copy of the tome. I would consider a copy of that book to be a reasonable exchange for the information you requested."

"Alternatively, there is a resident of your world whose death would serve as payment. She is a wizard of some repute, who on her last visit to Nithveil irritated me considerably. My time is too limited to be traipsing about hunting her, but as I believe this is something of a specialty of yours, I don't think it would be too taxing of a task for you."

"So, then, do either of these tasks appeal to you?"

[ICN]

Vindira inhales sharply as Blackfingers is mentioned, not quite managing to conceal her reaction. Her expression morphs into a wan smile as Grommiskalt continues, and she nods once he finishes. "Either task is acceptable. Perhaps I could accept both, with the completion of either counting our deal concluded, with no remaining obligation to complete the other? Additionally, there are questions that will need to be answered: Is there some way I could send you the book or its copy without returning to Nithveil myself? Matters in the city may prove... demanding. To speed matters up, can you tell me where to start my search for the cult in Kalsgard? What do you know about this wizard? I'm sure you well understand the value of knowledge, and the more you can give me, the more quickly and satisfactorily the matter can be concluded. What conditions constitute failure to deliver?" Vindira struggles with herself a moment before continuing, not bothering to disguise her interest. "This book, Behind the Mask, does it tell who the Reaper of Reputation was before his ascension?"

[trysted]

Currial considers for a moment, and then asks the big question. Do you know what is causing the re-awakening or how we could find out?

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Vindira

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Grommiskalt smiles knowingly at Vindira's reaction. You get the impression that he revealed this knowledge about you as something of a demonstration or display of power: if he can afford to casually reveal something she keeps very private, how valuable are things he considers secrets?

His reply, though, is polite and businesslike. "If the book detailed that, I doubt very much that he would have allowed its continued existence," the troll says. "I expect pieces, only. Fragments of information about his former identity, perhaps, but not a complete accounting. To address your other questions, I would consider either task to be an adequate repayment. If you complete both I will find another reward for you as well. I am confident that I can arrange something you will value."

"I will provide you with a token that you may use to call me, when you are finished," he says. "And only when you are finished." With a flick of his fingers, he produces a small disk of ivory or bone which he then sets on the table. "I will come to your location and collect what I am owed. Regarding the wizard, I will give you what information I have that you need to find her. My knowledge of her location is limited, or I would have hunted her down myself, but it should be more than sufficient for you to begin searching for her."

"Regarding the cult, there is an alchemist in Iceferry who works under the name of Sie. She doesn't venerate your lord herself, but one does not deal in drugs and poisons without trafficking with those who do. She will know how to contact them."

"And as for conditions of failure, I have few. These tasks must be completed in a reasonable amount of time; I think one month should be more than sufficient for someone of your talents, though I am not inflexible on that point if you feel the need for more time. Should you call me without having something to deliver, that will be grounds for me to consider you to have failed. Should you deliberately provide a forged or falsified copy of the book, I will be similarly displeased."

You get the impression that he's dealing with you honestly. He might impose heavy consequences if you fail to meet the terms of his deal, but he isn't going out of his way to set you up.

Spoiler: Adolin, Currial, and Nirallus

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"As far as I'm aware it's the simple passage of time," the wight says to Currial. "It isn't something I've concerned myself with overly much. This process has begun before, and the interval between events seems to be fairly consistent."

[ICN]

"In addition to knowledge pertaining to the location of the wizard, knowledge of her known capabilities would be quite helpful. I will ask for an additional month's time, as, while potentially sufficient under normal conditions, recent events have shown that that is hardly the case. In addition, a further two weeks to allow me to deal with the matter that originally brought me out this way, that of the Kopparberget Mine, would be greatly appreciated. My companions have shown interest in recent proceedings, and it is not unlikely that they will play a significant role in upcoming events. Establishing ties now would be easier than breaking contact and trying to reform them later.

"Finally, while I don't believe you to be dealing dishonestly, caution is always prudent when dealing with one of such power and knowledge as yourself. If you would agree to make a statement while under the effects of a Discern Lies spell that you are dealing with me honestly, are not deliberately attempting to cause me harm, carry no intentions of harm in the future pending the successful completion of one of these tasks, and will not attempt to hinder my actions while I perform either of these tasks or attempt to take more payment than was agreed upon at the successful culmination of said tasks, it would set my mind at ease. After this check, I would agree to the deal."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Diplomacy for more time: (1d20+28)[46]
Diplomacy for Discern Lies: (1d20+28)[31]

[BizzaroStormy]

Upon reaching the staging area, Kazu begins questioning those who had already been down in the tunnels and uses what information he can get from them, as well as his own acute sense of smell to hopefully find exactly which tunnel leads to the breach in the wall. With the information he is able to gather he heads down <Insert Tunnel Direction Here> with his blade drawn to help light the way. His twin daughters flank Melody in to prevent her from being overwhelemed in the event they are ambushed while Strelok follows in the shadows.

Spoiler: OOC

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Making a lot of assumptions in the interest of moving this along so feel free to correct me if necessary, if we can't get any good leads towards a specific tunnel to go down, i suppose we'll start with the east tunnel if Katana has no objections. As for the rolls...

Diplomacy to gather info - (1d20+12)[24]
Perception - (1d20+13)[23]
Survival to Track via Scent - (1d20+13)[28]

[trysted]

Any ideas on how it could be stopped? Currial asks, I'm sure if anyone knows, it must be you...

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Vindira

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"Your first request is reasonable," Grommiskalt says. "A period not to exceed seventy days, then. You will be provided with information sufficient to accomplish your task. More than that you do not require. I deal in information; my own will remain private. Your other stipulation is...acceptable, though I would advise you to be more careful in your phrasing in the future. I appreciate your respect for my time, but to be too blunt in how one presents such a request can seem like a question of one's integrity. Cast your spell, then."

Spoiler: Kazu and Voren

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The miners are friendly and gladly share what information they have. There isn't much, though; they haven't actually been able to determine precisely where the breach is, and the tunnels are such a tangled maze that it's hard to figure out precisely which of them is the best way to get there. You can trace activity at all three; none of them is obviously more heavily trafficked than the others.

Spoiler: OOC

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Map's been updated; you're on the sheet labeled Kopparberget. Note that this is a general layout of the entire section of the mine, and thus on a different scale than the standard five-foot square. Most of the tunnels are actually between fifteen and twenty feet in width, rather than a consistent twenty, and the clean squares aren't entirely accurate, but it should be sufficient.

Spoiler: Adolin, Currial, and Nirallus

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"In the past the method of choice has been brute force," the wight says. "Once it was a runelord of Thassilon, and then it was an Ulfen hero. But there are no more runelords, and the kings of Kalsgard are hardly the equal of the man who founded it. Though as you can see, it's been at best a temporary solution. If you want a more permanent answer, you would likely need to discuss matters with the Eldest."

She smiles. "Good luck with that, though. It isn't a topic they're fond of, as you might imagine. Ragadahn in particular has a history of disemboweling those who mention his brother's name in his hearing. And his hearing extends to almost every corner of this world. Thus the precautions before we started this conversation."

[Katana1515]

After spending the evening meditating over spell books, Voren eagerly follows Kazu and his fellows down into the depths.

Once their guides have withdrawn he turns to Kazu and asks "do you want me to Scout ahead? Darkness hides nothing from my eyes and I can walk quietly at need."

[Athaleon]

"As far as I know, no mage now lives in Golarion who could match the ancient Runelords in power. We will have to go to the other Elders for aid, then. The idea of a permanent solution to such an embarrassing incident, using mortal agents who will die in a couple hundred years, may yet appeal to them. And there is another problem to consider, which I hesitate to even mention. A mad deity with dominion over earth may breach the Dead Vault... by accident or by design."

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Adolin, Currial, and Nirallus

Show

"I wouldn't rule the possibility out," the wight agrees, still smiling. "Fafnheir was always the tricky sort. Not a brilliant mind, but he had a knack for coming at you from a direction you didn't anticipate. And after so long trapped in that forest, who's to say what state his mind is in? He might be as mad as the Rough Beast himself. I certainly don't plan on going to talk with him and find out."

[ICN]

Vindira nods an apology. "I meant no disrespect, it was merely force of habit."

Spoiler: OOC

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Vindira activates her Discern Lies SLA.

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Vindira

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"Interesting technique," Grommiskalt notes. "I am dealing with you honestly and in good faith. I am not seeking to cause harm to you beyond that which is inherent in the information you have requested, nor do I intend to harm you in the future. To the best of my knowledge the tasks I have assigned are possible for you to complete, though likely difficult. I will not deliberately hinder your efforts to complete them nor instruct others to do so on my behalf, though if your actions while doing so are contrary to my interests for another reason I may oppose you as a result. I have no intention of demanding payment in excess of one of the tasks we have agreed upon; should you complete both, or otherwise exceed the expected payment, I will make an honest effort to provide a suitable reward."

You detect no lies, either magically or with your mundane ability to determine when someone is being dishonest.

Spoiler: OOC

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I think this is all acceptable, but he did add a couple of qualifiers to his statements, so I'll pause to make sure this is acceptable to Vindira rather than assume that she agrees.

[ICN]

Vindira gives Grommiskalt a long look before nodding. "That is acceptable. We have a deal."

[Athaleon]

"If the Worldbreaker escapes his prison, surely he threatens the First World as much as he does ours? That may be enough incentive to convince the Eldest to act."

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Vindira

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"Excellent," Grommiskalt says. "You requested information on multiple topics, but they are very closely related. As such, I will begin with the broad strokes of what happened, and if you feel there are details which are relevant that I have not fully covered, you may ask for clarification."

"The common thread among your questions is the linnorm called Fafnheir," he continues. "This creature was one of the Eldest long ago, in what you term the Age of Legend. He quarreled with his peers, and by some means slew several of them. I do not know how he accomplished that task; this was all long before my time, and those who were present do not discuss it. I know that he was jealous of his sister's affections, and that this jealousy finally drove him to kill her, along with the Faceless One and Ulugaruu of Ice and Iron when they attempted to intervene."

"Following that, the rest of the Eldest overpowered him and bound him. They stripped much of his power, and sent him to your world in exile. Forestheart was established at that time to provide a source of power from the First World, maintaining his prison and preventing him from breaking free."

"Despite what has been done to him, though, Fafnheir is still one of the Eldest, with all that entails. His resilience is such that he still stirs occasionally, and begins to reawaken to his full power. While I do not pretend to know the norns' minds, it is more than likely that such an event is what she was describing."

"The last time such a thing happened was in the time of Saebjorn. Nithveil was removed from the forest at that time because the rulers of the city feared what might happen if the linnorm did recover his full power, and rightly so. He has the power of a demigod, and a dangerous and destructive one at that, and after so long in his prison he surely resents those who placed him there. Putting ourselves in the way of such a conflict seemed...less than wise. Saebjorn had a similar concern, having been given some idea of the dangers. He chose to attempt to destroy Fafnheir and solve the problem in that way, though, rather than avoid the conflict. It was his nature to seek direct solutions. Though he did succeed, at least in delaying the catastrophe."

Spoiler: Adolin, Currial, and Nirallus

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"You're attempting to impose your logic on beings that do not follow it," the wight says, sighing. "The Eldest are not like you. They do not think like you; they do not feel like you. Even if the Rough Beast were to escape his cage, I genuinely do not know whether they would care. You might find success with that argument with some of them, but others are likely to disregard it entirely."

[Athaleon]

"Success with some is better than nothing, I suppose. And "nothing" sums up my other ideas right now. What say you?" he asked his companions.

[Mousedigits]

I'd agree with you an that. I'm drawing a blank as far as any other ideas, as well.

[trysted]

What would you do if you were us?, Currial asks the wight before adding assuming that you cared about the fate of our world as we do, obviously?

[ICN]

"There are rumors of powerful new abilities being manifested, both presently and in Saebjorn's time. Is the linnorm the cause of this? Did Saebjorn overcome the linnorm by sheer might of arms, or was something else involved? Did he truly perish in the attempt, and if so is he beyond the reach of Speak With Dead? Can the threat the linnorm poses be ended permanently? Seeing as Nithveil is connected to the Material Plane, I would surmise that at least some of the residents here have an interest in it. Is there any assistance, beyond the knowledge that you are providing, that could be given to any attempting to end the problem?"

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Adolin, Currial, and Nirallus

Show

"The question is inapplicable," the wight says to Currial. "If I were you, my nature would be so different that I cannot reasonably guess at what I might do. If you want my advice, however....Hmm. Yes, I believe your payment is sufficient for that. If you plan on seeking out one of the Eldest, I recommend you go to Ng, or to Shyka if you can tolerate them. Unlike some of the rest, they were around back then. Are around back then, in Shyka's case. More to the point, they're less likely to kill you on a whim than most, and more likely to help you than the rest."

"Now, do you have any other business here?"

Spoiler: Vindira

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"He is the source of that power, yes," Grommiskalt confirms. "He cannot fully contain his divine power in his current state. Normally the sparks that catch would be insignificant, but as he begins to recover himself it will have more and more of an effect upon the world."

"Your other questions are more difficult for me to answer. Honestly, I don't know what happened when Saebjorn met his enemy. Divinations are seldom informative when dealing with beings of such power; the magic that you or I might use is insignificant to them. It's quite possible that the only one who knows precisely what happened there, or what Saebjorn's fate was, is Fafnheir himself, and I doubt he would gladly tell you how he was defeated."

"I am certain that he can be ended. It is a truth of the world that things come to an end. How that can be achieved I do not know. His power exceeds mine." Grommiskalt admits this frankly, though there is a note of envy in his voice. "Ask the Eldest; his peers would know his weaknesses, I suppose. Or ask your own patron; he is a god of secrets, after all."

"And to address your final question, assistance can take many forms. You will not, I think, find anyone here to fight beside you against him. But you might find training, weapons, or transportation. I know that I plan to provide you with a newly crafted weapon, if you exceed the terms of our bargain. You favor the bow, yes?"

[Mousedigits]

Adolin, silent for most of the exchange, suddenly speaks up.

Where can we find Ng, or Shyka? How can we find them?

[trysted]

I do not believe that we do, but I only speak for myself. Currial says. And speaking for myself, I do want you to know that you have my gratitude, and that I do hope that the favor that you ask of us will not be the last time we meet. I do intend, later on in life, to returning and taking you up on your kind offer to learn from you. I confess to a strong feeling of avarice, not of your possessions, but of your knowledge.

She turns to Andolin and Nirallus. Guys, anything else?

[ICN]

Vindira places a hand on her quiver. "I do, though the one I currently use is a rather exceptional model. The possibilities offered by this city for help are tempting, but I am not yet sure whether I will commit to such a task, and it's best not to ask anything of the fey unless you are very sure you want it. For now, I will stick to the bargain I have already made. When you come to collect your due, may we continue this discussion? It is not unlikely that I will learn more about these matters in the coming weeks, which can prove useful in figuring out the right questions to ask."

[Athaleon]

"...I think that about covers it." Nira stood up with a hint of unsteadiness. "Thank you for the time and information," he said stiffly as he prepared to leave.

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Voren

Show

Not far out of the staging area, the eastern tunnel drops into a steep staircase. Around fifty feet lower, the stairs open into another long tunnel. It twists and turns a fair bit, following the course of the copper vein the miners were chasing, but heads in a generally western direction.

Roughly 150 feet down that tunnel, it opens into a large vug. This section seems to have had a more desirable ore, as the miners opened it into a larger cavity. The ceiling in this area is higher as well, easily twenty feet over your head.

Another of the clockwork golems is standing in the middle of this cavern, surrounded by the corpses of duergar, goblins, and a handful of stranger creatures of the Darklands. The golem is repeatedly bashing one of the two duergar corpses into the floor, and doesn't seem inclined to stop. If it has any notion of your presence, it doesn't show it.

Multiple other tunnels open off the room, at least one of which has an additional branch off it.

Spoiler: Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 11

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Five of the other corpses are troglodytes.

Spoiler: Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 15

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The last two corpses are cloakers.

Spoiler: Adolin, Currial, and Nirallus

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"You don't find the Eldest," the wight says to Adolin. "Generally speaking, they find you. Though if you go looking for them, that might at least draw their attention. Well, if that's all, you know where the door is. You're welcome back any time. I always enjoy making deals with such clever persons as yourself." She smiles again. "I'll be in touch."

Spoiler: Vindira

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"A wise choice," Grommiskalt says. "Well, as my time is valuable and your time is limited, I believe I will be going." He removes a small, sealed envelope from his pocket and sets it on the table next to the token. "There is the information you require regarding your target. It should be more than sufficient to your needs."

"Also, if you still desire to take the entity Greycoat with you, I have no objection. I have already collected all of her knowledge which is of interest to me, so her continued presence in the city is largely irrelevant."

[Katana1515]

Looks like that dwarf's gizmo has a screw loose, best to stay back. It might not take kindly to some devilspawn invading its personal space.

I don't remember asking you for your opinion? Best I just skirt round it though.
Conscious of the valuable minutes ticking by the Tiefling circumvents the clockwork construct and heads down the various tunnels branching off this cavern. He explores each branch for a distance of around 300 feet, before heading back to check the next one. He is careful to leave just enough time to head back to Kazu's original postion under the cover of invisibility.

[ylvathrall]

Spoiler: Voren

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To the east you follow the tunnel for a few hundred feet without spotting anything of interest. At that point it turns and continues, just on the other side of a stone wall from the stairs you came down.

Straight south you follow the tunnel for some distance before it opens into a much larger room, which currently appears empty.

Spoiler: Perception DC 25

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There's a secret door in N10.

The western tunnel forks, with one branch continuing straight west and the other turning south. The western fork lead to another open area, which currently appears empty. The southern branch goes a bit farther before it reaches a larger room, in which you can see a trio of smaller clockwork creations. There's a notice carved into the stone shortly before you reach this room.

Spoiler: Knowledge (arcana) DC 19

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They're clockwork mages. These constructs use a wand and mechanical cunning to imitate minor spellcasting, while also having the abilities usually found in a clockwork soldier.

Spoiler: Inscription (in Dwarven)

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Due to incursions by disguised duergar, the clockwork mages have been reprogrammed to attack anyone who fails to provide the password. See your supervisor for the current password.