Drifting Worlds IC

[redfeline]

Cassia takes a brief breath. "Anvillian was ignorant of the plot, it is only his friendship to myself and Valan that has lead to his exile. Valan and I are the guilty parties, that is all you need to know. I am guilty, I deserve a worse fate." Cassia is on the verge of tears as she speaks, clearly she is troubled by this part of her past.

---1 weeks later---

@ Kamryn and Caen

With the assassin's head in tow, the pair receive a compensation of 20,000 gold each. While Caen as a magic user is expected to use his reward to further his abilities and the goals of the state, Kamryn as a free ogre may use her reward as she feels fit. (This has no effect on game play.)

The pair meet up with the Muse. "Your civil service speaks highly of your up bringing Kamryn. It seems however that you have become entangled in an interesting plot, the assassin seems to be working for some demon worshiping cult, and the cracks in tablet speak ill of there goals. I would like to ask for your aide in this matter as few people every reach your level of skill and combat prowess."

Once Kamryn agrees the muse takes the pair down several flights of stairs and pass several winding halls. Before long the pair feels almost lost in a labyrinth within the capital. Caen has suspects where the pair are going as he has once heard tale of the heart of the capital isle, where the most ancient laws of the world are engraved in the pillars of the world. Eventually the stop in front of an old dust covered adamantine door. Before the door stands a pair of guards the appear old but seem to have the vigor and grace of youth. Caen has heard legends of this pair the red braided Halfling Argentine, once among the greatest warriors of Dniwa and the strongest Elf to ever live Gynsilyn. This pair of nobles were blessed by the gods to live forever, requiring neither needing sleep nor food.

The muse stands before them and pulls out her empirical ring. Argentine steps foreward and softly speaks an incantation her eyes glowing white with arcane power. She looks at the three and steps back to her original position. The muse warns the others to touch nothing. The three go inside and find a chamber with a central stone pillar it is cut in a hexagonal shape, each side has a delicate tapestry of carving onto its surface.

"What you see here, is the heart of the capitol isle. The hearth of the world." She walks around the pillar to its far side. "This side represents E'rifu." The cracked stone face matches the tablet in design, not only in design but in cracks as well. Every chip is perfectly mirrored it is even possible to see where the assasins hammer had struck the pillar. "As you can see the recently beheaded not only tried to strike at the head of the world but also tried to strike at the heart of the world, now that we know of the goal of this cult we must strike back and eliminate both its head and heart. Each isle has a similar stone, which is among the greatest of secrets in the world. Their magic holds our reality together. It is for this reason that blood may never be spilled in the capital."

"Look now at the next face." She gestures and a single crack can be seen on its surface seemingly matching the blows on the stone tablet of E'rifu. "This represents the capital and mirrors the power of the other faces, it is the master enchantment. This enchantment grows weaker as the E'rifu enchantment sits away from the land of its origin. So we must return that world stone to the sands of E'rifu."

I am sending you two to join some of our agents in Enotse, they have begun an investigation there. Know this failure is not an option. Find and protect the next world stone.

[redfeline]

@ Kamryn and Caen and any one who wants to read the setting.

The pair of you swiftly find transportation to Enotse. This island is a floating mountain range, much of it is permanently covered in snow and ice. This harsh climate has lead to a number of 'savage' orc tribes on the surface and great dwarf clans in its depths faithfully served by the civilized orcs. Dwarf clan lord is used loosely as one of the currently serving dwarf clan lords is in fact an orc noble.

@ all
The four of you meet up following a lead that takes you to the underground halls of clan Ironhelm, the current dwarf lord is Albert Gold Tusk who has lead his clan for 25 years now, a long time for an orc but a short interlude for a dwarf. A number of orcs and dwarves have gone missing around these lands recently, making this area more appealing to start your investigation.

The four of you new arrivals are staying at a hole int he wall, so to speak. An inn called 'Waystone Tavern' carved directly into the wall. The hostess is blonde dwarf woman with thick muscled arms, she is not particularly tall for a dwarf but she certainly stands larger than most with her cutting figure. The tavern is also occupied but a mix of orc and dwarven patrons.

[samduke]

speaking to the hostess, I require a room (paying the amount requested), Well I am off to see what is in he local shops I will meet you all back here around dinner time. Kamryn will go out to the various shops to purchase things

[Daishain]

Thorne finishes up explaining his part of the events leading up to the muse uniting him and Anvillian with the others. "So, any thoughts on how to approach Lord Tusk?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

DM, was there anything in particular that we discovered while poking around the kidnappings over the past week or so?

[Aegis013]

Anvillian, takes a hard pull off of his mug full of delicious local alcohol, and wipes the foam from his mouth with the back of his hand before inquiring "Why don't we take a direct approach? We're operating on good authority. Let's secure an audience with and ask him about recent disappearances directly."

[redfeline]

@ Those who wish to be present.

Gold Tusks Throne is simply furnished despite being one of the wealthier 'Dwarf' lords, Four tapaseries of simple design featuring the heraldry of clan Ironhelm. The throne was crafted of marble and once perfectly square, now the edges of the arm rests and the seat itself were rounded with the use from countless generations of dwarf lords.

Lord Albert Gold Tusk stood next to the chair, and the chair being designed for use by dwarves made it almost comically small. However that was commonplace in Enotse, finely crafted dwarven furniture all to short for the short lived orcs of the realm, with the exception of the few long standing noble orc families.

Albert himself was a powerfully built man, standing tall despite his advanced age, his eyes were a deep shade of sapphire with perfect clarity despite his silver hair. He speaks in a loud deep voice, stern but not unkind. "I have little time, what do you need of me?"

[Daishain]

Thorne bows, "To business then. We come on behalf of the Muse. We have been tasked with tracking down a particular cult, and have reason to believe that they're behind the recent rash of kidnappings in your domain. If it is at all possible, we intend to do what we can to return your people."

[Aegis013]

Anvillian raises an eyebrow to his companion, apparently making promises without directly responding to the question raised. He adds "We'd like you to share anything you've uncovered about the recent disappearances and ask for the cooperation of your staff in our investigation. Once we hear what you know about the situation, if there is an individual in charge of any investigation we'd like to speak with them. While our task is to thwart this cult, doing what we can to recover your people is also of the utmost importance. We ask for your aid in this noble task."

[redfeline]

Gold tusk crosses his hands behind his back emphasizing his impressive build. His gaze seems to be assessing you, judging your merits and your worth. You feel a little like a prized pig at a fair. He then opens his mouth after some time. "I am not aware of any kidnappings. What rumors you've heard are a bit different from the speculation of my advisors. We have had missing person reports, we speculate that we have a rash of suicides. "

He walks over to the throne and sits on it. "Our lands have often been plagued by suicides, as many border lands are, people often choose to chase the great view into the abyss. All disappearances have been from, what I regret to call, the normal locations: the sky port, float stone quarry, and hanging gardens. Spots of great temptation to those truly unhappy, the number and frequency are far higher. I fear it is some foul curse laid upon my lands by dissidents, who feel my rule has already been too long."

"We have only witnessed one of the jumpers first hand. It was from the hanging gardens. Would you like the names of a few of the witnesses?"

[Aegis013]

Anvillian puts a hand to his chin, surprised that the disappearances are considered suicides here. "Any information could serve useful, so we'd be grateful for any names you can provide us. If it is indeed a curse, it may be tied to the cult we're seeking. Once you've shared this, may we speak with your advisors?"

[redfeline]

Between Gold Tusk and his advisors the group soon has a list of names.

Firbek Orejaw: The jumper witnessed in the hanging gardens. Next of kin is Gareth Orejaw.
Losgrun Longaxe:Witnessed the fall of Firbek
Heloug Mithrilmaster: Witnessed the fall of Firbek
Brursumlin Silverchin: Next of kin to Yolmulir Silverchin one of those who disappeared.
Toretgreal Bottlebringer: Next of kin to Garen Bottlebringer who is the most recent disappearance.

Albert has arranged for a guide who should be able to direct you to any of the families above or otherwise around town. However Albert has need of him in two days, so unless promising discoveries are made you will need to find your own guide after that.

[Daishain]

Thorne expresses his gratitude, still a bit confused. The Muse had clearly stated that the cult had been kidnapping children. Had she been wrong about the nature of the events? Or were the leaders here speaking of a different problem and for some reason the cult's activities were not brought to their attention? Either way, that brought into question whether or not the cult was involved in this at all, which would mean the group was wasting valuable time... Still, they were already here.

Turning to the others and their temporary guide he asks, "Shall we begin with the Bottlebringers? Toretgreal's memory should be fresh. More than anything else I think we need to determine whether these people are actually jumping or disappearing of their own volition."

[Aegis013]

Anvillian nods to his companion "That seems like sound logic to me, let's go meet Bottlebringer." he turns to the guide, "Please lead the way."

[redfeline]

The bottlebringer home is true to their ancestral name. The humble chambers have a simple doorway, and sparse furnishing but around the walls, shelves, and furniture seems to be every type of bottle imaginable. The glasses are mostly dark greens, browns, and shades of blue. However some them are deep shades of purple and violet, a handful are even red. Torch light about the room plays about these glass shapes and colors the walls in an amazing spectacle of lights, the room nearly seems alive in the dancing lights.

Toretgreal comes out, as a mother you were expecting an aged woman but she looks barely middle aged. The long lives of dwarves, likely has aloud her to look little older than her missing son. She has red hair and a simple brown wool dress, the fabric thick as you would expect from a glass blower. "How can I help you?"

[Daishain]

Thorne greets the old mother respectfully, he picks his words carefully, not wanting to lead Mrs bottlebringer on too much. "Greetings madame. We were looking into a string of recent disappearances. Your son among them. I understand that this is a painful topic, but may we ask you a few questions?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy/gather info (1d20+24)[37]

[samduke]

while Thorne is talking to the old mother, kamryn will be looking about inside and outside for any possible helpful clues (perception (1d20+31)[36]

[redfeline]

She sighs and bows her head for a moment, "Disappearance, is as good a word as any I suppose. The guards are calling it a suicide but I know my son. He was happy, he would never jump like that. If he fell, it must of been just that, he tripped in the hanging gardens and fell to the abyss far bellow." She looks defiantly at the group. "What do you want to know that I haven't already told the guards?"

Kamryn finds nothing out of the ordinary in this room.

[Daishain]

Thorne glances at the others, then slowly states, "I do not wish to lead you on, but we have reason to believe that at least some of these cases are connected to a group we are pursuing. Anything unusual that you recall might help. You say that your son would never have done this, could he have been coerced somehow?"

[redfeline]

"Well I am sure you've noticed the unusal sleep schedule of our region. Since we are on the underside of Enotse, we tend have our farmers and numerous other workers active through out the night. This is because while the sun is far bellow the hanging guardens and the sky ports, get sun light. My sun went to pick some fruit during twilight, which is not the best lighting conditions so I think he fell.

Spoiler: questions

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1. Can you tell us about the disappearances you know about?
Firbek Orejaw was seen jumping to his death. Although Bottlebringer also suspects the person fell. She has no reason to suspect such but has a hunch.

2. Was there anything strange that you noticed?
No, and that is what has left her so disturbed. She asks "Why didn't I see some sort of warning sign?" She seems to be taking this personal.

3. Have you seen or heard about anything unusual happening in the region recently?
No

[Aegis013]

Anvillian will attempt to aid Thorne in his efforts to collect useful information. Even going as far as to offer a total across all of the witnesses of 15gp to "jog the subject's memories', as needed.

Spoiler: Diplomacy

Show

(1d20+5)[15] a result of 10 should provide a +2 bonus to Daishain's roll, plus whatever circumstance bonus 15gp buys.

[Aegis013]

Deciding there's nothing to gain from continuing to bother the grieving Bottlebringer, Anvillian leads the group by the nose to interrogate the witnesses and next of kin of Firbek's disappearance.

[redfeline]

You reach the home of Gareth Orejaw.

Spoiler: questions

Show

1. Can you tell us about the disappearances you know about?
"Not so much a disappearance as a suicide. Firbek often talked about..." there is a sigh "He wasn't happy."

2. Was there anything strange that you noticed?
"No"


3. Have you seen or heard about anything unusual happening in the region recently?
"Nothing much has been happening."

You reach the home of Heloug Mithrilmaster

Spoiler: questions

Show

1. Can you tell us about the disappearances you know about?
"Well I saw him fall. Although I must admit it was from an inconvenient angle, he jumped from the aqueduct. I was there to gather some bushels of hops for the brewer. I heard a thump and then saw him free falling. He screamed all the way down. It was light out, despite it being night. As the sun shines in from far bellow the world. He screamed and screamed until he was out of ear shot, I still could see him though. Before long he was little black dot, no more than a bird in the distance, until I lost sight of him."

2. Was there anything strange that you noticed?
"Now that you mention it, the aqueducts are an inconvenient place to get to. No one goes up there unless they need to. Must of had some meaning to him I suppose. I've been there once and I can't even say the view is nice."

3. Have you seen or heard about anything unusual happening in the region recently?
"Yeah people have been disappearing, from neighboring towns. According to my family, Quarrystone has lost 5 people. That is the town on the other side of the floatstone quarry. Here we've lost at least ten. They can't all be jumpers... can they?"

You reach the home of Losgrun Longaxe

Spoiler: questions

Show

1. Can you tell us about the disappearances you know about?
"Well I was, a good friend of Firbek's. I was in the garden to get some apples. No one really cares if you take from fruit before the harvest starts proper. Every one does it, don't judge me. I saw him climbing up to the aqueduct, so I made my way over to where he had started his climb. By the time I had reached there it was too late however. I watched him quietly falling, then jerked and started screaming." She stops with fresh tears flowing down her eyes.

2. Was there anything strange that you noticed?
"Firbek had, been full of passion lately. I don't know why he'd suddenly decide to do this. He has always been a bit of a dreamer but recently he seemed so grounded, in his actions."

3. Have you seen or heard about anything unusual happening in the region recently?
"Well about a year back their was a ship that came to port in town. He asked about the King's Sepulcher. No one really knew what they were talking about, however that didn't stop them from returning 5 more times in the next two months."

[Aegis013]

Anvillian says after leaving the last of the three witnesses: "We have ourselves a lead. Let's check out this aqueduct."

He then leads the party to the reported area of the aqueduct to investigate further.

[Daishain]

"That and this ship. We'll need to ask around about it and its crew. But yes, the aqueduct is here."

[redfeline]

The group arrives at the hanging gardens, an area of narrow angular edges over hanging a fall into the great abyss. In general the place looks vaguely like the terraces farms on the hilly parts of Ati'vi. Carefully flattened area's to grow grain as efficiently as possible. However the ground was also above us and the dwarves had wasted very little space. From the rocky canopy above hung numerous fruit trees, vines, and in smaller places herbs. This was once the most important orchard in Enotse, only here far bellow the snowy peaks above do such fruits grow so readily.

The group is guided over to a series of carefully crafted wood chutes. The water drips from one to another in this spider web of efficient dwarven engineering. These channels come together and the hanging wood chutes eventually give way to proper stone arches which in turn gather to a few points that all drip out from a central stone collum. From there a series of tunnels trails the water miles above. Until finally we end of on the surface of Enotse, where chilled water travels to the pit from the thawing peaks and snow capped mountains.

The party travels slowly along a ledge until the arrive at a particular set of arches, the Arches Firbek fell from. From there they carefully climb the stonework. The outside of the arches were left roughly cut, to provide climbers an opportunity to repair remote places as needed.

The group stands on the thin ledges adjacent to slow moving water. Winds lightly blow the area today. They gaze on into growing darkness. No torches or lights sit in this tunnel, only those with a natural affinity for darkness ever go inside.

[samduke]

kamryn looking about searching for clues, watching her step. Windy the Roc will keep an eye out for danger from above.

Spoiler: rolls & checks as needed

Show

* she has low-light vision & darkvision 60ft
Perception (1d20+31)[33]
Stealth (1d20+23)[38]
Survival (1d20+23)[36]
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (1d20+16)[33]
Knowledge (Geography) (1d20+16)[19]
Climb (1d20+22)[24]
Acrobatics (1d20+19)[23]

[Aegis013]

Anvillian holds his Ioun torch near his head and lets go, allowing the magically glowing stone to start orbiting his head, providing light as a torch.

"Do you see anything Kamryn?" he inquires of his new companion as he looks in himself, to the limit of his light source.

Spoiler: Perception

Show

(1d20+33)[38] Perception

Also throwing in Acrobatics in case we need to balance (1d20+27)[29] Acrobatics.

[Daishain]

Thorne looks about as well.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Sorry for the delay, I thought I'd already responded.
perception with 120' true sight and 60' darkvision, (1d20+30)[36]
acrobatics since others are rolling it. (1d20+29)[44]

[redfeline]

The group looks around. There is a narrow walk way on each side of a sizeable amount of water. The group moves upstream for a long distance. Eventually the passage of cut stone opens up into a natural cavern. The group has four directions they can now travel, up cavern, down cavern, up stream to where the aqueduct re-enters the wall, and down stream the direction they had come from.

[paradox26]

Andrinor studies the lay of the land. The information he has is confusing, and he is struggling to find out why the dwarf would have been abducted. Why the abduction resulted in his death is even more puzzling, since surely a demon cult would want him alive for purposes of sacrifice, or even something more dark than that, whatever that could be. He starts to explore, looking for any sign that the cultists might leave. He isn't too concerned at this stage, since cultists tend not to be the stealthiest of people. Though they do tend to be cautious, since they are universally hated and hunted.