Divine Crusade to the Tower of Damnation: IC

[JbeJ275]

The five of you have over the past three days received some short message, requiring you to attend a mission briefing at the crusader headquarters of Bastion five, before you were on various duties of investigation, patrol or training, or perhaps even enjoying some rare and hard earned leisure time. Now you sit in a small but lavishly appointed room, found only after travelling a long distance through tight winding corridors from the closely guarded and warded teleportation circle, awaiting a meeting with Lady Tanilth, hero of the under tunnels, slayer of the treacherous dead, first among the five thousand. Your briefings were characteristically light on details, but the gist is that some ambitious lord in the hells is seeking to impress his superiors by doing some grave injury to the bastion. Now you have been called here to stop it.

After a brief wait, a female half-elf enters, she wears rune-inscribed wizard robes, spectacles with runes carved subtly into the frames and an unchanging expression of confident serenity. She will see you now. Please head though. She says, gesturing to a crystal door that just manifested out a solid stone wall. I would advise you to succeed in this task with the greatest speed available to you. It is most vital for our ongoing existence.

[Fliggl]

With great speed, huh? Without another word or other reaction, he stood up and walked jogged through the door.

[Aegis013]

Mio springs to her feet, giving the half elf a curtsy. "Your hospitality is appreciated." Mio's smile twitches near imperceptibly, as she gracefully strides into the portal. Those with the keenest of perceptions might note Mio's jealousy of the half-elf's magnificent facial accessory as she ponders how it complements the elven lineage visible in the magic-user's eyes.

[samduke]

jolted from thinking of what she knows about Lady Tanilth's history, Evylin quietly stands and walks through the door

[A.A.King]

"Nothing new there then" Rurdruk grumbled as he heard the line it is most vital. Whenever he was asked to do anything it was always of utmost importance to the survival of everything. He missed the simpler times of his youth. However, without hesitation he moved through the door like the good soldier that he is.

[Dimers]

Belthessil stops pacing when the woman enters. He gives her a searching look as she speaks.

I would advise you to succeed in this task with the greatest speed available to you. It is most vital for our ongoing existence.

The raptoran smiles. "Naturally. If it weren't, Lady Tanilth would have granted the task to a group less blessed." He may be premature in his judgement, but that degree of confidence may yet see him through.

[JbeJ275]

As you go through the crystal door, you enter into a large office, with expensive fittings but little furniture, just a few shelves, a cabinet with many doors showing runes inscribed upon them a large solid desk and a chair with Lady Tanilth standing in front of it. As soon as the last of you enters she begins.

"Good, you have arrived unimpeded. As you no doubt know the mission which you are to be sent on will be to make your way to a fortified tower, held by a demonic army and their many lackies, allies and vassals. Verified intelligence suggest ongoing efforts to create, summon or allow the passage of creatures powerful enough to pose a serious security problem to the grand bastion, and I have no doubt an attempt to destroy these forces would include immense loss of life. Due to their ongoing efforts, we will have to teleport you just under thirty miles north-north-east of the target and expect you to make your way there, infiltrate the tower, put an end to the threat present, destroy as much of the armies and resources as feasible and disable the device currently interfering with teleportation to allow for a proper extraction to occur. If necessary, you may take down the device first at which point we'll be able to send reinforcements but reinforcements ranked for this sort of engagement are few in number. Those loyal to the demonic commander are clearly disciplined, either removing themselves from our reach, evading even our enchantments or ranting and thinking exclusively about their commander's greatness before they expired. However, there have been sightings of deliberate fiend patrols, as well as strategically located settlements of lycanthropes, giants, humanoids with fiendish magic, evil dragons and various corruptions of purified elemental life sighted. We expect you to have four days, before their efforts destabilise the planar boundaries and loss of life becomes inevitable. You will leave two hours before the coming dawn, giving you four hours to prepare, you may requisition a number of supplies from the armoury, including potions to undue common adversial effects and soul spikes to delay fiends in returning to the hells. You may also spend this time, preparing in personally preferred manners, or contacting others to inform them."

With this done, she looks at each of you in turn and with a slightly worse mood says. "It has been recommended that I inform you that this mission is in fact dangerous, and that you have the right to refuse. I trust you are wiser than that. Do any of you have questions?"

[samduke]

My Lady if I may considering the type of foe that we may face, and the time involved would we get our mounts for those of us who have them teleported as well? As far as potions and the like are concerned. I would think several potions of Anti-Toxins, Lesser Restorartions, Cure Diseases, Cure Curse, Healing and Silversheen would be useful.

as far as requisitions from the armoury: <will wait see what others request and what is granted overall>
Bags of Holding

Edited per OOC

[Aegis013]

"If there are strategically placed settlements of other dangerous creatures, can you provide the most recent map of the area?" Mio inquires thoughtfully "Since our mission isn't to eradicate all enemies, I think it would be best to avoid unnecessary risks."

[A.A.King]

"If I was someone who used his right to refuse ridiculously risky missions like this then I wouldn't hace been here in the first place" Rurduk said. "There is no way I'd led somebody else take my place for something like this."

[JbeJ275]

Indeed we can. While our most recent complete maps are imperfect due to time constraints and the lycanthropes seems to engage in semi-nomadic behaviour you should be able to avoid the worst of it.

She opens and reaches into one of the cabinet doors, retrieving a large map. She places it down flat on the table revealing a representation of an open mind icy landscape, disturbed only by hills, streams, one major river and rough outlines of settlements, done only in general terms. As she continues, she points out areas around the map.

You’ll be teleported in here, in an underground hideaway our scouts used before they were forced to evacuate. This point nearby is where our scouts were last sighted, so expect ongoing patrols. Attempts have been made to triangulate the liars of the dragons, and the current locations of the lycanthrope bands, but neither were complete before they were found. Down here, where you cross the river which scouts have called the lodbar, you can either try and sneak across one of the bridges, which sit on frost giant settlements or ford or fly it somewhere else. However scouts have seen ongoing construction, and a number of fiend allied humanoids moving into the area.

Past that there is less and less to go on. The tower itself can be seen a long way off and it sits in the middle of a walled town. Flight or infiltration might work here or might not. We lack any schematics for the city or tower itself. And of course elementals appear nearly at random, emerging straight from the earth or sky.

As for mounts or other companions, those of course will be teleported with you, just bring them to the circle. And you, Rurduk your devotion to this cause will do you well, as the records of all of you fine crusaders. Your actions over the next few days will save armies and cities, a worthy cause if ever there was one.

[Fliggl]

You say, we're teleported about 30 miles away in icy land? We should drink that endure elements potion first.
Also, for travelling: I can turn us into a fast flying bird. Should arrive the tower in about 3 hours. But better to make a break before, to ask the land what danger awaits us. I'm also able to make a defensive barrier, should block most of enemies.

Anyone else able to give us a buff, like invisibility or so?
Korron tries his best to make a plan. He's not the wisest, but he knows that preparation is important.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Animal shapes: Legendary Eagle (15HD, small, 100ft fly speed)
Commune with Nature 14 miles
Antilife shell for over two hours (140min) in a 10ft radius around me

[A.A.King]

"Clangeddin doesn't do subterfuge, he simply grants us the straightforward power to cut down those who oppose us dwarves and all that is right and good in this world. I do however like the plan of flying their like hawks. Given the time restraints we have for this mission, the sooner we get to that tower the better"

[samduke]

"Clangeddin doesn't do subterfuge, he simply grants us the straightforward power to cut down those who oppose us dwarves and all that is right and good in this world. I do however like the plan of flying their like hawks. Given the time restraints we have for this mission, the sooner we get to that tower the better"

I would agree the lack of time available, necessitates haste. Once there we can determine the best approach in and give use a short while to plan our next move.

[Aegis013]

Mio thinks for a moment before inquiring "We know there are dragons in the area. What other airborne threats are we aware of? I'm concerned if we run into trouble as hawks we may be ill equipped to defend ourselves with just talons and beaks. If possible, we should have a contingency plan in case there is a dragon or other threat too great for us to deal with blocking our passage through the sky."

Her smile still rests on her face, even with a hint of concern in her voice.

"I have a spell for letting us escape danger, however, it would set us back on this mission. The best I can do with it is to offer to lead any threat away myself and then have one of you use the magical focus to summon me back to the group, but there's no guarantee that I will be able to attract whatever creature may threaten our flight."

She claps her hands together and rubs them briefly "Certainly one of you has something better to offer as a back up?"

[Dimers]

Belthessil shakes his head at Mio's question. "I can pretty quickly wreck fortifications we come across, but Akadi's hardly more shy about confrontation than Clangeddin is. You've seen my magic before -- the gathering clouds can be seen miles away on a clear day, though I don't know whether our fiend targets will understand it as supernatural. Korron, I'll support your flight spell with my own -- extra protection in case of dispelling. Aside from that I'm mostly just handy in a fight ..." He grins with eager ferocity. "And I suspect we'll have plenty of fighting to do."

[samduke]

speaking up to Belthessil comment... dispelling bah... Well that is why you have me along with my ability to stop out right most magics with disjunctioning or spell countering and other such nonsense from enemy magic users.

[Fliggl]

Turning us into an elk or whatever animals are common in this area is possible, too.
But then we are missing the greater speed. To be much more able to defend ourselves, I can turn us into a wooly mammoth [frostburn, p. 119] or so, but I guess this will attract more attention, then a group of eagles, not hawks, flying around... Are dragons known for to be able to see true, like the spell?

[samduke]

Turning us into an elk or whatever animals are common in this area is possible, too.
But then we are missing the greater speed. To be much more able to defend ourselves, I can turn us into a wooly mammoth [frostburn, p. 119] or so, but I guess this will attract more attention, then a group of eagles, not hawks, flying around... Are dragons known for to be able to see true, like the spell?

notation on dragons , some depending on age could have the ability for true seeing, a quick check of the MM entry dragons and none have true seeing spell, or apear to have true seeing like abilities. so we might be safe.

[A.A.King]

I don't think we should worry too much about the possibility of dragons. The ones that are smart enough to see through our eagle disguises are going to a be a pain no matter what if we do end up running into them, but that is not necessarily guaranteed. If we can't fly past it unnoticed we won't be able to run past it unnoticed, in which case I prefer to have the option to fly over all those minor evils we don't have the time to stop today. This is your god and your power, but my suggestion is to just pick that which gets us to the gate quickest and safest, regardless of whether or not it is an actual part of the local fauna.

[Dimers]

Belthessil nods his agreement. "Fiends may be smart, but if they've spent time studying this world's wildlife, that's time they haven't spent building up their defenses. It's a solid idea."

[Aegis013]

Mio reaches into her haversack and tenderly draws out a beautiful ornately carved, gem studded, figurine of... herself. How vain. Mio waves her hand over it and recites a magical incantation, her holy symbol shimmering with power.

Upon completion she holds the figurine out as she looks at the group of Crusaders and says "One of you will need to carry this. If we encounter danger while we are transmogrified as birds, I will do my utmost to lead the danger away from the group. Once you are clear of the danger you'll have to... have to..." she seems a little choked up at the thought "...break... this stunning masterpiece and speak the command word. Do so and I will instantly be returned to the group."

She looks at the others. "Who will carry it during our flight?"

[samduke]

Evylin looking at the figurine of Mio ... if you wish it done I will do it

[Fliggl]

Ok, then turning into eagles is the plan. With escape plan. Before we start flying, I want to ask mother nature, what's there, what's unusual and so [OT: Commune with nature]. Something specific you want to know?
I have to go outside of the cave, to cast this spell with most benefits, but me's bad at scouting - no keen eye, you know?!

But as far as this small open question, I'm ready to go.

[Aegis013]

Mio hands the figurine to Evilyn with a smile. Then says to Korron "Your eye is likely as good as mine. I don't know what else to ask, so I'll put faith in your expertise."

[Dimers]

Before we start flying, I want to ask mother nature, what's there, what's unusual and so. Something specific you want to know?

Having worked with Korron before, Belthessil is passingly familiar with the sort of 'questions' that could be answered. He pipes up immediately, "Weird monsters, definitely. Beyond that ... well, we have the map to show rivers and settlements and ice ..." The raptoran taps a few places on the map, then resumes his pacing. "You could get a feel for what animals live there naturally that we might emulate. Lady Tanilth, do we have intelligence on exactly what materials the fiends are using to build their ... mm, their gate? If we have some unusual mineral to ask Nature about, it could help us target a more crushing strike."

[JbeJ275]

They make use of some rarer materials for equipment, or structures they need to channel certain energies. Most of the structure though will be heavy stone such as granite, wrought cold iron or other mundane materials. They mostly just have their slaves quarry for stone here than bring rare building materials from across the planes.

[Dimers]

Turning back to Korron, Belthessil opines, "Monsters, animals and plants, I'd say."

[A.A.King]

"I just need to get my Hawk from my quarters, other than that I'm ready to go too" Rurduk says

[samduke]

after carefully stowing the figurine away, I believe that I have what I need