The Imperial Hero Academy (in game)

[samduke]

George walking beside Zeno, minding his business and not touching anything or any one. then just after Zeno speaks "I will see if my talents can shed light. I will need a few minutes." Allow me to set the tone friend then, George sets about a musical tune to aid his companion. (Inspire Competence (Su)+2 skill check)

[Stormwolf69]

after scanning the room you find everything is as it should be but you also noticed that in a hallway slowly walking up you see a creature off the lower plans that is trying to impersonate Cain the headmaster off the academy As he is hooded and caring a book in his hands.

The divination gives you an interesting site as you see a quarry as there are lots of Blue dragon men and spawns of Tiamat and some lesser dragons as they surround the two-headed red dragon. As there his eyes focus on the Blue Great wyrm in front of him (if you understand dragon you also hear them shout the Name of the great wyrm as the Wyrm tells the two-headed dragon that if he wants his army he will have to duel him for command. And the two-headed dragon says "I would not have it any other way."

meanwhile, there is arguing about what is the best course of action as there are different opinions on it.

[samduke]

if Zeno is still sharing what he hears, George translates the draconic to common for those who do not understand.
Well there is something you do not see every day either of those great beasts would be a handful by themselves, maybe we will get lucky and one will kill the other.

[Toliudar]

Zeno

Spoiler: OOC

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It seems that Zeno wouldn't proceed with a 10-minute meditation before dealing with the literal demon in the room.

As Zeno finishes her inspection of the assembled group, she smiles and waves cheerfully to 'Cain' as he enters. As she does so, she sends mentally to her companions, and to Sir Robert.

*I'm afraid that that's not Cain over there, but a fiend in disguise. We should attempt to hold it here, to see if it is allied with the incoming raiders. Do any of you have a way to prevent teleportation? And perhaps one of you could engage 'Cain' in conversation as we work out a plan?*

[Stormwolf69]

Rob shakes his head as he puts both hands behind his back slowly walking towards the Fake headmaster. As his hands make jesters that are picked up by the priestess and the other ruby knight. As then Female knight puts her self in between the princess and the imposter the priestess casts silently cast a spell within seconds before anyone rearising what was going on. “The creature only lights as he says skillfully done. So now that you have captured, me now what. Brother ?”

As the imposter starts to morph and change taking the shape and stature of a smaller slender man with pale skin and dark hair and eyes. Roberts eyes narrow as if trying to burn a hole thought the creature with his anger as he holds the hilt of his sword. Sir Robert Asks "Zeno Would you like to interrogate this abomination or do you wish for me to do so?"

[samduke]

George picks up a melody inspiring Zeno.

[Toliudar]

Zeno

Zeno sends back to Sir Robert and her colleagues.

*I think that since it seems to especially dislike you, Sir Robert, the rest of us can seem moderate and approachable by contrast. Let me see if I can take hold of its mind in the same way you've seized its form.*

Zeno's eyes flare briefly, and she speaks out loud to the creature in the circle.

"Give us your name and show us your true form, please."

Spoiler: OOC

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Zeno will once again attempt to dominate the fiend. She's a thrallherd, what did you expect?

Dominate: 2pp base, +4 for outsider +4 to last 10 days. Will save DC 22 negates.

[Stormwolf69]

Robert looks at the two of you and nods as he says to the others why don't we give them some space to work. As he then whispers something into the two slender female ogres with the two-handed weapons as they nod in agreement. As they aper to be watching what as going on in the circle with full intent. As the others leave the room.

When the others have left the creature looks at you and says it takes a form of a fiendish changeling. And your attempts to dominate the creature's mind were useful. As the creature reveals him refers to himself as Varis.

[Toliudar]

Zeno

Zeno smiles sadly at Varis.

"Thank you, Varis. Could you please tell us who sent you, and what your mission here is?"

[Stormwolf69]

The creature turns to you and says "I am nothing more than a spy for Asmodeus. As I was ordered to observe and report what is going on. As the Dragon queen is moving pawns on the chessboard. An Agent. some cults here and there. As well as a more savage hoard of worshipers as well. But she has not committed to anything to show her true hand form what I can see. But I was ordered to watch her pawns play this little game so my master can clam the real prize if he wishes to." As the creature smiles at you.

[Toliudar]

Zeno nods.

"That is very prescient of your master. I'm sure we'll want to know more about your contacts and, ah, cults in a moment.

Could you please tell me what has happened to the original Cain, and where we could find him? Also, what is the 'real prize' that you speak of? Oh, and how do you normally make your reports?"

[Stormwolf69]

The creature says "The original Cain is still alive and was at the academy. As for the prize. As to the prize the Queen of Dragons does not make moves unless she has an objective in mind. I may not know her true goal at this time my superior A pleasure Devil by the name of Morathi might know. But I do know that there is a rift between the queen of Dragons and my master so she my be looking for an advantage over him."

[Toliudar]

Zeno

Zeno sends quickly to her companions.

*Sorry. Do feel free to jump in.*

Zeno smiles at the fiend and continues.

"Thank you. Please answer any questions that these people may put to you as well. How, where and when do you make contact with Morathi? What were you planning to do here at this meeting? How long have you been here, and who else have you impersonated?"

[Togo]

Tolo leans with his back against the wall, one leg bent to put his foot flat against it, watching. In response to Xeno's question he shakes his head, but does not speak.

[samduke]

Ceorge standing near tolo continuing to wave his sword about, carrying the tune that was started, shakes his head in the negative..

[Stormwolf69]

The creature looks at you and shakes his head saying. "she comes to me. Using her powers to contact me. As for why I am here. I was planning on eavesdropping on the meeting and see if I could learn what I can. I have been in this town for about a month. Mostly posing as a merchant and craftsmen. Buying trading, lots of listening and in the evening In the taverns doing the same thing. I have also been shadowing the cultists and now and then I do impersonate one of there ranks. my job is to observe and report. And I will admit that this city is well defended. take then hidden stockpiles of repeating Bilistas and the bolts. and the large stockpiles of supplies and access to an under dark dwarf trade road. That the dwarfs maintain and a lot more heavy fortifications for that entrance."

[Toliudar]

Zeno smiles despite herself. Say what you will about devils, they do their homework.

"Thank you, Varis. You are clearly very good at what you do. It was only luck that caught you in this moment."

Without breaking eye contact, Zeno sends telepathically to her colleagues and Sir Robert.

*I have asked all that I can think to do at this moment. Sir Robert, this fiend clearly has detailed understanding of your own defenses - perhaps including details you do not know. Plus it may provide additional information about other infiltrations and spies in our world, or at least the methodologies of such. Varis will be under my control for a little more than a week. May I suggest that I instruct him to follow your orders, and that you assign trusted agents to watch him for a week, then prepare to dispatch him back to a millenium in hell at the end of that time?*

[Stormwolf69]

after a few moments of quite Robert reenters the room. "As he looks at the three of you. I will leave him in your custody. As he might still prove useful to you. were you able to learn the immediate threat of the raid or the cult behind it? Also, do you think you can stop them from finishing the ritual in the first place?"

As he looks at you with concern.

[Togo]

Tolo sighs. What's the right thing to do here?

After a moment he speaks again. What can you do with him?

[Toliudar]

after a few moments of quite Robert reenters the room. "As he looks at the three of you. I will leave him in your custody. As he might still prove useful to you. were you able to learn the immediate threat of the raid or the cult behind it? Also, do you think you can stop them from finishing the ritual in the first place?"

As he looks at you with concern.

Zeno shrugged.

"Those are exactly the kinds of questions that can only be answered in retrospect. So, to get a good answer, all you'll need to do is travel forward a month, see if there are rampaging demons everywhere, and come back to let us all know.

"In the meantime, we'll just have to keep trying. I'll see if I can connect with the spirit of the universe. Please stand by."

She turned to Varis.

*Stay here. Answer any quesstions that are put to you.*

Zeno drifted down into the floor in order to avoid distraction. She began to open herself to the universe.

Spoiler: OOC

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Zeno is manifesting https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/divinationPsionic.htm, seeking to answer the question "Where should we go next to stop Tiamat's plans?"

[Stormwolf69]

Zeno shrugged.

"Those are exactly the kinds of questions that can only be answered in retrospect. So, to get a good answer, all you'll need to do is travel forward a month, see if there are rampaging demons everywhere, and come back to let us all know.

"In the meantime, we'll just have to keep trying. I'll see if I can connect with the spirit of the universe. Please stand by."

She turned to Varis.

*Stay here. Answer any questions that are put to you.*

Zeno drifted down into the floor in order to avoid distraction. She began to open herself to the universe.

Spoiler: OOC

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Zeno is manifesting https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/divinationPsionic.htm, seeking to answer the question "Where should we go next to stop Tiamat's plans?"

In your vision you see a mighty dragon-like shape stand before you as he says "Interesting question reincarnated hero. I see two options to throw a proverbial one is in the town of beaver valley. (pun not intended) The dragon has sent a succubus to both the local wererat criminal underworld and adventures guild raid a tomb that contains one of the seals. Option two the dragon will move his army to the dwarf stronghold of the Worlds edge mountain. There in the temple of Moradin, the dwarfs have claimed one of the seals of Right of Conquest. The army is headed there. To destroy that seal."

[Toliudar]

Zeno

Rising again out of the floor, Zeno mentally relays all that she has seen to her colleagues, and to Sir Richard.

*It was interesting. The vision spoke of 'he' and 'him', not 'she' and 'her.' This suggests that the herald has considerable agency and power, rather than simply being a mouthpiece for the dragon queen.

*If, as this message suggests, our opponents need to break the seals, then being able to relocate one or more of them is the surest path to victory. In which case, I would suggest that we head to Beaver Valley first. If we can find the book that my vision spoke of, then simply retaining control of that book gives us the upper hand.

*Which is not to say that we should abandon the dwarves of World's Edge. If we can learn a little bit about that location, we can send Varis with a message - perhaps something with the imperial seal, to reassure them that it is not a trick of some kind - to warn them of the demon army's approach.*

Zeno pauses, her hands fluttering briefly in front of her face, chuckling.

*My apologies. After such divinations, my mind is always racing a hundred miles an hour. What do you think that we should do?*

[Togo]

Tolo frowns.

Local guild seems easier and faster. If we hurry we can thwart them there and still have a chance at beating the army to Temple. If we went the other way around, the second seal might be seized while we were travelling, or escaping from pursuit.

Besides, the local adventurer's guild could potentially be turned against us. Moradin is probably already on our side. So I say, we deal with the local threat first.

[Toliudar]

Zeno

Zeno waits for George to weigh in as well, and then turns to Sir Robert.

*How far is it to Beaver Valley? And is it in the same direction as the World's Edge mountains?*

[samduke]

We are here lets deal with the local and then worry on the other if we can

[Stormwolf69]

Robert walks over to the table and looks at a chart. For a moment. As he then takes a Compass from the table as he says "Let's see the World's Edge Mountains are four weeks by road three weeks by the Underdark trade roads to the south by south-east. Beaver Valley is two weeks to the north-west. I can easily arrange messenger spells as one of the dwarfs is From that the Clans of that area."

[Toliudar]

Zeno

Zeno nods, pondering the impact of Sir Robert's words.

[i]*Two weeks. But Sir Robert's magic warning field thingy tells him that there'll be an attack somewhere in two days. Charming.*[/B]

She looks at Sir Robert.

*Given the urgency of the situation, do you know of anywhere that we could get access to teleportation magic here in the capital? If the tomb is the location of the raid in two days' time, then us getting there in two weeks does nothing useful.*

[Stormwolf69]

Robert looks at you and says "Hang on the area that will be attacked is this one and the outlying villages. Not the area of the tomb. But there is also the issue of the shapeshifter in the room do you think it is wise. We discussing strategy with him able to eventually report back to his dark masters?"

[Toliudar]

Zeno hikes an eyebrow at Sir Robert.

*No. I don't think it's wise to be speaking in front of the devil. That's why I've been speaking to you telepathically. It's you, sir, who have been talking out loud.

*And the reason that I was suggesting teleportation is that it gives us a chance to act at this tomb and be back in time for the attack. I asked the universe where we should go next, and some sort of celestial dragon told us NOT to go to such and such a field outside such and such a village in two days, but to Beaver Valley. I'm just trying to reconcile that message with your magical warning. So I ask again...any idea how we could access teleportation.*

[Stormwolf69]

This type replying mentally "I have a scroll of teleportation in my office up stairs But Beaver valley is a small hunting village there is no adventure guild there. But there is one in the Near by city of High Garden that is odd. You might want to seak out the Adventures guild there. As for the dwarves, I will send them a message that the army is on its way. And what is its true objective is. "