The Emerald Spire Superdungeon [IC]

[lostsole31]

The party heads back the couple miles to the Mosswater Gate. Fort Inevitable’s impressive defenses begin with two main gatehouses; the western gatehouse is known as the Mosswater Gate. This gate consists of a large timber door sheathed in iron plate, plus a portcullis on the inner side. Numerous arrow slits overlook both the approach to the gates and the interior passage, which is also covered by murder holes set in its ceiling. The upper floor of the gatehouse serves as extra barracks space and storage for the Hellknight garrison.

The Mosswater gate is under the command of Maralictor Kiera Wirt (female human). She leads a detail of five Hellknights who question everyone entering or leaving town. She had been too busy inspecting a merchant cart when you left to notice you, but now you are stopped on your return. "Name and business, please."

[Chromascope3D]

Aroden bows, stating, "Aroden d'Orro, with Sage Ezren's Companie d'Mercenarie! Returning to home base from an unfruitful voyage."

He turns to Reiko, "You have our papers, oui, mademoiselle?"

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grathar

Grathar smiles but otherwise, keeps his mouth shut.

[lostsole31]

Reiko hands over the portable charter, counts the heads and plays an internal match-the-name-with-the-faces-you-see game and then hands the charter back to Reiko.

"You're alive," says the Maralictor. "Quality of life in a job means coming home alive."

And with that the party gains entrance back into Fort Inevitable.

Where does the party go from here?

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grathar

"I think we need to see about grabbing a quiet room at an inn. Maybe someone can look at my hands and check me out. I have a heal kit in my pack. Then I can jot down my notes for Ezren and we can see if he has any suggestions about the darkness. Oh yes, and food. Lots of food. I'll buy. Maybe go back to the spire tomorrow ? Any one have a better idea? Boy, we sure pasted those goblins. The world is better off for sure. Shame I wasn't able to grab a bow though." Grathar rambles.

He scratches his hands.

[lostsole31]

"Why would you want a little goblin bow?" asks Reiko.

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grathar

"To shoot little goblins ?" Grathar responds. "Hmm, I guess I need a big Dwarf bow..." Grathar mumbles something about large hands.

[Chromascope3D]

Aroden watches Grathar ramble with a wry smile, noting, "Well mon amie, if their slipshod spears were anything to go by, their bows wouldn't be worth the scavenging. Well, then again..."

He rubs his shoulder where there had once been a goblin arrow, and shrugs, "Well, then again, maybe I need a drink, ah?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Aroden's gonna head to the tavern

[Qazgir]

Bríg

"Food sounds wonderful right now, so I'll take you up on that offer Grathar" Bríg says with a weak smile. "I'd also like to see if Ezren can supply us with something to help us overcome that darkness. I'd rather not return until I'll be able to see past the bridge of my nose."

[lostsole31]

It was only a couple miles there and back, and honestly the encounter(s) happened very quickly. It's only midday when you return to the tavern where you met, and Ezren is not around.

[Chromascope3D]

"Suppose he wasn't expecting us to come calling so early..." Aroden mutters to himself as he takes a seat at a table. Glancing over at Reiko he asks, "Mademoiselle Reiko, I don't suppose you know where our employer might be at this hour, non?"

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grathar

Grathar orders a round of drinks and some lunch. While he waits for his food, he begins jotting down his notes about the goblin ambush and what little of entrance of the spire he saw.

Spoiler: Grathar's Written Ramblings (in Dwarven)

Show

Day 1

" The ruined spire towered over an empty glen, which was devoid of trees. Sort of creepy. The stairs were rubble, so entry was made via a dirt path up the side of the spire. The first sign we got of the goblins were the arrows fired at us. The second was their smell. Some of them rode putrid dog-things. Punching the wolf-things, while very enjoyable, has led to me developing a rash and an itch of some sort. fleas or worse!

We're hoping to get further in tomorrow and kill more goblins."

~

Grathar draws an incredibly rough sketch of the spire at the bottom of the page with charcoal. He adds in a few goblin bodies strewn about for good measure.

[lostsole31]

Reiko shrugs in response to Aroden's query.

[Chromascope3D]

"Hmm..." Aroden hums, and flags down the tavernkeep, asking, "Excuse moi, sirrah, but would you happen to know where the good sage Ezren ran off to? Long white beard, ah, blue garments, was in here earlier?"

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grathar

"I bet he'll be by in the morning. He likely has some 'saging' to do or whatever."

[lostsole31]

The publican ignores Aroden, sending over a serving wench instead, but she doesn't know the answer to Aroden's question.

[Chromascope3D]

"Alright, well, say la vie..." Aroden punctuates, ordering a tall lager and finding the same chair he had occupied that very morning, keeping an eye for any cardhands to schmooze in on.

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Aroden has nothing else to pursue today. He will pass the time gambling.

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grathar

"Bríg, you mind looking at my hands after I finish this drink? Maybe there is some magic that can help" Grathar asks doubtfully. He pulls out his heal kit and looks around the tavern.

"Hmm maybe this isn't the best place for this. Its pretty early in the day, not sure if my room is ready yet. Maybe later this afternoon is better."

[Qazgir]

Bríg

"Of course, I'd be happy to take a look at your hands in a little while. But in the meantime," Bríg rises from her chair, "I'm going to take a walk. Come find me when you're ready." Bríg walks out the door, going for a walk to nowhere in particular.

[lostsole31]

That evening, Ezren comes around, looking for information, drawings, rubbings, reports, etc.

[Chromascope3D]

"Two goblins and their horrid mounts were felled today," Aroden announces as Ezren approaches, "Making use of a fell dark that obscured our vision and our lights. We were repélled by their companions who were able to shoot at us unhindered by said dark, hm?"

He looks to the others.

[lostsole31]

"Tell me more about this darkness?" asks the older man. "Where did it begin? Who was limited by it? What was its affect on light sources? What light sources were you using?"

[Master K]

"The Darkness began at he entrance to the spire, and while I can not speak for the others, I found that my own eyes were unaffected as I was able to see clearly despite the darkness"

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grathar

"Aye, I could see fine as well." Grathar hands over his notes he made earlier in the day.

[lostsole31]

Ezren nods, looking at the partly constructed tiefling and the dwarf. "So, it is still dark within, but ... as expected with goblins ... darkvision is fine. So the real hindrance would be those without. Aroden ... Brig .... tell me exactly what you can about your visual acuity, and any light sources you attempted, please."

[Qazgir]

Bríg

"I can see no better than any other human woman. As for light sources, I cast a simple Light spell, as it is all I am capable of. I'm sorry I don't have anything more useful to tell" Bríg says.

[Chromascope3D]

"Oh, oui, and I the same. But our lights seemed far dimmer than normal, and the curtain of dark stopped right at the door!" Aroden confirms.

[lostsole31]

Ezren listens to Bríg, but then is visibly unimpressed by her account. He seems much more focused when Aroden gives his account. His eyebrow raises and he asks, "Dimmer? How so?"

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grathar

Grathar strokes his beard and glances over at Aroden.

[Chromascope3D]

"Hmm, they reached maybe about... this far?" Aroden answers, stretching his arm out, "And then utter black beyond, oui."