The Statue Shatters (Eberron Round-Robin IC Chapter 1)

[Xian]

Sharn is alive with activity, as it always is, as people from every walk of life are milling around their daily business in the City of Towers. A warforged haggles with a mechanic over parts and labor, presumably for work on the warforged itself; a distraught mage dashes across one of the bridges after his flying homonculus that's stuffing its face with a melon of some kind, and which looks for all the world like someone cross-bred a monkey with a parrot; on a bridge intersection, a small group of minstrels are plucking out a bouncy tune that evokes the image of a large, charismatic, plucky yellow land-bird.

Under the current of organized chaos is a common thread of discussion that can be heard by those who pay attention. It's been all of the talk about town for the past several weeks. Someone, somehow, actually broke into the Museum of Antiquities at Morgrave University and managed to filch the headless statue on display there, the one that some travelers had retrieved from The Labyrinth. The authorities, particularly at the University, are beside themselves trying to figure out what had happened to their artifact and how to get it back. Headless it may have been, but it was still a one-of-a-kind and it was not cheaply acquired.

Who had taken it? Maybe some unscrupulous collector. How had they taken it? The thing weighed a ton! What do they want to do with it? It's too hideous to want to show off. Where did they take it? Maybe it was still in Sharn, hiding in plain sight.

All at once, everything stopped. The warforged and the mechanic stopped their quarrel; the mage, with his homonculus by the tail, paused his return to his lab; the minstrels laid down their instruments. Every being in Sharn at once and simultaneously was overcome with a horrific sense of dread, and turned to look to the northwest. In the sky, a pillar of energy colored of the blackest night shot up into the sky. Even through the towered skyline, every one could see it, even those down in the Cogs, as if they were seeing it with both their mind's eye as well as their physical ones; and everyone could see that it was coming from the middle of the Labyrinth in the Demon Wastes. Somehow, all knew that the whole world was witness to this event and each could see it as clearly as the other.

A pregnant pause held the city as the black pillar increased in size; then, as if releasing all of its energy, exploded at its peak. Seven streaks of energy shot out from this explosion, ripping like scars of night through the azure sky, and at once all were again struck with the same feeling of dread. Folks began to turn and look at each other, knowing that they had all shared the same experience. They began to discuss what they had seen. With this second dread came new knowledge; all suffered visions, prophetic, promising, implying. They varied in the details from person to person, but they were all unified in this: it was the statue. It had been reunited with its head, and with its completion, death had been released. A death of the most foul kind, one that could not be touched, one that would leave the body intact...but would destroy the soul forever. And it would destroy the souls of the world.

Party

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You have received visions beyond what most folk have. The seven streaks were part of the statue, shattered by the energies released with the freeing of this living oblivion. You see yourself standing, a part of a circle of seven, in front of the fountain on Breland Spire in front of Morgrave University: three tall black-haired men, two large, one shimmering with eldritch energy, another with quick hands and an easy smile, and the third smaller with an air of finesse and adventure; two warforged, the "short" one carrying the gift of music, the "tall" one carrying the gift of creation; a Kalashtar who shares a bond with the tall warforged and wears a look of resolve against an unseen opponent; and an elf, the smallest of the group, with hawk-like eyes and tuned reflexes.

Each carries a dark artifact, a piece of the shattered statue. They bring them together and the monstrous relief is once again made whole. Five step back and direct white energy from a unseen sources to the demonic statue, purging its dark onyx to brightest alabaster white. The sixth forces a dark, shapeless evil into the now-brilliant statue. The seventh then plunges a blade of blazing gold into its center. There is an arcane riot of light and the pure vessel and its unholy prisoner are gone.

Celvic

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In the explosion of the dark pillar, you see clearly the final resting spot of one dark shard. It is among the glaciers and tundra of Frostfell, north of Khorvaire.

Fifth

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In the explosion of the dark pillar, you see clearly the final resting spot of one dark shard. It is in the Mournlands of Khorvaire, in the fallen city of Metrol.

Havon

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In the explosion of the dark pillar, you see clearly the final resting spot of one dark shard. It is in the Cyclopean ruins of Xen'Drik.

Jo'natar

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In the explosion of the dark pillar, you see clearly the final resting spot of one dark shard. It is in Reidra near the border of Adar of Sarlona.

Mirror

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In the explosion of the dark pillar, you see clearly the final resting spot of one dark shard. It is on Seren Island of Argonessen.

Rarinn

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In the explosion of the dark pillar, you see clearly the final resting spot of one dark shard. It is in the jungles of Shae Cairdal of Arenal.

[Mantid]

Celvic stands at one of the railings at the edge of tower street gazing out toward the faded pillar. "So this is it," he says loud enough to receive questioning glances from the shaken city folk nearby. This was the threat the Sovereigns wished him to fight and, given the words of the seer and the vision he had just been granted, he was not meant to fight along in this holy quest. He did not know where five of the others were, but there was one he was certain he could find. He would trust the gods to bring them together in due time.

Spinning around, Celvic marches his way toward the shop of a certain Warforged he had met only a short while ago.

[Goblin Music]

So this is it? Rarinn laughs. Rarinn glances around the square he is standing in, looking for the other six.

[Asmodeus]

Inside the Bronze Buckler, the warforged artificer looked around the room, wondering exactly what had just happened. The warforged had never slept before, so he didn't know how to compare the vision to a dream. He rarely dabbled with illusions, or divination magics, but those seemed to be the most likely culprit.

He immediately sets about examining himself for any signs of magical altering of his senses. With his mind and will, he reached out to grasp at the web of magical strands that created every fiber of his life force. He reflected for a moment, on how many times, he had plucked these very same strings to evoke some magical effect on himself, or other warforged. By changing the pattern in this intricate web in the slightest manner, he could ignite his fists with fire, or turn himself invisible for a short period of time. Of course, the natural pattern would always reassert itself eventually. And he had to work quickly to detect any tampering before that natural pattern erased any evidence that might exist to explain what this vision was, or what caused it.

Artificer Knowledge Check - (1d20+6)[17]
DC 15 to detect magical effects over myself.

[fireinthedust]

Jo'Natar stopped as the beam struck him. His first thought was to weakness, his own, that for a moment he had let his guard down. He hustled to loose himself in the crowd, make his way to the side of the sqare he was in. He tried to keep an eye out on the crowd, for who might be watching him.

((notice check?))

OOC: do I recognize Fifth in the Party vision? If he's still in his shop, and not on the street, that would lead me to go get him. Otherwise, if he or Celvic are there, Jo'Natar might see them.

[manaleak34]

Havon stands up quickly from the bar table after having some sort of weird hallucination. A few of the patrons stared for a moment but quickly returned to their drinks after Havon took a seat slightly embarrassed. 'Well that was a odd one' Havon thought to himself. 'It's not like I've had that many drinks.'

What concerned him most was the flashback to Xen'Drik which he had returned from earlier this week just having finished an expedition. While he had never seen the particular area in his vision he could easily tell from the style of the architecture that it was part of the massive Cyclopean ruins. Havon was starting to really hope that this wasn't some horrible Drow curse placed upon him for some unknown crime he committed to some random godess he didn't know.

He tried to ignore the whole thing but that and along with the general sense of foreboding that seemed to have gripped the town just now. While he certainly couldn't decipher what any of it really meant he had a gut feeling that he was somehow supposed to meet with the people he had seen within this dream or whatever in world it was supposed to be. Havon finished his drink and placed a few silver coins on the table and quietly left the Bar and headed into the twisting streets of Sharn.

[Asmodeus]

Inside the Bronze Buckler, the warforged owner of the shop completes his check, and determines that he is operating under his own free will. That doesn't explain the vision though. And it certainly doesn't change the fact that he has a customer waiting.

Looking over to the door, he sees the other warforged who had just came into his shop. He could instantly tell that this fellow was not a standard model. He had been customized with mithral plating, and his equipment... the jeweled rapier and crossbow, were obviously crafted with the utmost attention to detail. But neither of these facts were enough to make this new face unique. The strangest detail of all, this warforged was not marked. Almost every warforged was created to be owned by some nation, and was branded by that nation's mark, to identify the owner. After the war's end, several warforged removed these marks, but still, this creature before him appeared to have never been marked at all. And there was one more thing that made the entire situation odd. Even though they had never met, there was a strange sense of familiarity. The artificer couldn't quite place it, until he remembered the vision.

"So this is it! You were in that vision I had, weren't you?"

[Xian]

((OOC:
Fifth does not detect any magical effects on himself. The cause of the visions has come and gone without leaving any sort of residue or lingering side effects.
Also, are you speaking with Mirror, or just another warforged that walked into your shop?

Fireinthedust (and everyone else), any characters that have met prior, such as Fifth and Jo'Natar, will have recognized each other as being in the vision.))

[Son_of_Meepo]

Only because he'd seen another of his kind, had the gleaming mithral warforged dared to remove the hat which normally disguised him. A few moments of staring by the other warforged made him wonder if his initial assessment had been presumptuous.

He shifted his weight onto his back foot as if retreating half a step towards the door he'd just entered. When the other warfoged spoke to him, he froze.

"If you'll pardon my asking, are these visions an unusual event? I hate to seem overly inquisitive, but my existence has been one odd occurrence after another, so I don't know what to make of it. I can offer no explanations, but only offer my assistance."

The warforged extended his hand in greeting. It is the way he'd seen humans greet one another, so he figured it was the proper thing to do.

"I'm... I'm not sure. No one has ever called me anything before. Perhaps you could call me..."

The warforged began to look himself over, trying to find some sort of clue to an identity he's not even sure he's ever had.

"Call me Mirror."

[fireinthedust]

Jo'natar bolted through Sharn, then, running down steps and over bridges until he got to the Bronze Buckler.

As he runs, the Kalashtar's mind races. That was Fifth in my vision, and Celvic. I can only hope Celvic gets the same idea and heads to the Buckler.
This vision wasn't a dream, and I don't think it was an attack by the Dreaming Dark. If so... best to be prepared.

Jo makes his way carefully around the Buckler, scouting out whether any are spying on the shop. He would have spent some time looking for the hiding spots about the towers and such, and from hiding he checks each one. When he's sure there's no one watching them, he'll proceed to the back of the shop, preparing an action to draw his mindblade for combat.

He'll knock on the back door, the knock he uses when he comes by the shop.

[manaleak34]

Havon seems to wanders aimlessly through Sharn almost subconsciously walking towards the mainly Warforge area of the city which was mostly filled with number of factories which often hired Warforge and many repair shops. It was less populated as some of the other streets but still had plenty of people on the streets.

He notices up ahead a sign for the Bronze Buckler, one of the many repair shops within the district. He take a quick look around for anything interesting.

Spot Check: (1d20+1) (1d20+1)[19]

[Mantid]

So this is it? Rarinn laughs.

Celvic stops and turns to the elf. "Yes," he says with steel in his voice, "this is it. The Sovereigns have blessed me with a vision of how to end this evil we have all just witnessed. You should do well not to laugh at their protection or their servant."

Celvic shakes his head and turns around, taking a few steps. "Laugh all you wish at lesser matters," he stops tells the elf over his shoulder. "Rest easy knowing the gods' watch over this world. As for me, I will continue to be their hand in all things. And now I have six companions to gather and a shard to find."

With that declaration, Celvic sets his face forward and resumes his march to the Buckler.

[Goblin Music]

Rarinn looks at Celvic, grins, and then catches him up
So these "companions" do you know what they look like? Rarinn asks while they walk

[Asmodeus]

The shop-owner was about to reply when there came an unusual rapping at the door. "Hmm, another customer?

Mirror, was it? Please, come in, and have a seat. Or stand, if you prefer. I'll deal with this customer and then we can talk more."

He opens the door, expecting to see another warforged here for repairs, but is surprised to see Jonatar. "Oh! Hello, Jonatar. I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon. Please, do come in."

Inside, he introduces Mirror to Jonatar and vice versa.

"So, what brings you here, friend?"

[Son_of_Meepo]

Mirror watched Jo'Natar with obvious unease. The few flesh things he'd met had seemed content to scheme against one another with plots that seemed to always end in violence. He'd seen it first hand under the streets of Sharn and for nearly two months he'd been forced to live that way. Was he frightened or just paranoid? Either way, he didn't want to remain seated and vulnerable while a non-warforged was in his presence, so he chose to stand, saying nothing.

[Xian]

Havon notices nothing standing out from the usual hustle and bustle of the city, though a definite melancholy is on the faces of many. He does notice, however, that the Bronze Buckler does seem to be having a larger rush of clientele than would normally be expected. Perhaps there's a sale?

[fireinthedust]

Jo slips inside quickly and quietly, sizes up Mirror, nodding in greeting, and glances quickly around the shop.

I saw you today, friend. In a vision. Did you see the sight above the city? I great pillar in the sky, firing rays from it. One struck me and I saw... myself, holding a shard of a statue. You held one also, and Celvic, and four others. I saw a great battle, some kind of darkness... and I saw where the shard I was to gather was hidden. My... Natar's homeland, Sarlona, in the mountains between Adar and Riedra. I know I sound crazy, but did you see anything like this yoruself? Does it sound familiar?

ooc: does Jo recognize Mirror from the vision?

[Mantid]

Rarinn looks at Celvic, grins, and then catches him up
So these "companions" do you know what they look like? Rarinn asks while they walk

Celvic give the elf a sidelong stare as he walks. At length he relies, "Two men, two warforged, a kalashtar, and an elf, if you must know. But you already knew that, didn't you.."

[Asmodeus]

The warforged listens to Jonatar. His expressionless face never changes, but he does tilt his head forward slightly as he listens. Perhaps this is a warforged gesture of concern.

"I did have the same vision. Or a similar one at least. I seem to recall that a shard fell into the Mournland.

Now that I think of it, there was someone who resembled you in the vision as well. This is too strange to be simple coincidence.

In my vision, there was another warforged besides myself."

He turns towards Mirror. "Mirror, did you have the same vision? What do you make of it?"

[Son_of_Meepo]

"I can't say I made anything of them," Mirror responded matter-of-factly to the other warforged. "Without a suitable context, the places and events really have no meaning." Mirror struggled for a moment on how best to refer to Jo'Natar's vision, having never in his existence seen one of his kind. "Though I can say this, I saw no mountains as this flesh-being described, but only a great cavern. There were some other flesh-beings, humans I think they call themselves. Though, not like any I've seen here. Let me show you."

Mirror stood up and donned his magic hat, concentrating on the human figure he'd seen at the center of his vision. His form was washed over by the illusion of tanned human skin, painted with tribal tattoos. Strange bones encircled his neck and were braided into his long black hair. The illusion complete, Mirror resumed speaking.

"There where others in a semi-circle around this one, they were kneeling with their foreheads touching the ground. The one in the middle was holding the dark shard in both hands and looking up at it. Perhaps they hold it in reverence," conjectured Mirror.

Mirror mimicked the pose of the lead human though he had nothing in his hands. Once he was done, he stood up and plucked on the the bones from his hair. Instantly it turned back into a hat, and Mirror was as he originally was once more.

[Asmodeus]

The shop-owner marveled for a moment at Mirror's display. He gave a moment's though to see if he had any clues about where this tribe may be located, and shared any theories he could come up with. {See knowledge check below}

Afterwards, he says to Mirror "That is a fascinating piece of clothing. Would you mind if I examined it for a moment?"

If Mirror complies, he'll spend a minute examining the hat for magical properties.

Knowledge Arcana - (1d20+8)[19] to know about any human tribes who might worship an arcane artifact like the stone shard.

Artificer Knowledge - (1d20+6)[23] DC 15 check to detect magic within the hat, if Mirror allows it.

[Son_of_Meepo]

Fifth (RE: Barbarian Tribes)

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Thinking about the shard itself, you can come up with nothing, after all it's a new artifact, whereas your knowledge would extend to those more well known. Just when you think you've reached a dead end, you remember that this artifact is actually part of a demon. Maybe it has something to do with The Demon Wastes? You aren't very knowledgeable about that region of Khorvaire however.

Mirror extends his arm holding the hat towards the other warforged. Mirror loosens his grasp as the other takes it in his own hand to examine it.

Fifth (RE: HAT)

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You'll figure out anything about a hat of disguise your ability would tell you.

[Asmodeus]

"Hmm... interesting. It is definitely magical. Likely of the school of Illusion, or Transmutation, judging by the effect. If I were to guess, I'd say its a Hat of Disguise. I've never created one myself, but I know how. I could identify it to be sure, but that would take me an hour, and I doubt we have that kind of time to spare. Hopefully later on though..." he explains as he hands the hat back to Mirror.

"May I ask where you got it from?"

{OOC: The only thing the Artificer Knowledge ability grants me is that it is magical. Everything else is just inferred from actually seeing it in action. I could add a spellcraft check to identify which spell it is based on, but I figure its a common enough item that I could recognize it.}

[Son_of_Meepo]

Astonishingly enough, Mirror answers thusly as if his answer were compltely ordinary and expected, "Everything I currently possess, I aquired in a similar way. In the bowels of Sharn, I took it from a flesh-being who it appeared would have no further use of it given his condition. It seems that is what humans do, and I was trying to blend in at the time, so I played along. I didn't even realize that it was magical until I removed it from his head and the human suddenly became taller, thinner, and had more elven features."

[fireinthedust]

Jo watches the warforged gossip about items with some fascination. Strange creatures, with such focus on function, on devices.

Amazing. The two of you... and I don't even know your names. Friend, I apologize for not asking, but I tend to think intutively rather than by words. The word sword says nothing unless you understand the design and function of what the word points to.
I saw also a fountain, the one in front of Morgrave University. If I guess right, perhaps the others from the vision will head there. Then again, it could be a trap. Unless Celvic intends to come here directly... I wonder if you two would wish to look into this with me?


ooc: can we assume Celvic and any he brings with him arrive? Or should we aim for the fountain?

[Asmodeus]

{OOC: I'll not assume he arrives until he posts that he has arrived.}

The warforged turns to Jonatar. "You know his name, don't you? I introduced you to eachother. Well, his name is Mirror.

As for the fountain, I saw it in my vision as well. Its the only starting point we have, so I think going there is a good idea. I'll gather my gear."

[fireinthedust]

Jo'Natar nods. Ah, Mirror. Of course. I wondered, when he said your name, but with all the objects in this shop and your people's tradition of names for items, I didn't wish to assume.
And your name, friend? If we find the others, it would be useful to know.

His own gear collected, Jo'Natar looks out the shop door and the street outside, carefully keeping an eye out for pursuit. When the warforged leave, he moves with them.

[Asmodeus]

"I have no name."

[fireinthedust]

Jo's brows quirk. Oh. I thought that was unusual even for warforged. The treaty of Thronehold names warforged persons under the law. What did you sign the deed to this store with, other than your name?

[Asmodeus]

"Actually, warforged were never named by their creators. When we were considered little more than property, there was no need to name us. Some of us were even given serial numbers. The closest my creator ever came to naming me was telling me that I was the Fifth out of a batch of 40 exact same models.

But even before Thronehold, we began to acquire names, either from other human soldiers who we fought with, or selected ourselves. I've never found a name that I particularly felt attached to, so I've never taken one. Anytime a signature was needed, I would draw my Ghulra."

He takes off his apron, folds it carefully and puts it on the work-bench. He begins drawing out his gear and equipping himself for adventure.

"Mirror, you will come with us, won't you? You were in the vision too, so this certainly must involve your fate."