End of Ages

[bue52]

Avit smiled, "Congrats, Lotho, you did well, defeating the Cerebus, though, be careful, we don't want to lose you before we defeat the dragon." said Avit. "So how are we going to spread the rest of the loot?" he asked, looking at the team, it has been a long time since Avit has distributed treasure, it felt refreshing, different from using the souls that he and his demonic friends used for bets, looking around, he walked towards the hunter Mannequin and took the beastlord hide, "Any objections?" he asks, looking around as he pointed at the hide armor.

[bue52]

Avit turns away from the mannequins, while the rest of the party distribute the gold, Avit decides to look at the gate, trying to find out what should they do next. Looking at the lock known as Avarice, Avit decides to take a chance, with the four soul gems he possess, he places one and waits to see what happens.....

[ixious]

The gem you place in is locked into place, it goes from moderately glowing to dull and you hear something click inside the lock.

[bue52]

Avit smiles as the pieces started to fall into place as he realizes what must be done, taking the other three gems, he places each of the three gems into the slots, knowing that he still needs one, Avit turns around trying to think logically, trying his best to stifle his excitement from clouding his judgement, realizing then that there were only two places in which another gem can be found one was the imps, which was impossible to reach at that moment, the other was the pile of corpse which would be the safer bet, running towards the corpse, he searches as throughly as he can, hoping to find the last soul gem required to break the lock, then leaving only the one known as sloth to prevent them from returning to the plane of the living.

[The_King_of_Durf]

Lotho takes the Luckblade, Sylvan Armor, and Rogue's Gloves, thanking those who complimented him with little humility. "If this is all Hell had guarding its gates, I'm quite unimpressed."

"I suggest we take everything that nobody wants, and place it all in the sacks to sell or disenchant later on. I myself could use the sacks, and a couple of these other trinkets look interesting."

[bue52]

"Agreed," Avit said, turning his head towards the rest of the group as he continues to search through the corpse, hoping to find the gemstone which they do not have.

[bue52]

Avit panics as he could not find any of the gems, then realising that it was in his pocket all along, he smiles with a huge blush in his face, clearly embarrassed at the mistake. Walking back to the lock and placing the gems where they ought to be.

[ixious]

Each gem grows dull as a clink is heard from behind. When the last one is put into place the lock falls off the door, just as Gluttony had done. The breeze of fresh air fills your noses as only 1 lock stands between all of you and life.

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again, valuable trinket, this one has Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Quartz, and Obsidian, again could make a nice amulet if you can forget the fact it is likely almost as cursed as a vecna eye..

[Jokes]

Thonas

As a sharp pain bites into his side, Thonas winces, then steels himself. shrugging much of his pain away. He picks up the scroll and begins writing.

"There once were five warriors, who stepped into a dragons mouth and came out in hell..." He writes much of their story, but there are parts he can't recall. "Guys, do you think you can finish this off?"

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Thonas uses a second wind to bring him up to 58hp. He writes 40 words of their story. I guess another 60 split amongst the rest should do it. Hopefully...

[The_King_of_Durf]

Lotho shoves every unclaimed item, along with everything that has been melted down, into the haversack and bag of holding. He places both bags into his own backpack, or merely attaches them with rope if they can't fit.

"The painful trip will be worth the money we make when we get rid off all this junk. Let's see..." he takes the scroll from Thonas, drawing his own cruel black quill and continuing the story.

"And then, the noble halfling turned the dog into a pincushion. And then he wrote the story with his neat new quill. And then, his companions all cheered? No? Well, worth a shot..."

[ixious]

The last lock flies open, gates rattling and flying, all of you are pulled into a bright light. Each hear softly "Via et Dia" before landing face-down in the snow, a burned area behind you opens into a dead-end cave, around you are sigils of protection. The tieflings feel queezy but not to the point of hinderance. Around you is an area barren of trees, nothing but snow falling upon you and wind. Looking around you see a huge fortress in the distance.

Chapter 1: The City of Light, The World of Darkness

Anyone who has been to Silvergate recognize the fortress immediately, if not for some serious securty upgrades. The weather seems more extreme than it once was, it is frigid beyond belief, and over the deafening wind you can almost make out shouts from the fortress. Coming closer to the fortress you see guards lining the top with bows drawn. The gate opens and a person in full mail riding a horse approaching you.


"How dare you enter the lands of Silvergate, on what busine...." He trails off when he sees the cave behind you "Hellmouth...but you...come with me, and touch and speak to no one...Infernals, I reccomend you pray to whatever god you worship, as until we know for sure, the full wrath of our protections will fall on you" You are walked toward the gate watched carefully by the soldier.

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1500 xp for those last 2 locks, next post is arriving inside the gates of the city, will release when y'all are ready, this means a post from all 5 of you.

[The_King_of_Durf]

"It seems things have changed since our departure... I don't feel too welcome, to tell you the truth." Lotho whispers to his friends. The cold air was certainly a refreshing contrast to the smoking walls of the Bronze City, however, and the halfling couldn't feel all that bad.

"Pardon me, sir, but my friends are I are no Infernals! In fact, we are sympathetic to the cause of any who are against them, having just fought our way right out of Hell itself. We are in sore need of food, shelter, and drinks, and we have many questions. First, would you tell me what year this is? Second, would it be too much trouble to supply us with some clean drinking water, at least to start with?"

Diplomacy - (1d20+12)[21]

[ixious]

gruffly the guard replys "By the hells I do not mean you fool, the..Light, what did you call them back then...Teevings, the devils that were not nessesarily evil, by the Lights of Celestia if I judged each of you by what we see your races as now I would have killed more than half of you by now, and been rewarded for the hide of two, but I know who you are, or what it LOOKS like you are. I am sure either way your teeving companions will not like it here much, and honestly until we know for sure who you are, I can't really feel much sympathy."

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roll perception and insight

[bue52]

Avit notices how the knight seems to despise Lotho more than anyone else in the group, worried that anymore said by the halfling would only result in further agitation, Avit walked beside the halfling, and whispered to him, "I think this guy seriously doesn't like you, maybe you should leave this to the rest of us." Turning to the paladin, Avit smiled, replying to the paladin's comment saying, "Alright, thank you for not attacking us immediately, my friend here means no harm, though may I ask what year it is?" . Avit hoped that sincerity was the way to a friendly knight rather than this solemn one.

[ixious]

980 Antevir, as for when "your calender" (giving each of you a wary eye) ends and ours begins, we are unsure...

[ixious]

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The second you enter the gates, the tieflings are reduced to 1/4 hitpoints, that is your new maximum, all your modifers are 0, and you have an endurance 20 to pass from not vomiting once every couple of posts I make.

It is warmer inside the walls, like the last day of winter with a spring breeze. The snowstorm outside is a gentle mist inside the gates. Along the sides of the road are temples and training yards to each diety. Looking downs streets you see simple buildings where apparently people live. Everyone here appears as either a monk or cleric to a good deity. Down one of the alleyways there is the temple to Glittergold and Ioun, both of which appear to have shops outside. You are walked toward a large "castle". The closer you get to the center the larger the temples get.

Outside the temple of Pelor a woman with glassed over eyes begins wailing in Celestial.

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if anyone speaks celestial I will tell you what she says...

Also worth noting, the temple to Bahumet has all of it's images crushed and a wall around it barring entry. There are people inside, and places in the wall for food delivery/trash pickup but armed guards around each of these "ports". The guards do not seem to mistreat those inside, just refusing to let them out.

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Tieflings make a CR25 endurance, pass you are still walking, fail you are on your knees in pain upon entering the "castle"

Entering the "castle", You are asked to place all weapons on a rack and mages are required to place a phalacary around their heads under warning to not even use a cantrip. before being escorted down a long hallway to a room filled with sweet smelling incense and a man dressed in a robe, battle armor visible underneath, and holy symbols around him.


These are the warriors told of in prophecy? You must be joking. Two ofthem are Devils! If not for their presence here I would almost say they are imposters, but here they are, from the hellgate, so I have little choice...So,what names do you respond to? The legends give each of you many.

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Some convo here, then freedom to wander the city, weeeeeeeeeee


let's assume they pass until the actual players are back

[bue52]

" I am Avit, this is Lotho, this is Walker, this is Thonas and Cale," Avit said pointing to each and everyone of them respectively, at the same time, he was trying to sound humble and sociable though attempts in such a suspicious environment may be challenging.

[ixious]

And I am Cailestis...leader of the city, but there will be plenty of time to discuss matters at hand after you have had a nights rest and some time to enjoy life once more. But before I leave you to flounder in this fine city, which I am sure you remember as Silvergate, do you have any questions on how it may have changed? We have little knowledge of what Silvergate was....in your time..... the last part is said awkward

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yeaa...bull****...

[Jokes]

Thonas

Stepping through the gate, the sudden change in atmosphere hits Thonas like a brick. The frigid air is a comfort compared to the fires of hell and the lack of brimstone allows him to breath comfortably for the first time in years. Thonas sighs drinking in the simple pleasures. He follows his companions into the city, taking it all in, admiring life too much to really notice what was going on. As they enter the castle, Thonas barely thinks as his weapons are taken away, but he seems to mutter a warning about the halberd, something to do with it not shutting up, and the guards have trouble understanding.

[The_King_of_Durf]

Lotho speaks up impudently, having left most of his regards for social and conversational standards in Hell. He isn't appreciating his treatment at the hands of these people, especially considering that he came back to help save them.

"To be honest, I'm not certain how long its been since your time and ours. What do the legends say? What year was it when we left, and how many have since passed?

In any event, the only real difference between Silvergate then and now was that it was much more hospitable, and the people were less condescending and prejudiced. What has happened in the past few years to turn this place into a prison?"

[ixious]

There will be plenty of time for "catching up" after you have had a nights rest and some time to enjoy life once more.

Looking away from Lotho, So I presume you are ready to see your quarters?


Each of you are shown to separate chambers in different quarters of the city. Lotho and Avit are led to the Avandra square. A gambling area is there along with places to sleep and eat. Thonas and Lotho are led to barracks inside the wall, and Cale is led to the Square of Ioun, with a library, inn, and various alchemy and enchantment shops. The tieflings are given white robes (your DC Endurance is now only 15, keep the nausea and quarter hp though) and told to return tomorrow evening, both to speak with their leader, and to retrieve their belongings.

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Two things, everyone now can tell me where you are going in the city, any non-evil god has a district here with something of interest to do. A few just a quick scene, others have shops, gambling tables, "sparring" arena (unarmed attacks versus my homebrew monks teehee), basically enough entertainment to give everyone what they want til y'all are ready to go to Cailestis again, hopefully with our 2 lost players. This can entertain everyone for as long as need be. Assume anything you buy or sell is delivered to or from the castle, my foolproof way of keeping y'all unarmed but able to buy/sell.

As for Cale, you actually will need to go to the castle to disenchant, switch enchant, whatever. You may have the hardest job and as long as I am NPCing you, you wont be making much progress. So everyone knows, Friday morning if we still have not heard from the two of them I am opening up recruitment again for two new players to go through the next part at least with y'all. I do not want to do it as it means Cale and Walker will be "sitting out", but it's the best I can do to keep the game moving. I have a good plot reason for it, so don't worry bout plot integrity.If they come back after that then I will run through a sidegame with the two of them to catch them up to y'all and we will have one hefty 7-man party.

[The_King_of_Durf]

Lotho will attempt to sell off everything that Cale doesn't want to disenchant, and will then divide the gold into shares for each of the party members.

Then he will go off to gamble and, if feeling lucky, con a few coins off of the other vagrants. After accomplishing this he will find a steady source of alcohol and a nice meal, curling up in some comfortable corner to enjoy his freedom.

Bluff - (1d20+12)[24]

[bue52]

Avit, was thankful that nothing bad had happened, after all that had happened so far, this was probably the best thing there was, just simply laying down on the bed and resting on the bed. Slowly but surely, the tired elf went into his trance, even though he does not sleep, this was still somewhat better then the depths of hell.

Avit arose early in the morning, looking at the talismans his demon friends gave him, he placed them in his pocket, thinking that that would be the safest place to keep them, especially with such a town that despises demons. Taking a coat and moving out of the comfort of his bedroom, Avit decides to find out more about the current world right now....

[Jokes]

Thonas

Thonas heads for the barracks for a well earned rest. When he comes out of his trance, he overhears some of the guards talking about boxing matches, and he enquires about them.

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Let's see these monks of yours.

Slowly but surely, the tired elf went into his trance, even though he does not sleep, this was still somewhat better then the depths of hell.

Elves sleep in 4e, it's eladrin that trance. Odd because I was about to post that Thonas slept, but remembered he was an eladrin.

[bue52]

Avit walks into the public hall of the Avandra Hall, the atmosphere was calm and comfortable, the food was great especially because it was free. Hoping to find out how long it has been since they had died, Avit decides to walk towards the bar maiden, there was still that ray of hope, that the village survived, that the people he knew and loved still lived, with their long lifespan it was possible, though at the same time there may have been war, there may have been raids, there were way to many possibilities that the probability of something bad happening was pretty high. Even after finding out about the unification of the world's religions, it was still not enough, Avit tries to speak to the Bar maiden more, however, his lack of charm had only resulted in the lack of any specific detail. Without much hope, Avit decides to try again, this time asking blatantly about what had happened. "So, what legends were there about my team and I, and while were at it do you know about an elven village by the name of Aalen?" Avit asks.

[ixious]

The guards, smiling, direct you to a sandy area right outside the barracks, but inside the walls. a circle of people surround two shirtless men fighting barehanded. A cleric of Kord stands outside the circle as each "corner" looking as if they are in prayer. The punches back and forth cause blood, and youhear the breaking of bones but almost right after you see the wounds close, bruises lighten, and bones mend. Finally one man taps the ground then bows to the other, walking out.

The guard you had spoken to pushes you in. You notice that no one seems to talk here, although they did seem offended at you speaking. The man before you flexes, assumes a battle position you have never seen before, and becons you forward.

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Here is the deal,

Unarmed strikes in this are STR v. Reflex, and deal 1d2 damage, Crit range is 19-20 unmodified, and deals 4 damage. You and the opponent have 10 hitpoints. They are considered giving AoOs

You currently know 0 "hand to hand stances"

"Stances" in this sense are minor actions that "trigger" when the opponent hits or misses, mattering on the stance. To learn a stance you need to roll Perception (free action) before you attack, and if the stance procs, "Insight" to learn it. He has a total of 4 stances you can learn, and I have a "martial stance" you can learn from your experiences here, plus something fun and likely helpful to the party mattering how you do.

you have 11 rounds, obviously the first is going to be a bit of a learning experience :)

[ixious]

@avit

And who exactly would you be? It is a tad rude to not introduce yourself before asking if I have heard of you. I am Celly, and the "legends of me" speak of some of the best dried meats inside the fortress! Yup, any good adventurer has at least 10 of my dried meats with them, i swear to ya, ask anyone! The woman continues trying to sell you her dried meats, praddling on and on...

[Jokes]

Thonas

Unfamiliar with today's customs, Thonas bows to his competitor before beginning the fight.

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OK, for reference, Thonas' reflex is 18 and his unarmed to hit is +7. Attacks are basic or can I use powers?

I guess initiative to see who starts-

initiative - (1d20+9)[24]

[ixious]

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matters if you can flavor your powers to be unarmed, you can't cleave someone with your fists :-p

Your competitor symbols you to come

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his "action" was to use a minor action, the stance, and has a held action for after the stance triggers. I will give you the first perception check, as this is 1 stance I think you will enjoy.

[Jokes]

Thonas

Thonas sizes up the man and aims his punch square to the man's chest.

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Sure Strike (1d20+9)[20](29) (edit: oh, and crits first strike )
Damage - (1d2)[1](1)

Perception- (1d20+6)[21]
Insight- (1d20+6)[12]