Age of Ruin IC: The city of demons

[Ozzy_G]

Two sinuous gold dragons streak into the sky, and over the hill. The air in your wings is dry but warm. Ismal exults in the feeling of flying that she loves so much. For Kaleff, it is a new and strage experience. At first, he finds flying difficult, but he quickly, instinctually gets the hang of it.
You fly over a few hills, towards the volcanic mountains in the distance, the ground beneath you turning from blasted soil to scratchy soil.
You fly over a field of sheep, nibbling at the grass. No one seems to be watching them. Besides humans and dragons, they are the first animals you have seen in the wastes.
And then, beneath you, is the city of Zrek Kazal.

[Ozzy_G]

The city is like no human city you have seen. It is less a collection of buildings, and more one giant building of many wings. Tunnels and passages criss-cross under bridges, all built into the buildings, all of which are built together. Most have flat roofs, and are low and blocky, but there are a few soaring towers. The architecture is beautiful, incredible works of engineering, but much of the city is in serious disrepair, walls crumbling, roofs gaping open.
In the centre of the city is a particularly large building sticking up, with balconies sticking out, enabling access across bridges from the roofs of other buildings. You realise that, looking at the occasional deep tunnel with nothing above it, the valley is much deeper than it appears, and the buildings you see are probably only the tips of a much deeper complex.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Ismal wished she had more time to simply enjoy the flying. It seemed like forever since that brief, beautiful flight with Draven.

"Kaleff, I've read of such cities, but none of the descriptions remotely do them justice. This is amazing. Spectacular.

"Also, really difficult.

"May I suggest that we look just below the top floors of these structures for any kind of large open window. Something off, but not too far off, the central tower. We can buzz past until we find a room that's clearly unoccupied, and get settled in. Sound okay?"

[Ozzy_G]

Kaleff's eagle eyes spot something moving near the central building. There seems to be a couple of short people sitting on rooves nearby, watching the sky.

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff Nefud

The sensation of wind whipping past his new form should have been more terrifying, especially as they were heading into enemy territory, but aside from a lurch in his... stomach? it would have been his stomach in human form, he felt little. Momentous or no, it is simply another day. I will live or I will die. Should I have a preference?

Heading down so that he can get a better view of the figures, Kaleff casts his spell, dancing a circle in his new form from a new position high in the sky he had ascended to after his brief reconnoiter of the figures.

Stand back a bit, Ismal, I about to cast a spell to ascertain the direction we must take to reach Azakan.

[Toliudar]

Ismal helps Kaleff find an unoccupied and secluded room for his spells. The two figures had made her nervous. Had they been able to see through their invisibility? All the more reason to get out of sight, then.

"Good luck then. Let me know if I can help."

As Kaleff began his dance, she began a slow circuit of their immediate location, making sure that she knew the access points...and the prospective ways out.

[Ozzy_G]

As Kaleff heads downwards, he sees the two people more clearly. They are short and stumpy, and wear thick red robes. They have long black beards and hair, and are armed with crossbows. They do not seem to be able to see him.
Kaleff casts his spell, and gets a kind of feeling, that somehow he knows that Azakan is below the central building, but not by much.

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff

Below the central building, not so low, I think. How much longer will the spells hold?

Circling lower, Kaleff looks for a place to hole up, releasing his first set of eyes from a safe height, instructing them to use much of their allotted time to scout the area encircling the building, before moving in on Azakan's location.

That should tell us something. When they return, we should have a firm grasp of the layout of the complex.

[Ozzy_G]

Kaleff, followed by Ismal, spirals down into one of the open tunnels between buildings. It is dark and the dragons cannot stand abreast in the tunnel. Kaleff casts his spell, and sends out his invisible eyes to scout. They whizz off into the streets. You wait about ten minutes before they start to return, giving Kaleff information.

Spoiler

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He learns that the streets all around the central building are deserted, except for four Dwarven guards that stand at the two street-level entrances to the central building, two at each. There are two Dwarven guards sitting up on the rooves as well, which you saw before. They all look bored and chat to each other, not expecting an attack. The streets are cramped and littered.
The eyes entered the central building as well, from several ways. The outside doors on street level lead to a large central room, where there are three Dwarves in the robes of the Priests of Gothul, black with green or purple lingings, talking with two humans in the same robes. The humans are a pair of very old men, they look as unhealthy as you'd expect from 80 year old men. With Dwarves, you have no point of reference to tell whether they are old or not, but they certainly look tough and strong. The priests are sitting around a table, drinking and playing cards.
In the corner of the room are, chained up, a small girl of about 9 or 10, a teenage boy with silver dragon tattoos, and an old woman. They wear rags, and look miserable and scared.
A couple of the eyes went to rooms that are at the side of the main chamber. One leads to a staircase that goes up to the top floor, which seems to be a series of unused small rooms. There is also a coat-room and a broom cupboard at the side. All these rooms are dusty and the walls cracked.
The final side room leads to a stairway that goes down. The eyes travel down, into a set of corridors. Some go left, then right or left, leading to the basements of houses, from which they can go up to the street again. Others go right, along a longer corridor that slopes down, opening into a massive chamber. The distance between the roof and floor must be 40 foot, and it is probably about 60 foot wide. There are various tunnels leading off.
In the centre of the cavern is a large pit, about twenty foot wide. Sticking up out of this, rising about ten foot above the floor level, is a strange obelisk-like object like the one on the island where you fought before. There, only the very top was normally visible, appearing to be an altar, but here you can see that it is indeed a huge obelisk that stretches down into the ground. Although it is similar to the one you saw before, it is a bit different. Instead of disturbing Illithid pictures, it shows murals of figures you recognise as presumably being the Kael Vorn (a young girl, a tall man with a firey sword, a huge centipede with a human face, a wolf, and a woman in a thick, concealing robe) fighting a huge, four-armed monstrosity, with bestial fangs and claws, and snakes for hair.
Two small, sturdy-looking, stair-like bridges have been constructed across the small gap between the ground and the obelisk, reaching up to its top. At the top of the obelisk, someone has hammered in pins with chains and manacles on, so that a person could be chained, spread-eagled, across it.
Near the pit stand several figures, talking. One is clearly Azakan Zere, in his black uniform. He looks haggard and tired, with a slight grizzle from not shaving. His skin is pale. and there are pits around his eyes, as if he hasn't been sleeping properly. In his hands he holds a crude circlet of crystally glass, with sluggish blood inside its hollow glass tubing. There is a large cut across Azakan's arm.
The second is a tall, muscular man, with a huge Davethran sword, a Dai-Katana, across his back. He wears black, spiked plate armour. His skin is slightly greenish. His face reminds you of Sumner's, as it has the same sunburst and thorns tattoos as he does. He looks determined, serious, but also slightly confused.
The man talking to them wears red and blue robes with gold lining. He has four small horns jutting from his head, blue eyes that glow slightly, and a whip-like tail peeking out from under his robe. He talks animately, with an urbane small, although the eyes cannot hear what he sees.
Although Kaleff has only seen him once or twice at public appearances, he's heard enough descriptions to recognise Archmage Gothul of Ralm.
Behind Govan stands a tall, thin man wearing a breastplate, with a katana and wakizashi at his waist. On his forehead is a blood-red crescent moon tattoo, and along his hands are tattood claws.
Next to him is a bored-looking man in fine robes with a strange, wattly growth hanging from his chin. He has black hair streaked with white.
Prowling around behind them are also 4 squat, blubbery creatures, with pale, sickly flesh, fanged mouths and claws.
Behind the greenish man who looks like Sumner are three Dwarves in Gothul's priest robes, and a small imp, flapping around. After seeing all this, the eyes returned to Kaleff, to report their information, and then they dissapear, the spell ended.

[Toliudar]

While waiting for the eyes to return, Ismal refreshes their invisibility. She tries to remain composed in this hostile city.

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff

Opening his mind to Ismal as the eyes filter in, he shares as much of the information as he can.

Settling into their position, Kaleff conjures a warding field around them, setting it to chime a warning if their secrecy is threatened.

As the lower eyes report in, giving Kaleff a point of reference, he casts a spell allowing him to comprehend all languages, then conjures a magical spy in the cavern of the obelisk to catch the conversation taking place.

[Ozzy_G]

Kaleff casts his spell, and words filter into his mind.
...and if we fortify the southern border, then that will increase tax revenue anyway, as trade will improve. It's a passionate voice, with the cadences of a skilled orator.
And we'll be protected from the Mokai as well. This is a grunt, a deep voice.
That goes without saying, Sir Kesh. Another voice, a slightly slimy voice, ingratiating and sycophantic.
What about Rega Xan? This is definitely Azakan. He will oppose us.
And be crushed by the might of Gothul! May he feast on the bloody hearts of his enemies!
There is a chorus of "May he feast on the bloody hearts of his enemies!" said by everyone, some passionate, some determined, some grudgingly.
Just think, says the passionate voice, in only one hour, we will return Gothul to us! Our power will grow once more!
The Empire will return in all its glory! says the deep voice, enthusiastically.
Yeah, snorts Azakan, glory.
You are to be Emperor, shouldn't you be happy? weasles the slimy voice.
Oh, I'm very happy, says Azakan sarcastically. Govan's happy, you're happy, the dwarves are happy, Kesh is happy, I'm happy. I can't wait until Gothul comes back and starts feasting on human hearts once more.
It is a small price to pay for the resurrection of the empire, says the deep voice. Some must die to protect the rest of us. With peace and order, less will die overall.
Azakan sighs. Never mind, he mutters. I'm going to help, okay? Does it really matter if I like it or not?
Yes, it does. It sounds like the deep voice, but a completely different tone, more cruel, more demanding, authorative. I want all my worshippers to be happy, Azakan. Did I not drive out the Illithids for you humans? It is because I care so much. The voice is mocking. And once I am your God again, I shall protect Davethra from all its enemies, internal and external. The cults of the Ilsharei shall be scourged from existence. The Mokai will be reconquered, their cities burnt to the ground, their women and children taken as slaves, their priests sacrificed on my altars. The Qusans will bow before us, and then we shall take Shavar once more, moving ever onwards in glorious conquest!
It sounds wonderful, oh most powerful God!
Indeed, it will be just like the good old days.
Yeah, I remember them, says Azakan bitterly.
The cruel voice laughs mockingly. I remember the days before you were born, when your race were but slaves to the Gnomes, the Orcs and the Elves. I remember how the Dwarves overthrew them. And then you humans overthrew them in turn. It reminded me of myself, a slave who grew to become a master. Are we so unalike? I eat the hearts of humans, and your lords and warriors too thrive on death. I have anyone who disagrees with me killed, as do your human governments. We are all the same really. It is why I liked Vellan Zere so much. He reminded me of myself.
Yeah, he was just like you, says Azakan bitterly. Evil and hungry only for power.
What else is there worth having, Azakan Zere?

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Once she understands the nature of the next spell that Kaleff is casting, she hastily unpacks ink, pen and paper. She works to transcribe down the important moments of the conversation as Kaleff relates them.

Sir Kesh? A relative of Sumner's, then. I wonder if the entire lineage are hosts.

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff

Communicating, as best as he could, the events as they happen, the Zhan's brow furrows. So this is what she does every day. This isn't easy.

Cofaos? he allows his thoughts out, distractedly before answering. Perhaps. This could be another instance of our doubles interference. Were you there when Sumner met his... elder self? He mulls this for a moment, keeping his thoughts private. And what about myself? If this is the double of Cofaos Emorik, perhaps both we and our doubles have a part to play in this all. Perhaps my double was not slain back in his own lands? Any assassin worth his salt could fake his own death...

Hissing irritatedly as he hears the pronouncement, the Zhan hastily begins another barrage of spells. As I feared, we will not have time for Orin's talkative, time consuming methods. He must be stopped now. The only question is, do we take the children with us, perhaps delaying the ceremony, or do we leave them and hope for surprise?[/I]

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Ismal's mind reels as she absorbs this new information. She shoots back mentally.

"As we saw last time, the children are easily replaced in the ritual. Unless we can reliably snatch the crown - and I doubt we can - I'd say we should teleport back to the airship immediately."

Spoiler

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Ozzy, how long a trip was it over the hill toward the city? Would I be able to make it back with a dimension door (4,000 feet)?

[Ozzy_G]

Kaleff casts his spell, and the eye whizzes off, down into the cavern. On its way, it passes the priests, who don't seem to have any magical auras.
It reaches the large cavern, and looks at the people down below.
There have been no secret doors so far, and doesn't seem to be in the cavern.
Kaleff studies the people with his divination magic.
Govan and the person who resembles Cofaos slightly both have two spells on them currently, and Kaleff tries to recognise the schools.
He also senses the power of each person in terms of magic.
Since his clairaudience spell is still active, he hears as the conversation continues.
What about honour, about Ne'sha? asks Azakan.
The cruel voice laughs. You can clearly see it's coming from the man with the greenish skin who resembles Sumner. I made up Ne'sha to control the warrior caste. It worked fairly well.
Indeed, says the man with the wattly growth and white streak in his hair, they serve us loyally.
Jeshyre, asks Govan, could you go upstairs and fetch the boy for sacrifice? There are things I'd like to do first, but we might as well get him down.
Yes my lord, says the man with the wattly growth. He starts walking up out of the cavern.

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff

Well, we know who the vessel is, anyway. There is no doubt. Now, the question is do we show our hand? I could wait here, watching the crown, and take it if it is set down... or I could try to wrest it from Azakan's hand once more. Not an impossible feat.

[Toliudar]

Ismal

Ismal almost hisses out loud, but instead constrains herself to mental expression.

"No! We can rally the group and be dropping the army in to halt this in short order, but we absolutely need you. I'm expendable at this point, but you are absolutely critical to reaching that room clearly and quickly. We can't risk you on a long shot. Get us back to the airship NOW."

She reaches out to take hold of Kaleff's sleeve.

[NobleSavage]

Kaleff

The Zhan sighs. Closing his eyes, he takes hold of Ismal's outstretched hand and wills them back to the airship, intoning the requisite syllables to trigger the energy stored in his mind.