NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep

[Cejer]

Brown Haired Youth

"Oh, so you're what pass for nobility amongst the elfin kind? I should apologize. I did not realize any of noble blood would be so unarmed." The youth is hardly sincere.

"And I do know where we are, and you lot have approached me from the shadows like a pack of thieves. I have every right to accuse you of misconduct. Though it is now nightfall, I remember climbing up here just hours ago. Then," the noble pauses for a moment, "I find myself here, surrounded by men skulking in the shadows."

His stiff posture relaxes somewhat as Mazom asks his question. Turning and making a formal bow, he responds in a rehearsed tone, "I am Atoly Magivol, Baron of Stryna. Young Lord will be acceptable."

Next turning to the dwarf, he calls out in a reasonable tone offset by harsher words. “Sir dwarf, lower your crossbow in the presence of nobility and introduce yourself. Quickly if you would.”

[shaddy_24]

Evendur

The paladin turns to Fizahn. "I have lost my connection to her." He turns as Callose begins walking up the stairs. Quietly, he begins to follow, paying no attention to the rest of his old companions or the group he's moving towards.

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan urges Khazrael along with him as he chases after Callos, noting casually, "Come along now, I don't want to lose track of my robe." He throws his cloth belt over his head and catches up with his friend as swiftly as he can, marching alongside.

"So what are your thoughts? Have you felt anything either Callos? It may be me, but things feel different. I don't like what that may be a sign of."

[Nahal]

Tall, athletic human

Noticing Callos and Grynde (though he doesn't yet know their names) coming up the steps, the human turns to Addis. In this weather, I might suggest we instead get indoors. You may call me Davek if you wish, and if you decide to wait out the night here I'd be happy to come with you to the village after the storm breaks. I may not look it, but I've helped fend off a bandit or two and know how to ask the right questions to get our bearings without looking like complete idiots once we reach town. Next Davek turns to the loud-mouthed noble, deciding he thinks the "Young Lord" ought to find a healer to remove the tree that seems to have lodged itself in his posterior. We're doubtless far from your retinue, Baron, and in my experience it's not always a good idea to be rude to men skulking in shadows. They may not share your respect for title or station, particularly if your title relates to a land they've never heard of.

Realizing such words might do more harm than good here, Davek takes a more conciliatory tone next. On the other hand, Baron, while you seem to be aware of your surroundings most of us are lost. It might benefit us to remain together for the night in case we are accosted by unsavory types while we rest, and I for one would appreciate the aid of one who knows the area come morning.

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Rolling bluff and diplomacy for reference purposes, though I gather it doesn't necessarily make a difference between PC's. Bluff: (1d20+8)[12] Diplomacy: (1d20+5)[15]

Also, it looks like we'll have additional company shortly. Two of the group from down below are approaching. To Callos, he call out Hail, and well met! What brings you to these parts?

[blackfox]

Young red-haired female human

The young woman shivers. Agh. It's col--

Hold on... It's cold. I'm feeling.

She pinches herself. "Ow..."

I'm still alive.

She stops walking abruptly, and Fizahn almost bumps into her.

"Oops... sorry, Fizahn." She looks down at her surprisingly human form. "I guess just call me Ginevra." She pulls her cloak around her body and trudges towards the pavilion, following Callos.

[Tanaar]

Darros

Shaking his head at the man's continued arrogance, Darros raises a hand. Holding aloft an orb of clear crystal, a low crack of thunder retorts, and electricity crackles between his fingers and the orb. "Baron, I have no quarrel with you. But know that there is more to a man than brute force, and I need no steel to measure myself by." The electricity flickers out as he pockets the orb. "Harsh words have been said, but there is no reason for us to be enemies. I return respect when respect is given, or at least civility. Let us start anew."

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Fizahn's repeated queries finally sink in. Tiriel notices that she's standing with a group of people that are both familiar and strange. She thinks she knows all of them, but "recognize" might be too strong of a word. Obviously she's not the only person who's lost things but she can't help but feel isolated by her loss. And cold. She wraps her arms around herself as she replies to Fizahn, "Yeah sorry, I... I'm just..." just what? she thinks, shocked, confused, scared, angry? All of those things. The pain that had come before had been searingly physical. What replaced it now was the sharp realization of what was lost.

"Yeah I'm ok.." Tiriel joins her red-headed friend and heads toward the tower, her troubled thoughts keeping her occupied.

[Dr._Bob]

The ten of you climb the stairs until you are sheltered beneath the colonnaded pavilion's roof. The pavilion is open on three sides but is sealed at the back. As you move deeper into the gloom, you find two pairs of large wooden doors, banded in iron, set into the rear wall of the pavilion. The doors flank a stone statue of a giant basilisk who is curled up with its eyes closed as though sleeping ...

Some of the seven warriors standing among the pillars bicker while others try to introduce themselves. Others ask questions that are lost in the confusion.

Names are exchanged, but it remains difficult to match so many new names with so many different faces - elven, human and ... neither? The words begin to blur into each other ... Addis ... Atoly (the "young lord") ... Darros ... Davek ... Mazom.

Patash, by all appearances a talking lizardman, reminds some of you of Ssathiya. Some of you eye the dwarf up and down. Perhaps Thokk has returned yet again from the dead? His beard is cut short however, and he appears to have a more fair complexion than the oft-slain demonslayer. Perhaps stung by Elthan's hostility, the dwarf is not quick to name himself.

The one called Davek hails your group directly, and awaits a response.

Almost unnoticed, an eighth newcomer steps out from behind a pillar, where he had been observing the others. He is another elf, blond-haired and blue-eyed, but taller than most of his kin. His light blue cloak matches his eyes. A bow is slung over his shoulders.

The air is cold, and even some who aren't dripping wet shiver. Several look down the mountain into the valley. The trip down the mountainside to the village will be treacherous in the darkness and rain. It would likely be many hours before any shelter (assuming there would be shelter available) could be reached ...


OOC: Please feel free to start using the OOC thread (in my spoiler sig) to introduce yourselves to each other ...

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

The knowledge that the others were following him only rang dimly in the back of his mind, everything was just too..off for him to pay particular note of the fact his companions hurried up the steps behind him. Still his mind was too involved with the basics of what had happened or what seemed to have happened. Why was his arm back and what did it mean? What had happened to Khaz? Tiriel didn't seem to be okay either and his gaze lingered briefly on her. Why was she confused? If anything she seemed to be the same.

And then there were the people huddled together in the pavilion already, some who were arguing amongst themselves while another was...talking to him? Callos's brow furrowed, pausing as he took stock of the man who had called out greetings to him. He didn't seem to be a threat but then again the same could have been said for half a dozen other things he had encountered. "Hail." Comes the reply in a rough voice that sounds as if the owner had a truly miserable day, which Callos had actually had,

"I am traveling to the two towers behind you, as do those with me. Unless I'm mistaken neither of us has reason take offense to the other and I'd like to keep it that way." The lanky human says, reaching up to brush pitch black hair back out of his face from where it had been pelted down by freezing rain. Once more his dark eyes took stock of those within the pavilion now that he could see them clearly but unless any of them moved to stop him, the human scuffled across the floor towards those iron bound doors that seemed to impede his progress.

"Ginerva, could you come here for a moment?" He asks distractedly, waiting until the mysterious, and now changed, woman had joined him before leaning down to whisper into her ear. "Make sure these doors are safe to open and pick the locks if you need to. We need to get to those towers as quickly as possible."

[Nahal]

Davek

Seeing the fellow was obviously not in the mood for pleasantries, he lets him pass. As he turns to do so he sees the statue near the towers' entrance, and a part of his mind can't help but wonder if there was some relation between the golden eyes he saw just before being petrified and the location of the statue here. He pushes it away as the other man approaches the doors it would have been guarding against intrusion, and instead gets a look at the others from the second (or first?) group as they approach. Davek attempts to identify who among them seems to be the leader (Insight: (1d20+6)[7]) and addresses whoever he identifies as such.

I hate to impose, but if you are going to enter one or both of these towers I'd ask if we, or at the very least I, would be able to follow you in. We need not stay together once inside, but I doubt I have the skill to bypass the locks if there are any. Also, this isn't the kind of night that you spend outdoors and I'd prefer to avoid freezing to death.

Edit, OOC: Man, gotta love those ones. Ah well, better to get 'em now than in the middle of a boss fight.

[blackfox]

Ginevra

"I'll take a look at it, but I don't think I have lockpicks on me."

She walks slowly and nervously towards the door, very carefully avoiding the basilisk's eyes. Without looking back at Callos, she says, "Hey Callos... What's in those towers? Why are we going there?

"...What just happened to us?"

With a sad expression, she scans the area in front of her for possible traps or hazards.

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Thievery - (1d20+9)[16]

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

"...I don't know. I have thoughts, theories...but nothing solid. I'm hoping some place warm and out of the rain will do wonders to help clear my mind." He admits in another whisper to Ginerva as she looks over the doors while avoiding the gaze of the basilisk. It was obvious he didn't exactly enjoy having to admit something like that either, he was used to..well..knowing at least a little bit more then everyone else and while he still knew a little more all it did was make him question more things.

That's one of the reasons it was him that spoke up when the tall fellow, Davek, looked for the one among them who seemed to be the leader. Not because he was but because everyone had their own problems at the moment and his own seemed the least pressing.

"Listen, I don't know if we'll be able to get into the towers either. It's just a strong hunch on my part but if we can then I see no reason why you can't come in as well...as long as you swear not to commit violence against us at least. You all seem pretty trustworthy after all." Maybe it was the confusion but Callos's voice was less...rude then normal. It was probably just these strange new surroundings but because these others seemed at least to recognize the land he didn't want to alienate them.

He also didn't want them to attack Ginerva either while she took a risk purely on his behalf either. That's why, for the first time since he had known the woman, Callos gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder, as if to transfer some of his own confidence to the other, and interposed himself between her and these strangers.

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn follows Callos and the rest of the group grudgingly. He casts suspicious looks at the towers as they get closer. He is a three foot three gnome with dark red hair. He has a trimmed goatee also, and light blue eyes. Minor scars can be seen on his arms. He doesn't look happy with the weather conditions and his current situation. He glares at Callos as he asks Ginevra to search the door. "Sure. Ask her. She's the first option. Much better than me. Actually tall enough to reach the lock." He looks the people he doesn't know over as Callos talks to them. "Huh. Bickering amongst yourselves already. I think they'll fit right in with us." He spends some time looking at the one referred to as the young lord. Hopefully you brought some of your wealth with you.

[Tanaar]

Darros

Darros hurries to catch up to Callos, Fizahn and the others. "{Not exactly, my gnomish friend. Just a frightened boy used to relying on his father's protection. With any luck, he'll relax soon,}" he says in Elven, a language commonly shared by elvenkind and gnomes. Switching back to Common, he turns to the rest, "You folks seem to know the most about what's going on here, or at least where we are. Being left in the dark is maddening to me, so I think I'll stick with you. My knowledge of the arcane and divine arts is at your disposal."

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Seeking to demonstrate his capabilities and forestall any unseen danger, Darros uses his knowledge of the arcane to Detect Magic at the doors. Can't do roll in an edit, will roll it in OOC.

[Cejer]

Atoly Magivol

Atoly gives an irritated reply to his elven counterpart. "Very well Lord Haveth. Civility."

Giving a grim smile to Davek, Atoly walks closer as he converses casually. "You need not worry on a knight's behalf. I have little reason to fear common bandits, and a troupe of assassins would have been more professional than you." Atoly gestures at the others on the pavilion.

Further conversation is briefly interrupted by the old man's grouchy comments.

The youth follows the old man to the back of the pavilion while speaking to Davek. "If you would have my protection and guidance, it will be located within those towers. This land is my fathers, and so the towers rightly belong," his personable tone fades away. After an uncertain pause he starts again. "As I was saying, I intend to spend the night in some sort of shelter. One of those towers will be suitable."

A visible frown crosses his face as Darros speaks in the elven tongue.

[Durendal]

Dwarf

"By Moradin's beard your a loud one." he says to the obnoxious human "prince" "The names Harsk, now, if you'll excuse me I think I'll help the lady with the door."

Ignoring the rest of the bickering tall people, Harsk moves over to the door that the cloaked woman is inspecting and begins to check for traps or locks himself.
"'Scuse me miss, thought I'd lend ye me hand."

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Theivery(1d20+8)[19]

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Made the perception check in the OOC thread. My bad, 4e skills are messing with me.

[Naleh]

Retay

The huge berserker looks around slowly, trying to piece together what happened.

The kris stabbed the orb... There was the snake man... Evendur yelled something... I was turning the platform, yes, I was turning and turning - and then a burning pain, ever so much pain, and a bright light...

He shakes his head to clear it. Strangers move about on the pavilion. Retay snatches up his greataxe.

His axe isn't there.

He knows that he often drops his weapon, more worried about present need than longer-term battle tactics. But as he searches the ground, noticing the broken spiral but not realising its significance, he realises he is dressed in his usual furs - not his gleaming new breastplate. His axe, it seems, is gone.

Gone... The axe which was my life on the Narfell... The axe which has been faithfully at my back ever since I left my people... The axe which has wreaked so much vengeance... Gone.

Fizahn calls out Retay's name, and the giant man jerks back to the present. The strangers have still made no threatening moves, so Retay ignores them for the moment and turns to look among his allies. It quickly becomes apparent that many of them have lost more than an axe.

He wordlessly answers Fizahn's question by joining the group walking towards the towers, despite the fact that Callos and Elthan recommended it. The cold doesn't bother him - in fact it is relaxing after Hlondeth's climate, and the lava, and the dragons, and the bright light... - but if there's one thing a northerner knows, it's not to underestimate the weather.

[Rodrick_the_Red]

Patash

Patash listens as the others try to determine what happened. As the people climb the stairs, he pulls his bed roll from his pack and hands it to the red haired-woman saying, "Wrap yourself in this. The weather is affecting you the most." He then addresses the rest of the climbers "I am Patash of the Talon Lakes Clan. Do any of you know how we all came to be hear and who is the rude being with the flashing golden eyes?"

While the others work on the doors, Patash searches for materials to make a fire with. He gathers up what he finds and brings it with him when then doors are opened.

[Dr._Bob]

Ginevra is somewhat surprised when the massive lizard-man hands her a bedroll and when a stout dwarf appears at her side to help inspect the locks, but she is perhaps most amazed by Callos' friendly gesture. To her recollection, this might be one of the first times he had ever spoken directly to her, and it was certainly the first time he had touched her ...

Both Ginevra and Harsk inspect both pairs of doors carefully. Both appear to be unlocked and untrapped as best they can tell. They look at each other and nod in agreement. Each leaning against one door, the push open the pair to the right of the basilisk. The doors swing open nearly soundlessly.

Inside is a large, enclosed colonnaded gallery, essentially the mirror image of the pavilion. All is quiet and dark, but dry, within.

The lizard-man, Patash, scouts around the pavilion for material for a fire, but the building is surrounded by shattered rock and scree. The few scraggly shrubs clinging to the side of the mountain are sopping wet.

[Frojoe21]

Aeroz

Upon seeing the inside of the towers, Aeroz can't help but heave a heavy sigh.

"Huh. First time we go in a tower and aren't treated to a watery grave or a teleportation magic. I still say we should visit that village at some point and try to get our bearings here though. Maybe a nice hot meal..."

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn stands back as the other experts ply their trade. He ignores the elf's comment, not fully understanding what it meant. The young noble soon offers his own words, and Fizahn sighs. "He's going to have to room in your tower, Callos. I refuse to have him in mine. Speaking of that, which is yours, and which is mine? I don't suppose some considerate golden-eyed entity decided to carve our names in them." As Aeroz speaks, Fizahn smiles mischievously at him. "It is our intention to visit the villages soon. We need some equipment, and I intend to get it. One way or another."

[blackfox]

Ginevra

"...Thank you, Callos... Harsk, Patash... I'll try to remember your names, but you'll probably have to remind me." Ginevra is suprised at the generosity and (for the most part) non-bickering among the newcomers. I guess we're the newcomers now, actually... or something like that. "We're all clear, guys." She helps Harsk push the doors open.

Ginevra goes with Patash to look for something burnable. "I'm not exactly sure myself how we came to be here... My friends and I were caught in some sort of powerful magical explosion that should have killed us all... but here we are, and I'm pretty sure I'm alive."

She shouts over her shoulder, "I call a room with a view, Fizahn!"

[Zid]

Mazom

Mazom smiles, revealing a silver tooth in his upper jaw and gently nudges Darros in the side. "Ah, the nature of youth. I would gladly be so brash if I could experience the wonders of youth once more." His comment is rather quiet, and obviously aimed at Atoly.


Searching inside his backpack, the blade-bearing half-elf in the rusted armour holds out a foot long rod. He gently nuges it, and a bright light shoots out from it, illuminating the surroundings.

"Always more nice to see where you are going," he says, smiling at the robed woman. "Charming to make your acquaintance. May I offer you my protection until you have sufficiently prepared yourself? I do belive that I have some extra clothing in my backpack as well, just until you have time to.. get your own."

He turns around, looking at the strange collection of characters. "Gentlemen and ladies. Surely someone of you has the ability to make fire without wood? Otherwise I fear that the night will be colder than it has to."

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan wrings out the shoulders of his pale white shirt as he steps inside, looking about with an idle curiosity. He eyes his way around gallery, noting doorways to investigate later on, stairways, stonework should the style of construction be at all familiar. He shakes his head to the older half-elf as turns around, "Making fire through magic is simple enough, but it still won't last without some fuel. You said you had some extra clothes didn't you? Let him keep my robe for now and we'll set fire to what you have so we can dry off well."

I'm not sure I'm entirely happy with attempting magic while I feel like this, but a simple cantrip shouldn't be a problem, right?, he thinks as his sullen face sinks, What if it's like Evandur who said he can't feel his god? I had access to Shars weave and may now be disconnected from both her and Mystra. Will I be able to cast magic at all? Is the Weave even present here? Where is here anyway, we still haven't figured that out.

[Cejer]

Atoly Maginol

Stiffening his back a the short one's comment, the young noble's face shows very little emotion. In a cool tone he addresses the impudent rogue. "Your tower? I assume you acquired in accordance of the right and just laws of this land. Tell me how you were granted a keep upon my family's hereditary grounds?"

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn looks at the noble. "Well, it all started in the magical land of pixies and unicorns. We had just slain the terrible vampire that had taken over the land, and helped ourselves to the spoils in her puzzle boxes. One of those things in the puzzle box was an enchanted deck of cards. Three of us drew from the magical deck, and two of us got the throne card. The other one was pretty much screwed over. So, when we were blowed up and came here, the magical floating goldeyes tells me that this is my castle, and I'm not going to argue with a pair of magical floating eyes. For starters, it can't hear me." The gnome grins at Atoly. "You wouldn't want to go against an omnipotent pair of golden eyes, would you?"

[Knubs]

Blond haired and blue-eyed elf

Kavri looks around him taking everything in. His gaze stays slightly on the lizard man in confusion. Never seen one of them before... He does some stretches and moves about a little not sure what's going on. So the gnome or that little man, they own the keep. Well, if one's thing is for certain, I don't own it, but if it's up for grabs, I might want to hang around.

OOC: He introduces himself with everybody, I guess. Sorry about being a bit late.

[Cejer]

Atoly Magivol

Brow furrowed as he tries to catch the gnome's rapid explanation, Atoly hesitantly replies. "So, you are an insane squatter. Is there one of you with wits that would attempt to claim ownership?"

[shaddy_24]

Evendur

The paladin gazes mutely back and forth between the gnome and the noble. Their argument was going no where, and it was cold and wet outside. "Ownership aside, we need cover from the rain." He steps inside, despite the dark. Moving to the side, he follows the wall, searching for a set of stairs or a doorway.

[Awesomologist]

Addis Qatur

As the others decide to stay at the pavilion, Addis reluctantly agrees to stay here at the pavilion and further explore the towers while waiting out the storm.
Hearing the gnome and lanky human lay claim to the towers Addis brings himself closer to those by the doors. "If these towers belong to you two, then what of the rest of us? I certainly hope you do not believe we come with the tower!"