Standing in front of many dark and narrow tunnels is High Priest Taram Hemsfield (LG), a human cleric of the Arena. Taram is a dignified and famous Hero who has fought in the Arena of Fate. He solemnly congratulates the Team on the path chosen. If there’s a cleric in the party, he remarks that the path they chose is tough, but rewarding and blessed by the gods, as it plays a crucial role in the evolution of their creation.
“Good morning; my name is Taram. I will escort you to the Imperial Capital using a magnificent method of transportation that many have never had the honor of enjoying. It is an Imperial secret, and I ask that it remain so. You are hereby identified among your peers as Team 2. Pin this brooch in a visible spot.”
Taram approaches and hands each of you a round blue brooch with the number 2 in white.
“Thank you”Stor takes the brooch and pins it on his chest “Wait, what path did we choose? I fear that I am confused by this whole interview process, but I go willingly where Tamera’s hand guides me. What happens next?”
Indi Comes running up, flustered a bit, at least more than you have seen her. "I heard about the attack outside the city." She breathes out, her raven hair looking tussled. She has likely been running her hand through it as she worried over you. "I thougt we were to meet prior to you going in to talk with the representative." Now she looks a bit put out that she hadn't been there for that visit.
You all know Indi. She is a member of your group, and lived in town ehre, so was planning on meeting you just before the visit with the representatives. As usual though she was late.
Indi was a merchant of the city here, but went out of business a few years back. Her lack of curtsy and any social skills, might be a good reason for that. She joined you as a warrior, her rapier and hand crossbow would have been nice to have had against the goblins after all. She is a Shadar-kai Blood Hunter.
"Oh, the team two badge." She says as she notices the badges you have already pinned on. The man you met ehre offers her one in turn. She takes it and pinns it to ehr studded leather. "Great." Turning back to the group she frowns. "I know I was running late, but, still..." Sighing she shrugs and turns back to the official.
Tel'ure gives a polite nod. "You are here now - a major boon. We will fill you in on our meeting."
He does so, recounting:
He collects himself, looking around at the group of you. He jots down some notes then nods.
"The city is not in as good a shape as it could be. Expanding into the southern lands that just became available would be a nice way to have more farms and sell more to neighboring cities, especially the Capital. This could help rebuild the southern district, which was destroyed in the last attack from aberrations that stampeded out of the Wasteland."
He rifles his papers then continues...
"Although Ahimoth lies in the middle of a straight line between Arcana and the Capital, due to numerous water bodies in the way, any road coming from the west and the Capital must travel east for several miles before turning south. With the eastern lands going to an investor with deep pockets, Ahimoth could lose its healthy commercial position and become isolated from the rest of the world. Therefore, securing the fertile lands south of Ahimoth is more a matter of survival than enrichment. The city and its people depend on the influx of resources that come in through its trade routes. Thus, the Team is needed for many jobs to revitalize the region, drive away or bring to justice criminals who have started to pop up, secure roads and crops, rebuild destroyed parts of the city, and help build structures not only in Ahimoth but in the lands around the city and maybe even to the north."
He then says: "I imagine that service for the people is something you would take an interest in, Indi."
"The people is who you picked?" Indi asked with a frown. "Figured we'd be talking with the nobles or the people, but my bet was nobles." She shrugs. "No big deal, this was more a formallaty from what I understand, as no representative is going to pick a team until after the trials anyway."
"Too true." Taram says, drawing attention back to himself. "We are short on time, so please follow me..." He escorts the Team through a series of dark, narrow tunnels. The number of corners turned, doorways entered, and stairs climbed (both up and down) is mind-numbing. It is a deliberate design intended to keep trespassers away from the main room.
Finally, one of the corridors ends in an exquisite circular room with a high ceiling. Many arrows are arranged around the middle, pointing away from the center; from afar it looks like a weird drawing of a sun. Some arrows have recognizable names written inside them, such as “ISH” and “Deverell.” A few are in different languages; others are in unrecognizable symbols, like a code.
You hear a series of slow, arrhythmic buzzes coming from bright turquoise oval portals spaced around the circumference of the room. A soldier stands silently between every two portals.
Taram walks past the center of the room, turns to you, and extends his arm toward the portal directly opposite the corridor through which you entered. An arrow reading “Capital” points toward it. “Quickly. There's no time to waste.”
“Indi, good to see you” Stor shares a warm smile as he grasps her arm in welcome. He shrugs off the attack “Just a few goblins. Probably not enough to go around for us if you were there.”
He lowers his voice “Truthfully, I am not sure how we ended up with the people’s representative. Divine providence maybe? Regardless, as you say, the trials appear to be the true interview.”
He turns his attention back to Taram as he points the way. “Well then, off to the capital.”he puts on a brave face and strides through the directed portal.
Indi steps through after the others. Story of her life and all that, she is always the last one, every time.
You feel as if you’ve gone underwater—a dark, purple water—but you can still breathe. You fly forward and upward at incredible speed, as if hurled by a catapult. You see the city of Skybell receding beneath and behind you, as if cloaked by purple glass. A white dot is the only thing that grows in size: you see it is Taram. He paces easily toward you, as if walking while being propelled forward by a great wind. And you do see a large blue strip glowing faintly underneath his feet like a magical highway. Two Ironhand officers accompany him. He slows down as he approaches you and says, reassuringly: “It is perfectly normal to throw up, lose your balance, or lie on the ground if you need to hold onto something. You get used to it.”
Taram looks around. A million stars and shooting stars are above you, and the world is small under your feet. “The Penumbral Plane is a dark mirror of the physical world. A place where the laws of physics, space, magic, and even time do not work quite as expected. This is the place where dreams and nightmares come — or are they born here and come to us down there? Anyway, we are still toddlers trying to learn about this marvelous and dangerous realm.
“Portals are the most incredible and most advanced use of the Penumbral Plane. They are the result of an ancient secret ritual performed simultaneously at the places where a teleportation spell begins and ends. A portal cuts through the fabric of this plane to make a safe highway we can use for quick traveling.” You feel as if you have started to descend rapidly as Taram continues his lecture. “I say ‘safe’ because, outside of this highway, the plane is an incredibly dangerous environment. It is impossible to predict what dangers you might encounter here. This is the main reason why we are so slow in understanding it and learning new uses for it. Impossible... impossible!”
As Taram widens his eyes and points behind you, you realize that he is not merely repeating the word for effect. “This has never happened before! Quick, get behind me! What in the gods’ name...!” Just as you spot your final destination—a tiny, bright turquoise dot at the far western end of the empty landscape, a dot that seems to be the Capital—an aberrant dragon lands on the highway ahead of you, which explodes into a million tiny blue crystals with the sound of shattering glass. You abruptly stop moving. Weirdly, the inertia doesn’t throw you forward, as expected. Quite the opposite, in fact, as the beast’s landing impact pushes you backward.
Everyone give me 3 rolls: A strength save, a perception check, and an acrobatics check.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Tel'ure pipes up as they travel: "This plane is the place where all I have chosen to study originates from. Fascinating."
After being shoved back, the scientist grins. He will likely relish the day he met one of these odd creatures, even if it kills him.
Strength Save: 14
Perception Check (With advantage due to madwalker shadow sense ability): 8
Acrobatics Check: 17
Note: Tel'ure has this active as well:
• You can easily track portals leading to the Penumbral Plane, or from the Penumbral Plane to other planes. You always know the distance, direction, and size of any such portals in a 1-mile radius
Stor stands in silent amazement, eyes moving rapidly between the stars above and the vanishing city and land below. Taram’s shouts shakes him out of his daydream. “By all that is holy..”the prayer dies away on his lips as he is pushed back by the dragon before them.
Stor, Indi, and Tel’ure are all knocked back, and off of the pathway. Corgretor manages to stand their ground.
Tel’ure notices that Stor's broach, his Team 2 broach, is knocked off as Stor is knocked off the path. Tel’ure doe snot see where the broach lands.
Taram points to a particularly unremarkable spot about 45 degrees southeast and shoots a beam of light into the nothingness. He shouts, “Run toward the light! Aim for the Imperial Palace!”
Tel’ure would detect a portal in the direction indicated.
Stor, Indi, and Tel’ure are all off of the path, quite a distance down, but can hear Taram's instructions. Corgretor stands on the path still, so will need to jump off to join the others.
(Can Tel'ure use his shadow web ability to catch the broach?)
With your action, you can create spiderwebs from your fingertips for 1 minute. The webs can extend for up to 60 feet, with the following effects available: • You can shoot a web on an object and pull it toward you. If the object is bigger than 5 cubic feet, you must pull it normally, using your own strength. • You can attach the web to objects or solid surfaces and gain advantage on Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks when climbing them. • You can use the web to block an area up to 20 feet in diameter that is between two solid objects; a creature entering the blocked area must make a Strength check or become immobilized until the end of its next turn.
Corgretor watches the others get knocked off and, hearing Taram's shout, hops down to join the others and helps get them up and moving and heading towards the indicated direction.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Stor picks himself up off of the ground and stares up at the broken bridge, searching for any sign of the dragon or other threats in the darkness. Was it really a dragon?
Perception: 18.
Thankful to see Coregretor jump down beside them, he looks around for the others and helps them to their feet, encouraging them to move toward the beam of light Taram provided.
Through the door is a hall where the carpet ends.
Standing in front of many dark and narrow tunnels is High Priest Taram Hemsfield (LG), a human cleric of the Arena. Taram is a dignified and famous Hero who has fought in the Arena of Fate. He solemnly congratulates the Team on the path chosen. If there’s a cleric in the party, he remarks that the path they chose is tough, but rewarding and blessed by the gods, as it plays a crucial role in the evolution of their creation.
“Good morning; my name is Taram. I will escort you to the Imperial Capital using a magnificent method of transportation that many have never had the honor of enjoying. It is an Imperial secret, and I ask that it remain so. You are hereby identified among your peers as Team 2. Pin this brooch in a visible spot.”
Taram approaches and hands each of you a round blue brooch with the number 2 in white.
"Good morning. And thank you." Tel'ure takes the brooch and pins it to his jacket collar.
Corgretor takes the brooch and pins it to the sleeve of his left shoulder, "This should be interesting."
“Thank you” Stor takes the brooch and pins it on his chest “Wait, what path did we choose? I fear that I am confused by this whole interview process, but I go willingly where Tamera’s hand guides me. What happens next?”
Indi Comes running up, flustered a bit, at least more than you have seen her. "I heard about the attack outside the city." She breathes out, her raven hair looking tussled. She has likely been running her hand through it as she worried over you. "I thougt we were to meet prior to you going in to talk with the representative." Now she looks a bit put out that she hadn't been there for that visit.
You all know Indi. She is a member of your group, and lived in town ehre, so was planning on meeting you just before the visit with the representatives. As usual though she was late.
Indi was a merchant of the city here, but went out of business a few years back. Her lack of curtsy and any social skills, might be a good reason for that. She joined you as a warrior, her rapier and hand crossbow would have been nice to have had against the goblins after all. She is a Shadar-kai Blood Hunter.
"Oh, the team two badge." She says as she notices the badges you have already pinned on. The man you met ehre offers her one in turn. She takes it and pinns it to ehr studded leather. "Great." Turning back to the group she frowns. "I know I was running late, but, still..." Sighing she shrugs and turns back to the official.
Corgretor shrugs, "They didn't really give us much time to wait. Seems like they're on a tight schedule here."
Tel'ure gives a polite nod. "You are here now - a major boon. We will fill you in on our meeting."
He does so, recounting:
He collects himself, looking around at the group of you. He jots down some notes then nods.
"The city is not in as good a shape as it could be. Expanding into the southern lands that just became available would be a nice way to have more farms and sell more to neighboring cities, especially the Capital. This could help rebuild the southern district, which was destroyed in the last attack from aberrations that stampeded out of the Wasteland."
He rifles his papers then continues...
"Although Ahimoth lies in the middle of a straight line between Arcana and the Capital, due to numerous water bodies in the way, any road coming from the west and the Capital must travel east for several miles before turning south. With the eastern lands going to an investor with deep pockets, Ahimoth could lose its healthy commercial position and become isolated from the rest of the world. Therefore, securing the fertile lands south of Ahimoth is more a matter of survival than enrichment. The city and its people depend on the influx of resources that come in through its trade routes. Thus, the Team is needed for many jobs to revitalize the region, drive away or bring to justice criminals who have started to pop up, secure roads and crops, rebuild destroyed parts of the city, and help build structures not only in Ahimoth but in the lands around the city and maybe even to the north."
He then says: "I imagine that service for the people is something you would take an interest in, Indi."
"The people is who you picked?" Indi asked with a frown. "Figured we'd be talking with the nobles or the people, but my bet was nobles." She shrugs. "No big deal, this was more a formallaty from what I understand, as no representative is going to pick a team until after the trials anyway."
"Too true." Taram says, drawing attention back to himself. "We are short on time, so please follow me..." He escorts the Team through a series of dark, narrow tunnels. The number of corners turned, doorways entered, and stairs climbed (both up and down) is mind-numbing. It is a deliberate design intended to keep trespassers away from the main room.
Finally, one of the corridors ends in an exquisite circular room with a high ceiling. Many arrows are arranged around the middle, pointing away from the center; from afar it looks like a weird drawing of a sun. Some arrows have recognizable names written inside them, such as “ISH” and “Deverell.” A few are in different languages; others are in unrecognizable symbols, like a code.
You hear a series of slow, arrhythmic buzzes coming from bright turquoise oval portals spaced around the circumference of the room. A soldier stands silently between every two portals.
Taram walks past the center of the room, turns to you, and extends his arm toward the portal directly opposite the corridor through which you entered. An arrow reading “Capital” points toward it. “Quickly. There's no time to waste.”
“Indi, good to see you” Stor shares a warm smile as he grasps her arm in welcome. He shrugs off the attack “Just a few goblins. Probably not enough to go around for us if you were there.”
He lowers his voice “Truthfully, I am not sure how we ended up with the people’s representative. Divine providence maybe? Regardless, as you say, the trials appear to be the true interview.”
He turns his attention back to Taram as he points the way. “Well then, off to the capital.” he puts on a brave face and strides through the directed portal.
Tel’ure wordlessly and quickly moves to enter the portal as well. No time to waste, after all.
Corgretor moves confidently towards the portal, glad to know for certain that they're not locked into a decision just yet.
Indi steps through after the others. Story of her life and all that, she is always the last one, every time.
You feel as if you’ve gone underwater—a dark, purple water—but you can still breathe. You fly forward and upward at incredible speed, as if hurled by a catapult. You see the city of Skybell receding beneath and behind you, as if cloaked by purple glass. A white dot is the only thing that grows in size: you see it is Taram. He paces easily toward you, as if walking while being propelled forward by a great wind. And you do see a large blue strip glowing faintly underneath his feet like a magical highway. Two Ironhand officers accompany him. He slows down as he approaches you and says, reassuringly: “It is perfectly normal to throw up, lose your balance, or lie on the ground if you need to hold onto something. You get used to it.”
Taram looks around. A million stars and shooting stars are above you, and the world is small under your feet. “The Penumbral Plane is a dark mirror of the physical world. A place where the laws of physics, space, magic, and even time do not work quite as expected. This is the place where dreams and nightmares come — or are they born here and come to us down there? Anyway, we are still toddlers trying to learn about this marvelous and dangerous realm.
“Portals are the most incredible and most advanced use of the Penumbral Plane. They are the result of an ancient secret ritual performed simultaneously at the places where a teleportation spell begins and ends. A portal cuts through the fabric of this plane to make a safe highway we can use for quick traveling.” You feel as if you have started to descend rapidly as Taram continues his lecture. “I say ‘safe’ because, outside of this highway, the plane is an incredibly dangerous environment. It is impossible to predict what dangers you might encounter here. This is the main reason why we are so slow in understanding it and learning new uses for it. Impossible... impossible!”
As Taram widens his eyes and points behind you, you realize that he is not merely repeating the word for effect. “This has never happened before! Quick, get behind me! What in the gods’ name...!” Just as you spot your final destination—a tiny, bright turquoise dot at the far western end of the empty landscape, a dot that seems to be the Capital—an aberrant dragon lands on the highway ahead of you, which explodes into a million tiny blue crystals with the sound of shattering glass. You abruptly stop moving. Weirdly, the inertia doesn’t throw you forward, as expected. Quite the opposite, in fact, as the beast’s landing impact pushes you backward.
Everyone give me 3 rolls: A strength save, a perception check, and an acrobatics check.
Tel'ure pipes up as they travel: "This plane is the place where all I have chosen to study originates from. Fascinating."
After being shoved back, the scientist grins. He will likely relish the day he met one of these odd creatures, even if it kills him.
Strength Save: 14
Perception Check (With advantage due to madwalker shadow sense ability): 8
Acrobatics Check: 17
Note: Tel'ure has this active as well:
Corgretor stares at the world below with interest, far more interested in that than in the mysteries surrounding them.
Str save: 12
Perception: 19
Acrobatics: 6
Stor stands in silent amazement, eyes moving rapidly between the stars above and the vanishing city and land below. Taram’s shouts shakes him out of his daydream. “By all that is holy..” the prayer dies away on his lips as he is pushed back by the dragon before them.
Strength save: 6
Perception: 19.
Acrobatics: 8.
Stor, Indi, and Tel’ure are all knocked back, and off of the pathway. Corgretor manages to stand their ground.
Tel’ure notices that Stor's broach, his Team 2 broach, is knocked off as Stor is knocked off the path. Tel’ure doe snot see where the broach lands.
Taram points to a particularly unremarkable spot about 45 degrees southeast and shoots a beam of light into the nothingness. He shouts, “Run toward the light! Aim for the Imperial Palace!”
Tel’ure would detect a portal in the direction indicated.
Stor, Indi, and Tel’ure are all off of the path, quite a distance down, but can hear Taram's instructions. Corgretor stands on the path still, so will need to jump off to join the others.
What do you do?
(Can Tel'ure use his shadow web ability to catch the broach?)
With your action, you can create spiderwebs from your fingertips for 1 minute. The webs can extend for up to 60 feet, with the following effects available:
• You can shoot a web on an object and pull it toward you. If the object is bigger than 5 cubic feet, you must pull it normally, using your own strength.
• You can attach the web to objects or solid surfaces and gain advantage on Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks when climbing them.
• You can use the web to block an area up to 20 feet in diameter that is between two solid objects; a creature entering the blocked area must make a Strength check or become immobilized until the end of its next turn.
Corgretor watches the others get knocked off and, hearing Taram's shout, hops down to join the others and helps get them up and moving and heading towards the indicated direction.
Stor picks himself up off of the ground and stares up at the broken bridge, searching for any sign of the dragon or other threats in the darkness. Was it really a dragon?
Perception: 18.
Thankful to see Coregretor jump down beside them, he looks around for the others and helps them to their feet, encouraging them to move toward the beam of light Taram provided.
(Assuming that he can latch onto Stor’s broach.)
”Stor. Do not lose your broach again.” he says, handing it back before leading the group forward. “I sense a portal ahead! Follow my lead!”