Texand Bellamy, the scholar nods at your approval of his help "So where do you wish to start researching? I can try and help you find anything particular with the Calamity specifically." The archivist adds "Yes, I will lead you to whichever area you would start in your research. As far as curses go, we do have one person here versed in removing them, though knowing that this thing has reacted to magic before, I would doubt she would attempt any sort of curse removal." He pauses for a moment "So where to first? It sounds like research of the Calamity? Tell me more of the vision so I may be able to guide you to books more closely related to what you witnessed."
(Texand Bellamy, As you search the library with the scholar and the archivist, I will require an investigation check for each specific thing you search. For example: You want to find something related to the calamity and your vision will require a check. Then moving to try and find something about Ruidus would require another check. Calamity related research will be at advantage with the scholar aiding you.)
Zane, Rel, and Lana. Jarsaliagrees "Yes, we should leave the stone with you Marquis. We will contact you when we need to. Also, I think Zane is correct, if you can have the Zhelezo ready in about half an hour we should hopefully be ready." The Marquisnods "I will attempt to find ones with your required skills in mind, though at a moments notice such as this, you may have to settle for what I can round up so quickly. Please, feel free to use the spare room just outside to go over any planning. I will have a map sent over right away."
Jarsalinods and begins to walk out, headed out and to the vacant room to begin planning
Tex looks for rituals, with a focus on those that were used either at the time when the calamity started or finished. Summoning or banishing demons, pact rituals, divine interventions, rituals with blood sacrifices, etc. If there are no mentions or listings of rituals at that time, then rituals in general of the mentioned type. (Investigation: 19/19)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
Rel starts to follow Jarsali Firahel out back to the vacant room, then pauses and turns, addressing both Jarsali and the Marquis.
"Do you have information on Lord Agustin himself and his current whereabouts? Based on what we know, the ruidium ritual, pit of corpses, all in secret tunnels, tunnels which two of Lord Agustin's men were willing to collapse once they thought the Zhelezo were involved, all underneath a monster and undead-infested manor previously owned by vampires, a manor into which an apparent vampire-bitten domestic servant in a coffin was delivered by henchmen led by his right-hand woman... Lord Agustin is surely implicated in this enough to at least bring in for questioning. Perhaps an hour after we set off so as not to tip our hand? Or is Lord Agustin so powerful and influential as to be above the law in Port Damali?"
Bellamy, you do come across several books that were written by historians shortly after The Calamity and The Divergence, (the creation of the divine gate locking both the Prime Deities and the Betrayer Gods behind it). Though you quickly find that none of which hold any record of ruidium or something similar to it.
Tex, You walk the many rows of books, grabbing one and glancing through occasionally before coming across one with a striking cover. Depicted upon it is the pendant of the man in the vision. Glancing through the book, there is nothing that describes anyone who you saw. Most of it is written about the wastes of Xhorhas. The scarred lands of the most fierce battle fought during the Calamity. Specifically Ghor Dranas, or more currently known as Rosohna. The current capital city of Xhorhas and the former "beating heart" of the Betrayer Gods alliance.
It describes the Barbed Fields, the land left most scarred from the battles. Tar pits and jagged stone spires jutting from the ground reaching massive heights. The book then goes on to describe a fortress. Jutting from the rest red mountains of Eastern Xhorhas are tall spires of black stone. The fortress is both ominous and beautiful. Its black walls are carved with intricate reliefs, many of them depicting scenes of torture. Lifelike grotesques of leering demons perch high above, peering down with contempt. On the next page is an almost identicle depiction of the pendant form your vision. Underneath the picture it says "A symbol on a wall within the Rise. Cannot find a way passed."
It is at this point, the scholar with you says "Ah yes, The Betrayers' Rise. Located in Bazzoxan. A umm "town" if that is what one would call it, at constant odds with protecting the rest of Xhorhas from what comes from within. You see, not long ago, the abyss within was awoken and demons have been spawning from it ever since. The town and the Aurora watch soldiers do all they can to stop anything and everything that emerges from within."
Rel, the Marquis replies almost snidely, "Without damning evidence there is nothing that could hold him behind bars. You have no crate with a body, you have no proof. In order to apprehend someone of his..... standing.... you must be without a doubt certain and have the evidence to back it up. Or you might be the one being punished."
Lana did not like politics in any shape or form and now it looked like she was involved in the biggest political scandal of recent years. Rel's questions only deepened the feeling, however, it was too late to back out.
"Guess we will get our evidence on the ritual site itself. Shall we send a message to Tex and Bellamy that we are done and on our way to the crime scene?"
Rel sighs at the Marquis' fickleness, her dark earrings tinkling. "I never suggested holding Lord Agustin behind bars without proof, only bringing him in for questioning, or at least knowing his whereabouts. But it appears my fears are justified. He is indeed above the law, relative to us anyway."
She joins the others with the maps. "I am not certain how often we can use the sending stone. If it is limited, perhaps we give Tex and Bellamy time to finish their business at the library, then come to us while we make our plans."
"Not really", answers Tex. "I found something about the pendant that I saw during the vision. Somehow it is related to the Barbed Fields and the Betrayers' Rise as our friend points out. Apparently, the pendant's symbol is depicted inside that fortress and it guards something that the person who wrote this book couldn't access. If all this is related to demons and the abyss, it might be that Ruidium has its origin in the abyss and it might also not be called Ruidium in these texts. However, if the Ruidium vision was related to events of the calamity, and this appears to be verified by the recurring symbol of the pendant, the ritual is probably also related to the Calamity. My best guess is that they want to open a portal to spawn demons here, or make contact with the abyss, or worse, the betrayer gods themselves. But that's just my take, I can't be sure. And we could spend days, weeks, or even months here without finding more substantial information. Zane was right, we probably must act quickly against the ritual without proper knowledge... and my hand... I guess it will have to wait, too." He turns to the scholar, "You know something about this symbol," Tex shows the printed symbol to the scholar, "Somehow it connects the pieces. What is it?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
Rel, Lanaand Zane. You follow Jarsali to the room and sit down. Shortly there after an intern of the offices brings a map of Port Damali. "Uhhh, I was told to bring this... here you go"And he flops a rolled up map down on the circular oak table in front of you. You spread it out. Jarsali asks "So, you said you saw a waterfall and a waterway into this cavern, let us see if we can trace our way there from this map." She points to the exact location of the Briarwood Manor. "You began here, and when you went into the caverns, which way did you go?"
(I will take a straight intelligence check or even a survival check from either of you three.)
Tex, the scholar says, "I am quite versed in the Calamity"he pauses and looks over the depiction of the pendant again "I honestly have never seen this book or have seen this pendant depicted anywhere. If you would't mind... I can take this book to further research it. Possibly reach out to other branches of the Cobalt Soul in hopes of some answers."
Rel knows that she is hopeless at memorizing things or having a perfect sense of direction with respect to a map, despite half a lifetime in underground tunnels and caverns. Someone else had always been navigating for her. She imagines her mother's derisive laughter.
She gives Jarsali a bit of a rueful look and calls her father's divine guidance on whoever looks as if they are trying to remember and answer the question.
Zane picks up right from where Jarsali left off, ".. so the house was this way and we entered the tunnel facing .. west.. and then when we got to the bottom then cavern opened up to our left, which is south, "... and he is about to continue to describe the journey, but stops.
"Hold on, could you please hand me a pencil from there and ... a piece of string. We traveled quite slowly, and in about an hour we could have covered.. lets say 3 miles at most?"
He quickly studies the markings at the corner of the map and measures out a length of string roughly equal to three miles. He holds one end of it down at the manor and with the other hand grabs both the pencil and the string, drawing a large circle. He then folds the string in half and draws a smaller circle as well.
"So this is about the maximum how far we could have gotten in an hour and a half hour. Just as a measure of scale."
He then places his finger on the manor and starts recalling their path in the tunnels, confirming with Rel and Lana the duration and direction they thought they traveled.
(Survival check 20+4=24 in game log)
It takes about 10 minutes or so and he ends up at a location on the map. He takes the pencil and draws a little X on the map, then says, "It's about how far we got, but might not be the right direction."
He leans closer to the map, "Any streams in this area?"
Zane, Jarsalifollows along as you trace the path through town, listening to your every move. Depth, distance in each direction, all of it coming to a point where you draw an X. Precisely so that Jarsalifolds up the map and says. "There is a waterway that leads underground and it is less than half a mile from this spot you traced. I am not opposed to a full on assault up that path, though if it is not right, we may need to have a separate group go through the path you already walked. Though..... I do have a good feeling about this waterway. What do you say?"
Meanwhile Texand Bellamy, The scholar awaits your answer.
"Yes take the book for further research, but first let me copy the pendant as it seems important" says Bellamy. He then flips to a blank page of his spellbook and he summons a quill out of thin air. After a few moments he draws an accurate copy of the pendant. Once done he hands to the book to the scholar.
"We appreciate your offer. Please, let us know what you and your colleagues find out,"Tex thanks the scholar and describes the inn where he can contact them. "We probably should go to help stop that ritual," Tex says to Bellamy and glances at his own hand wondering if the mineral will impede him in some way. Will he still be able to fight with spear and shield?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
"Yeah we should." says Bellamy. He then uses the sending stone and ask "Hello this is Bellamy is this Jarsali. We are done with our business at the Library and where should we meet up?"
Bellamy shakes his head "I only know what its called from overhearing the conversation in the cave"
Tex and Bellamy, the scholar nods at your approval of his help "So where do you wish to start researching? I can try and help you find anything particular with the Calamity specifically." The archivist adds "Yes, I will lead you to whichever area you would start in your research. As far as curses go, we do have one person here versed in removing them, though knowing that this thing has reacted to magic before, I would doubt she would attempt any sort of curse removal." He pauses for a moment "So where to first? It sounds like research of the Calamity? Tell me more of the vision so I may be able to guide you to books more closely related to what you witnessed."
(Tex and Bellamy, As you search the library with the scholar and the archivist, I will require an investigation check for each specific thing you search. For example: You want to find something related to the calamity and your vision will require a check. Then moving to try and find something about Ruidus would require another check. Calamity related research will be at advantage with the scholar aiding you.)
Zane, Rel, and Lana. Jarsali agrees "Yes, we should leave the stone with you Marquis. We will contact you when we need to. Also, I think Zane is correct, if you can have the Zhelezo ready in about half an hour we should hopefully be ready." The Marquis nods "I will attempt to find ones with your required skills in mind, though at a moments notice such as this, you may have to settle for what I can round up so quickly. Please, feel free to use the spare room just outside to go over any planning. I will have a map sent over right away."
Jarsali nods and begins to walk out, headed out and to the vacant room to begin planning
Bellamy searches for books of explorers soon after the Calamity in hopes someone has come across Ruidium.
Investigation Check
16 rolled in game log
Tex looks for rituals, with a focus on those that were used either at the time when the calamity started or finished. Summoning or banishing demons, pact rituals, divine interventions, rituals with blood sacrifices, etc. If there are no mentions or listings of rituals at that time, then rituals in general of the mentioned type. (Investigation: 19/
19)Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus ||
Rel starts to follow Jarsali Firahel out back to the vacant room, then pauses and turns, addressing both Jarsali and the Marquis.
"Do you have information on Lord Agustin himself and his current whereabouts? Based on what we know, the ruidium ritual, pit of corpses, all in secret tunnels, tunnels which two of Lord Agustin's men were willing to collapse once they thought the Zhelezo were involved, all underneath a monster and undead-infested manor previously owned by vampires, a manor into which an apparent vampire-bitten domestic servant in a coffin was delivered by henchmen led by his right-hand woman... Lord Agustin is surely implicated in this enough to at least bring in for questioning. Perhaps an hour after we set off so as not to tip our hand? Or is Lord Agustin so powerful and influential as to be above the law in Port Damali?"
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Bellamy, you do come across several books that were written by historians shortly after The Calamity and The Divergence, (the creation of the divine gate locking both the Prime Deities and the Betrayer Gods behind it). Though you quickly find that none of which hold any record of ruidium or something similar to it.
Tex, You walk the many rows of books, grabbing one and glancing through occasionally before coming across one with a striking cover. Depicted upon it is the pendant of the man in the vision. Glancing through the book, there is nothing that describes anyone who you saw. Most of it is written about the wastes of Xhorhas. The scarred lands of the most fierce battle fought during the Calamity. Specifically Ghor Dranas, or more currently known as Rosohna. The current capital city of Xhorhas and the former "beating heart" of the Betrayer Gods alliance.
It describes the Barbed Fields, the land left most scarred from the battles. Tar pits and jagged stone spires jutting from the ground reaching massive heights. The book then goes on to describe a fortress. Jutting from the rest red mountains of Eastern Xhorhas are tall spires of black stone. The fortress is both ominous and beautiful. Its black walls are carved with intricate reliefs, many of them depicting scenes of torture. Lifelike grotesques of leering demons perch high above, peering down with contempt. On the next page is an almost identicle depiction of the pendant form your vision. Underneath the picture it says "A symbol on a wall within the Rise. Cannot find a way passed."
It is at this point, the scholar with you says "Ah yes, The Betrayers' Rise. Located in Bazzoxan. A umm "town" if that is what one would call it, at constant odds with protecting the rest of Xhorhas from what comes from within. You see, not long ago, the abyss within was awoken and demons have been spawning from it ever since. The town and the Aurora watch soldiers do all they can to stop anything and everything that emerges from within."
Rel, the Marquis replies almost snidely, "Without damning evidence there is nothing that could hold him behind bars. You have no crate with a body, you have no proof. In order to apprehend someone of his..... standing.... you must be without a doubt certain and have the evidence to back it up. Or you might be the one being punished."
Lana did not like politics in any shape or form and now it looked like she was involved in the biggest political scandal of recent years. Rel's questions only deepened the feeling, however, it was too late to back out.
"Guess we will get our evidence on the ritual site itself. Shall we send a message to Tex and Bellamy that we are done and on our way to the crime scene?"
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Zane says, "Thank you. We shall go and study the maps, then set off as soon as possible."
Rel sighs at the Marquis' fickleness, her dark earrings tinkling. "I never suggested holding Lord Agustin behind bars without proof, only bringing him in for questioning, or at least knowing his whereabouts. But it appears my fears are justified. He is indeed above the law, relative to us anyway."
She joins the others with the maps. "I am not certain how often we can use the sending stone. If it is limited, perhaps we give Tex and Bellamy time to finish their business at the library, then come to us while we make our plans."
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Bellamy grumbles as he finds nothing on Ruidium. He turns to Tex "Were you able to find anything?"
"Not really", answers Tex. "I found something about the pendant that I saw during the vision. Somehow it is related to the Barbed Fields and the Betrayers' Rise as our friend points out. Apparently, the pendant's symbol is depicted inside that fortress and it guards something that the person who wrote this book couldn't access. If all this is related to demons and the abyss, it might be that Ruidium has its origin in the abyss and it might also not be called Ruidium in these texts. However, if the Ruidium vision was related to events of the calamity, and this appears to be verified by the recurring symbol of the pendant, the ritual is probably also related to the Calamity. My best guess is that they want to open a portal to spawn demons here, or make contact with the abyss, or worse, the betrayer gods themselves. But that's just my take, I can't be sure. And we could spend days, weeks, or even months here without finding more substantial information. Zane was right, we probably must act quickly against the ritual without proper knowledge... and my hand... I guess it will have to wait, too." He turns to the scholar, "You know something about this symbol," Tex shows the printed symbol to the scholar, "Somehow it connects the pieces. What is it?"
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus ||
Rel, Lana and Zane. You follow Jarsali to the room and sit down. Shortly there after an intern of the offices brings a map of Port Damali. "Uhhh, I was told to bring this... here you go" And he flops a rolled up map down on the circular oak table in front of you. You spread it out. Jarsali asks "So, you said you saw a waterfall and a waterway into this cavern, let us see if we can trace our way there from this map." She points to the exact location of the Briarwood Manor. "You began here, and when you went into the caverns, which way did you go?"
(I will take a straight intelligence check or even a survival check from either of you three.)
Tex, the scholar says, "I am quite versed in the Calamity" he pauses and looks over the depiction of the pendant again "I honestly have never seen this book or have seen this pendant depicted anywhere. If you would't mind... I can take this book to further research it. Possibly reach out to other branches of the Cobalt Soul in hopes of some answers."
Rel knows that she is hopeless at memorizing things or having a perfect sense of direction with respect to a map, despite half a lifetime in underground tunnels and caverns. Someone else had always been navigating for her. She imagines her mother's derisive laughter.
She gives Jarsali a bit of a rueful look and calls her father's divine guidance on whoever looks as if they are trying to remember and answer the question.
(Add a 1d4 to either check).
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Zane picks up right from where Jarsali left off, ".. so the house was this way and we entered the tunnel facing .. west.. and then when we got to the bottom then cavern opened up to our left, which is south, "... and he is about to continue to describe the journey, but stops.
"Hold on, could you please hand me a pencil from there and ... a piece of string. We traveled quite slowly, and in about an hour we could have covered.. lets say 3 miles at most?"
He quickly studies the markings at the corner of the map and measures out a length of string roughly equal to three miles. He holds one end of it down at the manor and with the other hand grabs both the pencil and the string, drawing a large circle. He then folds the string in half and draws a smaller circle as well.
"So this is about the maximum how far we could have gotten in an hour and a half hour. Just as a measure of scale."
He then places his finger on the manor and starts recalling their path in the tunnels, confirming with Rel and Lana the duration and direction they thought they traveled.
(Survival check 20+4=24 in game log)
It takes about 10 minutes or so and he ends up at a location on the map. He takes the pencil and draws a little X on the map, then says, "It's about how far we got, but might not be the right direction."
He leans closer to the map, "Any streams in this area?"
"Preferably connected to the sea." Added Lana. "If no one knows about that mineral we found, it most likely has been transported by the sea."
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Zane, Jarsali follows along as you trace the path through town, listening to your every move. Depth, distance in each direction, all of it coming to a point where you draw an X. Precisely so that Jarsali folds up the map and says. "There is a waterway that leads underground and it is less than half a mile from this spot you traced. I am not opposed to a full on assault up that path, though if it is not right, we may need to have a separate group go through the path you already walked. Though..... I do have a good feeling about this waterway. What do you say?"
Meanwhile Tex and Bellamy, The scholar awaits your answer.
"Yes take the book for further research, but first let me copy the pendant as it seems important" says Bellamy. He then flips to a blank page of his spellbook and he summons a quill out of thin air. After a few moments he draws an accurate copy of the pendant. Once done he hands to the book to the scholar.
"We appreciate your offer. Please, let us know what you and your colleagues find out," Tex thanks the scholar and describes the inn where he can contact them. "We probably should go to help stop that ritual," Tex says to Bellamy and glances at his own hand wondering if the mineral will impede him in some way. Will he still be able to fight with spear and shield?
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus ||
"Yeah we should." says Bellamy. He then uses the sending stone and ask "Hello this is Bellamy is this Jarsali. We are done with our business at the Library and where should we meet up?"