Mutants+Abominations IC

[javcs]

Welcome back.
The azure-skinned humanoid that normally gave you your instructions had just entered the conference room and sat down.
The folders in front of you contain what we know about this task.
We have located what we believe is a powerful necromantic artifact near the northern mountain trade route out of Drylake. We would prefer to have it brought back so that it could be properly contained, however, what information we have indicate it is either integrated into its surrounding structure or is otherwise immovable.
We realize that artifact containment is not your specialty, however, our information also suggests that there is at least a youthful black dragon and accompanying mortal followers, including a small tribe of kobolds, currently occupying the structure and surrounding area, judging by the reports of the few survivors from caravans that have recently taken the route.
Therefore it will be necessary for you to secure the area and locate the artifact itself before transmitting teleportation coordinates for the containment and follow-up teams.

Are there any questions?

[dspeyer]

Edyia

Do we know anything more about this dragon? What has he been doing? Does he have any rightful claim to the place?

Also, have we got a map of the area?

[javcs]

The black dragon is believed to be fairly young. Memory scans of the few survivors who made it back from caravans that left in the six months before the trade route closed due to the raids indicate that the dragon is approximately 15ft in length.
This, and retroactively searching reports of sightings indicates that the dragon, and it's followers came to the area from the northeast.
The area itself has not had a recorded sighting of a black dragon since before approximately 8 months ago, a few weeks before the black dragon and its followers started raiding merchant caravans. At least, no reliable sightings since a cadre of evil dragons incited and led a barbarian horde on an invasion in 3971 VE, over 2000 years ago.
Research relating to the artifact do not indicate a connection with black dragons.
In any event, even if the dragon had some claim to ownership, do you really want to leave a powerful necromantic artifact lying beneath an evil dragon's nose? We believe that the only reason the dragon has not used it so far, if, indeed it has not, which is unknown, it is because it has not yet learned enough of the artifact to control it and does not wish to seek outside aid in mastering it.
In 8 days, a military detachment will arrive in Drylake for the purpose of establishing a fort along the trade route, with the intent of securing the route from the dragon's raids.

With a wave of his hand, the folder in front of Edyia opens to the page with the map and directions.
As is unfortunately common when dealing with ancient artifacts, the exact location is unknown. However, what information we have obtained about the artifact indicates it lies within or near a canyon or ravine that branches off from the main track. It is an area that has not yet been extensively surveyed.
Once you arrive at the approximate location our information has provided, you will need to locate the artifact and secure both it and the immediate area.
Drylake is about 2 days travel time by horse. Once you make it to Drylake, it's another 65 miles to the approximate location.

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

"So action's already going to be taken against the dragon. If he's got an entire outpost being setup to control him we probably shouldn't underestimate him then." Aidan reaches for his folder and looks over the information on the target.

"So what's this artifact's story? If it's unmovable, it sounds more like a temple or sacrificial alter. How powerful an artifact are we talking about here?"

[aje8]

OOC:

Can I make any knowledge checks allowed to know more about the artifact/dragon/location? Arcana, Local or some such?


The robed pixie flutters up and down in the air absent mindedly, "Let's say theoretically, that the dragon manages to activate the artifact..... what would that mean? Are we talking apocalypse? Zombie Army? Undead God Awakening?"

[javcs]

As dragons go, it is a fairly young one. Strangely, the raids were at first sporadic, and losses were not that high. However, in the month or so prior to the route closing, something changed with the dragon and its followers, such that instead of randomly hitting the occasional caravan and permitting survivors to flee, they instead struck at every caravan and hunted down as many survivors as they could. That escalation is the primary reason for the military detachment.
We recommend that you finish up before the military detachment arrives.

Details on the artifact itself and what it can do are sketchy. That's often the case when something is over 11,000 years buried in history. However, one thing that is known is that it turned someone into a vampire that lacked several of the usual weaknesses. That was just someone who had the misfortune to die near the artifact, while no one was doing anything with it.

We are, however, confident that it will be immediately apparent when you find the artifact.

Metagame:

Aje8 - Arcana, Religion, or History to try to learn about the artifact. Local or Arcana to learn about the dragon. Local, Nature, or Geography to learn about the area.

Ryuuk - looking for anything in specific, or just generally?
The folders contain everything that he's said, all the information about the artifact the they have, information from the reports about the raids, information from the sightings of the dragon, a map and directions to the area that research narrowed down the location of the artifact into, and information about the military detachment being sent.

[Averagedog]

Duke

"Sounds like an acceptable plan....though I must ask, why contain such an evil artifact when we could just destroy it?" Duke says in his ignorance of arcane magics.

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

Aidan looks up from the document. "We've got a milenia old necromantic artifact and a tribe that stopped leaving survivors... What about the bodies? Are they taking them with them after their raids? I'm just trying to connect some dots here, necromancy seems like the kind of thing that would need plenty of bodies."

He smiles, finding duke's suggestion amusing. "See, that's why our job's to find it and to stop the dragon. Artifacts are some of the most dangerous bound magics out there. Their creation and their use is the stuff of legends. I'd love to personally smash such a thing too, binding souls to an endless mockery of life is simply abhorrent, but odds are it'll need magic way out of our reach." He stops to think for a moment, maybe this thing was part of some legend too.

OOC
Just stuff on the artifact and the body count so far, to have an idea of what we're going up against. The characters would be expected to look over the information at least, if its mostly stuff we've already gone over, then I guess we already know it.

Also, making a Knowledge: History check with regards to the artifact. [roll0]

[aje8]

Knoweldge Rolls:

Artifact:
Arcana:[roll0]
History:[roll1]

Dragon:
Arcana: [roll2]

Area:
Nature: [roll3]

[Demons_eye]

Jake sets in the back snaking on some rations he bought a while back, he did not need to eat but his hunger was not put asleep with just his ring. He ways his thoughts on the subject as the others talk and silently agrees with destroying the item. He felt a pain in his chest scar, the last thing the world needed was another crazy wizard with limitless arcane power.

"Well it looks like a stab an' grab eh?"


K:H [roll0]

[javcs]

At least some bodies have been taken. However, there have also been both bodies and body parts left behind. The body parts left behind don't always belong to the same people.

Destroying artifacts is incredibly difficult, and typically has very bad side effects, especially when it is a powerful evil artifact. Once it successfully and safely contained, it will be examined to see if it can be safely neutralized or destroyed.


Metagame

Aidan cannot recall anything about the artifact, and none of the information before him triggers a memory.

Mabsed cannot recall anything in history about the artifact, but knows that creating a vampire is very tricky magic, and for the artifact to have done so without being used by another being and instead just by proximity, makes it incredibly powerful, frighteningly so, and possibly even sentient. From the buried in history for 11,000 years comment, it likely predates the current era of civilization by a long time.
He knows that a black dragon that is around 15ft in length is likely to be in the 'young' age category, between 16 and 25 years old. Nothing specific to the dragon in question, however.
The area you're going to is in the mountains. It gets cold in the mountains at night.

Demons_eye, what are you trying to remember about, the artifact? Jake can't recall anything about the artifact in history.

[dspeyer]

Metagame:

The artifact:
Knowledge(Arcana): [roll0]
Knowledge(Religion): [roll1]
Knowledge(History): [roll2]

The dragon:
Knowledge(Arcana): [roll3]

The area:
Knowledge(Geograpgy): [roll4]
Knowledge(Nature): [roll5]

Caravans and military:
Knowledge(Geography): [roll6]
Knowledge(History): [roll7]


Is there enough information in the packet (plus my own knowledge) to target a teleport spell?

[dspeyer]

How secure does the artifact need to be? And how do we call for the specialists? Are we carrying a scroll of sending?

[javcs]

As for total casualties, approximately 1200. Missing or incomplete bodies ... perhaps 600 missing, and another 300 incomplete.

It needs to be secured from hostiles, and the area needs to be safe enough for specialists who are noncombatants.

As you leave, you'll be issued the signaling device. Standard format, like ones you've used before. As usual, activate it and send your message in a spot that's safe to teleport into.


Metagame:

Edyia cannot recall anything in history about the artifact, but knows that creating a vampire is very tricky magic, and for the artifact to have done so without being used by another being and instead just by proximity, makes it incredibly powerful, frighteningly so, and possibly even sentient. From the buried in history for 11,000 years comment, it likely predates the current era of civilization.
Vampires are bad enough, but a vampire lacking several of the usual weakness is a frightening prospect. Edyia knows of no possible religious source for an artifact that can do that, save perhaps an exceedingly powerful evil god of undeath.

Mabsed and Edyia know that a black dragon that is around 15ft in length is likely to be in the 'young' age category, between 16 and 25 years old. Nothing specific to the dragon in question, however.
They also know the general traits of a young black dragon.

Edyia knows that even though area contains an important trade route, it has not been thoroughly surveyed or mapped out very far beyond the roadway. The terrain beyond the roadways is exceedingly rugged and dangerous. The area is decidedly inhospitable once one gets more than a short distance beyond the road.

What about the caravans and military? They're standard merchant caravans on a fairly well-traveled trade route. The last major military action in the area was around 70 years ago, within the past 50 years, there's been the occasional bandit/raider group that got small military units sent out after them. Nothing on the scale of the mission arriving in a week and a half.

You believe attempting a teleport to out onto the trade route would be extremely difficult. Teleporting to Drylake, however, would be doable, albeit not free, as, like every city inside the Empire, there is a standard teleportation hub.

[aje8]

"Well, I think that answers everyhting. I'm ready to proceed, if everybody else is."

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

Travel may take a few days, get rid of the dragon guarding the roads and clear a path for the specialists... Sounds simple enough. He closes the folder and puts it down, nodding towards the pixie. Any spell you want to prepare given what we know Edyia? If not, I think we're set.

[Demons_eye]

"S'Im Good to go, just warn me if you plan to use a spell so I can lower my 'fenses"


Was thinking about the city's history

[dspeyer]

Edyia

When we near the dragon I'll probably want resist energy and maybe water breathing (black dragons are partially aquatic, right). No need to wait though, if it's a few day's travel. Let's head out now and I'll swap the spells tomorrow morning.

[javcs]

Metagame:

Oh ... Drylake won't come up much, but it has historically been a city lying on the intersection of two trade routes. It's also important as it is the last spot civilization before entering the mountains if one takes the Northern route out of Drylake to ... crap, away from my stuff right now, so I don't remember what's on the other end of the route through the mountains. At any rate, it's around 300 miles through the mountains, so I don't think it'll come up anytime soon.


Are you guys leaving? When you leave, you are handed the signaling device.
If you guys are leaving, how are you planning to get to Drylake/your destination?

[dspeyer]

Edyia

I guess that's it. Let's teleport to Drylake and then head out along the road on foot, checking ravines as we go. It sounds like we'll be in and out of rough terrain too much to be worth getting mounts.

She looks around for other comment. If no one speaks up she slips the folder into her pack and heads out, counting on the others to follow.

OOC:

Could you post the map we have on here? It would be handy to have a sense of the terrain as a player. Thanks.

[Demons_eye]

Jake agrees and stands prepared for the spell.



Lowering SR until after the teleport is over

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

Aidan shrugs, "Well, we've got legs for a reason... It sounds simple enough, you'll hear from us in due time boss." Aidan stands up, stretches, and follows the nymph. Noticing Jake, he drops his spell resistance as well.

[aje8]

Mabsed floats lazily over into the teleport radius.


NOTE: I've already cast Extended Mage Armor and Greater Resitance on myself as per my daily routine, on sheet.

[Averagedog]

Duke gathers his things and follows the rest of the group. Taking care to make sure his heavy pack is secured and all his Javalins are stored safely.

[dspeyer]

Edyia takes the signalling device, gains access to the "teleportation hub" (whatever that is) and teleports everyone to Drylake.

"I suggest we take a quick look around and ask around for any local news of interest. 10 minutes' delay hardly matters in a 65 mile journey, and road conditions could be important. After that, let's head out."

OOC:

[roll0] to arrive on-target, unless the hub makes that unnecessary.

Gather Information(Edyia): [roll1]
Gather Information(Gauchi): [roll2]

Also, what time is it?

[Demons_eye]

"S'fine with me" Jake says then heads off to talk to people.


Gather info (Dragon) [roll0]
Gather info (Cult) [roll1]

[javcs]

After you rematerialize inside a general use arrival chamber in the teleport hub, an attendant comes over and requests your point of origin, and the 50gp/person usage fee.
"Welcome to Drylake."

As you step out onto the street, the midday sun shines brightly down upon you.

As Edyia asks around in the market place, she learns that though road conditions should be fine, but everyone she talks to suggests that she waits to travel the north trade route until the military has cleared the way, or she should take another route. No stable is willing to let you rent a mount to take the north route, but, some are willing to sell mounts.

Jake learns nothing he didn't already know, and hears some things he knows outright to be untrue.

Metagame:

The teleportation hub is a standardized format building that the Valadrim Empire has built in every city within the empire, and has deals with a lot of other nations to build and operate teleportation hubs in some of their more important cities. Teleport hubs are places that are all but identical, with the primary difference between two hubs being the name of the location on the inside. You can also hire a caster to teleport you to any other hub, or to certain other locations, at 'port hubs.

Demons_eye - cult? I assume you mean the dragon's minions/followers.

I should have a map of the area up for you either later today or tomorrow.

[Demons_eye]

Yes, I think that's what you call a fallowing that is not a religion yet but my word choice could have been poor.

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

"So that monster has the whole town scared off. At least we're such were to go then." Aidan steps forward and passes for a bit while he thinks.

Few would confuse him with a human. Tall, fit and with a tanned, orange tinted, skin tone, his strangest feature is the plumage of red and gold feathers that takes the place of hair, continueing along the back of his arms. His hands, with their long, talon-like fingers, help give him a swift, avian appearance. His equipment doesn't help his case. He wears a pair of black, leather breeches, but the rest of his clothing seems at least somewhat magical. There's also a vest, sandals and bracers, all leaf green and with an emerald trim. A silvery, mithral shirt can be seen clearly, under the vest. Lastly, there's a the large curved blade strapped onto his back.

With a snap of his fingers, he turns around to the others. "We could try baiting them. We buy a covered wagon and a pair of horses and travel the northern route until we get close to the target. Travel should be much faster, at least as long as we're on the roads, and odds are the raiders will think we're just another trader."

[dspeyer]

Edyia

We could.... I'm not sure it's a good idea, though. I'd rather face the dragon when he's not ready for a fight, if that's possible. I'd also rather not sacrifice a pair of horses (their odds of survival would be very low). And even then, there's no guarentee that the dragon will lead us to the artifact.

[Averagedog]

Duke

Duke looks at the group, then back at Aiden, then the group again.

Do you really think that a Pair of horses will be able to carry our combined weights if we were to go along with this plan. Also, most of us here could rarely be called "Normal" in the sense of fitting in with the persona of a local trader.

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

"Well, that's why it was a covered wagon..." Aidan looks down scratching the back of his head. "It might've worked, Edyia looks normal, and no one would notice Mabsed, as long as we three hid." He shrugs, he'll admit that he wasn't an expert on horses.

"I guess that's a nay though, any other ideas?"

[aje8]

Masbed, still reclining in mid-air, lazily makes a suggestion, "I suggest we ambush the dragon, but not with the hourse and carriage bit. Instead, we could employ some unseen reconassiance, and once we gather an idea about they're general numbers and positions, we unleash a single decisive attack with overwhelming force. With regards to actually getting there, natrual means of transportation will be sufficient, I think."

[Demons_eye]

"S'we could get the cart and fill it with hay to hide us that don't look normal" Jake offers as to the transport

[dspeyer]

Edyia

I'm sure we could disguise ourselves as a merchant caravan. We have some skill among us at deception. I just don't see why we would want to be attacked by the dragon. Perhaps we could disguise ourselves as pilgrims who have taken vows of poverty.... Well, perhaps not. I'd favor heading out as we are.

[Ryuuk]

OOC:
Lets decide on what to do in the OOC thread then

[aje8]

"Forgive my impatience, but can we simply purchase horses and go. I'd like to reach the dragons lair quickly."

(I vote we simply skip to the road at this time.)

[dspeyer]

We buy horses and head out along the road.

I think everyone approved this plan on the OOC thread, so let's get moving

Does anything happen on the first day?

[javcs]

As you get further from the city, the land is noticeably less hospitable, and the mountains cover more and more of the horizon and sky before you.

Once you get more than a few miles past the city, there is no one on the roadway besides yourselves.

After 8 hours riding, you are a bit past halfway to the search area.

Metagame:

Do you continue going or set up camp?
If you set up camp, is anyone going to be on watch, if so, who is on watch when?

[aje8]

The robed pixie lets out a yawn and then says, "I'm tired and, because there is little inherent urgency in our mission, I move we make camp here."

[dspeyer]

Edyia

We do have a deadline of sorts, but we've made good time so far. Camp it is I guess. The two of us need full sleep, but Duke, Jake Aidan and Gauchi should be able to watch. Are 2 hour shifts once we go to sleep ok with all of you?

[aje8]

Masbed:
"While I certaintly like sleeping, I can take a watch as well. My enchanted bedroll allows me to get by on much less sleep and due to my superior race, my senses are quite sharp."

(My casters never leave home without heward's fortifiying bedroll. 3 hours is all I need)

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

Aidan dismounts, snickering at the comment. "Let me start us off then, I'll take the first two hours."

[javcs]

Metagame:

Whomever takes watch duty, roll a spot/listen for your watch and say which watch you're taking.
Anyone not on watch duty (aka, asleep) can make a single listen check with the penalty for being asleep if they so desire.

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

First Watch:

Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1] (In the Hearing the Air stance)

[Demons_eye]

If nothing happens Jake will wake up and take over till some one else wants to take a watch (he only needs two hours)

[roll0] Spot
[roll1] Listen

[Averagedog]

"I'll take second watch then," Duke said passionlessly almost as if he really isn't all there. ((I'm pretty busy this week and I'm finding it hard to dredge up the time to check every so often. edit, I will make the rolls for second watch when asked.))

[dspeyer]

Gauchi takes third watch, reveling in his superior night vision.


Spot: [roll0] (blindsense 60, darkvision 120)
Listen: [roll1]

[aje8]

WAIT! There's no need for a watch if we simply all sleep in my ropetrick which I've prepared for this express purpose. If we cannot take extra-dimensional spaces within the ropetrick, (I forget if that's JUST Bag of Holding/Portable Hole or all such spaces) then we can simply have a watch to soley guard the empty extra-dimensional spaces. The ropetrick is unbounded in terms of space but holds 8 creatures thus, we can put all of our gear that would otherwise be in a bag of holding in the ropetrick.

Yeah.... with a Wizard of 3rd level or higher in the party, watches are mostly unneeded.

[javcs]

During Aidan's watch, he spots flashes and bursts of light off in the distance - in the direction of the mountains.

Through the night, though none of you can see it, you periodically hear some creature or creatures flying through the sky and the occasional shriek of pain as some animal gets devoured in the distance.

However, your camp and your horses are left alone tonight.

Metagame:
You also need to keep watch for the horses' sakes. Y'know, someone or something might decide a half-dozen unattended horses would be a tasty snack.

[aje8]

Metagame: In that case, not that's relevant tonight, it can be assumed that I'm sleeping invisible in a rope trick EVERY night.

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

"Wonder what that ruckus was, there were some strange lights in the mountains last night. And there seem to be some pretty nasty beasts on these roads." Once everyone's woken up, he stretches and mounts. "Something's probably waiting for us up there... Everyone ready?"

[Demons_eye]

"S'good to go. S'wish you lot would get a ring like mine. Saves s'lot of time." Jake mutters to everyone. He pulls out a trail ration and snacks on it unwillingly.

[dspeyer]

Once she finishes her two sets of meditations, Edyia is ready to go.


New Druid spells prepared:
0th lvl (10)
Create Water x4
Purify food and drink
Know Direction x5
1st lvl (6)
Endure Elements
Pass without Trace
Speak with Animals x2
Detect Snares and Pits x2
2nd lvl (5)
Cat's Grace
Soften Earth and Stone x2
Restoration, Lesser x2
3rd lvl (4)
Protection from Energy x4
4th lvl (2)
Freedom of Movement
Stilled Water Breathing

[dspeyer]

Masbed? You ready?

[javcs]

Even though it's morning, it's gloomy because the early-morning sun is partially blocked by the mountains and its clouds.
About 2 hours of riding later, you start seeing remains of caravans that got hit.

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

"Damn, these must've been the flashes..." Aidan slows his horse down and loos over the site, trying to get an idea of what caused it, spot any survivors and any distinctive markings on what bodies there are.

Spot [roll0]

[dspeyer]

Edyia also examines the ruins, looking for signs of what happened, who was involved, what was taken, what was left behind, and what happened to the bodies.

Gauchi searches beneath the soil for anything that got buried.

Spot Checks: Edyia:[roll0], Gauchi:[roll1]

[javcs]

As you slow to stop, the stench of death and decay rises up from various decaying bodies and body-parts. Bodies and wreckage appears strewn across parts of the roadway and next to it, in various densities and stages of decay out as far along the road as you can see.
Aidan and Edyia both spot a few shadows (the light effect, not creature) moving erratically across the ground

Metagame:
These should be Search checks, not Spot checks, as you're close in looking through things - Spot is more for distance detection of things and noticing larger scale details, it's zoomed out, lower resolution, whereas Search is zoomed in, high resolution. That's a metaphor, not literally.
On the (crappy mspaint version that I haven't replaced with a more detailed map) map, you've reached the red section.

[dspeyer]

"If they're casting shadows," Edyia slowly whispers to Gauchi, "then they must be visible from the angle the sun's shining from. Go check it out."

She casts invisibility on him, and he rises to the designated angle to observe.

Search or Spot: [roll0]

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

"Hmm" Aidan closes his eyes for a moment, focusing only on his hearing and letting it grow more and more acute. "Should we look around?" He only says this to try and throw whatever might be there off. "We might be able to gleam at least a bit of knowledge from this."

He dismounts and turns to the closest bit of debris.

OOC:

Search [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

Blindsense out to 30ft

[javcs]

You can tell the shadows are being cast from a high altitude - not anywhere near ground level, but you can't locate the source.

During his cursory searching of the debris, Aidan finds that little of value has been left behind, but there are a fair variety of injuries amongst what can be found of the corpses that are in adequate condition to examine; some were likely inflicted postmortem.

[dspeyer]

I don't think there's anything more to do here. Let's move on. Carefully.

[Ryuuk]

Aidan

Looking up and finding nothing, Aidan is starting to get unsettled. "Yeah... Lets try to find the valley. We'd be ready for anything though." Throughout the rest of the ride, Aidan travels with one hand on the reigns and another at the gripped to the Faithful Avenger. His eyes dart from at every shadow that moves in the undergrowth.

[Demons_eye]

Jake stretches his long legs and arms in a seemingly impossible manor. He nodes with the others " Let' go 'hall we?"

[aje8]

(Wha??! Activity! Is this thread alive?)

[javcs]

Arise Ye Mortals and Despair!

In a few more hours of riding, you reach the mountains, passing wreckage from previous caravans on the way.
Plains turned into wasteland somewhere along the way, and the silence grows oppressive.

Do you wish to call an early halt, and stop make camp a few hours ride from the canyon opening, or push on to make camp near where it is suspected the raids are being launched from?