Death of the True Gods (Adventure Thread)

[dresdor]

The five of you meet in one of the city of Dralam's many public parks. Some faces you haven't seen in many years, others you've barely parted company with. Still everyone is...changed in some way.

Rumors about the Calamity abound. Some say it was caused by an ancient magic ritual, others say a great evil was unleashed on the world. Perhaps the doomsayers were just right in saying that the end times were near and this was an afterlife of suffering. The truth remains to be discovered, but for the time being you have gone from men and women capable of reshaping the world and planes to your whims to being equals with wolves and the lowliest of goblin warriors.

[vp21ct]

Ravanna strides confidently into park, examining everyone with a professional stare before she smiles broadly. "No offense meant, but you guys look like hell. How you all been?"

[MCerberus]

Celix

It takes a while for Celix to adapt back to moving in a crowded place, but even when he does being in a non-morphic space seems to distress him somewhat. He keeps silent as he walks down the streets. The thought comes across Celix's mind that he's never felt this... empty before. He turns his head to comment to his familiar before remembering that it isn't there any more.

Arriving in the park after setting up a meeting with an old colleague, Celix looks around before approaching Ravanna. She looks as Celix remembers her, which is at least a small comfort.

"I didn't really have much time to attend to my appearance, planar collapses aren't good for such things. You have any idea what's going on?"

[Phiktional]

Milo sits in front of a park bench. Hair disheveled, clothes unkempt. Milo has seen better days. He takes a deep breath, and sighs. Picking his head up from his hands, he looks around and spots Celix and Ravanna.

Walking up to the pair he notices Celix's appearance, "Wow, you look like how I feel at the moment." He says with a slight smile on his face.

[vp21ct]

Glances at Milo as he joines the three of them, then looks back up to Celix. "I haven't been able to find out anything. The streets are mum, and just as confused about the whole affair as the mages are." Then she looks over to Milo. "What about you, you had any luck?"

[Phiktional]

Milo

Milo shuffles his feet, I'm afraid I haven't been able to gather any information about this delimma. I was hoping one of you would know something.

[SilentNight]

Telen strides slowly into the part, gazing wistfully at the trees. The pleasant breeze pushed back his hood, revealing a face older than a man of 34 should rightly have. Despite the beautiful weather and surroundings, Telen couldn't help remembering as if it were yesterday, in fact it was yesterday, when he could sail over the tree-tops effortlessly. I think my legs have gone there," he says in response to Ravanna's comment, "because these certainly don't feel like mine," he gestures downward. "No reason to rush into a panic though, we've got plenty of time to sort things out."

[dresdor]

Milo and Ravanna wrack their brains to discover some clue to the mystery here. Neither is able to come up with much. You feel very vulnerable, and wishing you had left more in the way of liquid capital. Most of your money was tied up in potions that turned to colored water and magic items that largely turned to useless relics.

The city itself has remained some sense of civility, but the occasional yells and shouts indicate that civil order is breaking down. It is clear that at least some members of the city guard were effected by the Cataclysm. The only odd thing is that in times of great trouble the clerics usually can be found helping keep order and restore hope to the people. It could be the late hour, but something doesn't seem right about their absence.

[MCerberus]

Celix

Taking a moment to consider everyone's confusion and ignorance, Celix tries to mull things over. It doesn't take long for the cries of a creeping anarchy to distract him.

"I wish I could share in your optimism, Telen. I believe time isn't something we can entirely depend upon."

Pacing shortly Celix tries to come up with a semblance of a plan.

"We may still have something of a reputation or history that could still benefit from. With no idea of the scope of the event, we should be looking for anyone with grounding in the Arts. I suggest the clerics, since they have some useful political power."

After a few steps away from the park bench, Celix stops to comment, "They're also the best bet for calming the citizens. The situation can only deteriorate in the city."

[SilentNight]

Telen nods, "They've helped us before, hopefully that at least hasn't changed. Shall we?"

[Phiktional]

Milo

Milo looks up at his cohorts. "Well, its more of an idea than anything I can come up with." He starts to walk "Well, come on." he says over his shoulder with a wave of his hand.

[dresdor]

You decide to seek out the clerics, and head to their temple fortress in the middle of the city. Even though it is late at night you hear the shouts of hundreds of people. As you come within sight of the building, you see the gates are shut and surrounded by people. A phalanx of guards fully armed and armored stands before the door, looking quite ready to skewer anyone who tries to push too close to it. The crowds are shouting, but it is hard to make out what exactly they are saying.

[Lin Bayaseda]

OOC oh my god, I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention and didn't notice the game started. I'm an idiot. Won't happen again.

Suel approaches a random person from the crowd.
What's happening here? Why are the people so angry? And why won't the clerics help?

AlsoKnowledge (religion) [roll0] - do I know anything about this clerical order and their fortress?

[dresdor]

Suel, you know that the clerics usually are very public, and it is very abnormal for them to turn people away especially in a time of need. In fact this is the first time in memory that the gates have been closed. You also have read that the fortress is bathed in a holy light provided by a magical effect used in its creation, but this light is not present now, and it may have just been a rumor to begin with.

[Phiktional]

Milo

Milo notices Suel amidst the crowd outside the clerics temple fortress. He starts to excitedly jump up and down, " Suel! Suel! Over here! You have any idea what's going on around here?

[MCerberus]

Celix

With the happenstance of finding Suel, it looks to Celix that there's a reunion happening. Likely, no. Omen, likely not. Irony, maybe. Not particularly liking Suel from his experience with his Wizard colleague, Celix reluctantly realizes that his help with this mess.

"Suel, were you at the material at the time of the event? Do you have any idea what occurred? I don't think this was the result of mass-scale negative manipulation...

But really for some reason I can't elaborate on why I think this."

[Lin Bayaseda]

Suel

DMdoes the person in the crowd I addressed answer my question or ignore me?

Milo! Celix! What a ... pleasant surprise to see you here. I ... what material? I was exploring some caverns when I suddenly felt very strange. I couldn't remember any of my spells. Surely, only an event of magnanimous importance could cause something like that. We must investigate and find out what caused this. And why is the fortress closed and what happened to the clerics too, I guess.

[dresdor]

Piecing it together from several of the commoners who answer you briefly before they resume yelling, Suel learns that the clerics have not been seen since the Calamity. Now there are armed guards preventing anyone from seeing the clerics when the people need them the most.

[SilentNight]

Not overly concerned about the clerics' absence, Telen ignores the crowd and instead eyes the building. ((Looking to see if the gate is attached to a fence and if so how high it is.))

[dresdor]

The outer wall is about 10 feet high, and seems several feet thick. Though there are no towers, and the only means of protection is the gatehouse, it seems formidable, and you are unsure how the clerics would react to you breaking in.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Suel

Just in case, Knowledge (History) [roll0], for any events similar to this Calamity... or ancient prophecies maybe?

Ah, if I only had a pinch of my powers ... I would blast those guards away and carve a path into the fortress with a flick of my hand. Then, I would extract those clerics into the light of day and force them into talking to me.

Suel takes a look at his friends.

Doesn't seem like the guards want us in, and yet, I feel the key to beginning to understand the situation lies withing the fortress. Are you ready to risk a confrontation?

[MCerberus]

Celix

"That is where we diverge then. If you had your powers we'd have the enmity of those we need to solve this problem," Celix responds to Suel's thinking.

"Hopefully they are unaware of our current condition and will see us as potential aid for them."

Straightening his clothes, Celix walks works his way up through the crowd. Looking the guards straight in the eye, he tries to keep his voice as calm as possible.

"My compatriots and I have a history of aiding this entire region through the years. Now, we both realize things will get worse unless the problem is solved. Please, let us through."

[Lin Bayaseda]

Suel mutters under his breath. He hasn't considered the diplomatic approach. "Not a people person", that's what they wrote in his Magic College final year evaluation.

[Phiktional]

Milo like Suels idea, he liked it alot. But then Celix started to the gaurds, Milo's world shattered. He got all excited. "Well, I guess this works too." He says, hands in his pockets kicking at some rocks.

[dresdor]

Celix's simple request is suprisingly effective on the guard. With a nod the whole party is let into the courtyard and led into the keep. In a large antechamber, they are told to wait. Soon, a very young man in the robes of the order approaches them, and greets them warmly.

"The Brotherhood welcomes you. When the guard told me none other than Celix the Lifebinder was offering us aid I did not believe it. I met you once many years ago when I was just a boy." The man bows to Celix. "I trust you have made it through the...difficulties unharmed?

[MCerberus]

Celix

Celix shrugs as the acolyte speaks to him, suddenly keenly aware of his familiar's disappearance. It takes him a few moments but then decided it may be best to embellish a bit to calm the nerves of anyone listening.

"I am mostly intact. There are certain aspects yet to be recovered, but this will likely occur quickly once the cause of the distress is uncovered."

Then it occurs to him that this location would likely be the best place to do check in to see if there's anything left of his dislodged shard of the astral plane.

"Do you have a working astral observatory? I very much like to take some planar readings."

[dresdor]

"No...we did not do much in the way of planar observation, save for the holy flame of the sun, and that is visible by the naked eye. I'm sorry I can't be of more help." He looks over to the other party members. "I'm sorry I'm not familiar with all of you. The High Priest may recognize you...if he wasn't indisposed at the moment. What can I help you with?"

[Lin Bayaseda]

I am Suel, A...Mage. What you can help us with, is to start explaining what happened, and why is the priest indisposed?

[SilentNight]

Telen shakes himself from considering leaping the wall as a method of entrance, he thought the demonstration might earn them an audience, but Celix seemed to have gotten things moving. He follows the group and listens for the acolyte's explanation.

[vp21ct]

"Ravalynn, Private Inquisitive." She says, after having mostly kept to herself this whole time. While she says this, her eyes flick about the area, examining it for important or minute details that could be of use.

[roll0]

[dresdor]

"The High Priest is not feeling well, unfortunately. That is why he has not answered the cries of the people outside."

Ravalynn notices that there are several small shrines around the entry hall that are empty. She had been in the room before and there were artifacts in the shrines. Otherwise the whole room just seems darker than usual, but that may be due to Ravalynn and her companions's own moods towards t he situation.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Suel doesn't trust this "not feeling well" story. Sounds too convenient. He carefully examines the young man's face and body language. Do his palms sweat? Does he shift uncomfortably from foot to foot?
OOCTrying Sense Motive (d20+1 vs. ??)

[dresdor]

The young man seems to be very uneasy. It's clear that he's not telling the truth but he is also not maliciously lying to you.

[Lin Bayaseda]

I nudge my friends and convey my impressions by whisper. Psst... Look, he's sweating like a pig, it's obvious he's lying. Is he covering up for someone?
I'll wait for someone more people-oriented to confront the acolyte... if no one does, then by gods, I'll do it myself, and it won't be pretty.

[Phiktional]

Milo Notices his sweating after it has been pointed out, so he slides up real friendly like to the young man.

Diplomancy Check.
[roll0]

"Look, we understand that he may be sick, but he can't be so sick as to not want to talk to us. I mean, we've helped you guys out of situations way worse than this haven't we?

[dresdor]

"I am not trying to be deceptive, just...I've been handling all of the tasks at the temple since...the Calamity has hit us rather hard." He motions for you to follow him. "No word of this leaves the temple. The city would destroy itself if they knew the truth." The young man takes on a much more confident stance as he walks. It seems as if he was trying to act more meek than he actually is.

He leads you to a room at the end of a short hallway. Inside is an altar, and what is clearly one of the many prayer rooms of the temple. The altar itself has a large crack in it. A man wearing torn robes that were at one point of the order stands before the altar. He nods and talks, though you are unsure whether it is to you or himself.

"Fire and Earth, yes that is the prime. Fire and Earth. Water and Air; Fire and Earth. The White and the Black. Darkness....all is darkness until the four are one. Yes, that is the prime...that is the key." He continues to mutter to himself

"He has been like this since the Calamity. The other brothers are injured in the mind in their own ways, but he is the worst."

[MCerberus]

Celix

Unsure of what to make of the raving madman that once held so much power, Celix walks slowly as the group nears the altar. He cannot help but mull over what the priest says.

The four elements, of course. Four become one, however, makes little sense in this context. Black and white... black and white... and how they relate to the prime... Shadow and ether?

Celix tries to recall any potential planar event that could be described in the ranting. He cannot remember but the obvious, but that's often a good place to look. After taking a moment to contemplate, he approaches the man.

"How are the four made one?"

[SilentNight]

Telen approaches the priest as well, riddles were never his strong suit, but sometimes he could see someone's disposition in their features.

Survival check for what it may yield:[1d20+1

[dresdor]

Celix only recalls briefly that one theory has it that the universe is made up of combinations of the four elements: air, fire, water, and earth. And the various planes are created out of different combinations of these elements. Another theory adds a fifth element: Void or nothingness.

"All are one in darkness....or is it light? No...No...only darkness....all things make darkness."

"I'm afraid he's very non-sensical most of the time. He hasn't been lucid since the Calamity."

Telen believes that the high priest is a thorough nut job and is just spouting crazy talk.

[vp21ct]

Ravalynn winces at the sight of once such a powerful figure now reduced to this. Then she takes a step back as Celix and Telen step forward and get to work. She moves over to the young assistant, and asks him in a somewhat hushed tone, "I noticed there were several artifacts missing, back there. Were they simply taken down, or have they disapeared?

[dresdor]

"Unfortunately I do not know. They were removed from the entryway a short time ago by the High Priest's orders, and I have not seen then since. They are not in the order's vault, though most of the items of magical order in there have been....affected."

"The winged being of light shields the works of mortal hands. The blessings of those who passed protect some. The eternal opposites delay the inevitable." The high priest says...while it is some of the more lucid of his statements it still doesn't make any sense.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Suel asks the priest, Who is the winged being of light? And who are those who passed?
Knowledge Arcana, Religion or History, whichever applies [roll0]

[dresdor]

"Those who passed whose powers we lost. Those who were claimed by the calamity. The heirlooms were passed back, guarded by the winged ones."

Suel believes that the winged beings are angels or deava of some sort. What the high priest seems to be saying is that the artifacts were taken by beings of the celestial plane, or to their god himself. The rest is...confusing and mysterious. It is possible that the calamity was the work of some dark agent and the good gods had some idea of it, but could not stop it. Instead they protected what they could (the artifacts) from the calamity, and were forced to let it happen.

[SilentNight]

Telen muses, having failed to gain anything from the priest's mannerisms. "'Darkness until the four are one, the eternal opposites delay the inevitable'... Perhaps he's referring to some event yet to come, that good and evil, fire and water, just prevent something. A reunification?"

[dresdor]

The high priest seems to grasp what Telen says, and nods at him. "The prime! The light extinguished...the void....fire and water...earth and wind...." His mumblings become indistinct at that point.

"I'm not sure if you should take what he says too seriously. It is fairly fragmented at best. It is clear that he is trying to figure out what hapened, but with his mind so far gone it is doubtful he will get very far. Even if he was lucid and with the help of his brothers I doubt he could figure out what happened."

[MCerberus]

Celix

"He seems to be concerned with both extraplanar beings as well as the basic composition of matter. If he retains any part of his mind when making these statements, the scale of the event... could potentially be quite frightening."

Looking around for a moment, Celix comes to the thought that, if the event could break the mind of a high priest, there may be some lingering aura of it in these halls. Casting a Detect Magic spell, he tries to hone in on any particularly out of place magic aura before going back to speak with the acolyte.

"What of the other brothers? Surely there is one well enough to appear for the masses. Their lack of presence is causing fear in the populace, who are on the verge of riot."

[dresdor]

"Unfortunately the other brothers are mostly unconcious. The High Priest and myself are the only ones capable of making such an appearance, and I doubt the lowest ranking initiate and a blithering madman could inspire much confidence."

Celix is overwhelmed by the variety of magic auras present in the room. It seems that both every kind of magic and of every strength is present in some way. It is very confusing, but more study of the auras might lead to more information.

[SilentNight]

"Perhaps we could make the announcement, the people know us and hopefully trust us for the most part," Telen suggests.

[dresdor]

"This will be a delicate situation. Even I know that any hint that the brotherhood is weak will mean other powerful people will want to slice up the city for their own. If both I and the High Priest appear and you speak for us, things could seem more normal than they are."

He moves over to a small desk and writes out and signs several pieces of parchment. "This is a writ from the Brotherhood saying you are acting on our authority to investigate the Calamity. Seeing as you are already doing just that, this should help you."

[Lin Bayaseda]

Suel

And where would you suggest we start our investigation? We came here thinking the source of the malady lies here, but apparently all we saw is sympthoms.

[MCerberus]

Celix

Celix's investigation of the residual magic of the building has left him temporarily numb to the conversation. For a bit he can only see amorphous blobs of magic, the knowledge of their meaning escaping his mind. In response, he takes a while to concentrate on what he could attempting to glean any information he could.


some spellcraft rolls if you need 'em

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[dresdor]

"There is a small monestary of our order outside the city. They are near a holy site to our God. If this Calamity has a divine origin, it is likely that that site will show some signs and the monks there will know something."

Celix spends some time sorting out the magical auras and finds a great deal of residual conjuration magic. The strongest seems to be around the altar, which isn't surprising. The auras are strange....its like being on an outer plane, as many of the energies you feel just simply shouldn't exist on the material plane. In fact, you recall a magical theory that states the reason stable, mortal life exists on the material plane is because its shielded in some way from certain chaotic magical energies.

[Lin Bayaseda]

Well, if it helps me regain my powers ... Very well, we shall go there.

Suel asks the acolyte to draw, at the very least, a crude map to the temple.

[MCerberus]

Celix

Recalling a bit of knowledge from his earlier training in the outer planes, Celix stops investigating the strongest aura before some of the lesser-known side-effects of observing such an aura could kick in. To his mind the conjuration could possibly be explained by the presence of the priesthood and their use of the healing school... but then why do they appear to be extra-planar.

"There are multiple residual energy pools that seem to not originate in the Material. Has anyone here been summoning, healing, or teleporting through the area?"

He leaves out the implications of what it might mean if the answer is no. They're bad enough to be a distraction and another worry amongst many.

[dresdor]

"It wouldn't be unusual for healing to happen here, it is a temple after all. As per summoning and teleporting, I do not know, but it was certainly possible before the Calamity."