[3.5] Shall Not Come To Pass - IC

[Cardea]

Character|Player|Class
Valashana (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=687379)|Vedhin|Swiftblade/PsyWar
Ont Mulhammer (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=687914)|Chambers|DragonfireA dept/Sorcerer
Alaundra Rilynund (http://pifro.com/pro/view.php?id=9981)|Fax Celestis|Paladin//Spelthief
Othere Karse (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=765898) | Ryuuk | Binder / Crusader
Shaxbjorg (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=690056) | Bekeleven | Warshaper / Factotum
Dointan the Shade (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=688062) | Techwarrior| Rogue // Duskblade

Chapter One: Return to Sender


Approaching Ithix, the air feels heavier, muggier. The Order's Airpilot slows the approach, the world no longer a blur as you pass over it, the ship's magic propelling it through the air. The ship's deck glows as he taps a wand to his wheel. A light bubble forms over the top of the vessel, and the air feels lighter again, though still heavy with the tension of task. He pulls on the top of the wheel, tilting it towards him, and the ship changes course, heading up. In the distance, you can see Ithix itself.

Rising far above the world, Ithix stood tall when civilizations began. You've heard the stories, every culture has one. Dwarves claimed that it was named after a dragon. Dragons claim that the first of their kind learned the secret of fire from the volcano's first explosion. The City of Brass has a tale of when the planes were closer, but were separated by some ancient power: Ithix is where the two were connected. This far away, its shadow covers the landscape in the setting sun.

This far away, it stabs the sky above it.

The six of you stand on the deck of the ship, one of the many owned by the Arcane Order. This one was originally made for planar expeditions, rented out by members when studying on the different planes of the universe. But with the ban on planar travel, only a few remained available to the Order: their fastest and sturdiest ships scattered across reality. The smooth deck of the ship is marred only by a steering wheel, guard railing around the perimeter of the ship, a table that is bolted near the wheel, and a set of stairs heading downstairs. There rests a small kitchen, and three bedrooms, which thankfully none of you have had the need to share... yet.

"Oim. Don' envy the lots of you." The Airpilot says from his wheel, one of the view things ruining the flat deck of the ship. Old and sturdy, an admitted elf-friend, he says, to explain why a human is still working so long in hard labor. "Ah knew Elly. If it bein' really her, ah feel sorry for the lot of ya. We got 'bout hour time before we there. Council don' wan' no teleportin' from us, 'specially this close. I can get you to the edge, but I ain' gettin' closuh. Report me if you want."

The Airship you're on is the size of Keelboat. Just section up the bottom portion, and there you have it.

[Ryuuk]

"There will be no need of that" Othero stood tall, narrow eyes fixed on Ithix. "Any distance you can save us is welcome, as long as you and your vessel can retreat safely." The voice was wrong, much too deep, and hollow at that. Many things were wrong with the man, to be frank. One of his hands was covered in red scales, a strange mist floated around him and despite his graying hair, his skin looked almost like that of a bronze statue of an olympian. A large sword and shield were at his back, matching his white armor, bearing a thin red cross.

His normal hand rested at the pommel of a short sword at his side, his thumb caressing it, as if it were afraid it would vanish. His eyes remain fixed, but he speaks to the others here gathered. "If all goes well, we will confront Elondius soon. What then?" He had his own notion of what had to be done, if worse came to worse.

[Techwarrior]

"My understanding is that we were given clear instructions. The woman is to be eliminated with extreme prejudice, or was it something more silly and vague, I can't remember."

A lean and wiry man speaks sardonically from his chair. A pair of ornate black short swords rest on his sides in a pair of non-reflective sheaths, one forward draw, one set for reverse. The man has a bow on his pack as well, and his black hair glistens like midnight. Something was strangely unsettling about the man, not seeming entirely... human. His body was calm and collected, as he leaned back with arms folded over his shoulders about the back of his head.

[bekeleven]

"Jusst eliminate?" asks Ulan from behind him. A Yuan-Ti with mottled purple-and-yellow skin, the serpent gives off less stench than his race's reputation would suggest. He idly runs a claw down his breastplate. "That'ss the job, ssertainly. But aren't you the leasst bit curiouss?" His tongue flicks in and out of his mouth, idly sampling the artificial air of the planar bubble.

[Techwarrior]

"I suppose that depends on how you define curious. I'm sure she's got a 'reason' to be doing all this, but I'm uncertain how much I care what it is. Anyway, even if she's got a good reason, we're on employ by the Arcane Order. Whatever I may think of them, they're a powerful organization, and not to be trifled lightly."

[Ryuuk]

Othero

Part of him wondered when he'd gone back to the ways of old, another argued that this was different. "I believe it was 'dead or alive, she must pay'..." He nods at their answers, making note. Still, he turns to the others. "Or along those lines. Alive rather then dead, though, may be wiser if quite madder. She is... was, an Archmage of the Order, responsible for whatever abjuration has blocked off the planes. That must be undone, and if this magic is to be her magnus opus, she cannot take the secret that unravels it to the grave."

The feeling was his, he was sure of that, but the words may have come from his blood. "She must stop this, yes, but I am curious as to why she did it."

[Chambers]

Ont

"Tsk." The dwarf made a noise at the bronze man. "She did it because she could."

Ont stands near one of the ships railing, leaning against it while watching those assembled on the deck. Let the Archmage come in her time. Here is a more interesting problem. "The Order is powerful." He says to Dointan. "But I don't count the Order among us here on this ship. Think on that as you would."

He fiddles with a massive ruby on one his rings, fogs his breath on it and then cleans it with a small cloth. "As we are about this business for the Order it would be wise to take precautions so that we do not needlessly injure ourselves. I know a simple warding that will protect you from some of my Art." He says and breathes in deep and then exhales a glowing purple gas that hangs in the air. "Breathe in, and my other breathes will not harm you."

Endure Exposure invocation for whomever wants it.

Active Effects
Class Effects: Immune to critical hits & sneak attack, Immune to paralysis & sleep
Invocation Effects: Change Shape, See Invisibility, Fire Immunity, Perfect Flight 60ft
Spell Effects: Renewal Pact, Pact of Return
Spell-Like Ability Effects: Nondetection (CL 27)
Magic Item Effects: Blindsense 30ft (Dragons Eye Amulet), Resist Energy 30/All (Greater Resist Ring), Mindblank (Third Eye Conceal)

[Techwarrior]

"I know that I don't happen to have any specific means to keep an Archmage restrained for any particular period of time. Unless you want me to beat her into unconsciousness, tie her up in a sack, and rough it up a bit every hour, I can't help with 'taking her alive.'

That does sound extremely satisfying though.


I'm aware that the we are here on the Order's request. I have no intentions of throwing myself wastefully at problems we may meet. A crowbar is not a lockpick.

My skills instead lie in misdirection and assassination. As an Agent of the Shadow Watch, I have dabbled in the arts of swordplay, blade magic, theft, and spellchanneling. I'm also quite studied in most fields of knowledge, and have even more extensive knowledge of the arcane arts.

What of the rest of you? What are your skills?"


Dointan breathes in the strange fog, and feels it bestow it's magic upon him.

[Vedhin]

Valahana speaks up, in reply to the question "I am primarily a warrior. I have some skill in both psionics and arcane magic, and am focused on the manipualtion on time."

[bekeleven]

"I, too, am a warrior." Ulan obviously looks Valahana up and down. "And a sspy."

[Ryuuk]

Othero

Othero takes a deep breath inhaling whatever it was that the dwarf called forth. He can't help but wonder what kind of company he had fallen into though. "What I mean is, regardless of the fate that Elondius has earned for herself, her spell must be broken. I am not an Archmage, and if only a master abjuerer can unweave it, I am reluctant to cut down the caster. If there is no alternative though, I suppose we must depend on someone like Archmage Quali to break it down." It is clear that this idea does not please him though. He reaches into his pack and takes out a thin tome, and starts leafing through it.

"I am a practitioner of pact magic and a swordsman." He closes the tome and puts it away, smiling. "My name is Othero Karse, and I have worked with the Order for the better part of two decades. Pardon if I rarely forget their presence, a force of habit."

Knowledge Checks
Both using the Tome of Worldly Memory for a +5

History: Regarding Elondius (Anything about her nature, personality, the events surrounding her disappearance that may be relevant)
[roll0] if roll was 5 or lower, Balam's reroll [roll1]

Arcane: Regarding the effects that block planar travel (Mostly if what Othero has said so far could be possible with regards to breaking the spell)
[roll2] if roll was 5 or lower, Balam's reroll [roll3]

[Fax Celestis]

Alaundra, a dark elf with an uncertain mixed heritage and bearing black raven's wings on her back, watches the conversation intently through white, leonine eyes, saying nothing. When she is looked at expectantly for Dointan's question, she arches an eyebrow, then speaks evenly. "My name is Alaundra Rilynund: you may or may not have heard of me." She pauses. "It is probably better if you haven't.

"I have a similar background to Dointan, though my exploits are more...infiltrative." She clears her throat. "I specialize in handling difficult situations and in...smoothing out personal relations. I also have the ability to make other's magics my own and to heal with a touch, a gift from my patron, Rutausvarisarx."

[Cardea]

Othero
The tome's magic seeps into your memory, pulling forth things that were once forgotten by you, and pulling things that were overshadowed by her reappearance. The barks of town criers and the archive of the Order flash through your mind, giving you snippets of the woman that was Elondius. Elondius was a scribe. Elondius was an acolyte. Elondius was accepted into the Order. Elondius took a seat of power on the Order. She was part of the group that tried to slay Ashardalon, but ultimately failed: merely toppling him from the Bastion of Souls. Elondius was to be married. Elondius disappeared. But you remember her differently: She was young. She was a woman who came to the Order many years ago, seeking to join. For a night and a day, she stood, knocking on the door, seeking the knowledge within, wishing to prove herself. She was wild, others would call her, you remember, often walking with some of the authorities within the halls of the Order's schools. She was smart, you could tell by the book in her hand. She was careful, your presence making her stop, and stare. As if you were a problem, despite her smile.

The flashes change now, showing formulas of Abjuration. You don't know them as such, but the Tome tells you, forcing the knowledge into your head. Elondius taught for many years as an Abjurationist, teaching others how to protect themselves. She was an advocate for using magic as a means of fortification, to give a measure of freedom by sheer will against the elements. Where others would seek to master dispelling, where others would master the pseudo-armors, Elondius was a true master in this field. Others would claim to be a master: Elondius was one.

The formulas change now, forming words. Spells do exist that block planar travel, one such is Forbiddance, belonging to the devout of the cloth, but also Dimensional Anchor and Dimensional Lock. An item exists, however, called a Weirdstone: a powerful item, blocking all forms of scrying, teleportation, astral travel and ethereal travel. It covers a 6 mile radius, however, and while its possible that Elondius has one or two in her possession, its nowhere near the scale of... this.

"Well, ma'am, pray to yer patron now if ye can. We're here." The man pulls on a lever, and the ship slows to a halt. He's 'parked' over a river, far above it. Its only a few miles to the volcano, the rest of the way covered in forest and wilderness untamed. He pulls out a staff, and steps to the side of the ship. "A'right. If ye need'n a method a flyin', I can give ye one roight here. I'll be waitin' here long as I can, but if I know Elly, she be havin' some way of discouragin' squatters. I wish ye luck."

[Techwarrior]

"Thank you Airpilot, but that won't be necessary for me."

Dointan seems to hesitate a moment, and then steps into the air. He looks around in the sky, and then surveys the land below, trying to remember anything he can of the surrounding area.

Knowledge
Geography (the surrounding area) [roll0]
Religion (Alaundra's patron) [roll1]

[Fax Celestis]

Alaundra pauses for a few moments, casting a few spells1, before leaping into the air herself. She produces a long staff and darkwood buckler from somewhere--you're not sure where--and she prepares to follow whoever decides to lead.

Alaundra's patron isn't divine.

1nondetection (Spellcraft DC 18), endure elements (DC 16), and disobedience (DC 18)

[Cardea]

Dointan
Although never being here, you can guess the layout of the area. There's going to a river or two that lead into the faraway lake in the distance, near the volcano itself. The wildlife here, however, should be making noise.

Your brief glances through holy texts tell you nothing of this patron that Alaundra speaks of.

OOC: Patron as in employer, not as in divine.

Alaundra
OOC: To be fair, mentioning you can heal because of a patron leads others to believe you're pulling on divine power.

[Fax Celestis]

Well, sure, but who's to say Alaundra's not doing that on purpose? :smallamused:

[Ryuuk]

Othero

As some of the others disembark, Othero's thoughts are still on what the tome let him remember. Part of him groans at the thought of a Weirdstone, but they would have to deal with that in time. He turns to the pilot. "Any help you can grant would be most kind." He'll graciously accept the method of flying he proposes.

"I will send you a signal if we no longer need you to wait for us."

OOC
My Armor's 1/day 5 minute Fly and swapping a vestige for Geryon would be my only ways to fly, so I'll take the offer. If it requires the use of the staff, Karsus allows the use of spell trigger items as a level 24 wizard

[Vedhin]

"I am not in need of aid in flying, though I appreciate your offer," Valashana replies politely.

[Techwarrior]

Dointan stops suddenly, one foot still seeming like he's taking a step. He holds his right hand up, and between blinks has his bow in hand.

"Hold. It's quiet. Too quiet."

Dointan begins looking around again, putting even more attention to the details going on around him.

Dice
Knowledges
Nature (Possible natural reasons for this, maybe the volcano will erupt soon?) [roll0]
Arcana (Or maybe it's magical?) [roll1]

Dointan also takes 12 (Savvy Rogue) on Spot for a total of 42. If that reveals nothing he uses Fallback Mastery to reroll for a total of [roll2]

OOC
Forgot to mention it, but Dointan is using the Balance on the Sky stance to mimic Air Walk. Valashana would most likely recognize the stance (it's a DC 18 Martial Lore check), but the others probably wouldn't.

[Cardea]

The Airpilot nods, turning to Othero. He points the staff at karsite, a brief flash in the cracking wood shooting towards him slowly, disappearing into his chest. "An'one else?"

Othero
You have a flight speed of 70 ft. (Good)

Dointan
Nature: A silence in the forest is never a real silence; there are at least insects. When a creature is quiet, its either hunting, or being hunted.

Nature: As far as you can tell, Ithix is not going to explode soon.

Arcane: The only spells that comes to mind that causes silence in an area are ones that obliterate all sounds: The river below still rushes, the wind still moves the leaves.

Spot: You send you sight over to the forest, analyzing it and piercing its brush. You see no creatures, and you see no movement apart from that of the forest itself. You see something glinting, however, on the grass below.

[Ryuuk]

Othero

"Thank you. This will be useful." Othero steps off the ship and tests his newly given flight. He floats down to where the others are gathering, ready to start the trek into Ithix.

OoC
Once it was clear the staff was being used on him, he'll focus on lowering his SR. Just mentioning it because it will likely come up again later.

[bekeleven]

Pooling his tail behind him, Ulan snaps his fingers to call his dog into the nest. When the creature is settled he takes off his cloak to reveal a pair of thin, leathery wings, and slithers off the edge of the boat.

[Fax Celestis]

Alaundra pauses, eyes narrowing as she grips her staff more tightly. "What troubles you?" she asks pointedly as she looks over the side, circling slowly to remain aloft.

[roll0]
[roll1]

Edit: AYFKM. ಠ_ಠ

[Chambers]

Ont

Translucent dragon wings fold out from under Ont's cloak and beat once, lifting him into the air. He turns to Dointan. "Abnormalities are to be expected. I suggest we proceed with all haste as we are indubitably being observed."

Greater Draconic Flight, 60ft, Perfect

[Techwarrior]

Dointan

Dointan points out the shimmer to Alaundra.

"There. The animals make no noise, and none seem to be on the hunt. I suggest we check out that shimmer."

Then Dointan turns to the Airpilot.

"On second thought, I'll take you up on your offer. Having an external flight method will allow me to focus my skills on other tasks, which should be quite helpful in bagging this woman."

He says woman with just the barest hint of venom.

Dointan can Aid Another Alaundra to better than his own spot, the 1 point probably won't mean she sees anything more, but she can definitely see what he saw now.

[Vedhin]

"The shimmer sounds suspicious to me as well," says Valashana, striding off the ship. "I suggest we examine it more closely."