[IC] Erospu Ruins I: Legion (Closed)

[blazinghand]

Update 9/21/2014
For reasons to due with low activity / interest, I'm going to be closing this game. Thanks for your time and effort, those of you who participated!

Thanks to Nixed and Zrak for sticking with this so long; I'm going to call it a wash and open up an entirely new game for signups. You (and your characters, should you choose to bring them) are welcome in the new game I open. Ellowyrn, I know you didn't really get a chance to get started in this game, but you are welcome to sign up in my new game as well. I will PM you when the signup thread opens.



Erospu Ruins IC threadChapter One: Legion

OOC Thread (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?365886-OOC-Erospu-Ruins-I-Legion&p=17903661)
Original Recruitment Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?365247-Erospu-Ruins-3-5e-Core-Campaign)
Imperial World Wiki (http://imperialworld.wikispaces.com/Welcome)

[blazinghand]

It's a beautiful late morning outside the city of Erospu. Located west and inland, Erospu's location north of the higher reaches of the Uide River have kept it safe and well-fed since the days of the archmages. The warm summer air flows around you, and even now you can feel the hope of the Erospu Sinkhole suffuse you. Treasures beyond your wildest imagination, holy relics, endless glory and ancient knowledge can all be yours. Your dreams can come true, if only have you have the will to grasp it.

You're still well away from the sinkhole as you admire its depth and its width. The stories never seem to live up to the gradure of the ruins outside Erospu. Seeing the real deal in person, even at this distance, is impressive. The five of you share a glance as you get closer to the edge. The two exotic travellers from the North, Drurn and Tevlon, as well as the two holy warriors and the wizard, strike formidable silhouettes in the late morning air of the Holetown. All about you is the squalor and majesty of a boom town driven by the exvacations that have begun.

Even now, few besides armed adventurers have the courage or the ability to venture down. There are a couple known ways down to the bottom-- a reinforced trail or two, and at least one cranked elevator. You can make your own way down as well, too. Most groups spend about several days in the ruins before coming back up, but some trips are shorter or longer depending on how things go.

Holetown has pretty much anything you'd need to buy, for a price-- but you're not here for Holetown, you're here for the Erospu Sinkhole.

Ways down into the sinkholeThere is one Gnome-operatedelevator in operation that can handle a big group, but it costs 1 gp to go down.

There are a couple of big, safe routes down that usually charge 1 sp for use. You can make your own way down if you're willing to brave the dangerous walls of the sinkhole, but few take this route.

[Ajacks]

Waking from an uneasy sleep, Akara sits up and brushes her unkempt hair away from her face and sighs. It has been a generally restless night with much tossing and turning as she gave thought to what dangers might lie in wait in the earth below. She gives a passing thought to the dreams she had the night before, but is unable to remember them clearly.

After using the bathhouse at the inn and having a light breakfast, Akara dons her armor, slings her greatsword around her back and sets out to meet up with her newly found companions. Not having much to say as she mentally prepares herself, she approaches the sinkhole with the rest of the group. Solinus, grant us strength...

Arriving at the sinkhole, Akara is taken aback by the sheer size of it. She strains her eyes to see the far side of the gaping hole in the earth, then scans the entire perimeter for a way to get down. "Any ideas on how we should go about getting down?" she asks turning to her companions.

[Nixed]

Kael

Kael awakes early. Partially out of habit and partially due to excitement. The paladin eats well before equipping himself and heading out to meet his newly formed party. Greeting the others with the smile on his face as they all arrive, anxious to begin the new adventure.

Turns as Akara asks about accessing the pit, glancing at her briefly before quickly turning back to look at the opening once again. Having been there for several days already helping people recover from the earthquake he offers what information he has. "People have been in and out since it opened. It is my understanding there are several established paths down; it should be but a small task to find someone to tell us which one we should use." He tenses a moment as if to strike out immediately to do so before remembering there are others in the group who might already know, or at least might want to weigh in.

[Amaril]

Jared is awoken in the early hours by a sharp, jabbing pain in his left hand. Eyes flying open, he sits up in bed and reaches for his knife, but the attacker is just Rohan, pecking at his wrist. With an exasperated groan, he slumps back onto the pillow. "I don't think I asked for a wake-up call, featherbrains."
"Caw, come on boss, don't be like that!" his familiar chides in his croaking voice. Hopping up onto Jared's chest, he digs in his talons and gives another sharp jab with his beak. "Come on, up and at 'em, lazybones! We've got a big day ahead of us!"
Jared's eyes snap open again as he remembers. "Oh, yeah, that's right! Gods, I'd almost forgotten..." He hastily rolls out of bed and throws on his travel-stained clothes, his raven giving an irritable caw at being displaced and flapping over to alight on the arm of the room's solitary chair.
After his customary hour's meditation to gather his energy, and breaking his fast down in the inn's common room, Jared arrives at the edge of the sinkhole and joins his new cohorts. He fervently hopes they won't mind his somewhat shabby state of dress (new item for shopping list: nicer clothes), and tries to look confident and prepared as greetings and wishes of good morning are exchanged. Looking out over the abyss, he is once more awed by the size of the site. Hard to imagine people already building things so huge back then... He finds himself salivating slightly at the thought of what might be down there, though he feels his mouth should be bone-dry from fear. Circling in the sky overhead, Rohan seems far less impressed.
As discussion turns to how to enter the ruins, he frowns in thought while listening to Sir Kael's suggestion. "I think I head some people were going up and down with hanging baskets, if we wanted to try that...but I think I'd much prefer a normal trail." He isn't normally afraid of heights, but the thought of being suspended in a tiny cage by nothing more than a strong rope or chain does give him pause--such a contraption seems dangerously unreliable.

Prepared spells have been marked on Jared's Mythweavers character sheet.

[Null]

Tevlon awakes early to the gentle nudges of his dog, Meer, and leans up from the rock he had been sleeping on. His bones crack as he stretches and yawns, and he places a palm on the side of Meer's coat and pats, "Mornin" pup."

As he stands, he looks around the woods that he made his resting place for the night. A cool, smooth moss covered large rock, with trees in every direction. lThe light had just begun to meet the sky, with the sun not even in full view yet.This is too much green. I miss my land.

Tevlon prays to the forest, gathering his strength for the day, and then he and Meer make their way to the sinkhole to meet up with the rest of the party, foraging as they travel. When they arrive, the sun now up, he exchanges good mornings with the group and waits as they decide how to descend. He chuckles, "I do keep rope with me.

[Zrak]

Drurn awoke, as always, with the sun; born of caves and cloudy peaks, the unfiltered light of bright days stung him like a slap and even though the closed lenses of his eyes, the first cresting of that distant star over the horizon proved sufficient to rouse him even from the soundest sleep. Groaning, now, as he wonders once again what brought him to these lands, his hand feels around in pack beside him, blindly; it closes now on a handful of shells, has crushed the shells to shards before it opens again, still blindly, at his mouth. The uneven teeth that named him in youth tear apart the almonds and pecans, he spits splinters of shell onto the ground and, at last, opens his eyes to those stabs of stunning, stinging sunlight. He tosses another nut, still shelled, in the air, until his eyes are acclimated enough that his right hand can catch it from his left; he squeezes the shell until it splits and tosses the meat inside into his mouth. Rising, he slings his pack over one shoulder, buckles his breastplate around the other, then switches sides, finishing by bringing the backpack over both shoulders and crossing his axe and flail behind it so they'll not tangle in the straps when he draws them. The feeling of both on his back is unwelcome, soft and defenseless, but a drawn blade is a sign of intent, here, and he is in their lands.

He is the last to come to the mouth of the sinkhole, still idly tossing nuts from one hand to the next, shattering shells, and tossing them to his tatterdemalion, twisted teeth. "I would save our rope for when paths do not present themselves. The river reaches the ocean faster remaining in its banks, I see no reason to take path of more resistance now, before beginning, if other options present themselves." He does not announce himself, provides no greeting besides his presence, yet something in his bearing suggests this is not a slight or an intentional rudeness; you know he is here and he knows you are here, what more must be said about it? Pausing, he thinks to rumors and remarks heard in passing, isolating in his memory the words he wants from the din around them, but he finds only fanciful foolishness, the tavern tales of men he knew would never dare descend into the ruins. "I can ask, but perhaps our pure paladin and pious priestess would be better received. I've heard virtue is its own reward, but I've always found the goodwill it brings more valuable," his grin, though grotesque, is good-natured, and he clearly intends no offense in the remark.

[roll0]

[Amaril]

Leaning out over the edge, Jared looks uncertainly at the distance down the cliff face, careful to keep his balance. "Yeah, Drurn's definitely right about the rope...and besides, I doubt any of us can carry enough to climb all the way down there." He furrows his brow in thought, trying to remember whether he's heard anything about the location of a trail. Someone must have been talking about it--that's what this whole crowd is here for, after all...

Knowledge (local): [roll0]

[Ajacks]

Akara's brow furrows as she gives the matter some thought.

Knowledge (Local) check:
[roll0]

"I seem to recall someone at the inn saying there was a trail down into the sinkhole this way," says says addressing the party. "It is a one silver coin fee to use it, perhaps we should investigate."

With that, she sets off around the perimeter of the massive sinkhole to locate the path she has heard of.

[blazinghand]

The sinkhole itself is almost a quarter mile across at the widest, and it's not known how large the ruins themselves are. Still, as you walk clockwise from Holetown, you get an idea of the size of the ruins, and realize how truly vast it is. It seems like it could run on forever in any direction, and you could get lost there and never see anyone ever again. There are dozens of people in the ruins at any time, and it's not unheard-of to run into other explorers. It's rare to meet others though except near the top as you enter or exit, and as you walk, you see a few people standing around a wooden structure at the cliff edge. When you look over the edge, you understand.

In the sinkhole, it's not clear where the "floor" of the ruins is, as the buildings all seem to start and end at different heights, and the roads and tunnels between them happen sometimes at the base of one building, sometimes at the top of another. Some delvers have said that you can walk for hours in a direction and not reach the end. Some say that the ruins go down forever. It's generally known that there are monsters and wild animals in the ruins, but most of them stay away from the part where sunlight can reach.

The base of the looks like an overgrown uncut gem or shale formation, with squares of various heights extending up and down and sideways. Squares (you suppose these massive squares may have been structures or apartments at some point, though something so massive seems impossible to build) are always aligned north-south and east-west, and are connected by occasional crumbling bridges through the air. At most places the floor of the sinkhole / the roof of the buildings is at least 1000 feet down, a dizzying height.

Just below the shack, there is an unusually tall and sturdy rectangular building climbing up from the ancient city. The descent to the building (and, hopefully, a reliable set of stairs) is only 600 feet here. You see ropes and chains nailed into the wall of the sinkhole, and you think you can make out a carved staircase switching back and forth down the steep face. As you approach the shack itself, your view gets worse.

The shack is occupied by two men, shading themselves from the sun and playing a game of cards. They look up as you approach. One of them is wearing loose robes, an older man with white hair and hard, dark eyes. From his round, heavy face, you can tell he eats well. The other is younger, and dressed for battle. He's wearing leather armor with metal bands and plates strapped on, and you see a sword leaning against the wall next to him. As you approach, he stands, picks up his sword and buckles it to his belt. The older man jumps to his feet, his cheeks jiggling as he nods repeatedly and greets you.

"Welcome, travellers! My name is Ream and this is the entrance to my stair. If you are looking for a way to get down into the sinkhole safely and cheaply, you won't do better than me! The stair is carved into the wall of the sinkhole itself, and there's a rope to prevent falls and make your climb easier. It costs but one silver coin for each person to descend, and you can come back up for free."

Something seems just a bit off about this Ream. His beedy eyes are hiding something, but you can't tell what. He looks nervous.

[Ajacks]

Akara almost regards the man addressing the party as a common thief or crook, but restrains herself. "I hope this this will suffice?" she asks rheutorically as she presses a gold coin into the man's palm with a mock smile.

How many people does he accept coin from that never return? she contemplates silently to herself. No matter. Upon further examination of her companions, she feels quite competent to take on the ruins. Waiting for the powerfully built orc to take the lead, she follows closely behind and draws her greatsword. Who knows what dangers lie in wait in the Erospu Ruins...

OOC
Not trying to throw you under the bus Zrak, just figured you'd prefer being on the front line.

Adjusting wealth to reflect payment.

[blazinghand]

Ream looks down at the heavy golden coin in his palm in surprise, his eyebrows rising. Then, he looks back up and beams a big smile at you. The hand with the coin disappears into his robe, depositing the money. As he speaks, the armored man sits down at the table. Ream sits back down as well. "The stair down is just through the back, here. The easiest time to go is in the afternoon, but if you don't mind a bit of sun on you you can leave now if you'd like. Once you're on the roof of the structure below, there is a staircase inside that descends deeper. Be safe."

The armored man grunts.

[Nixed]

Kael

A smile and nod to the gentleman and his companion once the transaction has been completed. "First step completed. Well done." Boyish grin for Akara and then back to the others. "Shall we?" and without waiting for a response he starts down.

[Amaril]

Seeing the flash of gold pass between Akara's hand and Ream's, Jared's eyes widen in surprise. Back home, he'd hardly ever even seen gold--once or twice a rich merchant would pass through the inn and spend some, but such rare days were cause for celebration at the patron's generosity. Twice what he was asking for all of us, and they throw the stuff around like it's hardly worth anything... His excitement gains new ground in its battle against his nerves, imagining how rich people must get doing this sort of work.
Sir Kael's departure brings him back to earth, and he sets his shoulders in determination as he follows the knight. Focus, Jared. You can think about money once you're safe back in Erospu and waiting to spend it. Through their empathic link, Rohan sends something that he's reasonably sure is a chuckle. He nods politely to Ream as he passes and mutters a word of thanks before starting along the trail.

[Zrak]

Drurn seems about to make remark, condescension creasing the corners of his smile, but before he has time, the priestess has paid and the paladin started down the stairs. Moving into place behind Kael, but not yet beginning his descent, his unease is probably palpable; he grew up in a land without currency and even his time as a mercenary has done little to diminish his instinctual distrust of commerce and merchants. These, more than most, seem suspicious; a sellsword who finds his blade too uncomfortable to buckle to his belt while he sits, stairs that require rope to be passable. Still, his passage has been paid and it isn't his place to speak against it, so he takes his position, puts a hand to the haft of his axe, and looks back over those who have yet to descend. "Are we all in agreement?" he asks, flatly, his tone tenaciously refusing to take a side.

[Nixed]

Kael

Gets a step or two down the stairs before he realizes that maybe not everyone was sold on the idea. Pauses and turns back to see what the others decide, idly holding the rope with his off hand.

[Null]

Tevlon notices the look of avarice upon Ream's face and snorts a little. This world and its coins... He looks around to the rest of his group, then lowers his gaze to himself, ... sad that it drives each one of us. Still, his eyes fall back on the two men, These two aren't what the seem, and they don't seem to be much.

He continues on with the rest of the group, and Meer, sensing the distrust of his master, keeps his head low as they pass the shack, fur standing on ends. He waits until out of earshot of the shack and speaks. "Did any of you feel anything uneasy about those two men? I think there may be more going on then just highway robbery."

[Amaril]

Jared frowns in puzzlement at Tevlon's question. "Well, yeah, they did seem a little eager, but they're salesmen--well, of a sort, I suppose. Nothing unusual about wanting to make some coin off a situation like this, well, without risking your neck like we are, that is." He turns around to look further down the trail, slightly dizzy as he realizes just how far down they have to go. "Anyway, we've already paid, so might as well get a move on, right?"

[blazinghand]

As it was advertised, the path is smooth and free of treachery. Although sometimes the chain is rope instead, it feels sturdy the whole way down, and you make it to the roof of the tall structure without any difficulty. On the roof of the structure, you see a wooden signpost with a large plank of wood nailed to it. On it is drawn an arrow pointing towards the stairwell and there are the words, "Stairwell to the rim" written below.

The roof itself is pretty large, measuring about 50 feet by 50 feet. It seems to be made out of the same dusty stone that the walls of the sinkhole are, and on further examination it appears that the entire roof was carved out of a single, massive slab of stone. How an ancient civilization ever got so large a stone to the roof of the building is beyond your comprehension. Something like this would be a considered something of a wonder if it were possible to move it up and out of the hole. The roof is trimmed with a short, regular wall, like battlements without the notches for archers to shoot out from.

Looking over the side, you see that to the east, there is a dizzying drop to the street, but the neighboring roof is only about 40 feet down and 10 feet away. To the north, the neighboring roof is much lower-- about 100 feet down. To the south, the neighboring roof is also about 40 feet down. These two roofs are about 40 feet away from your building. With the right equipment, it might be possible to descend down the side of the building and somehow cross the gap to another, though you're not sure exactly how that would be done-- you'd have to think about it more.

The walls of all the buildings you can see (and your own, from what you can tell at this angle) are semi-regularly studded with windows. Down below, you can see staircases circling around the outside of some of the buildings, but the one you are standing on lacks any sort of external staircase. Instead, in the northeast corner of this building, there is a small staircase leading down from the roof into the room below. Looks like internal staircases for this building, then.

You're not alone on the roof. There's a mule tied up in the shade of a large wall-less tent. In front of it is a large bowl of water, and hanging on the tent is a sack of oats. The mule is placidly chewing on some oats and relaxing in the cool shade. It eyes you unconcernedly. Also in the shade of the tent you see a few bags, a bedroll, and a small table. You don't see whose tent this is, though-- the roof looks deserted.

The dusty wind of the sinkhole swirls around you briefly, and you realize you're finally in the Erospu ruins, where fame, glory, ancient knowledge and endless wealth are available for all those who would grasp it.

[Null]

If my companions aren't concerned, I won't burden them with my worries, He casts his look back again, but i will not be foolish, my instincts have gotten me far in life. He takes note to keep one eye at the group's back.

As they descended the stairs, Tev held his quarterstaff in hand, using it to help guide his steps. When they neared the roof and the mule became visible, two sharp barks escaped Meer, followed by a quick snap of Tev's fingers, hushing the dog, and sending an echo bouncing off the walls to the bottom. He looks around the roof, spying to see if they have anymore company, and then cautiously approaches the mule, putting a hand near its mouth, patting. He then walks to the edge and peers over, drawing his bow and slinging away the staff.

"Whatever route we take, Meer and I will take up the rear." He knows they're not the sturdiest in the group, but should a threat appear from behind, he believes the two of them could hold it off.

[Ajacks]

Reaching the bottom of the long path down, Akara is filled with wonder as she takes in her surroundings. There is something ancient and primal about these ruins, even the scent in the air. Sensing no immediate danger, she sheathes her greatsword and begins to evaluate. Checking for any ropes that might be tied off nearby, she weighs in on the situation.

"It appears these ruins are fairly well explored already. If I had to guess, I would say our friends with the mule took the easy way into the ruins through that staircase," she says pointing to the northeast corner. "If we want to get somewhere less traveled quickly, I think we should try to get down onto the roof either to the east, north, or south. How much rope do we have?" she asks turning to the party and looking over to the east.

"This way would be the easiest and probably only require one rope. We could rappel down and try to kick off the wall to get to the roof being only 10 feet away. We could even take our armor off to avoid added risk of falling, have someone get down there with a spare rope and grappling hook, lower our gear down to them for them to hook and pull over to the roof. But it could be dangerous for the first person to go down... Or we could simply take the staircase. I'm not sure how we could get to the north or south roof," Akara says with a shrug. She waits for the rest of the group to express their opinion, open to any more suggestions.

[Zrak]

Striding as though the staircase is nothing more than treacherous footholds in the side of a windy mountain and each step might be his last, Drurn follows Kael down the path with one hand on the rope or chain and the other still affixed to his axe. His trepidations seem to melt as his eyes adjust to the light enough to take in the grandeur around him; standing structures still fill him with a little awe when he is caught off guard, and the paltry castles he's seen cannot be compared to the gigantic stone structures he sees before him, with single slabs of stone the size of walls. "I distrusted them, but I would distrust any man who asked me to pay him so that I might walk down a staircase." Any trepidation he had is hidden in his tone, and he gives no sign of serious worry. "I imagine they have no real right to the stairs, no valid claim; they merely sit atop them and assume we're less willing to fight for passage than pay the pittance they ask. I suppose," he brightens, "there is even a certain boldness to it."

Finally standing on the single, solid slab of the roof, Drurn's pragmatism finally seems to win his mind back from wonder, and his gembright eyes sweep his surroundings in a careful appraisal. "I have little love for the idea of descending into the building, basically blind, down those stairs," he says with a gesture towards the internal staircase, "Were I a goblin hungry for human flesh or a brigand looking for careless travelers, I know where I would cower in wait." He pauses, looking again to the adjacent rooftops. "We could affix a rope to the wall around this roof then tie something heavy to the other end, as an anchor to the next roof, and throw it down. I carry fifty feet, myself, and a hook to hold it." it's simple siegecraft on paper, but in his head he pictures the plethora of ways it could go awfully awry, adding "Lightest first, to help brace the anchor on the other end as the others come across." Terrible teeth gnawing at a greenish lip, he admits, "Though that seems hardly safer. I'd as soon take my chance against blades in the dark." Almost as an afterthought, he adds, "Perhaps we should examine the tent, see if it seems to belong to friend or foe. At best, we may find guidance. At worst we will have his kin to notify on our return."

[Amaril]

Stepping down onto the building's roof, Jared's eyes grow slowly wider as they travel farther along it without seeing a divide in the stone. Gods, it's massive...how'd they ever get it in place? Magic? It must have been, there's no way they could have done this with mundane technology... He marvels at the kind of power it must have taken to sculpt a structure like this, or to move the gigantic stones necessary to build it.
Noticing that the others are already at work thinking of ways to proceed, he shakes himself out of his daydreams once more. Reaching out to Rohan through their bond, he signals his familiar to rejoin him before heading over to the side of the building next to Akara. Leaning out over the edge, he estimates the distance and ponders for a moment. "If we're going this way, I could get over to that other roof easily with magic. And I'm probably the lightest of us, so I should go first anyway if we follow Drurn's judgement. I'd need to borrow someone else's rope, though," he admits sheepishly, "I didn't really bring any myself."

[Nixed]

Kael

Kael stops after clearing the stairs and looks out over the ruins a few moments. Whether he is listening to everyones input, or just caught up in the moment is unclear; either way he's stayed quiet as he looks over their situation this time. "I brought some rope. I don't suppose getting DOWN is the hard part though. Whatever we do though, we'll either have to be able to reverse it, or find another way out eventually." Pulling off his pack and digging out the rope.

[Ajacks]

"I think we should leave the mule and tent alone," Akara says without a shred of uncertainty. "We would ask the same of any passing travelers should we be in the same position as them. If you wish to rummage through their belongings, so be it. But I will take no part in it." She folds her arms crossly, her locks of red hair covering one eye and accentuating her displeasure as she begins to address the more important matter at hand.

"Are we all in agreement to go east?"

[Nixed]

Shrugs at Akara's question. "I'm not sold on it being safer than the stairs. I find it unlikely that goblins or brigands would have left the donkey and tent unmolested, but if everyone else's judgement is that this is the better way that's fine." The part where he'd prefer a fight to a fall as well left unsaid.

[Amaril]

"Yeah, I agree with Akara," Jared nodded emphatically, "it's not our stuff to mess with. Let's leave it alone." He turned back towards the edge, looking out over the other rooftop. "I'm not convinced it's safer this way, but it does seem we're more likely to find something worthwhile." He held out his wrist as he spoke, and Rohan descended to land on it, digging his sharp talons into Jared's glove. "Plenty of others must have gone down the stairs before, but I'll wager far fewer have gone across to the other roof. Anyway, like I said, if someone wants to hand me a rope, I can make that jump safely, no trouble."

[Nixed]

Kael

The path less traveled excuse sits better with the Paladin than avoiding a fight, and he hands Jared his coil of silk rope without further discussion.

[Amaril]

Accepting one end of Sir Kael's rope, Jared suddenly does a double-take at what he's holding. Silk rope! Ye Gods, do these people bathe in milk as well?
He almost points out to the knight that such a flimsy strand of silk will certainly snap under the weight of any one of them, before remembers what his mother told him once about silk being incredibly strong for its weight. Stepping back from the edge of the building, he swallows his fear and takes three deep breaths. Alright...here goes nothing. Rohan takes off from his shoulder once again and simply flies down to the next rooftop, perching on the encircling wall and waiting expectantly to be followed.
With one final deep breath, Jared sprints towards the edge and leaps as far as he can out over the gap. Struggling to judge his distance and height as he flies through the empty air, he waits to reach the approximate apex of his arc before quickly calling up his power and uttering his incantation, "Baven, paǵaat!" As he begins to fall, his descent abruptly slows, and he drifts gently down towards the next rooftop.
With profound relief, his feet hit solid ground on the other side. "Caw, you could almost be a bird yourself, boss!" Rohan applauds with a croaking chuckle. Stumbling a little, he turns around and looks back up along the rope to where Sir Kael and the others still stand above. "Alright, go ahead and use the grappling hook!" he calls back, wrapping his end around his hands to get a better grip. "Tevlon, you should probably do this first, I'm pretty sure you're the only one whose weight I can support by myself!"

[Zrak]

"I thought it a sensible precaution, but if the idea offends you, let us speak of it no further," Drurn replies, "I would ask the same where my own honor was concerned." He nods to both Akara and Jared, almost smiles and thinks better of it; his face does not lend itself to friendly gestures with even the best of intentions. "If they wanted to avoid suspicion, that is exactly what they would do; when my company ran night raids against the opposing force, we would leave tents untouched and plates by the still-burning fires, that our foes wouldn't know their number thinned until the forces assembled for battle. Still, I'd trust my blade above a rope, were safety our sole concern. As the young wizard says, perhaps we will find a less trodden path down the other tower." The matter seemingly decided, he takes out the grappling hook and waits for Jared's jump.

"If we have enough rope, it might be best to tie a safety line around the first to climb the rope, should the path prove flimsier than we thought. If the hook loses purchase or the aged wall gives way, we can catch you and pull you up." Drurn unshoulders his pack, rummaging for his rope and grappling hook with one hand while the other, as it has since the first step of the stairs, stays on his axe. "If you think you'll have trouble supporting the weight, we can collect some heavier possessions in a pack and toss it over as an anchor," Drurn adds. Used to his advice being ignored by stubborn mercenary captains and foolish local lords, he hadn't expected his plan to be accepted, and a sudden sense of responsibility now hangs over him, a need to think of everything.

[blazinghand]

The new building you've landed on is smaller along the east-west dimension than the tall one you jumped from-- it is only about 30 feet wide, though it is still 50 feet wide in the north-south dimension. Looking around at the roof, it looks somewhat like the one you came from, but there are no obvious signs of recent inhabitants. There are a number of small protrusions, like pipes or tubes, coming up around the edge of the roof. These pipes, unlike everything else you've seen so far, aren't made out of stone, but some kind of metal. The roof is mostly covered in the yellowish dust that's common in this region, but near the center a slightly elevated 5 by 5 foot platform seems to get more wind and less dust. Some kind of symbol is inscribed on it, but you can't see it easily from here. The southeast corner extends out into a staircase that circles the outside of the building downwards, and oddly enough, it seems to have a mostly-freestanding gate at the top. You can't possibly imagine how such a gate would keep anyone out, since they could step around it, but there it is.

Now that you're down a little further, you notice that the buildings have a truly dizzying array of heights. You were on one of the tallest building, so most of the city seemed low, but now that you're on a more middling one, you can't see too far in any one direction before your vision is blocked by a large or tall building. This building seems sturdy enough, dust aside. Perhaps that's even a good sign-- there are no obviously visible footprints, which means this may be virgin territory.

The knotted rope is drawn taut and you shudder for a moment as look down at the gaping chasm between the buildings. Although climbing a knotted rope is really, REALLY easy, you will take great care as you climb down. No need to rush things, not when a fall to your death is potentially on the line.

[blazinghand]

Jared finds a protrusion he can tie the rope to on the 2nd roof, but he nonetheless grips the knotted silken rope tightly as Telvon makes his way across. Then, the two of them hold tight as Kael and Akara climb across. Drurn is the last one across, carrying a very calm Meer, strapped to his pack. Meer and Drurn both look relieved once they're on the lower roof. Although carrying Meer is effortless for Drurn, a massively strong Orc, Meer still didn't seem pleased about the whole "strapped to a sweaty orc and brought across a deep chasm with only a silken rope to support his weight" situation.

Now, all five of you (and Meer) are safely on the new roof. It's just past noon, and there's a bit of shade from the cliff providing relief from the heat and the sun. Even though the rope climb should have been easy, some of you feel a little winded for a bit. Climbing at an angle is more tiring than climbing straight up or down with at wall to brace against. Nonetheless, you don't think you'd have trouble going back up.

[Amaril]

With Drurn safely across the gap, Jared finally releases his share of the rope, granting his screaming shoulders a reprieve. Honestly, if this is the sort of work I'm going to be doing, I need to get myself in better shape. With an empathic signal of simultaneous amusement and sympathy, Rohan takes off once more from his perch and flies back up to the first rooftop. Ducking down behind the wall, he returns to view a moment later with the grappling hook held in his talons and flaps back over, struggling slightly with the new weight. He drops the hook and the rest of the rope at Sir Kael's feet before alighting back on his master's shoulder.
"Well, glad no-one fell off" Jared announces with a chuckle. "Now we've got the place to ourselves. Great idea, Drurn." He inclines his head to the hulking orc--he'd been a bit apprehensive when the sellsword had answered Sir Kael's call for aid alongside him, but his first impression seemed to have deceived him. Maybe what they'd said about orcs back home was undeserved. Just one more thing they had too little imagination to give any thought to. Shoulders mostly recovered, he moves over towards the curious symbol, hoping to examine it more closely.

[Nixed]

Kael

The bird retrieving the rope is a thing to see. A nod and grin given to the pair as he recollects his rope. He quickly coils and stows it once again. Alright then. Well done. We've arrived on our path less traveled. Does that mean anything to anyone before we set off?" Pointing out the odd symbol Jared already has begun to inspect.

[blazinghand]

The symbol glows more brightly as you get closer, and you hear a tone coming from it, like the release of air through a pipe organ, or a flute. Now it's glowing brightly enough you can read it. It looks like it might be a single word or sound, but it's not written in the common language of this area, it's written in Draconic.

The symbol is a name and a title. The title roughly translates to tyrant. The name is a name you don't recognize: Tyrespha.

This is the symbol of an ancient dragonlord, Tyrespha, killed in the last age, the age of Legends. She ruled Erospu and the surrounding area for hundreds of years with an iron fist.

The symbol itself is 2 feet across and 1 foot tall, and is not in fact carved into the stone as you might have initially guessed. Instead, it seems to be part of the stone itself that just IS a different color, and gives off a small amount of light.

[Zrak]

"Hopefully you'll be on your own legs the rest of the way," Drurn says to Mere, apologetically, as he undoes the straps binding him to his pack. Turning to Jared, he nods his appreciation,"Thank you, though I doubt it would have gone so smoothly without the aid of your arcane aptitude." Thinking again of his teeth, he is careful not to smile. Awesruck as Rohan retrieves the grappling hook, he adds "Or your little friend's ingenuity. I had thought the hook lost until we reclaimed it on our return." He's never seen a mage interact with a familiar before, though he's heard tales, and it's clear to anyone looking closely he's trying rather unsuccessfully to hide some of his fascination with the process. Indeed, it takes him a moment longer than it should to take a look around the roof, note the dust and note that it has no footprints save their own, and finally stride over to the glowing blue letters.

"It's no tongue I can read, though I know next to nothing of the history of these lands, even if I could." Having discerned all he can of the symbol itself, he looks more closely at its construction. "Look at this; it's not carved, nor even painted. It as though the stone is dyed like cloth." Still sensitive to the light, he does not mention the glow, in case it is only him who sees it; Drurn doesn't want to look a fool so soon after his plan's triumph.

[Amaril]

Jared furrows his brow in contemplation, mouth moving soundlessly as he parses the symbol's meaning. He seldom has the chance to read Draconic, and it takes some effort to make out anything he hasn't practiced through his incantations. "Tyrespha...a dragon. She ruled this land back in the Age of Legends. Dead now, of course..." Slowly and cautiously, he kneels down to inspect the symbol more closely. Strange...is it just an ordinary marking spell, or actually something physical? "Do you think it's safe to touch?"

[blazinghand]

After investigating the rune to your satisfaction, you jointly decide to descend the building. After all, that's what you came here to do. You take the stair and descend one level, entering the room below. Drurn and Kael walk in front, weapons drawn. Jared is in the middle with Meer, and bringing up the rear are Telvon and Akara. You move cautiously but vigorously, eager to seek out the treasures that await you in the ruins below-- by taking a different route, you expect you'll find virgin territory.

You make your way cautiously into the floor from the north. This floor is about 30 feet wide and 50 feet deep, same dimensions as the floor above, and it's one single room. Looking around, you discern that this must have once been a bedroom. A sagging platform bed is ahead and to the left, whatever mattress that once festooned it is long gone. The bed is made out of wood that has somehow not rotted, and the headboard is covered in carved writing. A stone table is in the center, and though you don't see many chairs, there are stone benches in front of the table. The table itself has basins carved into it, which may have at one point been filled with water or food. The walls are decorated with intricate carvings-- clusters of columns, leaves, people, and scenes from the Age of Legends. Across from the bed is a desk or table protruding directly from the wall, made from the same impossible single-stone material as the wall itself, decorated in blue and red, with shelves and drawers, some of which are open, some of which are not. There are windows along the walls, as well as one giant window that you just walked through. Whether the windows had glass or shutters you don't know, but one window, which is about a foot by 2 feet, remains decorated with iron-ribbed, colored glass, the kind you see only in castles or powerful temples. At the far end of the room, a corner of the floor bends and twists into a staircase-- this time an internal one-- heading down into the room below.

You hear voices, and the sound of something rattling. Dice? A percussion instrument? A rattle? The noise is coming from below.
"Oy, I'll put 4 on this roll, I'm betting 3 2s and a 1. Who's game for this?"
"I wouldn't put my money on that, buddy. He ain't got diddly to back it up. He's been losing all night!"
"Are you kidding me? Look at this. This is my bet."

[Zrak]

"I should return as the escort for a team of artisans," Drurn murmurs, trying to hide his awe behind pragmatism. "Think of the price these wonders alone could fetch, if we could bring them to the surface, and we have but barely entered the ruins." The orc takes a zigzag course through the room, pausing to give each item a brief inspection, as though he is trying to discern if it is as impressive up close as from afar, or if it could even be more so. This indulgence he allows himself aside, he proceeds directly to the internal staircase, but does not immediately descend; this building being as likely as the last to be filled with foes, Drurn will guard the entrance to the room while the more mystically and historically educated amongst the party give the room further inspection.

[roll0]

[Nixed]

They quietly descend into the next room Kael holds his shield and hammer ready. Once at the bottom of the stairs he quietly whispers a prayer to St. Cuthbert, extending his senses to look for any which may wish them harm.


Use detect Evil
Listen: [roll0]

[blazinghand]

The writing in the bed is in old common, describing what seems to be a large family tree. You don't immediately recognize the names, but...


The name is a fairly uncommon one, Tave. Legend tells of a warrior named Tave who stood briefly against the Dragonlord who once ruled here. Tave did not kill the Dragonlord, but was the first martyr for freedom. You do not know if these people are any relation.

[blazinghand]

Akara and Kael both look down suddenly, then look at each other.

"Quiet!" whispers Telvon, waving at the others. "I can hear something. Sounds like someone talking, coming from below." He edges his bow out from its strap, and crouches.

Akara turns her head sideways, as though to get a better angle to listen with using her ear. "I can hear it too. Multiple voices. Not any language I can speak."

Telvon carefully hefts his bow, and draws an arrow from his quiver. "I recognize the language; it is Goblin. It sounds like... they're gambling. They do not appear to have heard us." Telvon turns to Kael. "I have heard, in my travels, that some warrior-priests can sense the presence of evil just with their gaze, even through thin barriers. Can you sense the goblins below us, sir knight?

[Nixed]

Kael

The paladin opens his eyes after another moment of concentration and nods. "It's faint, but there seems to be three creatures below us, opposite the stairs," Kael responds quietly.

[blazinghand]

Earlier that day...

Telvon and Akara look up at the messenger. They were just about to descend into the ruins with Kael, Drurn, and Jared, but this man had come running for them. After conferring with him, they decided not to take the rickety stair down into the place where legends are born, and went off with him, drawn away by some quest or obligation. Before leaving, Telvon turned and spoke to Drurn. "I will be back some day, Drurn. I have not forgotten our long voyage from the North together, and I hope you find fame, glory, and your heart's desire here in Erospu. I myself am called away by duty, but it shall not be forever. Fare well my friend."

[blazinghand]

Kael, Drurn, and Jared make their way carefully down the steps, stopping just short of the turn that will take them into sight of the creatures. Rohan, the stealthiest of the group, scouts ahead and reports back. Listening to the familiar's words, the three adventurers begin to discuss their plan of action. There were various ideas suggested, shot down, and refined. In the end, it was Kael who thought of what they would do. The plan was insane, the exact kind of thing you'd expect a courageous paladin to think of-- but it just might work.

The interior stairs come down on the opposite side of the room from the goblins. There would be no way to go from the stairs to the goblins without alerting them to the presence of the adventurers-- they'd have enough time to stand and go for their weapons. Even worse, the two captives would probably get involved somehow. No, the entire scenario had to be fast, fast enough the goblins wouldn't have a chance to react. Jared, of course, would not benefit from getting involved in hand-to-hand combat with the goblins, but Kael and Drurn would want to be up close and personal. Coming down the outside stair might work, but that would still give the goblins a lot of time to react as they walked around to the big windows by the goblins. They could try to be quiet and stealthy, but there's only so much you can do with armor on. Kael's solution was a bit smash-in-the-door, but much more elegant.

As Jared helped them tie the ropes to their arms, Drurn.was starting to get second thoughts. But then, it was done, and Jared was taking his place by the inside stair at the opposite side of the room. Rohan fluttered past them and squawked "jump already!" at them. It was the signal. Too late to turn back now!

Drurn and Kael began their run and leapt from the roof a at full speed, the ropes looped around their off wrist and arms going taut, swinging them back and down, faster and faster, changing their forward motion to downward motion, then arcing back towards the building, this time 20 feet lower--

With a massive *crash*, the two armored figures burst through the windows next to the gambling goblins, weapons in one hand, ropes in the other. Shards of glass and window frame fly everywhere, pelting the two captives-- a dwarf and an ogre, you can see now-- and the three gambling goblins, causing minor cuts and scrapes. Briefly, outlined by shattered glass and the dying sun, Kael and drurn might be mistaken for avenging angels, here to smite the guilty. They are just a man and an orc, but that might be good enough today. Kael and Drurn release the ropes, land on their feet, and have a chance to attack before the goblins now, while they're seated and not armed. At the same moment, Jared comes scampering down the steps at the other end of the room-- the internal staircase.

Rohan flutters in behind the two warriors, and makes a wry comment about their entrance.

[Nixed]

Kael

Standing atop the roof, Kael offered a quick prayer to St. Cuthbert as they awaited the signal. The squawk of Rohan cleared his mind of anything but his duty and he flung himself off the roof with no hesitation. He attempted to protect his face with his shield as he crashed through the window, but between the sudden jerk of the rope on his shoulder and the shards of glass he was not unscathed in the effort even if the surge of the adrenaline protected him from the pain.

Kael closes the gap between the window and the table swiftly; releasing the end of the rope in exchange for his war hammer with a practiced ease. No further warning is given as he draws upon his faith and swings a massive strike at the head of the nearest goblin in an effort to end the fight before their foes realize they're in one.


Attack w/ Smite: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Zrak]

"Nor have I forgotten, though our journey and the mountains themselves seem like something from a lifetime ago. If that is where your duty lies, I would lie if I said I didn't envy you. The glory there is bigger and older, at least to me, and the best I can collect here is as snowmelt to a glacier. Still, has there ever been a cup to catch it bigger than this," Drurn gestures to the sinkhole all around them, "Still, here's to fame and glory, and to someday returning home. May our paths cross again when your duty is done, friend elf." He offers a curiously courtly bow, and seems visibly more tense as he watches the messenger lead Tevlon and Akara away; the closest connection he had here to his home is gone.

* * *

"From what I know of goblins, they are craven," Drurn says grimly, "The cowards will use the captives to keep us back, while one runs for reinforcements. Even if we were willing to let their prisoners die, a goblin would still have time to flee for reinforcements while we fought his friends. We need the element of surprise, but how?" It was not the first time the discussion had come to this point, seeming to circle around it from their various perspectives. They could charge them, one would say, but even as fleet of foot as they could be out of armor, they couldn't cross the room before the goblins were armed. Jared's magic couldn't stop all three from across the room."I could try to draw them toward us, but I do not expect it to work; there is no telling if there are orcs down here and if they ally themselves with the goblins, and even if they do, I have no gift for deceit. I would shatter the illusion as soon as I opened my mouth." It isn't the first time this has been brought up, either, though this is perhaps the first time it's brought up and shot down in the same sentence. Something in the phrasing, though, seems to catch Kael's attention, and Drurn notices a gleam in the paladin's eye as he mentions shattering the illusion.

* * *

As his leading shoulder shatters the window to sharp shards, Drurn is thinking of the way the world used to be; as the cuts crisscross the bare biceps his breastplate doesn't cover, he is realizing that no window in the world today would fit his frame. Wide windows of gleaming glass turned into murder holes, shadowy slits that let in only slivers of sunlight. When did that happen? When, exactly, did people decide it was more important to kill men several stories below you than to see the leaves change in autumn? If his wealth bought him a kingdom, someday, Drurn would build windows, his sensitive eyes be damned. Let the besiegers crash through them, he would fight them with his own hands while he squinted into the sun at summer's last leaves in the orchards below. The sensation of shards smashed smaller still beneath his boots jolts him to reality, and he shakes the rope loose from his hand, shifting both the haft of his axe. "Shame," Drurn says to one of the goblins as his axe begins its arc, "Looks like you would've won the hand."


Power Attack -1: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[blazinghand]

Surprise Round
The goblin in front of Kael is dead before it can stand, her chest caved in by his warhammer in an instant. She died with cards in her hand and an expression of unfettered shock on her face.

The second looks at the axe, then looks confusedly at his hand. Was he going to win? Well, it didn't matter any more. Few things matter when you have been suddenly beheaded by an orc.

The third goblin is dressed in misfitting boiled leather armor and his hands are full of cards. He seems to have made a grab for the pile of coins in the middle when his compatriots were distracted, but now he is looking at what they are looking at, and he dropps the coins he was trying to steal

He doesn't even have time to stand up from the table before his two gambling partners are dead. Before he can react, however, Drurn and Jared get their Round 1 turns.

Round 1

[Zrak]

Drurn feels the jolt of bone against blade in his arm and takes the brief moment of resistance to guage the distance to the next goblin. He slides his foot to the right, leans forward, and attempts to strike the second with the same swing that decapitated the first, figuring one frightened goblin, unarmed, is the perfect opportunity to practice a new technique. His muscles strain to keep momentum as his axe tears free of the first goblin, but otherwise he appears strangely serene; he makes a note not to repeat the stunt on larger creatures until he's had a few more chances to try it, he looks down to see if the goblin he killed really was going to win, and seems to focus on everythign except the swing of his axe. He'd made his choice, the die had been cast. There was no point in worrying about it, now. So he would think of the future and look to cards and glance at creatures tied up in the corner, wondering why they hadn't been killed, if they were to be meals or stakes in the card game, how they got here without leaving footprints on the ceiling, which entrance they took, if they'd offer payment to those freed them, and if the paladin would let them take it.

Power Attack -1: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[blazinghand]

The final goblin is knocked unconscious and bleeding. Drurn and Kael stand amidst the downed goblins, shattered glass, and coins, victorious. Of the three creatures, one is dead-- from Drurn's initial attack-- and two are bleeding out badly from their wounds and likely to die in under a minute without medical attention. Even with medical attention, their odds are not great. The wounds are deep.

Encounter End

The goblins are defeated!

The following treasure, plainly visible on the table or on the goblins, is now yours:
3x small-sized dagger
2x small-sized padded armor (bloodstained)
1x small-sized leather armor (bloodstained)
300 silver pieces (some bloodstained)

The two bound figures look over at you. It becomes clear that the one you thought was an Ogre is not a normal Ogre. He's either a very large Orc or a very small Ogre, or some mix of Ogre and something smaller. The Dwarf is wearing bright crimson and has an enormous beard. They're both struggling with their bonds-- the Dwarf with his rope and the Giant with his chains. They don't look comfortable.

The rest of the room is reasonably well-kept, for a space goblins inhabited. There are three hollowed out basins filled with cloth, each large enough to fit a small sleeping creature. There is the now-bloodstained table and 5 chairs, and a few other small pieces of furniture around the room-- a cabinet, a dresser, and two stone benches carved into the wall. The cabinet is shut, but the dresser looks like it has been ransacked. Three of its 4 shelves have been haphazardly pulled out of the dresser itself, and the fourth shelf is half-open. In the center of the room is a small basin filled with clear water that sparkles even in somewhat dim reflected light coming from above. Built into the wall is a stone bookcase, with about 40 books in various states of disrepair, from mostly-ok to spines and covers that have rotted away and paper that has turned to dust.

[Nixed]

Kael

Ignoring the loot for the moment Kael signals to Drurn to keep an eye out as he moves over to aid the captives, hopefully before anything comes to investigate the noise from their not so subtle attack. "Greetings there Gents. Have you free in a moment." Kael cuts the dwarf free before looking around for the key to the chains.

[blazinghand]

Kael finds a keyring on one of the goblins' belts. It contains two keys. One of them is a simple iron key that seems to match the lock on the chains, and the other is an ornate iron key with a yellow shiny metal on the handle.

[Zrak]

"Should we bandage one, see if it can tell us anything?" Drurn desires nothing less than to bandage a wound he's just caused; something about undoing what he's just done has a vaguely apocalyptic feel to him, reminds him of the starved bodies of deer who burned more calories than they consumed trying to forage in the deepest snows. Still, he felt reckless for not having thought of it before he decided to practice his swing on the last goblin, his gaze on the broken bodies almost like a girl who's cut the hair off of her favorite doll only to find it won't grow back.

"They probably couldn't talk, even so," he says, scratching at his scraggly beard and craning his neck as though looking for an angle that made the wounds seem survivable. Nodding back to Kael, he resolves to think no more of the goblins and moves the bent bodies to the back of his mind with the rest of the dead he'll have to face again on his way to the afterlife, and turns the full force of his attention to finding other entrances and keeping as close an eye on them as he can. "There are probably more, to have subdued a man as large as he," Drurn adds, without really looking at the ogrish form to which he refers.

[Nixed]

Kael

Nods as Drurn joins him in the assumption that there are likely more goblins in the area. "All the more reason to get these guys free. The enemy of our enemies are our friends. Plus they might know something too, and they're not missing half a head or have shattered chest cavities, so they're probably easier to question." The young paladin is naive enough to believe the two captives will be friendly as he releases them, but not so much that he doesn't step back once the locks to the chains click open or that he puts his weapon away. "You two alive?" He asks the captives in a hushed voice.

[Ellowryn]

Raam gets up, and begins to stretch. Being chained for so long does make one stiff. After a brief moment of snapping and cracking he turns to look at his rescuers.

Thank you my friends. Had it not been for you we would probably have been dinner or something worse. Ah, but where are my manners, I am Raam and i came to these ruins seeking fame and hopefully a little bit of fortune. And if you wish to continue down i would be glad to help!

Smiling broadly, he begins to search around for his pack and gear while happily humming to himself.

[blazinghand]

Raam finds his gear easily, stashed in a box near him. Salty Shalefist similarly is able to find his gear easily. Although the goblins had taken the gear, it seems they hadn't had a chance to use or sell the items yet-- good fortune for the two former captives.

[blazinghand]

Update 9/21/2014
For reasons to due with low activity / interest, I'm going to be closing this game. Thanks for your time and effort, those of you who participated!

Thanks to Nixed and Zrak for sticking with this so long; I'm going to call it a wash and open up an entirely new game for signups. You (and your characters, should you choose to bring them) are welcome in the new game I open. Ellowyrn, I know you didn't really get a chance to get started in this game, but you are welcome to sign up in my new game as well. I will PM you when the signup thread opens.