Chasing the Dragon {5E} IC

[Doggie_arf]

There is a knock at the door.

"Uhh, Captain?" comes a voice after the captain calls to them.

The door opens and another guard is standing there. "We heard you had a group of people with an odd tale, and, uhh..."

"What is it, man?"

"Well," the guard says. "We, uhh, we have some more."

The tall, ash-blonde human slipped into the room behind her fellow batch of escortees, cursing under her breath as her new weapon banged against the door frame. The gigantic maul was far larger than any smith's hammer she had ever handled - while she could easily bear its weight, carrying it around without hitting things was still an issue.

At least she hadn't her clothes swapped for armor in the middle of the night. The weapons and the dreams had been troubling enough.

"Amalie," she said simply, when everyone looked to her to introduce herself. "Amalie of Nordheim. I'm - I was a blacksmith. Before all this happened."

Just a night ago, she had worried about finding work as an apprentice to one of the master smiths in the capital. And now she was...chosen? To be some sort of warrior hero? It was hard to believe.

----------

The first thing you see as you look in the room is a massive cauldron hanging over an open fire. It is bubbling and coassions splashes can be heard from inside. A light blue steam is coming from the cauldron and falls down the sides in waves, dissipating as it gets away from the fire.

Then you see the captain draw his sword as he moves further into the chamber. Looking where he is heading, you see a trail of what looks like it could be blood on the floor. The captain heads into the next room, but doesn’t take more than two steps before calling for the guard that accompanies all of you to go raise the guards.

You look in the room and are greeted by a sight that will likely stay in your memories forever.

...

Amalie stared in horror at the murder the guards had unwittingly led them to.

She had seen battered corpses before, having had to pull her uncle's body from the avalanche that had buried their home. But that had nothing on the...purposeful carnage hanging in front of her like some grotesque tavern puzzle. The dreams of Operia burning had been troubling enough - she was certain that this scene would haunt her nightmares for years to come.

The strangest thing was that she didn't feel like throwing up. In fact, as the half-elf (?) said that the murderer might still be around, she realized that she was gripping the handle of her maul tightly, as if she was ready to swing it at the first sign of violence.

Perhaps she was truly turning into some hardened warrior, like the tales told of her distant forebears. Or maybe she was just in shock. She wasn't certain which it was yet.

[Lentrax]

The cauldron in the laboratory suddenly flares with bluish-white light, and a massive cloud of steam rises up and forms a hazy, translucent version of Velka.

Hello? Hello, is this working? I think it is. Anyway, this is Emergency Protocol three thousand, seven hundred, twenty six... A page rustles and you watch the wizards hands move ousid of the cloud. And a half. I really hope this is working. OKay. You are watching this if something has happened to me, like death, or transmutation. I may have turned into a jelly. If I have, please try me, and write down your critiques on a comment card. You are here seeing this because you have the mark, or maybe more than one of you do, if there is more than one of you here. I don't actually know how many of you are here since I am not around to count. Or maybe I am , just a jelly... ehmm... If there is more than one of you here... Oh! More comments for the jelly! Please, seriously, do try the jelly. I should have comments cards somewhere... oh, I do hope there is more than one of you here...

Velka turns and reaches for something outside of the steam. And then her hand is back and she is opening a tome, to scribble a note. emergency protocol.. three thousand... seven hundred twenty seven... comment... cards...

You hear the book slam shut and then she is talking again. Oh. Right. Protocol. Me. Gone. Maybe. Probably. Maybe a jelly. But you have the mark. I don't know when exactly this will happen. Maybe a week from now. Maybe a year. I don't know. That's why I am pre-recording all of these. But you have the mark. So you can probably do something about it. The twins. They have power. Like a lot of it. World changing amounts. Someone might want to do something with it. That's why I am here. To study them and figure out what it is. I have put all of my notes in a tome. Maybe two, depending on how long I have been able to study. OR three. One and a half? It's green. With a blue stone in the side. I am not sure where I put it. And I probably moved it since recording this. How long do I have again? No wait. It's blue, with a green stone. Maybe? You'll find it. It's about the twins.

Her voice begins to fade as the steam begins to dissapate. Maybe it was red... you hear a quill scratching as the voice fades out. Emergency protocol three thousand... seven hundred... twenty eight... remember... where...

The voice is gone. The cauldron settles down, the steam changes to a dim, violet color.

[Shiro_Nogard]

After hearing all that Mark feel a little silly. He was feeling equals amount awe and respect for the witch. His eyes landed on the knight captain that brought them here and found that he earned triple that respect. Mark dealt with an eccentric dwarf that taught him and couldn't take it more than a year.

After a quick prayer to the witch he started looking for that green, blue or red book. His steps slow. "Lets hope that is still here." He was swaying a little still from all that. Probably barf once all things calm down.

[Khosan]

H.B. covers his mouth with the back of his hand, taking a moment to process the grim sight of Velka's remains. "So it wasn't just a feeling then. Something truly wicked is afoot." He sniffs the air, his feline nostrils flaring. An act which he seems to realize is strange, even as he continues to take in the smell and approach the former wizard's remains.

Spoiler: OOC

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H.B. uses his Divine Sense to see if he can identify something more about the scene. Definitely trying to find any hints of fiendish energy to follow up on.

[JNAProductions]

Ruby's able to listen to the message, but is still feeling rather sick to her stomach. "Okay... Okay," she says, looking anywhere but at the grisly corpse. "We need... We need to find the twins, and the tome. Probably the tome first, since... Captain, sir, do you know anything about the twins? Who she might've been referring to? Where they might be?"

[Archemist]

Heide is torn between the shock of meeting new dreamers and the shock of seeing... Velka, apparently, or what is left of her.

So shock. That's the general feeling. She looks at Jake and Ruby, astonished - "You're thinking about the tomes right now? With a killer on the loose?"

She looks around for someplace to sit down. "This is awful. Who would do this? Why? Guards all over Tyr's good earth and THIS right under their noses." She shakes her head. "And somebody signed US up to save... the twins? Obviously we're a bit late to save Velka."

[Shiro_Nogard]

[QUOTE=Archemist;25749909]"You're thinking about the tomes right now? With a killer on the loose?"

"Then go run around like a head-less chicken." He answered bitter. "However did this had the leisure to do all that. There is only one door, one way in or out." He continued to look at the books. But wondered if the last part he said was true...


(1d20+4)[15] Perception roll, to find the book.
(1d20+4)[12] Perception roll, to find secret door.

[Doggie_arf]

Amalie nearly did swing at the cauldron as it flared to life, barely stopping herself in time before she broke something or brained someone.

And then she just stared at the ghostly figure as it began speaking.

What surprised her the most was how distracted the dead wizard was. Velka did not rush her words with desperation - she rambled, like some drunken old grey-beard who had lost the plot of his tale. It was so much at odds with...what was left of her.

"The tome," Amalie managed at last, after the ghost had faded away. It was something to grasp onto in an increasingly unreal situation. "We should find it. It was her last request."

She just wished Velka had been clearer with her last words. Was it supposed to be green, or blue? There were about half a score of books that matched, although she didn't see any gems on their covers.

...tomes were books, right?

[Izzarra]

Azzalix Warlock, Celestial HP: 9/9, AC: 15, Resistance: Fire Conditions: None Spell Slots: 1/1

Azzalix puts aside her revulsion and begins visually inspecting the body.

Spoiler

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How long has Velka been dead?
Medicine: (1d20+4)[5]

[Khosan]

"Everything smells...normal? I don't know what I was expecting." H.B. coughs, turning his hand over to cover his nose as he approaches Velka's suspended remains. "I don't suppose anyone sees any comment cards, do they?" Even with his hand covering most of his face, his strained smile is still visible.

A thought occurs and he turns to Heide. Stepping away from the grizzly sight of Velka, the tabaxi places a hand on the dwarf's shoulder, "Sorry, I realize it's not a joking matter but, frankly, I'm not sure what to do. Or what else to do. But that poor woman," He nods back at the purple glow surrounding the body, while also carefully positioning his head so the corpse is not in Heide's direct line of sight from where she sits, "Sounded like she was...for one, under far too much stress - no one needs over three thousand emergency plans. But, more importantly, she had some idea of what was going on. If we want answers, it's best we start with her book." H.B. stands up with a sigh, looking around the room but not leaving to look for the book just yet, "I realize this is insane. All of this. Yesterday, my biggest concern was my boss getting too drunk. Today? I'm apparently 'marked' whatever that means, there's been a brutal murder, and the fate of the world might be up for grabs." He shrugs, "I don't know much about any of that. Only thing I know is do what you can when you can." With that, he offers a more genuine, less forced smile, and goes to join the other in searching for the ex-wizard's tome.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception - (1d20+3)[16] looking for that book.

[JNAProductions]

Her initial search a failure, Ruby takes to it to simply tidy what areas she can, making the way clear for more looking.

[Lentrax]

“I would wager,” the captain begins, “that the twins mentioned are the Princesses. They are twins, after all.”

He walks over and around the body floating in the air, inspecting it as best he can without touching it.

“They are the logical assumption, though I could be wrong. But… if we, as I think we must, assume the tale about chosen heroes isn’t just a fairy tale, then all of you are here for a reason.”

“The problem is, that I saw the princesses this morning. They were fine. Velka on the other hand… I last saw her three days ago.”

[Izzarra]

Azzalix Warlock, Celestial HP: 9/9, AC: 15, Resistance: Fire Conditions: None Spell Slots: 1/1

"My vision was rather vague and can be interpreted in different ways. It suggested that the castle would fall into proverbial darkness."

[Doggie_arf]

"Must be a very twisted fairy tale," Amalie groused, as she picked through the last of her shortlisted books. None of them had any gemstones that she could see. "I saw the entire country burning. How would I stop that nightmare? If this is a jest, it's a cruel one. And someone's dead for it."

After all, she was just a blacksmith. And blacksmiths didn't hobnob with princesses and solve murders; they forged practical things with flame and metal -

Wait. Flame.

Amalie rushed back towards the cauldron, squinting at the fire heating its base. The vision of Velka had distracted her at first, but now she could see something gleaming amidst the burning logs...

"It's under the cauldron," she exclaimed. How had it not burned up? Perhaps the book itself was magic...

She hesitated for a moment, before thrusting her hand into the fire, reaching for the glow she'd seen.

[Lentrax]

Reaching through the flames, Amalie expects her hand to get singed if not burnt outright.

But instead, a spreading feeling of coolness spreads where the flames meet her flesh. She grabs the book and pulls it out, and then she looks down at her prize.

A deep scarlet book, covered in green and blue gems in a pattern she can’t recognize.

The book, on the page inside the cover, is labeled, Notes on the twins, and links to prophecy and legend.

If you aren’t Velka, you best not read this!

[Doggie_arf]

The searing pain Amalie had expected never came.

The roaring fire she'd just thrust her hand into was cool to the touch. She could feel the heat boiling off the cauldron, but the flames themselves did not burn her as she felt around for the shining...book.

No, "book" didn't do what she'd found justice. This was a magic tome.

"I found it," she breathed, admiring the intricate gemstone design of the cover. There was no sign of damage to the tome - Velka had clearly hidden it amidst the flames on purpose. For them to find?

With a start, Amalie remembered that she wasn't the only one here who had interest in what she held. "Um, we should find some place for everyone to read this."

[Khosan]

H.B. drops the book he'd been leafing through shortly after Amalie finds the real one, "You got it?! Fantastic!" He looks just in time to see the blacksmith's hand coming out of the fire, "Are you alright? You must have some pain tolerance - didn't even scream a little, wow."

[Archemist]

Heide gets up off the stack of books she'd been sitting on and they topple across the floor. Not that it really seems to matter given the state of the room.

She exclaims excitedly, "I've never seen such jewels!" She begins rummaging through her small pack and pulls out a magnifying loupe. She uses it to examine the book's cover and adds, "I suppose it's a mistake to judge a book by its cover, but this one IS amazing."

If the group migrates to another location to read the book, she follows of course. "That warning is a bit ominous. Do you think it's safe for us?" She stands back a bit if someone looks like they're going to just open it on up.

Spoiler: OOC - Jeweller's Tools

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She's got the kit on her, since she's used to doing a lot of fixing of fancy timepieces. I'm not sure what exactly to roll, though - I'll do an Arcana check but let me know if something else would be better suited. Unfortunately I don't think she'd have much in the way of trapfinding experience.

Heide arcana: (1d20+3)[8]

[JNAProductions]

"I think it'll be okay-she left a message instructing us to read through it," Ruby says. "That being said, we should still be careful," she adds, and does her best to help Heide check for traps or tricks.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'll Help with that Arcana check, if that's okay.

If Helping isn't allowed, because the check was already rolled, I will instead roll my own Arcana.

Spoiler: Arcana

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(1d20+1)[19]

Regardless of the roll, if Help is allowed, I'll be Helping. Don't matter if that roll is a nat 1 or a nat 20.

[Doggie_arf]

"I'm used to fire," Amalie said simply as she let the others inspect the tome. "I think Velka did something - this didn't burn at all."

And she wasn't about to make it a habit. If that fire hadn't been enchanted...

[Lentrax]

The tome is full. Giving it a quick flip through, you quickly see that every page is completely used. Slowing down a bit, you see that some pages have tight, cramped writing that fills every inch of the page. Other pages have large, flowing words, seeming to try and make connections through broad topics. On others are sprawling drawings of spell equations and diagrams of bodily organs and functions.

You aren't quite sure what you are looking for or why Velka said you would need it. But she should know what she was talking about, right?

[JNAProductions]

"Wow," Ruby comments at the sheer volume of the writing. "Can we confirm the twins are the princesses, at least? And, um, captain, sir-did Velka have family? Anyone who'd need to know immediately what happened to her?"

[Khosan]

"Or an apprentice, maybe? Who might be able to read this." H.B. follows Ruby's question with one of his own.

[Lentrax]

“Velka didn’t,” the captain says, “have an apprentice that I knew of.”

As you thumb through the pages, you get more an impression that there is less you need to decode or decipher, and more that you just to put some time in and read through it to find the pertinent information.

[Shiro_Nogard]

"Is there any page that talks about possible assassins? I mean she went to the trouble of having comment cards. Even if I am sure they will be a complete chaos?" He finished weakly. "Could there be a second book?"

[Khosan]

"Right, well, I think I can trust the rest of you to give me the rundown with...all of that," he gestures at the book in a way that makes it very clear that reading is not among H.B.'s strong suits. Instead he goes to speak with the guard captain, "Captain, maybe it's best we go see the twins in person. I don't know much about prophecy, but if other people believe in it strongly enough to do something as deeply unsettling as all of this," he points at Velka's remains, then the blood writing on the wall, "I think they've got big plans in motion. Also, to be honest? I feel sick every time I see Velka's body like that and I would really like to be in a different room."

Spoiler: OOC

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I'll roll a Persuasion - (1d20+5)[9] just in case it's needed to persuade the captain to take us to see the twins.

[Lentrax]

“Yes…” the captain says slowly as he makes one last scan of the room.

“Yes, let’s leave this for now. Come out to the corridor with me.”

He ushers all of you out of Velka’s chambers and into the corridor just as ten guards are arriving. They salute the captain with a fist to their armor. The captain returns the salute, then begins issuing orders.

“This room is sealed to the Crest. Only members of the Order are allowed inside for any reason. I will speak to Celvan about sending another ten guards down. I want ten men on duty at this door at all times until the matter is resolved.”

The guards nod. “Yes, sir.”

That done, the captain leads you up out of the lower levels of the castle and back into lighter spaces. I don't know who you all are, really, or what your part in any of this is. But apparently someone really thought it had to be you. Let's see what we can figure out about this. Once I check on the princesses, we can try and figure out what you are here for."

He continues on as he leads you up stairways, and through halls that are well lit by windows. Many of these are carpeted so that your boots and shoes do not make clacking echoes in the halls like you noticed in some of the other places in the castle.

"Normally, at this time of day, the princesses are being tutored. Though that is changing as they have had to begin taking over responsibilities in rulership. But they still take time in the Royal Library. That is where we are headed now."

Soon enough, you arrive at a set of double doors sitting at the T-shaped intersection of two corridors. The captain opens the door, and peeks inside. "Majesties? May we enter?"

You can't hear the response, but the captain opens the door, steps inside, and gestures at all of you to enter.

"Your Royal Highnesses, may I introduce..." He names each of you in turn, providing no time for greeting between each of your names. When he is finished, he bows deeply. "And these are our Royal Highnesses, the Princesses Faith and Hope Operia."

The princesses are twins, in truth, and you are not sure how to identify one from the other. When they were first spoken to, they both turned to face all of you. Their strawberry blonde hair seemed to have even been curled in identical patterns.

"And what," one of them asks after all the proper introductions and pleasantries are concluded, "can we do for you, Captain? Surely you didn't bring these folk here for a simple introduction."

"Yeah," the second princess says after. "After all, you usually only really concern yourself with national security matters, right?"

[JNAProductions]

"Hello," Ruby says. "Um, your majesties. Hello, your majesties. We were all given a portent-a dream, an omen, a warning... And we came to see Velka. But she's... She's dead. Brutally so," she continues, taking a moment to steady herself and breathe deeply. "But she had prepared something in case she passed, and it told us that we had a mark, and that you two had power. I... I'm not entirely sure what we're supposed to be doing, but we're here to help."

She offers a small smile, and hopes that they understand the gravity of the situation.

[Khosan]

“Yes, let’s leave this for now. Come out to the corridor with me.”

"Thank you." H.B. offers some assistance in ushering everyone out, doing his best to once again block line of sight to the body. Passing the incoming guards, he forces a reassuring half-smile and gives them a word of advice, "Brace yourself, friends."

---

H.B. bows deeply and very performatively to the princesses; one foot behind the other, right hand over his heart and his left swept out to the side, bowing a perfect ninety degrees at the waist. He nods along to Ruby's explanation, "Even if you don't believe in prophecies, the murder of someone so close to the crowns is cause for concern. That the culprit then took the time to write a message in blood alluding to your highnesses, all the more so."

[Izzarra]

Azzalix Warlock, Celestial HP: 9/9, AC: 15, Resistance: Fire Conditions: None Spell Slots: 1/1

Azzalix has never been in the presence of royalty before. She curtsies nervously.
"Azzalix of the Berry Clan Trade Caravan your majesties."
She fidgets with the hem of her armor. Then stops and tries to stand still not sure of the proper etiquette.