|
Post by zipp on Jun 19, 2009 5:31:15 GMT
"Sherri? Sherri survived that night? Ah, so you've been to the house. Then you must've seen my Elyzabeth, murdered by the hand of my father. He went crazy. He prophecied the coming of his god, a rain god which used to be worshipped in these parts. He sacrificed everyone in the house in order to summon the God. I tried to stop him, but he escaped. He controls the power of the storm now, but I have the weapon which will destroy him and damn his soul to the eternal pits of Naar."
He holds up the dagger. You can see runes written up and down its shaft, and you are shocked to recognize them as Cenerese. Robert lowers the blade.
"I was tracking the bastard into Oasis. Old Man's Cave is a path my father made through a series of caves in the hills that lead directly into the city. Only the Masons know the path through those caves. Anyone who doesn't know the riddles of the paths will meet terrible ends. Father took the path. He is definitely here. But I couldn't find him before I was captured by Igasso Salvin, one of the Five. He's called the Magician by some, and Igasso the Mad by many others. This castle has become his home. He uses it to run experiments on those he can lure here."
Robert stops to rub his chin thoughtfully and to stare away from you, as if thinking deeply. Finally he turns again.
"It's my belief that whatever plague has struck this city, either the Five are immune or something else is happening to them. The Five are the rulers of the city, yes. Igasso Salvin, Sylvaria Castle, Brent Mason my uncle, Sera Veshin, and Valentine Ross. Ross in particular is a powerful man, and a trustworthy one. There's every chance that he's fighting against the plague, if he still lives."
|
|
Sir Aram
Hardened Gamer
Is Mr. Handy
Posts: 350
|
Post by Sir Aram on Jun 22, 2009 2:18:36 GMT
Aram regards the dagger with keen interest. "That is a fascinating weapon," he says. "How did you come by it, and how do you know it can destroy your father?" He pauses in thought. "I have heard of Sera Veshin, but not the others. We did find Elyzabeth, and we also found your father's secret room. I've seen many terrible things, but this was...too horrible for words. We found a book of evil magic that is currently in the wizard's possession. Personally, I suspect he is a traitor like that vile wretch Vonotar, but he is the only who could tell us what happened to Sherri and Meldorac Stone, the other companion of ours who was last seen in his company. We also had a Border Ranger in our party, but she got separated from us when she led one of the hordes away from the rest of us.
"There is also a priest that I believe can be trusted, and his healing skills have served us well thus far. He made it through the portal, as did a mysterious young woman we met in Oasis. She had a tattoo with a symbol of a hand in a pentagram. We also met an equally mysterious man named Gertwiller. An item of evil magic was found in his pack. When we were retreating through the portal, he went mad and rushed me while I was in it. These are his clothes and weapons I bear, and I can only presume that he has my weapons and armor - though it is possible they appeared someplace else. I materialized with my right hand inside a wall. I do not know how to restore it, though I am certain it would take powerful magic. Perhaps another trip through a portal would work.
"How can we release you from this cell? Igasso Salvin must have a key, I am sure, but does he have the only one, or is there another key somewhere that could open this door? If there is no other option you could always pass me the dagger through the bars so I can hunt down Lemuel, but I would prefer to get you out of here so you can do it. It is only fitting that you should be the one to avenge your family."
|
|
|
Post by zipp on Jun 23, 2009 3:07:48 GMT
Robert grimaces. "This is the dagger that killed my Elyzabeth. It's the weapon with which my father sought to make himself immortal. I know enough of his ways to know that it can also undue him. As for the doors, they aren't locked. That's part of Salvin's game. We're in his West Wing, and no one ever leaves here of their own will. Or so the girl says. I'll admit, her stories were enough to chill me to the bone. This place, it seems to steal away your courage, and your will to act. Until you arrived, I didn't even realize how long I'd been here. Even now, I can't seem to bring myself to open the door."
|
|
Sir Aram
Hardened Gamer
Is Mr. Handy
Posts: 350
|
Post by Sir Aram on Jun 23, 2009 3:34:19 GMT
"Then allow me," says Aram. He grips the handle with his one good hand and opens Robert Mason's cell, then opens the door of the girl's cell. "Who is she, do you know? What stories has she told? She did not say a word to me."
|
|
|
Post by zipp on Jun 23, 2009 14:15:24 GMT
Roll Perception, DC 17.
|
|
Sir Aram
Hardened Gamer
Is Mr. Handy
Posts: 350
|
Post by Sir Aram on Jun 24, 2009 1:53:31 GMT
|
|
|
Post by zipp on Jun 26, 2009 23:26:22 GMT
The minute you touch the door handle you feel a sickening sensation, as if someone is tugging at you by your internal organs. When you manage to reorient yourself, you realize that somehow you've ended up in the jail cell you were looking into. You hear a brief chuckle behind you and turn to see, through the bars of what is now YOUR cage, Robert.
"My thanks," he says. "That's a special kind of door, you see. One way, and releases whoever's in the cell. I'll be off to find my father and pay him back, and it will all be your doing. So, thanks again. And now a question of my own. What is a member of Citadel doing pretending he doesn't know the Five? Who has sent you?"
|
|
Sir Aram
Hardened Gamer
Is Mr. Handy
Posts: 350
|
Post by Sir Aram on Jun 27, 2009 4:25:36 GMT
Aram frowns at Robert. "I have told you the truth," he says. "I did not know of the Five because I am not of the Citadel. I am merely a visitor to Oasis." He thrusts his left hand through the bars. "Inspect my hand closely. I bear no mark. I understand why you resorted to trickery to get out of this cell. It is only right that you desire revenge, and I want to help you get it. That dagger will give you a chance to succeed in slaying Lemuel Mason, but it is no guarantee. You need a strong man by your side to see you through the dangers of Oasis, and I can be that man. Find someone to take my place in this cell, or some other way to get me out of here, and I will not only forgive you, I will accompany you, protect you, and see to it that your thirst for justice is satisfied. I have seen what that madman did, and I want him dead too. Together we stand a much better chance of making that happen."
|
|
|
Post by zipp on Jun 27, 2009 16:07:53 GMT
Robert stands back from the bars. Your words seem to have had an effect on him, but his eyes show fear. "You have the mark of Citadel on your cheek!" he says. "Explain that, and maybe I will consider your offer."
This is probably a good time to explain that there were some strange side effects of your Gertwiller portal mishap...
|
|
Sir Aram
Hardened Gamer
Is Mr. Handy
Posts: 350
|
Post by Sir Aram on Jun 28, 2009 4:15:25 GMT
"A mark on my cheek?!" says Sir Aram. He withdraws his hand and feels his cheeks with it. "The only explanation I can think of is that portal mishap I told you about. The portal was damaged to begin with, and I do not understand how those things work, but the wizard managed to repair it so that it was usable, though perhaps not fully. To make matters worse, Gertwiller attempted to go through at the same time I did. These are not my clothes and possessions. The clothes belonged to Gertwiller, and as you can clearly see they do not fit. He is a much smaller man than I. Some of the things I carry are his, and others belonged to someone else entirely. You've also seen what happened to my other hand. Is the mark of Citadel that hand and pentagram tattoo? I told you how that mysterious woman had one. Gertwiller could have had one too. The portal must not have merely exchanged items, it must have also exchanged parts of our flesh."
|
|
|
Post by zipp on Jun 28, 2009 6:01:33 GMT
Robert seems aghast at your words. "That's... I don't know what to call it. It's unnatural. But then, we seem to be getting a lot of that around here. I'm sorry, I do believe you, but there's nothing I can do. I have to avenge Elyzabeth, and the only way to get you out of that cell is by exchanging places with you. I can't do that. I've wasted too much time already. If my father reaches Citadel before I reach him, then there won't be anywhere safe in all of Sommerlund. I'm sorry."
Robert turns and runs away to your left. You hear his footsteps getting quieter, then they disappear altogether. You're left alone in total silence. The torches on the walls outside your cell provide some light, and for that you are grateful. Still, you feel like screaming in frustration and... yes, even a touch of fear.
Perhaps it's that touch, but suddenly your Cener senses attune themselves to your environment and your shocked to realize that you recognize the magicks surrounding this cell. They are Cener in origin, specifically of the Death path of the Cener spiral. And if a Cener made them, perhaps a Cener can unmake them.
This will take some examination. Hopefully it won't take too long. You have a feeling that time is most certainly of the essence.
|
|
Sir Aram
Hardened Gamer
Is Mr. Handy
Posts: 350
|
Post by Sir Aram on Jun 29, 2009 0:25:02 GMT
|
|
|
Post by zipp on Jun 29, 2009 17:57:52 GMT
The Spiral of Death is a long and ardorous one. At this point in his training, Aram had yet to explore all of its intricacies, and the workings of this particular spell were unknown to him. However, by opening his inner eye, he could sense the presence of many Whispering Souls in the cell. Whispering Souls were the nickname Ceners gave to dead which were bound to some object or place by dark magic. They weren't quite ghosts, as they were not free to move around or effect the living, except in the way their binding masters decided. They were, rather, sources of power that happened to be aware of their imprisonment, having once been living creatures who hadn't been allowed to move on.
The ritual to trap such souls is complex, and becomes more complex if the souls are human or similarly intelligent and aware creatures. Surely someone of Cener origin or learning has come to Oasis, and surely the power of this cell is held together by the souls they trapped.
|
|
Sir Aram
Hardened Gamer
Is Mr. Handy
Posts: 350
|
Post by Sir Aram on Jun 30, 2009 1:56:40 GMT
If the souls bound to this cell are intelligent, thinks Aram, perhaps I can communicate with them. "I know there are dead souls bound to this prison," he says. "Can you hear me? I need to be released from this cell. I am aware that you are being used to power this magical prison. Perhaps I can free you, and thus myself at the same time. Do you know how this can be done?"
|
|
|
Post by zipp on Jun 30, 2009 6:41:15 GMT
Give me a mental roll. Let's say, DC 14, one success needed. Or, you can spend a stress to automatically succeed. One or the other, not both.
|
|