Entry to Noldair
Approach
The group awakes at their camp outside the city. Broken spires striking up in the middle of the Badlands. Noldair is located within the Serenite empire. The city destroyed by the Chalice during it's first use when the city leaders attempted to defend the city against a dwarven seige army. Noldair is similar to the city of Serin as they both house a confluence of magic. The explosion caused by The Chalice of Noldair may have created the Badlands.
As the group approaches the city, they encounter their first problem when the rock bridge leading to their previous entry point collaspes. Bono and Prentice both make it over the bridge prior to the collapse. Jean-Luc and Herman make it out through Jean-Luc's dimension door. Tyke and Sol grab a hold of Rondax who then attempts to jump to the edge of the bridge but falls short. As they begin to fall, Tyke casts Featherfall and the trio floats to the bottom of the ravine. The group spends two hours finding a way out of the ravine. Five hours after setting out from their camp, the group finally arrives at the wall.
Before passing through the wall, Rondax determines that the rubble was recently disturbed and cleared for some type of pack animal. They make their way through the wall, which at this point is approximately 30 feet thick and riddled with tunnels and rooms. The group decides to explore the inner workings of the wall.
The Wall
First Level
The group heads into the passageway in the right-hand section of the wall, as the group is walking into the city. The tunnel breaks into four branches.
1. Discover a small room burried in the rubble which served an unknown purpose.
2. The second leads to an armory, the weapons are rusted with the exception of a bronze Pole-Axe. Tyke attempts to remove the the axe and fails. After further investigation, the group determines that the axe is a device that will rotate a section of the wall. When activated, it opens into a staircase leading down 40 feet (20 feet below the city). The tunnel at the bottom of the staircase is barred by a rusted iron door. Herman hears what may be water dripping on the far side of the door. The group decides to check out far side of the door on the following day with Windwalk prepared.
3. The third branch leads into an extremely narrow room dedicated to Britiget. The room is populated with a single alter which contains a reliquary. Bono attempts to decipher the writing on the reliquary and determines that it contains a Britigine saint, which usually indicates the ashes of a Britigine priest who has spontaneously combusted. Prentice wants to take the reliquary, and decides to store it in the Portable Hole. As Tyke opens the Portable hole out in the hallway, a large hand reaches out and grabs Tyke. Rondax grabs Tyke from behind to keep him out of the hole. Tyke attempts to punch the arm. Herman attempts to strike the arm with his staff and misses. The arm breaks Tyke from Rondax's hold and pulls Tyke towards the hole. Tyke successfully keeps himself out of the hole. Prentice pulls the portable hole off the ground releasing a concussive force that deals 10 dmgand knocks down those involved in the melee. During the blast, the arm disappears and may have been destroyed. Tyke and Bono believe the warped space of Noldair interacted with the Portable hole and allowed something to slip in sideways. The group finds nothing else in the room.
4. The fourth branch leads to a staircase, leading up.
2nd Level
Corrider lined with arrow slits, at the end of the corrider is a staircase leading up once again.
2nd Level Steps
Halfway up the staircase, the group encounters a stone door covered with magical runes. Bono identifies the runes as an acid trap which he disables by turning it into a soil trap. When Bono opens the door, extremely cold air layered with the smell of rotting meat comes rushing out into the stairwell. Rondax has not seen this of meat. The meat begins to move and the group realizes that the meat is actually four pieces of a single jaw which belongs to an aberrant creature. The group closes the door and continues up the stairs.
3rd Level - Top of the Wall
Bono sneaks out onto the wall followed by half the group, limiting the amount of weight on the stone work. From the wall, they are able to see a temple, a tower with a broken top, an open plaza, a big building across the plaza, a triangular building, an obelisk, another square building off set, a second tower, and a group of four buildings clustered together. As the group peers down at the landscape, a man-like creature moves through the plaza in front of the obelisk.
Entry into the City
The group wants to head to The Palace, but may examine the temples and other buildings along the way. After coming out of the wall, they heads towards the temple, made of dark gray blocky stone, square pillars. The sculptures engraved on building show a demonic procession.
While heading towards the tower, the group sees a bone white face peering out of the rubble of a house or stone. The skeletal figure sitting in the corner looks like an emaciated ghoul. Jean-Luc enters the building and realizes that there are actually two bleakborns in the building. They begin croaking when Jean-Luc enters.
Bleakborns
| Round 1 | |
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| | JL | hits BB1 for 9 dmg, takes 4 cold dmg from the Bleakborn's aura
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| | Sol | enters the building and hits BB2 for 13 dmg
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| | BB1 | hits JL for 10 dmg + 3 cold dmg
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| | BB2 | misses Sol
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| | BB3 | appears out of the rubble along the back wall and throws a rock towards Sol
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| | Bono | enters and engages BB3 but misses
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| | Herman | hits BB3 with Crossbow for 6 dmg
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| | Rondax | performs a ride-by attack on BB3 for 9 dmg / Bono misses on Oppty Atk
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| | Prentice | goes after BB2 and hits
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| Round 2 | |
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| | JL | hits BB1 twice for 26 dmg
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| | Sol | hits BB2 for 12 dmg
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| | BB1 | hits Rondax for 18 dmg
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| | BB2 | hits Prentice for 20 dmg
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| | BB3 | hits Bono for 18 dmg
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| | Bono | hits BB3 3 times for 18 dmg total
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| | Herman | misses
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| | Rondax | gets 4 hits for 47 dmg, killing BB1
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| | Prentice | hits with Holy Vengeance for 13 dmg
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| Round 3 | |
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| | JL | moves into BB2 and hits for 10 dmg
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| | Sol | hits BB2 twice for 30 dmg
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| | BB2 | misses Prentice
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| | BB3 | hits Bono for 24 dmg and retreats
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| | Bono | hits BB3 once for 6 dmg
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| | Herman | misses BB3 with the Crossbow
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| | Rondax | hits BB3 once for 12 dmg
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| | Prentice | hits BB2 for 4 dmg
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| Round 4 | |
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| | JL | hits BB2 twice for 28 dmg, killing it
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| | Sol | hits BB3 with a Crossbow for 6 dmg
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| | BB3 | hits Bono for 26 dmg, hops up onto the rubble
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| | Bono | hits BB3 with a thrown dagger for 5 dmg
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| | Herman | misses
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| | Rondax | attempts to trip BB3 but misses, then gets 3 hits for 39 dmg
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| | Prentice | crits on BB3 (dmg not rolled)
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| | | |
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| Treasure: | |
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| | 35 pieces of jewelry, each valued at 30 gp.
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| | Potion of Plant control
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| | Scroll with 3 3rd Level spells
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| | +1 Sword
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Broken Tower Pt 1
The broken tower is made of green granite. The building is oval in shape with doors of brass. Group believes the building may either belong to or house Efreeti. Bono determines the door is magically trapped with fire. While attempting to disarm the trap, he sets it off, taking 12 fire dmg in the process. The doors continue to radiate fire, so the group moves on to the next building, the Obelisk.
Obelisk
The group moves onto the Obelisk at the center of the circular plaza. The base is only 8 ft x 8 ft and covered in runes. The entire obelisk is made of diurite, an extremely hard stone. Sol determines it was either the work of magic or an entire generation. Bono begins deciphering the runes which describe the obelisk as a murial for a holy mystic strong with fire magic, but prior to Britiget's emergence. It appears the obelisk was created by the Genirels, Irels for short. The Irels were nomads with a shamanistic approach to religion prior to creating Irelia.
Bono searches the obelish with Sol's assistance and discovers his own name in the runes describing his current actions. He immediately turns and runs from the obelisk as it shoots a silvery beam of energy at a flagstone which immediately disintigrates. The second beam of energy strikes Sol and he is pulled to the top of obelisk before being released. The fall deals 37 pts of dmg. Rondax returns for Sol and pulls him free of the obelisk while dodging 2 seperate beam strikes.
The Broken Tower Pt 2
With the obelisk out of the question, the group returns to the broken tower to find the doors cool but Bono trips the trap once again.
Short Tower
With the broken tower once again sealed by fire, the group heads off to the second tower. This one is short and squat with a door on each side. Each door contains symbols representing one of the four elements. The group gravitates towards the element of fire. The door was originally trapped, but the trap had already been tripped and was not reset. Bono acts like he is picking the lock before opening the door.
The inner room is lighted by 4 braziers with one in each corner. The square platform sitting at the center of the room is populated by a fiery form, immediately recognized as a Fire Elemental by Prentice. Prentice attempts to communicate with the elemental but only succeeds once Tyke has cast Tongues on him. The elemental informs Prentice that he is trapped and bound to protect the key which sits on the platform under the elemental. The key is to the first of four elemental treasures. Prentice wants to release the elemental and return it to its own plane of existance. Tyke assists in the dismissal attempt by mitigating the binding agents. Unfortunately, Prentice's dismissal attempt fails and the elemental is bound to strike. Everyone runs out of the room. They hope to return later.
Broken Tower Pt 3
After returning once again to the Brass doors, Bono again fails to disable the lock. The group decides to put the fire to good use and enjoys a hot lunch, giving the doors a chance to cool down. Bono makes another attempt and successfully disables the runes before picking the lock. The group is finally into the broken tower.
The Anteroom
The group enters into an anteroom. This is clean and apparently populated. there is no smell of must. The room contains a wardrobe, a hat stand (wizard hat, old style cap, and a helmet), a base, a stand and 2 doors. The wizard hat has a tag with an unknown word which can be read, but not described. The wardrobe radiates faint magic, located on two cloaks, both evil.
Tyke pulls one of the cloaks out of the wardrobe and beings to put it on before realizing the cloak is alive...it's a cloaker.
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| Round 1 | |
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| | Herman | casts Doom
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| | Bono | holds his action
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| | Cloak 1 | Bites Tyke for 12 dmg
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| | | Tail strikes Rondax for 18 dmg
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| | Cloak 2 | Comes out of the wardrobe and starts spreading a shadow
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| | Prentice | uses Touch of Freedom on Tyke who is able to escape
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| | Bono | attempts to hit Cloak 1 but fails miserably
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| | Sol | hits Cloak 1 for 17 dmg, Bono takes opportunity Atk but misses
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| | Rondax | hits Cloak 1 3 times for 33 dmg
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| | Tyke | casts Magic Missile on Cloak 1 for 12 dmg
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| | Jean-Luc | misses Cloak 1
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| Round 2 | |
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| | Herman | casts Light on Cloak 2
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| | Cloak 2 | moans using some type of magical attack on Herman, Tyke, and Bono which failed
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| | | hits Rondax for 4 str dmg
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| | Cloak 1 | moan casts Mass Doom
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| | | Missed JL with Grab
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| | Prentice | spiritual weapon which misses
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| | Bono | uses Shooting Stars on Cloak 1 for 17 dmg
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| | Sol | hit Cloak 1 for 7 dmg
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| | Rondax | hit Cloak 2 twice for 19 dmg
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| | Tyke | uses Magic Missile for 16 dmg
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| | Jean-Luc | uses Smite Evil on Cloak 1, two hits for 32 dmg
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| Round 3 | |
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| | Herman | casts Ray of Hope on Rondax
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| | Cloak 1 | Mirror Image
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| | | hits Rondax for 18 dmg
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| | Cloak 2 | Lightning Bolt for 23 dmg on Rondax and Jean-Luc
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| | | Cone of Nauseau on Prentice
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| | Prentice | Failed to cast and took Oppertunity Attak from Cloak 1 which missed
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| | | Spiritual Weapon Missed
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| | Bono | casts Cat's Grace
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| | Sol | hits Cloak 1 twice for 24 dmg
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| | Tyke | casts Magic Missile on Cloak 1 and hits an image
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| | Rondax | attacks Cloak 1 and hits 3 times for 21 damage killing it
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| | Jean-Luc | targets Cloak 2 and misses, but Cloak 2 failed it's opportunity attack
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| Round 4 | |
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| | Herman | shoots at Cloak 2 with his crossbow but misses
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| | Cloak 2 | attacks Jean-Luc grabbing him while biting for 8 dmg
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| | | moan directed at Sol but resisted
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| | Prentice | uses Touch of Freedom on Jean-Luc, but failed to escape
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| | Sol | hits Cloak 2 for 16 dmg
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| | Bono | gets a sneak attack on Cloak 2 for 28 dmg
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| | Tyke | hits Cloak 2 with Lightning strike for 21 dmg
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| | Rondax | gets 3 solid hits on Cloak 2 for 23 dmg
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| | Jean-Luc | escapes
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| Round 5 | |
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| | Herman | heals Jean-Luc for 12
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| | Cloak 2 | casts Spider Web catching Jean-Luc and Rondax
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| | | casts sleep on Sol
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| | Prentice | again uses Touch of Freedom on Rondax
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| | | Spiritual Weapon hits Cloak 2 for 12 dmg
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| | Sol | is sleeping
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| | Bono | completely misses
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| | Rondax | hits Cloak 2 once for 13 dmg
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| | Tyke | casts Magic missile but the Cloaker resists
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| | Jean-Luc | hits Cloak 2 for 13 d
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| Round 6 | |
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| | Herman | attempts to dispell the web but fails
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| | Cloak 2 | casts Lightning Bolt hitting Bono, Herman, and Tyke
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| | | uses Fear affect which Jean-Luc fails
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| | Prentice | dispells the web
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| | | Spiritual Weapon misses
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| | Rondax | gets a total of 5 hits for 47 dmg
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| | Tyke | casts Lightning Strike for 31 dmg
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| | Bono | hits once for 26 dmg
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| | Jean-Luc | cowers in the corner
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| Round 7 | |
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| | Herman | moves to Jean-Luc to heal
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| | Cloak 2 | Unearthly Howl - Rondax runs
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| | | Plane Shift
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| Treasure
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| | 1 Magical Seal skin cloak, Tyke takes it
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| | 1 old platinum coin
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| | 1 Exquisite vase
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Beyond the Anteroom
The group heals up and checks the doors. The first leads to a bathroom. The second leads to a large central room, a dining room. A large dining room table dominates the room, a liquor cabinet sits just inside along the right wall, a cabinet sit along each side wall, a buffett table sites along the back wall, and a door is located in the back corner of each side wall.
The liquor bottles have not aged, everything in the room looks new. The old painting hung on the wall is aged but well maintained and would be extremely valuable to collectors or historians.
The door in the back right corner leads to a parlor with a door leading further into the building. As the group explores the two rooms, they realize that someone is currently living in the tower. The living quarters are too modern, the style dates within the last 100 years. The parlor contains books written in languages that did not exist during the existance of Noldair. There are some remaining works that are native to Noldair's epoch.
With the realization that the residence is current, the group takes a closer look at the painting on the floor of the anteroom. With some discussion Jean-Luc and Herman realize that it is actually an Estivinian Coat of Arms representing House of Vonraldinker. The coat was removed from existance approximately 300 years ago when the entire family was executed for Necromancy.
The group discusses potential inhabitants and settle on the owner being a powerful undead, a vampire or lich, most likely.
Dinner
With sundown fast approaching, the group decides to set up camp in the anteroom of the temple, despite Rondax's abject terror at staying at the temple with an undead.
As the group exits the parlor, they realize the table has been set and Dianabus is waiting there for them. He invites the group to clean up and join him for dinner.
The discussion quickly touches on several topics:
- Has Jean-Luc considered Plonite morality in regards to the Baron's war?
- Did Prentice know that every individual receiving of The Gift of Pheris was dead within 5 years?
- Herman - a scholar following a knight around
- Sol - Fate mixed with History and Stories
- Tyke - Still using his middle name. Interesting to Dianabus since Tyke disappeard from sight for some time. The panther cub is terrified of Dianabus. Tyke asks Dianabus, "Are you, you for everybody?"
- Bono - introduced to the Arcane arts, new tricks. Family affairs, how is Bono's father. What does the future hold? Bono wouldn't mind going into politics.
- Rondax - The mane is good. What of his short-life, his cubs? Rondax having fun, cubs are with others who are raising them.
The meal provided by Dianabus is customized for each.
Dinner conversation continues to cover a variety of topics with highlights including:
- Orcs are extremely efficient
- 1/10 of the human population follows Dianabus in some form or fashion
- The group has entered his purview from multiple areas/locations almost simultaneously
The Proposition
Dianabus is always about business and has a proposition for the group. He is willing to provide the group with information pertaining to a piece of the rod and the means to obtain it, most likely the piece from the WhiteLands. Bono asks if there is something else capable of getting the job done?
As Dianabus sees it, the group is splitting itself between multiple goals with the primary goal being an expedient solution to Baron Randolph, provided the tool is available. In helping us, Dianabus would be creating a new contract that counters a previous contract with another party. He is hopeful that if the group succeeds, the enlightened ones will continue their descent.
Prentice believes the group needs to accomplish this goal without supernatural help. In doing so, he hopes the group will gain the wisdom as to when and why the rod should be used.
Herman exits to the front room as the group discusses Dianabis' proposition and it's implications. He wants nothing to do with making deals with the devil.
Dianabus asks Jean-Luc if he knows the history of the Grey Knights and details their history. The Grey Knights guarded the spiritual borders between mortal, shadow and fey realms. They recognized that accomadations were necessary to battle evil. They could not strictly uphold their Paladinic vows. In several instances they went too far in their efforts to defend the marches. In their final mortal battle, they embraced shadows darker than the king could fathom. They were banished to the shadow realm.
Jean-Luc brings Herman back to listen to the Offer.
Dianabus will provide the following:
1. Will not take the group directly to the pieces
2. Will make it easier to bypass and work in the difficult terrain
2.1. Beneath the waves, functional magic (fire & steam) to locate the Catchfire Barons wreck
2.2. Other tools as necessary
3. Fragments are not disceet, they are either well guarded or well sought but lost
4. Provide the means or information concerning complications likely to be encountered during recovery.
In return he wants:
1. Something found as well as other favors
2. Activities would be similar to what the group already does.
He does not want the group's souls.
As an added benefit, the obligations due to the Unseely court can be transferred to another party.
Rondax considers a seperate deal for the White Stag.
The offer may be open indefinitely and we can contact him through any sizable community.
Dianabus also provides some information concerning Noldair:
1. The Obelisk contains treasure or the way to reach treasure.
2. The Ashen Quarter was the center of destruction and contains terrible undead due to the quick death the inhabitants suffered. There is a group of shadows burned into the wall, which move by moonlight and may share some of the secrets they know.
3. There is a Dragon
4. There is a Beholder
5. There are other mortals in the area who may be delighted to meet us (not sure, but this may have been sarcastic)
6. We should have brought pack animals since the hole is not guarenteed to work.
The group partakes of some coffee before being led off to bed by blue mephits, of Dianabus' own creation.