[13th Age] To the East, To Morrowind

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SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Your first assessment is correct: Red Tower appears to refer to Red Mountain. You're not certain at first what the second line means, until you remember a very specific detail of trivia you heard over your time in incarceration: Ethys Hlaalu, the man whose assassination by the Morag Tong started the revolt in Balmora, was born in Evening Star under the constellation of the Thief. And apparently someone related to him, born under the Serpent sign, was behind it. The next few lines suddenly fall into place. The Black Hands is a sobriquet of Mephala, the patron deity of the Morag Tong. "The scales will be unbalanced" is therefore the Balmora revolt and its effect on House Hlaalu, whose sigil is a set of weighing scales.

The part about the sleepers awakening and an ancient curse is an utter mystery to you. The next parts are what gives you cause for concern. The Dragon banner has represented Cyrodiil since the Second Era. It appears that the same assassin who did Ethys Hlaalu in will do something to enrage the Empire, and that the Empire will be defeated by this "House Unmourned" somehow. You're not too familiar with the Houses of Morrowind, so further research will be required on that front. The Three may be the Tribunal Gods: Almalexia, Sotha Sil, and Vivec. If so, who did they betray and why? And who would avenge that betrayal?

The last part is the most truly worrisome. It implies that if the prophecy comes to pass, this "First" will overcome Tamriel, or "Starry Heart" in Ehlnofex", with this Doom of the Dunmer.

The moths continue to circle the cube as you pick it up to closely examine it. Now that you're closer to these moths, you're certain they are humming. The glowing blue runes inscribed on the box are indecipherable. You've never seen anything like this before. It does not share any resemblance with Ehlnofex, Daedric, or even your native tongue, Jel that you can see.

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 18:43 on Jul 26, 2014

# ¿ Jul 26, 2014 05:46

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# ¿ May 13, 2024 11:51

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Tombak

You recall reading a book on Morrowind just after being discharged from the Imperial Legion titled "War of the First Council". According to the book, a First Era religious war was waged in which the Houses Dres, Hlaalu, Indoril, Redoran, and Telvanni fought with the Houses Dwemer and Dagoth. House Dwemer were the dwarves, of course, but House Dagoth was one of the Chimer Great Houses. The war went poorly for the disorganized and squabbling Great Houses, due to the Dwemer's advanced magics and House Dagoth's recruitment of Orcish and Nordic clans to bolster their forces, until Nerevar Indoril became the Hortator, united the Houses, and enlisted the aid of the Ashlander tribes. At the Battle of Red Mountain, Nerevar's forces utterly annihilated the Dwemer and dismantled the traitor House Dagoth, but Nerevar was fatally wounded in battle with the treacherous Voryn Dagoth. Soon after, the Tribunal, who were originally Nerevar's war council, ascended to godhood and the Chimer were changed into the Dunmer.

Now, the Dwemer have been long gone, and you doubt they'll be coming back soon. But you've heard stories about what's inside the Ghostfence around Red Mountain. A demon by the name of Dagoth Ur resides there, raging at the Dunmer and blighting the land. His forces, known as the Sixth House, are too strong for even the mighty Ordinators or the cunning Buoyant Armigers to deal with. So the Ghostfence waits, separating the cursed volcano from the rest of the world through the power of the Tribunal gods and the dead Dunmer whose bones form the pillars and walls of this barrier.

Zairan

As a boy, you had asked your tribe's Wise Woman why your tribe did not keep the gods of the Great Houses, whose presence was much more tangible than even the Daedra. The old woman had made a motion to box your ears, but instead held back and took you aside into her yurt to explain why. She told you the following story, of Nerevar, and what had really happened at the Red Mountain.

quote:

Resdayn, present day Morrowind, was contested ground between two very different types of mer: the Chimer, who worshipped Daedra, and the Dwemer, who worshipped a profane and secret power. These two people warred with each other constantly until their lands were invaded by a young, vibrant, and violent alien culture, the Nords.

Two heroes, one from the Chimer and one from the Dwemer, Indoril Nerevar and Dumac Dwarf-Orc, made peace between their people and together ousted the alien invaders. Then these two heroes worked long and hard to maintain that peace thereafter, though their counselors thought it could not last or, worse, that it shouldn't. Nerevar's queen and his generals-- Almalexia, Sotha Sil, Vivec-- told him to claim all Resdayn for his own. But Nerevar would not listen, for he remembered his friendship with Dumac. There would be only peace.

Until Dagoth-Ur arrived. House Dagoth had discovered the source of the profane and secret power of the Dwemer: the legendary Heart of Lorkhan, which Dumac's people had used to make themselves immortal and beyond the measure of the gods. In fact, one of the their high priests, Kagrenac, was building a New God so that the Dwemer could claim Resdayn for their own.

The Tribunal urged Nerevar again to make war on the Dwarves. Nerevar was troubled. He went to Dumac, his friend of old, and asked if what Dagoth-Ur said was true. But Kagrenac and the high priests of the Dwemer had kept their New God secret from their King, and Dumac said the Dwemer were innocent of any wrongdoing. Nerevar was troubled again and made pilgrimage to Holamayan, the sacred temple of Azura, who confirmed that all that Dagoth-Ur said was indeed true and that the New God of the Dwemer should be destroyed for the safety of not only Resdayn, but for the whole world. When Nerevar went back and told his Tribunal what the goddess had said, his queen and generals felt themselves proved aright and again counseled him to war. There were reasons that the Dwemer and Chimer had hated each other forever.

Finally, Nerevar, angered that his friend Dumac would lie to him, went back to Vvardenfell. This time the Chimer King was arrayed in arms and armor and had his hosts around him, and he spoke harshly to Dumac Dwarf-Orc, King of Red Mountain. "You must give up your worship of the Heart of Lorkhan or I shall forget our friendship and the deeds that were accomplished in its name!" And Dumac, who still knew nothing of Kagrenac's New God, but proud and protective as ever of his people, said, "We shall not relinquish that which has been our way for years beyond reckoning, just as the Chimer will not relinquish their ties to the Lords and Ladies of Oblivion. And to come at my door in this way, arrayed in arms and armor and with your hosts around you, tells me you have already forgotten our friendship. Stand down, my sweet Nerevar, or I swear by the fifteen-and-one golden tones I shall kill you and all your people."

And so the Chimer and Dwemer went to war. The Dwemer were well-defended by their fortress at Red Mountain, but the bravery and cleverness of Nerevar's queen and generals drew most of Dumac's armies out into the field and kept them there, so that Nerevar and Dagoth-Ur could make their way into the Heart Chamber by secret means. There, Nerevar met Dumac and the Dwarf King and they both fell from grievous wounds. Dagoth-Ur slew Kagrenac and took the tools the Dwemer used to tap the power of the Heart. He went to his dying lord Nerevar and asked him what to do with these tools. And Nerevar summoned Azura again, and she showed them how to use the tools to separate the power of the Heart from the Dwemer people.

And on the fields, the Tribunal and their armies watched as the Dwemer turned into dust all around them as their stolen immortality was taken away.

Back in Red Mountain, Nerevar told Dagoth-Ur to protect the tools and the Heart Chamber until he returned. Dagoth-Ur said, "But shouldn't we destroy these tools at once, so that they might never be used for evil again?" But Nerevar was confused by his wounds and his sorrow (for he still loved Dumac and the Dwemer people) and so went to the fields outside of Red Mountain to confer with his queen and his generals, who had foreseen that this war would come and whose counsel he would not ignore again. "I will ask the Tribunal what we shall do with them, for they have had wisdom in the past that I had not. Stay here, loyal Dagoth-Ur, until I return."

Then Nerevar told his queen and generals all that had transpired under Red Mountain and how the Dwemer had used special tools to turn their people into immortals and of the wondrous power of the Heart of Lorkhan. The Tribunal decided that the Chimer should learn how to use this power so that Nerevar might claim Resdayn and the world for their people. Nerevar did not expect or want this, so he asked his queen and generals to help him summon Azura yet again for her guidance. But the Tribunal had become as greedy as Kagrenac upon hearing of the power of the Heart and they coveted it. They made ritual as if to summon Azura as Nerevar wanted but Almalexia used poisoned candles and Sotha Sil used poisoned robes and Vivec used poisoned invocations. Nerevar was murdered.

Then Azura came forth anyway and cursed the Tribunal for their foul deeds. She told them that she would use her powers over dusk and dawn to make sure Nerevar would come back and make things right again. But the Tribunal laughed at her and said that soon they would be gods themselves and that the Chimer people would forget their old ways of worship. And Azura knew this would be true and that it would take a long time before her power might bring Nerevar back. "What you have done here today is foul beyond measure and you will grow to regret it, for the lives of gods are not what mortals think and matters that weigh only years to mortals weigh on gods forever." And so that they might know forever their wicked deeds Azura changed the Chimer into Dunmer, and their skin turned ashen and their eyes into fire. "Let this mark remind you of your true selves who, like ghouls, fed on the nobility, heroism, and trust of their king."

And then the Tribunal went into Red Mountain and met with Dagoth-Ur. Dagoth-Ur saw what had been done, for his skin had changed as well, and he tried to avenge the death of Nerevar but to no avail. He was driven off and thought dead. The Tribunal found the tools he had been guarding and, through study of Kagrenac's methods, turned themselves into gods.

Thousands of years after their apotheosis, the Tribunal are still the gods of Morrowind and the old ways of worship are remembered only by a few. And the murder of Nerevar is known to fewer. But his queen and generals still fear his return, for the words of Azura linger long and they see the mark of her curse on their people every day.

Thus, the last few lines of the prophecy are made clear: Dagoth-Ur will avenge himself upon the Tribunal with the aid of the Heart of Lorkhan, the Doom Drum.

# ¿ Jul 26, 2014 18:10

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Digs

The publican stares at you as she pours you the first drink of Sujamma. "Are you alright? You sound worried."

You have every right to be worried, really. Red Mountain is the closest thing to Mehrunes Dagon's realm on Tamriel. The sky is a burning red, everything that lives there is diseased, and the air is constantly filled with storming ash. It's no small wonder that only the most skilled and best equipped warriors can even hope to survive in there. It would be suicide to go in there now.

As you get drunk, you wonder who the Serpent mentioned in the prophecy was. It had to be someone related to Ethys that ordered him dead, according to the prophecy. It might be a worthy avenue of investigation, at least.

# ¿ Jul 27, 2014 00:41

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Zairan
The bartender looks confused at your question. "I wouldn't know, serjo. The Hlaalu family is huge, especially in regards to Ethys. The man had so many children, bastards, and cousins it would be hard to tell who was even born under fixed birthsigns. And every seemed to like him. I heard no rumors that anyone had any quarrel with him. Besides, the Serpent moves around so often, it would be difficult to know who was born under it. You could try the Hlaalu archi-"

She stops herself and then frowns. "No, wait. I'm sorry, serjo, but the rebels burned it down during the uprising."

K'zan
You overhear the last part of the publican's conversation with Zairan, and you wonder how you'll be able to find the killer now. But suddenly, a bolt of inspiration hits you. You recall a few factoids you learned while visiting the Tribunal Temple. Dunmer like to keep private burial grounds. While this tradition is on the decline due to the Temple asking their followers to give remains up to the Ghostgate to be used as reinforcement for the barrier, some families still prefer to keep their dead buried with the rest of their relatives. Usually, a genealogy is kept in the burial tombs to be used during prayer sessions. And the Hlaalu burial ground just so happens to be located just a few miles away from Balmora.

Of course, the Dunmer also like to resurrect their dead and use them as guardians to stop grave robbers and necromancers from looting the tombs. Not everything's as easy as taking sugarcane from a kitten.

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 00:22 on Jul 28, 2014

# ¿ Jul 28, 2014 00:17

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Zairan

You draw a blank at what the Hlaalu spirits would be placated by. Guess you'll have to bear with sending the spirits back to the afterlife. At least you can take comfort in the fact that those whose spirits and bones are used to guard Great House burial tombs are those who have shamed themselves and their clan in some way.

# ¿ Jul 31, 2014 02:08

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

The Balmora guild enchanter is a wood elf named Galbedir. She's not exactly the most friendly type (you recall her having a feud with a Khajiit named Ajira over who would be promoted first), but she is skilled in her craft. You hope that the money you'll get from handing the puzzle box off to Edwinna will be enough to afford silver weapons for everyone. Spirits are not able to be hurt by anything but silver, magic, and Daedric weaponry. You think Crassius can get by without them as his Kinetomancy channels magic into his strikes, but everyone else who is not blessed with magic or enchanted gear will need silver.

# ¿ Jul 31, 2014 21:58

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

You recall that Wayn, the smith at this branch of the Fighters Guild, will probably be able to contribute some more silver weapons to the cause, as well as some blunt weapons for any skeletons that may be walking the tombs. Of course, he won't do it for free; This isn't charity, after all. He's been looking for something called Spider Daggers for a while, and he'll probably hustle you into getting them.

# ¿ Jul 31, 2014 22:41

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

You head onto the guilds, leaving behind the publican as she props up the dead bodies you left out of the way, taking the Dwemer puzzle box with you. The rain has let up a bit, at the least. You enter the Mages Guild and find Edwinna in the room down at the bottom of the ramp, leafing through a copy of "On Wild Elves". As you come into the room, she looks up from the book and says, "So, you lot again. Did you find that puzzle box like I asked? I'm authorized to pay you for it."

She reaches into her satchel and tosses down a pouch filled with coins. It makes a soft thunk as it hits the table.

# ¿ Aug 3, 2014 01:41

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Digs-A-Hole

She glares at you, and begins to shout at you. "To-Do List? So you haven't done what I told you to do yet? And you're all covered in blood too, as well as your friends. I assume you got into a fight, and seeing as you're not dead, you must've won. Typical. I leave you alone for a second and you wind up killing someone. Do you know how bad that makes the Mages Guild look? I ought to-"

She places her palm in her face and goes silent for a minute, trying to restrain herself. Finally, she says, in a defeated and tired tone, "Just get me the damned fire salts. Don't talk to me until you do. Go bother Galbedir if you want. She's upstairs."

Tombak

You rifle through the pouch and find 210 golden Tiber Septims staring back at you. You dole out 35 gold drakes each to every one of your new friends. Edwinna looks at you and says, "Now for the puzzle box. And while you're at it, tell me what in Oblivion happened to all of you? You people look like Trinimac after Boethiah sha-"

She looks at you, blushes in embarrassment, and stops herself before she finishes. "Er, you all look very bad is what I'm saying."

# ¿ Aug 4, 2014 05:23

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

"Bar fights? How crude. Hardly risking your life to deal with a few ruffians, now is it? You should be thankful for what you've got. If all goes well in my research, I may even give you some credit. I'm currently rediscovering the secrets of Dwemer Animunculi. I guarantee that within a decade I will have created a fully functioning Centurion." The wizard puffs her chest out, a self-satisfied grin upon her face. No doubt she is already imagining the promotions and glory that would come with such an accomplishment.

She then begins tinkering with the Dwemer box, casting a few detection spells on it as she works. Eventually her eyes widen in a look of extreme surprise. "Interesting! From what I gather, this thing somehow shunts whatever is inside of it into a small pocket realm of Oblivion once you reset the puzzle lock, and then retrieves it once the lock is undone. I don't know how, of course; it's hard telling with the Dwemer. You can really only find the cause and effects with their tools, and that's if you're lucky. This must have belonged to one of the more influential Dwemer. After all, it's difficult to maintain a portal to the realms Daedric, and with difficulty comes expense. Who knows, this device may even have been created by one of the Tonal Architects! How exciting! Where did this priest find this, anyway?"

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 22:10 on Aug 4, 2014

# ¿ Aug 4, 2014 22:06

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Edwinna rolls her eyes as Digs goes on his rant. "Unwarranted self-importance is the folly of many a mage. Or at least ones as... talented as Digs. I'll be taking my leave of this place. Tell him that if he doesn't find some fire salts for me I'll have his guild membership. Now, is our business concluded? I'd like to be getting back to Ald'ruhn soon."

Upstairs, the elf Galbedir is appraising and sorting soul gems. The most eye-catching of the gems is a large golden one about the size of a fist. It shines every so often with a dull brown light. "Like what you see? That's a Winged Twilight trapped inside. Very valuable. I had to go through all sorts of loopholes to obtain it. I am Galbedir, head enchanter of the Balmora Mages Guild. What can I do for you two?"

# ¿ Aug 5, 2014 04:58

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Galbedir's eyes light up when Crassius begins to speak. "Oh, I remember you! The contact magic guy! Ajira says your magic is "stupid ape nonsense", but Ajira is an uneducated amateur and, just between you and me, I think she does skooma. I personally find it very practical how you focus your magicka through your limbs instead of into your surroundings. It must be far less taxing on your body, no?"

She puts aside her soul gems and gives Crassius a look up and down his body, nodding approvingly of the Kinetomancer's physique. "Tell you what, you teach me how you perform some of your moves and I'll help you with your experiment, whatever it may be. I've got a report to fill out to Ranis about casting techniques and that skooma cat Ajira thinks she'll humiliate me with her theory on how binding temporary spells to equipment will go out of favor within a few years and that permanent enchantments will somehow overtake everything. Balderdash from an idiot alchemist who doesn't know the first thing about enchantments. But if you show me your moves, I think I'll be able to write a paper that will make that rotten cat look like the fool that she is."

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 04:41 on Aug 8, 2014

# ¿ Aug 8, 2014 04:38

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Zairan and Severia

You exit this magic show and enter the Fighters Guild. It's getting late, but you can still hear the drillmaster downstairs ordering his recruits around. The smith, a Redguard without a single hair on his head, is currently stretching out an iron breastplate to fit a new owner. Wayn looks up, sees you two, and grins. "Ho there! Here for some armor or weapons, friends?"

Back at the Mages Guild

Galbedir seems to be overjoyed as she watches Crassius at work. She whips out a quill, jams it into an ink pot, and begins frantically taking notes. "Oh yes, I see! You summon a minor Shield spell just around the area of where you get hit, reducing the magicka cost. Brilliant, simply brilliant! I'll show that flea-bitten alley cat who is the smartest! If you want something, just ask and it's yours, friend. I've finally got the edge I need to get promoted over Ajira."

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 03:47 on Aug 17, 2014

# ¿ Aug 17, 2014 03:41

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Wayn looks at you, his eyebrows raised, and laughs, his gut heaving at what you said. "Oh, man, my ribs. Should've guessed you would've said something like that, Severia. Twenty drakes says you're going into one of those Dark Elf tombs, am I right?"

The smith looks at you knowingly. "Tell you what, I'm in the market for something that can be found where you're going. Ever hear of a Spider Dagger? They're usually used in ceremonies by the locals. They've got inscriptions and designs that dedicate the weapon to Mephala, and minor enchantments that give it a poisonous edge. I can get crappy iron knock-offs via paying the Mages Guild a rather steep fee for their services, but I'd rather just get some real ones the way everyone else seems to do these days. I'll give you some silver-plated gauntlets and your friend a quiver full of silver-tipped arrows, and in exchange you dig up a couple of those daggers for me. You'll probably find a few wherever you're going. Deal?"

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 04:12 on Aug 17, 2014

# ¿ Aug 17, 2014 04:10

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Mages Guild

"Enchanted weapons, huh? Well, what would you like? I can do a few light enchantments on some weapons for you; I've got enough resources for three right now."

Fighters Guild

Wayn puts a finger in front of his mouth and shushes. "I won't say a thing. Besides, it's not the living Hlaalu you need to worry about. Barely any of them get buried in an ancestral tomb anymore. It'll be years before they step foot in there. The dead, however, are a different story. They're the troublemakers and miscreants of the House who got bound to protect the tomb in punishment for their failures in life. It drives them mad; they can't attack any of the Hlaalu, but they'll take their time working out their anger on you folks."

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 20:11 on Aug 22, 2014

# ¿ Aug 22, 2014 20:08

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Fighters Guild

Wayn nods in appreciation of Severia's words. "Exactly. If you ask me, these Dunmer remind me of those stuffy Crown bastards back home in Hammerfell. They'd always mummify their dead, scooping their organs out, wrapping them in cloth, and burying them with all their belongings. Makes no sense to me. Why would you take your best sword with you to the grave instead of giving it to your child or someone else you love?"

He looks at Zairan, almost as if remembering he was still there. "Ehrm, but that's your belief system, and I can't judge."

Mages Guild, Enchanting Station

"I could do that. I can also make the weapons burn whatever they strike or weaken your enemy to make them easier to strike. It's your choice, my friend." She smiles, content with herself.

Mages Guild, Alchemy Station

You find Ajira at work, smashing a ruby into a fine powder with a small hammer. She briefly looks up at K'Zan and Digs, and then resumes her work. "These ones are new. What brings you two here to Ajira? Do you wish to purchase something? Khajiit can provide the best deal for your money. Ajira has healing, levitation, shields, and other potions in her inventory."

# ¿ Aug 26, 2014 14:33

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Alchemy Station

The Khajiit utters a low and grumbling hiss. "This one is careless and did not put his Fire Salts in a safe place, no? Khajiit supposes this is good for her business. Ajira will replace your Fire Salts for five golden drakes. This one will promise to do better to keep better care of his ingredients, yes?"

# ¿ Aug 26, 2014 22:55

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Tombak

Galbedir takes your spear and begins to make signs with her hands. The spear begins to glow a wan red color, steadily brightening as the enchantment is reinforced until the spear is surrounded by a red field of magic. The soul gem, placed nearby, dissolves as the soul inside is consumed. She hands you your spear back, a proud smile on her face. "That should do it. This spear can make it so your foe is made vulnerable after being struck by this. Of course, it only has enough charge to do this once in a while. It'll recharge on its own after a fight or if you use a soul gem."

You've gained a Spear of Debilitation! This spear, asides from giving you a nice +1 to attack and damage, will make an enemy vulnerable, making it so an attack with a natural 18 or higher will critically hit. You'll have to roll a 11 or higher to recharge it after using this ability. Or you could pop a soul gem to recharge it instantly. Soul gems will take a standard action to use, and the type of soul gem needed depends on the weapon tier. Here at adventurer tier, lesser soul gems will do the job. Champion tier will require common soul gems, Epic will require greater, and Grand soul gems for the most legendary of weapons.

# ¿ Aug 28, 2014 01:18

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Alchemy Station

Ajira pulls out a few vials for K'zan, a small phial filled with a brown oil, and then pulls out two small ceramic bowls filled with fire and frost salts. "Ajira will take 12 gold for the salts and the oil. Health potions will not come so cheap, however. 50 drakes for each."

Fighters Guild

"How about now?" He fishes out a pair of gleaming silver-plated gauntlets and hands them to Severia, and then retrieves a quiver full with 50 silver tipped arrows.

"You get me those daggers, and I'll let you keep those. My gift. Enchantments aren't cheap, you know?"

Enchantment Station

Galbedir performs her free enchantment for Crassius, weaving a Soul Trap into the weapons. After she finishes, she hands the Imperial the clawed gloves. "Just activate the enchantment, and it'll cast Soul Trap on whatever you want to catch. I had to make the enchantment a little unstable to make it work with the gem I used, though; the duration of the spell could last less than a minute or several minutes depending on how lucky you get. Hopefully you'll manage. I'll give you a pair of empty petty soul gems if you'll pay me 5 drakes."

You've got Soul Trapping Gauntlets. Asides from the standard magical item bonus of +1 attack and damage, you can cast Soul Trap on whoever you strike with this weapon once per encounter as a free action. Roll 1d6 when you do so; that is how many rounds you have to down that enemy. Upon doing so, it will fill a soul gem. At Adventurer Tier, mooks will fill petty soul gems, Normal enemies will fill lesser soul gems, and extra strong enemies will fill common soul gems. This spell won't work on any living humanoid, however, unless you have a Black Soul Gem. Roll 6+ to recharge this item.

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 00:54 on Sep 3, 2014

# ¿ Sep 3, 2014 00:41

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Fighters Guild

"Well, I guess they are a bit nicer than whatever you were using before. Silver-plated stuff tends to be made with better care than most of the junk here, considering it usually comes from Cyrodiil. Can you believe that all the guards in the Imperial City carry around weapons like this? Decadent, isn't it?"

He rolls his eyes and begins measuring the cuirass he was previously working on to see if it was stretched to the right size. After a second, Wayn smirks and says, "Oh, and I guess if you ever come across a werewolf, you'll ruin his day pretty quickly with those."

Silver weapons have the standard +1 to hit and damage that magic weapons do and can strike ghosts and Daedra. Also, any werecreature will be extra vulnerable to your attacks with a silver weapon (crit range is increased by 4).

Mages Guild

Galbedir whispers back to the Argonian, "You didn't hear this from me, but I've managed to come across this sort of thing in my studies. A black soul gem is the only thing capable of holding the souls of elves, men, Argonians, and Khajiit. They're hard to come by; the Empire banned them as soon as they started to show up a few years ago. And personally, I can't say I blame them. Sharn might know more, but you're going to have to earn her trust somehow. Everyone knows she's a dabbler in necromancy, even if she tries to hide it."

# ¿ Sep 8, 2014 23:10

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Digs-A-Hole

The elf frowns and says, "Sharn's downstairs, but I'm afraid I don't know the details of where the soul goes when it is used up, or if the being trapped inside is even conscious. Not even the wisest of our guild's members has figured out the true nature of the soul. All I know is that the soul's energy can be used up as a substitute for a mage's willpower and emotions to power an enchantment, and that Black Soul Gems started appearing only after the Warp in the West and the arrival of the Necromancer's Moon."

# ¿ Sep 9, 2014 05:27

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

MelvinBison posted:

Digs-A-Hole

"I see. Well, thank you for your time."

Digs walks past Tombak, back to him and fingers still in ears. Digs shrugs and heads downstairs. "Now where's Sharn?"

You search the downstairs to find Sharn, but cannot find her. Eventually, the High Elf in the room takes notice of you and says, "Oh dear, are you looking for Sharn? I'm afraid she's out on guild duty. Something about collecting someone's dues in Suran. Check back within a few days."

# ¿ Sep 10, 2014 04:06

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

You all assemble outside of the guilds after concluding your business. The rain has finally died down and the clouds have cleared, revealing the night sky and the moons above. Judging from what K'zan said, it'll take only two hours for you to get to the Hlaalu tombs. The burial ground is about halfway to Caldera on the mountain range bordering the east.

# ¿ Sep 10, 2014 05:02

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

K'zan

You mix the concoction as you walk, trying to fix up your alchemical flasks. By dousing the salts in a liberal amount of solvent oil, you create a dull purple-black goo. You manage to fill four small jars with this potent concoction. Or at least, it would've been potent; seems you made a mistake. The purple gunk you have just made doesn't seem to react upon contact with the air like you thought it would. It'll need an outside source of fire or frost to activate it after you coat something with it. Good thing you've just made friends with a sorcerer, right?

If you strike someone with these jars, treated as a small ranged weapon, you'll do light weapon damage (1d4) on the initial blow. If you or another person successfully strikes the person again with fire or cold damage, the foe will take an extra 6 damage as the sludge ignites with frostfire.

Everyone

After a while, you finally come across the entrance to the Hlaalu Burial Tomb, tucked away in the foothills leading to Caldera. The sloping mud-brick entrance is bordered by vibrant bushes of Gold Kanet, and a small sigil of a weighing scale adorns the top of the wooden door leading to the catacombs.

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 03:19 on Sep 17, 2014

# ¿ Sep 17, 2014 03:17

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

You press your hand to the door, and cannot feel anything. Whatever lies beyond the door is a mystery to you for now. Frustrated, you try and recall something that could help you out in this situation. Finally, you remember something from your past. Years ago, when you were but a youth, your tribe's wise woman was sent to quell rebellious spirits of another Ashlander tribe that had taken up residence on your hunting grounds. She survived the encounter, but came back pale and weak. From what you gather, she had sacrificed some of her blood and used it to create a simulacrum of the other clan's blood. It wasn't enough to make her be recognized as kin by the ghosts, but it was enough to make them hesitate and pull their blows. You think you might be able to pull this wise woman's trick off with your current knowledge. The question is: Do you want to?

If you wish, you may sacrifice a recovery to gain a +2 to all defenses and your AC against the spirits in this tomb. You may also perform this ritual on any of the others in the group who are willing to give up a recovery. This won't work against undead with a corporeal body, however; skeletons, zombies, bonewalkers, and other such things are exempt from this. But this ritual may just save you from the crippling curses and spells that ancestor spirits possess.

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 04:17 on Sep 17, 2014

# ¿ Sep 17, 2014 04:12

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Whycalibur posted:

Tombak

The orc takes a few moments to poke around the entrance while Zairan is in meditation. He squints, prods at a few places, and generally tries to see if there are any traps of the more mundane kind lying in wait.

Check for traps (Charming Scoundrel + Wis): 1d20+6 7
Nice.

You find absolutely no indication of traps. Granted, you don't think you searched very well. Still, you did find one thing of note. You find a small part of a muddy footprint on the doorstep that leads to the tomb. Someone has been here recently.

# ¿ Sep 17, 2014 04:41

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Are you sure you want to open that door, Melvin?

# ¿ Sep 19, 2014 02:48

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Having grown tired of waiting, you resolve to head forward. You clasp the handle of the door, turn it, and wrench the door towards you. As you do so, you realize all too late that something was on the other side of the door. A body falls out, sprawling onto the entryway after you pull away its headrest.

As you get a better look at it, you see that it is still rather fresh for a corpse. While the former human's face is currently being devoured by flies and their maggots, it's still moslty intact. Five large steel darts stick out of its chest, including one to the heart. You're not sure if this was a Breton or Imperial, but he seems to have been a bandit of some kind, judging from the low quality leather armor he was wearing.

# ¿ Sep 19, 2014 03:53

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

You learn two things after poking the corpse.
1. It is as dead as it looks.
2. You're going to want to wash your spear off as the tip is now coated in a fatty residue from the decomposing body.

# ¿ Sep 19, 2014 04:45

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

You sneak into the tomb, treading lightly for fear of tripping another trap. You enter a long and empty hallway made of mud-brick, with one path branching off to the left. You make it to the end without incident and find what had killed the man at the entrance. A small hole has been dug into the wall on the other end of the hallway facing the door, and you can barely see what looks like a mechanical device that resembles a crossbow hidden inside.

The path on the left branches into two separate hallways, leading to the left and right. The coast is clear for now.

# ¿ Sep 19, 2014 23:47

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Tombak looks to see if there is anything indicating the path the group should take. He finds that the path to the right slopes very slightly downwards. He also manages to spot a few small pressure plates blending in with the rest of the floor and informs the rest of his group where they are so that they might be avoided.

# ¿ Sep 20, 2014 23:04

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Severia barges forward, avoiding the traps that Tombak had pointed out. She turns around the bend of the hallway and sees a door on the immediate right. The hallway continues on for a while and ends in a staircase heading deeper down.

# ¿ Sep 21, 2014 22:00

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Digs-A-Hole peaks into the room and gets a quick glimpse of what is inside. It is large and is lined with dozens of stone altars and burial urns. A large tapestry of Vivec doing battle with the Ruddy Man adorns the top of the room, and there are a few triolith shrines to various ancestor saints in the center of the room.

As he pushed the wooden door open, however, it made a loud and high-pitched creaking noise that echoed throughout the hallway. The creaking that the awakening skeleton horde inside the room makes is even louder. Digs-A-Hole counts eighteen skeletons rising from the ashen pits they were buried in. The majority are incomplete, lacking arms and legs, but three of them, however, seem very well equipped and wield steel spears and hold heavy bonemold shields.

Initiative rolls, everyone.

# ¿ Sep 22, 2014 01:57

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Can do, djw. Here are my stat blocks and initiative rolls.

pre:

Decrepit Skeleton
1st level mook [undead]
Initiative: +6
Vulnerability: holy
Sword +6 vs. AC�3 damage
AC 16
PD 14 HP 7 (mook)
MD 10
Resist weapons 16+: When a weapon
attack targets this creature, the
attacker must roll a natural 16+
on the attack roll or it only deals
half damage. Using weapons that deal
damage with blunt force (hammers, maces, etc.)
will bypass this resistance.

Initiative: 15#1d20+6 14 25 14 17 13 9 11 16 14 22 25 17 15 11 21

pre:

Skeletal Guardian
1st level troop (undead
Initiative: +7
Vulnerability: holy
Spear +7 vs AC-6 damage
Natural even hit: The Skeletal Guardian raises its shield, and gains a +2 to AC and PD until the start of its next turn.
AC 16
PD 14 HP 24
MD 11
Resist weapons 16+: When a weapon
attack targets this creature, the
attacker must roll a natural 16+
on the attack roll or it only deals
half damage. Using weapons that deal damage
with blunt force (hammers, maces, etc.) 
will bypass this resistance.

Initiative: 2#1d20+7 27 21
Initiative: 1d20+7 10

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 04:50 on Sep 22, 2014

# ¿ Sep 22, 2014 04:46

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Turn Order
27 (Skeletal Guardian 1)
25 (Decrepit Skeleton)
25 (Decrepit Skeleton)
22 (Decrepit Skeleton)
21 (Decrepit Skeleton)
20 (Zairan)
18 (Severia)
18 (Tombak)
17 (Decrepit Skeleton)
17 (Decrepit Skeleton)
16 (Decrepit Skeleton)
15 (Decrepit Skeleton)
14 (Decrepit Skeleton)
14 (Decrepit Skeleton)
14 (Decrepit Skeleton)
13 (Decrepit Skeleton)
11 (Decrepit Skeleton)
11 (Decrepit Skeleton)
10 (Skeletal Guardian 2)
9 (Decrepit Skeleton)
8 (Digs)
7 (K'zan)

Two of the spear-wielding skeletons come towards Severia and Crassius. Crassius points to the one on the right and says, "I'll take this one if you don't mind," and begins to duel with the skeleton.

Attack vs Severia: 1d20+7 16

The skeleton thrusts its spear towards Severia and manages to tear open a wound into Severia's left arm, spilling blood onto the dusty floor of the tomb. 6 damage.

The horde of misshapen skeletons crawls, shambles, and runs past Severia to attack her friends. They claw, pummel, and even bite whatever they can get their hands on.

Attacking Zairan, Tombak (twice), and Digs: 4#1d20+6 26 15 8 15

Zairan, unable to maneuver in time, finds himself being torn to shreds by one particularly aggressive and mobile skeleton. Critical hit! Take 6 damage.

Tombak manages to dodge one, but fails to dodge a second one, which bites into his shoulder. 3 damage.

Digs is unable to fend off his assailant, and is pummeled by a flurry of blows from the elven skeleton. 3 damage

# ¿ Sep 23, 2014 19:55

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

The skeletons are being decimated by the party's attacks. Still, eight of them seem to still have enough in them to keep going, heading for K'zan, Severia, Tombak, and Zairan.

Attacking K'zan, Severia, Tombak, Zairan (2 each): 8#1d20+6 7 20 14 16 25 20 25 10

K'zan dodges a few blows, but one manages to land a strong blow to his jaw. Severia shoves one off her, but a crawling skeleton begins to tear at her shins with its hands while she was distracted. Tombak is unlucky, and is unable to dodge blows from two of the tomb's defenders. Zairan blocks a blow with his bow, but receives a swift kick to the gut from another of his opponents. At the very least, one of his attackers gets snared by Zairan's trap in the process.

I'm rolling pretty good today. Almost had 2 more crits there. Anyway, you know the drill. 3 damage for Severia, 3 for K'zan, 6 for Tombak, and 3 for Zairan. One of the skeletons is now stuck.

One of the armed skeletons rushes to the aid of its compatriot, whose skull has been nearly split in half by Severia, and lances her in the stomach. It raises its shield immediately after its attack, ready for any other blow that comes its way.

Six damage and skeleton guardian 2 gets a +2 to AC and PD until its next round.

# ¿ Sep 24, 2014 01:23

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Turn Order
20 (Zairan)
18 (Severia)
18 (Tombak)
17 (Decrepit Skeleton)
17 (Decrepit Skeleton)
16 (Decrepit Skeleton)
15 (Decrepit Skeleton)
14 (Decrepit Skeleton)
10 (Skeletal Guardian 2)
8 (Digs)
7 (K'zan)

Escalation Die is at 1.

# ¿ Sep 25, 2014 05:17

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

The last of the skeleton horde attacks, unaware of how stacked the odds are against them. The last two rush Tombak and Digs-A-Hole, trying to draw whatever blood they can. Tombak skillfully pushes his attacker away with his spear, while the Argonian is struck by a punch to the jaw.

3 damage for Digs.

Attacking Tombak: 1d20+6 9
Attacking Digs: 1d20+6 16

The guardian lets its guard down and strikes Severia with the haft of its spear, undeterred by the battle.

Attacking Severia: 1d20+7 20

Edit: Whoops, I can't read apparently. Severia takes 6 damage. Sorry about the mix-up.

SunAndSpring fucked around with this message at 01:48 on Sep 27, 2014

# ¿ Sep 27, 2014 01:45

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

Turn Order
20 (Zairan)
18 (Severia)
18 (Tombak)
17 (Decrepit Skeleton)
17 (Decrepit Skeleton)
10 (Skeletal Guardian 2)
8 (Digs)
7 (K'zan)

Escalation Die is at 2.

# ¿ Sep 30, 2014 15:36

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# ¿ May 13, 2024 11:51

SunAndSpring: Dec 4, 2013

The skeletons try to continue the fight, but it is clear to those alive that the odds have turned in their favor. One skeleton attempts to maul Zairan and misses, while another can barely swing its last remaining limb at Tombak.

Attacking Tombak and Zairan: 2#1d20+6 13 7

The spear-wielding skeleton lays on the ground for a moment, almost as if it had been destroyed by Severia's brutal onslaught. But it somehow rises for one more attack, slicing at the warrior's shins. It lands the strike and cuts yet another wound onto her body. It staggers for a moment, then raises its shield and begins to circle Severia. It is clear that this creature will not rest until something renders it into pieces.

Attacking Severia: 1d20+7 21 6 damage for you

# ¿ Oct 4, 2014 03:28

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