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Alea Iacta Story Hour: A Mythic Rome Campaign (Baby Announcement: 8/17)
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<blockquote data-quote="Orichalcum" data-source="post: 877749" data-attributes="member: 3722"><p><strong>First Session: Eagle's Flight Eighth Post: Falls the shadow</strong></p><p></p><p>The party retires for the night, rest marred only by Llyr's careful planting of naphtha vials in and around the straw of the Great Hall, and later, the village granary. Apparently, the humans have formed a plan to blow up the village as a distraction; this seems a little excessive but what can you expect?</p><p></p><p> At dawn, they turn out to observe the departure of the Druids and their peoples. They note that the Eagle Druid is not carrying the Eagle with her, and that the Druids travel unmasked by day. None of them are recognizable as Minucius, however, whom Marcus met while they served in the same Legion, and would know again due to his incredible memory. </p><p></p><p> Once everyone has left, the party travels off a brief distance into the woods and hides their mules. Upon Metellus the Tribune's insistence, Cornelia remains behind with the mules and the protection of Wena. I ask to stay behind as well, but Meloch says I might be useful, and refuses. Wena sets up a mental link with Marcus and Cornelia. They prepare to magically ignite the granary upon a signal from the others. Meanwhile, the rest of us creep up the far side of the hill.</p><p></p><p> They examine the standing stones, and through the mental link</p><p>Cornelia is able to decipher that the far right rune says, "Darkness." The other two remain mysterious, however. Meloch also notices a triangular stone, set above the cave opening, with a thin vertical slit in it, which appears to be letting out light. He suggests that I clamber up to investigate it, completely ignoring my earlier comments about the terrifying darkness and the canine smell.</p><p></p><p> I approach the stone slit of light and look through it, covering it with my body until I am suddenly thrown back by some magic force against the standing stone and nearly break every bone in my body. Only Meloch is sympathetic; I’m not sure any of the others even noticed my yelps; they were too busy worrying about the sudden piercing howls coming from within the cave. Indeed, Meloch and Metellus were so scared by them that they froze and nearly ran down the hill in a panic, until Meloch concentrated on his pygmy ability to ward out the evil eye, and the fear I sensed from him lessened. I huddled in his cloak. I had told them this was a bad idea.</p><p></p><p> Meanwhile, the others move in, determined to quell the barking. A huge shadowy dog leaps out at them from the darkness, savaging Marcus, and then retreats out of the light, continuing to bark. It cannot approach those near Meloch. Marcus wades bravely into the darkness, while Llyr sets up the ballista, and eventually, with the aid of Metellus after he conquers his fear, they hack the enormous hound to bits.</p><p></p><p> Within the cave, all is dark, and torches are immediately extinguished by some unnatural force. Yet one narrow band of sunlight streams down the passageway from the vertical slit above the entrance. The party recalls that it is the fall equinox, and thus that the light may be falling in a particular pattern. They proceed about thirty feet down the narrow passageway, until it opens into a large round room, lit only by the single ray of light. There are three dimly perceived objects in the room. Directly in front of the entrance, a 3-feet diameter circle of hollow white jade lies on the earthen floor. A stone axe has its head resting inside the circle, and its handle resting outside. It has no stains. In the middle of the room, a stone chalice, perhaps even a natural stalagmite carefully carved, rests about three feet off the ground. A dark, thick liquid, most likely blood, gleams in the half-shadows. At the far end of the room, a small stone niche is carved. And there rests the Eagle. It is late morning, and the ray of light is currently halfway between the white jade circle and the chalice.</p><p> </p><p> After much time spent attempting to figure out the ritual significance of these objects, Metellus eventually proposes that they are arranged to be triggered in some fashion, at sunrise, noon, and sunset. [GM Note: Please don’t think too carefully about the astronomical issues here.] What the</p><p>party doesn't know is whether the triggers will be good or bad for them.</p><p>Eventually, Meloch suggests that, since he still has his protection from</p><p>evil, he and Metellus remain inside and attempt to forcibly trigger the</p><p>protections and take the Eagle, while the others retreat outside. By this time, the light has hit the chalice and is gleaming off the surface of the dark blood inside. I go back outside the cave and wait; I am not participating in this foolishness, and I think Meloch’s crazy for even considering it. </p><p></p><p> Metellus throws his cloak over the chalice. The cloak explodes in a sudden</p><p>fire of light and disintegrates, but does not harm them. He tosses a rock at the jade circle, and suddenly two shadowy forms coalesce out of the darkness. They begin to move towards Meloch and Metellus, but are repelled</p><p>by an invisible barrier. Meloch warns Metellus that this will not last for long. Metellus tosses another rock at the Eagle, and another shadow form</p><p>appears. Finally, in desperation, he grabs the Eagle, and the pygmy and</p><p>the Tribune retreat as five shadowy forms follow them down the passageway.</p><p></p><p> A brief but nasty battle ensues around the standing stones. While</p><p>the shadows seem unable to directly hurt the party, they leave Metellus</p><p>weak and dizzy. Their power is lessened in the light, however, and eventually the group breaks through the magical forces binding the creatures and they vanish. The party runs down the hill, just as Cornelia and Wena ignite the granary, which explodes in Greek fire, raining sparks down on all the thatched roofs of the village. Stopping to slit the throats of the mules, lest the animals talk to the Druids, the party gallops east and south. I look at the mules and wince, deciding that keeping my mouth quiet from now on is definitely the best policy among these ruthless animal killers.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Orichalcum, post: 877749, member: 3722"] [b]First Session: Eagle's Flight Eighth Post: Falls the shadow[/b] The party retires for the night, rest marred only by Llyr's careful planting of naphtha vials in and around the straw of the Great Hall, and later, the village granary. Apparently, the humans have formed a plan to blow up the village as a distraction; this seems a little excessive but what can you expect? At dawn, they turn out to observe the departure of the Druids and their peoples. They note that the Eagle Druid is not carrying the Eagle with her, and that the Druids travel unmasked by day. None of them are recognizable as Minucius, however, whom Marcus met while they served in the same Legion, and would know again due to his incredible memory. Once everyone has left, the party travels off a brief distance into the woods and hides their mules. Upon Metellus the Tribune's insistence, Cornelia remains behind with the mules and the protection of Wena. I ask to stay behind as well, but Meloch says I might be useful, and refuses. Wena sets up a mental link with Marcus and Cornelia. They prepare to magically ignite the granary upon a signal from the others. Meanwhile, the rest of us creep up the far side of the hill. They examine the standing stones, and through the mental link Cornelia is able to decipher that the far right rune says, "Darkness." The other two remain mysterious, however. Meloch also notices a triangular stone, set above the cave opening, with a thin vertical slit in it, which appears to be letting out light. He suggests that I clamber up to investigate it, completely ignoring my earlier comments about the terrifying darkness and the canine smell. I approach the stone slit of light and look through it, covering it with my body until I am suddenly thrown back by some magic force against the standing stone and nearly break every bone in my body. Only Meloch is sympathetic; I’m not sure any of the others even noticed my yelps; they were too busy worrying about the sudden piercing howls coming from within the cave. Indeed, Meloch and Metellus were so scared by them that they froze and nearly ran down the hill in a panic, until Meloch concentrated on his pygmy ability to ward out the evil eye, and the fear I sensed from him lessened. I huddled in his cloak. I had told them this was a bad idea. Meanwhile, the others move in, determined to quell the barking. A huge shadowy dog leaps out at them from the darkness, savaging Marcus, and then retreats out of the light, continuing to bark. It cannot approach those near Meloch. Marcus wades bravely into the darkness, while Llyr sets up the ballista, and eventually, with the aid of Metellus after he conquers his fear, they hack the enormous hound to bits. Within the cave, all is dark, and torches are immediately extinguished by some unnatural force. Yet one narrow band of sunlight streams down the passageway from the vertical slit above the entrance. The party recalls that it is the fall equinox, and thus that the light may be falling in a particular pattern. They proceed about thirty feet down the narrow passageway, until it opens into a large round room, lit only by the single ray of light. There are three dimly perceived objects in the room. Directly in front of the entrance, a 3-feet diameter circle of hollow white jade lies on the earthen floor. A stone axe has its head resting inside the circle, and its handle resting outside. It has no stains. In the middle of the room, a stone chalice, perhaps even a natural stalagmite carefully carved, rests about three feet off the ground. A dark, thick liquid, most likely blood, gleams in the half-shadows. At the far end of the room, a small stone niche is carved. And there rests the Eagle. It is late morning, and the ray of light is currently halfway between the white jade circle and the chalice. After much time spent attempting to figure out the ritual significance of these objects, Metellus eventually proposes that they are arranged to be triggered in some fashion, at sunrise, noon, and sunset. [GM Note: Please don’t think too carefully about the astronomical issues here.] What the party doesn't know is whether the triggers will be good or bad for them. Eventually, Meloch suggests that, since he still has his protection from evil, he and Metellus remain inside and attempt to forcibly trigger the protections and take the Eagle, while the others retreat outside. By this time, the light has hit the chalice and is gleaming off the surface of the dark blood inside. I go back outside the cave and wait; I am not participating in this foolishness, and I think Meloch’s crazy for even considering it. Metellus throws his cloak over the chalice. The cloak explodes in a sudden fire of light and disintegrates, but does not harm them. He tosses a rock at the jade circle, and suddenly two shadowy forms coalesce out of the darkness. They begin to move towards Meloch and Metellus, but are repelled by an invisible barrier. Meloch warns Metellus that this will not last for long. Metellus tosses another rock at the Eagle, and another shadow form appears. Finally, in desperation, he grabs the Eagle, and the pygmy and the Tribune retreat as five shadowy forms follow them down the passageway. A brief but nasty battle ensues around the standing stones. While the shadows seem unable to directly hurt the party, they leave Metellus weak and dizzy. Their power is lessened in the light, however, and eventually the group breaks through the magical forces binding the creatures and they vanish. The party runs down the hill, just as Cornelia and Wena ignite the granary, which explodes in Greek fire, raining sparks down on all the thatched roofs of the village. Stopping to slit the throats of the mules, lest the animals talk to the Druids, the party gallops east and south. I look at the mules and wince, deciding that keeping my mouth quiet from now on is definitely the best policy among these ruthless animal killers. [/QUOTE]
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