The Creation Schema:THE FINAL BATTLE FOR POSSESSION OF THE SCHEMA

[megamania]

EBERRON
04/09/05
SEGMENT 062
“RAIL WRECK” PT XIII

[DM NOTES: I took few notes and had nothing written out for this day’s session. This was entirely played off the cuff]

Cedious finishes up and the noble woman rolls over and tells the halfling to lock the door when he is dressed and leaves. He spots her jewels and other pricey goods and only briefly considers stealing them. As a vampire, she could complicate his life. He doesn’t need that. Beth d’Cannith complicates it enough.

He quietly leaves in the morning and makes his way back to the Cannith car. What he finds stops him in his place. The car is a wreck. There are several large holes in the walls and floor. A large area of the exterior wall has been torn out. Black sand and Sharshek (the human fighter) are attempting to tear up the beds to cover up the exterior hole.

“Where have you been?!?” yells Sharshek. “We needed you here.”

“I was …somewhere else…” he says looking towards Black Sand wondering if he said anything to the others. “Where is Beth?”

“Dead.” Says the druid. “She was killed by wraiths.”

“Not good.”

The next two hours are spent trying to repair holes so that no one can enter the car without using the front door. They are working on a story when they reach Atur. There is a fifteen minute layover here as passengers get on and off.

Within five minutes, there is a knock at the main door. The druid, riding his door, goes to the door. Looking through the window he sees the weak minded Orien member again. He wishes he could mess with his mind and memories like Blu did. “Yes?”

“I would like to speak to the Cannith member in charge here.”

Uh-oh. “Uh she can’t just now.”

“I feel it is required.”

“Uh can’t.”

“What?!?”

“She’s dead!” yells Black Sand in the background.

“Did I hear ….I insist on coming in.”

“Uh…..can’t.”

“Tell him to **** off. We got problems!” yells the dark gray skinned half-giant as he tears away a cushion from inside to plug up a hole in the floor they missed.

“I truly insist you open the door.”

“Get us a Cannith house member and we will.” Answers the druid unsure at what else to say.

Flustered since he can’t open the door without his key (he gave his key away and can’t remember this), the Orien member storms off.

“We have how long until the rail leaves?” asks Cedious.

“Maybe five minutes.” Answers Balkroth.

“That means we have another 6 minutes to stall him. After that, House Orien’s promise of being on time will over ride their curiosity at what happened.” Says Sharshek.

“Curiosity?” quips the rogue. “The damned car is destroyed. It has missing walls and pieces of floor removed. I doubt the car is structurally sound anymore. He is more than curious at this point.”

Five minutes go by and the five of them wait at the windows hoping against hope the car will leave without incident.

The elemental energy that powers the cars rises making the whole line of ten cars rise slightly and hover. A faint crackle of energy can be seen. Then they breathe a sigh of relief as the cars begin to move forward. Cedious spots a man dressed in the Cannith colors trying to make his way through the grounds but can not. Cedious can not help himself but to smile.

Later, Cedious tells the druid about the vampire (the woman whom casts no reflection in a mirror) and he insists on him pointing her out to him.

There will be eight hours until the next stop in Vedykar. The group informs Cedious of how Beth d’Cannith died when attacked by Wraiths. She then required being put down again, as she became a wraith herself. Black sand shows him her body that they rolled up in a carpet and stuck in her closet (much to Bludgeon’s disapproval).

Finished, they agree to get some food. Curious, Cedious decides to return to her cabin. He easily picks the lock and hopes the vampire won’t tear him apart. The door creaks open and the smell of blood comes out. Uh-oh. Cedious peeks in and she’s her bare legs on the bed ..the blood soaked bed. He opens the door further and spots her naked and very dead body. She has been torn apart. Chunks have been removed from her back along with her innards. The warforged there is covered with blood. The walls are covered.

“Oh crap.”

 

[Cedious]

*cries* why do you have to pick on the halfling i can't take the whole being the leader type role anymore

( hey andy i just brought races of eberron..... duh nevermind i will tell you at work *shrugs off his blonde moment* )

( woohoo post number 101 *dances* )

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
04/09/05
SEGMENT 063
“RAIL WRECK” PT 14

The warforged is coated either as if splattered or if he did it. It is standing completely still and there are no signs of life in its eyes. Cautiously, Cedious looks in. The halfling has no sense of fear but remains cautious. She looks just as she did when he left but very dead. Then he hears a thumping. Or is it a heart beat? It comes from a drawer. Opening it, he sees a dragonshard attached to a gold chain. “wooohhhh”
He looks at her and decides she won’t be using it anytime soon and pockets it. “Dismiss me will you.” He says.

He is very careful not to touch the blood or the body then leaves. He relocks the door and begins to walk to the diner car where at least the druid should be. He keeps thinking to himself- that was a lot of blood to cover the walls so completely.

The druid, Gnarl, Black sand, Sharshek and Balkroth are in the dining car. They still place the tab on House Cannith. Cedious makes it there and pulls the druid aside. “You should be careful what your wolf eats.”
“?”

Cedious is watching the wolf. He has located the hand that was missed during cleaning and is happily chewing on it. The wolf looks up at him and his eyes turn red- blood red.

“Your wolf is getting sick from it.”

“What?” and the druid look to his wolf that is quietly sitting under the table. He looks up and thumps his tail in happiness and in a greeting. Deciding the rogue is playing a joke, he asks where he was.

“I don’t think she is a vampire at least.”

“Really” says the druid with no surprise.

“She’s dead. Someone killed her in her room.”

“Show me.” The druid looks to the group- “I’ll be right back.”

They get up and Cedious spots the new waitress. She has some orcish blood based on her large square jaw. She looks at him and smiles. A barbed long tongue snakes out then retracts before anyone notices it. Cedious is dismayed but keeps it to himself. Orc mutation he figures. The two of them go to her room and use the key to enter. The room is perfectly groomed and clean. Perfume is in the air. The druid looks at the halfling rogue shakes his head and turns to his wolf and says it is time to go. Cedious remains there alone wondering what is going on.

When he comes back, he sees Black Sand is once more looking to start a fight with Emerald Claw followers at the diner car. The others are talking him down so he leaves them but tries to remain intimidating.

The noble woman, still incredibly beautiful and glamorous to look at, is calmly eating breakfast of eggs and Karrnath sausage. Cedious stops before her to ask what gives.

“Hello lover. Did you like what you saw?”

“awww – sure” wondering if he meant her naked body or the naked dead body.

“You really shouldn’t steal. It will catch up with you eventually.”

He says nothing but notes the air around her is darkening. He turns to warn the others but they disappear behind a veil of darkness and shadow.

“You are a pathetic person.”

“And you are ….different?” What is she doing? Why is no one acting on this. The car is full of people. Someone by now must be screaming.

“I own you now. Body and soul. To use and abuse as I please.”

“Like last night?” with more amusement than he meant to let on.

“You disappointed me last night. You should be punished.”

“ I disap----now take that back!”

“You disappoint all of the women you are with don’t you LITTLE HALFling. Still- you are my HALF a man.”

Angry now Cedious balls up his fists. “I saw you dead! You were all torn up and bloody!”

=cedddddiouuus=

He swallows hard. A third voice said that. One without a body.

=cedddddiouuus=

The noble smiles a cruel smile then licks her lips to get the last of the egg or out of enjoyment he is unsure.

=cedddddiouuus=

“WHHHAAAAT?!?” he whirls in irritation. He stops suddenly at whom he sees.

Beth d’Cannith. She and her clothes are pale and her clothes look tattered.

=cedddddiouuus=

“I’m here. Stop freaking me out and talk to me. We both know my name is Cedious”

=cedddddiouuus. You faaaailed me last niiiight=

“I didn’t. Your warforged did. Where is this going?”

He whirls around again and stares at the woman. “This isn’t real is it. Am I dreaming?”

The noble puts her head down in her face as if to sob then laughs. As she lifts her head up again a mask falls into her hands. Her face now lacks skin. The red muscles and white fat cells glisten. Her white teeth are in a permanent grin. “If you are dreaming- then wake up.”

“EVERYONE WAKE UP!” he yells. The room is still black. Within the shapeless dark is the noble, her chair and table, her food (moving) and the wraith. Behind the wraith, a door forms.

“If it is a dream- then leave through the door. But of course that means touching Beth and dying if it is NOT a dream.”

Cedious doesn’t move.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Across from the druid and the Cannith members sit a possible adventuring party. There is human mage, a warforged mage, a ½ elf cleric and a dwarven fighter. Joining them is a gnome with heavy armor on. The druid was bored with Black sand’s stories of glory he is telling the psychic warrior and fighter so listens to them instead. They traveling through Karrnath and will get off at Fort Zombie.

The dwarf is talking about battling Droaam forces there when the warforged mage begins to stare at the woman near the center of the car. It is only now the Druid notes Cedious is there (3 foot tall in a crowded dining car of mainly humans). “I think that halfling is charmed.”

“..and me trusty axe an’ blade will…eh?” and the dwarf and others look. “Heh- me thinks she could charm any male.” The dwarf licks his lips under his beard. The ½ elf looks. “Charmed under the influence of magic or something akin to it.”

This is when the druid notes the halfling isn’t moving. He is just staring at the woman as she eats her breakfast. A large warforged bodyguard stands beside her. The wait staff merely moves around him with scowls of annoyance. The druid also notes there are more Orien guards here than before. They seem all to watching the halfling and their table. Obviously House Orien is not impressed with them.

A guard can not take it anymore and goes to the halfling. He places his hand on his shoulder. “Move it Cannith. No need to be rude and stand heeerrrreee!!!!!” He begins to scream out and holds his hand as it were on fire. “Diseased! They are all diseased!” and he turns and runs out of the car.

The human mage speaks up. “He saw something that was not there. Maggots and beetles with dead pulsing flesh.”

“I grow bored with this. There is nothing to gain by continuing to watch him be enthralled.” The warforged mage makes a few gestures with his hand.

= = = = = = = = == = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = == = = = = = =

“I don’t believe in this. None of this can be real.”

“You halflings are soooo fearless. So much a challenge. A delicious challenge. Come to me my halfling.”
Says the skinless woman. “I need you- here and now.”

Despite his natural urges- “nope.” And he crosses his arms in defiance.

Her features twist and reshape then stop within mid motion. Her eyes are wide within the mess of flesh that is the woman. Slowly the darkness resides and before him is the woman looking at him with complete annoyance. He catches her in mid sentence about how impolite he is being just standing there. “Very well- sit down.”

Many people are staring including the Druid. Seems more real to him that before so he sits. “Here is my address in Korth.” And she slides the paper to him. “Whenever in Korth give me a call. We can pretend again.”

Pretend he wonders….about last night or just now? Cedious is completely confused and doesn’t like the feeling. He excuses himself and goes to the group. Since they have finished, they get up and Cedious follows them. He is not hungry and remains very confused. Before leaving, Black Sand makes a rude remark to the dwarf and his beard.

The dwarf freezes in mid push from the table. The ½ elf waves a finger and quietly mouths “no no and no”

 

[megamania]

I hope Northshire has it when I go tommorrow along with more Deathknell figures.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
04/09/05
SEGMENT 064
“RAIL WRECK” PT 15

Cedious moves ahead of everyone. He can feel the dragon shard in his pocket. It has to be the source of the illusions and nightmares. He takes the shard to the warforged Charger known as Bludgeon. He asks him to punch and destroy the shard.

“You are not a Cannith member. You have no authority to ask me to do anything.”

“Beth would’ve wanted you to do it.”

The warforged seems to be more of a statue than warforged bodyguard now.

“This is what lead the wraiths here to kill her. THIS is what killed her.”

The warforged stiffens up

= ceeediousss what are you doing? =

“Comon- one good ol’ thump by you. You can do it.”

= cedious! =

“Hee. I am right- comon Bludgeon. Give it a smack. If not for me then for Beth.”

The warforged looks down at the shard lying on the table.

= cedious …you silly halfling. You can not destroy me that way =

“Yes I can. Bludgeon- THIS- This is what controlled the wraiths. The wraiths are within this shard. They are safe here so long as the shard remains intact. They can not survive without it. You will have avenged Beth’s needless death. That is what the Cannith House would want.”

= ceeeediiiious the creature won’t do it. I control it now =

“DO IT!”

CRACK!

And Cedious breathes a sigh of relief. No more cursed jewels that plant nightmares or the such.



Or so he believes……DM evil laughter

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
04/09/05
SEGMENT 065
“RAIL WRECK” PT 16

“We are nearing Fort Zombie. What should we do?”

“Kill them” says the ½ giant barbarian.

Annoyed with this constant need for conflict, the human fighter Sharshek and the druid try to figure out their options. Even as the rail begins to slow down, a solid knock is heard at the door. Everyone looks at each other.

The Orien employee is demanding entrance again. The druid looks and sees this time has several guards top back him up. “Need help?” asks Black Sand.

“NO!” exclaims the druid knowing this would lead to bloodshed. He waits and hopes to avoid answering.

The rail stops and several guards are outside also. People are pointing at the heavily damaged rail car. There is a two-hour delay here which is not good. In that time a Cannith member should be found assuming there isn’t one waiting for them already.

“Open up we open it.”

“Use your key to open it” smiles and mocks the ½ Giant.

[DM NOTE: During a break I informed the player he was acting CE; not CN. He has decided that is fine so here we go …I have a CE player now. ]

The ½ elf bangs on the door. Demanding entry.

Sharshek notes the coming of MANY soldiers and a new Orien member dressed in almost military style clothes. He seems to have a powerful aura of authority about him. The druid doesn’t know he is coming.

“House Orien will strongly punish and fine House Cannith for this clear misuse of ….. sir.” The druid can just hear him. From trying to sound commanding, he now sounds like a child caught doing something wrong by the tribe leader. He concentrates but can not make it all out. There is a new person here with a great deal of influence over the employee. He does here how they are to be left alone.

“Left alone?” he whispers to himself.

The weak willed employee tries to explain the situation but the new commanding figure will hear nothing of it.

The group center into the main room of the car to discuss what is happening. Something is wrong. They were unsure what to expect but this is not it.

After 2 ½ hours the electric rail moves on again. Late.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
04/09/05
SEGMENT 066
“RAIL WRECK” PT 17

They are happy to see the high armored walls of Karrnath go by. They are officially within the lands of Talenta Plains. The thick forests give to plains and shrub lands. Many of the trees blend in with warmer climate vegetation. The druid wonders how long until he sees a dinosaur or something of that sort.

“It’s odd guys”

“What is odd” asks the fighter.

“We seem to be the only passengers on board now. They’re a few employees but not many. There are a few elves in the diner car and that’s it.”

“Really?” says the ½ giant with an evil smile.

[DM groans]

“This stinks of a set up.” Says Sharshek.

“Of the entire rail?” counters the other more docile ½ giant.

Sharshek crosses his arms but leaves his weapons readied.

A few hours go by. Black Sands and Cedious go into the diner car for food and drink. The others remain behind.

Black sands sits across from the elves. The elves speak in elven. Most of their faces are covered up. Only their eyes are exposed. They seem to be having a good time telling stories amongst each other.

Black sand nods to Cedious and winks. He gets up and goes over to them.

“You are in my seat.”

They ignore him and continue their story.

“I want my seat back.” He looks over to Cedious whom gives him a thumbs up. It is never boring with him around.

The ½ Giant gives a solid thump to an elf on his head. A sheathed scimitar strikes his leg. From another elf holding the weapon he hears “If you wish a fight, we will fight. If you wish a drink- ask the ugly wench.”

Cedious looks and sees the ½ orc bar maiden is in there. He hopes her tongue is really barbed.

In the Cannith car, the druid looks for anything useful. They find many potions of healing, and a few minor magical objects. Bludgeon is back in his bag. They fear what he has in mind by Black Sand wants him. Looking up Sharshek spots an airship following the rail. “Looks like company.”

The airship follows for several minutes. Nothing happens. Then it swings behind the rail.

“Get the two dummies. We’ll need them.”

Sharshek arrives in time to find two elves slain and the other two are holding their own again the rogue and the ½ giant. These elves are taken down quickly.

“What happened?” asks the fighter.

“They attacked us. I think they were here to finish off what the wraiths did not.” Answers Black Sand a bit too quickly.

“Why?” stammers the ½ orc. “Why did you do that?”

“Lady- everyone here is too die. The only ones here are we and a few members of the house. People wanted dead I believe.” He smirks as it registers with her. This means she is to die.

“Wha… what should I do?”

“Take the money and leave. We are about to be ambushed.” Says Sharshek.

She quickly gets the money and one bottle of strong drink and leaves the car. “What is it?” asks Cedious, as he looks for something useful on the bodies.

“An airship has been following us for the past few miles. It just moved into a boarding position.”

“Warforged?”

“I don’t know.”

Then suddenly the car jolts and shakes. It slows down and begins to crawl. Cedious looks out the windows and sees the waitress on a rope ladder. Her form morphs from the ½ orc to the Orien Commander to a Vampire named Garrow to the soldier he saw on the car a day ago. “Garrow? Alive?” he questions himself. Am I still seeing things?”

“No. Our cars have been disconnected from the main engine.”

They look outside and see the jungle-like forest is thick and an ideal location for an ambush. The druid and the others come down. “I saw halflings in the brush.”

“Halflings?”

“Wearing war paint.” The druid adds.

“Good. Have not killed one of those in a while.” Says Black sands with a smile while looking at Cedious.

“I will wake up and the entire trip was a bad dream except for the beautiful woman. Everything else is unreal.” Says Cedious as he checks out the conditions outside.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
04/16/05
SEGMENT 067
“INTERMISSION: IT’S A SMALL WORLD”

The soldier made his way to the market place to buy the fruit wanted by his commander. The commander was known only as Demise. She was not to be made angry and she was impatient at best. Her effects to locate a missing amulet believed to be part of a map to something called a schema had taken up nearly a year of her life now.

In this time she has fought Sharn authorities, thieves, goblins, things unnatural and of course- Warforged agents. She has lost nearly thirty men just to these constructs alone in the past three weeks while investigating the Cogs under Sharn.

She thought she had it when she came across five adventurers sent into the Cogs near where the amulet was divined to be. They did not see it and her powerful magic reassured her of it. It appears the adventurers did kill the last holder however. It disappeared very quickly after that. She was trying to find out if it was the cultists, fiends, aberrations or another new player to this scavenger hunt.

The warforged that follow the Lord of Blades are also searching for the amulet. They have been very persistent also.

The soldier picks up the requested food then spots the newest edition of the Korranberg Chronicle. The main title was- “Car #13 lost Vandalism or Terrorism? Remembering her interest in the car, he picks it up also. Perhaps it will please her.

Demise. She is an elven magic user and worshipper of death. She has cured and dried her skin to make it appear dead and withered. She calls it beautiful, the human soldiers keep their own thoughts to themselves -buried deep in memory so as not to be found with spells that allow for surface thoughts and lies to be detected.

Later- in her rented home within Sharn, she took the fruit and began to eat quickly dismissing the thoughtful soldier. She paces around the room for ten minutes. Her current problem to solve- How to locate the Amulet that acts as the map for the creation schema.

She then notices the paper. Normally she ignores such written garbage but the main piece takes place in Karrnath and mentions Electric Rail #13. Electric Rail #13 has the House Cannith car used for exploration duties by Cannith North. Her contacts within the house suggested there was a top secret mission coming up that involved the location of a secret unknown journal that spoke of ..the creation schema.

She snaps it firm to read the paper. Sara Silvergleam….. No one important she decides. Then she sees the name she has been searching for. Boddynoc. He is in Karrnath and going into the Talenta Plains. She curses in elven and throws the paper down.

The resurrected Garrow is in Korth. He desires their death over anything else. He will jeopardize the mission just to kill the entire party.

“I hope the paper was entertaining. It may be the last thought you take to your grave.”

She turns slowly and sees a large but nimble shape in the shadows of her open window. A warforged assassin!

This segment ends with a flick of a wrist and a spoken command from a magical ring.

 

[Cedious]

*waits till saturday*

*waits for our all powerful dm to kill the other halfling in the group that is not Cedious*

*prays to the gods, any god, a god that will grant his request*

*evil laugh*

whoa i think this sounds....mmmmm have i been here before with a gnome?

 

[silvertable81]

OMG not again!!!

Bloody Bastid, last time you did this to me, I DIED. All that hard work making Boddynoc survive, and you jinxed me. Now again?!?

Well, let's see how well it works for me, I've played Clerics, I've got better chances.


DIE ROGUE!!! Drop your stuff for me.