Aftermath of the Celestial War [4e] (Everyone)

[Evilhalfling]

One year after the Celestial War, involving the death Bahamut and Lolth, you gather, to discuss further complications

Elithiel the Luminous:[sblock] Pelor has sent you a prophetic dream, that soon there will be a breach between planes and that if it is not sealed, it will cause great calamity. Most of the dream has faded but you still remember ”a thousand stand ready, your world will never be the same.”
You discovered that an elderin wizard and several drow were already studying it. You have called in the two greatest heroes of the celestial wars – Dunn and Kazin Gregari, and asked them to meet with you. [/sblock]
Kanriel Starlight [sblock] You arcanascope has helped you to pinpoint a new planar instability, A new conduit between the planes has come into existence at the site of the Spider queens death. You were studying it when you received a message from the patriarch of Pelor, he needed your help again. Your study of planes recommends sending only a few people of great strength. Your ally Olathem Mirk begged off, saying that he lacked the strength to accompany you into such peril. You called in your old ally the Morgrim who leads the feywild gnomish armies. You used a portal to the prime to visit the patriarch. [/sblock]
Morgrim: [sblock] an old adventuring companion, retired for decades, asked for your help regarding an expedition against the drow. You suggested bringing in Aridha the White Tiger.[/sblock]
Aridha [sblock] the renown dwarvish general Morgrim recommended you.
The site identified roughly is the Drow city of Eridul-Chul. Its nearest neighbor on the surface is the city of Berghost. (OOC: if you have d2 Vault of the Drow, it’s the same city, if not make up or ask for additional details.) Its likely you have been there before, sometime within the last 20 years. The ‘egg of lolth’ is the cities most sacred site, accessible only through the nobles part of the city.
[/sblock]
Kazin Gregari, [sblock] what is your official relationship to the military? You can obtain any non-magical equipment through official or unofficial channels, at no cost. You can get the same for your companions if you need it. [/sblock]
Dunn Halfaxe [sblock] You had retired. Its convenient that you still had your gear, and not yet invested your share of the spoils into civilian life. Your probably hoping not to Die this time – how many times has it been now? [/sblock]
The six of you are meeting in the temple of Pelor. In a room chosen by Elithiel, to discuss the investigation of the death site of the Drow Goddess.
It is inconveniently several hundred miles away and deep within the earth.

OOC: chose a color to speak in, Edit- describe and introduce yourself for those you have not met, and feel free to catchup with those you have.
Im working on a "Yes, and...." style of Dming, so make up whatever details or resources you need.

 

[Annalist]

It was a few hours past dawn. Elithiel quietly studied the assembled group that he had gathered together. There, underneath the sunlit trees of the Orangery, he stood before them ready to ask for their help.

"Welcome to the Cathedral of Light," he began. "You may be wondering why I have called you all here. As you know, within the past year a great war in the heavens was waged. And its aftereffects are still being felt to this day. In fact, ill omens pertaining to the dark Spider Queen are manifesting even now."

Elithiel nodded in recognition to the Eladrin Wizard who had also run across these signs in his studies. "From what Kanriel and I have been able to piece together, the planar fabric at the physical site of Lloth's death has been compromised. And to such a degree that a rupture is imminent. If such a breach should occur..." the Patriarch trailed off momentarily, then continued, "Well, I'm sure you could imagine the devastation that would be unleashed onto our world. The Spider Queen's domain lies within the Abyss, so this planar tear would have the greatest probability of leading there."

He fell silent, allowing the others some time to digest the dire news. But he could see it clearly on all of their faces. An open portal to the Abyss must not be allowed at any cost. The number of lives lost from an invasion of demons would be incalculable.

 

[Shayuri]

Old gods don't rest easy.

The old aphorism had been weighing on Aridha's mind of late. Even wrapped in the beauty of the Vale by moonlight, with its brook splashing merrily down the mossy rocks and into the pool named for Sehanine, who's silvery reflection now danced on its surface. If the old gods, now long dead, still stirred from time to time, how much more lively would the new ones be?

She suspected that no god died without consequence. It troubled her.

Bare feet on the soft grass made no sound, but her pointed ears pricked anyway. A visitor to the Vale's grove. Another one, that is. She was aware of Ratheros dripping to the ground behind the newcomer, as silent as a ghost. The tiger had adapted well to the woods, Aridha reflected. She prowled on branches like a leopard now, and had taken a liking to pouncing from above.

"A message, my lady," came the voice from behind. One of the Corellon elves, of course. The plainsfolk had all retreated back to the south and east. All but her.

Aridha raised her voice only a little. "Ratheros, come."

She heard the elf messenger suck in a startled breath as the white tiger's bulk breezed soundlessly past him. Ratheros had also discovered that she enjoyed sneaking up on people. She was still a kitten at heart. Until claws were bared, at least.

After a moment, the messenger said, "You are summoned. Emissaries from the dwarfs are in the great hall, and ask to speak to you. They bear the standard of General Morgrim."

Aridha finally turned her head and shoulders to glance back at the elf messenger as Ratheros padded to her side and rested her whiskered head across her legs. "The dwarflord Morgrim?" she asked, genuinely taken by surprise. "What does he want with me?"

"They said they would give their message only to you," the young elf lad said...to his credit without stammering.

Curiosity raged with pride in Aridha's heart as she turned this new wrinkle around. Morgrim was famous; a hero of the God War. But the elves and dwarfs each had their own stakes in the wars and had rarely, if ever, fought side by side. Why her? Why now? She wanted to know, but it wouldn't do to simply jump to, placing herself at his disposal.

"Tell them I will come as soon as I can spare a moment for them," Aridha instructed. Then she smirked a little. "Offer them drinks in the meantime."

The messenger nodded and strode out.

Ratheros tensed slightly as she watched him go, her natural instinct to give chase rippling through her muscles for a moment.

Aridha scratched between the tiger's ears absently, thinking about her next move. Finally she got up and went to her apartment to fetch her gear. She'd not appear before the dwarfs in anything less than full regalia. Ratheros yawned, thought about it, then got up and trotted afterwards.

----
At the Cathedral of Light...

Aridha sat under one of the trees a bit off to one side, though well within the range of Elithiel's gifted speaking voice. She was a strange looking one, for an elf. Her skin was deeply tanned and her hair bushy and tawny, almost leonine. Her eyes had the shade and clarity of fresh honey. Across her left cheek was a jagged pinwheel tattoo. She was dressed in little more than a leather jerkin and thigh-length skirt, crafted by hand from the hide of some fey beast by the looks of it. Around her shoulders was gathered a well-worn dun cloak that only came down to the backs of her knees, and the hem of which was tattered and frayed. Her boots were sturdy though with all the lacing that wrapped around her legs they looked like they'd be a pain to get on or off. At her side was an oddly made short sword with a curved blade that got thicker towards the pointed tip. It was thrust through a loop on her belt, but had no scabbard or sheathe.

At Aridha's side, sprawled lazily in the grass was a large white tiger. She absently stroked its flank as she listened, and its purr was a deep, rumbling noise. As Elithiel finished, the tiger grabbed Aridha's hand between its paws and started playfully gnawing on it. The elf's lips quirked in a little smile.

Morgrim had suggested including her in this counsel. She'd been a warrior among the elves when they'd fought at Berghost then through the underground warrens of the drow to the very gates of Eridul-Chul itself. Before the war of the heavens she'd earned a reputation as a bounty hunter in human lands and earned a number of increasingly outlandish rumors about her, as well as the nickname "the White Tiger," based on the fiction that she was a lycanthrope.

Now she spoke; her voice was a clear alto, with little if any of the 'musical' accent that many elves had.

"How have the drow reacted to this? Do we know their movements?"

 

[EvolutionKB]

In the feywild:

Morgrim stood aside his king, and it was a strange site for many at first glance. A gnome, wizened and robed sat upon a throne of twisted trees branches. Several other gnomes stood around him, clad in leathers, wielding some small blades, others held hooked hammers. Morgrim stood out from the bunch, one because he was not a gnome. He was a dwarf, and was as broad as two of the gnomes side by side. He wore sturdy chainmail, it was steel, but had bits of something else mixed in, something with a dull black color. Two heavy hammers hung from his belt, spiked on the reverse ends made them more balanced. Another handle poked above his right shoulder, seeming to be another hammer. The dark cloak around his shoulders shimmered and it seemed like the dwarf was no longer there for a fraction of a second.

"Next," the gnomish king said, waving two haggling merchants out. An eladrin stepped into the room, and Morgrim smiled through his heavy black beard. The king nodded as well, noting his bodyguard's acceptance.

"I am here to speak to Morgrim," the fey wizard said without much inflection. The king motioned the eladrin on. "A breach to the Abyss has been found, if not taken of, could be devastating to our world. I am here to pull you away from your duty for a while."

The very serious eladrin continued on in some greater detail, but in the end Morgrim was released from his duties on a temporary basis. Morgrim knew of somebody else that could help, and thus sent several messengers back to the Prime in search for a certain elf that he had employed during their fighting with the fomorians several years ago.

In the temple...

Morgrim stood, arms crossed over his broad chest. The trees were different here than in the Feywild. He'd been in the Feywild so long, that this natural world seemed wrong. "Is there a way to stop the tear from occurring in the city? Or does our destination lie in the Abyss itself?"

 

[Annalist]

The tall, blond-haired Patriarch began pacing. It was an unconscious habit that he had acquired, a holdover from his days lecturing aspiring young acolytes. With his white and gold robes swishing behind him, he turned to address the questions being asked.

"How have the drow reacted to this? Do we know their movements?"

"Unfortunately, the Drow's current actions are occluded from divination. Their goddess' death resonance has created an area impenetrable to scrying. At least to any that I'm capable of utilizing. We would need someone to go there directly to collect any intelligence."

"Is there a way to stop the tear from occurring in the city? Or does our destination lie in the Abyss itself?"

"Kanriel is better versed in intra-planar matters than I, so he should probably field this question. But I do believe there's a chance to prevent or repair a rift from either side. Or at least I pray that that's so. Traveling to the Abyss is something to be avoided if possible."

 

[EvolutionKB]

"Good, I don't wanna go there either." The dwarf sits on a stump, one carved into a small seat. "Are the drow our only expected type of resistance?"

 

[Annalist]

Elithiel stroked his chin, a look of uncertainty marring his otherwise ageless facial features. Dropping his delicate, well-manicured hand back down to his side, he replied, "To reach our destination, we will have to travel deep within the earth to the Underdark." He let that somber fact sink in before continuing. "And I believe that Aridha," he motioned to the elven girl, "has the most experience among us regarding the location. She may know best what we should expect. But it would be wise to be prepared for anything. The Underdark is home to many creatures such as the Aboleths and Illithids. However, I am quite certain that the Drow will be our main concern."

 

[Shayuri]

On hearing her name, Aridha nods and says, "The way to Eridul-Chul is not easy. The Underdark is by turns huge caverns with natural obstacles, and a rats nest maze of passages. Even without the drow, we'll be constantly set upon by monsters of the deep. By this time the fall of Lolth and Eridul-Chul will be known throughout, and I've no doubt the other major races of the Underdark will be sending armies to loot what's left."

 

[EvolutionKB]

Morgrim

"I've been in the feywild too long. It might be good to have several miles of stone above my head again." The dwarf places his hands on the handles of the hammers on his belt. "It'd be nice to have these beauties see some action again too."

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Kanriel, avoided speaking for a long time. He kept to himself, listening, and studying the sparks of lightning he was making jump between his fingertips.
"The drow will remain a problem as long as they exist. Even without their mother, they seek to defeat all of elven blood," he somberly noted.

"Whatever is happening will require our physical presence to understand. The instability is a true novelty and we will have to experience it firsthand."