D&D 5E [IC] THE CURSE OF AMBERSTAR

[Neurotic]

Thulwar looks up at the creature, his machine moving between two of them.
"I came to find what catastrophy happened on the surface so terrible to threaten my own home. And this is the place it started. If you really know our hearts, you know we mean no harm. But we WILL defend ourselves from aggression."
He does not however stop working on securing the hole. Looking over the pit, he finds places where the pitons would be safe and places where careful application of acid would loosen the stone enough to be smashed.

OOC: Not sure what to roll for geology. Svirfneblin should know stone (but with more focus on gems than 'pure' stone like the dwarves). In addition, Thulwars job is to know difference between materials and their interractions. Thus: [roll0] <-- this is 20, should be +7 too (nature +4, investigation +7, perception +0) Persuasion is also +0 if needed for the creature

 

[JustinCase]

Ignoring the threatening figure for the moment, Aanzu ponders the birds' behaviour. It seems they are commanded by some form of magic, of a form forbidden in Sethmandu. His first impulse is to be outraged, but then the banished prince remembers that although this place is rather barbaric compared to the sophisticated Sethmandu culture, the people here have curious habits that work here, in a strange way.

Taking a careful step towards the two ravens that have landed, Aanzu tries to see what they are doing.

Are they... trying to get inside? Or are they trying to collapse the cave beneath?

OOC: Trying to fathom the birds' intentions. I guess an Insight check? [roll0]

 

[Greenmtn]

Harfik Human Monk

"We came to seek knowedge for the Duke. How to lift the curse on this land. He offers each of us our own reward. Mine is freedom. I ask you... Are you more free than I am? Does this freedom that I seek and fear exist or is being at peace with ones self the highest goal?"

 

[industrygothica]

Thinking it better to get away from this aggravating stranger for a minute, Lyllie turns her attention to Aanzu and the ravens for a moment--a far better recipient of her energies than whatever this thing was...

She walks up next to the dragonborn, her fiery temper already calming. "Maybe I can help?" she suggests. She holds out her staff with her left hand, and twists and crosses the fingers on her right in awkward, seemingly painful manner. Her eyes roll back in her head (a common theme with her, it seems) and she whispers something under her breath in a language that Aanzu wouldn't understand even if he could hear her.

Finally her eyes pop back into place and show a brief flash of bright green, their former color before cataclysm. She kneels down close to a raven. "What's up?" she asks simply.

OOC: Cast Speak with animals.

---

[B]AC:[/B] 16; [B]HP:[/B] [COLOR=#FF000]52[/COLOR]/52
[B]Initiative:[/B] +3
[B]Saves:[/B] INT +7, WIS +5
[B]Passive Perception:[/B] 15
[B]Languages:[/B] Common, Gnomish, Sylvan, Druidic
[B]Skills:[/B] Arcana +7, Investigation +7, Nature +7, Perception +5
[B]Stats:[/B] Str 8 (-1), Dex 14 (+2) , Con 14 (+2), Int 18 (+4), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 11 (+0)
[B]XP:[/B]14,075 / 23,000

-[B]Inspiration[/B]? [[COLOR=#FF0000]X[/COLOR]] Yes, [ ] No

[B]Spell Save DC:[/B] 13/15
[B]Spell Slots:[/B] 4, 4, 3, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
[B]Slots Used:[/B] 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
[B]Spells Prepared:[/B] (4/8) 
[list]
[*]1st Level: 1st Level: Healing Word (D), Entangle (D), Faerie Fire (D), Speak with Animals (D), Ray of Sickness, Color Spray, 
Mage Armor, Witch Bolt, False Life
[*]2nd Level: Blindness/Deafness, Ray of Enfeeblement, Misty Step
[/list](D) Druid Spells modified with Wisdom. All others are Wizard spells modified with Intelligence.

[B]Rituals[/B]
Tenser's Floating Disk, Find Familiar, Identify, Gentle Repose

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Kethra flies directly towards the source of the hum. If nothing happens, or it seems to move, she flies back to the middle of the group.

 

[Archon Basileus]

ICOSA

"Do you intend to attempt to keep us from our goals here?"

A low, soft laugh comes from inside the helmet, inside the illusion.

"That is the point, my friend. If I wanted to stop you, I wouldn't need to. In the end, you'll be stopping each other, you'll be stopping yourselves." - he pauses for a moment, pensive, before pointing out towards Icosa.

"What if I told you that, by reaching your objective, you'll foil all of the others'? What if, by uncovering your past, you make it impossible for the others to reach their own agendas? Would you still pursue it? Would you grasp it, bringind defeat to the others?"


HARFIK

"After all..." - he continues - "...are we not instruments of fate? Don't we all serve some cause? Maybe we just elude ourselves, thinking we have choice... Freedom."

"We came to seek knowedge for the Duke. How to lift the curse on this land. He offers each of us our own reward. Mine is freedom. I ask you... Are you more free than I am? Does this freedom that I seek and fear exist or is being at peace with ones self the highest goal?"

"Can you be at peace knowing that disobedience will end in your torture, your death, your destruction?" - he continues. "Can you be at peace if you act in servitude and you are commanded to torture, kill and destroy others, taking their peace away from them?"

"On the other hand, suppose your shackles are broken, slave. Would you have broken them, or would you simply be denying yourself your purpose? What if it is your role to serve? What if you can only be at peace while serving? Unless you are not at peace... Unless you seek freedom because servitude disturbs you, because you can't tolerate it. And even so, as you are, others are responsible for your actions. After all, they do not come from your will, but from theirs. What if this is the way to flee from the fear of being responsible for your own choices, for your crimes and virtues?"

He pauses for a moment.

"Maybe, in the end, freedom does not matter. For you are posed with a dilemma far worse than this. What if, at the end of your journey, you realize you are forced to become the slaver? What if your task is only complete when you deliver your companions, your masters, your equals, into a form of servitude a hundred times worse than any other you have ever known? Even worse, what if, by relinquishing your quest and your freedom, you deliver the decision of everyone's fate into selfish, destructive men? Will you destroy by your own hand, or serve the destroyers as their hand?" - he points towards Harfik, a mix of mockery and friendliness in his voice.

KETHRA


The guardswoman follows the noise as it hovers towards the others. As planned, she moves back, joining them, but she's still able to keep her attention at the noise's exact origin.

"See her, slave, as she comes down. Such an angelic feature" - the image mocks - "...and in flight she descends! Such unusual, ethereal beauty upon your skin and eyes. One might obsess about you for your qualities, no doubt. Your righteousness, your diligence, such perfection underneath cat-like grace... A shame your sister does not hold the same resilience. Down there, so vulnerable... Something even your lord overlooks. What if you could find a cure? How far would you go to make your sister stronger? Would you sacrifice yourself? Would you sacrifice someone else? A slave, a commoner... a Duke?"

YTTRIAN


Yttrian shakes away the hypnotic sensation with ease, breathing deep and looking towards the illusion. As his mind focuses once more, the twinkling image vanishes from his thoughts and, at second glance, can't be found again.

"We seek many things, for many reasons. Mostly, we seek knowledge as my companion has stated. But in the short term, we seek shelter from this storm."

"Oh, knowledge... That, that I can spare! But I think a man like you is far more intense than that. I envision you fighting for love, compassion... Maybe, closure... Or perhaps... Revenge.Tell me, elf, what if your path leads you to help your worst enemies and hurt your dearest friends, without even allowing you choice? What if the ultimate price of justice is an even greater injustice? Are you willing to risk it?"

LYLLIE

You can read minds, I bet. Can you read minds? Oh, I hope you can read minds! If you can, then read this!

'Hehehaha, feisty! Yes, petite, I can...' - his voice rings within Lyllie's mind as he speaks through the illusion, his speech and thoughts mismatched. 'Go on, alert the others! But before you do so... Realize I already uncovered how things unfold, for I already know who acts against this expedition even amidst your so-called allies. Will you grant a potential enemy such an advantage?' - his smiling thought steps aside to bring forth yet another flux. 'Besides... There are things that I might share with you... Things only you might understand. That paladin over there, for example, would never abide, but you... You know that certain losses can only be mended by taking risks... Big risks! Is it not... necromancer?'

He keeps on as Lyllie attempts the spell. Despite his rambling, she keeps her concentration almost effortlessly, and as he finishes his discourse, fully aware of her actions as his superficial thoughts denounce, the ravens are already talking to her.

"You face great danger! The blind await upwards to ambush you! They're immune to the storm! And so are the giants that climb down to hunt you, from their caves above! Someone has summoned them, and if the blind won't kill you, they'll certainly do so! The caves below are safe! Go to them!" - a feminine voice reaches Lyllie through means of the spell.

"Indeed, giants come from the mountains. The blind await! Many others live here... But should you trust the ravens? They, too, serve their own purposes... And who's to know what are they?" - the mental voice resounds once more.

"He is trying to fool you and your friends! Listen to him, for he tries to move you against each other!" - she persists. "We can help you, guide you! We will lead you to the Inner Sanctum!" - she continues.

"I warn you, forget her lies. My predictions are true, and your choices might cause even more pain and destruction... She serves a queen in the skies, the one who controls the tempests. She forces you down with magic and lies, for she needs you to accomplish your goals, no matter the cost! Think, think clearly, this is the game of gods, and we, poor mortals, are the victims, for they'll lie as they see fit, and we..." - he pauses once more, his thoughts showing some degree of compassion beneath the tough phrasing. "What if you can recover the lives that were lost, Lyllie? What if - for once - we mortals do not taste death and misery?"

AANZU


As the prince indulge in barbaric habits, he realizes what the movements mean. The disarray is, no doubt, a warning about the tempest, as well as something else. The beasts point towards the mists. Something hides in there, ready to attack as soon as the climb is done. He is sure of it. His warrior instincts remind him of many patrols through the desert, attacked as the sands rose in a storm, hiding barbarian bands led by shamans and sorcerers. they'd jump from the sand clouds and from inside the dunes, trying to damage the soldiers as they went. This might be the case here....

"Ah, the prince. Your quest is particularly intriguing. Do you wish to restore what was broken? Do you want to build something new? It matters not. Suppose that the object of your affections hangs in the balance of a huge conflict... And to have her you'd have to unleash the final days of your kingdom. Suppose the only way to restore your honor is to destroy what, for your honor, you've sworn to protect. Would you do it? How can honor be restored if the only course to restore it will ruin it forever?"


THULWAR

"As for you, little sage..." - he turns to Thulwar - "...I think we are most alike, you and I. Such curiosity, such thirst for knowledge. I wonder if you'd pay the same price I paid to... know. And even if you did, I wonder what you'd do with the knowledge you got." - as Thulwar creates supporting points for the ropes, the voice continues. "You are quite resourceful, indeed. Maybe you'll be the one to riddle me this: suppose you get the answers to your questions. Suppose you have uncovered the cause of your earthquakes. But suppose you'd have knowledge too dangerous for mortals to have; that you'd be a liability as long as you could think about such knowledge. Would you trade your freedom and remain here forever, only to... Only to know? Or, even worse, if the knowledge could be yours... In exchange of your life... Would you surrender it only to know? - he falls silent for a moment.
@JustinCase @Greenmtn @Shayuri @hafrogman @industrygothica @Charwoman Gene @Neurotic

 

[hafrogman]

Upset at the vanishing sparkle, the attack below, the weather and much that has occurred recently, Yttrian is in no mood to be preached at by whatever this person in. He scowls at the apparition's 'profound' statements. "I hear a lot of 'what ifs' and not much solid fact from you, phantom. Your words ring as hollow as your form. What if I told you that in standing before us, spouting your predictions, you only strengthen our resolve? There is always a choice, and so we will go to seek knowledge on our own, rather than accepting what you offer as the truth." He makes his move to continue up the path.

 

[Archon Basileus]

I hear a lot of 'what ifs' and not much solid fact from you, phantom. Your words ring as hollow as your form. What if I told you that in standing before us, spouting your predictions, you only strengthen our resolve? There is always a choice, and so we will go to seek knowledge on our own, rather than accepting what you offer as the truth.

"Suit yourself, Yttrian. I was being evasive for your own good. But since you won't take heed unless I am direct... Before this ends you will have the means to unleash your revenge upon Wellington for being made a slave in tender age. This is neither an empty promise nor a void guess. He sent you here for a purpose, one he'd not dare to share completely, so sensitive it is. In fact, his very life depends on it, and then again, not only his'. By destroying him, you'll take so many others along, for a Duke is more than a man, he is the very soul of his land... Wait and you'll find out in your own time how things are tied together... Just as I did." - he glances at the others, particularly at Kethra, studying their reactions to his allegations.

[Sorry, I just found it to be better to make this a separate post! I'll bind my time for the next ones!]

 

[Neurotic]

"Knowledge given is worthless. Knowledge discovered, understood and made by yourself is valued, powerful and leads to wisdom. Do not compare me to yourself. Yes, I'm curious. Yes, it can be dangerous. But the reward is worth it. Being given the knowledge...not so much. That's why I'm not a mage locked away in some library re-reading tomes someone else penned."
Thulwar answers calmly.
"In time, I can get to understand technology, like my machine here. In time, I may understand how artificial person can be made like Icosa and maybe you. But without discovering it, learning its limitations and advantages, one would be tempted to simply create an army of indefatigable soldiers. Much like some necromancer cult would try to do with undead. Worthless."

Changing focus toward the group
"Come on, pitons are ready. We can move out of this weather."

 

[JustinCase]

"Words are mere air," Aanzu mutters softly before shutting out the talking figure, ignoring it completely after that remark. It is currently no threat, and the dragonborn's warrior instincts now focus on danger.

"The King of Ravens descends," Aanzu tells his companions with some urgency. "Shelter must be quick."

With that, he strides to the cave opening, wanting to help get everyone inside.