The Selgaunt Campaign

[Artemis Blade]

Artemis is probably carrying the torso, likely handing it off to Cupric when necessary, and setting it down for combat.

While in the cylinder room, Artemis tries the rune combination for the two raised panels on the same wall as the tunnel from the painting. He will close either immediately if threatening creatures loom from the other side.

Assuming we haven't just come through one of those two, and assuming we have the correct combination of runes on our arms & torso.

 

[Xen]

Tal

"Indeed, I was thinking of some of the members of Dracon Row myself - Thissiken included," says Tal, in response to Tuggle. I understand the need for secrecy, but eventually we'll need a network in Selgaunt that we can rely on. Perhaps it is a bit premature at the present moment...."

"Actually, now that I think of it, Dracon Row may be just the place we want to be headquartered in. It's Dangerous enough that folks don't seem to want to loiter their, and it could be quite well protected. Hmmm.... I'll think on this some more."

"So, which door will it be, Arty?" Asks Tal, with a hint of a smile.

 

[haiiro]

Back in the cylinder room

OOC: This one requires a new map, which is posted here: cylinder room map.

I numbered the doors for easy reference -- here are the ones you know about so far:

4 - Malkas Lockmyre's "prison"
5 - The stone flyers opened this one to release the flood
6 - The ooze room (with the levitating discs up to the mosaic room, etc.)
7 - The, uh, poop room, where Malkas and co. did their business for years
10 - Opens into the curving hallway that leads down to the muster room

You just entered the cylinder room through door #10.

After establishing that the room is empty, Artemis sloshes his way to the wall where the tunnel enters the cylinder room. Twisting and turning the torso in his arms, he finds that although two of the runes needed to activate those doors appear on the partly-assembled golem, the third one for each panel isn't present.

The Follies chat amongst themselves (and keep an eye out for threats) while Artemis checks the rest of the panels in the room.

All told, the torso/arm combination has the runes required to open seven door-panels -- four the Follies have been through, one you've seen through (the flood room), and two new doors. (OOC: You have the runes for doors 4-10.)

Sticking with his earlier plan, Artemis tries the two new doors. The other Follies fan out around him at a safe distance, hands near their their weapons.

The panel in the far right corner rumbles upwards, shaking off the dust of centuries long past, and reveals a familiar sight from a new angle: the room full of spears. It looks as it did two rides ago, when you saw it from the other side after the battle in the hatchery, along the Starbound River. The faint smell of ancient mold and rot wafts out, and the heads of the Netherese spears gleam brightly in your torchlight. (OOC: This is door #8.)

After closing this panel, Artemis then opens the one directly to the left of it. This one slides up with a grind of stone against stone to reveal a blank wall. Then the runes on the golem -- two on the torso, one on the arm -- flash again, and a pinkish oil slick forms on the wall: a portal. (OOC: This is door #9.)

Touching the runes again, Artemis slides the second panel shut. As it splashes into place, he hears a sharp click from deep within the torso -- and the whole thing begins tugging gently towards the opposite wall. The sensation is exactly the same as when the arm was "dowsing" for its mismatched companion, only much stronger.

Turning in place, Artemis lets himself go with the pull, and winds up standing in front of the door through which the stone flyers made their escape. The golem's body is tugging so strongly that the arm actually taps up against the stone before Artemis can pull it back.

Then the fingers extend fully and shudder a little, as if longing for whatever is beyond the door.

OOC: I didn't want to assume that you would open the door that the stone flyers fled through (#5), given the circumstances; you do have the runes for it.

Sorry for the brief hiatus -- what would you like to do?

 

[Artemis Blade]

Artemis reopens the portal door (Door #9) and examines the portal closely.
Do we get any clues of what's on the other side? Most of the portals in this complex have been see-through so far.

Barring interesting things happening with door #9, Artemis heads back to door #5 and prepares to open it. "I think there may be more construct body parts behind this door, but we should be careful if we decide to proceed."
If nobody has any immediate objections, Artemis will open this door, dropping the torso and equipping Elmendia at the first sign of trouble.

 

[Xen]

Tal

"Well, the water's a nice touch."

Seeing as how Artemis has the key, Tal follows him around the room.

Motioning to the oily slick of a portal, Tal asks: "Should I poke my head through?"



OOC: If Atry opens up the door that the golum wants to go through, Tal draws wis weapon and provides backup.

 

[Xen]

Marduke


OOC: Marduke will check out the portal. Does it differ in any way frlom your run o' the mill portal? If not, does his portal knowledge tell him if it's allright for Tal to stick his head through? He'll announce his thoughts on the matter to the group.

 

[haiiro]

Tugging the arm away from the stone flyers' door, Artemis presses the runes that re-open the panel beside the pedestal (#9). Once again, the stone door slides up with a grumble, and after the runes flash again the portal appears on the wall.

As before, it looks like a slick of pink-purple lamp oil spread over water. It sheds no light of its own, and it is completely opaque -- Artemis cannot make out anything on the other side.

Marduke splashes his way over to the portal and begins examining it closely, idly scratching the blade of his urgrosh against his beard. After a minute or so has passed, he grunts, "Looks good to me. Seems it's working like it should, but I can't tell if it's safe or not."

Artemis nods and heads back to the other panel, holding the torso tightly as it pulls in the same direction. After looking back to see if there are any objections, he raises the door that the stone flyers fled through after your first encounter with them (#5).

This portal leads to a rocky mountain valley. It is night time there, and quite cold -- a chill wind blows through the doorway, rippling the murky water at your feet. Th air is clear and crisp, and the sky shines with countless stars.

The valley itself is narrow and its walls are quite steep, though they look climbable. The far end -- only about a hundred feet away -- is higher than the doorway, and a trickle of water runs through the center of the valley. You can hear running water some distance away, perhaps just beyond the other end of the valley.

Scattered silver coins litter the valley floor -- and some of them are half-buried in the rock itself. Starlight glints off of the coins, making them stand out against the dark rock of the mountains around you.

Apart from the ripples on the little stream, nothing moves in the valley. Another icy breeze blows past you, carrying the faint smell of woodsmoke.

The arm Artemis is holding, however, makes a sudden, strong tug forwards -- the fingers reaching almost plaintively towards the center of the valley.

OOC: Marduke's Knowledge (the planes) check: [14]+10 = 24.

 

[Artemis Blade]

Artemis holds the arm back for now, but is prepared to go through to the other side. "Does the terrain on the other side of this portal look familiar to anyone? I would assume this is probably a two-way portal, since part of the construct I'm holding is on both sides of this doorway."

 

[Xen]

Tal

"Nothing I've seen before," says Tal. "Though, anywhere that's paved with silver coins seems like a dangerous place to be. Could it be some kind of lure? I suppose the smell of wood smoke is a fairly good sign."

 

[Xen]

Marduke

"Well, before we jump through into strange places, let me see whats on the other side of this slick of a portal, heh" says Marduke with a little grunt.


OOC: Assuming he believes it is a safe action, Marduke will poke his head throug the oil slick portal, and check things out, but will not go all th way through.