Arc 3 - Glimmers in the Dark (Main Roleplay)

[Rain Yupa]

"Something I do want to bring up, before we settle on the matter completely," Revenge would say, speaking up. "We face two fronts. The Mind Flayers are largely an unknown variable, right? Their numbers, troop disposition, what-have-you. For all we know, they might have a gate equivalent of their own."

Looking to Ruin, Revenge would gesture towards his drawing with his index finger. "Is it safe to say that they bring over troops little by little, and not just... an entire brigade just like that?" He would snap his fingers with his left hand. "The longer we take to confront them, the slimmer our chances become."

He would turn toward the Goliath. "Kuori, you might not like to hear this, but do you think your people can wait a few days? I wish this was all happening closer, I really do. But I'm just concerned that if we do rescue them, that they'll be in jeopardy from the Arians almost right away. The Mind Flayers' forces are pretty much static as it is, unless they have an aforementioned gate. There's not much we can do about the Mind Flayers' numbers now - except, you know, by reducing them - but we can control the Arian forces to an extent by acting against them sooner. It doesn't even have to be a full-on assault, as to not risk ourselves any more than necessary, Just a mission of sabotage, to keep those down here stranded, then we can withdraw."

He'd look to the others. "Thoughts?"  

[Kowsauni]

Pomona

Pomona would chime in "Um? Is this your entire force, here, in this room? I just ask because the soldiers building the gates have at least 50 people with them. At least, that was how many heads I counted at the time."

Lady Lydia shakes her head. "I can safety get you into the Mindflayer citadel undetected. Getting you to these soldiers... I don't know if I have that ability. We would be doing that untested. That all being said, if these soldiers are planning on attacking the mindflayers, let them. Use the diversion to sneak your people to safety. Otherwise, I don't foresee you having the strength to accomplish either of these tasks on your own."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"Fully completed, and if the same size as Gladsdale's, and assuming it is just people going one way flow... 8 people per second or more(4 squares(opening) times 12 squares(double movement per round) divide by 6(seconds per round)." Ruin states to answer Revenge.

"So, unless if the Lostlight aren't as xenophobic as they seem and have some hidden friends down here that we can call on for help. I am not seeing a win here, no matter the choice. But, Lydia's has the benefit of being ordained by gods... I guess."  

[PupSage]

"I'd rather not send you ahead alone with us so far out. Especially if we are heading that way anyways. Popular opinion sounds like we sabotage the gate first. Honestly I feel we are damned either way, but ..."

The Goliath shakes an angry finger at the ceiling, "Deities don't give a damn about popular opinion, and we've got a Goddess that I've pledged to telling us to do the thing my heart wants, despite my brain telling me how stupid it is long term, and considering death is an option either way, I'm going to side with the Death Goddess on this one." She reaches into here pack, "Pomona, do you think that you could at least deliver a message for us?"

She will start writing:

Quote:

Ardath,

Some things have happened and our time table has moved up. I write to warn you that an army from the nation of Aria, guided by our sister Maukein has arrived in the Underdark and set up a portal to their homeland. I expect that they will soon flood this place. The Goddess is leading me to save our people from the Mindflayers, when we get them out of there, we may bring them to you unless another path presents itself. Do what you have to to stay safe.

I mentioned unlikely allies before. Not all of the denizens of the Underdark are hostile. We have allies. You could use each others help to survive. I will have them send a scout to the old mead hall to speak with you before you head back if you are open to their help. Judge them not by their race. I ask you this as a Cleric of the Goddess of exiles. These people are outcast among their own kinds. If you, and they, are open to negotiations, I hope that something can be worked out. The war is just beginning.

~Kuori

She will look up to Lydia. "Whoever will serve as the leader while you are away, or whoever you choose to pick, preferably somebody who can stealth well and negotiate. Can you have them go to the mead hall where me met Diedrich? Honestly a Deep Gnome wouldn't be a bad representative for them to see when they get there if you want to send him along.

Our people may need each other soon. It's best to extend the olive branch."  

[Kowsauni]

Pomona would first look for Lydia's approval, then respond to Kuori, "Um, ok! So... you don't want me to take your companion and scout ahead?"

Vivian looked a little disappointed at this development. It seemed she was looking forward to helping out on the mission.

At her request, Lydia gives Kuori a skeptical look. "This is a bold move to take. My experience with your people is that they're not the most understanding, especially with dealing with those who are usually their natural enemies."

Lydia lets out a sigh. "For those who live in the shadows, exposing one's self to the revealing light is a risky gambit indeed... however... I feel fate is indeed in play here. I will send my most skilled negotiator, which, is fortunately not Diedrich--he is more of a good luck charm. Perhaps an understanding between our two groups can be reached after all."

Diedrich suddenly realized he was being talked about. "Huh, oh, why thank you, M'lady, fer your fine compliment. I have always considered m'self lucky."

Pomona would take the letter from Kuori. "Well, if this is all you need, I can go deliver this right away. Don't worry, I'll only show your brother my human form." Pomona would then dash out the door and disappear into the dark.

Lydia would then address the rest of the group. "Well, it seems it has been settled then. Give, the word and I will begin showing you the way. "  

[PupSage]

"My people are also hardy and do what they must to survive. In the face of adversity they will do this. They may be slow to trust, they may try to segregate the groups at first out of fear, but in short order they will come around when push comes to shove."

She looks to her companions, "I'm as ready as I can be."

[Kow, I rolled a Monster Knowledge check last week, would Kuori know about the way Mindflayers breed and the risks that some of her people may have become corrupted?]  

[Mongooseh]

Valac shook out of his stupor, "Word!"  

[Rain Yupa]

"I only brought it up in case it wasn't considered," Revenge said to Kuori in response to her proclamation. "You know I wouldn't stand in the way of the will of a higher power."

With things settled, Revenge would nod. "Let me start getting suited up now then, so I can be ready to ride out." Revenge would take a large bite of bread, followed by a second. Food still in his mouth, he quickly chugged the glass of water to chase it before marching up the stairs to get his equipment.  

[Kowsauni]

Once everyone was ready, Lydia would depart with the the party. The one exception to this was Ilikan, (I forgot to mention this earlier) who chose instead to go Kuori's brother's camp. His mission after all was to get in contact with surviving goliaths and ascertain what assistance they needed from the surface. Despite the immense danger of the upcoming mission, Irene still insisted on coming along, as well as Vivian, who wished to fulfill her contract.

The party soon reaches the edge of the ruin city and plunges back into the darkness of the open caverns of the Underdark. However, it is not long until they reach a cavern wall, which Lydia passes through if it was not there at all. Lydia calls out out from within: “Fear not, it is an illusion. We will be passing through several of these on our journey. Also, I hope you are prepared to to climb, as there will be a lot of that as well.”

The next two and a half days of traveling were grueling; despite her size Lydia moved quickly and gracefully on her dainty spider legs. It was difficult to keep up with her. The party spent most their time traveling through narrow hidden caverns, some natural, some man made, that would start to abruptly descend or ascend at a moment's notice. Sometimes, they walked along the cavern walls or even the roof on ropes and ladders of spider silk. Rarely was the party out in the open and often the only source of light was Lydia's faerie fire which she used to guide the members without darkvision. Rest stops were brief and the party slept only long enough to regain their stamina. Lydia wouldn't even allow a campfire to be lit, much to Irene's chagrin. Occasionally, the party would run into other sentient denizens along the path, but they always seemed to know Lydia, who they would talk to in hushed tones before scurrying off. The one exception to this was when the group ended up surprising an Ettin who had taken up residence in one of the tunnels, but Lydia cast a spell on him that seemed to freeze him in time and she ushered the party quickly past him. Finally the party reached its destination.

High on a niche carved out in the cavern wall, the party could view the mindflayer citadel. It consisted of several buildings carved out of massive stalagmites that were so tall they connected to the ceiling. An eerie glow emanated from the oval windows in the stalagmites that lit up the surrounding area. Several hulking figures could be seen roaming the grounds and shambling along the massive wall surrounding the citadel. Behind the buildings was a large area that looked to be recently cleared. Holding pens holding hundreds, if not thousands of people, were constructed and arranged in a geometric pattern. Strange arcane patterns were traced on the ground that all seemed to lead to a focal point in the middle of the pens. Lydia pulled out a looking glass from her belongings and examined the city below. “Hmm, it seems Pomona's report was correct. Your people look unharmed. However, that is the largest summoning circle I have ever seen. I shudder to think what they plan to bring through with that—and I dare say your people might be one of the key components.”

Vivian would suddenly pipe up. “Let me go scout the city! I can turn invisible and see if I can find any clues on what they are up to!”

 

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Raising a wait finger to Vivian, and first, address Lydia. "Another devil to lead the UUF probably."

And then his adventurer allies. "I would prefer Vivian to go to offer an arrowless peace truce to The Exile. If the Gods are behind this, she maybe willing to step aside... And we just try to sneak in and start pulling people to safety or all out attck here." He would say, wanting their thoughts.  

[PupSage]

"You'd prefer that she fly back a multiple day journey, then go into the loving arms of the people that tortured and transformed her, and ask for a truce with a diehard loyalist?"

Kuori sighs, not even touching that or his other idea. "It may not be an infernal or abyssal threat necessarily. Mind Flayers have far worse relations."  

[Kowsauni]

Vivian seemed surprised by Kuori's words. "I...I was tortured? I mean I know they turned me into...whatever I am, but didn't know they tortured me. I guess its good in some ways that my memories are missing."


Lydia would chime in. "I stopped us here in case you wanted to get a good look of the citadel before we advanced. I can get you through the wall undetected, but after that it is up to you."  

[PupSage]

"We can try to be stealthy, but it isn't a huge strength of ours. Heavy Armor on two of us and a bloodthisty Barbarian. If we can mess up the arcane symbols on the way, all the better. It would be better is we could get in near the pens, but that is wishful thinking. We will likely see more Umberhulks and possibly Duegar working for the Mindflayers. We already know there are Demons and Devils involved, likely the Devils are controlled given that abyssal creatures are often found down here and those two groups never work together naturally.

In short, if a fight breaks out down there, we are going to be overrun and this will all have been for naught. Got that Valac? If you want to take a head, do it after we rescue the civilians."  

[Rain Yupa]

"Kuori, I apologize. That circle's giving me chills down my spine. You made the right call by coming here first," Revenge would say to her, though not taking his sights off of the scene below.

Studying what he saw, he sought to see if he could make heads or tails of it from here, or perhaps think of something to give them a tactical advantage based on the citadel's layout... maybe even concerning the pens themselves.

Quote:

Arcana (untrained but JoaT) +8 to make sense of the circle in case it's Arcana-based = 18 Arcana
Religion +11 to make sense of the circle in case it's Divine-based = 25 Religion
Dungeoneering +8 to look for something advantageous with the citadel's layout = 19 Dungeoneering
Thievery +1 to see if there's a way he can spot from here to release the prisoners rather than having Valac break down the wall = 20 Thievery (+3 more if you accept at this distance, Int or Wis would be better than Dex). Doors, hatches in the ground, obvious pulley system, etc.

 

[Kowsauni]

Seeing Revenge studying the city, Lydia passes the paladin her spyglass for a closer look.

As Revenge studies the circle, he can be certain there is a magical element to it. And those patterns, there is something eerily familiar about them, yet distant. Something forgotten... but then it stirs his blood, and then he sees it. Symbols of Asmodius cleverly interwoven into the designs. The circle is devilish in nature and it is not intended to summon. It is for resurrections! And, the way the cages are woven into the design, they are definitely part of the ritual.

The cages themselves look quite sturdy, but hastily built out of a dark metal material, with simple iron locks keeping them shut. Nothing remarkable or exploitable stands out on them.

As for the city, there are several dark places to dart to and from, but he knows most denizens down here have ways to see in the dark. Their best option looks to be to hug close to the walls or buildings to keep those overhead from seeing them, but it will definitely be a challenge to move around undetected. Still, Revenge thinks he sees the fastest way to get to the circle through the buildings.