Up, up, and away! That is, if Zhegre goes along with it.
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Fri, 2007-03-02 22:44
#403
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Fri, 2007-03-02 22:46
#404
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
I do indeed -- let's get out of here!
Sat, 2007-03-03 15:42
#405
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
M'rek
Sensing that it would not be easy to cast in this muck, M'rek clambers up Kadar's shoulders and casts from there...seating astride the big man's neck. As he shrinks, Kadar can throw him...
Will gravity become oriented towards the floor once he passes the centre of the room M'rek wonders? If so, he is prepared to tumble to avoid any damage:
Tumble check:
15 Bonus for to do
I rolled 1d20+15, the result is 17.
Sat, 2007-03-03 17:19
#406
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
M`rek bangs into the door leaving a sizeable dent in the rotted wood and just able to cling to the door way. Baba and Zhegre float up moments later.
Sat, 2007-03-03 17:56
#407
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
"Careful not to make holes," says Zhegre, "we probably want to be able to close it behind us, to keep this room sealed off."
Someone who got there first is probably trying the knob, if there is one... or attempting to push it open, if there isn't. If it's locked, I suppose that's what rogues do best... if all other options fail, he thinks, he might suggest using his sickle to carve the rotted wood away from the lock and open the rest of the door, then close it and try to cast Mending to seal the pieces together again. But hopefully one of the simpler methods will work.
Sun, 2007-03-04 09:07
#408
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Just to get this straight:
How is gravuty here at the door? Is it still pointing at Kadar? Or some other direction?
Anyway, M'rek will turn to his two floating friends with a smiling goop stained face and says:
That way is much better, but less fun! Baba, can you please hold me in place so that I can check the door? I think it is rotten anyway, but it might be trapped, these old temples frequently were, to hear from the stories from my people...(and turning to the Dwarf)...Here you go...can you hold this rope for me and try to secure it somewhere? I'm afraid it wont be easy, but if worst comes to worst I can probably shrink them too so we can hauld them up... Be careful, it will grow in dize as soon as it leaves my hands...There you go...
Checks the door searching for traps and also to see if it will lead onto another room or open into the plane of ooze...how rotten is the wood?
If the door has a lock and it is locked? I guess one check will suffice for this, here goes:
PS: The first time I posted the check did not show up, then I edited and TWO checks showed up...please consider only the first one (convenient, I know, but also true...)
12 Bonus for to do
I rolled 1d20+12, the result is 29.
I rolled 1d20+12, the result is 17.
Sun, 2007-03-04 14:01
#409
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Gravity is about the same here, although possibly a little weaker. The door is untrapped and seems to be barely holding together. The door knob is locked, but the effort of checking it is enough to wrench it from the rotted wood, revealing a hole leading to the darkened room beyond. The door seems stuck by the Ooze, but given how weak it is, it should be a simple matter to force it open.
Sun, 2007-03-04 14:57
#410
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
M'rek
What can be seen in the room beyond? M'rek does have dark vision. Is the hole on the door big enough for the now Tiny M'rek go through?
If so, and if we do not get any luck anchoring the rope on this side, M'rek will see if there is better luck on the other...
Sun, 2007-03-04 14:58
#411
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
"I'll take that," says Zhegre, and takes the knob bit. "Once everyone is through I will patch back together with door so we do not leave hole behind us for ooze to follow. Okay, gently now, this door looks like it would come apart at an unkind word..."
{Zhegre's intent at this point is to do exactly that: hopefully we manage to get the door open without serious harm to it, everyone flies through, he comes through last, closes it again, puts the knob bit in place and casts Mending. After that we can see what's in the next room over here. If the door's a portal, he hasno way of telling. If not, and the door does come apart too far for Mending to do anything about and the ooze starts piling into the next room, well, we'll just have to run again. One step at a time.}
Sun, 2007-03-04 15:08
#412
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
M'rek
OOC:
Do we have fly spells for all? If not and the rope thing does not work, M'rek can shrink the others so theat the flyers can carry them...
But we still need to know if we can anchor the rope...
How is the situation in the room bellow? OOze by the chest? Neck?
Sun, 2007-03-04 15:25
#413
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Kadar treads ooze and watches the goings on above with some level of anxiety.
1 Bonus for to do
I rolled 1d20+1, the result is 18.
Sun, 2007-03-04 20:55
#414
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
The room beyound is stone and seems un-oozed that's about all you can tell from your vantage point. There seems to be precious little to anchor the rope to, you may have to just hold it.
Kadar and Linji continue to float on the muck, which is now too deep to stand in, but it is tricky and looks rather dangerous.
Sun, 2007-03-04 22:29
#415
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Have we safely gotten the door open then? If so, Zhegre will try to brace against the doorframe -- possibly just sitting down on it -- and help the ones below up, lowering the rope still attached to his wrist to help folks scramble up and over.
Mon, 2007-03-05 09:09
#416
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Like Kadar, Linji continues to attempt to float on the rising surface of ooze, watching the delightfully bizarre events of the floor-cieling/cieling-floor.
He does bellow out to Kadar, sensing his friend's anxiety:
"Last one up-down is a Linji!"
(OOC: I guess another balance check? If so, Linji will take 10 -as he isn't really being distracted by anything so far, and thus gets a 22 -hopefully good enough to float on top of ooze.)
Mon, 2007-03-05 09:38
#417
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
M´rek
If the door is not open yet M´rek wil describe what he has seen through the hole, and sugest:
We better hurry! Can you hold them up, Zhegre? I can help, but not much, specially small like this. If we had a spike or something we could try to anchor the rope on the stone ahead, or we can use magic to glue the rope or create a hook in the stone...also I can reduce them, but would have to "borrow" some magic from Baba...so what you say, Baba? Can you float them up, or we do something else?
OOC- I guess we need wait for Oberoni now...unless Zhegre manages to hold the rope for Lingi to climb up and then for Kadar..here goes my attempt to help Zhegre hold the rope, need a 10 to add + 2 to his check:
0 Bonus for to do
I rolled 1d20+0, the result is 12.
Mon, 2007-03-05 09:38
#418
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
M´rek
If the door is not open yet M´rek wil describe what he has seen through the hole, and sugest:
"We better hurry! Can you hold them up, Zhegre? I can help, but not much, specially small like this. If we had a spike or something we could try to anchor the rope on the stone ahead, or we can use magic to glue the rope or create a hook in the stone...also I can reduce them, but would have to "borrow" some magic from Baba...so what you say, Baba? Can you float them up, or we do something else?"
OOC- I guess we need wait for Oberoni now...unless Zhegre manages to hold the rope for Lingi to climb up and then for Kadar..here goes my attempt to help Zhegre hold the rope, need a 10 to add + 2 to his check:
0 Bonus for to do
I rolled 1d20+0, the result is 9.
Fri, 2007-03-09 02:45
#419
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
After much struggling, you are able to get everyone safely up and through the door and out into a smaller room that looks like it could be some sort of antechamber or perhaps the inner sanctum. The room is much smaller than the previous one and seems clear of ooze. The marble pillars found throughout the room are chipped and broken in places but look like they must have once been truly beautiful. The decapitated statue of a beautiful but anonymous godess lies in pieces on the "floor" where it must have fallen. Beyond the statue lies a closed door that looks like it has not been opened ina very long time. Every aspect of the room is dusty and still with the passage of time, and it seems as if no one has stepped foot in here for years, perhaps even decades. That's when you hear a cough.
The cough is weak and sickly, and man who steps out from behind a pillar to greet you is equally weak and sickly. He looks human, but given his advanced age and the shapless gray robe he is wearing, it is rather hard to tell. His face is wrinkled and lined and his unkempt hair and beard are so gray they are nearly white. He squints at you through shrewd but obviously myopic eyes for a moment before giving a derisive snort which causes him to cough again. Finaly he speaks in the kind crotchety old-man voice that only people who have spent the last two decades with crippling arthritis have any claim to, "Eh, yer late! Typical, you young berks couldn't get nowhere on time if ye lived there!" He seems about to launch into a rant about kids these days, but it is cut off by another burst of coughing.
Fri, 2007-03-09 06:40
#420
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Kadar puts on as plesant a smile as he can manage
"Hello sir, given that you've been expecting us I'll leap to the conclusion that you have something to do with us being sent through a one-way portal to Ooze. I'm really rather piked off about that at the moment and while I'm quite sure you're one of the Dark 8 or some-such in disguise given that defenceless old men rarely live unsupplied in sunken ruins on a god forsaken plane I'd rather like to know WHAT IN BAATOR IS GOING ON!"
Clearly being half drowned in muck is starting to wear his patience thin.
Fri, 2007-03-09 08:52
#421
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Perhaps due to his time in the realm of infinite possibilities, and its consequent learning that surprises are contigent upon expectations of predictability (and in the absence of such, surprise both loses and gains its luster), Linji does see anything "out of the ordinary" about finding an old man in the room waiting for them.
Instead, Linji is amazed and fascinated by profound wisdom of the man's words. Linji walks over and then sits down in the position of a githzerai student about to recieve enlightenment from a sensei, all the while pondering the concept of "living on time" as opposed to being lived on by time, or under time, in comparison to in-time, or out-of-time...
Despite his half-muttered musings, Linji sits staring at the old man with rapt attention, fully expecting a lecture of some kind.
Fri, 2007-03-09 11:27
#422
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Oddly enough, Zhegre takes the old man's presence as a comforting reassurance of the basic pattern of things. That an intelligent agent appears to have been behind a collection of disparate incidents is a much more satisfying explanation than a confluence of events that would easily have strained the bounds of probability.
Also, it means he hadn't really been likely to drown in sewage. That's good. Priests like to think there's someone watching out for them.
Since one ought to respect the elderly, before doing anything else Zhegre first bows politely in dwarven fashion. He saves his curiosity about the former deity of the apparent temple, and waits for an answer to Kadar's question.
He also briefly navigates the social structure underlying the respective obligations of guests and hosts (Rodinans would typically offer a small gift upon arrival, but on the other hand being kidnapped doesn't give you much time to prepare; anyway, being offered a bath would have been very handy). How not to be an impertinent guest while bringing up a quite valid objection to the manner of their abduction? Ahah...
"Yes, I trust the unusual method of our inwitation was pressed on you by restrictive circumstances. Perhaps we can assist."
Fri, 2007-03-09 15:57
#423
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
The man seems to ingore your words for the most part and talks about what he wants to talk about, "Ye're from the Outer Planes, right? Sigil, prob'ly. Let's see. we have the requisite wise man who plays the fool, the fool who plays the wise man, the man of great faith, the seeker of truth, and the unwitting servant of evil. But which is which, and where's the exemplar? There's always an exemplar. No matter. You have come here through a fluke of fate, but you have arrived at a time that must have been destined. There's a war that must be waged and a battle that must be joined. The Planes're dying, and there's something you must do."
Fri, 2007-03-09 18:37
#424
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Zhegre stops jumping to conclusions and patiently lets the man speak. Presumably "The Planes are dying" has something to do with the dead-magic zone people have been worried about, although for all he knows the fellow could just be a Doomguard.
. o O ("Unwitting servant of evil"? Is he trying to make us suspect one another? Well, if 'tis unwitting, then the servant is blameless, as the real moment of choice has not yet come for whoever it is, so evil has yet to fully lay claim to their service. He might be wrong, too -- there are insightful prophets who sound like barmies, and barmies who sound like prophets.)
. o O (And con men. Well. Let us hear his piece and weigh the evidence. If we have been brought to do something, then so be it.)
Fri, 2007-03-09 19:15
#425
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Feeling the rhythm of the cadence in all this Kadar swallows his irritation (and possibly a bit of something unmentionable) and responds to the old man,
"We are as we are and there is no other way we could be. Now I, and I think I speak for everyone on this, would like to know what you mean about the planes dying. We all have something of a vested interest in this."
Fri, 2007-03-09 20:53
#426
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
M'rek
M'Rek (tiny M'rek) regards the old man with ambiguity, torn between his deep respect of all Nathry for wise authority figures and his mistrust for strangers, especially those involved with him being thrown in Ooze.
Since everyone seems to be willing to at least let the old man explain himself, M'rek bides his time, but he is not amused as he asks somewhat tersely:
"And who might you be then old sir? a fool, the exemplar or the unwitting servant of evil? Perhaps the Prophet himself? Please explain this whole mess, this thing about the dying of the multiverse and, if you will be so kind, the need for our meeting in these awkward surroundings"
...as he speaks he will move within striking distance, just in case...
Fri, 2007-03-09 22:11
#427
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
The man continues undaunted"Th' Spirelight -- the big dead magic zone around the Spire -- is expanding, growing. In no more'n a month, all of the Outlands will be starved of magic, and then the Spirelight'll spread across the Astral into other planes. With the Outer Planes starved of magic they will be unable to collect belief from the Prime, and the Great Ring will shatter. After that, it will only be a matter of time before the rest of the Multiverse meets the same time. 'When Spire's flame melts Wee Jas' wall, the barrier will shatter, and end us all.' The man who said that is the only one who really knows what's going on and the one you must stop him! Destroy his body and erase his soul that is what you must do." This seems to have taken a lot out of the man, and he coughs somewhat violently.
Fri, 2007-03-09 23:59
#428
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
. o O (First off, that's not the way I'd heard that prophecy. And second...)
"So someone who knows what is going on told planes about it... but he is the one we must stop to stop it? And what is this about erasing a soul? Killing someone is one thing -- although is grave thing, and not something I wish to do without serious proof -- but destroying a soul is another thing altogether. An impossible thing, to my knowledge. Erasing his mind or memory, now, that might be doable."
While he says this, Zhegre runs a more professional eye over the old man, wondering whether the cough is a sign of an illness he might be able to do something about -- spending a lot of time down in Ooze must expose a fellow to all kinds of unhealthy rots, especially if he's been eating something stored around here. He makes a Heal check for a quick diagnosis, looking for things he can help with (current tools to hand being a healer's kit, spontaneous cure spells, and lesser restoration).
12 Bonus for to do
I rolled 1d20+12, the result is 18.
Sat, 2007-03-10 00:41
#429
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
The man seems like he is very, very old, it is likely that the coughing is caused by some chronic condition rather than a disease or temporary ailment, "If it were impossible to squash a soul, we wouldn't have Dusties, and the Blood War would be even more pointless. When a Tanar'ri kills a Baatezu, he is destroying a soul. With mortals it's a bit trickier, and ye have ta know a dark or two to pull it off. A Barghest consumes the soul of those it devours, and there are some spells so powerful that they can melt your soul like butter on a frying pan, but there's a better way than that. Trust me, you'll see soon enough. That's why we're here, after all." The man gives an amused smirk and starts coughing again.
Sat, 2007-03-10 03:13
#430
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Zhegre frowns worriedly, his brow creasing. . o O (Oh, sure, if he's an elemental or an outsider, I know that. Perhaps there's something similarly special for this guy. But if he's human, and we point a barghest or a bodak at him... well, maybe. Depends on your theology. 'True resurrection' can sometimes bring those folks back, blessed be that holy spell with its assurance of the enduring soul. But there's a reason those things are evil, and that kind of behavior is a big part of it and something I'll have no part of... just what are we being asked to do here?)
He says no more, but folds his arms and waits for further illumination from their host.
Sat, 2007-03-10 09:50
#431
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
To M'rek's question about which role is the old man's, Linji raises his hand, as if to point up his index finger (which is gone) and says:
"Which part and when and how are all-yet-not in the while."
And then somewhat turning to the rest of the group, Linji proclaims:
"When truth comes, knowledge leaves -Truth is Big."
After that, Linji lowers his hand and resumes his lotus position, eagerly awaiting and listening to the man's words, a strange mix of child-like excitement and serene contemplation.
After the man's words, and largely ignoring the words of the bearded cork, Linji asks the old man (not interupting, trying to wait for the man to pause):
"If the one who spoke and knows has his NahAuL and iXhiTL eaten by the OurOboROs, then the reality of this prophecy will be destroyed by the lack of the belief's font?"
(OOC: Linji slips into Slaad, Nahaul being the very roughly translated concept/symbol for physical form, and Ixhitl being the rough translation for spirit/soul. Ouroboros is a bit more complicated, but is essentially equating it to destruction.)
Sat, 2007-03-10 11:07
#432
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
M'rek
"If what you say is tru venerable Sir, IF...Then time is awasting while we are here gathering moss...how do you propose we find the Hissing Prophet for that is indeed my quest, and more immediatelly how do you propose we leave this rotten plane...through that door yonder?"
Sat, 2007-03-10 14:26
#433
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
The man looks at linji annoyedly and says, "Eh, what? I'm sorry I don't speak stupid." He then looks down at the Nathri and says, "Aye there's a portal down-stairs that'll lead you straight to the Outlands. I don't know how much longer it'll work though. The Prophet shouldn't be too hard to find. Just ask the people who recorded the prophecy in the first place. Now follow me, I think we just got our Exemplar."
Seconds later you can hear a crashing sound from the room you just vacated and the old man walks past you and pushes the rotten door open again and waits impatiently for you to take a look. The first thing you notice is the room is largely drained of mud, and for the first time you see that there is a hole in the "floor" through which the ooze is draining.
The second thing you notice is the quadrone getting to its feet in the Ooze below you.
P&~P: The Portal the Guvners sent you through seems to have lead to a rather unsavory (and oddly gravitational) portion of the Para-elemental Plane of Ooze. After sinking through the much for a good minute, you were sucked through a hole in a stone wall and land in a vault like room with Ooze draining through it. After a moment you see that there are a number of humanoid shapes in a doorway above you, but you'll have to clean your optics before you can get a good look at them.
Sat, 2007-03-10 16:51
#434
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
"If the one who spoke and knows has his NahAuL and iXhiTL eaten by the OurOboROs, then the reality of this prophecy will be destroyed by the lack of the belief's font?"
The man looks at linji annoyedly and says, "Eh, what? I'm sorry I don't speak stupid."
Zhegre, attempting to be helpful, offers his best stab at a translation: "I think he asked how killing this basher is supposed to stop the prophecy from coming true."
"If what you say is tru venerable Sir, IF...Then time is awasting while we are here gathering moss...how do you propose we find the Hissing Prophet for that is indeed my quest, and more immediatelly how do you propose we leave this rotten plane...through that door yonder?"
He then looks down at the Nathri and says, "Aye there's a portal down-stairs that'll lead you straight to the Outlands. I don't know how much longer it'll work though. The Prophet shouldn't be too hard to find. Just ask the people who recorded the prophecy in the first place. Now follow me, I think we just got our Exemplar."
Seconds later you can hear a crashing sound from the room you just vacated and the old man walks past you and pushes the rotten door open again and waits impatiently for you to take a look. The first thing you notice is the room is largely drained of mud, and for the first time you see that there is a hole in the "floor" through which the ooze is draining.
The second thing you notice is the quadrone getting to its feet in the Ooze below you.
Zhegre dutifully peers.
. o O (A quadrone!) he thinks. . o O (Rogue, if I don't mistake that modron version of a headband of intellect (very interesting, I didn't know they made those), but nevertheless still likely to be a stock-sturdy fellow if their reputation holds up. And apparently an anticipated member of our party. Should be a stabilizing influence. Very good, very good...)
Sat, 2007-03-10 17:16
#435
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
The modron stands up slowly and says to itself, "Ooze? Ooze? Boethius sent me to Ooze? Well, I guess the Inner Planes are as good a place to start as any. Sure, I mean, who would really want to start writing about the nature of Law and Chaos on one of the Outer Planes anyway, eh?"
The modron chuckles to itself and looks around from beneath mud-covered lenses for a few seconds before raising its hands and mumbling something. (OOC: casting Prestidigitation and using its power to clean the mud / goo off of its body) Once P&~P is able to see, it will look up toward the doorway and shout to the humanoids, "Hello, up there! Can someone lend me a hand, claw, talon, tentacle, rope, tail, hair, or other comparable appendage so that I might join you in your room that seems to be farther from the mud?"
Sat, 2007-03-10 17:31
#436
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Zhegre begins reaching for a rope to respond to P&~P's very reasonable request, realizes he's still tied to Kadar by the wrist and sheepishly unknots the rope for it to be let down.
Sat, 2007-03-10 18:29
#437
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Kadar keeps the rope tied to himself and braces himself against a wall so he can act as an anchor.
Sat, 2007-03-10 19:03
#438
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Seeing his friend hard at work, Linji hops over to Kadar's side and helps to pull up the talking chance-cube.
Sat, 2007-03-10 23:29
#439
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
The modron waves awkwardly at the humanoids, sighs at the task ahead, and begins climbing the rope. After a few failed attempts, the modron finally makes it to the top. Once there, it sweeps the dust off its cube with its arms. This gesture is more about making the humanoids feel comfortable than it is about removing any dust. The quadrone composes itself and begins its introductions in the manner presented within The Planewalker's Guide to Greetings,
"Greetings, my fellow sentient beings. I am P&~P; cataloger, researcher, author, and, recently, explorer. You have my thanks for your assistance regarding the matter of the muddy hole from which I just emerged. Would any of you care to enlighten me regarding the reason or reasons why you were all standing guard over the muddy pit?"
Sun, 2007-03-11 00:14
#440
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Zhegre figures that's a cue for their host if he's ever heard one...
Sun, 2007-03-11 02:42
#441
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
"You see the hole in the floor there? The one the Ooze is draining through? I made that hole so that the Ooze would have somewhere to drain to. Of course none of that would work if an unscrupulous wizard hadn't created one of the most destructive deathtraps in the planes to make a quick piece of jink. Watch." The old man leans over with a slight creak and grabs a loose piece of stonework. The man then hefts the object with his weak arm and throws it toward the right wall of the room. His thow is just as weak as you'd expect from a man of his age, and it begins to lose momentum after about ten feet. Then, instead of falling straight down like you would expect it to, the the brick's trajectory begins to curve toward the left causing it to form a gradually shrinking spiral with the hole in the floor at its center. Finally it smacks into the muck about ten feet from the hole and a good thirty feet away from where it ought to be.
The man chuckles to himself (coughing all the while), "Perhaps it's time I gave up a dark or two. We're about 300 feet from the exact center of the Trash Heap -- Sigil's wastebasket and one of the most disgusting places on Ooze. The official name for this area is something like "The Great Nexus" or something like that because of the shear number of portals that lead here. That was before Sigilians figured out that if they just dumped their trash here, they were spared the trouble of dealing with it. A couple turns of the gears ago, this region of Ooze was so toxically poluted that even the Mephits were leaving. Worse, the area was so packed with trash that the two-way portals were starting to overflow. They tried to brick the portals over, but the pressure just grew and grew until they burst. The Cagers did their best to ignore it but when Greenwell Plaza was torn open taking half a block with it (that's how this temple got here), they knew it was time to stop mucking about. So they hired a Wizard to go in here and solve the problem. He solved it alright."
It's hard to tell from where we are, but you know that stuff that makes you fall down? Whatsitcalled... Gravity! Can't really tell from here, but all the gravity here is fake -- magic. All it does is pull everything toward one point at the center of the Trash Heap. Why did the Wizard make it that way? Because at the center of the Trash Heap, the Wizard placed one of the most potent magical artifacts available at the time. In the middle of the fake gravity, the Wizard placed a Sphere of Anihilation more than ten feet wide. It's genius, y'see? All the junk and blek that the Cagers thow out gets sucked toward the Sphere and destroyed instantly. There's nothing left. When poor sods get sucked into the the Sphere, not even their souls escape. That is why I am here, and that is why you have joined me in this place."
Sun, 2007-03-11 03:42
#442
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
"I realise this question points to me as being the fool in your little synopsis before but - are you suggesting that we throw the hissing prophet down a privy?" asks Kadar with a wry smile on his face.
Sun, 2007-03-11 18:18
#443
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
The man smiles wryly, "That's exactly what I was saying."
Sun, 2007-03-11 20:14
#444
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Zhegre thinks about that sphere of annihilation for a bit. Recalls stories of the gods bringing someone back after they'd hit one, which means it must not be permanently destructive. A very, very thorough killing, beyond mortal magic to undo, but ethically acceptable.
If the killing itself was. "Allright," he says. "Method looks sound. And I really do appreciate being pointed to portal to Outlands if we decide you are not entirely crazy or trying to mislead us. But I would still very much like to know how you think killing Hissing Prophet will make Spirelight stop."
Mon, 2007-03-12 06:05
#445
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
Linji thinks for a moment about the old man's words while tapping his long tongue on his nose, musing-half-mumbling:
"Flush the Hissing Prophet, Flush the Hissing of the Prophecy."
As Linji considers this, he walks around the group, eventually coming close to the modron, blowing P&~P several kisses in the meantime. After a bit, he comes a little closer to the old man and asks a question:
"You remind parts of Linji of a Baernaloth that Linji did not meet in Hades once. So, who is the Hissing Prophet? -Do you *know* him/her/it/them?"
Mon, 2007-03-12 14:22
#446
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
"Well put you two," Kadar adds, looking intently at the old man.
"I have no problem helping the multiverse out, after all I owe it one, but for all we know you're a bleedin gatehouse poster-child or as evil as the Oinoloth"
Mon, 2007-03-12 16:02
#447
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
The man looks annoyed, "I'm no 'loth. I'm out here doing the multiverse a favor, so shut your bone box before your teeth fall out. It's not like this affects me, anyway. I mean, in a week, I'll be too dead to care. And would you berks stitch it about the "Hissing Prophet?" There is no Hissing Prophet! It's just a tag the Salties made up to make the whole thing seem more mysterious and intimidating than it is! And no, I don't know who the real prophet is! Just ask the Guvners. One of them will know."
Mon, 2007-03-12 17:24
#448
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
"No offense meant, sir," says Zhegre. "Stopping Spirelight is useful and noble quest. But you did just ask us to kill a man. You must have had some reason for asking it of us, and asking us in particular. What we are after is some ewidence that task is necessary and sufficient for stated purpose. Or does your intended contact for us at Fraternity of Order have the details we seek? If so, who do we ask for?" He eyes the modron, who mentioned it had been sent here by the Guvners.
Zhegre is also feeling twinges of sympathy for the man's illness; he's wondering if the old guy would prefer to die here as a hermit, and if he couldn't be persuaded to come with them to some place he could pass his last days in more relative comfort.
Mon, 2007-03-12 19:44
#449
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
The modron looks around skeptically and says, "A strange day, indeed." It sits down, reaches into its Cubey Haversack and pulls out a book, a pen, and some ink. It begins scribbling furiously mumbling about being sent to a giant heap of garbage and having an old man proposition it into flushing another man down a toilet. After 30 seconds of intense scribbling, the modron stands up and addresses his possible comrades.
"You'll have to excuse me if I act a bit strange here. Just a few days ago I was enjoying the wonderfully musty smell of the libraries. Now I'm being asked to flush a prophet down a privy. Heh heh heh! This will certainly add some color to the part of my book concerning cosmic chaos! To think that I might get to partake in such a planes-altering event! Of course I know about the Hissing Prophet! I've read so much about him, her, or it that I don't know where to begin..." The modron continues on for a minute or two about how back at the Library he used to read books about prophecy, etc., etc. How he had considered a career in prophecy, etc., etc. Once his diatribe starts coming to an end the modron looks around at everyone (since they're probably giving him weird looks), makes an attempt to blush, and says again, "Sorry... I do that... I get a bit excited sometimes... Anyway, I'll tell you a bit of a story about the Hissing Prophet..."
(OOC: Knowledge Check although I'm not sure which one. It's either at a +9 or +16 I'll roll it at +9 and we can add the extra 7 later if it matters and is appropriate.)
9 Bonus for to do
I rolled 1d20+9, the result is 24.
Mon, 2007-03-12 23:24
#450
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
{P&~P: The prophecy the old man is referring to is a rather gloomy one that involves the Spire somehow tearing down Wee Jas' wall, which could mean the barrier between life and death, the foundation of magic on the planes, or the really massive wall of ice on Ocanthus. Either way, the Prophet seems to think the whole thing will result in the death of the planes or something similarly bad. The prophecy is no doubt recorded somewhere in the rather large Hall of Prophecy in the Fortress of Disciplined Enlightenment, but the reference you saw was in Justinian's Guide to Noteworthy Prophecies, Tenth Edition. You can't remember who recorded the prophecy or actually who gave it, as the name "Hissing Prophet" did not appear. In fact, if you hadn't heard the Doomguard yelling about it back in the Cage, you'd have no clue what these guys were talking about.}
The man smirks at some hidden joke, "I don't think my soul'll be in any shape to guide anyone when I'm through with it. As for why you need to incinerate the man's soul, I'd have thought that was obvious. If you don't destroy his soul, he'll be alive and well again in less than a cog's turn. I did a bit of research before I came here, and I lanned myself a few darks. The first of them was that it's really hard to predict the future. Most co-called "prophets" would have an easier time wrestling a Fhorge than telling the future. You can do it, don't get me wrong, but a blood like that has to have Powers on his side. So why are the gods giving some random berk the gift of prophecy? There's an old adage an Athar friend lanned me a turn ago: 'Where the Planes go, the powers follow.' The planes are losing their magic, and the sodding Powers are losing their magic. They're scared, and rightly so. Without magic, they're nothing but ideas, and ideas can't smite people. Ideas can't force their worshippers to follow their wills. In fact, ideas can't do anything at all besides spread or be forgotten. As that same Defiler told me last Pivot, "Every power fears one thing more than anything else. Being forgotten."
Why am I talking about Powers? Because when you get down to it, everything is about the piking Powers. None of you would be here if it weren't for the intervention of at least one Power. I'm sure of it. The portal the modron just came through, for instance, leads to Limbo, so how in the Hells did he get here from Sigil? Priests call this divine intervention, Ciphers call it the "cadence," I call it damn convenient. What was I saying? Oh yeah, the Powers are scared, see that means that they are going to be doing some barmy stuff and when powers decide to do something barmy, you can usually count on berks like yourself (and that prophet of yours as well) to wind up doing most of the leg work. I for one have had enough of it, and I advise you all to do the same. The powers cause problems, they don't create solutions, and even the good ones don't mind letting a few million mortals if it means they get to stay in their ivory towers. The prophet is one example. The way I figure it, back during Hashkar's reign, one of the powers decided that he was going to grant some poor sod a prophecy. Who knows why? Powers are so smart they're stupid. Anyway, the prophecy caught on, and why not? It's pretty good as prophecies go. People started believing it as if it were true, and because people believed it, it became true. So now the world just might be ending because some damn power just couldn't keep his screed to himself. It's not natural, it's not the way the Multiverse is supposed to end, and it's not right! The man shouts these last words with considerable anger. You get the impression that this is a bit of a touchy subject for him.
Mon, 2007-03-12 20:09
#451
Game: In the Spire's Shadow
M'rek
After satisfying himself that none of the strangers are out to ambush his friends, M'rek listens intently to all the stories, and even, specially, P&~P`s accounts of his library, all the while throwing tiny peanuts in the air and watching them grow to normall size before hiting his wide open mouth...
When the stories and questions seem to be over, he stands up, by now in normal size, and says, with a somewhat frightening nonchallance:
"We are not only killing a man, that is easy, and has been done over and over for lesser reasons than the good of the all, but shredding the soul of a learned, holy or voyant man is a grave matter indeed, all that he is, all that he knows, will be lost forever, never again will the light of his toughts illuminate his clan...
You have not answered why would this be necessary, and how by killing a soul we save everyone else's. And who are you anyway? That we are supposed to believe...if you are to die within these days, now would be a good moment to tell us what you know, and what we need, your soul might be coming back to guide your nephews, all well and fine, but it would be too hard to track it down again...no...it would not do...we better talk to you while you are still warm? Or should I be eating you after your demise? "
"You! Dwarf - get over here. Our best bet is to fly.' Baba wades/swims as quickly as he can over to Zhegre before the muck gets too high for him to move, recalling and chanting the well-used words to the Fly spell as he does so. It's hard going, though, as it's up to his shoulders and his puny gnomish legs don't push through nastiness all that well.
(Concentration Check to cast).