Mordrid Sunday October 28th, 2007 3:50:16 PM
Mordrid pushes his chair back. Rising to his feet, he nods to the guard that he is done.
"Well Korrig, as much as I would like to stay here and waste the day with you. I must be going. There are more important matters to attend to." Although the ranger speaks pleasantly, his words are ment to hurt Korrig.
Mordrid issues a command to the guards, "no one is allowed to play chess, or in any other way fraternize with the prisoner. Also, If I hear that he is receiving anymore news from the outside world, there will be hell to pay. Is that understood?" The ranger locks eyes with the ranking guard, until he gets an affirmation.
Turning back to Korrig, "Enjoy your stay."
On his way out Mordrid stops by the dungeon master's office. He makes a strong case that Korrig's guards should be changed.
Mordrid heads back to the castle.
Posting Report for Monday October 29th, 2007 7:40:45 AM
Game # 1 The Platinum Dragons For the week of October 22,2007
Name-----MTWTF DMJerry--XOOXO DMJanH---OOOOX Valdor---XOXOX Mordrid--OOXOOS * Bad Boy Fr.Nick--OOOXO * Bad Girl Dalia----OOOOO * A Realy Bad Boy VE Mont--XXOXO Coralot--XOXOX Onrad----XXXOO
Adm Ceil - Where did Klinger go??
Onrad Monday October 29th, 2007 10:53:33 AM
Onrad moves out into the hallway with his juice.
"What ya got there Valdor?"
Corialote Monday October 29th, 2007 11:35:53 PM
Cori glances up when she hears the voice of Onrad speaking to Valdor. It appears that he is carrying a glass of juice and she is suddenly thirsty herself.
Since Valdor appears to be thinking things over she hands the note to him. "The Star Mage Guild wants to question the mage...try and help him." She still is not sure if it is a good idea and she wonders if the mage could get lost soon. Without even really thinking about what she is doing, she pops the knuckles on both her hands as she flexes them.
Nick Tuesday October 30th, 2007 1:03:19 AM
Troubled about the fate of Crow, Nick nods at Ve and heads off to his own chambers. Once there, he prepares incense and a small bowl of chamomile leaves, and settles, going over questions he might put to Alemi during the divination. Getting into the required frame of mind comes easy despite his anxiety, after years of practice.
Blessed Alemi, having witnessed a terrible future at the hands of the mage, Crow, will that future still come to pass if we leave him alive?
DM Jan Tuesday October 30th, 2007 2:03:33 AM
The air is dry and full of static as Mordrid leaves the Lord Mayor's palace and heads back toward the castle, having made sure Korrig's security is somewhat tightened up. The atmosphere seems tight and heavy, as though anticipating a storm. Odd, really, because the sky does not carry the usual array of dark clouds. Nevertheless, people on the street seem unnerved, occasionally glancing up at the sky before heading home at a swift pace; a stray dog howls, birds fly under the eaves of houses to huddle in their nests. The only anomaly - a small cloud of flies rising from the gutter, spiralling up in perfect formation, around and up. They are joined by others in the spiral; to them the oppressive sky is something to celebrate. A ranger's eye will note the lack of moths, butterflies, bees and plant-eaters. Here are the bloodsuckers and mavens of the refuse piles - disease-carrying flies and gnats, blood wasps and the like.
Ahead, at the castle, despite the afternoon sun, everything seems so dark...
Inside the castle, Nick and Ve have just settled down to their divinations, Onrad is walking towad Valdor and Cori, glass in hand. Abruptly, the glass shatters into endless fragments that fall and skitter across the floor. Juice splatters on the polished marble. Blood begins to ooze from a small cut on the duellist's finger.
Then all heck breaks loose. There's an explosion down at the main entrance, others from elsewhere in the building, closely followed by an intense crackling, like lightning, coming from all the windows and some of the interior doors. Valdor will recognize the signs. It appears as though every magical safeguard and trap in the castle has been tripped. Through the open doorway of the guest room holding Crow, it can be seen that the room has turned as black as pitch. A large, ugly black fly drifts indolently in the darkened doorway.
In their rooms, deep in a divinitive trance and psychically vulnerable, both clerics experience a sharp jolt, and what feels like a firm, mental push from a benevolent, protective hand. No further, the hand seems to say. Danger.
Onrad Tuesday October 30th, 2007 9:23:36 AM
What in all that's holy!!??
Onrad's rapier is out and he rushes into the Dining Room where Crow is supposed to be.
----------- [nice Jan! Its what we needed.]
((Thanks, Jerry! The NPC isn't in the kitchen, tho', LOL. Pay attention, double oh, seven.))
Mordrid (Longstrider) Tuesday October 30th, 2007 3:57:56 PM
Mordrid always enjoyed the static air before the storm. It seemed to charge his batteries.
However, his envigorating walk is all together interrupted by what appears to be an ominous turn of events.
By force of will that only a ranger can match, he casts 'Longstrider' , and makes all due haste toward Platinum Castle. The strange energy at large seemed to be focusing on that area.
He takes one last look back toward the building sitting above Korrig's Dungeon; hoping this had nothing to do with the prisoner.
Corialote Tuesday October 30th, 2007 9:13:24 PM
Cori is dressed in what passes for street clothes for her, which is almost all her normal adventuring gear. With the sudden sounds of explosion, her hands slip into the pockets of her pants...coming back out holding a pair of wands. "You know...is one day too much to ask for without any problems." Despite her response you get the idea that she is still enjoying herself.
DM Jan Wednesday October 31st, 2007 12:44:54 AM
((I'll post tomorrow morning.))
Valdor d20+32=33 d20+32=43 d20+27=36 d20+22=29 d4+17=18 d4+17=20 d4+17=21 d4+17=19 d4+17=19 Wednesday October 31st, 2007 1:04:26 AM
Valdor instantly dives into the room where Crow is. Using all of his focus and abilities at fighting blind, he doesn't hesitate as he flings dagger after dagger from his magical sheath at the spot Crow is sitting. He knows that is the reason for this attack and wants to end this before Crow gets taken.
He yells out and into his earpiece for those who are not present,"They must not take him alive! Or dead, for that matter!"
(Used hero point on first attack:hit AC 43, 43, 36, 36, 29 for 97 points of damage. Magic daggers that if first hits, second is automatic, if third hits, fourth is automatic, then fifth-they magically return to sheath for next round)
Onrad Wednesday October 31st, 2007 10:56:04 AM
::will check in later::
Nick Wednesday October 31st, 2007 11:28:36 AM
Pushed back out of his trance, Nick is disoriented, but scrambles to his feet as fast as he can. An attack on the castle? Surely not? Who would dare? But what would be so powerful to disrupt his divination? What were they in danger from?
Earpiece: "Ve, you safe?"
He shakes his head, blinks, then sets off back toward the guest room holding Crow, assuming he's the reason for all the fuss.
DM Jan Wednesday October 31st, 2007 12:18:38 PM
During the time taken for five human heartbeats....
Looking out of the window, toward the park that separates Platinum Dragon castle from the gladiator arena, Crow is contemplating his future. Fear, sorrow, self-admonishment - all cry out to be heard in the maelstrom of his mind, busy, busy, busy as it is with calculations and analysis - what went wrong, what went right; questions leading to possible answers; the solution - there but elusive, like a moth on the wing in darkness.
He feels the percussive hit at the front entrance and turns, startled. Everything goes black. He starts to panic. A cry for help is ready to burst from his lips. But then his mind stills, becomes quiet, for the first time in years.
Calm yourself. I can help you. I have a place for you, a new place, a place where you can continue your work. It lies in between worlds, Crow - where you can do no harm to the living Wold. It is a place for those who seek the truth. The truth through pain, the truth through suffering. And you have never been far from pain and suffering, have you, Crow. You know what it takes, what it will take, to discover the secret, to get your wife back. I can give you everything you need. You will need to die, of course, and I can't assist you with that, but I can promise you the afterlife of your dreams, and freedom. Freedom to continue your work. Freedom to search for your wife. All you have to do, is say yes.
Crow manages to get the word out in a whisper. "Yes....."
Just in time, before multiple daggers slam cruelly into his narrow frame, into his heart, his lungs and his liver. Their kinetic force spins him around and he falls, pushing back the small table and sending a chair skittering across the room.
Through dying eyes he sees the light returning to the room, and faces hovering... He has one final breath.
--------------------
Outside, Mordrid finds grim-faced guards securing the perimeter. Their captain looks mystified. "The alarms were tripped, but no one has gone in, or come out for that matter. We don't understand it."
Valdor's instructions rattle through the earpiece.
Inside, on the corridors, some of the staff are huddled against the walls. Some look frightened, others are finding weapons, convinced of an attack. Somewhere, Fabersham can be heard, barking out instructions.
Cori can see both Onrad and Valdor disappear into darkness, then reappear as the room beyond regains its light, as though a curtain has been drawn back.
Crow is on the floor, his torso bristling with Valdor's daggers. Blood doesn't spurt, it oozes, from an already stilled heart. The old man smiles. "Koshe Marr," he whispers, and then dies.
Both Nick, Ve, and any other of the clerics resident in the castle will sense that a god has been here on this day. And all around the city, clusters and bizarre formations of flies break rank, and go on their merry way.
Ve Mundr Wednesday October 31st, 2007 3:11:27 PM
Ve pulls his hammer as he is snapped from his prayers and reading. Moving to his feet and stumbling as he does so. His body reacting more out of habit than conscious control. His mind was already onto what it only could be and he was too far to be of any matter to what transpired in the castle at this point. Should have put an end to it when he had the chance.
Hearing Nick over the earpiece, Ve responds, "No, but worry not." Picking up his equipment he steps out and dismisses the mansion and makes his way to where Crow had been left.
Entering the room, his face solem he looks at Crow and takes a knee. "Valdor, if you haven't yet, destroy the timepiece." Ve stands, turns on his heel and exits the room heading towards Father Nicholas.
Valdor Wednesday October 31st, 2007 11:31:44 PM
Looking down at Crow's body, Valdor frowns. He has no idea what just happened and isn't sure that the fight is over. He moves to Crow's body, then Ve enters. When the cleric moves to stand he says,"I guess you were right. He had to die. We need to make sure noone else is around. And the timepiece will be destroyed soon."
He doesn't really know what to do now. He says into his earring,"Mordrid, Crow is dead. I think someone or some group tried to take him, so I has no choice but to kill him. I'm standing guard with Onrad. See if there are any other rooms broken into, my brother. Then we need to talk if all is clear."
He turns his back to Onrad and Cori, but they glimpse a tear streaking down his face at what he feels he had to do.
Nick Thursday November 1st, 2007 11:14:26 AM
If Nick passes any of the staff on the way to the guestroom, he'll try and reassure them and tell them to get to safety. The sense of something godly in the air has him confused.
"Blessed Alemi, what walks among us?" he asks. (Casting DETECT EVIL)
He sees Ve leaving the room and approaching. He'll take a look in the room and notes Valdor's distress. "What's happening?"
Valdor Thursday November 1st, 2007 2:22:14 PM
Valdor takes a deep breath, then steps back, allowing Nick a view of Crow and all the puncture wounds in him. He says quietly,"It happened too quick. The alarms and traps went crazy, everything went black, and I knew that someone was coming for him to get his knowledge...so I killed him before they could get him because that was all I could do without my armor and weapons.
I heard him whisper 'yes', just before my daggers flew. Then, with his last breath, he smiled and whispered 'Koshe Marr' and then died. I killed an unarmed man who had no chance to face justice. I am an idiot."
Mordrid Thursday November 1st, 2007 2:41:19 PM
Mordrid replies, "I'll take care of it Valdor."
The ranger immediately begins recruiting whatever birds present in the area, asking them to please let him know if anything or anyone leaves beyond the castle walls.
Dashing inside, he goes straight to the foot of the main stairs to track any unknown footsteps coming or going. 'Damn Flabersham for being so effecient. The black marble floor is polished, and the red rug gracing the line of march is clean as a whistle.'
Still, the ranger spends the remainder of the turn closely checking this area.
Corialote d20+34=47 d20+34=47 Thursday November 1st, 2007 8:43:50 PM
Cori moves into the room and then to the body. There is a eerie feeling in the air, though she is not sure what from. It makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and she sucks in a breath as Valdor speaks. Her own voice is little more than a whisper. "Did you say Koshe Marr?" There is true fear in her eyes as only the most foolish of mages deals with the powers that are there.
She backs slowly away from the body a little bit of fear still showing in her eyes and stance. "May Alemi and Domi watch of the Wold." Her voice is still little more than a whisper and it is because of the nightmare stories of Koshe Marr.
[knowledge(arcane) and (history): 47/47]
DM Jan Thursday November 1st, 2007 11:54:02 PM
Outside and at the main entrance -
The swallows were having a field day, with flies that, temporarily at least, seemed distracted and were therefore easy to catch. Most of them having had their fill, the birds are content to line the gutterings and battlements, watching over the castle with their darting, beady eyes. Everything is in view from up here. Just inside the entrance, a large vase of flowers has been knocked over, and white plaster dust from the ceiling has scattered along the marble floor. No footsteps, and nothing in the lie of dust to suggest that anything passed and caused it to drift. Two girls in staff livery are rushing forward with brooms. They grind to an abrupt halt as Mordrid appears and stand there, their heads down, embarrassed, at the mess presumably. A short distance further in, a puzzled Fabersham tells the ranger, "Sir, the wards went off in the kitchen and in some of the upper rooms, and out at the stables, too. All at the same time. It doesn't seem possible."
Upstairs, Valdor, Onrad, Cori, Ve and Nick are in the vicinity of the guest room. Already beginning to darken, Crow's blood is slowly seeping forth and is beginning to soak into the weave at the edge of a finely woven wool rug.
Nick's 'detect evil' allows him to perceive what's left of an etheral 'footprint'. Nothing tangible in terms of shape, but it seems familiar, reminding him of his god, Alemi, only it's backwards - an opposite perhaps. Evil? Yes, and it's fading fast, its owner very likely gone.
Elsewhere it would appear there is no hint of any further mischief going on.
Valdor's utterance of the name Koshe Marr brings up some not-so-fair memories and recollections on the subject. Marteaus's testing grounds, fraught with horror and danger. Those who go in hardly ever come out, and if they do, they are never the same, never whole, as though a piece of them always remains in that awful place. A land of madness and pain, where key disciples put the unfortunate through trauma and agonies that are near impossible to bear.
Ve Mundr Friday November 2nd, 2007 8:18:30 AM
Ve gives a slight shake of his head to Valdor, "It was a being of divine power. I'm sure Father Nicholas felt it as much as I when Domi shielded me." Ve's face screws up into one of a man planning to do something very well thought of as foolish by rational thinking sentients.
Valdor Friday November 2nd, 2007 10:10:07 AM
Valdor smiles and puts his arm around Cori and says,"Oh, that place is scary enough all right. But it's not as bad as everyone thinks. Mordrid and I went there twice. Remind me to tell you about it. The seond time we killed this super powerful vampire and I almost took over his spot in that cursed realm. I grew like six arms and was doing some really weird stuff. If his spirit has gone there, then we have no fear of him coming back here."
When Ve voices what happened, he asks,"So was it the Usurper then? That would make sense, as no group of mages or clerics or warriors could have entered our castle like that. Crow with Marteaus...they deserve each other."
He finds a blanket to wrap Crow's body in, takes it down to the dungeon area, finds a bunch of hay and wood, builds a pyre in one of the rooms of solid stone that has vents for air and smoke to escape and burns Crow's body. He makes sure that it is completely incinerated, and that not even his bones are left.
Mordrid Friday November 2nd, 2007 11:46:57 AM
Mordrid scratches his head as Fabersham tries to explain the order of events.
Meanwhile Mordrid views Valdor coming down the stairs with a wrapped body.
"Funny. I didn't even know we had 'rooms of solid stone that has vents for air and smoke to escape.'" ; )
Onrad Friday November 2nd, 2007 11:48:48 AM
Onrad, finally overcoming his shock, which is a rare thing for him to be frozen like that for so long.
"I couldn't move! I couldn't act! Felt like....a god."
Silently he thinks to himeslf...
Then cryptically he adds, "So this is how it ends this time. With a bang and a mystery. Well, the Emeralds can handle things for sure.
And to be honest, I think I was under some illusion that all our problems would magically be solved at the time we left active service.
Wow."
There is silence for a moment and then:
"By the way folks, we're due Monday in the Giggling Ghost. I know some of us don't want a party for our retirement. The reminder that this is an ending hurts. And I haven't been in this group as much as most of you.
"I guess it is a final responsibility in a way...
"Well anyway, I am excited about the wedding! I wonder what dragon or demon will arrive to spoil it."
He grins at Valdor.
"We can only hope!"
Ve Mundr Friday November 2nd, 2007 11:08:03 PM
Ve nods to Valdor, "I believe so. Yes." aftera pause of thought, "Not sure I like the fact those two will be in such close contact. Valdor, I will be fully documenting my account with Crow. I will deliver one copy to the Talons and one to the Knights. They should be made aware of this case fully." He alters his mood with a smile to the man then, "If you will excuse me, I have a few other things I need to attend to as well on a more personal level." Ve gives a short bow of his head to father Nicholas and leaves.
Posting Report for Monday November 5th, 2007 7:57:44 AM
Game #1 The Platinum Dragons For the week of October 29,2007
Adm Ceil - I think that this is my last reports on the Platinum Dragons Game.
Nick Monday November 5th, 2007 12:20:33 PM
Nick certainly agrees with assertions that Marteaus has paid them a call, and he thinks the idea about passing on information to two of the other, senior adventuring groups is a good idea.
He shadows Valdor, as the Dragonstone walks away with the body of Crow, following discreetly, not wishing to get in the way. He'll offer a blessing, and pray to Alemi. The dead are dead, it's the living that concerns him.
This has been a dirty business. In matter of fact, the last few adventures have been tainted with more evil than he would have liked. But that was part of the deadly game, wasn't it. no one came out smelling like a rose.
DM Jan Monday November 5th, 2007 12:54:12 PM
Crow's body turns to ash, consumed by the flames. All that remain are Crow's notes and the small time machine. Destroy those and that particular path to the future is no more.
Other, difficult paths lie ahead, of course, just as they always have, carpeted with the raw bones of blood and death, monsters and cruelty, politics and lies. And for those who choose to walk them, or find themselves wandering along them unawares, their lives will be forever touched by what they see and do on their journey; some for the better, some for the worse. And so it goes.
As for the Platinum Dragons, on the eve of a much more pleasant occasion, perhaps it is time to step back. The paths bear the signs of their passage, where the mists of terror have been held back, where light appears amidst the gloomiest trails, and where some of those lurking evils give pause, lest it becomes their turn to run, hide, or be destroyed. And where the Dragons have gone, others will follow. Just as they always have.
Yes, time to step back and explore the trappings of a 'normal' life. Time to remember friends and family. Time to let go and find peace...
((OOC - Handing over to DM Jerry. Thanks guys, for being such great players. You make DMing a joy, as always.))
CDM Jerry Monday November 5th, 2007 2:09:54 PM
...and thus dear readers does this very rich set of tales end.
May the Platinum Dragons always be in real life, the heroes that they were in fantasy.
Selah.
------------
We now move to the Giggling Ghost where we will celebrate this ending.
An email is forthcoming about rolling up character sheets for the new game. I have some information for you to help you in that regard.
The first Monday after the Giggling Ghost stuff ends, we'll start the first module of the new game, titled: Fort Silence.
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