Difference between revisions of "May/June 19"

Revision as of 05:24, 23 June 2019

Darksun explains that if Ruben stays with the Ruby Imperials, he can have unlimited access to their library and they will provide whatever resources he needs. However, he would need to swear allegiance to them, and be at their beck and call, prioritising what they want and need done at all times.

Ruben cannot decide on the spot, even after seeking council from his friends. Darksun gives him 24 hours to think on it, and he instructs Ruben that if he wishes to join the Ruby Imperials, he must present himself to the court the same time the next day.

We are dismissed.

We're taken out through the halls and we notice many rooms with beautiful elaborate metal screens covering the openings. We see some stone tablets with draconic writing on them, they are very old and have clearly been chiseled out of where they were originally found without removing more of the surrounding stone than was necessary, and then brought to the Palace for examination.

Ruben is very excited. He asks Mayb to use her special ability to read some of the writing. Much of it is obscured but Mayb concludes these are very old artefacts, reading references to the Great Ones and the Old Ones (the Elder Gods), and names like Shevan, Zorasastra, and Chromus Major (which are recognisable as draconic names) and something about them being "apocalypse class artefacts used in the current Probability Wars". Ruben feels like the term Probability Wars rings a bell but he can't recall details. He thinks these tablets may be over a million years old, maybe as much as 100 million. Kunoh picks Ruben up and carries him out of the room as he explains this to the party.

On the way back to Coro's Court, Ruben sums up that as far as we have been able to work out, there are 18 Elder Gods now completely extinct. That leaves 13 remaining. 2 of these, anything about them, even their names is completely unknown to us. Of the 11 remaining, it is generally believed that 9 of these are active and 2 are unaccounted for, it's just not clear which are unaccounted for.

We also discuss Darksun's invitation to Ruben, trying to help him work out what he should do. We know from experience that there is not a lot of racial diversity in Semudan, and some, like the Golden Brazier, have a policy of humans above all others, but as far as we know, the Ruby Imperials didn't seem like that - they had a number of people from different races in their ranks, so if they do want something nefarious for Ruben, it may (or may not) have anything to do with his being a dwarf.

We near Coro's Court by mid afternoon. Suddenly Ophion leaps for Mayb in his exemplar form. Mayb ducks and Ophion flies over her, missing whatever he was reaching for. Everyone except Kunoh sees a blue imp appear out of nowhere, giggle and then disappear. Ophion explains he was reaching for the imp, that it was on Mayb's shoulder, he noticed it a few minutes ago and was trying to catch it unawares.

Mayb knows imps are often used as spies, running errands for evil infernal masters. The imp did have the sigil for Mephistopheles on him, but we have no way of knowing if that was fake.

We decide to head for the edge of the city where Tranq saw the Orchids disappear. The riots from previous days have died down, but the mistrust in the air is still palpable. There are still groups of people hanging around, looking like trouble, one wrong glance away from brawling. We manage to make it past without encountering further trouble.

We walk on. The sun starts to set. Ophion notices the imp back on Mayb's shoulder. No one else seems to see it. It speaks to Ophion, asking if he's going to "get this done" Ophion responds, getting everyone else's attention but still no one can see what he's talking to. Ruben, Mayb and Atala all recognise that Ophion is speaking Infernal - everyone assumes the imp must have returned. Ophion asks the imp what it's referring to. The imp tells Ophion it knows we're on our way to kill the Orchids. It says to Ophion that it can take us to the right spot if we want. Ophion suggests the imp simply tell us so we can be on our way. It refuses. Then it says most of us are expendable, that "the big fella just needs you three" (Ophion, Mayb, Ruben?) Ophion confirms the imp means Mephistopheles and tells it that no one is expendable, that we're a package deal. The imp says it can help protect Ophion from burning up from his exemplar form, at no cost, but Ophion doesn't trust the imp and won't engage him any further. The imp takes out an amulet, deep blue sapphire, and throws it to Ophion who reflexively catches it. It magically attaches itself around his neck. The imp calls out "Just remember who gave it to ya when ya use it!" and then appears to everyone. It circles around the group, flying around, shakes its head and says in common "What a sad choice!" and then disappears.

Ruben hears the imp in his head telling him it will see him at the laboratory. Thanks to the amulet, Ophion knows the way the imp was telling him to go. He ignores the amulet and we continue on the same path as before.

We reach the outskirts of town. It is night proper now, and we are on the edge of the jungle.

A small child suddenly darts across the path in front of us, scampering into the underbrush. We can hear something running after it from the way it came. Tranq tears off after the child, while everyone else decides to hide. A 8ft tall lead golem strides across the path following the child. It doesn't notice us. We head off into the jungle after it.

Tranq eventually catches up to the child and asks why he's running. The child shrieks that Tranq is with the Yellow Monk. Tranq very confused responds that he's not with the Yellow Monk, he _is_ the Yellow Monk. The child runs off again. Tranq follows and catches up to the kid in a clearing. He notices 3 other small children hiding further up in the rocks. They call out to the first child to hurry up because the yellow men are coming. Tranq notices wild dogs staring him down. Suddenly the golem breaks through the trees. Tranq grabs the kid and runs off heading for the other children who have also taken off. He catches up to them, and they lead him into a secret grotto.

Atala, Ophion and Ruben suddenly realise Kunoh and Mayb are not with them. Ruben offers to go back for them, while Atala and Ophion continue on trying to reach Tranq.

Mayb and Kunoh are together, a little ways back. Mayb has noticed, when she looks back towards Zanji, she cannot see the city. Not only that but all the constellations that were missing before seem to be back, and the tear in the sky is gone. She notices a light off to the east and points it out to Kunoh. They realise they have gotten separated from the others, and they cannot continue into the jungle as neither of them can see in the dark. They retrace their steps back to the path.

Ruben is lost. He takes a minute and then realises where he went wrong, and continues heading back towards the way they had come.

As Mayb and Kunoh break out from the brush, Mayb puts her hand over Kunoh's mouth. Where there was a city, there is now a stream. There are 2 lead golems in the water, 6 mercenary warriors with lanterns standing on the shore, seemingly trying to figure out a way across. 3 wyverns with riders arrive and land behind them. The mercenaries engage with the wyvern riders, they are clearly together.

Ruben quietly gets Mayb's attention. He had arrived and noticed the same scene.

Ophion and Atala reach a place where Tranq's tracks just disappear. There are ruins of a great city, and a palace, and 500m above, what looks like a massive 50m across, is a hologram of a blazing white star that is breaking up and falling apart.

In the relative safety of the grotto, Tranq puts the child down and he runs to his friends. The wild dogs are clearly upset Tranq is here but the child calms them, understanding that Tranq just saved his life. His name is Nuni. Tranq asks questions, wanting to know what he's gotten himself into. Nuni says they were just taking back what was theirs, and he shows Tranq a flower. [Ed: Tranq doesn't know it because to him they have never existed, but this flower is known in its native lands as a Leopard Orchid]. Tranq asks why the bad guys want their flowers so badly. Nuni tries to explain, but the other children interrupt and say the flower will stop them from dying. And they offer to show Tranq.