The Power and the Throne: The quest of an evil queen
- Thread starter BiopunkOtrera
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
- Location
- The Hague
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I don't think that's how we're supposed to send Meztil anywhere. Anyway in order:
[X] Visit Enapay's royal guard
[X] Visit Adam's Artist
[X] Go meet Lady Janentis Winterhome
[X] Patronize Robert's Business
[X] Send Caroline to explore the undercity ruins with Meztil.
The artist is a good way to raise profile, which is critical, while Winterhome is both in high society and connected to illegal activities we want to be able to exploit. Raising profile and finances is something only Viona can do. Caroline can explore on her own.
[X] Visit Enapay's royal guard
[X] Visit Adam's Artist
[X] Go meet Lady Janentis Winterhome
[X] Patronize Robert's Business
[X] Send Caroline to explore the undercity ruins with Meztil.
The artist is a good way to raise profile, which is critical, while Winterhome is both in high society and connected to illegal activities we want to be able to exploit. Raising profile and finances is something only Viona can do. Caroline can explore on her own.
Act 1: Scene 4
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Act 1
Scene 4: The house and Underground
Viona's rooms. A large luxurious, wood floored space with large silken screens, and a huge lion skin rug. Viona's dress from the party is hung over one of the silken screens, which she's faintly visible behind. A large tub of steaming hot water and oil is in the process of running away.
Viona (to the audience): I'll just be a minute.
Viona steps out from behind the screen, pinning her wet hair up. She's now wearing a short red silk robe, with several runes on it that protect it from dust and dirt, and a long sword on her back. A small construct next to her carries her bag, which is rather overstuffed.
Viona (to audience): I hope we don't meet any other adventurers down here. It would be hard to explain this outfit without causing a scandal. Still, perhaps some scandal would help me out.
Viona walks out of her room, past two of her personal guards, all female, and wearing gleaming coats of plates and elaborate feathered helms. They come to attention as she passes. She walks down the stairs, past another security post with four more guards, then through a secret panel and down into a basement area. She pushes her fingers up into a hidden switch on the mostly closed door to disarm the pit trap on the stairs.
Viona (to the audience): This mansion was pretty cheap, because it's original owner put all kinds of crazy traps into it at regular intervals. You have to be careful to disarm them as you go, though we keep most of the one sin the main house in safe condition.
Meztil, Caroline, Selena and Munira are assembled waiting for her, standing around a massive iron bound door with a grill at the top. Selena is dressed as before, but has a golden staff, Meztil is wearing a full suit of gleaming metal armour, with a hood and face concealing wooden mask hanging free on her neck. Caroline is dressed more or less as she was earlier, but has various additional pouches and a load bearing vest on over it. Munira wears leather armour with two short swords strapped on, and various rogue's tools on her belt.
Viona: Sorry, it took me a while to change. Are you all ready?
Munira: Yes, Caroline was about to tell us the history of this place.
Caroline: In fact, nobody knows. The history of the undercity is just as mysterious as the city above.
Viona: What do you mean? Wasn't it all built by the Earthandi as a favour to the first king?
Caroline: According to human stories, sure, but Earthandi records do not speak of any such thing, and they are usually taken to be more accurate by scholars, in fact, the entire time zone around the city's construction is rather dark. Few records survive from any of the first three kings of the Central Kingdom. Even its name is strange, don't you think? There can have been few trade links in the time of Hero King. Why, we don't even know his name.
Then there are the artifacts that come from that era. For over three hundred years, there's a band of artefacts which look nothing like what came before or after them, strange, complicated clockworks of types we're still only starting to reproduce, compasses, asterolobes. Artefacts that shouldn't be where they are.
Viona frowns, thinking, but says nothing.
Caroline: I hope that in the under city we might find some answers. We should look especially for tombs of that era, which are very few. If we can find one, I can interrogate it for first hand knowledge of the period. Anyhow, this house is well placed to one of the more intact sections of the undercity, and one that has been relatively unexplored because of it's poor links to the surface. I'm hoping we can clear out the monsters, and use it to extend our base under the city. It would be useful if we could move the ritual chamber to a more secure location than simply the basement.
Be on the lookout for these.
Caroline holds up a small gem cog.
Caroline: These are the key gears for certain intricate clockworks you find in the under city, if we can locate them, we can unlock the ancient mechanisms down there. Also, watch out for traps and the like.
Selena: Just like old times.
Viona smiles. Munira pulls out a length of wood from her belt, and squeezes the middle, it extends to about ten foot in length. She pulls a slim jewelled mask down over her eyes. Meztil pushes the door open, fitting her own mask into place, and Munira moves through, sweeping the floor lightly with the poll. Caroline and Viona come next, with Selena at the back.
Viona says a word of power, and several small light globes rise around her, providing illumination.
The group move down into a round underground room about thirty feet across. A ten foot wide passage leads off to the north east, and three black basalt statues of women warriors stand at the corners. One wields a bow and spear, another two spears, and the third a spear and sword.
Munira's pole stops as the floor moves down slightly. She drops to her knees and begins to examine the pressure plate while the others look around the room.
Munira inserts a pair of thin spikes into the pressure plate, and tests it with the polle.
Munira: Safe.
She steps forward into the room proper and begins to search around, the group spreading out to look around too, walking only in areas Munira has already checked. Meztil moves over to secure the exit as soon as Munira has checked that area, while Caroline, Viona and Selena examines the statues.
Caroline: You see these three statute formations of women a lot in ruins of this age. Generally they seem to be mounted in the entry chambers of underground fortifications. This is probably a guard keep to a much larger dungeon below.
Selena: Are they goddesses? Heros? What?
Caroline: We don't know. As I said, most of the information is lost.
Caroline examines the statues.
Caroline: They seem like they were meant to move, but we don't know how to make them animate. Apparently some word or object was used to do it.
Viona: Alright, let's move on.
They follow the passage North East, until they come to a crossroads. A short passage heads to the East, ending in a large stone door, opposite it, another passage extends off to the West. wind can be faintly heard whistling in that direction. A third passage heads North West, and even over the wind, there seems to be the faint sound of snoring.
[ ] Go East
[ ] Go West
[ ] Go North West
Scene 4: The house and Underground
Viona's rooms. A large luxurious, wood floored space with large silken screens, and a huge lion skin rug. Viona's dress from the party is hung over one of the silken screens, which she's faintly visible behind. A large tub of steaming hot water and oil is in the process of running away.
Viona (to the audience): I'll just be a minute.
Viona steps out from behind the screen, pinning her wet hair up. She's now wearing a short red silk robe, with several runes on it that protect it from dust and dirt, and a long sword on her back. A small construct next to her carries her bag, which is rather overstuffed.
Viona (to audience): I hope we don't meet any other adventurers down here. It would be hard to explain this outfit without causing a scandal. Still, perhaps some scandal would help me out.
Viona walks out of her room, past two of her personal guards, all female, and wearing gleaming coats of plates and elaborate feathered helms. They come to attention as she passes. She walks down the stairs, past another security post with four more guards, then through a secret panel and down into a basement area. She pushes her fingers up into a hidden switch on the mostly closed door to disarm the pit trap on the stairs.
Viona (to the audience): This mansion was pretty cheap, because it's original owner put all kinds of crazy traps into it at regular intervals. You have to be careful to disarm them as you go, though we keep most of the one sin the main house in safe condition.
Meztil, Caroline, Selena and Munira are assembled waiting for her, standing around a massive iron bound door with a grill at the top. Selena is dressed as before, but has a golden staff, Meztil is wearing a full suit of gleaming metal armour, with a hood and face concealing wooden mask hanging free on her neck. Caroline is dressed more or less as she was earlier, but has various additional pouches and a load bearing vest on over it. Munira wears leather armour with two short swords strapped on, and various rogue's tools on her belt.
Viona: Sorry, it took me a while to change. Are you all ready?
Munira: Yes, Caroline was about to tell us the history of this place.
Caroline: In fact, nobody knows. The history of the undercity is just as mysterious as the city above.
Viona: What do you mean? Wasn't it all built by the Earthandi as a favour to the first king?
Caroline: According to human stories, sure, but Earthandi records do not speak of any such thing, and they are usually taken to be more accurate by scholars, in fact, the entire time zone around the city's construction is rather dark. Few records survive from any of the first three kings of the Central Kingdom. Even its name is strange, don't you think? There can have been few trade links in the time of Hero King. Why, we don't even know his name.
Then there are the artifacts that come from that era. For over three hundred years, there's a band of artefacts which look nothing like what came before or after them, strange, complicated clockworks of types we're still only starting to reproduce, compasses, asterolobes. Artefacts that shouldn't be where they are.
Viona frowns, thinking, but says nothing.
Caroline: I hope that in the under city we might find some answers. We should look especially for tombs of that era, which are very few. If we can find one, I can interrogate it for first hand knowledge of the period. Anyhow, this house is well placed to one of the more intact sections of the undercity, and one that has been relatively unexplored because of it's poor links to the surface. I'm hoping we can clear out the monsters, and use it to extend our base under the city. It would be useful if we could move the ritual chamber to a more secure location than simply the basement.
Be on the lookout for these.
Caroline holds up a small gem cog.
Caroline: These are the key gears for certain intricate clockworks you find in the under city, if we can locate them, we can unlock the ancient mechanisms down there. Also, watch out for traps and the like.
Selena: Just like old times.
Viona smiles. Munira pulls out a length of wood from her belt, and squeezes the middle, it extends to about ten foot in length. She pulls a slim jewelled mask down over her eyes. Meztil pushes the door open, fitting her own mask into place, and Munira moves through, sweeping the floor lightly with the poll. Caroline and Viona come next, with Selena at the back.
Viona says a word of power, and several small light globes rise around her, providing illumination.
The group move down into a round underground room about thirty feet across. A ten foot wide passage leads off to the north east, and three black basalt statues of women warriors stand at the corners. One wields a bow and spear, another two spears, and the third a spear and sword.
Munira's pole stops as the floor moves down slightly. She drops to her knees and begins to examine the pressure plate while the others look around the room.
Munira inserts a pair of thin spikes into the pressure plate, and tests it with the polle.
Munira: Safe.
She steps forward into the room proper and begins to search around, the group spreading out to look around too, walking only in areas Munira has already checked. Meztil moves over to secure the exit as soon as Munira has checked that area, while Caroline, Viona and Selena examines the statues.
Caroline: You see these three statute formations of women a lot in ruins of this age. Generally they seem to be mounted in the entry chambers of underground fortifications. This is probably a guard keep to a much larger dungeon below.
Selena: Are they goddesses? Heros? What?
Caroline: We don't know. As I said, most of the information is lost.
Caroline examines the statues.
Caroline: They seem like they were meant to move, but we don't know how to make them animate. Apparently some word or object was used to do it.
Viona: Alright, let's move on.
They follow the passage North East, until they come to a crossroads. A short passage heads to the East, ending in a large stone door, opposite it, another passage extends off to the West. wind can be faintly heard whistling in that direction. A third passage heads North West, and even over the wind, there seems to be the faint sound of snoring.
[ ] Go East
[ ] Go West
[ ] Go North West
Last edited:
Pathetic King
"I Speak To The Audient Void."
- Location
- Colorado
[X] Go East
- Location
- National Capital Region, USA
- Location
- The Hague
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Go North West
live dangerously etc
live dangerously etc
Act 1: Scene 5
- Pronouns
- She/Her
OOC: I'm going to do some shorter, more rapid fire updates as you clear a series of rooms, just to accelerate through the dungeon crawl portion.
Act 1
Scene 5: The Underground Keep
[x] Go North West
Viona: There's something up to the North West, we should investigate that first. Combat formation.
The group silently form a more combat formation, with Metzil moves up beside Munira. She inspects the relatively narrow passage, then slings her sword and pulls out a shorter, heavy bladed axe with a spiked back.
Metzil: One source of illumination only.
Viona nods, most of the lights vanish, leaving only one hanging at the back of the group.
They move through the corridor, which is somewhat rougher cut, its brickwork damaged by water. There's evidence of cruder repairs using clay that's been pushed into the brick and then backed hard with crude fire runes to shore up the passage. A slight glow comes from ahead, implying whatever is down here does not itself possess perfect night vision.
Finally, they reach an open space, which opens out before a large arched doorway, in front of it is the huge figure of an ogre. It wears crude armour and helmet, and has a massive iron sword across its knees. An empty ale barrel sits next to it.
Beyond the door, a small fire gutters, smoke disappearing up a chimney, there's sounds of more ogres beyond.
Viona (to the audience): Ogres are a sad race, once they, along with the other species of giants, ruled the world, but the humans, and the forest races, and the Earthandi, drove them from the surface. They now inhabit wretched caves like this one.
The question though is what should we do? Attack it, or talk to it, or retreat?
[ ] Attack
[ ] Talk
[ ] Retreat
Act 1
Scene 5: The Underground Keep
[x] Go North West
Viona: There's something up to the North West, we should investigate that first. Combat formation.
The group silently form a more combat formation, with Metzil moves up beside Munira. She inspects the relatively narrow passage, then slings her sword and pulls out a shorter, heavy bladed axe with a spiked back.
Metzil: One source of illumination only.
Viona nods, most of the lights vanish, leaving only one hanging at the back of the group.
They move through the corridor, which is somewhat rougher cut, its brickwork damaged by water. There's evidence of cruder repairs using clay that's been pushed into the brick and then backed hard with crude fire runes to shore up the passage. A slight glow comes from ahead, implying whatever is down here does not itself possess perfect night vision.
Finally, they reach an open space, which opens out before a large arched doorway, in front of it is the huge figure of an ogre. It wears crude armour and helmet, and has a massive iron sword across its knees. An empty ale barrel sits next to it.
Beyond the door, a small fire gutters, smoke disappearing up a chimney, there's sounds of more ogres beyond.
Viona (to the audience): Ogres are a sad race, once they, along with the other species of giants, ruled the world, but the humans, and the forest races, and the Earthandi, drove them from the surface. They now inhabit wretched caves like this one.
The question though is what should we do? Attack it, or talk to it, or retreat?
[ ] Attack
[ ] Talk
[ ] Retreat
- Location
- National Capital Region, USA
[X] Talk
We can always run or fight second, but it's hard to talk after you do the others first.
We can always run or fight second, but it's hard to talk after you do the others first.
chocolote12
A Penguin Flailing Against The Keyboard Of Life.
[X] Talk
Because we're a villainess, not a hero.
Because we're a villainess, not a hero.
Act 1: Scene 6
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Act 1
Scene 6: The Underground Keep
[x] Talk
Viona leans over to Metzil.
Viona: Wake him, be polite.
Metzil saunters up to the ogre and taps him on the arm. He doesn't wake, frowning, she reaches down and shakes him, harder. The Ogre blinks and then jerks upright, Metzil taking a hasty back step to avoid a swung fist. He roars an alarm and several more ogres emerge behind, lead by a particularly large specimen wearing a steel helm and bronze armour. The Ogre Chief snarls and thumps his armoured chest, making a loud ringing sound.
Ogre Chief: Whatcha like! Who you?
Viona speaks back in a deep, but mellow sounding speech.
Viona: [We can converse in your own language if you wish]
Ogre Chief: [Surface dweller. How come you to the sacred language?]
Viona: [A time ago, I fought beside your people.]
Ogre Chief: [All I have known with surface dwellers at war is those in front of me.]
Viona: [There is one time when we served together]
The Ogre Chief roars in obvious rage, steps forward, towering over Viona, who stands calmly. It bellows, other ogres snarling too, weapons held high. The Ogre chief steps forward. Metzel and Munira step forward to block its way, blades raised, but Viona pushes them apart and meets it halfway.
Ogre Chief: [Betrayal! Rot! Ruin! A curse of blood upon you and all your kind. There was but one from that]
Viona: [No. There were two]
Ogre Chief: [If that is the case, then whisper to me her name in the sacred tongue.]
Viona leans forward and whispers something into its ear. The Ogre Chief face slackens and he steps back, removing his helmet.
Ogre Chief: Come here, share fire!
Caroline: What did you tell him?
Viona: We spoke of old times.
The group step into a large circular room about fifty foot in diameter. Bedding and belongins are scattered around in a somewhat chaotic muddle, together with a dozen dejected and hungry looking ogres. The hunting party wear an odd mixture of clothing, most of it ragged. Brightly dyed wool and cotton mixed with cured hides and plant fibers. Their weapons however look well cared for, bronzed and steel spears, axes and swords.
A large fire burns in the middle of the room.
Viona (to the audience): Some of that cloth comes from the city or towns above, and that looks like deer hide. Obviously they have a way up outside the city.
Ogre Chief: Got any food?
Caroline scrabbles in her backpack and pulls out a large back. She rummages in it, pushing a hand far inside, then reaches in with the other, grabs hard and yanks out a large, leaf wrapped parcel. She puts it down and cuts the top open, revealing meat, fruit, cheese and bread. The ogres almost stampede forward until the chief roars at them, then approach one at a time, the smallest and youngest first. The chief turns and looks at the group.
Viona: [You look like a hunting party, why are you starving?]
Ogre Chief: [We were sent by the Lord of Necessity, whose domain lies deep within the mountain to exploring this underground fort when we encountered a beast. A thing that should not be. It ambushed us from behind, killed Old Hurl and Big Jon, the rest of us ran. It's between us and them.]
Viona (to the rest of the party): He says they encountered something unnatural, a monster. It drove them here, and trapped them.
She turns back to the Ogre Chief
Viona: [What manner of creature was it?]
Ogre Chief: [An undead thing. A remnant of what was, of your people's sin. It lies to the South East of here. Perhaps your human magic can put down what was once raised.]
[ ] Ask Questions about the chief and the Lord of Necessity
[ ] Question the chief about the beast
[ ] Go immediately South East and face the monster
[ ] Try to persuade the Ogres to fight alongside you.
[ ] Abandon them with lies and return to the surface
Scene 6: The Underground Keep
[x] Talk
Viona leans over to Metzil.
Viona: Wake him, be polite.
Metzil saunters up to the ogre and taps him on the arm. He doesn't wake, frowning, she reaches down and shakes him, harder. The Ogre blinks and then jerks upright, Metzil taking a hasty back step to avoid a swung fist. He roars an alarm and several more ogres emerge behind, lead by a particularly large specimen wearing a steel helm and bronze armour. The Ogre Chief snarls and thumps his armoured chest, making a loud ringing sound.
Ogre Chief: Whatcha like! Who you?
Viona speaks back in a deep, but mellow sounding speech.
Viona: [We can converse in your own language if you wish]
Ogre Chief: [Surface dweller. How come you to the sacred language?]
Viona: [A time ago, I fought beside your people.]
Ogre Chief: [All I have known with surface dwellers at war is those in front of me.]
Viona: [There is one time when we served together]
The Ogre Chief roars in obvious rage, steps forward, towering over Viona, who stands calmly. It bellows, other ogres snarling too, weapons held high. The Ogre chief steps forward. Metzel and Munira step forward to block its way, blades raised, but Viona pushes them apart and meets it halfway.
Ogre Chief: [Betrayal! Rot! Ruin! A curse of blood upon you and all your kind. There was but one from that]
Viona: [No. There were two]
Ogre Chief: [If that is the case, then whisper to me her name in the sacred tongue.]
Viona leans forward and whispers something into its ear. The Ogre Chief face slackens and he steps back, removing his helmet.
Ogre Chief: Come here, share fire!
Caroline: What did you tell him?
Viona: We spoke of old times.
The group step into a large circular room about fifty foot in diameter. Bedding and belongins are scattered around in a somewhat chaotic muddle, together with a dozen dejected and hungry looking ogres. The hunting party wear an odd mixture of clothing, most of it ragged. Brightly dyed wool and cotton mixed with cured hides and plant fibers. Their weapons however look well cared for, bronzed and steel spears, axes and swords.
A large fire burns in the middle of the room.
Viona (to the audience): Some of that cloth comes from the city or towns above, and that looks like deer hide. Obviously they have a way up outside the city.
Ogre Chief: Got any food?
Caroline scrabbles in her backpack and pulls out a large back. She rummages in it, pushing a hand far inside, then reaches in with the other, grabs hard and yanks out a large, leaf wrapped parcel. She puts it down and cuts the top open, revealing meat, fruit, cheese and bread. The ogres almost stampede forward until the chief roars at them, then approach one at a time, the smallest and youngest first. The chief turns and looks at the group.
Viona: [You look like a hunting party, why are you starving?]
Ogre Chief: [We were sent by the Lord of Necessity, whose domain lies deep within the mountain to exploring this underground fort when we encountered a beast. A thing that should not be. It ambushed us from behind, killed Old Hurl and Big Jon, the rest of us ran. It's between us and them.]
Viona (to the rest of the party): He says they encountered something unnatural, a monster. It drove them here, and trapped them.
She turns back to the Ogre Chief
Viona: [What manner of creature was it?]
Ogre Chief: [An undead thing. A remnant of what was, of your people's sin. It lies to the South East of here. Perhaps your human magic can put down what was once raised.]
[ ] Ask Questions about the chief and the Lord of Necessity
[ ] Question the chief about the beast
[ ] Go immediately South East and face the monster
[ ] Try to persuade the Ogres to fight alongside you.
[ ] Abandon them with lies and return to the surface
Exhack
We Won't Build The Plane!
- Location
- Montreal, Canada
- Location
- National Capital Region, USA
[X] Try to persuade the Ogres to fight alongside you.
Questioning him for details too, if possible.
Questioning him for details too, if possible.
- Location
- The Hague
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Ask about the monster
I think we should try and clear the ruins out of monsters where possible, if only to make exploring them easier in future. Alternatively maybe we take control of it. Never know!
I think we should try and clear the ruins out of monsters where possible, if only to make exploring them easier in future. Alternatively maybe we take control of it. Never know!
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I'll get to it in the morning.