D&D II Act One Scene III - The Lost World

Fourier

She enters a room made of glass thousands of images displayed all around her and a black leathery tree at the center. When the tree speaks Retula knows it is the Queen.

"Our pact is special to me, even if my lower manifestations forget the details of it. I do not enter into these arrangements lightly, I have my worldly representatives in my Clerics, who have a presence in the material.

No for you it is something much more special...but tell me Retula, would you do something for me, would you take on a task that will restore death to its proper order somewhere it has gone astray. You are not devoted to me, you care little about this I imagine, if I released you from the pact what would you do?"

Fourier

The tree breaks apart into a flock of Ravens, who fly like a whirlwind above Retula.

Banjo

Fourier wrote: »

"...but tell me Retula, would you do something for me, would you take on a task that will restore death to its proper order somewhere it has gone astray. You are not devoted to me, you care little about this I imagine, if I released you from the pact what would you do?"

"My lady.. er..Ma'am... Your majesty? I wasn't raised in your faith but it's all I have now. If you release me.... I don't know? What else is there? You offered me a chance at a home. I have to take that chance. Im not subtle and I'm not granular, but point me at something and I swear on my life - which I know is kinda yours not mine - but I'll do my best to mess them up. "

Fourier

"I know you will...you might have turned to me in desperation, tried to flee the realm, but there's a resourcefulness in you..." the ravens coalesce into a cloaked woman, ten times the height of Retula. Hetyaro appears and lands on her shoulder. Retula feels a smile lies under the hood of the robe "...plus a little birdy told me I could rely on you"

The palace fades and Retula stands within the bow of the ship.

Sunlight comes through the cracks in the floorboards above, the voice of the captain speaks from behind her.

"I bow before you agent of the queen, this crew is yours...welcome to Osinzir. Come and see and we will tell you of your mission."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbftqekNkVY

OOC: Level 4

Banjo

Climbing the stairs, she winces a little when the light hits her. She keeps her head steady, her back straight, as she glides regally to the guard rail and throws up over the side.

"....that.. was... intense" she pants between retches. Straightening up, she wipes her mouth and released a nervous burp.
"Ok captain, hit me!"

Fourier

The captain laughs at Retula.

"Well, the great city of Osinzir has a lich for a king essentially. The 'nice' kind, in that it doesn't yet involve liching the life out of others. It always reaches that point though...anyway, the reason we're here. They have a festival on at the moment, during which an ancient spell is released. The people of Osinzir, unfortunately, don't have an easy to manage afterlife, it's a sequence of interconnected kingdoms in a nearby demiplane.

'Nearby' means easy to come back from, provided you have the right spell. The whole land is covered in a counterspell put in place by one of the Elder Gods, that gets partially released for the festival, allowing the dead to wander the streets and heroes of old to judge the festival.

Recently this old warlord reconquered the whole afterlife, we know he's up to something to fully release the counterspell. Somebody of that power would represent a significant slap in the face to the domain of death. We need you to find out what he is up to and stop him. We've got a partner, of sorts, for you. The Raven Queen has managed to wrangle the local Death god into helping you."

Banjo

"Death God? Like, grim reaper death God? What kinda help could I possibly give him? He peckish?"

She shakes her head, missing the flumph of hair on scalp.

"Ok, what do you know about the festival? Also, you mentioned the ship and crew were mine - you guys want in on this?"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"Death God? Like, grim reaper death God? What kinda help could I possibly give him? He peckish?"

She shakes her head, missing the flumph of hair on scalp.

"Ok, what do you know about the festival? Also, you mentioned the ship and crew were mine - you guys want in on this?"

"We're yours if you know a brawl is heading your way, or anything else. We're devoted followers of the Queen, so if you need us just come back here.

The festival is a race of sorts around a canyon to the NorthEast of Osinzir. It goes on all day, everyday for two weeks. The dude we're after is currently judging some part of it.

And yep, a Grim Reaper Death God, nice guy...or so we were informed."

Banjo

"Dude, if I can make it all the way back here, I don't need your help! Ok, show me on the map where the canyon is, and where I'm meeting the Reaper. Oh, and where we're landing. I guess if I'm in really trouble I'll send the Raven or blow something up?"

Ooc : also is there a legend for that map?

Fourier

OOC:


Little stick dudes are nomadic tribes.

Banjo

Unless there's a specific plan, assuming Tsuzim is a port let's land there all legit-like.

Fourier

The boat pulls into Tsuzim's harbour, the captain stepping out on deck to take in the city.

"My home town, beautiful place with lots to do, but be careful! Many would be happy to take advantage of a hapless foreigner and you're as foreign as they get!"

Banjo

"your home town? But I thought you were... Oh! *Wink* home town... No still don't get it. So where do I meet my contact, and do you like have any family who'll sell me cool discount gear and hide me from the lich and oh! Oh! I need tattoos! I haven't written in the journal for a while!"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"your home town? But I thought you were... Oh! *Wink* home town... No still don't get it. So where do I meet my contact, and do you like have any family who'll sell me cool discount gear and hide me from the lich and oh! Oh! I need tattoos! I haven't written in the journal for a while!"

"It's my hometown as my parents were adventurers who left the Shadowfell. Your contact is at the town graveyard. Cool gear, yeah head to Fathe's Weapons, can't get you a discount though"

Banjo

"ok, cool. Well, wish me luck!"
She disembarks, summoning Mr H.

"Sir Humphalgrumps! I need you to tone yourself down a little like last time. We're under cover!

Rule #1! No more shouting 'were undercover'!"

She checks if the bag of stones she put on him before his last dismissal is still there.

"Ok, your codename is 8-ball, I'll be Cueball, the Raven is Lady Havisham. Masks on! I didn't make masks, it's just, you know, spy stuff."

She heads into town, looking for the graveyard.

Fourier

The locals are not very extroverted crowd, the streets are quite empty as Retula rides through the town in the light rain. The graveyard is easy enough to find, lying beside some kind of shrine with a statue of a crane on its roof.

It takes the form of park with various obelisk markers with hundreds of names written on each of them.

Banjo

Retula sends the Raven on a quick sweep to find any points of interest or other mourners, the enters the graveyard - approaching the obelisks in the absence of other stimuli.

Fourier

No major points of interest, save for the beautiful trees which Hetyaro is drawn to land on, finally coming to rest on one with pale red leaves. There is only five other people here.

Retula approaches one of the obelisks when a young handsome man speaks behind her.

"Beautiful aren't they?"

Banjo

"what, the obelisks or the trees.."
She turns
"...or...or...or...your forelocks.....so voluminous....Hi! I'm Ret-uh-Cueball! I'm Cueball. How d'yuh dooo!"
She curtseys.

Fourier

"Both really, the trees and obelisks have beauty in their separate ways.

Thank you for complimenting my hair and no need for pretense, I know who you are Retula"

Banjo

"so you're... Are you.. y'know.. it?

Are you a boy or a girl, it's really hard to tell.

So, can we talk here or do you have like a secret hideout or something?"

Fourier

He laughs.

"A man and yes I am the local god of death.

My house lies beneath this graveyard. Will you come?"

Banjo

"I think I just did! Take me home, Death, or lose me forever!" She yelps, throwing out an arm for Hetyaro and dismissing Mr H so he's more portable.

Fourier

He claps his hands twice.

They appear in a small room with two fur lined chairs, a warm fire and a low table with mats to sit on.

"Tea Retula?"

Banjo

"sure. Got any biscuits? Also is this by any chance a powerful hallucinogenic? I'm beginning to see a pattern emerging.

The good news is it usually ends in many, many deaths which has to be good for business, right?"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"sure. Got any biscuits? Also is this by any chance a powerful hallucinogenic? I'm beginning to see a pattern emerging.

The good news is it usually ends in many, many deaths which has to be good for business, right?"

He looks her in the eye.

"Dwarves was it? Not my jurisdiction, but I know the one for whom it is and they'll be pleased.

No the tea is safe. Honey biscuit okay?"

Banjo

"so the tea is safe and the biscuits are....?"
She breaks a little off, throws it in the air and let's Hetyaro catch it, tasting it through her beak.
"To die for!" She concludes.

"So did you bring me here for the great Osinzir Bake Off or do we have something to discuss?"

Fourier

"Ha! You are quite the joy to listen to. Given your employer I was expecting some sort of grim shadow dwelling skulker.

Yes, we have a lot to discuss..." he clicks his fingers and large tunnel opens up in one of the walls.

"That tunnel goes all the way to the Osinzir afterlife. Touching any obelisk in the park will bring you here, to this room. Just want you to know these things in case they are useful to you at some point.

Now, the man we have to stop goes by the name of Yumjin, you probably know a bit already. However, some of my former servants are aiding him. To deal with them you'll need these..."

He gestures at a set of black flowers laid out on the table.

"...get them to imbibe these and they'll be much easier to deal with."

Banjo

Ooc : what kind of flowers?

"And do they often eat flowers, your servants?

Wait, what? Your servants? Why are your servants working with him?

And the tunnel - I'm dealing with him in the afterlife not the bef... The pre....? The life!?

Oh, are you here in an advisory capacity and to look gorj, or will you be getting your hands dirty?
In combat!" She adds hastily, blushing and crossing her legs.

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

Ooc : what kind of flowers?

Looking carefully Retula can see that they are Lotuses.

"And do they often eat flowers, your servants?

"Yes, quite often"

Wait, what? Your servants? Why are your servants working with him?

"He promised them something more appealing than what their work for me provides them. Silly little fools, what the do for me is their purpose."

And the tunnel - I'm dealing with him in the afterlife not the bef... The pre....? The life!?

"The tunnel is only there should you need it. For now he administers the festival, but he may retreat back to the afterlife"

Oh, are you here in an advisory capacity and to look gorj, or will you be getting your hands dirty?
In combat!" She adds hastily, blushing and crossing her legs.

"You're a strange one..." then he smiles "...like most gods my hands are tied to interact too directly, but there are certain circumstances where I may help you. Yumjin may not use his magics on you, that is the main spell I have placed over you."

Banjo

"working alone, eh? Just me... My raven... My talking unicorn... And I think I saw a squirrel in the graveyard, maybe he's not busy... Ok, so I just need to get your servants to eat these flowers, destroy them, then destroy Yumjin before he retreats back to the afterlife. It'll be a..."

She snaps a biscuit for emphasis.

"...lot of work, but the sooner I get started the sooner I'm finished. Hey, what do you know about this race?"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"...lot of work, but the sooner I get started the sooner I'm finished. Hey, what do you know about this race?"

"It's used to fill seats in the Osinzir council, has done so for centuries. Half the council must be race winners. It's sort of a very violent canyon run, with a wide range of transport types allowed."

Banjo

Kwaaaaak!
"What? I'm totally focussed on the mission, stop!"
Prrk prrk!
"...well you have to admit, if I was on the council I'd get a lot closer to the target."
Raaaaaark!
"Details details. We'll ask around town, maybe another driver will become mysteriously ill."

She grins and draws fake hexes in the air.

" Or I could just enter Mr H as-is and hope hes as tough as he acts?

Ok, well I guess I should get going. Any advice, pointers, awesome whistle that summons a ghost dog, now's the time!"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

Ok, well I guess I should get going. Any advice, pointers, awesome whistle that summons a ghost dog, now's the time!"

"Here's a whistle that summons a ghost dog" he says bemused "a while since my spectral hounds have stretched their legs.

Plenty going on in Osinzir itself, might get you the lay of the land, the main race itself is not for two days, so Yumjin will be in Osinzir until then."

Banjo

"thanks death! You're the greatest!"
She leaps up to give him a hug, pressing in just the right side of an indecent amount.

"Ok, let's do this!"
She scrunched up her face and wills herself back up to the surface.
"Teleport....away!"

Fourier

He claps his hands and they are back in the graveyard.

Banjo

Retula summons Mr H (incognito outfit), mounts up and gives Death a cheery-bye, then heads back into town, looking for the shop the captain mentioned.

Fourier

Fathe's Weapons, with the eponymous Fathe in a straw hat behind the counter, is in the middle of town. A fine selection of weapons hang on the outside windows.

"Hmmm...you're a strange one" he says shouting into the street "Anything in particular you're after?"

Banjo

"You must be Fathe! Captain Larons said I should look you up.

Hey, why do people keep saying I'm weird before I even open my mouth? I mean after, I understand but before... is it the tattoos? The slappy head? Wait - if nothing else what kind of customer service model is that? Negging me into overpaying for a blade? I'm not even in the door, you're harassing me in the street! "

She enters.

"Something specific? No, not really, I'll be honest I kinda just needed a place to aim for, like get my bearings and stuff? I'm kinda weak, never really been able to fight, prefer to just chat over a cup of tea. But I mean, you know how it is, you give 'em a lump of sugar instead of a trickle of syrup and suddenly it's knives out. I've served enough sugar lumps now, I'd really like an option to defend myself. Something simple enough even I could understand it, but weird too so it reflects my natural grace and beauty? Anything you could recommend?

Oh hey, and where'd you get that hat?"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"You must be Fathe! Captain Larons said I should look you up.

Hey, why do people keep saying I'm weird before I even open my mouth? I mean after, I understand but before... is it the tattoos? The slappy head? Wait - if nothing else what kind of customer service model is that? Negging me into overpaying for a blade? I'm not even in the door, you're harassing me in the street! "

"Bald, metal fingernails and an eye growing in yer palm counts as weird to me Kasalte."

Banjo wrote: »

I've served enough sugar lumps now, I'd really like an option to defend myself. Something simple enough even I could understand it, but weird too so it reflects my natural grace and beauty? Anything you could recommend?

Oh hey, and where'd you get that hat?"

"The hat is normal in these parts, but you are not. I could make a gauntlet for you, something to channel your energies through that eye?"

Banjo

"People who can see retractable eyes ain't normal neither. Believe me, gremmy, if you could see the eye you would be a whole lot less obnoxious to me. So don't talk to me about weird or I'll trim my nails on you hirsute scalp.

You don't wanna talk headwear? Fine. Lets keep it business, weirdo to weirdo. Tell me about the gauntlet. What will it do, make me shoot the power of friendship? "

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"People who can see retractable eyes ain't normal neither. Believe me, gremmy, if you could see the eye you would be a whole lot less obnoxious to me. So don't talk to me about weird or I'll trim my nails on you hirsute scalp.

You don't wanna talk headwear? Fine. Lets keep it business, weirdo to weirdo. Tell me about the gauntlet. What will it do, make me shoot the power of friendship? "

"Well...yes"

Banjo

"oh. So like, you saw the fingernails, the head, the ink, the Raven, the tentacle armour, the piercings and you thought 'power of friendship' would totally set this ensemble off?

Ok

How much and how long?"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"oh. So like, you saw the fingernails, the head, the ink, the Raven, the tentacle armour, the piercings and you thought 'power of friendship' would totally set this ensemble off?

Ok

How much and how long?"

"The eye contains, to use your terms 'friendship magic', it is possible I could focus those energies into a 'friendship blast' of some form."

Banjo

"dude, I'm sold on the friendship blast, I ride a ****ing unicorn and my veins run thick with tea. I meant how much will it cost and how long will it take?"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"dude, I'm sold on the friendship blast, I ride a ****ing unicorn and my veins run thick with tea. I meant how much will it cost and how long will it take?"

"500 GP my friend, should only take until tomorrow morning"

OldGoat

OldGoat wrote: »

Mags cocks his head like a dog, trying to catch the song. He tries to repeat the rhythm, to play a counterpoint to it but it's beyond him. To the bard this is more alluring that gold, than gems, then the offer of a 3way, it's something new. He feels the song deep in his viscera, at the very core of his being.

Flexing to settle his armour and trying to tap the percussive beat with his hammers he sets off after the elusive sound.
"See ya later guys and dragon men hole diggers."

OOC: Am doing a wee bit of travelling* so interwebsconnetonlineability is going to be sketchy for a few weeks hence Mags is off on a little solo sojourn.
* By this I mean lots of sitting in cafes, drinking Pernod pastis, smoking cigars and doing poor Maurice Chevalier impressions.

Mags, after tromping through the undergrowth for hours on end settles down to rest, recuperate and eat some rations. The song is still to be heard but he seems no closer to it yet. As he eats he ponders the possibility of climbing a tree to see over the canopy.

OOC: I is bak! Waves to all. Who's dead, who's new?

Banjo

Fourier wrote: »

"500 GP my friend, should only take until tomorrow morning"

"I can probably cover that. Sure. Go for it"

She clenches her eye-fist and raises it aloft.

"Soon, the Empathy Gauntlet shall be complete! Hahahahahaha!

Hey, you know your way around weapons, what do you make of this dagger? Some randy monk tried to kill me with it so I had to take it from him. Looked magic when he had it but I've not been able to identify anything special about it."

Banjo

OldGoat wrote: »

OOC: I is bak! Waves to all. Who's dead, who's new?

OOC Recap :
Vrakash fought the Ant Queen then jumped down into the under-underdark (which happened before your absence, you've missed nothing other than last night).

Rhiggs was put into a demiplane by his genie buddy, and emerged in the Lowerdark with Vrakash.

Sarric befriended that vampire that was raiding spice caravans near Zassan and the pair of them are dimension-hopping round a greatest hits of D&D campaign settings doing missions for the council of Othegregrad. Vae Victis!

Therai is on the same landmass as you (but in a different thread), raiding old temples for pieces of a magic obelisk of great power which is worth a boatload of gold like Indianna Jones but with horns.

Retula is pushing the boundaries of how many tea parties one character can be invited to in a single game, over on another continent.

Brú is canoninically still alive even though we all saw him drown.

From where you left, the dwarves and warlock we had were working with got them selves perished, but the town bard is still knocking around. If the townsfolk of Hamarqu ask you who's side you're on, bear in mind they tore 3 or 4 of those dwarves limb from limb before you answer. Oh, and I owe you 80gp

Evade

Banjo wrote: »

Therai is on the same landmass as you (but in a different thread), raiding old temples for pieces of a magic obelisk of great power which is worth a boatload of gold like Indianna Jones but with horns.

OOC: I think of him more like Tiefling Aladdin, bumbling around stealing things for other people and it'll almost certainly end badly.