Fantasy Dreams of the Second Age

[JayTee]

Rine, having come from an era where personal combat was not necessary for survival and this lacking any personal combat abilities of his own, began summoning Eyeless Minions for his own protection.

 

[Sherwood]

Up at the top of the Flying Tower, the two Lunars begin to prowl their way about, making sure that there is no one else up there with you. After taking the time to scout the landing sites, Murdock gives Grifnir a thumbs-up and heads for the lifts going down. Amazingly enough, the Essence powered personnel lifts are still working! Perhaps it is a sign of good fortune that you won't have to walk down the stairs of a three thousand foot tall tower.


Instead of a little box-like elevator, this Tower is equipped with a set of tubes; one that lets you sink down slowly so you can step out onto whatever deck you feel like, and a second tube that lifts you up, totally supported by Essence. There is a backup set of stairs you can use in an emergency, but that will be one Malfias of a workout after a few floors.


Sinking down, it is clear that there is little to no foot traffic at these higher levels. Mor'du whispers, "Lets float down for a while, then we can step off and take the stairs the rest of the way down until we run into these Fae. They will probably be watching for intruders in these lift tubes, but not expecting anything from the stairs."

 

[Rykon]

Grifnir nods, floating down with the two Lunars. Using his Essence Sight he would attempt to step off just before reaching a floor with detectable life forms on it. After stepping out he would draw his blade, head toward the staircase and activate his invisibility. Prowling down the stairs Grifnir would try and take in as much of the active surroundings as possible with his awareness magic, noting any objects of value as potential targets for a quick swipe.

 

[Sherwood]

As you sink down, you can see that the Tower is mostly emptied out, but there are occasional items that stand out in your Essence sight as being made from the various Magical Materials. Most of the items are useless little trinkets, but you are sure that in this decayed Age, they are probably worth a king's ransom.


You start to smell the presence of squatters before you see them; apparently personal hygiene is not a priority to the residents of the Tower. Murdock steps out of the lift tube silently, followed by Mor'du and Grifnir. It is slower going now that you are moving silently under your own power. With your invisibility now active, you are truly a ghost drifting through the halls.

 

[Rykon]

Grifnir continued to search the halls seeing if he could locate any individuals with their own heart grace or with the highest levels of Essence among the groups of Fae. If he is capable of comprehending any potential chatter of the beings surrounding him he would attempt to take note of that as well.

 

[Action Replay]

Fist Tyrant


Staying out of the conversation, Tyrant scanned the surroundings and occasionally the windows of the tower. They were more open out here than was wise, and the longer they lingered the higher the chance they would be spotted. By the minions in the tower or the other natives. Eying up the potential "abandoned" houses nearby the tower's base he points out a few ideal for staging an ambush to any escapees.


"Instead of waiting for it to rain arrows, furniture, or whatever else remains lets relocate until they finish their trip. Close enough to catch anything coming out of the tower, and out of immediate sight."

 

[Sherwood]

As you ghost your way through the Tower, you start to pass various lower caste Fae; trolls and goblins of various types fill the halls, most of which can be heard talking about the Hunt or the Game. From the way that they talk about those subjects, it sounds like it is one thing with two different names, or different aspects of the same thing. There is a lot of bitching about how much work the masters are making them do in the search, and the damn Behemoth is so large, how can it be hidden for so long? There is not much of the Underways left to search, it is just a matter of time.


You come around to one level of the Tower and find what appears to be a roughly constructed throne room with what appears to be three nobles sitting court over several dozen cowering creatures. One of the nobles is a man in sparkling golden armor that seems to be a parody of the First Age designs that the Solars developed for their armor, with a massive sword propped up next to him on a stone chair. His facial features are contorted with rage as he thunders at the lead goblin.

The second Fae is a woman in luxurious silks that barely cover her sensual body, hiding just enough but promising much more. She is leaning back in a pile of cushions, idly teasing her hair seemingly bored with the whole scene.

The third Fae is also a woman, but this one looks somewhat inhuman with her blue skin, glowing eyes and dainty horns. This one has a small stuffed doll in her hands, and is playing with it like she is a child, paying little to no attention to what is going on.

The man is pounding his fist against the armrest of the seat he is in. "Months! You have torn this city apart for months looking for the Behemoth and for what? Nothing! Useless!"


"M-m-master, the forces of the Solar--"


"Excuses! Find it! Find it or I will spend an eternity dreaming up new ways to make you suffer! Now go! Before I lose my temper!"


The assembled creatures scatter like pins before a bowling ball and vanish.

 

[Rykon]

Grifnir watched for a moment taking in a deep breath while channeling some essence through his sword. Tracking the creatures as they vanished, he would wait until they were out of earshot and then step forward sword drawn. "Quite unfortunate how little intel you seem willing to take from your retinues, I was hoping you might have some answers for me on this mad Solar and his armies. Strange then that I come in to find more questions rather than answers. If his goblins don't come from you, where does he recruit his fae commoners? Once you answer that, I shall have one of you tell me more of this behemoth." Grifnir's voice and steps would echo in the hall, his form still invisible to normal sight.

 

[Sherwood]

Outside, the Circle of Exalts are quietly keeping watch on the base of the Flying Tower. There are obvious signs of rubble being cleared away, making it difficult to approach the ground floor entrance without being seen. You can see many portals higher up on the Tower, most likely used by the Pterok breed of Dragon Kings, most of which have been sealed up most of the way, leaving a small slit to observe and shoot arrows out of. Other than the occasional flash of movement you can see in the windows, there is no activity in the area.


Inside the Tower, Grifnir's statement to the Fae gets a reaction. The man in armor jumps to his feet and yanks his gossamer blade from its sheath. "Show yourself! Who are you, and how do you intrude upon our layer without being seen?" The two women respond a little differently. The one that is lounging on the pillows stops playing with her hair long enough to sit up, somehow keeping herself from being exposed despite how revealing her outfit is, while the blue skinned woman keeps playing with her toy as if she were a small child.

 

[Rykon]

Grifnir paced around the Fae, still invisible to their sight, "It is in poor taste to make demands of your host. You have had free reign over this tower for long enough, so it is time you repaid the debt of shelter. Well, what little shelter remains here anyways." Grifnir paused for a moment for effect, eyeing a broken bauble in his palm, one that used to be lying around the ruin. His form and body became visible as a reflection of light danced across the faces of his 'guests' from the ruined curiosity he now examined. "Bit of a shame that you seem to be surrounded by an enemy your troops hold the utmost fear for all while searching for something they obviously won't find. The real tragedy is what will befall you when the other forces at play here snatch your prize from underneath your obviously competent retinue." Grifnir paused again letting that last bite of sarcasm sink in for just a moment. "A behemoth you said it was? That will end swimmingly. So...now that I think we're both clear on the game and the stakes, let's talk business. If you want this tale to end favorably, you will have to pay my price. Let's start with some information on this behemoth, what is it exactly? Does it have a name? Finally, how do you know where to look for it?"

 

[Sherwood]

The man is all bluster as he glares at Grifnir. "What gives you the right to intrude upon me and question my actions? I don't answer to you."


A subtle shift from the woman lounging on the couch shows her increased level of interest in the scene. "Dear brother, where are your manners? We have a guest to cater to for the first time since we have arrived at this forsaken hell-hole of a city. All this just to find your precious toy. Good sir, I am Velvet Blossom, and this blowhard is my brother, Veylan."


Veylan continues to glare at Grifnir. "Now he has my name. Don't you know that there is power in names? Foolish girl. He is obviously an Exalt, and you freely give him weapons to use against us."


"Well, duh, of course he's an Exalt. How else could he have gotten in here past the guards? Look at him. He is completely at ease, even being in the midst of your 'throne room'. He is either powerful enough that he doesn't see us as a threat to him, he has allies hidden away in the shadows, or he can somehow flee your wrath before you have a chance to strike. In any case, why make an enemy of this one, when we may be able to convince him to help us find the toy?"


"And why would he do that? Helping us is not in their nature."


"With the right motivation, anything can be accomplished. Tell me, good Exalt, what is your name?"

 

[Rykon]

Grifnir raised an eyebrow at the sibling discourse and rested his daiklave upon a nearby lantern hook. The metal would seemed to visibly heat up for a brief moment and would start too cool over the course of conversation. Sitting next to Velvet Blossom, Grifnir would reach for her hand, "I am Grifnir of the Soul Scorching Gaze, Prince of the Earth." He would attempt to kiss the back of her hand, offering a warm smile and civil courtly respect. "I am here because your presence both intrigues me and presents a mutually profitable opportunity. My goal, is to bring resolution, violent or otherwise, to my supposedly mad Exalted brother running amok in the city, restore the proper status of the city's native inhabitants, and end any underworldly or corrupted spirits continuing to hold this once fair city back. You it seems, need your behemoth back, but before we speak further I must know for what purpose."

 

[Sherwood]

Velvet Blossom lets you kiss her wrist as Veylan glares, and the third Fae still seems focused on playing with her doll. Rolling about the cushions until she is sitting upright, the beautiful woman says, "The behemoth we seek is not ours, but we plan on making it so. Our freehold was taken by a rival, and we are looking for a way to recapture it. There is a powerful artifact hidden in the city, a powerful automation that we hope to use to attack our enemies and destroy them. It is warded against discovery, so it is difficult for us to locate. Perhaps an alliance between you and us? Help us find the Destroyer, then we can use it to help you against your foes. What say you?"


Veylan glowers as his sister talks to Grifnir, but says nothing.


Outside the Tower, everyone is huddled up in the rubble of one of the broken down buildings when a figure of a young girl can be seen skipping along the walkway. She is young, perhaps nine or ten, and from here, she appears to be quite human. She is pretty for her age, and does not appear to be armed in any way. The girl is making her way down the walkway towards the Tower.

 

[Rykon]

"I will consider this alliance. However, before I give a definitive answer, I have a few questions. For starters, who is this rival and how did they take your freehold? Also, where is this freehold and what is stopping you from just taking it back yourselves? Normally you Fae are at no risk of death by your peers."

 

[Sherwood]

Veylan snarls out, "Our freehold is in the Bordermarches of the Wyld, and it was taken by an old enemy of mine, a Lunar Exalt and his army of beastmen. His name is Grond, and he has been at war with our people for years. He has the power to unmake us, and without the Behemoth I don't have the power to reclaim our home."

 

[Rykon]

"Hmmm, that's a shame. I cannot justify crossing Lunars, as it would alienate me from very useful allies. I'm sure you understand. I do, however, have a counter proposal. If you serve me, we will find a better home for you, one that doesn't involve creating new enemies. Under my wing, any attack against you would be an affront to me and therefore justifies liberal applications of retribution. Though now I have another question. Now that I know where to look for this behemoth, what would I stand to gain from your assistance? Soldiers? Wealth? Knowledge?" Grifnir finished his last series of questions trying not to sound blatantly insulting to the group of nobles but was both expectant of and apathetic toward any offense Veylan would take to his pride.

 

[JayTee]

Fine eyes the woman with a curious eye. He doubted very much that she was exactly what she appeared, a normal human. Focusing his energies on his mind's eye, he peered through the layers of essence in the world to truly see what she was.


OOC


Activating All Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight. Let me know if I need to make an Occult roll.

 

[Sherwood]

Your hunch that the girl is not normal is a good one. First off, with the AESS, you can see that there is a group of six ghosts traveling along behind her. They have the look of being bodyguards to her, but from her Essence rating being above 4, you are beginning to doubt that they would be needed. She has several pieces of Magical Materials on her, consisting of bracers, a long belt, and even her clothes all radiate as if they were made of Soulsteel. The girl also has two different hearthstones on her, one in the belt and one attached to her bracers. Taking a longer look reveals that her Essence rating is at 5, marking her as an Exalt of some kind.


Several Charms are currently active at the moment, looks like some kind of Essence sight and one similar to Graceful Crane Stance.


I'm assuming you will get enough successes on your Occult roll for the basic info to be revealed.

 

[JayTee]

"What is that? Rine thought to himself in disbelief. He had never heard of a being who surrounded themselves in such heavy trappings of death. In the First Age, he had done a study on Necromancy as it was a new and exciting field. Perhaps She was a specialist of some sort?


Turning to his more modern allies, he pointed out the woman and inquired as to what it all meant.

 

[Sherwood]

"Hmmm, that's a shame. I cannot justify crossing Lunars, as it would alienate me from very useful allies. I'm sure you understand. I do, however, have a counter proposal. If you serve me, we will find a better home for you, one that doesn't involve creating new enemies. Under my wing, any attack against you would be an affront to me and therefore justifies liberal applications of retribution. Though now I have another question. Now that I know where to look for this behemoth, what would I stand to gain from your assistance? Soldiers? Wealth? Knowledge?" Grifnir finished his last series of questions trying not to sound blatantly insulting to the group of nobles but was both expectant of and apathetic toward any offense Veylan would take to his pride.

Veylan laughs. "If you plan on allying yourself with Grond, you are as mad as he is. His mind has gone from being in the Wyld for so long, but in his madness is power. He is nearly impossible to kill, and he swept through our lands like a scythe. Without the Behemoth, I don't know of any way to dislodge him. But, the knowledge of the existence of the Behemoth is one thing; the knowledge of how to make it work is another. We have searched much of this ruin to know where it is not, while you have done no such thing. No, I don't believe that I will be giving up on my goals quite yet."

"What is that? Rine thought to himself in disbelief. He had never heard of a being who surrounded themselves in such heavy trappings of death. In the First Age, he had done a study on Necromancy as it was a new and exciting field. Perhaps She was a specialist of some sort?
Turning to his more modern allies, he pointed out the woman and inquired as to what it all meant.

Pyter leans over and takes a look at the child as she skips along the road. With a frown, he says, "That is one of the Abyssal Exalts, also known as a Deathknight. It is rare for a child so young to be made into one, but not unheard of. In my opinion, it is wrong to force an Exaltation on a unworthy recipient, but it is not like I have any say in who these Deathlords choose to raise up. What is she doing here, now?"

 

[JayTee]

"I have no idea." Said Rine, trying to get a closer look while remaining hidden. "Making her way towards the tower, by the looks of it. What cause would these Deathlords have with a broken city, or the fair folk within?"

 

[Sherwood]

Pyter shakes his head. "I don't know. The ruins of Rathess must still hold many treasures; that is why the Realm for one keeps an eye on those that express an interest in the old city. Perhaps there is something here that her Master wants." His hands idly finger his sword as he talks. "I am wondering if we should allow this creature to leave here alive. The minions of the Underworld are, as a whole, dark and corrupt. Despite her innocent appearance, that one will have ice in her veins I have no doubt."

 

[Rykon]

Grifnir raises an eyebrow at Veylan's retort, "I think you misunderstand my intent. I merely seek to avoid the ire of other, more sane Lunars as slaying one of their brethren would not bode well for my reputation with them. Though I meant what I said earlier, one way or another, this city will be the death of you should you not seek strong enough allies. Unless you can prove to me that the gain from retaking the freehold is worth the consequences I will not assist you in such an endeavor."

 

[Sherwood]

Velvet Blossom and Veylan trade a look, and the woman nods. "Very well. We can offer you a trade. Help us recover our Freehold from the chimera, and we will give you the Key to the Behemoth to do with as you wish. It is a powerful weapon, and you can use it to carve out your empire and defend it from the armies of the Realm that will undoubtably try to stop you."

 

[Rykon]

Grifnir rubs at his chin for a moment, "Chimera, you say? Did this Lunar have any sort of Tattoos on him?"