Adventure 8: There is no chin under Puk'lor's beard. Only...

[Corwin]

Eagan can try twice more, and by Torm, he will do so!

[Ebiris]

[23:02] <Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
[23:02] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+8 and gets 26." [1d20=18]
[23:02] <Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
[23:02] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+8 and gets 18." [1d20=10]

The portal actually wavered on the first dispel, but stabilised after a minute or so.

[Ebiris]

[18:24] <Alicia> roll 1d20+8 CL check for Eagan
[18:24] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+8 CL check for Eagan and gets 11." [1d20=3]

As requested, Eagan casts restoration on the mace. If anyone has detect magic on at this point, they see its magical aura flare briefly as if about to reassert itself, before being suppressed again.

[18:21] <Carthrat> roll 1d6+5
[18:21] * Hatbot --> "Carthrat rolls 1d6+5 and gets 11." [1d6=6]
[18:21] <Carthrat> 26 is the DC to beat
[18:22] <Alicia> roll 1d20+seekrit
[18:22] * Hatbot --> "Alicia rolls 1d20+seekrit and gets Error: Numeric values only." [1d20=20]
[18:22] <Alicia> Now make a will save.
[18:22] <Carthrat> roll 1d20+6 for the sav- what
[18:22] * Hatbot --> "Carthrat rolls 1d20+6 for the sav- what  and gets 23." [1d20=17]

Also, Eagan is attempting to dispel the rift, Alveria gets pinged as she passes a will save.

[Ebiris]

[18:33] <Carthrat> roll 1d6+5
[18:33] * Hatbot --> "Carthrat rolls 1d6+5 and gets 10." [1d6=5]
[18:33] <Carthrat> roll 1d20+10
[18:33] * Hatbot --> "Carthrat rolls 1d20+10 and gets 12." [1d20=2]

Alveria attempts to dimension door through the necropolis gateway, but finds that her spell fails, simply depositing her flush against the doorway itself, but still trapped inside.

[Dracos]

OOC: I'll try and touch base with cor or rat tonight and get an idea of where we're going with this and more what's been tried

[Ebiris]

[15:23] <Ebiris> Casting her dimension door spell, Alveria has a better time of it, this time around, as the surroundings of the crypt vanish from around her and Amonet, before they reappear outside! Behind them stand the same doors to the Necropolis, sealed with potently glowing divine runes, the structure itself a massively towering edifice of black stone, bedecked with blocky pillars and statues of Githzerai.
[15:23] <Ebiris> Before them, they can see a narrowly twisting path floating over the grey void that replaces the sky in Limbo, leading down to Bin'saptor itself. The Githzerai city seems to be built over a gigantic corkscrew of rock, covered in buildings that jut out from all angles, the roofs of buildings hanging down from one section scraping against the roofs of those jutting up from the one below.
[15:23] <Ebiris> Stairs and walkways connect the various levels of the corkscrew, seeming to conform to no particular set gravity as they twist and branch off one another at indeterminate angles - even from a distance, you can see that the inhabitants walk along both sides of the walkways seen, above and below as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
[15:23] <Ebiris> Aside from the branch you're on, containing the Necropolis, several others are seen stretching off from the city, some holding mushroom farms, others with large mansions and other, more solid and defensive looking, structures.
[15:23] <Ebiris> Apart from the city, the sky itself is mostly a violently roiling soup of grey that inspires faint vertigo if looked at directly with no frame of reference. A giant firestorm seems to obscure a good portion of the sky directly above you, but it's difficult to tell exactly how far away it is, only that it seems to be moving slowly past the city.
[15:23] <Ebiris> *her and Amonet and Gourash <-- edit in the first line
[15:26] <Amonet> "Let's go find someone in the city, then," Amonet suggests.
[15:26] <Alveria> "Evermeet's prettier," grunts Alveria, starting to trudge down the obvious path, looking for someone to talk to. Though, soon enough, she expects, people will be looking at them.
[15:28] <Gourash> "Gourash think if we get lost here, we never find our way out," He commented, keeping pace with them.
[15:28] <Alveria> "You're probably right. You can't exactly just keep to the right wall in this maze."
[15:29] <Amonet> "Surely the residents would know where their own necropolis is," Amonet suggests.
[15:29] <Alveria> "Do you know where YOUR home cities necropolis is?"
[15:30] <Amonet> "Yes."
[15:30] <Alveria> "I guess they are, like, 800-foot-tall pyramids, or whatever," mumbles Alveria, trying to catch the eye of some passing resident.
[15:31] <Ebiris> The path takes longer than expected to traverse - perspective somehow seems off, here, making distances difficult to gauge. Nonetheless, you soon reach the beginnings of the city itself, as the path climbs up almost vertically onto the corkscrew above. The buildings here are packed fairly tightly, seeming to universally be houses, with a few cloth-covered market stalls dotted here and there.
[15:31] <Ebiris> Every person seen is universally a Githzerai, and many do indeed turn to stare curiously at the outlandish new arrivals.
[15:32] <Alveria> Alveria approaches one at random, not looking particularly thrilled to be here; "Hello. We were locked in the necropolis. Would you be able to direct us to someone who knows what's going on in there?"
[15:36] <Ebiris> "Locked in there? How did you survive?" the old(? - it's hard to tell with Gith) Githzerai man asks, his narrow eyes managing to widen enough to look almost human. "Something wicked in there," he shivers. "They had to get clerics of Kelemvor to seal it to protect the city from what was coming out."
[15:37] <Alveria> "Well, we had a Zerth with us," replies Alveria, fidgeting. "I'm a mage, and I couldn't bring all of us out at once, so I came looking for help. The seals are.. quite strong, yes."
[15:37] <Amonet> "Shouldn't it be safe to enter the grounds, now?" Amonet asks. "In that case, perhaps the same clerics could bring the wards down again, and restore the peace."
[15:38] <Alveria> "We didn't exactly stop the source of the problem," remarks Alveria, dryly. "Though we probably could, given time."
[15:38] <Ebiris> "Something wicked in there," the old Gith nods as he repeats himself, "They couldn't get rid of whatever it was, that's why they had to seal it... What did you see?" he asks, squinting at Amonet.
[15:39] <Amonet> "An evil swarm of evil undead rats, and more undead creatures," she responds, "but they're no longer around."
[15:43] <Gourash> "And some..tear?" He shrugged, looking at alvie for the correct terms.
[15:45] <Alveria> "Yes, a tear between this plane and another. I'd like to talk to someone who knows the details of the problem," replies Alveria. "We might be able to fix it, or at least I'd know for sure it's going to take a few days to get everyone out without breaking the wards."
[15:48] <Ebiris> "You'll want to speak to the High Council about this," the old Gith nods, "The outsider priests have gone now, but the Council will know what to do - head downspire," he points above himself, oddly enough, "Till you reach the middle of the city."
[15:48] <Ebiris> "Their chambers are the big pyramid building with the silver pillars out front." Looking up, you think you can see where he means - it's upside down, relative to where you are, on the far side of the corkscrew and several rotations above.
[15:50] * Gourash nods.  Looking to see if there is a ground path to it...or whether they need to just focus it as ground.
[15:51] <Ebiris> If you were to 'fall' that far, it would probably be lethal. But there are numerous criss-crossing paths through the middle of the corkscrew and linking the various levels. It shouldn't be too hard to find a more or less direct path to it, rather than working your way all around the corkscrew for several circuits.
[15:51] <Alveria> "My thanks," replies Alveria, sketching a bow and starting to wind her way towards the council office, one step/leap/flight after another.
[15:51] * Amonet thanks the man as well, and follows Alveria cautiously.
[15:52] * Gourash follows them, shrugging and trying not to think of how they were doing it.  It'd probably give him a headache.
[15:56] <Ebiris> The trio attract a fair bit of attention from the natives, but no one sees fit to get in your way, and before long you reach the council chambers. It's a wide two-storey box with a four-storey pyramid tapering to a point above it, made out of some type of greyish white stone that's been inset with a silvery metal here and there - a row of solid silver pillars surround the front of the building, before the great doors leading inside.
[15:56] <Ebiris> Various Githzerai come and go from the edifice, suggesting that it's open to the public, although a few armed guards are seen here and there, wearing light armour and carrying spears. They seem to be paying more attention to you than anyone else.
[15:57] <Alveria> Everyone else is doing it! Alveria wlaks right on inside.
[15:57] <Alveria> *walks
[15:57] * Amonet follows with a bow at the guards.
[15:57] <Gourash> "We should ask who to talk to," Gourash suggested as they pass the guards.
[15:59] <Alveria> "There'll be a clerk or something."
[16:00] <Ebiris> The guards don't make any effort to stop you, and one even returns Amonet's bow. Inside you find a large hallway with several staircases rising up to the upper level, and more doors seen branching off here and there.
[16:00] <Ebiris> A fairly obvious reception desk is seen near the entrance, manned by a line of harried looking Gith - fortunately not all are currently occupied, so you could just march right up to one of them and start talking - it's what the other Gith are doing, after all.
[16:01] <Alveria> Alveria does as the Gith do. "Hello, we'd like to talk to someone who can tell us about the necropolis," she states. "We got thrown in there by a portal and just managed to get out."
[16:06] <Ebiris> "By Zerthimmnon, how did you survive?" the Githzerai woman gasps, staring at the trio for a long moment before shaking her head as if to clear it. "Anyway, you'll want to speak with Minister Deakin about this - she was having a horrible time with what happened, and we all knew that seal was only temporary. Let me just check to see if she's available?"
[16:06] <Ebiris> With that she goes to a cabinet behind the reception desk and searches for a ledger, before beginning to flip through it.
[16:07] <Alveria> Alveria shrugs, and whispers to Amonet. "We must really not look as tough as we are, eh? Eh?"
[16:08] <Amonet> "Yes, it seems like it," Amonet agrees, considering.
[16:10] <Ebiris> After a moment, the receptionist looks up, "Minister Deakin is in a meeting for the next half hour, but will be available after that. If you'd like to wait," she gestures over to one corner of the hall filled with chairs bearing sullen and bored looking Githzerai (and a single out of place dwarf), "I'll send someone to collect you once she's free?"
[16:11] <Amonet> "We are not really here to sightsee, so how about waiting?" Amonet proposes to Alveria and Gourash.
[16:12] <Alveria> Alveria shrugs. "Sounds good. I'll take a nap."
[16:17] <Ebiris> And so a short time later, the party is called by a crisply attired Githzerai servant who asks them to follow him. Led up the stairs, they're taken into a large conference room where another Githzerai waits - she looks almost like an elf with yellow skin, none of the stretched facial features or wrinkles that characterise most Gith.
[16:17] <Ebiris> "Greetings, I am minister Deakin," she carols melodiously - she even sounds like an elf. "I have been told you have information about our problem with the Necropolis?"
[16:20] <Alveria> Looks like an elf.. SOUNDS like an elf... "Yes, we found ourselves inside it, and after several vicious battles against the.. residents, we managed to clear it out, find the door, and teleport ourselves through. But it was hard work, and a few of our companions are still within- a zerth among them. Furthermore, while we located a rift to the negative energy plane, we didn't have the time or resources to really deal with it."
[16:21] <Amonet> "Was this rift why you had the necropolis sealed off?" Amonet queries, once Alveria gives her explanation.
[16:22] <Ebiris> Deakin nods understandingly. "So it was for us - no matter how many undead were put down, the rift just animates more. Even when we called in outside assistance from the priests of Kelemvor, they were only able to deal with the symptoms, not the cause. The gates have been sealed until a more permanent solution can be found, but we can open them briefly to let your companions out."
[16:27] <Alveria> "I'd appreciate that. We didn't expect the portal from Xaos to lock us in there," admits Alveria, wiping her brow.
[16:28] <Ebiris> "Xaos..." Deakin furrows her brow a moment. "Odd, we haven't had any travellers come from there in some time, and the first that do appear amongst the dead. It is an ill omen."
[16:29] <Alveria> "A devil was ruling it until quite recently," remarks Alveria.
[16:29] <Amonet> "Maybe it was actually a sign to alert us to the problem, so that we could help resolve it when we gain the ability to do so?" Amonet muses out loud. "In that case, it wouldn't be an ill omen at all...."
[16:30] <Alveria> "Let's hope such signs don't nearly kill us all in the future."
[16:30] <Amonet> "Yes, that would be most welcome," Amonet readily agrees.
[16:31] <Ebiris> "Maybe you're right!" Deakin claps her hands cheerfully at Amonet's words, seemingly ignoring Alveria's dark mutterings. "After all, when faced with the horrors of the negative energy plane, it does a person good to stay positive!"
[16:32] <Amonet> "What would need to happen before our friends could be freed from the necropolis?" Amonet politely asks.
[16:37] <Ebiris> "I'll have some warriors gathered just in case anything else tries to get out, and then we'll go up there and have the gate seal opened long enough for your friends to exit, and then we'll reseal it," Deakin nods, proceeding to scribble something on a sheaf of parchment and then hand it to the servant who led you here, "Deliver that to Abo'tsong, please?" she asks.
[16:37] <Ebiris> Turning back to the group, she goes on, "Everything should be ready in an hour or so - you can wait downstairs or meet us at the Necropolis, whichever you prefer."
[16:39] <Alveria> "Alright. Would you have a few more moments, actually? We did have business in this city, even if we've been rather sidetracked."
[16:40] <Ebiris> "Oh?" Deakin looks at Alveria attentively. "My jurisdiction only really extends to the dead, but go on?"
[16:43] <Alveria> "Well, it's a rather tall story, but the Zerth who has accompanied me can verify it. We're on our way to Shrak'Tor.. we're, uh, in possession of the essence of one of the kharach blades, which we'd like to return." -more
[16:44] <Alveria> "But, uh, the Githyanki also want it, and they've been hounding us for quite some time as we've tried to get here. I'd be interested if there's any way to hasten our journey, or if there are any caravans or the like that travel to the monastery- if we can't speed it up, better defences against those fiends would be in the best interests of everyone."
[16:45] * Gourash stood nearby, listening and fidgeting a bit as Alveria and Amonet talked.
[16:45] <Ebiris> "Oooh, a karach blade?!" Deakin's eyes light up brightly as she leans forward. "Can I see?"
[16:47] <Alveria> "Um, no. It's not the blade itself, just the chaotic, magical enchantment," replies Alveria, shaking her head. "It'd be a bad idea to expose it to open air, for reasons that, uh, will become clear once my friends are released."
[16:48] <Amonet> "That's... as good a way of putting it as any, I suppose."
[16:49] <Ebiris> "Oh," the Gith woman looks disappointed. "Well, I suppose I can ask around to see if anyone's headed that way - those things are treasures of the People, after all."
[16:50] <Alveria> "Please, that would be quite helpful."