Crisis on Alternate Alusias
Scribe Notes
The adventure (most likely) takes place on Alternate Alusias
Summary
Adventure: Crisis on Alternate Alusias
GM: Martin
Session: Spring 806 wk
Night: Thursday (absolutely, definitely)
Location: Avondale
Level: Medium + / God Perplexing
Party
Dramus (GM Info), A Fae Prince and Necromancer played by Mandos
- Axis, the herald of Xanadu and E&E mage played by Greg Graydon Party Leader
- Mary-M, wing'd agent of Sammael and namer played by Helen Chessum
- Father Broc, scholarly Gabrielite and rune master played by Chris Caufield Scribe
- Jade, philosophic human fighter and ranger played by Avette Kelly
- Serena, lithe elven dancer played by Dean Mil Sci
- Teeanna, a young elven lady and Mind Mage played by Hannah
Employer
Organized in parts by Axis and Lord Yo.
Mission
To investigate the continuing non-reappearance of certain of Lord Yo's relatives, namely Dumuzi, Ninlu and Nin-gizhida, and also to check in on Ishkhara, the (good) Sorceress of Masada on Alusia 3.
MARTIN, Please fill this in when you can with the relevant info discussed
Pay
Pay? There's pay?? This isn't a job, it's an adventure! Lord Yo has however been known to offer the occasional small gift... but never payment. (Apple pies may also be provided).
Quotes
Axis to inquiring Noble lord from Empyrea "We are a party from the Seagate Guild of Adventurers"
(Once the Noble has gone). Dramus to Axis "Couldn't you have given us some other title other than that one, It make some feel simply dirty somehow"
Planning
In order to visit these alternate planes we need to find specific narrowing of the planer barriers and then travel across them to various destinations. Last time there was an elven 'ethereal' flying ship that did so but was unfortunately destroyed in a collision with a stellar 'nasty'.
So steps are:
- See Lord Yo and talk
- Travel to Alusia 3 and see the Sorceress of Masada and how her war against the evil hordes goes
- Try to find where the 3 missing dragons last were
- Optional extra for bonus credit: Find out what happened to those humans on Draconia who were going to be evacuated to Terra Nova on Alusia one.
Events
2nd Thaw
10am - We meet at the guild, introduce ourselves and make steps to visit Lord Yo to discuss the situation further. We travel to Kinlu via Tower and appear in the garden of Kokhan_the_Summoner. Our appearance in the castle gardens as a 'new' tea house causes much consternation amongst the guards who prepare to counter-assault our invasion until a negotiator comes forward and we inform him we are no threat and are here to see Lord Yo as we have been invited for 'tea' one afternoon.
We wile away some time (Watching a certain hobbit romping in the ornamental gardens and water features) until a teacup bearing Lord Yo arrives, we explain the situation to him and Dramus serves us all tea and scones from Alfonse's while we talk.
We hear Xanadu is 'out of contact' with some of his children, is 'perplexed' that he is so. Lord Yo is concerned when he hears this and states that he will help us find certain things which may be useful to us in what we are planning. He agrees to accompany us to Newcourt where we test out the 'Planar Thinning dowsing rod' and have a brief discussion about recent visitors to Newcourt which causes us to leave at speed.
3rd Thaw
After a nights sleep we travel to Eidolon through Lord Yo's good offices and get access to the elven portal system which seems to be slowly getting reset again. We travel through the portals until we reach the university with the crystal mind Eunice. Lord Yo leaves us there and wishes us luck in our search for his relatives but he cannot leave and join us as he has other pressing social engagements of importance.
We wait in the courtyard in front of astounding buildings and an elven female appears before us. "Greetings I am Eunice, how may I help you" We briefly describe our task here and what need would like to know and she says she will pass the information on to those who may help. Eunice then gives us a quick description of The University of Mount Everwhite and explains that ATAR is the 'Academy of Thauragic Advanced Reseach'.
We are invited to spend some time wandering and exploring before we get to see the Chancellor who will be with us 'shortly'. Mary-M spends some time with her friend Alita from Palleron who appears as an elven female of pale appearance dressed in archaic courtly fashions. We are advised that some Planar mages might still be found in Kinlu.
After about 2 hours of entertaining ourselves around the various buildings some 'wisps' appear and guide us to meet the chancellor. The Chancellor of the Academy appears to be an Elf of advanced years. The Chancellor chats with us a while and we pass across some requests and he gives us what information he has that may prove worthwhile and advises us the closest narrowing for our proposed destination of A3 (Alusia 3) is close to Tac. This 'narrowing' should take us to Imperia and from there we should be able to get to A3.
One of the Buildings explored by Mary-M and Teeanna was the Mana Extraction Research building. Mary-M was concerned that a large number of entities who had been experimented upon were entombed in some form of hibernation after the research was placed under an Imperial Ban. The research having originally been led by Iruloki Borrese a famed researcher and Drow a more pressing concern is that members of the Elvan Court in Eidolon have removed one of the entities for further research. Dramus is more concerned that this research may have been placed under Imperial Ban for a very good reason and feels that the current Court should not be meddling with things they do not understand. Given that the primary researcher became a Drow after the War of Tears and the Imperial ban was in place the presumption that this research is inherrantly dangerous or potentially corrupting. A future mission may be organised to use the Time Portal at the university to find out more about this experimentation to divine whether steps should be taken to once again stop this research.
We Tower to Elfenburg and appear in a guest room in Lady Isilith's suite at The Regency Hotel) which we all promptly exit from and make our excuses to the servants hurriedly shooing us from her chambers. We take a room at the Regency Hotel and I place one end of a portal there. Mary-M, Axis and I take flight headed for Tac while the others take some rest before the trials ahead.
4 hours flight later Mary-M, Axis and I land in the foothills in the western part of the Duchy of Tac and I start to put down the rest of my portal. Before I am able to complete my ritual several Tac Guards wing their way in, land and ask what I am doing. We quickly explain before I break my concentration and we are 'escorted' to Tac itself via a 'Starbridge' spell. There we are questioned more and then given a secure casting chamber in the Tac Mages Guild from which to conduct my Rune Portal. It works and I pass back to Elfenburg and ask the others to come through where we all talk with the Tac authorities.
It appears the War against the Dark Circle hasn't been going as well here as it has in Carzala and there are still sizable DC forces around. We relate news from the Carzalan front and get little information back. We ask permission to travel through Tac in search of where we are headed and receive 'papers' allowing us to do so. The guards state that the area we are headed for in Southern Tac is still 'contested' and so warn us to be careful of the dangers there.
I grab a few things while we are in Tac and then we are cordially 'shown the door' by the Tac Adventurers Guild and given transport by way of a 'Star-bridge' to the southern most secure town in the Duchy. The 'town' we arrive in shows signs of recent fighting and rebuilding of fortifications but is otherwise 'peaceful'. We get some directions from the locals and head South East into the DC held area aiming for the low set of 'hills' (some 20miles from the town) which is where the 'thinning' is reputed to be located.
We avoid a flying patrol and close on the intended hills. Some miles before we reach them we see signs of primitive but still effective fortifications ('Pa' type graduated levels with spikes, huts, trenches and the like) ahead on our intended hilltop landing area that means others obviously see the military logic of encampments there and possibly they are doing something with the 'thinning' too! We discuss options but in light of no other known way to get through to Alusia 2 we decide to head on in. Serena has dug out some old armour, weapons and a surprisingly staunch looking warhorse and is intent on leading us in a dance of death (theirs that is!) on the hilltop.
A skirmish
On our 'flight in' we have ascertained the enemy to be some 50 strong, mainly Skeletons and Zombies but with some 10 cowled figures of indeterminate type. We continue flying in at low level and are surprised when it takes the enemy until we are some 600ft away before they raise the alarm by blowing horn. Teeanna ascertains there is also a skeletal figure on horseback hidden somewhere.
As we approach the camp a number of ranged attacks including phantasms, spectral warriors, bolts and agony (vs Undead) are cast to prepare the landing site for our arrival. A swarm of bats also heads towards us but the ranks are quickly thinned by a volley or two of arrows. By the time we land the majority of undead are writhing on the ground in agony, several cowled figures are down and or not moving at all. The skeletal lord arrives but is quickly dispatched by Serena and her mount. A visiting Mind Mage Vampire decides to report the situation rather than act himself and departs in a black and red miasma.
We quickly survey the scene and decide to pass through the 'thinning', which actually looks like a substantial portal at this time. The 'thinning' is also surrounded by some vast magic designed to enlarge the area and we posit perhaps rip the fabric surrounding the worlds to let in a vaster quantity of what we dare not imagine.
We pass through the portal to what we hope will be (and has been in the past) Imperia.
On the other side of the portal is a smaller undead camp that we quickly destroy and then we take flight Northwards after leaving a few Rune-Walls in front of the portal to cause some havoc for any following us here. On our way Northwards we see a number of flashes in the area of the portal that we suspect are my effective Rune-Walls causing some consternation and damage to those following us.
We fly North over dusk shrouded countryside, seemingly under cover of perpetual gloom (caused by 'The Eclipse Effect') and see occasional encampments of troops. After about and hour we see ahead a river that has armed camps on either shore. On the Southern Shore the gloom continues and where we suspect the evil beings are situated while on the Northern shore sunlight shines and it seems safer to land and assess the situation before heading on.
The banner on the Northern shore details towers, walls etc and feature colours of blue and silver amongst others.
We land on the Northern Shore and hoist a white flag of truce that results in a lone goblin emissary coming to speak with us. We have a brief conversation and he asks us to wait in forceful goblin tones. We wait a little longer and a knight comes and speaks with us. We inform him of who we are, where we are from and what our intent is here. He in return gives us greetings from the Alliance forces of North Ending and asks that we appear before the Council in North Ending to discuss our predicament.
We are given an escort of a scout who flies with us the 100 miles North until we reach North Lending. North Lending is a large city with big walls, towers and a Pentagonal tower in the middle which we are informed is the Councils Chambers. The council is a number of elder human gentlemen seated around a large table with a cowled figure standing in the background who is introduced to us as 'Torm, Count Sithan' who we are aware is the historic enemy of the Council but has joined forces to battle off world invaders.
These invaders appear to have been switched into this Alusia from one of the other alternatives, probably Dark World. A large plot of land has swapped places. This in conjunction with the fraying that appeared around the shallowing from our Alusia to Empyrea (Alusia 2) could point to a break down in the fabric of the multiverse. The knowledge of Dumuzi regarding portals and planes may prove vital.
We have further discussions with Torm when the rest of the council adjourn to deal with other matters. We are informed that there is a High Mana area some 70miles NE from North Lending in a wooded hilly area. This area was the area in which Reginald Chumley Braithwaite was found a week ago by some elven pathfinders in the area. Reginald was hunting 'snarks' with a friend when he apparently wandered into a patch of fog and found himself here on Empyrea.
3rd Thaw around noon
Investigation of 'The Eclipse Effect' is mooted by Axis who volunteers to head up there with a namer in order to get some sort of sample etc. Mary-M will go and the two take off and head up towards the effect. Sabrina and Jade take time to tour the martial areas of the town and see what help they can be in training recruits and giving live practice to others. They noted that the town had lots of old fortifications with lots of residual magic. Dramus and Teeanna take a stroll around the gardens and Dramus prepares a tower point for use at another time. I move to the library and undertake some research on Empyrea, its history and other information. I come to the conclusion that Empyrea was once a more magic rich world but has become magic poor of recent times for an as yet unknown reason.
Empyrea seems populated by Humans who make up some 95% of the population (that we can see) while the other 5% is comprised of some Dwarves, Goblins, Haflings and elves.
3rd Thaw around 5pm
The fliers return with a story. They flew up some 50 odd miles towards 'The Eclipse Effect' and encountered what could be described as a containment field that was holding a great volume of Elemental Darkness in the area and keeping it interposed between the planet and the sun over a specific area. Axis bought back a jar with some of the 'Elemental Darkness' in it which DA's as Elemental Shadow. The Plane of Origin of the ES is 'Umbral Border' which is not an Alusian Variant, the effect is permanent and is very, very old.
We have some sustenance and take rooms for the night without event.
4th Thaw around 9am
We wake and purify (except Jade) in preparations for the next few days activities. We break our fast, meet with Reginald, say our goodbyes and we take our leave of North lending and head NE towards the high mana zone, the assumed thinning and the area in which Reginald was found.
We follow 'Stick Girl' who upon hearing the name says "Shut up Lark Boy" and when Dramus wishes to join in they call him 'Fairie Lad'. The Long flight seems to just wiz on by and some 90 minutes later we find ourselves in wooded mountains with a particular long narrow valley.
We land, walk around and have some 'cover' from the rumoured fantastical avians provided by Serena, her sturdy mount and Mary-M. Dramus lays down another tower point in this high mana zone.
Reginald takes a moment during this 'quiet time' to shoot something which he claims to have had 'beady eyes' and upon investigation of the little we find looks to be a weasel type animal - just the type to frighten bug men with large double barreled 'guns'!
We look for the shallowing here, Teeanna has a moment and can't find anything while Mary-M tries and finds one some 40 feet away. At the same time I become aware of all sorts of minds around me which I suspect is caused by a backfire from Teeanna. Dramus undertakes a ritual to widen/open the shallowing for us to cross, Mary-M divinates the are of the shallowing while I study the patterns and portal related affects in the area we are studying. The others keep watch and keep Reginald from shooting anything else with his gun that may have disturbed our intense concentration.
We pass through the portal with Jade leading the way and Dramus at the rear. We follow the paths as directed by Jade and soon find ourselves in a high wooded valley which is the site of an old campsite of Reginalds. We identify this plane as being Terranada and we head off out of the 'Hunting preserve' for the nearest town some 15 miles away.
NOON We come to the town that has a number of high pointed roofs ( a sign of heavy snow in the winter months) and a large tower to which is 'moored' a dirigible airship with a gondola for passengers. Some of us go on the airship while others (and their mounts) prefer to fly alongside as we travel towards 'Seagate (Empyrea)'.
4th Thaw around 5pm
We arrive at Seagate (Terranada), which we had seen from a distance on the Gondola as we could see a pail of smoke over the town and the confluence of 'train tracks'. Seagate (Terranada) is a bustling metropolis and seems quite affluent, if a trifle crowded, built up and somewhat 'busy'.
Reginald takes us to the 'Club' and is welcomed back by the porters but who look askance when the women wish to enter the club in 'non standard attire' (they not wearing dresses) and will not allow entrance to the 'Club' proper but will open the 'visitors lounge' for our use. We go there and soon Reginalds chum 'Caruthers' and his Pugwala 'Bongo' (a vicious looking native hafling guide) come and Caruthers expresses his delight at Reggies return.
Another visitor arrives and it is Wilberforce Wilkins who is a familiar sight to Axis, Jade and Mary-M. Introductions are made, discussions held and soon we are being waved past the porters by Wilberforce to the back of the Club to meet a 'boffin'. The concerns are that the 'thinning' area known as 'The Ring of Fire' is being blockaded by 'her majesties Naval Ether Vessels' and how that sounds very exciting and the desire to get to see what 'the fuss' is all about. It appears that 'The Ring of Fire' is out past the moon and near the Planet Mars.
We end up in a workshop where a blockade runner vessel is being assembled by the boffin 'Lady Madeline Barkington'. It looks like 3 (25ft Diameter) brass spheres with a pointy nose, nozzles at the rear and short stubby wings on the sides and not very impressive really (I've seen aircraft and helicopters before which look a lot more aesthetically pleasing ;).
4th Thaw 8pm
We are keen to visit the area that the last party left from. Dramus talks to the Therages (mage chappies) to ascertain where any possible high mana zones so he can create a tower point in order to visit his fey home. He sees a chap named Darcy who is a forensics mage (specialist investigator). We take rooms and stay the night that passes uneventfully as we partake of port, cheese and card games.
5th Thaw 8am
We breakfast in the Dining hall with all the staff including grubby oil stained lady Madeline who keeps enquiring about our height and weights for some purpose. We fly down to what would be the Filgiso forest but is now the Filgiso wood (we can probably count the trees), in an effort to find a high mana zone. We locate what would be the heart of the woods and attempt to divine the high mana zone.
We find some small fairies that look very emaciated, twiggy and moth wings. Dramus creates a fairy lane and takes a dozen to his fey plane 'Asheth' and creates a tower point.
The rest of the day passes uneventfully while we wait for the ship to be ready.
6th Thaw
The day passes uneventfully while we wait for the ship to be ready.
7th Thaw
The day passes uneventfully while we wait for the ship to be ready. Dramus, Teeanna & Serena spend the day on Asheth that he needs to do each month in order to assist in the rejuvenation of his plane
8th Thaw
The 3 arrive back from Asheth during which time we have confirmed more rumors. The Blockade around the 'Ring of Fire' has been strengthened and now includes the 'Aetherfortress' 'Impregnable' as there is something in the ring causing the blockade.
At 8am we all breakfast and we see the our new vessel christened 'the Retort' and we take flight with Lady Madeline, Bodkin the dwarven engineer and some of his dwarven helpers. Lady Madeline has created a device 'Transmission Device for Celestial Energy' which may assist us in travel short distances but we have yet to find a cause to use it. Wilberforce's yacht 'Gloriana' is to accompany us on our flight to the outer reaches.
We head towards the moon for a jaunt while we wait for the slower Wilberforce Ether Yacht to catch up. When he does we both head off to the outer reaches where the 'thinning' was last time. Once closer we detect a strong naval presence and see 'The Repulse' in orbit around it along with other more distant blockade vessels.
Wilberforce will try and draw a vessel away while we make a run for the centre of the thinning which are some hundreds of miles distant. The ruse succeeds and Wilberforce draws a blockader out of position and we plunge towards the centre. Closer in we see more detail and it seems there is a Golden Pyramid under the 'rift' and a Black Obelisk over it and there seems to be some siphoning of energies that may or may not be good news. It is suspected that 'Mr. Apollyon' may have something to do with the Pyramid and Obelisk.
Another ether vessel closes with us and were are stopped by HM Ether Vessel 'Implacable' who causes us to 'heave to' and we are boarded by 'Lt Rawlings' and 2 guards. After a brief chat with us, 'Lt Rawlings' invites us across to the 'Implacable' to see the Captain, in very polite but firm terms. Dramus explains that he cannot be on that vessel and I offer to stay with him while the others go across. The Lt offers us a guard to keep us company and takes the rest across to the 'Implacable'.
The Group meets Commander Collins who is the 2iC on board who takes them on to Captain Hollingbrooke in the main chamber where he has 8 guards around him with 'port arms'. They discuss order from the Prime Minister Praxes (a known dragon/lizard who the previous party had encountered), which state they are to detain any inquisitive visitors. After discussions the Captain excuses himself to communicate with the Admiralty while the group talks with Collins. They find out the patrol period out here is for 6 months, the ship has a compliment of 750 enlisted and 50 officers.
The Captain returns after speaking with the 1st Space Lord and he has received orders from the highest authority to take the party to Eldamaar to speak with the 'higher ups'. Being aware of political machinations, possible internal conflicts and considered 'outside influence' on the higher ups at court the group presses to have their presence made known to the Queen as well. The Captain defers until Axis changes into his Silver Dragon form and states, "we are not amused"! The Captain will now inform others including the Queen of our presence as we now head back to Eldamaar. Teeanna asks to be transferred back to our ship to be with her 'Prince' while I am transferred to the 'Implacable' where we are all shown quarters.
We travel through the Aether as Serena attempts to get across to the Captain that there may be forces he doesn't understand at work here. One of her more compelling discussions was "Is there any way for someone on this this to communciate with someone else that you don't know of", in other words "are you aware of anything you don't know?". The captain goes off after receiving a message which perplexes him. When asked, the helpful Lt Hawkins explains that we are en-route to 'Northbridge House' on Eldamaar which we are informed is the base of 'The Queens Messangers' (who answer to the Prime Minister - someone we are less than keen to be take to), and we are less than pleased and start plotting.
Later Hawkins returns and during a chat reveals that the Captain has instructed him not to tell us that we are on route to the Royal Docks due to some technical difficulties.
We soon thereafter dock at the Aetherfortress 'Pride of Eldamaar' where we all join up in the 'docking bay' under the escort of the Captain, Lt Hawkins and 8 staunch looking marines from the Implacable. We proceed into the Aetherfortress and soon find ourselves in a large 'transit area'.
In the middle of this large room (some 120 foot across) is a small squad of 6 men in steel grey uniforms (with gold braid, high black leather boots) and with an insignia of a gold dragon waiting for us. The leader a sergeant steps forward into the path of the Captain and asks in an insolent manner (to a ranking superior officer), why we had been bought here rather than to 'Northbridge house' as he had been ordered to do. The Captain explains the technical difficulties and while doing so suggest to Lt Hawkins that he pass his compliments to the Commodore and Lt Hawkins walks away in a dignified manner until out of sight when we hear his pace increase to a full pell-mell run down the corridors.
Meanwhile our discussions with the Sgt continue and now the sharks (oops Serena and Jade etc) are circling the 6 men ominously causing them to be quite nervous.
Then 10 new grey men arrive along with a man in black and a levitating cart covered in curtains that obscure whatever may be there. The Man in Black, Lord White takes up the haughty and pompous attitude where the Sgt had lapsed in the face of our insubordination and lack of subservience.
Things get ugly, Axis turns into a 10 foot long Silver Dragon, Mary-M into a 7 foot angel, Dramus goes incorporeal and the situation threatens to get out of hand so Jade punches the Sgt, Serena knocks a gun grabbing grey suit out, I do the same to my nearest guard with my spear and the others prepare yet more lethal options. We all hear a sound of astonishment from the cart at this point that sounds like "arggh!" in a strange language.
Next dialogue continues while I move to beside the cart, the marines drop into firing stances and level their weapons at the new grey suits in a threatening manner, and Serena holds a man at the point of her sword threatening bodily harm if anyone draws weapons. I then open the curtain of the cart to reveal a startled frog that is assaulted by an invisible force and is soon to all intents and purposes 'dead'.
Next a dozen more marines move into the room and take positions to threaten the grey suits while their leader, a tall man covered in gold braid comes in and invites the Captain and his guests to come on up for tea.
We leave the grey suits to be entertained by the marines and go with Commodore Farrington Jones to his ready room for discussions. We bring with us Lord White and the dead frog on his floating cart.
We discuss recent events and the Commodore informs us that: 6-8 months ago the 'rings of fire' showed signs of fluctuations and agents of a foreign power who offered to help stabilize the problem contacted the government. Around 5 months ago the blockades started to keep people away from the unstable rings on orders via the appropriate channels (from 1st Space lord via PM).
Private discussions with Lord white are held with him asking if we were from Dept 6? But he doesn't reveal much we don't already know as I am restrained from adding a rune of truth to his head.
Talks with the frog (in the presence of the Captain and Commodore) proceed and we discover he worships the god who is yellow (aka Apollyon) and he comes from the lake of the holy ones, a place he hasn't been for some 4 moon ceremonies (4 years). He reveals there is a number of his kind on this plane but only 8 of his higher caste type. He is in communication with his god via '2 gold spot' who resides in Eldamaar and is the high priest of the yellow god.
We continue chatting in a briefing room on the Ether-fortress with Lord White being held in another room and the pseudo-dead frog with us.
We debate many plans and options with Jade surprisingly adding to options and subcategories (as any good philosopher would) with ease. We are still discussing courses of action when the Commodore come along and leaves 2 melancholy looking guards posted outside the briefing room.
The commodore brings bad news that there are several more 'Her Majesties messengers' vessels on route to the station and they will be here within the hour. He states that we are under arrest and expresses his regret of this but it is his job to do so. He also states he would regret it if during the next hour we would attempt an escape from his active and powerful ether-fortress which is fully armed and staffed (but currently running drills) with two staunch guards barring our way through the deserted halls to the 'Redoubt'. He bids us farewell as he has a battle drill to run.
Once he has gone Jade and Serena viciously assault the 2 guards outside the door who fall with ease to their feminine onslaught and we pass through the Ether-fortress to lady Barkingtons ship the 'Redoubt'. We briefly explain the need to depart immediately before we do so and head off away from the Planet and the Ether-fortress. We are leaving it quickly behind and are alone in the ether when our entire ship is grappled and taken aboard another vastly bigger and more stealthy black ship and taken somewhere. We are boarded by a number of capable looking 'ether marines' in armour, one of which is magical enchanted in golden armour, another in large black metal steam powered armour, 4 ordinary armoured marines and another simply carrying a cigar and what is described as a mobile 'Gatling Gun' (whom we call 'Mr Happy') which looks capable of shredding many of us in a single volley.
Once we have allowed ourselves to be boarded we undertake introductions and the large black armoured figure takes off his helmet to introduce himself as Captain Mingis of 'Her Majesties Secret Service' (Foreign Department). We have tea, crumpets and stilted conversation while transported we discover to a 'Top Secret' location on Terranada that appears to be a Aetherport hidden in some white cliffs near 'Vauxhall Castle'.
Once we land we are taken to see an elderly gentlemen who is introduced as 'Brigadier Sir Thomas Fanshaw' of 'Her Majesties Secret Service' (Foreign Department aka Dept 6) and with whom we discuss events, thoughts, frogs, religion, hostile powers and other such lofty topics.
He thinks we should proceed with our plan of destroying a pyramid around the 'worm-hole' and we state our ship isn't up to that sort of combat and is he giving us a new one? He states that our ship will in fact be capable of it with the weaponry being fitted to it as we speak. "Ah" .
The night passes with more discussions followed by sleep.
9th Thaw
We wake and have breakfast along with last minute briefings and are escorted back to our ship and taken by the black manta ray stealth ship to a point close to the shallowing that we are to pass through. We are then dropped out of the hold and momentarily see the Black Manta ray ship veer away before disappearing from sight and 'Ether-dar'.
We head into the area and head in on 'attack vector' towards the pyramid centered on the dozen obelisks. As we get closer 6 elipsoid's emerge from the pyramid and move our way. Jade fires the weapons and destroys one or two but the others keep coming and they fire upon us doing damage but we continue on to our target. Once within range Jade fires on the Pyramid and it starts to come apart and the beam into the wormhole stops but not the energy buildup transmitted from the obelisks.
We proceed to pass through the wormhole pursued by the remaining ellipsoids intent on damaging us further. We see behind us the pyramid explode as we pass through and we are forcefully propelled faster through the wormhole in a somewhat uncontrolled fashion. We emerge from the other side of the wormhole mainly intact and we see an ellipsoid follow us out and then head for a large object in the ether some distance from us.
We find ourselves in Titania which has a planet, a moon and what looks to be an ether-fortress (under construction). The Ellipsoid heads for the 'Ether-fortress we decide to head for the planet and the approximate location of 'Seagate'. Since the ship is damaged we have to 'crash land' it somewhere soft and choose the Sweetwater river near Seagate. Lady Barkington manages to bring us in via the river and sandbar to an area not far from the Seagate League of Adventurers and we walk away from the ship. That, we are informed is the definition of a 'successful landing'.
An interlude
My Master returned on the evening of the 8th with the tower appearing as a large rock in a henge of somekind. I was informed this was in a location on Titania akin to the cloisters on Alusia. I was informed that the group had been met at the scene of their landing by two muscled gentlemen 'Tribune' and 'The Centurion'. These gentlemen are 'superhero's' from an association based around Seagate, the name of which my master failed to recollect, I was later informed by Lady Teeanna that it is the 'Seagate League of Adventurers'.
After recovering the vessel from the river through the use of magical talents of significant import, the group were taken to see Cassandra a Seer of some talent who informed the group that an attack by the Spawn had occurred a few months ago and that they had been building something in the Aether. The missing Dragons had also been seen in the area but they left a year ago.
My Master summoned the tower after being transported to this location by a severe and humourless lady by the name of Circes who reminded me of Miss Jade but without the sense of humour.
My Master returned to the group and they rested and relaxed and learned more of the situation they faced. Deciding to continue the hunt for the dragons rather than be distracted by the spawn My master returned home in order to transport Madeline, Gunter and 'Tribune' to Terranada in order to gain spare parts so that the Aether vessel could be rebuilt.
This task complete I bid them farewell and they headed off to continue their mission.
With the Vessel repaired we take off to destroy the pyramid and pass through the shallowing to continue our search.
We flew up towards the shallowing with the intent of strafing the pyramid and hopefully destroying it on the way past, but this plan like so many others failed to survive 'first contact'. We noticed another Pyramid 'ship' coming to attack us except this one had a small 'plaza' under it and was full of 'froggies' doing rituals, pointing at us and other such hostile activities while gaining on us from behind.
We went to plan B and went straight for the Shallowing instead and made it there after a fight which killed some 4 Ellipsoid 'ships' of the enemy before we plunged into the swallowing, pursued by the Frog's 'Ziggurat plaza ship' and 2 more Ellipsoid ships.
We had a helter skelter ride into the shallowing during which we almost crashed more times than Mary-M's cream bun filled stomach can remember but during which Lady Madeline was knocked unconscious by a falling astrolabe forcing Jade to take over both driving the ship and 'finding' the path using her special honed senses.
We were assaulted by a blood demon although he fell of when Jade made a radical turn somewhere in the shallowing, lady Teeana was viciously assaulted by an insubstantial being before it was dispelled by the Namers and we passed finally through the end of the shallowing to a point where Jade judged Dimuzi and Co to be (the other option for Jade was a turn to Alusia 3 and the Sorceress of Masada) and we found ourselves alone in the aether except for a sense of jade's that Dimuzi was here.
After some time we came across the dragons and we landed on Nin-gizhida. There we met Dimuzi and his wife Ninlu, had some introductions and shared stories.
Dimuzi related this story: "We had finished visiting with cousin Ishkhara on Alusia 3 and we were traveling to Alusia 2 when we sensed something curious in the aether and decided to go see what it was and we were led here to this space which is not connected to any other dimension and so is in fact isolated. The only way into this dimension is by the shallowing you took to come here except it keeps moving and so we have been unable to leave using it and none of our arts work here. This dimension is a negative one and drains mana/magic away and so we have all been weakening over the last few months and in fact slowly dying. Nin-gizhida has managed to get all but us into a barely lifelike state to sustain mana, oxygen and life but if we do not get out we will all die."
We related our stories and then hypothesized that the pyramids were actually feeding power here to keep this dimension closed off, the pyramids and the entire scheme were the results of Apollyons planning and that we are trapped in a dimension that in fact only touches itself ala Mobius strip but worse so as to be a 'Klein bottle'.
So we set to thinking a way out of this dimension that the dragons had been unable to find thus far. We found that connections to other beings and power had been cut and rendered ineffective, normal dimensional portals also failed to work, killing Serena might not have the desired effect (in so many ways), and the magic here was so low as to practically be none which interfered with Dramus's tower summoning ability and his mushroom growing skill.
After much deliberation, trial and error the idea was mooted to 'boost' Dramus's summoning by a long period of ritual spell preparation along with the spilling of his blood (to symbolize the sacrifice and to enhance his links with both Oz and his plane of Asheth) as well as using some tears of Ozma, a number of Amber pieces and our prayers for success.
Dramus tried this and seemed to get some little way towards Asheth as we could sense the plane there but the opening was still beyond him until Dimuzi channeled his power to Dramus which widened the opening so that we could smell the plane but still not yet pass through, then Ninlu added her power and the portal was opened.
Dramus quickly summoned his tower and we appeared inside his pub, much to the astonishment of Granite. We were all by this time holding hands and so the 7 of us, along with Lady M, Guntha (the Dwarven Engineer), Dimuzi, Ninlu and her small drake which appeared on her shoulder all stood looking weary. Dimuzi sensed we may not be far enough away to be free of the dimensional trap and so suggested we move to somewhere else. Granite was directed to open the door and we all moved outside into Asheth while continuing in our linked formation. Once there we all could feel our links to 'powers' restored but we still felt the need to distance ourselves from the trap and so Dimuzi moved us all to Alusia 3 where we appeared on the site of what is Masada.
Dramus collapsed at the end of this and Dimuzi looked extremely drained from the ordeal.
We saw a tall lady approaching us and we met Ishkhara the Sorceress of Masada (Ishkara who DA's as a Long Lived Sentient (Ancient/Elder Dragon). She has long golden hair and is very comely) on a pleasant sunny day on the top of a nice mesa. We see nearby Elven spire type buildings of beautiful design and elegant sophistication We speak of the interesting travels and experiences we have all had of late. Ishkara explains that she has recently had a costly encounter with the Seagate Assassins Guild
After much discussion we are happy with the outcome of our little jaunt across the planes in that we have found out what happened to the Dragons, we met and had fruitful discussions with the Sorceress of Masada and we found out much more about the ructions in the cosmos. We will take our knowledge and seek to find ways to possibly repair the damages done here and across the planes to thwart A's evil plans.
Others have been investigating and some some fighting has occurred but against whom is unknown. Wreckage of a ship has been discovered that is of Nautaloid origin and Serena enlightens all present about the Calamar.
We witness a reunion of Primus &Ishkara and their 2 year old son Darius (who DA's as Part Dragon/Human and Titan) and introductions are made.
The people of Draconia are still missing and there are massive planar imbalances
Falks wife is Silatelamut
We need to assess and plan our next moves. We return to Alusia where we will regroup in preperation for the future.
.... THE END
Dramatis Personae
- Lord Yo
- Kokhan_the_Summoner
- Eunice
- The Chancellor
- Captain Sturm of Tac
- Torm, Head of the Council of the Alliance (North Lending)
- Count Sithan, 'The Mouth of Krelloc'
- Reginald Chumley Braithwaite
- Lady Madeline Barkington
- Wilberforce Wilkins
Timeline (estimated)
Timeline for the Incursion on A2 (as at Spring 806)
- 4 years ago The last party passed through
- 3 ½ yrs ago Dark Circle forces came through the portal, held the portal area and bought more reinforcements through. They held the area and were not considered a major threat at the time. Krelloc was initially allied to the Dark Circle and their allies and they were fighting the forces of the Alliance at this time.
- 6 months ago The Alien invaders arrived and their 'planar area' from home was over most of Krelloc's lands. Krelloc became the lessor ally and decides to change sides to join the Alliance forces against a common off world invader – for the time being.
Exotic Locations visited
- Kinlu - The Castle of Kokhan_the_Summoner and agreed meeting location for Dramus and Lord Yo (Lord Kokhan_the_Summoner is now informed of this)
- The University of Mount Everwhite ATAR (the Imperial Thaumatic Collegium Oron Oiosollme)
This University dates back to the time of the old elvish empire. It was a place of great learning and research where many studied. It was cut off from the empire at the time of the War of Tears and is now empty (and mostly ruins except for the Chancellor and the crystalline entities Eunice and Lois. It is the location of a time portal back to any time prior to the War of Tears. (and Alita the crystal mind from Pallaran. Eunice or Unis?? See Quest for Lost Dragons)
- Tac - This Duchy to the East of Alfheim appears to be an Elven influenced Human society with a strong magical focus.
The Guards are very efficient and the Celestial magics are 'advanced'
- The Eclipse Effect - See the details from Axis and Mary-M's soujourn into the atmosphere and their findings on the edges of 'space'.
