Session Start: Wed Feb 13 17:45:28 2008 Session Ident: #Aeoth 03[17:45:28] * Now talking in #Aeoth 03[17:51:09] * WorkDebugger is now known as NinjaDebugger 03[17:51:14] * Demota is now known as Lucy 03[17:51:55] * NinjaDebugger is now known as Clarissa 03[17:52:30] * Mechazawa is now known as Rajik [17:59:04] [Our adventurers had recently started off for the central pillar in the desolate ruins, after finding out a little about this out-of-the-way location as well as a small cache of magic items and a disgruntled spirit. Fortunately, they sent the spirit off on his way before he could permanently damage anyone.] [18:00:14] [The date is February 8th, 1222, and Lucy, Malcolm, and Rajik are just outside of the largest pillar. If the earlier ones are any indication, there's an entryway somewhere around here.] [18:00:19] [Session Start!] [18:02:05] [Correction. [18:02:10] ] [18:02:22] [Lucy, Malcolm, and Clarissa are just oustide of the largest pillar.] 06[18:02:55] * Lucy searches for an entryway with her trusty Shovel if necessary! 06[18:04:34] * Clarissa prods at snow, ice, and stone with her staff, trying to avoid getting ice down her tabard. [18:05:55] [After poking around for a good ten minutes, Clarissa finds a point on the west side (you came from the south) that much like the first tower is set-in and radiating some sort of warm air.] [18:08:05] Got it! 06[18:08:36] * Malcolm looks up at the summoner expectantly. [18:09:02] [The entrance is mostly covered in snow, so some digging is likely in order. [18:09:04] ] 06[18:10:10] * Clarissa widens the hole with her staff a bit. "Here, Lucy. See what you can do." 01[18:10:34] Sure 06[18:10:36] * Lucy goes to dig [18:12:25] [After a short amount of time, there's a pathway into the pillar's structure. [18:12:27] ] [18:12:38] [Light radiates from inside, surprisingly.] 06[18:13:30] * Malcolm narrows his eyes somewhat. [18:13:31] Another light item, maybe? [18:13:52] [It seems this entrance was rather grand at one point. The entrance must have been at least 10 ft. across, and the archway is still standing as a testemant to engineering.] 01[18:13:54] Maybe. Ready to go in? [18:15:57] any time. [18:16:06] Ready as I'm going to be. 01[18:16:46] Alright 06[18:16:47] * Lucy stpes in! [18:19:34] Come on, Malcom. 06[18:19:40] * Clarissa steps in behind Lucy. 06[18:22:08] * Malcolm through the arch. [18:22:33] [The interior of the room is alight with a glow that seems to come from all directions. It seems the walls, floor, and ceiling are alight with continuous flame.] [18:23:15] [In front of our adventurers is a collapsed set of pillars over the floor. Something seems unusual about their placement, though.] 06[18:23:56] * Lucy looks at the pillars carefully. From a safe distance. "Hang on, something doesn't seem right here." 06[18:24:35] * Malcolm stops, mid-step. 06[18:24:46] * Clarissa stops and half-levels her staff at the pile. [18:30:22] [The pile is a pile of stone columns and rubble. Malcolm realizes the oddity among it though... if those were made of stone, there's no way they could support themselves and not crumble in that condition or formation.] 06[18:31:17] * Malcolm frowns at the rubble. "What's holding that up?" [18:31:44] No idea. Let's find out. 01[18:32:12] Hm. 06[18:32:21] * Lucy edges closer, axe at the ready. [18:35:50] [As Clarissa and Malcolm step closer, their passes glow very faintly, showing that they still have some minor magic potential in them. Beneath the pillars some sort of symbol also radiates a glow, and there's a low shifting sound then a click. Whatever mechanism it was attatched to doesn't seem to be part of this room, though, or is operating incorrectly.] 01[18:36:14] Woah. Weird. 06[18:36:36] * Lucy stops moving towards the pillar. [18:36:48] Oh. Well, that's useful. 06[18:37:03] * Clarissa steps forward and pokes the pillars slightly with her staff. [18:37:38] [The pillars actually move with Clarissa's staff. The bottoms touching the ground stay anchored, but as long as she doesn't move them too much they move as if not held by anything save the floor.] [18:38:01] [They also seem to lack any real amount of inertia.] [18:38:29] Hmm. Kinda like my staff, actually. 01[18:38:37] What's it made of? [18:38:40] help me set these pillars back up. 01[18:39:03] Alright. 06[18:39:05] * Lucy goes to help [18:39:19] Also, move on GT please. 06[18:39:21] * Malcolm helps, as well. [18:39:25] (Err, wrong channel.) [18:40:49] [The pillars are easy to move. While you have your arms over the pillars, you notice they also seem fairly light and weightless. As the pillars are set upright, some cluck back so hard they collaps and splinter into pieces in the opposite direction, while others steadfastly collapse to the floor as if suddenly realizing their own weight.] [18:41:14] [It's soon apparent there's a very large hole beneath the pillars that is large enough for even a troll to fit through.] [18:41:18] Whoops. 06[18:41:58] * Clarissa looks for where the light came from. [18:42:26] [The light is currently coming from all around you. The ones your badges gave off seems to have died off after the 'click'.] [18:42:54] ( ...oh. ) [18:42:59] [The symbol before also seems to have stopped glowing.] 06[18:43:14] * Clarissa raises the everburning torch over the hole and peers down carefully. [18:43:49] [On the ground you can see the ruined outlines of the symbol: It's illegable for all intents and purposes.] [18:44:39] [Beneath you can see a huge cavern, about 30 ft. in diameter and indescribably deep. There seems to be no gravity above, or even in the hole, as specks and fragments of stone scatter around it weightlessly.] [18:45:19] These holes are strange. [18:45:29] [The air again is fairly warm, warm enough that it would be somewhat pleasent even without magical protections. It is still cold enough to desire a jacket or overcoat, however.] 01[18:45:29] Yeah. [18:46:31] This is big. [18:46:59] Bigger than the last one. Or do you mean important? 06[18:47:05] * Clarissa pulls a length of rope out of her pack. "Lucy, take hold of this and head down there." [18:47:10] Both. 01[18:48:52] Sure. 06[18:49:04] * Lucy takes hold of the rope and waits for Clarissa to tie it somewhere 06[18:49:49] * Clarissa steps back and hooks her grapnel onto the doorway. [18:50:16] [Clarissa is grappeled onto the doorway! Or, her hook is.] 06[18:50:28] * Lucy goes dooooown [18:51:52] [Lucy goes down. Well, she would if she decides to 'swim' down. Does she do so?] 06[18:52:20] * Lucy "swims" down. [18:54:16] [Lucy is introduced to a huge hollow stone pillar reaching indefinetly into the depths of the earth. On the side of the walls is rubble, as well as floating aimlessly around her. The sides of the walls aren't lit, unlike above, and there appears to be nothing other than rubble on the sides of the walls.] [18:54:35] [Which is odd, since presumably there IS no gravity to make them stick to the wall sides.] 06[18:57:54] * Lucy "swims" around. "Looks safe!" [18:58:16] Can you actually get around down there? 01[18:58:32] Yeah. Just swim! [18:59:13] ...what? 06[18:59:16] * Malcolm glances at Clarissa, and then back down into the hole. 01[19:00:43] Well, grab onto the edges of the walls and such [19:03:04] Just my luck, I don't have a flight spell handy. [19:03:36] how deep does it go? 01[19:04:33] As far as I can see. 01[19:04:46] It'll take a while to get down there, but we're in no rush... right? [19:06:13] Sure. It's just a serious problem if we end up with no way out of here. [19:06:42] We shouldn't go farther than the rope, then. [19:06:55] I don't have -that- much rope. 01[19:06:57] Alright. [19:07:10] Still, I can probably rig something up if it becomes an issue. [19:07:19] Let's go find the bottom of this thing, Malcom. 06[19:07:59] * Malcolm nods and reaches into his pack. His hand comes back out with a hefty coil of rope. "We can use this." [19:08:20] Keep it. We'll leave mine here. [19:08:27] Okay. [19:08:28] We might need more rope further in. 06[19:08:37] * Clarissa steps into the hole and pushes off towards the bottom. 06[19:09:07] * Malcolm returns his rope and dives in after the others. [19:10:54] [Clarissa starts to travel torwards the bottom, not gaining or losing any momentum. As she looks around, the sides of the column don't seem special in any way aside from being very strong. Strong pick markings are in the wall, as if something had climbed out long ago, and around 75 feet or so down, she sees a hole in the north side of the wall. Not a small hole either.] [19:11:23] Well, isn't -that- interesting. 06[19:11:34] * Clarissa makes a mental note to look into that at some point. 06[19:11:44] * Clarissa has no choice but to continue down, for now. [19:14:43] Wow. This is pretty deep. [19:14:56] [Clarissa continues downwards, on the way passing large stone objects on the sides of the walls and what appear to be inactive golems. Additionally, several passageways exit from the shaft, some large and some small, all closed.] [19:15:18] Golems. I hope those are dead. [19:15:53] [The number is really too much to count, and soon she reaches the bottom, where a huge arcane circle is enscribed that ends a good 5-10 ft. from the edge of the shaft on all sides.] 01[19:16:14] Woooow. [19:16:15] ...oh wow. 01[19:16:19] Long tunnel is looooooooong. [19:16:25] [Thank you Lucy.] [19:16:29] Thank you, Captain Obvious. 06[19:16:40] * Clarissa carefully examines this arcane circle. [19:17:04] [Clarissa is STILL weightless, mind. The arcane circle seems to still be functioning. There are four offshoots from the bottom, each of them an ornate exit.] 01[19:17:44] So what is this tihng? [19:17:58] whatever it is, it's still working, so try not to scratch it or anything. 06[19:18:09] * Clarissa tries to figure out what it's -doing- 06[19:19:15] * Malcolm looks back up at the tunnel, since he can't hope to see their point of origin. [19:19:16] [One appears to have holy symbols adorning it, another seems to have implements of pain around it. The third is unnaturally dark, as if the light will not approach it, and the fourth contains three runic circles: One on each side and one over.] [19:22:13] [The arcane circle is of lost design, and try as she might, Clarissa cannot recall how in HFIL it works.] [19:22:13] Yeah, I've got nothing. [19:22:59] This stuff around the edges, it looks pretty ominous. 01[19:23:08] No idea what it might do? [19:23:42] Probably has something to do with the lack of gravity. [19:27:39] Well, everything but the holy symbols. 01[19:27:54] Ooh. Holy symbols? [19:28:30] Ancient ones, yes. 06[19:28:38] * Malcolm nods his agreement. [19:29:10] You don't often see Pholtus having anything to do with Trithereon, even with a mediator. [19:29:17] Let's check out this one. 06[19:29:22] * Clarissa nods towards that exit. 01[19:29:23] Oh, weird [19:30:04] [The gravity still seems to have no effect, but as you step outside of the circle, gravity suddenly kicks in at half strength. But in the wrong direction, pulling you straight out torwards the wall.] [19:30:11] That's true. I wonder more than ever what kind of people lived here... [19:30:33] Whoa. 06[19:30:46] * Clarissa orients badly to the new "down" and almost throws up. [19:31:10] [For reference: Holy symbols are to the east, Runic circles are to the west. The pointy implements are north, and the light-absorbing darkness is to the south.] 06[19:31:50] * Malcolm has the benefit of seeing what happens to Clarissa before he moves into the new gravity area. He seems to be less disoriented by the change. 06[19:32:39] * Lucy follows along and enjoys the ride! [19:33:01] That's awful. What kind of people would subject themselves to that? [19:33:18] [Clearly these people ARE insane.] 01[19:34:24] I bet gnomes. [19:35:06] [Lucy's guess may not be far off. although the doors are large enough to accomidate trolls.] [19:35:50] Maybe so. It's very... odd, here. 01[19:36:14] Big giant gnomes. [19:37:42] [When you reach the door, it won't budge. At all.] [19:38:21] Lucy, can you force it? [19:39:41] [On closer inspection, the door appears to be made of some unique material. It displays some of the luster of metal, but is mostly stone-like in appearance.] 01[19:40:01] I'll give it a try 06[19:40:51] * Lucy gives it a try, but can't quite do it. [19:41:15] Right. Let's go back up to that hole, then. 06[19:41:21] * Lucy spends a while trying to force it open. Repeated banging, sustained pushing... "Sorry. Can't do this." [19:41:24] Malcom, you have a grappling hook, right? [19:41:34] [Note: You guys CAN just walk up.] [19:41:55] I do. [19:42:24] Right. Make sure you've got it ready. [19:42:37] Okay. 06[19:42:54] * Clarissa steps into the no-gravity zone, does some quick calculations, and pushes off at an angle. 06[19:43:00] * Malcolm reaches back into his pack and take a moment to fasten the grappling hook to his rope. 06[19:49:14] * Clarissa flies upward, angled towards the hole high above, eventually ejecting from the null gravity within a dozen feet of the hole. [19:50:05] [The hole is nearby and looms. [loom] [19:50:07] ] 06[19:50:27] * Lucy goes up! 06[19:51:08] * Clarissa shines light into the hole. [19:51:51] [The hole seems to be through about 2 feet of rock. Inside you see the interior of a sparse room, leading through to more halls and rooms, all of stone construction.] [19:52:11] [The peculiur gravity effects also seem to end outside of the area.] 06[19:52:12] * Malcolm watches the little summoner fly to her destination, and then Lucy as well. He launches himself up after them. [19:52:17] Well, at least we have more places to explore. 06[19:52:32] * Clarissa steps into the room and does a quick search. 01[19:53:28] Yep. Maybe we'll figure out what htat spot is for later. [19:54:21] I don't doubt it. [19:54:41] [There seems to be nothing left of what used to be here, save a few bone chips scattered on the ground.] [19:55:34] Bones. I don't think we want to know. [19:55:36] Lead the way, Lucy. [19:55:38] [A door to the east is on the south-east side of the room.] 06[19:56:38] * Malcolm eyes the bone chips. "No, we probably don't." 01[19:57:13] Sure 06[19:57:18] * Lucy heads that way [19:58:25] [As Lucy gets a good view, she can see several cell-like rooms. Some contain creatures still moving, while others are not in her field of view. She can barely make out some sort of magic circle further in.] [19:58:47] [The creature doesn't seem to have noticed Lucy yet.] 06[19:59:05] * Lucy speaks quietly. "Looks like some kind of zoo or something." [19:59:35] [The creature, by the way, is a writhing mass of tentacles, teeth, and bizzarre other body parts, constantly changing and shifting from one state to another.] 01[20:01:05] Some kinda... tentacle teeth shifty thing. 01[20:01:13] Like out of some freaky vision quest [20:01:30] Oooh, lemme see! 06[20:01:36] * Clarissa jumps ahead of Lucy. [20:01:48] Is that wise? [20:02:07] Maybe I can pact with it! [20:02:34] [The creature definetly notices Lucy's movement, however, and some sort of gurgle can be heard from it as it lunges after her, only to be stopped by some sort of invisible barrier blocking its path.] 01[20:03:15] Woah. 01[20:03:17] Looks aggressive 01[20:03:28] I dunno if it's even intelligent [20:04:35] [As Clarissa charges forward, she can see all around her other various creatures, both of the living and the not. In a cell to the south-west is the remains of a great dragon, to the south the bones of some sort of humanoid, and in that same cell as the other tentacle-beast is another one just like it.] [20:05:42] This place is great, guys. 06[20:05:45] * Malcolm peers at the thing. "It's intelligent enough, but not in any way that we'd really understand. It's called a chaos beast. They come from another plane, called Limbo." 01[20:06:07] Limbo, huh... 01[20:06:35] Why can't chaos ever be pleasant? [20:06:55] It's pretty much a force of chaos. It can kill with that force, and if it does then its victims turn into more creatures like it. 01[20:06:55] It's all full of gibbering and shrieking and tentacles [20:07:35] It's also not viable to pact with. Unless you're already insane. [20:08:09] People like at least a little order. Pure chaos is pretty alien to us. Pure law isn't any better, because people like a little chaos too. [20:08:13] Hmm... dragon bones. [20:08:23] Wonder if they're still good. 01[20:08:27] I don't think i've ever heard of anything that's Pure law. [20:08:45] [To the north is an arcane cricle, as well as some arcane apparatus that was likely used sometime ago.] 06[20:09:13] * Clarissa looks for a way into the cell with the dragon bones. [20:09:18] Probably because it's less interesting. [20:09:32] [The cell is sealed tightly, an invisible barrier preventing all entry.] 06[20:09:49] * Malcolm turns to find Clarissa. "Is that wise? And what did you mean about the bones being 'still good'?" [20:09:52] [Additionally, you can make out several treasure chests inside of the cell: Apparently the dragon was at least kept placated with cash.] [20:10:25] [North near the apparatus is a humanoid skeleton.] 01[20:10:46] These creatures seem a bit dangerous for this place to just be a zoo. 06[20:10:50] * Clarissa holds up her staff. "Dragon bone." [20:11:05] If you can find a craftsman who knows how to work with it, dragon bones and teeth make really good weapons and armor. [20:11:13] Ah, I understand. 06[20:11:27] * Clarissa steps into the room with the large glyph and looks at the apparatus. 06[20:11:46] * Clarissa thinks better of that and checks the corpse for another of those keys. [20:13:12] [The apparatus seems to hum to life as Clarissa steps near, a small puff of smoke seeming to react to something on her, and a flash of light engulfs the entire area momentarily.] [20:13:31] [The machine then stops functioning.] 01[20:14:13] What was that? [20:14:17] Oops. 06[20:15:06] * Rajik clears his throat from behind the doors of one cell. 06[20:15:50] * Clarissa backs carefully out of the room. [20:15:59] Did you guys hear that? [20:16:03] Hear what? [20:16:52] "Pardon much folks, but I'm fer thinkin' yall could get me outta here." [20:16:56] I could have sworn I heard... [20:16:58] Yes. 06[20:17:39] * Malcolm tries to find the source of the voice more precisely. 06[20:17:44] * Clarissa raises her staff. 06[20:18:16] * Rajik appears to be a darker skinned half elf. A thin, delicate chain is twirled around his bared, muscular arms, hanging down slightly to dange from each wrist. He's wearing a suit of no-color studded leather armor that seems finely crafted, if a bit worn. [20:18:18] [The voice seems to be coming from right behind Maloclm and Lucy, in fact.] 06[20:20:16] * Lucy turns around [20:20:26] "I reckon I was about to get me some lunch then WAM! Here I be with you folk." 01[20:20:34] Hey, who're you? [20:21:16] That's a good question, Lucy. [20:21:19] Who ARE you? 06[20:21:47] * Clarissa levels her oversized staff at Rajik. [20:23:29] "Rajik" 01[20:23:42] I'm Lucy. How'd you get here? 06[20:24:03] * Rajik pulls the hood of his cloak back, revealing a wildly flowing, emerald green mane of hair, matching his eyes. [20:24:07] [Lucy's not compensating for anything. Clearly.] [20:24:13] "I done told yeh, hoss." [20:24:31] [Neither is Clarissa.] [20:24:39] [Malcolm, though...] [20:24:52] Somebody threw you down the shaft? [20:26:13] I didn't summon you. I doubt you're even capable of making a pact. 06[20:26:24] * Clarissa frowns. "Though that hair..." [20:26:41] "Got a problem with my har, do yeh?" [20:26:47] Where are you from? [20:27:39] "Small place you ain't never heard of, ma'am. Since I got born there I been roundabouts though, I tell yeh." [20:30:40] That doesn't tell me anything useful. [20:30:47] Are you capable of forming a summoning pact? 06[20:30:47] * Rajik runs a palm over his arm nervously, the touch sounding like leaves brushing against one another in the breeze. Something about the texture itself might remind one of autumn. [20:30:59] "I don't even know what in the nine that is, missy." 01[20:31:39] Oon. You look neat. [20:32:10] "Uh, thankee?" [20:32:28] Hmm. Fey of some sort. I have a pact with the Seelie Court, Rajik. If you have a problem with that, then we're going to have to fight. 06[20:33:54] * Malcolm looks quickly from Clarissa back to the newcomer. [20:34:00] "Don't mean much to me." [20:34:40] Fine. But if you travel with me, you have to agree to a summoning pact if I figure out how to make one with you. 01[20:34:54] What's a summoning pact do, anyway? [20:35:28] It lets me summon him. 01[20:35:52] If he's already travelling with us, isn't he already here/ [20:35:58] Clarissa, that's surprisingly forward. [20:35:59] "Lady, I just met you, what if you accidentally summon me while I'm usin' the bathroom?" [20:36:21] Oh, that's not a problem. Summoning spells don't really summon you. [20:36:43] They sorta... make a copy of the essence of you, and summon THAT. 01[20:36:57] Huh [20:36:58] That's why if a summon dies, you can just summon it again. 01[20:37:05] I was wondering about that [20:37:34] "Lady, do I look like some random imp or woodland animal to you?" [20:37:55] Duh, of course not. That's why I want to pact with you. [20:38:04] Do I look like the sort of hack summoner who would pact with some random imp? [20:38:31] [Oddly enough, yes.] [20:38:53] "Naw, yeh just look pretty much like some oddball woman askin' me fer somethin' I don't rightly consent tuh." [20:39:10] Oddball? I am NOT oddball. [20:39:13] You take that back. [20:40:54] "You stop bein' hayve like one an' I will." 06[20:41:17] * Lucy watches, entertained [20:41:37] I'll behave however I want. 06[20:42:26] * Clarissa slams the butt of her staff down on the floor and turns around to go back to that apparatus. [20:43:34] [Session end!] 06[20:43:39] * Rajik looks to the other two. "So, who might you folks be and what mightcha be doin' here?" [20:43:46] [Err, now session end.] [20:43:50] [Yeah.] 03[20:44:53] * Clarissa is now known as SleepDebugger 03[20:45:09] * Malcolm is now known as Schneeble 02[20:45:15] * Schneeble (chatzilla@c-71-199-176-204.hsd1.ga.comcast.net) Quit (Quit: schleep) 03[20:54:22] * Rajik is now known as Mechazawa 03[20:56:57] * Zegon (zegond@c-24-15-245-98.hsd1.il.comcast.net) has left #Aeoth Session Close: Wed Feb 13 20:56:59 2008