Start of #Sharn buffer: Wed Nov 07 21:17:05 2007 [19:20:58] [The group decided to check out the rumors surrounding the Citadel of the Closed Circle, and spent a day stocking up and getting ready for the expedition into the Cogs.] [19:22:15] [They decided to meet up at Blackstone Cathedral the morning they would set out.] [19:22:17] [Far, Therendor 11th, 998 YK] [19:22:21] [Session Start] [19:22:55] * Aurora waits at blackstone Cathederal. She's made sure it's as presentable as it's going to get. [19:23:58] * Phanos shows up as well, his plant-dogs flanking him, looking sharp as now-usual. [19:24:41] * NovaSeaker is now known as Aurelis [19:24:48] * Aurelis arrives with Mari. [19:24:48] * Loharath arrives, and waits inside the cathedral, meditating. [19:26:10] * Marianysa runs up to the cathedral, looking out of breath. "Alright! I'm ready to kick some ass!" [19:27:25] Good, good... [19:27:37] * Aurelis walks up after Mari, having taken his time. "So... where's Sev?" [19:28:02] I don't know. Probably still sleeping. [19:28:49] "Mayhaps e' got trown in de jail." [19:29:37] * Loharath looks up. "Could be. Best not to wait for him, I say." [19:30:04] * Aurelis hmms. [19:31:03] Alright, let's check in on him. If he's asleep or something, I guess we'll leave a note. [19:31:37] "Let's just leave a message with Faela." [19:31:59] That works too. [19:32:03] If we check in on him, then that means we don't get his share of the glory, if he comes. [19:32:40] "Not sure how glorious slogging around in the Cogs is going to be." [19:32:55] "I not keen on trackin de boy down an' waitin' on 'im soze we gets attacked again whiles we does dis." [19:33:09] "Speaking of which, I've never had occasion to go into the Cogs. Anyone know were the access towers are?" [19:33:19] (Aurora does) [19:33:34] I do. [19:33:53] It's how we got into the Arena. [19:34:02] Went down into Cogs, and back up. [19:34:50] "...back to Malleon's Gate?" [19:35:22] * Marianysa frowns a little. "As much as I want to get started, I'm a little worried that he's not here. Maybe it was another attack." [19:36:29] ... well, we can go check on him. I guess it couldn't hurt. Might be embarassing but probably not hurt. [19:38:07] * Aurelis shrugs. "Alright. I suppose it's on the way to Malleon's Gate." [19:38:32] * Loharath nods. "If you must. I'll go on ahead and save the rest of you a spot." [19:38:53] Sure. [19:39:20] * Aurora goes to check on Sev. [19:39:34] "A spot where?" [19:40:16] That's not important! [19:40:30] * Aurelis blinks. [19:40:47] * Loharath shoulders his sword and leaves for the nearest skycab platform [19:40:55] "Alright then. Onward." [19:41:20] [Loharath has a pretty far hike, as this is Fallen and skycoaches don't go to Lower Dura often.] [19:42:05] * Marianysa watches Loharath go, and mumbles something short. [19:42:15] * Phanos trods along in a search for Sev. [19:42:18] [The rest of the group heads over to Sev's apartment, on the highest remaining floor of a broken tower, the residences to each side of his broken and exposed to the elements.] [19:42:53] [When they knock on the door, Sev's girlfriend Lei answers, frowning the sleep out of her head.] [19:42:59] * Aurelis is now known as Lei [19:43:06] "Oh. It's you guys. What's up?" [19:43:23] Ah, hi Lei. We're just wondering how Sev is. We're headed out today. [19:43:46] "He's pretty hungover." [19:44:02] ... Aaah. Alright. [19:44:04] * Marianysa rolls her eyes. "Figures." [19:44:05] "I don't think you'll get him out of bed before noon." [19:44:44] No time to wait, I guess. Just tell him to take it easy. We'll be out for a while. [19:45:00] "Alright." [19:45:11] * Lei yawns and waves as she closes the door. [19:48:27] * Marianysa stalks back. "And to think I was worried he had a good reason not to be here." [19:49:19] "He shoulda smoka me plant, he no be hung ova he do dat instead." [19:49:38] [The party then heads over to Malleon's Gate. Seeing as how it's faster just to walk there then go up to the Middle city and find a skycab willing to take you, the group decides to hoof it across towers and bridges, arriving in Malleon's Gate in little less than an hour.] [19:50:04] * Lei is now known as Aurelis [19:51:55] * Aurelis keeps his head down and voice low. [19:52:01] "So... any ideas?" [19:52:29] We enter the front door of the cathederal and give the place a solid lookover. [19:52:59] [Chaos and noise. Malleon's Gate is run-down and filthy. Smoke fills the air and rats scurry in the shadows. Goblins are everywhere, squabbling, haggling, and shouting at one another. A bugbear forces his way through the crowd, flinging goblins aside. A trio of hobgoblin warriors emerges from a tavern and the crowd instantly parts.] [19:53:06] "What cathedral?" [19:53:21] ( Er, not cathederal. ) [19:53:27] * Phanos keeps his grasshounds close to him as the scene before the group occurs. [19:53:27] ((Too late)) [19:54:06] "Dukey, Fred, yous bites dem if deys gets too close." [19:54:23] [The bugbear approaches the group, eyeing them distrustfully as he passes, then continues down the street and into a storefront.] [19:55:08] "good ting wes be goin where dey gets scardey, eh?" [19:56:13] Er, Tower. [19:56:17] Citadel [19:56:40] * Marianysa doesn't notice the hobgoblins or the bugbear and just blinks at Aurora. [19:57:06] Never mind. [19:58:12] * Loharath pushes his way out of the tavern. "Good to see all of you again!" [19:58:47] "Hello again. Did you find any info?" [19:59:13] Hey! [19:59:36] Not at all! But that's not important anymore, since I assume that at least one of you knows where we're going! [19:59:37] Ah, hey. [20:00:24] "...Were you just drinking?" [20:00:30] "Oy, I glad I paint de skull today. Keep away spirits dat like quiet." [20:00:51] I know where we're going [20:01:08] * Aurelis turns to Aurora. "Really." [20:01:13] "Les go den." [20:01:32] Yeah, really. [20:01:41] * Aurora starts moving. "This way." [20:02:26] As long as you don't take us to a cathedral or a tower. [20:02:33] * Phanos smirks. [20:02:57] * Aurelis snickers. [20:03:27] The access shaft's a tower. [20:03:57] I was hardly drinking at all, my good man. [20:04:45] "Dat mean you was drinkin." [20:05:24] That's true. Onto the cogs1 [20:05:29] (!, rather.) [20:06:17] Right! [20:06:37] [Aurora leads the party to a wide tower, with an industrial lift set inside it. There's a line of goblinoids, a few downtrodden humans, and a handful of warforged, all on line to take the lift down to the Cogs.] [20:07:19] Alright, everyone into the line. [20:07:21] * Aurora gets in line. [20:07:42] * Phanos stands in line as well. [20:09:09] * Marianysa lines up. [20:09:34] [Aurelis, Mari, Phanos, and anyone else well-dressed get some sidelong glares from others in line.] [20:10:59] [After a long wait of the line not moving at all, there's a deep clunk within the tower and people start filing in from the bridge they're lined up on.] [20:11:35] * Phanos files in calmly, dogs flanking. [20:11:39] [The group makes it inside and onto a large rectangular platform with iron railings. About thirty people fit onto it before a railing rises up to secure all the passengers.] [20:12:10] [With a shudder, the platform starts to fall slowly, dull ever"bright" lanterns flashing upward as they descend into the access shaft.] [20:13:44] [Ten minutes into the descent, they notice the tempurature getting hot and the air becoming stale.] [20:14:14] * Aurelis leans over to the person next to him. "Ah, excuse me sir, I wa-" [20:14:33] [Random passenger] "Sir? Hah! What the fuck're you calling me sir for?" [20:14:55] * Aurelis leans back. "Never mind.." [20:15:11] "Mebbe I shoulda worn de formal dress." [20:15:19] * Aurelis eyes Mari. [20:16:11] * Marianysa eyes Aurelis back. "What?" [20:17:12] Calm down. We'll settle this at the site. [20:20:29] Ah.. I wasn't.. [20:20:51] * Aurelis rolls his eyes at Mari, jutting his head toward Aurora. [20:21:25] [A very uncomfortable half an hour later, the platform finally stops, and a door opens up letting in pale red light. The air is filled with the smell of smoke and sulfur, and the walls are covered with ash. The constant rumble of the forges and foundries shakes your feet and makes conversation difficult.] [20:22:06] * Loharath shoulders his sword and leaves the lift, trying to get his bearings [20:23:21] * Marianysa steps out of the elevator, squinting and looking around. [20:23:39] * Aurora works her way outside the elevator, eager for a chance to stretch out a bit. [20:23:44] * Phanos steps out as well, knowing that he probably couldn't grow plants well down here. [20:23:54] [The Cogs are cramped and dirty. The cavern extends maybe a hundred feet above the ground floor of the elevator, the sides of the underground space pocked with storefronts and residences, built directly into the walls. Livid red glows mark where lava flows like rivers.] [20:24:53] [The other passengers on the elevator filter out among the party, carrying the tools of their trades over their shoulders, generally appearing broken and tired even before starting work.] [20:25:34] "So ya, ya tells us where to go den?" [20:25:40] "WHAT?" [20:25:58] [rumblerumblerumblerumblerumblerumblerumblerumblerumblerumblerumble] [20:26:45] * Marianysa shakes her head. [20:27:12] "LEADS DE WAY!" [20:27:26] LET'S FIND A PLACE INDOORS WHERE WE CAN TALK. [20:28:01] "WOULD THAT BE MUCH BETTER?! WE'RE PRACTICALLY INDOORS ALREADY!" [20:28:58] [Even given the size of the cavern, it is claustrophobic, as the walls are less than fourty feet together.] [20:29:14] LET'S FIND A PLACE WITH MORE SPACE, THEN. [20:29:21] "OKAY" [20:30:10] * Aurora walks down the cavern, looking for a spot... [20:31:20] [The group walks down the cavern, crossing over stone bridges arching over lava flows. The pounding of foundries is all around them, most of them emblazoned with the gorgon symbol of House Cannith, and are guarded by warforged more weapon than biped.] [20:32:25] [After a few branching tunnels, they find a cavern that's less noisy, but infinitely more disgusting, the smell of rotting meat think in the nostrils.] [20:32:46] "Uhg. Alright. Lets make this quick." [20:34:13] thick* [20:34:32] ... urhg. Yeah. [20:34:37] Gross. [20:34:51] "Jus leads us where to go, ya?" [20:35:27] We're in the Cogs. Now we need to know where the Citadel is. [20:35:47] Thankfully, Aun told us. [20:35:49] "Well the Cogs are divided into districts just like the rest of the city." [20:36:32] "We found out ourselves the rakshasa's somewhere in Khyber's Gate. Aun said that was the more residential area. I'm guessing this is the more industrial area of the Cogs." [20:37:27] * Phanos nods. [20:37:37] "dis de mo stinky one." [20:37:46] "We entered basically in the extreme northwest of Sharn, so we just need to go southeast until we get somewhere more... *ulp*...excuse me..." [20:38:03] * Aurelis leans against a wall and pinches his nose closed, breathing deeply. [20:38:15] Well, at least it's not all THIS bad then... [20:38:28] I'm glad for that. [20:38:34] Let's go to the nice area, as soon as we can. [20:38:43] Somewhere that isn't so loud or rotting. [20:39:23] [The group continues to wander the ungerground tunnels, holding their noses closed or their hands to their ears as needed.] [20:40:04] [Eventually the noise dies down and the smell becomes less nauseating. Around the the walls are cut into more residential storefronts, like a food market.] [20:40:17] * Phanos asks for direactions [20:40:20] [This is an actual city beneath the city, with homes and shops carved into the walls of the Cogs. It is still a maze of passages, but the “streets” are a little wider and the ceilings rise higher. The heat is far less intense that in the industrial district, but the air is still filled with the stench of smoke and garbage. Goblins watch from the shadows, and in the distance two ogres stagger out of a bar.] [20:41:07] [Ogre] "City-del o' da closhed shircle? PFFFFFFFFT" [20:41:32] [The ogre sprays Phanos with spittle before falling over his friend as they stumble away.] [20:41:53] ... eew. [20:42:07] * Phanos asks someone else again..with the aid of his dogs looking very mean. [20:42:07] * Aurelis silently hands Phanos a handkerchief. [20:42:27] Hold it. Don't wanna be pissing anyone off down here, Phanos... [20:42:48] [The small goblin Phanos cornered with his dogs shakes in his boots.] [20:43:08] "L-look... the citadel.. why would a fine.. uh.......human?... such as yourself wanna go there?" [20:43:16] [goblin] "L-look... the citadel.. why would a fine.. uh.......human?... such as yourself wanna go there?" [20:43:31] "You yush. Tells me where I can fin' de citadel o' de closed circle. Das whats I need know, an don'tcha tell nobody neever." [20:43:35] * Marianysa turns away, torn between laughing and being disgusted. [20:44:05] [goblin] "But ruuc! boss! You don't wanna go there!" [20:44:16] "ya I do." [20:45:23] [goblin] "Listen, I can tell yer from the city above. You and you're frens prolly got some experience under your belt and figured you'd try to hit the citadel and make a quick buck selling whatever those crazy assed mages were making in there." [20:45:47] [golbin] "But you wouldn't be the first uppercitydwellers to try..." [20:46:01] * Phanos pets a growling dog's chia-skull. "fred heah like de green pickles. I like de citadel. You wan' give Fred what he want or you wan' give me what I wan'? [20:47:02] [goblin blinks] "green pickles? I'm not even sure what that means. Alright fine, if someone has to die tonight it might as well be you..." [20:47:30] [The goblin gives you general directions to the Citadel] [20:47:58] "dankes. Now, ya sayz we aint de first?" [20:48:54] [goblin nods.] "Every now and then we get some fancy shmancy 'venturers like you and you frens here. Ain't no one ever sees them again after they go inside." [20:49:21] "I don't know weah else a rakshasa would be, does you?" [20:50:03] "A rake-shaker? Dunno wut one of those is, ruuc." [20:50:09] [goblin] "A rake-shaker? Dunno wut one of those is, ruuc." [20:50:11] "Cat-man." [20:50:17] "Tigra-man." [20:50:25] [goblin] "You can find shifters all over the place." [20:50:41] "you ne'min. Tank fo de direktions." [20:50:56] [goblin] "Can me and my pickles go now?" [20:51:01] * Phanos "ya." [20:51:13] [The goblin scampers off.] [20:51:20] That was... uh.... [20:51:21] * Phanos looks to the rest of the group. "Right den. Les go." [20:51:25] ... right. [20:51:31] * Aurora starts moving. [20:51:31] * Marianysa snickers. "Pickles. Good one." [20:52:39] [The group heads down the tunnels the goblin directed them to. The sparse lighting from sputtering everburning torches becomes even more dim until Aurelis is forced to use a Light spell on Loharath's sword so the group can continue.] [20:53:32] This could be troublesome. [20:54:36] "Should be okay. I can cast that five more times." [20:54:54] [They continue down the tunnels.] [20:55:00] Thanks [20:57:49] "I heah moanin', wailin'." [20:58:52] "I don't hear anything..." [20:58:59] I don't either... [20:59:03] "Loud whispas." [20:59:14] "well I got bettah ears." [20:59:15] "...That doesn't even make any sense." [20:59:28] How do you have better ears? [20:59:45] "I do. I hear de vulchah, an you can't." [21:00:10] ...like, they're whispering...but you can hear it loud and...you know, never mind. [21:00:24] "ya." [21:00:41] * Phanos looks around in an attempt to identify the source." [21:00:43] Well... just keep us updated. [21:00:47] "Maybe you're just getting spooked Phanos." [21:00:55] "I ain't scurred." [21:01:16] Phanos? Get spooked before you? [21:01:29] * Aurelis raises his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. Just stating possibilities." [21:01:32] Hahaha. [21:01:52] [They keep walking toward their destination.] [21:02:00] "gettin' clearah." [21:02:56] What're they saying? [21:03:00] So what's it or they saying, exactly? [21:03:53] [Eventually they come to an intersection of cramped tunnels. They branch to the right and left, but across from them a three story facade, fluted columns holding an enclosed balcony over a massive set of doors. It looks like there was once a bas-relief sculpture on the doors but now it's impossible to tell, as they are smashed open.] [21:04:11] [The light from Loharath's sword reveals an entrance chamber beyond...] [21:04:29] "Dis might be weah dey talk from." [21:05:07] * Phanos 's eyes glow white as he looks into the spirit realm. [21:05:30] ... I'll have to ask you how you do that eye glowing thing sometime. [21:06:34] "sometin was tryin' to get in me ead." [21:06:52] "Don't know why it pick me. It should know bettah." [21:07:08] "Give me some time. I needs to get de spirits blessing." [21:07:24] "Are you still hearing things?" [21:07:30] * Phanos starts an odd tribal dance that lasts some ten minutes. [21:07:43] * Aurora watches. ?_? [21:08:13] "ya, now I ready." [21:08:15] "...Is that a no?" [21:09:00] "Maybe, can't focus on em." [21:09:09] "It try get in when I focus." [21:09:43] "hoo, does I get dem gone now though." [21:09:55] "Still hears dem though." [21:11:10] I...okay, nevermind. You're the expert. [21:11:21] "I didn't even understand half of what he said." [21:11:43] "You don' worry bout it. Jus don't focus on dem whispers if you hear dem." [21:11:55] "What whispers?" [21:12:08] "De ones I was talkin bout." [21:12:30] What happens if we focus on them? [21:12:44] "Someting try get in your head, take ova." [21:12:49] "Posess." [21:12:57] * Phanos grumbles. [21:13:24] ... has this happened to you before? [21:13:53] "no." [21:15:42] "Okay then..." [21:15:47] "Is everyone ready?" [21:15:54] Always. [21:16:02] Yep. [21:16:11] * Aurelis shakes his arms around to limber them up and cracks his knuckles. [21:16:26] [The party enters the Citadel of the Closed Circle.] [21:16:29] [Session End.] End of #Sharn buffer Wed Nov 07 21:17:05 2007