4.0 A new beginning

[harknail]

I don't have anything specific planned, I don't even have the empires laid out. The most recent empires were the Dragonborn Empire of Ark-
hosia and the Tiefling Empire of Bael Turath (which destroyed each other). The group is just back from some remains of the Empire of Ark-
hosia, the wreckage of a crashed flying citadel. Monuments and treasure hoards from this empire would be in the best shape, and more would be known of these recent empires than of older ones.

The Netherese empire that Harknail is from is far far older. What once was a major metropolis is now a forrest deep and old enough to have a connection to the feywild! Not much remains of that empire, but Curuvar has recently acquired a lot of information about that empire, plus the little that Harknail knows (he was a solder, and not a very experienced one when he was trapped). For example, Curuvar now knows that there is the body of a demigod buried in the Ridge Woods, and it was the lost of their demigod that lead to the eventual downfall of the Netherese empire. A warlock had been trying to tap into the power remaining in that demigod, but he disappeared mysteriously.

In between there were at least 2 other great empires, but those haven't even been named yet. There is a current empire, just starting it's decline, but that's on a different continent and is where Zem comes from. It's also quite fractured, consisting of many squabbling kingdoms rather than a single empire. But it holds back the darkness on that continent.

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

(( thank you that info helps out a lot and has given me an idea to give you a starting point.))

"It is an item from The Netherese empire. i know there are many but this was said could bring forth a power so great no one could stop its retribution if it was taken up once more. what it is i don't know only that it has ties to this lost empire. What would it cost me to ask you specifically to look at your books about this empire? "

[harknail]

Curuvar replied, "Those books are among my most fragile, having been frozen for 30 years."

Curuvar continued, "I have read them myself however. The most powerful and dangerous item is the remains of the demigod Karsus, who died in an attempt to reach full godhood. His petrified body lies somewhere beneath the Ridge Woods, along with his equipment. But they are already protected as Draigdurroch found out 30 years ago. His tower was encased in ice. When it was finally breached, there was no sign of Draigdurroch within. I fear that the same fate would befall you if you attempted to retrieve any of Karsus's equipment."

That Draigdurroch had indeed tried to tap into the ancient power led credence to the stranger's words. Curuvar put his hand to his chin as he tried to recall any legends that might be of use to this stranger.

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

" if i had a gold coin for every time someone said a bad fate would befall me if i search for this or that i would be rich. like i have said and can't stress enough i know what i'm doing. If bad things happen to me so be it but i'm not going to let the remains be used to harm others. Now it may not be the remains it could be something the demigod had but i can see the occult using both if they can. Armor or sword and the like are typical but a demigod has so much raw power they may just be the remains left. we will not know until we look at the books. You have yet to give me the price however."

[harknail]

Curuvar replies, "My point wasn't that something bad might happen to you, my point is that someone has already tried to into this power in that something bad happened to him, specifically he has disappeared without a trace. This particular relic is already guarded by the Fey."

He continued, "In fact, The Fey are not likely to harm you without warning, they even warned Draigdurroch before they did whatever it is they did with him. But with that particular relic guarded by such potent guardians, perhaps you will want to search for some other relic that is not so well guarded."

"But if you wish to do your own research, the price is 1 gold piece per day per person as long as you do not damage the books. The price goes up considerably if you damage an irreplaceable book!"6.0

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

(( All i need now is how much money do i have left and if i can afford it ? i should be able to pay him for this I hope. If not then i will have to find another way be it the knowledge he seeks. after i know what i have i can then tell how to proceed from here. sry this is taking so long. i was hoping others would join by now, but we may have to go on with just the 3 of us if that is ok with everyone. ))

[harknail]

I've updated the gold on Zem's online character sheet on the campaign page here. Anyone can look at the characters, but to see their current health and status you need to google account so that you can log into iPlay4e. Once you have that, you can send it to me and I can add your user to the campaign.

By the way, Zem has 160 GB left. Even with lodging he could spend a long time studying books, long enough for everyone else to go on another adventure.

The other option is to buy specific information from the warlock, the price is much higher, but also much faster. Most likely the price will be to bring him more books from wherever you end up.

The demigod's body is a dead end, it already has effective protectors who have successfully protected it. You can go chasing after it anyway for the roleplaying, but Curuvar has already let you know in character that that isn't going to get you anywhere.safari

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

cool so ya i have enough to pay him and i would like it to be a skill challenge so that why everyone can be involved in some way.

" I thank you for your advice and information. i have taken a look at my finances. with my count of what i have i know ill be able to pay you for the use of your books and so like my friends have said ill go with the payment of coin. I would like to start looking at them now if we can, may we start? "

[harknail]

"Most certainly," relied the Tiefling. "Let's see..." Curuvar leaves the room and returns with a stack of books, "Here are some of the sturdier books. Mind you they are still fragile, just not as fragile as the rest."safari

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

" Ok guys lets get to work, Harknail please look for any religious or divine items. Mr wizard could you look for any arcane rituals or spells that would destroy the world or towns that kind of thing. Ill work through the history and see when items of power were last used and where. hopefully we find it this way. If we come up empty we can each look for the history,arcane and religion references so that way we cover as much as we can."

As he finishes what he says this he pulls out a seat sits down at the table get out a quill and parchment and prepares for a long night of studying opens a book and begins to read.

[dice=20] +8 history = 23 history roll[rand=71078498847782613788121717516333844140282832086123966179136186838]

[at]

Well this was certainly better than fighting deranged cultists. Being paid to study ancient arcane documents? Fantastic ... provided they weren't boobytrapped.

Barbatos sits down and cautiously opens the first of the books offered to him.

[dice=20]+14 arcana[rand=30656923065387387234063784941391571333331609315141529559886702667704]

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

so i think it is harknail's turn to roll

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

should me and at make skill another roll each ?

in case my second roll would be a religion roll at a total skill of +8

[dice=20]+8 religion = 12 , i take it im just looking over things way to fast to pick up any facts on that one. cleric with a 12 for a roll lol.[rand=175095538143068559494229592382908440109336283057935734468789305538]

[at]

The hours rolled on. Tomes of arcane theory were instructive but long winded, and more often than not the works of egotistical wizards touting yet another minor variant of an established arcane premise.

Setting the larger tomes aside Barbatos glanced over the nearby books, picking out a smaller leatherbound codex. A glance at the first page revealed it to be a diary, one of several given the abruptness of the opening entries.

The first few pages were relatively mundane - a travel log in search of some unclear goal. Flicking forward through the book the entries began to take on more flavour with tales of battle against terrible foes and fiendish traps around ancient magics. It read more like a storybook than a diary but the scribbled notes of arcane formulae and flickering motes of magic imbued into some of the diagrams indicated the author was a man of quite unreasonable power.

Barbatos turned to the end of the book, an end as abrupt as the start still searching for something. Flicking back the author had seemingly spent several years on an increasingly obsessed search for something only referred to as 'it', and nearly 8 months of entries had been torn from the middle of the book.


[dice=20]+ whatever is suitable[rand=7672693153656637085772572002769664373432965311495616831224694674896]

[harknail]

Barbatos can't tell what "it" is, but it seemed to be something of great magical power, just the sort of thing that Zem is looking for.

The hard part is locating where this item is, though there are plenty of entries of where it isn't.

[at]

"Curuvar, where was this book found?"

Perhaps marking out the locations mentioned in the book and its final resting place would show some pattern of movement, but they would make more sense if mapped against a map from the correct time period - many empires had risen and fallen over the years.

[(George) 3.5./ ZEM ( 4.0)]

Zem looking up from his work "You found something, i hope so cause right now i'm coming up empty and i could use a bit of good news"

[at]

Barbatos holds up the book, "we should look for more books like this one, and anything on the city of Sarnath"

The city was mentioned several times in the book, not as the location of any specific object but a place that the author returned to between journeys. [rand=3112771785000591365034378161676361868514152302887568690796866652]

[harknail]

Curuvar answers, "That was one of the books that had belonged to Draigdurroch. Apparently he considered it one of his valuable books for it had been in one of the bookcases with protection spells that had protected it against decades of freezing temperatures."

[harknail]

Harknail had been avoiding handling of the books with his clumsy hands, but he looked up at the mention of a specific city. "I be forged near the city of Sarnath," he announced.