>A protection charm. Huh. Weird.. feels kind of familiar, but I'm pretty sure I only just got all my magic.
You had a few small spells before you got captured remember? That was the one spell we kept trying to get you to cast before Azoth merged with you.

But yeah, start by asking gingerly and if that fails then just ask bluntly and mix it with a guilt trip.

So did Red not follow you, or has he just been content to let Blue do all the talking?

>"Sixty two? That's... that's all?"
I dunno, that's actually a pretty high approval rating, by our standards. Especially since you've been operating in absentia for three years.

>Well no, my liege. The Font's radiance reached far across the land, providing for all those within his domain. Even were you to possess all of the original power of the Font, you are young, inexperienced with the task of ruling Azoth, not to mention your low stature. It is unfair to wish for you to replace what He was, but you still provide a priceless service to your people.
I think that's the first sensible thing they've said. Just because you've got superpowers doesn't suddenly mean you have the skills and experience of a ruler.

That said, Red and Blue have a lot of experience in the administration and upkeep of this city. We if have an agenda, we should be leaning on them for a means to implement it, and using our own power and charisma as tools to further it. You are going to need their help to bring any agenda to a meaningful fruition, though.

>I am sure that in a few decades when the city has regained some of its glory, we will be able to groom you into a proper king, perhaps even do something to change your form as well.
You'll concede that you're not fit to rule outright with your current experience. That doesn't mean you can afford to take no action, though. The city is facing difficulties and you have to believe their is proactive action possible that is within your means.

You'll need their help with that. They have more experience in these matters, and you'll need consul.

...and you have no intention of changing your form. We'll work on overcoming local social prejudices instead.

>"They are hardly notable, my lord."
That changes. Despite the holes in your memory, they are your people. Your past. As much as is is your inherited obligation to aid Azoth, it should be your obligation to aid them as well. Extending our bounty to include to kobolds, or otherwise raising their standard of living, is a goal in your agenda. (Which could meany anything from trying to incorporate them into Azothian society, or making them trading partners, or any number of things, depending on how they feel about you and Azoth in general).

>Did.. did she just lie to me?
Sounds like it.

>Inquire gingerly
We need her assistance long term, this needs to be handled with care.

If the "timestreams" in the vault would tear any mortal thief apart, that suggests the theft was accomplished by another immortal. Or a mortal with massive skill in time based magics to protect themselves. Or... that the objects weren't stolen as such.

You two are tied to my nature, are you not? Could you be said to be functionally immortal? Can you safely enter the vault?

My suspicion is she's been selling artifacts on the side in order to fund the city, or something along those lines. Which is an infraction we can forgive- sometimes it's necessary to expend resources to survive. (Especially when she expected her new Lord would eventually appear and forcibly reclaim the items from their buyers, resulting in no net loss). That said, we need stop bleeding, and we need to know what went where.

It doesn't look like Red followed the Inheritor here, no...

>Font supplying magic users with power.
>Font power source is Inheritor symbiotic spirit
>Potential risk of side effects if host and spirit are affected
Hm. So the Font is also designed to bleed magic across the landscape to amplify the talents of non-divine magic users.
Given it can also be used as a powerful weapon, it's possible that side effects and other strangeness could result from a disrupted Font too.
Might want to ask about any side effects of Font usage and potential dangers of bringing artifacts into close proximity of it - good thing you are immune to curses!

>Potential divine threat
Gods being the main source of magic is worrying, in addition to possible threats from divine magic we may also have to deal with religion being used as a propaganda tool.
Depending on how closely these gods desire to hold control over magic use you may have to discount any long term alliances with them.

>Discarded Power Locations
The location near Rimewind is way more desirable than infiltrating a city of Drow, since her response was somewhat vague we'ld probably need a map and a search party to pinpoint it better, unless you can sense it yourself from this distance.
Even then, a group coming with use would help provide protection and make it easier to search in more populated areas, as well as provide useful information about current events.
Users of said power fragments becoming well known is going to be a problem, as they will become difficult to deal with if we desire to obtain the fragment for ourselves.
They may also be similarly imbued as the Inheritor, and might be able to use Azoths mechanisms in the same manner as him.

>Dishonesty
When you are in a position that has far reaching effects, being honest with your co-workers is in the best interests of everyone.
Not voicing concerns, personal limits or weaknesses are all things that can cause strife and even topple the city from the inside, we can't allow that to happen if we are in a precarious position.
It doesn't matter what has happened, but if we don't know about it we can't adapt to it and find solutions that can accommodate any problems that may occur.
Probably a good idea to remind Blue of this, and to bring her with you to a safe area near the vault to discuss issues with the vault.

>>686037
>>686089

"You sure? Because.. information would be pretty helpful right now."
Diplomacy 1d20=2+7
"It is nothing, my lord, do not trouble yourself."

"Okay seriously, tell me what's going on. You're clearly not saying something and I want to hear it."

*Sigh...*

"My lord once came into possession of an artifact that was said to be able to skein souls and matter together. I was considering your worry of artifacts being taken from your person, and musing whether or not it would have the power to assist in that regard. But either way, it does not matter."

"How would it... Oh."

"It was also stolen, yes. I was merely attempting not to get your hopes up, my lord. I apologize."

Well, back to square one I guess, not wanting to take these things out much.

"Well.. Alright. What's this thing look like?"

"It will appear as a large, perfect sphere of water, blue in coloration."



>>686022
>>686089

"You said 'jagged timestreams', how the heck did anyone get in to steal things in the first place?"

"...Numbers, my lord. The warped passage is not impassible, merely so treacherous as to be foolhardy to even consider an attempt. They entered en masse, the majority were slain. It is likely that the survivors were well-rewarded."

"Do not inhale the dust left in the passage."

"...Gross. Can you two enter the vault? I mean, are you..?"

"We are not as immortal as you are, my lord. Needless to say, it is possible, but it is an undertaking we would generally prefer not to go through."



>>686037

..Really?

Well, guess I was wrong, then. Stupid head.

'Daehli' doesn't even sound all that familiar to me. I feel like I should be more concerned about this, but for some reason I don't feel that anxious.

...I wonder what else I've lost.



>>686124

Uh.. Yes, let's not deal with the drow right now. I might have scrambled eggs for brains, but even I know how bad of a reputation they have.

I guess people could say the same about kobolds, though. Maybe they're not so bad.

...Yeah, probably not. Anyway, the area around Rimewind sounds like a good place to start looking.

http://tinyurl.com/pkwbm74 Quest log updated: Search near the Rimewind clan for fragments of your lost power



"So, if someone else had any of these fragments, would they be able to.. also run the city?"

"Definitely not, my lord. You are Azoth now, in body and soul. Small pieces of your power may have been taken from you, but you alone are the true heir. You are the fountain, my lord. The others have merely stolen a drink."

"And I won't destroy the world or something if I pick up the wrong artifact made by some all-destroying devil, will I?"

"I would exercise caution, my lord, they are still artifacts of immense power, but no. In fact, your power may shield you from many of the ill-effects of such things."

"Oh, like curses?"

"Well, yes, that will certainly help with cursed equipment and such objects, but it is more than that. You are not bound to the same diases that others must be, your spirit can flow freely, without regard of shackles that would judge or condemn you. All creeds will count you among them, for by your nature, you have the right to be deemed 'master', both to the sacred and the profane."

"...Your body is still as it is, though, and those such restrictions will still be imposed upon you."

"Uh.. Alright."

..I didn't get all that. I guess I'm safe from devil power I guess?



>>686025

Yeah...

Yeah! This is an opportunity! I'm going to show them what I'm made of! Alright, time to get into the vault.



You step around the palace again, and return to the entrance. The Red servitor is nowhere to be seen. There are two ramps that lead downwards, into the palace.



Hmm.. I think I know the layout of this place.



You walk through the cool, vacant corridors of stone, and deeper within the stone palace you go. The air begins to taste almost fuzzy, and you feel lighter, your step faster. The stone, you realize is being illuminated slightly by some kind of ambient haze... despite no light sources, magical or otherwise, visible. It still becomes darker the deeper you go, however, but you find yourself taking twists and turns inside, effortlessly navigating the structure with no vision. Finally, you come to an enormous circular door, pulled open partways to the side.



"?????."

...Here we go.



You step through the doorway, and walk through a long, straight corridor. It does not take long to see what the servitor was talking about, your bare claws scuff through ancient dust upon the floor. There are a lot of dust piles, seemingly undisturbed. Some of the dust piles have footprints and drag marks running through them.



...



You continue on. The hallway is very long. Eventually, you reach the end. There are a few unknown stains upon the floor. In front of you, the hallway begins to branch and the ceiling is raised into a much larger room, with branching passages. You can see a side room to your right, rooms in front of you, and ones further on to your left, as well. There are many empty racks.



...Alright. I guess I'll take a quick look at everything, at least.
Perception 1d20=2+2



In the side room to your right, there are a few tables. Further on, it reconnects back into the other rooms. You can see a large blackened spike laying upon the table, and an amulet on a chain featuring an open-mawed monster of some sort next to it. There are diagrams underneath them. You continue on back to the main room, and see a strange empty space floating in the air next to the wall, as well as a very large sack that looks as if it's filled with some kind of reddish sand. In the next room over to your left, there is a pedestal with a thick, dusty-looking book upon it, and a brown leather bag is laying next to it on the ground. It looks as if it was knocked over. You see a small music box one more room over, made of lustrous silver and painted black wood. There is also a piece of green cloth, laid out innocuously in one corner of the room. The rest of the rooms appear to have been thoroughly ransacked, and are empty. Their architecture is strange, disjointed shapes that look as though they have been made to contain very strange objects.



Alright. So... what now?



[Examine something] [Cast a spell] [Obtain item] [Other] [Leave]

check out the brown leather bag on the floor. See if you can't see if it has any magic in it because it sounds more like whoever was robbing this place dropped it for one reason or another while trying to steal the book. Maybe we'll get lucky and find some clothes.

>>686166
Hm, try going back to the dust piles and chuck some of the remains at that empty space, that should tell us if it can be removed from where it is currently sitting.

Otherwise, look for trails that you can follow in the dust, try not the disturb the trails too much, as it might be able to tell us what was looted first and the potential size of the missing object.

You could also try casting detect magic if you are prepared to deal with a very heavy amount of auras popping up.

Detect magic on ALL the things! That should give you some idea what they are, at least.

>>686186
I think the best plan is to memorize what's there, then head back to Blue and take inventory, both to determine how many are missing, and what the remaining artifacts do.

Luckily, we're good at memorizing, you just have to make sure to tell us all the deets.

>>686190
>>686194

Oh, don't worry, you can't get overloaded from seeing magic. Right, let's see what we've got.. ๔єtєςt ๓คﻮเς~

Heehee, this is so much easier for me than last time...!

Okay, most everything here is showing up pretty vividly as magic. Let's see...

Looks like those diagrams are not magic, but the spike and the amulet on top of them are.

...Huh. The amulet is.. actually not giving off as strong an aura as the rest. It's pretty weak, actually. Either way, it's necromantic, so that probably means it does something with life or zombies or something.

This nail thing looks really innocuous, but it's blaring out strong as can be. Abjuration, so whatever it is it probably has something to do with protection or making shields.

I'm heading back over now.
Survival 1d20=6+0



You look at the dust piles once more, and see many trails running through them.



It.. just looks like a mess. I mean, there could be things that got dragged over them, but I have no idea how to tell what they would be.

Look, I.. don't want to offend, but I'd really prefer not to touch what's on the floor any more than I have to.

"קгєรt๏."



A small rock appears in your hand.



I can do this, though.



You head closer inside, and then hurl the rock into into the empty space.



...It vanished. Did not come out the other side. The position of the empty space didn't change, either. It's weird, like.. it looks like a hole in the world, almost. Just.. black.

Oh, right! Sorry, the black thing is transmutation, so it.. changes things.



>>686188

Back over here.. Alright, there's a conjuration aura around the bag, so that means it could make things, summons things, opens portals, teleport things.. Stuff like that.

Here, let me just..



You pull the half-open bag open the rest of the way, and peer inside.



...There's a folded up bag inside, and some kind of metallic charm. The bag inside isn't giving off an aura, but the metal charm is strong evocation. Evocation is usually bursts of energy, like fireballs and such. As for the book... Huh.

I.. can't tell. It's.. Transmut.. wait, Abjur.. It's all thr--...

...All of it? This book is every kind of magic. And all of it is strong, too!



The book is closed. The top of it looks really dusty... it's bound in leather, got a nice 12-pointed star embossed on the cover. No title though, go figure. Why can't old wizards ever label things?



Huh.. That red sand has a very weak aura. The huge bag is a lot stronger, though. Both are transmutation. It's a nice bag, too, patterned all with yellow dots and red wavy lines.. Kind of gnoll-esque.



...Well that's disappointing. That cloth is totally non-magical. The music box is powerfully transmutation, though.



[Attempt to identify] [Examine something] [Cast a spell] [Obtain item] [Other] [Leave]

>>686238
See if you can identify this stuff. The book seems most importnat- spend a mythic point on that to make sure we figure it out.

I'd say spend mythic points on identifying the other powerful stuff as well, starting with whatever has the strongest auras- we can always rest later to get our points back.

>...Numbers, my lord
Well that certainly narrows down the list of suspects. It has to be people who can rally forces of sufficient size, and afford to spend lives so freely.

>what do
I don't suppose the vault has a manifest or logbook you can access? It would make sense for whoever established this to have some way to track the contents. If such a thing exists, it would likely be tied to or keyed to your nature.

Failing that, casting Identify or non-invasive divinations to determine what some of these things are might be a good idea. (Though don't burn all your spell slots).

I don't think we should remove anything from the vault without a good and specific reason.

hell since we can come back her anytime that book could be quite useful it boasting our spell list as you grow in power.

Also once we get some more matirals we should build a big ass door right before the time trap bullshit to try and stop people from getting in again. I mean if this place was ransacked then whoever did it probably has the timelines mapped out so they could sneak back in again if the wished... Which also makes me think we should hunt down the people that did brake in her so they can't share that knowledge. I mean can you imagine how bad it would be if we got everything back only for one of the guys who robbed this place to start selling maps on how to get in and out alive? We'd have to devote all our time to stop piss ant adventurers from brake in almost 24/7

Hmm. Identifying those items is a good idea. I'd be willing to bet the book is a spellbook of some kind, if it's giving off multiple auras.

>>686238
Uh, I think we might want to roll Perception and Survival again. Can we just do a Take 20 on Perception? I mean, what if there's a secret panel somewhere with something really cool in it? Messing with the dust isn't as important.

Take the cloth. It's free cloth you can use to make clothing out of. It's non-magical so it's probably not something you need to worry about getting stolen.

The book is likely a Book of Infinite Spells. Which really isn't infinite at all. It just lets you cast some spells that you wouldn't normally be able to cast. Useful but not hugely powerful, I wouldn't mind taking it out and risking it being stolen.

The black hole is a Sphere of Annihilation. DC check of 35 to move it with your mind. Very dangerous, anything that touches it is destroyed. Best to leave it in here, I think.

The spike is a maleficus spike. It lets you infuse a structure with an anti-Outsider ward. Not useful for us, leave it.

The conjuration-bag is probably a bag of holding of some sort. Are the dimensions of the inside bigger than the outside? A bag of Concealment works a little differently- it's attuned to an owner and if anyone else puts something in it, the true contents cannot be accessed until the fake "normal" bag is empty again. So try taking everything out then looking inside it again.

I dunno what anything else is. Cast Identify on everything else that's magical. ...wait
"This spell does not allow you to identify artifacts."
If these things are literally Artifacts then Identify is useless. Legend Lore would work but that's beyond our casting level and takes days to cast besides.

Oh hang on, it occurs to me that we could sell the spike (and/or some other not-useful items) to another town, and thus get some more money for the kingdom.

>>686304

Well, I do need something to wear still..



You retrieve the piece of cloth. It appears to be a tattered cloak, for someone quite a lot taller than you. Any magic it may or may not have once possessed is long gone. Obtained TATTERED GARMENT.



>>686248

A large population, and willingness to send them to their deaths? A bunch of refugees doesn't sound very likely to do that, and Franza doesn't even know we're here, I think. I don't know about gnolls, Blue did say they grouped up, so maybe they're all fanatics. ...She also said that the dark elves were the most likely culprits though.

I didn't see any log books or anything here, the Font must have just remembered them all. I don't get the feeling that he was the kind of pers.. thing, to let other people in here at all.

And yeah.. Casting identification spells won't help me much, most of these things are way too strong for it to work.

Not all of them are, though.

At any rate though, I'm not attached to the idea of taking anything out of here right now. I'm still new at all this, maybe I won't need any of their help. That Font guy didn't.



>>686250

...I don't like the sound of someone having a map to this place. Would that even work? I'd better remember to ask Blue when I get out of here... Either way, a lock on that giant door wouldn't be amiss. Though, I um.. might have trouble getting in that way. It's a really, really big door...

Oh, but I don't need to use a spellbook to cast magic! It all comes from right here.

You put a hand on your chest.



>>686317

Mmm.. I don't know about that. I mean, it's possible, but what would a fair price be for something like this? Aside from that, though..

...These diagrams look related to this nail. I'm not sure it's a good idea to trade it away until I know it's not important for something.



>>686244
>>686276
>>686304

Alright, no more putting it off.

Time to figure out what this stuff is.

You survey the objects with weaker auras, sending out tendrils of magic laced with spells to discern their properties.

"i໓ēຖtifฯ."

Spellcraft to identify 1d20=5+27; 8 level 1 spells remaining.

It seems as though... this is a talisman of soul-eating.

Ooh.. I see. It lets you turn dead people's souls into soul gems by holding it nearby their corpses. Only once per day, though. Is this how this city's soul web works?

...Oh. You can also eat the soul gems. They'll heal, but also condemn the soul inside to the hells.

Still, having someone's soul sounds like it'll help with resurrection magic quite a lot, even if the wait won't exactly be the most pleasant possible.

"i໓ēຖtifฯ~"

Spellcraft to identify 1d20=6+27; 7 level 1 spells remaining.

...Interesting. This red sand is a completely different magic item from the bag it's in. At least, I think it is. It's restoration sand, and on top of being very comfortable to take naps in, it can restore damaged corpses to better condition.

So I guess you can make prettier zombies...?

Lots of death-related things here. Alright, time for the big ones.

And thus begins the lengthy process of meticulous testing. You don't spend too long on any one attempt, but you do your best, running through different tests, feeling over the auras the artifacts give off with your magically-enhanced vision. Three times you let a burst of your inner might shine through to enhance your tests, but rarely do you make any headway in determining the properties of anything.

Spellcraft to identify 1d20=15+7 Surge 1d6=+2

Spellcraft to identify 1d20=19+7 Surge 1d6=+6

Spellcraft to identify 1d20=8+7

Spellcraft to identify 1d20=1+7

Spellcraft to identify 1d20=7+7

Spellcraft to identify 1d20=20+7 Surge 1d6=+6

Spellcraft to identify 1d20=2+7

Four and a half hours later...



Well that didn't work very well.

Alright.. alright.. I shouldn't be complaining. I guess I shouldn't really have expected to be able to figure out any of these.

...I got lucky. That book? It's got pages that only turn one way. Whenever I open it, no matter where I open it to, it's still on the same page, and has 15 pages after it.

It's a book of infinite spells. It'll let its owner cast whatever spell is on the page of the spellbook it opens to. And here's the best part..!

You only have to claim yourself as its owner to use its power, it'll supply it no matter how far apart you are. If I claim myself as its owner, I won't have to take it out of the vault!

Every time I cast one of its spells, though, the page might turn and change the spell. 16 pages left.

...As for the rest, though, I have absolutely no idea. I guess that black hole 'annihilating' things sounds pretty plausible though, it sure destroyed my conjured pebble. I'm going to... not touch that.

The spike looks really shady-looking, but I have no clue. The sand bag? No idea. The music box, still no.

The bag just looks like a regular bag. I dumped the metal thing and the other bag out, and now there's two bags. Only one is magical, the other one seems to literally just be a cloth bag. But even the magical bag seems completely normal. It isn't bigger on the inside or anything, and with everything out of it, now it's an empty bag.

Urgh.. I give up. It feels like I've been staring at these things forever.

>>686304

Fiiine... I'll take one more look around.

Survival 1d20=15
Perception take20=20+2

Hold on a second... it looks like something very large and heavy has been dragged out of here through the dust. And it was dragged.. in a straight line, I can see the edges of it! They just.. went straight through the hallway. They can't have all survived that, did the thieves just get replaced as soon as they died? What could've possibly been so valuable as to kill yourself getting it out?

Apart from that, I don't see anything else new... So, I'm not taking anything out of here right now, right?



[Attune to book] [Take item] [Travel somewhere] [Speak to someone] [Use inventory item] [Experiment manually]

>>686324
A straight path sounds more like a crane or winch was used to pull it out of the vault, the time taken for something like that wouldn't be too long, if the crane was able to be assembled quickly.

[Take Conjuration Bag and Evocation amulet]

might as well attune yourself to the book just so we don't have to worry about anyone else stealing it. Other then that I think we should probably head out to the city now that we have some clothes. Let's see what it's like for ourselves.

>I'm not sure it's a good idea to trade it away until I know it's not important for something.
Of note is that the big glowy guy thought everything in here was once worth sealing away. Still not sure I trust his methods or motives, but I think we can trust him to have recognized power. Or at least, the potential for it.

>sphere of annihilation
That's pretty smart, actually. Anything too dangerous to even safety store in the vault can still be disposed of.

>book of infinite spells
And nothing terrible or world ending will occur when it reaches zero?

I would leave everything here until we have a reason to use it. It may be possible to steal from this vault, but they're more secure here than on your person.

>might have brute force mapped the place
That would have been the smart thing to do.

Could we maybe reconfigure the time streams? A different pattern would mean any thief would have to start over with a whole new bunch of disposable minions.

Hmm. Could someone have used undead, or summoned servants as cannon fodder before? That might well have been cheaper than raising mortal forces to send to their deaths.

>what do
I would confer with Red or Blue, tell them what you found, since it's hard for them to enter here. Perhaps when you tell them what you have, they can list what is missing?

>>686324
I still say we should talk with Red and Blue, ask if they know what the unidentified ones are and what the missing ones might be.

May as well claim the book even if we decide not to use it, right? ...or maybe it would be safer to do that after we ask them. We're immune to curses but if it has a broader-reaching drawback...

Take the talisman, so you can hand it over to the city. They can keep it in a hospital, as a last ditch way to save someone now that the soul network is down.

I'd say attune to the book. It'll give us a spell we can use for free, possibly four times a day.

Take out the items we have no idea what they are. Show them to Blue and/or Red, see if they know what they do. Put them back afterwards, unless they're important enough to keep available for the city's use.

>>686374
Wait maybe we don't need to take out unknown items. We can just describe them.

Attune to the book; we can always choose not to use it afterwards.

I think the non-magical diagrams around the amulet and spike together with the nature of the amulet means that those were here to be studied and have planned or active city systems based on them (like the soul web off the amulet).

>Take the talisman, so you can hand it over to the city. They can keep it in a hospital, as a last ditch way to save someone now that the soul network is down.
The storage part of the soul web is still functional but the resurrection part is down, so that wouldn't be neccesary.

So... uh... My computer died, and all my notes are on that computer, and I don't think I'll have an opportunity to get a hard drive bridge until after finals, so there probably won't be updates until mid next week.

>>687493
don't worry about it, shit happens. Just get back to it when it works for you.

>>686332
>>686370

As far as I know, the only thing that happens when the book runs out of pages is that it becomes a doorstop. Can't really use it anymore if there's no spells in it!

>>686327
>>686374
>>686568

First thing's first.

You press your scaled hand against the open page of the book and attune yourself to it, an eerie gold glow flowing up into your arm and suffusing your body. You may now cast Aggravate Affliction http://tinyurl.com/jgxj5es up to four times every day. Each casting has a 20% chance of turning the page and changing the spell.

Hm. This spell works on people suffering from something, like curses and poisons and stuff. It makes the.. um, affliction, worse. Kind of gruesome, but I guess it could be useful.



>>686326
>>686332

Ohhh.. Like pulling things out with a fishing rod? That would be smart, but they'd have to get pretty far in to line that up in the first place, it's a long hallway and there isn't a clear shot. Either way, someone or something would have to go in.

I don't know how the streams work, but if they're time-based, spells would probably run out pretty fast. They'd have to be permanent somehow, and even then, most would probably still be affected.



>>686568

Yeah, the soul web should have enough of those gemstone things, just that some are missing. Possibly with souls in them. If someone dies in the city, they'll be pulled into a crystal.

…Not that there's anything that can be done with them afterwards. I sure can't raise the dead, and even if I could, Red said the city was too poor to fund doing so. I guess they just have to stay stuck there until someone figures something out.

It certainly makes sense that this kind of stuff is what they used to make the city systems. It feels a little weird seeing it; I kind of got the impression that the last king didn't like ingenuity.

These diagrams look pretty old, though, so maybe something changed?



>>686326
>>686374
>>686379
>>686332

Eehhh…



You opt to take the non-magical bag, the non-magical green cloth from before, and the talisman of soul-eating with you.



Alright. That's enough for now, I guess.



You head out of the artifact vault and into the wide entrance hallway once again. It's eerily silent, your soft footsteps the only noise sounding out, and you can't hear any echoes. Eventually, you move past the dust and back into the corridors beneath the stone palace. Back into the daylight once more, you find Blue with little trouble. You describe the objects within and ask about what might be missing, but she shakes her head.



"I am sorry, sir, but I know little of what the vault once possessed. It was not often that we observed the acquisition of these objects of power, and rarely were they used."

"Oh.. Well, thanks anyway."

"I can tell you three things of note, however. Firstly, we were given explicit instructions not to wind up the music box when it was retrieved from its prior location. Secondly, the nail you speak of is a maleficus spike. The stone palace and the ley lines were created with similar properties. Lastly, the bag I know little of, but we were given no warnings when obtaining it, save that it must be examined magically. Its appearance can change, I understand."

"I see.."

"…You say you found but one book within the vault?"

"Yeah. Book of infinite spells, right?"

"Y-…yes, that is correct. It is strange, though.. I am almost certain that our lord once possessed two of them."

"…Two?"

"Indeed, my lord. I suppose the other must have been stolen."

Wow, no wonder stuff like this is so rare. I've heard of dragons with less of a hoarding problem.



>>686332

"So… How do these timestreams work, exactly?"

"They are a devastating defense system, my lord. Time itself speeds and slows within the vault, and those traversing its deadly corridors are ravaged by the ages. They may rip against frozen time, de-age to nothingness, or accelerate and become dust before your eyes."

"But people still got in."

"Y-yes, my lord, unfortunately."

"Can the streams be changed? I don't want anyone to have a map into the vault."

"They change on their own, my lord, do not worry. It.. is unpredictable whether they will change or stay the same. Entering is suicide, and only those willing to make such a sacrifice have even a chance at passing unharmed."

"Mmm."



>>686327

Ah, not quite yet…!



You find Red outside of the stone palace again.



Hmm… What should I get him to make? I mean, there's this green cloth, and I guess this bag, too. Should I have him use these?



[Create clothing] [Find more cloth] [Retrieve artifact] [Retrieve surplus] [Ask about something] [Other] [Speak to someone] [Travel somewhere]

well if the bag can change shape (unless you meant a different bag) probably shouldn't use that to make clothes, the green thing on the other hand, if you got enough might as well use it for something.

Ask about a library in town. If we can't figure out the artifacts from identifying, then we can experiment and research them. Take the magic bag out for this purpose. It seems to be the least dangerous one to experiment with. Just don't put anything important in it.

What clothes can he make with the amount of cloth we have? Also take out a little bit of spending money. Like, I dunno, 200g. Keep the regular bag to keep your coins in for now.

Urrgh… What was I doing again? Oh right, preparing to head out.

You head back down to the artifact vault and retrieve the magical bag of unknown function, leaving it empty. You then take a trip to the treasury (which appears to have been fashioned identically to the artifact vault, filled with not only gold, but gemstones and rare reagents) to retrieve 200g of spending money, leaving the treasury with a 4,120gp surplus. You place the artifact and the gold inside the mundane bag, and return to the surface.

“Hey, you.”

“Yes, my lord?”

“Make me some robes out of this cloth. Something approachable.”

“Very well, my lord..“

“мᾄќἔ ᾧђὄłἔ, Fλϐгιςλτε.”


The green fabric unravels and frays itself apart as the threads shimmer, soon becoming a full spool before it begins to restitch. Sleeves and a neckline weave themselves together in mid-air, the pattern continuing down until you have a serviceable set of green robes.


Hmh. Not bad-looking.


Before I go, let’s just add a few things to the list…

http://tinyurl.com/pkwbm74
Quest log updated: Determine the abilities of the magical bag.
Quest log updated: Search near Cradle for fragments of your lost power.
Quest log updated: Discover information about the missing artifacts.

To the Rimewind gnoll clan’s territory, right?


[Travel to Rimewind territory] [Travel somewhere else] [Buy something] [Ask more questions] [Quest recap] [Other]

If you're going to check out the Rimewind territory, you should get better equipped and take some travelling companions. Time to meet your star warriors!

Maybe you should buy a weapon first?

I mean, traditional kobold weapon is the pointy stick, right? I'm sure you can find one of those along the way.

>>791667
>>791811

Hmm.. I could certainly USE an improvised weapon, but those things aren't exactly reliable. ᴬᶫˢᵒ ᵗʰᵃᵗ'ˢ ᵏᶦᶰᵈ ᵒᶠ ʳᵃᶜᶦˢᵗ... Anyway, it'd be a good idea to get something that won't break and was actually designed for fighting.

But.. there's that exact same problem as before...

"Hey Red, there wouldn't happen to be any weapons the size of my hands, would there?"

"One of the star warriors, I believe, is about your height. She can likely supply something for you to use."

"Wait.. what? Couldn't I have just... gotten clothes from her?"

"Unlikely, my lord. The star warriors are Azoth's greatest fighters, and they have been gifted with armor of the stars. It is a flexible material that provides great defense, and does not impede the magic all star warriors are required to possess. They never wear anything else."

"We... can't make more of those, can we."

"The facilities used to create them are still in ruins, my lord. Not until they are restored."

"Figures."

>>791644

"Well anyway, bring them out. I'm going to have to talk with them sooner or later, aren't I?"

"I.. suppose so, yes my lord. I will order them all to meet at the stone palace."

"As a primer: the star warriors are required to possess magical prowess, as well as some manner of martial skill, though the amount of each varies greatly with the individual. They are the strongest forces in Azoth hand-picked by its lord to defend it and carry out its will. Mostly to defend."

"Just a warning, though, my lord. To let them retain their uniquely effective magics and fighting styles intact, they have been allowed to retain their near-complete individuality. They can be... juvenile at times."

"Uh.. ok."


You wait there for a while as the red servitor appears to concentrate, and before long, individuals start to gather on the steps to the stone palace. A pale-faced gnome appears, and then what looks like some sort of anthropomorphic insect, both clad in shimmering black fabric patterned with white markings that are distinct from but very reminiscent of your own. There also appears to be some sort of dark grey mesh underweave set in the fabric. The gnome has two weapon sheaths on her belt, while the insect appears to be holding a gnarled wooden staff with an acid-green crystal set at the top. A drow appears from thin air, just as what looks to be an anthropomorphized dragon steps into view with one long weapon sheath at his belt, folding his wings back up, all of them looking on edge and wearing the same white-patterned shimmery black armor. The red servitor nods, and gestures to them as they step closer and independently frown.


"The star warriors are assembled, my lord."

"Wait, there's four? There's only four of them??"

"Five. One star warrior is currently fending off roving wildlife."

"Oh, five then, I feel so much better now."


"In all my years, in all my time in service to Azoth, I have fought with and killed countless worthy warriors, and I have suffered grievous injuries in the process. I have never questioned my lord, but served with the utmost obedience to his orders."


"...and this. This is my reward."

"Truly the end times are upon us."

"A kobold? For real? Tell us the truth, are you fucking with us, servitor?"

"Chrrrk!"

"Shut up, bug."

"This is the inheritor of the Font of Azoth. Your new lord, just recently awoken."

"Yes, I--"

"No wonder it took two years."

"Chk-chk."

"Three years."

"I am in disgust."

"Oh, I don't know. He reminds me of a concubine I once owned. Such a sweet thing. I think the statue I turned him into still decorates the black palace gardens."

"I'm out."

"Uh--wait a second!"

"Vhrrrk..."

"I am inclined to agree, gnome. He is so.. egregiously young. What was the font thinking? My family line would be ashamed of me."

"You're just angry because he looks like a knock-off version of you without the tasteless wings."

"Hurrmph!"

"Yeah, seeya."

"Hard to deny it, though, I can't see how this creature could be qualified to run Azoth."


The gnome turns around, starting to walk back down the steps again.


"W-wait, come back! Hold on a second!"

This is not going well! ..D-damnit, what should I do?



[scold them] [apologize to them] [ask about a weapon] [other] [ask about traveling together] [challenge them] [ask them something else] [use mythic power somehow] [cast a spell]

Scold them, is their faith so easily shaken? You may not be the grand power they were expecting but the font still chose you to restore Azoth. You're not expecting them to put their complete trust in you, but to dismiss you after having done little but look upon you is disturbing for ones in their position.

A small show of Mythic power to draw their attention before you start the scolding might be good as well.

"Wow, Red, you were right, they really do act like a bunch of children! Are you sure these guys are the real star warriors? Because their lack of faith in their master's choice based on my race is a little concerning!"

The kobold body was an emergency measure. This form may not be optimal but it's what we have to work with, and they can damn well give you the respect deserving of the Font.

Mythic power for a charisma check.

Scold them and challenge them - "Are you children or the chosen defenders of Azoth? The power and gifts of the Font are diminished, true, but that only means every piece that remains must be used to best of its ability if Azoth's glory is to be restored."

Then talk about your plan to investigate one of the pieces of the Font's power near the gnolls.

>>794585
This.

"And despite such blatant disrespect you don't see me questioning your ability. Rather, I question your devotion. Are your loyalties so flimsy you'd disregard your duties on a single glance? Because while I'd prefer we got along, if you wish me to be antagonistic and hostile *shouting* I WILL GLADLY OBLIGE YOU! *clears throat* So. You may call me The Inheritor, The Reborn Font of Azoth. Speak, and make yourselves known Star Warriors."

>>794466
>>794489
>>794495
>>794585
>>794586
>>794775

Display of Charisma used, 3/8 mythic power points left for the day. 1d20+29=30 intimidate. Natural 1 partially mitigated by mythic power use, tone of dialogue altered.



"Q͉̬̤U̩͈͎͈͇͙I̹̜̮E̖̠̖̫͕̼T!"

"I didn't believe Red when he told me you how petulant you could be, but now I’m wondering if he didn’t go far enough.”

"Are you kidding me? This is Azoth’s best?? I’d say you were acting like hatchlings, but even they have the good sense to keep their mouths shut when they’re not eating.”

"Is this really all it takes for you to give up? You looked at me for less than two minutes, and you’re already writing me off as a lost cause. How did you stay star warriors this long with this kind of pathetic commitment?”

“Yeah, I know I’m not much to look at. I’m weaker than the font, and I only woke up five hours ago. But he was dying, and all that power? He put it in me. I didn’t exactly get an option otherwise. None of us are getting out of this without having to adapt.”

“And listen carefully, because this is the only time I’m going to say this. I might be small. I might be weak. But you will treat me with respect and decency. Do you understand?”

"This broken, decaying city is all our problem to deal with. I don't care if you think I can't handle it. The truth is, you're probably right. I’m not the font, and I’m missing a significant amount of his power anyway. But that isn’t going to stop me from trying."

“If you really think it isn’t worth it to even try, then you can go back to doing whatever the hell you want. Because if I’m not even worth that… then there isn’t any more point in you being here.”

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Kk.."

"...Hrmh."

That was... I'm not sure where that came from. I'm sorry. I think I might’ve gone overboard.



"…Red told me you would have a weapon my size.”

“…”


The gnome unhooks a scabbard from her belt, and tosses it. You catch it deftly. It appears to be some manner of machete.


“Here.”

“Thanks.”

“..Is there anything else, my lord?”



[ask their names] [pick one to bring] [scold them again] [apologize] [other] [ask about the star warriors] [ask for a specific weapon]

[ask about the star warriors] and [ask their names]
Gotta find out what they can do. Then we'll decide who to bring.

For now just learn who they are, what they do and what they are good at. This will be relevant latter.
Don't take anyone with you this time. Having someone powerful at your side would certainly help dealing with conflict and situation requiring intimidation, but maybe that's not the best approach to deal with barbarians in conflict.
We should take advantage of their lack of unity and turn tribes against each others. For that strength will make your faction more attractive as allies but it will also unify opposing factions against a common foreign threat.
Before resourcing to tactics that will attract conflict to this nation you should resource to subterfuge. Go alone disguised as someone harmless and use your silver tong to instigate conflict. This way you can defeat enemies without them blaming the kingdom of Azoth.

>>796210
These.

>>796210
This.

[ask their names]
it's only polite, and maybe you can score some points with them?
[ask about star warriors]
knowledge is power, and it seems one has to -display- power to get anything from them. I say use it while you can and pick their brains.

>>796210
>>796217
>>796230
>>796252
>>798431

Yeah, that's a good point. I can't make any informed ideas without knowing what we have to work with. I hope they have names.

"Could you all take turns telling me who you are, and what you can do?"

"Goodness, you don't know?

"A tip for next time dear, research as much as you can before meeting with your targets. You have more sharp edges to brandish when communicating when you have information on your side."

"Well! Never let it be said that I cannot graciously introduce myself. I am Verica Llandroth, former matriarch of the Llandroth noble house, and star warrior to now the smallest little sovereign overlord I've seen since house Kelanos appointed a three-year-old child to grand matriarch."

"Uh.. Sorry, a three-year-old?"

"Vicious little monster, she was. And such blatant boasting they did, appointing her that way. But then, the Kelanos have always been inept at subtlety. Ah, but I digress."

"Hrrmph. Yes, indeed."

"I am skilled in the art of subterfuge. Manipulation of people's perceptions, stealth, warfare, stalking, assasination, and the gathering of information."

"Star warrior Verica has proven to be a capable spy. Your predecessor accepted her into the city as a star warrior when she requested asylum from the dark elves overthrowing her as grand matriarch."

"Yes, well it was better than what happens to most."

"On the magical side of things, I am a powerful illusionist. I've been known to weave some enchantments, too."

Well, that.. certainly seems to fit with the drow stereotypes. They keep saying 'grand matriarch', too.

"Is grand matriarch a big deal?"

"I should certainly think so! The grand matriarch is the figure of Cradle itself, the highest of all positions and direct priestess to Lloth herself. She is the most powerful figure, and enjoys all the luxuries, entertainment, and pleasures she desires. The grand matriarch is always the matriarch of the most powerful noble house, and is only unseated when one of the other houses manages to worm their way into higher prominence."

"The patron most dark elves follow is Lloth, the queen of spiders. She encourages subtlety as well as backstabbing peers to advance, and punishes those who stray from her worship. Star warrior Verica chose a different path when another noble house overthrew her. She would likely not survived if she did not swear fealty to Azoth."

"Despite the city's current state of affairs, it's a better option than being dead. Or worse, decoration."

Hm. Is this related to what Blue was talking about before about being a neutral party?

"Ok, how about you?"

"Arva Pimm. I'm skilled in martial warfare, and I have unparalleled battlefield maneuverability. All the magic I have is for strengthening myself or enhancing my weapons, I don't cast on others. There isn't a weapon that's been made that I don't know how to use."

Well that was.. terse. At least we're getting something out of her, though.

She looks like a gnome, but.. nothing I knew before, or any of the newer information I have now, tells me why she looks all white like that.

"Star warrior Arva is one of the oldest star warriors in Azoth. She has time and again proven her excellence in combat."

"And.. you?"

"Chihik! Ch-chik-kwa, kachi chizki chik-chik kzurchik, khch kzik--"

"Uh--"

"Can you not understand him?"

"Um.. 'fraid not."

"Here, let me fill you in. Our vowel-challenged friend is Kizki, and he's mostly used as a punching bag."

"Hrrmph. He has a knack for taking hits that we all would simply dodge out of the way of. His healing magicks are highly impressive for his age, however. His fighting style is... shoddy and undisciplined."

"He's mostly just there to keep them busy until one of us comes, but he hasn't died yet because his healing magic is so strong."

"Chzzk..."

"Star warrior Kizki is not as powerful as the others, but make no mistake, he is still a competent warrior. All star warriors must be proficient in martial combat. Like Arva, he lacks offensive magic, but the other star warriors owe their good health to his support."

Still, it sounds a little like he's more of a healer than a fighter..

Too bad I have no idea what he's saying. I guess don't speak Thri-Kreen.

"You said he was impressive for his age? How old is he?"

"Ah, well that becomes complicate--"

"He's 7."

"He is not 7."

"He's... been 7 for a good number of years now. Magic and lifespan sometimes mingle with one other."

"Chizik.."

"Well, alright then. What about.. uh.. You?"

"Hrrrmph. Volgin Kazarov Dazano-Krochevskoy. I am the strongest warrior of clan Dazano, recipient of blessings from the sky dragon Kazarov, and destroyer of the Order of the Black Lotus. I have earned my horns from the blood of my clan's enemies,--"

"And he never shuts up about it."

"I have been called on to show my banner of conquest, and I will do so without further interruption. I have fought

He's still going?

"--war with the legion of the Emerald, and driven them back with the aid of my comrades in arms. I was decorated with Heaven's Sword, and was brought to this land to serve its glory. I face my foes head on and destroy them with blade, claw, breath and storm. I do not use illusions or enchantment trickery in battle like the drow."

"Heh.. Good to know."

"Star warrior Volgin was given to us by the dragon Kazarov many years ago to bring honor to his people. He has faithfully defended Azoth and destroyed its enemies since that time."

Another old one, huh. Sounds like he's pretty well rounded. Wait, but..

"Didn't you say there was another star warrior that couldn't make it?"

"Indeed, my lord. The last remaining star warrior is Skovis Alandi. He has been a new addition to the star warriors, one of the last to successfully join the ranks before your predecessor's disappearance. He is a tiefling, and though he has a terrible streak of rashness and immaturity, he has demonstrated that this appointment was not misplaced with his mastery of blade magic."

I guess that's all of them, then. I know there are cities bigger than Azoth, even though it's been apparently reduced in size, but I'm still a little concerned that in the whole thing, there's only five star warriors left.



[ask for clarification] [ask for more details] [take one with you] [travel to the GNOLL TRIBALS territory] [travel to CRADLE] [travel to MUR-GAHANA] [travel to FRANZA] [travel to Daehli] [other]

[take one with you]
Grab the drow, Verica. Someone who can sneak with you and help out with illusions if shit hits the fan is a good idea. Plus she seems the least...prickly of the bunch.
[travel to the GNOLL TRIBALS territory]
It's about time to go, I think.

Yeah the plan was to go to the gnolls and find the power fragment, alongside finding out why they're not attacking anymore. Bringing the illusionist seems very useful for what is mostly a scouting mission.

Yeah she seems like the obvious choice.

>>799093
>"Goodness, you don't know?"
"Well I would know if a certain someone actually left me that information when he gave me this power!"