D&D II Act One Scene III - The Lost World

Fourier

She enters a room made of glass thousands of images displayed all around her and a black leathery tree at the center. When the tree speaks Retula knows it is the Queen.

"Our pact is special to me, even if my lower manifestations forget the details of it. I do not enter into these arrangements lightly, I have my worldly representatives in my Clerics, who have a presence in the material.

No for you it is something much more special...but tell me Retula, would you do something for me, would you take on a task that will restore death to its proper order somewhere it has gone astray. You are not devoted to me, you care little about this I imagine, if I released you from the pact what would you do?"

Fourier

The tree breaks apart into a flock of Ravens, who fly like a whirlwind above Retula.

Banjo

Fourier wrote: »

"...but tell me Retula, would you do something for me, would you take on a task that will restore death to its proper order somewhere it has gone astray. You are not devoted to me, you care little about this I imagine, if I released you from the pact what would you do?"

"My lady.. er..Ma'am... Your majesty? I wasn't raised in your faith but it's all I have now. If you release me.... I don't know? What else is there? You offered me a chance at a home. I have to take that chance. Im not subtle and I'm not granular, but point me at something and I swear on my life - which I know is kinda yours not mine - but I'll do my best to mess them up. "

Fourier

"I know you will...you might have turned to me in desperation, tried to flee the realm, but there's a resourcefulness in you..." the ravens coalesce into a cloaked woman, ten times the height of Retula. Hetyaro appears and lands on her shoulder. Retula feels a smile lies under the hood of the robe "...plus a little birdy told me I could rely on you"

The palace fades and Retula stands within the bow of the ship.

Sunlight comes through the cracks in the floorboards above, the voice of the captain speaks from behind her.

"I bow before you agent of the queen, this crew is yours...welcome to Osinzir. Come and see and we will tell you of your mission."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbftqekNkVY

OOC: Level 4

Banjo

Climbing the stairs, she winces a little when the light hits her. She keeps her head steady, her back straight, as she glides regally to the guard rail and throws up over the side.

"....that.. was... intense" she pants between retches. Straightening up, she wipes her mouth and released a nervous burp.
"Ok captain, hit me!"

Fourier

The captain laughs at Retula.

"Well, the great city of Osinzir has a lich for a king essentially. The 'nice' kind, in that it doesn't yet involve liching the life out of others. It always reaches that point though...anyway, the reason we're here. They have a festival on at the moment, during which an ancient spell is released. The people of Osinzir, unfortunately, don't have an easy to manage afterlife, it's a sequence of interconnected kingdoms in a nearby demiplane.

'Nearby' means easy to come back from, provided you have the right spell. The whole land is covered in a counterspell put in place by one of the Elder Gods, that gets partially released for the festival, allowing the dead to wander the streets and heroes of old to judge the festival.

Recently this old warlord reconquered the whole afterlife, we know he's up to something to fully release the counterspell. Somebody of that power would represent a significant slap in the face to the domain of death. We need you to find out what he is up to and stop him. We've got a partner, of sorts, for you. The Raven Queen has managed to wrangle the local Death god into helping you."

Banjo

"Death God? Like, grim reaper death God? What kinda help could I possibly give him? He peckish?"

She shakes her head, missing the flumph of hair on scalp.

"Ok, what do you know about the festival? Also, you mentioned the ship and crew were mine - you guys want in on this?"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"Death God? Like, grim reaper death God? What kinda help could I possibly give him? He peckish?"

She shakes her head, missing the flumph of hair on scalp.

"Ok, what do you know about the festival? Also, you mentioned the ship and crew were mine - you guys want in on this?"

"We're yours if you know a brawl is heading your way, or anything else. We're devoted followers of the Queen, so if you need us just come back here.

The festival is a race of sorts around a canyon to the NorthEast of Osinzir. It goes on all day, everyday for two weeks. The dude we're after is currently judging some part of it.

And yep, a Grim Reaper Death God, nice guy...or so we were informed."

Banjo

"Dude, if I can make it all the way back here, I don't need your help! Ok, show me on the map where the canyon is, and where I'm meeting the Reaper. Oh, and where we're landing. I guess if I'm in really trouble I'll send the Raven or blow something up?"

Ooc : also is there a legend for that map?

Fourier

OOC:


Little stick dudes are nomadic tribes.

Banjo

Unless there's a specific plan, assuming Tsuzim is a port let's land there all legit-like.

Fourier

The boat pulls into Tsuzim's harbour, the captain stepping out on deck to take in the city.

"My home town, beautiful place with lots to do, but be careful! Many would be happy to take advantage of a hapless foreigner and you're as foreign as they get!"

Banjo

"your home town? But I thought you were... Oh! *Wink* home town... No still don't get it. So where do I meet my contact, and do you like have any family who'll sell me cool discount gear and hide me from the lich and oh! Oh! I need tattoos! I haven't written in the journal for a while!"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"your home town? But I thought you were... Oh! *Wink* home town... No still don't get it. So where do I meet my contact, and do you like have any family who'll sell me cool discount gear and hide me from the lich and oh! Oh! I need tattoos! I haven't written in the journal for a while!"

"It's my hometown as my parents were adventurers who left the Shadowfell. Your contact is at the town graveyard. Cool gear, yeah head to Fathe's Weapons, can't get you a discount though"

Banjo

"ok, cool. Well, wish me luck!"
She disembarks, summoning Mr H.

"Sir Humphalgrumps! I need you to tone yourself down a little like last time. We're under cover!

Rule #1! No more shouting 'were undercover'!"

She checks if the bag of stones she put on him before his last dismissal is still there.

"Ok, your codename is 8-ball, I'll be Cueball, the Raven is Lady Havisham. Masks on! I didn't make masks, it's just, you know, spy stuff."

She heads into town, looking for the graveyard.

Fourier

The locals are not very extroverted crowd, the streets are quite empty as Retula rides through the town in the light rain. The graveyard is easy enough to find, lying beside some kind of shrine with a statue of a crane on its roof.

It takes the form of park with various obelisk markers with hundreds of names written on each of them.

Banjo

Retula sends the Raven on a quick sweep to find any points of interest or other mourners, the enters the graveyard - approaching the obelisks in the absence of other stimuli.

Fourier

No major points of interest, save for the beautiful trees which Hetyaro is drawn to land on, finally coming to rest on one with pale red leaves. There is only five other people here.

Retula approaches one of the obelisks when a young handsome man speaks behind her.

"Beautiful aren't they?"

Banjo

"what, the obelisks or the trees.."
She turns
"...or...or...or...your forelocks.....so voluminous....Hi! I'm Ret-uh-Cueball! I'm Cueball. How d'yuh dooo!"
She curtseys.

Fourier

"Both really, the trees and obelisks have beauty in their separate ways.

Thank you for complimenting my hair and no need for pretense, I know who you are Retula"

Banjo

"so you're... Are you.. y'know.. it?

Are you a boy or a girl, it's really hard to tell.

So, can we talk here or do you have like a secret hideout or something?"

Fourier

He laughs.

"A man and yes I am the local god of death.

My house lies beneath this graveyard. Will you come?"

Banjo

"I think I just did! Take me home, Death, or lose me forever!" She yelps, throwing out an arm for Hetyaro and dismissing Mr H so he's more portable.

Fourier

He claps his hands twice.

They appear in a small room with two fur lined chairs, a warm fire and a low table with mats to sit on.

"Tea Retula?"

Banjo

"sure. Got any biscuits? Also is this by any chance a powerful hallucinogenic? I'm beginning to see a pattern emerging.

The good news is it usually ends in many, many deaths which has to be good for business, right?"

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

"sure. Got any biscuits? Also is this by any chance a powerful hallucinogenic? I'm beginning to see a pattern emerging.

The good news is it usually ends in many, many deaths which has to be good for business, right?"

He looks her in the eye.

"Dwarves was it? Not my jurisdiction, but I know the one for whom it is and they'll be pleased.

No the tea is safe. Honey biscuit okay?"

Banjo

"so the tea is safe and the biscuits are....?"
She breaks a little off, throws it in the air and let's Hetyaro catch it, tasting it through her beak.
"To die for!" She concludes.

"So did you bring me here for the great Osinzir Bake Off or do we have something to discuss?"

Fourier

"Ha! You are quite the joy to listen to. Given your employer I was expecting some sort of grim shadow dwelling skulker.

Yes, we have a lot to discuss..." he clicks his fingers and large tunnel opens up in one of the walls.

"That tunnel goes all the way to the Osinzir afterlife. Touching any obelisk in the park will bring you here, to this room. Just want you to know these things in case they are useful to you at some point.

Now, the man we have to stop goes by the name of Yumjin, you probably know a bit already. However, some of my former servants are aiding him. To deal with them you'll need these..."

He gestures at a set of black flowers laid out on the table.

"...get them to imbibe these and they'll be much easier to deal with."

Banjo

Ooc : what kind of flowers?

"And do they often eat flowers, your servants?

Wait, what? Your servants? Why are your servants working with him?

And the tunnel - I'm dealing with him in the afterlife not the bef... The pre....? The life!?

Oh, are you here in an advisory capacity and to look gorj, or will you be getting your hands dirty?
In combat!" She adds hastily, blushing and crossing her legs.

Fourier

Banjo wrote: »

Ooc : what kind of flowers?

Looking carefully Retula can see that they are Lotuses.

"And do they often eat flowers, your servants?

"Yes, quite often"

Wait, what? Your servants? Why are your servants working with him?

"He promised them something more appealing than what their work for me provides them. Silly little fools, what the do for me is their purpose."

And the tunnel - I'm dealing with him in the afterlife not the bef... The pre....? The life!?

"The tunnel is only there should you need it. For now he administers the festival, but he may retreat back to the afterlife"

Oh, are you here in an advisory capacity and to look gorj, or will you be getting your hands dirty?
In combat!" She adds hastily, blushing and crossing her legs.

"You're a strange one..." then he smiles "...like most gods my hands are tied to interact too directly, but there are certain circumstances where I may help you. Yumjin may not use his magics on you, that is the main spell I have placed over you."