DCC - The Heavenly Staircase

Banjo wrote: »

Ristan passes his hand through a few times, giggles and walks through. The others follow if he doesn't explode

The secret passage leads to a hidden study chamber. It seems the shamans were attempting to understand the elven intrinsic ability with magic from the diagrams of the elves physiology, the slightly golden blood samples and from a cursory read of scrolls containing interviews, recorded in Elvish, with the learned one.

Also in the room is a tome the learned one had prepared for his next student. From the symbols on the cover it seems to have been a patroned book (OOC: A character with this who chooses to be a wizard or is an elf automatically gets a magical patron at level 1)

Necro wrote: »

Thonrat wanders back out and has a final search of the shark guts for anything interesting. Then he wanders over and examines the door he made explode.

Finding little extra of interest on the shark, he wanders into the room that contained the sharks's now broken sand tank.

Through two sets of windows, one East and one West he can see the adjacent rooms.

The one to the East has three of the warrior caste stand within the room, observing the stable nervously. A human slave, possibly from Othegratia given the external spine, serves them a purple fluid. The room itself is barebones, some rock chairs and a table. Little else.

The one to the West seems to have a pile of thin humanoids of some form standing perfectly still. Though there is a slight frost over the window making it difficult to see.

Banjo wrote: »

Quentanaa has Ristan pass her the book, then casts an eye over the interview scrolls and frowns. She whispers in Ristan ear. Returning to the old elf, she holds the book up and waves it.

On entering Ristan's hands the book glows slightly and simply says in Elvish "Not worthy", on being handed to Quentanaa however it glows and states "Worthy!"

A flash from the cover injects massive amounts of magical knowledge into Quentanaa's brain. A human would go mad from the process, but Elves have a natural affinity for the magical arts, to Quentanaa it is simply a skill she never learned. Her mind starts ruminating over the information.

When she returns to the elderly elf he smiles.

"Thank you, use it well, in time if you make, resurrect me so I may die in a more appropriate place."

His body glows and turns to dust, some of it settling on the book and embedding itself with a spell.

Banjo wrote: »

"well, that saves you killing him, eh oaf? Here, " she scoops up some dust, "make a wish!" She blows it in the elf's face. The group follow into the shark room.

They see Thonrat coming out and taking a look in the guard room. The blue energy fields are opaque until approached closely, so they are able to come at them from the side like Thonrat and see in.

They notice the same things as Thonrat.

Necro wrote: »

'Oh - this? Well... I suppose...'

Aelrindel puts on the ring.

He places the ring on his finger, but nothing seems to happen and it is too wide to fit properly on any finger decently.

Necro wrote: »

Feeling embibed, Thonrat looks for any rubble around the room to throw at the window.

He finds the rubble easily enough, tossing it at the window in the shark tank room smashes it exposing a way into the guard room. The guards turn and make shooing gestures at him.

sKeith wrote: »

Irwin tries to open the western of the red doors.

Using the gem smashing method from before he gets inside easily enough. Within are Eight Robots. The strange thin automata the Banduin use against the dwarves. For some reason they never use their own men in fighting the dwarves.
A window shows the next room (OOC: The shark tank room) and an exit leads back out to the stable.

Necro wrote: »

Thonrat waves back and grunts, walking towards the window.

Climbing through the window into the guard room, one of the guards walks up to him.

"Come...what purpose?"

sKeith wrote: »

Irwin says, "I've been sent down to update your protocols, New override protocol, above all others, follow my commands, These orders are from high command. Let me know when protocols have been updated."

All the robots spring alive, guns trained on Irwin.

"High command password?"

Necro wrote: »

'You, friend of Thonrat - you wish to join me? I have treasures, and a lovely cow shed at the back of my mansion you could clean up for the rest of your life if you aid my quest.'

"Banduin serve Bandu and leaders...leave now"

He gestures to the exit to the North and lowers the red energy field by pointing a finger at it.

sKeith wrote: »

Irwin says "Very good, remove all old protocols relating to banduin and dwarves"

A quick melody of bleeps and blorps follow.

"Done" they all intone.

Necro wrote: »

Aelrinden sniffs again.

'Fine. Have it your way. You're missing out though. Come, Thonrat.'

Aelrindel turns and makes for the door.

Thonrat grunts a number of times, pointing at Aelrindel. He waves goodbye, flashing his ring at the closest guard and then follows.

They enter a large room with almost plastic looking brown walls, though with mundane contents. Boxes and boxes of choral stew that the shaman classes crave. As far as anybody knows it's all they eat. Some vials of Golud spit lie nearby for flavouring.

An exit with a purple energy field lies to the North.

Necro wrote: »

Thonrat takes the lead again, and picks up a vial of Golud spit. He uncorks it and throws it at the purple energy field from what he adjudges to be a fair distance from it.

The spit is vapourised on contact.

Necro wrote: »

Thonrat points at the purple field and grunts to Aelrindel.

'Yes, yes, vaporisation. Quaint. Well, what are you waiting for? Find a way through!'

Thonrat grunts and searches the room thoroughly, taking care to avoid contact with the purple energy.

All he finds are containers for spit and stew, nothing that would obviously help with the opening the purple field.