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Post by Syd's Blue Sky on Dec 15, 2014 20:22:17 GMT -5
This is an IC thread intended to house all the RP relating to the archeological expedition out of Marsember. This is a player organized and player run event that is going to span an unknown length of time. Due to the prolonged nature of the plot, the number of players involved and the level disparity (PCs ranging from 5 to 30+) a good amount of it will likely take place via this thread.
The "player group" model is likely going to be a good representation of how I think this is going to end up working. In this case the "player group" consists of everyone involved in any way with the plot - there is no set list of participants. This is a good place for people to express how their characters are spending their time as it relates in any way. This may include any dealings with the plot such as working directly with the group; seeking out Card in Marsember to volunteer to work with the group; spying on the excavation site from afar; making attempts to steal artifacts from the site; making efforts to infiltrate the site and cause chaos; and reactions of random adventuring parties who happen to stumble upon the excavation site. It's also a good place for people to discuss the general demeanor of their PC, the duties their PC is undertaking, and the normal places to find the PC on the site, yatta, yatta.
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Post by Syd's Blue Sky on Dec 15, 2014 20:22:27 GMT -5
Over the last several days spectators around the Alizarin have noticed a sharp uptick in a few specific activities. Regular shipments of specialty equipment are pouring in and being directed along by robed students and staff. Some of the equipment seems to be intended for use in surface mining, or possibly caving. Other commonly identifiable objects have the look of construction materials for makeshift structures and fortifications. One particularly impressive delivery seems to be a wagon bound from Nelzol's Notions of Immersea with the salient components of a small watch tower lashed upon it.
On the morning of the 15th of Nightal the convoy would form itself up and set out West on the Dragoneye Way under the direction of an exceptionally handsome, if enigmatic, tattooed young man in dark and gloomy attire.
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Post by MechaMistress on Dec 16, 2014 2:59:29 GMT -5
A young, small elf can be seen walking the halls of the academy after an extended leave of absence. Students and staff members would find Ang'nuavia preoccupied with several inventory lists and order sheets. She carefully inspects some of the incoming shipments and compares the equipment to an entry in a journal. Most of the packaged goods are approved, however several unknown tools are marked for her own personal study.
When asked what she is doing, Angy replies "I'm gathering information on field work resources. Sorry, I'm busy with a project." Those who run into her two or three times a day might wonder if she has left the academy once since returning to Cormyr. It is apparent that Ang'nuavia is enthused by the task ahead, only stopping her work to swap information with Card.
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Post by bloodalchemist on Dec 16, 2014 13:35:50 GMT -5
A massive figure in ridiculously bulky full plate is seen with the convoy, making regular rounds through the wagons and gear as it travels. Quiet most of the time, she seems to check in often with the man in charge of the convoy otherwise only speaking to a few others that seem equally on guard. Two cruel looking axes rest in her belt and a shield stout enough to match her armor strapped to the pack upon her back. The woman seems never to settle for long, eyes always roaming as the convoy plods along, a hand resting almost lovingly on one of the axes at all times.
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Post by bhagavat on Dec 16, 2014 22:51:57 GMT -5
Traveling through Marsember, Thorn enters the Alzarin Academy to do some research. It isnt long before he notes the excitment in the air and speaks to someone about whats going on. "Maybe time to dust off my adventuring gear". He leave looking for Mara.
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Post by Pedantry INC on Dec 16, 2014 23:12:22 GMT -5
Amid the chaos of the moving of supplies and goods, to add to the mess of the ongoing renovations to the building, Mirrir can be seen to add the occasional helping hand by moving a few heavy things this way and that, or directing people to keep things organized or sorted.
Anyone that shows up needing directions or asking questions about the dig are promptly either directed towards Card, or offered to have correspondence delivered to him if he is not available.
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Post by lucesi on Dec 17, 2014 15:49:58 GMT -5
Vennis can occasionally be seen examining the various shipments and objects being transported, and asking questions of the various staff and students involved. He seems to be of little practical help, however.
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Post by ... on Dec 17, 2014 21:30:43 GMT -5
A small elven woman would silently stalk the swamp lands. She would spend her time identifying the locations of various monstrous humanoid camps and tribes, lizardmen, frogmen and the like. She would record their movements and numbers and keep close watch for any unusual behaviors or reactions to this encroachment upon their domain.
Whilst she would not go out of her way to antagonize the tribes, she would do what she could to protect the convoys from a distance. Should any of the tribes scouts appear to move too close to a convoy, they would be swiftly and quietly gutted. If she should spot a larger or more organized force that she herself could not personally handle approaching a convoy, she would move ahead of it and give them what forewarning she could.
For what ever reason, she would appear to have taken it upon herself to help with the expedition in this regard though she would refuse to entertain anyone attempting to order her about.
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Post by gathera on Dec 18, 2014 11:35:31 GMT -5
I stood in a doorway looking over the bustling building. Something was on the winds. Change had drew me here but what was the reason. I would need to meditate more for my answers. For the time I would watch and wait.
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Post by bloodalchemist on Dec 18, 2014 13:03:40 GMT -5
*Mara is seen less and less around her usual hangouts, only stopping by now and again on supply runs and to speak with Ironsworn members. One might notice she tends to sleep a bit less each night as the convoy continues on its way and the growing bags under her eyes as she watching the surrounding land pass by. On the third morning of the caravan's journey she can be seen leaving a letter for the academy's leadership before wandering off again, maybe in search of some other missing piece of equipment* //pm sent
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Post by MechaMistress on Dec 18, 2014 16:26:22 GMT -5
After gathering all the first hand information she could on available equipment, Ang'nuavia would settle into one of the Alizarin guest rooms for the evening. She would spend some time going over notes and observations before igniting the room with an arsenal of candles. As she sat meditating through the late hours of the night, her signature fresh pine scent could be detected outside her door.
The next morning Ang'nuavia could be seen heading to the library. She would sort through several instructional manuals, and how-to guides on the art of excavating. Most of her day would be spent casually reading and flagging text of interest. Whenever someone entered the library and was willing to make friendly conversation, Angy would stop to engage them.
"Oh, I've been apart of one or two digs before... I've just never been out in the field. I categorized artifacts at the Lady's College of Silverymoon before becoming a writer. Essentially, I never had to do any of the hard labor... all the rough findings were brought to my department. I primarily study different cultures, so I this upcoming expedition is right up my alley. Mmm... I've a fairly good eye for what to expect and look for, but I lack the experience digging artifacts up myself. Do let me know if you come across any recommended reading. Its been a pleasure chatting with you."
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Post by Syd's Blue Sky on Dec 19, 2014 12:22:00 GMT -5
The caravan rumbled along the road in the journey West. The trip leads the wagons along the Dragoneye Way to the capital of Cormyr, Land of the Purple Dragon, Suzail, and West from there on the High Road. The path takes them to and through the crowded city of Greatgaunt with her slate roofs and tilted, railed alleys. From there the path turns North, up into the foothills of the Horns and beyond. The season sees our train head on into the famous snows of the region, along with the even more famous giants and ogres. The caravan train, though, is well fortified with generously compensated warriors and even a few skilled mages, her leader, the darkly clad mage himself, included on this particular stretch of the trip. The few corpses of frost giants have the stories of these travelers to tell, should they find a way to tell them. But for now, the caravan rumbles on unmolested North from Skullcrag and West out of the worst of the Horns. The sleek and stony settlement of Eagle Peak eventually comes into view to greet them, nestled in the foothills. Vanguard of the civilized nation against the bandits, orcs and other monstrosities of Tunland, Eagle Peak runs proud interference for the lands to the East beyond the Stormhorns. Nothing stands beyond her save for the valley below and the swamps therein, the destination of the massive congregation from the East. The string of wagons rounds into the walls of the city and the keepers of such settle into her boarding houses. "Tomorrow's gonna be a long day", says one smelly old wagon driver, and he seems to know his stuff.
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Post by MechaMistress on Dec 20, 2014 0:34:04 GMT -5
In preparation for the upcoming day, Ang'nuavia would find herself in Eagle Peak. She would arrive several hours before the caravan was expected to finish its journey. As Angy spent the evening lounging in a local tavern, she muttered to herself.... "I love teleporting."
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Post by Alizarin Spion - Sleeper Agent on Dec 20, 2014 19:05:18 GMT -5
In Marsember, a hooded man stands outside the Alizarin bard college, leaned against its walls with a sandwich in his hand.
Standing about and eating while people and wagons pass by. Some residual butter gathered at the corner of his mouth, he wipes it off with his hand and then at the walls of Alizarin after finding no better place to wipe it. The man pauses for a moment upon hearing Shoeman stepping outside, with a half eaten sandwich in his hand he asks Shoeman "When is Card coming out?" to which Shoeman responded "he left already, he and a whole bunch".
The hooded man responds "Oh s-" the noise of passing by traffic over voices the speaker, he wraps his sandwich in some paper and tucks it into his bag while he takes off in a hurry.
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Post by Alizarin Spion - Sleeper Agent on Dec 22, 2014 15:08:11 GMT -5
The hooded man travels the roads of Cormyr on foot, he stumble upon the frequent patrolmen and merchants on the road, inquiries are made by the hooded man about a train of caravans passing by, he would give a description of Card in his own way, "a man with a birdnose" he would say and the apparel he would describe looking like "a Calishite back-alley thief". The typical response the hooded man would get is that he just missed them and what direction they rode.
Alone on the road a crumpled piece of paper stumbles by the lone man's feet, carried by the wind, the man follows the piece of paper with his gaze until his curiousity gets the best of him, he chases the note and snatches it from the winds so he can read its content, the note appears to be one of the latest complaints targeted against the crown and the man would be quick to discard what he considers "garbage" to the winds again. And so the pursuit for Card's caravan party continues by the hooded mage who is eager to partake.
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Post by Syd's Blue Sky on Jan 5, 2015 15:01:12 GMT -5
The unseasonably wet weather having flooded out the intended dig site, on the outer edge of Eagle Peak a small caravan of supplies sits tucked neatly in a rented barn under the eye of a single guard.
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Post by Syd's Blue Sky on Jan 9, 2015 8:14:13 GMT -5
A rustle of keys, the clattering clamor of chains falling to the earth and a dry, creaking protest of rubbing timbers echos through a barn on the outskirts of Eagle Peak. Across the floor of the structure slices a thin shaft of light, which gradually widens to reveal a series of laden wagons packed in tight formation within. A dark clad, hooded man with a ledger in one hand and a lacquered ivory dip pen in the other is the first through the door.
As the sun creeps more fully into view over the peaks to the East, a handful of Cormytes pause in the frosty dawn to watch the curious academic cavalcade pass through the gates of the settlement on the journey to the marshy valley to the West. The caravan, consisting of perhaps a dozen humanoids, wrapped tightly against the cold, and four wagons, edges it's way down out of the foothills of the Stormhorns and into the lawless frontier of the Marsh of Tun. The recent spate of unseasonably warm days in the Sunset Mountains, by the rains and melt-offs to the West of the valley they caused, has clearly taken a toll on the road at several locations, and the journey into the swamps is a wet, muddy and tedious trek.
The procession reaches the foreplanned location of the base camp and hurriedly spreads out across the small, slightly elevated clearing. The darkly clad man has once again joined their ranks to usher the project along. He sends one wagon of fortifications and another wagon, packed heavy with a what looks to be a tower, off to the hands of a large woman in well worn armor while directing the unpacking of a third. The base camp quickly begins to take form. Within no more than two bell tolls there sits, nestled in a small patch of high ground just East of the Tun and just Southwest of the Farsea, a small village of activity in the otherwise wild lands. As the sun sinks behind the aptly named mountains to the West, they prepare.
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Post by bloodalchemist on Jan 9, 2015 11:06:07 GMT -5
Barking orders with a voice rivaling the saltiest of drill sergeants, the large woman directs a few of her own people in the setting up of the camps defenses. Stakes a quickly made if their arent enough on hand, and pounded into the ground at the camps edge, leaving only one gap wide enough for the wagons to pass. Near the opening the tower is erected, she can be seen straining to raise the structure herself, apparently not above getting her own hands dirty. Torches are set along the 'wall' and kept lit throughout the twilight and growing night, she is often seen either patrolling the pickets or in the tower herself, a spyglass in hand with a runner at the base of the tower read to take word of any coming trouble.
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Post by Syd's Blue Sky on Jan 12, 2015 20:24:34 GMT -5
With the base camp set and the team nearly ready to move, a dashing young mage Teleports around the realm contacting those who have earlier volunteered their services to assist the initiative.
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Post by Alizarin Spion - Sleeper Agent on Jan 12, 2015 22:44:32 GMT -5
The hooded mage who is unknown by many strides the now peaceful roads, birds are chirping and animals are mating, the peacefulness and the quiet convinces the mage that he is far away from Greatgaunt and its cursed people. The mage looks up to the rainless sky before he unfolds a map, the mage exclaims "I should've been there by now" and then he looks up from the map and sees a camp in the distance. While keeping eyes on the road he stuffs the map into his inner cloak pocket and warily moves closer towards the camp, he murmured quietly to himself under his breath "This might be it, unless it is a Zhentarim camp or a bunch of Cyricists playing "house" and fondling each others male-parts." Words are spoken in an audible tone and hand gestures are made as he produces a magical spell, shortly thereafter he disappears from sight, as if invisible, he is later seen appearing in the middle of the camp out of nowhere for some and the first words that escapes his lips are "Is this it?" however what tone or what exactly he meant by saying it is up to the imagination of the bystanders.
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Post by lucesi on Jan 13, 2015 13:21:58 GMT -5
Spurring his reluctant horse through the bog, Vennis eventually arrives at the camp splattered in mud and tired and wet from his journey. He glances around at the scene, eventually asking Card:
"Right..what needs doing here? And where can I take a warm bath"
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Post by Syd's Blue Sky on Jan 19, 2015 4:17:48 GMT -5
18 Hammer, 1379Alizarin Representatives: Myself, Tarithel, Vennis, Ang'nuavia. Additional Scholarly: Ismene, Eishur. Security: Mara, Maric, Nicos. Primary objectives were accomplished.
Set out from Greatgaunt early with partial crew. Headed first for the Northern expanses of the bog, the area of the ancient temple. No additional locations of interest other than the ones previously known to exist (see locations four and five) were found. Good amount of giant activity was seen, including an axe and some... fish jerky found by Ismene. Unusual number of gargoyles in the area of the temple. Perhaps twenty? Maybe more. Ismene and Eishur performed well, as hoped. Very curious. Ismene likes to climb things... I hoped this wouldn't become a problem.
Returned to camp without incident. Left Maric at camp to see to other things. Added Tarithel, Ang'nuavia and Vennis to the expedition at this time, as well as our convertible raft. I put the horse and raft under Ismene's care for this leg to keep her busy. This proved successful in curbing the issue with the climbing.
First real resistance encountered at location six, the bog bridge. We were surprised and suffered a few casualties. Went forward more prepared. The trolls were out in numbers as we went West, but there were no associated difficulties. We spotted one mage beholder, two or three smaller beholders and a few dozen beholderkin at location seven. Not unexpected. Gracefully dispatched.
Location eight had a large force of lizardfolk to it. When it was dispatched we briefly inspected the ruins for any entrances while Ismene and Tarithel tended to the conversion of the raft. Brief inspection yielded no new information, and we set out to cross the channel to location nine.
The raft performed as advertised by the salesman in Immersea. Lizardfolk resistance was large and well organized. They also had a handful of male maedar, a large concern going forward, as well as a few lizardfolk easily capable of taking down any one of us in a fair fight. We secured the area with unfair fighting and set camp before attempting to explore the tower, an effort I will with greater fidelity document elsewhere.
We returned to camp without any major losses. Everyone performed adequately. To the follow page I've copied the map as it is currently known. The various spoils found on the trip, perhaps four thousand lions worth, all told, have been sold and reinvested into future expedition supplies.
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Post by maeglhachel on Jan 19, 2015 5:48:50 GMT -5
When a somewhat beat Tarithel materializes on the academy's doorstep, she is still drenched to the bones in spite of the light traveling leathers and greatcoat that now cling to her like a second skin. With an effort she pulls off her thigh boots along with the thick layer of mud that goes up to the knees on each of them. After heading inside and some time apparently spent on a hot bath and getting into fresh clothes, she seeks out Card to relate the story of how she and a few companions happened across some ruins of seemingly saurian origin deep underneath Espar just a few days ago. And about how they had found a very curious key to open a warded vault. Unfortunately, said key got sold along with other less ancient things salvaged on the way there.
"I know, this is really unforgivable," Tarithel concludes with a distinctly awkward and unhappy smile, "but I think our salesperson was convinced the War Wizards had already laid their hands on everything of any real antiquity ... which was largely true, too. But ... um ... they haven't. I've checked ... well, should have checked before it got sold, but ..." After a brief pause, she continues, "But I'm sure, the priestess of Waukeen will remember who she sold it to, if she doesn't still have it. I mean, I'll go and find out. Just in case those runes prove to be of similar origin."
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Post by Syd's Blue Sky on Jan 19, 2015 7:31:01 GMT -5
Card would produce a trio of strange golden orbs and ask if they matched the device she is describing. He would go on to explain that he had the three of him in his possession and his way was still blocked by the ward on the tower. He would go on to explain that he also saw no where to fit them into the building in any way.
He would shrug lightly and place them back into a bag before returning quickly to his business with the runes.
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Post by lucesi on Jan 19, 2015 16:42:10 GMT -5
In the Academy Vennis speaks with others from the expedition. " I met a fellow in Greatgaunt who described himself as a Glyphtscribe of Deneir. Called Darius. Perhaps he might be of assistance in deciphering the runes?"
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Post by Syd's Blue Sky on Jan 19, 2015 17:23:05 GMT -5
In the Academy Vennis speaks with others from the expedition. " I met a fellow in Greatgaunt who described himself as a Glyphtscribe of Deneir. Called Darius. Perhaps he might be of assistance in deciphering the runes?" Card just shakes his head and rubs at his eyes. No matter how long Vennis stands there... it could be ten seconds... it could be an hour... it could be a year... Card just keeps rubbing his eyes and shaking his head. Forever. (Why do people keep making me have IC conversations on the forum today?! )
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Post by maeglhachel on Jan 20, 2015 6:04:29 GMT -5
// because we all luuuuuuv you so much ... now, how do I get more smilies into my IC posts?
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Post by Pedantry INC on Jan 20, 2015 6:11:45 GMT -5
A figure in the sky, to those with good eyes, one with red wings, circles overhead at altitude for a time, then vanishes deeper over the swamp.
For the next few days in that direction anyone explores that way they'd find the ruined carcasses of several gorgons, looking to have been shredded by a bladed weapon, while one seems to have simply had it's back broken brutally.
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Post by Dakarizon (Shroud) on Jan 22, 2015 22:20:59 GMT -5
A hooded man looks over the base camp from a distance, carefully picking his way around to not be seen. Looking for signs of passage through the swamps, he continues on through the slop and deep into the marsh. "Th'ells be goin' on 'ere....." A giant troll, apparently woken from a rest, stands fully thrice the Ranger's height. It turns it's bloodshot-yellowish eyes upon the man. "Ehh... damn." The troll swings its long lanky arm at the Ranger.
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Post by DM Grizwald on Jan 27, 2015 14:28:21 GMT -5
//Posting OOC'ly that I am just waiting on DM approval for my character's actions. I said 3 days ago that I would post and got a little bogged down with work and a broken pc. Bear with me.
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