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[KittenMaster]

<Polymorph might not last long enough to be useful, so I would need to prepare Stoneskin for myself for DR (and that's with metagaming hindsight to know to prepare it during the 5 minutes, if the DM allows), possibly prepare it for Menek, maybe make an extra Endure Elements if I have to, or we can stuff the animals in a bag of holding and hope we make it through in 10 minutes, and that's if nothing interrupts us along the way to getting them to safety.>

Satra, while still mixing extracts looks up to Shulmor, "You mean you think it was a third party that caused this plane to be inserted into the Astral Sea this whole time?"

 

[ThLunarian]

((I'm not going to be a huge stickler about this. It was designed to be a minor annoyance to the party,not a massive obstacle. A Communal Endure Elements and Viss turning into an air Elemental and manipulating the air in the room will be more than enough to accommodate everyone.

Viss, I had somehow assumed that Shirox and Pillari were staying at ground level. They still can, if you'd like. Or they can come along, it's up to you.

Satra has a similar decision to make about Jonna))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"It is but a hunch, but yes, I suspect that some form of intervention has caused this," Shulmor replies to Satra.

 

[KittenMaster]

<Jonna is on the ground, as is Dewie.>

 

[Nezumi]

((Ok then. Shirox and Pilari are with Jonna then.))

When they enter the observatory and are greeted by a less then welcoming environment, Viss quickly casts a protective aura to keep everyone save from the extreme temperatures.
"Whoever is behind this there is only one way to find out. And it leads through this."
She then turns herself into a huge mass of swirling air, brushing away the raining shards of glass to clear a passage for everyone to pass through

 

[KittenMaster]

<In that case I am thinking of mixing up Greater Invisibility, regular Invisibility, Polymorph, Stoneskin, and another Overland Flight (in case somebody will need it, it lasts for hours so Satra would still be under its effects since infiltrating Aldebaran's mansion)>

"So this is the fabled Observatory, huh? Doesn't look like what I expected the Raven Queen to live in, 'must have been one heck of a hostile takeover."

 

[Mike M]

((Is Fleshbane still free of Zerome's influence?))

 

[ThLunarian]

Fleshbane realizes that the technological upgrades given to him by the Esperians, combined with the surgery performed on him by Aldebaran, have effectively firewalled Zerome out of Fleshbane's systems and purged the influence that was previously there - even here, with Zerome close by, he is still able to act of his own accord.

 

[Mike M]

Fleshbane stands at the threshold of the new entrance into the transformed and augmented Observatory. He can feel the influence of Zerome slinking around the periphery, probing the limits of his newfound freedom at the hands of the technology of a different line of descent.

Lines of descent... That the demonic construct would have the same power system as he, that Zerome would so effortlessly enslave Fleshbane to its will... The scope of Zerome's ambitions and influence are starting to take form.

"My 'taste in decor' as you so put it has not extended. We are simply in the corresponding location of my previous domain," he sneers at Menek. "I am, for the moment, still free of Zerome's influence, and our goals for the moment align. So long as they continue to do so, there is no reason for conflict. I will not be made a puppet again..."

To Shulmor's question, he responds, "Zerome seeks the acquisition of all knowledge and the assimilation of all forms of existence. What you describe is an accurate assumption, but I am only now beginning to see it's role in all of this and what it hopes to accomplish."

The door into his previous "home" is an obvious invitation extended to the prodigal construct, so Fleshbane makes to move inside. He pauses as Au reveals herself. "Report," he commands. "What has transpired in my absence? Where are Fe and Cu?"

 

[ThLunarian]

Au stands at attention. "Soon after you were forced away from the Observatory, and the Prexian border was crossed, we were attacked by a surgically precise force that knew exactly how to neutralize Prexian technology. The Observatory was retaken again in short order, by a Terran man named Archibald. Archibald immediately took control of the Observatory's systems - which had been beyond the Prexians - and directed it to an isolated, defensible location. I was able to evade capture; Fe, not the stealthiest among us, and Cu, not the most combat-capable, were not. He then proceeded to install software, which called it to the attention of Zerome, your patron.

"Archibald and Zerome were both quite taken with each other, and from there things spiralled out of control. Zerome took full advantage of all that Archibald had to offer; the combination of magic and technology led to the creation of a magical device that was capable of altering the time stream within the Observatory.

"From your perspective, you've been away from here for one, maybe two days. For me, it has been over a year. I have bided my time, careful to remain hidden, awaiting either your return or an opportunity to strike. It appears that my wait is over."

 

[Azih]

A year. One whole mage-damned year Menek swears, worrying about the three souls he had brought to the Observatory himself. Au, if you would, what do you know of this Archibald and what the state is of the rest of the Observatory, and what is the story behind the demon that was leading us here? How did that end up in this plane and injected with Zerome's technology?

 

[KittenMaster]

<oh, that is a very sneaky reference.>

Satra's posture begins to break down as he trudges himself to process what is going on, "You mean to tell me that the military that shot down my planesfaring ship just merged with another technology!?.. The Esperians won't like to hear that, if it's true then the Peraxians just beat them to combining magic and technology and with the altered time stream.. it means that they can outpace development indefinitely!"

 

[Mike M]

"I am skeptical that Zerome would team up with this Archibald by happenstance," Fleshbane muses. "I do not believe it does anything without deliberate calculation. If it is in anyway involved in a coincidence, it is only because has engineered the means by which it might occur."

Turning to Au, he adds, "Are there any others who escaped the assault and may lend us aid?"

 

[KittenMaster]

"Can you tell me more about 'Zerome', Fleshbane? I feel like everybody knows more about them than I do, and now they're suddenly a huge problem."

 

[ThLunarian]

"Unfortunately my intelligence as to what happened after Zerome took over is extremely limited," Au replies. "I have spent the great majority of my time remaining hidden. I can verify that the rest of the Observatory's denizens - those who remained on board, anyway - are still alive and under imprisonment. The rest of the Observatory's insides have not been appreciably altered, save for the common area, which I have not dared to venture near recently. All of your domains are more or less intact. The Archons, of course, have been subsumed and integrated into Zerome's network."

 

[Mike M]

"Zerome is a vast constructed intellect that fancies itself a god and has deigned itself the curator of all constructs, a premise I summarily reject," Fleshbane explains. "If it has its way, it will assimilate the entirety of the multiverse in due time."

 

[KittenMaster]

"Esperia is next then. It's the next logical step to becoming more powerful."

 

[Mike M]

"Specifically the Overmind," Fleshbane rumbles. "As great as Zerome's computational might is, the Overmind is greater still. If Zerome has not come to absorb it, then it has come to destroy it."

 

[ThLunarian]

((Just to give you guys some direction, let me know what part of the Observatory you want to go to first. Or alternatively, come up with a plan for how to proceed that's different from "Wander the halls toward Destination X." Don't let me get in the way of RPing though))

 

[Azih]

It seems like it is sufficiently confident in its preparations then to make its move on the Overmind. Menek notes. We still have the advantage of Aldebaraan's cloaking technology which Zerome should be unaware of. I suggest we use it as time is still of the essence. My domain is.. or was.. at least set up for research and one of my compatriots an accomplished scientist. I would be astounded if she has not been coerced into service.

((How many cloaking devices did we get from Aldebaraan? Don't think we can do anything other than scout in. Menek votes his place! ))

 

[Nezumi]

Viss' head darts back and forth during the discussion and she kind of wishes she had paid more attention to their audience with the Esperian council so half of what is being said wouldn't go over her head.

"OK, I'm not gonna lie, this whole technology stuff is still pretty mind boggling for me. So this Zerome is a machine? Like Fleshbane? And if so isn't there a way we can simply, I don't know... turn it off? I mean, it must have some source of power, mustn't it ? Like that crystal thing in your chest, maybe?"

To Menek's suggestion she nods. "That sounds like a good idea. As much as i miss my domain, there isn't much that could be of help to us. Unless... One of my compatriots was a tree. i wonder if they took him as well. He is easy to overlook in a forest... maybe I should at least go by my domain and check?"

 

[KittenMaster]

Satra has to think about that question.. he is left with a confused shrug, "It... depends. It wouldn't be a stroll in the meadow to get to the source, that's for sure... I wish Esperia would take the threats against them seriously."

 

[Azih]

The Esperian military is less than useless with their defense network compromised as it seems to have been. Menek says Esperian know how might be of use however... there is an engineer that I met below. Abbott. He might be of value and he was willing to come with us in an expedition to the Observatory. I am loathe to waste time but.. it might be worth bringing him up.

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Hmm, then it seems we have a strict time limit. The fate of the Esperians is irrelevant, but the assimilation of this Overmind could grant it enough power to make reclamation of this Observatory far more difficult."

In response to Viss's query, he says "I doubt a god machine operates so simply, but the notion is worth exploring. Is there a central power facility in the Observatory? That would be an ideal destination for a fast attack, otherwise we may well be best off sweeping through each of your quarters in search of useful remnants to point us toward where to attack. As you have volunteered yours Menek, that seems as good a starting point as any. Yet by the sound of it, the common area is where the invaders are primarily located, we will have to journey there eventually. And time is of the essence."

 

[ThLunarian]

((Ciel took hers and no one ever tried to get Sybil's off of her, and Mako disappeared with hers, so you have 4 cloaking devices right now))

 

[Nezumi]

((Viss doesn't need one necessarily, since she can just transform herself into a less obvious shape.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Weren't the stealth devices made to get past security alarms, though?>

 

[Mike M]

((Fleshbane has a standing invitation, so he doesn't really need one, I guess.))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Shulmor can offer to go without if need be since machines haven't done a good job of detecting him so far.))

 

[KittenMaster]

As Satra is working to re-enable the devices, he asks the nearby elemental, "How have you been hiding? Is there any way you've been moving about without being seen that we could take advantage of?"

 

[ThLunarian]

With Fleshbane's old stomping grounds behind them, the party ventures into the hallway, where there is a deathly silence. Every footstep echoes endlessly through the emptiness; gone are the archons which once buzzed about as lively signs of activity. Thr lights are dimmed - perhaps a conscious decision, designed to test the nerves of the guests.

The door to the grounds of Menek's mansion has been torn away, exposing the grounds of Menek's estate. Here, the twilight gloom is more menacing than anything; a simulated full moon looms against the backdrop of stars.

Traversing the walkway, it becomes clear that the mansion has been pillaged. Most of the windows are broken, and again, the door has been torn from its hinges. Inside, the entire place has been ransacked the shelves are empty, and a pile of scorched books is stacked high in one corner. Furniture is upended and ripped apart. The shrine to Aroz has been desecrated; the pages of the giant book have been torn away, and blood has been smeared on the cover.

The blood has a trail, and following the trail to the next room leads to the next grim discovery: the mutilated corpses of Jefred and Alyet.

Zelio is nowhere to be seen.

"It... appears that I was mistaken," says Au, embarrassed.

 

[Mike M]

((Are they in a condition consistent with having been dead for a year or thereabouts?))

 

[ThLunarian]

((No, they're pretty fresh. The blood hasn't fully dried yet))

 

[KittenMaster]

Satra takes a sniff, able to recognize the metallic tinge that blood has, then rubs his nose, taken aback by the scene, "I can still smell the blood as it would.. whoever did this did it recently, otherwise they would be rotting." After securing the stealth device to himself he pulls out his weapon, in light of the sign of danger.

 

[Mike M]

Fleshbane's rhythmic pulse of light quickens as he stands above the mangled fleshing.'"They're still warm," he observes. "This was done recently. That Menek's lackeys would be eliminated just as we decide to check on them would seem to indicate that we are being listened to."

 

[KittenMaster]

Satra shakes his head at Fleshbane, looking around the room with uncertain eyes, "This doesn't seem right.. they wouldn't need to do all of this to get rid of somebody especially if they can't defend themselves. Look at the damage, how they were murdered- it's too personal.. Unless this Zerome of your's idea of an assassination is letting a frenzied beast through here."

 

[Azih]

((Well nuts. Can't respond to that until I have some free time which won't be tonight))

 

[KittenMaster]

<I'm down with waiting on Azih, we can just say that Satra and Fleshbane happened to see the room first.>

 

[Mike M]

Fleshbane turns to face Satra with his face glowing like a hollowed gourd with a candle inside and a terrifying face carved into it. "Yes," he replies, staring at his hands. "That is exactly what it would do."

 

[Nezumi]

The discovery of the fresh corpses and Satra's notion that they've been listened to leave a bad feeling in her gut. She remembers Asmodeus and says.

"This wouldn't be the first time that one of our patrons proved to be able to spy on us with ease. If this is a consequence of our earlier talk..."

Had she just delivered Oldaraphon to their enemies?

"I need to get to my domain."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Shulmor walks into the room with the others, dispationately examining the scene before him. "Classic shock and awe. If this was Zerome's doing, he wants to let us know that he has not dominated the whole of the Observatory by choice. Unless..." He turns to the others. "Is there any way to determine if the flow of time can be made to flow differently in separate portions of the Onservatory? If it's not uniform throughout the facility, these kills may only be fresh relative to this room. We need to keep moving, Menek, is there anything worth salvaging from here? Anything you think might have been missed that could be of use?"

 

[Azih]

Menek stops dead at the threshold of the room the contains the bodies of his old friends as Ratbreath hoots in alarm and flaps up to a far corner of the room huddling in the rafters and looking around wildly. Menek's heart stops cold as the horrible sight temporarily blanks his mind. On auto pilot he walks in, avoiding the blood trials, and drops to his knees next to them. As he places his hands on their shoulders a prayer to Arozora catches in his throat and his mind fires back to life and he starts chattering.

When? Unlikely that it would have happened that recently as we would have heard this level of commotion and this level of meticulous destruction would have taken some time to accomplish. By whom? Beast. No. A beast would have been content to attack live prey and not ransacked and pillaged. Books burned points to deliberate destruction of information. Desecrated shrine? Who else but a demon would have taken such deliberate measures to violate a holy place. Most likely Al.. Alylet and Jefred were dead before we even entered the Observatory. Perhaps at the time just before the Observatory made its appearance above the city. Why? Why now is the question as demons need no motivation. Why not a year ago? Alyet and Jefred must have been of use and thus allowed to live and so the obvious surmise is that their usefulness had ran out when the preparations were complete for Zerome to make his move. Ancient strategy, have a labyrinth made and kill the architects and builders to preserve the secrets. Kill the engineer and scientist to keep control of knowledge. Menek looks around to see if the evidence of the scene confirms or denies his theory and then lapses into a shivering silence on the cold floor of his home.

((CC roll 102678 for 31 roll on perception to see if attack looks like it was made by demon.. exact time of death etc.))

After a little while he looks up. Jefred and Alyet are. were. incredibly intelligent. It is... likely they hid information in places that I should... be able to find.

((Guessing that they left behind some information that was beyond ransack and Menek would know them well enough to know where they would hide it. Things getting dark, yo))

 

[KittenMaster]

Satra steps forward, his gun pointed away from them both, "Wait!" He pleads with a hushed voice, "How do you know finding the knowledge yourself won't simply lay their gaze upon you next? Are you sure you're ready for this..?"

 

[ThLunarian]

The attacks were most likely committed with a blade - there are clear slash and stab marks all over their bodies. The perpetrator was careful to avoid vital arteries; it took them a while to bleed out.

The crime was committed no more than a day or two ago ((I may have unintentionally been a little misleading by saying the blood was still wet.

Menek is going to find a hidden journal but I don't have time right now to give its contents. In a few hours probably))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

As Menek looks down and visibly struggles with the deaths of his men, Shulmor looks in his direction with disgust. It is normal that one would be angered by the deaths of trusted, useful subordinates, and seeking revenge would be acceptable, if not encouraged. Even a brief commemoration after addressing the matters at hand would be reasonable. But to be so shaken? To so visibly display weakness and cease moving forward? It is a reprehensible display unworthy of a ruler. As far as he is concerned, every moment the investigator stands there in shock and not putting swift, brutal retaliation against whoever did this in motion is a moment where he has failed them. The investigator eventually resumes looking for things hidden, and Shulmor sees no reason to bring the Menek's weakness to his attention. Shulmor doubts the man would to tackle it in any meaningful manner, so deeply it seems ingrained into his being.

Instead, he directs his attention toward Satra, attempting to hold in his exasperation at yet another display of cowardice from him. "We were invited in by a patron of one of us, who like mine, seems capable of observing us. We have seemingly already been watched, pussyfooting around and trying to flee now is pointless. If for some inane reason no one wants to attack us until we find something in here, let them, but we are already marked."

 

[ThLunarian]

In the room that used to be Jefred's quarters, Menek finds a false panel in the floor that contains a leather-bound book.

Within, Jefred chronicles his time since first being summoned to the Observatory by Menek.

He finds that, while the party was away on missions (before the invasion), the employees of the SAED members intermingled far more than anyone was aware of. Jefred had been involved in a playful courtship with Scraw during the party's ventures into the Abyss, which had ended when it was decided that Scraw would come along to the Material Plane. It is also strongly hinted at that Alyet had taken a liking to Oldaraphan, much as a young boy would take a liking to an old wise man, and would visit him frequently.

The relevant information comes toward the end. Jefred

The Observatory is under threat of attack, one entry muses. A giant continent full of highly advanced cities has appeared below us, quite out of nowhere. The Raven Queen has summoned all available hands to the hangar bay, to prepare in the event of an attack. I do hope they're not too hostile.

The next entry:

Menek and the others were driven from the Observatory. It's been taken over by a bumbling lot of fools, if you ask me. They hardly know how anything works and can't be bothered to figure out where anything is. I was able to slip away here, to the Estate, almost effortlessly. I do believe there's a chance we can retake the Observatory, if all goes well.

And then another:

We're under attack. Again. Whoever this is, they know what they're doing. The Prexians are hopelessly outmatched by a force far smaller than their own. I fear for my life and the lives of the others.

The final entry:

We're being rounded up. I fear I don't have long. Menek, if you find this journal, I am sorry that I failed you.

 

[KittenMaster]

Satra's attention is stolen by Shulmor's words, and is abruptly taken aback by the lecture; though he doesn't fight it, he concedes to the towering Lich, "...You're right, they haven't given us much of a choice, have they?"

Though he doesn't say it, Satra can't possibly begin to feel as strongly about what had happened as Menek must feel. He steps back to allow the investigator some room to survey his discoveries for the time being.

 

[Azih]

Menek turns away from the journal shaking his head. They were hiding just as Au was so no more information than she provided. They were killed, slowly, a day ago, so before we could hope to do anything. This does not make sense. Why were we summoned? Why are we not being attacked? We need to check the other domains find out about the nature of this Archibald's armed force and how Zerome has augmented it. Ratbreath. Get down from there. It is plain that this is something that we can hide or run from.

[((Let's move on))

 

[ThLunarian]

The halls are still silent and empty, save for the party themselves.

It's only a short walk to Viss's old stomping grounds. Here, the door is fully intact, and responds to her command for it to open.

Within, her forest sanctuary is completely untouched. Some of the plant life has grown mildly out of control; other than that it's exactly as she left it. An archery board is still propped up on a tree - a relic of Viss's training sessions with Ciel, so long ago.

Au notices Viss looking for Oldaraphan and offers, "The sentient tree was magically transported to the hangar bay by the Raven Queen. It seems unlikely that it would be able to return on its own, and neither the Prexians nor Archibald would have bothered offering it a return trip, I imagine."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

As the party arrives in Viss's quarters, Shulmor looks around the forest, having no strong feelings about his surroundings one way or another. Though it is curious that this domain is untouched while Menek's was ransacked. "A large swathe of untamed land. An interesting idea of sanctuary, though one that makes since for a being that draws their power from nature." He is beginning to notice a trend of strategic utility in the rooms of each squad member. Forcing the fight into one of their chambers could give them an advantage, at least for the person whose room it is. Shulmor then wonders if he will get a chance to create such quarters here when the Observatory has been recaptured. Perhaps he will have an opportunity to recreate the command center of his flagship, the Will of Shulmor.

When Au speaks up about the tree being moved, Shulmor says "Then unless you have anything you believe is worth retrieving Viss, I believe we are done here. A trip to the hangar could be worth while if the tree would have good information, otherwise we should be off to the next set of quarters."