Game Thread

It has been nearly forty five years since the fall of the gods. With its fall, the proud empire of Cavazel was basically blasted into oblivion leaving the fractured Ruinscape in its wake. In the midst of a new ocean the storms of magic and fury -- the Eye of Elanehtar -- fling out curses to fall, like rain, upon the lands. Shielding a large part of the continent, the mountain range known as the Krakens hold back the worst of the storms -- but they protect what was once a fertile land and now is not.

For decades, the cities under the baleful shadow of Nod -- the Nightland -- have suffered without sunlight. Much has died in the constant eclipse, leaving only the heartiest, or most malevolent of flora and fauna to be found. In this time, the city of Corso has risen as the center of power in the Nightland. At the head of that city is a dragon -- a powerful sorcerer -- named Nulumriel. She has demanded fealty from all lands under the cover of eternal night. In either fear of her power or apathy they have all acquiesced. All but Somorrah to the north -- but it lies at the very edge of the Nightland -- half of it in eternal night and half with daylight during the day. Thus Nulumriel has viewed this as a technicality that enables them to be free. For now.

For awhile after the Fall, people held hope for the return of the gods. But when there was no help to be found and when real evil walked the earth without recourse, hope faltered. Hope turned to bitterness and despair. Eventually it turned to abandonment. There are no gods anymore. And there shall not be again. This is known. Nulumriel helps with this -- she has created an order of lawkeepers, the Reconciliators. They are charged with helping society to accept the new godless reality. Some assert they actively seek out any divine influence and eliminate it. Brutally.

In general the world has become one where if you hold power, money and influence you can literally do what you want. In Corso, this is as simple as paying an indulgence to the city. Did someone bump into your carriage and leave a scratch? He can be tortured, killed or maimed as you see fit so long as you pay the price. Does your neighbor bother you? Save up your earnings and you can murder him and remain on the right side of the law. Corso is a terrible place to be without power.

Each of you have come into the Afterworld well after the Fall. Each of you finds yourself in Corso.

You find yourselves in the Central Market of Corso. The Central Market is one of many market areas in the city. This one is nestled near the Nobles District. Not far away, the Tower of Reconciliation looms over Corso and the district here in the high city. It pratically punctures the sky as it reaches 3,000 feet into the air above you. Far above you can see the large metallic wings which adorn its top. Here in the Central Market, you can acquire anything that should happen to come to mind -- other than slaves. Those are to be found only in the Slave District.

People mill about, looking at the stalls. Here, on one hand, a merchant sells fine-looking cloth from rolls that tumble around haphazardly in his shop. There on the other, an old woman sells small hand-pies that steam when opened. In the near distance someone hawks "fine, unusual artifacts from the Ruinscape". About you, the shops are tastefully incorporated into the city's architecture with long flower boxes defining pleasant promenades. The people of Corso who frequent the market are well-dressed and move about discretely. This is no market-bazaar of the working class. This is a refined place, complete with high-end open-air cafes from which wafts streams of pipeweed smoke and the low hubbub of conversation.

Reojk is amused and finds the gaggle of mortals a place rich with opportunity. Dikaios, his mission foremost in his mind, doesn't see anyone obviously enslaved here. If they are, they are enslaved through means other than physical chains -- and he doesn't yet feel he can discern the chains of emotion or obligation or threat with clarity. Still, a man on a mission must eat, and it's been a few hours since he last had a morsel.

Dikaios has his opens open before him. There are a couple vendors with stalls -- with the backdrop of flowering plants and a lovely promenade, and there are open air cafes before him. He could choose the quick meal; at likely a better price -- or the more expensive meal where someone might actually wait upon his whim.

Dikaios' food comes in due course. It's a noodle dish of some sort. Rich in flavors, but not so rich in cost and it sets him back significantly. They slurp well, and at the end of the day they actually taste well, despite his apparent interest in food-as-fuel than as something to be savored.

Nearby, Reojk scans the trinkets out for sale. While many of them may have come from the Ruinscape, the vast majority of them aren't anything to shake a stick at. A few items here, or there, do seem like they may have some bit of divinity in them -- cyphers. But it's dangerous to be selling these -- especially in the shadow of the Tower. Reconciliators have been known to confiscate them and destroy them -- and those who are selling them are judged harshly.

In between noodles, Dikaios notes the other godling -- not knowing that's what he is of course. There's a faint... difference around him he has trouble placing.

The vendor looks on at both of you, a little frightened. There's a big one and a sneaky one. But, money cures all ills in Corso. So he bravely steps forth, "Hello fine sirs! Perhaps one of my trinkets from the Ruinscape itself has caught your eye?" He smiles widely and passes his hands over his wares, as if to remove a fog of uncertainty from around them. "Uncovered by the best treasure hunters to be found in the Afterworld! Here, clearly, is a sceptre with a glorious history! See the dents? Surely decades ago it was used to fight back the nefar hordes!"

It's certainly plausible the man is telling the truth. But there's no particular magic to the sceptre even if it was once used to bash an orc or a goblin on the head.

The vendor smiles happily at Reojk, "Interested? You have such fine taste!"

The merchant smiles broadly, "Why yes! Fine sir. The truth, as you say, is soooo important." He sets the sceptre down pats it absentmindedly. "If you're looking for deep quality -- the most excellent of things, well.. surely some of these other items might do."

He points out three items in particular. A small kaleidoscope a few inches long and worn with age; a bronze monkey claw that can easily fit in the palm of your hand; and a wristband of whorls and other shapes made out of a stainless metallic material.

As the merchant speaks to Dikaios, Reojk is able to perceive that his new ... colleague, manifests a divine aura. The aura is present, but dim. Perhaps the man, himself, is unaware of his potential.

The item looks like a little brass monkey claw. There's a sense that there's something particular about it, but even with Reojk's skills in such things, it's hard for him to assess what it might do.

The merchant practically jumps with astonishment. "What?!" he reaches for the brass hand, but then stops, and then kind of wiggles nervously. "Of course not! Why the very idea that I'd extort someone. That seems... Well so. I can't even.". The shopkeeper is nervous, though it's difficult to tell if it's because he's honest and has been rattled by the accusation or if it's because he's not honest and he's been caught out in the shadow of the Tower by some strange man with an odd scarf.

First looking at the shopkeep, then the brass hand, then the shopkeep again, Dikaios attempts to calm the situation down a bit.

"We are not here to extort either, or so I assume. No one wants undue attention unless it serves us all. Perhaps you can tell us more about this item and why someone may want it?"

He speaks in a calm manner, almost gentle.

The merchant clearly decides he likes Dikaios better than Reojk. He sidles up to the friendly gentleman and agrees vigorously. "Yes, yes! Undue attention is a bad thing." He looks closely at the brass monkey hand, and squints. His brow furrows and he says, "Ah yes. I believe that it is a device that will allow you to grab one thing at a distance, drawing it back to yourself." He smiles. "It would also look good as a talisman of sorts, of course."

The merchant considers the offer, but is disinclined to just part with it out of hand. "You seem a gentleman of fine knowledge and discernment. Surely you understand that I can come by these things only with the most careful of relationships and crafty business judgement. It would be difficult to part with this without some recompense to reflect the effort and.. judicious um.. judgment I've used in protecting it from unworthy eyes."

Having used several big words, the man is quite convinced he's made his case.

The merchant begins to look a bit more uncomfortable again. The thin one with the weird scarf makes him very uncomfortable.

Dikaios is able to find a vantage point well enough. It does take several blocks of walking to look out over the undercity -- as the gentrified folk near the Tower have no particular desire to have their days ruined by looking over the vast unwashed masses about whom they could care less.

As you stand there, contemplating the view -- an old man headed towards the market appears to spot the pair of you and makes a beeline through the light crowd to you. He appears very agitated and as he closes he says, "Divine ones! I'm blessed to have found you so quickly!"

Seeing the knowing look from Reojk -- and misinterpreting the motion as clearance to continue, the man loudly proclaims, "Redeemers of the Afterworld! We need your help. There is a situation..."

A passerby and his companion stop and ask the man, "What's this then? What are you talking about?"

The old man gestures, "These men. Their help is fore-ordained! With the death of the old gods, we have had no hope. But hope is coming and they.." he points to Dikaios and Reojk, "..are a key to help us! They are connected!" The man and his companion -- and a few more on lookers begin to look uneasy at the man's talk.

The man and his companion move along, shaking their heads. They have little time for such antics and one of them spits at the ground near the old man's feet. Another passerby shakes her head suggesting that such subversive street art is, "...quite likely to get you in trouble. With the Redeemers no less!" and she stalks off on a huff.

The rest of the passerby have sensed, as crowds do, the disturbance in your area and have begun to flow around it -- creating a bubble of space for the moment as the old man himself stares at the both of you in some disbelief. "What is it you are doing, divine ones? I do not understand!"

Drug along by his beard -- and under some protest -- the man nods to Reojk. "Good! Good! Then you likely already know!" He smiles and says, "I am Dershan. A woman by the name of Sephoni needs your help! She is with child -- and all alone -- and soon to give birth to the Gift of Spring!"

He nods a few times at Reojk, ascertaining whether or not the divine one has already figured this out. Knowing secrets and all.

"This is the first ray of hope the Nightland has seen since the Fall! And your arrival is timely and no doubt connected!" He smiles, "The old gods moved in mysterious ways! And I see the new ones are no different!" He looks askance at Dikaios.

Dershan pauses and looks somewhat affronted. "Of COURSE I didn't shout this out all over the city. She told me what you looked like and where I could find you. Don't you understand? Dark forces seek to destroy what's to come! She and the gang members I rounded up and the midwife have already withstood attacks from nasty little biters out of a nightmare!"

He looks back and forth between Reojk and Dikaios. "And she said that worst attacks would come and sent me to find you!"

Dershan looks quite happy at your decision to proceed. "Excellent! Most fortuitous!"

He begins to pull you along, "Come! The lower city where she is, is a bit of a walk -- we must move quickly!". As he leads the way he talks to you in hushed tones of the little biters. About the size of children and a strange mess of bone and flesh and hair -- lots of hair. Prone to scratching and biting. The couple gang members he recruited to help managed to hold them off -- but it really shook them.

Dershan hurriedly leads you to a place known as Caladar Keep in Lower Corso. Both of you are new enough to Corso to not know of the Keep's past, but it is imposing and seems like it had an important role once. Now it has elements to it that appear to just barely be hanging together.

You approach the front gate and are ushered in thanks to Dershan by two of the street thugs he recruited to help protect the forthcoming birth. They do not appear to be anything too special and introduce themselves as Nia and Mulin. Once through the gate you walk into the keep itself. The main hall was clearly once a grand place -- but statuary is broken and fallen down, decorations are decayed and faded and all the big oaken doors that lead to secondary chambers have fallen from their hinges except those on the western wall.

Through these Dershan takes you into the presence of Sephoni, a woman who appears to be a midwife and another five street toughs (who introduce themselves as Corbet, Brista, Faaline, Grisina and Zek). Dershan, for his part, introduces you both as the "Divine ones you sent me for" but forgoes names. When he does so, it's evident that the midwife looks uncomfortable at the news.

---

Sephoni seems a bit pre-occupied, but manages to smile and say "Thank you for coming. And thank you for your help and protection..." She looks about to say more when a round of labor pains hit and she clearly focuses on controlling the pain rather than anything else around her.

The midwife, Sandra, steps close and coaxes her -- pausing only momentarily to verbally shoo you all away. "See to yourselves," she says. Clearly indicating her preference that the room -- large though it may be -- no longer houses the 7 people who are not participating in the birth.

Reojk and Dikaios wander about the keep and talk to those they find here. All they run across seem all to happy to let each of the godlings (whether or not they know this about themselves) have free run of the keep and defer to their judgement or insight when provided.

Largely, the keep is split into the following areas:

The Outer Walls of the keep are arranged in nearly a pentagonal shape. One side of the wall is set against Corso's much taller and thicker wall (that wall is 30' thick and 50 ' high versus the keep's walls that are about 6' thick and 20' tall). A path runs along the top of the keep wall, accessible via narrow stone stairs here and there throughout the interior side of the walls. Although the wall provides some excellent visibility, there does not appear to be anyone stationed here.

The Outer Gate is what you came through with Dershan. It's manned by two of the toughs who have attached themselves to Dershan -- recognizing him as the leader of their burgeoning.. cult or whatever. The gate is old and not in great repair, but looks like it will withstand casual assault.

The yard of the keep is wide, open and empty. As with the walls, there doesn't seem to be anyone with the job of paying any particular attention to it.

The well is located between the keep and the Outer Gate and it provides fresh water to the keep to this day. Reojk is suspicious that there's more to the well than meets the eye as he passes it by.

The outbuildings of the keep are mostly empty. In a few there are various supplies -- tarps, lumber, some tools and wire. But casual inspection doesn't identify anything of particular interest in these buildings other than the fact they exist -- and have those items on hand.

The keep itself is a collection of rooms in disrepair with functioning front doors and the door to the birthing chamber. All other doors in the keep have long since come off their hinges. Stairs lead up to a set of iron rungs that give access -- as a ladder -- to a hatch from the keep hall that opens onto the slate-tiled roof.

Dershan looks at Reojk and nods at his suggests. "Those are all wise suggestions, Divine One. Where would you suggest we reinforce these choke points? Who are we choking?"

"Oh! Yes, that all makes sense." Dershan nods. He calls over one of the thugs and (poorly) translates Reojk's thoughts to him. The thug nods and begins to gather help and material to see what he can pull together. Once the thug is gone Dershan follows up on the prior request, "As to the well -- it likely also connects to Corso's sewer system. Though why it does that precisely, I don't know... The water isn't foul, so perhaps it has some sort of overflow into the sewer system?"

He shrugs. These things are not for him to worry about.

"As to the little beasties. Yes they were short -- about this high," his hand is about 3-4 feet off the ground. "There were five of them. Swarming about all ugly as can be. Mostly we beat on them with clubs or knives or whatnot. I'm not sure if they're afraid of anything."

You both find that those gathered here don't even had a basic eye towards common sense defense of the keep. At Reojk's suggestion they do start to do some makeshift repairs or augmentation of doors or gates or whatnot. Confused by whether or not to put a tarp over the well, they do so anyway. Someone finds a board or two and puts it on top of the tarp for good measure and then weights them down with a rusty length of chain.

Those designated to perform lookout duty shrug and head tither...The day lingers on as you prepare -- and you get the feeling that things may yet get interesting.

I think combat largely works the same -- the key difference winds up being with power shifts as you get to higher levels of divinity (tiers). Then depending on where you put those power shifts, they act as assets to your roll.