Review (11/13/2013)

We began at the Money Changers guild after the Rakshasha combat and approximately one half hour into the time stop effect. Picking up we decide to investigate further into the Guildhall. The Money Changers was exquisitely arranged with rainbow-stone fixtures and walls as well as rare and exotic wood panels, shelves, and furnishings.

Some of the rooms were filled with all manner of individuals including off-hours dwarves drinking and relaxing, magically outfitted elf guards, and still others doing their daily business but held motionless and frozen in time.

Intrigued by the highly magical and seemingly vulnerable elves Auge attempts to relieve them of their treasures. One attempt was successful (Wand: sleep, mage armor, truestrike; +2 dancing flaming longsword; +2 keen adamantite longsword; boots of speed; blinkback belt; & watermark), however the second attempt was unsuccessful causing the second elf guard to disappear- likely ‘pushed’ back into the time stream as there is the confusing sensation of movement again at this time.

Durg realizes that before the vault- there are the cash drawers; currency available to the guild in order to transact routine currency exchange. This yielded twenty thousand in foreign coinage.

Immediately after teleporting to the Vault entry chamber alarms sound with ear piercing intensity, two dozen water elementals arrive, and we discover that aside from all the security upgrades since our last bank job- there is a second iron golem making a total of one stone construct and two made of iron. We observe that the water elementals, Jaren’s unseen servant, as well as the constructs react strangely to our presence as if we are part of the environment. Other summons also occur, outsiders originating from… outside the time stop who are therefore unable to enter the time stop so they seem to just disappear.

Confronted with a complex vault door, Jaren shrinks the vault door allowing us easy access. This causes more summoning of defenses to come and go and thus do not impede us. Entering the vault we discover several led crates containing many mysteries: a parcel of gems of unique cut and another parcel containing eastern province coinage. 

We split into two teams and in one half hour of time stopped time each of us end with ten led crates. Half of these crates we abandon because of their sensitivity to the Stormhaven sea environment, while the others contain more worthy treasures: 1000 pounds of coins and gems, freezer-stones, and best of all 100 pounds of red volcanic gemstones that radiate a mild residual warmth.

Approximately two hours into the time stop effect as we test the limits of our bags of holding one of us discovers a secret trap-door concealed but now revealed underneath some of the garnered crates.

Auge steps up, opens the portal, climbs down into a small stone hall where 100 safety deposit alcoves are stacked ten by ten. The first box opened and searched was the 100^th, a set of family heirlooms that were ultimately left behind. The second and least magically protected contained six watermarks and forge kits. Nice! “We knew there were supplying watermarks somehow.”

Finally, as surmised by Jaren, we attempt to open the most magically protected of the safes, however when Auge attempts to disable it he is teleported to Mons Montis and is immediately under duress from being now underwater and from the mental assaults from the alien jailer.

Taking necessary precautions against coercion, Auge begins to formulate a plan for escape.

On the Upside Jaren, Durg, and Versel teleport to our lair under the Cinder Block and relieve themselves of the led crates, gold, and booty from the Money Changers guild. Referring quickly to the map revealing our watermark locations, Jaren asserts Auge is alive, but under duress, and below topside.

Meanwhile Auge gets busy making corrosive acid from components both on him and around him to degrade the thick iron mesh that domes Mons Montis enough to get a bomb to do sufficient damage to escape. After twenty minutes Auge swims free and rejoins is brothers visibly affected by the event. Jaren successfully breaks enchantment allowing Auge to fall briefly unconsciousness.

Back at our lair Durg the wise uses a candle to determine when time recommences and after about four hours is does so with a sensation of temporal movement… going from zero to one second… two seconds…3…4. Time was again flowing.

 

Emerging up to the Cinder Block several news reports indicate Socordia has up and left… no, she was just gone... and that there are various house, and guild alarms going off around Stormhaven. It was chaotic at first but we steady made our public presence establishing a firm alibi.

Auge begins to make arrangements for his retraining when a summons from the Black Crown arrives; the spell casters apparently want to brief us on what has happened.

About an hour of playing ignorant of what indeed happened, we are also informed of a missing member of their cabal- Brita Francisca a runescholar and Greystone family member. Kapilla believes she is in league with an antagonistic organization or individual.

During the time-rewind spell Nefertiti Xanthippe, Iosif and Kapilla believed they felt something, brief and confused it was then they noticed she was gone. (around the 'time' we felt the same thing) Several theories where discussed until we finally agreed to search her cottage for information.

Within her cottage were sigils, runes, and symbols on the walls, floor and ceiling. Two hours of searching through her notes  and research (+1 to Knowledge [dwarf runes] skill) when we notice a change in her writings as well as her own personal script; after the solstice (and the rising of the underwater city) her script changed to an alien form of writing. Nearly everything else was covered in a lunatic scrawl. 

We immediately traveled back to the Crown, Nefertiti, and our assertion in that the Aboleth could be at the heart of Brita’s unwitting betrayal. A strike against the jailer's interests is tabled with Jaren’s declaration that actions should not be confused against the action against the jailer. The alien jailer is everyone’s enemy.

We begin next session with Durg and Versel checking our interests at the Sunbow Mansion, Jaren sees to daily Cinder Block business, and Auge heads to the Liquor Commission to speak with Gerto and learn as much as possible about his time at the prison.