D&D ADVENTURE! Chase to the Crystal City

THE CHASE TO THE CRYSTAL CITY - a D&D Roleplay Adventure!

Welcome friends, to the next chapter of an adventure beyond time, space and reason! Discover new worlds and meet strange people (and that's just the players).

Our brave party of adventurers have battled through fire, steam and stinky goblins to find the sacred relic, The Abott's Cheese, stolen from the Monastery of the Lady of the Lake by a nasty little halfling thief. However, just as the holy cheese was within their reach, it was snatched from them by an evil mouse, intent to use it's power to challenge the very gods themselves, causing who knows what damage in the process?

After sweet talking an evil demon suffering lady problems, the heroes are blasting their way through the multiverse to parts unknown. All the information they possess is that the mouseman, Wandemar Cheesethrane, is on his way to the Crystal City, and they must catch him at any cost...


DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Sir Seu Antheus, lvl 5 Paladin of the Holy Order of the Lady of the Lake


Bufo the Black Hood, lvl 3 Neutral Evil Halfling Rogue


Robin, Lawful Good Human, lvl 5 Ranger


Rambulge, Neutral Good Human, lvl 2/2 Fighter/Sorcerer


Bari the White, Chaotic Good Human, lvl 5 Cleric of Jordann
 
PROLOGUE

The light was soft, bright without blinding, white and yellow and warm. It surrounded him, enveloped him, cherished and protected him. He was in a safe place, he could relax, he could... listen.

"Bari, baby, wake up man," a gentle voice spoke to the cleric.

"Huh... who... Marvin?"

"Yeah, it's me, uh, it's Marvin, uh, how you doin' Bari?"

"Marvin... you dead, man! What's happening? Did we die? Did that demon kill us?"

"Relax, you're not dead, and baby, i'm for real, speaking to you from, uh, a different plane, another reality. It's complicated, but there isn't time to explain it. The Love Cannon, he uh, contacted me, wanted me to check in on you, said it was urgent. Those guys have been putting Yutchoob into overload, trying to see what's uh, what's been happening with you, said you uh, disappeared. What's going on? You okay Bari?"

"Sure, sure, just some nasty business with a mouse, and some cheese, and the assholes let me shit my pants and i'm wearing a potato sack on my booty like some kind of hobo, but apart from that..."

"Tell me about the cheese man."

"Those guys up at the Monastery of the Lady lost their special cheese and we tried to get it back. Damn mouse turned it into a gemstone or something. Shit."

"Bari, they put Yutchoob into precognitive mode, just for a few seconds, before it uh, it burnt out. There's some dark times ahead for all of us, mercy mercy me, they saw the winter, and it never ended, and that's bad news. Bad news. If it's got to do with that cheese, or gem, or whatever, then, uh, well, we gotta get it back. You gotta get that gem."

"Yeah, we'll get it Marvin, we'll get it. We got a lead, sort of..."

"Alright man, cool, cool, so listen, I've got to go, there's a sweet party happening up at Jordann's tonight, don't wanna keep uh, keep the ladies, you know, waiting?"

"Right on brother. Tell the goddess i'll be in touch soon - 'in touch', dig?"

"Heh, I dig, I dig. Take care Bari, be careful out there, I know you a stubborn kind of fellow, but look out for yourself. Booyah."

"Booyah..."

Bari floated in the warm glow, a sense of peace radiating from his... person. Suddenly-

"Bari, Bari, you still there? I, uh, I forgot to pass on a message from the Love Cannon - he said, "Marvin, tell that smooth chocolate motherf*cker that when he see's a bitch with too many titties, he gotta lift that curse." Ain't that peculiar? I dunno what that means, but he said it was important. Anyway, that's all."

Marvin was gone. Bari felt a twinge - hearing that voice again after so long, filled him with sadness, but also, a sense of great justice that wherever he was, that cat was at peace, and no doubt spreading the lovin' around. They could all do with a bit of that sexual healing...

The light started to flicker and fade. The sense of peace he was feeling began to receed. As cold reality set in, he felt once more his companions grasped tightly in his hands, the itch of his potato sack, the pain of his wounds. The void was all around them still, but there ahead of them, a point of cold light sparkled. It approached at a speed that defied imagination - one heartbeat brought it from amazing distance, to almost upon them, and then-

They arrived.
 

Penddraig

Member
Robin shook his head trying to clear it from the vastness that he had seen. "Never travel by demon again", he swore. Then he looked around to see where his companions were and what state they were all in.
 
Rambulge's whole body buzzed with energy as he readjusted to his surroundings.
His heart rate slowly dropped back down to normal as the sensation began to fade, yet his mind still raced at what he had just experienced.

His heart warmed to see they had all made it safely!
 

Asslessman

Member
As the end of what looked like the largest tunnel in the universe, when light appeared at their destination, Seu regained his senses little by little. The first thing that actually got his mind back in sync with his body was the strong urine smell coming from his neighboour. The paladin turned his head the other way round like it would change anything...
Seu caught Robin's eyes and he smiled at him to reassure the ranger. His grip on his friend's shoulder got a little more firm to pass him his confidence and to make him benefit of the Lady's Aura.

Having a steel helmet staring at him and a plated glove crushing his shoulder didn't actually feel reassuring or even nice to the ranger but he had learned in the past days that this was Seu's awkward way of providing moral support.

Seu saw a grin on the ranger's face which told him his little manly masage was not as hepful as his usual laying of hands... He continued to hold to his friedn but loosened a bit. He could see his aura was havng more effect now than it ever had, maybe them being in the void between the realms made him closer to the lady, or was it Bari's presence that Channelled the blessing of Jordann?
How do Jordann and the Lady relate to each other? Seu let his mind wander...

image001.gif

Impure thougts, that must have been the demon's doing... He quickly chased them away with a prayer.

As the light approached and he sensed their were nearing their goal, Seu took a deep breath to regain his piece of mind. With his sword in one hand and friends in th eother, there was nothing which could resist his will to do good...
 
CHAPTER 1: IDRA GRAND CENTRAL


Bufo slumped to the ground the second his companions released their grip. His body burned, and the world was a blur around him. The surface he lay on was cold, and rough against his cheek.

The companions were in the entrance to a wide alley that reeked faintly of old urine and the acrid smell of tobacco smoke. The ground was a strange type of stone, that lay in great square slabs and had a rough, scored texture. Behind them the alley stretched back, ending in a wall with a metal door in it. In front of them... well, in front of them was a sight they could scarcely comprehend. Platform after platform filled with beings - human, elven, dwarven, and other, stranger denizens; milling about, or hurrying to and fro, hauling bags and trolleys and squawking children. Here and there stood guards in strange, brightly coloured armour, carrying long, spear-like weapons topped with three thin prongs. As the party watched, aghast, an announcement came booming over the din of the crowds -

"Attention passengers, the next train arriving on platform 17 goes to Blackmoor; first stop, Greyhawk, followed by Athas, Krynn, Eberron, Abeir-Toril, then all stations to Blackmoor."

A group of soldiers dressed in insect-like armour marched by. A giant eyeball covered in tentacles floated past, eyeballing them as only a huge eyeball can. Then, with a mighty roar and a noise like a battle-horn blowing one, continuous note, a giant metal construct came rumbling up to one of the platforms. It was huge - it breathed great gouts of multicoloured steam from a spout on it's front end. It bore a series of carriages behind it, resembling some lordly horse-drawn carriage, but bigger, so much bigger. Through portals on the side, the astonished party could see people inside the carriages - they were being hauled along by the contraption, and seemed quite content about it! Once it had settled to a standstill, doors at the end of each carriage opened, and the people inside started pouring out. There were mages wearing flowing robes, women with blue skin and shimmering green attire mingling with great hairy creatures that loped along on knuckles and toes. Several beings appeared that were entirely transparent - ghostly apparitions that floated through the air, heedless of how incredible their very existence was!

Bufo opened his eyes long enough to catch a glimpse of the massive metal machine and for a second, he believed it was the single greatest thing he had ever witnessed. Then his head lolled back and his vision went black.
 

Asslessman

Member
"What a strange place!" We don't have any clue as to where to start, I believe we should try to see where the address on the powder leads. If the ratman has bought it from a store, maybe we can follow this lead? 'Moondrake's Magic Emporium', no.888 Krustallos Crescent, East Facet I think the adress was?"
Looking at his companions all worn out by their late battle and little travel through spacetime's fabric " But maybe we could start with getting oursleves in shape, we may not be able to get very far in our current state... Maybe getting some proper food and sleep and equiping oursleves should be a priority. I'll ask for directions, what do you think?"

Except if our little journey through warp restored us somehow, I think We should
1) rest and heal, prepare our spells, pray and whatever we have to do
2) try to sell any unused equipment ans see if we can make/buy some new ones (I'd like to see if a scalemail can be made outta those scales we gathered ;)), I think we also have plenty of equipment to identify... so we'd need a smith, a shop for magical items (maybe Moondrake's) herbs, whatever you see fit,
3) go check at the Moondrake's magic emporium about leads on Waldemaar... (after selling/buying/identifying stuff with the owner if we have business with him) we should definitely be careful about showing him what we looted from the ratman though
4) On our way; I'll also look for any temple to give charity. We've earnt far more gold than I can hold... everything not spent on a shiny new armour or on equipment will have to be given for a good cause.

Just as he finished his sentence, Seu saw Bufo faint which made him remember the poor creature had been poisonned, there wasn't much he could do, so they had to get some help and quick.
 

weazil

Moderator
"Marv? Marvin? Hey man, you still-"

"Oh SHIT!" he screamed, has eyes and mouth wide as he braced for being dashed into a million pieces against the extremely solid looking surface he was speeding towards. But no dashing came. As quick as he'd opened his mouth to shout, he found his feet placed gently on the floor, wholly out of keeping with his pose - half crouched, arms akimbo, shouting profanities into what turned out to be a very large public space.

A colossal eyeball glared at him as it drifted past.

"Oh shit?" Bari blinked, looking around. He patted his body down, looking behind him - even looking under his feet. "You're all there, babe!" he muttered reassuringly to himself. Final check - excellent! Little B was okay too.

Wow - was that really Marvin? From some other dimension beyond the veil? Maybe that's what he meant about the grapevine?

Bari straightened, just in time to see Bufo slump to the floor. "Oh Shit. Bufo? Bufo!" He bent over and shook the little halfling, whose colour was not that dissimilar to the stone on which they found themselves. "Keep it together man! Guys, we got to get this halfling some help!"

I'm not sure if there is much Bari can do, but would the healing proficiency be of any use to Bufo here?

I'll have to rest, but I can get slow poison, which will help, but not stop the stuff
 

Asslessman

Member
Seu looked at Bari "can you help him in your condition?"

Do you need to rest before you can cast "slow poison" or do you need to rest before removing the poison, if you can cast 'slo poison, then we should better cast it and find a doctor. If noone in the party is able to remove poison , Seu will immediately go to the nearest person, asking for directions to a doctor or anyone able to save Bufo.
 

weazil

Moderator
I don't have slow poison memorised. I'd have to rest in order to get it. I do have a 'healing' proficiency, but I don't actually know what that does. I think we're going to have to get someone to help us here. If we're extra extra lucky, perhaps Bufo's heart will stop and one of us can use a defibrillator? I believe they're in all public places these days ;)

Okay, just kidding about the defib. Point is, I'd need to rest, so lets start getting some help now.
 

Penddraig

Member
Feeling the manly, slightly disturbing squeeze on his shoulder made Robin turn and look at Seu, just in time to see Bufo collapse to the ground and Bari jump towards him. Robin had seen similar effects before when seeing young hunters bitten by poisonous snakes. It never normally ended well.

"Quickly!" Robin stated, "let's get him out of this alley for starters and into some fresher air. Maybe one of those people,out there can aid us." So saying, Robin picked up the Halfling and started moving towards the crowd. Bufo's breath was shallow, his forehead soaked in sweat and his pallor was grey. "I don't think he has long, we need to do something!"

Robin is going to move towards the crowd and see if anyone can help or direct us to someone who can. If Bari can Slow Poison or use healing, we'll pause before we get to the crowd.
 
The healing proficiency relates to the dressing of wounds and speeding recovery of regular injuries without magical means. Casting a healing spell will not cure poison but it will delay death in most instances.

The ragged party headed for the closest person who looked like they could help - the guard in the strange red armour. Seu approached, sword still in hand, and began to implore his aid.

"Good sir, we are in dire straits and require immediate-"

"SHEATH YOUR WEAPON IMMEDIATELY SIR" the guard commanded, leveling his three-pronged spear at the Paladin's chest. Seu sheepishly put his weapon away. Overhead, a small metal ball covered in whisker-like antennae came hovering to a stop. It whirred and twitched ominously.

"State your business sir" continued the guard.

"My friend here is in desperate need of a healer" the Paladin urged. He motioned to the limp form of the halfling hanging over the ranger's shoulder.

"There are healing facilities near the ticket office on Platform 1-"

The guard's words were interrupted by another booming announcement:

"The intercity service bound for Crystal City will be arriving on platform 20 in a few moments. Please make your way to platform 20 for boarding."

There was a sudden surge in the crowd at this announcement, as multitudes of different beings collected bags and belongings and headed to their platform. From a nearby building (marked 'toilet' in a dozen languages) emerged a short, familiar figure in flowing purple robes with a large travel bag over his shoulder and toilet paper stuck to his foot...

It was Wandemar Cheesethrane! The mouseman saw the party and his eyes widened in shock!
 
Rambulge let loose an expletive that would make his dear Mother die of shame and made a beeline straight for the Rodent.

"On him!" he called without looking back...he wasn't usually one to take the lead but there was a score to settle with this deviant rat bastard, once again he hoped the others were following!

I'm not so sure offensive action in this public place will be a good idea, Captain Dunderhead (that's me) is thinking to stick to him like glue and pounce at the right moment
 
"HOSTILE ACTIONS DETECTED" the orb floating above them squealed out in warning. A blue eye appeared briefly on it's smooth surface, firing a bolt of energy that struck the Spell Sword unerringly on his back. The blast rendered Rambulge unconscious, his body sprawled forwards with his own momentum and hit the floor hard before the horrified eyes of his companions.

Three more orbs came whizzing up, twitching and clicking furiously. Wandemar, his own look of horror quickly replaced with a look of triumph, called out "thieves! Thieves! Guards, arrest these men, they have taken my possessions and now seek my life!"
 

Asslessman

Member
Seu got to Rambulge's side and bowed down, his left knee on the ground. He raised his hands to show he had no ill intentions. He quickliy gave a look at Rambulge which seemed shocked. He would have laid a hand on him but his power was exhausted and the situations demanded that he made no movement that could be misunderstood by the city's guards.
They all had to calm down immediately, something was telling him in such a strange place filled with mages, those flying orb sentinels must have had the power to see more than meets the eye, they probably had "sensed" Rambulge's intentions before he even dashed at the ratman.
He understood that to the eyes of the guards, their behaviour had seemed most suspicious and they had to comply with local laws as much as possible to stay safe. Low profile was not an option anymore now though.
Seu took a deep breath and thought about the lady to bring piece back to his heart, mind and soul : "Please excuse my friend's behaviour, we bear no evil intention and mean no harm to anyone. We will comply by your laws with all due respect to this city and its inhabitants. Right now our only concern is to save our friend here who is suffering from poisonning. All of us are wounded and in no state to threat peace here. Please let us take him to th ehealing facilities"
Seu's eyes were looking straight at the guard facing him and he meant every word he said.
 
"Lies!" Screeched Wandemar, outwardly furious, "don't listen to that thief! Look there, he has my bag - you, guard, inspect that bag he is wearing" - the mouseman was pointing insistently at the bag the demon had tossed to Seu moments before transporting them to this confusing place. "If you search that bag," the mouse continued, "you will find my travel documents, scrying orb and two copies of... erm, magazines. My magazines."

The guard looked from the mouse to Seu and back again. "Magazines you say?"

"Just hurry up and search the bag!"

The guard took the bag from the Paladin under the steady watch of the floating orbs. Several more guards arrived to encircle the party, their spears at the ready. The guard pulled a sheaf of papers out of the bag and looked them over. He examined a shiny crystal ball, and raised his eyebrows at the two magazines. "Playmouse Magazine?" he inquired.

"It's not what you think" spat the mouse.

The guard flicked through. "Is this even legal?"

"Give me those!"

"Ooh, that's nasty..."
 

Asslessman

Member
"The bag and its content have been handed to us by the very demon this person invoked, it was not our intention to steal it. There is on another hand something you have in your possession that once was ours. Let us have the gemstone you made from the stolen Abbot's cheese so that we can give this a quiet and peaceful ending."
Looking at the guard "Once again Sir, we mean no harm and only seek to cure our friend here and to retrieve what was ours to begin with."
 

Penddraig

Member
Robin looked towards the guards, feeling Bufo's weight and his shallow breathing. "While we discuss this individuals reading material, our company here is slowly dying! If I may, I will take him to this healing station and you can deal with all of this issue there whilst our friend is attended to. It would look bad if while you were investigating this matter you allowed a visitor to die from neglect."

Robin looked towards the guards to see if there was any movement in those strange weapons that may allow him and Bufo to pass to the much needed aid.
 

weazil

Moderator
Bari looked around, eyes wide. What the hell was going on? There Rambulge lay, having been zapped by who-knows-what, Seu was being held up by one of the faceless guards, the stupid mouse thing was screeching at them about being thieves and now this.

Playmouse.

Hmmm. Playmouse.

Bari looked down at Bufo again, before considering the guards that had since surrounded them. Most of them seemed fixated on Seu, Waldemaar and the recent material that had surfaced.

"Can you keep an eye on him for a second?" Bari asked Robin, indicating towards Bufo. Marvin's voice kept circling in his head. "Another plane," he'd suggested. Another reality. It was all just a dream anyway, right? Worth a shot, at any rate.

Bari slowly walked up to the soldier questioning Seu, hands raised. "Uh. Excuse me, Mister..." He scanned the soldier, looking for any form of identification, his eyes eventually settling on some sort of badge. Security Enforcement Officer, it hinted. "...Officer. My name is Bari the White, and my flock and I have just arrived here. From another plane, you understand. You know how that is, all the wooshing around and the stars and all? I mean, you look like an experienced inter-planar traveller, am I right? Daemon class? I'm right, ain't I? I knew it, I knew it..." Bari nodded, completely ignoring the man.

"Anyhow, these cats ain't used to the travel. First time, really. They're a bit - you know, travel sick." Bari twirled his finger next to his head and rolled his eyes. "...in the head. You understand, right?

"Now the thing is, my armoured companion, I am a religious man. A spiritual man. 'How do you know', I hear you ask? Let me tell you! Better than that - let me show you!" Before the guard could stop him, Bari whipped off his purple satin bedsheet ("My bedsheet!" squeaked Waldemaar) to reveal the potato sack, his sandles and the tiger's tooth hanging around his neck.

"Ain't no athiest dressing like that these days, huh? My point, Mister Officer, is that you can trust me. I am a man of my convictions. The thing is, we are all together." Bari waved to the party, but included Waldemaar in the gesture. "These are all my flock. Waldemaar there, too. That's how come we have the bag. Dude needed the little mouses' room, is all. Look, I have other material of his here." Bari rooted around in his bag, producing the well thumbed copy of Of Mice and Men.

The guard handed Playmouse magazine to another, unusually eager guard, before gingerly selected a place in the book. His helmeted head inclined first to the left and then to the right. Finally, he adjusted the angle of the book. Then a long stare at Waldemaar.

"I think the best way we can get through this, Mister Officer," Bari continued, "is if you and your fine company of soldiers - and when I say fine I do mean class leading - the best I have ever seen on my planar travels, in fact - accompany us to your healing facilities, where we might all have a rest,a nice refreshing beverage and an informal chat. Waldemaar can tell you where we were planning to go next - maybe you can even help us get there. But right now, perhaps we could look at my diminutive little helper here? He ain't feeling so good."

Bari knew nothing about orbit, or space, or about the general visibility of things on the surfaces of planets when viewed from space. But, had he, he would have been certain that with the smile he presented at that moment, his teeth would have been visible from space.

No...I don't know what Bari's doing either...

But whatever Bari is doing - he's doing it with as much charm as he can muster ;)
 
Face down on the ground, Rambulge did his best to agree with what Bari was saying.

He admonished himself for rushing off to be the hero again, he could hear his Mother's voice nagging him

"look before you leap Ram"

"fools rush in Ram"

"get your feet off the table Ram"
 
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