Sleeping Giants Game 17

Intro

Ana's Warning

Stretching before you is a great plain of brown and dark green, ringed all around it in a circular cavern. The area is larger than any city you’ve ever seen, like a massive bowl placed upside-down over the land.

Below the opening, reaching up from the muddy ground to the window above it, is the largest church you have ever seen. From this distance it gleams white with what you believe to be marble, and is accented with gold and silver that, even this far away, you can clearly discern. Four massive steeples rise from each corner of the structure, and in the center of the roof rises a great golden hammer, itself the mass of a building. The stray rays of sunlight above it reflect from the gold and silver accents and stream to all parts of the cavern wall, dancing and playing in the darkness.

Almost as if cued by your thoughts, Jordan speaks up. “And Thalos emerged from Abaddon carrying with him hope for the world of men. There he built a cathedral of golden sunlight and mortared it with the blood of demons, and he promised to guard her from the mouth of Hell for all of time.”

He looks around at all of you. “Skyhammer stands before us. Mind your manners and follow my lead.”

And then the focus shifts, to Ana. As the group continues their march toward Skyhammer, a great explosion erupts from the towering cathedral. It is no ordinary explosion, but one of chaos and darkness. It begins expanding outward in all directions, rapidly covering the world in shadow. An ordinary being would be terrified, but you feel a certain welcoming warmth accompanying the shadow.

It is not long before the explosion has engulfed the entire expanse of land. You look around, and where there once were tall grasses and wiry weeds, there are now flowing strands of shadow jutting from the ground, like seaweed on a seabed. You glance back at the cavernous ring behind you, which has now become dark and translucent. You can just barely make out the shapes of dozens – no – hundreds of creatures moving about within. Some of them seem to float rather than walk along the ground.

And where the cathedral once stood, where the explosion originated, there are now gigantic beams of pure white light. Dozens of them, hundreds of feet wide, circle the perimeter of Skyhammer. They reach high into the sky, and where the bowl-like cavern almost comes to a close, so do they.

“It’s beautiful, is it not, Athanatos?” you hear an echoing, familiar voice. “Beautiful in a… blinding sort of way.” You turn to the voice, and for the first time in far too long you experience the physical presence of The Shadow.

“I came here to give you a warning, Athanatos. Your kind… our kind… is not welcome here. Those who would protect you have journeyed elsewhere. Be wary in these walls.”

A sudden flash of bright light emits from the Shadow, forcing you to shield your eyes. When you are finally able to see again, you are back on the Material Plane, and Skyhammer remains looming in the distance.

Recap

DAY 8: 1.10.513

• Opens with Ana talking to Shadow - warns her she has no friends here - to be careful - no one notices this interaction.
• Nil notices it smells similarly in the crater to Skyhammer proper as it did in the black tree apple room (blue wall?) - Nil doesn't share this with the group.
• Jordan leads us towards the gate for Skyhammer denizens, to avoid crowds at the other 2 gates.
• Jordan announces himself to Erki and the guards
• Nil detects some magic from the guards (equipment) and notices the gate has magical properties as well
• The guards are pretty impressive - more important than Erki and Jordan.
• The guards won't allow the Boop-a-groots in the city - Ana takes them aside and finds someone to watch them
• 2 gate system - one opens and closes, then the next. We enter Skyhammer!
• Nil notices Divination magic abounds
• Skyhammer is _very_ nice - 30-40ft tall marble walls encircle the city. The southern wall and walls surrounding the giant cathedral are capped with gold. Streets paved - cobblestones. Mainly residential, some gov't buildings where we enter.
• Very few granted access to the cathedral
• Large open field in middle of city = training grounds
• Jordan is an acolyte and would train in the next (nicer) field/area up
• Most people are dressed in blue and gold priest robes, hammer somewhere. Citizens are easily distinguishable from outsiders. They are pretty spartan though - not many possessions but weapons.
• It's about 2:00 pm when we enter the city.
• At noon, the sun hits the golden hammer atop the cathedral and lights up the entire town - especially brilliant. At night there is very little moonlight that gets through the dome - so dark, but they have street lights.
• Jordan says, "We go on to the cathedral."
• The "interesting" [parts of the city are on the outside of the city walls.
• Stratton asks what languages people in the city know - mostly Common, Celestial
• Jordan says there are two libraries here. One inside the cathedral is huge and impressive (Beauty and the Beast) - Lyla asked.
• Lyla wants to know if she can go to a library now or if they must go to the church with Jordan first.
• Jordan tells the group to meet him at the Skyhammer cathedral - if anyone stops us - tell them we are the cohorts of Jordan Steingard.
• Ana decides to search for things outside the city walls.
• Stratton asks Jordan if there's anything he can think of to get an admirer in this city (thinking of Erki). Jordan thinks he's coming on to him... Stratton thinks this is hilarious and just cracks up and walks off.
• Stratton, Ford, and Nil all go around looking for shops. Ford is just along for the ride, Nil and Stratton are looking for specifics.
  • Tailor! Woman with the church. Nil speaks 'church, infernal' to her to blend in.
  • Nil puts in an order for reversible cloak - red one side, black on the other.
  • She switches to Common - takes Nil to the back to measure hre only after learning that we are with the 'Steingard' clan.\
  • Stratton asks for hats - Pope hat and a tunic that says "I'm with Stupid ->" in Dwarvish script. This will cost 15gp and take 5 days.
  • We go to the carpenter but blacksmith is filling in - EBERK BRAWNANVIL - a blacksmith dwarf who recognizes Stratton! from a performance with the Cirque at Oakville.
• Nil tells Eberk that Stratton will be performing tonight! At the training grounds. Nil and Stratton invite him - Nil writes a voucher for him for two free tickets to Stratton's show and he agrees to make a collapsible bathtub for Nil - at a discount for the tickets. Bathtub will be ready in two days.
• Stratton agrees to tell Eberk about subsequent performances scheduled when they return in two days. Eberk asks Stratton about Benedict - Stratton brushes it off - or tries to, somewhat unsuccessfully. Stratton claims he's gone solo and that Nil is his Manager/Assistant (Nil agrees to this).
• We also drop the Steinguards' name - Eberk asks if Stratton is going to be performing for JOSTON STEINGUARD?! Clearly impressed - Nil and Stratton quickly agree - say that's who invited us here - but Stratton tells Eberk that it's going to be a private showing, sadly.
  • Ford is there too - but just smokes.
• Lyla and Elliot go to the library to research things ... I got food and missed all of this :(
• Ana goes to Training Grounds and tries to spar with the guys there
• The first fight goes amazingly and Ana beats the mother-loving shit out of one guy, then continues fighting for two more hours
• After this, she wants to go find an apothecary, but instead makes her way back to the cathedral, puts the apothecary on hold
• Jordan and Erki go to debrief at the Cathedral.
• Jordan sees that his father's name is no longer on the door! :O Jordan talks to the secretary... "You haven't heard?! Uhhh.. right this way, I will take you to your father's quarters."
• Leads him to a very ornate door... "The High Priest will see you now."
• Jordan and Erki perform the full kneel.
• Dismisses Erki first, state she may return after Jordan is done.

J: Congrats on your promotion.

F: Congrats on yours... it will be coming within the week. Your grandfather has passed - was buried under the catacombs of Skygarden - with the other high priests.

J: The blue stone was in the Sunless Citadel - a large amount, plus the opening to the Underdark.

F: I don't know who would have purchased if there, I'll look into it... I didn't know of the Underdark entrance there, but it makes sense...

J: Promotion?

F: Deacon - weapons upgrade, more titles. Are all of the people you brought here? All six?

J: Yes - they are in the courtyard. Lyla - the fey. I don't trust the fey - but Lyla, I'm sure Lyla is good. I sought Bishop Range's help. As he is wizardry arcane, might be able to help more kindly than the clerics you and I deal with.

F: She will have the church's protection... on another hand, I feel your grandfather became soft in his old age, I look to take a more hands on approach. If needed, this Lyla will be dealt with more powerfully. Now, about Ana - who you wrote about in your letter.

J: She is highly physically able and adept. I know almost nothing else about her - but there seemed to be a flash of familiarity between Erki and Ana - and Erki called me "Shield" which I found troubling.

F: Was "Caras" the name Erki called her?

J: Yes. (Asks about his Brother)

F: (visibly irritated)

J: Why did he leave?

F: He disagreed with the Church's ways. While your (grand?)father may have taken mercy on him, I do not intend to - there may be more trickery he was involved in. I'll disclose more later... it may require the aid of you and your group. And OSIS and their investigative aid.

• Convo goes on - eventually ends with Jordan leaving and ushering Erki into the office as he leaves.
• Jordan goes to see Bishop Range in his office - he carries a spell book in a loop with two crossed feathers on it as a way of an insignia of his.

BR: I got your letter - is the girl with you?

J: She is. What do you think of it?

BR: The Arch Fey - we have fouund them to be actually helpful - this is confidential - but I believe we won't need to separate teh girl from it, but instead educate her in how to deal with them better in the future.

J: Does the High Priest know this? Is this confidential?

BR: The arcane is more intricate than the divine - please keep this confidential. I try not to bother the High Priest with things like this. Thanks.

J: Thanks.

• Jordan leaves and waits for the others to return.