Investigation: Planar Threat

[V-Rage]

Over the last few days I have been leading an investigation into the Planar Issues around the region

It has been learned that the epicentre is a ruined tower between Tilverton and Hillmarch, The celestials, devils and demons are fighting over it and trying to get acsess, However a powerful ward prevents entry.

To solve the issue I believe we will need to bypass the ward and recover whatever is within.

I will be working with mages and others to accomplish them.

Statues within the mines themselves mention the forest of eyes and the tunnels within, I shall also lead expeditions there to see if any clues are within

Dominic

[V-Rage]

Last night I led an expedition to the forgotten tunnels to investigate the writing on the statues.

We came across a floating crystal in a circle with runes rotating around it which bears more investigating

However I believe what the statues were reffering to was deeper in, A foul area known as the caves of wickedness.

Upon entering the caves the screams of tortured souls can be heard and fiends roam, Further in we came across a door, Upon approaching it I heard a whisper saying the price for going beyond the door was your soul.

The door also featured a mural of people being tortured with a blade known as the tormentor

I expect the statues were a ploy to try and get people to damn themselves

Dominic

[V-Rage]

I have spoke with a man calling himself Elitzio Rivior, A mage and diviner, He has agreed to accompany me and he will try and divine more information on the ward on the tower

Dominic

[V-Rage]

Yesterday I took a large group including Tass, Elitzio and his group and members of the wildwalkers to the site of the tower.

Upon the way we encountered more powerful fiends than usual and were even set upon by a powerful celestial who unfortunately didn't want to communicate.

Elitzio was able to study the ward though and will notify us of his theories

Dominic

[V-Rage]

Whilst we wait on the theory from this Rivior it occurs to me that beholders and some lesser kin are known to be able to strip magic with a gaze.

Perhaps if one of these eyes was cut from such a creature it could be used to remove or at least weaken the ward.

I spoke with Ursula and she believes it may be viable.

Plus it gives us options. It's rarely a good idea to rely solely on one option

Dominic

[V-Rage]

Elitzio has sent us this

@knockknock said in Letter: Elitzio Rivior:

Dominic,

I apologise for the delay, please see my thoughts below.

To begin with my theory, as we touched upon the other day, is that the Tower is being protected by the celestials and it is the forces of the Nine Hells and Abyss which are the aggressors in this Planar War. I believe the celestials are serving as custodians and are responsible for the Ward; both its initial conception and upkeep.

This is supported by the divine minefield, for lack of a better term, defending the approach to the Ward in addition to the many warnings permeating throughout the area.

If this is the case, and I would hasten to add this is merely a theory at this early stage, we should entertain whether this Ward is something we even want to break, much less actually try and do it.

That said, there are two ways in which we can bypass this or indeed any Ward. The first and simplest is to use the proper token for ease of passage. This would require some manner of cooperation with the celestials who have thus far given us no indication they would be obliging.

We could seek to capture and interrogate a celestial: the moral quandaries of this however might lead us to other solutions.

This, ultimately, leaves us with manually breaking the Ward.

Before we continue we should clarify from the outset that breaking Wards have changeable results. Once the Ward is broken, the preceding ripple effect is uncertain as the magics of the Ward dissipate and the proverbial avalanche of whatever is, or was, being contained is released. In this particular circumstance we must weigh the knowledge that breaking the Ward effectively opens the doors to the hosts of the Abyss and Hells to seize whatever they covet so vigorously. We must be vigilant as to ensure they do not beat us to our goal.

Now, a Breaking Spell; which would be required here, requires a many reagents and then the time to concentrate and execute. Should we successfully acquire the necessary compounds we would then need to suppress the militants long enough for me to conduct the spell.

Negative energy is best placed to disrupt the Positive energy encompassing the Ward, so we will need the remnants of powerful undead to conduct a Necromantic breaking, in addition to further supporting components to strengthen the magic:

• 4x Mummy Dust
• 2x Vampire Dust
• 8x Wyvern Blood
• 5x Gargoyle Skulls
• 4x Mithril
• 1x Essence of Warding
• 1x Essence of Knowledge
• 1x Each Elemental Essence.

I am by no means a specialist in Necromancy, however I would stress that it unfairly suffers from a stigma stemming from its use by infamous villains and dark wizards. The craft itself in its purest form is no more reprehensible than evocation or conjuration or any other school of magic: obviously removed from animation.

That said, this breaking spell can be empowered by one further unwholesome reagent, which I believe would ensure our success, alternatively we can chance a milder incantation. The decision I shall leave to your sound judgement, I am willing to try without:

• 1x Willing sample of pure blood.

Yours,

Don Elitzio Rivior,
of the Haunted House.

Whilst I am certainly against blood being used most of the other reagents can be obtained on hunts,

There is also still the option of seeking the antimagic eye of a beholder or its kin

One sample of Mummy Dust was obtained from an excursion into Deadwell.

Dominic

[V-Rage]

3 samples of vampire dust and one more sample of Mummy dust were obtained from an expedition into Deadwell

Treth has said he holds juridsction over the planar matter and may forbid this attempt.

Naturally he will be ignored and when the murder case against him goes to the council I will suggest his permits from the king are also revoked

Dominic

[V-Rage]

I have obtained another sample of mummy dust from the smuggling tunnels. This leaves one more sample to be obtained.

Izereth believes she can divine past the ward to provide some insight as to what the forces are fighting over, This should prove valuable

Dominic

[V-Rage]

I have obtained the Gargoyle skulls.

Izereth has asked that an item connected to the Goldfeathers be found for her divination and I have begun searching

Work also continues to try and obtain an antimagic eye from Beholderkin

Dominic

[V-Rage]

The last sample of mummy dust has been obtained.

Thanks to Adelaide the Mithril has been obtained.

I will work on obtaining the Wyvern Blood and work on the other options as well

Dominic

[Puffy]

Ensure to investigate the Precept's claims, whilst plebs may be granted special permission it doesn't mean they are free to roam. We do not wish a disaster which may harm the Crown, if words does not ensure cooperation find other means such as wealth.

Rallyhorn

[V-Rage]

It seems Rivior has left the lands

Adelaide has suggested a new possible means

@dracos said in Report to the Crown Guard:

Dear Dominic

Massive magic rites are not my strong point, through a few ideas do come to mind:

The ward is aimed at fiends and there servants first and foremost. Therefore we should look at attacking it with methods nothing to with planar powers.

The entrance is an obvious strong point, I advise we attack it from another angle.

The Precepts are too fond of devils and untrustworthy in general... I am loathed to trust them with this tower.

In light of this I feel our best is trying to supercharge Jendayi's magic with elemental earth, perhaps in some coordinated rite with the druids and myself in a support role, to gain access to the tower from below. We will need to talk to her and the Wildwalkers in some detail, through elemental essence of earth in quality and quantity seems an idea.

Adelaide

It is worth a try especially since Treth is most likely an infernalist

Dominic

[V-Rage]

Myself, Adelaide, Alparin and Tass went to study the ward today.

Alparin believed as others did that the ward is celestial in nature.

This was confirmed when he cast a spell of Lathanderite power at it, The sky went bright almost painfully so and the ward seemed to be empowered

It almost seems with the death of Volmar the demons have retreated from the battles.

Perhaps if we defeat Dourhand and a infernal warlock the Devils will retreat and the war will end

Dominic

[V-Rage]

I believe this Runjar Rawrou on the bounty posters may be an infernal warlock, His bounty does mention Dark Arts

Yesterday I asked the Aster and House of the Morning to work to undo the Infernal Rite in the Hillmarch mines to lure him out

It was unsucsseful though, perhaps stronger rites are needed to undo it

Dominic

[V-Rage]

Alparin is going to attempt another cleansing on the infernal rite

I have offered the sacrifice of a sword with the power of nature in it as I believe Lathander is close to some nature gods and none of the wildwalkers desire the sword themselves.

The sword itself was recovered from a tomb in the Hullack where we broke a curse and put undead Thanes to rest

Hopefully this will be enough to draw out Runjar

Dominic

[V-Rage]

Yesterday a group comprising of myself, Maire, Alparin, Kira, Adelaide, Leona and Fyevarra went to the Eastern Marches to study the twisted tree to see if it could be cleansed to lure out Runjar

Unfortunately nothing was learnt from it and we proceeded to the tower.

We found a crazed man with blood coming from his ears in a runic circle, Fyevarra investigated and found it was a ward holding something back and it was feeding off the man

Fyevarra tried to aid the man and repair the ward but unfortunately due to Kira trying to aid with storms and her blood, Imps attacking and Leona accidently slaying a imp Fyevarra planned to use to seal the circle, The man unfortunately died and a portal to the hells opened.

Fyevarra and Kira tried to seal it, But fell to forces pouring through despite efforts to hold the devils off.

With no way to seal it we were forced to pull back.

It seems the fiends have damaged the ward on the tower which affected the queen.

The portal must be sealed and the ward repaired

Dominic

[V-Rage]

Maire, myself, Amaire, Fyevarra, Alparin and Ma'crag went to try and talk to the celestials and learn more of the ward

We were told by a voice at the celestial sphere to go to the ruined tower, we made our way there and found an opened path.

We entered and found in a chest the armour of a cultist with a similar insignias to the Crimson Blade's.

We proceeded through the ruins and saw potraits, ones standing out were a man going by Ser Leonard and an elven woman called Iyrandir

Further in we found cultists performing a ritual on a bound and wounded celestial, We disrupted the ritual and slew the cultists and spoke with the celestial.

It said it was there to repair the damage done to the ward.

We asked what the ward was protecting and it said it was to stop mortals getting to an item with the power to warp reality and unleash great evil and that the item was created by a power mad mage and the celestials had agreed to ward it

It also said a warlock was behind the planar incursions a long time ago and was likely manipulating things now and we showed him the armour from the chest that was similar to the Crimson Blades and they said it was similar to the Warlocks.

Our aim should be to slay the leader of the devils, most probably Za'gal and this warlock the Crimson Blade.

We should also research the names on the portraits and Conrad should be questioned as the Crimson Blade sent for him a few days ago to meet by the ward

Dominic

[O-louth]

@v-rage
I will take a trip to the libraries, and see what I can find in regards to the names you uncovered.

S. Florent

[O-louth]

@V-Rage

In regards to Conrad, how do you propose we go about it? With the recent strife between you, the Aster and him, I doubt he will come if called upon. Meaning we either try and trap him, in order to question him, or march to Tilverton to get the answers we seek.

S. Florent

[V-Rage]

It should also be noted that Fyevarra asked the celestial how it was captured.

It said cultists knew it would come to repair the crack and were laying in wait and got it when it came to perform its duty.

A few nights ago Conrad sent for this Crimson Blade to meet him at the Winking Moon to train with him and the Crimson Blade sent telling him to go to Goldfeathers Ward.

It is possible that Conrad assisted in the cultists effort to further weaken the ward

Dominic