City of Stone, Nibenay

[DM Bob]

You had to fly a bit outside of the city to find a suitable rocky outcropping, to the east & north. If you were on foot, this wouldn't be a short trip... but it's only 15 minutes or so by flight. To the NE of the city, miles of badlands are found. The spot you've found still keeps the tree line in sight. The faint sound of crodlu or some similar beast is heard from where you rest. For three hours in fact, as the stars replace the day. A bright, steaking light is seen from the SE sky, heading roughly NW almost directly above you. It grows larger and eventually vanishes... perhaps falling somewhere to the distant north beyond the haunted Windbreak Mountains. It's a dry, cold night.

Any more preparation before leaving for the city proper?

As far as urban survival? Well, you're currently outside of the city. You *think* you know a place that should be open barring any changes to the city since you've been gone... but it isn't an inn. In the area nearby the Hill, many abandoned buildings are found, mainly from nobles that fell into Nibenay's disfavor. There is a place you are pretty sure is avoided by the general riff-raff. The neighborhood that the Hill is located in is rather dangerous to the unwary. If you wanted a proper inn, you'd need to walk closer the gates, as the locals don't usually board temporarily - they are solely for visitors and located away from the Markets. You know of one of those too, simply emblazoned (at least as far as you remember) with a blue inix.

[AthasianLaborer]

Oct 7, 2020 2:35:20 GMT -12 DM Bob said:

You had to fly a bit outside of the city to find a suitable rocky outcropping, to the east & north. If you were on foot, this wouldn't be a short trip... but it's only 15 minutes or so by flight. To the NE of the city, miles of badlands are found. The spot you've found still keeps the tree line in sight. The faint sound of crodlu or some similar beast is heard from where you rest. For three hours in fact, as the stars replace the day. A bright, steaking light is seen from the SE sky, heading roughly NW almost directly above you. It grows larger and eventually vanishes... perhaps falling somewhere to the distant north beyond the haunted Windbreak Mountains. It's a dry, cold night.

Any more preparation before leaving for the city proper? 

As far as urban survival? Well, you're currently outside of the city. You *think* you know a place that should be open barring any changes to the city since you've been gone... but it isn't an inn. In the area nearby the Hill, many abandoned buildings are found, mainly from nobles that fell into Nibenay's disfavor. There is a place you are pretty sure is avoided by the general riff-raff. The neighborhood that the Hill is located in is rather dangerous to the unwary. If you wanted a proper inn, you'd need to walk closer the gates, as the locals don't usually board temporarily - they are solely for visitors and located away from the Markets. You know of one of those too, simply emblazoned (at least as far as you remember) with a blue inix.

(Something I had wanted to ask but forgot to before leaving the Gambit, do we know what poisons we have jarred on board?

Would they be suitable for applying to boltheads? or skewer short swords?  If so, could Haadan have thought to bring that jar?)

"So, how do I look?" Haadan says just after Laakh puts the finishing touches on his disguise...

[Attilius]

When the team is ready at 2am, HurK stands and changes form for them to board...

Metamorphosis 16, rolled 14, success
Power manipulation 17, rolled 2, success

HurK turns into a large great horned owl (36’ tall and 3,600 lbs)
-26 PsP’s; -1/turn

[Bob please roll a D3 for me]

[DM Bob]

You can have anything you wanted to bring. You never identified the poisons or verified their current potency. You can dip a weapon in and throw a hail Sadira if you wish.

[DM Bob]

Hurk - 3

Simple map of the City.

darksunsouthtablelands.obsidianportal.com/maps/123575

Scales in the surrounding environ are slightly different in my game.

darksunsouthtablelands.obsidianportal.com/maps/123576

[Attilius]

HurK begins flying, when getting within a few miles of the city he will fly even higher (1000') while listening to Yiska's directions for which building is hers. He will then glide slowly in a large counter clockwise circle for Bankhuv to memorize the area below.

[DM Bob]

"Closer. You don't want me to accidentally warp into a wall, right? It's dark you know." States the halfling.

[Attilius]

He'll glide to 750' altitude, then 500' if requested...

[DM Bob]

After 500': "Still too high, boss. Just get close for Kalak's sake... I'm also here grabbing your back feathers, I can't see inix shit from here. It's not like anyone has fired on us yet either."

Yiska leans over the side and adds. "Set down on that large stone roof over there." She gestures at the building on my map that the "the Hill District" directly points to. "That's where my tribe's market was held. Most locals stay away from there."

[Attilius]

Oct 7, 2020 5:35:13 GMT -12 DM Bob said:

Yiska leans over the side and adds. "Set down on that large stone roof over there." She gestures at the building on my map that the "the Hill District" directly points to. "That's where my tribe's market was held. Most locals stay away from there."

HurK scans the area where she points for any moving (bipedal or otherwise) entities. Once he's certain it's deserted, he'll glide in and land silently between the round and smaller rectangle buildings for visual cover...

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- "What can you tell us about the local templarate? And about other landmarks?" - Etzli tells Yiska in lower voice - "And the local goods?" - In an interested tone as she speaks about her tribe, posted in the marketplace

[DM Bob]

Before you left the brief camp, Etzli asked a bit about Nibenay. "The templars are all women, more united than most other cities. They function almost as one tribe. Hard to bribe. Concerning the city itself? Wealthy beyond belief, but the rich are losing hold over their wealth, the well-spring of their original fortunes drying like a desert spring in high heat. The goods? Mostly in the hands of House Shom. I do not know who, if anyone is running the elven marketplace we once ran."

***

Hurk lands on the stone roof. The building has evidence of having survived a fire or attack of some sort in the past, as the right-hand side is dark and sooty. Khuv looks about the edge, taking in the details. Yiska states, "If we simply drop to the ground, this is the very building we need to enter to find our stash... there's an entrance on the north side below."

You have a decent look over the city. A large central palace has light here and there. Shadows haunt walls that separate various, differently shaped districts. Music is still heard, torchlight seen as well, much more than most city states. This area is elevated and older. How old? Hard to tell, but the carvings about the stone are weathered and worn. The larger walls are manned, but perhaps not as much as you'd expect - perhaps because this side does not face the forest or their ancient enemy, Gulg.

[AthasianLaborer]

Oct 7, 2020 7:07:33 GMT -12 DM Bob said:

Before you left the brief camp, Etzli asked a bit about Nibenay. "The templars are all women, more united than most other cities. They function almost as one tribe. Hard to bribe. Concerning the city itself? Wealthy beyond belief, but the rich are losing hold over their wealth, the well-spring of their original fortunes drying like a desert spring in high heat. The goods? Mostly in the hands of House Shom. I do not know who, if anyone is running the elven marketplace we once ran."

***

Hurk lands on the stone roof. The building has evidence of having survived a fire or attack of some sort in the past, as the right-hand side is dark and sooty. Khuv looks about the edge, taking in the details. Yiska states, "If we simply drop to the ground, this is the very building we need to enter to find our stash... there's an entrance on the north side below."

You have a decent look over the city. A large central palace has light here and there. Shadows haunt walls that separate various, differently shaped districts. Music is still heard, torchlight seen as well, much more than most city states. This area is elevated and older. How old? Hard to tell, but the carvings about the stone are weathered and worn. The larger walls are manned, but perhaps not as much as you'd expect - perhaps because this side does not face the forest or their ancient enemy, Gulg.

Haadan breathes deeply of the Nibenese air.  "So, shall we we go see your friend Laahk?  Unless we want to combine our teams and do the tasks consecutively rather than concurrently?"

[Attilius]

Hurk morphs into his female half giant form then throws on her pack.

Oct 7, 2020 7:26:17 GMT -12 AthasianLaborer said:

Haadan breathes deeply of the Nibenese air "So, shall we we go see your friend Laahk? Unless we want to combine our teams and do the tasks consecutively rather than concurrently?"

"Let's stick together for now. Safety in numbers..." she whispers

She carefully and quietly looks over the roof edge for any movement or sounds. Once satisfied they're alone she starts to help her team down the side of the building. After she climbs down she'll move into the shadows of the buildings, unsheathe her blade and whisper to Yiska "lead the way..."

[DM Bob]

Strangely enough, easily said and done. The music & singing is actually softer at this level. A pair of dark hooded, face covered, portly, "men" for the lack of a better word, stumble by. They reek of incense and dried tobac. Smoke rings trail behind them. You hear a snippet of conversation between the two. "Do you think that sky-rock portends any new future?" The other responds in an odd voice that waxes between masculine and feminine. "Well, the life-changers haven't lit the beacon yet, so unless it's a celestial tease?" They both laugh as they stroll off into the dark. "Celestial tease... that's a good one..."

You stand before the large building - there are two "entrances", one larger, open entrance that may have held a large emporium at one point and another that seems to go into the very hill itself, agafari double doors that remind you of a gigantic stone cellar. Of course, she points at that one.

"We go down. It opens into a larger room... We think it had more than one use through the years. Silo, clandestine meeting ground, storage, possibly armory... the rear and right are covered in fallen rock, we think there used to be stairs. Haske liked to hide things in the rubble. Look for a rock with three scratches on it. There should be a niche below it."