Session Thirty-Five Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)

Session 35, March 10 2021

Introduction

We continue at 4:10AM on the 23rd of Tenrilden with the party having encountered Jax, former arch-mage, in front of the broken doors of the Silver Throne embassy in Malgrim. Inexplicably, the dwarven technology beyond the threshold appears to be functioning normally ...

There is a flash that Kauri notices. We wonder about the effect this place has on DVLs and Kauri finds that Tik Tok is gone. Lungmold's ring, that Velkin is currently wearing speaks to Velkin warning to leave as this place is a "prison". A singularity/gravity well. Tik Tok was not good enough at hiding, like the ring. It won't give its name. It is most likely a DVL in hiding, or some powerful entity that needs to hide.

Rallion uses the platinum biconvex key and the door mechanism goes from red to green. Beyond is a room with a Berserker Dwarven Automaton and 4 arrow slits with a locked door on the opposite side. There is a message that we must leave and the Berserker looks poised to attack. Kauri's silver circlet does not control the construct. Jax is seen putting on a Platinum control circlet, but it too has no effect.

We close the door and think about how to proceed.

After much deliberation on whether to fight or try something else, Velkin suggests using Borthan's tea that allows Astral Travel. Both Rallion and Kauri drink the tea and learn the secrets of this place. We find the Ambassador's office and the desk with controls and options for Security, Files, and Comms. We also find 5 electrical orb automatons, 2 smaller ape automatons, 2 spider automatons, and a round roaming automaton, and a gas trap above the room with the Beserker. Also 6 stun sticks.

Under the ambassador's office is an enormous generator that is powering this place.

Lungmold tries to shadow step through Rallion's view of the chest after trying regular shadow stepping to figure it out and gets lost.

Rallion and Kauri return to their bodies and vomit.

Rallion shares his plan to shadowstep past the Beserker and step across the conference room and into the office of the ambassador and disable the security.

On the way, Rallion sees Lungmold in the shadow realm and rescues him.

The files option on the desk indicates all the files are wiped. The Comms option has 34 messages that repeat each of the past 34 days, which is prior to our going to the orbiting station.

All the messages say:

From: ST Em. Bunker;

To: Malgrim Ambassador; Subject: Assistance Required; Message: If any ambassadorial staff remain in Malgrim, please acknowledge this message. Necropolis systems compromised and Lords require assistance immediately.

Rallion and Lungmold search for a way to open the door to the chest with the desired information.

The book Principles of DVL Manipulation did not open anything.

We had to take the book On Dragons off the shelf of the ambassador's office to open that door.

We left the book On the Fall of The Empire on the shelf figuring it would release the lightning orbs.

Meanwhile the party prepares to come and Brendil suggest Jax stay put and Jax reveals that he now has control of the Beserker as it taps Brendil on the shoulder.

Velkin talks with Jax and comes to an accommodation.

Jax goes with the party and meets Rallion and Lungmold in the ambassador's office.

The party comes to agreement to work with Jax, Jax claims this place, and we will share information with each other.

We take down the book about the Fall of the Empire and the lightning orbs come out and Jax takes control of them.

Jax had long ago studied blood magic, but didn't get far with it as he never expected to use it.

He says he has no like or dislike for the Silverthrone, but his research suggests that they are liches.

The other places he was planning to explore, he suggested we do so. Such as Old Greybeard has a temple (we know about that but didn't let on.). Jager the gnome illusionist's tower, he was rumored to have a lot of books. Xen Khel is another place he would look.

Brendil and others pick up the 6 stun sticks, each with batteries with 3 charges.

Brendil makes a deal with Jax to identify his mace using blood magic.

We all agree to rest so that Velkin has a better chance to open the chest with the desired information so the information and Velkin aren't blown up.