Wandering Fortress - Etheryss and the Invitation

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

The Wicked City, Lakath. Of all the places you have travelled, you have rarely found such a strangely pathetic place. It straddles the mouth of a mighty river, and at it's height must have been amongst the largest city's across the planes themselves. The way things stand right now, however, leave you cursing your luck that you ever washed up here in this odd, backwater little plane.

What little remains of the city, so long after the fall of the empire it was attatched to, is picked over by three main factions, like the corpse of some gigantic sea creature washed up on the shore. The Humans who claim the city to be there own squat at the center of the City's ruins, huddling together for protection and the semblance of legitimacy granted by proximity to the Royal Palace, with it's petty and impotent 'King'. To the southwest of this area, there is a shabbily fortified district the size of a decent town, held by a particularly cunning Goblin King. The Humans lack the military presence, even with the many powerful churches present, to tackle the goblin problem.

The two are seperated by a no-mans land, held by the third 'faction'. Unlike the Human area, (Old Lakath) and the chaotic noise and filth of Goblin-Town, no-mans land is quiet and often in suprisingly good repair. This is because it is the immediate neighborhood of the true power-center of Lakath; The Red Queen.

Everyone in Lakath has seen her, at least from a distance. An ancient and powerfull Red Dragon, she is periodically seen either perched atop the grand clock-tower, or glimpsed flying to and from the City.

The portion of the city on the east of the river, however (though claimed by the Red Queen along with the entire rest of the city and all it's inhabitants), has been abandoned altogether. No-one, bar the Dragon herself, goes there.

But no-one has seen Her Majesty in some time, because three weeks ago, the sun simply failed to rise. The Churches of Lakath, (who in truth hold the majority of actual power inside the largely human population of 'Old Lakath') have been officially called upon by the King to solve the problem, in a public proclimation. Those lucky enough to live inside one of the districts held and policed by one of the Churches have seen relatively minor disturbances, due to their large standing militias. In the many regions of Old Lakath that do not fall under their direct sway, there has been considerable upheaval.

There have already been a spate of 'Dissappearances'. Some say the Guards are powerless to stop them, others claim that the 'Longshades' (A branch of the Towns guard known for their long black coats) are as likely as any other group of scoundrels to be taking advantage of the chaos to...settle some scores. Civil unrest is becoming a problem, and so far the Churches aren't even talking to each other.

Word on the street is that they are to call a Council of the Faiths for the first time in seventy years.

With no sun, it has become increasingly difficult to keep a grasp on what is day and what is night, but when you wake the Moon has just risen. Winter is taking hold much quicker, and much harder than usual, the natives claim. Your breath frosts in your cold room, giving credance to that theory.

Seems someone has broken your Window, and let the winter in.

And left a note for you.

In scratchy, almost archaic looking writing, the note appears to be a summons of some kind. It instructs you to make your way to an address in No-Man's Land. It gives no further explanation.

[morgalahan]

Etheryss' mind quickly scanned the possibilities. She knew no one in the gods-forsaken little city, decaying as it was. She had made neither friends nor enemies during her brief stay in Lakath.

She rose from her bed, found something to place over the now-broken window, and dressed, donning her equipment and packing her possessions. She scanned the room one more time, searching for anything left behind, and then left. Going down to the lower floor of the inn, she found the inkeeper, appraised him of the situation, and settled any bills for repairs. Informing him that she would not be returning, she left the building and went outside.

Naturally, it was dark outside. She glanced upwards and saw the faint sliver of the moon, hanging over the city forlornly. Having not much recourse to seek for aid currently, she could see no real alternative to doing as the strange note prescribed. She found a very many things strange about the situation, not least of which the archaic script of the note itself. Either she could investigate this, or ignore it.

She pondered the situation for a time, glancing about her in wariness. The city, while certainly not a safe place to be before, was far more deadly now since the strange darkness decended, throwing any semblance of order into chaos. The street she stood on was mostly empty, with only a figure here and there, walking to, or from the other inns and taverns in the street. She took out the note again, and stared at it for a time, trying to figure out if she had seen such a script before...

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

Roll (using the dice rolling scripts, check Here for instructions) a History check, and any other checks reguarding the sitation that you would like.

(If you aren't sure how it works, try playing in the sandbox area first.)

[morgalahan]

* * * * OOC * * * *

History +17

Could you roll the d20 perhaps? I have no clue how to get that to work.

Rolled 1d20+17 : 15 + 17, total 32

* * * * OOC * * * *

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

The style of writing is indeed familiar, though it takes a moment for you to piece together the clues. It is clearly the style of handwriting that you have noticed that those familiar with the Draconic alphabet tend to exhibit, if they are not as comfortable outside of that language.

There is a certain angularity to it that gives as much away.