Subcity

Hook:

A sinkhole appeared in the Dwarven quarter of the city...

069 - 260310 - City Recon - Subcity I

Date:

446 PC, Ashfall 10

Players:

  • Ragnum

  • Draylor

  • Sir Herald

  • Kelena

Loot:

  • none

After Actions:

Ragnum, report to Steve

Steve, as you asked, I went with Draylore, Kelena, that new kid from the combat division, Sir Herald, to check out that sinkhole that had formed in the city's dwarven district. It appears to have revealed access to a stone ramp that descends into some city infrastructure. Perhaps a magical power distribution system. We were initially blocked by a heavy stone and iron door, but Sir Herald was fortunately able to open it—I can see why he got assigned to the combat division.

Once we were through the door, we started moving down a hallway lined with glowing lights and stone-shaped pipes, and were immediately attacked. You should let others know that if they find themselves in the service tunnels under the city to be wary of statues, as we were attacked by two iron and stone golems that appeared to be some sort of security measures. They were difficult to damage, but with the aid of the silent keeper, we were able to grind them back to stone and ore. The final blow to one of them was made by Kelena—I’ve never seen anything like this before, but she shot an arrow perfectly into a crack we had made in one of the guardians and split the hole thing in twain.

We eventually reached a point where the long hallway ended in a T-intersection, marked by an enruned triangle that pulsed with energy.  I was examining it when Herald shot an arrow at it, causing it to discharge and harming me. Combat division has never met a problem that don’t try to solve with blade and bow. The energy appeared to be necrotic in nature which raising the question of what is producing it. One thing I noticed examining the machinery—if you could call it that—it appeared to have undergone reconfiguration at some point that was sloppier than that original construction.  We know that the city experienced energy fluctuations after the Tharnic collapse; perhaps these modifications were done to stabilize the flow of magical power in the city. Another oddity, is that the system seemed to be channeling necrotic energy and it doesn’t appear to be its original design.

We took a moment to rest, and I conducted a divination to determine the outcome of destroying the odd triangular object, and I received a mixed answer (both good and bad things would occur). We decided to leave the object for now, and thought we might try tracing the direction the majority of the pipes were moving in to their source. It led us to a circular room with 4 pedestals, each labeled with the dwarven runes for Legacy, Craft, Resilience, and Loyalty. When we activated the runes in this order, an oculus door opened, revealing a plinth similar to those we have seen in the tower.  

This plinth appeared to be in better working condition than the others we have found but it was not been connected to the rest of the system since E7-17-28 (or 1765 ECC). We made several inquiries about what had caused this plinth to be disconnected and its original and current function, and found out the following:

The disconnect occurred at sub-sation number XXXXXXX [TBD by Keirsten ]. I will take some research to figure out where in the tunnels this is, but I believe I can figure it out.

Other than a recent error (likely the aforementioned arrow), the last error the plinth recognized was about 115 years ago.

A Dwarven woman associated with the druids that were associated with the amphitheater southeast of Sifren, was the last person to interact with the plinth (Draylor recognized a symbol on an illusion of her the plinth showed us). While she was trying to readjust the plinth her heard or saw something that caused her to run.

The main power generation for this system is in the base level under the tower.  

These are all things that should be followed up on, in the near future. Oh, what were you doing with yellow paint earlier today? You left tracks all over the entrance to the tunnels.

Unresolved Threads:

  • What is there necrotic energy running through the city?

  • Can we repair the break between this plinth and the tower?

  • How is the basement of the tower generating energy?