Submergences (Lars Bregan, X’ral)

[jemmus]

X'ral considers using his precognition ability. But he decides to save it for situations that offer more peril. He consults is oracle 8 ball for each of the passages, asking the same question: "Is this the best passage for finding Lars? Or what happened to him?" He starts from the center one, then the one to the left, then the one to the right.

[1d8]=4 [1d8]=6 [1d8]=7

[Grognardsw]

Hmm, I don’t recall if I ever specified but it looks like a d20 for the magic 8 ball

[jemmus]

For the center passage, the message is Cannot predict now. For the left, It is decidedly so. For the right, My reply is no. X'ral is glad that the answer is so definite and unambiguous. It is not always that way. He heads down the passage to the left.

[1d20]=14 [1d20]=2 [1d20]=17

[Grognardsw]

Trusting in the shamanistic power of the magic 8-ball, X’ral walked down the left corridor. He journeyed for almost an hour before arriving at a chamber on the right, set 8’ up from the corridor ground. It had faded letters of some Ancient sign on the wall, and nearby a stairwell.

Peering up the stairs with his light X’ral saw it ended 20’ up at a wall that reflected his light. Not a silver surface (a “mirror”’his uncle said once.) Perhaps “glass” but it was covered by something on the other side. X’ral investigated and confirmed it was a pair of glass doors, likely concealed on the other side by thin wood or a material of the Ancients.

X’ral could near noise beyond, like distant people. The door was not locked. He cracked it open an inch to peek beyond and was astounded at what he saw…

Forgive the preemptive peek action, just wanted to move it along.

[jemmus]

X'ral marveled at the ancient tech-- a whole city of it. He was interested in the chamber set above the floor, but he couldn't see a way to reach it. He considered lowering his net weapon, opening the door to the vast room, and just peacefully walking in. He blanked his mind and looked into the future to see the outcome of that action.

Precognition - see 1 minute into the future.

Thanks for moving it forward. X'ral would have opened the door for a peak.

[Grognardsw]

X’ral concentrated and saw in his mind’s eye his future self striding into the subterranean mall. The refined pure-strain humans looked in shock and horror at the large mutant’s mottled skin, mechanical leg and startling dress.

“Mutie!”

“Call the guards!”

“Kill it!”

“Run!”

[jemmus]

X'ral doesn't much like that future outcome. He steps away from the door and looks for a way to access the chamber above the floor.

[Grognardsw]

X’ral glanced up before closing the door and confirmed there was an upper story above him. The mutant shaman was not surprised to see that only pure-strain humans lived in this subterranean kingdom. Their people above ground wore protective suits and helmets. Perhaps they were afraid of radiation, something which the surface natives had adapted to.

X’ral looked in the tunnel chamber for stairs or a trap door up. He saw none and walked further down the tunnel. At 50’ he saw a hatch in the ceiling at the edge of the wall, from which a ladder descended. Writing of the Ancients was on the hatch.

[jemmus]

X'ral climbed the ladder and listened at the hatch. He really didn't know what he hoped to find in this place. Perhaps a sensible human who would give a "mutie" some information about Lars. Or more likely, whom to ask for information about Lars.

[Grognardsw]

The hatch seemed thick. X’ral heard nothing beyond it.

As he strained his ears, X’ral heard something behind him. He turned about looking down the darkened tunnel.

Yes, the sounds of many feet. The bobbing of light rays.

[jemmus]

X'ral sees only two choices: Go through the hatch, or continue down the corrider, hoping not to be seen. He tries to slowly and quietly, if not silently, open the hatch.

A roll, in case you need one: [1d20]=17

[Grognardsw]

Thanks for the roll, as a Str. check was in order for the hatch. In that case, lower was better…

X’ral turned the circular hatch lever and pushed, but it must have been tight with age as it only moved an inch.

The mutant shaman was putting his shoulder into it again when a stream of rag-tag people came into view, crowding the large tunnel and stretching back as far as X’ral could see. They were pure-strain humans, all bearing weapons of various types.

At the front was a man



and woman.




“Who are you? You’re not of Arakar,” said the man.

[jemmus]

X'ral slowly raises his hand in a sign of peace. No, I am not from Arakar, if Arakar is this place. I'm from a village far away, on the ground.
He indicates to above.

He decides to be forthright with them and continue.
Though must surely be wondering why an armed mutant is in their vast city of working ancient tech. I am looking for my brother. I was told he came this way. He's a big man who wears armor and usually carries a sword, an axe, and a bow. If you have seen him, I would be grateful to know.

[Grognardsw]

“I am Markelkt of Tezkar, and we are here to invade Arakar.”

The woman spoke. “You speak of a man I once knew. His name was Lars, and he saved my life on the surface. He joined our cause against the treacherous Arakarians. His scouting enabled us to learn key information that enabled our invasion here. But Lars never came back from his scouting, and we found his body a week later. I am sorry. He was a good and true man.”

“A brother of Lars is a friend to Tezkar,” said Markeklt. “We would show you hospitality if you were in Tezkar, but at the moment we are about to start an invasion. You are welcome to join us to revenge your brother, or depart which we would understand as well.”

[jemmus]

X'ral takes the news quietly. He's saddened to hear confirmation of what he half-suspected. "Well, Lars, you always had a kind and brave soul," he thinks. "When asked to help, you helped." These people must have a good cause, if Lars chose to help them. Or perhaps he had an interest in the woman? But the family has already lost a son and one brother, and the village a spear and a provider of food, aiding this city Tezkar. It wouldn't do for them to lose another.

Well met, Markelt. My name is X'ral. He turns to the woman. Thank you for the information. You must be a good person, if Lars befriended you.

I wish you the best in your war, people of Tezkar. But I'll now return to my village. It needs the help of everyone who can work, hunt, or fight. May I ask where the body is buried, so that I may visit the site? And then, And, if for some reason you have one of Lars' possessions, if I might take it with me?

[Grognardsw]

And so it came to pass that X’ral’s long journey reached its end. The mutant shaman visited his half-brother‘s gravesite, collected his belongings, and returned to his village.

Tezkar was successful in their take-over of Arakar, and the subterranean kingdom achieved a new era of peaceful existence. In the next decade, they established peaceful relations with several surface tribes. With their cooperation, research was done to provide the pure-strain humans with anti-bodies to resist surface radiation. Over the course of the next 50 years, X’ral and his children lived to see human colonies established above-ground.

Thanks for playing! Real life has me cutting back gaming for now, though I’d like to continue with Paladin.

[jemmus]

I guessed that having X'ral head back might be the end of the adventure, but that's what I thought he'd do. It turned to be a good thing, because you needed to wind this one and other ones down. It was a great one, I really enjoyed playing both Lars and X'ral. Thanks much, Grog! Was really fun.