Post by Andy D on Oct 26, 2024 21:09:27 GMT
Returning to Gadenthor to Discover How Zeron is Losing Full Control of the City
Although the Githyanki were responsible for Gadenthor taking flight again as a floating city, they are not responsible for the increasing loss of control of the city’s interconnected, sentiently controlled security and operational systems.
Zeron, is a sentient machine invented by the advanced Netherese wizards a thousand years ago. Sentient machines like Zeron helped maintain the magical security and continued operations of the Netherese’s floating enclaves, such as Gadenthor. This was all before Karsus’s Folly, which led to magic vanishing from the world for a while, which also led to the floating enclaves and Netherese ruin. For whatever reason, Gadenthor appears to be the only surviving enclave from the advanced past.
There is much to learn from the city of Gadenthor and its advanced city of wizards. I myself am fascinated to know if the wizards of the advanced age achieved advancements in the understanding of shorter life-span hunmanoids longevity. However, of foremost importance is reestablishing Zeron’s full control of the city.
During several expeditions with the archeologist Delphium Ironfist, we have learned about the Lords of the Edge, a criminal network under the control of five Lords (Jericho the Joy Magician, Sasserlin, Pae, Three Fist Shar, and Nicholas). We have also discovered that one of the many individuals that make up Zeron, Ten Step Teglin, is not fully in sync with the collective, and had seemingly intentionally put himself in a position to merge with Zeron in order to gain full control of the city at a later date. The cessation of magic a thousand years ago appears to have been the only thing that halted Teglin’s progress, but now that the city is up (literally up) and running again, Teglin’s machinations are back on track. There is a link between Teglin and the Edge Lord Pae that needs to be investigated.
During our four day expedition in Gadenthor we were able to work with the various organisations who are also doing the same work as Delphium, such as the Exterminatus group - soldiers of Harnash. With their help, we gained access to a tower that was the operational hub for the Institute of Extreme Transmutation - a fascinating group of wizards exploring the idea of transmuting a new material, one that combined the best features of others, for example, the rigidity and resistance of steel paired with the flexibility and comfort of a cotton-weave. The potential for a light, and form fitting armour there is immense.
We also explored a building overflowing with flora that belonged to an individual known as The Urban Wizard. It is said that talking to plants encourages their growth. The Urban Wizard, having read a journal we found, wanted to test whether plant growth was equally encouraged by insults and shouting. Well, it appears to be the case that both ways do encourage growth. One must conclude though that since both methods are on opposite ends of a scale - one nice, the other mean - it must be that there is something both talking and insulting/shouting have in common that is encouraging plant growth that we aren’t observing correctly. I don’t want to be too disparaging about another wizard’s research, but the discovery between insults and plants resulting in plant growth was not the most salient thing we discovered in The Urban Wizard’s building. The honour of most remarkable discovery went to the door with the five-point symbol of the Lords of the Edge.
Calla was able to bypass the door’s abjuration protection and make it function for us. We were able to use the door to teleport to another part of the city.
The Floating City Security-Cracking Expedition Team
Dr. Archie Haltuhr (myself) - I employed Rary’s Telepathic Bond to allow safe and secret communication amongst the team and Delphium. I must do better at casting this spell as soon as the adventuring day begins. Like Mage Armour, it is a spell for which its absence will be felt.
My arcane knowledge and detective skills came in very handy during the mission, and it is always a delight to be joined by fellow wizards (Calla and Mittens) to bounce ideas off of, and work together.
I do hope one day, Delphium will reach out with a lead that takes us to a necromancy magic specialist that was studying humanoid longevity - it could shortcut my research immensely, and if ever there was a place to find previous research on the matter, surely it would be Gadenthor.
Calla Prim - My abjuration specialist friend appears to have a fondness for testing the limits of others’ abjuration spells and was key to discovering Tegrin’s out of place nature within the collective of Zeron. I have also learned from Calla that casting the spell Anti Magic Field can restart magical effects.
Itzal Xolani - My good friend Kavel is very familiar with Itzal’s deft combat movement and strikes, as an ally of Itzal in previous adventures. I was pleased to see Itzal’s proficiency with healing magic, as Itzal happens to be not just a martial warrior but a cleric, too. I do worry a little that Itzal’s bedside manner, as witnessed with the Harnash soldiers, is worse than even Mendal’s. But, most importantly, Itzal’s healing magic gets the job done.
Keros - We all speak highly of Keros in the Kavel house. Keros presents the reliability of a strong shield that one expects and appreciates from a frontline martial ally - especially if you are yourself a rearguard, projectile caster.
However, there was an occasion during the Gadenthor expedition where we had to question whether Keros was providing us frontline support, or blundering into harm's way. I have seen him make better strategic decisions.
Mittens McKittens - Once again I can mark Mittens down as having shown impressive progress in spell mastery. I am very pleased to see him cast his own version of Bigby’s Hand, and I’m even more delighted by his proficiency with the spell Dispel Magic. I was worried the young man would shun the useful, but less showy spells in favour of the spectacular, like Fireball.
If I am to ever meet Ms. Kenari, I will have many positive things to say to her about Mittens.