|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 4, 2014 0:06:40 GMT
The Hippodrome itself is a massive arena, regularly plied by chariot fans. Today, it is a mess of chaos as fans flee. Scattered city guards are cut down by Cesare's mercenaries, and a dragon is visible overhead. Julio has set up a tent next to some Orthodox priests, treating wounded civilians and city guards. Erik rallies the party in.
"Psychlis, I want your party to take the dragon down," he says. "The Order's been taken by surprise, so you're the only wizard we've got. I'll get the Emperor to safety. Olaf's organizing that's left of the city guard to hold the line. Julio's got a clinic here. Do this, and I will see you are rewarded well until the end of your days."
He points to two entrances to the Hippodrome. One is controlled by the city guard and Varangians. The other is an easily scalable pile of rubble.
"Our gate is the fastest, but the enemy has been focusing on it. Climbing the rubble may take longer, but they probably won't notice you," Erik says. "Now, may the Valkyries guide you. The Empire needs us, no matter what gods watch over us."
|
|
|
|
Post by henwen88 on Jul 4, 2014 18:50:44 GMT
His heart pounding with a mixture of apprehension and excitement--a dragon! Most legendary of foes!--Leath gives a look to the rest of the party and points toward the pile of rubble with a questioning shrug. His voice seems to have left him.
|
|
|
|
Post by kooshster on Jul 4, 2014 21:13:46 GMT
"We'll need all the surprise we can get it we're going to take down a dragon," Psychlis says, following Leath towards the rubble pile. A chill runs down his spine at the thought that his entire Order had been wiped out like so much chaff, and he forces a deep gulp back down his throat. His adrenaline kicks the sadness for his fallen comrades to the back of his mind while he grapples with anything he can remember about the most effective ways, both magical and martial, to take down dragons.
[knowledge (arcana) check]
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 4, 2014 22:31:52 GMT
[Knowledge (arcana) Roll=15]
Psychlis recalls some of the facts so far. The explosive device was stashed someone in the tunnels, and perhaps could be near the Hippodrome somewhere. If Cesare and the Signed simply wanted to kill the Emperor, they could have easily detonated the device first, perhaps having the dragon strafe any survivors for certainty. One possibility is that Cesare and the dragon are not merely after political power, but something more. The Hippodrome, full of corpses, would be perfect for a number of dark rituals or even summoning a Great Old One.
Psychlis recalls that the simplest way to down a dragon would be to target the wings. That would be doable but difficult, as they'd have to take cover in between the dragon's strafing passes. He also recalled from mentions from earlier about the dragon not originally being a dragon, but rather possessed by Caligula. The aura of transformation magic in the ritual chamber would attest to that fact. He realizes there's a ritual that could counter it, but they'd need to get the dragon close...close enough to breath fire at them.
|
|
|
|
Post by henwen88 on Jul 6, 2014 13:51:35 GMT
Watching the dragon from a concealed position on the pile of rubble, Leath considers his paltry options against the dragon. Try to sling a snowball down its throat? Search for allies? He looks around at his blasted surroundings for anything that may be of help, taking into consideration what murmured lore he remembers from the druids he once knew.
[Knowledge: Nature check]
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 7, 2014 0:38:36 GMT
[Knowledge (nature) roll=15]
Leath recalls that red dragons typically are the greediest and most sadistic of dragonkind, and are resistant to fire weapons and spells. However, if the dragon continues flying, it can only be struck by powerful ranged weapons. Siege weapons, firearms, enchanted bows, and heavy crossbows could do the job, if enough of them hit. To force the creature to the ground would mean that slaying it would be easier. If they want to fight it, they'd need to lure it somewhere close, yet where it could not simply breath fire. The Hippodrome offers many such passageways that would be ideal for such things.
He also recalls hearing about a ritual that could put a mortal mind into a dragon's body. A mind like Caligula's in the body of a red dragon makes it all the more dangerous. Perhaps if they can target the wings, distract it, or make it angry enough, they could bring it to the ground and slay it with the help of the Varangians and city guard. What Cesare is up to, and where his massive bomb went, are also unknown. Perhaps if he could scout the arena, he'd have a wider picture of what was going on.
|
|
|
|
Post by jon on Jul 7, 2014 22:22:24 GMT
Hans looks at the dragon then looks back at the group. They don't look worried. Hans worries about this. Not the fact that there is a dragon, but the fact that this event is no longer that far out of the ordinary.
Hans leans over to Jiao. "We should probably get crafting some weapons if we're going to have enough firepower to take this thing down."
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 8, 2014 1:16:44 GMT
"It would take hours to build really big ones," he recalls. "But remember the fire lances? All we need are some javelins and gunpowder for the rockets to make dozens of them. A volley of those would make our dragon take notice!"
He turns to the nearest Varangians and city guard, and begins explaining his plans to them.
---
Leath spots a carriage approaching the Hippodrome's main entrance, manned by robed figures. The back of the carriage has something massive within it, covered by a large cloth.
|
|
|
|
Post by henwen88 on Jul 8, 2014 2:58:35 GMT
"We have trouble everywhere, it appears," Leath says. "We've seen too many madmen in robes, lately, and I don't like the look of those." He nods in the direction of the carriage heading to the Hippodrome. "We should check them out, and then if we can get in the Hippodrome, we'll be shielded from the dragon for the time being."
|
|
|
|
Post by kooshster on Jul 8, 2014 15:45:26 GMT
"Can we rig some kind of guillotine under one of the hippodrome's archways?" Psychlis asks. "I can make it invisible, we can lure the dragon's head in there, and let it go."
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 8, 2014 23:36:19 GMT
"I'm more concerned with that," Jiao points to the robed men in the carriage.
City guards assemble in front of the archways, trying to stop them, but the vehicle shows no signs of stopping. The horses crash through the makeshift barricade and bring the carriage into the Hippodrome. "Whatever they're up to, it's not good," Jiao loads his shotgun and runs after them. "The dragon can wait, because if that's the Signed, we've got bigger things to worry about."
|
|
|
|
Post by henwen88 on Jul 9, 2014 2:54:14 GMT
"I love the guillotine idea!" Leath shouts back to Psychlis as he runs after Jiao. [OOC: Is the guillotine an anachronism?] "But we may have some human heads to sever first, before we're dealing with even more dire summonings."
Leath pauses a moment, his own words ringing in his ears, and he summons a swift-winged sparrow to scout ahead of him, sending it after the presumed cultists.
[Cast Summon Nature's Ally 1]
|
|
|
|
Post by kooshster on Jul 9, 2014 12:08:21 GMT
"If we can secure the bomb, maybe we can lure the dragon close enough to it to explode it in its face!" Psychlis shouts, catching up with them to get in range of the cultists.
Inwardly, he's already wondering what he could do to lure the dragon. If it's truly possessed by the spirit of Caligula, perhaps knowing Caligula's desires and weaknesses as a human being could be helpful in luring the dragon.
[knowledge (history) check]
|
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 10, 2014 0:55:46 GMT
[History roll: 14]
Psychlis recalls that Caligula had a number of decadent tastes, from other men's wives to worse, but his sister Druscilla was chief among them. Perhaps an illusion based on her, or use of one of Hans' spells could help lure the dragon in...
---
The sparrow flies over the rapidly emptying arena, and sees a few things of note. The robed men remove the cloth in the center of the arena, revealing a massive device matching the dimensions they had read previously. There are two cylinders with a metal cage around it, likely intended to become shrapnel. In one cylinder is some kind of green alchemical substance. The other has wires connecting it to a small device in the center, perhaps the controls. The men begin to fire indiscriminately with light crossbows into the crowd. The sparrow also sees Erik escorting a man in ornate robes away, presumably the Emperor, as some of the cultists begin to pursue him.
|
|
|
|
Post by henwen88 on Jul 10, 2014 2:23:42 GMT
"Great Mother," says Leath. Running at full speed towards Hippodrome, he shouts to the party. "They've already started killing civilians, and there is indeed an explosive. The dragon has to wait!"
|
|
