SE04 : EP35 - The Railroad

The next morning the party gather at the train station. Over a large breakfast spread, the Augur explains there are two types of identification aboard the train. There is the on-board papers, needed to reembark at the various stations along the route. The other is the boarding pass to get on to the train initially... for that he explains will require the use of his tunnel systems.   He wishes them well as they descend into a smooth curving staircase. After minutes of walking they start to hear the echoes of hustle and bustle. They find they have arrived under the lighting rail station. As they wait, a complex song of orders and commands are shouted. Mechanical clicks and the rhythmic thumping of machinery announces the loading and off loading of cargo. Eventually a plate above them opens and they quickly smuggle themselves in to a train car.   They examine the various crates and boxes around them. A rumbles rides down the length of the train, starting from far ahead of them. Then there a low claps of thunder followed by an undercurrent of crackling lighting. An acrid smell of ooze stings through the air. With a lurch the train begins to moves.   The light becomes more brilliant through the door slats as clear the city. Kellasin checks one of the cleing hatches. Not realizing how strong the rushing wind is he opens in away the door catches and rips clean off its hinges and into the air. Now a loud baffling of wind resounds in the already noisy car.   Realizing they need to move, they takes turns exiting through the hatch and climbing on to the next car. Each of them witness some form of strange phenomena as they transition. They find themselves in lower class sleeper car. there are a number of empty beds surrounded by half walls. Three passengers seems to give them little heed. An elderly, tired man. A dwarf thumbs through a novel. A little human girl plays with card. Seeing them as non-threats they leave them be. They discuss their odd visions as they settle in and await the first stop.   Taking watches over the night. On Kellisin's watch he witnesses a wave of darkness ripples pass and the other passengers disappear. In a mild panic he wakes the rest of the party. They try to take stock of the situation. Orwyn checks the next car, finding another cargo cab, and no door expect the ones on the side. "They didn't leave then."   Kellsin uses detects magic and is blinded by the strong magic energy surrounding them in all directions. Following this up he uses a locate spell to confirm the passengers are gone.   They become aware the lighting rail is slowing down. Eventually coming to a stop. Looking out the celling hatch. In the post-dawn light there is a military fortification beyond a small village. There is eerily no sounds, not even birds.   The party disembark. There is no movement, no people, no sign of activity. As @allie, Eñahkais, and Ryder sneak ahead to investigate; the rest of the team looks around the train. There is no one on the train, everyone is gone.   The other sneaks up to facility, there is some signs of activity but no one is here. Signs of footfalls that just stop midstride. As they discuss all this Ryder jokes that maybe he grew wings. Enakais rolls here eyes. At that moment a black feather drops tot eh ground. Looking up raven fly above them. It lands at the top the rampart. Ryder says they see it has something in its talons. And with that sneaks across the yard and up the stairs.   Orwyn sends a magical message to the guard they are supposed to retrieve, Greg. He resounds stating that everyone has disappeared around him is a wave.   As Ryder approaches the raver flies off. it leaves a package. The rouge picks it up. It's a package addressed to them, with a note on it "You can't run forever." It unceremoniously drops the cursed item from their quivering hand. Staring down at as if it had caught fire.   Kellasin gets Enakais's attention a Enkais. The shout below there breath at each other. Once the changeling   Ryder's curiousity slowly overcomes his fear. slowly stooping down he opens the package. In side a small box is two rings. they are of Kizzentak design. They are terrifyingly familiar to Ryder. The party begins moving free around the area, looking over everything. There is a stables with no horses. A training yard, with arrows uncollected from targets. And task all around the building left half done. Then a voice yells from seemingly all directions. "Get on with it!" They gather and try to make sense of things. A single source of clapping starts up. They cannot pinpoint the source as a bold and clear voice begins to talk at them. "Oh this so amusing." They spin on there heels. "Don't worry about Greg i have him. Actually I have them all. Your other Meridians, the guards of this fort, and well everyone. Hahahaha." He goes on to name them all. And level complaints at Orwyn and Daphix for disrupting his "show" on @Xorath. And takes endless amusement in there empty questions and dismisses them off-handedly. Calling himself @TheProducer, he explains that they will be the stars of a new production. There will be trials, quests, horrors, and maybe even death, and that the show has just begun.