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(2143) Zane: if nothing else, Daelan now knows
that he can be beat - that might calm him down a little. Then again - probably
not, but I can dream can't I?
(2157) DM: The two horses galloped and skidded
in the increasing mire, headed as quickly as possible in any direction away.
Unseasonable heat, now broken by squawling rain, winnowed down the formerly
lush landscape until it became starkly passable. This far south, wilting trees
horribly yellowed spoke of the drought so recently past. The two horses labored
in breathing through the cutting wet, prancing over rolling hills and across
newly revived streams. Recently solid footing had become treacherous.
Bedevir kept a close eye on their path in addition to his ward. Egraine never
proved her mettle as an athlete and frequently made spectacular falls from the
back of her horse. The last such ride, she managed to spill herself before a
fist of hungry trollocs at full sprint. Not the most auspicious fumble for an
Aes Sedai to make. She spent the first hours of this flight trying to properly
lodge her skinny feet in the stirrups and she bounced around so violently that
she would probably be limping for days. Bedevir had already caught her twice
before she bucked free of the saddle when Darkmane leaped across the currents
on a swelling river. Bedevir could sense her mortal fear and confusion wrapped
up in a ball in the back of his head. He drew the horses back to a walk twice
for as long as he thought prudent, resting them before continuing on, hoping
beyond hope that his Aes Sedai would calm herself back to full lucidity. The
drumming rain prevented clear conversation and he doubted Egraine could manage
it even if she heard him. Of all the Aes Sedai he had met and served in his
considerable career, none had needed warding as much as this tiny woman.
The girl they saved from the rabble of soldiers and strange channeling women
clung white knuckled to his saddle in a muddy lump. She had not spoken a word
but for when they first started out, and only then to ask, “Is that an Aes
Sedai?”
Bedevir flicked the reins and heeled Farstrider, then answered, “She wears the
ring, yes.”
She made no further comment, though Bedevir sometimes thought she might be
crying. It was difficult to tell under the deluge of rain.
The blond woman in the blue dress with the silver collar around her neck made
even less of herself than the girl with Bedevir on Farstrider. She lay across
Darkmane's saddle ahead of Egraine like a sack of flour, not stirring in the
slightest. While they rode, he brought Farstrider close beside Darkmane to
check, thinking she might be dead, but found her pinched blue eyes open and
blinking. He wondered what could possibly have happened to sap her will for
struggle. He wished he knew what she said when she fell. After seeing the women
in gray, he had his suspicions about the leash, though he could not be certain.
So many questions to ask in so little time.
He did not like it at all; the fewer conflicts in which Bedevir ended up
embroiled, the better for everyone involved. Romanda Sedai had made his duty
perfectly clear. One day, they would need to return to the White Tower,
to be sure. If only that choice were his to make and not Egraine’s. They two
would continue along her meandering path until that sometime day finally came.
As long as he could protect her, he would be there for her.
With the torrential downpour, at least he did not have to worry overly much
about leaving tracks. Runnels of water up and down slopes deepened to gulleys
in the face of the worsening flood. The horses labored across fresh swales,
leaving behind no signs that might telegraph a heading. Bedevir wondered if the
creator were not drowning the world in effort to start anew.
When darkness finally began to fall, Bedevir found a shallow recess in the lee
of a hill that looked relatively dry and drew rein. He dared not risk Egraine
crashing through a thick branch in the dark, or some other painful mistake he
knew she might commit. In his experience, a warders
greatest enemy was benign carelessness.
He helped the girl to the ground, then began to set up
a camp. Soon, he had Egraine settled by a small fire and set about hobbling the
horses. The woman in blue lay in a fetal position in the deepest part of the
hollow, shivering. The young girl helped him bring saddle bags off the horses,
her eyes still downcast. He staked up a large skin from the side of the hill to
give them added shelter -a small comfort in the monumental rain. For a time, he
considered asking Egraine to set wards or weave a cloak of light, then thought
better of it.
Egraine caught him as he dropped down to sit by the fire. Her dark brown eyes
could not quite meet his, though her beautiful lips worked as if she wanted to
ask a question. She drew his color shifting cloak aside and pressed her palm
into a gap in his tunic. He tensed his thick jaw, but counted the wound
nothing; he had seen worse getting her through in the War of the Aire. Her
touch met fresh blood. No surprise that she had noticed.
”It is not logical...” she muttered, “not logical.” Her quaking fingers probed
the wound and she tilted her head to the side and blinked.
Bedevir gasped aloud when an ice cold shock flooded through him, reaching from
the balls of his feet in a swelling to the top of his head. “The wound is
not...” he breathed out as she released him. He swore to himself not to regret
the hunger he knew would come later, “Thank you.”
She vaguely nodded, drawing back in shivers, never once looking him directly in
the eye. Her head turned side to side in a darting motion and her lips moved
momentarily, though no words came out. She drew her legs in until she sat with
her chin resting on her knees. He sensed her fear ease somewhat, though her
tongue might remain planted yet for hours.
He patted her on the shoulder and cringed when she twitched, “Please get some
sleep, and try not to think about what happened. We will get through this.”
Egraine stared into the fire without moving.
The muddy girl crouched across from Bedevir, watching the Aes Sedai holding her
knees to her chin.
”She has the ageless face,” the girl exclaimed softly, “but she does not look
like any Aes Sedai I have ever seen.”
Bedevir grunted a short laugh. “Forgive me, but I do not have the pleasure of
your acquaintance.”
”Alicia,” the girl supplied. Her bright green eyes were still red from tears,
but she spoke solidly. The strength in her appeared plainly on her face, even
covered as it was in mud.
”Bedevir,” the Warder responded. “She is Egraine Sedai. You will have to
forgive me, Alicia, I am afraid we have little in the way of comfort to offer
you.”
”More than usual,” the girl shrugged. She looked as if she were used to the
hollow boniness of an empty stomach.
”Well and good,” he nodded, adjusting his bracers.
“Now, will you please tell me what my lady and I have stumbled into.”
Alicia divided a long gaze between Bedevir and Egraine, hesitant on moving her
attention from the Aes Sedai. “You do not know of the Ath'corynn?”
”Should we?” Tavis looked at her sideways. “Egraine Sedai and I don’t often
visit towns or villages or larger cities. Any news we receive at all is
generally sorely out of date.”
”That woman!” Alicia suddenly snapped, thrusting a mud encrusted finger at the blond woman with
the collar. “Bloody Ath'corya sul’dam!”
Egraine jumped at Alicia’s outburst and squeezed her eyes closed.
”Oh ho,” the Warder nodded to himself, wondering if bringing this...
Ath'corya... along had been such a good idea. He had been hoping for
information rather than further complications. Once you landed in a fire, there
generally was no way out but through. He immediately decided that Alicia lacked
compatibility with their other guest.
”Took my sister away, stupid daughter of a goat!” the dirty young girl shouted
shrilly, tears streaming from her bright green eyes and over the smudges on her
cheeks. She sprang fiercely to her feet and kicked the prone woman in the side
as hard as she possibly could. With a grunt, the Ath'corynn woman doubled
herself more completely into a ball. Her back began to shiver. Alicia already
wound up for a second kick before Bedevir sprang over the fire and lifted her
away from the woman with his thick arms. “Lemme go! She deserves it!” Alicia
immediately began to struggle against him.
”Please, hold on,” the warder begged the girl, “I brought her here because I
thought she might need help.”
The muddy girl continued to struggle against him by flailing into his shins
with her heels. “In the middle of a fight where you killed like five of her
friends, you thought she needed help!”
”Something very strange happened when I locked that collar around her throat,”
Bedevir explained calmly. “When I picked her up, she would have bit me and
kicked me like a feral animal. But, then I locked the collar onto her and I
felt her fighting spirit flee. I’ve never felt anyone fall into despair so
quickly. That thing is some form of ter’angreal,
I would wager, and I have a duty to make certain it finds its way to
responsible hands at the White
Tower. At the very least,
I have to find out what this woman said as I dropped her.”
Egraine watched them in bewilderment. Bedevir felt something from her not
unlike a dawning revelation, as if she verged on becoming inspired. She stared
unblinking at the blond woman, stared at the length of delicately worked silver
attached to the collar on the woman’s neck.
Alicia finally relaxed enough for Bedevir to let her feet back to the ground.
“She would put that collar on your Aes Sedai’s neck without a second thought.
She deserves to be staked out in the rain.”
”This woman is a soldier,” Bedevir said. “I know soldiers when I see them. You
have to forgive soldiers for following orders. No one deserves to be staked
anywhere over fighting for what they believe in. Will you give me your oath
that you will not strike out at her again?”
”She bloody well deserves it,” the girl insisted.
”I will not release you until you give me an oath.”
Alicia humphed in annoyance, “I swear on the Light not to kill her now.”
”Not hurt,” Bedevir prompted.
”And I also swear not to hurt her,” the girl droned, “happy now?”
Bedevir carefully let her go, “I hold you to your word. If you break it, I will
not hesitate to stake you out in the rain.”
The girl glowered at him, but nodded. She wrapped her arms around herself and
started to sit, glaring emerald daggers at the back of the woman lying nearby.
For the first time, Bedevir really looked at her. Her patchy clothes hung
loosely over too skinny limbs; whether she wore the remains of breeches or a
dress, he could not tell. Her hair straggled to the lower part of her back in a
haystack thatch whose color defied guessing. The grime did not disguise the
scars lining her arms and legs. When he watched her running from the soldiers
before, he never thought her feet might be bare. She shivered and glowered at
him again.
Tavis took off his color shifting cloak, then
carefully draped it over her shoulders.
”Wait,” she protested, green eyes wide.
He shook his head. “No, you need it more than I. We have no other clothes to
give you.”
Egraine had sat forward on her knees by the fire, hands to the ground. Between
her fingers, she held a piece of wood which she used to scratch peculiar
symbols into the mushy earth. Every so often, a trail of water would leak down
the hill and streamed over her efforts, but she kept on without noticing. She
might fill the entire hollow with those scrawlings before she exhausted herself
to the point of asleep.
Tavis chuckled. At least her fear had abated enough to permit her return to her
single-minded pursuit. He opened a saddle bag and found a packet of dried beef
left over from their village stop. He forced a piece into Egraine’s free hand,
which went without a look into her mouth. He put another piece into the
insensate fingers of the woman with the collar. Finally, he passed the remains
to Alicia, “Here, a little bit left.”
The girl accepted uncertainly. “What will you eat?”
”Nothing it seems,” Bedevir sighed, seating himself, “rabbit tomorrow,
perhaps.”
Alicia stared across the fire at Bedevir. The warder grinned slightly and
gestured her to eat. She took small bites, her eyes straying every so often to
the working Aes Sedai. Egraine veritably flew through her ministrations, wood
rasping across earth. Bedevir felt from her a growing excitement.
”Tell me about these Ath'corynn,” Bedevir asked, sparing a glance for Egraine’s
deft hands soaring over the ground. “About that collar.”
”Sul’dam use
it to control damane,” Alicia glared
at the ground. “It is called an a’dam.”
”The women in gray are damane?” he
asked.
Alicia nodded carefully, “Ath'corynn make slaves of every woman they find who
can channel. Put the a’dam on them
and treat them like animals. Bloody sul’dam make women into weapons. Every woman they find who
is able.”
”Erroneous,” Egraine interjected abruptly, not glancing up from her scribing.
It could be difficult sometimes to know what she responded to, but she
continued in her stilted monotone. “I can feel it in her. This woman here can
supply semiphase delay while pseudo-linked. It made an asymmetry when I saw
channeling from... from... from the damane.”
Alicia glanced at Bedevir, “Pseudo-linked?”
Bedevir faced Egraine. “I’m afraid that made little sense, Aes Sedai. Could you
please explain more carefully?”
With a stray finger, still absorbed in her scribbles, Egraine absently touched
the silver leash and the bracelet end of the a’dam. “Metal here contains a
weave. It is a link, but it is not -a maybe link, a pseudo-link. It has the
same dynamical symmetric properties as sisters joining weaves to channel in a
circle, but is forcibly directional. Each sister in the circle reinforces
phases to increase channeling intensity in non-linear fashion. A link cannot
form unless all participants form a sa’idar
phase space. A pseudo-link cannot form unless both participants form phase
space. It is here...” she pointed to a particular string of symbols before her,
as if anyone would understand what she referred to.
”What is she saying?” Alicia demanded. “That made no better sense.”
The warder slowly nodded, understanding what his Aes Sedai had said. It
occurred to him that he had spent too many years looking over her shoulder.
“She means that both sul’dam and damane must be able to channel to make
this ter’angreal work.”
Alicia stared at him incredulously. “That cannot be. Sul’dam are treated like queens, damane like pets. They turned Turuq Dar
upside down and put the collar on every woman they could find who can channel.
Just snapped it on and dragged them away.” Her eyes defocused as her voice
broke.
Bedevir looked consideringly at the sul’dam
lying in the back of the hollow, brushing his chin with the tips of his
fingers. “And they were trying to collar you.”
The mud ensconced girl gave a faint shrug. “I am useless. I cannot do
anything.”
”Three women channeling,” Bedevir muttered to himself. Egraine had lapsed back
into the silence of her work and did not appear ready to offer any further
pearls of wisdom. “One wild. Alicia, did these
Ath'corynn put their a’dam on your
sister?”
Green eyes flashed wide at him, then looked sharply away. “Yes,” she wrapped
herself closely in the color shifting cloak and lay with her back to the fire.
Her stifled sobbing begged no further discourse.
* * *
They are no longer moving ahead, the sul’dam
bowed with the news. “Probably bedded for the night."
Talanthara’s burnished hazel eyes narrowed, “Are you sure this is the truth?
You were lied to before.”
”Absolutely, commander,” Eashin adjusted the a’dam locked to her wrist. She leaned over to pet the damane who lay on the ground at her
feet. “I would stake my honor on it now.”
”How far?” the black-haired Ath'corynn battle commander
demanded.
”Maybe as far as ten leagues,” Eashin shrugged, “it is not easy to be
specific.”
”If we struggle through this watershod mess all night, they will be ready to
leave with the morning sun before we can reach them,” Talanthara turned away
grumbling. “If only we had Vaush or Iradas. Can we call support from the Crowns
of Blood?”
A warrior standing nearby bowed and slurred, “Unlikely
commander. Through this pea-soup? We have no
word if they are even flying.”
”Very well,” Talanthara spat in anger. The day just kept getting worse. “We
march through the night.”
”As you wish,” her petty officer darted off to his men with a quick salute. She
could hear him sloshing through the mud in the dark, headed toward a crowd of
smoldering torches.
”If I may, commander,” Eashin bowed her head, “they will know when we are
coming.”
”One difficulty at a time. We can deal with that once
we close their lead.”
(2157) DM: (we'll start off with the interlude
from last session.)
(2157) DM: (whisper me when you're done reading
if you weren't around last time. You've just left Wysos. Daelan was impatient
and decided to scout ahead. When he hasn't returned after a reasonable time,
that's when the game begins, after about 30 minutes from the time he left to go
scout.)
Thom: (( that's
probably about the same time that I would get there with the two little ones
after their shopping trip, right? ))
(2157) DM: ((yes))
(2158) Daelan (enter): 21:41
Attempting to assign the role of PLAYER to (2158)
Daelan...
Thom: (( and there he
is... ))
(2157) DM: ((wonderful timing))
(2158) Daelan: (( why what'd I do now?))
(2149) Yazut: ((You got discombobulated.
:D))
(2157) DM: ((so as I was saying, the game
begins 30 minutes or thereabouts after Daelan leaves to go scout.))
whispering to Daelan, you're incapacitated as of now but I'll let you
know when you come to
** Thom rides up to the others and the coach with
Morti and Yazut. "That should be everyone, let's get going and away from
this town." **
(2144) Morti: "Hai... off to see the
Tower!" :Morti happily proclaims as he hops up into the coach to leave
** Thom looks around to make sure everyone is
preparing to leave. "Wait, what happened to Daelan?" **
** (2149) Yazut climbs onto the back of the coach,
not getting inside with the others, "Not knows..?" **
** Thom looks at those there were there first
(Atross, Drenla, Rhian) for an answer. **
(2144) Morti: "Eh... he probably went
ahead. He doesn't seem to like this town too much."
Thom: "Of all the times to leave. Well, he
always did want to get on with his vengence. Maybe we should just go on and
leave him to his quest before he does something that kills our future."
(2157) Rhian Aes Sedai: I think he went to go
scout ahead. (murmurs absently)
(2144) Morti: :nods to Rhian: "We'll probably find him skulking round
in some bushes up the road."
Thom: "Yeah, we probably shouldn't use
Drenla's spell right outside the city walls anyway. Let's move on a little ways
down the road."
** Thom motions for a couple to take the lead then
has the coach line up, and Thom takes the rear position as they make their way
down the road at a comfortable pace. **
** (2144) Morti gets his books back out as he sits
inside the coach, intending to continue his morning studies. **
(2157) Maximillian: Mrrrow. (suddenly
scoots out of Drenla's grasp and bolts to the far end of the coach underneath
Morti's seat and whimpers)
(2157) DM: You swear you've never seen the
tabby run as fast as he did just now.
** (2149) Yazut huddles up with the baggage and other
odds and ends, watching the retreating rooftops of the buildings of the city as
they depart. **
** (2144) Morti sits with a book in his hands and
Moiraine in his lap, as he glances down to the fat cat, "You stay outta my
books, snobby." **
** Drenla seems a bit puzzled. "Funny, he's
never done that before." **
** Thom rides up alongside the coach from the rear to
chat with Morti. **
Thom: "So, how far do we keep going looking
for him?"
(2144) Morti: :glances out the window of the Carriage to Thom: "Eh? ... I
dunno. If he's going our way, we'll either run into him on the way or in
Pelham... right?"
Thom: "Are we going to ride all the way
there?" ::looks at Drenla::
(2157) Rhian Aes Sedai: The capitol is a few
days away by steed, Morti. And I doubt your friend can ride that fast.
(2157) Drenla: I was of the mind to transport
us there, but my spell will not be able to send us and this carriage at the
same time. (shrugs)
Thom: "Well, I guess that doeasn't really
work as well as I was hoping."
(2144) Morti: :toi Rhian: "No, but he may travel ahead of us the whole
way."
whispering to Daelan, A splash of cold water is thrown on your
face. (Con check.)
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: Wake him up, I want to get a good look at him.
** Naedara shrugs at hearing this and throws the
contents of her skin at Daelan. **
Thom: "And I thought you were a mage Morti,
did you already forget the plan to.. uh, what was the word? Teleport? All the way to Pelham."
** Vael, of House Dres draws his breath in suddenly
with a sharp hiss as the elf slowly opens his eyes. "This isn't him. You
brought back the wrong elf!" (turns to Naedara
and slaps her across her cheek with his gauntleted hand) **
** Naedara tries to dodge the blow but doesn't
succeed. The blow sends her back a few feet, opening an angry welt on her
cheek. **
(2144) Morti: :while he returns his eyes to
his book, he offers aside to Thom: "If we teleport now we abandon
Daelan."
Thom: "And?"
** (2158) Daelan lifts his head slightly and watches
what is going on **
(2144) Morti: :looks up with a frown:
"He may be a jerk at times, but that's no reason to ditch him."
** Vael, of House Dres glowers at the wizard and
turns to Daelan. "And your men battered him severely enough that he's
probably unfit for a replacement. For a wizardling, you're quite useless. There
are slaves with better, more capable skills than you." **
Thom: "Maybe. But it's not his attitude,
it's more that I am afraid that he will kill the wrong person and destroy the
future, as Etienne warned us against."
** (2133) Donovan looks around at the contents of the
carriage, "Also, we'll need to unpack everything we want from the
carriage. Everything we want to bring with us, anyway. Should probably see what
this thing is worth rather than abandoning it too." **
** (2149) Yazut frowns at the conversation rgearding
the cantankerous elf, and tugs the cowl of his robe low over his eyes, laying
his head against the some luggage to rest, the first rest in a few days time. **
(2157) Naedara: Begging your pardon, Lord, I
thought he was Farael. He even looked like him. (glances
at Daelan) I see that he's not, but fear not, I shall double my search!
(2133) Donovan: "I don't believe there's
anything Daelan can do to destroy the future unless we directly help since he's
supposed to be in this time."
Thom: "But if he travels with us, are we
not helping him?" Thom shakes his head slightly. "I don't know, but
it is something that we should be careful about."
(2144) Morti: "True... besides... he
can't do much damage on his own. But if he does try something stupid, isn't it
better we have him around to keep an eye on.?"
(2133) Donovan: "Since he's already been
traveling with us, we've already helped him. If we let him run off now we'll
have no idea what he's doing. At least you should want to keep an eye on
him."
** Vael, of House Dres spins around on his heel
suddenly and seizes Naedara. "Fool! By now he has most likely reached
Acthuras! We've lost him and it’s solely because of your stupidity! I should
give you over to the Ath'corynn. They could use one such as you, though you have
no skill of the Power." **
Thom: "Very well, let's keep looking for
him then." Thom directs his horse to lead the coach for a little and he
closes his eyes for a moment, trusting the horse to follow the road.
** Naedara raises her hands to ward off the coming
blow. "But Lord, perhaps this one could be useful for our purposes? He is
an elf after all. Lithe, skilled of stealth and able to use a
sword. And not dead." **
(2157) Naedara: He's awakening. (points to Daelan)
(2144) Morti: :Shrugs: "It didn't really say anything about looking for
him. He may have just taken off. After all, he doesn't seem to like us much
either."
** (2158) Daelan speaks softly," Actually I can
not use a sword Human." **
** Vael, of House Dres raises his hand as if to slap
her again but stops short at the wizardling's words and turns his head.
"Why so he is." **
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: Do you have a name,
elf? (sneers)
(2158) Daelan: " Yes I have a name,do you Human?"
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: I do, but you are
unworthy to call me by it, worm.
(2158) Daelan: " Well then I guess I will address you as ugly Human and you
may call me elf."
(2157) DM: Vael cuts an imposing figure, quite
tall for a human and garbed in deep purple-hued platemail with a gray trimmed
black cloak and onyx drakescale boots. A crimson eagle can be seen emblazoned
on his left gauntlet.
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: I doubt you are in
any sort of position to make demands. (looks curiously
at Daelan)
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: You're a green.
What is a green doing here in the middle of Gwythnecht? I would think that your kind would know better
than to be here.
** (2158) Daelan laughs dryly at the comment **
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: You say he was
riding alone, Naedara? (not turning to her)
(2158) Daelan: " I was heading to Aethuras to buy some supplies."
(2157) Naedara: Yes. (picks
herself up slowly off the ground, clutching her jaw with her left hand and
massaging it carefully) He gave a good
fight as well...or tried.
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: Supplies? For whom? (regards you)
(2158) Daelan: " For myself,did you see anyone else with me Human?"
(2157) DM: Your (Daelan) surroundings seem to
be a campsite near what seems to be the beginnings of a vast swamp. Lightly
wooded forest gives way to a bleak moor on both sides of the road in the
distance. The air is chilly and damp, with a fine mist rolling across the wet
grass.
(2157) DM: Men from Naedara's party are in the
process of breaking camp, and try not to observe the proceedings.
** Thom rides back to the coach. "I guess we
will just keep going and wait for Daelan to show up. He just really gets on my
nerves some times." **
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: I don't believe
you. Acthuras is at least a day or three travel away.
No, you have friends nearby. And possibly useful as well.
(mutters)
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: I'll say it again.
Who are you travelling with?
** Naedara murmurs softly, the words of a spell
forming on her lips. **
(2144) Morti: "I figure he annoys most
people, at least until you get use to him." :muses in after thought:
"I wonder how long that will take."
(2158) Daelan: " And I will tell you again,myself,geez are all Humans this
stupid?"
Thom: "Oh, about 30 years?"
(2144) Morti: "Oh... so maybe when we
get back to our time he'll be nicer."
** Vael, of House Dres throws his head back and
laughs, then leans forward and kicks you in the ribs. **
Thom: "We can only hope I guess. Anyway,
I'll leave you to your studies Morti."
** (2158) Daelan grunts from the kick,then looks up at the Human **
(2144) Morti: "Ok..." :glances up
to Thom: "Didn't you plan on studying magicks as well?"
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: He might be useful,
yes. Put him to sleep and let us leave this place. And be sure to leave him
alive this time.
** Vael, of House Dres turns to look at Daelan with a
satisfied smirk. "I've always said the only good elf is a slave....alive
or dead, it doesn't much matter." **
Thom: " I don't know if I want to keep studying them. I just have
found myself with a few thoughts in my mind ever since shortly after joining
with you all."
(2144) Morti: :Nods: "Okay.. well.. if you need any help. Just ask." :returns
to his books:
Thom: "But for now at least, I think that
little of extra knowledge is more than enough for my brain."
(2158) Daelan: " Keep smiling Human,soon I will be standing over your corpse
and I will be the one smiling in the end."
(2157) Vael, of House Dres: The name is Vael,
elf. Vael, of House Dres. Remember it, we will meet
again. (smirks and turns away, laughing)
(2158) Daelan: " Now I can tell them the name of the Humans head I have mounted
on my pike."
** Thom rides up to see how Atross is doing. "Things looking well here?" **
(2133) Donovan: "Well enough. Nothing of interest anyway."
Thom: "Somethimes, that
is the best way."
Atross: "If it's really the case, it's for
the best. Sometimes it just means whatever is watching is very good at
hiding."
(2164) Exodus (enter): 22:39
Thom: "True. Well, keep an eye open.
Somehow I doubt this trip will be completely uneventful."
(2164) Exodus (exit): 22:40
(2165) Devor (enter): 22:42
** (2149) Yazut readjusts himself in his seat and
cracks an eye, unable to sleep through the jostling of the carriage-he glances
out in the distance at the road behind them. **
** Naedara releases her spell, as three winged black
serpents regurgitate from her eyes and mouth, coil in mid-air and fly
unerringly at Daelan, sinking their fangs deep into his flesh. "Farael
might have escaped us, but you will serve our purposes just the same. This
spell carries the weight of the Shadecurse, which can only be broken by the Singing
Statue, a holy relic of Lady Hurishta. The Statue lies near this swamp, in what
is now Orvaeras Keep. Seek the Statue to break the curse. If you fail, well,
you die." **
(2165) Devor (exit): 22:42
** Thom nods to Atross and rides back to where Yazut
sits. **
Thom: "How is the ride for you back
here?"
** (2149) Yazut tilts his head down to glance at
Thom, then back up at the countryside behind them,
"Bumpy." **
** (2149) Yazut glances back at Thom, "No sign
of elf?" **
whispering to Daelan, you pass out from the
spell
whispering to Daelan, she brings you to negative
hp but not enough to go below -10
Thom: "Yes, I'd imagine so. No, nothing of that one yet. Although I am sure he will show
up when he's least wanted." He smirks a little.
(2166) Devor (enter): 22:46
** (2158) Daelan passes out from the spell **
** (2149) Yazut shrugs imperceptibly, and rests his
head against the luggage again. **
(2166) Devor (exit): 22:49
** Vael, of House Dres returns to Naedara.
"Excellent. We should leave soon. My father will be wondering where in
blazes I've gone to." **
** Thom continues his rear guard position for a
while, and then moves ahead of the coach for a while and then back to the rear;
making a round every approximately 15 minutes. **
(2157) DM: ((FFing a bit))
** Thom makes a few rounds back and forth around the
coach before finding something. He quickly rides back to the coach.
"Someone is ahead a little ways, I think it's
Daelan. And he doesn't seem to be awake." **
(2157) DM: The morning is chilly and damp, with
a fine mist rolling along wet grass. Lightly wooded forest gradually gives way
to a bleak moor along both sides of the road.
** Thom speeds his horse a little to speed up to
check out the body. **
** (2149) Yazut continues to observe the surrounding
area they've already past. **
(2144) Morti: Spellcraft Skill Check:
[1d20+17] -> [1,17] = (18)
** Thom approaches Daelan's body after a quick glance
around the area. he dismounts and carefully heads to
Daelan, carefuly to make plenty of noise to let the elf know he is there. "Daelan?" **
(2157) DM: No response is forthcoming.
** (2144) Morti has stayed up through the night,
diligent in his studies, he's just trying to get some
rest as they come upon the elf. **
** (2149) Yazut glances down at the tracks in the
mud, but thinks nothing more of it, untrained in such things and thus unable to
discern any pattern to the tracks. **
** Thom reaches down and rolls Daelan over gently,
checking that he is still breathing well and not to visibly hurt. **
** Atross dismounts and draws his bow, igniting it's magical flames while he approaches warily surveying the
area surrounding the unconscious elf. **
** (2149) Yazut glances over his shoulder from his
position, eyeing the others on the road ahead-spotting the body, he slowly and
carefully climbs up onto the roof of the carriage, and takes a quick glance
around the area to either side their position. **
** (2144) Morti hangs his head out of the coach,
looking wearily to find why they stopped, "What's going on?" **
Atross: "Found someone; probably
Daelan."
(2144) Morti: "Eh? Daelan?
... Is he alright?" :opens the door to hop out of
the Coach.:
** Thom whispers quietly after seeing some of the
wounds. **
** (2149) Yazut eyes widen as he grins in delight
when he spots a particularly succulent crop of moss growing on the south side
of a tree to his right-he climbs down off the carriage and wanders around
infront of the carriage and horses to comment on the elf's condition,
"..Oh, hims not looks too good." **
Atross: "If by alright you mean alive,
probably. Even of that I'm not too sure."
** (2144) Morti heads over to check on the elf's
condition. **
** (2149) Yazut uses his little staff for support as
he leans over the body of the elf, and gives it a good prodding with the butt
end of his tiny staff. **
Thom: "Yeah, he's alive. Looks like some
blows, possibly hits of magick, more than likely some internal injuries like
broken ribs."
** (2144) Morti examines his wounds, seeking for
signs of magical damage to confirm thom's theory. **
Thom: "Easy, the last thing we want is for
him to wake up rudely. After this beating, he will more than likely be in an
even worse mood than usual."
(2149) Yazut: "Elf!" he says,
prodding the body again and again, "What Yazut tells you? Tells you this happens!"
(2144) Morti: Knowledge: Arcana Skill Check:
[1d20+17] -> [16,17] = (33)
** (2158) Daelan opens his eyes briefly," Touch
me again Glamhath and I will kill you." **
whispering to Morti, there's an aura of magicka
around Daelan that seems to be a mixture of regular magicka and the type of
magicka that Rhian uses
Thom: "Easy Daelan. I don't care if you
like us or not, but for your own sake - take it easy for a moment, ok?"
whispering to Morti, its beyond your
comprehension
(2144) Morti: "Weird...." :mutters as he examines Daelan's body:
** (2149) Yazut cocks a brow at the elf as he stands
over him, but doesn't continue with his prodding, he insteads holds up a
finger, admonishing the elf, "Oh, you not breaks oath to brother..."
**
** Thom steps back as Daelan speaks so he's not
crowding the elf. **
Atross: "Technically, he wasn't, but you
don't really want to hear it right now, I bet. What's new?"
(2158) Daelan: "
After what I went through Glamhath,I
am sure my brother would forgive me killing you."
Thom: "What did happen? I find it hard to
believe that anyone got a drop on you."
** (2158) Daelan looks up at Thom **
** (2149) Yazut snorts at the elf's comment, and
turns to walk away, satisfied that he'll live, possibly a regrettable fact,
though he's pleased just the same, regardless, and wanders over to the tree
with the moss he spotted a moment age. **
(2144) Morti: :suddenly very interested,
Morti crowds in to ask eagerly of Dalean: "What happened to you? You have
the feel of arcane Magicks, and something that feels like the one POwer?"
(2158) Daelan: " Nine Humans,led by a female wizard Human named Naedara,took
me to be beaten by some Human named Vael from the House of Dres."
** (2149) Yazut grabs a bit of cloth from his satchel,
and begins plucking small clumps of moss from the south side of the tree with
hsi fingers.. **
** Rhian Aes Sedai peers out of the coach with a
worried look on her face, and spots Daelan. **
(2144) Morti: "Vael.... Naedara...
hmmm..." :tries to think of any mention of them
in his studies.: (arcana and history check)
(2158) Daelan: " What one power?"
(2144) Morti: Knowledge: Arcana Skill Check:
[1d20+17] -> [11,17] = (28)
(2144) Morti: Knowledge: History Skill
Check: [1d20+8] -> [18,8] = (26)
** Thom glances around, but sees no other bodies.
"Well, did you not get even one of the nine?" **
(2144) Morti: "That power Miss Rhian
uses."
** Rhian Aes Sedai gets out of the coach and
approaches you. "I have never seen this type of weave before. It could be
a Forbidden weave." (worried) **
Atross: "Honestly, I suspected this was a
trap at first, too."
(2158) Daelan: " No I tried to take out the one called Naedara but for some
reason my arrows ended up coming back at me,and then a man on a horse hit me
with his sword."
** Thom looks up from his teasing of Daelan to Rhian.
"That doesn't sound good." **
Atross: (In response to Thom's question, btw)
** Rhian Aes Sedai observes Daelan with what seems
like a detached look on her face. "Whomever did
this is skilled in sai'dar and in the
magicka of this world." (frowns) **
** (2158) Daelan sits up **
** Thom nods to Atross, agreeing with his comment.
"I had that thought, but didn't find anyone else in the area so I figured
it was safe enough." **
(2158) Daelan: " Yes she said something
about a shadecurse."
(2144) Morti: "Shade curse...?" (another arcana check)
(2144) Morti: Knowledge: Arcana Skill Check:
[1d20+17] -> [7,17] = (24)
(2157) Rhian Aes Sedai: It is an insidious
magic. Whenever he is healed to his full capacity, he is reduced in health. If
he is healed enough times, if the magicka is not broken, he will die.
** (2149) Yazut manages to collect enough of the moss
to supplement his fuu'grot rations for a number of days, and tucks the gathered
moss into his satchel with the rest of his belongings before wandering back
over to the group, grinning, "Elf thinks first to kills, instead.. Elf be one who gets hurt. Mmmh, Yazut wonder if elfs thinks
twice next time he thinks to kill." **
(2167) Devor (enter): 23:16
(2167) Devor (exit): 23:16
Thom: "So, we shouldn't heal Daelan at
all?"
(2168) Devor (enter): 23:17
(2157) DM: ((OOC: in game terms, its a curse
that does Con damage but only when healing magic is cast on him, and only if a
certain amount of damage is healed))
** (2149) Yazut levels an accusing finger at him,
"Yazut warns you before what will happens if you walks that path. This
time, elf be lucky. Next time.."
**
(2144) Morti: :to Rhian: "Can you or
the Sisters at your Tower remove the curse?"
(2158) Daelan: "
There is supposed to be a Singing
Statue around here somewhere,for some reason they wanted a Quessir named Farael
but they said I would do,so I have to find this statue thing to break the
curse."
(2157) Rhian Aes Sedai: Only a full circle can
remove this weaving from your friend, or one other than myself
with the assistance of a ter'angreal.
This is the case whenever a Forbidden weave such as this or balefire is used.
** (2158) Daelan stands up brushing the dirt from his
clothes,walks over to the goblin,looks down at him and spits on the goblins
cloak," Point that finger at me again and I will remove it." **
(2157) Rhian Aes Sedai: Only those who use
Forbidden lore are Black Ajah... (voice trails off as
her face blanches for a moment)
(2158) Daelan: " Now has anyone heard of this Singing Statue?"
Thom: "Well, this day just gets better and
better."
(2144) Morti: Knowledge: Arcana Skill Check:
[1d20+17] -> [11,17] = (28)
(2144) Morti: Knowledge: History Skill
Check: [1d20+8] -> [12,8] = (20)
** Thom shakes his head in response to Daelan's
question. **
whispering to Morti, yes
** (2149) Yazut frowns up at him, then spits at his
feet in disgust, "Yazut not cares. Fool elf dies, then, and Yazut not shed
tear," he says, and wanders back over to the carriage. **
(2144) Morti: (arcana/history for Singing
statue as well))
whispering to Morti, its a statue of a priestess
of Hurishta raised in supplication. the statue is made
of silver and can be filled with a liquid. if the liquid is holy water or pure
water, the magicka of the statue is activated and the liquid therein can heal
any wound, cure any poison or disease and even restore lost limbs or break
curses
whispering to Morti, the statue was lost for
several centuries in what is now Orvaeras Keep, which is coincidentally not far
from Acthuras, near your present location
** (2149) Yazut clinbs back up onto the rear of the
carriage, and sits down to a quick meal of fuu'grot bundled in fresh moss, not
really bothered by the spittle that now decorates his robe. **
** (2144) Morti sits back, looking up at the sky
after a short silence, he speaks, as if recanting a
tale, "The Singing Statue, a silver representation of the Lady Hurishta.
It's supposed to have great healing powers. If filled wilth holy water it can
heal and injury, break any curse, even restore lost limbs." **
Thom: "Find a stature and be cured, Visit a
chateau and get a sword. Go to the keep in the could
and find a missing man. It seems to be all we do is find
missing things."
Thom: (( *could =
clouds ))
(2144) Morti: :lowering his eyes to his
comrades, he continues: "It was said to have been lost in some keep near
Acthuras.. is that near here?"
(2158) Daelan: " Well it could be worse Thom,you could be the ones who keep
losing things,instead of finding them."
Atross: "So it heals if filled with holy
water. Who are they wanting cured then? Since they
told you about it, they expect you to try to find it. And then this would do
something for them. And if all it really does is heal..."
(2158) Daelan: " It is supposed to be around a place called Orvaeras
Keep."
Thom: "True, but it just seems like all we
do are these little treasure hunts."
(2157) Rhian Aes Sedai: It's possible. This
area is known for being full of ruins when elves ruled this land, before the
coming of Men.
(2144) Morti: :to Rhian: "If we go to the see your Sisters, do you
think they could help Daelan instead? Something about finding this statue for
these people seems very wrong."
Atross: "Furthermore, why an elf?"
(2157) Rhian Aes Sedai: We could, but I'm not
certain if Drenla can transport us that far. He's resting in the carriage.
(2158) Daelan: "
Quessir Atross."
Thom: "If the ruins are from the times of
the elves, that might be why they need Daelan. Of
course, I don't expect that they will let him leave with it."
(2158) Daelan: " Well perhaps it takes a Quessir to find this statue,after all
we did make some artifacts long before you Humans came."
Thom: "Quessir, sorry Daelan. No disrespect
intended, old habits."
(2158) Daelan: " None taken Thom."
(2144) Morti: "Hmm... if we do leave
and let them get to it though... hrrmmm... maybe they're suppose to get it.
After all, we wouldn't be here to stop them if we hadn't come back in time, but
still...."
(2157) DM: Faint music can be heard wafting
from the carriage.
(2158) Daelan: " Well if I do not find it,they will go looking for Farael who
is perhaps in Aethuras."
** (2144) Morti crosses his arms and legs as he sits
in the road, thinking. **
Thom: "Well, Morti says it was supposed to
be lost in this area - so no one should have it. If we can find it and heal
Daelan, and then rehide it - we should be able to preserve time."
** (2158) Daelan looks down at Morti," Strange
place to relax." **
Thom: (( *in our time
))
(2144) Morti: "Eh?" :looks up to
Dael: "I can get comfortable in strange places." :getting up off his
butt, he inquires, do we have any idea where this lost keep is?"
Thom: "So I guess we need to find this
statue, huh?"
** (2158) Daelan takes off his pack and rumages
through it,taking out a jar filled with some salve,opens it up and begins to
rub some of it on his wounds. ( Healing Salve [2d6]
-> [3,3] = (6) ) **
(2144) Morti: :nods: "We can't let
strange people get their hands on something so important. Such Magicks must be
preserved."
Thom: "Careful with that Daelan. Remember
the more you heal, the weaker you get. Uh, if I understood it right."
(2158) Daelan: " Not using it all,just enough to make it so that I can move around."
** Thom nods to Daelan. **
(2158) Daelan: " They seemed interested
in whom I was traveling with."
(2169) Lucid Mirage (enter): 23:40
** Thom looks around the area. **
(2158) Daelan: " They broke camp
several hours ago Thom."
(2157) DM: Laughter, from the carriage.
Thom: "Seems strange that they would leave
you all alone to recover what could cure you."
** Thom glances at the carriage. "Speaking
of strange." **
(2144) Morti: "Eh?" :Peers over to
the Carriage. Curious he strolls over to see what's so funny:
(2157) Voice: ...are your friends? That's a fat
cat you have there.
** Thom moves back to the carriage as well. **
(2157) DM: Elamurix seems to have woken up and
is regaling Drenla with a tale while playing a lute. Maximillan is curled up
next to the bard, mewoing contentedly.
Atross: "Hmm, music and laughter. Maybe
El's awake?"
(2158) Daelan: "
Perhaps they wished me out of the way
Thom."
(2144) Morti: :scarf grins to the bard: "Hello."
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: Oh, there you are.
That tabby of yours likes his clotted cream.
(2169) Lucid Mirage (exit): 23:44
** Thom looks in and smiles. He leaves Morti to chat
and steps back to the others. **
Thom: "Maybe. I just wouldn't be surprised
to see them return is all."
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: Well. I do have some
tales to tell. Not all of them happy and joyous. But we can save those for
another time.
** Elamurix Celendil strums his lute and hums a few
bars. **
Atross: "Then there's the matter of why
they didn't dispose of you instead of setting you towards this task. And then
there'd still be the matter of finding the right Quessir."
** (2144) Morti hangs on the door listening to the
music contently, "How are you feeling Elamurix?" **
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: Me? I'm fine! Quite! A very very warm welcome to you, Master Morti. I had such a
vivid dream, with a beauteous lady with fair skin and raven-black hair in a
diaphanous gown of silk charmeuse with scarlet trim and gold ermine.
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: She sat longingly by
my side as if she would say a word but did not take my hand. (sighs)
(2144) Morti: :cocks his head aside, musing: "I think I met here
too."
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: Where is everyone?
And why are we stopped? (looks out of the carriage)
(2158) Daelan: " You are a bard Elamurix,do you know anything about the
Singing Statue?"
(2144) Morti: "Our elf friend ran afoul
of an evil weaver and some one name Vael. He's been cursed it seems."
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: The Singing Statue. (looks at Daelan) You don't look so well, friend. Have an
eclair. (rummages in his haversack and pulls out a
pastry covered in a sweet-smelling brown substance)
** Thom looks over everyone getting back up and
moving a little. He remounts his horse and prepares to head off. **
(2144) Morti: :eyes go wide at the sight of
the pastry: "When'd you get that?"
Thom: "So we have to find something musical
to cure a curse on someone. Why does this feel so very familiar? Oh yeah - Helisandra."
Atross: "I wonder how big the statue is,
if it could be lost, after all."
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: It's a statue, made
of silver, dedicated to the goddess of magic. Lost two or three centuries ago
when a human chieftain stole it from an elven shrine, which
was the cause of much misery. Not a shining moment. Although
there are stories that it was an artifact made by humans that was taken by
elves in the first place.
** Elamurix Celendil looks at Morti and pats his
haversack. **
** (2144) Morti stares at the sack, looking hungry **
** (2149) Yazut glances over his shoulder again at
the folks gathered around the carriage, and with a grunt, he climbs up atop the
cariage and peeks over at the others, "We stops long enough, mm? Talks of
walking-dead-prickear and statue while we rides,
maybe, yes?" **
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: There is something
else about the statue but I can't remember it just now.
(2158) Daelan: " Any idea where Orvaeras Keep is Elamurix?"
Thom: "Well Yazut, Daelan needs to find a
statue that is missing. We need an idea of where to go before we go
there."
** Elamurix Celendil breaks the pastry in half and
offers some to Morti. "Well, if he won't have one, you can have
some." **
(2157) DM: Sweet beige-white cream oozes out of
the flaky, buttery center.
(2144) Morti: "Thank you!" :Morti takes the eclair half with a cloth smile.
Turning aside, he shift his mask to get it in his mouth:
** Elamurix Celendil munches on the eclair.
"Mmmm, sure you won't have a bite?" (glances
out the carriage) "I'd say not too far from here. But then, I don't know
where here is." **
Thom: "We are on the road north and east of
Wysos. No more than an hour out."
** (2149) Yazut uses his tiny walking stick to point
up the road they're traveling on, "So? Talks of this while we rides, mm?" He glances around the surrounding area
again, "Not thinks it be safe here.." **
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: Well...
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: We're on the edge of
the Bleak Moor, which is really a bog swamp, don't ask me why it's called a
moor when it's a swamp. Acthuras is about four days from here by steed. The
ruins are perhaps a day or so, but to the north.
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: Near Undolyssil, the Lake of Death.
Thom: "Then I guess we head more
north."
Atross: "It's not completely out of the
way, but it is probably something to completely waste our time. We'll have to
be on guard for if they show up, as well as whatever dangers might take up
residence in a lost keep. How did this place get lost again?"
Atross: "And, as long as we're wasting
time, we can start moving now that we're know what
direction we're going."
Thom: "Maybe Atross, but we can't risk the
forces of Dark getting the statue, now can we?"
** (2144) Morti looks back, eclair stains on his
scarf as he speaks, "Is there any kind of trail to follow? Or do we need
to ditch the Coach?" **
** (2149) Yazut frowns, wondering for a moment how,
and why he managed to find himself mixed up with this collection of.. Intresting individuals, then locks his eyes on the elf
momentarily, before climbing back into his seat at the back of the carriage. **
Thom: "Yeah, not sure how well the coach
will hold up in a swamp."
** Atross extinguishes his bow's flames as he
reslings it and remounts, "If all it does is heal, and it uses holy water
to do that, what are they going to do with it? Besides, now we need to find it
anyway." **
Atross: "Maybe it does something else with
unholy water, does that remind you of anything,
El?"
** (2149) Yazut nestles himself between the luggage,
and plucks a book from his satchel to study whil;e he
waits, and waits, for the rest of the group. **
Thom: "Alright, Atross - get the coach
moving and I'll keep up a rotating watch."
whispering to Zane, I know he mentioned Morti by name.
Atross: "Right. If it becomes to boggy we'll work something else out then."
(2157) Elamurix Celendil: Mmm. Say, you might
want to introduce yourselves. I'm Elamurix, gourmet, cook extraordinaire and
mage. Just not when I'm drunk.
** (2158) Daelan heads over to the edge of the road
and looks to see if there are any tracks of the ones who captured him. **
** Elamurix Celendil munches on the eclair. "I
think, well...it does the reverse of what it would do with unholy water."
**
Thom: "Think you can find a solid way into
and through the swamp Daelan?"
(2158) Daelan: " If there is a path I can find it Thom."
Thom: "Sounds good. The sooner we get this
statue, the sooner we get you cured, and the sooner we get back to
business."
Atross: "So it harms, curses, and may even
remove limbs? That sounds messy."
** (2144) Morti climbs up into the coach. ready to move out. "Even more reason we should keep
them from getting it." **
Atross: "Oh, shoot. That's right. You've
never met some of us before after all."
** (2158) Daelan begins to scout the area,looking for a solid path through the swamp **
** (2144) Morti settles into his seat, hoping to get
some rest before they ditch the coach **
** Atross calls back into the carriage, "I'm
Atross and today I'm driving, tomorrow I'll probably be shooting. Until I run
out of arrows again. The quiet guy is Sevis. The one on watch is Thom. Morti
can introduce himself and usually does. And Jarvis you'll have to meet later, I
can't seem to spot him right now though I'm sure he's up there somewhere."
**
** (2158) Daelan heads back to Thom," Well there
is a path for about a mile in,after that I am not sure
the coach will be able to make it." **
Thom: "Sounds good. Let's take it."
Thom heads to the coach and tells those inside what Daelan found.
(2144) Morti: :yawns as he nods: Do we have enough mounts to carry us all the
rest of the way?"
Atross: "Oh yeah, if some of the luggage
starts walking around again, that's just Yazut. He's friendly but that doesn't
mean it's safe to get close if you nose what I mean."
Thom: "Well, we didn't have the coach
before the focus. We'll probably have to double up, but we should be able to
make it."
(2144) Morti: "Okay... Too bad. I really liked having a coach. Maybe we can get one
when we get back to our time."
Thom: "We'll have it when we get back, just
not for a little while."
Atross: "The traveling comfort is a nice
change of pace, but we'll have to pick up our pace sometime i'm afraid."
(2158) Daelan: " It will be safe in the swamp,we can pick it back up when we
leave."
(2158) Daelan: " The ones who captured me,are heading to Aethuras."
Atross: "Rather, if they decide to follow,
they can't take it either."
** (2149) Yazut closes his book shut, and tucks it
away into his satchel, focusing on the end conversation between the others. **
(2144) Morti: "Okay.. into the swamp we go then." : smiles wide as he muses:
"I can't wait to see that statue. Something that amazing..
hehe..."
** (2158) Daelan turns around and heads into the
swamp,leading the others on the path. **
(2157) DM: Your trek across dry land slowly
comes to an end. The terrain has become wet and spongy, and healthy vegetation
is replaced by twisted old trees, dark scraggly weeds, and an
unhealthy-looking bloated, damp underbrush. Clouds of mist...or is it
swamp gas? ...roll across the soggy terrain. The mist clings to your clothes
and enters your mouth and nose, carrying with it the sickly odors of rotting
plants, sulfur, decomposing flesh, and several unidentifiable, unsettling
odors.
** Thom looks around at the horses. "If we take the ones from the coach as well - we have four
horses, which if Morti and Yazut double up - we can get all PCs into the swamp
on horse back. **
(2157) DM: Clammy moisture settles on
everything, condensing beads of water on the edges of your swords, or trickling
down the front of your shields.
Thom: (( *whoops - no
mention of PCs. Let me try that again. ))
(2157) DM: The thick air is dead and silent,
punctuated only by the occasional shriek, the snapping of twigs, and ominous
gurglings in the water.
(2158) Daelan: " Well from here on in,things get worse."
** Thom looks around at the horses. "If we take the ones from the coach as well - we have four
horses, which if Morti and Yazut double up - we can get most of us into the
swamp on horseback. Drenla - you can stay here with Elamurix and Rhian
to make sure everything stays safe." **
(2157) DM: As your eyes adjust to the dim
illumination of this place, you sometimes catch a small patch of something
glowing, hovering in the distance. It’s either burning balls of the
ever-present swamp gas, or will o'wisps. Staying alert, you trudge onward.
(2157) Drenla: All right.
** Thom gets everyone set up on horseback and they all head into the swamp. **
Atross: "Yes, this is obviously a moor
now. Not a swamp at all. This is worse than plainsland in heavy rain or a
forest at night for certain."
** (2149) Yazut isn't particularly disturbed by the
odors, though his surroundings are far from comfortable to him-he leaps down
from the coach, draws the cowl of his robe back, and wanders ahead and off a
ways to the north west. **
(2144) Morti: (Morti and Yazut are pretty
light, that horse might be able to take a third light body)
** (2144) Morti doesn't seem to mind the smells much
either, entering the swamp with his usual eager curiousity, eyeing the flashing
lights and trying to identify the gases in the air to amuse himself. **
** (2158) Daelan continues onward,using
a branch to test the ground first before stepping forward. **
** (2149) Yazut wanders off from the group, picking
through the muck and undergrowth, searching through the foliage for edible
fungi and the like, keeping the others in view, but just. **
** Thom deals with the smells and continues to trek
forward. he keeps to the back of the group, taking his
semi-standard rear guard position. **
(2144) Morti: "I've never camped in a
swamp before.. how do we find a dry spot?"
** (2149) Yazut grins, and plucks a number of caps
from a patch of edible fingi, stuffing one into his mouth as he continues on,
storing the rest into his pack. **
(2158) Daelan: " Sleep in the trees
Morti."
(2180) Devor (enter): 00:38
(2180) Devor (exit): 00:38
** Atross seems to be in the front of the group more
as a result of nobody going ahead of him and less from forging the path ahead.
He keeps his gaze sharp and doesn't seem to have more objections though. **
(2144) Morti: "Trees.. what if I fall out?" :leans in as if he's confessing in
secret: "I'm kind of clumsy."
** (2149) Yazut wanders back up out of a rather deep
pool of muck, near Morti, "No, snake live in tree. Find tree that falls,
sleep there. Out of mud, out of tree. Safest there.." **
(2158) Daelan: " Well the soft ground
will break your fall."
** (2149) Yazut digs into his satchel and presents
Morti with a thick, yellow cap from a mushroom he discovered, "Trys this,
mm?" **
(2144) Morti: :looks to Yazut: "Fallen
tree. Okay. Say, do you think there are aligators here?"
(2157) DM: Suddenly, the roiling mists part and
a large spherical thing floats silently toward you, hovering a yard off the
ground. Numerous eyestalks writhe, then focus on your
group. The six-foot sphere halts about ten yards away from you and regards you
with its middle eye.
(2168) Devor (exit): 00:40
(2157) Beholder: More dry-skins...
** (2144) Morti takes the mushroom, gives it a slight
sniff before sticking it up under his mask and into his mouth, no heistation in
trusting the smaller mage. **
** (2158) Daelan stops in his tracks **
** (2149) Yazut cocks a brow at the other-than-human
Morti, "Uhm, maybe? Not knws what 'aligatoor' be?" **
(2157) Beholder: More dry-skins where they do
not belong. A toll you must pay to cross my territory, else I unleash upon you
one of my many ways of killing fools.
** Thom slowly leads his horse a few more paces up.
"And what toll would that be? As you can see, we have very little on
us." **
** (2149) Yazut stops dead in his tracks, glancing
from Morti to the spherical beast, "Hwaa..." **
** Atross quickly jumps from his horse, but tries not
to make an overt threatening move yet. **
** (2144) Morti chokes a bit at the sight of the
beholder. Swallowing, he holds out the rest of his half eaten mushroom,
offering to the abberation, "Do you like Mushroom?" **
(2157) DM: At the thing's last word, the mists
part two feet to your right and you see the skull of a large drake lying in the
mud, its skullcap missing. Bright twinkling objects inside the skull capture
your attention. You realize a dagger is glowing in the skull, and numerous
coins as well as a few gems catch its soft green light and reflect it.
(2157) DM: The thing growls in its hushed
whisper, "Enough gawking. Place something of value in the skull, or die
where you stand."
Atross: "What's the usual fee for great
and mighty you to not kill us?"
** Atross walks carefully towards the drake skull. **
** (2149) Yazut eyes locked on the many-eyed
creature, he slowly, and carefully sticks his hand into his satchel, and
removes a large, brightly glowing gem. **
(2144) Morti: "Hmmm.... " :scrathes his head in itch and thought: "Well..
I think I have something I can part with."
(2157) DM: It drifts menancingly towards you
(Atross) as if to protect the skull.
** (2149) Yazut keeps the gem tucked into the palm of
his hand, his eyes not leaving the creature. **
Thom: "Please, how can we place something
in there if we can't approach it? Atross meant no harm, right?"
** Atross slows down and stops, "I don't mean to
alarm you, I just wished to place my offering to
you." **
(2157) Beholder: Very well then. (grudgingly)
(2144) Morti: :holds up his hand to get the beholder's attention: "Excus
me, Master."
(2157) Beholder: A sack of coins would be a
start. (snorts)
Atross: "I'm afraid my stack of coins
would be unfit for one of your majesty."
whispering to Morti, spot
(2144) Morti: Spot Skill Check: [1d20-1]
-> [15,-1] = (14)
whispering to Morti, you think it might be
hollow
Thom: "Then we must confer and see what we
have that would be worthy of a gift for you."
Atross: "It is but a meager pittance that
I possess. Maybe we should pool our funds and see if that would be more
fitting."
** (2149) Yazut creeps away from his position near
Morti, around and outside of the beholders central gaze. **
** (2144) Morti stares intently at the Beholder,
apparently waiting to be given permission to speak. **
(2158) Daelan: " If we pay to enter do
we have to pay to leave as well?"
** Thom slowly works his way back to Morti. **
(2144) Morti: Will save: [1d20+9] ->
[9,9] = (18)
(2157) DM: It doesn't respond, but simply
waits.
** Atross makes to start back toward the others, but
stops with a sudden idea. "Actually, I do have something that would be
more worthy than some shiny coins." **
(2157) Beholder: What is it? (eagerly)
(2157) DM: Drool drips from its open maw.
Atross: "I have an item of magic that I
would part with, if you would but spare us."
(2157) Beholder: Oh just get on with it!
** Atross reaches over shoulder to pull out his bow.
**
** (2149) Yazut glances briefly at Atross, then back
to the many-eyed beast/ **
(2157) Beholder: Aaaak!!!!!!
Atross: "Though it is a puissant item,
it's not worth my life. This I could part with. The Mace is simply too powerful
to let go of however."
(2157) DM: It immediately sags to the ground
and you distinctly hear two voices and the flap of wings...
Atross: "What'd I say?"
(2157) Voice: I knew this would happen!
** Thom stares blankly. **
(2157) Voice: It's your fault!
(2157) Voice: No, it's your fault!
(2157) Voice: No, it's yours!
(2144) Morti: :calls out to the 'Beholder': "Are you okay in
there?"
Thom: "Show yourself, or selves!"
(2158) Daelan: " It was an illusion."
** Thom moves forward, trying to see where the voices
are coming from. **
whispering to Zane, one 50' to the left, one 30'
ahead
** Atross tries to move quickly through the swampy
terrain but he's pretty sure he can't catch something with wings in this mess.
**
** (2144) Morti hops down from the horse and moves
toward the fallen abberation, "Do you need any help getting out?" **
Atross: "I...I was going to shoot him when
he wasn't ready. Jeez."
** Thom points a hand out the the left of the path
for a moment before continuing forward a bit still, his other hand on the
pommel of Ringrist. **
(2158) Daelan: " Imps or
Will'O'Wisps."
Atross: "So where are they now?"
(2158) Daelan: "
Hiding I would guess."
Thom: "One is out there. Or at least, it
sounds that way." Thom speeds up a little to get up to the voice he heard
ahead of him.
(2158) Daelan: " Thom do not chase them,they lead people away and to thier
deaths."
** (2144) Morti pokes at the beholder body, thinking
something had been inside controlling it **
(2144) Morti: "So.... that's it
then?"
Atross: "Thom, they're flying, we're
walking. In a swamp. Someone check on the loot
anyway."
(2158) Daelan: " Well there is the treasure."
** Thom stops. "Fine, as long as they leave us
alone now." He returns to the party and the horses. **
** Thom stoops to see if the treasure is really there
or not. **
whispering to Zane, mostly silver and copper
** Thom pulls out some silver coins. "Well, not
as nice as it looked." **
whispering to Zane, there is however a pink
crystal, a brass ring with elk antlers affixed to it and a butter knife
(2144) Morti: "Eeeeww..." :gives
the corpse one last poke before calling out to the swamp pranksters: "We
won't hurt you. If you want to talk later, it would be nice to have natives to
guide us through to where we're going.We have food if you want to just talk." :makes invitations, not much thinking just what he
may be inviting:
Atross: "I don't think they'll show
themselves again until they get their courage up. Either to
kick us when we're down or with another ploy."
Atross: "Let's just hope they weren't
impersonating a real monster in this swamp."
** Thom fills up a sack with the items and returns to
the horses, holding a small dull dinner knife in his hand. "Now this was
not something I expected to find there." **
(2144) Morti: "Then... we keep
going?"
** (2149) Yazut glances at Morti, and with a frown,
tucks the gem back into his satchel and grabs a handful of the moshrooms to
eat, stuffing another into his mouth as he trudges on ahead, grumbling a series
of curses. **
** Thom remounts and answers Morti. "Of course." **
** (2158) Daelan walks over and inspects the head of
the dead drake. **
** (2144) Morti nods and gets back up on the horse,
ready to continue on their way. **
** (2149) Yazut swallows the morsel, and takes a
long, deep breath, exhaling as he begins to poke and prod at a rotting stump.
**
** Atross puts his bow away again somewhat
disappointed now and mounts up as well. **
(2158) Daelan: " Better to have it
ended this way,than the other Atross."
(2158) Daelan: " Well it was an Onyx Drake,killed about a year ago,not sure by
whom or what."
Atross: "But think of how many times you
could put an arrow through its eye. What a tale."
Thom: "Onyx drake killed in this swamp, does not bode very well. Let's keep moving."
Atross: "But I suppose you mean the thing
about dying horribly that was mentioned. That would be bad."
** (2149) Yazut chips away at rotted bark, and
snatches up a large grub of some sort crawling through the decaying debris-he
holds it up to his nose, sniffs at his, and then bites into its tail, testing
the taste and texture of the insect, before stuffing it into his mouth and
swallowing it whole. **
** Thom takes the rear guard again as they travel
deeper and deeper into the swamp. **
Server Administrator-> Kicking
'(2146) BooRassa' from server... Removing dead client
(2146) BooRassa (exit): 01:12
** (2149) Yazut steps around the debris, and balances
a walk aross a large, thick tree root and them hops down into a pool of thick
muck, and then back into more solid ground-he takes a seat on another large,
exposed root, and watches the others. **
** (2158) Daelan continues moving forward,slowly through the swamp,keeping a sharp eye for anything.\
**
(2144) Morti: :speaks to Yazut as he rides:
"You seem really comfortable here. Have you lived in a swamp?"
** Atross continues the trudging pace through the
swamp. **
** (2149) Yazut watches their movements as they
press, on, glancing about the bog once.. **
** (2149) Yazut looks up at Moerti, and silently
shakes his head in response to the question. **
(2157) DM: After trudging for longer than you
would have liked through the muck and mire, you come into view of a structure
that must be the site Elamurix mentioned. Protruding from the swamp are slabs
of ancient stone, most of it covered in green and brown plants. You judge that
the structure used to be a walled keep of some sort, since remains of a
perimeter wall and a front gate are evident.
(2157) DM: However, the architecture is not
normal in one major respect. The NW corner of the keep is actually raised out
of the muck, while the SE corner and most of the E side is sunk into the mire.
(2157) DM: A single black tower sticks out of
the swamp, where you calculate the NE corner lies.
Thom: "Looks like even the buildings here
get sucked in."
** (2149) Yazut keeps an eye on their rear as they
make their way through the bog, but once they arrive at their destination,
focuses entirely on the ruins before them. **
(2157) DM: Heaps of hacked vegetation lay piled
all around the keep's perimeter. You guess that this is plant life that was
cleared away by whomever discovered this place. The
terrain around the keep is flat, and looks deceptively stable. You would be
able to see for miles around if it weren't for the fog.
** (2144) Morti climbs down from his horse, looking
over the miserable semi-sunken keep with interest. "You think any other
towers sunk?" **
(2157) DM: Several trees are in the vicinity,
as well as an abundance of vegetation. Despite the presence of many varieties
of swamp life -- insects, maggots, spiders, snakes --
the air is very quiet as if the mist is smothering all signs of life. The air
is cold, damp and oppresively suffocating. Dark clouds roll overhead, promising
rain.
** (2149) Yazut hops down from a massive, half sunken
stone, and points ahead at the ruins, glancing up at Thom, "You thinks to
goes in this place, mm? Very dangerous, mm? Enjoy this
much, yes?" **
(2157) DM: A glint of something catches your
eye and diverts your attention to a spot west of the ruined keep. Something
just shined there, ever so briefly. As you strain your eyes to see better, you
can tell there are several leafless trees at the location in question. Some
ominous shapes are hanging from two of the trees' lower branches.
** Atross climbs down from his horse and pulls up his
bow. "Looks like it was a keep. And it is in the
moor if not on it anymore." **
(2157) DM: Flocks of scavenger birds circle the
area, occasionally alighting on the things hanging in the trees.
Thom: "Daelan, can you see what is over
there?" he points to the spot west of the keep.
(2158) Daelan: " I would say that those over there are the ones who came
before us,I would advise to ready your weapons."
** (2149) Yazut steps around Thom, "Death you
finds here," he states matter-of-factly, and wanders just ahead and to the
east of the ground, around the eastern end of the ruins. **
** Atross commands his bow to alight aflame. "Already ready." **
Thom: "That wasn't what I wanted to
hear." he mumbles as he draws out Ringrist.
Thom: "Maybe Yazut, but we have no
choice."
Atross: "So shall we go visit our
predeceasors?"
(2157) DM: The sword glows with a faint, cold
blue light from deep within its core.
** (2144) Morti pets Moiraine in his pocket as he
looks to the hung figures **
(2144) Morti: "Maybe they have a map or
a key to the premises."
** (2158) Daelan unslings his bow,his
left hand hovering over his quiver **
(2144) Morti: :cocks his head: "Or
maybe the pranksters are playing with us again."
Thom: "Yep, evil around us. Let's go."
(2158) Daelan: " No this is not the
work of Imps or Will'o'Wisps Morti."
** Thom heads forward to the keep. **
** Atross makes his way towards the hanging shapes,
commenting as he goes, "Bodies don't hang themselves. And this place
should be abandoned in the condition it's in." **
** (2149) Yazut stops wherte he is, near t the ruins,
and watches the others, awaiting their actions before proceeding. **
(2158) Daelan: " Atross do not go
alone,stay with the rest of us."
** (2144) Morti pulls a bit of cured leather from his
hip pouch, as he begins toward the hanging forms. With a bit of chanting and
gesticulation, he touches the leather to his chest. A wash of misty blue aura
coats his body for a brief second before disappearing. (mage
armor) **
** Thom looks around at the entrance to the ruins,
awaiting the others before entering them. **
Atross: "Well we're not going to leave
them up there are we?"
(2158) Daelan: " Anyone good at looking for traps?"
(2158) Daelan: " They have been there for years Atross,what is a few more days
to them?"
Thom: "We can get them down on the way out.
Unless you want to just leave them lying in the swamp."
** (2149) Yazut looks to Atross, "Leaves the
dead where they die..." **
(2144) Morti: "We should see who they
are and how they were killed. It may clue us to dangers ahead."
Atross: "I believe the phrase is leave
them where the lie, which they aren't."
(2158) Daelan: " Very well Morti,I will go and see how they met thier
end."
** (2144) Morti nods to Daelan and turns to walk
toward the hung figures **
(2158) Daelan: " Atross watch the back
trail,Thom watch the tower,the rest of you do what it is that you need to do to
ready yourselves."
** (2158) Daelan begins to walk towards the figures
hanging in the trees **
** Atross tries to keep everything in view,
"Very well." **
** Thom keeps a look out on the tower and the ruins
in general. **
** (2149) Yazut glances up at the tower, and begins
wandering aimless into the ruins.. **
(2182) Gregorious (enter): 01:33
(2157) DM: You arrive at the small group of
trees where you saw the glint of light, but what is there makes you stop in
your tracks. Hanging from one tree are two bodies, both human females, quite
dead. Slumped one behind the other are two armored warriors, pinned to another
tree by what seems to be a sharp, narrow slab of rock about three feet long.
Someone or something, used the rock as a spear.
(2182) Gregorious (exit): 01:33
(2157) DM: A small body lies on the ground near
the trees, pulverized beyond recognition. However, the hairy feet are intact,
and you conclude these are the remains of a halfling.
(2158) Daelan: "
Giant did this."
** (2144) Morti gives a discomforted groan at the
gruesome sight **
(2158) Daelan: " Should I search the
dead Morti?"
(2157) DM: The final body is that of a male
human warrior, eyes wide with terror, his mouth permanently open in a silent
scream of agony. Parts of his armor -- with his body still inside! -- have been
pounded impossibly flat, while others are wrenched from odd angles. You wonder
what sort of an opponent could or would do such a thing.
(2144) Morti: "Giants live here? Hmph.. figure they'd sink into the
swamp."
(2157) DM: Scavenger birds have already started
in on the bodies and each corpse is also host to a sickening variety of swamp
bugs. Each body has been dead for several days.
** (2149) Yazut halts where he stands, and glances up
at the tower again-he plucks something from his pocket, cleches it tight in his
fist, wishpers something under his breath, and slowly opens his hand.. **
(2158) Daelan: " Well something quite
large used that rock as a spear."
(2157) DM: As one of the hanged bodies swings a
little, a belt buckle on the robed woman shines. This is your glint of light.
** (2158) Daelan moves from body to body,quickly checking them over for anything of use. **
** (2144) Morti nods Dael, and goes about examining
the corses himself too. Swatting away the carrion feeders he searchers through
their belongings for anything of interest, signs of identification or items
which would have led them here **
(2157) DM: The ground is littered with broken
staves, shattered swords, crushed rings and other small items, and even shields
that have been punched through with a fist of great strength.
(2157) DM: Emblazoned on the clothing of some
of the dead, etched on some ruined equipment trod underfoot, is the sign of a
crimson eagle on a black field.
(2158) Daelan: " Well whatever killed them did so with great strength,any
ideas Morti?"
(2144) Morti: Knowledge: History Skill
Check: [1d20+8] -> [9,8] = (17)
** Thom calls Yazut over to where he is waiting. **
** (2149) Yazut seems transfixed by something, and
doesn't respond. **
(2158) Daelan: " This emblem is the
same one that Vael was wearing."
** (2144) Morti shrugs. There are lots of strong
monsters that could have done this. But at least there don't seem to be any
signs of magicks or mighty weapons." **
whispering to TaliesinNYC, [1d20+13] -> [19,13] = (32)
(2144) Morti: :holds up a swatch of cloth
with the symbol, "It's the House of Dres.. I think..."
** Thom makes his way into the ruins to where Yazut
is standing. "Yazut?" **
** (2149) Yazut eyes are glazed over,
there is no response from him. **
** Thom looks up to where Yazut is staring. **
(2158) Daelan: " Time we should be
heading back Morti."
** Atross calls over, "Might be some kind of
magicka, want me to get Morti over here?" **
** (2144) Morti nods to Daelan and stands to follow
back to the others **
** (2149) Yazut seems to be staring directly at the
base of the toiwer rising out of the bog. **
** Thom shakes his head. "He will be here soon
anyways." **
(2144) Morti: :he gives one last glance to
the scattered remnants of the groups crushed belongings before following
** Thom looks over the tower. **
** (2149) Yazut finally snaps out of the apparent
trance, and glances up at the porson speaking to him, "Mmh?" **
** Thom stumbles back a step. **
Thom: "Wow, and I thought Maximillian was
insatiable."
Thom: "There is something in that tower -
something very hungry. And a little confused."
** (2149) Yazut glances back at the tower, then back up at Thom, "It be -very- big lizard."
**
Atross: "Hungry and confused?"
** (2158) Daelan heads back to the others,carrying a piece of the cloth that has the emblem on it. **
** Thom shrugs. "I don't know - just letting you
know what I know. **
(2185) Norfirion (enter): 01:48
(2149) Yazut: ((Late, as usual! Hello!))
Thom: "It could be Yazut. We need to be
careful." Thom slowly moves to the tower, looking for the entrance.
(2144) Morti: :as he comes back with Daelan: "Lizard?"
** (2149) Yazut frwns at Thom, "No, not *could
be*, Yazut says there be big lizard, and there be -very- big lizard. inside there," he says, pointing at the tower. **
(2144) Morti: "What kind of
Lizard?"
Thom: "Sorry Yazut, I misunderstood. In
that case we know what to avoid, huh?"
** (2149) Yazut looks to Morti, to Thom, then back to
Morti, "Big one, mm?" **
** (2144) Morti kneels down: "You saw it?"
**
Atross: "I wonder how fast it is. Can it
climb, fly?"
(2158) Daelan: " A big lizard? does not sound
right,not with what Morti and I saw back there."
** (2149) Yazut pointedly ignored the elf, speaking
to Morti, "Yes.." **
(2188) Ghaele (enter): 01:54
** (2144) Morti looks around. "Where?"
**
** (2149) Yazut points at the tower yet again,
"Beyond walls of tower.." **
(2144) Morti: "Eh?" :looks to the
Tower: "You can see through walls?"
** (2149) Yazut cocks a brow at Morti, "Can you
not?" **
Atross: "You know,
it's not really worth quibbling at this moment. Did you see a silver statue
anywhere?"
** (2144) Morti shakes his head. "I don't know
much of divination magicka." **
** (2149) Yazut looks at Atross, and shakes his head.
**
(2158) Daelan: " I would suffer a guess
and say that it is inside guarded by this lizard."
** (2144) Morti takes Moiraine up from his pocket for
a breather, as he inquires to Yazut, "Can you describe the lizard?"
**
** Thom has moved forward and is checking the area
around the tower. **
(2158) Daelan: " I appologize to you
Atross and Thom I did not mean to give orders when Morti and I went to check
out the dead."
(2144) Morti: "Huh?"
:head suddenly spins aside to gawk at Daelan: "D-di-di you just...
apol-ogize?"
Atross: "Eh, it happens sometimes. So
anyone want to guess what else is in there? Lizards aren't well known for
leaving people hanging from trees."
Thom: "Don't worry about it. In the
environment of this swamp, you probably have a better idea of what to
expect."
(2158) Daelan: " Even I have been known to err Morti."
(2158) Daelan: " Though it is few and
far inbetween."
** (2149) Yazut frowns, pondering a moment,
"Hard to do so. It be big, scales be dark, dark as midnight on moonless
night.." **
(2144) Morti: "Yeah... but I didn't
think you ever apologized." :shurgs and turns back to Yazut: "So, can
you describe the lizard?"
(2144) Morti: "How about shape? Does it
go on four legs or two? Does int look like a dragon or one of the lizard folk?
(2158) Daelan: " Onyx Drake perhaps."
(2144) Morti: (drake, not dragon)
Atross: "You mean like that skull we saw
earlier? And it's confused?"
** (2149) Yazut nods silently to Atross. **
Thom: "And hungry."
Atross: "So probably not chatty and more
of the causing harm, curses, and removing limbs sort of mood."
** Thom returns from his search as he catches the end
of the comments and adds his own. **
(2158) Daelan: " Any way in Thom?"
Thom: "Probably. But we would have to find
some way in first. I couldn't find anything at this point. However, part of the
tower is under muck, so it could be buried. In fact - the sinking could be what
is confusing the creature."
Thom: (( that was to
Atross in case it was hard to tell. ))
** (2149) Yazut gestures to himself, "Yazut
finds way inside. Big lizard, Yazut thinks, not be happy we pays him visit
though.." **
Thom: "Probably not Yazut, but we need that
statue."
(2157) DM: ((stopping in 20 minutes))
(2157) DM: ((map isn't prepared, yes I know,
bad DM))
Thom: (( shame shame shame... :P ))
Atross: (You didn't think we'd get past the
beholder, right?)
** (2149) Yazut shrugs, and gestures to the tower,
"So yoiu goes. Go! Yazut show you where," he says, and starts towards
the tower, glancing towards the section of the ruins where he saw the other
creatures.. **
** Thom follows Yazut. **
** (2144) Morti follows after Yazut. "Is Big
Lizard awake?" **
(2158) Daelan: " Did he see anything
besides the Drake Morti?"
** (2149) Yazut trudges through the muck, "It
watches.." **
(2144) Morti: :shrugs to Dael: "So it
knows we're here then?"
Thom: "Watches us? It knows where we
are?"
** (2149) Yazut stops for a moment, and holds up a
finger, "You tells elf, if he wants to asks question of Yazut, he asks
Yazut," he states, and continues. **
Atross: "I'm still willing to play the
'What murdered those people and left them hanging in the trees' game. I hear
Giants?"
** (2144) Morti looks back to Daeal and just gestures
him toward the goblin to speak **
Thom: "Good point, more than likely there
are other things around as well.
Atross: "Trolls'd probably not let them go
to waste."
(2157) DM: ((no, I planned on you getting past
the beholder since it wasn't a real beholder. well it was, just not alive.
lol.))
(2149) Yazut: ((Death Tyrant would have been
more fun!))
(2158) Daelan: " Not sure Atross,but
something large used a stone pillar as a spear and crushed another to pulp,only
way to tell what it was,was by its feet,three dead male warriors,two dead human
females and one halfling.some were wearing the same emblem as the one who
captured me Atross.''
Atross: "Sounds like big giants."
Thom: "That might explain why he wanted to
send someone else in and not more of his own men."
(2157) DM: Large bugs buzz over the surfaces of
pools of stagnant water that dot the entry to the keep. A
pair of statues stand silent watch a short distance past the gate.
Blocks of rubble, half-sunken in the mire, give evidence that the main gate was
originally a more elaborate construction than what remains.
(2158) Daelan: " Something big I can
tell you that,they have not been dead that long,maybe a week give or take a day
or two,hard to tell with the vultures and such."
** (2158) Daelan stops and stares at the statues **
** (2149) Yazut stops short of the tower, and points
at the stataues with his staff, "Watch thems.."
**
(2158) Daelan: " Well those are
big."
** (2144) Morti eyes the statues, head cocked aside
curiously **
** Thom looks at the statues. "Watch them for
what?" **
(2157) DM: A pair of statues seven feet tall
stand near the entrance to the keep's debris-strewn courtyard. Although time
and travails have caused the statues to wear down differently, you can tell
that they were originally mirror images of each other. And
what an image.
** (2149) Yazut doesn't say anything more, he simply moves a bit more cautiously towatds the
tower once they're within sight of the statues. **
Atross: "So now we have big giants. Or statues. Or maybe the lizard."
(2157) DM: Each statue shows a male human
clawing away the skin from his chest and shows his heart and ribcage. Each face
is contorted in wild-eyed terror, each mouth open in a silent scream of horror.
A fat gray spider emerges from the mouth of the right-hand statue and skitters
down the body, only to be gobbled up by a mottled snake curled at the statue's
feet.
Thom: "But we just came from that
way..."
(2157) DM: And that is when you notice the
feet...or lack of them. Instead of feet, you see that each statue's legs below
the knees have been replaced with a stone carving of a writhing mass of
tentacles.
(2144) Morti: "Someone has a weird
taste in art."
Thom: "Anything about Screaming
Statues?"
** (2158) Daelan laughs **
(2158) Daelan: " So is this the way in
Glamhath?"
(2157) DM: (probably should stop here since
there's A LOT of information about the courtyard that I can't type in 10
minutes)
** Thom keeps an eye on the statues, but also glances
back to Yazut. **
(2157) DM: (next session will be next weekend,
same time, and Damrosil. once DJ gets back, we'll continue with the Mel Nethra
campaign)
(2144) Morti: (hai hai)
Thom: sounds like a plan