Silsavar is a bit surprised by Bree's outbreak but lets the new information sink in
The astolabium is not in the temple, but as far as I know, they kept the records of the astrological findings there...But why a dark parody...wait...maybe the drow have changed the place?! We still don't know where their headquarter is.
----------
Ilfirn grins even wider
Are you trying to seduce me in your rough-tough pirate way?
-----------
Eviana nods
The religious ideas of Erastil carry a lot of wisdom...but I really wonder if men who live by the sword will ever reach the stage of life where starting a family is the next logical step...I have seen many of them follow the bloody path too long, reflexes grow slow, old wounds break up...most who live by the sword also die by it. Let's hope your friends will meet a different fate...now please tell me more about what you found out about the drow and their plans. Where did you encounter them firstly and why are you still hunting them and how does this Brandon fit in the story?
Kabal nods as a plan starts to formulate and is reassured by Bree's memory. He itched to include getting the resources from the Academy to use for their cause but it wasnt a priority.
Where is this damn astrolab at then if not there? We will need to know where the bulk of the forces are. These structures here look well fortified. What are they?
The newly appointed War leader will point a thick finger at the southern part of the map.
Anything underground?
"We uncovered them in Riddleport, first under the Golden Goblin where they were digging around, some connection to the Cyphergate, and then on Devils Elbow. They were routed on both occassions. Brandon is Brees brother, he was taken as a slave, chance or coincidence has put our paths together, and him in the hands of a mutual enemy. The same fate that will decide whether my companions end up with happy families or early graves, although in all cases I intend to nudge fate a little closer to the Light. The Elves in Riddleport sent us here to help, and we also come to rescue this fellow. Once Bree has her brother perhaps she will settle down, perhaps take a fine husband and grow deep roots."
"So where is this ceremony, I look forward to seeing the cultural display."
Caterine just gives Ilfirn a look that brooks no argument and replies flatly "No... I've no interest, and you'll wipe the grin off ye face and behave like a soldier..." hand tightening around the grip of her whip "...or I'll give ye a choice. You can live out eternity either without a tongue or as a gelding."
Intimidate:
Bree studies the maps intently, she seems restless as if she's ready to leave right away.
If Ilfirn is intimidated he does not show, but he follows your friendly hint and returns to staring at the trees...
----------
11)
This is the Crystal Conservatory - A crystal dome still tops this squat
building, and a narrow flight of steps spirals around the outer wall to
an archway leading inside the dome. Within, dozens oftropical plants and exotic flowers grow rampant, their scents mingling to form a heady bouquet that perfumes the air. The crystal dome focuses the sun’s light, keeping the atmosphere within the conservatory hot and humid. Back in the days when Celwynvian was a vibrant city, this was used as a place of relaxation.
12)
This one is the Fluted Goblet...While Celwynvian boasted many inns and taverns of fine quality, the Fluted Goblet carried the reputation for the fullest wine cellar, the friendliest workers, and the most refined patrons. A circular patio surrounds three-quarters of the main floor, where wide windows look into the now moldering taproom. An upper level
served as a private dining room.
13)
Ah yes, Garden of Eternal Ease... this avenue once led to the most somber garden of the City of Emerald Rains. Today, rubble, fallen trees, and shattered buildings thrown from the impact of Earthfall cover most of this vast field, but some untouched land remains. Here is the Garden of Eternal Ease, the final resting place for many of Celwynvian’s citizens. Tiny stones, each one simply marked with a name in Elven and a small symbol, cover the verdant expanse. Each stone marks a grave; each symbol represents the person beneath. Flowers decorate the tombstones of maidens, herbalists, and gardeners; books and stars indicate the graves of historians, wizards, and scholars; and an assortment of more personalized symbols represent the hobbies or occupation of those resting below.
14) This is the Constellar Gallery, it once housed the greatest works of art of the Celwynvian people. I don't know how it looks now but I guess they are either destroyed, or stolen...
----------
Eviana smiles and takes your hand again
In about an hour, but yopu're right, I should start to get ready for it. Please tell your friends that they should stay in their guest house during the next two hours.
"Thank you for the tour and the cultural knowledge. I shall ask my fellows to stay indoors during the performance, no doubt a few fine vessels of Elven Mead shall keep them engrossed for the rest of the evening."
Winter returns to the party.
*Winter will fill them in on the need to stay indoors for a couple of hours.
*Winter will tell Bree of the Findleadlara connection, and then the rest of the party - pointing out the Building in question and the likely need to take it early, if possible.
Once done, Winter will don clothes more befitting an Elven ceremony, leaving his weapons and armour with his friends.
Bree also fills Winter in on what they have discovered looking at the maps and the connections Bree herself made as well. She thanks Winter for sharing with her, but furrows her eyebrows when she is asked to stay inside when he clearly intends to leave. "Why do we have to stay inside if you're leaving?"
Bree frowns deeper, crosses her arms beneath her breasts and says, "I'll not be held prisoner somewhere. Escort me back out of their territory, I'll sleep outside."
"You are certainly welcome to wander outside, and I don't suspect we are prisoners, I just get the idea they are a bit particuar about which 'guest' goes to which function... reverse the roles for a moment and assume we are back in Riddpleport, no doubt some of our associates would be far more comfortable talking with you and would happily see me well provisioned, fed, and entertained some distance away"
"Their ritual is sacred to them, it's an Elven custom it seems... they wish to keep their ways a secret is all. It really is just like home."
"Besides, we march on Celwyn soon, and we have much to do when we get there. Sharpen your knives, check your armour, drink their wine, enjoy their food, and then we go and put those knives to use... I don't think there will be much sleeping regardless of where you are, but I hope to see you here when I return shortly."
"Oh and if you haven't already, a clear description of your brother so there can be no mistakes or errors."
Winter straightens up his civil attire ensuring that he is properly presented for the ceremony.
"Sable, do you know much about this Callistrian business?"
"I hardly think it can be compared to Riddleport, and either their confining us to these quarters, or they're not, which is it? With it being an Eleven custom, then I suppose that Kabal and I are the only two who are really not suppose to go, eh? Fine. I'll stay. I'll sharpen my knives, not that they need it, you know quite well I sharpen them daily. Enjoy yourself." Suddenly, Bree looks a lot more like a petulant little girl who has just been told she isn't allowed to play with her older brothers than she does a scorned woman.
After a moment she rubs a hand across her eye and says, "And I can't really describe Brandon, I haven't seen him since we were little kids. I suppose he looks a lot like me. But, ya know, like a man."
|
"Winter, until your talk of Erastil and Blackfeather, I've never given much thought to faith. I know that something or someone has been looking out for me and sent Korax my way. I trust in what the winds tell me more than collected beliefs of masses, but that is not to say I find my curiosity more than perked. Long have I nested with gulls and grackles in the nest of riddles, and I yearn to see the fruitions of my peoples' dedications." Sable finishes brushing off his feathered cloak. "I mean no disrepect to any of you. The larks and falcons I fly with stand far above the squabbling magpies we've had to deal with on our flight til now."
Standing tall, Sable cradles his staff, leaving all other gear and weaponry aside. He brushes a finger under his perched raven's beak and waits by the entrance for Winter.
I have tons of questions but if you have some sort of celebration to get to then by all means...
He gestures towards the door.
I wouldnt mind staying here and studying this map though. Can you have food and drink brought?
Silsavar seems uncertain for a moment
Normally non-elves should stay at the guest house...but you're a Isillar, a brother in arms now. I think you can stay here. Food and drink will be brought to you.
-------
When the sun begins to set, the elves of Crying Leaf assemble at the central village square.
Their faces gleam brightly in the twilight and an expression of anticipation is visible in many of them.
After a moment of total silence Eviana steps out of one of the houses, at first you think she is wearing some sort of costume but you soon realize that she is naked wearing only high black boots and a body painting in the pattern of a wasp or bee.
With great grace, but also something predatory she walks to the centre of the square and begins to dance to some silent rythm.
The dance gets wilder over its course and the elves begin to clap their hands and stomp their feet and by that give Eviana's inaudible music a physical expression.
As the dance nears its crescendo, the males of Crying Leaf try to reach and grapple her. But since Eviana is dodging like a dragonfly and the males fight each other no one is able to grab her...
Religion
Sense Motive
Seeing the display of Elves attempting to attack Eviana, and unable to determine how serious they are or whether this is part of the ceremony, Winters hand reaches quickly and reflexively for his sword...which is resting comfortably at the Guesthouse. He looks to Sable as if to ask 'what the hells is going on!?'.
He springs to his feet, ready to intervene or to defend himself.
Since Eviana has a predatory smile on her face and seems to revel in the whole ceremony, you guess this is a "regular thing".
The Wasp Dance is an ancient elven ritual, nowadays rarely performed. In the old days, the wasp queen (the high priestess of Calistria of a community) danced in the evening twilight to end the day and bless the dreams of the elves. All males members of the community had the right to try to catch her and her wrestle her down so that she stayed the night in the winner's bed.
"Sable...do they test our us?" Winter continues to look imploringly at his fellow, not sure whether to advance or hold his ground.
Caterine remains inside and away, with little interest in the rites of elves.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sable stands jaw agape for a moment. "I... I am not sure. I have never been fortunate enough to have seen this dance." The blush obvious on his face. "But we are guests to a very privilaged event, I think it would be rude not to participate." Awkwardly Sable approaches and attempts to grab Eviana, missing completely.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"If we don't participate we might be seen as rude, aloof, or somehow less manly. If we do participate we help cement bonds and show we are friends. If we lose we risk being seen as weak, if we win we risk causing a grudge... oh my"
Winter still stands a little lost, he half watches as he fishes out his Parables of Erastil "I don't recall seeing anything that says I can't participate in a festival or event to another Deity, and it is the Elves and they are sort of aligned to Erastil".
Winter flutters the pages quickly, trying to see if there is some great accidental offence he might commit.
Religion
"Doesn't look like you are too prescriptive on such matters, if I am about to get in trouble for this, please send a sign?" Winter looks heavenward momentarily..."Or is it someone else that put me here at this place at this time?" Winter asks quietly, as though wondering if this is some mystery with his heritage.
|
|
Sable smiles at his friend. "Tonight we are accepted into their flock as their own. It seems this dance is commonplace enough to establish... a pecking order as it were. I am sure that many of my kin here have won their prize on different eves, tonight we are welcome to attempt to do so as well. Old Deadeye values family, Winter, and these are my- our people. A season now we have nested with the vultures of Riddleport, tonight is a chance to fly among feathers of our own kind."
Bree remained with Kabal looking over maps and planning for the attack.
There is no answer from above and so Winter has to decide whether this finds Erastil's liking or not on his own...
Meanwhile Sable receives a blow to the ribs and is hurled back into the crowd of spectators...
The ritual is about to end soon - Winter has to decide quickly, otherwise the Wasp Queen won't be caught for another day.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Winter looks down solemnly at his copy of the Parables, the realisation that there are no clever sayings nor down home guidance to be found in those beloved pages that will help steer him right.
His eyes raise back to the tops of the trees, and onward to the heavens, Sables words seeming somehow distant, as though being called to him from across a paddock... "a pecking order...Old Deadeye...family, Winter... our people...fly among feathers of our own kind" Winter snaps to the present, the dreams he has been having of angelic wings bearing him aloft to the stars.
"I think I know my purpose now, thank you Sable" his voice detached as he has his epiphany.
With a roar Winter erupts into his giant stature, standing thirteen feet tall and with a resolute stare his eyes lock upon the Wasp Queen, pushing his way past the Elves, he reaches his massive hand at the prize...
CMB
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Frozen on the spot, the Wasp Queen doesn't even try to dodge - their jaws agape the other elves just stare at the gigantic figure - Winter has no problems grabbing the elven priestess and after a moment of awed silence, the elves cheer...and here and there you can even hear some cat-calls...the expressions on the faces in the crowd range from jealousy, over appreciation, to pure shock
Eviana smiles, her eyes blaze with a golden fire and her body, slick from sweat, promises that this is going to be a night to remember - never before has Winter felt the lure of flesh so strongly
After more than thirty years, you are the first one to have earned the right to spend your night with the Wasp Queen. Eviana says.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Earned? No, I simply claim my birthright"
Winter takes what is his; his prize, and his heritage.
Kabal ignored the ruckus from outside and concentrated on the map as he absent mindedly ate the food left for them.
This would be easier with more men...or at least men with swords and shields. Those damn bows can be deadly but they're better off in the open or when your opponent is bunched up. I doubt those damn drow are huddle up for us. What say you Bree? You sure thats the place Clegg mentioned?
"I can't say it's the exact building, not with there being another option but it's one of the two. I feel certain about that. Of course, I can't say that Clegg is an honest man, but I do believe that the clue he said the oracle gave him references one of these two places. Either way, if Brandon is still alive, and if Clegg was telling the truth and that oracle is right, then Brandon is somewhere in this city. I'm willing to stake my life on it."
"We could see if the elves are interested in paying for sell swords, I'm sure we could find plenty but we'd have to go back to Riddleport to hire them."
"Perhaps we should try to send out scouts first, just to record movements."
Once Bree has eaten about half of what she's given, she pushes her plate towards Kabal as she continues to study the map.
The crowd of elves parts as Winter and Eviana make their way back to the guest house. No one dares to address them but more than one of the males gives Sable a slap on the back and some kind words.
- Winter, you have captured the Wasp Queen, now it's your turn to decide what is happening this night *_*
Winter simply walks off with her, still in his giant form, like some gigantic avatar of an Elven deity. Stone silence, stalwart determination, and yet the hard set of his eyes are thunderous - the Cold Fury of the Heavens made flesh. Shrinking to his normal size only upon reaching her abode, he leads her into her boudoir like a King in command.
"Well that's all that out of the way, amazing ceremony, I have learnt a lot this evening... thank you for sharing an insight to the culture of our people. I hope that I now have their acceptance, and now they see me for what I am... a gift...and that this time my people will not toss me aside as a misunderstood oddity, that it will not be once again casting pearls before swine, and that this has finally revealed to me my greater purpose and destiny. I have done what I could for my foster family who planted the seeds of faith, I have done much for Riddleport and set the foundations for others to prosper, and now I answer to my calling of restoring Celwinvyan to its rightful people and custodians" the previous theatrics all gone, and regular earnest Winter is left behind.
"I know now that this place was always my destiny, it was only on this evening it occured to me, and only on this evening I was able to literally grab a hold of it. I am certain now it was Ketephys who sent me to this realm, my flesh and blood the soil of Elysium given to the Druid faithful by an Azata, but it was in that soil that the mighty oak of Erastils wisdom was planted and the roots ran deep in such nourishment. i was meant to be a Druid and guide the Elves with wild wisdom, however it was the teachings of Erastil that taught me of the values of duty and family, of labour and toil, of applying ones self in earnest to doing good. So here I am, with my family of friends, the Drow hold our sacred garden, and we will take it back"
Winter looks once more to Eviana, her beauty not lost on him at all, "You are no trinket won in a tavern, and I am not a ruffian brute who comes to assert his claim over a prize. Anything between us is willing and free, or not at all" Winter, sits down and pours himself a drink, offering her one as he does "I can't leave yet, or it will appear all we did was speak, and that might cause offence. I should at least wait a few minutes before making a dignified exit" He settles comfortably on a chair and leaves her to her thoughts.
Eviana accepts the glass and takes a sip of the heavy red wine
You're special indeed...I think I've never meet an elf like you before...
she thinks for a moment and then lays her hand on yours
I don't feel like a prize won in a bar and to be honest: It would be a sacrilege not to praise Calistria this night...especially after you have just proven how much she likes you. I know in these dark times we shouldn't think much about the future, but I can imagine us leading this community to properity again...and isn't such an ancient ritual a good start for a bond between us?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Kabal flashed a rare smile and ate the rest of Bree's meal while he mulled over the options.
Yah, we're all staking our lives on ole Clegg and some half mad oracle...but I've done far crazier things for far less reward at the end. If he's still in there we'll get him out.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
"Well then, perhaps there's no need to leave so quickly..." Winter puts down his drink, with no plans no to depart until morning.
"Thanks, Kabal." Bree returns his smile with an unusual ease.
"So, what strategies do you have tumbling around in that head of yours?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sebastian had been quietly drawing his map but at Bree's question he raises his head, and he too looks to Kabal. "I know I am always quick with the booksmart. But Kabal, I too am eager to learn of what you might be planning. There are some things that can only be learned by doing, and leading men in battle is one of them. I know its a bit unfair, but we all look to you know, our veteran of such struggles. I can only offer remembered recapsulations on famous battles and generals to help form a plan...but unfortunately, none of them feature struggles between Elves and Drow. In fact not many of my treaties ever did."
It pleased the Brevian to see Bree smile so readily despite her brother being a captive of the vile drow...probably just excited to be doing something to free him... and more so that Sebastian had knowledge of famous battles...that man never ceases to amaze...
A plan? Aye, I've a plan but I wish we knew more; like where is this Hall of Astrology Winter mentioned and I'd sell my soul for more swords. Hiring men sounds good but do we have the time?
He pointed to the south easterern side of the map.
A feint is in order from here where they'll most expect it to be. Then we need a way to get our vanguard either the long way around to the north without being seen or...we take boats across this lake to strike deep inside the city.
He spun the map around to the bard.
Any of your famous battles ressemble our circumstances here? An outnumbered force of mostly archers assaulting a large concentration of dark hearted murderers?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Winter spends a night full of entirely new sensations and things he thought he knew about elevated to a new level...let's just say it's very exhausting but also very worth it :)
----
Maybe Bree meant the temple?
----
The elves give Sable some friendly smiles and nods, obvisouly he has aggrandised due to Winter's win.
--------
Shall we skip to the next morningf and discuss the battle plan together?
Winter, being ever the gentleman, ensures he is gone before the dawn.
He rejoins the others to see how their planning is progressing.
Kabal had fallen asleep in his chair at the map table and woke up with a knot in the small of his back that was sure to cause even more than the usual dourness in the man. He knuckled at the knot as he picked at what was left on the plates and greeted Winter when he walked through the door.
Morning. What's with the ear to ear grin bub?
Maybe Bree meant the temple?
"I have been enjoying the cultural exchange, seems there was much to learn about Elven philosophy and religious belief. No doubt your night was also fruitful and we have a view towards clearing out the Drow?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Kabal would never understand how a night learning about "Elven philosophy and religious belief" could cause such enjoyment but he nodded none the less.
Oh, aye I've got ideas alright and sounds like Sebastian might as well whenever he wakes up. But we need to know more about those damned drow and how they move about in Celwynian. In short we need to scout it out and maybe see how they react to a small incursion. If Korax can give Sable a bird's creepy eyed view during our stint than even better.
The big man stretched and spun the map around towards the priest.
And we have to find where in this forsaken place this astrolab is. Whatever the feck that is. According to Clegg it is the key to Bree finding her brother.