Ameiko starts at the sound, but then pauses. Watching Corinna stalk off, she says to Gilfroy, "She's right, you know. Somewhere else, it might have been funny, but here in the middle of the Nolands..." She shakes her head.
Koya hardly twitches at the sound. After a sip of tea, she says, "Gilfroy, that was very inappropriate. I think you should apologize."
..... And so now I'm off to Kalsgard to find a man who might or might not know where he is, my career abandoned, all the family I've ever known furious with me, and fifty gold pieces in my pocket to get me there and back again." She attempts a wry smile. "It's not the most well-thought-through decision I've ever made."
"You also have me, Lady Corinna. I understand how important familial ties are. I lost my family a long time ago. I have no family to find, but I swear that as long as you look for your kin, I shall not abandon you."
"Gilfroy's antics does bring up a point. We could do with some martial practice. I suggest we begin sparring when we stop for the night. We could also practice archery. Corinna, you could even use the time to practice you aim with your spells."
"No doubt for that and much more, past, present, and future. But nobody is going to suggest to her that I might not appreciate being constantly referred to as useless dead weight on a daily basis. She's perfectly free to think herself useless."
Gilfroy adopts an angry whiney tone. Ooh, I only learned in a classroom. I can't do anything out here"..."Ooh, my family might not like me if I have an original thought. I can't do anything in my own"..."Ooh, everybody's always liked Ameiko more than me, cause she's so pretty and popular. I'm so useless and worthless".
"Garbage! She can hide in her wagon if she wants, and I will make any manner of cannibal barbarian wet himself twenty times over."
Gilfroy storms off.
A few moments later, he storms back, grabs his dinner, and storms off again.
Melon pales over when she sees Gilfroy topple over, then bursts out laughing as the charade is revealed. She's still mirthing after the gnome storms off. "hahaha oh, you should have seen the look on your faces - damn! Why don't I have a mirror, I wanna see mine now - hahahahaaha that was seriously convincing! Oo o! My stomach! hahaha-gg too... much... laughing... . . . bahahahahaaaouch"
Tevyn gets his horse saddled and ready for the day's travels and keeps his bow close at hand as he rides.
Moving close to the wagon that Corinna's riding in, he lifts his voice loud enough for her to hear, "Corinna, have you studies taught anything about this place we're heading to today? Any ideas what we can expect to find there? Is it just going to be ruins or are there any stories of people living there?"
The caravan sets off again after breakfast. Open plains stretch as far as the eye can see on both sides of the road. Far to the northwest, there's a hint of some more mountains, but they're probably days away. If you look back behind you, you can see the previous mountains to the southeast and southwest, but otherwise, the terrain is mostly unchanging brown, sagging grasses.
Grey clouds hang in the sky all morning, and you barely see any sign of life. Even insects seems few and far between at the moment. Shalelu brings back a couple of hares in late morning to add to the caravan's food stores, but those are the largest life forms you've seen other than yourselves and the caravan horses. Nonetheless, Shalelu advises caution. "I have no doubt that people and creatures that live out here are adept at staying unseen when they want to," she says. "Don't let that lull you into a false sense of security." She then heads off to scout again.
In the early afternoon, you spot Shalelu waiting on the side of the road. A bit of light forest extends west of the road here, the first change in terrain you've seen all day. A little further down the road, you can see a bridge over what must be the Steam River according to your maps. Assuming it is the Steam, you should be very close to Brinewall.
As you get closer, you can see that Shalelu's standing beside an old wooden sign that she has pulled weeds away from. She waves you over and points to the sign. Faded writing on the sign reads, "To Brinewall", and there is a painted arrow pointing west. You notice there is an old overgrown trail running west into the forest at this point.
"Looks like we're just about there," Sandru says.
Moving close to the wagon that Corinna's riding in, he lifts his voice loud enough for her to hear, "Corinna, have you studies taught anything about this place we're heading to today? Any ideas what we can expect to find there? Is it just going to be ruins or are there any stories of people living there?"
"I really know nothing more about it than than it used to be a town and was abandoned. I don't even know why," she shrugs. "It's not on any of the newer maps of Varisia, so I assume it's never been re-settled -- and considering its surroundings, I can understand why." She looks around at the inhospitable Nolands and shivers. "It's possible that some of the ... people who live here might have decided they prefer staying in one place to being nomads and claimed the ruins as their own."
"It's nice to see you doing better," Melon tells Ameiko, "You seemed troubled the other day. Don't worry, we'll be in and out of Brinewall before you know it."
"Before we turn down this ominous and foreboding path, I'd like to go on the record up front and state that any ambush we may or may not encounter is not my doing."
"It's nice to see you doing better," Melon tells Ameiko, "You seemed troubled the other day. Don't worry, we'll be in and out of Brinewall before you know it."
Ameiko shrugs. "Yeah, a little troubled, plus I wasn't feeling very well. I think it must have been something I ate. It didn't mix well with my worries."
"Before we turn down this ominous and foreboding path, I'd like to go on the record up front and state that any ambush we may or may not encounter is not my doing."
"You mean those masked men I saw you accepting money from last night have nothing to do with it either?" Ameiko asks with a chuckle.
Despite her jovial demeanour, Ameiko looks a little pale, and you get the sense that she's doing her best to hide her true state.
Sandru jumps down from the lead wagon and takes a closer look at the overgrown trail leading to the west. He frowns. "I don't think we'll get very far with the wagons along here," he says. "We'll have to set up camp here and continue on foot."
With a sigh, he begins directing the wagons off the main road and into the grasses just east of the sign pointing to Brinewall.
"That's all right," Ameiko says. "A walk will do us good!"
"I really know nothing more about it than than it used to be a town and was abandoned. I don't even know why," she shrugs. "It's not on any of the newer maps of Varisia, so I assume it's never been re-settled -- and considering its surroundings, I can understand why." She looks around at the inhospitable Nolands and shivers. "It's possible that some of the ... people who live here might have decided they prefer staying in one place to being nomads and claimed the ruins as their own."
Tevyn shrugs. "Well, we'll find out for ourselves soon enough."
While Sandru sees about organizing the wagons, Tevyn examines the grasses by the sign pointing to Brinewall, trying to discern if there are is any evidence of recent passage in that direction.
Tevyn finds only signs of small mammals moving along this area: rabbits or hares, and mice mostly. There's no indication of anything larger.
Malan walks up to Sandru once he hears of the decision to stop the wagons. "How much further do we have to go? I presume that we will be leaving some guards behind to protect the wagons."
Malan walks up to Sandru once he hears of the decision to stop the wagons. "How much further do we have to go? I presume that we will be leaving some guards behind to protect the wagons."
Sandru shrugs. "I honestly have no idea," he says, "but I can't imagine it's more than a mile or two away. The map makes it look pretty close to the main road. In fact, I was a little surprised it wasn't on the main road. As for guards, yes, we don't want to leave the wagons unprotected. I'll happily stay with the caravan. My days of exploring ruined cities are long over. I can't guard it alone though. Ameiko will want to go into Brinewall, I'm sure."
He glances over to her to where Ameiko's already preparing her supplies. He chuckles. "See? She's probably trying her best to hide that she's frustrated with the caravan taking too long to settle, even though it's not taking long at all. She's always been a little impatient." He chuckles some more.
Tevyn joins the others after examining the area. "There's no sign of larger creatures traveling down that way recently. That could be good news. We'll have to see what we find."
He takes Abrazân and puts him with the other horses. "You'll have to stay here for now," he tells the horse as he gives him some oats. "Ruins aren't the best places for horses."
Satisfied that Abrazân is settled he rejoins the group. "I'm ready to go. Anyone else staying behind with the caravan?"
Melon tries to subtly give Ameiko a hug, without drawing much attention to it. "You really don't look so good, maybe you have caught a bug or something? Let's go to Mistress Koya, she can help. I'm sure."
Sandru shrugs. "I honestly have no idea," he says, "but I can't imagine it's more than a mile or two away. The map makes it look pretty close to the main road. In fact, I was a little surprised it wasn't on the main road. As for guards, yes, we don't want to leave the wagons unprotected. I'll happily stay with the caravan. My days of exploring ruined cities are long over. I can't guard it alone though. Ameiko will want to go into Brinewall, I'm sure."
"I'll stay and guard the caravan," Corinna quickly volunteers, the choice between walking into dangerous ruins and staying behind with Sandru an exceedingly easy one to make.
1d20 + 6
Melon tries to subtly give Ameiko a hug, without drawing much attention to it. "You really don't look so good, maybe you have caught a bug or something? Let's go to Mistress Koya, she can help. I'm sure."
Ameiko shakes her head. "Don't worry so much. I'm fine." She gives Melon a pat on the shoulder, then pulls away from her.
"I'm definitely going," she tells Tevyn. "Is everyone else ready?" She slings her samisen over her shoulders, checks to make sure her sword belt is secure, and takes a deep breath. "Let's go!"
Then she collapses in a heap on the ground, unmoving.
"Ameiko!" Gilfroy cries out. "I didn't do it. We need Koya. KOYA!!!"
"Ameiko!" Tevyn drops his bow and rushes over to her. He pulls his cloak off and balls it up, placing it under her head.
Sandru drops to Ameiko's side, and helps Tevyn. It's clear that Ameiko is still breathing. There's no sign of any injury on her (although she's likely to end up with a few bruises from the fall).
Shalelu runs to fetch Koya, who is already peering round from her wagon to see what Gilfroy is yelling about. As soon as she's realized what has happened she speeds over to Ameiko's side and shoos Sandru out of the way. She begins to examine Ameiko carefully . Her brow creases after a few moments, and she scowls. She begins repeating the same examination, only more slowly this time.
"I can't find any physical signs of a problem," she mutters. "No fever, no injury. A slight paleness to the skin, but nothing worrisome. Breathing's quite slow and regular. Someone bring me some water. No, never mind. I'll do it." She pulls out a flask and a cloth, unstoppers the flask, then casts create water, letting the water splash to the side of her Ameiko and holding the flask out in one hand to catch some of it, and soaking the cloth in her other hand.
She then begins to wipe Ameiko's face and forehead with the wet cloth. "Ameiko, can you hear me?" she says. Ameiko does not respond. Koya reaches out and pulls up one of Ameiko's eyelids to reveal the eye turned upwards and twitching.
Koya sits back with a sigh, shaking her head. "She's in some sort of coma," she says, "and it's definitely magically induced. I've no idea how long it will last, but we'll have to assume it's lengthy. I can't imagine what point there'd be to such an effect if it were to end in only a few minutes. I'm afraid such an effect is beyond my ability to heal. We need to get her somewhere we can get advanced magical help. I'm afraid the trip to Brinewall is cancelled. What's the nearest major settlement? Is there anything closer than Riddleport?"
Sandru sighs and rushes over to the lead wagon to grab the maps he, Corinna, and Bevelek have been using. "We look to be about equidistant between Riddleport and Jol. I don't know anything about Jol and don't know if it'll be sufficient for our needs. There's nothing else marked closer."
"It will have to be Riddleport then," Koya says. "It's either that or wait it out and hope the effect passes, but I wouldn't recommend that option. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Tevyn, would you be so kind as to carry Ameiko to my wagon and lay her down there?"
Tevyn, pale with concern and showing more emotion than he perhaps ever had, nods and lifts Ameiko, making his way to the wagon. He does his best to lay her gently inside, arranging his cloak so that she will have a soft place for her head.
When he returns to where the others are, his expression is grim. "If it's a magical effect, is there nothing else we can do? Some way to break it rather than try to heal her of it? How would someone do this to her?"
"Proximity to Brinewall would be my guess," Corinna remarks dryly. "Remember? The place her grandfather's letter warned her against? The place where her family's enemies 'lie in wait forever' for a Kaijitsu's return? The place he said none of his family should ever approach under pain of death? The place all of you convinced her she should ignore the warnings against because, Desna's stars! better she walks to her own doom than anyone ever say no to one of her whims? She's been ill for days and getting worse the closer we traveled. Jol is not known for its welcoming attitude toward strangers, by the way."
"Corinna could be right," Koya says, stroking her chin. "It could be some sort of ward against her going to Brinewall. If so, taking her away from Brinewall, might end her condition. In that case, we should either turn back towards Riddleport or continue on to Kalsgard."
"Karlsgard is way too far off - we don't know she'll get better if we just turn around. We might need a temple. I think Riddleport is better."
"Then we take her back a ways to see if she wakes up. If she does, then she and the caravan waits a bit of a ways back the road while we go on ahead to Brinewall without her, and you can choose to come along or stay behind and be her lady-in-waiting to nurse her back to health. That would be amusing to watch!"
Tevyn looks at Corinna with cold eyes but when he speaks, his voice is soft. "If it is Brimwall, do you know of any way to stop it?" He turns to Melon. "Would a temple do aught for something that is magical? If Koya and Corinna are right, this isn't an illness...healing isn't what she would need but something to break the spell or whatever it is on her."
He turns next to Gilfroy. "Taking her a short distance away may serve to test your idea. But we have no right to go forward without Ameiko. We need to find a solution to what plagues her so she can continue on. This is her quest--" He stops suddenly.
"Unless whatever it is that is causing her coma is in Brinewall, in which case perhaps the solution waits there as well."
He turns to Koya. "Could that be possible? Do you have any means of divining an answer to these questions?"
"I doubt it's a spell on her," Corinna opines, casting detect magic and examining Ameiko, just to be sure. "It's more likely to be some sort of curse or even a hex ... which I don't know much about, I might add. If it's a sort of unusual antipathy effect, then it probably is active within Brinewall itself. They undoubtedly used part of her grandfather's body to target anyone sharing the same bloodline. As to whether it can be stopped...," she shrugs, "I don't even know what it is, and I haven't any ability to dispel any magic I didn't cast myself."
"Let us take one target at a time. For now, Ameiko has been made to rest from what seems to be a magical effect we believe to be emanating from Brinewall. We can take her further away to see if she awakens. If she does not, then we can decide our next course of action." Malan takes a breath while looking at those gathered to make sure he is understood. "Sandru, we should get this caravan turned around. Even if can not find help in Riddleport we can get a ship to take us where help can be found. I am not convinced the ward was meant to protect her. Shalelu, scout ahead to see then get back to us. The rest of us need to be more alert. A storm is on the wind." Malan's tone is authoritative and urgent. He goes on to explain himself. "Ameiko is incapacitated. That is not protecting her. It is making her more vulnerable. Corinna, how difficult would it be to add a component that would alert the caster that the ward was set off?"
"I think it's pretty obvious that whatever is happening isn't protecting her," Tevyn says grimly. "For now, I'm fully in favor of trying to move Ameiko away from Brinewall to see if that helps. But I don't think we should immediately plan on going all the way back to Riddleport or taking a ship to some other mysterious destination. If she doesn't wake up, we need to find what's doing this and make it stop. For all we know, she might not have much time. The answer to what's doing this to her may well be here in Brinewall, not in Riddleport."
"Unfortunately, we have very little idea as to what the cause may be, Tevyn," Koya says, "and I'm afraid I have no way, magical or mundane, of divining it. If she doesn't wake up when we move away from Brinewall, I think our best option is to continue to Riddleport and find a wizard or priest powerful enough to divine those answers. Once we have them, then we can figure out what to do."
She turns to Sandru. "As Malan said, Sandru, let's get this caravan turned around."
"Right, you heard!" Sandru calls to the caravan workers. "Let's get moving. I want to get back to Riddleport as fast as possible! We'll push on into the night a little each day to shorten the journey as much as we can. Let's move!"
The caravaners spring to action, hastily repacking the supplies they had just started unpacking, then reloading them onto the wagons. The drivers hop up onto the wagons and start the process of turning them around. In less than 15 minutes, the caravan is ready to proceed. While this is happening, Koya returns to her wagon to keep watch on Ameiko and Shalelu heads off to scout ahead.
"Sorry for the detour," Sandru says to Corinna as they step up beside Bevelek. "Looks like your journey keeps getting longer by the day." He nods to Bevelek, who picks up the reins and starts the wagon moving.
You've only travelled for about ten minutes, when the door of Koya's wagon opens and Koya yells out, "Stop! Stop the caravan!"
When word is passed to Sandru, he nods to Bevelek and the wagons lurch to a stop. Sandru hops down and rushes towards Koya's wagon, presumably alongside the rest of you.
In the wagon, Koya is trying to hold down Ameiko, who is thrashing about wildly and uncontrollably. Koya's feeble strength, however, is not enough to hold Ameiko in place and so she is bearing the brunt of several elbow blows, kicks, and arm slaps.
"It started a few minutes ago," Koya gasps as Ameiko continues to writhe. "And it's been getting worse the more we travel. Turn this caravan around. Turn it around now!"
"Corinna, how difficult would it be to add a component that would alert the caster that the ward was set off?"
"For someone who could do this in the first place?" Corinna asks. "Not difficult at all. As a matter of fact, I'd consider it remarkable if they didn't know she was coming as soon as she began feeling the effects. Because we all ignored her grandfather's warning, I'm fairly certain that, whatever this thing is that he died to protect her from, it knows she exists now and will be able to track her down however far she goes from Brinewall." She's obviously making a great effort not to point out that she predicted this would happen back in Sandpoint and was dismissed as a wet blanket.
"Sorry for the detour," Sandru says to Corinna as they step up beside Bevelek. "Looks like your journey keeps getting longer by the day." He nods to Bevelek, who picks up the reins and starts the wagon moving.
She shrugs with a tight smile. "What's three ... six ... nine days?" she asks, counting the time spent traveling to Brinewall, back to Riddleport, and then back this far north again. "Assuming I can find another caravan traveling to Kalsgaard this time of year." She sighs.
Tevyn stays with Koya and Ameiko in the wagon and when the young woman begins to thrash, he reaches to hold her still and prevent injury.
"This is what I was afraid of." Tevyn says through gritted teeth, looking up at Koya. "We've got no choice now. We've got to see this through to the end."
"As was her right, Ameiko, chose to face her family's enemy and we chose to follow her." Malan responds, "However, we have already let that shaft fly and it is too late to take aim. Now, according to you, Corinna, the thing hunting the Taijitsu clan now knows that Ameiko is here and is on the way to get her. She needs your help." Malan said he would stand with Corinna. He waits to see what they will do.
"So... that makes sense... the ward actively wants her to come closer. And that is what she was doing anyway. Great work ward. Great work." Melon looks accusingly at Corinna, then she snaps, "You won't be cooking tonight."
"Of course it wants her closer. Whatever is there waiting for her wants her incapacitated and within striking distance. How long is it going to take to get this caravan turned around? My cart is much more nimble."
"This is no time for recriminations," Koya snaps at Melon.
Sandru, his face pale from the sight of Ameiko lashing about, doesn't take the time to answer Gilfroy. He hurries off and begins yelling instructions to the caravan drivers. As quickly as possible, they get the caravan turned around again, and begin heading back towards Brinewall. Ameiko's spasms begin to calm down soon after. When the caravan reaches the sign pointing to Brinewall, they stop altogether and Ameiko lies still.
Koya takes a wet cloth and wipes Ameiko's brow and a few scrapes and bruises the Tien woman acquired in her thrashing.
Suddenly, Ameiko begins muttering in her sleep, apparently in Tien. Although most of you don't speak Tien, you are able to catch a string of names at the end of the her muttering. "Amatatsu... Kaijitsu... Rokuro... Kortun... Tsutamu... Lonjiku... Pitivo... Amatatsu... Kaijitsu..." She begins repeating the names, getting quieter with each one, then finally falling silent and still again.
"Hey. I know that. She's speaking Tien." Melon listens in carefully. "What... ummmm... Family elder. Offspring. Symbols. One fortune beyond, two symbols, within third vault. The... family elder is waiting."
Melon tries to soothe Ameiko, speaking in Tien herself.
"Some of those words," Tevyn mutters. "They sound familiar. Names? Her father?"
He looks up at Koya. "Should we...restrain her? With some soft strips of fabric?" For a moment his control slips and his face shows his anguish. "I can't think of any other way to help her."
"Depends, it seems she's docile as long as we're going towards Brinewall. Though if something acts up again and she starts hurting herself in the thrashing we could bleed her until she's too weak to hurt herself." She looks down, "Well that's what they did to restrain me. Worked too."
"I would rather restrain her than bleed her." Tevyn says in a tight voice. "Our goal is to keep her from harm rather than to make her worse!"
"We won't be bleeding anybody," Koya says. "This isn't a physical ailment. Bleeding won't make any difference. We need powerful magic to dispel whatever has overtaken her. She's calm enough for now, so I see no need for restraints. We should have some on hand, though, in case the spasms start again."
"So... that makes sense... the ward actively wants her to come closer. And that is what she was doing anyway. Great work ward. Great work." Melon looks accusingly at Corinna, then she snaps, "You won't be cooking tonight."
"What ... does that even mean?" Corinna frowns at Melon. "I never said it was a ward; I said it was a curse, and it stands to reason that once it found her, it wouldn't let her go. Why would I cook?" She turns to Malan. "What do you think I can do to help? I haven't the experience to undo anything like this; that would require a wizard of far more power than I. I don't even know what magic this is or how it's been accomplished. The Cypherlodge in Riddleport is the nearest place to find an sufficiently-proficient mage, and even then, I haven't heard that they specialize in abjuration. If time and distance were no object, I'd say to consult with the Stone of the Seers in Magnimar; their abjuration school has an excellent reputation. But we've no way to get there and bring someone back."
Suddenly, Ameiko begins muttering in her sleep, apparently in Tien. Although most of you don't speak Tien, you are able to catch a string of names at the end of the her muttering. "Amatatsu... Kaijitsu... Rokuro... Kortun... Tsutamu... Lonjiku... Pitivo... Amatatsu... Kaijitsu..." She begins repeating the names, getting quieter with each one, then finally falling silent and still again.
"Rokuro, that's her grandfather, the man who died to keep her from ever coming here," Corinna murmurs. "Lonjiku was her father, but she wouldn't have called him that. The rest of them, Tien names, except ... Pitivo. That's Varisian," she frowns and glances up at Sandru.
"So... that makes sense... the ward actively wants her to come closer. And that is what she was doing anyway. Great work ward. Great work." Melon looks accusingly at Corinna, then she snaps, "You won't be cooking tonight.""What ... does that even mean?" Corinna frowns at Melon. "I never said it was a ward; I said it was a curse, and it stands to reason that once it found her, it wouldn't let her go. Why would I cook?"
Melon waves dismissively, "Ward, curse. Doesn't matter, I wasn't talking to you then, I was talking to it. You'd figure that the... thing could leave well enough alone, given that Ameiko was going towards Brinewall anyway. It there really was some wicked aforethought to it, then you'd figure they'd wait til the last moment for the surprise - rather than alerting us from the start." Then she adds, "Oh. The bit about cooking was for you. Too bitter, I wouldn't like it."