** spoiler omitted **
words or otherwise.
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Flynn wakes in the cold desert air with the feeling of warmth beside him. And it is most welcome.
He feels the squeeze on his arm as Whisper rises but he notes that she won't meet his gaze when he moves to pull her back to his embrace.
Why won't you talk...? he asks after her as she walks, her slim body already out of earshot and silhouetted against the pink, dawning sky.
Rising, Flynn goes through the familiar morning routine of brushing down and watering Skyfall and strapping on his armour.
Wolf is already preparing breakfast, some hodgepodge of water and dried grain heated over a small fire. It has a handful of crushed red seed pod in it, and tastes plain but with a slight dry and peppery heat.
Most of the parts that make this breakfast stew can be found around here; cacti seed pod, dried shaved bramble roots and water. It's easy to carry and easy to make, easy to eat too if you don;t think about it
He shrugs.
Anyway, from here you can either head further west and aim to hit the delta that runs top to bottom of the plateau, that's got some ancient ruins dotted around. Otherwise if you head directly south east then I know there's a proper overgrown old ruined city. Been there a while, mostly covered in sand.
Aura's eyes are shut but she now appears to be sleeping normally, Indigo curled up by her head.
So we give it a miss Lillith? Flynn asks, deferring to her and Valex in particular on these kinds of issues. That delta still carry water, Wolf?
Melo stretches out shifting back into his man form in the night he feels less of himself but decides to stay a little while longer. He then goes about his normal morning routine leaving the others asleep, finding it a little harder to find any time of greenery to speak too.
Returning to the camp he sits with his legs crossed trying some of the breakfast. "Lilith, I leave it upto you. I'd rather we head for this Thassilonian place but I have no knowledge of anywhere around here." Scooping the breakfast up with his hand he turns to Flyn. "Where there's water there will be people."
Finsihing up the bowl he looks around making sure Lenneth isnt near by, then lowers his voice. "What happened to Lenneth? You all saw that guy, was that some god? You place something on that shrine Lilith and nothing she cuts her hair off and that." He throws his hands up.
Valex is unsure when the dream ended, when sleep ended, and when he woke, laying staring up at the arc of Lillith's spell.
He sits up groggily, looking around, taking a long time to process his surroundings.
He knee-walks over to Aura, and a bit of tension goes out of him as he sees her sleeping what looks to be a more normal sleep.
Later in the morning...
Valex shakes his head, not getting any hint from Wolf's briefing. He nods gratefully to Lilith for her recollections.
Feldus shakes his head to Melo. "I do not know what this portends. We need to watch her though...she seems the same yet I will keep a close eye on her anyway."
Feldus nods in agreement, "The delta sounds the safer bet. If we can find some local people around there, they may be able to tell us of where the Thassilonian ruins are found."
As Lenneth joins them he moves for her to sit. "Aura is looking better." He smiles. "You said you feel different after yesterday? Do you still have your powers? Do you still feel a connection to whatever gave them too you, like I feel with nature?" He then looks over at Indigo his change also apparent.
Wolf nods at Flynn
Yup, it's spring, there'll be a trickle wending its way through the rocky canyon, don't be expecting no raging river though...
He shakes his head at mention of people
Look, people out here are more strapped of resource than we are, despite them moving from place to place. I've only seen nomads, groups wandering around, like bandits. Once or twice seen a group try to set up tent cities or whatever... they don't last is all I'm saying.
He gestures Eastwards
Well, delta's that way, then we'll strike out following it south, that'll take us past most of the ruined landmarks and all that.
Then Aura sits upright, even Indigo darts away at her abrupt movement.
She shakes her head, hands goiong to her ears
They're so loud... shut up [/b]
She staggers to her feet and crashes in to Lenneth
How could you stand it? Their constant whispers, it's deafening!
She winces in pain, then whirls on Melo.
The trinket Lilith had just picked up was just that, it meant nothing to her and was not a thing of beauty...
She grits her teeth and jerks her head at Lenneth
Mother gave up the most beautiful thing in her possession...
Her eyes flash
Whatever the heck else happened, I don't know, not really. The whispers... they're going, like rip tides under the churning water of my mind...
She glares at Indigo, sat watching.
And you can stay the nine hells out of my head too...
She moves to the side, holding her forehead, still evidently troubled.
Wolf nods at FlynnYup, it's spring, there'll be a trickle wending its way through the rocky canyon, don't be expecting no raging river though...
He shakes his head at mention of people
Look, people out here are more strapped of resource than we are, despite them moving from place to place. I've only seen nomads, groups wandering around, like bandits. Once or twice seen a group try to set up tent cities or whatever... they don't last is all I'm saying.
No I wasn't expecting a river. But I was thinking that whatever water there is will attract whatever people there are and we might be able to get some more specific information about the ruins form those who might even take shelter in them.
But you're right, we're likely to come across people who are pretty desperate and we should be wary of that.
He is not blind to Aura's plight, nor what Lenneth herself is going through. But he feels useless to help either of them and so does what he can to get the camp moving instead hoping that progress is akin to helping.
Right, well, the delta it is then. It's a couple of days from here so grab as much water as you... oh yeah, forgot...
He nods at Melo
Now why didn't the powers that be gift me with the magic to do that eh? Must be a powerful calling you got there... in any case, let's grab our gear and head off
Knowing that Melo is more than capable of finding food even in this most inhospitable region, Flynn takes to the skies and does what he does best, keeping an eye out for enemies.
Melo just looks on as Aura shouts out at them attempting to explain why this has happened and he's unsure of what to do or what is truly going on with her or Lenneth. "I just worry about both of you.." He responds to Lenneth quietly.
--
As wolfs speaks up he steps forward."We atleast wont have to fight over the water." He nods to wolf.
"Two days.. We should try out best to find things to eat while we move, I'll spend my time foraging when we're camped up."
Feldus shakes his head in irritation at the others, especially at Aura. "Look, both of them smell the same so this...magic did not change who they are." Shifting his gaze to the young girl Aura he gives her a glare. "Drop the attitude. Deal with your voices later. You survived...that is what matters. Go help us gather food." He orders her, waving his hand off into the desert wilderness, knowing from long experience that action and motion helps deal with one's situation.
Aura turns on Feldus, her lips curled up in a snarl
How would like it if someone took up residence in head and wouldn't just
Her eyes flash and she storms off, despite Lenneth's attempt at reassuring her.
The Storval Plateau used to provide a home to several tribes of nomadic Shoanti, as well as a large population of giants.
The hellish Cinderlands are perhaps the most well-known of the Plateau's features, but it contains a number of other dangers and mysteries including the Storval Deep, Lake Skotha, Guiltspur and the Mobhad Leigh. The only permanent settlements of note in the entirety of the Plateau are the orc city of Urglin, located in the northern reaches of the Cinderlands, and Kaer Maga, which sits precariously on the edge of the Stoval Rise at the Yondabakari River.
You appear to be headed towards the centre of the plateau, away from most of the known landmarks. You do however recall reading a treatise on ancient ruins, and noting that for some reason the oldest of the structures were built on the east of the delta, the newer ones on the western shore. Much speculation abounds as to why, but none has thus far been conclusive.
Melo's efforts are rewarded when he discovers a pricklefur cacti. Properly harvested it would provide the group with a day of food. Whilst nutricious and sustaining, the flesh does however smell like a rotton corpse. On the whole it's probably better than starving...
Mid morning on day three of your travel from the oasis, Flynn and Skyfall's sharp eyes are rewarded as the glitter of sunlight on water reveals a narrow ribbon of taupe bisecting the landscape. The delta. It lies at the bottom of a ravine that seems to stretch as far as can be seen both north and south. The bottom of the gorge varies in size between hundreds of meters and a stone's throw between the rocky sides.
Well that's it there then, good old delta, always scared it'll have run off or something the next time I walk back here... jokes Wolf.
There is a loud noise from the south, and a cloud of dust comes rolling out of a part of the eastern cliff face opposite you, a little further down the river.
From here you can only see the rapidly expanding plume of dust, but in the moments before it occluded your vision, it seemed to be emanating from a gap in the rock face.
Seeing Whisper walk away into the dawning light for the second time without saying a word, Flynn resolved to speak to her that day. To find out what is going through her mind, maybe even to get her to talk.
What is that? Can anyone make it out? he looks around at the group, wondering if anyone else had ever seen anything like it before.
Melo stands looking out at the delta, as the rolling plume of dust pushes out from the rock face. "I don't know what that is, do you know that place, Wolf?"
Feldus nods nervously, "Whatever that was, Lenneth is right. We need to find a place to hide." He scans the immediate area around looking for a cave opening big enough to squeeze inside.
Even with everyone doing their best to stare at the canyon and try to discern what's down there, it seems impossible to determine anything through the think layer of dust rolling lazily up and across the air. Even Flynn's brief aerial scouting is unable to determine anything new.
Feldus does spot a deep looking cave entrance below where you are, but it would require climbing down a difficult looking cliff face to reach.
Wolf makes a face
Don't like it. I'm all for getting away from whatever made that cloud, but these caves could hold other nasties...
Don't much like the idea of going underground. And Sky will like it even less. Flynn grumbles
"Yeah, but I like facing whatever came out of that rock face even less. We will need rope to get down there." Feldus notes.
Still muttering under his breath, Flynn at least is able to swoop down with Skyfall and check if the way to the cave is clear and possibly gauge how difficult a climb it will be
Melo looks uneasy at the cave. "I have to agree with Flynn, but if there's no other way.."
The cave entrance is reasonably wide but narrows quickly,
The canyon floor where the cave sits is about 100 feet down, the rocks craggy and abrasive.
Aye, I'll take a look, but I won't be able to see too deeply without light. Flynn says.
Nevertheless, he encourages Skyfall into the cave and though she resists somewhat, a few reassuring words in her ear and she takes her first hopping steps into the cave.
Melo again looks down at the cave not liking this idea at all. "It will be quite a squeeze for me. Go take a quick scout." He agrees with Lenneth.
Flynn hears something strange and looks back only to see Lenneth following him on wings of shadow.
What the f...! he shouts over his shoulder
Feldus stares at the witch Lenneth and the newly formed wings sprouting from her back. What magic is that? I have never seen such before...Could such magic be used again I wonder...
He motions for Wolf to stay put and watch the ravine closely. "If something big is headed this way then we need to warn the others."
Melo watches on as Lenneth sprouts wings and flys down behind Flynn. She seems to have a lot more skills than before. He stares on and then shouts down. "Do you see anything?"
Lenneth flinches as Flynn begins yelling up at her, but continues her descent down.
she calls down.
Yeah but... you fly now, with wings? Flynn asks as she draws up beside he and Skyfall. Despite his incredulity Flynn remains wary of the cave and keeps his eyes peeled thanks to the light provided by Lillith.
I don't pretend to understand half of what's going on. the halfling admits. Tracks in the earth, currents in the air, where to find fresh water. Those are the things I get but as long as your still you and me and Sky can help protect you and the rest of the group then nothing has changed as far as I'm concerned. he adds with a smile that he hopes is reassuring.