;P
:)
Nari nods. She sits down on a boulder and pulls some paper out of her pack and starts writing. She writes without saying anything for several minutes then hands the hastily written note to Merle.
"In case I go off the deep end before we get home, give that to Justin. He should be able to decipher it. Or find someone who can."
The paper appears to be filled with complete nonsense.
"Sure thing" Merle responds carefully tucking the note away
She looked up at the sky.
"I'd forgotten how beautiful the sky can be in the prime material. It seems like a strange thing to have forgotten."
"Hmm I guess then again I spent most of my time indoors. Anyway while were out here anything you feel like doing while we wait for the others?"
Hearing her enemy fall behind her, Stheno spins around, her scimitar leading in a dance of death as she slashes down at her diminuative opponent.
First Attack with Scimitar on Cobolt Shadow: 1d20 + 12
Second Attack with Scimitar on Cobolt Shadow: 1d20 + 7
Confirm Critical Hit: 1d20 + 7First Attack Damage: 1d6 + 2
Second Attack Damage: 1d6 + 2
Stheno cleaves the hapless goblin in twain, the two pieces slide to the floor of the cookware-merchant's stall, turning blue.
The remaining three disguised Xvarts attempt another flurry of shuriken
Stheno:
Phaumee:
Rhiannon:
Phaumee:
The Ratatosk grimaces as another star buries itself in his fur, but the knockout drug fails to slow him.
"So, you have a name now." He addresses the seed directly, (Although he must admit, he feels a bit silly doing so. But if Ekuur says the thing talks, that's good enough for him!)
"Out of curiosity my Lady, how did you select the name? And, if you don't mind, tell me how this discord you are embroiled in started? I'm picking up a bit of the story, but I suspect I'm missing something. And I've always had a fondness for history." He smiles.
Justin feels an odd tug in his mind as he addesses the Seed (or Lauralia). He almost feels as if the embryonic tree deity is trying to connect to him
Lady Meralindiel looks to Justin. He is struck again at her almost ethereal beauty. It trancends the sexual into an almost pure worshiping feeling. Like speaking to the world's most beautiful work of art.
"Lauralia is literally Tree of Life in the Elder Tongue. As for the conflict ..."
Meralindiel sighs
"For many years we were at peace, dwelling all over this realm in many nations, worshipping the gods, and Our Lady. However, we were invaded by the Winter Queen, who had been sent by the Demon Queen of Spiders to disrupt our realm and bring it into the strands of the Demonweb. We are isolated here, the alignment of the planes makes it difficult to transition to the Outer Realms. We have few gates. The Winter Queen, the Morkarthau and their hosts of evil creatures first took the North, and built Helegost, the Ice City. From there, they spread across the Free Nations. Now, just our Vale remains, still guarded from invasion by the Dream Weave."
"Hmm I guess then again I spent most of my time indoors. Anyway while were out here anything you feel like doing while we wait for the others?"
She looked up at the sky.
"I'd forgotten how beautiful the sky can be in the prime material. It seems like a strange thing to have forgotten."
"Well, I can't say I really thought that far ahead, but since we have the time, now would probably be a good opportunity to practice your elven."
Justin feels an odd tug in his mind as he addesses the Seed (or Lauralia). He almost feels as if the embryonic tree deity is trying to connect to him
Justin blinks. Then looks at the large seed again quizzically. Not without a little hesitation, (and another glance at Ekuur as if to convince himself it's alright,) he slowly and carefully lowers mental defenses that have become habitual since his mentor betrayed him. He stretches out his hand towards the seed.
"Hello, Lauralia?"
-------
Lady Meralindiel looks to Justin. He is struck again at her almost ethereal beauty. It trancends the sexual into an almost pure worshiping feeling. Like speaking to the world's most beautiful work of art.
Justin nods as the lady speaks, listening but gazing intently as well. He blinks about halfway through, realizes he was staring, and looks just slightly away (just far enough off to not be staring,) as she finishes. He is tan enough from their recent travels that his blush doesn't show. He hopes.
"Um, uh. Yes, the demon queen of spiders I've heard of, although by another name. Unless there's more than one?" He gives a slight shudder at the thought. "And the Winter Queen is her daughter?"
"So, basically this all started because one Power was trying to gain more worshipers to grow in power. Typical." He snorts. Then looks thoughtful, shakes his head briefly.
"How long ago did the Winter Queen begin her invasion? Your warriors seem most capable. I'm presuming that it is not recent history, even for ones so long-lived as yourselves? And, forgive my constant curiosity, How exactly will Lauralia be able to help?" Trying his best to look politely at their hostess without staring.
"Well, I can't say I really thought that far ahead, but since we have the time, now would probably be a good opportunity to practice your elven."
"Hmm I guess then again I spent most of my time indoors. Anyway while were out here anything you feel like doing while we wait for the others?"
She looked up at the sky.
"I'd forgotten how beautiful the sky can be in the prime material. It seems like a strange thing to have forgotten."
"sounds like a plan. So where do we begin?"
"Zzzzzzzzz"
"sounds like a plan. So where do we begin?""Well, I can't say I really thought that far ahead, but since we have the time, now would probably be a good opportunity to practice your elven."
Nari starts running through some basic pronunciation exercises with Merle to help her master the intricacies of the elven language.
"No, no...that's close, but i'el and iel mean totally different things. Let's try it again. You have to remember to put in the clicks. Most humans can't even hear them and it makes them so hard to understand. It's much easier teaching you."
Sensing the mystery woman prepared to charge, Rhiannon covers her, firing again at her previous target.
"sounds like a plan. So where do we begin?""Well, I can't say I really thought that far ahead, but since we have the time, now would probably be a good opportunity to practice your elven."
Nari starts running through some basic pronunciation exercises with Merle to help her master the intricacies of the elven language.
"No, no...that's close, but i'el and iel mean totally different things. Let's try it again. You have to remember to put in the clicks. Most humans can't even hear them and it makes them so hard to understand. It's much easier teaching you."
Merle seems to get supprisingly annoyed every time she makes a mistake and Nari probably gets the impresion that study is something Merle is not used to
Justin smiles. "I knew something felt, right, about this place." He tells his hostess with a smile.
He also gives another curious look at Ekuur. "I keep forgetting you come from a much harsher world than most of us. Most of us take at least some form of greenery for granted. You sound as if on your homeplane it is an endangered resource."
;P
"Remind me to tell you more of my world some time. I think you would find some parts ... interesting. Someone such as yourself would find themselves hunted and despised; for casting magic of the arcane steals life - from animals, plants, people."
"So, you have a name now." He addresses the seed directly, (Although he must admit, he feels a bit silly doing so. But if Ekuur says the thing talks, that's good enough for him!)
"Out of curiosity my Lady, how did you select the name? And, if you don't mind, tell me how this discord you are embroiled in started? I'm picking up a bit of the story, but I suspect I'm missing something. And I've always had a fondness for history." He smiles.
Justin feels an odd tug in his mind as he addesses the Seed (or Lauralia). He almost feels as if the embryonic tree deity is trying to connect to him
Lady Meralindiel looks to Justin. He is struck again at her almost ethereal beauty. It trancends the sexual into an almost pure worshiping feeling. Like speaking to the world's most beautiful work of art.
"Lauralia is literally Tree of Life in the Elder Tongue. As for the conflict ..."
Meralindiel sighs
"For many years we were at peace, dwelling all over this realm in many nations, worshipping the gods, and Our Lady. However, we were invaded by the Winter Queen, who had been sent by the Demon Queen of Spiders to disrupt our realm and bring it into the strands of the Demonweb. We are isolated here, the alignment of the planes makes it difficult to transition to the Outer Realms. We have few gates. The Winter Queen, the Morkarthau and their hosts of evil creatures first took the North, and built Helegost, the Ice City. From there, they spread across the Free Nations. Now, just our Vale remains, still guarded from invasion by the Dream Weave."
Ekuur listens intently to the Lady's story, his stony face not expressing his disgust with the thought of a "Winter Queen."
"Remind me to tell you more of my world some time. I think you would find some parts ... interesting. Someone such as yourself would find themselves hunted and despised; for casting magic of the arcane steals life - from animals, plants, people."
"Magic, as a limited resource. THAT frightens me more than the thought of a world with no water!" Justin shudders.
"I'm sorry. But, Dream Weave? I've heard of magic sources being called different things on different worlds. I even heard of 'The Weave'. But I've never heard of a Dream Weave. Is it merely the local title for magic, or is there a greater significance?"
"Okay I think I have the hang of it" Merle then attempts to switch to elven although most of it comes out as nonesensical jibberish
"Okay I think I have the hang of it" Merle then attempts to switch to elven although most of it comes out as nonesensical jibberish
"Your pronunciation is much better. Now let's work a little more on vocabulary," she said encouragingly, suppressing the urge to laugh. "'Please to eat your canary antelope sky' isn't a phrase that comes up often in normal conversation."
"Okay I think I have the hang of it" Merle then attempts to switch to elven although most of it comes out as nonesensical jibberish"Your pronunciation is much better. Now let's work a little more on vocabulary," she said encouragingly, suppressing the urge to laugh. "'Please to eat your canary antelope sky' isn't a phrase that comes up often in normal conversation."
"Ah okay then" Merle responds going a faint shade of embaresed red. "What sort of words should we start with?"
"Ah okay then" Merle responds going a faint shade of embaresed red. "What sort of words should we start with?""Okay I think I have the hang of it" Merle then attempts to switch to elven although most of it comes out as nonesensical jibberish"Your pronunciation is much better. Now let's work a little more on vocabulary," she said encouragingly, suppressing the urge to laugh. "'Please to eat your canary antelope sky' isn't a phrase that comes up often in normal conversation."
"Well, let's start working on some basic nouns. We can go from there."
And with that Nari starts painstakingly teaching her basic words like rock, grass, tree, sky, etc.
"Ah okay then" Merle responds going a faint shade of embaresed red. "What sort of words should we start with?""Well, let's start working on some basic nouns. We can go from there."
And with that Nari starts painstakingly teaching her basic words like rock, grass, tree, sky, etc.
Merle begins to pick up words her earlier frustrations seemingly disappearing as she actually begins to enjoy herself.
Justin blinks. Then looks at the large seed again quizzically. Not without a little hesitation, (and another glance at Ekuur as if to convince himself it's alright,) he slowly and carefully lowers mental defenses that have become habitual since his mentor betrayed him. He stretches out his hand towards the seed.
"Hello, Lauralia?"
Justin feels a *push* in his mind
"How long ago did the Winter Queen begin her invasion? Your warriors seem most capable. I'm presuming that it is not recent history, even for ones so long-lived as yourselves? And, forgive my constant curiosity, How exactly will Lauralia be able to help?" Trying his best to look politely at their hostess without staring.
Lady Meralindiel smiles, but it is a sad smile
"I doesn't seem like so long ago we had ages of peace, but long ages seem all too short in hindsight. The Winter Queen arrived a thousand years and more ago, heralding the Age of the Long Winter. We have fought her on many fronts, and in many ways. She has slowly expanded until this vale is all we have left. We had become a peaceful folk, unskilled in the ways of war. We fled from the initial onslaught, regrouped and fought again. Yet there were so many."
Lady Meralindiel sighs
"The Lady answered our prayers and surrounded our home with the Dream Weave, a potent magic that bars those of the Morkarthau and their minions from bringing hosts across the mountain passes. They can still intrude, but only with small coteries, rather than the grim hosts they used to conquesr the other nations of our world."
"I'm sorry. But, Dream Weave? I've heard of magic sources being called different things on different worlds. I even heard of 'The Weave'. But I've never heard of a Dream Weave. Is it merely the local title for magic, or is there a greater significance?"
"It confuses those that would mean us harm, and they cannot find their way through the mountains into our realm. Those that have experienced it say it is like a fog that surrounds them and they wander helplessly until they are expelled at their point of entry. The Lady of Dreams wove it with her power."
Justin looks startled, then relaxes. He peers at the large seed, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Justin listens to the tale with interest, his lips pressed together in thought.
"So the 'Dream Weave' protects you, but only from large scale assault. And being as it's derived from your deity, I can only presume that as your numbers dwindle from attrition, so too does her power wane. Am I correct?"
Justin grows thoughtful for a moment, running a few scenarios over in his mind. He looks up at their hostess in surprise.
"Your not looking for a retreat. You could have escaped out the few gates you have at any time. When Lauralia matures, she will provide a stable and constant contact with multiple planes. And the Powers exists on multiple planes. Your looking to draw on the power of your goddesses' worshipers on other planes, and strengthen her ability to manifest here, in your world!" He blurts, his eyes wide in surprise at the magnitude of the idea. And his mouth corner twitching in approval of such a daring plan.
"I must admit my lady, being more short-lived, I tend to think in immediate results. If I am anywhere near correct, I salute you and yours on such a daring stratagem."
"zzzzzzzZZZZzzZZZzzzz"
Fort Save:
Justin blinks. Then looks at the large seed again quizzically. Not without a little hesitation, (and another glance at Ekuur as if to convince himself it's alright,) he slowly and carefully lowers mental defenses that have become habitual since his mentor betrayed him. He stretches out his hand towards the seed.
"Hello, Lauralia?"
Justin feels a *push* in his mind
** spoiler omitted **
"How long ago did the Winter Queen begin her invasion? Your warriors seem most capable. I'm presuming that it is not recent history, even for ones so long-lived as yourselves? And, forgive my constant curiosity, How exactly will Lauralia be able to help?" Trying his best to look politely at their hostess without staring.Lady Meralindiel smiles, but it is a sad smile
"I doesn't seem like so long ago we had ages of peace, but long ages seem all too short in hindsight. The Winter Queen arrived a thousand years and more ago, heralding the Age of the Long Winter. We have fought her on many fronts, and in many ways. She has slowly expanded until this vale is all we have left. We had become a peaceful folk, unskilled in the ways of war. We fled from the initial onslaught, regrouped and fought again. Yet there were so many."
Lady Meralindiel sighs
"The Lady answered our prayers and surrounded our home with the Dream Weave, a potent magic that bars those of the Morkarthau and their minions from bringing hosts across the mountain passes. They can still intrude, but only with small coteries, rather than the grim hosts they used to conquesr the other nations of our world."
"The Long Winter ... such terrible blasphemy. Ice, snow, and cold; they are the antithesis of life. I am glad your Lady was able to help you with her Dream Magic, but may I submit that to truly drive off the cold, you need fire. To make way for new life, warmth and flame are needed. It might not be just coincidence that a servant of Scared Flame has brought you Lauralia!" He ends his musings with an uncharacteristic smile, to show he intends no disrespect to the elven goddess.
Isaac starts drooling.
Round Five Initiatives:
Issac: 21 [snooze]
Phaumee: 20 [spear-R13]
Stheno 19: [Pending-Fort Save?]
Karrin: 17 [snooze]
Jena: 17 [snooze]
Rhiannon:14 [pending]
Maelrin:14 [Arrows-]
Gobbos: 13 [attacking]
Phaumee attempts his spear again at the tricksy goblin
Maelrin fires again at the goblin on the tavern roof
An arrow sprouts from one goblin's neck. He pitches off the slate roof with a gurgling cry
Stheno races over to assist Phaumee. She attempts to disloge this final tent-balancing goblin
Stheno's scimitar doesn't manage to part the heavy silken tenting
Seph having returned to his cat form watches the impromptu language lesson whilst keeping a close eye on Nari.
For Issac (and snoopy folks):
"Okay," Karrin says with a hushed tone, "I did what I needed to do to get you settled in as leader, the team now loves you and is freaked out or miffed with me, but the point is no one is going to question you for a while . . . unless you start making tactical mistakes. You criticized me earlier for charging that cavalry, and I let that slide because you needed a win in front of everyone, but the thing is I made the right call, I stopped the charge, and I created the bubble that let our spell casters have the room that they needed to do their thing. Now I think you're a good commander and stuff but I also think that you need to start using the mercs you got rather then the mercs you wish you had. You told me to form up. I am not a form up, hold the line kind of fighter, I'm the smash face, break lines and heads kind of fighter. I don't own a shield and I sure as heck don't have a weapon that's designed for defense. Look at that axe. Have you ever heard of an axe wall? No, because they don't exist. Now what you should have done is gotten me to fly head first into those ninjas. I would have prevented them from throwing stuff and forced them into melee. You could have used that long stick of yours to jab the little buggers in front of me. That would have been genius. But you told me to form up and I was taken down at range. I totally think you're the best leader and I want you to continue leading but you really need to think about our strengths and weaknesses. Also I think Rhiannon totally could be a "form up" type of fighter. But that's not who I am and I'm not likely to change. Use me as a flanker or a line breaker but don't tell me to turtle that's not how I roll. Also I'm not mad at you. I've never been mad at you, but I needed to pretend to win the others over to your side. Also, do you have a wife or girlfriend or anything? I was just wondering . . . I mean we don't really talk about our lives outside of our work or anything, and I was just curious . . ."
"ZZzzzzzZZzzzz"
Rhiannon aims her crossbow at the final goblin on the tavern roof.
The bolt etches a deep furrow across the goblin's left leg.
Suddenly, the goblin on the tavern roof screeches something incomprhensible. Both he and his remaining ally start to retreat. The one on the tent makes a dive for the backside of the rattan-and-silk structure
He clears the front of the building, but the crash heard behind makes clear his getaway wasn't very clean. The second races over the firmer surface of the small wineshop's slate roof
He disappears along the back side.
After a time, Karrin's conciousness wells up from the darkness. She wills her limbs to move and is granted with a galvanic twitch. Her eyes blinks and start to focus. The first thing that greets her eyes is a small dead blue creature lying next to her, its eyes open and empty. Streaks of greenish blood ooze from several deep gashes, and small moths flutter around the corpse, landing and sipping at the spilt blood. The bright torches surrounding the narrow pathway hurt her eyes for a moment, and she looks away until her eyes adjust.
"Whoa," Karrin says sitting up, "what happened?"
Fortitude:
Karrin:
"And sorry I kept ye goin' fer so long; I had to see all the angles and where I stood. Show a bit o' weakness at the right time, see who might take advantage. I figured since you an' Merle were the most senior, she'd be the most likely challenger. Thought I'd present an opportunity, but she didn't take it- I reckon now she's smart enough not to want the job... And I figured it would seem awful petty teh give ye an earful just fer talkin' back- that's the only reason I picked out what happened back on the road. Only real opportunity I saw."
On the subject of his home life, Isaac shrugs, a bit embarrassed.
"Well... it's a complicated answer, cutter. I was with someone a long time,"he fiddles with an iron ring on his finger,"but it weren't nothin' official-like. Then I got hipped on Acheron for about a year- rust monsters, slavery, lockjaw, the whole Acheron Experience- finally get back to the Cage an' she's gone. From what I reckon, likely with someone new. I mean... I can't really blame her fer movin' on and I doubt it could be the same again... People change, right? But.." He lets it hang, shrugs.
"Reckon I'm a free sword now, one way or another. What about you? Some beefy basher or suave cross trader waitin' on you back at the Cage?"
Isaac:
Fortitude: 1d20+6
Issac groans as conciousness returns to him. His mouth feels like a band of gnomes had been holding a Fall Festival in it. He opens his eyes and finds himself sprawled on the smooth stone cobbles of the souk. The area is lined with bodies and screaming bystanders.
"Which way'd they go?! I'll teach those blue berks teh poison us!", Isaac growls around a mouth seemingly full of cotton.
Perception w/favored terrain:
"They are sooooooo dead!" Karrin snarls as she uses swift expedious retreat to give chase.
Maelrin bends over Jena, helping her up. Phaumee assists Issac, chittering wildly. Crowds of evening shoppers run willy nilly through the area, fleeing the carnage. A few guards can be seen pushing through the panicked crowd, swords drawn.
The group sees a strange woman with a scimitar standing near them. Maelrin looks at her and nods
"Thank you for your assistance there, Lady Sstehmar*"
Elvish:
Edit:
Stheno watches the Xvart she missed scamper away across the roof and snorts derisively when she hears the clatter made by it's departure. She turns just in time to see the other one disappear across the roof top and glances quickly around to make sure no other enemies are nearby. Satisfied she watches the others beginning to stir as she walks over to Maelrin. She bows politely at the thanks and addresses the group.
"What business did those Xvart have with you. It isn't customary for them to be in the city, especially those Cobolt Shadows. You must have really pisssed someone off for them to have sent Assassins after you, even second rate ones like the Shadows."
Okay with the sudden recon Karrin and Issac don't go chasing after the goblins.
"Whoa," Karrin says, "what happened? I feel like I've been asleep for a month! It's not like me to doze off during combat, even if we are fighting boring old goblins."
"What business did those Xvart have with you. It isn't customary for them to be in the city, especially those Cobolt Shadows. You must have really pisssed someone off for them to have sent Assassins after you, even second rate ones like the Shadows."
"Hey," Karrin says as she gets her barrings, "My name's Karrin, whazzup. I never had assassins chasing after me so I have no idea. I know Isaac our leader said something to them before they attacked, maybe he got them angry by calling them goblins or something? I mean you called them Xvarts, maybe goblin is an insult to them? Or maybe it's a case of mistaken identity, like maybe Rhiannon looks like some princes or something. That would be neat! Who are you by the way?"
"Thanks, Phaumee...", Isaac says as he gets his feet again.
"I just saw 'em givin' us the eye and I told 'em to pike it. Goblin dialect is known to have at least fifteen ways teh say "shove it our yer arse" so I didn't reckon they'd take that much offense..."
He bows to the medusa, speaking in Elvish with a few choice Cager terms thrown in for good measure.
"Names' Isaac Finch of the Silver Rose Company, out of Sigil. My thanks, Lady Ssethmar. Do these Cobalt Shadow berks have some dealings with the Ice Spider? We may have stepped on some toes getting here, if ye kennit."
Justin looks startled, then relaxes. He peers at the large seed, his brow furrowed in concentration.
** spoiler omitted **Justin listens to the tale with interest, his lips pressed together in thought.
"So the 'Dream Weave' protects you, but only from large scale assault. And being as it's derived from your deity, I can only presume that as your numbers dwindle from attrition, so too does her power wane. Am I correct?"
Justin grows thoughtful for a moment, running a few scenarios over in his mind. He looks up at their hostess in surprise.
"Your not looking for a retreat. You could have escaped out the few gates you have at any time. When Lauralia matures, she will provide a stable and constant contact with multiple planes. And the Powers exists on multiple planes. Your looking to draw on the power of your goddesses' worshipers on other planes, and strengthen her ability to manifest here, in your world!" He blurts, his eyes wide in surprise at the magnitude of the idea. And his mouth corner twitching in approval of such a daring plan.
"I must admit my lady, being more short-lived, I tend to think in immediate results. If I am anywhere near correct, I salute you and yours on such a daring stratagem."
Ekuur's eyebrows rise in surprise. "Excellant reasoning, Justin Case. And here I was going to ask the Lady what the intent for using Lauralia was ..."
"Hey," Karrin says as she gets her barrings, "My name's Karrin, whazzup. I never had assassins chasing after me so I have no idea. I know Isaac our leader said something to them before they attacked, maybe he got them angry by calling them goblins or something? I mean you called them Xvarts, maybe goblin is an insult to them? Or maybe it's a case of mistaken identity, like maybe Rhiannon looks like some princess or something. That would be neat! Who are you by the way?"
Stheno nods her head in greeting to the Tiefling. "My name is Stheno and you are correct in your labelling of the Xvart as Goblins. They are a deegenerate offshoot of the nobler Koska that live in the Vale. My order is the hated enemy of these particular ones." She nods in the direction of the dead.
He bows to the medusa, speaking in Elvish with a few choice Cager terms thrown in for good measure.
"Names' Isaac Finch of the Silver Rose Company, out of Sigil. My thanks, Lady Ssethmar. Do these Cobalt Shadow berks have some dealings with the Ice Spider? We may have stepped on some toes getting here, if ye kennit."
Stheno turns and bows curtly to Isaac. " I am no lady, so simply Stheno will do. But the answer to your question is not a simple one. In essence the Cobalt Shadows serve the Winter Queen, although their lack of honour means that they will hire themselves out as Assassins to whoever will pay them enough. They do not come cheaply however, so whoever you have angered must want you dead very badly. I do not simply think it was a case of mistaken identity as your devilish friend assumes."
"I'm not a devil," Karrin snaps with a bit more intensity then she intended, "I mean call me demon blooded if you want, that doesn't bother me or anything, but please don't call me the other. I hate devils."
"It was a surprise attack with no provocation.It does beg the question if the enemies from earlier today are making use of other allies."
Rhiannon strides forward and extends a forearm to Stheno.
"Well fought, my name is Rhiannon."