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"Ms. Sevenstar," says Noelle from her perch atop Janus' shoulder. "If this Nyrissa wants Jay and his friends dead, why didn't she just warp them to somewhere dangerous or order one of those dragons to kill them at all costs? That beast outside indicated that she wants to meet them of all things."
"Well, the next time you came you had Briar with you. And Briar, somehow, is part of Queen Narissa and she is the only one that can kill her, and you fought valiantly and eventually killed her and saved us all, which was a punishment she was given long time ago, to have her reunited with Briar and killed at the same time, which is very harsh for her as normally things here don't die, ever. Some of the guards have tried to kill themselves and they only reappear some time later, as if nothing had happen. But when she is reunited with Briar and she is complete again is when she dies. She has always know that, which is part of her punishment, a very cruel part if you ask me, but she want to prevent it. So she want to kill you all now so you are unable to return later. But we all think she won't be able, and you will keep saving us the next time."
Rupert hears what Kiritta tells him attently."Ok, we will be cautious. Please help me tell the others your insight, let's pray you are right. And maybe we need to tell this "queen" and her minions, as the Linnorm back there seemed too eager to kill us..."
Szymon releases Rupert from his protection upon the approach of Rudolf who's presence is odious. He despises too many things about the Aldori inheritor. He continues on in silence still half-believing this is all a dream... or nightmare. He hopes to wake up soon in the arms of Tatiana who he wonders about. She has Desna to protect her, long before she met him and long after his mortal life is extinguished.
He analyzes the jabberwock wondering how he and his sword could ever defeat such a thing. He will need to learn how to handle large abominations with multiple attacks. He continues to listen to the group and look for glimpses of his brother Artur.
Kiri relates her insight to the others.
Szymon looks for his brother, but he doesn't seem to see him anywhere. Does he asks for him?
At the acknowledgement of Illiana's presence, Marius immediately draws his sword. Turning to King Rupert, he speaks sternly.
"This place is beyond cursed m'lord. Any who would associate with Illiana, have nothing but ill-intent. She feeds on chaos and bloodshed, twists men's minds so that they are not their own," The flame erupting from Marius's blade illuminates the graveness of his face.
Arv towels off his hands, and pulls his sewing needle from a belt pouch. He begins to mend a torn cuff, but squints to see in the poor light while keeping pace with the others. When Marius holds up his flaming blade his stitching speed increases. "Ah thank you." He mutters a word and the thread snips itself.
After inspecting his work, he addresses Janus's mother again... "If I understand correctly, you consider our future killing of your Queen a favorable act, yes?
And also... You exist or have existed in both past and future,
...and you are currently concerned neither about our fate nor that of your son at this time?"
When he asks this he makes sure to get a glance's worth of eye contact with Danath - who knows how terrible Arv is at reading people, before receiving her answer attentively.
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"If I understand correctly, you consider our future killing of your Queen a favorable act, yes? And also... You exist or have existed in both past and future... and you are currently concerned neither about our fate nor that of your son at this time?"
Skyla smiles at the polite and elegant half orc:
"Of course it is something I wait for! When You kill her we will be free! She kidnapped us! She wants my Janus dead! And she... well... she is in pain, she need to die. I have not been at the future, but the future has been here. Sometimes you enter a room and see a glipse of what will happen. For example, in the next room, - she points north - you attack the bear and that is a disaster! But you will do that later, the next time you come. Narissa has a plan to kill you now, so you can't kill her in the future, but I hope, and I think, she can't prevent it, and you will kill her, eventually. I am worried sick for Janus, but I must do what I must do, and wish for the best."
At the familiar voice and nickname, Edel slowly turned around to meet his father - his brain kept screaming denial, but his senses could not fathom what his feelings also hinted at - that something needs to be wrong with this.
Listening to the other conversations, he believed to have already concluded that there must be some sort of time continuum distortion about this place and its inhabitants - the way they spoke, hinted at such askew state of things, as it seemed they dwelled in both past, present and future simultaneously.
The fact that he had witnessed what seemed to be figments of himself both younger and older only reinforced this reasoning - anywhere else it could have seem an impossibility, but this whole Realm was not "anywhere else", and so the notion did not catch him completely off guard.
Still, turning around to face his long lost father was not something he could easily come to terms with - managing not to rush and meet his arms, Edeldhur traversed the short space that separated them and embraced him strongly - "Father... And mother, where is she?"
His head spun with questions unanswered, though he was already starting to piece them together - "Why have you been brought here? Is it to lure me... us? Is this all a trap to bring us here and dispose of us before we pose a serious threat? We need to talk, I have a million questions... HOW are you? And... WHERE is mother?"
Standing at arm's length, and calming himself down, he continued - "Apologies father. There are just too many interrogations"
Marius's anger grows as the riddles and pure chaos of this realm overwhelms him.
"Speak plainly woman. Riddles and double-talk are the tools of anarchy, weapons against peace. We shape our own futures, your divinations be damned. Now tell us how to leave this place or I will cut my way out of it."
Despite his best efforts to remain calm, the Hellknight's Ulfen heritage was starting to break through.
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Edeldhur traversed the short space that separated them and embraced him strongly - "Father... And mother, where is she?"
Edeldhur tries to hug his father but he is only able to touch his cold armor. He looks again at his father and realizes his is a ghost, and in his eyes he sees infinite sadness.
"She murder us, my son. Every last one of us. And then she took our souls prisoner and have us here, serving her, obeying all her whims. I would give everything to hug you again. Your mother is OK, or the best possible under the circumstances, but she is with the women preparing the dinner. She wanted to be here. She cried and screamed but she didn't allowed. Kill her, son. Avenge us. Free us. The next time you come we will be compelled to fight you, and to kill her you will have to kill us. Please do so. You will be doing us a favor, as our souls will not be free until you destroy her. She wants to prevent her dead from happening, but I am sure you and your friends will escape, and prevail... "He then looks at the others, and tells you in a sad low voice...
"Most of you anyway..."
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"Speak plainly woman. Riddles and double-talk are the tools of anarchy, weapons against peace. We shape our own futures, your divinations be damned. Now tell us how to leave this place or I will cut my way out of it."
Skyla hides behind Arv and her son Janus.
"Illiana also said you had a temper, and I see that is true. I don't understand everything either, and I don't know how Queen Narissa wants to prevent you from killing her, to change her destiny. But if you got outside her beasts will surely murder you..."
The mention of his temper and Illiana immediately cowed the Hellknight and snapped him back to his senses.
"I do not wish to raise my voice, but this is all very disconcerting."
"If everything you say is true, 'Mother', then Narissa has constantly missed her chance; that two-headed dragon outside could have done the job if he had used his acid breath from the start," remarks Janus as he tries to make sense of this timeline. He pauses and then decides to ask a more obvious question, "So what is this Dinner you speak of?"
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"Tarlaxian? Yes, he wanted to kill you, but Narissa warned him not to do it. As it is her destiny to be killed by Briar and you, it is impossible for her to kill you now. But she seems to have something planned, and she took much time planning it. But please come here, as she is expecting you... "
She goes into the north door, beckoning you all to follow her.
"Briar? Szymon repeats the name of a potential ally while eavesdropping on everyone.
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House at the Edge of Time Map
You enter the next room (K6); this room is dominated by a domed cage, its verdigris-encrusted surface caked with muck. A black bear stands lifelessly within the cage. A rubble-choked hall extends from one side of the room. As soon as you all are in the room the bear in the cage lumbers onto its hind legs and begins a slow but strangely graceful dance, made all the more grotesque by the fact that the bear is obviously dead.
Skyla quickly says:
"I have never liked that stuffed bear... But, son, I wanted to show you this!"
She open a door at the beginning of the hall that leads to a small room (K7). An arched opening looks out from the far side of this room, providing the large brass telescope in the middle of the room an excellent field of view.
Skyla points towards the black tapestry of the night beyond the window.
"Here is always night, and see a wonderful sky full of stars. Many times I have dream of coming here and throw myself out of the window to escape Queen Narissa. To jump out and fall forever, surrounded of stars..."
Janus peeks out of the window into a black nothingness filled with a myriad of stars. There is no ground on sight, just emptiness...
"Well, son, it's time you meet the Queen. And your friends"
She takes you to the end of the hallway (you are not sure why the hallway is filled with rubble. Skyla opens the door at the end and signals you to enter:
"My lords, I present to you Nyrissa, Queen of Thousandbreaths!"
This richly decorated, cathedral-like chamber appears to be almost new. Turquoise tiles adorn the walls, with a false gallery hanging some ten feet above the tiled floor. An ornate wooden bridge crosses the chamber thirty feet above the floor, connecting doors on the building’s second floor—the vaulted ceiling rises another ten feet above that. Incredible paintings cover this ceiling, depicting animals in sylvan scenes. The first scene shows a wolf in a forest with a child’s severed hand clenched in its jaws. The second depicts a great viper approaching a crib, while the third shows a huge bear stalking a mother and child. An archway decorated with a scene of a dragon eating a mounted knight at one end of the room opens to a great iron spiral staircase leading upward, while at the other end of the hall sits a regal throne made of marble shot through with green veins. Two statues of beautiful women wielding upraised swords stand behind the throne, while a long purple carpet runs the length of the room. Numerous chairs and benches line the walls.
On the throne you see Queen Nyrissa. She is a woman of unearthly beauty and grace, yet she is obviously far from human. Her body bears numerous thorns and ridges, as if aspects of the natural world were trying to form out of her flesh. Her beauty, and the power that emanates from her, is nothing short of god-like. You feel compelled to drop on your knees and worship her, but you manage to resist. She smiles, placidly, on her throne, seeing all of you.
Queen Nyrissa Image
At her sides, two grotesque forms accompany her. On one side the is some kind of humanoid made of worms, and on the other one of the foulest woman you have ever seen.
The Worm that Walks
The Gnarly Witch
With a smile and a divine voice Queen Nyrissa greets you all.
"Welcome to my home. Welcome to the Thousand breaths dinner. Welcome to your death."
Thoughts run through Arv's mind of how to play this encounter... "Bluff a god? ... unlikely.. but I cannot remain silent.."
Arv steps off to the side of the group, bows, and introduces himself. "Thank you for the invitation. Arvander Akul'mar... Your domain is quite singular. We happened across your pet shortly after we arrived... happened to mention.. your majesty is it?... requesting our audience. I must admit regretfully I do not believe we have ever met, and it strikes me as odd.. your majesty should choose set us on a path which allegedly results in your annihilation...
But.. heh from what I have seen, this is a topsy-turvy little corner of the multiverse you have here... isn't that right?"
NI'Tir disliked this completely now, a Witch and an abomination stood beside this Queen Nyrissa. She watched warily and nodded at the threatening invitation they received...
Although never the most perceptive, the obvious nature of the painting strikes Kiri as unusual. Thus, she examines each one to determine whether she knows anything about them,
Knowledge(first scene - wolf): (arcana/nature -- if planes +15, religion +13, local +12, all others +11)
Knowledge(second scene - great viper): (arcana/nature -- if planes +15, religion +13, local +12, all others +11)
Knowledge(archway - dragon): (arcana/nature -- if planes +15, religion +13, local +12, all others +11)
Knowledge(throne - statues): (arcana/nature -- if planes +15, religion +13, local +12, all others +11)
It was the second time in his life that his knees nearly betrayed him, the first time he was laying down and this time he had trained his willpower to resist such temptation. The Queens beauty was staggering however and for a moment his eyes lingered on her face, finally he found his voice. "Humble greetings Queen Nyrissa magnificent regent of Thousandbreaths. I, Danath Orlovsky, am honored to have been invited to your realm and for you allowing us to revel in your enchanting radiance tonight at the dinner of Thousandbreaths. We have met your knight Tarlaxian and it would please me to know who your attendants are this evening?" He strapped the dragonhelm to his side and strode into the room as he approached the throne to pay his respect.
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Arv steps off to the side of the group, bows, and introduces himself. "Thank you for the invitation. Arvander Akul'mar... Your domain is quite singular. We happened across your pet shortly after we arrived... happened to mention.. your majesty is it?... requesting our audience. I must admit regretfully I do not believe we have ever met, and it strikes me as odd.. your majesty should choose set us on a path which allegedly results in your annihilation...
But.. heh from what I have seen, this is a topsy-turvy little corner of the multiverse you have here... isn't that right?"
Nyrissa smiles at you, and the smile makes your heart jump with the unbound glee of having that divine creature look at you.
"We have met before, in the beginning of time, Master Akul'mar, when the roots of our destiny were planted. But I am powerful, and I won't let others control my destiny. Thousandbreaths is my domain, and I am Thousandbreaths. I will bargain the elders your lives, and the Stolen Lands, so they let us persist and thrive. Be glad, as your petty existence, as well as the existence of your "Kingdom" will serve for the greatest purpose. "|
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NI'Tir disliked this completely now, a Witch and an abomination stood beside this Queen Nyrissa. She watched warily and nodded at the threatening invitation they received...
Knowledge Nature - Identify Queen Nyrissa's race
As a believer of the Green Faith you can only think she is the embodiment of the terrible beauty of nature itself. She is not one of a race. She is unique. Divine. Perfect.
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Kiritta is an expert in finding meaning in images, but the only thing she can discern of the beautiful paintings is that the don't reflect malice or evil, but at the same time the lack any semblance of pity or love. Even the mother and child are painted as walking together, but without touching or acknowledging each other.
Danath, on the other hand, realizes the style of the painting are the same as the ones on the first room. Those are works of Skyla, Janus mother. And the statues are perfect images of Nyrissa.
At the mention of Nyrissa companions the horrible hag advances slowly towards Danath, and stops with her horrible face just a couple inches away from Danath's face. In her eyes you see hate as your never though a creature could contain. And the smell of her breath is like an open grave, filled with rot and despise.
"I know what you will do to me, Baron Orlovsky, even if you don't know me yet! But now, in our first encounter, I curse you, and I curse your heart and your blood! MAY THE ONE YOU LOVE NEVER LOVE YOU BACK! "
She then smiles, and her smile is more horrible than her frown. And Danath feels his heart shrink, as the hag somehow knows the secret not even him dares to see, and she has cut him more deeply as any sword could ever do.
Queen Nyrissa interrupts the volatile situation.
"Calm down, witch... That really was a waste, as he will be dead within the hour... Be a good witch and leave my guests alone."
Szymon wonders to himself if the dancing bear is named Briar, while overwhelmed by it all.
"Quite right, old woman, curb your harsh words. Experienced men such as Ser Orlovsky and I have heard more curses spewed from hags like you than than we've heard the "trumpeting" from our own arses."
He then looks vaguely in the Queen's direction... "her gaze dulls my edge..." He continues to inch further to the side of the group...
"Within the hour? Well if that is the case... I suppose we best use that hour wisely. I hope your right hand worm will not be serving the aperitifs."
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At Arv's words the hag jump, with hands extended, over him, trying to claw the half orc eyes... But Nyrissa, with the slightest movement of her eyes sends the old witch flying against the wall and crashing there with a sick thud, leaving her unconscious...
Nyrissa smiles.
"I didn't expect her to do that... No Master Akul'mar... He won't be serving us, Illiana will... Master du'Caat... She is very.. thrilled... to see you and I told her you would behave... We won't be happy if you don't. And yes, we must hurry, we only have a thousand breaths' time... "
Finding the deity and the discussion amongst her companions not sufficient to hold her interest, Kiri once again begins thinking about the cards.
What is in the reading? There must be some sign, some indication of what to do. But what?
While Kiri returns to inner soul searching and attempting to divine the best course, Xritha, sitting on the harrower's shoulder, takes a more direct route and uses several hand gestures to indicate her personal opinion of the Queen. Gestures which even the least socially adept men in the group are easily able to divine the meaning of.
Janus decides to hold his tongue. Even if everything points to him being protected by fate (at least for the time being), his mother and familiar are another story. Nothing at all seems to be stopping Nyrissa from killing Skyla or Noelle. Moreover, Janus does not want to give his enemy any ideas.
He unsheathes his sword and prepares to strike as the hag leaps at Arv. When suddenly she is tossed across the room.
"So it is, among those ruled by emotion to strike without thought to allow passion to overrul reason," He nearly cursed, then turned and glared at Nyrissa. "You must know that I will not allow my king to drink tonight, nor any other to sip from what ever is offered from her poisoned hands. And while you are powerful in this realm, your pet Linnorm has my mark carved deep into his side for his hubris as well."
"Well I hope she joins us... I never have trusted a bartender who does not drink... makes me feel as though I am being poisoned as my friend Marius suggests." After this comment, Arv looks over to Kiritta.. trying to get eye contact.
After receiving a slap to the cheek by the diminutive winged woman sitting on her shoulder, who is once again eating a piece of chocolate, which makes you all wonder a) where does she get the chocolate, and b) where does she put it considering her tiny size. Kiri suddenly breaks out of her thoughts and looks over at Arv.
Seeing his look, she slowly moves over to him and waits for him to speak his mind, or otherwise communicate.
Arv subtly pantomimes taking cards from one hand and laying them down. "Would you say it might not be a bad idea to embrace a round of drinks?"
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Arv Akul'mar and Kiritta Narvagoth, his brilliance and her intuition, work together silently at a fast pace while trying to see how to save themselves and the others from this place of wonder and dead.
They focus in the future cards:
The Snakebite The positive future. Accept the harm, take the leap of faith.
The Wanderer The variable future. Know who the enemy is, and who is really a friend. That will make the difference.
The Owl The negative future. Nyrissa eyes. She knows how this ends. You won't be able to surprise her. Or do you?
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Janus decides to hold his tongue. Even if everything points to him being protected by fate (at least for the time being), his mother and familiar are another story. Nothing at all seems to be stopping Nyrissa from killing Skyla or Noelle. Moreover, Janus does not want to give his enemy any ideas.
Her mother, next to her and holding his hand looks at his eyes, reading his thoughts.
"I am not important, son. You need to save yourself if you are to save me in the future."
The look he gives the witch would turn most men's guts to water, she had broken his On completely however she got nothing more from him. He merely gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes, because if something befell Seraph he would enjoy cutting this witch apart one bone at a time. That thought alone kept him from lashing out, his smile faded when she was knocked unconscious by her own Queen.
"It appears you've over stepped yourself Witch, your curse is noted and dually ignored." He didn't think anymore about the witch and fixed his gaze n the statue just past Nyrissa and her throne. Namely he was examining the weapon that the first statue held. He compared it to the other statue as he spoke. He was trying t make it seem like he was looking at the queen as he inspected the statues. "Apologies if I upset your servant, it surprises me that you'd keep such volatile people as company. However it interests me that you need to trade our kingdom and our lives to rule this domain. We can discuss more once we are having dinner I suppose I'd hate t waste our last hour together." He couldn't allow the many threats and raw emotion distract him from finding a way out of this situation, many clues lay before them if this place was truly a mix of the past, present and the future then they would see the weapon that would destroy Nyrissa...
Szymon finds himself at the back of the party wanting to be anywhere but here. He takes the time to survey the surroundings. In case the insanity of returning here to kill Her actually comes true, he wants to be ready.
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"So it is, among those ruled by emotion to strike without thought to allow passion to overrul reason, You must know that I will not allow my king to drink tonight, nor any other to sip from what ever is offered from her poisoned hands."
Nyrissa stands, smiling, and goes towards Marius, who frozen in place in not able to prevent her to reach to him and remove his helmet.
For many of you is the first time you see Marius face, his thick blond-brown hair and beard perfectly trimmed, and the knife edge thin line just to the right of his mouth, that starts at his jawline and rises up to his now, patched right eye. His stormy, green and sad left eye and his flat nose. The Ulfen behind the Hellknight armor."Yes, I despise emotions too. Love, compassion, fear? Those are for lesser beings, for mortals. I am Queen Nyrissa. What is love to me? I like you, mortal, and I understand what Illiana saw in you. Bow your will to me, worship me as your goddess and I'll spare you."
Kiritta nods to Arv and quietly relates her viewing which they had previously discussed.
How do we accept the future when it is poison? The question is more, what is the poison?
Is the variable the elves? Some friend, and some foe. We must learn which.
The negative, the Queen. We must work to block her eyes. Make her see that which is not, so that we can act without her seeing.
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Szymon finds himself at the back of the party wanting to be anywhere but here. He takes the time to survey the surroundings. In case the insanity of returning here to kill Her actually comes true, he wants to be ready.
Szymon, always trying to get ready, tries to memorize the house, so he can remember the layout when (if?) the need arises.
What he does notices, standing in the back near the ruined hallway that you took to get here, is a light draft of air pushing the smoke from the torches on the throne room, cross the hallway, and into the telescope room Skyla, Janus mother, showed you before.
Arv nods pensively for a moment..."Her eyes are not the danger... it is what she can see. Now what allows her to see..."
Arv steps up to address the Queen again, with eyes still averted.
"Impressive you are, your majesty... as is this castle. Indulge my curious mind if you would. This distortion of time... is this something common in this world? Would make tax collection a nightmare I'd imagine."