Once released by the Worm, Marius glares at it and considers attempting to bring the beast down once and for all. But his orders were to fall back, and fall back he would.
He withdraws. To the safety of the second line.
Full withdraw, double move, does not provoke.
The second Arvander sees Marius withdraw with movement unimpeded, he runs as well. He starts to hear the alarms of panic over the adrenalin filling his muscle-swollen head.
Szymon withdraws with Rupert to stay by his side.
Ni'Tir sweeps up the two men and once they were on her back she started stomping through the first world forest at inhuman speeds. Her huge form shuddering the ground around her with every heavy stomp of her clawed feet. As she see the spray of acid dissolving the trees behind her she feels a pang of regret for the First world forest.
Venetia makes a full withdraw towards the castle with the rest of the group.
Danath continues falling back after seeing the powerful display of this creatures destructive acid. There was no tactical solution that he could think of at the moment, he was thankful however none of them had fallen yet. Seeing Ni'Tir pick up the less useful combatants eased his concious as he formed up with the second line so that Rupert and the others could make a run for it.
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You all run in a mad dash to avoid the acid and Talraxian. Behind you you can hear him making short work of the rest of the Lartern Archons.
After some 200' you get to another path. This one goes towards the castle on one side and away from it on the other. Away from the castle you see a beautiful and dense forest, full of towering tress. Far away you can also see an incredible tall and narrow mountain piercing the sky.
You continue your run towards the castle.
This castle sits the center of an isle in a large lake atop a mesa. The lake spills over the edge of its mesa in two places, to the left and right, to form the twin nameless rivers. You climb an incredible long stairs to reach the top of the mesa, and find out the castle can be reached via a long stone causeway (some 500 yards) that connects its island to the mesa’s edge.
When you reach the top of the stairs you turn to see Tarlaxian at the bottom, sitting, without pursuing you further.
A gatehouse flanked by towers guards the entrance beyond this bridge. Hundreds of windows stare out of the House itself, and stone angels hang from every gable. The outer walls are covered in ironwood vines that have grown over the windows. The outline of the House is as beautiful as it is dangerous, with knife-like crenellations, spear-topped towers, and eaves and shingles made of blades. Some parts of the House seem new and others old, some even in ruins, without some semblance of logic.
A shining gatehouse bars entry into the courtyard of the large building with a lowered portcullis. In the walls above, arrow slits leer down while a solid smooth wall some forty feet high extends away from the gatehouse in both directions to connect to two more towers.
From where you are, 500' away at the top of the stairs and the beginning of the stone causeway the castle, and the guardhouse, seems deserted.
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Without the ability to retreat you advance towards the Gatehouse. You notice, at approaching, some guards looking at you form the battlements.
When you are some 30' from the entrance the portcullis raises, and a beautiful Elf Woman, is there, saluting you.
She looks at Janus with love, and smiles to him.
"Welcome Son, I was waiting for you."
Yes, she looks like Skyla, Janus' long lost Mother.
Edeldhur is happy that they all made it alive, showing a capability way beyond what he had rationally expected, to fend off such a formidable foe, even if only temporary.
He cannot shake the feeling, however, that they are being led like sheep towards the massive structure.
His feelings are even more strongly punctuated as he notices the dark speck, like a huge bird, resting on top of the mountain. As he informs his companions -"There. We are being watched" - his attention focuses on what the creature may be.
As they approach the castle, he takes notice of its structure and apparent architecture, his mind racing for information.
NI'Tir remained in her huge for, she was leary about changing just yet in case Tarlazxian caught upto them. However she didn't trust this place they had been herded to either and the strange welcome they received gave her a cold chill that ran up her elongated spine...
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His feelings are even more strongly punctuated as he notices the dark speck, like a huge bird, resting on top of the mountain. As he informs his companions -"There. We are being watched" - his attention focuses on what the creature may be.
As they approach the castle, he takes notice of its structure and apparent architecture, his mind racing for information.
Edeldhur tries to discern what that huge bird can be, but he is unable, he has to turn his eyes away. He feels an impossible fear at the creature, as if by seeing it it is able to see inside him.
About the castle he can't remember nothing specific, but knowing the variable nature of the first world that is not unexpected.About the guards... he looks something familiar. And then it dawns on him!
He know those people! They are his lost disappeared neighbors, from his home village!
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NI'Tir remained in her huge for, she was leary about changing just yet in case Tarlazxian caught upto them. However she didn't trust this place they had been herded to either and the strange welcome they received gave her a cold chill that ran up her elongated spine...
Ni'Tir stays in his huge dinosaur form, but she will need to reduce her size is she plans to enter by the Gatehouse.
Ni'Tir, once it's deemed safe, will shrink down to her normal form. However she remains onguard not quite trusting this place. "Bad Juju here mon..." She mumbles quietly, more to herself than anyone in particular.
Szymon sheathes his sword and follows Rupert in cautious awe. He's never been too confident facing overwhelming magical effects. He has Edeldhur and Janus to deal with them.
Arv walked alongside Marius and Danath.. extolling his pride in them "I could barely give that thing a wet willie!", when they near the castle.
When the lovely elf presents herself, Arvander bows deeply. "Bring what you will... if it can fit within these walls, this force can deal with it..."
"There's a bit more Ulfen in me sometimes than I'd care to admit." the Hellknight responded.
He glares at the elves as he approaches, his hand on the hilt of Lawbringer.
His mind trying to rationalize it all, Edeldhur stammers through his words momentarily - "These... These are my kinsmen, dissapeared long ago from our village... How can this be?"
He lifts an arm ro greet them, aware of the danger and the unpredictable nature of all this, but waving nonetheless to get their attention.
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His mind trying to rationalize it all, Edeldhur stammers through his words momentarily - "These... These are my kinsmen, dissapeared long ago from our village... How can this be?"
He lifts an arm ro greet them, aware of the danger and the unpredictable nature of all this, but waving nonetheless to get their attention.
While not looking happy they wave back, and he even think he hear then calling his name... Which strikes Edeldhur as weird, as even if they doesn't look aged he surely has changed in the last year's...
Perception(Kiri):
Perception(Xritha):
Kiri notices that the men manning the walls appear to be elves, although there is something distinctly odd about them. Unfortunately, at that moment a strange tree catches her eye and she quickly forgets about the soldiers.
Xritha also watches the soldiers, she knows that something is off about the guards. However, more important is keeping Kiri on the path and away from wandering off into the woods.
Venetia is too focused on her feet to see much of anything. "A bit more Ulfen in ya huh?" Venetia chuckles slightly, "Somehow I didn't figure you as that kind of man."
"I suppose there's many who could do with a bit more Ulfen in them," Marius replies back to the Paladin. "Though mine is in my blood, how about you?"
He almost smiles as he passes by.
Kiri stands behind the fighters and attempts to determine what she knows about the fey eldest.
Knowledge(Planes): <-- add +2 if Nature is applicable
"You might be losing your mind, old friend. If you're not sure how something can be true, then it clearly isn't," Anton mutters from next to Edeldhur, before dispelling his invisibility. His face is grave, but only for a few moments, as he quickly has to fight to supress a grin at the Hellknight's joke.
As a massive torrent of acid threatens to corrid him alive, Janus wastes no time in running away as fast as his legs can carry him.
OoOoO
After having been silent for the entire ideal, Noelle finally collects herself and decides to speak up. Janus had brought the sleeping Faerie Dragon along to the meeting with King Rupert and his fellow barons, and it had not take much to wake her after being Plane Shifted to the first world. However, convinced that Talraxian had been just a bad dream until just now, Noelle has been rather quiet the entire time.
"...Sure are a lot of elves here, huh Jay? I have no idea why they would be in the First World of all places," she notes as she crawls up to Janus' shoulder. Getting no response from the Oracle, Noelle glances over her partner and sees him staring at one elf in particular. Having heard descriptions of Skyla before, it does not take long for the Faerie Dragon to put two and two together, which she quickly tells Janus mentally. "...You know, the fact that she was transported to the First World actually makes some sense now that I think about it."
"...Given the workings of this realm, I am... hesitant to believe that's her, Noelle; I never ruled out her getting sucked into another dimension, but this is too coincidental for my liking," Janus says in his mind, which Noelle's telepathy quickly picks up.
"Let's just be observant for now," says the Faerie Dragon, which gets a nod out of Janus.
"I'm sure it is, Sir Hellknight." She says with a wink before adding, "Personaly I could do without the bit, and just...well more, but to each their own."
Arv addresses the woman who had implied she was Janus's mother.
"... and you should be quite proud of the man he has become, I'm sure. If you find me not too bold in asking... where you expecting just the boy here? Or are we, by chance, on your list of invitations?"
Arv steps up bows. "Arvander Akul'mar m'lady. We eagerly anticipate any light you might be able to shed on the reason for our summons.."
He tries his best to keep his composure in spite of this growing sequence of inexplicable events....
"...It sure has been a while, Mother," says Janus as he steps forward from the rest of the group to greet Skyla. He seems a bit hesitant, seemingly unsure of what to do. One would think that the Oracle would be much excited to see his long lost mother.
However, it is also very likely that perhaps sometime like this scene has unfolded before a younger, much more eager Janus before, only for Skyla to prove to be fake...
Janus nods at Arv's statement.
"As happy as I am to see you again, I am curious about how the two of us just happened to end up here. Do you know anything about that?"
Szymon freezes when Janus acknowledges his mother. In all their travels together, Janus had very rarely spoken of her. Could Artur be here? After all these years, could he have been taken here? Szymon wondering starts to gallop. Eventually, he reins in his runaway hope with deep breaths to manage lower expectations. He couldn't possibly be here.
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Kiri stands behind the fighters and attempts to determine what she knows about the fey eldest.
No beings rule the chaotic and changeable plane known as the First World, the home of the fey, but its most powerful residents are the mighty beings known as the Eldest, sometimes known as the fey-lords or the shapers. They each pursue their own mysterious goals, and have little interest in the doings of lesser creatures. All command great respect or fear from the other inhabitants of that strange realm. The Eldest are extremely adept at molding the substance of the First World to their will, so their domains are oases of stability on that constantly changing plane—albeit oases that move around with their masters. You know of Magdh, a divine fey creature of tremendous power said to be able to reshape the very fabric of the First World on a whim. Magdh is a feminine demigod with three faces and takes the role of prophetess and seer amongst the Eldest; her skills of prophecy and in understanding fate seem to be great. Magdh will accept visitors who wish to partake of her future vision; such searchers find a welcome both strange and mysterious.
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Skyla runs to embrace Janus, a torrent of tears now pouring of her eyes.
"Janus, my sweet boy, how I have missed you!"
After a long session of motherly kisses she regains some of her composure.
"It is somewhat hard to explain, but I was brought here to wait for you, and receive you. Queen Narissa, the god of this place has always known you were going to came and kill her, so she decided to take the first step and bring you now."
Her face takes a grave semblance.
"To kill you all before you kill her."
She takes Janus hand and hold it.
"She plans to murder you, my sweet boy."
Se turns to see you all.
"You will understand better in the house. Please, all of you, come inside. The Dinner of Thousand Breaths is waiting for you. Since a long time ago. As are our parents, Edeldhur. They are waiting for you inside."
She tries to lead Janus from his hand into the castle, while saying to him in a low voice.
"Don't be afraid, my boy. I think you will be able to kill Narissa. In time. I trust you. You will see."
Marius glares at the woman as she speaks.
Each round, you may concentrate on a different target.
Venetia cannot help but glare at the woman as she speaks either.
"Lovely," is all Szymon could manage to reply in the situation.
"Dinner of a Thousand Breaths" Arv repeats to hear the sound of the words again. "My interest is decidedly piqued - having never before attended such an ominously titled soiree, but you needn't put yourself out with a regal affair. Some simple refreshments and bit of exposition on your part will suffice."
Arv steps inside, and turns to look for any servants in attendance... willing to meet his gaze. "Perhaps somewhere I could freshen up? I seem to have picked up an odor which strikes my own nose as less than pleasant."
Not really paying attention to the conversations before her:
Magdh - demigod and prophetess. This would be interesting to meet one so skilled in seeing what is to be.
Suddenly her mind snaps back to reality as the elf speaks:
Narissa, wants to destroy us. I shall have to ask the cards what must be done to avoid such a fateful result.
Danath sheath's his sword and watches all these elves warily. He didn't trust this place, not an inch of it and at Arv's suggestion Danath nodded in agreement. "We had a stressful journey for sure and I would hate to make a terrible first impression on Queen Narissa."
Venetia puts away her flail and will follow the others to the 'Dinner of Thousand Breaths'.
Ni'Tir disliked this place completely, however her injuries warranted her to stick close to the stronger members of the party. It also didn't help that most her gear was still with Chimalma. "Dis dinner..." She couldn't finish the thought, having her greatest form being bested so easily had completely crushed her confidence at the moment. So she followed along quietly to this Dinner of Thousand Breaths...
"What is it with these endless fetes. Now is not the time for a feast, it's a time for action. And while I believe these elves are being truthful in their claim that they want this eldest character dead. I am weary to share bread with them with a Linnorm camped at the base of the stairs to their castle."
The pale haired harrower looks over at the black armored knight.
I believe we have little choice in this matter. We cannot slay that beast. Your first strike was uncanny, but unless we are able to continue to cause such great harm, I doubt that we would have a chance against one of the most legendary creatures known.
Kiri pauses for a moment:
However, I do believe that I may be able to grant us some boon before we enter the castle. This will take several minutes, but we do not seem to be being herded by a giant dragon, nor attacked by the forces in the castle at this time, thus, I believe we have the time for this.
While the harrow cards are usually used to foretell what may come, and are never wrong when read by a skilled practitioner, they can also grant boons to those who know their power. It will take about ten minutes for this, but when finished, all who have remained close and listened will gain some benefit.
LG - --> LN-Con --> The Brass Dwarf
NG - --> NE-Int --> The Idiot
CG - --> LN-Int --> The Inquisitor
LN - --> N-Cha --> The Twin
N - --> CN-Dex --> The Rabbit Prince
CN - --> NE-Int --> The Idiot -- reroll
LE - --> CG-Con --> The Desert
NE - --> LE-Int --> The Rakshasa
CE - --> LE-Int --> The Rakshasa -- reroll
Re-roll - The Idiot - --> LE-Int(again) --> The Rakshasa
Re-roll - The Rakshasa - --> N-Wis --> The Owl
Re-re-roll - The Rakshasa #2 - --> LN-Dex --> The Locksmith
Str = 0
Dex = 2
Con = 2
Int = 3(5)
Wis = 1
Cha = 1
Everyone gets +1 on all skill checks for the next day.
Skyla runs to embrace Janus, a torrent of tears now pouring of her eyes.
"Janus, my sweet boy, how I have missed you!"
After a long session of motherly kisses she regains some of her composure.
"It is somewhat hard to explain, but I was brought here to wait for you, and receive you. Queen Narissa, the god of this place has always known you were going to came and kill her, so she decided to take the first step and bring you now."
Her face takes a grave semblance.
"To kill you all before you kill her."
She takes Janus hand and hold it.
"She plans to murder you, my sweet boy."
Se turns to see you all.
"You will understand better in the house. Please, all of you, come inside. The Dinner of Thousand Breaths is waiting for you. Since a long time ago. As are our parents, Edeldhur. They are waiting for you inside."
She tries to lead Janus from his hand into the castle, while saying to him in a low voice.
"Don't be afraid, my boy. I think you will be able to kill Narissa. In time. I trust you. You will see."
Edeldhur had began to puzzle it together as soon as he saw the familiar figures up on the battlements, but his mind refused it almost immediately - it made no sense - what would they be doing here..?
The disappearance of his parents, along with everyone in their settlement, from deep in the heart of Kyonin had never been explained, and it left only a numb pain - no chance for mourning, no explanation ever found, not even by their most capable wielders of divine and arcane magic - the feeling of powerlessness was almost overwhelming, crushing the siblings under the weight of inevitability regarding the whole matter.
It had been hard to climb from that pit of frustration, but both Edeldhur and his sister had managed it - now everything hit him back like the familiar blast of a fireball - without the burning pain, but with the same ominous feeling of vacuum that always precedes the explosion.
He dealt with it - he had to.
His face stern, he answered back - "I am in no mood for riddles or games... I will go inside, and I expect to see everything cleared as quickly as possible. My parents... I sincerely hope you do not jest with me"
His temper was rising, but he managed to keep calm, and ponder about the acronym - Dinner of a Thousand Breaths...
Marius moves over the Edelhur and whispers.
"There is a fey woman I once knew. Dangerous and deadly. She was present at the King's dinner. If she is present here, this could very well be a trap and we should not tarry. The name is Illiana, if you can ascertain if she was present, it would be wise for us to make our escape."
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Skyla answers to Arv:
"Yes, of course, inside the castle, we have the needed stuff, as we knew you were going to ask for it. "
She then gets near Marius.
"Yes, Illiana is here too, she was disappointed she couldn't see you at the party, but she is anxious to see you die. She has talk about you with me a lot. Don't mind this old elf woman, but I think deep down she still has feelings for you. Very deep down. And when you all came to kill Queen Narissa in the future... well, I think is better if I don't say."
She lets you into the castle, yet his is no earthly citadel, no mortal edifice. The Castle is a creation of a powerful entity of the First World, and its architecture is a part of the world itself.
House at the Edge of Time map
She starts to tell you:
"Welcome to the House at the Edge of Time! It alone has existed unchanged for Thousandbreaths’ long existence, whereas the glades themselves periodically shift and change as Queen Nyrissa’s needs and interests change. On one side it overlooks the panorama of the Thousandbreaths forest, while on the other side looks out over time and space — an endless gulf of stars and blackness, the end and start of all creation. It is somewhat hard to explain, as Castle exists in the past and the future, the maybe and the never. Some rooms you will find clean and bright, with liveried servants and gaiety, while others are collapsing and decayed. Some have been damaged when you slew the Queen in the future. Yet as strange as these warpings in time may be, stranger still is the fact that they remain constant, as if a storm of fractured time tore through the structure, only to be frozen forever in the middle of a chaos of a hundred different eras. This is how the Castle was when Nyrissa created it so long ago, and how it will remain forever."
The large courtyard (K2) where you arrive is a two-tiered region covered with thick grass. Paths wind to and from various doors, and a single, wide flight of stairs allows easy access to the courtyard’s second tier, where several towering oak trees loom over the main body of the house.
You quickly asses the Castle. The outer walls are covered in ironwood vines that have grown over the windows, effectively barring them. While these vines would make climbing the walls easy, breaking in or out through windows would be very difficult.
But what most impress you is the silent guardian of the Courtyard, a huge and dangerous creature — a Jabberwock. This hideous reptilian beast stands nearly 30 feet high, with a long, scaly neck, a vaguely draconic body, and a long whiplike tail. Its arms and legs are thin but incredibly strong, ending in sharp talons. Immense draconic wings flap on its back, and its ovoid head is a nightmare of bulging eyes, sharp teeth, and long, thin antennae or whiskers. You realize that even Tarlaxian is a lesser threat compared with this abomination. Luckily for you it only observes you, without attacking.
Once you enter the castle, by the main door, you find the inside the doors are good; they are carved with faces and open with a touch (a free action) unless otherwise indicated. The stairs are steep and narrow (functioning as difficult terrain). But the most disconcerting thing are the phantoms. The Castle is full of phantoms of yesterday and tomorrow. They can be glimpsed in mirrors, the scent of their perfume lingers at times in the air, and the meals they have yet to eat lie steaming on the table. You are even able to see or hear these phantoms, if only briefly. These phantoms can variously be of people and creatures they do not recognize, but now and then the phantoms draw from your own minds, pasts, and futures — these phantoms might remind you of allies, old enemies thought dead, and even younger or older versions of yourselves.
The first room where you enter (K4) has polished marble floor of this otherwise empty chamber depicts a carving of the sun being devoured by a great dragon. The walls are painted to resemble a twilit forest with strange, dark shapes hiding in the trees as if peering out into this room.
Skyla tells you proudly:
"The Queen asked me to paint the walls, and I think I did a very good you, even as the walls where already painted when I got here. And also I don't like... them. I didn't paint them, but they have always been there, but sometimes they move."
She points at some strange, dark painted shapes that seem to lurk amid the trees.
A couple ghostly servants are there, with a bowl with clean water and a cloth, for Arv, and the others, to clean yourselves.
There is also a table which Skyla tells Kiritta she can use for her harrowing. Kiritta feels the shiver again when the owl appears again in the same position as the last time, the negative future. She remember her reading: She sees you, and she knows what is going to happen. How to beat someone that knows what will happen? The first time was the Snakebite... accept the venom, take the jump... now the desert... the sphinx, the riddle, the emptiness...
What does it means?
Rupert approach Venetia, Rudolf Ferdinand Aldori III, Saul McGill and the Cenobitic monk in tow.
"You were very brave back there. I fear I got a very bad feeling about this. I don't want to say goodbye yet, but I need to tell you something. I need to take it out of my chest, and please don't laugh. I sincerely believe we would have been happy together."
He approaches you and tries to kiss you.
A male elven voice comes from the northern door:
"Edel, my son, you arrive at last!"
Janus reverts to silence. Even if he is suspicious that Skyla might be another imposter (long story), the Oracle wastes no time in returning his lost mother's embrace, which gets a light "D'aw! from Noelle. He listens to everything his mother explains to him but ultimately seems rather confused about everything that is being explained to King Rupert and the other barons.
Before making any comments after the castle tour, Janus pauses and looks at the walls. The paintings that adorn them are certainly those of his mother; to his knowledge, her art style had always been extremely unique, one that had developed from decades upon decades of experimentation and practice. Janus doubts that anything short of a deity could mimic such fine details. Moreover, Venetia's lack of response tells him that the odds of an evil creature pretending to be his mother is rather low.
A tiny voice to his left snaps him back to reality.
"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."
Kiritta once more looks down and the cards, more or less ignoring everything else in the room.
The Owl, always watching. It must have another meaning, but what. The Queen can see the future, but is this our future? Or another future?
Suddenly her thought process snaps to. WAIT - she has seen us coming to kill her in the future. If we come in the future, then she cannot, or perhaps will not, slay us now.
With that recognition, Kiri looks up to the others before moving over to the King.
Quietly: Your Majesty, I do not believe the Queen will kill us tonight. Call it simply a premonition, but if she has seen us attempting to slay her in the future, then we cannot be slain now. Otherwise, the future she has seen will not come true. The fates and time lead many intricate paths, I am sure that if we follow the one we are on wisely, that it will not lead to our imminent doom.
She pauses the gather her thoughts:
However, if those with us make foolish choices, then their actions may lead to their demise. Please inform the others however you wish, but I truly believe that wise decisions in this strange fey land will lead to our safety, not our destruction.