What the hell is that?
Parity slashes near his ear and then moves away.
,
Ameiko jumps as Parity suddenly draws his weapon and slashes the air. "Parity?"
"Something hot whispered in my ear ..."
"Another spirit... friendly like the one Heng found?"
"I don't think so. It wants to burn something. Can't be good from the smell.". Parity shakes his head.
"Does it want to burn us or the forest? Where is it?"
"I have no idea". Parity cocks his head and listens, sniffing.
A few moments later, the spirit approaches Malnival, still whispering. The crackling of flames and scent of smoke continue, though you still see nothing.
Oops!
The sound and smell suddenly disapate.
Malnival holds his scimitar in front of his face and causes the blade to burn with magical fire as hie watches. The magus slowly smiles as his turns the weapon admiring the way the flames dance.
"Uh...Mal? Mal, is everything ok? Is the spirit gone?"
Harlan watches his friend in concern.
Miyaro frowns at Malnival and shakes her head. "No, he's been possessed by the spirit. It can be driven out with protective magic, but then it may just hop to another host."
"Let me try something."
Walking to Heng, the halfling will invoke a brief prayer then touch the monk.
"Everybody stay within 10' of Heng. Not you Mal."
Harlan turns his hand to the sun and points the other at Mal.
Nothing seems to happen to Malnival.
"Oh nothing is wrong here. Nothing at all. Don't you like fire? I think it is beautiful, beautiful and pure. It does not play favorites. It does what it is intended to do. It burns!" The magus begins to dance with his scimitar, dragging the edge along the ground as small fires begin to trail in its wake.
"Oops. I guess it's harder than cooking chili."
Harlan will move to Mal and cast Magic Circle of Protection from Evil on him, then channel again.
Malnival feels it as soon as the spirit is ejected from his body. The sound of crackling fire and scent of smoke returns, angry and powerful. Harlan's channel weakens it significantly, but it remains still.
;
Eyes closed, Koya steps out of the protective circle long enough to thrust her hand toward the invisible spirit. Her unleash of positive energy hits, and the spirit's presence is suddenly gone.
Will Sv:
Shalelu moves to Malnival, looking him over carefully. "Are you well?"
Dates: 16 Calistril 4712 - 22 Calistril 4712
Route: Forest of Spirits -> House of Withered Blossoms
Distance: 336 miles (Total: ~4830 miles)
Weather: Dead calm
Special Events: Ancestral Spirits
The next week continues very much like the previous one as mile upon mile of trackless evergreen forest roll by. The weather and eerie nature of the wood remain, and though you have no more direct encounters with spirits, it is clear they are always near, watching, following and touching the caravan. Objects will move on their own, sounds of voices, music or humming become commonplace. Even Harlan finds help preparing his meal over the course of a few days; the spirit of a former chef, no doubt.
*
Date: 22 Calistril 4712
At the end of the week, Miyaro warns that you are nearing the outskirts of the ward surrounding the House of Withered Blossoms. She takes some bearings and diverts the caravan a few miles off the course. In the late afternoon, the trees part to reveal a twilit clearing, the thick boughs blocking the low sun. A giant wooden torii gate, unpainted and unvarnished, stands before the entrance to the clearing.
As you approach the gate, an armored figure appears suddenly beneath it, floating just a few inches above the ground. He wears exquisite Tien-style armor, and carries a massive daikyu bow of obvious quality.
"Hail, strangers. I am Noburo, guardian of the grove. What is the reason for your intrusion into the Forest of Spirits?" He then waits in stern silence.
Miyaro leans in and whispers hurriedly, "Noburo is a zuishin kami, protectors of gates and doorways and sworn enemies of the oni. You each must face him before you are allowed to enter. He is not an enemy, but you must respectfully ask his permission to pass the gate."
Malnival looks side ways at Shalelu as the flame goes out on his scimitar before the magus snaps it back into its scabbard. "I Just got possessed by a friggin spirit, other than that I am fine. "
|
Heng smiles faintly at Malnival's reply, "It seems that you have regained control of your usual faculties. These woods are aptly named. Thank goodness, Harlan and Koya are able to repel them."
Heng wonders if the Harlan's warding spell has repelled his on singing spirit and whether that might not be a bad thing.
Heng nods at Miyaro's instruction and steps forward bowing to the kami. "Noble Noburo, pardon our intrusion. I am Heng of Cold Mountain. I respectfully ask permission to pass your gate. The oni trapped beyond have harried our journey to this land and we wish to either restore the wards that once kept them trapped within the House of Withered Blossoms or destroy them once and for all."
"I Just got possessed by a friggin spirit, other than that I am fine. "
Shalelu recoils a bit from Malnival's lash out, and silently steps away.
"Mal, she was just asking. No need to be rude!"
Extra chili for him until he learns to be nice.
Harlan limps up to stand beside Heng and before Noburo. He bows low before standing tall and puffing out his chest.
"Greetings Noburo! I am Harlan Starshine, brother of the famous merchant Sandru! Do not be alarmed by my shocking lack of girth, the trip has been long and I have shed many pounds and misconceptions on the way. This is my friend Skygni and we have battled evil, cold, and a lack of proper goats across the top of the world to meet you here today. Vicious oni have plagued us every step of the way, and men dressed in black pajamas have attempted to kill us without provocation or concern for their own safety at every turn. Despite their selfish desires and lack of self preservation, we have persevered and now humbly and triumphantly request passage through the gate beyond, there to stop the oni menace and ninja inconvenience before continuing on to Minkai to restore a long lost birth right and correct a grave injustice against my friend Ameiko."
Noburo nods sternly at Heng's introduction, but as Harlan speaks, the kami's demeanor cracks into a smile. He bows low and steps aside, gesturing towards the clearing ahead. "Please pass through to our grove." The welcome appears to extend to the entire caravan, and the kami gives Miyaro a nod of recognition.
Malnival frowns then shakes his head. "I am sorry Salelu. I had visions of burning everything here, including all of you. I may have just done it if given more time. Wanting to watch your friends burn and smell their roasting flesh can be a little overwhelming."
Since the possession, the magus has separated himself from the rest of the caravan, answering questions with short sentences and taking his meals as he continues to provide security away from the others.
Once the caravan Malnival just watches as Heng and Harlan converse with the guardian spirit.
Parity does his best to remain quiet and nondescript, riding the caravan in.
Harlan beams and bows as the spirit allows them entry.
"Thank you Noburo!"
He remounts Skygni and rides through.
"Come on guys, this'll be fun. And it's warm!"
Under Noburo's watchful eye, the caravan passes through the torii gate and into the wide clearing. As soon as you enter the grove, a feeling of calm and peace pass over you, and any sense of being sought or hunted subsides. As you settle in and prepare camp, Miyaro explains that the warded area is protected from the oni and their scrying. While inside the gates, you are safe from the Five Storms. The rest of the remaining day passes quietly.
As night settles over the clearing, you gradually become aware of something gathering in the darkness... a family, an army, or perhaps both. You make out vague, strange shapes in the shadows. A palpable sense of curiosity, and fear -- of you, rather than from you -- fills the air.
A low, chill mist settles along the edge of the clearing, and the moon breaches the clouds enough to shed an otherworldly light. Gradually, a few of the spirits approach. You see they are kami of all shapes and forms. Many are bonded with their animal wards, and you recognize Skunkichi and other little kami among them. There are also glimpses of massive shapes in the deeper darkness. Most stay on the fringes of the wood.
Tien words, whispered from a hundred lips, reach your ears from all directions. Long ago, the kami here before you swore an oath to guard the oni of the Five Storms, who were imprisoned in the pagoda known now as the House of Withered Blossoms. For centuries, we kept the Five Storms contained, but one night, a century and three score years ago, most of the oni somehow escaped. We do not know how, but we do know at least one oni remains within. Our oath forbids entrance to the pagoda while even one oni remains inside, and thus we are barred from learning the method of the Five Storm's escape.
We know you seek to depose the Jade Regent, and that he is allied with the Five Storms. If you would enter the pagoda on our behalf, and eliminate the oni within, we could then provide you with potential information or weapons to use against your enemies. Will you do this?
"Damn straight we will. Let's send that bastard to the Boneyard ... for Maeve," Parity says through gritted teeth, hand tensing on Suishen and his oiled chaincloth cloak whipping in tight.
"It's time we take it to these bastards."
Harlan listens as the spirits speak, then nods at Parity's words.
"As he says, let's clean it out. But we should be careful. Either this oni was too weak to escape, or they left it behind as a guard, knowing the spirits couldn't enter with it there."
"Finally. Lets go give this Oni a little payback."
Parity starts as the creepy white haired elf he's never heard from before speaks out loud. Returning his attention to the kami, he asks, "What else may we encounter inside other thanthis oni. Might you have a map of this hhouse and its grounds? Anything you can tell us about this particular oni?"
After you accept the task, an audible sigh and sense of relief come from the gathered kami. Their voices begin to chatter and overlap in excited conversation, and Parity's question is lost in the din. The spirits begin to slowly disperse and return to their wards.
Miyaro steps forward, responding on their behalf. "There are no maps of the pagoda, and the kami would not need them if there were. The oath prevents them from learning anything about the oni within, else they would know more about what remains. The minions of the oni are hobgoblins and other fell creatures of the forest."
"I can tell you little more, but I do know that a clan of aranea or 'spider eaters', has taken residence in the upper pagoda and surrounding gardens. They are not friendly with the kami, but neither are they allied with the oni."
"Ok then. Let's have the caravan stay here. We'll sneak into the pagoda and see what we can see. If we can avoid the aranea let's do it."
"Spider eaters. Wasn't that the flying thing back in the mountains when we chasing down the Rimerunners lead?" Parity muses
Miyaro nods, adding, "The pagoda is about a day's travel from here. When you are ready, I can guide you the rest of the way there. In the morning, perhaps?"