".....We will come to nothing good....I feel there is nothing good about any of these former Elves. But we will find your brother..."
Bree tenses at the contact only for a second, relaxing as soon as she's registered in her mind that it is a friend and not a foe. She looks at Sable, meeting his eyes with that eerie crazed look she's had more frequently since this quest to find her brother began. "But..." her words trail off as she looks up and around at everyone else. "Maybe we should finish searching here first, just in case?"
Eviana lays a hand on Kabal's forearm and smiles
We will find something for all of you...now, shall we return to Crying leaf, notify the Shin Rakorath and plan our next steps?
Silsavar nods and already begins the march back, while Mercus lingers for a moment longer between the ancient stones
I wonder how long it will take to rebuild this city...
As Evianna hears Bree's last proposal she shakes her head
No need to, I will send some of our people to search the city, you have done enough for now.
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Winter shakes his head, "Bree has long sought her brother, and all the clues we have had so far point to this location, or maybe its shadow world. We are thereby closer to him if we stay here than if we withdraw back to Crying Leaf, no matter how much I would personally wish it, so if Bree says she wants to stay here and search then she shall, and I shall stay by her side and turn over every stone in this city if I have to should it bring her closer to the triumphant ending to her quest. Others may leave, but if Bree wills it, this is where I shall remain. I would only seek to visit any other location for fresh supplies and new equipment."
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"We should safeguard this gate as well... make sure that nothing comes through in either direction."
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Sounds like we're staying here. Send your runners and start moving home. We'll set up a camp and guard the gate while scouring the city for any stragglers.
Bree frowns, distrustful of the stranger's suggestion. However, she expects that her companions might see the sense in it and insist that they carry on. So it is that Bree is stunned into momentary silence when Winter offers such strong support to her wishes. Her mouth opens, as if to speak, but no words come out for a second. Then finally, with a faint blush to her skin, she manages to stutter out, "I... I would like that. Yes, thank you, Winter."
Evianna nods and smiles friendly
My bad, I should have known that you would stay together. I for my part have to return to Crying Leaf and notify the Shin Rakorath and our people of the happenings here. But I promise to return with provisions and presents as soons as possible.
While Evianna and the surviving elves bid their farewell, Silsavar moves over to Winter and Kabal and apologises for his earlier behaviour
I know it wasn't warrior-like what I did Winter and indeed, I now understand why Evianna fancied you so much...will you accept my apologies?
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Kabal waited for Winter to reply to Silsavar. The elf owed the Brevian no apology as far as he saw it but he had slighted Winter. If the priest accepted then Kabal would shake hands with him and it would be done with.
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Caterine smiles as Silsavar is made to swallow some pride, but does not revel in it overly.
Winter remains stoic and solemn, giving Evianna the a respectful bow as she departs - remembering that she has a social station that must be respected, especially with so many of her subjects around.
He breaks the formality with Silsavar, becoming much more Winter the ever optimistic Cleric. "I can only speculate, but I wonder if the occupation of Celwynvian was a slight to your pride, and the evasiveness of the Drow and their refusal to actually engage in real fighting wore away at your patience and temper like fine grit slowly sanding away at hardwood, perhaps, without any forethought or malice, you found yourself channeling your anger at such matters into a more tangible and achievable target and instead took umbrage with me as a vent for your frustrations. I can well understand your position, and how easily one could find themselves there, and as you have apologised earnestly in front of these witnesses then I graciously accept your apology and hope you regain your focus...which is on driving them away from your ancestral lands. There is no shame in losing the path, and only much honour to be gained by finding your way back upon it", with that, the matter is rested.
"So" Winter regards the party, "In which building do we wish to establish our base, and then let us determine a method of searching"
"The astrolab seems to be of importance with all the clues we have gathered."
"Yes we need to keep a presence here at the gate and the observatory, but I would like to go back to that monument, the Thassilonian gift, at some point, to see if it still stands...it would not have been documented since the City's demise."
Silsavar is relieved that Winter is accepting his apology so easily and follows the other elves to Crying Leaf.
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"I will also come and examine the pillar, who knows, it might hold some secrets"
Having no knowledge or admittedly any interest...in pillars or monuments... Kabal would set himself and the boy to task.
Mercus and I will set up camp and scout the immediate area so there arent any surprises.
Like the Cyphergate, the pillar has survived the ravages of time (including a meteor strike) nearly unscathed.
Perfectly white and still covered with clearly discernible rune etchings, the pillar stands on one of the smaller squares of Celwynvian. Strangely it is not covered by lichen or moss.
Now that you have a moment to inverstigate the scene, you realise that the surrounding buildings must have once been part of some kind of an academy or university.
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Mercus nods and yawns
Oi Kabal, I don't think they'll use the Shadowgate anytime soon again...total failure of their mission, heh...oh...do you think they know that we have the key?
How in the hell would they know that we had it?...Damn drow are tricky milk drinkers though; so maybe. We showed them good this time didnt we?
Kabal looks around the observatory and figures Mercus is right about one thing...probably safe for now...
Go on and grab some rest boy. I'll take the first watch and wake you when grub is ready.
Caterine joins Kabal and Mercus at the camp, spending some time adjusting her new cloak to better fit her frame and stay clear of her arms.
Mercus gives Cat a thumbs-up and nods
Looks ok!...does it have drow stink?
Ey, yo Kabal, don't you have some kind of nick name? People like you...I mean big, foul-tempered brutes, always have nick names, right?
An' yeah, we kicked their asses big time!
Kabal shook with genuine mirth and a deeply bassed laugh cut through the otherwise quiet of the empty Observatory.
oh bloody hells Mercus. Thats rich. That bastard Corvax had a number of so called nick names for me...but I've forgotten them now. They made no damn sense anyways. Why? You got some ideas running around in that head of yours? Be careful..
The last was said with a rare smile but the tone still had a serious edge to it.
Bree can't help but to feel a flicker of a smile cross her own lips when she hears Kabal's laughter and sees his own rare smile. "Careful indeed, Mercus. This one's temper can be worse than mine own."
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"Incredible that monuments like these can withstand so much....It's like we don't even know what magic is in this day and age." Sebastian drops his pack and pulls out his journal. He will sketch each face as accurately as he can.
He will also Detect Magic on it, to get a sense if it is still active somehow.
Hah! You hear that Mercus? 'Can be worse' she says. Hahaha!
Kabal shook his head in amazement at how often women thought their tempers were scary...then again the sound of mother screaming used to raise the hairs on my necks and have me running to hide in the attic...wonder hwo she's doing...damn it...
Im thinking Mercus needs a nickname. He stood tall and strong against the trogylditts or whatever they're called. What do you all think?
As you let your aethereal probing fingers slide over the surface of the pillar, it feels a bit like you were touching a sleeping behemoth-like creature...there is the faint echo of an immense power, but it surely is not active.
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Mercus grins and obviously like the idea to be rewarded with a nickname
Worse than yours? he smirks and shakes his head I guess that is a nice wording for apocalyptic, heh. Ok, back to the big man - why don't we call him Mastiff...I mean like the pretty ugly but dangerous dog...and it also sounds like massive what Kabal really is and...uh, not?
At Kabal's response, Bree blinks once, smiles with one corner of her mouth, and turns her head back to Mercus. When Mercus responds, she throws her head back and laughs abruptly, before stopping just as quickly. Her face flushes with her embarrassment, but still her shoulders shake a little with the suppressed chuckles.
Hahaha! Holy blood in a cup Mercus! Where you learning to talk like that?
Kabal laughed heartily. Mercus had a right to some confidence and the Brevian's ego could take a jab here and there to see it grow...still, damn boy aint gonna get too big for his britches...that shit will get ya killed...
Now if we're gonna go giving nicknames based on that...well we'll have to let Bree and Cat decide on those huh?
The brute gave the lad a nudge with his elbow as he grinned.
Caterine frowns briefly at the boy's verbal interplay but is not offended enough to speak against it.
As Kabal's meaning sets in, Bree's eyebrow twitches, she frowns and then flushed a deep red. "I think I'd hardly know seeing as I haven't met a man who has had the balls enough to even try and kiss me since I killed the only blokes who thought to take me... Her eyes grow wide, and she looks much like a doe that realizes it's walked into a trap. "I think I'll go have a look outside." She shuffles outside to scan the night with her eyes and ears.
Mercus looks at Kabal and arches an eyebrow
What's wrong with her? Something serious? Didn't mean to offend her, ye know.
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Having spent a fair amount of time examining and documenting the monument, Sebastian knows it is time to move on as his companions will be wanting to move on. Finishing his notes, Sebastian walks back to the group and catches the tail end of the nickname discussion.
He snaps his journal close and drops it into his satchel. He leans into Mercus, and in a low voice instructs, "Women like Bree are like a rare old book. Sure you could quickly pry it open trying to discover what is inside, but the book will not fare well to such rough treatment. What you hoped to be a treasure will crumble away like dust leaving you with nothing for your efforts. But if you caress the spine, ease each page gently, you will discover wonders at each turn that can last you a life time. And you will truly discover the wonders of a complex woman.....Asking Bree to judge one's manhood would be the rough handling, just in case you weren't clear.....AND you don't tell Bree that I compared her to a book.....but then there's Cat....She makes Me feel like a book sometimes...." Sebastian saunters away from the boy not finishing the thought, the wistful tone of his voice not indicating if that was a good or a bad thing.
Bree's remark caused Kabal to pause and some things became much clearer to him now...its no damn wonder she's always clutching at them gut stickers... It hadn't been that long ago the he, Winter...and that damn Corvax... had put a beaten on a group of men and half orcs for taking their pleasure out on a woman that didn't desire it...that was a good night there...well not for them boys... The big man spit to the ground in disgust at the thought of men like that. He watched as Sebastian took Mercus aside and thankfully gave him a talking to...bloody hells......
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Winter wanders outside, looking at the City and leaving his friends to their rough talk, happy that they have tasted victory and have had a chance to even the score against at least one of the Drow. A small victory, but one nonetheless, and victories are good for morale.
"So, where could they have hidden their slaves? Where might they have tucked Bree's brother, I wonder if that great green dragon might have had the answers? I feel slightly saddened that such a worthy adversary met such a disappointing end" Winter muses to himself as he walks.
After awhile Bree comes back inside and finds herself a torch. "I don't suppose there is any harm in looking around this place some tonight. Anyone care to join me?"
"I will, perhaps secrets of this place might reveal themselves in the dark. Perhaps the moon may light our way gently, and its silvery beams bear a glimmer that allows us to look at things anew"
Winter accompanies Bree on her walk, idly speculating on what they see as they travel, trying to determine what areas might be key, and all the while wondering about Bree's enslaved brother, and the Green Dragon.
Bree is pleased to have Winter join her, knowing that his eyes are far more accustomed to the darkness than her own. "Will the torch make it more difficult for your eyes in the darkness?"
"Not at all, I intend to look for unseen magic as well as things visible to the naked eye" Winter looks across the buildings and avenues, as though trying to note a pattern. "Certainly more interesting than sitting around in taverns. So this brother of yours, did he have any particular skills? Was he a craftsman? an illustrator? was he a literate type? a scholar of any sciences?"
"He was a boy of 12 the last I saw him, a boy of 10 working on our father's farm when our parents died. His only skills were taking care of animals, and then doing what must be done to keep us alive afterwards. When we were 12 - we are twins, he came first though, he never let me forget - we were taken by a ship captain. I jumped over board, but they restrained him before he could as well. Who could say what skills he's learned over the years? Our mother taught us how to read, a little, when we were quite young. Less so as we became old enough to lend a hand with the tasks on the farm. Most of what I know, I learned from Copper, and later from Jefferson... and now you, too, I suppose. I've picked up a bit of your tongue along the way. I've not had the chance to hear you use it much, so I've not had much practice using it. I've learned a bit of the language Cat spoke with the Drow, too..." She trails off with that, having come to the realization that she's rambling and has strayed far away from what Winter has asked her.
"A ship. Hmmm. Drow don't seem like they'd be needing sailors as there isn't much need for a ship under the ground, and they don't seem the type interested in maintaining the lives of unskilled labour, so that means he learnt something of interest that marked him worth keeping alive and well, so what does one learn on a vessel, pirate or otherwise? Carpentry would have little use to Drow, as would the profession of arms. There would be little need for a healer or ships doctor, as the coarse application of bandages and poultices would be too unsophisticated for the Drow as well, how does a sawbones compare to magic? Perish the idea. That really only leaves maths and sciences, or more to the point, the application of navigation and by extension, an understanding of the movements of celestial bodies... as a navigator he would have a good understanding of the stars, which is not something the Drow would have spent a long time looking at."
"He ever show a knack for figures? No way we can know for sure, but its stands to reason. So perhaps if he'd been here, we'd find a sign, and as a navigator or someone working charts he'd need documents. We saw nothing at the astrolabe, perhaps there is a library? Did we see one?"
"Or I could be completely wrong" Winter second guesses himself, "Though until the Elves come back and ask us to do more to save them it is a line of enquiry"
"Recall, if you will, that at some point he became Clegg Zincher's man, and meant enough to Clegg that he would seek the counsel of an oracle in learning Brandon's fate. It was this oracle that gave Clegg the words that lead us to the Drow... I don't recall how he was with numbers." Bree sounds deeply sorrowful that she can not remember every detail about her brother.
"I don't recall having seen a library, but surely there must have been one here. Evianna, or perhaps Silsavar, would know I'm sure."
"And Clegg won't be telling us much more, but the consultation of an Oracle suggests then that there was a level of perceived value, which only suggests that my thinking is on the right path, although the absolute true north of it may still be eluding me. Never mind, if we see a library we can investigate, in the meantime, what a lovely evening..." Winter studies the skies for a moment, as though the answers might indeed lie with them.
"Indeed." After a quiet moment, "Do you think we'll find him?"