I bid Iona good night. "Sweet dreams. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow." With that I head on to see my brother.
As I enter his room I lean against the door frame my arms crossed and a smile on my face. "Am I interrupting anything?"
"Thank you. I will take great care of it..." Merin says in almost awe as he holds the dagger in his hands, slightly in shock over holding such an impressive item. A real Grey Warden's blade!
The elf smiles as the servant approaches with the uniform. "Well, might as well take a great opportunity head on." And with that, he slips the cheap item on and hide the treasured item well.
And after looking over his carefully hidden weapon, he decides its time to begin.
Lingering only long enough to see her response, he turns on his booted heels and catches up with Kaiden. When they enter Fergus' chambers and he is there saying goodbye to his own family, it occurs to Olivier that this might be the last time he sees Fergus alive. But no sooner does the thought strike him that he tries to push it away, burying it beneath the lightness of his being. "Fergus."
He moves forward, first with his arm outstretched to take Fergus by the forearm, and if his brother obliges Olivier hugs him. Armor and all.
Galadrian gasps his hand flying to his belly as he stumbles away from the horror. A brief glow surrounds his hand.
Cute light wounds
Harad bugles and charges his sharp antlers lowered.
Iona smiles and slides easily up towards Olivier's side, leaning up and whispering into his ear. "If you leave your chamber door unlocked, perhaps you will see me sooner than you thought..." She then leans away, curtsies sweetly, then enters Lady Landra's room, shutting the door behind her.
As they both enter, he is laughing at Ohren's latest question, concerning his bringing back a 'sward'. "That's SWORD Ohren, and I'll get you the mightiest one I can find I promise."
"I wish victory was indeed so certain. My heart is disquiet..." murmurs his lovely wife Orianna as she touches his armored arm.
"Don't frighten the boy love, I speak the truth. Just dry your eyes and wish me well. Maker willing I'll be back within a month or so"
Fergus turns with a loud chuckle to greet his two younger siblings. [b]"Ha, when there's a woman in your life Kaiden, you'll understand." He openly hugs Olivier, and pulls Kaidan into one as well. "Come to see your older brother off?" he winks at both of them, readjusting the sword at his hip.
Sorin winces but straps the collapseable light crossbow to his back, before the two follow the servant past the doors and into what appears to be the kitchen.
Sleight of Hand
Inside are several hurried elf servants, as well as a very irritable human cook who looks over at them angrily, sharp eyes scanning them up and down.
Perception
He immediately notices Sorin trying to hide the stock of the crossbow however, and turns to confront them. "Here, what do you have on you Knife Ear? Answer quick, or I'll call the guards!"
The Demon yawns widely and looks in the direction of the Spirit of Valor. "I have no interest at being lectured by such a boorishly, structured creature about the flaws in my character when I could fill a day of years describing its own. If it pleases you, I will begin..."
Mouse looks at his new form, and then shrugs. "If you think being a Bear will be any better than a Wolf, I suppose so but I'm already not sure any of this is a good idea. The sooner you face your demon, the less chance you have of being trapped here forever, like me"
Diplomacy Check
The Demon rises to its full height again, suddenly interested in something else than its nap. "First an easy one...I have seas with no water, deserts with no sand, mountains with no stone, flatlands without land. What am I?"
If answered falsely, he bares his teeth and begins stomping forwards.
Initiative
If answered correctly, he shakes his head and takes a ponderous step back, annoyed. "A common secret I'll readily tell, if you learn to hold me, I'll serve you well"
Again, he either stomps forwards to attack, or looks more annoyed at the mage's success. He rumbles, "I'm found deep in the earth, when beaten and burned I can become a blood thirsty killer. What am I?"
If he answers correctly, he slumps down, depressed and bored.
If not, he advances and immediately attacks.
Tamlen leaps to the attack as well as he notices his friend in dire need of aid!
He falls short however and his blade misses wildly.
The skeleton, sensing weakness, advances again on Galadrian, ignoring the elk and elf behind it as it slashes again. It also misses wildly.
Merin tries to give his best friend a comforting smile, chuckling. "We pull this off, and we'll go down in history. People in the Alienage will talk about us for generations. Maybe we'll even feature in a Grey Warden story or two."
Once they are inside and are addressed by the human, he has to hide a grimace. Messy, messy, is all the elf can think. That and blame it on his buddy's nerves.
I laugh to Fergus. "I really don't know what I would do with a woman. The idea still makes me uncertain."
I shake my head. "Well, dear brother, I wish you safety. You go and defeat tons of darkspawn and show them the might of the Cousland family. While me, I will stay here and look after your family and the house."
I shake my head, clearly something is bothering. "This is wrong. You have a wife and son and a future. I don't have anything. I have martial skill and nothing else to lose. It should be me going to battle." I turn away. Gah, I let my emotions get the better of me.
Galadrian steps back away from the intent skeleton firing off a fourth arrow.
Confirm
Sorin goes completely pale and the cook begins to raise his voice hysterically, hands grasping for some kind of weapon. "You're thieves, rebels, outlaws! I should have you all...!" He suddenly goes down from behind as an elf servant brains him with a bottle of wine. He makes sure the man is still breathing, then waves them on through.
"I can't tell you how long I've wanted to do that" he says, spitting on the unconscious cook. "The women you're looking for are just past the guards' quarters, through the mess hall just outside this door and down the passageway on your left. Now if you two don't mind, I'm getting out of here!" the elven servants make a break for their personal quarters, leaving the two to work on their disguises.
Sorin grins weakly. "Maybe I should just ditch the crossbow..."
Fergus grips his brother's arm. "Don't look so down, Kaidan. I wish you could come, but you know Mother would tear downt eh castle if one more of us goes to the front lines. As the eldest, this falls to me, so I'm leaving you two in charge here to make sure I have a home to come back to, eh?" He winks at Kaidan, then pats his son's head once more.
"Well, so many darkspawn to behead, so little time. Time to be heading off, hopefully beat the rains to Ostagar and rendevue with the king for our duties. See you soon my love" he hugs his wife who clings to him.
"I hope dear boy that you'd wait for us before bidding farewells" says the cool voice of Bryce, their father, as he and their mother enter the room.
Elanor hugs her son tightly to her. "Be careful my son, I will pray for your safety every day you are gone"
Fergus waves away her worries, and as the family devolves into one of its usual shows of false bravado and teasing, Bryce motions to his two sons. "You two should be on your way pups, long day ahead of you tomorrow."
The arrow strikes true and the skeleton slumps down into death again, spraying the walls and the two elves with the foul-smelling liquid blood. Tamlen rushes to pull something out of his bag, a small red potion, and he hands it to his friend. "Here Lethallin, drink a Healing Poultice. I always snag a few from Merrill when she isn't looking," he winks once, sheathing his blades and kicking one of the skulls away from him, just to be sure.
Harad snorts and looks about warily, eyeing the door leading out but also the door leading further into the dungeon, nostrils still flaring wide.
Healing Poultice, Lesser: 1d8+1 HP
---
After returning to Valor, he asks him the same question.
Wolf avoids the question uncomfortably, only saying, "It is a Demon of Rage, that is about all I know of it. They are powerful, completely mad, but they aren't too bright compared to other demons."
Bluff:
Valor has little else to say about the creature. "From what I know of it, Mortal, the demon you must fight is simply one of many creatures like it. It will be a difficult fight, but not so difficult as perhaps fighting a Demon of Desire, or worse, a Demon of Pride."
Rage Demons are strange, fiery beings with savagely sharp talons, burning eyes, with a resistance to heat but a vulnerability to cold. They do have the ability to go berserk however, and they can command lesser spirits and demons to do their bidding if they are powerful enough. There are even legends of Rage Demons, who cross the Veil into the mortal world, that possess living animals and trees, not just people.
Wolf seems to look uncomfortable any time the Demon is mentioned, he may have had a bad run in with it a while ago, or there may be some other dark secret that this long isolated Mage apprentice has after so many years trapped in the Fade
Galadrian nods and downs the poultice grimacing at the taste. "Harad I think I would feel safer if you would come along. This place is truly dangerous."
full health
Perception
Merin just chuckles and nods at the house servant. "Glad to oblige ya."
Once things calm momentarily, he looks over Soren and just shakes his head. "You really do need to get better into this. Think of it like the time you stole those pastries from your mother."
And with that, the elf helps his best friend hide the weaponry better.
I nod to my brother. "Thanks." I give my brother a strong hug. "Take care brother"
After my parents say their peace, I kiss my mother, I hug my father. "Good night, and take care."
I retire for the day. I do a few exercises before bed. During the exercises I swing furiously at the dummy. After cutting it down, I relax. I then head to bed for the night.
Fergus knows Olivier's active dissent against King Cailan's thus far passive reign, but the young nobleman does not press the point. Politics cannot ruin the moment. He offers to stay up a while longer and share some wine and talk with Fergus before he goes, but if the brother would rather spend the time with his family, Olivier nods in understanding and is ready to depart. "As Kaiden says, we will care for your fortune until your return. May the Maker guide you home to us."
When he and Kaiden leave, Olivier stops in the hallway. "Kaiden, I know that you would rather be in Ostagar than here. And I can understand why. But...with Fergus leaving us, and Gilmore, and so many others we know, I'm glad you'll be here. In the morning, why don't you meet me for breakfast?"
Whether Kaiden agrees or not, Olivier heads down the halls to his own quarters, but stops short near the guest quarters. He looks at the door, and then continues on. When he gets ready for bed, he leaves his door unlocked.
Galadrian's finely tuned senses give him an edge even here in this dark hole. The door at the opposite end of the hallway, past more skeletons, is lit from below the frame by a faint silver light. A faint whispering comes from that direction as well, so faint that any individual words or language seems to emanate from thin air.
Tamlen sheaths his two swords, crossing to the door and listening in as well, but failing to capture the sounds from within, he simply pushes the door open. "Spirits...come take a look at this Lethallin..."
Inside, a huge silver mirror stands erected on a plinth, carved figurines etched into the frame. Strange water like ripples cross the surface of the mirror at odd intervals, and they draw and hold the eye like those of a viper. Tamlen is enthralled.
DC 15 Will Save
Sorin winces once then straightens his face, the weapon now more fully concealed, as the two walk through the door into the mess hall. Several off duty soldiers sit around the table, and they all look up as the two enter the room. "What are you up to, Elf?" demands one, standing half out of his seat before he recognizes them as servants.
Perception
He almost catches a glimpse of Sorin's hidden crossbow, before he sits back down disgruntled. "Whatever you two Knife-Ears are doing, make sure you get it done fast." He goes back to eating.
One of his comrades shouts "Aye, and bring more wine when you come back from the store room!"
The disguises seem to be working, the two elves are now inside the castle, and they exit the mess hall, facing down a long corridor. Three doors are arranged along its length, two on the left, one on the right.
The castle falls quietly into the slumber of night not an hour after the mass of soldiers, led by Fergus astride his warhorse at the front, leave the gates. Only a token force remains behind, and all is well for several hours deep into the night.
A knock comes on Olivier's door, and the elf servant Iona slips inside for a night to remember. Little do the two lovers know that it will be such a night, but in no way that any at the castle Cousland ever would have wished.
A scream comes late in the night, resounding throughout the keep, before it is suddenly silenced.
DC 5 Perception Check
(-2 for Olivier's...preoccupying activities)
Wolf winces, and then looks away from Erast. "I've...met this Rage demon before, a few times. Every time, it offers me the same deal. When a Mage apprentice comes here, I lead them straight to it, for it to feed on and destroy. By doing this, I'm allowed to live longer. I've only ever been a Mouse, afraid to stand and fight." He looks down at his new form, and bares his hackles. "Now I am a Wolf...and I have a feeling that you might just be able to defeat it."
Wolf looks up at him then, but his eyes still hold a bit of hesitant shame. "I'm not proud of what I am or how I have acted, but I am dead in your world, I didn't want to be dead here as well."
Another demonic roar shakes the island.
** spoiler omitted **
Truthful as sin, so yes. You do not get any assumption with that success that Wolf is lying. It is obvious that Wolf has before betrayed other Apprentices to save his own skin. And you can tell that thanks to his new form, he doesn't feel helpless anymore.
Perception:
I stir awake at the sound and instinctively grab my sword at bedside. Taking a quick scan of my quarters I move over to don my armor. I need to investigate that noise. Best be prepared. Once I don my armor and have my sword ready, I move to exit my room.
** spoiler omitted **
Donning Studded Leather takes 1 minute. Before you can get your armor fully on Kaidan, a sudden ferocious pounding on his door sounds before it bursts inwards. Two soldiers stand there, dressed in studded leather, bearing weapons, one a sword, the other a shortbow, and both with the Howe symbol emblazoned on their shield and breastplates.
"There! That's one of the Kousland brats! Gut him!" one shouts, then charges straight at Kaidan.
Initiative:
Howe Soldiers:
Uh Oh!
Galadrian at first is wary hearing the strange noises but all thoughts fall aside once he sees the mirror.
Harad
How is the Valor spirit responding to this?
Initiative:
Reflex
Mouse's eyes go wide and he retreats in the wave of the burning fires. His yellow eyes go wider still as the magic that can unmake him ravage at his body before he darts away from the burning flames. He furiously rolls the flames out before locking gazes with Erast. A sudden, cruel smile decorates his face.
"Simple killing is a warrior's job...Rage is weak, Sloth is unmoving. Desires change, and Hunger can be sated" he says, but in a voice that booms like thunder. "The real dangers of the Fade are misconceptions, misplaced trust. Pride..." Then his form grows, expands, towers over Erast. His form glows bright gold, blotting out everything before the young mage.
"You see through the falsehoods placed before you, little Mage." it booms down at him mockingly. "How wise you must think yourself..."
It reaches out a glowing gold hand, the size of Erast's head, and the golden aura melts away to reveal a titanic black-purple claw. It points him straight in the face.
"This time, little mortal, you keep your soul, your body. I look forwards to seeing your dreams from this day..." Mocking laughter booms all throughout the Fade. The Valor spirit, sensing the presence of the creature, charges, and with a flick of its wrist, turns to vapor. Everything begins to vaporize around Erast as that hand then turns again, opening wide, engulfing his head and swallowing him in darkness.
DC 15 Will Save
Tamlen is utterly enthralled, but Harad bolts in front of Galadrian before he can move forwards. Tamlen however is without any such luck of companionship. "It's...beautiful" he says quietly and places his hand on the mirror's surface. The ripples dance and swirl around his touch. "It looks...like some kind of city...underground...?!" Tamlen looks back at his friend, held back by his elf companion. He looks back at the mirror. "Now I see...oh no...I think it saw me...Help! I can't look away!"
A sudden wave of light blasts forwards from the mirror, engulfing Tamlen and throwing Galadrian off of his feet. Harad bugles once, before total blackness overtakes the Druid's sight.
His first sight is that of a bearded, black-haired human kneeling over him. "Be still, you were gravely injured..." he says solemnly. "Don't worry...I'll get you somewhere safe."
The world goes black again, and his next sight is the inside of the Keeper's tent. Outside, are the sounds of the elf camp, the bugles of Halla, and the low murmur of voices. His body burns like fire from the inside, right inside of his veins. His head aches, but that last memory is burned into his head.
Erast awakens in a cold sweat upon his bed, his head burning white hot, with a strange little burn mark on either side of his temples, in the shape of a claw. His oldest friend, Jowan, stands over him concerned. "Oh thank the Maker, I worried you might never wake up. The Templars brought you here last night, they only said you passed your Harrowing. You've been here ever since!"
Initiative:
Olivier's first thought is that he did such a damn fine job he can still hear Iona's cries of joy echoing throughout Castle Cousland.
Then he sits up in the bed, looking around, ears trained on the silence before he hears the scream again and what sounds look doors slamming open.
"Iona!" he hisses, shaking the elven handmaiden in case she hasn't stirred. "Did you hear? Something is wrong, very wrong..."
Worried and trying to keep any panic from rising, he slides out of bed, throws on his trousers, and grabs his quiver and longbow. With an index finger, he pries the curtains aside, looking out into the courtyard.
Merin shrugs after the drunks disappear again, keeping his voice down. "Well, let's go room by room. We find who we need, we kill if we need to, we get in, we get out. The less problems we cause, the better, because I'd prefer to get out of here with my heart beating, the blood still in my body, and my head still attached."
And with that, he heads for the closest door. If they're both equip-distance, then he'll look and make sure his friend is prepared, opening the one on the left.
Galadrian awakes with a start only to moan in pain his hands rising up to cradle his aching head. "I'm home? How is this possible?" He mutters to himself before looking around for the source of the whispered murmurs.