Djatrix remains silent to the remaining of the exchange, looking his hands with curiosity. As soon as the party begins to leave, he follows, his thoughts on the possible significance of what happened to him and the local life.
Vess'Sothek moves away with his party, though his eyes stay on the fey as he backpedals for a good distance.
At Palag's mention of food, the reptile realizes he was, in fact, rather hungry. I'm sure there are some creatures ripe for a hunt in the area. I would rather they not be blue though. As he leaves the area, he becomes more relaxed.
I do think we should return to the humans and see what they know about the happenings here.
Yochtanl consents to returning to the humans and both informing them of what we have learned and learning what they know of the place. Perhaps they've seen some blue animals themselves?
The fey thanks you in Sylvan for your understanding and confesses that you are the most understanding mortals she's encountered in a century or more. She genuinely hopes this agreement proves to be beneficial. She asks that you not speak to the locals of the matter until she speaks with you tomorrow.
Djatrix does not seem to get any bluer, and the coloration holds.
Djatrix, however, notices (or feels he notices) that his palms do, in fact, get a darker shade of blue on the trek to the campsite.
Nothing Yochtanl needs to do before leaving, and he won't mention the fey to the locals when they get back if it requests that they do not. If the locals want to know why the group is going back there tomorrow, Yochtanl will say that there were some interesting arcane properties of the local fauna that he wants to investigate further.
Palag will get Blacksock.
Done for now....
Done for now....
You make your way back to the communal campsite right before dusk with no issues. A few farmers are drinking around the fire and seem startled by your presence, but old Gheth is there again, and calms them down. a number of kobold farmers are also there, and pester you incessantly in broken Common and Kobo about everything. They are sponges for information, rumors, gossip, and stories.
Yochtanl takes out some food to munch on, regretting that he threw his flute into the water. He strokes Quetzalcoatl affectionately and thinks, Well, I still have you to remember the clan by. He tries to lift himself out of his saddening thoughts by saying to the group, "So, how do you guys feel about this fey? I think it seems trustworthy enough, if a bit neurotic."
Palag ponders Yochtanl's question, wishing he knew a little more about fey in general. "Neurotic is one way to put it, but I suppose that's not unusual, is it? Fey are a little strange. Anyway, I feel a little ...shaken. They and the birds did attack us and I felt pretty helpless." Palag tenses for a short moment while he walks and his tail makes small loops, but he relaxes quickly. "Still, their plight seems pretty severe and it'd be better if we solved it once and for all. Or, at least once."
As soon as the party returns, Djatrix heads to a place to seat nearby the others. He ignores the kobolds, not out of rudeness, but for been absent-minded.
He listens idly to the others quesion the situation, and the fey in particular, while he examines the hand that has touched the crystal.
"I am... worried about this situation," he looks up to his companions. "Not my hand," he quickly explains. "The story of the god's blood and the effect it has in this place. And, especially, the apparent worship of it all by the fey. The best solution may not be what they would accept."
"And what solution do you have in mind? Do you think the crystals are working to contain this taint, or are they actually the source of the problem? And how much merit can we put into the things this fey said?" Yochtanl doesn't like the situation any more than Djatrix, as it's a rather complicated mess and tiny fey feet may indeed have to get stepped on.
Suddenly, a thought hits Yochtanl, "Hey, the second fey went to speak with some evil beast by the first's description, right? I hope that he doesn't return with it tomorrow, or that if he does, this first fey can stop a conflict." It would be a lose-lose situation as Yochtanl sees it; either they kill the evil beast and the fey either attack as well or no longer aid the party, or they die from it.
"And what solution do you have in mind? Do you think the crystals are working to contain this taint, or are they actually the source of the problem? And how much merit can we put into the things this fey said?" Yochtanl doesn't like the situation any more than Djatrix, as it's a rather complicated mess and tiny fey feet may indeed have to get stepped on.
Suddenly, a thought hits Yochtanl, "Hey, the second fey went to speak with some evil beast by the first's description, right? I hope that he doesn't return with it tomorrow, or that if he does, this first fey can stop a conflict." It would be a lose-lose situation as Yochtanl sees it; either they kill the evil beast and the fey either attack as well or no longer aid the party, or they die from it.
These Fey have sacrificed for the world as they know it. We know little of their situation yet. Once we examine the source tomorrow we may learn more and will hopefully be able to confirm what they are saying and try to help them.
Speculation gives us nothing, but if anything threatens us I will not hesitate to destroy it. Hopefully it will not come to that.
Yochtanl concedes the point to Rsss'tak, saying, "I suppose so. For now, we can do naught but hope all goes well." Quetzalcoatl will go to find a rodent or two as the group prepares for rest. Yochtanl will pray to the Feathered Serpent, and set up an offering in the form of a small portion of burnt food.
As the camp activity dies down, only a handful of kobolds and two humans are awake. Gheth has stepped into the woods to relieve himself before bed. Throughout your talks, you are confident that no one here can speak Draconic, most speaking heavily accented Common or a Kobo-pidgin.
Speculation gives us nothing, but if anything threatens us I will not hesitate to destroy it. Hopefully it will not come to that.[/b]
Vess'Sothek nods in firm assent. We must protect our tribe from this taint which may spread to it. If that means upsetting the creature we spoke with, that is unfortunate for her.
With the departure of the companion to leave for a meal, the Lizardfolk will venture along with it, hoping to catch some small manner of mammal for a snack. The time being similar to Ghent venturing outwards, Vess'Sothek will keep an eye on him from a distance to make sure he is up to nothing fishy if he is seen departing/away from the camp.
Palag makes some more conversation with the kobolds, mostly by asking them the same questions they ask. He also tries to train Blacksock further, though the mule isn't particularly receptive.
"How are you going to study the crystals and stuff in there tomorrow?" he asks, mostly from Yochtanl.
Yochtanl hesitates before saying, "Well, I was going to swim down with Djatrix and observe them. I have some knowledge of strange magical phenomenon, maybe I can find something out about them. Djatrix, were there some smaller pieces that we could bring with us perhaps? Also, is there an air pocket down there, or do I have to hold my breath?"
"I didn't see loose pieces of crystal, but I was not searching for them. Most, if not all, were embibed into the rock." Djatrix sighs and shakes his head. "Everything is still too much unclear. I fear that harming the crystal, even unnintentionally, will bring the fey's wrath upon us. Maybe the tree is holding the crystal's power away, maybe it is feeding on it. The crystal is certainly the source, but if it is inheritedly evil or not, I do not know."
Yochtanl pipes in, "Yes, I certainly don't want to break off a piece or anything. For that matter, let's not touch any of the crystals directly. If we can find a crystal that's already dislodged, though, I'd like to take it back using a container."
Djatrix inhales deeply, then lets go slowly. He flexes his tainted fingers absent-mindedly. "We shall see."
Without any further word, Djatrix gets up and heads away to rest somewhere more remote. Maybe the spirits have something to whisper in his ear.
You all wake up the next morning, rested but a bit stiff, minds fuzzy from the intense events of yesterday. The weather is cool, and the air feels as if rain may be on its way soon.
Yochtanl reminds the group in the morning, as all the events with this fey may have caused them to lose sight of their first goal: "Hey, just to be clear, after this business with the fey, we are still going to those ruins on the coast, right?"
Yochtanl reminds the group in the morning, as all the events with this fey may have caused them to lose sight of their first goal: "Hey, just to be clear, after this business with the fey, we are still going to those ruins on the coast, right?"
No reason not to continue Yochtanl, hopefully we can help them and move on.
We should be careful and expect trouble. If the other fey suceeded in getting this evil beast it spoke of, we may have to fight it. Let me be in the lead as we close in, with Vess near the front as well.
To Vess's first comment, "Agreed. Hopefully the rest of our journey proves less eventful." He adds quickly, "And more profitable." He smiles underneath the mask, thinking of what treasures and secrets might be found at the ruins.
And to his second, "I will stay close behind, though I hope this beast he spoke of is not capable of invisibility like the fey. Otherwise it matters not who goes in front." He wonders what side of the fight the fey would take if it came down to it, though with their unpredictable nature, he can't come to a conclusion.
Vess'Sothek was quite pleased with the change in weather, liking his air moist and ground wet. He comes to Rsss'tak's side, ready to head-out.
I would much hope we continue onward to the ruins after this delay, though I must say this blueness is interesting. And those creatures! I've never seen anything like them. His excitement becomes tempered with caution. But they seem dangerous; we must stay alert.
Perhaps it was the new day, but the reptile seemed almost anxious to return to the place of strife.
Djatrix nods his hellos and has his breakfast in mild silence, eyeing his hand.
As the group discusses what to do, he listens on before commenting. "I agree we should then head to the ruins, but we should not dismiss this situation."
[ooc]Ready when you are.
Palag is happy that he didn't have (or at least doesn't remember) any nightmares about yesterday. He performs his morning routine and plays around with Blacksock a little. Seeing Djatrix get up, he checks not only himself but also the mule in case of any blue contagion.
"Yeah, of course," he says casually to Yochtanl, nodding. He doesn't have any differing opinions about being wary. "I shall stay at the back. But if they do attack again and are invisible like last time, what can we do about that?" he says, preparing to leave and putting the pack saddle on Blacksock.
Benjamin elected to part ways with the group in order to seek council on the matter with his fellow druids. He bids you farewell, and says he'll try to stop in at the Wicker Warrior in a few weeks.
The clouds move swiftly overhead, and you wonder whether the storm will break this day, or the next, as it does not seem as if it will pass soon. As you travel, you notice that there are cricket-like insects that have glowing abdomens, like fireflies, and they chirp sporadically, as if rejoicing in the coming storm.
You get to the woods surrounding the ruins around mid-morning, and no rain has fallen yet. The sky is a multi-hued grey, full of roiling clouds moving west. As you enter the woods, you notice the countless ravens eyeing your approach, cawing occasionally. The woods are dim, what with the cloud cover, and the ravens foreboding.
Yochtanl recognizes the little bugs from his experience on the Thunder Plains, and smiles a sad smile at the nostalgia their glowing bodies confer to him. He thinks back to when he was performing the druidic rituals to find Quetzalcoatl, how the crickets had been out from the storm a day before. He sighs as he continues his march.
The ravens, seemingly in endless supply in this area, put Yochtanl on edge, as he still has small bite and claw marks all over his body. He looks to them warily as he continues inward.
Will approach the fountain again cautiously, both him and his mount expecting trouble.
Though the name of the insects escapes him, it was clear to the hunter they rejoiced with the storm. As a like-minded individual, the insects made Vess'Sothek smile a bit as they made their way back to the fey.
We would do well to adapt to the elements as they do. He glances to the non-reptiles in the group to see how they react to the rain; in his experience, birds tended to stay out of storms.
Vess'Sothek's gaze shows Yochtanl travelling silently along, apparently lost in thought as he neither looks around nor speaks. He doesn't seem to be worried about the storm, far as you can tell.
Yochtanl continues inward with the group, eying the ominous birds cautiously. His familiar stirs from its sleep inside his bag, alerted by his uneasiness. Quetzalcoatl's head can be seen poking out of the pack.
Palag eyes the sky, not particularly worried but still wondering how bad the storms can get in these parts. He catches some of the glowing insects and then releases them by swinging them into another direction.
As they come closer to the ruins, Palag again leaves Blacksock a little further away and follows warily behind the others.
Djatrix follows the others towards the ruins, not particularly eager to get there, a distant look on his face.
Perception Check:
As you all enter the clearing with the ruins, the ravens have thinned out a little. Raven feathers litter the entire area, as if hundreds of ravens had moulted overnight. The stones are slick, as usual, and the air is nearly silent, aside from the usual chatter of ravens here and there. The wind of the oncoming storm blows heavily, and the trees rustle and wave.
As the vesh stare at the beauty of the wind, and the feathers strewn everywhere, Djatrix is more focused on examining his scales to see if they have changed again with proximity to the fountain. Thankfully, they look about the same.
Rsss'tak notes that the statues on the fountain, as well as its rim have a faint discoloration, and sees what looks a miniature bow floating in the waters of the fountain, gently bumping against the side of the fountain wall.
There is no sign of the fey, and the ravens seem to be keeping clear of the clearing for the most part. Something is amiss.
I think we may be too late, look in the pool a small bow and maybe some blood. The creature must have already come here...may still be here. Vess can you try to find its tracks? Be ready.
Rsss'tak will have have his lance out...
Yochtanl eyes the mess of feathers and blood gravely. He says, "I fear the fey may have called upon the help of that beast. Let us hope that they live yet." Even as he says this, Yochtanl doubts that they really still live.
Looking around the area, it was clear something or someone of power had come through recently. Be wary said the Lizardfolk to his companions for this creature may still be afoot.
Rsss'tak did not need to tell him to follow his hunter's instinct; Vess'Sothek was already close to the ground, looking for any clue which would help them find this worrysome entity - hopefully before it found them!