Mmmreh, magic. I hear tales of Irrisen's winter witches, who not live but thrive in cold, mmmreh. Perhaps hatchling be one of them. You be not considering this?
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"I was invited in here, hunter. Were you? We are bound by our word to the White Lady, you have no need to fear us." Turning back to Agatha
"Well said, kuzynka. We" - he indicates his sister and himself "are all of Jadwiga Kseniya. The Jadwiga Elvanna scum stepfather of ours thought he had erased us, but he has failed. My sister lives to continue the line. I live to end his."
** spoiler omitted **
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The Queen of Witches is the crone Baba Yaga, Kobold. And if you are lucky you will not meet her. I am not royalty, I am just...related to it.
Agatha turns back to Aevann. My mothers name is Jacintha, her elder sisters name was Ksenia. If that is your mother's name we are cousins. perhaps I can help you in this quest of yours. It may be our paths match. And that some spirit or god is involved here.
I understand worries, but winter be not caused by these two. They be not powerful enough to bring snow to Heldren.
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Aevann, can you feel it. Outside. The cold of irisen itself here in the summer lands. And we, all of us meet. No chance meeting is this. Even the haunted drow hunter, the bereaved dwaven paladin, the kobold witch lead by a dream, even the barmaid. All the others as well. The orge and the inquisitor and more.
Winter is coming.
" Cousin in truth! I had thought the warmlands would be...warmer. I think you are right and some great Patron has turned her eye on this place."
He looks stricken for a second as something seems to occur to him "How old are you cousin?"
** spoiler omitted **
Agatha,
That is great, thanks! I wanted to make sure that I understood anything, and you explained it well. Putting that spoiler in your character sheet would help me not forget what you said, but I've updated my notes to reflect what you said so you are good in every official sense.
Mmmreh, my patron be of fire, not ice. Is enemy to god called Black Man. In cold lands, fire is friend.
"Fire is everybody's ally, and nobody's friend" Aevan quotes at the Kobold.
"Four witches met by 'chance'; five with the White Lady. Cities have fallen to less than this."
Aevann then returns to his sister, where he whispers for a while with her, then returns
Monday 1/13 update:
@Izumi/all - I completely agree with you that the speed of posting and the amount of character development have far exceeded my vision when I started the recruitment. Having to keep up with 30 posts a day is why I've not been very involved with anything in character. It appears nobody really needs a catalyst anyway. I'm seriously considering closing recruitment early, but I want to make sure I announce it just to be above board.
@Aevann - got you, thanks.
Everybody - Something was brought up to me in a PM that I thought I should clarify. The tavern in the recruitment thread is not actually in Heldren. The one in Heldren is far smaller and less cosmopolitan than where you all appear to be. Once recruitment is over, everybody will be magically transported to the right place, sober and fully healed with all of your gear. So, don't worry about your actions matching the game world 100% or using resources or possibly hurting yourself. We will get everybody reset to your starting state before the game starts.
Everybody part two - If you are thinking of submitting a character, but have not yet done so please let me know. As Izumi notes, there may be a cause to shorten the recruiting period and I don't want to stop anybody who has been furiously typing away making their dream character.
Tracked characters:
Steven_Evil -Rikal Ashenstone, Half Elf Barbarian (Urban Barbarian)-Complete
Rednal -Shiro, Elf Natural Werewolf Sorcerer -Complete
Le Roy Batty-Uloth Moleskin, Half-Orc Ranger (Wild Stalker/Skirmisher)-Complete
Voyd211 -Kzethax Icerender, Kobold Witch-Complete
KyleS-Izumi Hitomi,Aasimar Sorcerer-Complete
Rhanloi Ehlyss-Lanarial, Half Elf (Drow Descended) Rogue (Sniper)-Complete
Irnk-Grey, the Lady's Dog, Halfling Summoner (Synthesist)-Complete
DM Aku-Aku Warashi, Strix Ranger (Urban Ranger)-Complete
Harakani-Aevann, Human Witch (Winter Witch) - Complete
Necrovox-
nightdeath-Thorn Silvertip, Half Elf (Drow Blooded) Ranger (Spirit Ranger, Trapper)-Complete
Chillblame-Agatha, Half Orc Witch - Complete
OTM Shank- Sildur Farwind, Human (Ulfen) Druid (World Walker)-Complete
EldonG-Sturion Stoutheart, Dwarf Paladin (Stonelord) - Mostly complete?
mechaPoet-
Rikash-
wehrpig-Urga the Ogre Prophet, Half Orc Battle Oracle
n o 416-Calah Swimmerswift, Undine Inquisitor (Witch Hunter)
If I have missed something, please speak up.
Aevann closes his eyes, spins around, and points his finger directly at Sturion
"One for sorrow" pointing at Sturion, and continuing to move round, chanting as he goes
"Two for mirth" pointing at Rikael
"Three for a wedding" pointing at Agatha - and he does not seem best pleased about it
"Four for birth" pointing at Calah
"Five for silver" pointing at Shiro
"Six for gold" pointing at Thorn
"Seven for a secret, not to be told" pointing at Kzethax
"Eight for heaven"pointing at Izumi
"Nine for hell" pointing at Rhanloi
at this point he stops, having spun completely around.
Mreheheh... What secrets have I? There be only my memory, and the name of my patron, and I be knowing neither.
"You have no idea of the truth in your nursery rhyme... Lanarial exclaims under his breath. Most of the crowd wouldn't hear his words, but all could see his shocked, and fearful, face at the pronouncement of the boy. The press of the crowd prevents him from running out into the night, but instead a stranger, and darker, thing happens. Suddenly the lights around Lanarial go dim, and the area around him is encased in darkness. It only lasts a minute...but it is a loonnnggg minute.
Mirth? Aye, you got that righ-
When the darkness the sound of Rikael's chair hitting the floor is heard, and when the darkness clears, he is on the table, rapier in one hand, mug of ale in the other. He is no longer drunk, but deadly sober. Once it is apparent there is no threat, he sheathes the rapier, and takes a long pull of ale.
Well, with such a strange gathering one shouldn't be surprised by strange occurrences. One can never be sure though. Please excuse my drawing a sword in the tavern.
"Nine for hell" pointing at Rhanloi
When the darkness comes Aevann immediately throws himself towards his sister, bouncing off furniture in his haste and blindness to cross the short distance.
"And ten for the witch's own sell." Shiro muttered, finishing the rhyme. Dunking her head had helped quite a lot, and she'd made her way into the tavern just as the boy began his rhyme, in time to be caught by it. She calmly made her way towards the boy after he'd jumped away from the darkness. "Child, you were welcomed into this building as a guest, and I distinctly remember that you made mention of paying the Innkeeper. I do hope you're not intending to violate the hospitality you've been shown by continuing to frighten his other patrons, though, especially without explaining why you're doing these things." Her tone was light, but her gold-tinted eyes were looking right at the fey child as she squeezed a bit more water out of her hair. When anybody with a connection to that realm started behaving oddly, it was very important that you know what they were doing... unless you wanted the whole village to simply disappear into the night or something. The fey were... difficult to predict.
My story? Aye, ye missed it. I was down in the mines...for days...maybe a week. When I come back up, all through the keep was death. Death...and ice. All me kin...gone...'cept for the ghosts.
Sturion finishes the short version of his tale looking at Thorn, and drains another mug.
Now I gotta right the wrongs.
Sturion pays no particular mind to the darkness, but does watch everyone curiously... especially the young boy.
Have ye been bewitched, lad?
He be witch, not bewitched. Kzethax laughs at his little joke, and White-Fire seems to agree, his hoots sounding like laughter.
Dru moans loudly as darkness descends upon the common room. Sildur himself bursts from his chair, shortspear in hand. He speaks a few short words , to any that can see he seems to wave his shortspear back and forth in front of his eyes, looking frustrated, "Is this oily black of our making? Someone speak quickly!"
As the darkness finally recedes, the spear in Sildur's hand begins to shine brightly. Dru moves to side protectively and he reaches a hand down to scratch the bear in a calming fashion.
He looks around at the others, his gaze sweeping over them all, "I'd kindly ask that you refrain from doing that again."
The ulfen grimaces and the light from his spear fades away to nothing.
Sturion growls low and softly...likely witchcraft that slew the clan...an' I'm surrounded by witches. More ale!
Looking back around the room, Sturion finds himself wondering which gods were playing just what game...
He looks at Aevann clutching his sister, intently but without malice, "I've no quarrel with your background young one but perhaps it's best to keep the prophetic declarations to yourself for the time being. For many, the past is their own to share."
May be, may not be. You say beast killed your clan? Know not any beast that make witchcraft, mmmreh. Mayhap clan dug too deep. Clan may have angered dragon. Many things possible.
The boy looks sullenlely at Shiro and mutters "just trying to help! I didn't make it dark! "
Shiro placed one hand on Aevann's head and gently knelt down so she could look him in the eyes. "Even good intentions can have bad results, little one. A careless word can frighten others, and attempts to help may only wind up causing harm. No decent person would blame a child for their actions, but this is something you'll be expected to know. It's especially true when people are already nervous about the weather coming from the north." she smiled and ruffled his hair. "I forgive you for now, though. Just be sure to be a good boy from now on and don't do things that will frighten your elders, okay?"
And now the tavern's full of witches too? Perhaps they brought us here, though for what purpose? Better keep my guard up. That was magical darkness and I don't like it. Smells like a fight brewing too. I can't let those children get hurt...
Rikael is no longer sitting relaxed in his chair, but is now tense, with a hand near his rapier at all times. He glances at Sturion to see if he has the same feelings.
"Accept my apologies - the darkness was a reaction. I will try to control my powers better. So tell me, little one, what else of what we try to hide do you see?" His hands are obviously kept flat on the table, in plain sight, to help diffuse the tension he partly caused.
Sildur stows his spear once more and crouches down to put a soothing hand on the back of the still agitated bear.
He looks at the tense faces on many of the others, "Be at peace my friends. Whichcraft might frey a man's nerves is true but such an auspicious night would be ill served by violence."
Birth ? "Amusing, little one. Perhaps you can earn your living as a Bard".
Calah's attention turns from the child to Sturion at the mention of ghosts. "These souls must be put at rest. You can have my aid."