शांति
स्थिरता
मौन
- - - - - -
Mohktar reels from the beast's terrifying attacks and releases his hold on it. His Sansetsukon spins in his hands and he lashes back, blood flowing from the multiple lacerations all over his body.
He bellows as he attacks.
》 DC 16
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Lilly smacks at the prone thug.
Despite his wounds, Mohktar absolutely pummels Utkroza. His kicks breaking ribs and snapping wing bones, and his punches leaving terrible welts that ooze blood between the creatures feathers. Utkroza's vision dims momentarily but his eyes snap open and he hisses angrily.
--> PASS
Lilly's sword enters Blue's throat and cuts the main artery causing him to expire in a fountain of blood. She tries to lunge at yellow but he parries her thrust with a desperate block from his punch dagger. He snarls his defiance and spits blood in her face.
Alwyn rushes over to Shikyo's aid and pours a potion down his throat. The ninja coughs and splutters after a while and he opens his eyes and finds his body afire with pain.
Pratavh casts a powerful spell that encases the battered and half dead Utkroza's soul with ice. The avian knows true fear as his limbs suddenly feel heavy and they loose their power! The backwash of power from this incantation also cripples the worker chasing after him.
--> FAIL
--> FAIL
Utkroza desperately attacks Mohktar trying to fend off the monk's terrible blows! In desperation he bites Mohktar, but the slowness has taken it's tole and Utkroza simply isn't able to do anymore!
---> HIT
Yellow carefully aims a strike at Lilly, cynically waiting for the moment she struck his fellow cultist. His blade digs painfully into her thigh, yet he misses the artery and she shrugs off the poison!
---> Crit?
---> No crit!
---> PASS
Mohktar <--- WE ARE HERE
Lilly
Shikyomaru (Prone, but awake)
Alwyn
Pratavh
Utkroza
Honor Guard
Shiko stands and looks around for his weapon, if its around he grabs it.
शांति
स्थिरता
मौन
- - - - - -
Mohktar has little left, breath coming in bursts as he faces off with the beast. I am nothing...I am everything...I am the blade edge upon which balance is achieved...
There us nothing left to lose, and inaction would be anathema to the Lord of Lords...
》 DC 16
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Pratavh moves back into the room and looks for the vulnerabilities of the thug fighting Lilly. Finding them he highlight them for his allies before calling out, "Lilly, hit the glowing spots on him!"
Lilly, like Mohktar, needs little encouragement, as spitting blood on her seems to have ticked her off even more.
"How dare you!"
With an explosive burst of speed, Mohktar smashes the heel of his hand into the avian's forehead, causing it's head to snap back viciously! He follows this up with several more vicious blows that cause blood to splatter far and wide. Finally something breaks within the beast and there is a great snapping noise. Utkroza slumps down with his battered head lolling at an unnatural angle.
More or less simultaneously Lilly runs her target through. He doesn't seem to notice, for both he and the other remaining worker suddenly make a great keening noise and shout "Hamārī duniyā golorious bhraṣṭācāra mēṁ khatma hō jā'ēgā!"
They both uncork strange looking vials of inky black liquid and down it in one. Almost immediately they gasp and being thrashing around violently. The force of their muscle spasms breaks their limbs hideously and they both vomit a dark mixture of blood and acid as they expire.
COMBAT OVER
Utkroza: +1 shock composite longbow (+3 Str) with 40 arrows, ring of
mind shielding, gold jewelry worth 750 gp, keys to the silk mill
In the nest are twenty masterwork arrows, masterwork artisans’ tools for fletching arrows, and raw materials for over a dozen more arrows. Utkroza’s claws have thoroughly shredded the silk used to make the nest, so it’s worth very little.
The desk’s only drawer contains quills, paper, sheets of silk, and eight intricately spiraling glass ink vials with golden lids, each holding a different color of ink. The set is worth a total of 200 gp. The trunk contains 760 gp in mixed coinage and trade goods worth 450 gp in total.
Utkroza’s desk has few papers, as although Utkroza likes to plan on paper, he’s also meticulous about burning documents after use. There’s a shallow bowl full of ashes, with a candle and tinderbox nearby for this purpose. The unburned papers (written in Vudrani) consist of:
• A list of new regulations: no more sacrifices without
permission; report those who openly express support for the new law banning “our most holy dark mother”; pass on any information, no matter how minor, about the thakur’s palace. A footnote here reads, “Extract all we can about Raheem.”
• Full descriptions of the party including all abilities and favored tattics.
• A note.
Given that our brethren from the Order of Unfathomable Darkness are groundling creatures that will never know the glory of the sky, I estimate that it will take them roughly
80 miles from village through hilly jungle 14 28 +7–12 miles is 4 days travel at least plus 3 miles/hour is 10 hours
20–25 miles/day
3–6 miles in jungle
3–6 miles of hills
(for 30 miles = 1 day, 2 hours) = 4 days
(5 no 8) Perhaps 7 days to travel north to Niswan. Sarpini, slithering abomination that she is, shall send word to the Masters of the Order, requesting that they come immediately to Niswan, so that together we shall RESOLVE the situation!
I think we need to go back to the Tavern and make our next set of plans. Shiko says We have information now and we could find their hidden order and eradicate it. Root and stem.
शांति
स्थिरता
मौन
Mohktar nods agreement. He rests himself against a nearby wall, wincing get at the numerous lacerations on his person. "We would be foolish to not save this hard fought victory. Rest is our next priority. Rest and time to survey the changed battlefield."
Right so you have to wait a little while before you find the cab driver (he didn't want to stop in this neighborhood). He seems very concerned when he sees all the blood and wants to know if you're OK and if you need to go to one of the temples.
Looking at his friends, Pratavh says to them, "How badly hurt are we? Should we go to one of the temples for healing? Or should we just return to the inn?"
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Alwyn moves over to Shiko, administering a single charge from the wand before moving to Mohktar and expending two more charges on him.
"That should hold till we have had a chance to reach the temple...I hope. We have been requested to assist with the Parade of Souls tomorrow so a stop at the temple to visit with Mistress Tali would solve multiple problems and probably make for a better nights sleep."
"The stop will also allow us to send some messages to those we need to inform of our progress today."
Alwyn looks to the others to see if agreement is in order or perhaps Mohktar and Shiko would prefer a different temple to stop at...
Sounds good Alwyn. an exhausted Shikyomaru says.
He sits in the Taxi, brooding over his wounds and near failure in the Silk Mill.
"Likewise, i need to wash some of that blood out of hair anyway."
She plucks aside a few strands of hair that had clotted and are a dark red now.
It takes a while to push through the crowds and it's late afternoon by the time the cab gets to now familiar temple of Sarenrae. The novices apparently were expecting you and they usher you into Mistress Tari's spartan quarters.
As you enter she says, "I'm so glad you answered my calls about Ban..."[b] Her voice trails off as she sees the wounds you've sustained. [b]"Oh goodness! What has happened to you?!", she asks, voice heavy with concern.
She claps her hands and several novices come running and she instructs them, "Ḍyūṭī cikitsakōṁ lāyēṁ!" and they run off.
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"It has been an ... interesting day, Mistress. The city has many troubles although a few of them have been laid to rest...permanently at least barring major magics."
"Many thanks for sending for the healers but at the same time a couple of your most trusted runners and materials to scribe messages would be beneficial as well."
Alwyn will relate the day's events including the the visits made to the smith and stylist.
"As much as I'd like to go crawl in my bed for the night, others must be made aware of these events and the silk mill should be secured by the militia for the night as well as the merchants house. Our short search more than likely missed something of importance for later."
"Thank you Mistress Tari, my friends are in sore need of assistance, Alwyn, I will help you write the letters we need to send." Though Pratavh seems worn out, he is not in nearly the shape the others are in, he actually seemed to come through the day with little in the way of harm to himself.
She nods to Alwyn and replies,"Yes of course, I have a writing desk in the corner here. Feel free to make use of it."
Lilly was thinking of other things, while the healers tended the little bit of wounds. Or 'scrapes', as she dismissed it.
"Mistress Tari, how is the fox girl doing? Is she up and about again?"
Tari sighs softly, "Physically she's doing very well, emotionally? Well it's going to take some time. She's cut up about the deaths of those around her and she still feels guilty, unworthy even of her second chance."
She pauses for a moment and then she adds, "She's been spending a lot of time with poor old Bahni. Singing to her, would you believe. Bahni's fate has got to everyone, it just seems so cruel. Still she's a fighter, I think she'll live through to the morning and then it's in the hands of the gods. Assuming she survives the parade."
"Hmm...let's not assume the worst. I don't personally, i've seen an old man from my hometown stave off death, just so he could see his son returning from a dangerous expdition. Even more amazing was the fact he lived a decade longer, as his son announced he was going to get married. The will to live and emotion can be a powerful force."
Shiko awaits the next day, and the Parade of Souls.
After a few hours, during which your wounds are cured and baths are drawn so you may cleanse the stink of battle from four bodies, a letter arrives.
I appreciate your most diligent work tracking down the cult! I would suggest recuperating for a few days by which time we'll have arranged for an expedition to Leckumgee. It's a fairly long trip and the monsoon season will soon be upon us, so I would recommend packing accordingly.
Raheem
PS. Please convey the Thakur's best wishes to Bahni for tomorrow. Our thoughts are with her and you at this difficult time.
After helping the write letters, Pratavh goes to check on the kitsune girl, wanting to see how she has handled dying and being brought back. Of course Hirati helped things along by pestering him incessantly to go see the foxy girl. When they track her down, Hirati flies over and barrels into her and start giggling and wiggling in the girls arms. Pratavh takes a seat, and speaks to the girl, "How are miss Pradip? I understand you've been keeping a watch on the dancer?"
Pratavh is ushered into a quiet side room, where there is a bed for the sick dancer. Bahni's condition has worsened considerably, her once radiant skin is mottled grey and hanging loose on her emaciated form. Her sunken eyes are focused on the middle distance, her expression vacant. The only sound is her rasping breath. The little fox girl is holding her and and there are tears on her cheeks.
Pradip shrikes in mock horror when Hirati comes barreling in, she replies seriously, "Jī śrīmāna. Vaha para pakaṛa rahā hai, vē vaha kala kē mādhyama sē yaha suniścita karanā cāhi'ē kahatē haiṁ, lēkina vaha itanī grasta hai. Maiṁ isē sara samajha mēṁ nahīṁ ātā. Kō'ī yaha kyūm̐ karēgā?!"
Tari normally an assertive and assured person, seems shaken by the quiet battle to save Bahni. She signs heavily, and seems on the verge of tears as she tells you, "My main fear had been the cult, but it sounds like you've dealt with them. My secondary fear is the parade itself. The spirits can be a little, unruly at times, which can be unnerving, sometimes dangerous for anyone, let alone somebody who is desperately ill. And then there is the gate itself, will that cleanse the taint? I trust it will, my head and the omens say it should but I worry there'll be nothing left of the poor girl's soul to save."
Realizing that she needs to be quiet, Hirati calms and thinks at Pradip, "Sorry." Pratavh looks replies to the child, "Mujhē lagatā hai ki mujhē lagatā hai vē sattā kē bāda kara rahē haiṁ lagatā thā aura vaha ēka sādhana kē li'ē mahaja ēka sirōṁ thā tō maiṁ. Pradīpa patā thā cāhatē haiṁ. Yaha kisī bhī madada karatā hai, tō hama jim'mēdāra haiṁ aura unakē sātha nipaṭā samūha kā his'sā mila gayā hai, um'mīda hai ki vē nahīṁ hōgā una tīrōṁ kī aba aura sakṣama banānē kē li'ē."
All this talk of restless spirits and omens makes Shiko think of the strange house they visited...and he instantly wants to be somewhere else.
Lilly does somewhat notice Shiko's edgy stance.
"Shiko, no need to get jumpy, we've fought against the supernatural and won, remember? I'd say that should earn some confidence."
The party rests at the temple, and with wounds healed you begin slowly to unwind. Of course the festival is still going on and there are many minor services but the main focus is on one the giant hillside amphitheater. Saranrae's temple is an oasis of relative calm. Soon the sky starts to darken and Mistress Tari takes Lilly aside.
Having visited the little fox girl, Lilly's mind is relaxed for the time being.
"The visions...ah right, you said you had one of me arriving here with he little girl. I'm not much of a praying type, but sure, i'll come to your evening ceremony. Besides, i'm here partially to see new things anyway. I'll see you tonight then."
Towards the end of the short ceremony, a relic is brought out for the final blessing. It's a large faintly glowing slab of pink sunstone the size of a small bed. The slab is levitating and is supposedly warm to the touch. They say that Saranrae's herald lay on it while terribly wounded in the crusades. It is supposed to have curative properties, and the veins of deep red flecked stone that go through the relic, is supposed to be due to his angelic blood. Everyone is invited to touch the relic as they file out.
As you draw near you feel a faint static charge. Do you wish to touch it?
Having been as curious as much as she's been a rowdy girl, Lilly's cursiosity & sense of adventure got the better of her.
She hesitated a moment when she reached for it, but as resolute as she was in a fight, she reached out to touch it.
"I wonder...."
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Alwyn nods his thanks to Mistress Tali for clarifying her concerns for the Parade. "Mistress, all will be well tomorrow have a little faith, for even a small flame can banish the darkness. Speaking of little flames, I am going to look in on our little fox girl. But before I go, I've heard mention of a a ceremony tonight, would it be ok for me to watch from the back, making sketches? I use them to help me later when I recount stories for others."
He spends a few moments thanking the healers, messengers and others for their invaluable help in his and the others recovery tonight before heading to look for Pradip.
"Some color is returning to your cheeks little one but I fear you have found other troubles to worry your soul over. Fret not things will brighten up.
using a combination of silent image and ghost sound Alwyn takes a moment to recreate a small version of the fireworks display that the master bard did for the city for Pradip and any others recovering in the temple "For a moment all please sit back and enjoy, forget your worries. This is but a small token of what the master bard was able to do the other night that many of you were not able to enjoy."
Mistress Tari simply nods when Alwyn speaks of faith, but she tells him yes of course you may watch the ceremony. There's plenty of room in the pews, or there's a gallery above if you'd prefer not to be seen.
The little fox girl gapes with wonder when Alwyn show's his recreation of the fireworks display, and exclaims "Yahī kāraṇa hai ki vāstava mēṁ āścaryajanaka hai! Mujhē lagatā hai maiṁ aisī bātōṁ kē li'ē kauśala thā cāhatē haiṁ..."
Some deep urge, barely understood makes you reach out and touch the stone again. This time it's simply warm to the touch and it seems to melt under your hand. For one terrifying moment you feel as if your hand had slipped in as if the stone were butter. You glance around in alarm, everyone seems frozen in time. People are hanging there, mid-step, one foot on the ground, another in the air. Others are standing there, mouth open mid sentence.
Suddenly you feel like you are falling, shockingly fast, into the stone. There is a flash and a wrench as if gravity shifted several times in as many heartbeats. There is only whiteness and for a time you drift. Suddenly you are aware that it's raining, and that the wind is howling. You see a serpentine shape drifting through the mist. There is a deep throated roar of some terrible beast and then nothing. The world has gone full white again. Suddenly you are falling onto the jungle floor, you look up dazed to a fastness built above a sheer bluff with a commanding view over the jungle.
Time fades, you awake to find yourself in chains. You have aged terribly, and the body you see as your rheumatic eyes open seems alien to you with liver spots, warts and time aged skin. In front of you, a dozen paces away is an alter of luminescent jade flecked through with foul darkness. The altar has loops to restrain the limbs, head and torso. There are blood channels dug into the altar which lead to a rectangular pool of inky darkness. Some second sight tells you that the pool is filled with corruption incarnate.
The pain of the fetters grows too great and you blank out for a few moments, or was it years. Time ceased to have any meaning but you know something is odd when you awake. For gone is the arthritic form, and instead you awaken to spot cruel nails of cold iron, transfixing you to the alter, that burn you so as your golden life force seeps out through the channels. It starts off the color of honey and changes in increments to dull red, then moldy brown, then putrid grey before finally succumbing to the inky darkness as your life is transformed into something other. You try to resist the flow, but the cruel cold iron barbs burn your flesh as fast as it can heal. The sweet agonies lasts for eternity but even one such as you can not resist the siren call of that abyssal font forever.
Finally there is a voice, filled with infinite sadness and wisdom, the voice of a woman, radient like the morning. "The altar is the source of their power, it has stood inviolate for millennia and can be destroyed only by forgiveness and love. Things inimical to an artifact of condensed evil."
A feeling of peace fills your ravaged body, and your pain and wounds are washed away as if you a warm morning rain. You find yourself back in the chapel, feeling that a great deal of time has passed. Yet nobody seems to have moved. Slowly, oh so slowly, the gears of the world start ti turn and people complete their aeon long steps and finish saying whatever they where saying. You feel shaken, as if something had turned your insides upside down. Mercifully nobody else seems to have noticed anything.
At the end a parade of acolytes draws out a floating relic. A block of sunstone flecked with red. There is something particularly puissant about this stone, and you have a feeling is a thing from another age. What its doing here is anyone's guess. The congregation file out past the relic and each touches the stone, some of them gingerly some of them linger as they touch it lightly as finger as they trace one of the veins mottling the stone.
At the end you notice Lilly walk towards it. She seems hesitant and she reaches out to touch it, yet recoils as if bitten, then with a determined look she touches the stone again with the palm of her hand. She seems far away for a moment, before half stumbling and walking away looking distracted and slightly agitated.
For the first time in a very long number of years, Lilly was genuinely at a loss of words. All the weird images and the less than comfortable sensations had left her mind puzzling it as best she could.
The message of the altar was still a riddle she could not wrap her finger around. Was she tied to it like the vision could hint at?
But she did realize it was something to be destroyed, but by forgiveness and love was a very cryptic description, at least for now.
She was quite content people were not staring or noticing her spacing out, if that was what had happened.....
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Alwyn understands the irony of reminding a priest to have faith, but nothing patronizing was intended just merely a comforting word for someone who looks to have the weight of the world on their shoulders.
"Thank you Mistress, I look forward to it. Although I would not wish to interfere, my presence on the main floor not interacting with the ceremony could be distracting; I will watch from the upper balcony."
In response to Prahdip's comments
"Chōṭē sē ēka āpa pratibhā, dhairya, aura icchā kē kucha bhī sambhava hō sakatā hai. Yaha āsāna nahīṁ hō sakatā hai... gesturing to her surroundings and recoveryLēkina isa kē kisī bhī āsāna hō gayā hai? Abhī kē li'ē āpa apriya jabaki sē sīkhā jā sakatā hai ki jīvana kē sabaka kē rūpa mēṁ ēka kō chōṛakara atīta kō bhūla sīkhanā cāhi'ē. Hālāṅki aba aisē vajanadāra māmalōṁ kē li'ē samaya nahīṁ hai, tō āpa apanī tākata aura isa duniyā kī acchī bātōṁ mēṁ apanē viśvāsa kō ṭhīka karanē kē li'ē isa samaya lēnā cāhi'ē. Kē li'ē ānē vālē dinōṁ mēṁ āpa ēka acchā sāthī hai, ki andhērē samaya kē mādhyama sē āpa kō banā'ē rakhanē kē li'ē hai ki viśvāsa kī āvaśyakatā hōgī. Maiṁ aba kē li'ē jānā cāhi'ē, maiṁ tonights samārōha mēṁ bhāga lēnē kī icchā hai, maiṁ bāda mēṁ vāpasa ā jā'ēgī. Aba kē li'ē ārāma karēṁ."
Alwyn begins by sketching the chamber out before the ceremony starts and a few faces of those in attendance, ending by drawing a profile of the priest leading the ceremony. Later, as the choir begins to sing the harmonies draw the bard in and his journal and pens lay forgotten as he hums along with the audience, a feeling of contentment coming over him. This is how worship should be, not the perverted things I have witnessed in many other places.
When Lilly touches the block and walks away with her confused expression, Alwyn wishes to go to her but stops feeling that the time for that would come later. For the moment he would allow her to come to terms with what had happened for something had happened, though what he knew not."
शांति
स्थिरता
मौन
Mohktar remains silent on the return to the temple. His thoughts are a cloud of questions preventing him from seeking the peaceful calm at his core. There is a part of him that explores the words in the beast's letter, the open call for violence stemming from the banning of their faith. Such a thing, the power of the truly faithful when oppressed...it can spell larger dangers, like fine cracks in a foundation that threaten wall and roof.
Could it be that during the time this dark religion was allowed there was balance in the city? Mohktar closes his eyes and visions of Absalom spring to life. That place, with its press of people and faiths and cultures, a balance cn be seen in the menagerie.
To remove one element, nature calls for a replacement, or balance is replaced by chaos. Mohktar considers this for a good long while, letting silence surround his ruminations even as they enter the Sarenrae temple.
He gratefully accepts their healing, and nods a simple greeting to Pradip. But he holds his council for the time being. But after a few moments he requests the time at which would be proper to arrive for the ceremony in the evening. That knowledge acquired he makes his apologies and approaches the group.
"I am going to the Irori temple for a few hours to seek solace and to inquire after an improvement to my ancestral blade," he nods over his shoulder to the hilt of his Temple sword. "Shiko-san, if you wish to also journey there, please do."
With that he presses his hands together in namaste, bowing to Mistress Tari out of respect and gratitude. Then he turns and strides away, deep in thought.
------------------
Mohktar seeks out Master Maeda Atsuko to inquire on the following:
》Adding the Ghost Touch quality to his +2 Temple Sword
》Inquire about Lekumgee and what can be expected there
With the visions still sharp in mind, Lilly takes a seat.
Crossing her legs, arms spread wide over the leaning of a bench and head looking up, she's pondering it all.
What was that all about....torture, my life force being corrupted and an ancient evil altar, fit for draining blood. I'd be pretty pissed if i'd be turned into something evil. Is someone to love or forgive a sacrifice of sort?
With the whole chains, corruption and forgiveness, this is reminding me of reading of that Zon-Kuthon guy and his half-sister Shelyn. But when you mentioned 'their' source of power..that went of-track. :)
Shiko gives Mohtar a look that says Why did you even ask...
Shikoyomaru travels with Mohktar to the Temple of Irori, he quite enjoys the Temple of the Perfect One. He attempts to rest and meditate while Mohktar dithers about his sword.
Pratavh stays in the room with Pradip and the patient for some time, watching Alwyn's reproduction of the fireworks, "A brilliant rendition Alwyn." After Alwyn leaves and Hirati has drifted off for a bit, Pratavh asks a last question of the young kitsune, "Hama maiṁ apanī bahanōṁ kī śādī kē li'ē Vudra karanē para jārī rakhanē kī yōjanā hamārē yahām̐ kāma khatma"jaba maiṁ tumhēṁ pradīpa yāda karanē kē li'ē ēka prastāva kā vistāra karanā cāhatā thā. . Maiṁ tumhēṁ mērē sātha lēnē kī pēśakaśa karanā cāhatā thā. Yaha mujhē lagatā hai ki yahām̐ sē dūra hō rahī hō sakatā hai dūra dardanāka yādōṁ sē prāpta karanē kē li'ē, āpa kē li'ē phāyadēmanda hō tō bhī kēvala vē. Tuma sirpha isa para lagatā hai, aba javāba dēnē kī zarūrata nahīṁ hai hu'ī jahāṁ bhautika sthāna sē."
As the last of the faithful file out of the chapel, the relic is guided away by the under priests to an inner sanctum. They chant hymns morning the fall of darkness as they go.
Few people are left in the chapel and Mistress Tari approaches Lilly and lightly whispers, "Something tells me the ceremony gave you much food for thought. If you need to talk I am available at amy time, for matters spiritual or otherwise. I'm well read in the histories and traditions of this isle."