Raveneau stoically takes in the sight of the woman, but then it overwhelms him and he curls in a ball as his sight is stollen from him in a flash of pain.
The Nymph looks at the two blind men, then her sight moves to Kalsgrim and she smiles sadly as she apologizes: "I'm sorry for your men. Some things are not to be seen..."
Suddenly, listening to Kriger, her mood brightens and she laughs as she adds: "This must be the famous Cleaving-Kriger! I have heard tales of your sharpness! You should know many of my people have a serious crush on you..."
Finally, she grows more decisive: "Where's Drelev? What happened to him?"
”Drelev is dead. He attacked us. A mistake.”
The woman's feature seem to relax as Malaswyn answers her question. Looking more closely, you can see subtle signs of malnourishment and bruising on her body. She looks tired, even for a blindingly beautiful creature.
The woman replies: "He got what he deserved. I will not remain in this cage." The last part is said almost as a challenge.
Malaswyn remembers himself at Kalsgrim's words, "Good lady, I am a serveant of Sarenrae, The Everlight. Have you wounds or weariness?"
"And, if you will permit me, how should we call you?"
Kriger grins a bit smugly at the elf's words, throwing an elbow with confidence in the direction of Malaswyn, yet, hitting nothing but air. "Did you hear that, Mal?" he asks rhetorically, still grinning and giving a wink.
Staggering Raveneau drops to his knees and centers himself against the floor. Instinct guiding him he draws steady breath to reorient what is down, up and sideways. Turning face to the beauty and standing he adopts a wider stance and cocks ears to listen.
"I am Lady Gharael, I am the warden of the forest you cal the Narlmarches, which we call more simply the Black Forest. Drelev and his troops captured me months ago and brought me to this enchanted prison where most magic is dampened. He's been... Visiting me. Rarely really, to discuss. I think he wanted to take control of the Forest. He was very interested in the Fey."
Having recentered himself Raveneau returns to a more ready and sure stance, sweeping across the floor without too much pause from his loss of sight.
Taking an angled approach slightly closer to the nymph he responds "From what I glimpsed I believe I have seen worse prisons... but no beauty should be kept caged and darkened from the warmth of sun." voice low and even to pass on compassion.
”You must be Raveneau! Your words fly like a hummingbird, quick, precise, and irridescent in the sunlight as its feathers are. I pray you never keep them caged and follow your own counsel. As to what I believe? A cage is worst than death! My breath and more you give back.”
"I can find my way home once I'm out of this cell. Its properties are... Well, let's just say it makes a great cell; I would destroy it. Life should roam freely, without bounds, without bonds." says Gharael as she smiles and gets out of the water with a stunning grace and a blinding beauty.
As she reaches the door, she stops near Kriger, bathing him in a warm smile that he unfortunately cannot see. Slowly, she isolates a lock of hair and snaps it free, rolls it in an eight-shaped knot, and puts it in his hand. The touch feels warm, still wet from the pool, and healing.
Slightly taken aback by the fey's touch, Kriger raises an eyebrow in curiosity as he closes his grip to feel what was placed in his hand. Determining what it is, the outgoing ranger finds himself smiling awkwardly, a completely perplexed look about him. "Ummm, thank you, miss. Thanks. That is... that is real nice of you," he responds, obviously still a bit uncomfortable as he gives a nod of thanks. "If you ever need anything, anything at all, don't fear to call on ol' Cleaving-Kriger," he says with a grin and a wink. "I'll help you in any way I can, miss, you have my word," he says with sincerity, giving a far more confident nod this time.
"By your leave, my lady, we, your liberators, currently face a few challenges. If you have any way to aid us in either we would be most grateful."
Malaswyn clears his throat awkwardly, and struggles to meet her overwhelming gaze, "The children, we need to find them: if you could help in any way..." The elf's concentration wavers and he has to look away from the beauty just to finish his words, "And the Barbarian Lord, he seeks an ancient tomb. Or vault, maybe: do you know anything of Armag? Some call him Armag Twice-born?"
Gharael gives Kriger a final smile, one that the ranger wished he could see.
To Malaswyn: "Armag... That was a veeeery long time ago! He was a proud and fierce warrior, a brute really. He burned the whole countryside, but he followed too many gods, and they turned against him. From what I can tell, he got what he deserved. I can make enquiries once I am back, but if the children you seek are outside of the Black Forest, then I won't be of much help."
You detect no evil and let Gharael take her leave, though you take pains to make sure she does not send the whole fort blind. It takes a bit of doing, as Gharael expects a measure of decorum and two of you are blind already.
Once outside the fort, she obviously seem to recover some of her lost strength. "Drelev was a mean and ambitious small lord, but it seems clear to me he was taking orders from someone else, though I do not know who. Certainly not that barbarian lord you mentioned. Thread carefully. Be sure to pay me a visit when all this is over."
As she leaves, she gives you a blinding smile before disappearing in the same nearby grove the Tiger Lords used during their escape not long ago.
I will pray for more spells and cure their blindness once she has left.
But yeah, then rest: I’ve got a small boy to restore from the after-life, and a curse to try and break.
Kriger and Raveneau, by Sarenrae's Grace, are healed from their blindness.
Let me know what you do for the rest of the day, then tomorrow.
Malaswyn goes to check on the girl, feeling intensely responsible for her well-being.
He brings a deck of cards and a chess board, in case games are a good way to pass the time comfortably and escape from negative thoughts.
He is also acutely aware that he may be unwelcome, and willing to simply ensure she is comfortable and has others to talk to before withdrawing.
Eyes put to the novelty of sighted blinking once more he breathes a sigh of relief, bowing a short thanks to Malaswyn... before waiting until the more pious of the group are out of earshot and confiding in Kriger "Though if one were to have a single sight burnt into retina forever... I can think of worse forms for it to hold..."
When the time comes for searching he offers what help he may, knowing that others hold keener sight for details than he.
As a group, you cover the top part of the fort faster than a single man would, but come up empty.
Blinking as his sight is finally returned to him. "Wow! Thanks, Mal!" he congratulates, popping him on the shoulder. "Now I know what they mean by being 'a sight for sore eyes'. Man what a relief! I'm halfway there. All I need now is to get my strength back and I'll be good to go." Rubbing his hands together, "Alright, let's get back to searching this place."
Eyes put to the novelty of sighted blinking once more he breathes a sigh of relief, bowing a short thanks to Malaswyn... before waiting until the more pious of the group are out of earshot and confiding in Kriger "Though if one were to have a single sight burnt into retina forever... I can think of worse forms for it to hold..."
When the time comes for searching he offers what help he may, knowing that others hold keener sight for details than he.
Grinning wryly, "Man you ain't kidding about that!" He says with a waggle of his eyebrows and a friendly elbow.
The search goes fairly quickly, but produces little of greater interest, and no new keyhole for your remaining key.
The evening and night go quietly as the Fort hums with purposeful activity. You get the sense that the Fort and the town and getting themselves settled after the turmoil.
With the new dawn comes new hope, while a small boy lays dead and a big boy lays helpless, or almost helpless, his axe too heavy to swing correctly.
Malaswyn will prepare the girl to support her brother after he is raised from death.
Then he will raise the boy.
Malaswyn will focus on the boy's well-being and supporting him as he did the sister.
...and a big boy lays helpless, or almost helpless, his axe too heavy to swing correctly.
Rising and readying himself for the new day, Kriger heads out and locates Malaswyn. "Hey, Mal, I don't suppose you can rid me of that stupid, nasty bit of magic that I got hit with, can you? Because when I get my revenge I want to be sure to inflict maximum pain, you know what I mean?" he asks rhetorically as a wry grin forms.
Malaswyn will pray for wisdom and the power to break this curse on his friend.
After four minutes of fervent prayer, hands laid upon Kriger, a black snake of smoke rises and writhes from Kriger’s chest and the sunlight pouring through the window fills the room to an almost unbearable intensity. Then the sun abates and the snake is gone. The curse is broken.
”Sarenrae’s mercy graces you this day, Kriger Eilifsson. I am glad that She sees you as worthy.”
Malaswyn will prepare the girl to support her brother after he is raised from death.
Then he will raise the boy.
Malaswyn will focus on the boy's well-being and supporting him as he did the sister.
The young boy is called back from his journey to the Boneyard by the grace of Sarenrae. He looks with great attention at his surrounding, recognizing Malaswyn. He does not speak, but watches intently, obviously afraid.
Malaswyn brings in the boy’s sister so that he has the comfort of her presence.
Then he explains what has happened, emphasising their innocence and that we were forced into conflict.
He is full of sympathy, yet with hope for a brighter future in Freeland.
As he feels his strength return to him, "YES!!! Now THAT'S what I'm talking about! HA-HA!" Kriger then gives the cleric a mighty slap on the shoulder before going to work on his own self with working out the kinks in his arms and popping his neck. "Alright!" he exclaims with a mighty clap of his hands in exuberance, "Now we can get back to business. I'm ready!" he nods emphatically.
What the outer courtyard lacks in complexity, it compensates in surface. As a result, you waste a lot of time just trying to organize a working search group. It is only towards the end of the day that you finally find a key hole for the last small key, the one shaped like a tiny horse. Surprisingly, the secret lock is located in the stables, in a nook of an abandoned box stall located against the fort's outer wall. This part of the fort is more recent, and it is likely that Drelev had it built.
The panel slides away as the key makes a clicking sound, revealing a high and narrow room, just three feet wide. Inside, you find an exquisite carpet, rolled up against a back corner, in the other corner is a humble-looking broom. A quick examination confirms they are magical items of great power.
The day ends on this rewarding note. All seems in order in the fort and you should be able to head out before dawn, if you so wish.
Nodding at the interesting find, "Nice. Can I have the broom? That way, I can I also use it to sweep when I need to," he says with a wink.
Malaswyn nods, ”This will allow me to conserve spells. They will also be very useful as we manage a growing Freeland.”