"I can tell you something's got a hold of the Elds in there. The gob, kobold, and ape are faking it for some reason."
"Eh - maybe they just want to hang around with the cool critters?"
"I get the feeling that this gathering means something big is going to happen." Dreyyn says, testing the heft on his two-bladed sword by way of punctuating his commentary.
Elise gives Dreyyn a wry look. "Something that might need a good application of violence?"
"well, people don't seek me out for my conversation..."
The group continue to converse on what might happen, as time passes the small globule in the centre of the lake now starts to dance around. It grows in size eventually touching the lake itself and slowly forming into a shape, the base a similar to a conical pyramid and above that the shape of the upper half of a humanoid with long hair. This shape hasn't taken any new colours so still is water in texture. The top half of the shape spins continuing to dance. It makes motions with its 'hands' and stepping stones rise from the water towards the Eldred with the green cloak. He rises like clockwork when the last stone forming the path rises from the water. The Eldred then begins to walk towards the centre of the lake on these stones.
Amelia meanwhile can hear the goblin use what she is assuming is ventriloquism to talk to gorilla. Whispering "Oi, get ready to throw Cale when that elf looking thing reaches the centre."
Elise still clutches the rock in her hand, but now that the scene unfolds before her eyes she is reluctant to interrupt. Like some waterspirit from home - calling men into their doom. Quietly she addresses the group "I'm fairly certain those Eldred won't feel so well after they reach that spirit. But it is just a hunch ..."
Nethan nods to Elise, "Let me see what I can relay to you all?"
...
Then Nethan speaks his mind, "If Tar-baphon created these realms, I fail to see the logic. Unless of course, he only traveled to these realms. Although, there are way too many similarities between the last realm and this realm with of course a few exceptions." Nethan looks at the scenario before them.
Sensing the general discomfort of the party, Calathar puts a hand on the haft of his no-dachi and moves to cover Amelia.
Nethan casually walks over to Amelia and gets behind both her and Calathar. After reaching his location, he reinitializes his Inertial Barrier since it has to be around 3 hours since the battle with the Behemoths.
Dreyyn follows the others
Nethan can see that the elemental-like creature in the centre is using a mix of mind altering magic that seems to affect only Eldred and levitation for the rocks. The creature is continually refreshing this mind altering spell in quick pulses as it moves. Knowing this now Nethan looks over to see the Eldred they travelled with and they still have their hands on their weapons but are otherwise motionless. The spell seems to have affected them too but they aren't being compelled forward like those that are already around the lake.
Like Flynt, Nethan finds that the Eldred are under mind control while the Gorilla, kobold and goblin with fire for hair are faking their compulsion. The creature itself is hard to figure out as it doesn't have any cues you'd see in most living creatures. At the very least it doesn't seem aggressive at this point.
The others wait ready for the worst to happen while Amelia seems about ready to pounce.
The goblin looks on in surprise as Amelia runs forward tackling the Eldred. The Gorilla quickly picks up the kobold and reels back ready to throw him. The kobold is yelling at the gorilla "Abort, abort, we don't to hit that lady!"
The Gorilla begins throwing but quickly changes the trajectory, the kobold comes flying towards Amelia as she brings the Eldred to the ground. The kobold lands a good 10 feet away from the intended target, he lands on his feet but by some sort of force he is repelled back from the ground back into the Gorilla's hand.
The spirit now near Amelia looks at her and the Eldred in green. She reaches out with her 'arm'.
You hear a voice in your head. "Why do you wish to interrupt me from my work? Aroden will not be contained by continual interruptions, you should know this, one of dust." The voice sounds like it is coming from a hollow room. Echoing in your mind.
Meanwhile the rest of the area is tranquil aside from the other group that is now yelling at the party. The goblin yelling "All of my hate! Hey what's the big idea!? We were on this bounty first, don't make us throw a Rhino at you. By god's we will! Or maybe a large fish!!"
The Gorilla has reeled back his hand again ready to throw the Kobold.
Elise laughs. They were probably in some deep cosmic trouble now - but the goblin's threats was comical!
"*Hahahaheha ha aha ha*! You are going *heh* throw fish at us? You really need to take a moment and think about what you say! A fish ?!" She wipes a tear from her eye. "Please - by the Gods! I've slain beast neither alive nor dead - fought dragons with death's chill for breath and trolls the size of houses - but fish? Today may truly be the first time!"
Calathar draws his no-dachi and drops into a defensive stance between Amelia, Nethan and the assortment of wacky creatures.
"First one's free," he rumbles in a tone that promises imminent mayhem. "The next one who throws anything is going to have it out with me. Now, talk or draw." he says.
"Simmer down, Cal, ain't polite to-" Flynt starts but pauses when he notices the spirit reaching toward Amelia.
"Hey! Hey! Get away from her," He shouts at the creature, flicking a cigar butt at the where the being's chest should be as his hand hovers over the butt of his revolver.
Dreyyn just looks about, attempting to ascertain which is the more imminent threat.
Alþórel pauses at Amelia's words. The spirit works for Aroden? Could it be that Aroden is not dead, but trapped, here? Could the Age of Omens be reinstated? Alþórel's abilities restored to the level they had enjoyed when mere Foresight was instead Prophecy?
"Put down the Kobold, ape!" he commands, stepping forth into visibility "It is time to Talk!"
Nethan backs-up Alþórel, "Yes, let's talk first?! No need for loss of life or soul." Although Nethan doubts they will cease, so he remains alert for further attack.
The spirit makes no more movement towards Amelia.
The goblin looks up at the gorilla then raises its hand to stop the gorilla from doing anything further. The goblin then shrieks at the group "Okay so talk we shall, like civilized err.. Cale know what they are?" The kobold says something in goblin, then the goblin continues. "Like people we'll stick with that. Can barely tell the different between you longshanks anyway." The goblin then raises her fist at Elise "Yes a might big fish too, that could skewer you." The goblin coughs regaining its composure as it agreed to talk. "I am Seph, that green fellow is Cale and the Gorilla is just.. Gorilla."
The gorilla beats his chest proudly "Ook, Ook"
"Like I said, we saw the bounty first, go find another death lake yourselves!"
Death Lake? That sounds like fun!
"Yeah, but a candlestick could do that too if one were persistent enough - that doesn't mean it is a good thing to threaten with, no? I'm Elise. And we 'people' would be delighted to talk. Now, about this 'Death Lake' ... I assume the Eldreds aren't willing sacrifices ? You see, we managed to acquire some - and we would like the to remain sentient... Not like those drooling numbskulls!" She finishes her short speech by pointing at the 'new' eldreds by the lake shore.
"yes, could you describe what is really going on here? What bounty? "
Nethan whispers to Alþórel, "I wish I learned goblin now. Do you know Goblin?" Nethan looks around and tries to recall if he has ever read about this place.
"Yeash - I bet five pieces of gold they don't live happily ever after. Might be something in the name ... Any takers?"
Alþórel slowly shakes his head from side to side at what he's hearing. At Amelia's comments however, hist attention snaps completely to the thing in the lake. An image of a face; fuzzy as if seen through the fog of millenia of memory.
Turning to the creature he addresses it
"I am Alþórel. I was here before this place. I will be here after. What are you?"
A rising anger in his voice.
Nethan whispers near Elise's ear, "Just in case you have not noticed, Larkscall and his men are under the same Eldred trance as the others. When you get a chance, as a means of continuous peace, have them release our Eldred friends."
"Uh, Amelia?" asks Calathar. "Who are you talking to?" His gaze roves the scene, seeking anyone hidden from casual observation. He's seen enough weirdness not to concern himself with Amelia's sanity.
"Yeah, I did notice ... but I sure as hell don't know what to do about it..." Elise replies to Nethan in a hushed tone. "Was sorta counting on you waving some of your magic around to fix that - lest I'll have to wave something sharp and made out steel around ... "
Nethan responds to Elise, Perhaps Alþórel has this one? I can not understand what he is uttering." Nethan then looks at Alþórel and continues, "This scenario isn't really my specialty unless we fight." Nethan smiles...
The goblin folds its arms. "No, those Eldred aren't willing sacrifices. Which is why they have bounties on these creatures. None of them can approach them. The strongest magic they have can't seem to stop .. this." Seph motions to all the Eldred with glazed looks over their eyes.
"A lot of Eldred go to these lakes and just disappear, never to be seen again. So of course the Eldred want to get other creatures to do their work for them at this point. We just happened to be passing through. Payment is payment whichever currency a place uses." Seph says in reply to Dreyyn's question.
You hear a crisp voice resonate in your mind. "I am a tool, a tool for a prison. I serve my purpose as a siphon, you are welcome to watch my duty unfold."
Seph then says. "So you going to let us dispatch this thing by Elephant or do we need to go through you first?"
As the others explain their plan Elise whispers to her companions "Yeah - why don't we let them have a go at this accursed puddle of water? Or do anyone have a better idea ? Perhaps Alþórel wants to finish his conversation first ..."
To Seph she just waves her arm invitingly towards the elemental "Be my guest ... Just let me see if I can't get Amelia out of the way first!"
Alþórel looks confused as he switches language "What? Let what go?"
Ook, Oooook! The Gorilla exclaims then picks up both the small creatures into his hands reeling back to throw them but holding onto them for the moment.
The goblin then gives the group a thumbs up. "Tell us when!"
"Eh - yeah - you people 'talking' to that thing ... Are you getting anywhere?" Elise discreetly asks her companions.
"Bugger it," Flynt growls, this whole thing did not sit well with him. Random magical traps sitting around in the wild? It was damned irresponsible, "Let's kill it and let the little one have the bounty."
Elise grins at Flynt's suggestion "I'm always up for some wanton destruction ..."
Alþórel pauses. Whatever this is there's more than one of them. Seeing it work could help to understand how to stop it... but allowing it to do so is abhorent.
"It is a tool. A siphon that feeds a prison I suspect holds Aroden."
A fierce grin comes over his face "Let it burn!"
The group has decided to go in for the kill and start the downfall of this lake.
The lake sensing its immediate danger starts to churn violently, out of the lake shapes of various creatures emerge from their mimicking the fauna of the world. Horses, large spiders, serpent like creatures all emerge to defend it. There are 8 in all.
Calathar however manages to seize the initiative and starts off the bout.
The dwarf still tired from her captivity retreats to near the doorway back to the Well just incase she needs to flee.
Calathar shouts in a deep, rumbling Celestial "See me, foes of Aroden! Mortals who would restrain a god! I am Calathar, son of Ragathiel, grandson of Gozreh, and I bring with me the holy fury of Heaven!"
So saying, he grows to immense size and strides forth.
"Wow, he is serious."
Elise glances at Calathar and smirks "Yepp - looks like he finally got his head up in the air! Impressive"
After Calathar increases in size the water minions assail their aggressors. Two of them move in the retreating Amelia, the end up within reach of the enlarged Calathar.
All the others summon water shards that they throw at the party.