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Standing next to Lydia is a twisted, utterly-black wraith whose features continuously shift and writhe, the only constant a single, terrible eye.
"You could have let me out by the farmhouses, you know," Says the entity in a hollow, yet rich voice, like the crunching of damp Autumn leaves. "Some farmhouses are desperate enough to pay for proper hauntings, you know. New friends, I see, new faces...oh, and I see a certain mote of sunlight is still looking for love in ALL the wrong places. How's the crisis of faith, old boy?"
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Dominic is surprised by Fomalhaut's appearance, but then merely looks at the shade with an inquisitive eye. "Interesting. I assume this creature protects you, Lydia? Is it dangerous? When I lived in Osirion, restless dead were known to roam the land. The Pharasmans would destroy them with glee, but they were still common enough."
He turns to Fomalhaut himself. "I am Dominic. If you are tied to Lydia, then we expect your help in our journey. Cross us, and you'll find more than just the sting of this." He holds up his whip.
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Lucy gives a soft grin and smiles.
Welp. Since we're all sharing... since your pathfinders, I will assume you can keep a secret... and I doubt I'll need to look like this when dealing with spiders...
She then makes a swift motion with her hands, darkness coalescing around her.
I am thou, and thou art I,
With you I have forged the contract
let the bonds of society be cracked
I am the eclipse, darkness that covers the sky
Be born my true self and arise,
Black Maiden, Come forth!
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Tawner's eyes grow wide (which gives the impression that he's almost awake), but not because of Fomalhaut's incorporeal form.
"Looking for lo...!?" he sputters. "Uh that is. Uh what it is, is this..." He changes tactics.
The crisis of faith goes well, my friend. I mean, it's not going well, the crisis, that is. I mean," Tawner sighs, "Sarenrae smiles on me. She always has. Sardonically he adds, "Heh, perhaps she can smile on you?"
Tawner faces Fomalhaut's great eye, trying to judge how he took that last part.
"We're not going to hug, are we?"
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Suddenly, the stern but beautiful woman who stood before you sparkles with motes of pure darkness, her eyes flooding with inky blackness from her pupils. It pulses, letting forth a small thunder clap as the darkness rushes into her body and crawls up her, turning her skin grey and her clothing warping as well. In her hands appears a shield and a sickle, the tight chain mail dyed a sickly red, almost as if it' has been permanently stained with blood. In all the rings and on her leathers seem to be inscribed arcane sigils and other softly glowing red marks. Resting on her head is a black mask ringed with black feathers, and from her shoulder rests a cowl of black feathers as well. The whole process takes about 30 seconds. She flexes the fingers of her leather gloved hands behind her shield and rolls her neck, letting out small crackling "Pops". From her side, the little rabbit let's out a deep growl, more appropriate for something demonic than tiny and fuzzy.
I know. Says a deep voice that's similar to Lucy's, but deeper and more commanding.
We don't have enough power yet for you to take on your true form. You'll just have to deal with that look for now Mara.
The rabbit growls again.
It's not my fault the girl would rather spend her time reading than training, you must admit, it is occasionally helpful.
She looks to the rest of the group, her face set in a firm scowl.
They call me the Black Maiden. Lucy doesn't like to get her hands dirty, so I'll be helping you with the spiders.
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Black Maiden shakes her head.
Amusing Idea, but no. Lucy is also a only child... though perhaps some ancestors? I could check the books next time I visit stygia, though it may be a while.
She looks at Fomalhaut.
Nice to meet someone else who actually understands just how frustrating mortals are. All I ask is a little bit of training to make her mind and body able to accept Mara and I's power, and what does she do? Sit around and read books all day.
She shakes her head, sounding like a aggravated teacher.
The party settles into to camp the night away.
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Dominic bites off a piece of dried meat and chews it slowly. "So, what sort of shade are you, Fomalhaut? Do you remember anything of a previous life?"
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Tawner wakes to the chaos. Lucy is in her strange Black Maiden form. And that rabbit. There is something unnerving about that rabbit. He grunts as he lifts himself to his feet.
"Ffffft!" He joins the Black Maiden in chasing the raccoons off, using the flat side of his scimitar.
"Black Maiden?" He studies her for a second, "What are you?" Before she can answer, he adds, "And can I hurt you like I can hurt Lydia? I am a cleric of Sarenrae and her light is not kind to some. Lydia is one of the children of the damned. I have to be careful around her. What about you?"
The raccoons prove to be no match for the party and are quickly driven off. After an hour or so of hunting for stray bits of camping equipment, and personalized wands, as well as the arduous task of collecting and sorting Tawner's blue marbles from everyone's sling bullets. And then there's the strange stains.... The party also discovers that the raccoons had gotten to their food stores.
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Black Maiden gives a dark smile to Tawner as she packs.
Me? I'm just as human or flesh and blood as anyone here! Well, most of us.
She laughs a moment and looks at Tawner with her very wrong eyes.
But it's what on the inside that counts as they say. If your great goddess can't find it in her heart to give her power to a humble being who's perhaps a little blacker in heart than most, then we could have a problem.
After breakfast and breaking camp the party proceeds into the old forest. The thick canopy and gray conditions provide only dim lighting. In the shadows the group hears furtive movements beneath the ground cover and overhead. Dark silhouettes loom out of the forest at every side, while strange chirps and calls echo all about.
After a considerable walk down some very bleak and cobwebbed paths, the party finds itself standing on a small rock ledge overlooking a webbed clearing. The webs are thicker here than they have been thus far, appearing newer and white, rather than the dingy gray of those seen earlier. These webs crisscross the canopy above, most strands meeting near the center to support a large globe of webbing the size of a large pumpkin just to its west.
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Dominic looks at the webbing. "Well, this is why we're here, but if these are anything like normal spiders, they'll come running if we mess with the web." He drinks his antitoxin to prepare for the worst.
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"Normal? Hmm," He thinks about it, "If they're akin to normal spiders then they'll scurry if they think some really large has touched the web. What if all four of us...sorry all five of us...sorry all six...five and a half...ug! What if we as a group shook the web? It might give us a chance to run up and grab that sticky ball of adhesive that we need? Wouldn't even need to fight. Thoughts, Dominic?" Tawner gives Dominic his best smile, which seems like he's a bit in pain. Then he pulls out an antitoxin vile and looks at it. "Just in case." And drinks it down.
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Black Maiden draws her sickle and raises her shield, preparing for the fight to come. Her little rabbit bounces around her feet. She twirls the sickle and says simply.
Let's not forget, if possible we were to try and collect some poison glands... it'd be shame if we walked away without killing something.
Some of the party down vials of antitoxin.
The Black Maiden's rabbit licks the saliva from its mouth.
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After a false start, she tries again, this time listening to the spirits of the dark forest to guide her...
...and guide her they do!
She looks downward and beckons to the rest of the party, a slightly impatient look on her face.
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Dominic nods and begims to follow the others up. He climbs up one of the trees and ties a knotted rope down for Tawner. "Come on, priest. Haul yourself up." He glances around for any signs of the spiders.
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After a false start, she tries again, this time listening to the spirits of the dark forest to guide her...
...and guide her they do!
She looks downward and beckons to the rest of the party, a slightly impatient look on her face.
The Black Maiden stows her shield on her back and grips the wall, beginning to pull herself up behind Lydia.
Dominic nods and begims to follow the others up. He climbs up one of the trees and ties a knotted rope down for Tawner. "Come on, priest. Haul yourself up." He glances around for any signs of the spiders.
"Up? Have you ever fought in a tree?" He can't see how this will help. But if it gets them closer to their quest, let it be so. He straps his shield and belts his sword.
Sarenrae, steel my hands.