”Right! Let’s do this then. Not very heroic to let a few arrows make us run home.”
”Try telling them we didn’t come for any of them, but by Poseidon, we’re coming in, and if any of them keep taking shots at us, that we’ll execute every last one of them. That usually works.”
Kyronai narrows his eyes at Varocles, but decides the dwarf was joking before he says anything.
"Excuse me!" Kyronai calls out to the bowman in the settlement.
"When does it become night in this realm? If we can't approach you for lodging, please tell me how much time we have before it gets dark!"
Kyronai's words fall upon deaf ears as there is no response.
"Fine then."
"Single-file will make us a smaller target, I think. That means you and that heavy shield are in front," Kyronai says to Amphitryon with a an exaggerated smile. "My brother and I can see in the dark, and I assume you can also, Varocles. That means Teledoros and Polyoinos should keep a hand on the person in front of them if they can't see.
"Here we go."
Kyronai casts darkness on one of his arrows, waits for everyone to get in position, and nudges his brother to indicate he should lead the advance. He waits for the inevitable person to attack the darkness.
Teledoros follows along in the adventurer train, resisting the urge to whistle.
Varocles shrugs, "Nobody ever wants to listen to the dwarf. Typical." He follows along.
”Sorry, what was that?” Amphitryon asked with a smile on his face as he walked forward, shield in front of him. ”Couldn’t hear anything over the worry of getting shot. I swear, this is as bad as when the company asked for directions from those Amazons, and Lief lost a foe in the process.”
"Walk towards the house where the bowman was firing at us, I guess." Kyronai suggests to his brother. "Unless something more obvious becomes apparent."
Under the cover of darkness the party ventures forth towards the building where the unknown archer was seen. No more shots are fired or words spoken to them. The wooden door in the front seems to be locked.
”Can anyone pick locks? If not I’m kicking the door in.”
"Kick away...shall we at least check it first?"
Teledoros listens at the door for a moment and reports anything he hears.
Teledoros puts his ear to the door but doesn't hear anything. Amphitryon kicks down the door like the action hero that he is to find a dark room. The only visible objects in this living room is dusty furniture. "You are going to regret breaking in here. You would be wise to leave." The previous voice says a-matter-of-factly.
”I’ll add it to the list. Now, can we try this again? We have some questions that need answers, not death threats.” The warrior said.
Varocles smiles.
You all hear an audible sigh and then nothing for several minutes. It seems as though whoever you were speaking to has left. From where you are, the ones with darkvision can see a kitchen with a backdoor and some stairs.
"Well, if there's no one here, I guess we go kick down another door and hope someone there is willing to talk to us."
A little bit louder he adds, "And then when we get the information we need, we can leave town and go do the thing that benefits all of us!"
Varocles nods.
Peering through the gloom, Polyoinos nudges Varocles;
"Brother Brinebeard... Does your canny vision see anything of sustenance or to slake my thirst in yon gloomy kitchen? Alas my own Satyr blessed eyes cannot discern, and this shadow realm has dulled any scent of the holy grape..."
”That does not sound wise. I would not recommend eating anything here unless needed. Remember poor Persephone. Now, about the other doors? Let’s hope they are shoddily made.”
"Right, eat nothing."
Clearly disappointed at the lack of beverages, the gregarious skald sees an opportunity;
"Hold my friends. Before we attempt to coerce this gloomy populace, why do we not attempt to bring them the gift of song and sonnet? Of grape and grain!"
Polyoinos walks from the dwelling, pulling forth a potion bottle as he goes, then takes a swig and addresses any listeners;
"Melancholy people of this realm. Let the voice of I, Polyoinos - Scion of Scion of a Satyr, woo'er of Amazons and singer of odes give you this gift in the name of friendship..."
In a melodic voice he begins;
"Κισσοκόμην Διόνυσον ἐρίβρομον ἄρχομ’ ἀείδειν
Ζηνὸς καὶ Σεμέλης ἐρικυδέος ἀγλαὸν υἱόν,
ὃν τρέφον ἠΰκομοι νύμφαι παρὰ πατρὸς ἄνακτος
δεξάμεναι κόλποισι καὶ ἐνδυκέως ἀτίταλλον
Νύσης ἐν γυάλοις• ὁ δ’ ἀέξετο πατρὸς ἕκητι
ἄντρῳ ἐν εὐώδει μεταρίθμιος ἀθανάτοισιν.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τόνδε θεαὶ πολύυμνον ἔθρεψαν,
δὴ τότε φοιτίζεσκε καθ’ ὑλήεντας ἐναύλους
κισσῷ καὶ δάφνῃ πεπυκασμένος• αἱ δ’ ἅμ’ ἕποντο
νύμφαι, ὁ δ’ ἐξηγεῖτο• βρόμος δ’ ἔχεν ἄσπετον ὕλην.
Καὶ σὺ μὲν οὕτω χαῖρε πολυστάφυλ’ ὦ Διόνυσε•
δὸς δ’ ἡμᾶς χαίροντας ἐς ὥρας αὖτις ἱκέσθαι,
ἐκ δ’ αὖθ’ ὡράων εἰς τοὺς πολλοὺς ἐνιαυτούς."
“I begin to sing of ivy-haired Dionysus, who roars powerfully,
the shining son of Zeus and glorious Semele,
the one the fair-tressed nymphs raised after they took him
to their chests From his lord father to raise him rightly
tn the folds of Nusê. He grew up according at his father’s will
tn a fragrant caves, one among the number of immortals.
But once the goddesses had raised up the much-sung god,
then he went to wondering through the forested valleys
covering himself with ivy and laurel. The nymphs followed him
and he led—the thunder of the procession gripped the endless woods.
Hail to you too. Dionysus rich with clusters of grapes.
Grant that we may come happy into another season
And return again at this time for many more years.”
:
:
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Varocles rolls his eyes in the dark, "you can't sing yer way out of every problem," he thinks to himself.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Polyoinos sings his powerful song and for a few minutes nothing happens. But then a voice can be heard from the doorway where you entered this building. "A follower of Dionysus here in this forsaken place? You should have let him speak for you. Who are you all?" You turn around and see a strapping young man, most likely in his mid 20s with a bow strapped to his back.
”Well I’ll be a troll’s uncle...lets let the skald do the talking. Can’t believe that worked.”
"Little Grendel is pleased that you would finally acknowledge him," Kyronai quips as he dismisses the darkness effect.
Polyoinos grins as he finishes his ode;
"Ho-ho! Greetings my young friend, we are but humble visitors to your realm... Bearing perhaps the ability to lift the cloud of gloom upon this place... to imbue you all the right to smile, dance and of course drink!"
The honey voiced skald offers his bottle to the muscular bowman;
"An offering... One of peace. Yours to enjoy if you'll but answer us some questions..."
Teledoros strums his lyre in accompaniment and sings along while Polyoinos makes friends and offers drinks.
"I am rather parched. My name is Alistair. The gloom is eternal I'm afraid. But before I answer your questions, tell me how a follower of Bacchus of all people has gotten himself imprisoned here. And here I believed Bacchus to be a laid-back deity. You say you are visitors but no one would willingly visit this gods-awful place. So like I asked, who are you all?"
Polyoinos bows theatrically;
"Well met Alistair. As I stated ahead of my rousing sonnet - I, Polyoinos; Follower of Bacchus, Scion of a Satyr, woo'er of Amazons and singer of odes!"
He gestures to his companions;
"This fine band will make their own introductions. Would I do it, they would blush like virgins as I extolled their most excellent competences and heroic accomplishments!"
"Varocles Seaworthy," he grunts, "drinker of drinks, I guess, unlike more overly talkative friend here, I prefer to do most of my talking with a trident. Poseidon is my deity, and proud of it am I."
"Kyronai."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Polyoinos nods sagely as Varocles introduces himself, shooting a look toward Alistair with a wry smile.
When Kyronai gives a one word introduction, the boisterous skald guffaws nervously;
"Ho-Ho.. Master Kyronai is a man of few words, but possessing of many powers. Modest and mysterious in equal measure... His foes wish he was their ally and his allies are glad he is not their foe! Next?"
Teledoros stops singing for the moment but keeps strumming. "I am Teledoros of Naxos. My companions and I are pleased to meet you, and I'm sorry for our miscommunication earlier. Polyoinos has led us true."
"Well met all. You have a follower of Poseidon as well among your group. I've heard of a temple to the god of the seas not far from here. You should go visit it. But I'm sure you are not here for a vacation. So why are you here?"
Varocles takes a mental note to visit the temple. "Hey Poly, be sure and get directions to that temple."
Polyoinos chuckles shaking garlanded head wistfully;
'You have the right of it canny Alistair - an astute lad... You do your family credit. Aye, we are no mere visitors.... Myself and my companions seek a woman named Circe - a powerful user of magic... Do you know that name lad? Do you know where she can be found?"
Alistair's eyes widen for a split second when Polyoinos mentions Circe's name. "Everyone from Greece knows who Circe is. Why do you want to know?" He replies a bit nervously.
The brawny skald nods with a hard smile;
"Of course... as I said a canny lad. We wish to know where she can be found... Near? Far? What can you tell us of her Master Alistair?"
"Like I asked, why is it you want to find her? Most people would shy away from her out of fear of being turned into a pig. I find it rare the person to actively seek her out and there is five of you here."
He is hiding something and wants to know your motives very much so before he divulges it.