A second circle activates at Sorogar's command. A misty shape coalesces in side the circle. Who would dare to summon me forth? You shall not have my name for you can not have that control over me. Comes a vibrant voice with a cheery disposition in its tone.
Inside the stones slowly appears a Bralani appears. Its hair is the color of stormy skies and around it swirls mists that ebb and flow with its apparent moods. These mists are always moving and shifting being somewhat mercurial in nature. Strung on his back is a Greatsword and a great bow sits admist t he fingers on his right hand. a quiver of arrows adorns his shoulders in a fancifully designed quiver. The creature is about 6 1/2 ft tall and probably weighs in at around 240 lbs.
As the Bralani appears Ohime begins to sing a sweet song in which her bird begins to mimic, taking the harmonics. The two have never sung together before, but they coalesce in a otherworldly heavenly tune.
In a singsong voice, the beautiful vishkanya brings her song to a close. Even still, in the air, there is a tangible feeling of it lingering long beyond what it was harmonized to do.
In a sweet voice, she inquires, "There is no need for hostility companions of godly realms. You have been tied to this circle by beings of ages past, not us. We seek your blessing and any insight from the heavens above, good Azata as we too share the goal of ridding evil from this land and beyond. We also seek to know what must be done to forever banish the magic that binds you here, as demons come to make evil usage of such powers. If we fail at stopping them, we want no other being to call you again."
"In any case, we seek to prevent a force of demons approaching this place from using these circles."
The Bralani laughs at your responses. I know little enough except for my bindings and reasons. I was bound by a riddle with my permission as a way of penance for because I failed in my tasks making these circles necessary. I am glad that they are no longer necessary and that someone has come to destroy them. So, to unbind me you must answer this riddle:
In the daylight I lay sleeping but at night in the window I sit weeping. What am I? The Bralani pauses... then continues, caution, due to my bindings if you answer wrong 3 times I must do my best to destroy you. So think careful and answer with clarity. He folds his arms and "sits" back to wait on your answer.
Brek places a palm on his forehead.
"I'm guessing this will be a fight in any case." he grumbles upon hearing the riddle.
Just to be safe, she loads up her crossbow. "What is the point of a protection spell if it doesn't protect you? I hate riddles. I always have. I always have an answer that seems perfectly right and fits, but is somehow "wrong"...I mean, I could guess a fisherman's widow. Or there are stones that rest and bask in the sunlight and weep wetness at night, but is that what he's after?" she asks her companions. "Maybe a weeping willow? But I don't know that it sleeps during the day..."
Krokkin hears the riddle and pulls out his dagger. He smiles as the creature and waits.
"Before I answer this riddle, which is probably condensation, I want to ask you, do you come up with these riddles yourself?"
Brek answers.
"Candle."
The riddles are part of the binding placed within these runes on me. I did not come up with them but also cannot forget them. The Bralani laughs slightly annoyed.
Correct, the answer or a answer that works is candle.
Now I am unbound, I am willing to help in some small way. You may,he points at Brek pick 3 potions (CL3 or 4) that you feel would be helpful. I am willing to provide these for you free of charge as a thankyou. Which do you want?
"Wow! Good job, Brek!" she glories in him getting the right answer, and yet feels a bit sheepish for her own. "Well...that didn't go as badly as I thought it would. Cheer up, Ohime!" The slender Vishkanya takes in a deep breath and wonders at the selections of Brek.
"Yes, well done indeed, Brek," Sorogar smiles at him as well, as she absently pats Brujah on her shoulder. The bat's wings were drooping low and he whined, to which the shaman just chuckles. "You'll the next one right," she follows to her familiar. "Want some dried jerky to cheer you up?"
The bat familiar swoops down and all but devours the treat from her hand. Then she looks back to the azata. "I'm curious. Would you have counted 'falling stars in the night sky' as a correct answer? They trail tears of light across the veil of the Skyfather."
Hmmmm falling stars in night sky, I guess that would work. Under the rules I guess anything you could explain as an answer logically I would have to accept. I'm good with that though because I don't want to fight anything. the azata states.
"I said candle though I was thinking Moon. Both would be sleeping in the day and someone once described the moon to be as weeping in the night sky I felt the candle to be more apt as when you light it, it drips wax and 'weep's as such though getting hotwax on yourself could be the cause of said weeping." Brek explains.
"As for the potions, what do you think we should get? We'll be up against Demons and their Ilk. We do need to prevent them from getting their hands on these portals so we'll need to destroy them." Brek poses the questions to his companions.
Ohime answers, "Something that prevents us from being hurt, something that hurts the enemy, and something that weakens their natural resistances might be beneficial."
Many of them will have resistances to cold and fire.Your saved friend now suggests.
Ohime steps closer to the Bralani and looks up at it. There is a marvel in her eyes as she can see something few get to see.
"I would like to ask your name once more...or at least a name we can refer to you as if not your true name, and if you will have it, our friendship."
Regardless of his answer, she will request one thing further.
"I would also ask that wherever you are returning to, that you please ask the divines, or those you feel can aid us, to keep an eye on us out here. We are all alone and surrounded by foes far beyond us."
You can call me Jenz. I will pass your concerns to those who rule where I go. They may send divine aid at a later date. One thing I can tell is to bolster your will against fear. The succubus and incubus that bound me feed off fear and merely get stronger the more it is felt. You can use this but will need to see that it gets returned to me at a later date. He says as he pulls out a flame pendant and proffers it to Ohime.
"Resistance to cold and fire... that's about all of my spells." Brek grumbles.
"How about potions to remove fear should they try to use it." Brek suggests.
Not to be selfish but maybe something to allow me to mimic my sword, you know grow larger? Krokkin interjects into the conversation. He finally puts the dagger and steps off to the side as the conversation loses the previous tension.
"An incubus and succubus? Ugh...I feel sorry for you, Jenz. I hear they are...tempting creatures. Deceptive. I don't even want to think about what they did to trap you here. At least that trouble is passed. What comes now, we don't know what it is. I don't think it is what placed you here, as they seek to control this region, which means they don't have control."
She looks to those reasoning to get potions.
"I think then one to make Krokkin larger, one to help fight these resistances they have for Brek's spells, and a potion for fear resistance."
"Sounds good to me."
Krokkin smiles and nods at Brek and Ohime, [b]Thank you, How long do we have before battle, I was thinking to take a nap?[b]
His words seem to be in direct opposition to his body language as his tail flicks slowly back and forth. One of his canines is exposed by his smile and there is a glint in his eye of excitment.
"As said before, Krokkin, we don't know when the demons will get here. Maybe in a week. That doesn't mean that we won't have battle. We might have to do something with these other portals akin to that." There is a tone in her voice that is almost reprimanding the catman for not paying attention.
If the Azata leaves, she will then move to help Brek with the next summoning.
"Which one next? The elemental ones I suppose."
The azata bows deeply and then hands you the potions from its pouches. Thank you for freeing me.
Krokkin winks knowingly at Ohime's comment and moves with them to the next summoning, positioning himself where he can jump in front and be their shield at a moments notice.
I should probably start paying attention to the discussions if I want to be a better leader for my tribe but there is little action in conversation. I wonder if the Elders ever go into discussions and make choices without knowing anything about what is being discussed. This is something to think about later, now is the time to be vigilant and ready to do my part.
He again readies the dagger/Giantsword, electing to leave it in its lighter form for now.
Sorogar moves up and pats Krokkin on the back. "Don't worry. It was a lot for me to take in, too." She says, giving him a small grin. "You'll stand guard for us as always, right?"
Then, she moves with the casters to condust the second summon, wondering what would appear this time, and whether it came down to another puzzle.
Ohime will go in alphabetical order, as that is how she orders her vials and alchemical supplies. Her obsessive nature bleeding out in her choices shows she's a being of order to some degree. As she sets the protection and consecrate stones in place to protect them, she will then proceed to the next alphabetically appropriate stone .
The stones turn and then meld into one. The stone that remains opaque and yet iridescent. An inner light glows forth and a voice utters a few words. A small circle of translucent light forms around each of you. You shall each find strength in the form of a boon.
....
You move on from the abjuration to the ring with strong enchantment. After a bit of fiddling, you are able to get it to arrange and activate.
A thick fog, more vapor than cloud like, rushes forth from the circle and the area grows very very cold. The stones continue to emit the "cloud" until it has reached an area roughly 60ft in diameter. The cloud then, as if reaching some unseen barrier, rises up filling an additional 100 ft straight up with the "mists." YOu are caught in the mists and vapors of darkness.
As the cold hits you, you each deal with it in a different way.
Nothing but blackness enshrouds you and you cannot see you companions for the moment. Then the cold hits you like a rolling ice storm
Upon realizing this, nothing but blackness enshrouds you and you cannot see you companions for the moment. Then the cold hits you like a rolling ice storm.
In the distance all 4 of you hear the shriek of the grig and the satyr as they t0 are enveloped in darkness. Silence then prevails with in the darkness.
The party can hear Ohime scream out in pain with a trembled voice as if being hit with something or her voice is muffled and distant. In immediate retaliation, she rebukes this entity.
"I thought this damned thing provides us protection!"
"Stop this blizzard!" she yells. So terrible and forceful is her voice that it literally will ignite any who set themselves against her and the party on fire and possibly negate this cold for a time. "I am so sick of planar beings acting like they have a stick up their butt! We are here to free you!"
She looks around for who or what is doing this.
Brek's mind had being honed from years of indoctrination, Torture and his own sense of guilt. Only that force of his will kept them all under his control and this............
This was no exception once he realized what it was all about. That forceful will of his begins to exert its own dominance on his person and has him endure the cold.
His answer was simple.
Mist?
Cold?
A defiant squawk screams out in challenge as a flaming regal fowl is conjured forth at his urging. It shakes itself and then expands its impressive breast and explodes in fire rolling over Brek and his Companions....
Brek stands still with his hand outstretched, a flaming feather landing on it and slowly burns itself out of existance.
"I trust this should satisfy your curiosity."
Your will save was good enough both ways.
"Movah... I can't see. Can you? Where are we, even?" Sorogar responds to her spirit, trying to remain calm. "Brek! Ohime! Krokkin! Can any of you hear me!" she shouts through the darkness and cold, wondering if she'd get a response. She then calls up to her bat, who'd been sitting on her shoulder. "Brujah! Do you sense something around us!?"
It looks at you confused that its presence doesn't terrify you or make you cold and numb. I am Soval Atheed. Why have I been summoned by one such as you?
No one responds to your calls for your companions.
"Soval Atheed, you have being summoned forth to have this cycle broken and your freedom regained. First I would ask that you release my companions from your own enchantments that have ensnared them without harm so that we may discuss what binds you to this circles."
Brek informs the being.