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"I'm not sure what is taking them so long." Jak muttered. "Would have thought they'd find the stairs down by now."
Korin reacts belatedly to the commotion outside, or perhaps more truthfully, did not react to it. The recent revelations within their own room seemed far more pressing and of more importance than a sudden brawl amongst the locals. Particularly since the Bataar fellow was probably behind that too. He could not afford to be distracted here. Korin's gaze slid from the self-confessed male channeler over to the Aes Sedai and back again. His eyes narrowed. Aes Sedai were famous for being unreadable when they wanted to be, but this one had barely reacted at all to the man's confession. Did she know all along? Light preserve us! Are they working together? She did let him flee back in Fal Dara after all. To what end though? Or perhaps, is she waiting so as to not provoke him? Just what did I stumble into?!? He risks a quick glance as some of the others slip out of the room, apparently following Cor'ellis' lead, but his mind was still on the other puzzle. Shared dreaming? What sort of shadow-wrought nonsense is he babbling about? He is probably the cause of it all. Korin stands his ground, hand on the hilt of his sword and inwardly determined not to let the channelers out of sight - though if one or both were the cause of this, what he could actually do about it was beyond him at the moment, especially alone.
Resolve (Standard) vs 52 (unless Indifference trait applies here
Indifference:
Indifference: when viewing death, auto succeed on resolve tests to resist psychological effects & corruption.
Skeggi blinks once as he rounds the corner and quickly takes in the scene then grimaces as the knight announces their presence. Damn.
"Not really. But neither is being penniless." Answers a well-built, weather-beaten Vosk sitting at the far edge of the table. A slightly older man who is firmly into his prime, Skeggi grins sardonically at the others and shrugs. Having been doing this sort of work long enough to leave him just a touch jaded, Skeggi is in many respects the opposite of the more idealistic knight sitting further down the table. "Ahh... 'Free Defenders!" He laughs. "It has such a noble ring to it, does it not? Much more lofty than simple mercenary... even if in the end the job is always the same." He grins again and shrugs. "Can we afford a charter without strings?"
I get the feeling that a lot of people are projecting their own modern day antipathy and negative personal feelings and opinions about religion and the religious in general onto this situation. :P
While the others confront the dwarves, Morrigan walks over to within easy earshot of the Kobald guards and 'casually' remarks, "I can see that you feel distress at his plight. It seems to me that, being that this seems to be happening quite outside your replacement's jurisdiction, and that you yourselves are off-duty and therefore free to do as you will outside of that jurisdiction, that should you choose to act, no one could legitimately say anything to the contrary. It also seems to me that you might even find allies here, should you do so." She glances over at whichever of the group seems to be 'alpha' and gives him a meaningful look.
"errr..." Morrigan looks momentarily nonplussed and taken aback. Prove my adulthood? She of course knew why Momo had left her village, but she would never have guessed that the young catfolk thought that Morrigan was herself a youngster just coming of age. Certainly, Morrigan did not feel young! Or did Momo really just want her company? Yes, that had to be it. "hmm..." She also hadn't meant for her heritage to be trumpeted about, but some of the others had guessed at it already, she realized. Her paltry scarf seemed to be a disguise unequal to the task, though that wasn't really a surprise. Besides, with the company she currently found herself in, perhaps hers were not the most attention-grabbing features anyway. Quickly she studies the others, looks to Momo's anxious and near-quivering form, and then briefly glances off in the direction the raven had flown a few moments earlier. She shakes her head and sighs, almost exasperatedly. She could tell that, between Írwen's involvement and the catfolk woman's desire to prove herself, Momo would very likely go with them to look for this stranger even should Morrigan refuse to join them. Searching for strangers and getting involved with thugs was not at all what the elven woman had in mind for their stay in the city, but she didn't feel right about leaving the inexperienced young villager to fend for herself so soon. "I think getting involved in something like this is going to cause no end of grief, Momo. The wiser thing by far would be to walk away. Are you certain this is what you wish to do?"
Her stomach rumbling all the more after the scent of the stew begins wafting up from the table, Morrigan joins Momo as the girl begins to eat. While she dines, she listens to the conversation about her, taking note of names and places mentioned and trying to get a better picture of the city in her mind. She also keeps an eye on the mysterious tiefling, some deep instinct within whispering that his kind were especially untrustworthy... and she hadn't missed the musicians grimace a moment ago. The man's popping into existence out of nowhere did nothing but exacerbate her natural instinct towards him. That sort of thing meant he had magic, and absently Morrigan wondered what sort it had been - illusion, teleportation?
Hello all. :) Morrigan, do you want to travel to Zobeck together with Momo? Morrigan can be the traveling companion Mombar speaks of. Otherwise, a random NPC elf could follow Momo to the Zobeck (just to the gate.) Certainly, that would make sense. Morrigan is likely headed to the city to find some history books and start to fill in her education, and also seek some aid from the college there to unlock her memories, though I'm sure she'll get sidetracked from that rather shortly. If Momo is heading out at the same time then the two would make natural traveling partners.
Okay, I think I've updated everything, including adding a bit on appearance. Let me know if anything is lacking. Also, if anyone else is interested in weaving backstories together or our characters knowing each other before hand (particularly if you have ties to the Margreve), let me know. :)
Thanks. :) Regarding posting I should be able to catch up and follow along. I don't think that should be an issue. I will work on her build over the next few days unless it needs to be sooner. Since this campaign seems to favor social interaction I was debating turning her into a sorceress since the witch class has little to support social encounters as far as skills and the like, but I dunno. I kind of like the witch's flavor with Morrigan. I may just boost her charisma more than one might otherwise do for a witch. Do you have a cutoff date for when you'd like to have all submissions finalized? Also, Momo, if you're still looking for an elven sidekick (or would like a second), it might make sense for Momo to have come across Morigan in the forest. She will be more or less 'from' the Margreve.
Kneeling beside her fallen companion and fellow Aiel, Fia links with Jasmine then takes Rhoekk's wrist, keeping track of his pulse as they work...
That single eyebrow remained lifted a moment longer before Morgraine smoothly composes her features to that of mild interest. "Truly?" she asks, with just a hint of surprise in her voice. "Well now, that is more interesting. If one of the witches puts stock in these rumors as you say, perhaps it is worth taking note of after all. Hmm. Does this woman have a name?"
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Morgraine did not sleep much that night. Thoughts and emotions were a jumble as she tossed and turned. Long before her watch was to start, she shrugged out of her bedroll and wrapped her fur coat closely about her. The air fogged in a small cloud with each of her breaths. Silently, she left the cave and wandered about the camp, not paying much attention to where she was going.
Her steps led her inevitably before the portal. Picking her way carefully by the moon's light so as to not set off one of Tiferet's traps, she came to stand just before the abyss. The wind swirled about her, blowing out from within the portal and whipping her hair and cloak as if trying to bow her over backwards. She leaned into the storm, eyes tearing against the wind; tears freezing as she squinted into the darkness. One word formed upon her lips as it simultaneously flooded her mind: Home... That single word brought a rush of emotion Morgraine had long buried and forbidden herself from feeling. It all came rushing back at once, hitting her like a blow to the stomach and threatening to succeed where the wind had failed in bringing her to her knees. The longing, the homesickness of the months away flooded her being. Images of people she had left, friends and enemies both. Images of her home, of the forest where she had hunted as a teenager. The beauty of the sun’s rays as they kissed and shone upon the frozen lakes. The promise when her power had begun to blossom. The incredible sense of loss when it had all come crashing down and it was all ripped away from her. The sound of Lydilia’s laughter ringing in her ears as she tore Morgraine’s power from her very being. The sorrow, the seething anger, the loneliness that came after as she fled. Now, in the present: fear. Fear of failure. Fear of it all happening all over again. Something had reawakened within her, despite Lydilia’s spells – yet she knew she was still but a shell of her former self. She was not ready to face Lydilia – nevermind Elvanna herself and all the covens and armies of Irissen, Night’s mantle or no. Yet fate had brought her here for its own purposes. She must go on. Destiny was inexorable. Morgraine dropped to her knees and, perhaps for the first time in her life, began to pray. She did not know to who - it did not matter, so long as someone heard. She sat in the snow long minutes after the words drifted away. If there was an answer to her silent cries, the only one she heard came in the form of something nudging against her side. Morgraine pulled Kettu into her lap and hugged him close... That morning, a tired looking Morgraine shared what bits of useful information she could think of with the others. Common greetings and farewells, proper attitudes and demeanor when addressing the Jadwiga or a Winter Witch. Common trading practices, including what goods were typically valued highly (merchants usually trading minerals or furs for cloth, wood, or food that doesn't grow in Irrisen's cold).
"I agree. Entering together would be advisable." Morgraine says, though it seemed to have been already decided anyway. She yawns and rubbs her eyes then looks at the portal. A look of determination hardens upon her face and she and Kettu take position in line to go through after Nathara.
"I think that he speaks truly and means what he says... Including that part where she can remove the mantle and withdraw her power whenever she chooses. Clearly it is her choice, not ours. Perhaps with that power spread thin over the six of us we can resist her compulsion. But has such ever been tested before? And what if one or more of us should fall, would not her power over the remainder grow stronger?" I have no wish to ever again be under another's thumb!! After a moment she speaks again, a note of defiant resignation having entered her tone. "But I also fear that he and Evelyn are also correct. We cannot fight Elvanna alone as we are. That much is obvious. So, either we go forward without aid and die in a futile resistance; we stay here and wait for winter to spread and live what existence we can under Elvanna's rule; or we do this thing and hope at the end we do not live to regret it. I think that I do not like any of these options, but I also think there really isn't a choice." She steps forward, but does not take hold of the cloak. Instead, she looks back at the remaining two to see what they would decide. It is obvious that the blonde woman had no intention of going through with it unless it was unanimous and the full six would share the burden.
Morgraine had eyed the cloak with a look of temptation as he first held it out, yet something held her back - some suspicious instinct likely born of her upbringing. Taking the key had been one thing, and probably risk enough, but this... this was something far beyond. As Eirikr's hand closes around the garment's hem, she suddenly voices her thoughts aloud:
Think I will go with extra hex: Evil Eye. Favored class bonus went to a skill point in use magic device.
Morgraine halts, then turns to look at the man as he glances back at her, his body still turned towards the wall. "One day I am going to wring that crow's scrawny neck", she promises, then chides herself as well. It wasn't as if she had been all that discrete either. But what choice had she had in the circumstances? So it is the wolf who first pounces.. Morgraine's pale blue eyes regard Eirikr warily for a long moment and she gathers her thoughts. For as much as she had fretted about this very question, one would have thought she would have been better prepared for it. She glances quickly behind her then back to him. They were yet alone, though Evelyn looked to be heading towards the hut. At last she speaks, and softly answers Eirikr's last question, technically the only one he had asked. It was a truthful answer, even if not a fully honest one. "Because I have been there before."
Morgraine watches the digging and burial, her face impassive. If one of the diggers stops for a rest, she offers to take their place for a bit while they catch their breath - though it does not take long for it to be obvious from puffing breath and stopping to peer at her hands that the fair woman had little experience with such labor. Like Inire, she too has nothing to say or add at the makeshift funeral. Erastil did not have a large following in her homeland, save perhaps here and there among the peasants. Lamashtu and Zon-Kathon were far more common and, finding their cults distasteful, Morgraine herself had never been particularly religious. So, she stood still and waited respectfully. At some point during the ceremony, her white-furred fox companion materializes from out of the woods and sits on its haunches next to her. As they set about making the camp she suggests, "Once we are finished and have eaten something, the wounded should rest and recover while the rest take watches. I can try to heal any who still need it when we leave again, assuming I get the chance to prepare."
Yeah, the misfortune hex is what got Morgraine in trouble to begin with in Irissen. I don't think she'd be going around making mouse's life miserable. ;) At any rate, went with healing hex. Never know when you'll need the extra
Morgraine followed the others as they made their hurried purchases, loans, and gifts. She still had her furs and clothing designed for the frigid cold of her homeland, something for which she may soon have cause to be glad. She wondered briefly if there were items and things she should be getting, but honestly had no idea what might be needed. The recent months of travel not withstanding, growing up as a young noblewoman, even in a land such of Irrisen, she had not received much experience in the life of an "adventurer". Indeed, she briefly wondered if she wouldn't end up getting in the way of the others more than anything. Yet she could not, or would not, step aside. The past few weeks she had been uneasy for reasons she could not put into words. Now, with fey and possibly the witches moving this far south, that nameless itch was digging into her skin deeply. It was all she could do not to stop and scratch right then and there!! What possible reason could Irrisen have to be this far South. Or was it the fey themselves? Fey were always capricious, and did things their own way, in their own time, for their own reasons. Yet if they were wintertouched, it seemed unlikely that they would be here of their own accord. Was it some ploy between rivals at home? Was the Witch queen seeking to expand her power? Was it the workings of her own coven? Morgraine wanted answers. Whatever, it could bode nothing but I'll for these Southerners... or Morgraine herself. She wanted answers.
Fia purses her lips, frowning slightly as she considered what she should say. Now that she had instigated the conversation, she was suddenly finding that the words she had meant to speak were deserting her and fleeing on the wind under Ryland’s golden-eyed gaze. Flustered, her mind raced. What we mean to each other? Why must men always speak in riddles and complicate things so? It must be so they can make women caper about foolishly like one of their wetlander gleemen…They must enjoy being confusing, that is the only possible explanation… Does he not know how highly I think of him? She crouched near her friend and was silent for several long moments before speaking. At last the aiel looked up and spoke, the words suddenly spilling out over themselves. ”They… these are not Aiel ways, Ryland. Your ways are often as strange to me as Aiel ways are to you. What we spoke of then, it is a wetlander.. no… That’s not really correct either. It is an Aes Sedai thing.” She nods. ”Yes, that is probably the truest way to say it. It is an Aes Sedai thing, and truthfully, I do not know how the Aiel or the Wise Ones would react to my adopting it - assuming I do so. Nor do I pretend to even fully understand all the nuances of how such things work among the Aes Sedai or even how they are viewed among the wetlanders. It could well be that I do not fully understand what this bond is and what it would mean to you. If I have misunderstood, then in my confusion I may easily inadvertently say or ask something of you that would be improper? If so, I am sorry. I will try to do better at explaining myself now.” ”When I was much younger, new among the maidens, and new still to the spear, I had much to learn – and to unlearn. I was placed with two other girls, Adelin, who was of a skill and age with my own, and Rhiale, who was slightly older and more… practiced with the spear. We rose together each morning with the sun, trained together, ate together, slept together, laughed, cried together. Eventually we fought, tracked, scouted, and fought together. Then, we followed the Car’a’carn west together. We knew each other’s strengths, our sister’s weaknesses. We learned to think, to react, and to fight as one. Though we were very often required by circumstances to operate alone, we were always more formidable when one or both of the others were with us, even compared to when fighting alongside other aiel.” Fia sighs with a touch of wistful sadness in her voice, and rearranges her skirts as she sits there, remembering. ”Adelin woke from this dream lying in the field outside Cairhienin after we caught the Shaido dogs. I had fallen beside her, and would have joined her in waking, had not Alathea happened upon us when she did and healed my wounds. Rhiale also still dreams, and now guards the Car’a’carn.” She says, a hint of pride entering her voice as she spoke of her former comrade. She smiles and then shrugs and spreads her hands out at their surroundings. “While I am now here, wherever here may be, and am on a far different path. A path which the pattern has chosen to place you on as well with me, at least for the foreseeable future - something for which I am very glad. ” She trails off, taking a sip of water before peering intently at Ryland and continuing. ”The world changes, Ryland. The Aiel resist it, but we are being made to bend with it. Yet we do not bend easily. The prophecies say that the Car’a’carn will end up breaking us. He is already doing so. Once, a Wise One or her apprentice could not be harmed or impeded; they… we would never take part in battle. Yet since we have crossed the spine, not only are we among those that do not hold to ji’eh’toh – your whitecloaks, the Seanchwan, and others. Not only this, but I have since seen wise ones battling wise ones and Aes Sedai. Then there is our true enemy, the Shadow and those aligned with it. My spears are gone now. Yet, since giving them away, I have had to rely on my training with Adelin and Rhiale as much or more than when I carried them in earnest.” ”I suppose that is what gave me the idea of using the bond – to augment three of us. My sisters and I were always at our best and most formidable working together, the three of us. Rhoekk is a peerless warrior, whose skill very few can match. He also carries himself with great ji and honor. He is a friend. We would be far stronger with him." Fiallain pauses, and tilts her head, studying the wolflord. Why does the idea of a second warder seem to put his back up so anyway? It is almost as if... but that is silly. He has never declared himself with so much as a regard-gift! You are being foolish, woman.. "That said," she continued slowly, "I have not spoken with Rhoekk regarding any of this. For all I know if I were to do so, he may think it foolishness. He knows nothing of the idea. I am now glad I did not, as the idea seems to make you uncomfortable… and that was never my intent. Also, I have spoken much to you of the benefit of this warder bond in dancing the spears, but I realize it goes… much further than just that. That is why I wanted to speak to you first." ”Ryland, you have walked this strange path I am now on with me longer than anyone, save only Alathea. We have risen with the sun together. We have eaten together. Slept together. Laughed together, cried together. We have fought, tracked, scouted, and bled together. We even follow the Car’a’carn together, though our reasons for doing so may be different. You can be frustrating and sometimes very confusing… but also amusing, loyal, honorable, and many other good things besides. I trust you to always be there, guarding my back, and I would always do the same for you. If the Light wills it to be so, I would go with you even to Shayol Ghul itself, and spit in Sightblinder’s eye with you at my side, should that be where this path leads. That is why I asked you what I did, though I would still do all those things, even should you choose not to bond with me. I have said what I know that I can on the matter. I know it is much to ask, perhaps far more than I have a right to. If I have overstepped, say so and I will not bring it up again. If I have misunderstood what this thing would mean, then set me straight.”
Thank you, Litheene Sedai. I may take you up on that offer someday. I was watching as you showed Alathea the weave, but I fear I could not quite grasp it either. The one the Wise Ones use is often weaved over two other women, neither of whom need be the one weaving. Perhaps this passing of the bond modifies your weave similarly. If so, I wonder if it could not be simply done as part off the original bonding weave...a channeler bonding two other people? Fia muses, clearly thinking aloud more than expecting answers.
A rest would be wise anyway. We are all tired and wounded. I at least am in no shape to go infiltrating the white tower right now. Plus some of us have never been there. It would be good if you could describe the layout, what we might expect... assuming it is not greatly changed on this world.
Roll weavesight on it to learn the weave at least :)I assumed that that was what the Weavesight check that Alathea failed in this post was for. I'd be happy to roll another if I'm wrong, though... That is what I thought at first too. However it may have been simply to notice the weave to begin with since she may have tried to invert it. If that is so, then we would need another roll to learn it? I dunno. Also, I don't think anyone has reach weapons, or that could be an option.
Here is Fiallain's character submission. Thanks! |