Orpheus Thrush's page

At the top of the tower, Orpheus sighs and hangs his little head...

I have failed you, Mister Fox! Hopefully, your friends will rescue you... Your imprisonment has been a dreadful catalyst for change, Mister Fox... You are not the same kitsune you were before... No more will you use magic to trick and deceive... But your body, mind, and spirit have been tempered in the crucible of the gods, dear Mister Fox! Fear not! For what the gods have stripped away from you, they have also replaced with strength and martial skill! I must leave now, and return to Mount Olympus to report to my patron, Apollo. He favors you, you know, Mister Fox! Even if you worship the Christ instead. He favors all musicians and heroes like yourself! Farewell, Mister Fox. May you escape this evil fate, and go on many more adventures worth singing about!

That said, the thrush bows to Fox before flying away to the west...

Flying from the bedroom out a window and up to the penthouse love nest of jorogumo, Orpheus Thrush tweets earnestly to the Ogon Fox:
Oh, Mister Fox! Mister Fox! Do not go softly into that good night! Rage! Rage against the dying of the light! Your noble friends now seek to make wrongs right! So go not softly into that good night! But Rage! Rage against the dying of the light! Good Bear Sir Johann, more noble than any knight, dost dare to climb the Ghost Tower's dismal height! And fair witch Mwikali, and her birdy too, dost dare to risk the Tower's perils for you! And brave Toshiro, speaker with the spirits, won't let you die! I tell you, he won't hear it! Habiba, with her mind thrusts and ego whips, turns your persecutors into babbling sloppy-slips! Even the Dragon's Daughter joined the party, to see that Mister Fox stays hale and hardy! Algoral and Little Lord Perpireen are sure to soon make quite the scene! So do not go gently into that good night! Rage! Rage against the dying of the light!

Boon of the Former Familiar: Ogon Fox may attempt a new saving throw versus the suggestion that he stay with a +4 morale bonus...

"Well looks like we know he is in there" She looks to the bird and smiles.

"Is he in the open and is the one who wants him dead easy to get too?" Mwikali asks still drinking and eating.

Catching his breath, the little thrush relates all that has transpired since Fox teleported into the Ashikaga Shogun's court.

He describes a five story castle of ricepaper and wood, in which a host of dangers stand at the ready to protect the Shogun, who may be a shapeshifter himself, for all his persecutions of others...

There is the underworld imperial dragon watchdog that guards the first level, the flying spirit oni of the hall of masks, ninja, samurai, spirit naga advisor... The Shogun himself is surely no mortal man, but an ogre mage oni in disguise, playing the part of imperial Shogun... Then up, up through the levels of the Game of Death, to the penthouse of the Ghost Tower, where our poor Ogon Fox is beset by the jorogumo--Woman-spider... That is thine quest, goodly heroes! The Fox be thy princess in the tower that needeth rescue!

Suddenly, a familiar thrush flies into the Jade Dragon Inn through an open window, and squeaks at the top of his tiny lungs:

Oh praise Olympus! Praise the very bolts of Zeus the Thunderer! It's Mister Bear, and Mister Fox's other friends! Oh, thank goodness itself! You must rush to Ogon Fox's aid at once, if ye be companions worthy of him, for he languishes in yonder Ghost Tower, which men of Nippon name the Flower Palace!

Gasping for breath as if after great exertion, he points his beak toward Ashikaga Castle.

Run away, Mister Fox! It's a trap! chirps Orpheus, flapping his wings furiously and hovering in front of Fox's snout in an attempt to distract him from the jorogumo's sweet singing and enchantments...

Flapping wildly around the witch’s head to distract her from spellcasting, Orpheus chirps, You’re not going anywhere, missy!

As she is currently unarmed, Striga Lucrezia can only scream in rage and bat at the thrush flying at her eyes!

CMB 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 fails! Lucrezia isn’t blinded, just annoyed!

Quinlan looks at Orpheus sympathetically and smiles sadly. They aren’t Eurydice, Master Orpheus... We will bring these fair maidens out of this Underworld, My little friend!

Orpheus hangs his little head sadly and tweets mournfully for a few seconds...

"Take it easy, Orpheus--Quinlan was expressing an unwillingness to leave the young women waiting here, after all."

"Now, let's see what is behind that door," the Fox says as he reaches for the brass doorknob to open the door.

Orpheus sighs and bows humbly toward Quinlan from his perch on Fox’s shoulder. Apologies, Mister Quinlan... They are so young, so fragile... I mistook your words about the damsels as a question rather than a statement... The thrush looks with pity and empathy at the two young maidens...

First, it’s summoned monster abuse, now it’s abandoning naked damsels in distress, Mister Quinlan!? chirps Orpheus crisply!

Looks at Quinlan reproachfully...

If perhaps a bit cruel... remarks Orpheus...

This looks like an ominous puzzle for us to solve... Crossing the chamber on foot requires us to walk across these glowing symbols...Not an encouraging proposition... Trying to fly across might prove our best option... Unless this is a deadly trap that punishes flying creatures...

The bear spends the hours sleeping away in Father Lucius's courtyard, blissfully unaware of the danger confronting his friend the Fox. That is, until a small little bird lands nearby.

Landing on Bear’s great, shaggy head, and pecking it with his little beak, Orpheus chirps as loudly as he can into Bear’s ear: Oh, please awaken, Mister Bear! My master, Mister Fox, is in grave danger!

As Bear snorts and awakens, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the little thrush chirps again: Follow me, quickly, Mister Bear! and zips away toward where Fox fights for his life in the street against the Koga Shinobi assassin...

Uh oh... Trouble, Mister Fox! I shall try to find help!

Orpheus flies as swift as an arrow from Fox’s shoulder toward the Palazzo D’Borja...

Perception 1d20 ⇒ 3

Quite how the Cardinal is revived from death shaking his head with a slightly exasperated sigh is a question that later chroniclers would debate or many years - with many coming down on the side of delirium. Yet it is a matter of record that this was...

"Thank you Brother." Lucius reponds to Boga, taking the man's hand to lift himself. Seeing the bear locking the stone devil into a truly implausible position Lucius hurries forward, amulet held in his hand. "Strike now - before it can free itself!"

I'm not sure whether it is helpless enough for CdG's but hit it, now!

The Cardinal has seen the face of his God! I know that look! That white hair! My hair went white like that when I looked upon Dread Hades and Sublime Persephone!

I think we can all agree that if we destroy this thing instead of getting killed by it, those opal eyes are fair game! chirps Orpheus...

Orpheus, seeing Quinlan’s predicament, bursts out in high-pitched, tweety laughter... He then sings sweetly:

Once, the Bear did place his derrrier
Firmly upon Mister Quinlan
The cracking of bones and the grimacing groans
Could be heard from Italia to Finland...

Orpheus seems to shed a tiny tear, then adds: Believe me, good sir... I know as well as anyone how cruel the Olympian gods can be when their ire is provoked... Once, I was a man like you... I was the greatest of all musicians, and my beloved was a nymph named Eurydice... She was poisoned by a viper and died, and her shade descended into Hades... I was bereft, and journeyed alive into the Underworld, passing through many dangers and overcoming even fierce Cerebus with my music... Even the cold heart of Hades, Lord of the Underworld, was moved by the music of my lyre, and he agreed to let the shade of my Eurydice leave the Underworld with me... but alas, my faith failed near the exit, and I failed to heed the warning of Persephone, Queen of Hades... She told me not to look back at Eurydice until we had returned to the mortal world, but so silent were her feet, I feared a trick, and could not help but glance over my shoulder to ascertain that she was still there... I saw her one last time before her shade flew away, back into the Underworld forevermore! Like Lot from your Old Testament, my lack of trust in the gods sealed the fate of my beloved. I am sure you know of Lot? The angel warned him not to look back upon Sodom and Gommorah as your God destroyed them with fire... but he failed as I did, and his wife became a pillar of salt! Your Yahweh has relented ever since He became a man in the form of your Christ, and knew the suffering of humanity as one of you... He is more merciful these days... Not so the gods of Olympus! Let us not tempt their wrath, I beseech you!

Having chirped this speech, he flits back over to perch on the Fox’s right shoulder...

EDIT: Oops! I may have taken too long in typing this up...

Boga looks at Lucius in great surprise, "Jan Hus is burned at the stake, and I am very nearly executed, yet a Cardinal of the Church is sanguine about an alter to Apollo! What does this mean? Tolerance and mercy to Gentiles, but pluck out the eye in the Body of Christ!?" Boga appraises the statue and its orbiting sphere, "Apollo may be real, and he may be powerful, but he is no God. He has no need of an altar. I can respect those who seek help from the powerful. I can respect a show of gratitude, but worship? Worship is reserved for the One who brings us salvation.

"This is part of a pattern in these catacombs. One I do not yet understand, but why the difference in treatment? Was Osiris evil? Did he oppress?"

[dice=Perception]1d20+13 Boga looks around the altar for any traps, especially for any similar to what was in the Osiris room. If he can he'd take 20.

Flying over to hover near Boga, the Fox’s thrush familiar chirps: I assure you, Mister Boga, that the cosmos is far larger than your Christian theology claims! Apollo is indeed a god, just as mighty as your Jehova! I caution you not to speak against the gods of Olympus, for they are not as forgiving as your Christ!

"I concur. The Church has a long past of repressing the worship of such gods. While we desire the salvation of all souls it should be recognised that there may be more than one path to salvation, and that must be respected." Lucius agrees, his eyes flickering to Boga as he speaks. "Do not spread the tales of what is down here too widely. Many are not as restrained as you or I Signor Fox."

Orpheus flys in front of Cardinal Lucius and, hovering before him, genuflects respectfully...

Many thanks to you for this wise counsel, Your Grace! I sense that Apollo will bless us for showing respect and not desecrating this, his ancient shrine!

Then, looking around with a look of avian concern... But...where is Mister Arc Perdu Le Rouge? I hope he wasn’t paralyzed and dragged away by more ghasts while he was, um, indisposed...

Then the little thrush flies down to peck at a sheet of vellum with hastily-scribed script on it, lying near the west entrance to the shrine... Ah. I see. Here is the answer...

"We must not desecrate this by stealing pieces from it as we did to the Egyptian idol...Apollo is a good and mighty deity. Did he not grant us aid through this, a holy place of his, when we fought the ghasts and Cardinal Lucius sought the aid of the divine? And my dear companion, Orpheus, came from Apollo."

Orpheus chirps a melodic hymn in the ancient Aeolian mode to Apollo and hovers before the idol, seeming to bow his little bird head in reverence...

Many thanks, Mister Fox...

Hovering above the Fox’s head, Orpheus tweets: Careful, now, Mister Fox! Don’t draw too much attention off our hulking green friend!

When Okumura plays his enchanting motets, Orpheus perches atop an organ pipe and adds his sweet voice in counterpoint...

To Toshio/Ogon Fox: The Duke of Florence wants a contest between you and John Dunstable!? Excellent! What fun! How should we prepare? Scales and arpeggios, of course, in all the modes, though the contest will be improvisation on the Dorian mode... Perhaps a donation made in the name of Saint Cecilia, and a sacrifice made to Apollo?

"What happened? Why do I taste wine?" Ogon asks as he awakes. Then, remembering the blast of flames, he begins to check himself for burns, but finds himself to be in perfect condition. "I guess the skeletons are gone now, huh?"

To Orpheus he responds, "I seem to be okay, thank you, Orpheus. You mentioned Apollo when you first came to me, as well. Can you tell me about him?"

Orpheus is my patron god, Master Fox. He is the son of Zeus the Thunderer, King of the Olympians! He is god of the sun, music, archery, and medicine! He sent me here in this form to assist you on your mortal adventures, Master Fox! He is not unlike this Jesus Christ you pray to... Both are sons of God, both are divine healers, both are bringers of the Light of Goodness in the Darkness of Evil... Your Christ is a bit more forgiving of evil-doers than the Far Darter, who strikes down the wicked with arrows of disease and death!

Master Fox! Apollo would be very disappointed in me if I let you die so soon!

Orpheus hovers over Ogon Fox, chirping with worry and reproach...

Orpheus was fortunate to be back near the spiral stair, and out of the blast radii...

Oh zounds! Art thou yet alive, Master Fox!?

Orpheus is powdered in flour and blinded for 1d4 ⇒ 4 rounds!

*COUGH!* Bastards!! I’m blind!!

I hear you whispering, Mister Fox! Tra-La-Laaaa! Tra-La-Laaaaa!

Orpheus whistles the old Dorian mode Dies Irae chant as the adventurers do their grim work of laying the skeletal champions to final rest...

"Be careful, Orpheus--I don't want any of these creatures laying a hand on you. In fact, it's probably best that you go back near Boga for now. Quickly, now!"

Very well... Can’t stand the stench anyway! YYYYEEEERRRRKKK!!

Orpheus flits west back into the corridor behind Fox...

Fort saves vs DC 15 stench...1d20 ⇒ 13/1d20 ⇒ 20/1d20 ⇒ 3/1d20 ⇒ 16/1d20 ⇒ 20/1d20 ⇒ 6

Orpheus wobbles dizzily on Fox’s shoulder and retches down the front of his tunic...

BBLLLEEEEEGGGHHH!!! Sorry, Mister Fox... That putrid stench!

Orpheus’ birdsong

Good morning, Mister Fox! I am Orpheus, and Apollo has seen fit to send me here in this form to be your friend and helper! Did you sleep well, sir?

As the sun rises on the morning of January 2nd, a thrush alights upon the window sill of the guest room at Cardinal Lucius D’Borja’s palazzo where the Ogon Fox has spent the night. The Fox awakens to the sweet singing of the thrush, which trills and chirps out the familiar melody of one of Toshio Okumura’s motets!