"We should use the wand to our advantage and heal the mule, then we can get back on the trail. Oh, and Therin." Ar'dreth then eyes the pearl in his palm with a grin and speaks the command word "trvsaa" and places it in his belt pouch.
Appraise
Groaning a bit, Therin pushes up to his feet and grins back towards Ar'dreth. "I appreciate the concern, my friend." He stretches a bit, trying to get a feel for what he is still capable of while injured. "I see everyone else is in good health. Its good to see, I jumped in front of the hit on that one. Did we find anything good?"
Appraise Knowledge Religion
"Brune still has a serious wound. Don't think he will be able to walk far at the moment."
Rufus walks over and calms down the wounded pack animal, speaking soothing words in Elvish.
Sorting through the newly found gear, Therin will pick up the necklace and hold it up, considering and then give a shrug. "It doesn't appear to be worth too much, not that I'd expect their sort to have a fortune. Maybe we could get 40 gold for it, probably not even that much though. Anyone want a slightly, um, stylish trinket?"
"The trinket is a holy symbol of Irori, Therin."
Therin will look at the necklace again and nod with a shrug of his shoulders. "Then maybe it will have more value if we find the right buyer? The religious type tend to be sentimental about this stuff."
He'll pause as if realizing he may be being rude, glancing at the others. "Um... None of you are of Irori's faithful, are you?"
"How many times do you want me to use the wand on Therin, Brune, and the mule? I should be fine, and Prettykill shouldn't need more than one use."
Therin will look at the necklace again and nod with a shrug of his shoulders. "Then maybe it will have more value if we find the right buyer? The religious type tend to be sentimental about this stuff."
He'll pause as if realizing he may be being rude, glancing at the others. "Um... None of you are of Irori's faithful, are you?"
"Nature makes more sense to me, Therin. The Natural Laws are constant, known, and powerful."
"Sorry Corath, do not mean to sound demanding. It is your wand now, do as you wish. The mule needs to be able to move at least."
"I suggest we leave the goblin corpses to rot. It shall be a warning to other travelers and a means to strike fear into other goblins who come along."
"The beasts of the wild will probably take care of the corpses...not that I understand, why any living creature would bite into a stinking goblin corpse...so on that point I don't agree with you, Corath...Nature does not always make sense," Rufus says, a hint of a rare smile playing on his face for a moment.
"The beasts of the wild will probably take care of the corpses...not that I understand, why any living creature would bite into a stinking goblin corpse...so on that point I don't agree with you, Corath...Nature does not always make sense," Rufus says, a hint of a rare smile playing on his face for a moment.
Corath laughs.
"I never said it did."Looking at the three wounded, Corath uses the wand on Therin, Brune, and the mule.
With the party mobile and the the goblins left where they fell, the Pathfinders move on. The mists and slight chill never quite seem to break, even as the sun climbs to its noon height and then begins to slip back down toward the west.
As night approaches, the tips of the southernmost peaks of the Fogscar Mountains have shimmered into existence to the north, hovering like clouds on the distant horizon, but the Lost Coast Road has veered back to the west, heading toward the tip of a narrow spit of land called Tarin Cape. Ahead, a strange, haunting sound, like flutes played by a tribe of giants, drifts back toward the Pathfinders, and a large, red-gold structure, a cathedral with a series of sharply peaked roofs all capped by brightly-colored stained glass windows, appears. With each breath of wind that sweeps over the peninsula, a new note or chord sounds from the cathedral's walls, as though the entire building were a massive pipe organ. The building's sandstone bricks seem to catch the sunset's light and flare into a warm golden glow, and the doors face the road with inviting warmth.
Knowledge(Geo):
Knowledge Geography
Knowledge Local
"If I remember my Geography correctly, this should be Windsong Abbey, a place where many different faiths are allowed. We may have found a nice place to spend the night."
"You are correct Corath. I too believe we should rest here. It will provide us greater luxury than the side of the road."
Therin wrinkles his nose a bit at the noisy cathedral. "More luxury, yes. More rest, maybe not. It is rather loud. An unexpected comfortable bed could be of benefit though, I'd never turn down such a boon."
"I would hope they do not play that music non-stop all day."
"I hope there is someone playing the music..."
"Very perceptive Corath. We should be careful when entering the Abbey, since none of us have actually been here before."
Therin nods and considers. "Do you think it is an organ of some sort, Ar'dreth? I don't know anything of this place. From how loud it seems to be, I was thinking it may have been the wind blowing through it. I don't believe to know many men who have the lungs to make such sound, though perhaps it is some special instrument."
"Other than knowing of this place, I have little other information. The concept of the wind blowing through it making the music intrigues me though. It would explain the name."
As the group draws closer to the Abbey, it becomes clear that the breathy, eerie music is indeed coming from the walls of the building themselves, through channels large and small carved into the sandstone. The sound of the ocean, rolling waves churning to froth at the base of the Abbey's seaside cliff, mixes with the arhythmic "music" to create a strange sense of unreality.
When the party is about 200 feet from the Abbey's low walls, a watchman shouts down a greeting. "Ho, travelers! If you come in peace and in sight of your gods, enter freely within the walls of Windsong Abbey!"
Therin looks up at the guard and appears almost like he is going to ask a question of the man and then thinks better of it, instead turning to the others and speaking quietly with a slight grin. "All gods are represented here. It would seem those requirements could be quite at odds with each other sometimes. How do you walk in sight of your god and come in peace at the same time if your god opposes peace in all forms?"
Therin looks up at the guard and appears almost like he is going to ask a question of the man and then thinks better of it, instead turning to the others and speaking quietly with a slight grin. "All gods are represented here. It would seem those requirements could be quite at odds with each other sometimes. How do you walk in sight of your god and come in peace at the same time if your god opposes peace in all forms?"
"Gods of decption and trickery would have no problem with it. Do you think the holy symbol we found could belong to someone here?"
Corath is trying to calm down Prettykill, who does not like the strange sounds the building is making.
"I'm not sure how welcome the animals will be though, especially the newest addition."
Therin shrugs and nods a bit. "Its very likely that there are other priests of that god here who would appreciate the symbol's return. As for the animals... They may not be seen so friendly by most, but there obviously is a place for nature within these halls as well. Too many gods would take offense otherwise."
The group approaches the Abbey gates, which swing wide at their approach. A pair of dark-skinned young men, both wearing simple tan tunics and black breeches under brown robes, bow to you on the other side. One wears a holy symbol in the shape of an angel, the figure's body, outstretched arms and curving wings forming an ankh; the other has a simple pentagram in red and black, the tip of the star in the circle pointed down. It is he who speaks first. "Welcome to Windsong Abbey, my friends. I am Venshil, and this is my brother Caiphos. We have been given the duties of hospitality tonight." Caiphos nods, adding, "If you desire a meal, you are welcome at our table; we also have traveler's rooms where you can find beds and washstands if you would like to rest. All seekers of knowledge are welcome at Windsong Abbey." Together, they gesture somewhat grandly toward the central cathedral, whose walls still glimmer in the sunset and moan with the last of the day's breezes.
The priests seem somewhat taken aback by the juvenile tyrannosaur, and genuinely disgusted (if politely discreet about it) at the sight of the goblin dog. Both animals plus Brune are handed into the care of a gnome woman with a longbow slung over her shoulder as the party approaches the cathedral; after looking the animals over, the gnome offers a strange roar to Prettykill, an excited bark to Brune and and a chitter-squeak to the goblin dog. All three seem content to follow her afterward.
Raising an eyebrow at the gnome, Corath turns to the brothers, pulling the holy symbol from his pouch..
"We were attacked by goblins a while ago, and found this in a pack on the dog. Do you know who it belongs to?"
Therin will just watch the various priests with a bit of caution, though he smiles warmly. "I thank you for your warm welcome, my friends. I am sure we all will be very grateful for your kindness and hospitality."
Raising an eyebrow at the gnome, Corath turns to the brothers, pulling the holy symbol from his pouch..
"We were attacked by goblins a while ago, and found this in a pack on the dog. Do you know who it belongs to?"
Venshil frowns but says nothing. Caiphos, on the other hand, replies, "Goblins, you say? They are troublesome in this area, and even moreso to the north, in the mountains. There was an expedition launched from a town called Sandpoint, perhaps 25 miles from here, a couple of years ago, to break up some of the local tribes; it worked, but goblins are a resilient and fertile bunch, and they have begun to return to their dangerous ways in the last few months." He looks closer at the holy symbol, then gasps slightly. "Light and Life, I hope that's not Parvashti's symbol..." He shakes his head, looking up at Corath. "We were expecting a new arrival a few days ago, an initiate of Irori's from the isle of Jalmeray. She never arrived, and we have feared..." He trails off, frowning. Venshil shakes his head, but his expression - pleasant, but grave - does not change.
Therin will just watch the various priests with a bit of caution, though he smiles warmly. "I thank you for your warm welcome, my friends. I am sure we all will be very grateful for your kindness and hospitality."
Venshil nods. "Perhaps you would care to join us for our evening meal? It is tradition for travelers to be the guests of the Masked Abbess on their first night with us."
Ar'dreth looks the two priests over. "I would be honored to dine with you. I have a question. Are there any initiates of Yuelral or Nethys I can speak to?"
Ar'dreth looks the two priests over. "I would be honored to dine with you. I have a question. Are there any initiates of Yuelral or Nethys I can speak to?"
"Our sister Emeri is devoted to the All-Seeing Eye," Caiphos replies, "but I fear none of your people's gods have representatives here, friend elf." He purses his lips, glancing at Venshil. "In fact, if you are familiar with the teahing of Yuelral, I think the Abbess and Emeri both, along with perhaps one or two others, might well be interested in speaking with you before you leave."
For some reason, the "one or two others" reference makes Venshil's mouth quirk up in a grin, quickly repressed.
Therin will nod his head as well, warming at the idea of dinner. "Indeed. The idea of a warm meal with you is most welcoming. After a long day traveling I am famished."
The priests nod to Therin and lead the group within the cathedral. Surprisingly, the sounds from the walls diminish noticably within - though the music can still be heard, it is muted, and somehow echoes in a way as to make the tones into more complex chords. Haunting outside, within the walls the music is far more moving, seeming at times both inspirational and dark.
Venshil and Caiphios seem inured to the experience, however, as they make their way across the central worship area to a door on one side. The large central space has abstract stained glass windows, now glittering in the light of the sunset, at either end, but otherwise contains no specific decorations or furnishings in the middle of the room - rows of benches and tall cabinets line the walls, however, as though waiting for someone to move them into position. The sense of the room is deeply spiritual, however, despite its emptiness, and it is hard not to feel moved while you are walking through it.
Beyond the chamber, the doors you are lead to open into a wing that seems more devoted to the business of ordinary life than communion with the divine. The corridor is fairly wide, light regularly by lanterns, and several crossing corridors reveal scurrying servants or acolytes moving from room to room. After a brief walk, Venshil and Caiphos lead you to a door at the end of one such corridor, and Caiphos knocks quietly. "Come in," says a voice from the other side, a voice that sounds oddly toneless. Caiphos opens the door immediately and ushers you all in.
The room appears to be a study or large office, with several wooden chairs and bookcases, with a desk at one end. On the wall over the desk is a finely-carved wooden statue of a human woman with flowing hair in hooded robes, carrying an hourglass (the carved sand within is stained cherry red) in one hand and scythe in the other, against a backdrop of a shooting star spiraling outward from the carving's center. Sitting at the desk is a figure - also a woman, but her (?) robes make it hard to tell - wearing a porcelain mask that completely obscures her features. "Guests, Caiphos?" the figure asks, and something about the mask seems to strip the words of any recognizable features such as tone or pitch. The speaker could seemingly be anyone behind the anonymous mask.
"Yes, sister," Caiphos answers. "Travelers to stay with us tonight."
The masked woman nods, and her face turns to examine the group. "It is my pleasure to meet you," she says finally. "I am the Masked Abbess of Windsong Abbey, and by tradition, you are my guests this night."
Therin will glance towards the statue and then glance pointedly towards the others who he sees as being more well educated, trying to see if any of them recognize the symobology of it.
He then will give a small bow towards the woman. "Greetings, Abbess. You have a beautiful temple. I suspect I speak for all of us when I say that we are very pleased to be your guests. The road is long and comfortable beds are few and far between."
Shifting slightly as he looks at the expressionless mask rather than being able to see the face of the one he talks to. "I am afraid that I am not the most devout among us, but I certainly have interest in the functions of this cathedral."
"I agree with Therin. This place.. just walking through it brought the divine power of nature back to me. What interests me the most though, is the reason Windsong Abbey was built to create a 'wind song' of such strange beauty."
Therin will glance towards the statue and then glance pointedly towards the others who he sees as being more well educated, trying to see if any of them recognize the symobology of it.
He then will give a small bow towards the woman. "Greetings, Abbess. You have a beautiful temple. I suspect I speak for all of us when I say that we are very pleased to be your guests. The road is long and comfortable beds are few and far between."
Shifting slightly as he looks at the expressionless mask rather than being able to see the face of the one he talks to. "I am afraid that I am not the most devout among us, but I certainly have interest in the functions of this cathedral."
The mask tilts in acknowledgement. "The function is truly only to house those of us within it. As for why we require housing... well. In the simplest terms, we are here together in search of an understanding of one another and of the connections we all share. We are all of many faiths, and yet we weave together our experiences from the common threads between those faiths. We are here to learn together, and gain in understanding of the gods we all worship as a result."
"I agree with Therin. This place.. just walking through it brought the divine power of nature back to me. What interests me the most though, is the reason Windsong Abbey was built to create a 'wind song' of such strange beauty."
"It is an example of those threads of which I am speaking," the Abbess replies in her toneless voice. "The chaos of the wind forms the order of the music, but dissolves again into the chaos of echoes and other sounds, all at the whim of forces none of us can truly predict." She pauses, then adds, "There are those who find our limitations where prediction is concerned troubling, and I regret to say that no amount of calming music is enough to settle them."
Ar'dreth moves up to the front of the group, addressing the Abbess. "I find the abbey truly intriguing, but there is something that draws my attention more than that. Why is it that you wear that mask?"