RC Euro: Grave Danger

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As they trudged through the dismal graveyard the mist got thicker. Even Shadowfangs avian eyes failed to penetrate it. There was no sound save their own footsteps. After a little while the path forked left and right.

 

As the group approached the split in the path, Hayden walks up to the fork. Straining his eyes he tries to look down each path trying to notice anything that would show which was the correct path.

"Well, any ideas?"

 

Milla shrugs.
"I suppose one way is as good as another, ...or bad as the case may be"

"Why not try left?"

 

Jakob's grip tightens on his crossbow, which he is no longer bothering to conceal. "I dislike this intensely," he mutters, loading a bolt as he speaks, "The all enveloping mist seems worryingly familiar. Sarathien, you must know about adverse weather conditions - is this mist natural, and would anything help us see a bit further through it?" For a moment he stands stock still, listening intently for any movement in the mist.

 

"I... I simply cannot say... this...whole place seems unnatural no me."

Sarathien shivers visibly in the chill, damp air.

"A very good friend and teacher used to speak of nature to me, and I would listen gladly. 'There is nothing more changing, yet constant than nature' he used to say, 'for though the seasons vary, rivers change their courses, mountains crumble and forests grow, still we know that nature herself will prevail'."

The elf starts at some distant imagined sound, but keeps talking, seemingly simply for the joy of hearing something other than the silence of the mist.

"'There is nothing more vulnerable and yet so strong, for whatever we do to her will surely harm her, but given time and rest she will always recover.' These things he would say to me, and I would hear the wisdom of his words..."

The ranger's voice trail away into nothingness, and even though there is no sound, his eyes dart back and forth between imagined dangers.

"Seeing this place suddenly makes me doubt those truths that I carry with me, for how will nature recover from this, given even an eternity? Surely we must do something to help her...."

The despair in the elf's voice is close to breaking forth, yet he manages to keep it in check.

"Well, we had better move. Milla, your guess is as good as mine. Left it is then."

Sarathien pulls his cloak even tighter and starts down the left hand track.

[This message has been edited by Vanadin (edited January 19, 2002).]

 

They had only gone a few yards when they heard a rattling sound ahead. "Skeletons" growled Hayden as he and Sarathien drew their weapons. Sure enough a pair of bony figures emerged from the mist, claw like fingers extended. Garacius attempted to disrupt them but his spell misfired.
"Look out!" skreeched his familiar, but too late as a wight crept up behind the sorcerer and slammed him with its hideous arm. The blow was hard enough but a chill ran through his body and Garacaius felt weakened. The wight seemed to grow stronger.
Jakob shot the wight with a crossbow bolt then dived behind a tombstone. Sarathien and Hayden fought the skeletons, the ranger's longsword making short work of one, enabling him to aid Garacaius. Milla landed one blow as Garacius darted behind her casting mage armour. Sarathien slashed it with his sword and Jakob finished it off with a well aimed bolt. Hayden smashed the last remaining skeleton to pieces with his axe to repay the scratches he had received.
Hayden lopped the wights head off and put it in a sack. They returned to Phlan to see what could be done for Garacaius, who seemed pale and drained.
Stopping off at the town hall they got 200 gp for the wight's head. Hayden heard of other missions, such as investigating kobold attacks on an outlying village. Brommel, the priest of Tempus could not help them so they visited Bishop Stimpir of Tyr. He restored Garacaius for 420gp.
Returning to the graveyard, the mist had cleared. At the far end stood a cottage with the gravekeeper, Marnix. He told how, on days when the mist rose, the spirits in the graveyard were apt to be restless. He unlocked the gates and they entered the wild.
For the first 5 miles the land was barren and scoured. No grass grew, no birds sang. At last they reached the edge of the Quivering Forest where nature had reasserted itself, grass trees and animals seemed 'normal'. There they made camp for the night.

225 xps each for Garacaius, Hayden, Jakob, Milla and Sarathien.

 

Garacaius walks to Sarathien and sits down next to him. He picks up a small stick and plays with it, like some swordplay he tried to remember from his youth.

"Tell me friend. What home did you come from? Myself I've always just been among humans, except for my parents and a few of their friends. I kinda miss my kinsmen and their cities which I used to read about in my books as a child.."

He drops the stick and looks into the horizon, his mind far away in memories from a time long gone.

 

Jakob sits hunched over the fire, chewing idly on an old piece of bread brought out from the darker recesses of his rucksack. Occasionally he pokes at the fire with a stick for no good reason. "Cold air, cold ground, and cold food that's practically stale," he says to himself, "Ah, for some cooked supper, a warm bed and a roof over my head. I wonder if I am cut out for this life, and if I'll ever get back to normal." He sighs, and stares into the fire in silence for a while.

 

Sarathien sits on a small rock near the fire, absently poking the embers with a short stick. His shoulders slump more than a little and silence has been his closest companion ever since crossing the scoured lands.

At first he seems not to hear the questions, instead he only keeps watching the flames dance and twirl. When Garacaius has been silent for a while, the ranger lifts his eyes to watch the evening stars. Without lowering his face, he starts talking, but slowly as if not really wanting to disturb Nature's own evening sounds.

"I hail from the Moonwood, north of Silverymoon. My kinsmen are Ithil'Quessir, but I have heard many times from other elves that the life we lead is more like that of the Taur'Quessir. This I take more as a compliment than anything, for our sylvan cousins are the ones most attuned to this world and often do I find myself drawn to them. Of the great cities of our kin I think you know more than me, for I have not seen them nor do I feel a longing to do so."

Falling silent for a moment to listen to the shrill cries of a nightjar, the ranger shifts his position slightly.

"As a child I used to run the forest trails alongside my elder brothers, and we would go wherever the trail would lead us. We would try to chase squirrels through the foliage, be still enough not to scare the badger's cubs, swim the streams and climb the highest trees, and I loved every minute of it.
As I grew older, I spent even more time studying the ways of nature. My brothers were restless, always off on the next trek, and at times I followed them. But the times I enjoyed the most were when talking to my mentor Iverlinn, whom I to this day still consider the wisest man I have ever met. He was Taur'Quessir, a priest sworn to Rallathil Rillifane, protector of the wild, whom I too has been chosen to follow."

Sarathien again falls silent, and this time his eyes are fixed far away. Suddenly he stands up and walks over to get another log for the fire. Returning to his seat, he looks at Garacaius and smiles.
"I have not spoken of these things in a long time, it feels good to remember them at times."
He turns away to put the log on the fire, then continues to talk.

"We would talk of the ways of nature, Iverlinn and I, mostly he would talk and I would listen. He would teach me the names of plants and trees, and of all the animals who call the Moonwood their home. And most of all his words sparked in me a sense of reverence for the grandness of Nature herself, our home, our world, our mother."

The ranger makes another short break, then sighs audibly.
"I think this is why these lands bother me so much. To me Nature is everything, and without her everything will perish. I have always been strong in my belief that she is strong, stronger than anything men can put her through, but this broken, barren wasteland seems to contradict these beliefs. I know that if I find a way to help her, I will, even would it cost me my life and more."

"Anyway, Iverlinn was old and a few years ago he felt the call to Arvandor. I mourned him, but I knew that such is the way of nature. I set out to continue learning, but so far I think I have learnt more of the evil of men..."

Sarathien falls silent again, his voice trailing away in the night breeze. Silently he watches the flames dance and twirl.

ooc:
Ithil'Quessir = Moon elf/elves
Taur'Quessir = Wood elf/elves

 

Out from the edge of the forest a doe came, limping. It was clear that there was something wrong with its hind leg. The light from the fire reflected in its large brown eyes.

 

Sarathien rises slowly so as not to scare the doe away, motioning for his companions to stay still.

"There is something strange going on here" he whispered, "for her to dare go near us and the fire she must really be in pain.
Either that or she is more than she appears to be... Do not move, please."

The ranger slowly advances on the doe, taking care not to look threatening and murmuring soft, soothing words.

ooc: Animal Empathy 3

 

The doe stood her ground, tilting her head to one side as the ranger approached. Her right hind leg twitched and she kept the hoof slightly off the ground. Sarathien cast cure light wounds and the animal was healed. It bounded back into the forest.
They spent a peaceful night camped on the edge of the trees and next morning followed the trail into the forest. The trail divided several times until at last they came to a clearing where a woman was sitting with some deer. http://www.sorcerers.net/phlan/images/evaine.jpg
She introduced herself as Evaine and, as they had helped the deer she helped them. Evaine listened to their story then blindfolded them and led them deeper into the woods. She removed the blindfolds in a deep dark glade. On a tree stump, cradled by vines was an orb. She made some passes over it and said "ask your question"
Sarathien asked how they might prevent the 'raising of the dark' Into their minds a voice spoke:
"Those that ye seek are the last of their line
They sleep their long sleep, hidden by time
So seek the hidden channels that run
East of the Moon and West of the Sun."
Evaine could not explain the meaning of the riddle. She re-blindfolded them and led them back to the clearing.

100xps each to Sarathien, Garacaius, Milla and Hayden

[This message has been edited by Erran (edited January 25, 2002).]

 

Jakob, who had felt distinctly uneasy at the thought of entering a wood which he thought to be enchanted, and therefore full of mystical wards and other things hostile to unwitting intruders, had volunteered to watch the campsite at the edges of the forest while the others marched on and were lost beneath the trees. He sits now by the dying embers of the fire, almost nodding to sleep, his loaded crossbow cradled loosely in his lap. Now and again he gets up and paces back and forth to break the tedium as he waits for the others to return.

 

At about lunch-time the rest of the party returns. Milla explains to Jakob in utterly confidence what they have found out in the forrest.
"Bottom line is that we're not sure where this leads us. Do you have any ideas, Jakob?"

 

Hayden walks behind the group deep in thought, and pondering over the riddle. After about 2 hours of thinking, he remembers one of the study sessions he had at the Temple of Tempus in Waterdeep.

"I have an idea and it may be completely wrong, I just thought it worth mentioning. I remember in one of my studies that there is a city to the east of Moonsea called Heliogabalus. This might not mean much, but in some languages "Helio" means SUN. There is a path through some mountians. I think Bloodstone and I remember something about a monastery of Ilmatar near it also. This maybe grasping at straws, but if the Moonsea is the "Moon" in the riddle and Heliogalbus is the "Sun", maybe we need to travel that way."

Hayden for once looks like he is looking to the group for approval of his ideas.

 

Evaine bade them farewell at the edge of the Quivering forest.
"Seek help from whom ye may, but this I beg you. When searching for answers do not mention the Forest Orb. It's presence is known to very few. There are those who would tear down the forest to find the oracle. My blessings on your mission, preserve the balance!"
With that she melted back into trees.

 

"Sounds good to me Hayden. Maybe you would know of any ancient mines or tunnels in those mountains... or, I've seen a map of the planes once. Perhaps the hidden channels that run are the gateways between the planes. There are two planes that could be connected with the sun and moon, called Moongates or something and Heliopolis, if you helio means sun as you say Hayden. A plane between these two, might be timeless, or something. A bit farfetched perhaps, but the last kin of the netharil might be residents somewhere else than here."
Garacaius takes a deep breath and continues, "Perhaps it's better to ask a sage or that gnome you knew in town, the one with a lot of info. Or if there is a mine or something similar in those bloodstone mountains it might be there as well."



[This message has been edited by Lokken (edited January 26, 2002).]

 

Jakob looks relieved that the others have come back. Partly because he was afraid for them in the woods, and partly just because he was getting bored sitting about on his own. Hearing about the riddle he gives a brief snort. "Huh," he says, " Elf witches. March for days, facing the perils of their enchanted forests for a spot of "elven wisdom" and what do they do? Give you some riddle just to make you feel stupid! "last of their line" and "sleep their long sleep" sound worryingly undead to me. As for "hidden channels that run", it sounds to me like some kind of underground river - and perhaps sun and moon are a time reference. We tell the hour by the position of the sun in the sky, so "West of the sun" might mean in the morning. And the moon goes through it's cycle of phases in a month - but I'm none too sure about how to tell time by its position. G'ah! This is pointless! I'm just picking bits out that could mean anything - a riddle only works if you take everything together. I reckon we should try to find Jerome's back in town. I want to find out about our 'Would-Be-Muggers', and it might help to figure out this riddle if we have a few more clues to our situation."

 

They said their farewells to Evaine and headed back. Sarathien was sorely troubled by the state of the scoured lands. Marnix led them through the now peaceful graveyard and they entered Old Phlan just before sunset.
Jakob was still ready for action so they went to check out the shop that was having the rat problem - 'Continual Light'. This turned out to be a candlemaker, who also sold lanterns etc. He told them the problem lay in the cellar. Sarathien led the party down the steps into the cellar. Boxes and barrels were everywhere - plus half chewed candles and rat droppings. The ranger heard a noise in the corner, he and Milla went to investigate. A couple of dire rats attacked. Garacaius fried one and Milla broke the neck of the other with a well timed kick.
Further investigation revealed a crack in the corner and a narrow tunnel beyond. Only Jakob was slim enough so they cast mage armour on him and down he went. He met a rat in the narrow passage and slew it. Further down the tunnel opened out into the sewers, Jakob returned with the news.
They advised Leonis, the shopkeeper, to brick up the hole. He was so pleased he gave Jakob a hooded lantern. He also warned them to beware of the 'Welcomers', a band of muggers missing an ear lobe who preyed on strangers in town.
Crossing the bridge into New Phlan they headed 'home'. Iztar greeted Garacaius with the news she had got a job dancing at the 'Pit' tavern. They all decided they would go and check it out.

75 xps for Sarathien, Garacaius and Milla
125 xps for Jakob.

 

Entering the inn, it seemed far from a quiet place. Garacaius scoured the room and looked for a free table where they might discuss further plans.

"Iztar, will you sit with us or do you prefer to dance?"