Ask and ye shall receive.
Here's the next bit that we've handled between sessions. Which, sadly, will continue for a bit, since we're not playing this weekend due to scheduling issues. So chances are that I'll have another update or two before the next actual game session to tide you over. Until then...
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Six dismounts and says quickly, “Hello, Saala, and your friend. I will be abrupt, as we have an active stalker following us using means we can’t identify. And we have dragonshard problems. The ones we have may have abilities we don’t know of and abilities we don’t want. Information about the key is why we were originally coming here, but other problems seem to be following us. Time is urgent, as our stalker is still about.”
Saala looks a little startled at the hurried speech from Six. Before she can respond, Nameless adds, “We should hold off discussing anything potentially ‘interesting’ until tomorrow morning. I have spells that can secure the area from scrying and other such spells, but I do not have them prepared now.”
Saala looks up at the cloudy sky and says, “It’s not even noon. I’d rather not waste time sitting around and waiting till tomorrow, especially in view of what you,” she nods at Six, “Just said. Considering how many of us there are here, hopefully we’d detect it if we were being spied on. Follow me.”
She leads the group to the tent, where the other woman looks up at you, though she continues to sit where she is. Saala says to you, “This is Thlie. Thlie, these are the people I told you about.” Now that you are closer, you can see that one side of Thlie’s face is permanently twisted downwards, and a thin line of spittle leaks out as she nods in your direction. The hands that hold the blanket wrapped around her seem gnarled and twisted. And there’s definitely something very strange about her eyes. Though she looks at you, they seem unfocused somehow.
Saala enters the tent and returns with a couple more mats, which she unrolls and says, “Sit.” She does so too, and says, “Tell me about this stalker.”
Gurr’khan explains what has transpired, including the details of the River Snake attack. Saala listens intently. Thlie does so at times, at others staring off into the distance or muttering under her breath to herself. More drool drips onto her legs, but she doesn’t seem to notice or care, though Saala stops once to wipe it away with a cloth.
After Gurr’khan covers the subject of the stalker(s), Saala says, “And now, what of this Key that I have heard so much of? More precisely, how can I help you with it? Do you come purely for knowledge, or do you wish me to try and rid you of it? I believe it has been somewhat of a burden to you.”
Nameless nods. “I wish to keep it safe. Unfortunately, it is not safe with us, since we seem to attract trouble, like a corpse attracts maggots. Since we are tied to it, we also can not simply leave it somewhere it would be safe either. Given the feelings of some of my companions, retaining that attachment is not a long term option either. So, yes – we would be rid of it and the Gatekeepers are the only ones we can all agree to trust with it.”
Saala says, “As you can guess, I appreciate your choice. From what I have heard of the Key, it is far too dangerous to risk. Gurr’khan has related to me all that you have told him, but I will have more questions about it for you. Before that, however, may I see this Key?”
When Nameless hands Saala the Key, she takes it silently, and a trifle reverently. She looks at it for a long time, turning it back and forth in her hands, and then finally turns to Thlie. The older woman has been staring off across the pool, and it takes a little prodding to gain her attention. Once Saala has it, she hands Thlie the Key, and asks, “Is this one of them?”
Thlie’s somewhat vacant eyes focus on the item, and she strokes it softly. Then she lifts it to her face and closes her eyes, before sniffing it from end to end. The impression the watchers get is of a cat trying to recognize a long unfamiliar scent. Then she opens her eyes and speaks.
“Yes. It is one of them. To open the gate that cannot be opened. To seal the portal that cannot be sealed.” Thlie seems about to say something else, but then breaks off into inaudible mumbles.
Saala carefully takes back the Key from her, places it on her own lap, and covers it with a fold of her blanket. Looking at the quizzical expressions on the Angels’s faces as well as Gurr’khan’s, she says, “Thlie knows about certain things that many don’t. I will tell you more about that – and her – later. But before that, I would like to hear everything that you can tell me about this.”
While Saala is speaking, Gareth sits silently, watching and listening. Then he focuses on his Flame-granted abilities and attempts to detect thoughts.
As Gareth concentrates, though there is no external manifestation, he first senses the stream of Saala’s and Thlie’s thoughts, and then the strength of their flow. He quickly realizes that both of them are very intelligent, more so than any of the people in his group except, of course, for Nameless.
Gareth focuses further, concentrating on Saala. He senses the surface of her thoughts, but as his consciousness attempts to enter into them, he finds himself blocked by the barrier of her will. Realizing that Saala will feel the attempt as soon as she successfully resists it, he instantly drops his focus.
Sure enough, Saala sits up a little straighter and looks around the area. Then she says, “One moment,” and closes her eyes. After a few seconds, she opens them and looks keenly around the group. “Somebody just attempted to use a spell or magical effect on me.”
Saala has to stop and gesture for Gurr’khan, who grunts and begins to rise, to keep his seat, and then she continues. “It was one not used by druids, called detect thoughts. There is nobody else within range of us. Hence, I am presuming it was one of you. I would appreciate it if whoever used it admitted to doing so and explained why he did so.” Her tone remains as calm as it has been ever since she began speaking to the group, but there’s the lightest sense of steel in it.
Speaking up for the first time since they have met, Gareth says, “I was the one who performed it. I am wary about new people, and I am especially wary about new people when concerning myself with powerful magic. If you are offended, then please realize none was meant, and I do this for the safety of the group as well as the world.”
Nameless says dryly, “Well, at least we can be sure we have the real Gareth now.”
Then he addresses Saala and Thlie. “Please forgive him. For some reason he thinks nobody will notice when he’s doing that sort of thing. Or that it will give him some sort of useful information, despite his experiences to the contrary.”
He then launches into a ribald version of the time Gareth was using detect evil in the Daask bar, tossing out a couple of innuendoes about Gareth scoping out the barmaids.
Gareth looks at Nameless calmly. “I do not need your excuses, or apologies for my actions. I stand by them, and would do them again. And I would expect more from a wizard who is attempting to make a valid comparison of detect evil and detect thoughts. Not to forget, a lot of people don't notice when I am doing that sort of thing.”
Six says, “Well, the ones that don’t notice tend to be harmless. The ones that do generally can cause you a world of hurt.”
Saala watches the exchange between the Angels and then looks at Gurr’khan with an eloquently raised eyebrow. Gurr’khan just grunts and says succinctly, “Adventurers!”
Saala grins widely at the comment and then turns back to Gareth. “I understand your caution, though it seems a little late, considering you’ve traveled all this way to speak to me about this,” she taps the shard in her lap. “But I’m not offended – for now. Don’t do it again.”
“That, however,” she continues, “Gives me a little excuse for some rudeness of my own. If you will bear with me…”
She turns back to Gurr’khan and says, “You have had some time with my guests. What do you think of them?”
Gurr’khan grunts again, as seems to be his custom when about to speak, and says, “First, the good stuff. Surr’kal, whom I trust, says they’re quite reliable. I’ve been in two fights with them so far, and they’re very effective. Perhaps the most powerful group of their size I’ve fought beside, and I’ve seen some fairly strong druids in their element, as you know. Apparently, though this is mostly hearsay, they’ve taken some serious risks to protect the Key. In the time I’ve been with them, unless everyone here is faking really well, and I don’t think some of them could act worth a damn,” (his eyes flicker to Korm and Luna as he says this, and then back to Saala) “They did seem quite genuinely concerned about keeping it safe.”
Gurr’khan takes a deep breath and continues. “Now the bad. They’re kinda mental. They fight with each other all the time, and again, hearsay tells me they get into fights all the time. From some things I’ve heard and a little I saw with the River Snakes, they should be dead by rights, but somehow manage to survive.” He grunts again. “Which, I guess is a good thing. Surr’kal, in fact, said that they got some stupid prophecy telling them they’re special and that they’re meant to do great things and that they were meant to find the Key. You know I don’t give a damn about prophecies, but even if it’s right, I’m not sure a group fated for great things should be guarding that.”
He indicates the Key and then pauses, as if thinking of something, and then says quickly, “Also, Luna here’s the most mental. She’s got a symbiont attached to her arm and her tongue, if you didn’t notice. That guy,” (he indicates Six) “Is carrying a bloody floating eye in his bag too, but Luna apparently thinks daelkyr creations are fashion accessories. Just that’s a good enough reason to make sure the Key is some distance from them.”
Gurr’khan ends and gazes around the group with no trace of embarrassment. “She asked what I thought.”
The Angels notice that Saala’s lips twitch with apparent amusement, but she hides it masterfully when Gurr’khan looks back at her. She looks at Luna and asks, “Symbionts? That is a little unusual for a druid.” Her eyes roam over the group. “What do you think of her choice?”
Luna breaks in before any of the others can reply, wearing what some of the Angels now call the ‘flame strike expression.’ “You might not have to worry about me wearing symbionts. I had no idea that they could make me fat! Now, frankly, I have to rethink the whole thing!
I was just trying to fight fire with fire!”
“And anyone who has been fighting these disgusting mutant creatures for as long as Gurr’khan should know that sometimes one must sometimes attempt more creative means to fight them and emerge victorious! And defeating them is... well ... actually rather important! So whatever modes you employ to do so must in the end be more than justified!”
So far, she has been ostensibly addressing Saala, but now she turns to face Gurr’khan. “And frankly, I am not mental in the least! I am a very keen and observant strategist! And at some point, it must be plain to any thinking person that there is no point chatting up the enemy any more, and you just need to do what you came to do! And while I am not chatty, I am focused and results oriented. And while we may not always enjoy working as a team ... we never leave anyone behind! Even the two most antagonistic of our group have gone to hell and back to pull the other out of the fire. I don’t know many others who can actually say that and mean it.”
“As for the shard ... by all means take the bloody thing! I can’t be tied to some stupid hunk of rock that gives me a headache if I leave it alone for 20 minutes, for goodness sake! I’d rather destroy it than live like this for another minute!!”
“So ... there! Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Gurr’khan.” Luna points at Gurr’khan’s abdomen, where she knows the strange tentacular growths are. “And you would be a much happier fellow if you made your tragedy a weapon against those who inflicted it! Just a thought!”
With that, Luna winds down abruptly. There’s complete silence, for a moment. Even Thlie, who had been murmuring to herself when Luna started, is looking at her intently now.
Gurr’khan, whose mouth is sagging slightly open, shuts it with a snap and glares at Luna for a moment. He grunts loudly in preparation for an angry response, but is cut off by a loud peal of laughter. Thlie rocks back and forth, giggling with amusement. She points at Luna and chortles, “She’s funny! I like her!” before breaking into another fit of giggles.
Gurr’khan now turns to glare at her, and his mood evidently isn’t helped when Saala too adds a loud chuckle, accompanied by a broad grin. “A woman of strong opinions, I see. I like that. I’d warn you about your choices, but you know what you are getting into, and each of us must choose our own path. Even if,” she adds with another chuckle, “It apparently leads to weight issues. That is not a risk I normally think of when I think of dangers associated with symbionts.”
She turns to address the entire group and then pauses, as if she just thought of something. Turning back to Luna, Saala says, “In the interests of honesty, I should tell you that you are not the first to take that road. Over the centuries, some of those who study and battle the daelkyr and their minions have attempted to use their tools, such as symbionts, against them. That, of course, is a risky road, and it takes people of strong will and constitution to do it.” Saala’s eyes flicker sideways at Gurr’khan for a split second, and she adds, “There have even been a very few Gatekeepers who have walked that path.”
“By the moons!” breaks in Gurr’khan, with an irritated growl, “Do you have to encourage her, Saala? Why not just slap a stormstalk on her head and be done with it?”
Another chortle from Thlie interrupts. “He’s funny too!”
Korm interjects with a laugh, “Luna's definitely mental. I warned her about the symbionts’ dangers and tried to talk her out of it, but it was like trying to wrestle a mountain. Or debate philosophy with a bear. An impatient, hungry bear. An impatient, hungry bear with the ability to call fire from the sky and shoot angry bees from its mouth.”
“But Luna is a strong warrior and a druid of good character. I don't fault her motivations.” Korm motions with his head to the rest of the Angels. “Besides, they're all barmy too. We work well together.”
Saala chuckles and says, “Thank you, Korm’akhan. I respect your opinions, not just as a Gatekeeper, but because I know something of your reputation.”
She waves a hand dismissively at a still irritated Gurr’khan. “If needed, Luna and I can discuss the subject further later. But back to the question of the Key. Despite Gurr’khan’s reservations, at least he vouches for the efforts you have made to keep it safe, which I appreciate.” She pauses and then turns to Nameless.
“I do have a question for you. I believe you were the one person able to use the Key at various times. Why is that? Please, be honest. I need to know everything that I can about this matter.”
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
But hey, one of the joys of being a RBDM is watching your players writhe in agony while not really (in technical terms) doing anything to them. And being generous by insisting you could do worse with less, but out of your kind heart you go easy on them! 
