The Blind Watchers of the Sylvan Shard

The old elf is silent for a moment, thinking. "Hmm..." he mutters, "Vildaxaranthus the Lichwyrm was a legend when I was a child. Destroyed entire kingdoms, if I recall correctly. He's coming back, you say? That is bad news. Worse than our problems, I daresay, wouldn't you agree Nhairi?"

"I would have to agree, Vagrant. We are but a small band of blind monks and druids, the return of a powerful lich would devastate many lives. Though... I cannot help but wonder if our own problem is not related to this supposed return?"

"The thought crossed my mind, indeed it did. Can you tell us more about this shard? This... 'Sylvan Shard'? I can't say I've heard such a thing, though you might ask the druids if they've seen it. Ah, eh... they're asleep, aren't they.... Well, I suppose we could try to wake one of them for a moment. But if you know anything more about this shard, you'd best tell me now, before we rouse them."

"And this little one, this fey girl, I wish I could catch her scent and answer your question for you, but alas, with this stench, our senses are hindered. Are you intent on keeping her, or would you like us to take her off your hands? She might find a place among us."

"Oh, and say, you wouldn't have happened to have stumbled upon a few brothers of our order on your way here, would you? We're missing about eight of them. Yes, exactly eight. I sent them down to the roots of the Wyrwood Monastery, and they haven't come back yet. It's been a few days, so I'm wondering if they're ever going to come back..."

Despite the blindfold covering Grandmaester Vagrant's face and the loose clothing covering the rest of him, you can tell by his wrinkles that he is truly ancient, even by elven standards.

Nhairi's mouth is contorted into a frown, her arms are crossed. She's clearly very concerned about all this. Vagrant seems less so.

Rae ArdGaoth said:

OOC: BigB? Still with us?

Update tonight.

Click to expand...

ooc: I apologize for the absence. New house + new computer w/5gig ram + fastest internet connection available = too many problems and no connection. I was better off w/ old computer 1/2 gig ram and dial up. :[ I am back hopefully consistently now.

Khairi looking concerned "Missing Druids, Lych returning.....does not sound good."

"I can't remember any details about the shard, does anyone else?* I was under the impression you were guarding it.

If you are willing to take her off of our hands, it would be much appreciated. Her friends didn't want her around anymore, so we agreed to take her away. She has spoken about some mysterious "Master" so I can't say where her allegiances lie.

We didn't see anybody on our way in, except for a couple of spider-people who tried to make a meal of us. They won't bother anybody again."

*ooc: I can't remember anything about the shard and the original thread seems to have gone away. If we were given more details Rinya would relate them.

OOC: I believe a physical description of the shards was given, and that it would have overwhelming abjuration auras.

Rinya, suddenly recalling the council, relates what she knows about the shard.

Vagrant shakes his head. "No, definitely haven't heard or felt anything like that. The druids have been here longer than we have, though not two thousand years. They may have something for you. Nhairi, would you please take the fey down to one of the deep cloister cells? Try to avoid the Heart Roots, though. Wouldn't want eight to become nine, oh no."

"Yes, Grandmaester." Nhairi nods to Thallirae and takes the fey girl's hand, guiding her through the wooden door in the back.

Vagrant stands and stretches slowly, like a lazy cat. "That big, eh? I can't say I've explored every root in the Monastery, especially not the Heart Roots, so there could very well be something down there that I haven't sensed. The druids are more in touch with the magical side of things, let's see what they have to say, shall we?" The elf strides confidently to the door, humming a catchy melody as he walks. Despite the gray leather blindfold over his eyes, he walks as sure as a sighted elf, easily avoiding the group of adventurers before him.

Outside, the other monks don't turn their heads towards you as you come out, but you have the feeling that they know you're there. The smell of the mushrooms again fills your nostrils. Vagrant, humming and tip-toeing along, waltzes right into the circle of sleeping druids and taps one of the male elves on the shoulder. The elf doesn't budge. Vagrant pokes him with his leathery foot. The elf makes no response.

Unperturbed, Vagrant takes a tiny sniff of the air. He brings his nose lower to the ground and sniffs ever so delicately. He continues to sniff as he wanders around the circle, stepping effortlessly over the druids and finally stopping at a small, mushroom. It's almost pitch black cap is accented by a tiny circle of red right at the peak. Vagrant takes another delicate sniff and declares, "This, by far, is the worst thing I have ever smelled. And I have smelled a lot of things in my life." Some of the other monks have stood up and walked slowly, carefully, towards the sleeping druid circle. They don't seem as confident with their steps as Vagrant does.

The old elf wanders back to the group of adventurers and waves the thing in front of Richard's nose. Vagrant is right: the smell almost knocks Richard off his feet. "Pungent, no?" He takes the blackened mushroom and waves it in front of the male druid's nose.

With a sputter and a cough, the elf doubles over and shouts with surprise, and his eyes pop open. "Vagrant! Any news? Please, we must speak with haste." The elf sits up. The other elves begin to groan quietly, as though the loss of one mind was increasing their burden considerably.

Vagrant tosses the mushroom aside. He points at the people gathered behind him. "No good news, sorry. But we do have visitors. They have a quick question for you. It's very important." Vagrant turns his head to you all, gesturing for somebody to talk to the awakened elf.

"Greetings." Saithnar steps forward and nods at the druid before continuing. "We have come in search of an item know as the Sylvan Shard. A piece of the phylactry of the Lichwyrm Vildaxaranthus. A Council of nations was held to receive the news that some fear the threat of this Lichwyrm returning to plague the world once more." While he speaks, Saithnar readies his pipe and then lights it. Inhaling until it burns faintly, the Elan then comences speaking as a fragrant cloud slowly spirals around him competing with the stench of the place. "It was decided that many teams of adventurers should seek out these shards in an attempt to stop them being used to reawaken that dread figure from the past. We were told to seek knowledge of the Sylvan Shard here at this monestary."

The druid ponders this for a moment, and then, "Neither I nor my brethren have seen such a thing in all our years here. If my ancestors saw it, they never spoke of it. Is it large? If it is truly a shard, of a diamond perhaps, then such a tiny fragment could easily escape even the most observant. I am truly sorry I could not be of more assistance."

Turning to Vagrant, he says, "Brother elf, you said you had no good news. What of the bad?"

Vagrant replies, "Ah, well, a few brothers went down to the Heart Roots a few days ago, to investigate. They didn't return, so a larger group volunteered to find them. They didn't come back either. And the ancient goodberry tree... it withered and died. So now we're missing eight of our number, we cannot lose any more brothers and still be able to protect you from the attacks and provide for everyone. And we still have no clues about the cause of this sickness. Hm. Actually, things are pretty dire."

The elf shakes his head. "Please, Vagrant, you must continue trying. The Wyrwood Mushroom is dying; slower now thanks to our efforts, but still dying. We suspect the Heart Roots, there is something there that our spiritminds cannot penetrate."

"The spellcasters had said that a certain kind of magic...diminations?...wouldn't work on the shard. Could that be affecting your spiritminds?" Rinya asks, stumbling over the arcane references.

"It does seem like too much of a coincidence that there are rumblings of the Lichwyrm returning, and at exactly the same time there are weird phenomenom appearing at one of the supposed location of a fragment from his phylactery," Tumna says.