Mega-Adventure Prologue--The Council and the Fellowship

[orsal]

Sir Nurlan, to Baron Thalask

"Well, I never fought a dragon. Those I don't know. But what I do know is elves, and I know they kent be trusted. Half-breeds're sneakier--sometimes they ken look jes like a person even, but they kent be trusted either," the Baron replies, "We must think about the children. Giving in to elven lies will make us weak!"

"I see. You are right; let us not take the word of Rayne Liore for anything. But my life, while short, has still exposed me to a hyponchondriac who was fatally ill, and to a paranoid who was actually the target of a conspiracy. Perhaps there is also a pathological liar whose words turn out just once to be truth. So let us not decide on the truth of this tale if we only hear of it from a half-elf, but let us see if others of more reputable pedigree may be able to enlighten us."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"I see. You are right; let us not take the word of Rayne Liore for anything. But my life, while short, has still exposed me to a hyponchondriac who was fatally ill, and to a paranoid who was actually the target of a conspiracy. Perhaps there is also a pathological liar whose words turn out just once to be truth. So let us not decide on the truth of this tale if we only hear of it from a half-elf, but let us see if others of more reputable pedigree may be able to enlighten us."

"Well I tell you, there's less reason to believe it now than when I hed never heard of it before, and Hendrallia's been safe without these crazy dragons and the witch worms. In my day, I've kept Hendrallia safe, and that's by knowing when tignore a distrection by thenemy. You know, when I was your age, we weren't safe from the bedevilment of those pointy-ears, oh no! It was a cloudy afternoon when..."

"Grandfather, the stenographer needs you to signature the record of the meeting so far," the beautiful young woman from the Hendrallian contingent intercedes quietly, taking her grandfather by the hand and leading him back.

"Ah yes, yes, of course. Wouldn't want the pointy-ears to change the record while we're not looking!" he replies, heading off to check the record.

"I'm sorry about my grandfather," she apologises to Nurlan when he is out of earshot, "He's a dear and brave man who would gladly give his life and soul to protect the people of Hendrallia, but his time was many years in the past. I hope you can forgive some of the things he says--back in his day, there was a big border conflict with Rivenblight, and, well, I know that not all half elves are bad. This Academy woman seems like she might be one of the good ones. But I don't think Grandpa is going to listen to her."

 

[orsal]

Sir Nurlan, to Baron Thalask's granddaughter

"I'm sorry about my grandfather," she apologises to Nurlan when he is out of earshot, "He's a dear and brave man who would gladly give his life and soul to protect the people of Hendrallia, but his time was many years in the past. I hope you can forgive some of the things he says--back in his day, there was a big border conflict with Rivenblight, and, well, I know that not all half elves are bad. This Academy woman seems like she might be one of the good ones. But I don't think Grandpa is going to listen to her."

"So I figured. I'm hoping he'll at least listen to similar warnings from someone else. The Academy of the Chromatic Order is not known for being supportive of halfbreeds, and I think anyone who has achieved such a position in its ranks as Rayne Liore is not to be taken lightly. But if the Baron will not listen to her, perhaps he needs to hear the message from someone else. By the way, we haven't met. I'm Sir Nurlan, a knight of Monemvassia, and a musician."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"So I figured. I'm hoping he'll at least listen to similar warnings from someone else. The Academy of the Chromatic Order is not known for being supportive of halfbreeds, and I think anyone who has achieved such a position in its ranks as Rayne Liore is not to be taken lightly. But if the Baron will not listen to her, perhaps he needs to hear the message from someone else. By the way, we haven't met. I'm Sir Nurlan, a knight of Monemvassia, and a musician."

"I'm Alicia Thalask," she offers, "I don't know if any of this is actually true...I'm not even sure why they sent Grandpa to do this. He doesn't really have experience with these kinds of things. But he was so excited when they chose him for this important task...I just wanted to feel happy for him and assume they knew what they were doing. But he looks so out of place here--with all those Wizards and that dreadful elf..."

 

[Bront]

Vanitri nods and pays what polite respects he can to the Accademy representitives as he heads to his seat. Now is not a time to catch up with old aquantances.

 

[jaker2003]

(OOC: Oops--check above; Rayne already went there I'll assume he only mentions the use of Contact Other Plane)
"Asking higher powers is my preferred form of divination," Rayne agrees, "This is included in the list of divination magic that will not work on the shards. I can tell you at least three legends as to why this is so."

OOC: by the time I finish reading the new posts and submit my own, 3-5 people have already posted, in this instance, including you . . . I missed that part.

Jace continues his discussion with the half-elf, The vault also could not be probed magicaly? We are off to a difficult beginning. Legends? Yes, please share, I think all of us could benefit from more information on the matter at hand.

 

[Bront]

Vanitri pulls aside Rinaldo, Ashna(r), Tennebryn, and Rayne and has a quiet word with them. If Ironwolf is around, he won't exclude him either.

[sblock=Hushed tones]"The magequeen's involvement worries me that I might have some kind of stake in this as well. It came to my attention at the accademy that my heritage would have me called Vanitri Vallyrue, named such for my distant decendant Vanitri and the woman he ran off with, the Magequeen's daughter. I know not of such powerful magics, but in my blood runs the blood of the Magequeen, and that may be of some use. I ask that you keep this to yourselves, but Rayne, do you know if this may be of some aid to us in this hour of need?"[/sblock]



---------------------------------

Juliana Hayes rolls her eyes at the intolerance of the Rivenblight representitve, but it does not suprise her in the least. She listens quietly, alone even in the crowd of people, and ponders her destiny and her chosen path that had bought her here... and Rowan.

 

[orsal]

"I'm Alicia Thalask," she offers, "I don't know if any of this is actually true...I'm not even sure why they sent Grandpa to do this. He doesn't really have experience with these kinds of things. But he was so excited when they chose him for this important task...I just wanted to feel happy for him and assume they knew what they were doing. But he looks so out of place here--with all those Wizards and that dreadful elf..."

Nurlan nods. "I'm sure he did much better justice to Hendrallia when he was younger. But he is the delegate of your realm, qualified or not, and so we need to get him to listen to reason. Anyway, there are a couple other people I want to talk to before we resume. It's good to meet you; I'm sure we'll chat again before this conference is through."

With that, he goes over to Rinaldo (assuming the latter is not in the middle of a talk with Frump; what he has to say he definitely doesn't want to share with the traitor). "Bad news, Rinaldo. I think the Baron is senile. He's too obsessed with the messenger to pay any attention to the message. You said you had glimpsed the future and could vouch for the truth of this warning? I think you ought to talk more about that after this recess ends. Thalask is much more likely to pay attention to a human than to Rayne. But if that doesn't work, we write off Hendrallia, and hope he doesn't have any influence with other delegates."

 

[Rystil Arden]

OOC: by the time I finish reading the new posts and submit my own, 3-5 people have already posted, in this instance, including you . . . I missed that part.

Jace continues his discussion with the half-elf, The vault also could not be probed magicaly? We are off to a difficult beginning. Legends? Yes, please share, I think all of us could benefit from more information on the matter at hand.

"It was blocked by a strong..." her lip twitches slightly, "psychic force. But all the treasure, Phoenix Shard included, is gone. Of course, naysayers will say that it wasn't there to begin with, I suppose."

"As far as the legends as to why the shards elude even the powers of the outer planes, there are several. One legend says that the Goddesses of Darkness favour the Lichwyrm and use their powers to prevent any other deity from meddling by directly blocking any such magic. Another claims that the Lichwyrm's phylactery is protected by a layer of nullspace that bends reality around it such that even deities cannot see it. The more believable stories are related to the invulnerability of the Phoenix Shard in particular--it is widely accepted that the Lichwyrm dipped the Phoenix Shard in the River Styx while breathing on it with his powerful fiery breath. The evaporating mixture coated and infused the shard, making it invulnerable. This, however, cost Vildaxaranthus a bit of his essence that he had not expected, and so more of him than normal was tied to that shard. Unwilling to give up more of himself, he never protected the other shards in that way, but all were bathed in the lingering steam and perhaps gained a portion of that protection, making them immune to the prying eyes even of extraplanar powers. Perhaps some combination of these is true."

 

[Azmodaen]

Ashmodai - Maenad Lvl 1 Wilder

Ash Sneaks in during the recess hoping to avoid any possible glares.

He slithers around the room, trying to hear tidbits of what exactly the hubub is all about.