Oathbound : Homecoming (the gathering) everybody in!

[Kahuna Burger]

As if to clear his mind of all those questions, Orillian put himself to work. Abandoning his usual duties for (maybe ?) two or three days, he starts to search for any information that might tell him the significance or fonction of this tattoo. He tries to visit various libraries in the city and, there, he asks Bollo and a conjured unseen servant to fetch him various books on symbols, cosmology and even prophecies. He also consult some of his collegues for information.

(gepko is trying the DM's patience... this is why I suggested just having you already together. )

realizing that the tattoo has actually been many symbols in the past, you also looks through your older notebooks and diaries from school, and find sketches you made over the years. Bollo takes to wandering the libraries with the different sketches, trying to match any of them to anything. As a result he brings you several false leads and you are considering just leaving him home until about three days later when in the middle of a pile of various astrology charts, runes and holy symbols, you find a short paper, apparently a case study of sorts with a map in the middle. The map is oddly arresting and you realize that the positions and number of realms onit is similar to what your tattoo looked like when you first began wondering about it and sketching it. You are ready to dismiss it as a very strange coincidence when a phrase in the essay catches your eye and you find yourself reading through it.

The paper describes a young but very powerful mage from the local college who disapeared in a mysterious bird attack and then returned almost two decades later. The map is of the land he supposedly wandered in that time before finally finding a way home. Details are scarce, as apparently the mage (who had gained even greater power in his absence) killed himself shortly after his return, and the essay is peiced together out of accounts of those who had tended him during his recovery from the powerful magics he had used to escape this strange land. What had caught your eye were the phrases attributed to him in his deep depression. "...the overwhellming blandness of this land I returned to..." "This world I loved has no taste, no color, no joy or true pain..." he spoke of his folly in working so hard to escape a place he now felt he could not truely live outside of. The essay speaks of him even cutting and burning himself before finally commiting suicide, and you find yourself thinking of other young boys in the manor daring each other to touch the hot horseshoes as the blacksmith finished them and laid them out. You did it and it burned, so that was a bad idea but you had never felt the excitement and daring that the fear of pain seemed to inspire in the other boys. It was a sensation, something at least, and one to be avoided because it meant you were damaging yourself, but what was the big deal?

-Kahuna Burger

 

[ferretguy]

After he leaves the scribes quarters, Julian finds his way back to the temple. Feeling disappointed by the other mans hesitance towards taking a chance in life and exploring the possibility of finding others he emerses himself in continuing the repairs needed and also practicing the calming techniques learned through the many years spent at the monastary. Although his masters had assured him these would work, he still found himself being agitated with the thought of possibly finding a like soul but being held back by the mans fear? dissillusionment? of finding more like them. The next 2 days passed tourturously for Julian. Finally he made his way back to Orrillians quarters...knocking on his door and awaiting his answer...

 

[GPEKO]

Orillian

Orillian opens the door. "Ah Julian, I did not expect to see you so soon. Please, sit down." He once again clears a chair. "I suppose you're here to check on the result of my research. I've not find much, only the account of a young mage that apparently visited another world ..." Unless he's interrupted, Orillian goes on to tell the whole story. "... And so, my 'tattoo' once resemble the map of this land. Even more bizarre are the circumstances of his disappearrance. A bird attack ? What could that be ?"

 

[Kahuna Burger]

ferretguy: Amoung your former paladins order, there was a story of a mighty warrior with a nagging suspicion that he was being followed by a wizard; because it seemed at every major battle he was in, he would see a single black raven waching him and not fleeing the clash. Most thought him a little odd but respected his courage too much to say anything. Then after a mighty conflict where he faced and slew a demon spawn summoned by the churches enemies many witnesses saw the bird alight beside him. Then another came and another until none could see him for the feather and wings. When the birds all flew away at once (disapeared was how some told it, but you always ssumed it to be yet another exageration) the mighty knight was gone, never to be seen again. The tellers of the story differed wildly on whether the birds were messengers taking him to some reward or an attack on him in his weakened state by the wizard he had suspected...

 

[ferretguy]

A bird attack...hmm Julian thinks for a moment..Sounds like a familier story told of a knight of old.....although that knight never returned....but then again I've never noted any of these birds around us...but then again we are in a city..He sits back in the chair strumming his fingers on the armrest.Now that we suspect something of these tattoos...perhaps we should go looking for any others who may share our fates.

 

[GPEKO]

Orillian

"Interesting ... So what could it be ? These 'birds' transported these people to a land that is somewhat linked to these tattoos ?" Orillian is lost in thoughts for a moment. "Now, that would be interesting ... a whole new world to discover. Alright ... Supposing I'm interested in looking for other like us, I'm not saying I am, how do you suggest we should proceed ?"

 

[deadestdai]

Tristan sighed slightly at Baja's response. He had thought it was a bit much to expect an answer from the half-orc, but it was worth a try.

"Well, whatever it is, it seems that its changed again now that the two of us are together. If we're each marked, it stands to reason that the other dots could represent others with the same mark. Perhaps one of them has the answers I seek. Once you have discharged your duty here, would you be interested in joining me on a journey to find the others? Perhaps there is some reason for us to gather with them."

Baja wasn't too sure that he entirely understood the long words of the elf-man, but he nodded nonetheless. Afterall, this one didn't throw off any bad vibes that he should have been wary of.

 

[hafrogman]

Tristan sensed a little confusion from the half-orc, but was glad to have his co-operation anyways. There was something important brewing here. After his talk with Baja, he returned to watching out for anything dangerous, and settled in for the journey to the young noble's home. . .

 

[ferretguy]

Well....I would suppose we could look in the same way that we found each other. We already know that these dotsindicating those on his hand "symbolize" others that have this marking. While I realise that distances are not a part of this...at least the direction can be guessed as to where another may be. By picking one of these..."marks" and keeping in that direction we may be able to locate another.

 

[hafrogman]

Tristan looks down the road leading away from the young noble's home. They had left the lad with his father and now they were free to move on. He turned to face Baja beside him.

"My best guess is just to pick a direction and see if we get any closer to another dot. So, which way shall we go. They're all the same to me."