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Shilsen's Eberron SH (Finished - The Last Word : 9/20/15)
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<blockquote data-quote="shilsen" data-source="post: 3118101" data-attributes="member: 198"><p>I think the PCs (and players) were reasonably relieved that it was rakshasas and not gnomes. Though it's quite possible that the gnomes are manipulating the rakshasas, of course <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>And since you ask...</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p>About ten minutes later, the Angels follow Gurr’khan out of the trunk of a thick tree. As they emerge, they look around to see a very different scene to the one they left, on the banks of the Pool of Shadow, seven hundred miles to the southwest.</p><p></p><p>The area is thickly forested, with huge trees rising hundreds of feet into the clear air above. The ground beneath the trees is incredibly lush, seeming more natural in some way or other, not wild but rather untouched by civilization. The bushes and grass are especially thick, the leaves on them and the bark on the trees almost glowing with vitality. The mushroom rings that dot the area do actually glow slightly. The shadows in the area seem a little thicker and deeper than would be normal, and plants and stones that are sheltered from the sun gleam with spots of phosphorescence. The air is thick with the scent of vegetation, but still much lighter and significantly less humid than the thick, hot atmosphere of the marsh in the Shadow Marches. The only partly unnatural things in the area are a number of long, wall-like areas of vegetation, which look almost like they were grown in that shape, though they lack any sign of pruning or other artificial crafting. Though not unnatural, it is also slightly unusual that the sky looks like twilight is about to set in, considering that it should be late afternoon.</p><p></p><p>Gurr’khan looks around and says, “I have not been in this area before. As I said, we are far west of where I have generally been. If I am judging rightly, we are well within the western woods. This entire place is a manifest zone to Thelanis. Probably the largest manifest zone on Eberron, actually. These would be fey lands.” Gurr’khan’s tone is slightly disapproving. Then he shakes his head, focusing on the reason for their presence. “Do you sense the Key?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes,” says Six, “That way,” as he points directly to the west. “Wait – what’s that?”</p><p></p><p>As the others turn, some of them spot what caught his attention. From behind the trees and vegetation in the way, sunlight gleams off metal. In multiple places. </p><p></p><p>As the others draw weapons and ready themselves for danger, Six moves forward quietly, followed by Luna. Peering through some intervening bushes, they see five men in polished armor, hiding behind bushes and trees about a hundred feet away. They are all facing to the west, away from the Angels, with weapons drawn, apparently focused on a particularly thick example of the long vegetative walls. Though their armor is well-polished, above it they wear tattered clothes and torn cloaks, and the little that the watchers can see of their faces shows both tiredness and concern. Most interestingly, all of their armor displays symbols of the Silver Flame, and a couple of the men seem to be holding holy symbols of the Flame.</p><p></p><p>Six and Luna turn to motion the others forward. As they are approaching, Six steps through the bushes and calls out, “Hello there – who are you?” The men promptly spin around, a couple beginning to swing their bows in his direction. As they are doing so, the sound of horns and pipes springs up to the west, coming from behind – or within – the wall of vegetation the men are facing towards. </p><p></p><p>The men begin to swing back, and as they are doing so, the vegetation they were looking at seems to part, bending out of the path of a number of figures, who burst out of its depths. In the lead are two satyrs. The half-men half-goats are dressed in nothing beside a number of belts and straps that hold weapons and pouches in place, and one is playing on a set of pipes, while the other blows a horn. They form the outer edges of a triangle, and immediately behind and a little closer to the middle follow two half-elves. Each is garbed in leather armor and wears a wreath of mistletoe. Behind them, forming the apex of the triangle, are four small humanoid figures, each with dark green skin and brown, barklike hair that stands up in spikes. They are garbed in thick, rubbery leaves, and each holds a buckler, with a longsword at its side and a longbow at its shoulder. The druids and Nameless recognize them as Thorns, warriors and defenders of the fey realms.</p><p></p><p>As soon as they appear, the humans attack, three shooting arrows and the two men holding holy symbols hurling <em>hold person</em> spells. A satyr and a thorn cry out as arrows hit, and one of the half-elves, who were watching the ground as if following tracks, is paralyzed. The humans shout, “For the Silver Flame!” and charge forward.</p><p></p><p>“Stop!” yell a number of the Angels, trying to end the fight and find out exactly what they stumbled into.</p><p></p><p>Unfortunately, nobody seems to be paying attention. After the momentary surprise, the fey fight back, the thorns unslinging their bows and firing, while the remaining half-elf casts a spell, causing the grass and vegetation around the humans to <em>entangle</em> them. A couple are held firmly in place and all are slowed in their movements. This provides an opportunity for the satyrs, who scamper to the side, utilizing magical effects through their instruments. One of the humans collapses, apparently asleep, while another stops and looks around confusedly, asking his companions, “Why are we fighting? They’re friendly.”</p><p></p><p>As Gareth rushes forward, the eyes of Flamer in the center, who seems to be the leader, light up as he sees the symbols on his armor, and he shouts, “Comrade! Help us!”</p><p></p><p>Trying to prevent the attacks on either side, Luna drops an <em> fog cloud</em> between the two groups. At the same time, Nameless casts a <em>web</em>. Having measured the distance between the opposing parties and realized that he will only be able to affect one group, he casts it around the humans. Already in the middle of the grasping vegetation, all but one are held firmly in place, and even the one not stuck (the leader) is barely able to move. Alarmed, and assuming the spellcaster is an enemy, the leader yells to Gareth, “Look out! Behind you!”</p><p></p><p>Korm chuckles, commenting to Six, “He’s evidently seen the two of them together.”</p><p></p><p>The joke is even more appropriate now than usual. Seeing Nameless’s <em>web</em> appear, Gareth spins around and shouts angrily at him, “What the hell are you doing?”</p><p></p><p>“Trying to stop them from fighting,” says Nameless calmly, as he walks forward, keeping well in the rear of the group.</p><p></p><p>Despite the attempts to defuse the conflict, it doesn’t seem to be working that well. The fey move around the edges of the <em>fog cloud</em> and both they and the humans continue to attack, switching to ranged weapons due to the combination of spells hampering movement. The humans have a momentary advantage, as a pair of <em>sound burst</em>s from them stun all of the fey except for one of the satyrs. </p><p></p><p>This one, evidently presuming the newcomers are enemies too, attempts to affect a number of them with its horn, but fails. Six, having moved up ahead of his companions, quickly spins his spiked chain around its hooved feet and pulls it to the ground. </p><p></p><p>“Stay down,” warns the big warforged, but the satyr shows no sign of comprehension.</p><p></p><p>Language adds to the problems here, since the fey, some of whom are shouting commands or orders, are only speaking in sylvan. While the half-elves would presumably understand the Angels, one is still paralyzed and the other is stunned. </p><p></p><p>Luna, already a bear, gestures to Gurr’khan, who has changed form too, that he should change back and translate. The older druid grunts angrily and then begins to transform. As he is doing so, the sound of distant hoof-beats springs up behind another of the vegetative walls, this one to the north of the conflict. Luna hurries in that direction, followed by Korm.</p><p></p><p>Gareth, meanwhile, after yelling at Nameless a couple of times to dismiss the spell, stalks over to the mage. Absolutely livid, he raises Kizmet and says through gritted teeth, “DROP the spell! You will get them killed due to your prejudices. Drop it or I <em>will</em> hit you.”</p><p></p><p>Nameless, who has been abortively trying to explain to the combatants that they should stop, looks at the paladin disgustedly, unconcerned by the shining blade six inches from his head. “That <em>web</em> is currently stopping the fey from filling them full of holes. Now get that sword out of my face. There’s more trouble coming.”</p><p></p><p>The alienist is quickly proved correct. Luna has just raised a large paw to pull aside the vegetation in front of her when the sound of hooves advances at incredible speed. The leaves and branches slide aside right in front of her to reveal a large horse, its color a green so dark as to be almost black. Astride it is what looks like a tall and incredibly beautiful elf, with pearly opalescent eyes and a radiant aura that floats around her head and streams behind her with her waist-length coal-black hair. Her eyes widen in surprise at the sight of a large bear right in front of her and she pulls back on the reins. The horse rises in an incredibly quick and smooth leap, sailing over the head of Luna, who frantically throws herself out of the way.</p><p></p><p>Simultaneously, another section of the wall parts to reveal a similar horse and rider, this one with a male rider, his face strong where the woman’s is beautiful, a similar aura playing around his head. </p><p></p><p>Between the two horses, at a significantly lower level, a third section parts before a large black hound with flaming eyes, a greenish mist streaming from its open mouth as it lopes forward. </p><p></p><p>As it emerges, the hound almost runs into Luna as she dives beneath the leaping horse. The dog growls and snaps at the bear, but its teeth clash against the <em>mage armor</em> that Nameless had placed on her. Luna rears up and growls fiercely, but restrains herself from attacking.</p><p></p><p>The male rider pulls his horse up on its rear hooves as he sees his partner forced to leap over the bear and reaches out, crying, “Intruders!” </p><p></p><p>A stream of lights shoots from his fingers, washing over a number of the Angels. Eyes go wide as the spellcasters realize what it is. <em>Prismatic spray!</em></p><p></p><p>Luna, Gareth and Korm stagger as each is hit by a beam. Despite what they expected, the rays neither burn nor electrocute them, but simply rock them with powerful, but non-lethal, energy.</p><p></p><p>Gurr’khan is not as lucky. The druid has just changed back into an orc and yelled loudly in sylvan to the fey, momentarily stopping their attack. As he is turning to face the newcomers, a ray slams into his side. He groans at the impact and a gray pallor shoots over his body. A second later, a stone statue stands in his place.</p><p></p><p>“Oh, great!” says Six, remembering the experience in Yarkuun Draal with Korm, “What is it with druids turning to stone?” As he speaks, the warforged warily readies his chain, in case they have to battle the newcomers.</p><p></p><p>Gareth quickly turns away from Nameless, thinking the same thing, but the alienist intervenes. “They’re eladrin,” he says urgently. “The lords of the fey. Ghaeles, I think. They’re not evil – just chaotic. And much stronger than us, as that spell should have shown you.”</p><p></p><p>“Not evil?” grits out Gareth, holding Kizmet at the ready. “They just attacked and turned Gurr’khan to stone!”</p><p></p><p>“But they’re not attacking any more. See!”</p><p></p><p>As Nameless says, the attack is ended. The female rider quickly cries something to her partner and then trots over, speaking urgently in sylvan. He nods and lowers his hand. </p><p></p><p>Nameless steps forward with a hand raised to show peaceful intentions. “Please! We mean you no harm, or anyone else here, for that matter. We are simply traveling through here and got embroiled in trying to stop this battle.”</p><p></p><p>As he speaks, Luna is in the process of changing form to join in the explanations. A second behind her, the black hound does the same, resolving itself into the shape of an attractive half-elven woman.</p><p></p><p>She looks around the scene quickly, puts her hands on her hips and speaks. Her voice is melodious and strong. “Travelers in the Reaches, eh? We usually do not get many in this part of the Towering Wood. Greetings. I am Kaelyn Windsong. These,” she indicates the two silently watching eladrin, “Are Titania and Oberon.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="shilsen, post: 3118101, member: 198"] I think the PCs (and players) were reasonably relieved that it was rakshasas and not gnomes. Though it's quite possible that the gnomes are manipulating the rakshasas, of course ;) And since you ask... ***** About ten minutes later, the Angels follow Gurr’khan out of the trunk of a thick tree. As they emerge, they look around to see a very different scene to the one they left, on the banks of the Pool of Shadow, seven hundred miles to the southwest. The area is thickly forested, with huge trees rising hundreds of feet into the clear air above. The ground beneath the trees is incredibly lush, seeming more natural in some way or other, not wild but rather untouched by civilization. The bushes and grass are especially thick, the leaves on them and the bark on the trees almost glowing with vitality. The mushroom rings that dot the area do actually glow slightly. The shadows in the area seem a little thicker and deeper than would be normal, and plants and stones that are sheltered from the sun gleam with spots of phosphorescence. The air is thick with the scent of vegetation, but still much lighter and significantly less humid than the thick, hot atmosphere of the marsh in the Shadow Marches. The only partly unnatural things in the area are a number of long, wall-like areas of vegetation, which look almost like they were grown in that shape, though they lack any sign of pruning or other artificial crafting. Though not unnatural, it is also slightly unusual that the sky looks like twilight is about to set in, considering that it should be late afternoon. Gurr’khan looks around and says, “I have not been in this area before. As I said, we are far west of where I have generally been. If I am judging rightly, we are well within the western woods. This entire place is a manifest zone to Thelanis. Probably the largest manifest zone on Eberron, actually. These would be fey lands.” Gurr’khan’s tone is slightly disapproving. Then he shakes his head, focusing on the reason for their presence. “Do you sense the Key?” “Yes,” says Six, “That way,” as he points directly to the west. “Wait – what’s that?” As the others turn, some of them spot what caught his attention. From behind the trees and vegetation in the way, sunlight gleams off metal. In multiple places. As the others draw weapons and ready themselves for danger, Six moves forward quietly, followed by Luna. Peering through some intervening bushes, they see five men in polished armor, hiding behind bushes and trees about a hundred feet away. They are all facing to the west, away from the Angels, with weapons drawn, apparently focused on a particularly thick example of the long vegetative walls. Though their armor is well-polished, above it they wear tattered clothes and torn cloaks, and the little that the watchers can see of their faces shows both tiredness and concern. Most interestingly, all of their armor displays symbols of the Silver Flame, and a couple of the men seem to be holding holy symbols of the Flame. Six and Luna turn to motion the others forward. As they are approaching, Six steps through the bushes and calls out, “Hello there – who are you?” The men promptly spin around, a couple beginning to swing their bows in his direction. As they are doing so, the sound of horns and pipes springs up to the west, coming from behind – or within – the wall of vegetation the men are facing towards. The men begin to swing back, and as they are doing so, the vegetation they were looking at seems to part, bending out of the path of a number of figures, who burst out of its depths. In the lead are two satyrs. The half-men half-goats are dressed in nothing beside a number of belts and straps that hold weapons and pouches in place, and one is playing on a set of pipes, while the other blows a horn. They form the outer edges of a triangle, and immediately behind and a little closer to the middle follow two half-elves. Each is garbed in leather armor and wears a wreath of mistletoe. Behind them, forming the apex of the triangle, are four small humanoid figures, each with dark green skin and brown, barklike hair that stands up in spikes. They are garbed in thick, rubbery leaves, and each holds a buckler, with a longsword at its side and a longbow at its shoulder. The druids and Nameless recognize them as Thorns, warriors and defenders of the fey realms. As soon as they appear, the humans attack, three shooting arrows and the two men holding holy symbols hurling [i]hold person[/i] spells. A satyr and a thorn cry out as arrows hit, and one of the half-elves, who were watching the ground as if following tracks, is paralyzed. The humans shout, “For the Silver Flame!” and charge forward. “Stop!” yell a number of the Angels, trying to end the fight and find out exactly what they stumbled into. Unfortunately, nobody seems to be paying attention. After the momentary surprise, the fey fight back, the thorns unslinging their bows and firing, while the remaining half-elf casts a spell, causing the grass and vegetation around the humans to [i]entangle[/i] them. A couple are held firmly in place and all are slowed in their movements. This provides an opportunity for the satyrs, who scamper to the side, utilizing magical effects through their instruments. One of the humans collapses, apparently asleep, while another stops and looks around confusedly, asking his companions, “Why are we fighting? They’re friendly.” As Gareth rushes forward, the eyes of Flamer in the center, who seems to be the leader, light up as he sees the symbols on his armor, and he shouts, “Comrade! Help us!” Trying to prevent the attacks on either side, Luna drops an [i] fog cloud[/i] between the two groups. At the same time, Nameless casts a [i]web[/i]. Having measured the distance between the opposing parties and realized that he will only be able to affect one group, he casts it around the humans. Already in the middle of the grasping vegetation, all but one are held firmly in place, and even the one not stuck (the leader) is barely able to move. Alarmed, and assuming the spellcaster is an enemy, the leader yells to Gareth, “Look out! Behind you!” Korm chuckles, commenting to Six, “He’s evidently seen the two of them together.” The joke is even more appropriate now than usual. Seeing Nameless’s [i]web[/i] appear, Gareth spins around and shouts angrily at him, “What the hell are you doing?” “Trying to stop them from fighting,” says Nameless calmly, as he walks forward, keeping well in the rear of the group. Despite the attempts to defuse the conflict, it doesn’t seem to be working that well. The fey move around the edges of the [i]fog cloud[/i] and both they and the humans continue to attack, switching to ranged weapons due to the combination of spells hampering movement. The humans have a momentary advantage, as a pair of [i]sound burst[/i]s from them stun all of the fey except for one of the satyrs. This one, evidently presuming the newcomers are enemies too, attempts to affect a number of them with its horn, but fails. Six, having moved up ahead of his companions, quickly spins his spiked chain around its hooved feet and pulls it to the ground. “Stay down,” warns the big warforged, but the satyr shows no sign of comprehension. Language adds to the problems here, since the fey, some of whom are shouting commands or orders, are only speaking in sylvan. While the half-elves would presumably understand the Angels, one is still paralyzed and the other is stunned. Luna, already a bear, gestures to Gurr’khan, who has changed form too, that he should change back and translate. The older druid grunts angrily and then begins to transform. As he is doing so, the sound of distant hoof-beats springs up behind another of the vegetative walls, this one to the north of the conflict. Luna hurries in that direction, followed by Korm. Gareth, meanwhile, after yelling at Nameless a couple of times to dismiss the spell, stalks over to the mage. Absolutely livid, he raises Kizmet and says through gritted teeth, “DROP the spell! You will get them killed due to your prejudices. Drop it or I [i]will[/i] hit you.” Nameless, who has been abortively trying to explain to the combatants that they should stop, looks at the paladin disgustedly, unconcerned by the shining blade six inches from his head. “That [i]web[/i] is currently stopping the fey from filling them full of holes. Now get that sword out of my face. There’s more trouble coming.” The alienist is quickly proved correct. Luna has just raised a large paw to pull aside the vegetation in front of her when the sound of hooves advances at incredible speed. The leaves and branches slide aside right in front of her to reveal a large horse, its color a green so dark as to be almost black. Astride it is what looks like a tall and incredibly beautiful elf, with pearly opalescent eyes and a radiant aura that floats around her head and streams behind her with her waist-length coal-black hair. Her eyes widen in surprise at the sight of a large bear right in front of her and she pulls back on the reins. The horse rises in an incredibly quick and smooth leap, sailing over the head of Luna, who frantically throws herself out of the way. Simultaneously, another section of the wall parts to reveal a similar horse and rider, this one with a male rider, his face strong where the woman’s is beautiful, a similar aura playing around his head. Between the two horses, at a significantly lower level, a third section parts before a large black hound with flaming eyes, a greenish mist streaming from its open mouth as it lopes forward. As it emerges, the hound almost runs into Luna as she dives beneath the leaping horse. The dog growls and snaps at the bear, but its teeth clash against the [i]mage armor[/i] that Nameless had placed on her. Luna rears up and growls fiercely, but restrains herself from attacking. The male rider pulls his horse up on its rear hooves as he sees his partner forced to leap over the bear and reaches out, crying, “Intruders!” A stream of lights shoots from his fingers, washing over a number of the Angels. Eyes go wide as the spellcasters realize what it is. [i]Prismatic spray![/i] Luna, Gareth and Korm stagger as each is hit by a beam. Despite what they expected, the rays neither burn nor electrocute them, but simply rock them with powerful, but non-lethal, energy. Gurr’khan is not as lucky. The druid has just changed back into an orc and yelled loudly in sylvan to the fey, momentarily stopping their attack. As he is turning to face the newcomers, a ray slams into his side. He groans at the impact and a gray pallor shoots over his body. A second later, a stone statue stands in his place. “Oh, great!” says Six, remembering the experience in Yarkuun Draal with Korm, “What is it with druids turning to stone?” As he speaks, the warforged warily readies his chain, in case they have to battle the newcomers. Gareth quickly turns away from Nameless, thinking the same thing, but the alienist intervenes. “They’re eladrin,” he says urgently. “The lords of the fey. Ghaeles, I think. They’re not evil – just chaotic. And much stronger than us, as that spell should have shown you.” “Not evil?” grits out Gareth, holding Kizmet at the ready. “They just attacked and turned Gurr’khan to stone!” “But they’re not attacking any more. See!” As Nameless says, the attack is ended. The female rider quickly cries something to her partner and then trots over, speaking urgently in sylvan. He nods and lowers his hand. Nameless steps forward with a hand raised to show peaceful intentions. “Please! We mean you no harm, or anyone else here, for that matter. We are simply traveling through here and got embroiled in trying to stop this battle.” As he speaks, Luna is in the process of changing form to join in the explanations. A second behind her, the black hound does the same, resolving itself into the shape of an attractive half-elven woman. She looks around the scene quickly, puts her hands on her hips and speaks. Her voice is melodious and strong. “Travelers in the Reaches, eh? We usually do not get many in this part of the Towering Wood. Greetings. I am Kaelyn Windsong. These,” she indicates the two silently watching eladrin, “Are Titania and Oberon.” [/QUOTE]
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