Legacy of the Silver Dragon - Day 2 (Interlude)

[Binder Fred]

The young elf blinks in utter surprise at the sudden thought: could it be? And yet, in what world could so unrelated a series of misfortunes only appear to connect so closely...?

Antares swallows, mouth suddenly gone much drier: "Ah... I am... relieved that you are the ones the good captain informed of this, men of the council, my lady Glasia." Another wetting of delicate lips. "For it comes to me that the two might in truth share more than any here will be comfortable with? For, it comes to me, if the silvered water did - what it did - to a human woman, as you have heard, it might also have done - almost exactly the same to missing goblins? And- And if the White Things down there ARE them that disappeared from goblin village, than who better to sharpen those disappearances into suddenly needed weapon - who more comfortable with that very goblin tribe and the knowledge needed - than the very man who brought that state into being in the first place?"

Parts of him, he now admitted, had been horribly glad of the distraction from too recent pains - from loss and threatening guilt, even as he bravely pushed forward what plans he could in small compensation this morn. Yet it seems the five-fold star twirled over their lives larger than ever he had imagined, singular presence malevolently, deliberately funneling the misfortunes of the last few days their way...

OOC: Better late than never, as they say Gambler. And what a twist on that update too! Me like.

 

[gambler1650]

Glasia looks at the elf as he speaks and lightly taps her hip in thought. "This is something worrying, I agree. It may just be coincidence, but it bears looking into." Rikolai appears somewhat chastened by the response he'd gotten from Glasia previously, but Mikon is unaffected and grins broadly. "I think brother Muzdim, that your elf friend may be almost as smart as a dwarf. I think further exploration into the... it was a well, was it not? ... would be a useful thing. Of course, we can only suggest."

Stellan stirs for a moment, "I agree with the councilmembers. Of course, I didn't acquit myself particularly well there, and I wouldn't mind making amends. But perhaps there's something we could learn closer to the goblin village? If we could find it. And if we did go into the tunnels... is there any way we could help protect ourselves further against that liquid if we should come into contact with it. To turn into something... not me.. that would be worse than death I think." He looks slightly abashed, "But I'll go along with whatever you guys.. and you, Priestess Beatrix, prefer."

 

[Binder Fred]

Mikon is unaffected and grins broadly. "I think brother Muzdim, that your elf friend may be almost as smart as a dwarf."

(The young elf looks up, shocked at such an utterly undeserved slight- and then blushes, embarrassed, as he realizes how it's meant, and by whom.)

"I think further exploration into the... it was a well, was it not? ... would be a useful thing. Of course, we can only suggest."

They are taking this entirely too calmly, in Antares' considered opinion.

Stellan stirs for a moment, "I agree with the councilmembers. Of course, I didn't acquit myself particularly well there, and I wouldn't mind making amends. But perhaps there's something we could learn closer to the goblin village? If we could find it. And if we did go into the tunnels... is there any way we could help protect ourselves further against that liquid if we should come into contact with it. To turn into something... not me.. that would be worse than death I think." He looks slightly abashed, "But I'll go along with whatever you guys.. and you, Priestess Beatrix, prefer."

Another wetting of the lips. "As to the first, we do have a map, do we not? Pointing the way to village green -- or at the least goblin's gathering spot?" Yes, entirely too calmly. Do they not see the gathering clouds? The sands through their fingers ever slipping, escaping? "As to the second..."

A drop of uncharacteristic anger swirls into Antares' developing whirlpool of fear and almost panic as he considers it: Former-Anna had not been enough. He - this man - whoever he is - this dark mage - had done the same to the goblins (which explained why there had been no other disappearances noted here, why she was so much bigger than they: not differing exposure to the liquid, as he had thought, but races different in their entirety! A completely different village!), was, even now, willing to trick his victims - both sides - into clearing the field so he could go on doing so -- unrepentant, darkly laughing at them all the while...

How to put it? "I... ah, entirely agree that the threat of the well deserves deep exploration, honoured councilors -- likely with armed escort, as the good captain might have mentioned...? Yet this mis-apprehension with our small neighbours of hills and forest could be... the cause of some enduring worry? Even now, like spark to waiting tinder one of their member rushes back to a tribe falsely believing our very town the cause of all tragedies, armed with news of death, violence and captures?" A pause, and then the plunge: "Would - Ah, I hesitate to say, but would an envoy from the council not be warranted in such a case? That at least today's incident not see itself repeated over the next few weeks, the next few years?" (That nothing ever be gained from such willful infliction of pain?)

He hesitantly glances to his companions as well, see what they think, how they feel...


And as an aside to his human friend, voice lowered to a whisper: "How did you acquit yourself less than admirably, friend Stellan? I... recall only courage, sound counsel and the greatest of camaraderie?" How can he possibly think he's been less than entirely competent? Especially as compared to Antares' own inadequacies, made plain that day?

 

[Voda Vosa]

"He is indeed, if ye keep him focused." replied Muzdim with a short lived smile. "On the matter of the well and the goblin village, I have certain doubts. Remember the white little creatures that attacked us in there? Given the transforming properties of the liquid, couldn't they be goblins turned into these nasty things? As happened with that unfortunate woman I mean, it could happen that the goblins were digging and accidentally dig into the cave system and had the miss-luck of finding this liquid. If that might be the case, perhaps both problems are linked."

 

[Goldhammer]

"A Transforming Liquid? Forgive if I have skipped a page, but from what I am gathering, if Liquid turns beings into...monsters, then perhaps Dark Mage is creating army. Have humans and goblins fight, then take over while they are weak!" The Fat Priestess explains, trying to put all the pieces together. "Whatever the case, Dark Mage is sounding more and more like villain who needs to be put down. Must find him at once before he causes more damage."

 

[Binder Fred]

The tall elf blinks down at Muzdin, puzzled: is that not (mostly) what he said just moments ago? With one notable exception: "The green ones would have had to have been 'accidentally' digging under our very homes, master Stonehand," he delicately points out, the burnt house being close, if not at the heart of the village itself. Surely- Surely those horrible tunnels do not extend so far as the goblin's stomping grounds, wherever they might be? Surely? "Does it not then seem likelier that the connection is more sinister in nature? That he who carved those runes down below - he that made the liquid that transformed goblins into clawing White Things - also be the dark mage that kidnapped said goblins from their village? And brought them down below?"

They do seem to agree on the general points though - connections between this and that, to be further defined - which, if past arguments are an indication, is a fairly good sign for the future?

What he truly, desperately wanted to know though is-

"A Transforming Liquid? Forgive if I have skipped a page, but from what I am gathering, if Liquid turns beings into...monsters, then perhaps Dark Mage is creating army. Have humans and goblins fight, then take over while they are weak!" The Fat Priestess explains, trying to put all the pieces together. "Whatever the case, Dark Mage is sounding more and more like villain who needs to be put down. Must find him at once before he causes more damage."

"I... believe that is what all here most dearly desire," agrees Antares with a heartfelt nod (if with a slightly embarrassed, self-conscious look the councilors' way: he- he can't help feeling he should not be talking so much, or so plainly, in front of so illustrious an audience...) And yet he also can't help finding his lips, and heart, rising just that little bit with the sister's straightforward pragmatism, her iron conviction (that, in this case, closely overlie his own).

Emboldened, he risks a: "What- What are your thoughts on the best way to achieve this, lady of shields and crenulations?" including the others in that most important of questions with the automatic politeness of lambent elven eyes.

 

[Goldhammer]

"If the Dark Mage wishes to use this 'liquid' to his advantage, then he must have a base somewhere to create or harvest it." Beatrix states. She scratches the side of her head thinking. "You encountered this Liquid before, yes? If we return to place where it was discovered, we may find clue of where Dark Mage is."

The fat priestess wonders for a moment if maybe this group of adventurers would rather not return. It was something about the look in group's eyes that told her something terrible happened there. None the less, they couldn't just sit around around while this villain was at large.

"Failing that, perhaps we should go to the goblin's village." Beatrix suggests. "If the Dark Mage was there once, then surely he'll return to ask about the fate of the captain."

 

[Binder Fred]

"You encountered this Liquid before, yes? If we return to place where it was discovered, we may find clue of where Dark Mage is."

"That would be in tunnels below the burnt house," softly agrees the elf with a subtle, indrawn shiver. It belatedly comes to him that perhaps the good sister is owed greater explanations though, now that the matter is in open discourse? "We -ah- found traces of aught but the creatures themselves last we ventured there, granted, gathered as they were around runic altar dark from whence the silvery liquid dripped forth?" He remembered the rune's fell effects on Stellan yesterday; their subtler yet more sinister distortions on his own actions discovered but this morn: "It... seems these runes are most potent indeed? That they twist at minds as well as bodies? Make their victims desire the conversion of others without apparent need for outside direction...? Still, we did put suggested well exploration before captain Gregof yester, that he might carry it before the council," he does conclude, if somewhat sheepishly it seems.

"Failing that, perhaps we should go to the goblin's village." Beatrix suggests. "If the Dark Mage was there once, then surely he'll return to ask about the fate of the captain."

"Too we have, but this morn, modestly begun investigating the nature of liquid and runes themselves through means both magical and mundane?" quickly adds Antares for one and all, this being avenues where he is much more in comfort, quite obviously. "And- And this poison too, used against the good captain, could be added to the list, should its origins prove revealing...? And let us not forget the other goblins we presently have safely captive," he finishes, a bit desperately, "as they too might know more of this man?"

OOC: Don't let Antares' love of academia discourage you, by the way. I by no means think his preferred course is the best (and certainly not the quickest) way to do things. How's the text colour by the way? Better?

 

[gambler1650]

Glasia smiles at Antares' suggestions of envoys and armed escorts. "You make good points, but there are a couple of notes I offer in return. The armed escorts would of course have to come from the guard, and I think my esteemed colleagues." Here she looks to the other two, "would agree that with the recent goblin attack, townsfolk will prefer to have the guards... more visible. And also, we are trying to minimize the effect on the townspeople regarding a possible threat under our very feet. Sending armed escorts down the well, if seen, would have a rather negative effect I think. Panic might ensue." The two other councilmembers nod.. Rikolai seeming to want to take offense in some way, but not finding an obvious point of disagreement is forced to agree. "I think it best that a small team already familiar with the tunnels be the ones to go down. However, if you would prefer to delay that expedition - we can always board up the well more thoroughly for the time being."

"Regarding the envoy... Likely a scouting party, such as yourselves, would be needed. Most of those who would negotiate, aren't necessarily woodsmen or combatants if things should go wrong."

When Stellan is asked how he acquitted himself, he just shrugs slightly. "I feel I need to make amends. That's all."

OOC: I'm out next week on a business trip, but should have time to check in. If you guys can come up with a plan of action by next week I can begin the next 'scene', and will try to dole out some XP within 2 weeks

 

[Voda Vosa]

"I thought you'll say that, but I also expected you to say how many gold China you were going to offer us for such highly dangerous quest, alas you'vent talk about it. I urge you to make an offer that seems interesting" the dwarf interjects