CanadienneBacon
Explorer
Dent shook his head no at Thaliss as the group neared the guild hall. "My sense is Romon meant Unrayle is connected to the monastery, not Riverguard."
D&D 5E [IC] Creamsteak's Princes of Elemental Evil
- Thread starter Creamsteak
- Start date
Forged Fury
First Post
Damien shrugged, "Well, it doesn't seem like they're working together or anything, so maybe they all have 'prophets' of one form or another... Who knows, maybe we've stumbled on a bunch of apocalyptic elemental cults?"
REALLY!?! Do you believe every rumor you hear in a tavern? Seriously, where did I go wrong in choosing you...
Frowning, Damien adopted a quick disguise before entering the guild hall and headed toward the office he had headed to the last time he was in Red Larch.
REALLY!?! Do you believe every rumor you hear in a tavern? Seriously, where did I go wrong in choosing you...
Frowning, Damien adopted a quick disguise before entering the guild hall and headed toward the office he had headed to the last time he was in Red Larch.
Carradoc barely notices Dent's correction of forms of address. If anything, he takes it as false modesty. He had thought they were leaving, but the sudden flurry of activity, toying up loose ends, makes sense. He decides to follow Thaliss to the guildhall.
He is not certain if these are the people who want to take the motes or not, and whether it makes sense to keep them until they are all together. He thinks these things, but isn't certain if Thaliss will hear him or not.
Carradoc just wants to get going. If given a choice, he will choose the path that is most likely to give him the opportunity for notoriety. That's likely to be Scarlet Moon Hall.
He is not certain if these are the people who want to take the motes or not, and whether it makes sense to keep them until they are all together. He thinks these things, but isn't certain if Thaliss will hear him or not.
Carradoc just wants to get going. If given a choice, he will choose the path that is most likely to give him the opportunity for notoriety. That's likely to be Scarlet Moon Hall.
Red Larch held little of interest to Aridha. Indeed, the entire area. Whatever cults were operating here were someone else's problem, once the contract was fulfilled. And really...maybe even beforehand. Lately she'd been feeling the little itch under her skin...been smelling things too richly and too sharply. She had elixir enough for this moon, but would need more soon. This little venture was costing her precious time.
No, Aridha decided as she passed by the pool of water in the town square. As much as she hated leaving before everything was resolved, there were more pressing matters. She could give the motes to the others, and...
A sound caught her ear, bringing her to a halt. The trill of a panflute playing a quick pattern of notes that somehow evoked butterflies flitting around flowers in front of a waterfall. At least it did for her...that was where she'd first heard that particular tune.
Slowly Aridha turned to look again at the rough cobblestone-walled pool, and saw what she hadn't before. A figure sat there, cloaked and hunched over its flute, playing with quick, elegant fingers. Red hair escaped the cloak hood around the base.
Her heart somehow managed to sink and quicken at the same time. Was it possible they'd responded to her Animal Messenger so quickly? No...no...the sparrow might have gotten to the local circle grove by now, but no farther. What was she doing here?
Aridha stalked over, eyes narrowed and teeth gritted.
"Following me?" she asked acidly.
The panflute lowered.
A woman's voice emerged from the hood, smooth and amused and slightly musical in its intonation. "You overestimate your importance. I've been traveling here for over a week. This 'Scarlet moon' circle has attracted attention."
She stood up and pushed her hood back, revealing a fair, freckled face with a mane of brilliant orange-red hair and dazzling iridescent eyes. Her ears were long and pointed like Aridha's own.
Aridha fought back an urge to growl. Something about Maighan's expression looking at her made her want to punch the other elf...or claw her pretty face off. Not quite contempt...a vaguely pitying distaste. Few people knew of Aridha's plight, and Maighan was one of them.
"I did catch your message at the grove as I came in," she commented, ignoring the daggers in Aridha's eyes. "It was very concerning, in light of other reports we've been getting. Have you learned anything since sending it?"
"No," replied Aridha shortly. "And I don't plan to. I need to move on."
Maighan studied the other druid carefully, listening far more intently to what she wasn't saying than to what she was. "I see." She shrugged it off. "Well, we are free to choose the place and manner we serve in. If this is not your place and time...then of course you must choose another."
Aridha looked away. She couldn't help it. "Of course."
"I'm sure you'll find some werewolves to gut somewhere."
Her eyes snapped back to Maighan sharply, but the other druid had already turned her back to gaze into the pond.
"That," Aridha said, "is how I choose to serve. And you know better than most why."
"Your message mentioned others you were working with," Maighan said musingly. "Where would I find them?"
Some of the tension drained with the shifting of topics, and Aridha sighed and gestured. "I'd check the adventurer's guild each day. They're a hard bunch to miss."
"I can tell." There was a pause, and Maighan added, "Are there any other details you want to tell me? Things you left out of your message?"
Aridha shook her head. She didn't want to explain how long she'd worked on that message...trying to pick words and write small enough for a sparrow to carry for hours. It wasn't something she was good at, and she was a good enough judge of character to guess Maighan was far, far better.
"No. I covered everything I can think of. Ask the others if they remember any more. I'll leave you to it then."
She turned and started walking away when Maighan raised her voice, and it cut through the space between them...both literal and metaphoric.
"You're forgetting something." Aridha looked behind her, and Maighan had turned from the pool to fix her with those sun-sparkling eyes. "Your report mentioned objects you called 'motes.' I'll be taking them."
Aridha's eyes narrowed. "Will you now? Are you planning to fight me for them?" It wasn't a rational answer. Ari knew those things were important for those looking into these cults...and had planned to give them to the others...but something about how Maighan simply stated she'd be taking them. As if Aridha had no say in the matter.
"If I must," Maighan replied, as maddeningly unflappable as ever. "But since I doubt you want these 'cults' trying to track them down while you carry them...I rather think I won't."
Aridha stewed a moment longer, then emptied the motes into her palm, went to Maighan, and dropped them into her hand. "Take them. I'm done."
Maighan nodded, and the motes vanished under her cloak. "Yes you are. Well done, sister. I'll make a mention of your contributions in my report."
"You know what you can do with your report," Aridha snarled. "I'm not one of you. I'm my own."
"None of us are our own," countered Maighan. "We are all part of everything that lives, as they are of us. That is the very first Mystery, yes? But then, you were never particularly interested in the Mysteries, except in how they could help you."
"Ugh, and the will of life manifests itself in me, including all that...I'm not arguing theology with you!"
The other druid shrugged. "It's a pity. It's an interesting discussion, or could be. Much the same could be said of you."
"I'll do us both the favor of not telling you what could be said of you."
Maighan laughed...that musical lilt in her voice intensified when she laughed. "All right. I suppose that's peace of a sort. For what it's worth, I'm being sincere when I say fare well, Aridha. I do wish you well."
Aridha paused, then nodded curtly. "And you," she allowed grumpily. "There's evil in the ground here. A deep, deep wound. It needs someone to heal it. Someone not me." She looked away. "I'm no healer. So fare well to you too."
With that, Aridha turned and settled her pack more comfortably on her shoulders. It felt lighter now that she wasn't carrying the motes. Another shoulder bore that burden now, and she was welcome to it.
One burden was enough for Aridha.
Maighan watched her sister-in-vows leave, until she was no longer visible between the buildings. She'd only spoken with Aridha a few times, and each time was a separate exercise in frustration. Keen eyes that refused to look around, capable mind that obsessed on one thing. It was too soon to call it a 'waste' exactly but...
But she was right. The instincts she follows were given to her by the life that animates her, the forces that shaped her. She will contribute as she must, as we all must. It is not for me to judge her path.
She took a deep breath and fished a rolled up parchment from her pouch. On it was the transcription of the message Aridha had sent for relay to the local druid grove, rewritten in larger script and with the Druidic shorthand translated to elvish characters. It included fairly terse descriptions of the people who'd accompanied her. Maighan suspected the descriptions might not be enough by themselves...but also that these people would be seeking motes. And elves.
Things that she could deliver.
So. The adventurer's guild then.
Maighan put her hood back up and set off into Red Larch, looking for that distinctive sigil hanging over a doorframe.
(OOC - Y'all go ahead and arrive first. I'll have her come in shortly afterwards.
)
No, Aridha decided as she passed by the pool of water in the town square. As much as she hated leaving before everything was resolved, there were more pressing matters. She could give the motes to the others, and...
A sound caught her ear, bringing her to a halt. The trill of a panflute playing a quick pattern of notes that somehow evoked butterflies flitting around flowers in front of a waterfall. At least it did for her...that was where she'd first heard that particular tune.
Slowly Aridha turned to look again at the rough cobblestone-walled pool, and saw what she hadn't before. A figure sat there, cloaked and hunched over its flute, playing with quick, elegant fingers. Red hair escaped the cloak hood around the base.
Her heart somehow managed to sink and quicken at the same time. Was it possible they'd responded to her Animal Messenger so quickly? No...no...the sparrow might have gotten to the local circle grove by now, but no farther. What was she doing here?
Aridha stalked over, eyes narrowed and teeth gritted.
"Following me?" she asked acidly.
The panflute lowered.
A woman's voice emerged from the hood, smooth and amused and slightly musical in its intonation. "You overestimate your importance. I've been traveling here for over a week. This 'Scarlet moon' circle has attracted attention."
She stood up and pushed her hood back, revealing a fair, freckled face with a mane of brilliant orange-red hair and dazzling iridescent eyes. Her ears were long and pointed like Aridha's own.
Aridha fought back an urge to growl. Something about Maighan's expression looking at her made her want to punch the other elf...or claw her pretty face off. Not quite contempt...a vaguely pitying distaste. Few people knew of Aridha's plight, and Maighan was one of them.
"I did catch your message at the grove as I came in," she commented, ignoring the daggers in Aridha's eyes. "It was very concerning, in light of other reports we've been getting. Have you learned anything since sending it?"
"No," replied Aridha shortly. "And I don't plan to. I need to move on."
Maighan studied the other druid carefully, listening far more intently to what she wasn't saying than to what she was. "I see." She shrugged it off. "Well, we are free to choose the place and manner we serve in. If this is not your place and time...then of course you must choose another."
Aridha looked away. She couldn't help it. "Of course."
"I'm sure you'll find some werewolves to gut somewhere."
Her eyes snapped back to Maighan sharply, but the other druid had already turned her back to gaze into the pond.
"That," Aridha said, "is how I choose to serve. And you know better than most why."
"Your message mentioned others you were working with," Maighan said musingly. "Where would I find them?"
Some of the tension drained with the shifting of topics, and Aridha sighed and gestured. "I'd check the adventurer's guild each day. They're a hard bunch to miss."
"I can tell." There was a pause, and Maighan added, "Are there any other details you want to tell me? Things you left out of your message?"
Aridha shook her head. She didn't want to explain how long she'd worked on that message...trying to pick words and write small enough for a sparrow to carry for hours. It wasn't something she was good at, and she was a good enough judge of character to guess Maighan was far, far better.
"No. I covered everything I can think of. Ask the others if they remember any more. I'll leave you to it then."
She turned and started walking away when Maighan raised her voice, and it cut through the space between them...both literal and metaphoric.
"You're forgetting something." Aridha looked behind her, and Maighan had turned from the pool to fix her with those sun-sparkling eyes. "Your report mentioned objects you called 'motes.' I'll be taking them."
Aridha's eyes narrowed. "Will you now? Are you planning to fight me for them?" It wasn't a rational answer. Ari knew those things were important for those looking into these cults...and had planned to give them to the others...but something about how Maighan simply stated she'd be taking them. As if Aridha had no say in the matter.
"If I must," Maighan replied, as maddeningly unflappable as ever. "But since I doubt you want these 'cults' trying to track them down while you carry them...I rather think I won't."
Aridha stewed a moment longer, then emptied the motes into her palm, went to Maighan, and dropped them into her hand. "Take them. I'm done."
Maighan nodded, and the motes vanished under her cloak. "Yes you are. Well done, sister. I'll make a mention of your contributions in my report."
"You know what you can do with your report," Aridha snarled. "I'm not one of you. I'm my own."
"None of us are our own," countered Maighan. "We are all part of everything that lives, as they are of us. That is the very first Mystery, yes? But then, you were never particularly interested in the Mysteries, except in how they could help you."
"Ugh, and the will of life manifests itself in me, including all that...I'm not arguing theology with you!"
The other druid shrugged. "It's a pity. It's an interesting discussion, or could be. Much the same could be said of you."
"I'll do us both the favor of not telling you what could be said of you."
Maighan laughed...that musical lilt in her voice intensified when she laughed. "All right. I suppose that's peace of a sort. For what it's worth, I'm being sincere when I say fare well, Aridha. I do wish you well."
Aridha paused, then nodded curtly. "And you," she allowed grumpily. "There's evil in the ground here. A deep, deep wound. It needs someone to heal it. Someone not me." She looked away. "I'm no healer. So fare well to you too."
With that, Aridha turned and settled her pack more comfortably on her shoulders. It felt lighter now that she wasn't carrying the motes. Another shoulder bore that burden now, and she was welcome to it.
One burden was enough for Aridha.
Maighan watched her sister-in-vows leave, until she was no longer visible between the buildings. She'd only spoken with Aridha a few times, and each time was a separate exercise in frustration. Keen eyes that refused to look around, capable mind that obsessed on one thing. It was too soon to call it a 'waste' exactly but...
But she was right. The instincts she follows were given to her by the life that animates her, the forces that shaped her. She will contribute as she must, as we all must. It is not for me to judge her path.
She took a deep breath and fished a rolled up parchment from her pouch. On it was the transcription of the message Aridha had sent for relay to the local druid grove, rewritten in larger script and with the Druidic shorthand translated to elvish characters. It included fairly terse descriptions of the people who'd accompanied her. Maighan suspected the descriptions might not be enough by themselves...but also that these people would be seeking motes. And elves.
Things that she could deliver.
So. The adventurer's guild then.
Maighan put her hood back up and set off into Red Larch, looking for that distinctive sigil hanging over a doorframe.
(OOC - Y'all go ahead and arrive first. I'll have her come in shortly afterwards.
)
Creamsteak
Explorer
The guild hall is more busy than the last time Damien, Carradoc, and Thaliss were here. There appear to be two groups sitting around tables at opposite corners of the main area, each a motley assortment of silver and gold medallion wearers. At the rear of the building is a desk with an astute high elf woman wearing a pair of strange lenses over her eyes. To your left as you enter are a large collection of the typical work orders and bounties that might be found most times of year. One surly individual with a many-times-broken nose seems to stare at Dent as he enters. The man is in trappers furs, and he seems to have a huge heavy crossbow slung over his back. His slick greasy hair seems to stick up a bit, and his face is wreathed in curly red and brown hair. He sits at a table surrounded by relatively young and inexperienced looking thugs of sorts. There also seems to be a hedge-wizard at the closer side of the building who seems to be keeping up some sort of illusionary board game of some sort with his rabbit familiar while his friends seem to be counting out coppers from a large bag... most likely a thousand coins for completing some kind of task.
CanadienneBacon
Explorer
Dent stared at the surly man with the broken nose. The ex-knight was spoiling for a fight. He wouldn't overtly goad the broken-nosed man, but if a fight came his way, Dent wouldn't say no. The set of his shoulders and the dark bore of his eyes announced the chip on his shoulder to the entire room. Finding no immediate takers, Dent strode through the room to the others' side. He had little to offer the discussion, and so left the talking to Thaliss.
Steve Gorak
Adventurer
Prior to entering the hall, Thaliss' companions overheard him mumble arcane words.
Once inside, Thaliss doesn't acknowledge any of the thugs present in the guild hall, and heads straight to the most senior looking guild representative. He addresses him in a friendly manner, coughing a bit at first from the disuse of his vocal cords: "Greetings! My, this place is rather crowded, any particular reason?" After listening to the reasons, if any, Thaliss continues "My companions and I are here to report the partial rescue of the Mirabarian caravan. We will honor our contract, and will be heading out soon to rescue the rest of them. Is there any new information that has surfaced that we should be made aware of?"
Once inside, Thaliss doesn't acknowledge any of the thugs present in the guild hall, and heads straight to the most senior looking guild representative. He addresses him in a friendly manner, coughing a bit at first from the disuse of his vocal cords: "Greetings! My, this place is rather crowded, any particular reason?" After listening to the reasons, if any, Thaliss continues "My companions and I are here to report the partial rescue of the Mirabarian caravan. We will honor our contract, and will be heading out soon to rescue the rest of them. Is there any new information that has surfaced that we should be made aware of?"
|
Creamsteak
Explorer
The elven woman in the jade dress addresses Thaliss. "A number of groups from Waterdeep seem to have shown up in recent days. Not all of their credentials seem in order. The paperwork and couriers have been a bit overwhelming. I have not been able to process many of them..."
The woman reaches down behind the desk and pulls out a tiny note and slides it across the table towards Thaliss without breaking eye contact.
"The caravan operation... we were notified by some of the families that thier persons have been returned. That job..." She rumages through some documents. "It required a report on the whereabouts and happenings of the caravan... and the recovery of some item... this mote of earth? If you happen to have that, I believe we can complete this contract..." She then squints a bit at the paper and then looks directly at you. "There may be a follow up request."
[sblock=Thaliss_if_he_reads_the_paper]In elven script, in tiny handwriting, Imposters. False documents..[/sblock]
The surly man looking at dent seems to keep up the staring contest. Two of the thugs near the wizard that had been counting money seem to be paying attention to Damien now.
The woman reaches down behind the desk and pulls out a tiny note and slides it across the table towards Thaliss without breaking eye contact.
"The caravan operation... we were notified by some of the families that thier persons have been returned. That job..." She rumages through some documents. "It required a report on the whereabouts and happenings of the caravan... and the recovery of some item... this mote of earth? If you happen to have that, I believe we can complete this contract..." She then squints a bit at the paper and then looks directly at you. "There may be a follow up request."
[sblock=Thaliss_if_he_reads_the_paper]In elven script, in tiny handwriting, Imposters. False documents..[/sblock]
The surly man looking at dent seems to keep up the staring contest. Two of the thugs near the wizard that had been counting money seem to be paying attention to Damien now.
Steve Gorak
Adventurer
Thaliss quickly reads the note, and telepathically relays its contents to his companions. He then sighs and seems to be looking for something in his bag, as a diversion to someone observing him, while telepathically asking the elven woman, with his companion able to hear "Apologies my lady for this unconventional way of communicating, but I am unsure of the meaning your note. Please nod if this is the case, and turn your head to the left if it is not, but did your note imply that the caravanneers we thought we rescued were impostors?" Thaliss waits for the answer and if negative, he will ask "Do you then mean that some of the thugs in this hall are impostors? If so, can you, using your hand on the counter, be so king to point in their general direction" Thaliss then mumbles a few arcane words.
|
Forged Fury
First Post
"I seem to have a few fans," Damien said in a low voice.
Your first henchmen! Archandros crooned in his head.
No, I rather doubt that. I'm wearing a disguise after all, the warlock thought, although he couldn't even remember what disguise he had actually adopted. Leaning over to Carradoc, he whispered, "Carrodoc, exactly what do I look like right now? I can't seem to recall." The warlock simply smiled at the two thugs who were looking his way.
Your first henchmen! Archandros crooned in his head.
No, I rather doubt that. I'm wearing a disguise after all, the warlock thought, although he couldn't even remember what disguise he had actually adopted. Leaning over to Carradoc, he whispered, "Carrodoc, exactly what do I look like right now? I can't seem to recall." The warlock simply smiled at the two thugs who were looking his way.
|
Last edited:
Similar Threads
