stonegod's Expedition to Castle Ravenloft: Ch. I [IC]

DEFCON 1 · Feb 28, 2007

Jarrith glances at the others, then back down to the three cards. Then back at the others. Then back to Madam Eva.

"So this sleeping blade is deep in the woods away from humans, and is guarded by a fey creature. To wake it up, we need to bring the blade to the tomb of a fallen prince inside the deepest part of the castle."

Jarrith takes a few seconds to ponder this, then asks a question. "What exactly do you mean by 'sleeping'? Last I checked, swords don't sleep. Neither do any weapons or other inanimate objects for that matter." He waits upon the hope that the elderly woman will explain her meaning.

stonegod · Feb 28, 2007

DEFCON 1 said:
"What exactly do you mean by 'sleeping'? Last I checked, swords don't sleep. Neither do any weapons or other inanimate objects for that matter." He waits upon the hope that the elderly woman will explain her meaning.

Madam Eva eye's twinkle in the tent's light. She gestures to the lamp by her head, quenching the flame with a twist. "A lamp is but the potential for light, sleeping until the wick is cast. So too seems this blade. The cards speak of powers slumbering, awaiting the right spark. What is this spark? Madam Eva does not know."

Isida Kep'Tukari · Feb 28, 2007

"Power can sleep, remaining quiet and unassuming, until the proper rituals awaken it," Maraat hisses to Jarrith in an oddly sharp tone. He is eager to hear what Madame Eva will say to him, but won't dare interrupt her.

stonegod · Mar 1, 2007

Isida Kep'Tukari said:
"Power can sleep, remaining quiet and unassuming, until the proper rituals awaken it,"

The shadows once again seem to gather around Madam Eva's face, and that feral smile makes another appearance. "Yes, my pet. Sometime things that sleep should not be awaken, though they touch us even slumbering, do they not?" Her sudden cackle is unsettling.

Stormwind · Mar 1, 2007

Ashlyn listens as the telling proceeds, pleasantly surprised by the amount of practical information she is able to garner from Madam Eva's words.

The deep forest ... guarded by the fey ... powers of the blade must be awoken ... in a tomb in the depths of the castle ... hmm ... doesn't tell what the powers of the blade are ...

Ashlyn nods in response, and then simply waits for Madam Eva to continue.

stonegod · Mar 1, 2007

The Telling: Holy Symbol of Ravenkind

Madam Ewa adroitly gathers up the cards, shuffling them once again. She presents them once again to Ashlyn, and once cut, clasps them tight, eyes closes. She concentrates hard a moment, as if struggling with something, then whispers, "This symbol is a powerful force for good and protection against the forces of darkness." Gingerly, she places the first card.

As before, she pulls forth another card to cover the first.

Scales flicker in the lamp light, seeming more purple than blue. The color forces Marot to shiver---it is the color of Khyber, the Dragon Below.

Now looking at the cards, Madam Eva's eyes narrow, and she casts a scrutinizing glance at the party. "Seek it in the place of blasphemy, where humans plumb their darkest nature." She skewers the card's eye with a long nail, as if trying to prevent it from seeing her. "This is a card of debasement and debauchery, my pet. The symbol has been brought low, to the hill where the witches gather."

Madam Eva sneers at the card, then closes her eyes to concentrate on the desk. Unbidden from her mouth, more whispers. "The holiness in this item waits for hands of holiness to touch it once more, but that is not enough to bring its power back to life." Quick as a flash, another card is drawn, crossing the foul dragon with one of metal and light.

The soothsayer opens her eye, but does not seem surprised at the result. "You must bring the symbol home, to he last reaming shred of sacred ground in the defiled castle." Each scale of the silver dragon seems to burn with its own argent fire, and Madam Eva seems loathe to touch it. "A chapel there is on the castle grounds. Perhaps it is not yet desecrated by the night." Looking up, in a hoarse croak, she adds, "Questions from the strangers? More questions or more answers?"

DEFCON 1 · Mar 1, 2007

When Marot hisses at Jarrith about power sleeping, the Stalker opens his mouth to make a quick retort... however Madam Eva continues before Jarrith can get his snide rejoinder out. He actually is rather surprised that Marot of all people would snipe at him like that. Apparently this whole situation has everybody on edge.

When Madam Eva turns over the cards telling of where the Symbol of Ravenkind could be found, Jarrith's eyes narrow as he considers the situation. "So this Symbol is currently hidden at the place of debasement... the hill where the witches are. Huh. So there actually ARE witches in the area after all! I kind of figured once we had arrived and discovered that it was the walking dead that had the village in dire straights, that the letter we received on the road about witches was just a cover up. I guess not." Jarrith pulls off his backpack and pulls out some parchment and a quill and ink, and begins writing all of this down. "Hill where witches gather... symbol of ravenkind... holy hands need to bring it to the chapel on castle grounds and hope the area's still consecrated. Then the power is activated."

For good measure, he also writes down the information they have already acquired about the blade that Ashlyn is looking for as well. When he has finished, he asks his fellows in the tent...

"Anything else we need info on? What's the cause of this undead infestation and where and what we can do to stop it? Location of the Tome of Strahd? Where can we find a really good M.L.T.? A mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich... where the mutton is very lean and sliced oh so..." When he gets thrown a look by the others in the tent, he shuts up.

stonegod · Mar 2, 2007

The Telling: Tome of Strahd

The silence of the tent hovers until the seer gathers the cards again. Once again she shuffles, but this time, it is Marot who is asked to cut the deck. Eyes closes, she calls out, "The tome you seek holds knowledge of the ancient and knowledge of the land." With that, the first card is drawn.

With alacrity, the covering card is placed, again a dragon of emerald scales.

Gazing down at the card, focuses on its sharp claws, as if part of a sign. "The tome is amid the ancient lore of the castle." A strange grin comes over her face as she turns to Marot. "The castle's library is a place of warmth, and despair. But this card signifies something else... you are not the tome's only seekers. Another stranger, this one of darkness, also desires its power."

Her hands clutch the deck again. "Whoever finds the tome and delves into its secrets will discover the source of the land's corruption. If read carefully, the bearer may also discover how to rob the shadow of its strength." When drawn, the crossing card casts a coppery glow over the riot of colors in the tent.

Madam Eva looks at the light pulsing in the copper scales, the glow from several lights coming together and flaring at once. "You must find the three defiled places described in the tome. At each fane, you must unearth the relic it contains. When you have all three relics, you must destroy what you have created."

The large woman hovers over the cards a moment, then waits for any comments or discussion.

Stormwind · Mar 2, 2007

Ashlyn sits quietly out of respect for the fortune telling. As she notices Jarrith writing notes, she pulls out her dairy and adds additional notations about the sunsword and adds a section on the symbol of ravenkind. Otherwise she simply suits quietly and mentally examines the information that Madam Eva reveals.

DEFCON 1 · Mar 2, 2007

Jarrith mumbles as he writes down the newest information. "Tome... castle library... three fanes... relics... destroy--" He stops mid-thought and then looks up at Madam Eva. "Wait a second... hold on... you mean we have to enter the castle to find the tome... leave the castle to find these three defiled fanes and destroy the relics hidden there, thereby removing the shadow over the land... while of course also looking for the blade and the symbol of ravenkind... then return to the castle to awaken the symbol in the chapel and the blade in the castle bowels?" Jarrith looks back at his notes to make sure he wrote and understood these things correctly. He then questions Madam Eva again.

"I don't suppose you happen to know what's up in the castle, do you? Is this shadow over the land over the castle too? I don't relish the idea of entering it before destroying these three fanes if it is." He glances at the others. "Not that it appears as though we have much choice."