[Adventure] A Call for Lovers (DM: jbear Judge:Lord Sessadore)

[Nemesis Destiny]

Sabynha, still prone on the raft, is saddened by the pixie's predicament, and his plight. "We have no wish to hurt you, little one, but why did you attack us?"

She sat halfway upright, propping herself up on an elbow as she spoke. The vistani resumed her humming, though this time, more gentle and soothing.

 

[jbear]

The pixie blushes and drops his head into his hands. "I am sorry for that" he squeaks with a trembling voice. "I was under the control of Kalbon, the Horned King. My actions were not my own. Meeting you was a coincidence I believe. Kalbon had sent me to find Porpherio. The wards of the island protect against evil. Kalbon and Soryth have yet to find a way past the wards. But the wards do not prevent one who is not evil, but not in control of themselves, from entering ... Please forgive me if I caused you nay harm ..."

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

Sabynha looked around at her companions, then back to the pixie before replying, "We appear to be in one piece, so no real harm done."

She turned back to regard the little fellow, and winced from the bruising on her back, remembering the walloping she received from one of the waterspouts, "Nothing permanent, anyway."

She did her best to smile through it. "This Kalbon... that is a devious plan, and he seems to hold great power, even here."

Sabynha straightened and looked the little one straight in the eyes, staring into him with her deep Hazel eyes, "Are you now free of his fell influence?"

[sblock=Insight check]1d20+11=27[/sblock]

 

[Son of Meepo]

"How did Kalbon manage to control you? It might be important to understand as we are going to see Propherio and we could be at risk of him doing the same to one of us."

 

[jbear]

The pixie pauses as though thinking and then nods his head to answer Sabynha. She senses the wee creature believes this to be true.

To Wat's question he responds only with a glass eyed blank look. Then he suddenly rubs the scorch mark between hi eyes with a wince as if the pain that broke the spell that held him could somehow pierce the fog that surrounds his memory with regards to how Kalbon had taken control of his mind. "The details are blurred. Distant, like a mortal lost in the mists. I only remember his voice and the urge that it caused in me to obey him without question." He shakes his head and replies sadly "I am sorry I have proven so meddlesome, and now so useless. Please forgive Ariel his trespasses and his part in this devil's cruel game."

He gingerly get to his feet and shakes out his crumpled wings. "Thank you for your mercy. I have little to give you of worth." He takes a tiny pebble of amber from his pocket and drops it into Shandra's hand. "But what I have I give freely." As soon as he lets go of it, the amber swells into a decent sized stone and a trapped flying insect can be seen inside the golden mass. "I will tell my kind of your mercy this day. May that if I can not aid you today, that on another day the good will of the Winged Folk will repay your mercy in kind."

As the pixie flits away, back toward the shore, the raft finally bumps into the beach of the island.

The isle is smaller than it seemed from thefar shore, probably little more than 200 paces from end to end. Aside from the palace and its features, the island has a thick stand of deciduous trees, where roses grow in the shade, and a small dock, where a raft floats in the water.


The palace resembles a great tunnel of unblemished white marble with a rounded ceiling accented with gilded metal fittings. Gigantic glazed windows occupy immense arches at the front and back of the structure, and the long sides of the palace are columned arcades open to the air.


Water falls from the domed roof, down a channel in the sides, past the windows, and into another channel that encircles the palace. This channel merges again on either side of the palace to flow into the lake. Stepping stones cross the channel, and a curved stairway leads over the channel and up to a veranda on a higher level.

 

[Neil1889]

Rain watches the pixie named Ariel leave and sighs, "I sincerely hope that is the last time I find myself at odds with those wee folk."

She turns to regard the Water Palace, "Whilst I am curious to examine the upper level and seek out the water scource, I think that we should scout out the lower columned arcades first. No sense in getting trapped up above by what may be lurking below."

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

"I only hope he is safe; it would be tragic if these hardships were for naught." Sabynha had no reason to believe that an enemy had made it to this place before this. They had both Rosalind and Oakstaff's word that the lad was safe here, and yet she was suspicious. It seemed as though there were agents of evil lurking around every corner, even in this fantastical place of fey magic.

This realm was nothing like the songs and stories she'd heard. She began to question even who she was, as there was a part of her that can trace its line to this place.

 

[jbear]

A few details come to light with even the most cursory glance at the surroundings.

Footprints of a booted humanoid lead from the grass up the stairs, although the dirt that indicates them on the bottom stairs diminishes as the tracks ascend.

Unusual tracks lead ashore near the trees. They are Oakstaff's tracks which come out of the water, move onto the island, then turn around. Where the tracks turn around, is where you find the footprints of a booted humanoid leading to the stairway.

 

[Son of Meepo]

Wat stood gazing at the cascade of water for a moment. The waterfall reminded him of how the whole trouble began. It was the threshold he had crossed into Arcadia, a place he found less than likable.

Wat stood at the edge of the steps and shouted into the palace...

"BASAL! Ragnar has sent us to call you off! We have a token of your cousin's favor if you doubt us! There is no need for any blood to be shed here! If you are here, meet us at the front of the palace!"

Wat then turns to the others.

"I doubt Basal will just walk out into the open. Keep your eyes open for him lurking about."

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

"Oh. I had forgotten about him..." The vistani cursed under her breath.

"I pray we are not too late."

[sblock=keeing eyes open]Perception 1d20+6=23[/sblock]