Pathfinder 1E IC - Tideruler: The Fall of Laholt

"Soooo... Why are you here?"

Aranel gives the pixie a look, then glances around at the others. Fey mischief? Or something else?

"As I've been saying since I arrived," she sighs. "I'm here to help. I realize that's probably a boring answer, but anything else would be a lie...and I have too great a respect for the Good Folk to lie to you."

She fixes her yellowed eyes on the fairy. "Your answer in kind, please. Why are you here, in this place, stirring up trouble?"

Dealings with the fey were all about quid pro quo...offerings and obligations.

The talk of prophecy was intriguing as well. It would certainly explain some of the omens, some of the dreams hinting at deeper darknesses lurking in the city. Prophecy was, however, a perilous thing to try to make sense of. Visions of the future tended to either extinguish themselves before coming to pass...or coax people into fulfilling them even as they struggled to escape.
 

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EVERYONE
"Some of our craftsmen have taken inspiration from our ancient protectors. The Lillend appeared to them several times, just as the Solar appeared several times to the Lonely King in the capital. Once, the Lillend spoke of this. The craftsmen put their backs into depicting her visions. Songs were sung, and we waited. The plague came. And now we realize the names in the songs are among us." - he falls silent once more. "We hadn't realized at first, but now it is all clear. The Fintir Kothar and the Herald" - he points out towards Moss and Aranel - "bring the Smiling Sage" - he points to Daxio - "and the Frowning Huntress" - he motions towards Zyara, a bit shy. "Rage should be you, Arduniel, and the Seeker, you..." - he points towards the elf and the Tiefling. "And death... I hope one last hero is among us. If not... Maybe death is just our fate." - silence, the only answer such a people could give under such circumstances, is all that is heard around.

"I don't know about the prophecy, but death is something we can bring to demons or those working with or for them. We can sort out later if that took care of the plague." Little dragon looked positively radiant at the thought of ripping some demons apart.
 

Laholt/Alessia
Afternoon
Round 0

“Medlan. Such a beautiful name,” Daxio tells the priestess with a fulsome smile. He snatches a bottle of wine and two goblets from the bar, examines the vintage with approval, and pours them two generous cups.

“Oh, I don’t need to handle the crown to examine it,” he assured the priestess, handing her the goblet. His hand brushes hers gently as she takes it. “But I will respect your wishes. I am not a follower of Gozreh myself. Who is this Mawdir? Your superior? How does he know the High Priestess has offended the gods?”

In the hubbub of the crowd, Daxio is more than happy to sit and and lean in close to the beautiful priestess, their heads intimately together so they could hear each other. When she spoke of the prophecy, he raised his eyebrow.

“Smiling Sage. That is a new one,” he said with a chuckle. “I do not know about prophecy, but please, do not trouble yourself.” He took her hands in his, reassuring her. “You can do whatever is needed...with our help.”

[sblock=Actions and Rolls]
Move:
Action:
[/sblock]

[sblock=Ministats]
HP: 122/122 NL: 0
AC: 19 FF: 14 T: 15
CMD: 20
Fort: 10 Ref: 10 Will: 13
Armed: Dagger
Arcane Reservoir: 9/15/day
Consume Spells: 5/5/day

Conditions: Detect Magic (116 r), Message (1199 r)

Spells Prepared
0 (9): Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Message, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic
1 (4/4/5): Burning Hands, Charm Person, Disguise Self, Magic Missile, Vanish
2 (4/4/5): Darkvision, Hideous Laughter, Invisibility, Scorching Ray, See Invisibility
3 (4/4/4): Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Suggestion, Fly
4 (4/4/3): Charm Monster, Confusion, Greater Invisibility
5 (4/4/2): Dominate Person, Hold Monster
6 (2/2/1): Mass Suggestion

Spell Book:
0: All
1: Burning Hands, Charm Person, Disguise Self, Enlarge Person, Featherfall, Grease, Liberating Command, Magic Missile, Obscuring Mist, Ray of Enfeeblement, Shield, Silent Image, Vanish
2: Darkvision, Hideous Laughter, Invisibility, Scorching Ray, See Invisibility
3: Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Suggestion, Fly
4: Black Tentacles, Charm Monster, Confusion, Greater Invisibility
5: Dominate Person, Feeblemind, Hold Monster
6: Greater Dispel, Mass Suggestion
[/sblock]
 

ZYARA

Zyara holds quite a fair amount of knowledge about the songs in question. It is said that, after the passing of the maiden, the Lillend decided to bless the alessian Fey, bringing them comfort through her songs. As the hearts of the Fey became darker, though, she began to prophesy. Her songs are a collection of such predictions. This one was considered of particular interest for the fey, since it mentioned the coming of the Plague, a reunion of sorts and a confrontation of great consequence to Laholt and, perhaps, Gaelia itself. The song begins as the Plague settles in; it then proceeds to tell of the gathering, enunciated a moment ago by the priestess; after that, it speaks of a series of strange signs, all of them related to the sacrilege to be committed in alessian soil; it speaks of the shattering of Alessia on account of a tome of secret lore and ends in doubt: should the plague be beaten, a disease ten times worse might plague the land.

Not the happiest of songs... But a true reflection of the Lillend's disappointment with the Fey's rage. Especially the rage dictated by a certain group of young, fiery elves...

Be as it may, the prophecy speaks of a role to be played by each of the announced heroes. The Fintir would carry out the hunt for a dubious prize, with the Herald as a guide: the glory of days gone would surface to redeem the crimes of today. The Sage and the Huntress would sing the lore - only they would know how to read from the tome in the right time, it is said. Rage would be redeemed, Death would be the guide in darkness, and the Seeker- the one with the heaviest duty - would become a seal. As they gathered, the tome would whisper, the skies would darken in smoke and fire and the belly of the world would revolt.

Parts of the song, making less and less sense, mention the death of the plagued by brutal means as Alessia sinks in violence.

KNIGHT

"I was born in death."

Shock and silence befall the Fey as they contemplate the harsh, true words of the knight. In choked words, the Firbolg manages to say, humbled by the circumstances: "Perhaps... Even the most dreadful of pasts might bear some light... This time, at least." - he dares not go further.

After a few moments, the gnome takes the word, smiling sympathetically. "Well... Few here fear death nowadays... Consider this a plus..." - she smiles to the knight, trying to lighten up his own mood, at least a bit.

ALICE

All I'm after is, you know: truth and justice. The boring stuff. Making sure that people live and the wicked face justice."

"Just what we need..." - the voice of a green knight in the beck resounds. "Your word's good enough." - he continues, coming a little closer. "We still have to deal with the Plague, though. And since you're under the priestess service, might as well report to you." - he approaches, bending his head respectfully.

"We discovered that the people afflicted were found asleep a bit before they were taken. Not the usual kind of asleep, but laying in places uncommon to their own habits - always secluded, always after some festivity or gathering. A few were found in the caves, others in the Orchard, others still by the waters in the north, and one - as far as I know - under the hills. Mawdir, Meroveus and Morrigan were a special case - they were found together by the entrance of the caves, after several hours of debate upon this very problem, as far as the gnomes say." - he falls silent, satisfied to have finished the report.

ARANEL

The distractful creature becomes bored out of his mind right after "As I've been saying", focusing on Aranel's appearance instead. With him, four more gather. They study her gestures and words carefully, giggling and whispering all the time, and remaining as far away as humanly possible from Moss - they seem to fear his jaws.

Still, when a prophecy is mentioned, the small creatures explode in a mixture of awe and excitement, twirling around Aranel and blabbering about as many things as the small mouths allow. They seem more and more fascinated by her.

The small creature that pestered her in the first place approaches her face, as the others poke her scales to attest their authenticity. He squeezes his own eyes and, forgetting his own jesting manners in a second, assumes a most stern face. "The Fintir, the Herald... Finally. We lived long enough without a queen." - he then blinks and, forgetting everything he just said, flies up, singing the prophecy with the rest of his offspring in a high-pitched tone.

MOSS

"Well, there's no small amount of demons to be killed..." - one of the elves say. "I say they're down there... With those weird grey gnomes and their dark cousins... Lurking... And the priestess should have taken cara of it once and for all... Those caves - and the ones that live there - are a danger to us! The lords of the city used it, and the priestess has found something in there, I'm sure of it!" - a few of the gnomes seem to take offense.

"The caves are simply a means to reach..." - one of them starts.

"To reach the cities, yes... and the settlements... And what else? The roads down below crawl with beasts! I say this is nonsense. I say we shut the paths once and for all, instead of running around like fools. And if the gnomes are on our side they'll see the benefits of it..."

The gnomes that are present seem to be at a loss. The one from before speaks once more, his eyes going from the elf, to Moss, to the others.

"The roads are a means to an end... It's foolish to just shut them... We can control it! And we can prove it!"

A small debate ensues, neither violent nor uncontrolled, but very swift. After a few exchanged words, distrust remains and a decision can't be reached, even though many are convinced that the caves to the dark below should be shut.

Pellanor is the one to round it up, as he talks to Moss.

"They... Feel that the caves might be a gateway to demonic infestation... Into the city, I mean. And they might as well be right... The roads are open, and some of our rangers scout down there... But who knows..." - he shakes his head in disapproval.

DAXIO

The shy priestess answers the questions with lowered eyes and a blushed face.

"Mawdir is the priest. He is the one that holds the crown and speaks to Gozreh... He is not the only priest around here, as you know by now" - she motions towards the castle. "But he is the one the people trust the most. Alessia is the stage for many gods of lost ages... Gozreh was incorporated under such name because of the human cult that remained here before. The priestess resents the cult of non-Fey gods in here... They... Don't get along, as you can imagine." - she looks to the side, as if to make sure no one hears her observations.

"I... Appreciate the help..." - she speaks on a defensive tone, clearly unaccustomed to expansive gestures, such as Daxio's.

EVERYONE

As the heroes parley, a cold, strong wind crosses the hall. All of a sudden, a shiver runs through everyone present, as if a glacial storm approached. Strangely enough, leaves decay in heartbeat's moment - not all of them, but enough to carpet the area in autumnal colors, as dry leaves are dragged inside. The day, so pleasant an luminous thus far, becomes darker, and under the canopies of the Honeydew everyone is under the impression that the sky is now clouded. The darkness intensifies a bit longer, and the day seems to be delivered to a heavy storm. The pixies fly upwards, attracted by the unusual event. Towards the door, three green knights enter the place, covered in dignity. Suddenly, the lighthearted disposition within the Honeydew vanishes. One of the elfic soldiers say, in a concerned, heavy tone, as he points towards the sky. "The sun..."

Through the canopies, everyone can see a clear sky, no clouds on sight... But the sun is covered by another body, dark and filled with red veins, as if on fire... An eclipse, unforeseen and certainly not caused by the moon, darkens the skies. [MENTION=24380]Neurotic[/MENTION] [MENTION=4936]Shayuri[/MENTION] [MENTION=6801311]KahlessNestor[/MENTION] [MENTION=1231]Kaodi[/MENTION] [MENTION=87106]MetaVoid[/MENTION] [MENTION=6847138]Charlotte of Oz[/MENTION]

[Sorry for the delay... As I mentioned in the OOC thread, chaos unfurled! But we're back! Thanks again, guys!]
 
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"The caves and the orchard seem to be a common point of reference here," Zyara says. "We should investigate--" she is interrupted by the sudden chill. "That bodes ill. I suspect we spend too much time speaking and not enough acting."
 

The Bat nods in thanks to the gnome woman. A sudden and reflexive sense of relief washes over him for just a moment before the rush of cold air hits. His eyes, as sensitive to the light as they are, had noticed the shift in illumination immediately as they relaxed from the semi-permanent squint that accompanied activity during the daytime. But when the green knight pointed towards the sky resisted any impulse to let his gaze follow: looking directly towards a dimmed sun was still a losing proposition for him.

Craning his neck ever so slightly he just says, "Well that is a bit concerning."
 

Laholt/Alessia
Afternoon
Round 0

“So how did Galena end up in the castle?” Daxio wondered.

Then the sky darkened, and a murmur ran through the crowd. Daxio slipped his arm protectively around the priestess. He couldn’t recall an eclipse was supposed to happen. He whispered a few arcane words to detect the presence of magic.

[sblock=Actions and Rolls]
Move:
Action: Cast Detect Magic
[/sblock]

[sblock=Ministats]
HP: 122/122 NL: 0
AC: 19 FF: 14 T: 15
CMD: 20
Fort: 10 Ref: 10 Will: 13
Armed: Dagger
Arcane Reservoir: 9/15/day
Consume Spells: 5/5/day

Conditions: Detect Magic (116 r), Message (1199 r)

Spells Prepared
0 (9): Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Message, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic
1 (4/4/5): Burning Hands, Charm Person, Disguise Self, Magic Missile, Vanish
2 (4/4/5): Darkvision, Hideous Laughter, Invisibility, Scorching Ray, See Invisibility
3 (4/4/4): Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Suggestion, Fly
4 (4/4/3): Charm Monster, Confusion, Greater Invisibility
5 (4/4/2): Dominate Person, Hold Monster
6 (2/2/1): Mass Suggestion

Spell Book:
0: All
1: Burning Hands, Charm Person, Disguise Self, Enlarge Person, Featherfall, Grease, Liberating Command, Magic Missile, Obscuring Mist, Ray of Enfeeblement, Shield, Silent Image, Vanish
2: Darkvision, Hideous Laughter, Invisibility, Scorching Ray, See Invisibility
3: Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Suggestion, Fly
4: Black Tentacles, Charm Monster, Confusion, Greater Invisibility
5: Dominate Person, Feeblemind, Hold Monster
6: Greater Dispel, Mass Suggestion
[/sblock]
 

As soon as the green knight started relaying what he knew, Alice put her glass aside and began writing it all down in a notebook, in what looked like an infernal version of shorthand. She nodded her thanks. "This is the kind of thing I need. We'll look into all of that - "

She was cut off by the eclipse, and frowned, putting her notebook away and resting one hand on her sword's grip. "I don't recall one of these being scheduled..."
 

Arduniel looks up. He would expect to know about such event, but he WAS out of touch for quite some time. Just in case, he calls Bijes and Furia to his hand and goes out to check. After all, there are creatures that could use the darkness however short it is. Worse if this is something planned.

OOC: just to be clear, it is darkness, an eclipse or the equivalent, not just a shadow from something seriously big blotting out the sun?
 

Moss looks up without alarm, at least initially, before he sees the reaction of others.
"Is this something that happens to your light eye regularly? I thought it is only night and day?"

However, seeing the alarm on the faces of others and the reaction of his group, he pulls The Bat after him. "Come! We meet, we stay together and kill some demons."
 

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