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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JollyDoc" data-source="post: 6673486" data-attributes="member: 9546">The House of Withered Blossoms6 Rova, 4715 - 4 Lamashan, 4715Koya's fortune teller's wagon was the only one that could be salvaged. The companions spent much of the following day laying their dead to rest, and retrieving what goods they could carry. Fortunately, the horses that Batsaikhar had given them had run off during the battle, and were easily retrieved. At least they would not be reduced to walking the rest of the way to Minkai. The mood was solemn as they set out once more, no one knowing nor willing to speculate about what lay ahead for them.Ten days passed before they came to Hongal's only other permanent settlement, a town called Muliwan. They didn't stay long, not wanting to draw further attention to themselves. They only paused to sell what trade goods they had remaining, and to purchase supplies for their trek through the Forest of Spirits, which Miyaro informed them lay only a day's ride from the town. The following morning, they finally came within sight of the forest, a vast sub-arctic pine wood separating Minkai from mainland Tian Xia. The trees were massive and densely packed, with virtually no undergrowth, and almost continuously shrouded in snow. The Spirit Road ran along one side of the forest, following the coast, but Miyaro's plan was to take the companions right through the heart of the wood, where her mysterious masters were waiting. When they reached the dark edge of the forest at mid-day, they saw a narrow dirt path that disappeared under its eaves. The boughs of the trees hung heavy with fallen snow, and an almost preternatural silence reigned over the area. Ahead, a small stone pillar engraved with strange symbols had fallen across the path, blocking the way forward. "If I'm reading the words correctly, it's a waymarker," Zula said, "and a warning.""Yes," Miyaro agreed. "Such markers often have guardian kami who watch over them. Are you familiar with the kami?"The Scions looked knowingly at one another, smiling, well acquainted with the spirits that inhabited the unique items they had found at Brinewall. Even Zula had acquired one of the kami, much to her surprise, once Ameiko had officially recognized her as a Scion. Only Gnome-Brr Phive looked blank-faced. "They are good spirits who watch over the natural world," Miyaro explained. "Perhaps if you were to set the waymarker right, and leave a small offering, you may gain the kami's favor."Haroldo easily lifted the marker upright and set it back in its place. Then Phive took a handful of coins from his purse and laid them at its base. Immediately, a sense of satisfaction and well-being settled over the companions. A moment later, a two-foot tall, wizened little man wearing homespun robes stepped out from behind a tree. Miyaro bowed low before him."Shunkichi-san," she said. "These are my friends. They seek passage through the forest so that they may meet my masters and assist in the coming battle against the Five Storms."The diminutive man nodded sagely, and then spoke in Tien."Blessings be upon your road," he said. "Be wary. The wood contains many dangerous spirits and creatures. Not all mean you harm, but some will. Mortals should not tread carelessly beneath the forest's boughs. I will inform my brethren of your coming. Safe journey."With that, he moved to the waymarker, and then actually stepped into it, disappearing from view.  _____________________________________________________It wasn't very long after the companions rode beneath the boughs of the forest trees when they began having a feeling of being watched. There were no signs of anything following them, though strange noises occasionally rang out in the distance. Soon after, the sound of tuneful humming seemed to be coming from somewhere nearby."What is that!?" Mazael bellowed, flailing Suishen around him."It may be a spirit of the forest," Miyaro said quietly. "These woods are rumored to be haunted, and I can assure you that the rumors are true. Some spirits are simply lost souls, who have not found their way to the other side yet. Others, however, are not so benign.""Suishen!" Mazael snapped, holding the quillons of the swords haft up to his eyes, "Give me sight beyond sight!"The sword pulsed, and the war-priest's eyes began to glow as well."There!" he shouted, pointing towards Koya. "A woman is standing right there! Watch out!"A moment later, Koya gasped as a warm chill went through her entire body. She turned, and saw what looked to be a young Tien woman next to her, though the girl's body was completely translucent. "We used ta see things like this down in the Underdark," Gnome-Brr Phive said. "Used ta call'em haints. They ain't partial ta holy power."He gripped the medallion around his neck and channeled the power of Nethys through it. The spirit girl gasped in pain as the light washed over her."Hah! That did it!" Mazael laughed, and then grasped his own holy symbol."No, wait!" Miyaro called out, but it was too late.Mazael channeled and the holy energy completely obliterated the spirit. Miyaro cast her eyes down and looked away."I sensed no ill intent from her," she said softly."Yeah, well," Mazael grumbled, "you'll excuse me if I don't trust spirits that try and possess you without asking."_____________________________________________________A few days later, as the group was following a line of high tors that reared above the forest, Zula cocked her head at the sound of a strange bird's cry on the wind. She listened intently, and when the call was repeated a few minutes later, her jaw clenched."We've got trouble," she warned her companions. "That's no bird I've ever heard."A moment later, an odd whistling sound came from the trees, drawing closer rapidly. Then Haroldo grunted as a fist-sized chunk of rock struck him squarely in the chest, nearly knocking him from his saddle. The whistle came again, this time from behind them, and it was Miyaro that cried out as another rock glanced off the back of her head. From out of the trees stepped four large figures, two in front of the companions and two behind. The easily stood twelve-feet tall, and had chiseled, muscular features with flat, forward-sloping heads, looking almost as if they were carved of stone. Shalelu turned in her saddle and, shooting backwards over her shoulder, put a pair of arrows into the nearest giant, though the shafts seemed to only penetrate its tough skin barely an inch. Sandru leaped from his horse and rushed towards the same giant, juking left and right, trying to stay out of its reach. He wasn't quite fast enough, however, as it grazed him with its massive club when he moved in. He caught himself from falling, and then swung his scimitar in a wide arc, slashing across the brute's belly. Though it felt as if he were slashing a stone wall, the caravan master was relieved to see that the giant could, in fact, bleed, and it began to do so heavily from the gaping wound. A moment later he found that it could burn as well when Koya summoned a column of holy fire down from the clouds to engulf it.At the front of the group, one of the giants clipped Mazael with another thrown rock. Lucian returned fire, sending a volley of six arrows in rapid succession. As the giant reeled back on its heels, Haroldo charged forward bringing his great-sword down in an overhand chop that nearly cleaved the brute in two. Mazael was right behind his friend, and though the second giant struck him solidly with its club as he closed, the war-priest didn't waver. Suishen sank deep into its chest, and as the katana did so, the flame along its blade suddenly exploded into a fiery burst. "What was that?" Mazael gaped incredulously.'You proved yourself worthy once again in the battle against the Ruby Phoenix's oni,' Suishen replied into his thoughts. 'I felt it time to reveal more of my powers to you.'Mazael grinned broadly.Shalelu put down the burning giant with another well-placed arrow, then fired four more into its brother. Miyaro shot him twice more, and then, from out of nowhere, a cage made of glowing bars of light sprang up around the giant. "That should hold him for a moment," Spivey smiled, "and if it doesn't, then he's in for a nasty surprise."As if to prove her point, the giant looked warily at the light prison, and then simply stepped through it. When he did so, however, the bars flared, burning him, and he clawed at his eyes as the surge temporarily blinded him. Shalelu knew how to capitalize on an advantage, and she aimed carefully before sending two final shots into the giant, putting him out of his misery.The last of the giants went down swinging, clubbing Mazael again before Lucian made a pincushion of arrows out of him. The companions were able to follow the tracks of the creatures back to the top of one of the tors, where they found a crudely built house made of wood and stone. Inside they discovered a large quantity of salted and cured meat, as well as a beautifully woven tapestry, a pair of white tiger pelts, two bolts of fine silk, and three barrels of excellent sake. It seemed the giants had been nothing more than raiders, preying on the unwary, but this day they had chosen their prey poorly.____________________________________________________Over the next week of travel, the companions were besieged by several more restless spirits of the forest. None of them caused any real harm, but their manifestations, an angry samurai warrior cracking a whip; a pyromaniac wizard; and a homicidal woodsman, were nonetheless unnerving. Each time, the priests managed to drive them away with holy power. One encounter, however, proved to all too real.They were at least two weeks into the forest when suddenly, some one-hundred yards in the distance, a massive white tiger emerged from the trees. It roared at them, shaking the leaves above them, and then began loping madly in their direction. "Wait!" Shalelu called to her friends as they raised bows or lifted hands for spells. "Something is not right here. Its cries...they are almost like...words!"The tiger abruptly halted its charge perhaps a dozen feet away, then began sniffing at the air."Calm," Shalelu whispered to the others.She began moving slowly forward, her hands empty and outstretched. The tiger eyed her warily, its teeth bared. Gradually, however, it began to relax. Finally, when the ranger was mere inches away, it bowed its head. Shalelu reached out to stroke its thick neck, and a low rumble sounded deep in its chest...a purr. After several minutes, it raised its head again, turned, and disappeared into the forest once more. "White tigers are sacred to the kami of the forest," Miyaro said softly as it departed. "It is good that you did not act in haste. Not all is as it appears in this land."_____________________________________________________________After almost a month of travel through the forest, the trees parted to reveal a twilit clearing, the thick leaves blocking most of the sunlight from the sky above. A giant, wooden torii gate, unpainted and unvarnished, stood before the entrance to the clearing. As the companions approached the gate, an armored figure appeared beneath it, floating just a few inches above the ground."That is Noburo," Miyaro whispered. "He is a zuishin kami...a guardian of gates and doorways. He is not an enemy, but you must be respectful and ask his permission to pass through.""Who are you and why have you come to this sacred place?" Noburo called in Tien."We are enemies of the Five Storms," Zula stepped forward, "and we have come seeking aid in our struggle against a common foe.""Be welcome then," Noburo nodded, and moved aside for them to pass. "Now what?" Mazael asked as they stood in the middle of the empty clearing."Now," Miyaro replied, "we wait."The day passed quietly, but as darkness began to deepen, the companions became aware that something was gathering in the gloom...a family...an army...perhaps both. They could make out strange, vague shapes in the shadows, and a palpable sense of fear and curiosity permeated the forest twilight. Gradually, a few of the figures began to approach closer...a rabbit with unnatural intelligence in its eyes, a round stone rolling under its own power."Remain very still," Miyaro cautioned. "The spirits are easily frightened and may flee at any sudden movements."More animals entered the clearing, but there were also walking shrubs, and even a small, isolated snow storm. At one point, Zula caught a glimpse of Shunkichi, the little waymarker warden they'd met at the edge of the forest. Then, something truly amazing happened. The kami-infused items each of the Scions had found at Brinewall began to glow and hum with life. A moment later, the spirits physically separated themselves from the objects and stood beside their wards. Then Miyaro rose to her feet and walked to the center of the clearing. As she moved, her body began to ripple and change, until where a young Tien woman once stood, there was now a vixen-headed female with shimmering red fur, and a luxurious brush tail. All around the companions, the kami began whispering strange words."The spirits welcome you," Miyaro spoke, translating. "Long ago, they swore an oath to guard the oni of the Five Storms, who were imprisoned in a pagoda called the House of Withered Blossoms. For centuries, the kami kept the Five Storms contained, but one night, 160 years ago, most of the oni somehow escaped their prison. The kami do not know how, but they do know that at least one oni still remains in the House of Withered Blossoms, for their oath forbids them from stepping over the threshold while even one oni remains inside, and the way is still barred to them. The kami would ask for you to enter the pagoda to learn what happened to the Five Storms and, if necessary, to defeat the last oni within. They know that you seek to depose the Jade Regent, and that he is allied with the Five Storms. An exploration of the onis' former prison might give you information and weapons that you can use against our enemies. Will you agree?"The companions looked to one another, and finally, to Ameiko, who nodded once."We do," Zula said.An audible sigh passed through the gathered kami. At length, a single kami approached, a tiny ancient warrior with a tree branch growing from the top of his head. He bowed before the heroes."I am Akumi," he introduced himself, speaking Tien. "I humbly ask you for one more favor. My ward, a bonsai tree, was recently stollen by hogboblins, who took it inside the House of Withered Blossoms. Bound by my oath, I was unable to follow, but I can feel that it is still alive somewhere within or beneath the pagoda. I have tended my ward for centuries, and should it die, I shall as well. While you are within the House, will you look for it for me?""Of course," Zula smiled._________________________________________________________The following day it was decided that Ameiko should remain behind, under the watchful eyes of the kamis, for her own safety. Koya, Sandru, Shalelu and Spivey would stay with her. Miyaro volunteered to guide the others to the House of Withered Blossoms, promising that they should make it by nightfall. She proved to be as good as her word, and at dusk, they had reached their destination. The animal calls softened to a whisper as the forest parted to reveal a vast bowl, the ground sinking from the forest tangle into descending rows of frozen terraces. At the center of the depression stood a towering porcelain pagoda, its walls and eaves smothered in thick, clinging vines and draped with heavy webs, soaring to a golden rooftop. Stylized representations of forgotten creatures and beasts danced upon the pagoda's walls, and a band of huge thorny spines jutted from its midsection. A decaying garden surrounded the pagoda, a frozen echo of past magnificence. Broken statues littered the garden, and icy clouds of violet blossoms drifted through the ruin. The overpowering scent of death and decay hung in the air."Boris see only one way in," the goblin said, his eyes sharper than most. "No windows...just one door.""Might be sump'n up on the roof," Gnome-Brr Phive offered. "I'kin go up and take a look if ya'll want.""How you get up on roof?" Boris asked skeptically. "Boris never see you fly.""Picked me up this here beauty back in the city," the gnome grinned, pulling a perfectly ordinary looking broom stick from his pack. "So?" Boris asked. "Big-nose dwarf going to sweep his way up to roof?""Watch'n learn, boy!" Phive laughed.He dropped the broom to the ground, then shouted "Up!" holding out one hand. Instantly, the broom leaped into his grip, and he straddled it. Amazingly, it supported his weight, and lifted him easily into the air. Within seconds, he had flown all the way to the top of the pagoda, some two-hundred feet above. The companions saw him fly around for a few moments, then quickly return."Whelp, there's a hole up there," he said as he dismounted his broom, "but it's fulla cobwebs. Cain't see nothin' down there. Front door might be safer."Cautiously, the group descended into the bowl until they reached the front of the pagoda. There, a huge bronze door was marked with stylized pictures of dueling dragons. Hundreds of open-mouthed dragon faces surrounded the doorframe, all leering out hungrily. Phive stepped up to the door, and placed his gloved hands against it, concentrating. After a moment he stepped away."Jest a hall. Full'a cobwebs too.""Door trapped," Boris observed. "Not sure how, but Boris thinking something come out of dragon mouths. Boris also not sure how to undo. Very tricky."Haroldo came up with a simple, if inelegant solution. He stepped to the wall beside the door, and proceeded to smash through it with his great-sword. "Not the way I would have chosen," Zula shook her head, "but effective nonetheless.""I will not go in," Miyaro announced. "Not into that accursed place. I shall await your return here."Inside, a corridor ran along the perimeter of the pagoda, choked with spiderwebs, just as Phive had described. This proved to be no impediment, however, as Mazael took the lead and proceeded to burn the webs in front of them using Suishen's flaming blade. The sword muttered at such a mundane task. After circling perhaps three-quarters of the way around the pagoda, they finally came to an interior archway. The core of the building on this floor had been gutted. The few remaining walls in the area were crumbling, and only the presence of four huge stone pillars, carved with pictures of battling dragons, seemed to keep the building up. Thick webs filled the four corners of the room. The central section of the pagoda had suffered the most, with a great rip in the floor creating a steep-walled pit that sloped down to a dark shaft choked with webs. Suddenly, as the companions took in the strange scene, the forlorn sound of horns being winded came from the ceiling above. Haroldo and Mazael, who were in the fore of the group, looked up but saw nothing but more webs. Then, bursts of light began to appear in the webbing, and they were streaking towards the two warriors. Bolts of energy began to pepper them, and a net made of thick webbing dropped squarely on top of Haroldo, entangling him in its fibers. A half-dozen creatures appeared, clinging to the nest of webs above. They looked like bloated spiders with hunchbacked bodies and a gleam of intelligence in their multiple eyes.Lucian was the first to react, knocking and firing his bow at one of the creatures. Zula was not far behind, sending a blast of her thundercall into another, causing it to lose its grip on the webs and fall twenty feet to the ground below, where it lay stunned and twitching. Haroldo, still trapped in the web net, managed to retrieve a flask from his belt and quaff it. Instantly, he grew to twice his size, shredding the webbing, and looking the spider-creatures directly in their multiple eyes. The arachnids continue to send barrages of magic missiles into the defenders, bleeding them by increments. The heroes dealt far worse. The Peacock Crown atop Lucian's head suddenly flared, informing him that the spider-things were some form of shape-shifter, though not oni. Still, the power of the Crown infused his bow, making his arrows even more deadly. The spiders shrieked awfully when the arrows pierced their flesh, burning their blood. Mazael used Suishen's power to take to the air and close with the fiends. Together, he and Haroldo were devastating, slay one creature after another, until only one remained, and then it too fell to Lucian's bow.</blockquote>

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