Last Stand of the Dorinthians (Chapter 4- The Second Invasion)

[Deuce Traveler]

OOC: Just double-checking, but you are all going to drop your weapons and surrender?

Caramip
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From what you've heard of Faerie Queens, their trials and Court revolve around a system of chaos equal to the chaotic nature of the race. Often penalties can be delivered for perceived insults rather than by a set system of law while clemency may be granted purely for the sake of seeming entertaining and not boorish, although there are strange and binding rules that even the Fey must reluctantly abide by and seem external to their own random system.
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[Fenris]

Dartis puts his arm up in front of Silas.

"No Silas, It was I who set the beast free, it will be I alone who stand for the crime. My friend!" Dartis calls out to the tree, "It was my decision to released the Lord of Mountain and I am fully and soley culpabale. My companions here are not at fault. Please allow them to continue on to their friends and loved ones. I submit myself to your Queen and her justice if you will allow them to continue on their way"

Dartis will toss down his sword and bow on the ground.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

"Enough," the small voice behind the tree shouts. "You will all come with us." So saying, the party eventually drop their weapons (although Conn gives a bit of an attitude) and the group walks forward deeper into the forest as they are led by a group of small, winged and dark blue fey. The creatures are about a foot tall with shimmering wings, moss-colored clothes, large foreheads, and black orb-like eyes. Each is armed with a bow and quiver, and you also now see several greenish large hounds come forth from the bushes where they had previously been hidden.

As the party walks, the woods in front of them seem to almost melt away but the adventurers are pushed ahead into this twisted scenery. As you pass through the strange disturbance, the forest seems to once more right itself although each of you have a temporary sense of queeziness. You had not noticed it before you walked through the disturbance, but now there appears to be a small clearing ahead of you. As you continue to walk you see that the clearing is full of dancing and flying fey, like the blue creatures leading you. On a marble, ivy-covered throne in the center sits a human-sized version of the creatures although she is wingless, sits regally, wears a bored expression, and shows little humor.

As you are presented to her, one of the fey demands, "Kneel, criminals. You are here to pay for your crimes after Queen Illinia hears your case."

 

[GlassEye]

Silas, not being a criminal, doesn't kneel.

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Caramip Ashearth

While the group is handing over their gear, Caramip tries her best to keep her instruments with her. As she feels that they will undoubtedly come in handy later.

As they trudge through fey enchanted forest Caramip discreetly speaks to the rest of the group. Her tones are soft, just above a whisper. “Do not expect to see here a court system like the ones you may have been exposed to back home. The Fey govern just as chaotic as they live in nature if not more so. When you interact with them, it is best to think of them as educated children. And like all children they prize being entertained and resent boredom."

Once in the clearing she makes her to the front of the group. With a polite bow and in remarkable tune she says,
“Greetings oh great Queen,
A tale for thee I care to weave,
To a tune that all will believe,
That in the end will show us to be clean,
If nothing else can be seen,
Than all will at least be happy and green.”

OOC: Poetry as evident above, is not something that would listed as one my ‘strengths’. I apologize in advance.

OOC: Bardic Knowledge on the Queens name. Sorry if I am using this skill way too much.

 

[Fenris]

Dartis heeds well Cara's advice. When presented he bows formally to Queen Illinia but does not kneel, nobles kneel only to their own lords.

"Hail Queen Illinia, I Captain Baron Dartis Kelnian of Dorthinia greet you on behalf of the great and law abiding nation of Dorinthia."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Caramip's tune seems to have a strange effect on many of the strange, blue-skinned fey creatures as they dance in the air around the gnome, laughing as they each try unsuccessfully to ruin the song with short small-fisted jabs and tugs at her hair. At the end of the bard's poetry, they applaud briefly at Caramip's steadiness before returning to their former positions.

Dartis moves up next and greets the queen, but does not kneel nor does anyone else in the party. The lithe fey woman arches an eyebrow slightly then asks in a slightly insulted, yet still bored voice, "So men of Dorin, why do you refuse the courtesy of kneeling in my presence?"

Silas answers, "He demanded that the criminals kneel. We are not criminals."

The queen moves a hand to her lips, perhaps to hide a smirk or frown. A light seems to shine in her eyes for a moment before she asks, "You have freed the Lord of the Mountain, also called Land's Death for that is why he was imprisoned by us so long ago. The Avariel came to us, as they felt both the Locusi and this beast destroy so much nature that we depended upon for both survival and inspiration. Though we usually shunned the Avariel, in this their cause was ours and so it was we who taught them to understand the threat they faced. When the creature burrowed once more into its home inside the great mountain, we chained it with song and dreams so that the Avariel would use their magic to slay the creature forever. And yet they refused this, building a temple to watch over the creature's eternal sleep for killing was anathema to the fools and they even designed a way to awaken the creature if they could find a safe home for it. So we spent many long years fearing the awakening of Land's Death, and here he is freed from his mountain and ready to devastate our land once more... all because of you. He will feed, and perhaps since the Lord needs to sleep often he will not disturb these lands for decades. And yet still, his coming is inevitable. So tell me once more, how you will not be guilty of what is to come."

 

[Fenris]

"I admit to freeing the Lord of the Mountain Queen Illinia. But it was done as a last resort. My people have been hard pressed by the Tallione Empire. The Elves of the Silver Forest have given us some shelter. But are hard pressed to hold the Tallione from their own borders. On top of this came raids from the orcs, against both New Dorinthia and Saleentra. The Elves cannot hold off both the orcs and Tallione. In order for my people to exist one of these threats had to be removed. In speaking with the council of Saleentra, it was suggested that if a way to remove the threat of the orcs were found, both nations might benefit. It was suggested to us by Councilman Varel that we awaken the Lord of the Mountain, not knowing fully it's nature, that it might cause enough destruction among the orcs to ensure our safety for some time to come. I would have you know it was not an easy decision, especially not understanding all that may happen. But if indeed the beast will sleep again, it's destruction will not last forever. And Nature herself offers destruction; fire, storm, earthquake, and tornado. Is the Lord of the Mountain not itself a part of Nature as well?Is so, what ever destruction occurs must still be a part of nature.

I apologies for undoing your seals and enchantments. What was done was done for the salvation of my people. It was my decision and mine alone. Should you find need for punishment in spite of our tale and plea, I would ask that I then alone serve it. But before you mete out judgement too quickly, I would offer my services, and that of those who would follow me. If you can enslumber the beast again, and provide us a means to kill it, we shall not fail in such a task. The Rider has always revered nature and if we can atone for our actions by such a deed, we or at the least, I shall." replies Dartis with another low bow to the Queen.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

The Queen looks humored, "Ahh... so you courageous heroes would seek to silence the beast once more? Land's Death cannot be stopped, however... not until it wears itself and goes back to being the sleeping Lord of the Mountain. Although there might be a way to force it to slumber for further millenia once it settles down to rest once more. But we will need you to bring back an artifact, a rare object that still holds some of the Avariel's dwindling power. But before you go, there must be a fitting punishment for he who has released the beast back onto the land. The cost of your transgression is this... one of you will lose your greatest desire. And should I tell you what your desire is, human noble?" The fey queen asks Dartis as she stares menacingly at him before closing her eyes and seeming to go into a trance.

"If you accept this punishment you will never live to see a reborn Dorinthian nation, nor will its rebirth be guarenteed, for that is your greatest desire and it is that which we will take from you. Does anyone else want to step forward and accept our punishment in his stead? What will you give up? Your talents? Your senses? The safety of your own family?"

 

[GlassEye]

Silas starts at the pronouncement of the Faerie Queen. The punishment is harsh and he trembles as he briefly considers stepping forward to take the punishment instead. But he knows his greatest desire and losing his family is not something he can even consider. He wants Dorinthia to be free, strong, and safe but not at the loss of his family. He stares, unseeing, at the ground and shakes with guilt. Overwhelmed, he drops to his knees and calls out to the Queen. "It's too much!"