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Last Stand of the Dorinthians
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<blockquote data-quote="Deuce Traveler" data-source="post: 5868931" data-attributes="member: 34958"><p>Ventus stared up the slope; he remembered it as being much less daunting coming down, but then again, his mind wasn't very clear at that point. <span style="color: PaleTurquoise">"This is the way that I came. There may be another, but I could not tell you of it. Scout as you wish, but I would advise you to guard your ears against the siren's song. Together we may stand a chance, aiding each other to break the spell, but alone you will be easy prey, and we will not know your fate."</span></p><p></p><p>I'll keep my distance" Barok said and began climbing, cursing in his mind as he was scratched by the thorny brambles.</p><p></p><p>The party watches as Barok climbed to the top of the hill, doing a fairly good job of staying quiet despite the brambles and undergrowth. Soon, he disappeared from sight.</p><p>Barok reached the top of the hill with confidence that he had moved as quietly as possible under the circumstances. He heard a hauntingly beautiful song that pulled him, and made him want to rush into the grove below. In the twilight he gazed upon the grove below, a scene that should have been breathtaking in its natural majesty. The grove of trees and tall grass was about 200 feet in diameter, with a shining pond that surrounded a small isle. On the tiny isle stood a great oak, but its leaves and branches looked twisted and wrong in a way that he couldn't quite understand. Barok believed he saw a couple of figures underneath the great oak, but the twilight conditions made them hard to make out.</p><p></p><p>Barok kept moving around the rim, the song making him reluctant to go back down. He tried staying behind cover as much as possible, as he both tried to observe what happened on the island and look for hidden foes along the periphery. Knowing little about matters pertaining to the fey he was still not convinced it was not an imperial ambush. <em>Though it would be a shame to have to kill whoever is creating such beautiful music. </em></p><p>As Barok moved around the periphery he noticed that the power of the song pulled stronger at him the closer he got to the isle. At one point he was definitely sure that there were two figures by the oak tree, and one seemed to be stroking the face of the second.</p><p></p><p>He also noticed that to the north of the grove was another grove previously unnoticed and on the top of another collection of hills below the ones he stood on. The second grove was a fifteen minute walk away, in his estimation, and in the center were three giant oak trees. These seemed more natural than the twisted tree on the isle and did not fill him with the same sense of foreboding. Barok sensed that there was something special about those trees, but beyond that he has little experience to understand more.</p><p></p><p><em>Such a wonderful way to die,</em> he mused to himself... <em>Maybe the Imperial didn't lie, after all.</em></p><p></p><p>Barok returned to the others to let them know what he had learned. When the Dorinthian came back to the group, Ventus was able to breathe a little easier. If he had fallen prey to the music's lure, it would have been difficult to earn any trust. As it was, Ventus was relieved that the song and the woman and her tree were all still as he had seen them. He had half begun to doubt his own sanity.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: SlateGray">"It doesn't seem to be an Imperial ambush,"</span> Barok admitted grudgingly to the group after saluting the Baron, <span style="color: SlateGray">"but some sort of tree-bonded fairy with a captivated humanoid under her spell. I did not come close enough to see whether she intended to mate with her captive, eat him, or both, but I got a feeling she's not entirely benign."</span></p><p></p><p>He thought for a moment, then shrugged. <span style="color: SlateGray">"I did notice something else though, but I don't know if it's relevant. There is another glade on an island close to here with three huge oak trees very similar to the one with the singer. There is a possibility that there are more fairies there, but my feel of the place was very different. While the singer's island filled me with unease, the second island felt more natural. It might be worth looking into, or not." </span></p><p></p><p>Danica stood there, listening to the description. When she worked as a messenger, her habit had always been to avoid forest spirits and fey—“give them room, and they don't bother you” had been her cautious assessment. She stood there with a cool wind blowing past, her rat poking its nose out of a small pocket in her backpack. <span style="color: YellowGreen">"I don't suppose we want to just go around all this...?"</span> she asked with a smile across her face.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">"Not as long as there are Dorinthians in there, no"</span> replied Dartis to Danica. <span style="color: RoyalBlue">"Barok, is the way into the valley easily on the far side? In any case I think that may be an easier way in. If the malevolence is less or absent from that side as you sensed, we may get farther into the valley with less risk."</span> suggested Dartis</p><p></p><p>Ventus listened to the Dorinthians discussing the approach, and the description of the second glade piqued his interest. <span style="color: PaleTurquoise">"It is good that at least one captive still remains. It means that she has not simply killed them all since I was here last. The second area seems of interest. Tell me, was it surrounded by the same strange grass as the other tree? The song is bait to draw prey near, but it seemed as if the grass itself is what was holding your kinsmen captive."</span></p><p>Barok remembered seeing grass, but not as tall and wild as that in the first glade.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: YellowGreen">"I don't suppose anyone has any beeswax we could use in our ears? Or perhaps when we get to the top we should tie ourselves together? Spells like these often work to reduce the will of an individual--as a group, we might be okay."</span> Danica shrugged as she asked this -- she was guessing, but wanted to be helpful.</p><p></p><p>Barok answered, <span style="color: SlateGray">"We can't fight this creature all bound up together. But blocking our ears might work I suppose, the enchantment felt stronger the closer I got to the singing. Guess I should have tried holding my hands over my ears, we can try that once we get up there and decide then whether we want to stuff mud into our ears. But I think we should take a closer look at the other glade, if this thing has enemies or disappointed relatives it could be helpful to us. And if they too turn out to be hostile to men at least their lawn looked less feral."</span></p><p></p><p>Danica nodded, her eyebrows thrust up in mock despair. <em>How does one attack killer grass?</em> she wondered.</p><p></p><p>Barok led the party the long way down the hill, around the base of the raised earth, and up and over a smaller hill away from the twisted grove. Only a third of a mile from the grove with the trapped Dorinthians lied another grove, this one with three large oak trees in the middle, the tallest being the center one. The grass was wild and came up to human ankles, but didn't seem threatening. The heroes were about 100 feet from the oaks when they saw a mountain lion rise up from where it was resting at the base of the trees and pace back and forth, watching them warily and with a surprising amount of intelligence.</p><p></p><p>Danica noticed the large cat, and anticipated a charge, and started to walk towards it. She left her crossbow at her hip, but she extended the pinky of her left hand, the rest of which was in a fist. She walked up to fifty feet.</p><p></p><p>Dartis started to reach for his bow, but the strange actions of the puma, along with the light of intelligence in its eye made him hold for a moment. His martial urges pushed him to draw, yet he fought them, telling himself that here they were dealing with fey and fairies. He wished they had Alexander with them.</p><p></p><p>As Danica advanced, Dartis kept a careful watch on her, the puma and the large oaks.</p><p>Brave Danica was the first to step slowly forward, her hands away from her weapons in a sign of peace. Dartis was more wary, but stepped in next to her and was ready to move at the first note of danger. Suddenly, the party noticed that the bark of the trees began to morph, and from them three women appeared, whose dark skin was like that of an oak. The one in the center looked older and matronly. She called out, <strong>"Manlings, you should not be in this forest. These are dark times for those who wish to travel amongst us. Already, many men have come and many men have fallen. For your own safety, we urge those of peaceful intent to turn back."</strong></p><p></p><p>Dartis stared at the transformation, jaw open for a moment, but as the women spoke, he regained his tongue. <span style="color: RoyalBlue">"Our apologies ladies of the forest, we did not mean to intrude. But tidings of these dark times have come to us. We know that many men have fallen. Indeed that is why we come here. They are our countrymen, our friends and family, our kin. We have come to take them home. Is there some way that we can rescue them. I humbly ask for your guidance and wisdom." </span> asked Dartis reverentially.</p><p></p><p>The three women of bark turned to look at each other for a moment, then they began to speak in a language that sounds like elven, and yet different. Finally, they turned back once again to the party, and the older tree-woman spoke in Dorinthian once more. <strong>"My daughter, Trieste, is the one that has captured your men. It is odd she has not killed them, for that has recently been her way with strangers that venture into her glade. She has turned wicked ever since Morduk the Corrupter had stolen her heart from her oak tree through his dark magic and trickery. Morduk had come to our forest and taken over a small temple to a forgotten, but evil god. He fell in love with Trieste, and when she did not return his love, he stole her heart and cursed her. To return Trieste to normal, you must confront Morduk and return her heart by placing it inside the dark hole in her oak tree that was created when Morduk ripped the beating treasure from its core. Morduk's temple can be found on the top of the largest of hills."</strong> Upon finishing her speech, the woman pointed upwards to a tall hill that stood above the rest a mile to the north. It was late, but the heroes could still make out what looked to be a structure or rock formation at its summit.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">"I thank you for your wisdom, we shall go both to restore my kinsmen to us and and to restore your daughter to you. Tell me though lady of the forest. How shall we know Morduk the Corruptor and how shall we know your daughter heart?"</span> asked Dartis.</p><p></p><p>Ventus stood respectfully back from the three women while they discussed the priest Marduk with the Dorinthians. His eyes narrowed somewhat at the reference to those killed by Trieste in the past. How many men had met their doom here already? The three women seem strangely unconcerned with the fate of their daughter, or her captives. Were they no match for Marduk, or simply too uncaring to act?</p><p></p><p>He gazed upwards, considering what passed for a temple to an evil god in this glade. Their path seemed clear, but at least for now he looked to Dartis for the lord's instructions.</p><p></p><p><strong>"You will know them,"</strong> the dryad answered. <strong>"Morduk is a mighty warrior-mage, and you will know and sense his great power. He has never been defeated, and he single-handedly slew Trieste's animal guardians. As for her heart, it will also be familiar to you. Remember, neither the heart or Trieste's oak or Trieste is to be harmed. If you do not restore her, we will not aid you in restoring your friends.”</strong></p><p></p><p>Danica was somewhat surprised at the candour of the tree spirits, and at their trust of the interlopers, among whom she was numbered. As Dartis took control of the conversation with the fey women, Danica lowered her gaze, and slowly stepped back to join with the others. </p><p></p><p>When they indicated the temple, Danica looked up, and a small shiver ran down the base of her neck. But her obligation was clear, and Morduk had to be stopped. She turned to Dartis, gavesa nod when she caught his eye, and waited expectantly.</p><p>Barok kept to the back, knowing that he lacked the charisma needed to parlay with the fey. He briefly considered whether it would be a better choice simply to kill the corrupted dryad than to take their chances with Morduk, but kept his thoughts to himself.</p><p>The party was in agreement, at least verbally, on the course of action. They left the three dryads and headed towards the location of Morduk.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Deuce Traveler, post: 5868931, member: 34958"] Ventus stared up the slope; he remembered it as being much less daunting coming down, but then again, his mind wasn't very clear at that point. [COLOR=PaleTurquoise]"This is the way that I came. There may be another, but I could not tell you of it. Scout as you wish, but I would advise you to guard your ears against the siren's song. Together we may stand a chance, aiding each other to break the spell, but alone you will be easy prey, and we will not know your fate."[/COLOR] I'll keep my distance" Barok said and began climbing, cursing in his mind as he was scratched by the thorny brambles. The party watches as Barok climbed to the top of the hill, doing a fairly good job of staying quiet despite the brambles and undergrowth. Soon, he disappeared from sight. Barok reached the top of the hill with confidence that he had moved as quietly as possible under the circumstances. He heard a hauntingly beautiful song that pulled him, and made him want to rush into the grove below. In the twilight he gazed upon the grove below, a scene that should have been breathtaking in its natural majesty. The grove of trees and tall grass was about 200 feet in diameter, with a shining pond that surrounded a small isle. On the tiny isle stood a great oak, but its leaves and branches looked twisted and wrong in a way that he couldn't quite understand. Barok believed he saw a couple of figures underneath the great oak, but the twilight conditions made them hard to make out. Barok kept moving around the rim, the song making him reluctant to go back down. He tried staying behind cover as much as possible, as he both tried to observe what happened on the island and look for hidden foes along the periphery. Knowing little about matters pertaining to the fey he was still not convinced it was not an imperial ambush. [i]Though it would be a shame to have to kill whoever is creating such beautiful music. [/i] As Barok moved around the periphery he noticed that the power of the song pulled stronger at him the closer he got to the isle. At one point he was definitely sure that there were two figures by the oak tree, and one seemed to be stroking the face of the second. He also noticed that to the north of the grove was another grove previously unnoticed and on the top of another collection of hills below the ones he stood on. The second grove was a fifteen minute walk away, in his estimation, and in the center were three giant oak trees. These seemed more natural than the twisted tree on the isle and did not fill him with the same sense of foreboding. Barok sensed that there was something special about those trees, but beyond that he has little experience to understand more. [i]Such a wonderful way to die,[/i] he mused to himself... [i]Maybe the Imperial didn't lie, after all.[/i] Barok returned to the others to let them know what he had learned. When the Dorinthian came back to the group, Ventus was able to breathe a little easier. If he had fallen prey to the music's lure, it would have been difficult to earn any trust. As it was, Ventus was relieved that the song and the woman and her tree were all still as he had seen them. He had half begun to doubt his own sanity. [COLOR=SlateGray]"It doesn't seem to be an Imperial ambush,"[/COLOR] Barok admitted grudgingly to the group after saluting the Baron, [COLOR=SlateGray]"but some sort of tree-bonded fairy with a captivated humanoid under her spell. I did not come close enough to see whether she intended to mate with her captive, eat him, or both, but I got a feeling she's not entirely benign."[/COLOR] He thought for a moment, then shrugged. [COLOR=SlateGray]"I did notice something else though, but I don't know if it's relevant. There is another glade on an island close to here with three huge oak trees very similar to the one with the singer. There is a possibility that there are more fairies there, but my feel of the place was very different. While the singer's island filled me with unease, the second island felt more natural. It might be worth looking into, or not." [/COLOR] Danica stood there, listening to the description. When she worked as a messenger, her habit had always been to avoid forest spirits and fey—“give them room, and they don't bother you” had been her cautious assessment. She stood there with a cool wind blowing past, her rat poking its nose out of a small pocket in her backpack. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"I don't suppose we want to just go around all this...?"[/COLOR] she asked with a smile across her face. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]"Not as long as there are Dorinthians in there, no"[/COLOR] replied Dartis to Danica. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]"Barok, is the way into the valley easily on the far side? In any case I think that may be an easier way in. If the malevolence is less or absent from that side as you sensed, we may get farther into the valley with less risk."[/COLOR] suggested Dartis Ventus listened to the Dorinthians discussing the approach, and the description of the second glade piqued his interest. [COLOR=PaleTurquoise]"It is good that at least one captive still remains. It means that she has not simply killed them all since I was here last. The second area seems of interest. Tell me, was it surrounded by the same strange grass as the other tree? The song is bait to draw prey near, but it seemed as if the grass itself is what was holding your kinsmen captive."[/COLOR] Barok remembered seeing grass, but not as tall and wild as that in the first glade. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"I don't suppose anyone has any beeswax we could use in our ears? Or perhaps when we get to the top we should tie ourselves together? Spells like these often work to reduce the will of an individual--as a group, we might be okay."[/COLOR] Danica shrugged as she asked this -- she was guessing, but wanted to be helpful. Barok answered, [COLOR=SlateGray]"We can't fight this creature all bound up together. But blocking our ears might work I suppose, the enchantment felt stronger the closer I got to the singing. Guess I should have tried holding my hands over my ears, we can try that once we get up there and decide then whether we want to stuff mud into our ears. But I think we should take a closer look at the other glade, if this thing has enemies or disappointed relatives it could be helpful to us. And if they too turn out to be hostile to men at least their lawn looked less feral."[/COLOR] Danica nodded, her eyebrows thrust up in mock despair. [i]How does one attack killer grass?[/i] she wondered. Barok led the party the long way down the hill, around the base of the raised earth, and up and over a smaller hill away from the twisted grove. Only a third of a mile from the grove with the trapped Dorinthians lied another grove, this one with three large oak trees in the middle, the tallest being the center one. The grass was wild and came up to human ankles, but didn't seem threatening. The heroes were about 100 feet from the oaks when they saw a mountain lion rise up from where it was resting at the base of the trees and pace back and forth, watching them warily and with a surprising amount of intelligence. Danica noticed the large cat, and anticipated a charge, and started to walk towards it. She left her crossbow at her hip, but she extended the pinky of her left hand, the rest of which was in a fist. She walked up to fifty feet. Dartis started to reach for his bow, but the strange actions of the puma, along with the light of intelligence in its eye made him hold for a moment. His martial urges pushed him to draw, yet he fought them, telling himself that here they were dealing with fey and fairies. He wished they had Alexander with them. As Danica advanced, Dartis kept a careful watch on her, the puma and the large oaks. Brave Danica was the first to step slowly forward, her hands away from her weapons in a sign of peace. Dartis was more wary, but stepped in next to her and was ready to move at the first note of danger. Suddenly, the party noticed that the bark of the trees began to morph, and from them three women appeared, whose dark skin was like that of an oak. The one in the center looked older and matronly. She called out, [b]"Manlings, you should not be in this forest. These are dark times for those who wish to travel amongst us. Already, many men have come and many men have fallen. For your own safety, we urge those of peaceful intent to turn back."[/b] Dartis stared at the transformation, jaw open for a moment, but as the women spoke, he regained his tongue. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]"Our apologies ladies of the forest, we did not mean to intrude. But tidings of these dark times have come to us. We know that many men have fallen. Indeed that is why we come here. They are our countrymen, our friends and family, our kin. We have come to take them home. Is there some way that we can rescue them. I humbly ask for your guidance and wisdom." [/COLOR] asked Dartis reverentially. The three women of bark turned to look at each other for a moment, then they began to speak in a language that sounds like elven, and yet different. Finally, they turned back once again to the party, and the older tree-woman spoke in Dorinthian once more. [b]"My daughter, Trieste, is the one that has captured your men. It is odd she has not killed them, for that has recently been her way with strangers that venture into her glade. She has turned wicked ever since Morduk the Corrupter had stolen her heart from her oak tree through his dark magic and trickery. Morduk had come to our forest and taken over a small temple to a forgotten, but evil god. He fell in love with Trieste, and when she did not return his love, he stole her heart and cursed her. To return Trieste to normal, you must confront Morduk and return her heart by placing it inside the dark hole in her oak tree that was created when Morduk ripped the beating treasure from its core. Morduk's temple can be found on the top of the largest of hills."[/b] Upon finishing her speech, the woman pointed upwards to a tall hill that stood above the rest a mile to the north. It was late, but the heroes could still make out what looked to be a structure or rock formation at its summit. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]"I thank you for your wisdom, we shall go both to restore my kinsmen to us and and to restore your daughter to you. Tell me though lady of the forest. How shall we know Morduk the Corruptor and how shall we know your daughter heart?"[/COLOR] asked Dartis. Ventus stood respectfully back from the three women while they discussed the priest Marduk with the Dorinthians. His eyes narrowed somewhat at the reference to those killed by Trieste in the past. How many men had met their doom here already? The three women seem strangely unconcerned with the fate of their daughter, or her captives. Were they no match for Marduk, or simply too uncaring to act? He gazed upwards, considering what passed for a temple to an evil god in this glade. Their path seemed clear, but at least for now he looked to Dartis for the lord's instructions. [b]"You will know them,"[/b] the dryad answered. [b]"Morduk is a mighty warrior-mage, and you will know and sense his great power. He has never been defeated, and he single-handedly slew Trieste's animal guardians. As for her heart, it will also be familiar to you. Remember, neither the heart or Trieste's oak or Trieste is to be harmed. If you do not restore her, we will not aid you in restoring your friends.”[/b] Danica was somewhat surprised at the candour of the tree spirits, and at their trust of the interlopers, among whom she was numbered. As Dartis took control of the conversation with the fey women, Danica lowered her gaze, and slowly stepped back to join with the others. When they indicated the temple, Danica looked up, and a small shiver ran down the base of her neck. But her obligation was clear, and Morduk had to be stopped. She turned to Dartis, gavesa nod when she caught his eye, and waited expectantly. Barok kept to the back, knowing that he lacked the charisma needed to parlay with the fey. He briefly considered whether it would be a better choice simply to kill the corrupted dryad than to take their chances with Morduk, but kept his thoughts to himself. The party was in agreement, at least verbally, on the course of action. They left the three dryads and headed towards the location of Morduk. [/QUOTE]
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