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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 4923712" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #485] The Buommans Return[/PLAIN]"I think we should definitely attend to this thing," Del observed. "If the Retriever's sole purpose was to destroy whatever it was after, I am sure it is trying to report back its failure in that regard.""Actually, a Retriever's sole purpose is to 'retrieve' whatever it is after, not destroy it," Maleko corrected earning himself a disapproving look from Del. The elf quickly added, "I imagine a Web would totally encompass it now. Maybe some of Ayremac's holy magic would do the trick here as well.""Perhaps," Ayremac said drifting to the fore of the little band and calling down a Holy Smite on the fleeing object. It did not slow down in its course."Or perhaps not," Cerrakean smirked and Ixin cast a withering look in her direction."Web it is then," Maleko announced and cast a Quickened Web on the thing, entombing it in a net of sticky strands and floating rocks. He followed that up with another Cure Wounds spell that completely erased Ixin's suffering. Only the ruined face paint and the hair burned away from her head on one side remained as a reminder of the Retriever's attack."Thank you," Ixin said again and cast a Quickened Magic Missile spell, sending a trio of bolts into the entangled thing. It was still moving so she followed it up with another Magic Missile spell. It seemed unfazed by the attack and Ixin growled lightly and rolled her shoulders, ready to begin another barrage of force on the thing, Ayremac knew that she could cast that spell more than of a dozen times before needing to rest; he had seen her do so back at the Court in Frothingham. But Maleko laid a hand on her arm before she could begin the casting again."Don't bother," he told her. "While Magic Missile is a favorite of martial-minded spellcasters everywhere - and rightly so - it does have its limitations. I believe this thing exploits one of those imitations." Grandfather Plaque drifted forward, floating backward so that he could grin at them as he went."Allow me to try," he said before turning around and moving close to the entangled thing. He opened his mouth and Shouted at it, pulverizing it utterly with sonic energy. He drifted back with a smug smile on his stony lips."Well done," Del said and Grandfather Plaque rolled his eyes in a way that said 'all in a day's work'."He seems pleased with himself," Ayremac remarked to Morier, grinning at the construct's self-satisfaction. Morier's face, when the holy warrior turned, however was serious. "Ayremac, I appreciate the protection, but I am highly unaccustomed to taking a back seat in battle, and it's not something I intend on doing much of going forward," the albino told him. "If I feel as though my life is in danger I will retreat, but I simply can't stand back and let everyone else protect me.""But the Heart..." Ayremac began and Morier shook his head."I understand the sentiment," he countered, "but remember that I have survived this long by fighting where the situation warrants... No need to change that now." Ayremac considered this and then nodded his agreement."The heart of a warrior is not easily stilled when battle calls," he said. "I will not stand in your way if you feel that the front lines are where you should be."Del too registered Morier's desire to be involved in subsequent fights, and realized as Ayremac did, that there was no point in trying to convince him otherwise. If the drow wanted to fight then no amount of baby-sitting was going to keep him out of the fray. However, he also knew that there was no denying the importance of the magic Morier bore in his chest, and he made a mental note to adjust his tactical planning to place someone close to the drow at all times.“Now, what are you comfortable revealing to J'inn and J'ann?" Ayremac asked the eldritch warrior as he sheathed Fedifensor at his hip. "They will want to know why we need access to the God Islands, I'm sure.”"If you are willing to vouch for the Buommans, as you have, then I am willing to be fairly trusting," Morier replied with a single nod."What can we offer J'inn and J'ann for their help?" Del asked and both Morier and Ayremac turned to look at him."You don't think that the goodwill of having previous interaction with most of this group, will be enough to get them to help?" Morier asked and Del shrugged."I don't know, " he admitted. "I'd like to think so, but I like to be prepared for other eventualities, too.""I think the time for preparations is passed," Maleko said, pointing. "Here they come."The Buommans approached from deeper within the Chain of Tears, moving with great speed through the rocks. Their movements were balletic and sinuous, involving a great del of spinning and rolling as they tumbled forward through the roiling cloud of stones. Occasionally they would use a rock as a jumping-off point to propel themselves forward, other times they would clasp hands and wheel one another on through force of limb alone. It was an impressive display of agility and cooperation which, several of the group suspected, was entirely put on to impress them."What brings you back so soon, Ayremac?" J'inn called when they got close enough."We hardly had time to miss you," J'ann added, spinning through the air to stop at his twin's side. "Did you make it to Akiv-tchai?""I did," Ayremac said. "Your help was invaluable.""And you made it out alive," J'inn observed, elbowing his twin. "I was confident that you would." J'ann scowled and produced a silver piece that he reluctantly handed over to J'inn. "So what brings you back to the Chain of Tears?" J'ann asked. "This isn't exactly the safest part of the Astral Sea as you can tell." He indicated the remains of the Retriever and swatted a smallish stone away from his face."We need to visit the God Islands," the holy warrior said and J'inn and J'ann's faces snapped shut like books."That isn't going to happen," J'inn said simply while J'ann sang softly, "Never gonna get it. Never gonna get it. Never gonna get it. You'll never get it.""It's vitally important," Ixin interjected and J'inn sniffed."It always is," J'ann observed gesturing dismissively."Good bye," J'inn said, turning to leave. "Don't come back here.""It's no longer safe for you," J'ann added."Wait!" Morier said, drifting forward. "We have been charged to visit the tomb of the goddess Dridana. It may have a crucial bearing on the outcome of a scourge set upon the material plane by Aphyx.""Then you have been charged falsely," J'inn said. "There is no tomb to visit.""And any who would charge you thus are fools," J'ann added. "You can go back and tell them I said so.""Look," Morier snapped. "No one told us where to go. We've been feeling our way through this pretty much in the dark, but we know that we need to reunite Dridana's Heart with her body. And we've got the Heart!" He pulled aside his mail enough for the verdant glow of the gemstone to spill out across his pale features and those of the two Buommans. "We just need to find her body."J'inn and J'ann turned to look at Morier and wonder began to spread across their faces. J'inn drifted forward slowly, hand outstretched to touch the gem.His pale fingertips brushed its surface and his mouth opened in astonishment. Morier drew back and covered the gemstone once more."We can take you as far as Discord," J'ann said, his entire demeanor changed from antagonism to cooperation. "But it's not up to us to take you to the other God Islands.""That is up to the Threnodies, and ultimately the Guardian himself," J'inn added before looking at his twin and saying, "I imagine that at the very least they'll have to pass through the hall of mirrors.""But they're not Buommans," J'ann observed and J'inn shrugged."Not for us to decide," he replied and beckoned for the group to follow him. "Come on, we'll take you to Discord."The journey was impossibly fast. They came upon the massive settlement mere moments after setting off after J'inn and J'ann. A largish rock drifted in front of them and when it passed from their field of vision beyond they saw Discord.And what a sight it was.A stone head of immense size hung suspended in the silver expanse, its angle in space suggesting repose although its unseeing stone eyes were open and staring off into the void. Its features were unmistakably female and serenely beautiful. The twisted arrow, Chaos symbol of change was worked into the vast otherwise unblemished forehead. The stone neck ended in a jagged break about mid-way down and of the stone body there was no sign. The entire left side of the stone head was covered with buildings like some kind of strange tumorous mass. A large stone keep with crenelated towers rose above the thatched roofs of the smaller buildings, and numerous figures, no bigger than grains of sand to the enormous stone head moved about and between the buildings."Relative of yours?" Cerrakean asked, nudging Grandfather Plaque with her elbow. The stone construct said nothing; he was speechless."Welcome to Discord," J'ann said, gesturing expansively as they drifted closer and closer to the settlement and the great stone head filled more and more of their field of vision."We'll find a place for you to stay until we can speak with the Threnodies on your behalf," J'inn added. "Meantime, feel free to look around.""Just don't try to leave without an escort," J'ann cautioned. "This part of the Astral is... unforgiving of those unused to it."</blockquote>

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