Six From Gate Pass - Chapter 2: The Indomitable Fire Forest of Innenotdar

[fromage67]

Lars calls back, "Explain yourself! What does this 'service' mean? What are the forty tongues? I'm not very good at riddles."

			Hmm, it is promising us 'Power' if we help it. That's a good sign, we might have negotiating leverage.

Edit: Not sure why the <Think> tag came out that way.

 

[Gregor]

The voice responds again.

“Free me from captivity! You must follow the river down to the singing lake. I lie trapped beneath its surface. Silence those who sing the song that holds me captive. Set me free! Agree and I shall empower you with my boon. Do this not and perhaps another ... one whose blade has crossed yours ... shall receive my power instead."

 

[fromage67]

"Who are you? Why should we help you?"

 

[Adjuntive]

Alric whispers to Lars. "Perhaps we should meet these 'forty-tongues'. There may be another side to this story that may shed some light."

Alric turns to the flaming apparition, "Suppose these forty tongues hold you captive for a good reason. Would it not be foolish to leave you in captivity were you dangerous? Why do you deserve freedom beyond the desire for it?"

			One whose blade has crossed ours? The devil?

 

[Gregor]

The voice increases in volume, giving you all a minor headache and you can hear the entity's frustration building:

"I am Indomitability! I offer you vast power beyond your reckoning. You need only agree to free me from my imposed captivity and it can be yours. You may keep my power if you succeed in freeing me. If you do not serve me, then I will never allow you to leave these woods. I will empower your enemy to achieve my goals and you will burn in these flames for all eternity."

To Alric's question, it adds angrily:

"I care for nothing but Freedom. The forty tongues must be silenced. If you do not release me you shall suffer my wrath. My fire shall turn you to ash and embers. You shall regret not serving me!"

 

[fromage67]

Alric whispers to Lars. "Perhaps we should meet these 'forty-tongues'. There may be another side to this story that may shed some light."

Lars nods and whispers back, "Right, let's buy some time."

Louder: "Oh Great Power! Help us to help you. What are these singers? Are they mortals like us? How can we hope to vanquish forty of them, we are only seven?"

Lars looks meaningfully at the others and adds in a lower voice to them, "I don't know if it is reading our mind or not, but maybe we should go along and investigate this Singing Lake. It's not like we have many interesting alternatives."

 

[Gregor]

With intense irritation:

"I grow tired of speaking. You have mere minutes to discuss my offer. Agree and be empowered. Disagree and burn forever."

 

[Adjuntive]

Having lived the life of a mercenary, Alric is familiar with the necessity of ending another's life as part of the job. Whether they deserve death or not. He sighs and resigns himself to the fact that this situation is no different.

Addressing the rest of the party, "I don't see a choice. It's either help this 'thing' and survive having better of it, or at very least endure more of this flaming wrath for the rest of our journey. If our mission is truly this important these lives are nothing more than collateral damage. What lies down-river may change our minds, but at this juncture I see no choice. We must seek these forty-tongues."

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr stands in silence befuddled by what is going on here. Is it some trapped Dragon? Elemental? If it is causing the forest to burn eternally it must have great power, but it was likely trapped for a reason. It seems we must speak to the singers that keep him trapped.

"I am with Lars. We don't know enough to make a proper decision. I would like to hear the other side of the story as well. Something this powerful wouldn't have been trapped for no reason."

Hrimr notices the terrible burn marks on Torrent.

"Torrent, let me heal you."

Hrimr casts a spell and the burn marks begin to disappear.

 

[Bannock]

"We agree!"

Bannock looks around at the others.

"What? I'll take empowered over burning forever."