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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 2138651" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #309] Seeking the Grove[/PLAIN]"Great Oak, I will nae beseech you any more," Karak said, crossing his thick arms over his great barrel of a chest. In dwarfish he added, "Maz jorhurnden kaglem bak arausamryn." Not Ledare, nor Feln, nor Morier spoke the language of the stone folk, so they did not understand the gratitude that Karak was heaping upon Great Oak. But he continued in a similar vein when he switched back to the common tongue."I will use your gracious gift to smite chaos," he said. "I also thank you for the life of Feln; he is even uglier than before, which will entertain me on our long journey." Karak elbowed Feln's kneecap and chuckled at his own joke. The half-ogre bared his teeth disapprovingly."Once we have reached Pellham, do you wish us to report back to you of what we find?" the dwarf went on. "I remember you told us you sensed a disturbance that required investigating.""Hold on, Karak," Morier interrupted. "I think that this Grove of Renewal might be worth investigating first." Karak harrumphed."I've nae fear of risking my life, elf," the dwarf told Morier. "But neither am I eager to die foolishly. There's little reason to put ourselves in harm's way to get answers what we can find by lookin' elsewhere!""I for one would welcome the opportunity to test myself against whatever challenges the Grove poses," the Eldritch Warrior persisted, and storm clouds seemed to be roiling behind his eyes as he considered the prospect."An' I think ye're a fool for seekin' yer own death," Karak spat."I don't know, Karak," Feln spoke up. "In my youth, the monk brothers would set up challenges. They always said it was a test against yourself, but as I remember it, either I was bloodied or another youth was." The martial artist paused, considering the implications of that and Karak snorted derisively. Finally Feln shrugged his massive shoulders and added, "In any case, I will not shy from a challenge, I say we take it. Ledare, what do you suggest?"Ledare took a deep, cleansing breath and emptied her mind. She opened her spirit to her newfound goddess, hoping that a drop of divine insight would fall into the well of confusion that seemed to fill her. But nothing came.She scowled and opened her eyes to see the others looking at her rather strangely."Well?" Feln asked.Ledare had just recently been through her own grueling emotional test, and she wasn't eager to face another so quickly. On the one hand, she supported going to the Grove of Renewal, as it would hopefully reveal the information Great Oak mentioned about freeing the imprisoned goddess, Dridana. On the other hand, it was difficult to know if this was an appropriate juncture for a personal test of her newfound faith. She had hoped - expected even - that Flor would take her by the hand and show her where to go and what to do. She longed for the same guidance that the others sought from her.She pushed aside her disappointment and came to her own decision. "Let's find Vade and Ixin," she said. "Tomorrow we'll leave for The Grove."Both Vade and Ixin were eager to visit the Grove, but for different reasons. Vade was excited because it presented a new interesting place to explore; his curiosity was piqued. Ixin was intrigued by the prospect of getting some answers and being able to strike a major blow against Aphyx's forces.Karak received his reward in a good-sized coffer and he spent the rest of the day counting and recounting it. And guarding it from Vade, of course. Morier and Feln busied themselves crafting a quarterstaff sized appropriately for the half-ogre's use. Both of them had spent a good deal of their youth learning to craft weapons, so collaborating they were able to create a serviceable quarterstaff by nightfall. They both agreed that, working together, with the proper tools and a few days' downtime, they could likely craft a weapon that even a master weaponsmith would be proud of.Freeday, the 20th of Reaping, 1269 AEOf course, the Great Oak took away some of their excitement the next morning, by reminding them that weapons weren't needed during the Purging. He advised them to leave their arms and armor behind, but did admit that the last person to enter the Grove and succeed at the tests was Trint Aiko, an elven archer of some renown. The elf had taken his bow with him although he'd left the Grove without once laying arrow to bowstring. That had been some 150 years ago.They gathered in front of the ancient dolmen that the tree had explained was the portal to the Grove of Renewal. It looked like many of the other standing stones in the ruins of the Aronerai School, standing half-hidden and vine-choked amongst the trees. But they could all sense the power coming off the ancient dolmen. They didn't need Ixin's innate sensitivity to the Weave to know that this was a potent nexus of energy - it did everything but glow with elder magic.As they stood there, they remembered Great Oak's final warning: "Once you step through the portal, the Purging will begin. You can turn back at any time, but if you retreat back to this place without completing the test, you may not enter it again; this portal works but once."One-by-one, they took deep breaths, tossed onto the ground the fat, red berries they had brought as payment for the portal's fae guardian (who remained unseen throughout), stepped through the dolmen and disappeared.</blockquote>

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