The Theocracy

[Autumn]

Once Latham is asleep, Nathira quietly approaches Dehg. "Tell me, Dehg," she says. "You must have an interesting perspective on all of this. What do you make of it all?" Nathira watches the sleeping Latham while Dehg attempts to make conversation.

Meanwhile, Caul Vanchar speaks with Arast. "So Shazool sends his regards..." Caul begins. "I suppose it's promising that our friend yet lives. My first thought upon learning that we had been compromised from within was that perhaps our external contacts had also been compromised. I wonder though..."

Caul trails off and paces. "We still don't know who it is within our organization that let slip our location to the Church. Is it possible that our friend Shazool is the spy? I'd hate to think we are teleporting into a trap."

"I don't mean to frighten you, Arast," Caul says. "Merely pointing out the possibility."

Arast gives a wide grin - a rare enough sight - at Caul's assurance that he doesn't mean to be frightening. He says nothing in direct response to the comment, but he's obviously amused by it.

"Of course," he says with a small shrug, after a moment has passed. "I would never suggest that we trust anybody unquestioningly. Least of all an Illithid... if you'll pardon my narrow-mindedness." Once again he breaks into a grin, this time ironic and self-knowing. It seems that this is about as close as Arast comes to being in a jocular mood, and that was about as close as he comes to making a joke. Anybody who has ever actually had a conversation with Arast (admittedly that's not so many) would quickly have realized that narrow-mindedness is not one of his vices. On the contrary, his mind is broad enough to be quite unfathomable and utterly disturbing in its more obscure corners.

"I'll prepare for our departure with further divinations and I assure you that everything will be done with the utmost caution. You can rest easy."

 

[Mista Collins]

Quietly sitting up in the tree with Coldbreath in his lap, Hunter uses his trained ears to listen intently to all the conversation being had in the camp. Not saying a word, he maintains his hearing and sight to the wilderness where possible danger might lurk.

Still chewing on the small branch he carved for himself, he keeps his focus on the task at hand. When we make it though the night and find assistance tomorrow, that is when the hunt shall continue. If I am to bring an end to this madness, this group might be the best bet.

 

[WarlockLord]

As the party beds down for the night (I'm going to accelerate a little here, so if you want to get any actions in before bedtime, I'll revise), nothing happens. The little camp remains undisturbed. You wake up in the morning the next day, fully refreshed and rarin' to go.

 

[ethandrew]

About an hour before dawn, Dehg slowly stands up. He reaches high, grabbing at the sky as he stretches out. Then with a sigh he releases his over-extended arms and starts to plod over to the area the Hunter is. Without talking to any tree in particular, not really knowing where the man is hiding, Dehg speaks out to the general area, "Tree-man, Dehg going to bed now. Have fun watching morning." With that announcement he proceeds to head back to the tent and lays out on the ground next to it, holding his hammer in his arms like a giant pillow. Surprisingly he does not snore and one could only tell he was alive by the minute expansion of his chest.

* * *

Shortly after the sun blesses the sky, Latham instinctively wakes up without a start. He rises instantly and rummages through his bag, pulling out a large, leatherbound book. It is very plain looking, lacking any extravagant adornments. The cover is simple soft, black leather, using a strip of the same material to tie it together. He unfurls the tie and opens up the book to the middle section, turning exactly to the page he wanted to be that. Criss-crossing his legs, he places the opened book on his lap and begins his morning study.

[sblock=OOC]I'm not going to re-write all his day's spells unless you want me to, what I will do is use my hour to prepare two Teleports at the least. Sometime soon I want to get a standard spell list, one he will use for every day, and then I'll change it when needed.[/sblock]

 

[Jemal]

Janelle swiftly and quietly travels around the area, keepin an eye out on everything within a mile of the camp... And just generally enjoying the quiet bliss of flying around the forest at night. When she finally does tire, hours later, she comes in to the camp reporting all well to anyone who may be awake before settling down to bed. Being very at home in the outdoors, the fey-descended woman doesn't set up a tent, but curls up in some soft grass at the base of a tree, setting her armour and shield nearby on a rock.

Just a few hours later, She stands and stretches, noting that it's nearly dawn. As the dawn breaks, she readies herself for the day, 'communing' with her natural past.
[sblock=OOC]
40'Flight, Invisible, Dimension Door every once in a while, causing movements to be very eratic. Janelle doesn't need to eat or drink (Though she does on a semi-regular basis, as she enjoys it), and only requires 2 hours of sleep a night (Ring of Sustenance). Unlike other arcanely powered beings, though, she doesn't need 8 hours of rest to replenish her abilities, as she has a seemingly endless stream of power readily available After about 4 hours of scouting, she returns to camp and sleeps.
Just for the record, Janelle re-invokes See the Unseen and Beguiling Influence every day at at sunset and sunrise.[/sblock]

 

[Autumn]

Arast also rises early and settles down to study, quickly absorbing himself in the task and allowing it to block out the unpleasant sensations of the earliness of the hour and the proximity of danger. His concentration is absolute, the only motion that of one hand which - apparently unconsciously - taps out an incessant rhythm on the cover of the book.

Once Latham is up, Arast look up briefly from his study with a flash of his yellow eyes in the dawn light and calls over in a hushed tone, "Latham! How is your headache this morning?"

His lack of preliminaries is matched by a lack of subsequent chitchat. Whatever the response is, he gives a curt nod and then immediately drops his eyes back to the book and resumes his study.


[sblock=New Prepared Spells]
Level 0: (4/day, DC 16)
Detect Magic
Light
Read Magic
<empty slot>

Level 1: (7/day, DC 17)
Comprehend Languages
Detect Law
Entangle
Hide from Undead
Protection from Law
Resurgence
<empty slot>

Level 2: (6/day, DC 18)
Augury
Barkskin
Cloudburst
Hold Person
Silence
<empty slot>

Level 3: (5/day, DC 19)
Animate Dead
Dispel Magic
Stone Shape
Wrack
<empty slot>

Level 4: (5/day, DC 20)
Cure Critical Wounds
Divination
Restoration
Sending
Scrying

Level 5: (4/day, DC 21)
Baleful Polymorph
Summon Monster V
<empty slot>
<empty slot>[/sblock]

[sblock=OOC]Assuming that Latham makes it known to Arast that he's still suffering from some ill-effects then Arast will prepare and cast the Restoration spell. If not then that slot will remain empty.[/sblock]

 

[ethandrew]

After his hour of studying, Latham snaps his book shut and ties the cord around it, securing it back into his bag. He then stands up and stretches, grinning widely with the infused power residing inside his person. Walking over to where Dehg is peacefully sleeping, he kneels down next to him and rouses him with a few small words. Once the giant is awake and alert, Latham proceeds to move over to Arast as the man studies his prayerbook. Kneeling next to the man, he waits for an open opportunity to speak.

"My headache is lessened since yesterday, but something persists inside of me. It is nothing major, I do not believe, but I suppose there is a possibility for concern," he looks around at the rest of the assembling party, getting their gear and breakfast in tow. He leans in a little more closely to Arast, "Do you have the ability to transport people across great distances? To be honest, I have never done it, but I have it in my book. I find that I have the power to do it three times today if I focus solely on that. But here's our problem, when going over the logistics earlier, if I go to the capital with Dehg and one other, I can come back here and bring three people to the capital again. However that leaves four people left, including Caul's new pet. Like you said, we could buy scrolls, but I will be honest with you, Arast...

"I respect you and your power. I know not how you do it or whom you draw the abilities from, whether it be yourself or some unknown force still yet with great power, but suffice it to say, you have greater capabilities than myself. I find my area of focus to be much more limited than your own. So I offer something to you: if you have not that spell, I will lend you my book so that you can copy it into your own. I think that is how it works for you, is it not? That way we do not need to buy a scroll of a spell I already possess, and you can follow me to the capital with the other three of us in tow.

"I offer this in exchange of you clearing up this headache of mine. If that seems fair?"

[sblock=OOC]Latham can prepare one 5th level Enchantment spell and three 5th level spells from any other school other than his prohibited. So, 5th level, Dominate Monther, Teleport x3.

I believe an Allip's wisdom drain is permanent until restored. If it's only 24 hours, Latham doesn't know that, and so he'd still take the restoration.

If Arast can teleport, then we can do it in two trips. Latham and Arast taking six people, Latham coming back and taking Dehg and the last. Otherwise, we'd have to buy three scrolls for Latham to be able to go back to the jungle, get three of the last four, then come back again and get the remaining. Plus he just wants to be nice [/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

Ilshana sleeps under the same tree as her sister, though elects to wrap herself in the cloth burrito of her bedroll. Even in the morning, it's from within that warm roll that she lazily regards the others as they go through their morning preparations.

"It seems like an awful lot of work, getting this teleport thing going," she observes. "Why can't we just walk there? Sometimes it's better to focus on the journey...instead of the destination."

 

[Mista Collins]

Climbing out of the tree, Hunter then decides to lean against it. "I agree. My feet have never failed me. But with an army after us, faster transportation might be better."

 

[Autumn]

Arast shakes his head at Latham, though he does give a slight smile of gratitude. "I fear that, just as you say, you do not quite understand the nature of my powers. Suffice to say that, like yours, they are ultimately the manifestations of my own will rather than that of any other entity. But unlike yours, they are divine rather than arcane in nature. The methodological differences are simply too great for your spell book to be of any use to me - much as I do appreciate your generosity. But if you would be so kind as to include me in the first group you transport then I hope that James will be able to supply me with some research materials that should enable me to accomplish the same thing."

He stands up, closing his prayer book and holding it in one hand. "Now... permit me to alleviate that headache of yours." His free hand makes a brief gesture like a benediction and for a moment he seems very nearly like a priest as he speaks a few puissant syllables and then reaches out to touch Latham's forehead with two fingers. Very nearly like a priest, but for the gleam in the resin of his eyes that speaks more of heady exultation in the power he channels than it does of charity or benevolence.

"It seems like an awful lot of work, getting this teleport thing going," she observes. "Why can't we just walk there? Sometimes it's better to focus on the journey...instead of the destination."

"Indeed," Arast says dryly, "sometimes it is. But might I venture to suggest that such philosophical sentiments might be better reserved for a time when we are not in imminent danger of being run down and massacred by an army of crazed zealots?" He rolls his eyes.

"Besides which, Shazool has requested our help. I suspect that he meant now, rather than in a month's time when we have had time to take a leisurely stroll. Now if you will permit me, I will pave our way with some divinations and, assuming all appears safe, we can be on our way."