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The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
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<blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 8224141" data-attributes="member: 6971069"><p><h2 style="text-align: center"><p style="text-align: center">The Wailing Darkness - 3/16/2021</p> </h2><p></p><p></p><p>I was stuck looking at the ceiling as my cage was paraded down through the depths. I could only see the stains of soot on the rock above and the occasional flicker of torchlight from the corners of my eyes. Not helping was the swaying movement of the cage as the creatures moved unevenly through the dimly lit caverns. The smell of wet mold still hung in the air, growing stronger for a while and then weaker as the passages twisted around.</p><p></p><p>Finally, I felt the creatures turn, and they shifted my cage so it stood upright, while I hung helplessly inside, my limbs still lashed to the wooden slats. The room held a dozen of the things and had a long table with broad stools next to it. On it I could see cutting instruments; scissors, hooked knives, and flensing tools. Nearby in open baskets, I could see our gear had been set down, far out of reach. Wy was set next to me, and next to him was Tiggard. The angle of my cage let me have a good look at the man, and I shivered in fear. He hung there twisting in his cage, his life’s blood spilling from a hole in his chest and spilling into a cache basin beneath his cage. I squirmed and struggled, trying to wrench my hands free from their bonds. But all I succeeded in doing was making the binding cut deeper into my skin.</p><p></p><p>As I struggled there, I saw on the floor, a pair of the creatures approach Wy and my cages. Standing below me, I saw that each of them carried a small sack, and they both motioned to another of their troop, who moved a pair of stools over to the cages. The one in front of me, stood up on the stool and then cocked its head. It then reached into the sack it carried and threw some type of powder into my face. The dust covered my nose and eyes, causing me to choke and my eyes water. Next to me the same thing happened to Wy.</p><p></p><p>I ‘stood’ there coughing and looked at my captors; half of them stared unblinkingly at me expectantly, while the rest stared at Wy. I coughed, and I felt my eyes watering, irritated by the dust. Next to me, I heard Wy grunt in pain, taking in air in sharp hisses.</p><p></p><p>Then, despite the tools of pain on the table, nothing happened. No questions, no demands, and no pain besides the burning in my throat and eyes. I don’t know how long we hung there; our breathing labored with the pain we felt. But after a while, the pair stood on the stools again, and I watched as one lean closer to my face. Angrily, I spit at the thing, striking it on the cheek. It stood there a moment, not even flinching when it suddenly reached towards my face with its sharp talons. My head, bound tight against the wood, couldn’t twist out of the way, and I blinked at their hands came close to touching my face. The creature backed up and made a gesture towards another of his fellows, and a pair ran out of the room.</p><p></p><p>“Myr…Myr…I can’t…I can’t s—“and my eyes turned to see that one of the creatures had stabbed Wy in the chest, in the same way Tiggard had been. I watched crying as I saw Wy’s life drain away, as his blood was exsanguinated from him and into the basin below. His last words fell into a hushed silence, as a I heard a quiet death rattle shook his form and tears of blood dripped from his eyes.</p><p></p><p>I renewed my struggle in my cage, knowing that my own death approached. My captors stood disinterested nearby, unconcerned with my pathetic attempts to escape. My wrists felt raw as I twisted them futilely as I tried to escape. I was making no progress and was tiring rapidly. It felt hopeless and was nearing despair when I heard something unexpected.</p><p></p><p>“This can’t be! You stupid vegepygmies must have done it wrong!” Into the room walked in a gnome woman, her hair pulled back into a pony tail,, dressed in a brown robe, and wearing an assortment of leather belts and straps. In her hands she carried a glass, framed in metal, with a cylinder of horn. She batted away the vegepygmy on the chair, and took its place. She placed a hand on my chest and leaned in close, her eyes locked with my own. As she leaned in, I saw that her brown eyes squinted looking me, but I saw that on the left side of her face was covered in an ugly tattoo, an oily black color, with streaks of purple and red streaked throughout.</p><p></p><p>“Interesting…they are right. And she…she is different. It hasn’t taken hold. Over a hundred tested and she is the first. This is bad…I must find a remedy.” She started to twist the glass around in her hands, adjusting something and ignoring me.</p><p></p><p>“Look, just let me go,” I said, looking for something to hook into, a sign of sympathy, a hope for compassion. But when she then spoke again, I found no comfort in her voice.</p><p></p><p>“Go?…no no no…you are too valuable to free just yet,” the glass glowed a bright purple now as she looked through it and examined my face. “Ah…you are like those shifters…no no more like that one Tiefling. Same kind of eyes, if a different in manifestation. Yet…yet…yours are stronger. Hardier. You are touched with stuff beyond the realm of Eberron. Syrianna? Davanni perhaps? Doesn’t matter. I can find where you are weak soon enough. I’m afraid you will have to live…for now.</p><p></p><p>“You dare taunt me with death; that’s isn’t your place” I said angrily.</p><p></p><p>“Hmm? Spoken like a true faithful adherent. Your faith must be strong then.” She said, cracking a smile of perfect gleaming white teeth. “But as someone who waits for the fullness of time…I think my faith is a bit stronger than yours if you seek to live.”</p><p></p><p>“Life? You don’t control that. And death? You have even less control of it,” I said, feeling like I was being tested..</p><p></p><p>The gnome smiled, “Well I guess we shall see whose faith is stronger.”</p><p></p><p>[HR][/HR]</p><p></p><p>The Blade rolled to the right and loosed a pair of arrows at the closest monstrosity and both sank deep into the gray skin of the hulk. They stood almost as tall as the ogres, and they only made soft rasping sounds as they breathed. They did not bellow or scream. And nor did the one flinch at The Blade’s volley, as it shifted towards the elf, its gait more than enough to catch up with his pace. With a pair of slimy hands it swung, one of its fists swinging wildly, while the other connected with The Blade in the chest. The Blade wheezed, “Take care citizens, it certainly knows how to use its size to its advantage!”</p><p></p><p>Doxx then moved towards a second one pulling itself out of a pool. She then made a motion of pushing with both or her gnarled hands. There was a sound of the air rushing, and the hulk visibly quivered as its chest was blasted with an invisible blow. It staggered backwards and then fell backwards back into the pit it had just climbed out of. Doxx was about to move over to a third one, when she stopped and screeched, “What are you doing little girl?!?”</p><p></p><p>Adrissa’s teeth were clenched and her face was a tight knot of hate. She charged at the hulk who was focused on The Blade, screaming. Her speed was quick, and reaching her quarry she chopped ferociously with both her dagger and the hatchet, cutting deep gashes into the monstrosities’ leg. Fibers tore away, and a greenish red fluid sprayed over her as she continued to tear and rend.</p><p></p><p>“She doing FFINNNE!!” Mobad yelled, charging at the fourth hulk. But before he reached it, he swung and clove the nearby thumping Vegepygmie and its pole into two before swinging again and sinking his axe deep in the flank of the hulk. The hulk turned and swung striking the orc. But if Mobad was hurt, he gave no sign as he spat and prepared to strike again.</p><p></p><p>Doxx continued to shout, “She is going to get herself killed!”</p><p>“Perhaps after this fight we can have a proper dialog,” Sage Redoubt said, marching to stand beside Adrissa. As the juggernaut moved, the armblade again lit with green flames and he was rewarded with the smell of burning plant matter as the fire seared it. But with a quick motion of the armblade, the flames spread and engulfed the pygmy standing and still thumping its pole in the pit, causing it to fall over in a smoldering heap.</p><p></p><p>“Dying would solve many of her problems,” Bookshelf said calmly, as he flung a mote of fire into Mobad’s foe. “Might be for the best.”</p><p></p><p>“How can you say that?!” Rosa yelled at the warforged. She flicked a wrist and a vine of thorns extended and wrapped themselves around the hulk, tearing at it as she pulled the fibrous cord back. The hulk staggered and fell to the stone floor, its torso collapsing down into a heap.</p><p></p><p>The Blade pulled more arrows from his quiver and shot at Mobad’s opponent. Only one arrow found its mark as it disappeared deep within its torso. “That’s going to be a mess to get back,” muttered.</p><p></p><p>“You’re worried about an arrow? Not, “ Doxx said as the fourth hulk swung and missed the agile old woman, “—the fact that the girl is hacking at one,— ” And Doxx swung his staff with a resounding crack into its leg, “—Or that Bookcase thinks her dying is better?” and with a quick spin, used the other end of her staff to bludgeon it.</p><p></p><p>Mobad only grunted, as the hulk swung at the orc, and the orc seemingly was unaffected by the strikes. He simply smiled and swung twice, both times his axe found their mark and tore through it. The smell of burning wet plants pervaded the room now. Mobad was about the strike again when suddenly the fallen pygmy stood up again and leapt at the orc with a small wooden blade in hand. Mobad blinked in surprise and confusion at his once fallen foes’ attack, and he attempted to swat it aside..</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile the second hulk, had climbed back out of the slimy pit, and now charged at Doxx. But the old woman simply slapped away its attacks with her staff, much like a school teacher rapping the knuckles of a misbehaving student. But as she avoided her foes blows she saw that the crushed section of its chest was filling back out, as evidence of the damage began to fade. “This one is…healing I think?”</p><p></p><p>Sage quickly glanced around and quickly noted the common thread, “The ones that have been burned seem to stay weakened. More fire is in order.” And with Sage moved to strike at Doxx’s first hulk with his armblade, and letting the flames spread to his second opponent. The hulk twisted and swung, and a fibrous fist came down on the Juggernaut. Sage didn’t even flinch as it seemed to strike a barrier, leaving him unharmed.</p><p></p><p>“We probably should test that…” Bookshelf muttered as a ray of cold light left his hands and struck Mobads’ attacker. Frost and rime formed on it, and fibers flaked away, as slush like fluids spilled from the wound. “Frost is good too, And its BookSHELF not BookCASE.”</p><p></p><p>“Sirs, we should focus on the…DOXX!” Rosa yelled too late as the old woman was struck in the back, causing them to momentarily loose their footing. Rosa reached her hand and wisps of green light flew to the fallen woman, wrapping around them like vines. Doxx shook their head, and stood and again used her stick to shatter the wooden bones of the hulk.</p><p></p><p>“I agree. Several orders of fire are needed here.” The Blade said, running along the wall, while his arrows brought down the remaining Vegepygmies, and Mobad’s axe hew the legs out from under a hulk, causing it to collapse on the stone with a dull thump.</p><p></p><p>“Done,” and from Bookshelf, a small bead of light appeared, and he threw it into the midst of the melee. It erupted into blazingly hot flames, which seared the thin skins of the creatures. They didn’t yell or scream, they only made a hissing sound that grew quiet, as they all slumped to the ground unmoving. Almost everyone stopped their attacks and looked around at the piles of ash, and smoldering remains. And then almost everyone looked at themselves, to realize that there were unharmed by the blast itself.</p><p></p><p>All except the girl, whose hair smoked still from the wreath of flames, as she continued to hack at the fallen plant. Her face was streaked with tears and her pace at hacking and chopping had not even slowed. Suddenly she stopped and stood upright, her breathing still labored from the effort. She spat at the corpse and moved back towards Rosa. Her hands and arms trembled a bit, but as she walked, she gave Bookshelf a cold stare, but said nothing.</p><p></p><p>Mobad ran toward the door that led deeper into the complex and examined it. He quickly slid a beam a of wood in place, to hold it fast nodded. “We safe for now.”</p><p></p><p>“Safe? The cynical warforged would probably point out that safe means we’re dead—” Doxx started.</p><p></p><p>“—A reasonably accurate assessment—” Bookshelf started.</p><p></p><p>“—The little girl here was safer in her house, before the same warforged burned it down—”</p><p></p><p>“—It did kill most of the—” Bookshelf again tried to interject.</p><p></p><p>“—And for the rest of us, we are stuck here with how many more of these…these…things. At least Mobad thinks we’re safe. I feel better already.”</p><p></p><p>Mobad shook his head. “I could undo—”</p><p></p><p>“NO!” Several voices called out at once.</p><p></p><p>“Look Doxx, everything is relative in terms of safety my dear. Its safer in here than—” and she stopped and listened. In the distance beyond the door, came a wailing scream, that faded softly.”</p><p></p><p>[HR][/HR]</p><p></p><p></p><p>My head hurt. I don’t know how long I have been hanging here and my eyes water all the time now. My limbs ache as I am surrounded, and poke and prodded by the little humanoids. They cut me for blood, and they throw more things in my eyes, and I cry. I don’t feel sorrow though. I am waiting, hoping, praying for something else.</p><p></p><p>A mistake.</p><p></p><p>Wy was cut out of his cage not long after they killed him. But they dutifully kept me alive. Food is stuffed into my jaw, and water is poured down my parched throat. It wasn’t much at all, scraps truth be told, I didn’t even know what it was I ate. Hanging from bonds, the fibers cut deeply into my arms and legs now, the dull pain a constant reminder of where I was. I must have been filthy at this point, and covered with cuts of blood, and soiled waste that ran down my legs. The only thing they cared about was I was alive; all for scrapes of blood and tears. And I think for the first time in a very long time, I wanted to sleep. To dream a familiar nightmare, rather than the waking one I found myself strapped into. So, I did the only things I could do; watch and wait.</p><p></p><p>I was never unattended. Six to twelve of the things seemed to be in the room constantly. They worked in pairs most frequently. One would cut and arm, the other would take my blood into a jar. Another pair would puff something on my face, and the other collected my tears. They didn’t however toy with me, or ask questions, or even say anything. They hissed occasionally, but that was all. But I knew there were more. At one point I heard a massive commotion, as many many countless feet scraped the floor, and the sounds of bone on wood rattled along. But after that, I could only hear and glimpse at the small group that watched me.</p><p></p><p>But I was patient; I was tired, but the strands didn’t leave me. Gossamer was safe and I could summon him at anytime. I had an idea if I could free an arm and even more if I could turn my head. You would have thought that getting an arm free would be the key, but my plan required me to see. And all I could see is that there was a wall four paces in front of me. And while I had something that could break me free, it was likely to kill me in my weakened state. But the last thing I needed was for someone to gag me or blindfold me. So no strands, no wings, nothing to change how they had secured me. I just needed time.</p><p></p><p>But time was running out, I was sure of it. And while I didn’t know exactly how long I was there, but I had a rough guess based on counting the only things I could for the passage of time. How often they fed me, and how often I soiled myself. It was something to keep my mind going, as I didn’t want to talk and annoy the things. I wasn’t sure it was possible but being gagged was a risk I couldn’t take.</p><p></p><p>So, it was my best guess that it was maybe ten days, before I saw the gnome again. I was tired and weakening. The food they gave me wasn’t enough to keep me alive really. Just alive for long enough. The gnome stared at me with a glass that made her eyes look huge. As I could not do anything but stare, I looked at the mark that surrounded half her face. Looking at it I saw it wasn’t a simple tattoo, or a birthmark. It was…alive I guess. The oily black boundaries, and the red vein like structures weren’t static; they twisted around and squirmed. And Looking into the red lines, I realized that it was looking into a peephole, as there was more lines and patterned chaos. It dawned on me that it was like how Taryn’s and Wy’s dragonmark looked, but unhealthy or corrupted.</p><p></p><p>I could feel the gnome’s breath on my cheek as she stared into my eyes. Her fingers pulled at my eyelids, keeping them open and unable to blink as she stared and spoke to me, “Well well…you are something. Strong; even as you waste away in your gibbet your body fights to live; to resist my work. But I see the truth of it now. It just took time to take hold in you. Probably because of your extraplanar origins. But it doesn’t matter; I won.”</p><p></p><p>“Are you sure?” I said, feeling desperate now that my usefulness was ending and I struggled weakly, mostly for show I supposed. “You’ll never see another set of eyes like mine again.”</p><p></p><p>The gnome smiled, “And that is certainly the truth. I have to say I admire the pluck in you as you face death. Any last requests?” she said mockingly.</p><p></p><p>I sighed, “I just…just…want to understand why.” I thought that if I could get her talking about her plan, herself, maybe I can get on her side or something to keep me around.</p><p></p><p>She smiled, “Its interesting how you believe I control death or life. I do nothing of the sort. But things are out of balance, and we need a cold winter so we can have a wonderful spring. Death and life are just a small part of it all.”</p><p></p><p>“Death is part of life, not an ending but a beginning,” I said trying to bait her to say more.</p><p></p><p>“You say that with such reverence. I suppose that given time you might understand us,”</p><p></p><p>“I’ve got a lot of time on my hands at the moment,” I said feeling a bit of hope that I found something to stay her hand.</p><p></p><p>The gnome stood back on her stool and nodded, “I suppose you do. Or did. Unfortunately, in the fullness of time; yours is up.”</p><p></p><p>She jumped down from the stool she was standing on and moved out of my vision to the left. “No no…wait!” I stammered when I felt it. I looked down with my eyes and I started to pant as the pain flooded through my chest. I could feel my heart beat, and I could feel the sharpen wood that it now surrounded and caressed with every pump. I saw the blood spurt in great gushes as the spear pushed through me. I could feel the warmth of it pour forth down my chest and legs to fill the basin below. I then began to wail with all the strength I had left. It was such a familiar feeling as the blood boiled up in my throat, cutting off my screams as I spat it out trying to gasp for more air, more time, more life.</p><p></p><p>The room swam and became indistinct. I hung there, and felt my breathing growing shallower and my heartbeat slowing, still pumping around the shaft of the spear. As the room darkened, I wondered if I could have done something different. As the last of my blood poured from my chest, I closed my eyes and whispered aloud with my last breath of life.</p><p></p><p>“My father, I…don’t…”</p><p></p><p><strong>Session notes</strong></p><p>So close yet...so far. And Myrai seems to have met her end again. Funny how it doesn't stick. But on this leg the encounters were design explicitly on the number of recommended encounters per day.</p><p></p><p>And note; we are all out of fireballs.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nthal, post: 8224141, member: 6971069"] [HEADING=1][CENTER][CENTER]The Wailing Darkness - 3/16/2021[/CENTER][/CENTER][/HEADING] I was stuck looking at the ceiling as my cage was paraded down through the depths. I could only see the stains of soot on the rock above and the occasional flicker of torchlight from the corners of my eyes. Not helping was the swaying movement of the cage as the creatures moved unevenly through the dimly lit caverns. The smell of wet mold still hung in the air, growing stronger for a while and then weaker as the passages twisted around. Finally, I felt the creatures turn, and they shifted my cage so it stood upright, while I hung helplessly inside, my limbs still lashed to the wooden slats. The room held a dozen of the things and had a long table with broad stools next to it. On it I could see cutting instruments; scissors, hooked knives, and flensing tools. Nearby in open baskets, I could see our gear had been set down, far out of reach. Wy was set next to me, and next to him was Tiggard. The angle of my cage let me have a good look at the man, and I shivered in fear. He hung there twisting in his cage, his life’s blood spilling from a hole in his chest and spilling into a cache basin beneath his cage. I squirmed and struggled, trying to wrench my hands free from their bonds. But all I succeeded in doing was making the binding cut deeper into my skin. As I struggled there, I saw on the floor, a pair of the creatures approach Wy and my cages. Standing below me, I saw that each of them carried a small sack, and they both motioned to another of their troop, who moved a pair of stools over to the cages. The one in front of me, stood up on the stool and then cocked its head. It then reached into the sack it carried and threw some type of powder into my face. The dust covered my nose and eyes, causing me to choke and my eyes water. Next to me the same thing happened to Wy. I ‘stood’ there coughing and looked at my captors; half of them stared unblinkingly at me expectantly, while the rest stared at Wy. I coughed, and I felt my eyes watering, irritated by the dust. Next to me, I heard Wy grunt in pain, taking in air in sharp hisses. Then, despite the tools of pain on the table, nothing happened. No questions, no demands, and no pain besides the burning in my throat and eyes. I don’t know how long we hung there; our breathing labored with the pain we felt. But after a while, the pair stood on the stools again, and I watched as one lean closer to my face. Angrily, I spit at the thing, striking it on the cheek. It stood there a moment, not even flinching when it suddenly reached towards my face with its sharp talons. My head, bound tight against the wood, couldn’t twist out of the way, and I blinked at their hands came close to touching my face. The creature backed up and made a gesture towards another of his fellows, and a pair ran out of the room. “Myr…Myr…I can’t…I can’t s—“and my eyes turned to see that one of the creatures had stabbed Wy in the chest, in the same way Tiggard had been. I watched crying as I saw Wy’s life drain away, as his blood was exsanguinated from him and into the basin below. His last words fell into a hushed silence, as a I heard a quiet death rattle shook his form and tears of blood dripped from his eyes. I renewed my struggle in my cage, knowing that my own death approached. My captors stood disinterested nearby, unconcerned with my pathetic attempts to escape. My wrists felt raw as I twisted them futilely as I tried to escape. I was making no progress and was tiring rapidly. It felt hopeless and was nearing despair when I heard something unexpected. “This can’t be! You stupid vegepygmies must have done it wrong!” Into the room walked in a gnome woman, her hair pulled back into a pony tail,, dressed in a brown robe, and wearing an assortment of leather belts and straps. In her hands she carried a glass, framed in metal, with a cylinder of horn. She batted away the vegepygmy on the chair, and took its place. She placed a hand on my chest and leaned in close, her eyes locked with my own. As she leaned in, I saw that her brown eyes squinted looking me, but I saw that on the left side of her face was covered in an ugly tattoo, an oily black color, with streaks of purple and red streaked throughout. “Interesting…they are right. And she…she is different. It hasn’t taken hold. Over a hundred tested and she is the first. This is bad…I must find a remedy.” She started to twist the glass around in her hands, adjusting something and ignoring me. “Look, just let me go,” I said, looking for something to hook into, a sign of sympathy, a hope for compassion. But when she then spoke again, I found no comfort in her voice. “Go?…no no no…you are too valuable to free just yet,” the glass glowed a bright purple now as she looked through it and examined my face. “Ah…you are like those shifters…no no more like that one Tiefling. Same kind of eyes, if a different in manifestation. Yet…yet…yours are stronger. Hardier. You are touched with stuff beyond the realm of Eberron. Syrianna? Davanni perhaps? Doesn’t matter. I can find where you are weak soon enough. I’m afraid you will have to live…for now. “You dare taunt me with death; that’s isn’t your place” I said angrily. “Hmm? Spoken like a true faithful adherent. Your faith must be strong then.” She said, cracking a smile of perfect gleaming white teeth. “But as someone who waits for the fullness of time…I think my faith is a bit stronger than yours if you seek to live.” “Life? You don’t control that. And death? You have even less control of it,” I said, feeling like I was being tested.. The gnome smiled, “Well I guess we shall see whose faith is stronger.” [HR][/HR] The Blade rolled to the right and loosed a pair of arrows at the closest monstrosity and both sank deep into the gray skin of the hulk. They stood almost as tall as the ogres, and they only made soft rasping sounds as they breathed. They did not bellow or scream. And nor did the one flinch at The Blade’s volley, as it shifted towards the elf, its gait more than enough to catch up with his pace. With a pair of slimy hands it swung, one of its fists swinging wildly, while the other connected with The Blade in the chest. The Blade wheezed, “Take care citizens, it certainly knows how to use its size to its advantage!” Doxx then moved towards a second one pulling itself out of a pool. She then made a motion of pushing with both or her gnarled hands. There was a sound of the air rushing, and the hulk visibly quivered as its chest was blasted with an invisible blow. It staggered backwards and then fell backwards back into the pit it had just climbed out of. Doxx was about to move over to a third one, when she stopped and screeched, “What are you doing little girl?!?” Adrissa’s teeth were clenched and her face was a tight knot of hate. She charged at the hulk who was focused on The Blade, screaming. Her speed was quick, and reaching her quarry she chopped ferociously with both her dagger and the hatchet, cutting deep gashes into the monstrosities’ leg. Fibers tore away, and a greenish red fluid sprayed over her as she continued to tear and rend. “She doing FFINNNE!!” Mobad yelled, charging at the fourth hulk. But before he reached it, he swung and clove the nearby thumping Vegepygmie and its pole into two before swinging again and sinking his axe deep in the flank of the hulk. The hulk turned and swung striking the orc. But if Mobad was hurt, he gave no sign as he spat and prepared to strike again. Doxx continued to shout, “She is going to get herself killed!” “Perhaps after this fight we can have a proper dialog,” Sage Redoubt said, marching to stand beside Adrissa. As the juggernaut moved, the armblade again lit with green flames and he was rewarded with the smell of burning plant matter as the fire seared it. But with a quick motion of the armblade, the flames spread and engulfed the pygmy standing and still thumping its pole in the pit, causing it to fall over in a smoldering heap. “Dying would solve many of her problems,” Bookshelf said calmly, as he flung a mote of fire into Mobad’s foe. “Might be for the best.” “How can you say that?!” Rosa yelled at the warforged. She flicked a wrist and a vine of thorns extended and wrapped themselves around the hulk, tearing at it as she pulled the fibrous cord back. The hulk staggered and fell to the stone floor, its torso collapsing down into a heap. The Blade pulled more arrows from his quiver and shot at Mobad’s opponent. Only one arrow found its mark as it disappeared deep within its torso. “That’s going to be a mess to get back,” muttered. “You’re worried about an arrow? Not, “ Doxx said as the fourth hulk swung and missed the agile old woman, “—the fact that the girl is hacking at one,— ” And Doxx swung his staff with a resounding crack into its leg, “—Or that Bookcase thinks her dying is better?” and with a quick spin, used the other end of her staff to bludgeon it. Mobad only grunted, as the hulk swung at the orc, and the orc seemingly was unaffected by the strikes. He simply smiled and swung twice, both times his axe found their mark and tore through it. The smell of burning wet plants pervaded the room now. Mobad was about the strike again when suddenly the fallen pygmy stood up again and leapt at the orc with a small wooden blade in hand. Mobad blinked in surprise and confusion at his once fallen foes’ attack, and he attempted to swat it aside.. Meanwhile the second hulk, had climbed back out of the slimy pit, and now charged at Doxx. But the old woman simply slapped away its attacks with her staff, much like a school teacher rapping the knuckles of a misbehaving student. But as she avoided her foes blows she saw that the crushed section of its chest was filling back out, as evidence of the damage began to fade. “This one is…healing I think?” Sage quickly glanced around and quickly noted the common thread, “The ones that have been burned seem to stay weakened. More fire is in order.” And with Sage moved to strike at Doxx’s first hulk with his armblade, and letting the flames spread to his second opponent. The hulk twisted and swung, and a fibrous fist came down on the Juggernaut. Sage didn’t even flinch as it seemed to strike a barrier, leaving him unharmed. “We probably should test that…” Bookshelf muttered as a ray of cold light left his hands and struck Mobads’ attacker. Frost and rime formed on it, and fibers flaked away, as slush like fluids spilled from the wound. “Frost is good too, And its BookSHELF not BookCASE.” “Sirs, we should focus on the…DOXX!” Rosa yelled too late as the old woman was struck in the back, causing them to momentarily loose their footing. Rosa reached her hand and wisps of green light flew to the fallen woman, wrapping around them like vines. Doxx shook their head, and stood and again used her stick to shatter the wooden bones of the hulk. “I agree. Several orders of fire are needed here.” The Blade said, running along the wall, while his arrows brought down the remaining Vegepygmies, and Mobad’s axe hew the legs out from under a hulk, causing it to collapse on the stone with a dull thump. “Done,” and from Bookshelf, a small bead of light appeared, and he threw it into the midst of the melee. It erupted into blazingly hot flames, which seared the thin skins of the creatures. They didn’t yell or scream, they only made a hissing sound that grew quiet, as they all slumped to the ground unmoving. Almost everyone stopped their attacks and looked around at the piles of ash, and smoldering remains. And then almost everyone looked at themselves, to realize that there were unharmed by the blast itself. All except the girl, whose hair smoked still from the wreath of flames, as she continued to hack at the fallen plant. Her face was streaked with tears and her pace at hacking and chopping had not even slowed. Suddenly she stopped and stood upright, her breathing still labored from the effort. She spat at the corpse and moved back towards Rosa. Her hands and arms trembled a bit, but as she walked, she gave Bookshelf a cold stare, but said nothing. Mobad ran toward the door that led deeper into the complex and examined it. He quickly slid a beam a of wood in place, to hold it fast nodded. “We safe for now.” “Safe? The cynical warforged would probably point out that safe means we’re dead—” Doxx started. “—A reasonably accurate assessment—” Bookshelf started. “—The little girl here was safer in her house, before the same warforged burned it down—” “—It did kill most of the—” Bookshelf again tried to interject. “—And for the rest of us, we are stuck here with how many more of these…these…things. At least Mobad thinks we’re safe. I feel better already.” Mobad shook his head. “I could undo—” “NO!” Several voices called out at once. “Look Doxx, everything is relative in terms of safety my dear. Its safer in here than—” and she stopped and listened. In the distance beyond the door, came a wailing scream, that faded softly.” [HR][/HR] My head hurt. I don’t know how long I have been hanging here and my eyes water all the time now. My limbs ache as I am surrounded, and poke and prodded by the little humanoids. They cut me for blood, and they throw more things in my eyes, and I cry. I don’t feel sorrow though. I am waiting, hoping, praying for something else. A mistake. Wy was cut out of his cage not long after they killed him. But they dutifully kept me alive. Food is stuffed into my jaw, and water is poured down my parched throat. It wasn’t much at all, scraps truth be told, I didn’t even know what it was I ate. Hanging from bonds, the fibers cut deeply into my arms and legs now, the dull pain a constant reminder of where I was. I must have been filthy at this point, and covered with cuts of blood, and soiled waste that ran down my legs. The only thing they cared about was I was alive; all for scrapes of blood and tears. And I think for the first time in a very long time, I wanted to sleep. To dream a familiar nightmare, rather than the waking one I found myself strapped into. So, I did the only things I could do; watch and wait. I was never unattended. Six to twelve of the things seemed to be in the room constantly. They worked in pairs most frequently. One would cut and arm, the other would take my blood into a jar. Another pair would puff something on my face, and the other collected my tears. They didn’t however toy with me, or ask questions, or even say anything. They hissed occasionally, but that was all. But I knew there were more. At one point I heard a massive commotion, as many many countless feet scraped the floor, and the sounds of bone on wood rattled along. But after that, I could only hear and glimpse at the small group that watched me. But I was patient; I was tired, but the strands didn’t leave me. Gossamer was safe and I could summon him at anytime. I had an idea if I could free an arm and even more if I could turn my head. You would have thought that getting an arm free would be the key, but my plan required me to see. And all I could see is that there was a wall four paces in front of me. And while I had something that could break me free, it was likely to kill me in my weakened state. But the last thing I needed was for someone to gag me or blindfold me. So no strands, no wings, nothing to change how they had secured me. I just needed time. But time was running out, I was sure of it. And while I didn’t know exactly how long I was there, but I had a rough guess based on counting the only things I could for the passage of time. How often they fed me, and how often I soiled myself. It was something to keep my mind going, as I didn’t want to talk and annoy the things. I wasn’t sure it was possible but being gagged was a risk I couldn’t take. So, it was my best guess that it was maybe ten days, before I saw the gnome again. I was tired and weakening. The food they gave me wasn’t enough to keep me alive really. Just alive for long enough. The gnome stared at me with a glass that made her eyes look huge. As I could not do anything but stare, I looked at the mark that surrounded half her face. Looking at it I saw it wasn’t a simple tattoo, or a birthmark. It was…alive I guess. The oily black boundaries, and the red vein like structures weren’t static; they twisted around and squirmed. And Looking into the red lines, I realized that it was looking into a peephole, as there was more lines and patterned chaos. It dawned on me that it was like how Taryn’s and Wy’s dragonmark looked, but unhealthy or corrupted. I could feel the gnome’s breath on my cheek as she stared into my eyes. Her fingers pulled at my eyelids, keeping them open and unable to blink as she stared and spoke to me, “Well well…you are something. Strong; even as you waste away in your gibbet your body fights to live; to resist my work. But I see the truth of it now. It just took time to take hold in you. Probably because of your extraplanar origins. But it doesn’t matter; I won.” “Are you sure?” I said, feeling desperate now that my usefulness was ending and I struggled weakly, mostly for show I supposed. “You’ll never see another set of eyes like mine again.” The gnome smiled, “And that is certainly the truth. I have to say I admire the pluck in you as you face death. Any last requests?” she said mockingly. I sighed, “I just…just…want to understand why.” I thought that if I could get her talking about her plan, herself, maybe I can get on her side or something to keep me around. She smiled, “Its interesting how you believe I control death or life. I do nothing of the sort. But things are out of balance, and we need a cold winter so we can have a wonderful spring. Death and life are just a small part of it all.” “Death is part of life, not an ending but a beginning,” I said trying to bait her to say more. “You say that with such reverence. I suppose that given time you might understand us,” “I’ve got a lot of time on my hands at the moment,” I said feeling a bit of hope that I found something to stay her hand. The gnome stood back on her stool and nodded, “I suppose you do. Or did. Unfortunately, in the fullness of time; yours is up.” She jumped down from the stool she was standing on and moved out of my vision to the left. “No no…wait!” I stammered when I felt it. I looked down with my eyes and I started to pant as the pain flooded through my chest. I could feel my heart beat, and I could feel the sharpen wood that it now surrounded and caressed with every pump. I saw the blood spurt in great gushes as the spear pushed through me. I could feel the warmth of it pour forth down my chest and legs to fill the basin below. I then began to wail with all the strength I had left. It was such a familiar feeling as the blood boiled up in my throat, cutting off my screams as I spat it out trying to gasp for more air, more time, more life. The room swam and became indistinct. I hung there, and felt my breathing growing shallower and my heartbeat slowing, still pumping around the shaft of the spear. As the room darkened, I wondered if I could have done something different. As the last of my blood poured from my chest, I closed my eyes and whispered aloud with my last breath of life. “My father, I…don’t…” [B]Session notes[/B] So close yet...so far. And Myrai seems to have met her end again. Funny how it doesn't stick. But on this leg the encounters were design explicitly on the number of recommended encounters per day. And note; we are all out of fireballs. [/QUOTE]
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The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
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