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The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
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<blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 8383658" data-attributes="member: 6971069"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Deux ex Gossamer - 8/24/2021</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>I used to think she overreacts.</p><p></p><p>Well, I suppose I understand her almost blasting the four Karnathi undead. It was more than simple distaste of course. They are an anathema to her religion, and she felt she was protecting the kitte…er children. The fact they couldn’t even take a swing at her, is her own blessing. It was a good thing that the Karnathi sergeant that followed them and ordered them to stand down. Myrai was suspicious of course, but she was at least polite, if wary. The sergeant was somewhat taken aback by her appearance, but that quickly passed.</p><p></p><p>That would have been fine, but the children in the courtyard seemed to keep coming to her with questions on what to do. And she basically, without much of a thought let alone a plan started organizing them. Pairing younger with older, giving them things to do. The dwarf Taryn noticed this; he was listening carefully to what she said and the children’s responses.</p><p></p><p>Then the second wave arrived. If I thought the four undead soldiers and their equal dead mounts was a storm of trouble, Loramica was a hurricane. She was an elf, clad in platemail and a sword and shield. And like every elf I had seen, she was attractive, wearing a flawless symmetrical face, ice blue eyes and gold hair woven into tight braids. But when she opened her mouth, her imperious, arrogant demeanor shined right through. Her voice was one of command, and she demanded everyone obeyed her. She had arrived with a handle of armored men on horse. But they quickly were dispatched to meet with other soldiers securing the town, leaving a much more deferential older elf following her…someone named Lolopethis acting as some kind of assistant. Anyway, after her troops were sent off elsewhere, she decided to order Myrai to do something, but I missed what as I spied a mouse running up a…well nevermind that. My guess it was something that Myrai didn’t care for because of what she retorted. But it seemed that the response of “Pike that” seemed to go over the elf’s head.</p><p></p><p>Unfortunately, Taryn spoke up, and the elf listened to <strong><em>him</em></strong>. And she then ordered Myrai to get the children in line; organize them and get work parties started to man the gates, get all refugees near the inn, and have the children check all the houses for other people hiding in the city. The thoughts I heard through her mind, were…colorful and violent. However, Taryn talked to her, and Myrai while fuming did what was asked of her, although grudgingly.</p><p></p><p>I’m not clear on why the dwarf intervened. Perhaps to keep her out of trouble? He knew that she has had a difficult time adjusting since she crash-landed on a bar table in Krona Peak. Despite the fall almost killing her, the time in the prison was worse and it was something she didn’t want to repeat. But as I heard it, she basically agreed to listen to Taryn, because she didn’t want these Karns bossing the kids. But I believe it was more than that.</p><p></p><p>I thought it was the undead. They stared at her; not the kids nor the soldiers. Their eyes constantly followed her. There was a palpable feeling of malice and hate come from them, but the other Karrns didn’t seem to notice. I certainly found them unsettling, but I know that Myrai was trying to ignore them. It was instead the church itself that seemed to put her on edge. She never articulated a thought on why that was the case, more of a sense of the chills. But she was happy to drag Taryn back to the Inn.</p><p></p><p>On the way Taryn and Myrai talked. She asked him about the church, and she was uncomfortable with what she heard…at first. The blood, the undead champions disturbed her. But the description of the “divinity within” interested her. It aligned very closely with how experiencing the multi-verse and how one’s personal belief can change it. I am still not clear if fascination or revulsion was wining though.</p><p></p><p>Honestly her heading back to the inn and organizing the kids was a good idea. She had a knack for it. I remembered she told me once she was raised in an orphanage all her early years. And many times, older kids were put in charge of little ones. And because of that, she knew how to talk to younger children. When she stopped reacting to the other Karns soldiers, she was warm and empathetic. That was something I had not seen since she left the Misty Forest, a time she hadn’t talked or thought about in a while. Like she was avoiding thinking about it.</p><p></p><p>She spent the better part of the early morning getting things arranged. Eight kids to the gate, to watch and help the guards “see.” She found some chalk and told the kids to try every door in town and mark the front doors where they tried find residents. If they though there was trouble, they would flag down one of the several groups of horsemen riding through the down. And once done, head back to the inn for more ‘chores.’ Finally, she had some kids move all the folks in the church back to the Inn area, Findo Gask, while blind, was able to organize the inn, and Flinda was easily able to work the kitchen without her sight. She just took her time with the cutting.</p><p></p><p>It was well past midday when Myrai caught up with the other agents of Taryn at the Inn. They were debating animatedly on various topics. I could hear Myr’s thoughts drift. She was thinking that she needed to apologize to the ‘old woman’ about something, and also thought briefly about the elf in the black cloak. But after the elf said something about “exposing himself,” she decided just to say a few polite words to Adrian. But most of her thoughts were on the little girl Adrissa.</p><p></p><p>She wanted to say something to her; but she was having trouble trying to find the right words in her head. The little girl was anything but that now; her leather tunic was covered in dried ichor from fighting the vegemite things. But Myrai saw the look on her face and remembered her own time in Sigil. Losing Markel, Elisna and the Speaker. She wanted to comfort her, to tell her it would be fine.</p><p></p><p>But she wasn’t sure if that was really true. Would it be fine? Would she feel better? The look on Adrissa’s face was so empty. It dredged up memories from Myrai’s past that made <strong><em>me</em></strong> hurt. On Adrissa’s face was the same shock and numbness she had felt after Elisna was killed. It was infuriating to Myrai on how the universe was so cruel at times. What did this girl do deserve it? Would she crawl out of it? She saw Adrissa throwing herself into fights heedless of the danger. Was she trying to get herself killed intentionally?</p><p></p><p>Many people that had lost all hope did that. Markel did just that apparently. I couldn’t see what he did exactly, as it was a wall too painful for me to pierce and see Myrai’s memories there. She wanted the girl to believe in herself and move on, as Myrai had done. But she felt she should guide her. But as much experience with death and loss that Myrai had; what to do wasn’t clear. All that Myrai knew is that it wasn’t time yet for the little girl. Not even close.</p><p></p><p>After talking to Taryn and Debrika at the inn, she then did a tour of the gates around town. She made trips to the gates and made sure things were in order and promised that she would have some relief before midnight. She halted and talked to some of the cavalry patrols to see how the reclaiming of the town had gone. It was sunset when she returned to the Inn. There everything was settled, and the rotations of the kids was working smoothly. Inside, the Gask’s had everything in quick running order and warm food was being served up to the townsfolk. Outside, Myrai had some of the kids guide guards to carry fire wood and any leftover food supplies from the houses. It wasn’t cold, but the kids needed the light and warmth. Tomorrow, families and kin would be reunited if possible. But the children of Denning were going to have to help their elders, far before their time.</p><p></p><p>But while Myrai put a face of confidence and calm on the outside, the reality was that she was quite a mess. I saw that she ‘liberated’ a bottle from the Inn and sat on the dirt on the side of the street, exhausted. I realized unhappily it was going to be another one of those nights. Myrai liked drinking to be certain. But she wanted to purge the day from her mind. She wanted to be numb once again. She didn’t want the responsibility of managing the kids; it was too close to the orphanage that she left. She wanted to put Adrissa out of her mind. And she certainly didn’t want to dream and suffer her regular nightmares this night. Not now.</p><p></p><p>I knew better to say anything; when Myrai drank she ignored me. Her mind just became a morass of half thoughts, and emotion, all grey and dull with the liquor coursing through her. As the bottle was drained, everything in her head became muddled and darker. Finally, all I could feel and see was emptiness, and she slumped over into the dirt.</p><p></p><p>This wasn’t something I could fix; that was up to her after all. But she did deserve better, and I could help her get out of the dirt. I had noticed that the other agents didn’t return to the Inn, but they adopted a nearby building as their own. The light from inside the building went from bright torch light to darkness very quickly. Some sort of spell I was sure. However, it didn’t prevent me from entering and getting the attention of the…gnome? No, the halfling, Rosa. She was easy enough to communicate with what I wanted. She quickly asked the grey skinned one to follow me and fetch poor Myrai and carry her inside. He wasn’t exactly gentle, and she hit the floor hard when he tried put her down on her feet. But she instead, collapsed into heap on the floor, unaware of her relocation. But at least she was safe…safer?</p><p></p><p>She lay there mumbling to herself for a while and then drifted off. That was perhaps for the best, based on where the conversation drifted. The only three that were awake were the elf, and the two golem like things called Bookcase and Sage. One of them told a story that raised the hackles on my back and wings. Torture and dismemberment were involved a scheme involving soldiers for ransom all run by a Karrnathi officer who had recruited Bookshelf as a conspirator. I was glad that Myrai wasn’t awake for that. I knew she had some…experience with those type of matters andiIt was that part of her she buried, behind a wall of horror and shame in her mind. I only knew a little from the time on that pirate island when she saved a wizard’s life by running a con, posing as someone with…painfully exotic tastes. She was very convincing, and that frightened me.</p><p></p><p>And her.</p><p></p><p>But for now, all I could do is sit and watch over her, and hope that whatever dreams she did or did not have, that she would approach the morning with optimism and gusto.</p><p></p><p>Oh, who am I kidding?</p><p></p><p><strong>Session notes:</strong></p><p>There was a bit of break between this part and the next one, Gossamer's commentary was filler before the next chapter really began.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nthal, post: 8383658, member: 6971069"] [CENTER][B]Deux ex Gossamer - 8/24/2021[/B][/CENTER] I used to think she overreacts. Well, I suppose I understand her almost blasting the four Karnathi undead. It was more than simple distaste of course. They are an anathema to her religion, and she felt she was protecting the kitte…er children. The fact they couldn’t even take a swing at her, is her own blessing. It was a good thing that the Karnathi sergeant that followed them and ordered them to stand down. Myrai was suspicious of course, but she was at least polite, if wary. The sergeant was somewhat taken aback by her appearance, but that quickly passed. That would have been fine, but the children in the courtyard seemed to keep coming to her with questions on what to do. And she basically, without much of a thought let alone a plan started organizing them. Pairing younger with older, giving them things to do. The dwarf Taryn noticed this; he was listening carefully to what she said and the children’s responses. Then the second wave arrived. If I thought the four undead soldiers and their equal dead mounts was a storm of trouble, Loramica was a hurricane. She was an elf, clad in platemail and a sword and shield. And like every elf I had seen, she was attractive, wearing a flawless symmetrical face, ice blue eyes and gold hair woven into tight braids. But when she opened her mouth, her imperious, arrogant demeanor shined right through. Her voice was one of command, and she demanded everyone obeyed her. She had arrived with a handle of armored men on horse. But they quickly were dispatched to meet with other soldiers securing the town, leaving a much more deferential older elf following her…someone named Lolopethis acting as some kind of assistant. Anyway, after her troops were sent off elsewhere, she decided to order Myrai to do something, but I missed what as I spied a mouse running up a…well nevermind that. My guess it was something that Myrai didn’t care for because of what she retorted. But it seemed that the response of “Pike that” seemed to go over the elf’s head. Unfortunately, Taryn spoke up, and the elf listened to [B][I]him[/I][/B]. And she then ordered Myrai to get the children in line; organize them and get work parties started to man the gates, get all refugees near the inn, and have the children check all the houses for other people hiding in the city. The thoughts I heard through her mind, were…colorful and violent. However, Taryn talked to her, and Myrai while fuming did what was asked of her, although grudgingly. I’m not clear on why the dwarf intervened. Perhaps to keep her out of trouble? He knew that she has had a difficult time adjusting since she crash-landed on a bar table in Krona Peak. Despite the fall almost killing her, the time in the prison was worse and it was something she didn’t want to repeat. But as I heard it, she basically agreed to listen to Taryn, because she didn’t want these Karns bossing the kids. But I believe it was more than that. I thought it was the undead. They stared at her; not the kids nor the soldiers. Their eyes constantly followed her. There was a palpable feeling of malice and hate come from them, but the other Karrns didn’t seem to notice. I certainly found them unsettling, but I know that Myrai was trying to ignore them. It was instead the church itself that seemed to put her on edge. She never articulated a thought on why that was the case, more of a sense of the chills. But she was happy to drag Taryn back to the Inn. On the way Taryn and Myrai talked. She asked him about the church, and she was uncomfortable with what she heard…at first. The blood, the undead champions disturbed her. But the description of the “divinity within” interested her. It aligned very closely with how experiencing the multi-verse and how one’s personal belief can change it. I am still not clear if fascination or revulsion was wining though. Honestly her heading back to the inn and organizing the kids was a good idea. She had a knack for it. I remembered she told me once she was raised in an orphanage all her early years. And many times, older kids were put in charge of little ones. And because of that, she knew how to talk to younger children. When she stopped reacting to the other Karns soldiers, she was warm and empathetic. That was something I had not seen since she left the Misty Forest, a time she hadn’t talked or thought about in a while. Like she was avoiding thinking about it. She spent the better part of the early morning getting things arranged. Eight kids to the gate, to watch and help the guards “see.” She found some chalk and told the kids to try every door in town and mark the front doors where they tried find residents. If they though there was trouble, they would flag down one of the several groups of horsemen riding through the down. And once done, head back to the inn for more ‘chores.’ Finally, she had some kids move all the folks in the church back to the Inn area, Findo Gask, while blind, was able to organize the inn, and Flinda was easily able to work the kitchen without her sight. She just took her time with the cutting. It was well past midday when Myrai caught up with the other agents of Taryn at the Inn. They were debating animatedly on various topics. I could hear Myr’s thoughts drift. She was thinking that she needed to apologize to the ‘old woman’ about something, and also thought briefly about the elf in the black cloak. But after the elf said something about “exposing himself,” she decided just to say a few polite words to Adrian. But most of her thoughts were on the little girl Adrissa. She wanted to say something to her; but she was having trouble trying to find the right words in her head. The little girl was anything but that now; her leather tunic was covered in dried ichor from fighting the vegemite things. But Myrai saw the look on her face and remembered her own time in Sigil. Losing Markel, Elisna and the Speaker. She wanted to comfort her, to tell her it would be fine. But she wasn’t sure if that was really true. Would it be fine? Would she feel better? The look on Adrissa’s face was so empty. It dredged up memories from Myrai’s past that made [B][I]me[/I][/B] hurt. On Adrissa’s face was the same shock and numbness she had felt after Elisna was killed. It was infuriating to Myrai on how the universe was so cruel at times. What did this girl do deserve it? Would she crawl out of it? She saw Adrissa throwing herself into fights heedless of the danger. Was she trying to get herself killed intentionally? Many people that had lost all hope did that. Markel did just that apparently. I couldn’t see what he did exactly, as it was a wall too painful for me to pierce and see Myrai’s memories there. She wanted the girl to believe in herself and move on, as Myrai had done. But she felt she should guide her. But as much experience with death and loss that Myrai had; what to do wasn’t clear. All that Myrai knew is that it wasn’t time yet for the little girl. Not even close. After talking to Taryn and Debrika at the inn, she then did a tour of the gates around town. She made trips to the gates and made sure things were in order and promised that she would have some relief before midnight. She halted and talked to some of the cavalry patrols to see how the reclaiming of the town had gone. It was sunset when she returned to the Inn. There everything was settled, and the rotations of the kids was working smoothly. Inside, the Gask’s had everything in quick running order and warm food was being served up to the townsfolk. Outside, Myrai had some of the kids guide guards to carry fire wood and any leftover food supplies from the houses. It wasn’t cold, but the kids needed the light and warmth. Tomorrow, families and kin would be reunited if possible. But the children of Denning were going to have to help their elders, far before their time. But while Myrai put a face of confidence and calm on the outside, the reality was that she was quite a mess. I saw that she ‘liberated’ a bottle from the Inn and sat on the dirt on the side of the street, exhausted. I realized unhappily it was going to be another one of those nights. Myrai liked drinking to be certain. But she wanted to purge the day from her mind. She wanted to be numb once again. She didn’t want the responsibility of managing the kids; it was too close to the orphanage that she left. She wanted to put Adrissa out of her mind. And she certainly didn’t want to dream and suffer her regular nightmares this night. Not now. I knew better to say anything; when Myrai drank she ignored me. Her mind just became a morass of half thoughts, and emotion, all grey and dull with the liquor coursing through her. As the bottle was drained, everything in her head became muddled and darker. Finally, all I could feel and see was emptiness, and she slumped over into the dirt. This wasn’t something I could fix; that was up to her after all. But she did deserve better, and I could help her get out of the dirt. I had noticed that the other agents didn’t return to the Inn, but they adopted a nearby building as their own. The light from inside the building went from bright torch light to darkness very quickly. Some sort of spell I was sure. However, it didn’t prevent me from entering and getting the attention of the…gnome? No, the halfling, Rosa. She was easy enough to communicate with what I wanted. She quickly asked the grey skinned one to follow me and fetch poor Myrai and carry her inside. He wasn’t exactly gentle, and she hit the floor hard when he tried put her down on her feet. But she instead, collapsed into heap on the floor, unaware of her relocation. But at least she was safe…safer? She lay there mumbling to herself for a while and then drifted off. That was perhaps for the best, based on where the conversation drifted. The only three that were awake were the elf, and the two golem like things called Bookcase and Sage. One of them told a story that raised the hackles on my back and wings. Torture and dismemberment were involved a scheme involving soldiers for ransom all run by a Karrnathi officer who had recruited Bookshelf as a conspirator. I was glad that Myrai wasn’t awake for that. I knew she had some…experience with those type of matters andiIt was that part of her she buried, behind a wall of horror and shame in her mind. I only knew a little from the time on that pirate island when she saved a wizard’s life by running a con, posing as someone with…painfully exotic tastes. She was very convincing, and that frightened me. And her. But for now, all I could do is sit and watch over her, and hope that whatever dreams she did or did not have, that she would approach the morning with optimism and gusto. Oh, who am I kidding? [B]Session notes:[/B] There was a bit of break between this part and the next one, Gossamer's commentary was filler before the next chapter really began. [/QUOTE]
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