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The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
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<blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 8292859" data-attributes="member: 6971069"><p><h2 style="text-align: center">Faith - 6/4/2021</h2><p></p><p></p><p>Mobad squinted out in the darkness, “I see nothing,”</p><p></p><p>“Nothing is very dark for me,” I said to the orc. I took out from my pouch a copper wire, and with a quick thought, threw a loop of a white strand in the direction of Taryn,</p><p></p><p>“<em>Taryn? Its Myrai, we’re coming to get you and Debrika.”</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“Myrai?” came the reply. “Debrika thought she saw a light. I am glad you are alright, what about the others?”</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>“Well…some are with me now, others…didn’t make it. We’ll talk more when you are safe.”</em></p><p></p><p>“Come on Mobad, let’s give them a hand.” I said, and I walked out into the forest towards the Mror. We made our way to them quickly, and it became apparent why they were moving slow.</p><p></p><p>Both of them had been fighting, Debrika’s face was only scowls as we approached. Not because of us, but because of what had happened. Her armor was dented and covered in blood and ichor, and her warhammer had clearly seen a lot of use. Taryn looked a little worse off, with his clothes were ripped stained with blood and gray green ichor. He wielded his short sword in a hand, as he leaned against Debrika. Finally, I got a good look at Taryn’s face.</p><p></p><p>“You’re blind, aren’t you?” I said, motioning Debrika to follow me, while Mobad looked around us for trouble.</p><p></p><p>“Debrika has seen this before; Eye rot wasn’t it?” he said looking in my direction at the sound of my voice as she grunted the affirmative. His eyes were shut, and crusted with scabs, and his face stained with bloody tears. I looked at Debrika and saw she too had dried blood around her eyes, but she was squinting trying to see.</p><p></p><p>"You tried to cure it I’m guessing, and it keeps coming back?” I guessed, as we entered our camp.</p><p></p><p>“Yes,” Debrika muttered angrily. “My prayers do not keep it far from us. But I needed to stop curing Taryn so we could make progress.”</p><p></p><p>We entered the hunting blind, and Debrika guided Taryn to spot on the ground, before she knelt down in an angry huff. Taryn then continued, “I take it that the Tannoch Ranch was crawling with little moldy things as well?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes,” The Blade replied. “We reached the ranch, and below it found that it concealed a network of caverns full of the Vegepygmies—”</p><p></p><p>“—Vegepygmies? That’s what you called them?”</p><p></p><p>“They are known in the Eldeen Reaches,” Rosa explained.</p><p></p><p>“What in the Sovereign are they…nevermind continue please.” Taryn said as he listened intently.</p><p></p><p>“We found below a druid that had been concocting a plague based on eye rot. But this one is more powerful, and even affects warforged,” Sage continued.</p><p></p><p>“I think you skipped the part about burning my house down?” Adrissa said pointedly.</p><p></p><p>“I know that voice…” Taryn said. “That’s…that’s the daughter…Adreesa?”</p><p></p><p>“A-dree-sa,” the girl said slowly.</p><p></p><p>“Yes…did your family—”</p><p></p><p>“No,” said Bookshelf. “No one else was alive.”</p><p></p><p>Taryn shook his head, “I’m sorry to hear that. My condolences Adrissa. Well…alright. Why? What’s going on?”</p><p></p><p>“Well, let me read some things from the druid’s journal. Perhaps it would explain some of this:”</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>“Children of Winter?” Debrika asked. “Aren’t they just insane druids?”</p><p></p><p>“Well…not insane,” Rosa said wincing. “But they are…passionate on how the world would be a better place after a ‘freeze.’”</p><p></p><p>“And they create a magical disease to blind people? Why? And who is this Morrigon?” Taryn asked.</p><p></p><p>“I would like to know the same thing,” Doxx said pointedly. “Didn’t this druid imply you know them, Rosa?”</p><p></p><p>Rosa looked down and sighed, “I honestly don’t know what she was talking about. But I have heard the name Morrigon. He was a Child of Winter…but a moderate one. But he left the Eldeen years ago. I never met him!</p><p></p><p>“I don’t see how a bunch of walking mold is going to defeat the Karnn’s warlords. Not without…oh…that’s it. The Eyerot! A blind army is practically useless.” Taryn said glumly.</p><p></p><p>“Well…depending on how big that wall of thorns is, it might not matter,” Sage pointed out.</p><p></p><p>“A what?” Taryrn and Debrika said together.</p><p></p><p>“There is a wall that…grew and looks to be encircling a large area up here.” Sage said. “But we don’t know how big it is, just that it reachs the low cloud, and its northern border is a mile or so away from the Tannoch ranch. So, Denning might be cut off from us. We don’t know.”</p><p></p><p>“Didn’t I hear right that there is a cure though,” I asked.</p><p></p><p>Rosa nodded, “Yes. Mixing part of Taget oil and morning glys. The same components are used in the standard treatment, but there is a distillation step that is new, to concentrate it. Which reminds me…I have a dose left. Who should I—”</p><p></p><p>“—Debrika.” Taryn said firmly. “If there is fighting, she at least can heal and help the wounded. I can fight, but I can’t aid people in the same way. Her sight is more valuable than mine.”</p><p></p><p>Debrika opened her mouth to argue and then closed it. She nodded at the truth, and she wiped some of the blood from her eyes. Rosa, moved to the Mror and took the last vial and uncorked it, and poured the contents in each of Debrika eyes. Immediately she began to seethe and swear.</p><p></p><p>“By Dol Arrah’s light that hurts!”</p><p></p><p>“Tell me about it,” I agreed. “We’re what two days away from Denning?”</p><p></p><p>“No…less really, if you avoid the road.” Adrissa said. “The road is great for wagons, but it swings a bit out of the way. We can get there by just after nightfall tomorrow if we get some sleep and we cut across country.”</p><p></p><p>“I would feel better inside some walls, than outside.” Doxx said grimly. “And she does seem to know the way, so the faster we can get her to town, the better.”</p><p></p><p>Adrissa glared at the old woman, as Bookshelf spoke. “You can get some rest, we can watch through the night,” they said nodding at the juggernaut.</p><p></p><p>“The quicker, the better.” Mobad said, and he sat down on the ground, leaned up against a tree and folded his arms and started to drift off. The others started to pull out their bedrolls and prepared to sleep. It was strange to look at the warforged though and see them standing, and ready for anything. I wondered how they spent the time not sleeping…not dreaming. A question for another time.</p><p></p><p>As I set out my bedroll and laid down upon it, I looked and saw that Adrissa was looking at me intently. I figured it was best to have the talk now, and so I waved her over. She looked around nervously? Guiltily? I wasn’t sure, but she took her bedroll and set it out next to mine, as I talked to her.</p><p></p><p>“So…you have a…question?” I asked.</p><p></p><p>She looked at me and struggled to find the words for a moment. Finally, she blurted, “So you are an angel….so you have seen…gods?”</p><p></p><p>I sighed, “I am an angels’ daughter…but I am not one. I’ll live a while and die like anyone else. And then, and only then might I meet my god. And I have never met a god…or even my own father.” I said as I stroked her hair.</p><p></p><p>“Why did he leave you?” she asked confused.</p><p></p><p>I looked at her and shook my head, “I…don’t know. I think he wants me to travel, and learn, and help others but…I chart my own way I guess,” As I continued to stroke her hair, I focused on one of my light strands and focused cleaning her dirty smudged face. She could feel me doing something, and I stopped a moment, and pulled the small mirror out of my pouch and let her hold it and watch me clean her face. As I did so she asked another question.</p><p></p><p>“So…are gods real?” She asked.</p><p></p><p>“I believe they are.”</p><p></p><p>“Even if you never see them?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes. It’s called faith for a reason.”</p><p></p><p>“But why…why do they make bad things happen to us?” she asked, with some tears in her eyes.</p><p></p><p>“They don’t make bad things happen. Some things are bad luck, and sometimes bad people do things. But the god I believe in…he teaches us how to live and keep death away. Sometimes I can do that, and sometimes I help those who…need help facing death.”</p><p></p><p>“So…you worship the Sovereign Host right?”</p><p></p><p>I shook my head, “No…I had never heard of them before I came to Eberron, and I expect the gods I know the names to are unfamiliar to you as well. But I,” and I took my holy symbol into my hand and held it out for her to see the scales held aloft by the skeletal hand, “I am a priestess to a god named Kelemvor, and he…he is kind god, with a hard job.”</p><p></p><p>“How?”</p><p></p><p>“Well…he’s a god of death,” to which she recoiled for a moment. “But unlike the one here…the Keeper? He wants everyone to live as long as they can. He can wait, he’s not in a rush to steal souls. And even when someone does die, they pass through his home only for a moment before going to their final resting place, wherever that may be.”</p><p></p><p>“Oh,” she said. “Do you want to meet him?”</p><p></p><p>I scrunched up my face, “I almost have…twice now I guess,” thinking back to when I was stabbed in the chest with the spear. “But he seems to think I have work to do still. So, I help others how I can. Like girls like you.” And I poked her on the tip of her nose, and she giggled. Then then became serious again and asked.</p><p></p><p>“Does death hurt?”</p><p></p><p>I frowned and shook my head. “Dying can. And living is hard at times but dying too soon is a hard thing.”</p><p></p><p>She nodded, “I hope it wasn’t hard for my…dad and mom.”</p><p></p><p>I grimaced, “I’m sure while they miss you, for them it will be a short time waiting. But until then, they will want the best for you. So, you need to remember them and put everything you remember about them to good use. They don’t want to be forgotten; the memories you have of them are partially what makes you, you.”</p><p></p><p>“That’s easy for you to say…you have a father.”</p><p></p><p>“One that gave me up to an orphanage in the worst slum in city?”</p><p></p><p>“Really? Why?”</p><p></p><p>“A great question. Perhaps I’ll ask him when I meet him. No idea about my mother though. So…at least you had your parents; a home, and memories of good times. I…can’t say I had those kinds of memories.”</p><p></p><p>“And you still believe in your god?”</p><p></p><p>“I do. and I have seen a lot that makes me ask questions. But I still have faith in my god. Which is why I help people where I can, so they can find their own.”</p><p></p><p>“Do…you pray?”</p><p></p><p>“Every night. Usually to myself.”</p><p></p><p>“Can…can I pray with you?”</p><p></p><p>I was taken aback. Most people want a blessing because I am an Aasimar, or they needed help with their own issues of death. But while I had said prayers, I never had anyone ask to pray with me before.</p><p></p><p>“Sure…just listen and repeat what I say,” and I closed my eyes and started:</p><p></p><p>“Death is part of Life, not an ending but a beginning.</p><p></p><p>“Death is without deceit and has meaning.</p><p></p><p>“I will strive to help those to live,</p><p></p><p>“So, they can die at their appointed time.</p><p></p><p>“I will honor those who have died before me,</p><p></p><p>“For it is their lives and deeds that give us the world today.</p><p></p><p>“Bless me to live until my appointed time,</p><p></p><p>“So, my deeds will live forever.</p><p></p><p>“So be the will of my Lord, and my desire in faith.</p><p></p><p>“May Death grant us peace.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I heard Adrissa whisper the last words, and she looked at me again, and whispered, “Thank you.” She then lay down in her bedroll and turned around facing away. I then reached out my arm, and pulled her a little closer, and as I expected she clung tightly to me.</p><p></p><p>As I lay there, hoping my nightmares would stay away for the night, I caught the glance of the orc, as he sat there. He nodded subtly with approval and returned to dozing where he sat. I then smiled, and relaxed and let myself drift off to sleep.</p><p></p><p>_____</p><p></p><p>I was blessed to have dreamt of nothing that I could remember. I was afraid of waking in a cold sweat screaming. I didn’t think Adrissa needed to hear that from someone she was trying to find comfort in. I needed to show her some strength, so she could find her own again.</p><p></p><p>It wasn’t even light when we started to pack up camp. Rosa handed out more berries to eat, and it still tasted like the Seven Heavens to me. I may have grown up an orphan, but I will say the Bleakers did their best to keep us from going hungry. Being hung in that cage with only the barest minimum gave me perspective that I didn’t want to repeat again. The group was tired still, their faces all looking grim. Adrissa was eager to get moving, and since no one was really interested in talking, we started making our way through the woods.</p><p></p><p>Taryn, despite his blindness had a fine sense of balance and was easily led. And with Debrika now no longer fighting the eye rot, she was able to guide him easily. This allowed us to make good time. Gossamer of course, stayed high in the trees, keeping an eye out for vegepygmies. As we were travelling in the dim light of the day, we kept quiet, not wanting to attract more enemies.</p><p></p><p>By midday we were tired. Adrissa found us a place to rest by a small brook. It had been getting warmer, and my body felt drenched in sweat. Above us the clouds roiled and churned, looking ready to soak us, but they didn’t. When we stopped, I decided to do something useful…</p><p></p><p><em>--You want me to do what?</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>I want you to fly to the south west, as far and fast as you can. Don’t get spotted, by anything and I’ll summon you back when we are ready to leave.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--This is about that reward talk isn’t it.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>No…it’s seeing if the Vegepygmies are on the road anywhere that direction. Then .</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--Well…as dumb as they look, I’m pretty sure I can avoid them.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Well…unless they can fly.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p> <em>-Hah right…wait. You don’t think tha—</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Gos! Get going.</em></p><p></p><p>So I sat on the ground and used a piece of cloth I had, and used it to wipe off the sweat from my skin, and then used a strand to clean it, and then cool it down. As I sat there, I felt the tugging again. The Blade sat nearby and was checking over some of his arrows, and I was about to ask him, when I was asked a question.</p><p></p><p>“So…how much time did you spend with Melissandre?” Doxx asked me in a low voice as she sat down next to me.</p><p></p><p>Looking around, I realized that Taryn and Debrika weren’t in immediate earshot, and it was clear that Doxx was not trying to get anyone else attention. I sighed, “I had a nice dinner with her on the lightning rail to Cattbron. After we arrived, I didn’t stay in town long and we didn’t talk again. Why?”</p><p></p><p>The old woman looked at me and frowned, “How did she find you?”</p><p></p><p>“She arranged for some evidence to be discovered, that proved I wasn’t a spy and that a dwarf was bobbing the town of Krona Peak.”</p><p></p><p>“Bobbing?”</p><p></p><p>“Oh…right. Pulling a con. Basically pocketing extra money they shouldn’t have. Anyway, after I was released, I got a letter instructing me to get to lightning rail…and here I am. Now for the second time, why?”</p><p></p><p>“I am suspecting that she knew more than she was telling. She knew far more about me than I found…comfortable. But I think there is more to it than that.”</p><p></p><p>“You think she knew something was going to happen here?”</p><p></p><p>She nodded. “She seemed to know that Blademarks weren’t going to be enough to find cows. So, she had us sent as well.”</p><p></p><p>I sighed, “Ok...I admit that makes some sense. But that could just be dumb luck.”</p><p></p><p>“I don’t think so. We were hauled in from the Eldeen, Sharn, and Thrane…. these aren’t close places. She could have found someone, anyone from Karnnath that was closer., plenty of skilled people ready for work around here. So why us?</p><p></p><p>I could only shrug, “I don’t know. Its not like she told me anything. That damn contract had nothing about this specially, and it had a lot on the gold mine.”</p><p></p><p>“So you think that’s real?”</p><p></p><p>“That I am certain off…it was all the talk in Krona.”</p><p></p><p>“I guess that will have to do,” She frowned, and was about to get up when I stopped her.</p><p></p><p>“I’ve humored you, will you humor me?”</p><p></p><p>“Wait do you mean,” she asked suspiciously.</p><p></p><p>“You are a changeling. What is one?” I asked.</p><p></p><p>“We…are a race that lives in the shadows of others. We can change our shape to what we want. But people are suspicious of us because of that, so we don’t usually go around showing off that we can do it.”</p><p></p><p>“So you can become anything?”</p><p></p><p>“Anyone, any race, any gender—”</p><p></p><p>“—you can change all of that?” I said even more curious. “What do you look like normally?”</p><p></p><p>Doxx looked at me, and then I saw the lines of her face fade away. Her skin lost color and became more grey, and her nose indistinct. Her eyes appeared more of a solid white, and her hair receded in length, and it stayed white in color, and not a frazzled grey. As I looked her face even appeared to be more masculine. I couldn’t help myself and I reached out and touched this new face. Doxx didn’t recoil but instead asked “Are there none of us where you come from?”</p><p></p><p>“No,” I said still amazed. “There are many that can use illusion, and some fiends that can do this. But I have never known anyone of them personally. But I am curious about how it feels…to be someone else.”</p><p></p><p>Doxx looked at me and shrugged, “Some are more into that aspect than others. Its just a tool for me.”</p><p></p><p>At this point the large warforged Sage interrupted us, “We should be moving again.”</p><p></p><p>“Right,” and I focused and cast a light strand in the direction that Gossamer flew, and with a pull, returned him to me.</p><p></p><p><em>What did you see.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--They don’t fly, and they are dumb in the sense that if you are an animal, they ignore you.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Gos…</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--Well they are on the roadway and they have essentially blocked it. But they had stopped a while ago and had cut down trees. Not sure why, I didn’t see any logs or fires nearby, just stripped branches. Fresh from the smell. A lot of them are milling about.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>How far? </em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--Maybe a league or two? I could just see the town. But one thing; there are a lot of them.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>We knew that.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--No…remember the caverns and how they looked like they could hold a huge number? This looks to be four times that.</em></p><p></p><p>“Oh sodding,” I said aloud.</p><p></p><p>“What?” Sage asked.</p><p></p><p>“They’ve reached the town, and there are a lot more than that single complex had.”</p><p></p><p>“The journal did say there were other warrens,” Rosa pointed out.</p><p></p><p>“They’ve been chopping down trees and stripping branches though.”</p><p></p><p>Sage and Bookshelf looked at each other and at Doxx. “They can’t be.” Bookshelf said.</p><p></p><p>“Can’t be what?” Adrissa asked concerned.</p><p></p><p>Sage then said, “That’s what an army does when they are going to start a siege. We’re too late.”</p><p></p><p><strong>Session notes:</strong></p><p>There was a lot of character exploration here between Myrai and other other players, so the fish out of water story continues. But Doxx continued their obsession with Melisandre, and Adrissa (and yes I had to do 101 name correction to fix the spelling) was becoming a full fledged ranger...if short.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nthal, post: 8292859, member: 6971069"] [HEADING=1][CENTER]Faith - 6/4/2021[/CENTER][/HEADING] Mobad squinted out in the darkness, “I see nothing,” “Nothing is very dark for me,” I said to the orc. I took out from my pouch a copper wire, and with a quick thought, threw a loop of a white strand in the direction of Taryn, “[I]Taryn? Its Myrai, we’re coming to get you and Debrika.” “Myrai?” came the reply. “Debrika thought she saw a light. I am glad you are alright, what about the others?” “Well…some are with me now, others…didn’t make it. We’ll talk more when you are safe.”[/I] “Come on Mobad, let’s give them a hand.” I said, and I walked out into the forest towards the Mror. We made our way to them quickly, and it became apparent why they were moving slow. Both of them had been fighting, Debrika’s face was only scowls as we approached. Not because of us, but because of what had happened. Her armor was dented and covered in blood and ichor, and her warhammer had clearly seen a lot of use. Taryn looked a little worse off, with his clothes were ripped stained with blood and gray green ichor. He wielded his short sword in a hand, as he leaned against Debrika. Finally, I got a good look at Taryn’s face. “You’re blind, aren’t you?” I said, motioning Debrika to follow me, while Mobad looked around us for trouble. “Debrika has seen this before; Eye rot wasn’t it?” he said looking in my direction at the sound of my voice as she grunted the affirmative. His eyes were shut, and crusted with scabs, and his face stained with bloody tears. I looked at Debrika and saw she too had dried blood around her eyes, but she was squinting trying to see. "You tried to cure it I’m guessing, and it keeps coming back?” I guessed, as we entered our camp. “Yes,” Debrika muttered angrily. “My prayers do not keep it far from us. But I needed to stop curing Taryn so we could make progress.” We entered the hunting blind, and Debrika guided Taryn to spot on the ground, before she knelt down in an angry huff. Taryn then continued, “I take it that the Tannoch Ranch was crawling with little moldy things as well?” “Yes,” The Blade replied. “We reached the ranch, and below it found that it concealed a network of caverns full of the Vegepygmies—” “—Vegepygmies? That’s what you called them?” “They are known in the Eldeen Reaches,” Rosa explained. “What in the Sovereign are they…nevermind continue please.” Taryn said as he listened intently. “We found below a druid that had been concocting a plague based on eye rot. But this one is more powerful, and even affects warforged,” Sage continued. “I think you skipped the part about burning my house down?” Adrissa said pointedly. “I know that voice…” Taryn said. “That’s…that’s the daughter…Adreesa?” “A-dree-sa,” the girl said slowly. “Yes…did your family—” “No,” said Bookshelf. “No one else was alive.” Taryn shook his head, “I’m sorry to hear that. My condolences Adrissa. Well…alright. Why? What’s going on?” “Well, let me read some things from the druid’s journal. Perhaps it would explain some of this:” “Children of Winter?” Debrika asked. “Aren’t they just insane druids?” “Well…not insane,” Rosa said wincing. “But they are…passionate on how the world would be a better place after a ‘freeze.’” “And they create a magical disease to blind people? Why? And who is this Morrigon?” Taryn asked. “I would like to know the same thing,” Doxx said pointedly. “Didn’t this druid imply you know them, Rosa?” Rosa looked down and sighed, “I honestly don’t know what she was talking about. But I have heard the name Morrigon. He was a Child of Winter…but a moderate one. But he left the Eldeen years ago. I never met him! “I don’t see how a bunch of walking mold is going to defeat the Karnn’s warlords. Not without…oh…that’s it. The Eyerot! A blind army is practically useless.” Taryn said glumly. “Well…depending on how big that wall of thorns is, it might not matter,” Sage pointed out. “A what?” Taryrn and Debrika said together. “There is a wall that…grew and looks to be encircling a large area up here.” Sage said. “But we don’t know how big it is, just that it reachs the low cloud, and its northern border is a mile or so away from the Tannoch ranch. So, Denning might be cut off from us. We don’t know.” “Didn’t I hear right that there is a cure though,” I asked. Rosa nodded, “Yes. Mixing part of Taget oil and morning glys. The same components are used in the standard treatment, but there is a distillation step that is new, to concentrate it. Which reminds me…I have a dose left. Who should I—” “—Debrika.” Taryn said firmly. “If there is fighting, she at least can heal and help the wounded. I can fight, but I can’t aid people in the same way. Her sight is more valuable than mine.” Debrika opened her mouth to argue and then closed it. She nodded at the truth, and she wiped some of the blood from her eyes. Rosa, moved to the Mror and took the last vial and uncorked it, and poured the contents in each of Debrika eyes. Immediately she began to seethe and swear. “By Dol Arrah’s light that hurts!” “Tell me about it,” I agreed. “We’re what two days away from Denning?” “No…less really, if you avoid the road.” Adrissa said. “The road is great for wagons, but it swings a bit out of the way. We can get there by just after nightfall tomorrow if we get some sleep and we cut across country.” “I would feel better inside some walls, than outside.” Doxx said grimly. “And she does seem to know the way, so the faster we can get her to town, the better.” Adrissa glared at the old woman, as Bookshelf spoke. “You can get some rest, we can watch through the night,” they said nodding at the juggernaut. “The quicker, the better.” Mobad said, and he sat down on the ground, leaned up against a tree and folded his arms and started to drift off. The others started to pull out their bedrolls and prepared to sleep. It was strange to look at the warforged though and see them standing, and ready for anything. I wondered how they spent the time not sleeping…not dreaming. A question for another time. As I set out my bedroll and laid down upon it, I looked and saw that Adrissa was looking at me intently. I figured it was best to have the talk now, and so I waved her over. She looked around nervously? Guiltily? I wasn’t sure, but she took her bedroll and set it out next to mine, as I talked to her. “So…you have a…question?” I asked. She looked at me and struggled to find the words for a moment. Finally, she blurted, “So you are an angel….so you have seen…gods?” I sighed, “I am an angels’ daughter…but I am not one. I’ll live a while and die like anyone else. And then, and only then might I meet my god. And I have never met a god…or even my own father.” I said as I stroked her hair. “Why did he leave you?” she asked confused. I looked at her and shook my head, “I…don’t know. I think he wants me to travel, and learn, and help others but…I chart my own way I guess,” As I continued to stroke her hair, I focused on one of my light strands and focused cleaning her dirty smudged face. She could feel me doing something, and I stopped a moment, and pulled the small mirror out of my pouch and let her hold it and watch me clean her face. As I did so she asked another question. “So…are gods real?” She asked. “I believe they are.” “Even if you never see them?” “Yes. It’s called faith for a reason.” “But why…why do they make bad things happen to us?” she asked, with some tears in her eyes. “They don’t make bad things happen. Some things are bad luck, and sometimes bad people do things. But the god I believe in…he teaches us how to live and keep death away. Sometimes I can do that, and sometimes I help those who…need help facing death.” “So…you worship the Sovereign Host right?” I shook my head, “No…I had never heard of them before I came to Eberron, and I expect the gods I know the names to are unfamiliar to you as well. But I,” and I took my holy symbol into my hand and held it out for her to see the scales held aloft by the skeletal hand, “I am a priestess to a god named Kelemvor, and he…he is kind god, with a hard job.” “How?” “Well…he’s a god of death,” to which she recoiled for a moment. “But unlike the one here…the Keeper? He wants everyone to live as long as they can. He can wait, he’s not in a rush to steal souls. And even when someone does die, they pass through his home only for a moment before going to their final resting place, wherever that may be.” “Oh,” she said. “Do you want to meet him?” I scrunched up my face, “I almost have…twice now I guess,” thinking back to when I was stabbed in the chest with the spear. “But he seems to think I have work to do still. So, I help others how I can. Like girls like you.” And I poked her on the tip of her nose, and she giggled. Then then became serious again and asked. “Does death hurt?” I frowned and shook my head. “Dying can. And living is hard at times but dying too soon is a hard thing.” She nodded, “I hope it wasn’t hard for my…dad and mom.” I grimaced, “I’m sure while they miss you, for them it will be a short time waiting. But until then, they will want the best for you. So, you need to remember them and put everything you remember about them to good use. They don’t want to be forgotten; the memories you have of them are partially what makes you, you.” “That’s easy for you to say…you have a father.” “One that gave me up to an orphanage in the worst slum in city?” “Really? Why?” “A great question. Perhaps I’ll ask him when I meet him. No idea about my mother though. So…at least you had your parents; a home, and memories of good times. I…can’t say I had those kinds of memories.” “And you still believe in your god?” “I do. and I have seen a lot that makes me ask questions. But I still have faith in my god. Which is why I help people where I can, so they can find their own.” “Do…you pray?” “Every night. Usually to myself.” “Can…can I pray with you?” I was taken aback. Most people want a blessing because I am an Aasimar, or they needed help with their own issues of death. But while I had said prayers, I never had anyone ask to pray with me before. “Sure…just listen and repeat what I say,” and I closed my eyes and started: “Death is part of Life, not an ending but a beginning. “Death is without deceit and has meaning. “I will strive to help those to live, “So, they can die at their appointed time. “I will honor those who have died before me, “For it is their lives and deeds that give us the world today. “Bless me to live until my appointed time, “So, my deeds will live forever. “So be the will of my Lord, and my desire in faith. “May Death grant us peace. I heard Adrissa whisper the last words, and she looked at me again, and whispered, “Thank you.” She then lay down in her bedroll and turned around facing away. I then reached out my arm, and pulled her a little closer, and as I expected she clung tightly to me. As I lay there, hoping my nightmares would stay away for the night, I caught the glance of the orc, as he sat there. He nodded subtly with approval and returned to dozing where he sat. I then smiled, and relaxed and let myself drift off to sleep. _____ I was blessed to have dreamt of nothing that I could remember. I was afraid of waking in a cold sweat screaming. I didn’t think Adrissa needed to hear that from someone she was trying to find comfort in. I needed to show her some strength, so she could find her own again. It wasn’t even light when we started to pack up camp. Rosa handed out more berries to eat, and it still tasted like the Seven Heavens to me. I may have grown up an orphan, but I will say the Bleakers did their best to keep us from going hungry. Being hung in that cage with only the barest minimum gave me perspective that I didn’t want to repeat again. The group was tired still, their faces all looking grim. Adrissa was eager to get moving, and since no one was really interested in talking, we started making our way through the woods. Taryn, despite his blindness had a fine sense of balance and was easily led. And with Debrika now no longer fighting the eye rot, she was able to guide him easily. This allowed us to make good time. Gossamer of course, stayed high in the trees, keeping an eye out for vegepygmies. As we were travelling in the dim light of the day, we kept quiet, not wanting to attract more enemies. By midday we were tired. Adrissa found us a place to rest by a small brook. It had been getting warmer, and my body felt drenched in sweat. Above us the clouds roiled and churned, looking ready to soak us, but they didn’t. When we stopped, I decided to do something useful… [I]--You want me to do what? I want you to fly to the south west, as far and fast as you can. Don’t get spotted, by anything and I’ll summon you back when we are ready to leave. --This is about that reward talk isn’t it. No…it’s seeing if the Vegepygmies are on the road anywhere that direction. Then . --Well…as dumb as they look, I’m pretty sure I can avoid them. Well…unless they can fly. -Hah right…wait. You don’t think tha— Gos! Get going.[/I] So I sat on the ground and used a piece of cloth I had, and used it to wipe off the sweat from my skin, and then used a strand to clean it, and then cool it down. As I sat there, I felt the tugging again. The Blade sat nearby and was checking over some of his arrows, and I was about to ask him, when I was asked a question. “So…how much time did you spend with Melissandre?” Doxx asked me in a low voice as she sat down next to me. Looking around, I realized that Taryn and Debrika weren’t in immediate earshot, and it was clear that Doxx was not trying to get anyone else attention. I sighed, “I had a nice dinner with her on the lightning rail to Cattbron. After we arrived, I didn’t stay in town long and we didn’t talk again. Why?” The old woman looked at me and frowned, “How did she find you?” “She arranged for some evidence to be discovered, that proved I wasn’t a spy and that a dwarf was bobbing the town of Krona Peak.” “Bobbing?” “Oh…right. Pulling a con. Basically pocketing extra money they shouldn’t have. Anyway, after I was released, I got a letter instructing me to get to lightning rail…and here I am. Now for the second time, why?” “I am suspecting that she knew more than she was telling. She knew far more about me than I found…comfortable. But I think there is more to it than that.” “You think she knew something was going to happen here?” She nodded. “She seemed to know that Blademarks weren’t going to be enough to find cows. So, she had us sent as well.” I sighed, “Ok...I admit that makes some sense. But that could just be dumb luck.” “I don’t think so. We were hauled in from the Eldeen, Sharn, and Thrane…. these aren’t close places. She could have found someone, anyone from Karnnath that was closer., plenty of skilled people ready for work around here. So why us? I could only shrug, “I don’t know. Its not like she told me anything. That damn contract had nothing about this specially, and it had a lot on the gold mine.” “So you think that’s real?” “That I am certain off…it was all the talk in Krona.” “I guess that will have to do,” She frowned, and was about to get up when I stopped her. “I’ve humored you, will you humor me?” “Wait do you mean,” she asked suspiciously. “You are a changeling. What is one?” I asked. “We…are a race that lives in the shadows of others. We can change our shape to what we want. But people are suspicious of us because of that, so we don’t usually go around showing off that we can do it.” “So you can become anything?” “Anyone, any race, any gender—” “—you can change all of that?” I said even more curious. “What do you look like normally?” Doxx looked at me, and then I saw the lines of her face fade away. Her skin lost color and became more grey, and her nose indistinct. Her eyes appeared more of a solid white, and her hair receded in length, and it stayed white in color, and not a frazzled grey. As I looked her face even appeared to be more masculine. I couldn’t help myself and I reached out and touched this new face. Doxx didn’t recoil but instead asked “Are there none of us where you come from?” “No,” I said still amazed. “There are many that can use illusion, and some fiends that can do this. But I have never known anyone of them personally. But I am curious about how it feels…to be someone else.” Doxx looked at me and shrugged, “Some are more into that aspect than others. Its just a tool for me.” At this point the large warforged Sage interrupted us, “We should be moving again.” “Right,” and I focused and cast a light strand in the direction that Gossamer flew, and with a pull, returned him to me. [I]What did you see. --They don’t fly, and they are dumb in the sense that if you are an animal, they ignore you. Gos… --Well they are on the roadway and they have essentially blocked it. But they had stopped a while ago and had cut down trees. Not sure why, I didn’t see any logs or fires nearby, just stripped branches. Fresh from the smell. A lot of them are milling about. How far? --Maybe a league or two? I could just see the town. But one thing; there are a lot of them. We knew that. --No…remember the caverns and how they looked like they could hold a huge number? This looks to be four times that.[/I] “Oh sodding,” I said aloud. “What?” Sage asked. “They’ve reached the town, and there are a lot more than that single complex had.” “The journal did say there were other warrens,” Rosa pointed out. “They’ve been chopping down trees and stripping branches though.” Sage and Bookshelf looked at each other and at Doxx. “They can’t be.” Bookshelf said. “Can’t be what?” Adrissa asked concerned. Sage then said, “That’s what an army does when they are going to start a siege. We’re too late.” [B]Session notes:[/B] There was a lot of character exploration here between Myrai and other other players, so the fish out of water story continues. But Doxx continued their obsession with Melisandre, and Adrissa (and yes I had to do 101 name correction to fix the spelling) was becoming a full fledged ranger...if short. [/QUOTE]
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The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
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