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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Welcome to the Halmae (updated 2/27/07)
- Thread starter spyscribe
- Start date
spyscribe
First Post
Back at home at last. It was a lovely wedding, marred only by the invasion of rival gangs disrupting the reception and culminating in a final battle in a warehouse filled with hardware and althetic equipment... No wait, that was the Feng Shui game Pirate Cat was running in the hospitality suite.
Seriously, congratulations to the happy couple, and thank you to PC, Kid Cuthulhu and the rest of the gang for generally being great folks, and for letting me sit in with the Defenders while I was visiting Boston.
Oh, and...
Not that I was informed of, although they were probably one of the few couples on Amazon to register for china, cookware, and the Expanded Psionics Handbook.
Update tomorrow!
Seriously, congratulations to the happy couple, and thank you to PC, Kid Cuthulhu and the rest of the gang for generally being great folks, and for letting me sit in with the Defenders while I was visiting Boston.
Oh, and...
jonrog1 said:
Not that I was informed of, although they were probably one of the few couples on Amazon to register for china, cookware, and the Expanded Psionics Handbook.
Update tomorrow!
spyscribe
First Post
Part the Fifty-Sixth
In which: The party runs aground.
“I believe she is coming around…”
Who is? Lira wonders.
You are, boss.
Oh. Right.
Lira slowly opens her eyes. She is in a cave, which surprises her until she remembers that she was in a cave before she passed out, so yes, this fits. The party appears to have made camp in a small side tunnel. There is a tiny fire, carefully shielded from view.
“How long was I out?” she asks.
“Two hours,” Reyu replies. “We have seen no signs of… pursuit since we left their territories.”
Benedic glances over at Lira. “Well. I see you’re up and about again.”
She smiles. “I’m up at least.”
“Excellent,” Anvil cuts in. “Then we should press on with all haste. Our objective is near, and we must not dawdle.”
“Because Kettenek demands it?” Lira asks, wryly.
“Of course. Does not Ehkt demand no less of you?”
“Somehow, I don’t think Ehkt would mind if we rested a little longer before facing this particular challenge.”
Hmph, Anvil thinks. Some god. But he says nothing, and the party rests for several more hours.
Finally, they break camp. Zrod leads them on. After several hours, he slows his pace, periodically thumping at the ceiling with his axe. Eva flinches at the occasional hail of dirt and stone that fall as he does so. Eventually, he stops. “Well, this is probably the best place to start excavating.”
“Excavating?” Eva asks.
“Yup. I figure we’re pretty close, and we’re only twenty, maybe thirty feet down. Dirt’s pretty soft here, so it’s the best place to start heading up. We could keep looking around for a natural tunnel or chimney or something, but there’s no guarantee there’s any around for miles.”
“Right,” Thatch says. “Excavating it is then.” Dennis steps back to let Thatch forward.
“Would you like some…aid?” Reyu asks.
“Sure. Grab a shovel.”
“That is not… precisely what I meant,” she responds with a smile. “Stand back.”
Everyone makes room, as Reyu casts. The rock and dirt ceiling of the tunnel suddenly loosens, transforming into dirt and sand. A huge quantity of material falls from the ceiling, partially filling the floor of the cavern.
“Neat!” Hue exclaims.
“There,” Reyu says. “That should get you on your way.”
**********
Zrod oversees the excavation, making sure it is handled as safely as possible. Nonetheless, it takes several hours of coordinated efforts before Thatch breaks through to grass and sweet, fresh air. It is midafternoon. The sun shines, and the air has a crisp, November chill to it. He breathes deep.
“Hey, everyone. Come on up!”
The members of the party all climb up, leaving the caves behind. They are in a grassy plain, a short way from the edge of a forest. About a quarter of a mile northwest of them is expanse of exposed bedrock, rising up above the plain. From the midst of it, they see a small column of smoke.
“That must be it,” Lira says. “The home of the Miyen Kai.”
Benedic and Reyu fan out, quickly scouting the nearby area. They find elf tracks indicative of a patrol, but they are a few days old. Nevertheless, the party stays low, hoping to avoid detection. They go to some effort to conceal the hole.
“I’d say our best bet is to make a dash for the rocks. Less time out in the open,” Benedic suggests.
Lira blanches at the thought of more running, but it does not seem too far.
“Out of curiosity, what exactly do we plan to do when we reach the Miyen Kai?” Eva asks.
“We shall present him with his invitation, and attempt to evaluate his suitability as a potential Chancellor,” Anvil responds.
“And hope he doesn’t destroy us for violating his people’s holy lands?”
“Indeed.”
“Great.”
The group runs for the rocks. (Editor’s Note: The party runs aground. Get it? ‘Cause they’re running. While they’re on… ground…. Oh, I don’t know why I bother.)
They reach the rocks without incident, taking a moment to catch their breath once they reach shelter. Then, they make for the curl of smoke.
It is a difficult trek. There is no obvious path through the rocks, and neither Benedic nor Reyu can see any tracks. The group is forced to climb, first up and then down, then up again. Euro and the Ferret have the least difficulty of anyone, scouting ahead for paths of least resistance.
(DM: Give me Climb checks.
Bad Monkey Jeff: Can we just take 10?
DM: Yeah, I guess so.
Spyscribe: That’s good. Considering my taking 10 is a 9.)
Thus, it is Euro who first notices the elves. (It is possible that the Ferret actually noticed them first, but chose to keep silent for reasons of his own).
Uh, boss. Looks like we maybe got a problem here.
What is it? Lira asks, and suddenly realizes that an answer is moot.
Looking down on her from above are ten elven warriors. All with bows drawn.
Ah, Lira thinks. Here we go again.
An unarmed, middle-aged elf steps forward. Her braids name her as TodoTinkeni, servant of the Miyen Kai. She cocks her head and looks at the party. “You trespass on holy ground, strangers,” she says in Elven. Her tone is more matter-of-fact than accusing. “How have you come to this place?”
The party looks to Reyu. She sighs and steps forward. “With much difficulty, honored sister,” she says. “We have traveled many long leagues to speak to the Miyen Kai. Please, we ask only to meet with him, and then we shall leave your lands for all time.”
TodoTinkeni contemplates this. “In days past,” she finally says, “you would be slain on the spot for violating our holy lands. However, since the coming of the Miyen Kai, much has changed for our people. This many trespassers in the heart of Miyen lands is not the strangest thing I have seen in the three seasons past. I shall take you to the Miyen Kai. He shall decide your fate.”
She signals to the other elves, who put up their bows. “Follow me,” she says.
The party does.
TodoTinkeni leads them through the rocks. The travel becomes easier, as she takes them through practiced routes. If there is an actual path, only she can see it, but it is clear that she knows the easiest way to reach their destination.
Finally, the party crests a large ridge. Above them, on a higher ridge, they can see a few more elves, standing like sentries. Lira notes it odd that these sentries do not seem to be looking in the party’s direction. In fact, of the four sentries she can see, they seem to be looking inward, not outward, but at what she can’t tell.
However, most of the party’s attention is drawn to what is below them, not above. And that is a small, elven village built on a rocky flat. There is a large, communal fire-pit, with several benches built around it. To one side are a series of smaller teepees, to the other side there is one large one. There are thirty or so elves to be seen, in addition to the ten escorting the PCs. Most of them are female and, unlike their escorts, do not seem to be terribly well armed. They go about typical village work.
Stairs carved in the stone lead down to the village. TodoTinkeni leads them down. She brings the party to the benches. “Wait here. And remember, you are being watched. If you touch your weapons or attempt to cast a spell, you will be dealt with, and there will be no further warnings.” Then she heads to the large teepee. She speaks through the entrance flap for a moment, then enters.
The party waits. They try not to make any threatening motions. Really, they try not to move at all.
Finally, the entrance flap to the large teepee opens, and an elf emerges. He is of indeterminate age, and dressed in long, fine robes. His hair is long and midnight black, and he bears many beads, extolling his virtues and powers. He approaches the party and sits on one of the benches near them.
“I am the Miyen Kai,” he says in perfect Common. “I believe you wished to see me?”
In which: The party runs aground.
“I believe she is coming around…”
Who is? Lira wonders.
You are, boss.
Oh. Right.
Lira slowly opens her eyes. She is in a cave, which surprises her until she remembers that she was in a cave before she passed out, so yes, this fits. The party appears to have made camp in a small side tunnel. There is a tiny fire, carefully shielded from view.
“How long was I out?” she asks.
“Two hours,” Reyu replies. “We have seen no signs of… pursuit since we left their territories.”
Benedic glances over at Lira. “Well. I see you’re up and about again.”
She smiles. “I’m up at least.”
“Excellent,” Anvil cuts in. “Then we should press on with all haste. Our objective is near, and we must not dawdle.”
“Because Kettenek demands it?” Lira asks, wryly.
“Of course. Does not Ehkt demand no less of you?”
“Somehow, I don’t think Ehkt would mind if we rested a little longer before facing this particular challenge.”
Hmph, Anvil thinks. Some god. But he says nothing, and the party rests for several more hours.
Finally, they break camp. Zrod leads them on. After several hours, he slows his pace, periodically thumping at the ceiling with his axe. Eva flinches at the occasional hail of dirt and stone that fall as he does so. Eventually, he stops. “Well, this is probably the best place to start excavating.”
“Excavating?” Eva asks.
“Yup. I figure we’re pretty close, and we’re only twenty, maybe thirty feet down. Dirt’s pretty soft here, so it’s the best place to start heading up. We could keep looking around for a natural tunnel or chimney or something, but there’s no guarantee there’s any around for miles.”
“Right,” Thatch says. “Excavating it is then.” Dennis steps back to let Thatch forward.
“Would you like some…aid?” Reyu asks.
“Sure. Grab a shovel.”
“That is not… precisely what I meant,” she responds with a smile. “Stand back.”
Everyone makes room, as Reyu casts. The rock and dirt ceiling of the tunnel suddenly loosens, transforming into dirt and sand. A huge quantity of material falls from the ceiling, partially filling the floor of the cavern.
“Neat!” Hue exclaims.
“There,” Reyu says. “That should get you on your way.”
**********
Zrod oversees the excavation, making sure it is handled as safely as possible. Nonetheless, it takes several hours of coordinated efforts before Thatch breaks through to grass and sweet, fresh air. It is midafternoon. The sun shines, and the air has a crisp, November chill to it. He breathes deep.
“Hey, everyone. Come on up!”
The members of the party all climb up, leaving the caves behind. They are in a grassy plain, a short way from the edge of a forest. About a quarter of a mile northwest of them is expanse of exposed bedrock, rising up above the plain. From the midst of it, they see a small column of smoke.
“That must be it,” Lira says. “The home of the Miyen Kai.”
Benedic and Reyu fan out, quickly scouting the nearby area. They find elf tracks indicative of a patrol, but they are a few days old. Nevertheless, the party stays low, hoping to avoid detection. They go to some effort to conceal the hole.
“I’d say our best bet is to make a dash for the rocks. Less time out in the open,” Benedic suggests.
Lira blanches at the thought of more running, but it does not seem too far.
“Out of curiosity, what exactly do we plan to do when we reach the Miyen Kai?” Eva asks.
“We shall present him with his invitation, and attempt to evaluate his suitability as a potential Chancellor,” Anvil responds.
“And hope he doesn’t destroy us for violating his people’s holy lands?”
“Indeed.”
“Great.”
The group runs for the rocks. (Editor’s Note: The party runs aground. Get it? ‘Cause they’re running. While they’re on… ground…. Oh, I don’t know why I bother.)
They reach the rocks without incident, taking a moment to catch their breath once they reach shelter. Then, they make for the curl of smoke.
It is a difficult trek. There is no obvious path through the rocks, and neither Benedic nor Reyu can see any tracks. The group is forced to climb, first up and then down, then up again. Euro and the Ferret have the least difficulty of anyone, scouting ahead for paths of least resistance.
(DM: Give me Climb checks.
Bad Monkey Jeff: Can we just take 10?
DM: Yeah, I guess so.
Spyscribe: That’s good. Considering my taking 10 is a 9.)
Thus, it is Euro who first notices the elves. (It is possible that the Ferret actually noticed them first, but chose to keep silent for reasons of his own).
Uh, boss. Looks like we maybe got a problem here.
What is it? Lira asks, and suddenly realizes that an answer is moot.
Looking down on her from above are ten elven warriors. All with bows drawn.
Ah, Lira thinks. Here we go again.
An unarmed, middle-aged elf steps forward. Her braids name her as TodoTinkeni, servant of the Miyen Kai. She cocks her head and looks at the party. “You trespass on holy ground, strangers,” she says in Elven. Her tone is more matter-of-fact than accusing. “How have you come to this place?”
The party looks to Reyu. She sighs and steps forward. “With much difficulty, honored sister,” she says. “We have traveled many long leagues to speak to the Miyen Kai. Please, we ask only to meet with him, and then we shall leave your lands for all time.”
TodoTinkeni contemplates this. “In days past,” she finally says, “you would be slain on the spot for violating our holy lands. However, since the coming of the Miyen Kai, much has changed for our people. This many trespassers in the heart of Miyen lands is not the strangest thing I have seen in the three seasons past. I shall take you to the Miyen Kai. He shall decide your fate.”
She signals to the other elves, who put up their bows. “Follow me,” she says.
The party does.
TodoTinkeni leads them through the rocks. The travel becomes easier, as she takes them through practiced routes. If there is an actual path, only she can see it, but it is clear that she knows the easiest way to reach their destination.
Finally, the party crests a large ridge. Above them, on a higher ridge, they can see a few more elves, standing like sentries. Lira notes it odd that these sentries do not seem to be looking in the party’s direction. In fact, of the four sentries she can see, they seem to be looking inward, not outward, but at what she can’t tell.
However, most of the party’s attention is drawn to what is below them, not above. And that is a small, elven village built on a rocky flat. There is a large, communal fire-pit, with several benches built around it. To one side are a series of smaller teepees, to the other side there is one large one. There are thirty or so elves to be seen, in addition to the ten escorting the PCs. Most of them are female and, unlike their escorts, do not seem to be terribly well armed. They go about typical village work.
Stairs carved in the stone lead down to the village. TodoTinkeni leads them down. She brings the party to the benches. “Wait here. And remember, you are being watched. If you touch your weapons or attempt to cast a spell, you will be dealt with, and there will be no further warnings.” Then she heads to the large teepee. She speaks through the entrance flap for a moment, then enters.
The party waits. They try not to make any threatening motions. Really, they try not to move at all.
Finally, the entrance flap to the large teepee opens, and an elf emerges. He is of indeterminate age, and dressed in long, fine robes. His hair is long and midnight black, and he bears many beads, extolling his virtues and powers. He approaches the party and sits on one of the benches near them.
“I am the Miyen Kai,” he says in perfect Common. “I believe you wished to see me?”
spyscribe
First Post
(Well, aros, looks like you picked the right day to start reading. 
)
Part the Fifty-Seventh
In which: An archmage is found.
The party looks at each other, no one quite sure where to begin. Naturally, it is Anvil who speaks up. “We have come from Dar Pykos, a city-state in the Darine Confederacy--"
“I am aware of Dar Pykos,” the Miyen Kai replies. His voice is cool and melodious. He speaks in serene tones, which would be soothing were they not quite so odd.
“Are you also aware of the Mages Academy in Dar Pykos?” Anvil asks.
“I am aware such a place exists,” says the Miyen Kai, “but I know little beyond that.”
“The Mages’ Academy is in search of a new Chancellor. They have asked us to present invitations to the four most powerful wizards in the Halmae, to come to Dar Pykos to perhaps become the new Chancellor.” Anvil holds forth one of their invitations.
The Miyen Kai holds out his hand for it. But to Anvil’s surprise, before he can pass the invitation on, it rises out of his hand, and moves through the air to the Miyen Kai’s. The Miyen Kai breaks the seal and inspects the invitation.
Thatch’s eyebrows raise, impressed by this casual display of magic. Lira is less easily impressed. A still, silent mage hand, she thinks. Show off.
The Miyen Kai opens the scroll and silently reads it. “Interesting,” he muses. “Very interesting. I thank you for this.”
“Then you will come?” Anvil asks.
“That is hard to say,” the Miyen Kai responds. “Right now, my calling must keep me here with my people.”
“Do you expect that to change?”
“It may. It would be my hope to banish this blight from the Miyen lands, but whether or not that goal may be attained, I cannot foresee.”
“Um, yeah, about that blight…” Thatch says. Everyone looks at him. “Well, um, I was just wondering if we could, you know, see it?”
“That can be arranged,” the Miyen Kai says. “But perhaps it should wait until later. I can see from your faces that you have many questions about me.”
That is, perhaps, the greatest understatement the party has ever heard.
“Tell us of yourself,” Anvil says. “Where you are from. How you came here. Where you learned this proficiency with the arcane arts.”
The Miyen Kai smiles. “Perhaps you should tell me what you have heard, that I may know what gaps must be filled in.”
The party tells the Miyen Kai what they have heard of him, from the rumors of a powerful force among the elves heard as far away as Dar Pykos, to the specific tales of the Miyen themselves, of the prophecy and the pit of darkness that spawned the shadow creatures.
The Miyen Kai nods as he listens. Finally, he gets a faraway look. “It is difficult to say where I was before I was called here. I have no… memories. Only an awareness of places, people. I do not know how I knew what I was, or how I knew that I was, or how I knew that the Miyen were in danger. But I did know, and I came here. As prophesied.”
No one knows what to say to that.
“So… where exactly were you before you came here?” Eva asks.
“I do not know. But I begin to suspect that I have always been here. At one with the Weave.”
“The Weave?” Lira asks.
“The Weave. What you call ‘arcane’ power. The tapestry of reality, whose threads may be moved about by those with the power.”
“Wow!” Hue says. “I never thought of it like that.”
Neither had I, Lira thinks. She doesn’t usually bother to distinguish between abilities granted by Ehkt divinely or arcanely. After all, if the gods did not create arcane magic, surely it would not exist? The Miyen Kai’s phraseology makes her wonder.
“We have heard of this prophecy,” Anvil continues, clearly uninterested in what the Miyen Kai has to say about the nature of arcane magic. “What is its exact nature? May we see it?”
“Of course.” The Miyen Kai turns to TodoTinkeni. “Bring me the Speakings of the Voice.” She hurries off and returns quickly, carrying a short stick. Lengths of knotted rope hang from the stick, like a beaded curtain. This is the elven equivalent of a book.
The Miyen Kai presents the stick to Reyu. She scans it quickly. It is largely a series of aphorisms, ranging from one topic to the next. Suddenly, however, the tone changes. Reyu reads aloud, doing her best to translate from the elven:
“I see a day/time shall arise/appear that is darkest to Miyen, and the health of the Miyen shall wane. And in this day/time, a figure/entity shall arise/appear, and she/it shall bring/create salvation to Miyen. She/it shall restore the health of Miyen, for through/from her/it shall be brought/created new hope/life.”
Anvil nods. “Indeed.”
Thatch looks at the Miyen Kai, dubious. “Um, aren’t there a lot of references to ‘she’ in there for a prophecy about you? No offense,” he adds, noting everyone’s horrified glances at him.
“It is the nature of the language,” Reyu explains. “The non-gendered pronoun is the same as the female pronoun, and the female pronoun is the general form.”
“Oh,” says Thatch, not really understanding.
“So, what are these shadow creatures, exactly?” Lira asks. “We have faced creatures that may be similar…” She describes their encounter at the Mages’ Academy.
The Miyen Kai shakes his head. “I do not know if they are related creatures, but they do not sound similar. These creatures are more like beasts. Like wild boars. The wounds they inflict, though grievous, do heal. And they are certainly susceptible to the Weave. At least, they are susceptible to my power. Perhaps, if you stay long enough, you will get a chance to see them yourself.”
“Really?” Thatch says, with perhaps a trifle too much eagerness in his voice.
“When will they next appear?” Anvil asks.
“I do not know. It can be days, even weeks between appearances. But I know when they are coming. I can feel it.”
Again, no one is sure what to say. The Miyen Kai remains, smiling serenely at them in silence.
“Well,” he says, finally, “if you have no further questions, I must return to my meditation. Join us for dinner this evening. Then I shall take you to see the darkness, and you may decide if you wish to wait and see these shadow creatures for yourselves.”
The party agrees. The Miyen Kai has TodoTinkeni see to teepees for the party, that they may rest and refresh themselves. He then excuses himself, and retires to his tent. The party, with much to discuss, retires to theirs.
)Part the Fifty-Seventh
In which: An archmage is found.
The party looks at each other, no one quite sure where to begin. Naturally, it is Anvil who speaks up. “We have come from Dar Pykos, a city-state in the Darine Confederacy--"
“I am aware of Dar Pykos,” the Miyen Kai replies. His voice is cool and melodious. He speaks in serene tones, which would be soothing were they not quite so odd.
“Are you also aware of the Mages Academy in Dar Pykos?” Anvil asks.
“I am aware such a place exists,” says the Miyen Kai, “but I know little beyond that.”
“The Mages’ Academy is in search of a new Chancellor. They have asked us to present invitations to the four most powerful wizards in the Halmae, to come to Dar Pykos to perhaps become the new Chancellor.” Anvil holds forth one of their invitations.
The Miyen Kai holds out his hand for it. But to Anvil’s surprise, before he can pass the invitation on, it rises out of his hand, and moves through the air to the Miyen Kai’s. The Miyen Kai breaks the seal and inspects the invitation.
Thatch’s eyebrows raise, impressed by this casual display of magic. Lira is less easily impressed. A still, silent mage hand, she thinks. Show off.
The Miyen Kai opens the scroll and silently reads it. “Interesting,” he muses. “Very interesting. I thank you for this.”
“Then you will come?” Anvil asks.
“That is hard to say,” the Miyen Kai responds. “Right now, my calling must keep me here with my people.”
“Do you expect that to change?”
“It may. It would be my hope to banish this blight from the Miyen lands, but whether or not that goal may be attained, I cannot foresee.”
“Um, yeah, about that blight…” Thatch says. Everyone looks at him. “Well, um, I was just wondering if we could, you know, see it?”
“That can be arranged,” the Miyen Kai says. “But perhaps it should wait until later. I can see from your faces that you have many questions about me.”
That is, perhaps, the greatest understatement the party has ever heard.
“Tell us of yourself,” Anvil says. “Where you are from. How you came here. Where you learned this proficiency with the arcane arts.”
The Miyen Kai smiles. “Perhaps you should tell me what you have heard, that I may know what gaps must be filled in.”
The party tells the Miyen Kai what they have heard of him, from the rumors of a powerful force among the elves heard as far away as Dar Pykos, to the specific tales of the Miyen themselves, of the prophecy and the pit of darkness that spawned the shadow creatures.
The Miyen Kai nods as he listens. Finally, he gets a faraway look. “It is difficult to say where I was before I was called here. I have no… memories. Only an awareness of places, people. I do not know how I knew what I was, or how I knew that I was, or how I knew that the Miyen were in danger. But I did know, and I came here. As prophesied.”
No one knows what to say to that.
“So… where exactly were you before you came here?” Eva asks.
“I do not know. But I begin to suspect that I have always been here. At one with the Weave.”
“The Weave?” Lira asks.
“The Weave. What you call ‘arcane’ power. The tapestry of reality, whose threads may be moved about by those with the power.”
“Wow!” Hue says. “I never thought of it like that.”
Neither had I, Lira thinks. She doesn’t usually bother to distinguish between abilities granted by Ehkt divinely or arcanely. After all, if the gods did not create arcane magic, surely it would not exist? The Miyen Kai’s phraseology makes her wonder.
“We have heard of this prophecy,” Anvil continues, clearly uninterested in what the Miyen Kai has to say about the nature of arcane magic. “What is its exact nature? May we see it?”
“Of course.” The Miyen Kai turns to TodoTinkeni. “Bring me the Speakings of the Voice.” She hurries off and returns quickly, carrying a short stick. Lengths of knotted rope hang from the stick, like a beaded curtain. This is the elven equivalent of a book.
The Miyen Kai presents the stick to Reyu. She scans it quickly. It is largely a series of aphorisms, ranging from one topic to the next. Suddenly, however, the tone changes. Reyu reads aloud, doing her best to translate from the elven:
“I see a day/time shall arise/appear that is darkest to Miyen, and the health of the Miyen shall wane. And in this day/time, a figure/entity shall arise/appear, and she/it shall bring/create salvation to Miyen. She/it shall restore the health of Miyen, for through/from her/it shall be brought/created new hope/life.”
Anvil nods. “Indeed.”
Thatch looks at the Miyen Kai, dubious. “Um, aren’t there a lot of references to ‘she’ in there for a prophecy about you? No offense,” he adds, noting everyone’s horrified glances at him.
“It is the nature of the language,” Reyu explains. “The non-gendered pronoun is the same as the female pronoun, and the female pronoun is the general form.”
“Oh,” says Thatch, not really understanding.
“So, what are these shadow creatures, exactly?” Lira asks. “We have faced creatures that may be similar…” She describes their encounter at the Mages’ Academy.
The Miyen Kai shakes his head. “I do not know if they are related creatures, but they do not sound similar. These creatures are more like beasts. Like wild boars. The wounds they inflict, though grievous, do heal. And they are certainly susceptible to the Weave. At least, they are susceptible to my power. Perhaps, if you stay long enough, you will get a chance to see them yourself.”
“Really?” Thatch says, with perhaps a trifle too much eagerness in his voice.
“When will they next appear?” Anvil asks.
“I do not know. It can be days, even weeks between appearances. But I know when they are coming. I can feel it.”
Again, no one is sure what to say. The Miyen Kai remains, smiling serenely at them in silence.
“Well,” he says, finally, “if you have no further questions, I must return to my meditation. Join us for dinner this evening. Then I shall take you to see the darkness, and you may decide if you wish to wait and see these shadow creatures for yourselves.”
The party agrees. The Miyen Kai has TodoTinkeni see to teepees for the party, that they may rest and refresh themselves. He then excuses himself, and retires to his tent. The party, with much to discuss, retires to theirs.
spyscribe
First Post
Part the Fifty-Eighth
In which: The party discusses, dines, and sees a big, nasty pit.
“Is it just me,” Lira whispers, “or do you feel like every elf here has been staring at us?”
The party sits huddled on the benches near the firepit, speaking together in Common in low tones, hoping they will not be overheard. Eva, Thatch, and Dennis play cards.
“Figure we’d be used to that by now,” Dennis mutters.
“That is not what I find most… disturbing,” Reyu says.
“Me neither,” Zrod cuts in. “It’s the rumbling that bothers me.”
Everyone stares at Zrod. “What is this rumbling of which you speak?” Anvil demands.
“You guys don’t hear it? Kind of a low grade rumbling. Like a cave-in, somewhere far away. I’ve been hearing it since we got here.”
“Like thunder?” Thatch asks.
“Like what now?” Zrod responds, puzzled.
“Never mind.”
“It is not the rumbling that concerns me either,” Reyu says, though she is not sure what Zrod is talking about. “What concerns me is the… mood. This village is… subdued. There is no chatter. There is no singing. All does not seem right here.”
The party mulls this over. Finally, Anvil speaks. “Right or wrong, it is no concern of ours. Our mission was to deliver our invitation and be on our way. We should stay for dinner, see this pit, and then continue on.”
“Um, maybe we ought to stay,” Thatch says. “We could see these shadow creatures. See for ourselves if there is any connection between them and the creatures from the Academy. Maybe we could help the Miyen Kai deal with this challenge.”
“What can we do when the Miyen Kai is here?” Lira says. If it’s a challenge he can’t meet, what can we possibly do about it?”
“You’re assuming he’s actually as powerful as we’ve heard,” Dennis mutters.
“Hey, yeah,” Thatch says. “Shouldn’t we stay and see what he can do? Part of our mission is to evaluate the archmagi.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Lira retorts. “Those shadow things weren’t hunting you. If there are more of them around, I don’t want to be anywhere near them.” She shudders at the memory.
“I thought you Questors were supposed to seek out challenges.”
“There is a fine line between challenge and suicide,” Lira snaps back. The two stare at each other for a long, quiet moment.
Finally, Benedic speaks up. “Look, I’m not trying to make your minds up for you. I’m just your guide. But I ought to point out that it may be days, or weeks before any of those beasties crops up. Winter’s nearly here already. We wait here another week, the weather ain’t gonna get any better as we get closer to the Ketkath mountains.”
The party mulls that over. Finally Reyu speaks. “Let us see this pit tonight. Then, perhaps, we can decide what we shall do next.”
“Fine. Whatever,” Eva says. And, to Thatch and Dennis’s irritation, she lays down a full house.
************
Night falls. Apart from some minor redistribution of wealth between Dennis, Thatch, and Eva, not much happens. As the sky darkens, the party does begin to notice occasional flashes of light coming from the high ridge above the elven camp. None of the elves seem to comment, and the party remains silent.
After dusk, the elves gather for their evening meal. The Miyen Kai emerges from his tent to join them. He bids the party to sit near him, and questions them about Dar Pykos and the Mages Academy. An elven woman tends to him during the meal. It escapes no one’s notice that this woman is many months pregnant. And it escapes few of the party members’ notice that the other elves give her something of a wide berth. It seems to be equal parts deference and wariness.
“Who is that woman?” Reyu quietly asks TodoTinkeni during the meal.
“That is NitaMatten,” Todo responds.
“Why do the others treat her so? She is with child. Is that not a blessing from Alirria?”
“It is the heir of the Miyen Kai she bears,” is the simple response, and no amount of questioning gives a more complete answer.
After the meal, the Miyen Kai rises and addresses the party. “Please come with me.”
He leads them up the short stair by which they came down into the camp, and then up a rocky path to the top of the high ridge. As the reach the top, they see the ridge is circular. Five elven warriors stand guard atop it, watching carefully towards the center.
As they approach, Lira suddenly realizes that she hears some kind of rumbling noise. “Zrod,” she whispers. “Is that the rumbling you’ve been hearing?”
“Yeah. I’m surprised it’s taken you this long to hear it.”
Lira is not entirely surprised. It’s not so much a noise as a feeling, a subtle shaking of her insides. It’s a low vibration, deep in the rocks around them, and it is most disquieting.
Finally, they reach the top of the ridge. The Miyen Kai gestures before him. “Behold,” he says.
The middle of the ridge is some kind of depression, and it is filled with roiling, bubbling clouds of smoke. Sudden flashes of light, like lightning deep within the smoke, periodically flare up from within the depths. It looks like pulsating shadows come to life, angry at their long sleep.
Anvil immediately begins an invocation, requesting Kettenek’s intervention to remove this pit of darkness from the Earth, should He see fit to do so. Eva tries not to lean too far over it.
Lira’s curiosity overcomes her. She casts detect magic and looks down into the pit.
Thatch rolls his eyes. “Even I can tell it’s magical.”
Lira is just about to shrug and let it go when she notices something.
“Except it isn’t.” She turns to the Miyen Kai. “It’s…it’s not magical? How can it not be magical?” she stammers.
The Miyen Kai smiles. “Fascinating, is it not?” Lira notices that he himself is emanating a faint aura, but, given who and what he is, she finds that hardly surprising.
“Have any ventured into this pit?” Anvil asks.
“Some have tried. But those who touch the smoke are struck by lightning from within. I do not advise the attempt.”
Eva takes yet another step backwards from the pit. “Okay,” she says. “I think I’ve seen enough.”
***********
It is later that night. Despite (or perhaps due to) the number of elven warriors around them, the party has posted their own guards. They now discuss what, if anything, they shall do next. All are uneasy about what they have seen here. Things are clearly not right, though they are not sure what exactly is wrong. Thatch still wishes to stay to learn more. Anvil believes they have learned enough and should press on with their mission. Seeing the pit has not increased Lira’s desire to stay and face those creatures again.
In the end, it comes down to a vote. The party’s decision?
To move on.
Thatch is quite disappointed, and spends the rest of the evening not-quite-sulking. Lira is relieved to be leaving. Still, she can’t quite make herself forget Thatch’s stinging words. Questors are supposed to seek out challenges, and here she is, running from one.
What does that say about her?
If we stick around, I bet I could take those shadow thingees for you, boss.
Yeah, Euro. You’ve got my back.
***********
In the morning, the group informs the Miyen Kai of their decision. He nods with acceptance.
“If it is not too much to ask, would you be willing to arrange escort out of Miyen lands?” Anvil asks. “Our way in was difficult and we would prefer not to have to retrace the route.”
The Miyen Kai is quite willing to do this. He asks TodoTinkeni provide guards to escort the party to the first group of sentries they meet in the holy lands, and then to instruct those sentries to safely escort them from there. “Perhaps, I shall see you all again in Dar Pykos, if my situation permits,” he says. And he returns to his tent to meditate.
The party travels back through the rocks and across the grassy plains of the Miyen holy lands. They travel for roughly half a day before they meet a group of sentries. The guards pass on their instructions and return to the Miyen Kai.
The sentries glare darkly at the party, either outraged that strangers have set foot in the holy lands or outraged that they made it this far undetected. But they do obey the orders passed to them from the Miyen Kai. And they do escort the party out of Miyen lands.
From there, they return to the dwarven encampment, thanking Zrod for his aid and retrieving their horses. Bob, to Thatch’s relief, does not seem to have had any unfortunate encounters with pack lizards, and seems as happy to see Thatch as Thatch is to see him. The party spends the night with the dwarves, drinking and singing to the extent their Con checks will allow.
And, in the morning, they make their good-byes, and head off to the northwest, towards the Sovereignty of Kettenek and the Ketkath Mountains.
“Three to go,” Thatch murmurs. “I wonder what the next one will be like…”
In which: The party discusses, dines, and sees a big, nasty pit.
“Is it just me,” Lira whispers, “or do you feel like every elf here has been staring at us?”
The party sits huddled on the benches near the firepit, speaking together in Common in low tones, hoping they will not be overheard. Eva, Thatch, and Dennis play cards.
“Figure we’d be used to that by now,” Dennis mutters.
“That is not what I find most… disturbing,” Reyu says.
“Me neither,” Zrod cuts in. “It’s the rumbling that bothers me.”
Everyone stares at Zrod. “What is this rumbling of which you speak?” Anvil demands.
“You guys don’t hear it? Kind of a low grade rumbling. Like a cave-in, somewhere far away. I’ve been hearing it since we got here.”
“Like thunder?” Thatch asks.
“Like what now?” Zrod responds, puzzled.
“Never mind.”
“It is not the rumbling that concerns me either,” Reyu says, though she is not sure what Zrod is talking about. “What concerns me is the… mood. This village is… subdued. There is no chatter. There is no singing. All does not seem right here.”
The party mulls this over. Finally, Anvil speaks. “Right or wrong, it is no concern of ours. Our mission was to deliver our invitation and be on our way. We should stay for dinner, see this pit, and then continue on.”
“Um, maybe we ought to stay,” Thatch says. “We could see these shadow creatures. See for ourselves if there is any connection between them and the creatures from the Academy. Maybe we could help the Miyen Kai deal with this challenge.”
“What can we do when the Miyen Kai is here?” Lira says. If it’s a challenge he can’t meet, what can we possibly do about it?”
“You’re assuming he’s actually as powerful as we’ve heard,” Dennis mutters.
“Hey, yeah,” Thatch says. “Shouldn’t we stay and see what he can do? Part of our mission is to evaluate the archmagi.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Lira retorts. “Those shadow things weren’t hunting you. If there are more of them around, I don’t want to be anywhere near them.” She shudders at the memory.
“I thought you Questors were supposed to seek out challenges.”
“There is a fine line between challenge and suicide,” Lira snaps back. The two stare at each other for a long, quiet moment.
Finally, Benedic speaks up. “Look, I’m not trying to make your minds up for you. I’m just your guide. But I ought to point out that it may be days, or weeks before any of those beasties crops up. Winter’s nearly here already. We wait here another week, the weather ain’t gonna get any better as we get closer to the Ketkath mountains.”
The party mulls that over. Finally Reyu speaks. “Let us see this pit tonight. Then, perhaps, we can decide what we shall do next.”
“Fine. Whatever,” Eva says. And, to Thatch and Dennis’s irritation, she lays down a full house.
************
Night falls. Apart from some minor redistribution of wealth between Dennis, Thatch, and Eva, not much happens. As the sky darkens, the party does begin to notice occasional flashes of light coming from the high ridge above the elven camp. None of the elves seem to comment, and the party remains silent.
After dusk, the elves gather for their evening meal. The Miyen Kai emerges from his tent to join them. He bids the party to sit near him, and questions them about Dar Pykos and the Mages Academy. An elven woman tends to him during the meal. It escapes no one’s notice that this woman is many months pregnant. And it escapes few of the party members’ notice that the other elves give her something of a wide berth. It seems to be equal parts deference and wariness.
“Who is that woman?” Reyu quietly asks TodoTinkeni during the meal.
“That is NitaMatten,” Todo responds.
“Why do the others treat her so? She is with child. Is that not a blessing from Alirria?”
“It is the heir of the Miyen Kai she bears,” is the simple response, and no amount of questioning gives a more complete answer.
After the meal, the Miyen Kai rises and addresses the party. “Please come with me.”
He leads them up the short stair by which they came down into the camp, and then up a rocky path to the top of the high ridge. As the reach the top, they see the ridge is circular. Five elven warriors stand guard atop it, watching carefully towards the center.
As they approach, Lira suddenly realizes that she hears some kind of rumbling noise. “Zrod,” she whispers. “Is that the rumbling you’ve been hearing?”
“Yeah. I’m surprised it’s taken you this long to hear it.”
Lira is not entirely surprised. It’s not so much a noise as a feeling, a subtle shaking of her insides. It’s a low vibration, deep in the rocks around them, and it is most disquieting.
Finally, they reach the top of the ridge. The Miyen Kai gestures before him. “Behold,” he says.
The middle of the ridge is some kind of depression, and it is filled with roiling, bubbling clouds of smoke. Sudden flashes of light, like lightning deep within the smoke, periodically flare up from within the depths. It looks like pulsating shadows come to life, angry at their long sleep.
Anvil immediately begins an invocation, requesting Kettenek’s intervention to remove this pit of darkness from the Earth, should He see fit to do so. Eva tries not to lean too far over it.
Lira’s curiosity overcomes her. She casts detect magic and looks down into the pit.
Thatch rolls his eyes. “Even I can tell it’s magical.”
Lira is just about to shrug and let it go when she notices something.
“Except it isn’t.” She turns to the Miyen Kai. “It’s…it’s not magical? How can it not be magical?” she stammers.
The Miyen Kai smiles. “Fascinating, is it not?” Lira notices that he himself is emanating a faint aura, but, given who and what he is, she finds that hardly surprising.
“Have any ventured into this pit?” Anvil asks.
“Some have tried. But those who touch the smoke are struck by lightning from within. I do not advise the attempt.”
Eva takes yet another step backwards from the pit. “Okay,” she says. “I think I’ve seen enough.”
***********
It is later that night. Despite (or perhaps due to) the number of elven warriors around them, the party has posted their own guards. They now discuss what, if anything, they shall do next. All are uneasy about what they have seen here. Things are clearly not right, though they are not sure what exactly is wrong. Thatch still wishes to stay to learn more. Anvil believes they have learned enough and should press on with their mission. Seeing the pit has not increased Lira’s desire to stay and face those creatures again.
In the end, it comes down to a vote. The party’s decision?
To move on.
Thatch is quite disappointed, and spends the rest of the evening not-quite-sulking. Lira is relieved to be leaving. Still, she can’t quite make herself forget Thatch’s stinging words. Questors are supposed to seek out challenges, and here she is, running from one.
What does that say about her?
If we stick around, I bet I could take those shadow thingees for you, boss.
Yeah, Euro. You’ve got my back.
***********
In the morning, the group informs the Miyen Kai of their decision. He nods with acceptance.
“If it is not too much to ask, would you be willing to arrange escort out of Miyen lands?” Anvil asks. “Our way in was difficult and we would prefer not to have to retrace the route.”
The Miyen Kai is quite willing to do this. He asks TodoTinkeni provide guards to escort the party to the first group of sentries they meet in the holy lands, and then to instruct those sentries to safely escort them from there. “Perhaps, I shall see you all again in Dar Pykos, if my situation permits,” he says. And he returns to his tent to meditate.
The party travels back through the rocks and across the grassy plains of the Miyen holy lands. They travel for roughly half a day before they meet a group of sentries. The guards pass on their instructions and return to the Miyen Kai.
The sentries glare darkly at the party, either outraged that strangers have set foot in the holy lands or outraged that they made it this far undetected. But they do obey the orders passed to them from the Miyen Kai. And they do escort the party out of Miyen lands.
From there, they return to the dwarven encampment, thanking Zrod for his aid and retrieving their horses. Bob, to Thatch’s relief, does not seem to have had any unfortunate encounters with pack lizards, and seems as happy to see Thatch as Thatch is to see him. The party spends the night with the dwarves, drinking and singing to the extent their Con checks will allow.
And, in the morning, they make their good-byes, and head off to the northwest, towards the Sovereignty of Kettenek and the Ketkath Mountains.
“Three to go,” Thatch murmurs. “I wonder what the next one will be like…”
KidCthulhu
First Post
Don't worry about them. Fajitas has told me all about the next three candidates, and they're all friendly, harmless and just itching to give away treasure to visiting adventurers.
Really.
Really.
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