Spotting the attractive dark haired woman in the bushes, he notices her expression change in recognition if the fact that she has been spotted. She speaks softly, but audibly from this distance, a single word in a language unfamiliar to Tauzen. A low growl emanates from the grass to his left. The woman approaches the edge of the oasis, as she exits through the foliage, it reveals that her beautiful humanoid upper body merges into a powerful four-legged leonine form. Its vicious black claws speak to its predatory nature, as does its hunger for torture and humanoid flesh.
Tauzen doesn't notice this, though, because she has cast disguise self. She gestures toward the source of the growling and speaks an arcane word, at which a jackal stands and emerges from the grass, striding softly toward her.
"You must be parched, traveler." She says in words somehow intelligible to Tauzen. "Wouldn't you like to refresh yourself in the cool waters of the oasis?"
<.... I might flesh this out. It happened in the past, so it is there. I know what happens, just deciding to write it or not.>
Spoilers that probably won't effect anyone:
She's a Lamia, her pet is a Jackelwere. She is planning to use a geas spell, which probably succeeds with a touch that gives DA to Wis saves.
Lamias are particularly fond of seeking out adventurers with pure hearts to seduce and corrupt to evil, savoring the destruction of their virtue. They use their magic to lure potential victims to their lairs, relying on illusion and their thralls to capture hapless foes. Lamias prize beauty and strength above all else, however. Any prisoner that falls short of their esteem becomes the main course in a horrible feast, or is set free to die while wandering the wastes.
I'm not overly concerned about the mechanics of specific spells she s git, especially since this is a send off and purely for story purposes.
Tauzen naturally agrees that the cool water would be refreshing. The woman reaches out her hand and guides Tauzen trough the shade of the trees, jackal in tow.
Tauzen drinks if the water, splashing his face a d drenching his head in cool water. In the clear pool, he sees what looks to be a small pile of gold and silver objects. "What's that?" he asks the woman.
"That's my collection. I have many agents in my employ. I am rather selective with who I trust, but I am in need of more agents, and I think perhaps you might be able to help."
With a dour expression, Morwena listens patiently to Angus as she draws near. When he has concluded, she replies,
"That man. He was ambitious. I felt a kinship that he betrayed. Betrayal is all we know in Thay. I thought this stranger feom a strange land could be different. How blue his eyes could be on the shores of that little island, rhe island where he deserted me. I'm not innocent, of course; the same crimes lay at my feet. But power, it's not something one weilds to destroy the world that lay before rhem. Rests what he wanted. He sM out world as his play thing. That's true. I wanted to rule it, not destroy it. Ssazz Tam is always going on about the utility of the deceased. He seems eager enough to destroy life just to raise more forces for himself. I do not approve. One be es accustomed to the undead when one is raised in the unapproachabke east, but the destruction, the infighting, the spying. It was never for me. Did some of it rub off? sure. Noone ever truly leaves Thaymount, they say. But we," she gla ces over each shoulder, an old habit that surely served her well thus far, before continuing, "we want things to be different." She says resignedly.
<I just realized I forgot to tell you guys to level up. Anyone sticking around should do that now. For new characters, just magic item close to equivalent what your old character has and I'll look it over fir approval. For backstory purposes, next stop I had in mind is Mulmaster, so if you want to just get your PC there, it works. If you really want them somewhere else because rhat was already part of your concept or whatever just let me know and we'll work it out>
BTW, Tauzen would have determined the properties of the lupinaxe.
It could summon a dire wolf. On contact with a foe, the axe emitted a howling noise like a wolf. If thrown, after contact, the axe would teleport back to the hand of its wielder.
"I seek no forgiveness, only power. I dont have all the answers yet. I'm still piecing thus puzzle together, but suffice it to say this stone of creation must have an origin. That dragon is surely looking for that information even now. But if it could be found within the object itself, I suspect someone would have found it by now. Besides, why would anyone go to rhe trouble of casring it off to the far corners of the planes with a return address stamped onto it. No, there older paths to trace back to the source of the stone. Legends and lies and lore abound in Thay. We all know them, but few know which are which. Thayans have a rather narrow view of the art, you know. That is why they have such issue with prsctitioners of enchantment. We have a more holistic view if people, if power, of perception, of reality. Illusionists may seek to make real their imagined truths, but we seek to make real what is true and make true to others what is true to us, if in a roundabout way. So, having seen your skill and knowing that you know what you know, I ask you to venture to Mulmaster with me and see what I have seen. You will find there the proof that the source of the stone over which we quarreled is a veritable pleroma to the shallows of the puddle we stand beside." At this, she gestures and looks to the lake, where now rests the stone of creation once more, before returning to a neutral pose, calmly awaiting Angus' response to her offer.
(I thought I still had Walks, too. Oh well. I think I might just start a new thread and continue everyone through there. She kind of was pointing you directly at the next spot on the map where the adventure is happening, creating a narrarive thread to link this campaign with the ongoing section, but since almost everyone will be new, maybe a broader hook is in order, or maybe Angus could be that hook. Actually. This could work out. I'll get back to you Monday or Tuesday with an update.)
"So, you want to find the source of the stone? I guess I just supposed it was a bit of the primordial stuff from which the gods created the universe... But I must know, if you find the source, what are your intentions? I will be forthright, if you simply seek the same power Tyreus had, I will oppose you as strongly as I did him. My only reason to join you in your quest would be to guarantee that no one else could access this same power that the foolish mage did. And perhaps to contain the power of the dragon as well."
"This world is not a toy, as Tyreus believed it to be. I have lived under the iron rule of cruel despot my whole life. Now, I will find rhe source of his power, a indeed all the power that fuels the art. That rock is no map, but it makes a fine compass. But the time that heliotropic herpetafauna elucidates as much. I'll be in complete control. It's all dragonchess, love, and I'm about to take the world-seprent."
(There are to my knowledge no official canon rules for dragon-chess. Any character would at least know that these are pieces in that game, which is what I'm trying to convey. I teason that the gsme itswlf is quite ancient and as such the iconography of the game would reflect equally ancient powers.)
"Hrm. Well, I suppose you are the only guide available right now to help me unravel this tangled web, and decide how best to protect the Weave here in our plane. So, I will agree to a truce for now. We will assist each other in discovering the source of the stone's power. But be forewarned, while I have no interest in the politics of Thay, I will not support you in any attempt to conquer or seize control outside of those borders."
"Time will tell," offers Morwena, by way if reply. "One never truly knows what one is capable of until they've already achieved it." She counters with a wry smirk.
At this, she removes a scroll from her robe and activates it, opening a portal in the fading wall of the castle, which seems to melt around the lacuna. Morwena enters the portal.
Spotting the attractive dark haired woman in the bushes, he notices her expression change in recognition if the fact that she has been spotted. She speaks softly, but audibly from this distance, a single word in a language unfamiliar to Tauzen. A low growl emanates from the grass to his left. The woman approaches the edge of the oasis, as she exits through the foliage, it reveals that her beautiful humanoid upper body merges into a powerful four-legged leonine form. Its vicious black claws speak to its predatory nature, as does its hunger for torture and humanoid flesh.
Tauzen doesn't notice this, though, because she has cast disguise self. She gestures toward the source of the growling and speaks an arcane word, at which a jackal stands and emerges from the grass, striding softly toward her.
"You must be parched, traveler." She says in words somehow intelligible to Tauzen. "Wouldn't you like to refresh yourself in the cool waters of the oasis?"
<.... I might flesh this out. It happened in the past, so it is there. I know what happens, just deciding to write it or not.>
Spoilers that probably won't effect anyone:
She's a Lamia, her pet is a Jackelwere. She is planning to use a geas spell, which probably succeeds with a touch that gives DA to Wis saves.
Lamias are particularly fond of seeking out adventurers with pure hearts to seduce and corrupt to evil, savoring the destruction of their virtue. They use their magic to lure potential victims to their lairs, relying on illusion and their thralls to capture hapless foes. Lamias prize beauty and strength above all else, however. Any prisoner that falls short of their esteem becomes the main course in a horrible feast, or is set free to die while wandering the wastes.
I'm not overly concerned about the mechanics of specific spells she s git, especially since this is a send off and purely for story purposes.
Tauzen naturally agrees that the cool water would be refreshing. The woman reaches out her hand and guides Tauzen trough the shade of the trees, jackal in tow.
Tauzen drinks if the water, splashing his face a d drenching his head in cool water. In the clear pool, he sees what looks to be a small pile of gold and silver objects. "What's that?" he asks the woman.
"That's my collection. I have many agents in my employ. I am rather selective with who I trust, but I am in need of more agents, and I think perhaps you might be able to help."
<I'm leaving it there>
With a dour expression, Morwena listens patiently to Angus as she draws near. When he has concluded, she replies,
"That man. He was ambitious. I felt a kinship that he betrayed. Betrayal is all we know in Thay. I thought this stranger feom a strange land could be different. How blue his eyes could be on the shores of that little island, rhe island where he deserted me. I'm not innocent, of course; the same crimes lay at my feet. But power, it's not something one weilds to destroy the world that lay before rhem. Rests what he wanted. He sM out world as his play thing. That's true. I wanted to rule it, not destroy it. Ssazz Tam is always going on about the utility of the deceased. He seems eager enough to destroy life just to raise more forces for himself. I do not approve. One be es accustomed to the undead when one is raised in the unapproachabke east, but the destruction, the infighting, the spying. It was never for me. Did some of it rub off? sure. Noone ever truly leaves Thaymount, they say. But we," she gla ces over each shoulder, an old habit that surely served her well thus far, before continuing, "we want things to be different." She says resignedly.
<I just realized I forgot to tell you guys to level up. Anyone sticking around should do that now. For new characters, just magic item close to equivalent what your old character has and I'll look it over fir approval. For backstory purposes, next stop I had in mind is Mulmaster, so if you want to just get your PC there, it works. If you really want them somewhere else because rhat was already part of your concept or whatever just let me know and we'll work it out>
TL/DR: LEVEL UP
BTW, Tauzen would have determined the properties of the lupinaxe.
It could summon a dire wolf. On contact with a foe, the axe emitted a howling noise like a wolf. If thrown, after contact, the axe would teleport back to the hand of its wielder.
<is anybody planning to answer Morena?>
"What exactly do you want from me, Morwena?" asks Angus, "Other than absolution, which I am unwilling to give."
(I think Angus is the only one left here. Do you want me to move to a different thread?)
"I seek no forgiveness, only power. I dont have all the answers yet. I'm still piecing thus puzzle together, but suffice it to say this stone of creation must have an origin. That dragon is surely looking for that information even now. But if it could be found within the object itself, I suspect someone would have found it by now. Besides, why would anyone go to rhe trouble of casring it off to the far corners of the planes with a return address stamped onto it. No, there older paths to trace back to the source of the stone. Legends and lies and lore abound in Thay. We all know them, but few know which are which. Thayans have a rather narrow view of the art, you know. That is why they have such issue with prsctitioners of enchantment. We have a more holistic view if people, if power, of perception, of reality. Illusionists may seek to make real their imagined truths, but we seek to make real what is true and make true to others what is true to us, if in a roundabout way. So, having seen your skill and knowing that you know what you know, I ask you to venture to Mulmaster with me and see what I have seen. You will find there the proof that the source of the stone over which we quarreled is a veritable pleroma to the shallows of the puddle we stand beside." At this, she gestures and looks to the lake, where now rests the stone of creation once more, before returning to a neutral pose, calmly awaiting Angus' response to her offer.
(I thought I still had Walks, too. Oh well. I think I might just start a new thread and continue everyone through there. She kind of was pointing you directly at the next spot on the map where the adventure is happening, creating a narrarive thread to link this campaign with the ongoing section, but since almost everyone will be new, maybe a broader hook is in order, or maybe Angus could be that hook. Actually. This could work out. I'll get back to you Monday or Tuesday with an update.)
"So, you want to find the source of the stone? I guess I just supposed it was a bit of the primordial stuff from which the gods created the universe... But I must know, if you find the source, what are your intentions? I will be forthright, if you simply seek the same power Tyreus had, I will oppose you as strongly as I did him. My only reason to join you in your quest would be to guarantee that no one else could access this same power that the foolish mage did. And perhaps to contain the power of the dragon as well."
"This world is not a toy, as Tyreus believed it to be. I have lived under the iron rule of cruel despot my whole life. Now, I will find rhe source of his power, a indeed all the power that fuels the art. That rock is no map, but it makes a fine compass. But the time that heliotropic herpetafauna elucidates as much. I'll be in complete control. It's all dragonchess, love, and I'm about to take the world-seprent."
(There are to my knowledge no official canon rules for dragon-chess. Any character would at least know that these are pieces in that game, which is what I'm trying to convey. I teason that the gsme itswlf is quite ancient and as such the iconography of the game would reflect equally ancient powers.)
"Hrm. Well, I suppose you are the only guide available right now to help me unravel this tangled web, and decide how best to protect the Weave here in our plane. So, I will agree to a truce for now. We will assist each other in discovering the source of the stone's power. But be forewarned, while I have no interest in the politics of Thay, I will not support you in any attempt to conquer or seize control outside of those borders."
"Time will tell," offers Morwena, by way if reply. "One never truly knows what one is capable of until they've already achieved it." She counters with a wry smirk.
At this, she removes a scroll from her robe and activates it, opening a portal in the fading wall of the castle, which seems to melt around the lacuna. Morwena enters the portal.