Vin twists to look over Neferox at Griff and Muir, a little appeased by Muir's flattery even though he finds it a little obvious.
"If Griff can get us in to see Shenoh, who negotiates won't be a problem", he says rolling his eyes at them for forgetting. "We saw Shenoh before, when we were with Akiin. She speaks their trade language, which is, you know, common to us".
Griff visibly relaxes, "I had not been thinking, yes this is good, I only need to be speaking to guards and such, and I will not be letting you down!" It is apparent that Griff's anxiety over the entire situation has only been building and building since his initial kidnapping by hector on Gojiin, but despite his worries and doubts he is starting to rely upon the group more and more.
Muir who remembers everything, to boost Vin's confidence, puts on a performance of the ages "Ahh Yes Vin is right again! We have indeed seen and and heard Shenoh. How could I have forgotten. So you see we have potions if needed and can speak in our language with Shenoh. We will need you to corroborate our story and that of Omertyr. It is a good thing Vin has been paying attention and planning so attentively. Well done Vincent. And of course Griff we are happy to have your help in all of this."
Elthana screams herself awake. Her hands immediately go up to her face, covering it but at the same time touching it as if making sure it is still there. After the original terrified scream, there is a constant murmur of "no no no no......"coming from her. Eyes and face still covered, she sits up and starts kicking her feet along the floor like kicking something back. Using each heel against the floor as purchase to push herself back until her back hits a wall.
She finally stops kicking, but the murmuring doesn't stop, it eventually changes to "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" as her hands slowly, very slowly lower from her face and her tear streamed countenance is forced to look upon the group. Her eyes look up at you, and even though the familiar fully blacked out eyes look back at you, one somehow appears to have a reddish tint to it, the lids of it swollen.
She finally wraps her arms around her knees and starts rocking back and forth, continuing her "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" but then she suddenly buries her face into knees and calls out, "She knows and it's all my fault!"
Muir who was smiling pumping Vin up as best as he could becomes pale faced as he hears and then turns to see Elthana. "Nivara knows what exactly? What happened Elthana?"
There is a wisdom in that that one would not expect from his brutish physique and brickesque face.
Sam starts to react... but then realizes he doesn't know if he is being insulted or complimented.
Sam agrees with the assuaging of Griff's fears about them needing to convince Shenoh. "As Vin..." Sam pauses because it is indeed weird it was Vin and not Muir... "reminds, we have seen and heard her before. While we were besides Akiin. And she, I'm guessing, saw and heard us. We we're not approaching her as total strangers... Our people have done business with her people for ages via the Treasury, even if we didn't know about it. So Muir can use that as an angle to convince her if need be. I think your main part, Griff, will be convincing Shenoh of what you have seen to be true, and that you are here with us of your own free will..."
Anything else Sam may have been going to contribute is cut off by Elthana. Sam immediately turns and runs to her. He is reluctant to interfere at first... Stuff about waking sleepwalkers and not knowing what is happening and not knowing if it is his place... But eventually he moves up and sits down next to her, wrapping her in his arms and holding her tight while she works out whatever it going on...
Sam looks up and gives Muir a harsh glare when he asks what Nivara knows. "Let her tell it!' Sm hisses harshly but softly. "Let her choose her own words..." Because maybe it wasn't Nivara... Sam kind of hoped although he really had no hope that it wasn't. Still, no need to be putting names into her mouth...
Elthana lets Sam take her in his arms and sobs take over. It takes her a bit for her regain control of herself and she finally looks up at Muir. "Yes, Nivara. Serafina was right to be worried about me." she swallows hard, still trying to shake her horrible nightmare... was it really a nightmare though? She gingerly touches her eye, and almost to herself she asks, "What's a nightmare that is actually real?"
Gewyn, who had been playing a playful tune for Spyro as he listened to the plan-making, stows his cittern and rushes over to stand over Sam's shoulder. "I'm so sorry,"he whispers in sympathy upon seeing her eye. He takes Muir aside and says, "I really thought my ring would help, but it shields minds. In ineffectiveness here truly must speak to the entanglement of souls."As an afterthought, he pulls out his tome and tries looking into the shadowfell for any lingering signs of what plagued Elthana's dream.
Muir listens to Gewyn while looking at Elthana and her swollen eye "Dreams don't attack...something is not right" As Muir states the obvious his attention is turned back to Elthana "I know this is painful emotionally and physically but we need to know what happened, sooner rather than later. What did this to you? What happened?"
Elthana nods and takes several deep breaths as she tries to get control of herself. She takes off the ring and hands it over to Gewyn, "It was a thoughtful gesture and I thank you, but it doesn't work for me."
She gently removes herself from Sam, but stays sitting next to him on the floor. "My eye? Well, Nivara had taken control of my body, changed me into the skeletal boney lich and I guess I did it with her control? Had a crown made of bone that was digging into my head as well." she reaches up to see if there is any marks around the areas she felt it the worst and then realizes this isn't what they were interested in.
"She knows. She knows we are going to see Shenoh. I am so sorry, she entered my head and I couldn't stop her. She could hear you all talking around me and that is how she knows." She looks down, not able to look anyone in the eyes. "But.. I was able to go into her head as well. She is studying this immense book and though I can't read giant, her notes tell me she needs me, needs to be whole to complete her ritual."
Finally after a moment, she lifts her eyes to Vin, "I'm sorry I snapped at you. You can stuff me in whatever you want if it helps defeat Nivara. Though even though I want to fight her with everything I am, maybe I need to be as far from her as possible. I don't know."
As Elthana wakes and begins acting as though someone is there, Neferox whips her head around and Vin zones out for a moment.
"Nothing there we can see", Vin mumbles after a moment.
He stands away with a look of concern on his face, but doesn't approach with Muir, Sam and Gewyn all surrounding Elthana already. He listens as Elthana explains what is going on, the look of concern for his friend only growing.
When she apologises to him, he shakes his head.
"That's in the past. Right now we need to think about how to protect you from..her", he says with a tentative smile. "The box idea was only really a thing for some of us to sneak in unknown anyway", he adds trying to put to bed the idea once and for all.
He moves a little closer. "May I heal your eye?", he asks knowing he has to touch her to do that, and not wanting to overwhelm her.
If she agrees, he will heal her. Unless someone else simply does it without waiting.
Muir puts on a smile and tries his best to reassure Elthana "It is not your fault. She is powerful, more powerful than the hag in Hokum. She knows we are going to Shenoh and trying to raise an army. She is smart enough to piece this together. We have a few options....We continue with our plan and face adversity head on. We change our plan and head to speak to a different Djinn...Akin is the easiest choice in terms of convincing because of Griff......or there is another that I hesitate to mention but as I tell you all everything I know, here it goes.....We go home. The Clerics of Hermes have done something to Hokum. Master Gore's messages are short and not from him. Goodall and I can both see that. Hirsi, if you remember her from Hokum, she aided us there as an apprentice, is sneaking her way back to Archdruid Goodall because sending a message with a bird was too risky. I fear the worst....." Muir pauses and looks at the others
Muir looks at Griff and nods "Yes, if the group were to decide that the fate of our plane is in danger than we would do what we can to aid you but we would need to return. It is for the group to decide. Our plane seems to be in a bit of disarray with the issues that one of the council leaders have caused. If you wish to know my specific thoughts, I am happy to share them but I was proposing options for the group with the information I have."
Sam has been a bit on the back foot unsure what to do or say about Elthana and her revealing she somehow encountered Nivara. Like in a dream realm or something? It kind of hurt Sam's brain thinking of such a concept but he had to accept an air and wind plane so would a plane of dreams be so impossible? Could one actually meet someone else on such and harm them? Sam is still trying to work this out in his head and almost misses what Muir said...
"Wait. What?" he asks. "When did the Hermanites do something to Hokum? If Gore's messages aren't from him, who are they from? Is he using a secretary or are you saying someone is masquerading as him? And how long have you and Goodall known this??"
Muir answers Sam's questions "I don't know exactly when they got to Hokum. I received a note from Goodall through the bag, so a handful of hours their time. Master Gore's messages are being sent to ArchDruid Goodall and are one sentence maybe 2. They are not from him. Hirsi is sneaking away from Hokum trying to return to Goodall with exact information on what is happening. The clerics have moved into Hokum...why....possibly the fruit or maybe the portal, or possibly both. We won't know until Hirsi makes it back safely to Goodall."
"A handful of hours their time..." Sam repeats and tries doing some math. "So... like... half a day ago, at least, you found all this out? And then waited to tell us??"
"I was hoping to have more information before I told you. A note hasn't returned with Hirsi's report. I wanted to give you all the information so we could make an informed choice. However, with the circumstances as they are, I decided now is better. If a note comes I will decipher it and tell you what it says...As I said, I was hoping to have more to share."
Vin twists to look over Neferox at Griff and Muir, a little appeased by Muir's flattery even though he finds it a little obvious.
"If Griff can get us in to see Shenoh, who negotiates won't be a problem", he says rolling his eyes at them for forgetting. "We saw Shenoh before, when we were with Akiin. She speaks their trade language, which is, you know, common to us".
Griff visibly relaxes, "I had not been thinking, yes this is good, I only need to be speaking to guards and such, and I will not be letting you down!" It is apparent that Griff's anxiety over the entire situation has only been building and building since his initial kidnapping by hector on Gojiin, but despite his worries and doubts he is starting to rely upon the group more and more.
Muir who remembers everything, to boost Vin's confidence, puts on a performance of the ages "Ahh Yes Vin is right again! We have indeed seen and and heard Shenoh. How could I have forgotten. So you see we have potions if needed and can speak in our language with Shenoh. We will need you to corroborate our story and that of Omertyr. It is a good thing Vin has been paying attention and planning so attentively. Well done Vincent. And of course Griff we are happy to have your help in all of this."
Elthana screams herself awake. Her hands immediately go up to her face, covering it but at the same time touching it as if making sure it is still there. After the original terrified scream, there is a constant murmur of "no no no no......" coming from her. Eyes and face still covered, she sits up and starts kicking her feet along the floor like kicking something back. Using each heel against the floor as purchase to push herself back until her back hits a wall.
She finally stops kicking, but the murmuring doesn't stop, it eventually changes to "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" as her hands slowly, very slowly lower from her face and her tear streamed countenance is forced to look upon the group. Her eyes look up at you, and even though the familiar fully blacked out eyes look back at you, one somehow appears to have a reddish tint to it, the lids of it swollen.
She finally wraps her arms around her knees and starts rocking back and forth, continuing her "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" but then she suddenly buries her face into knees and calls out, "She knows and it's all my fault!"
Muir who was smiling pumping Vin up as best as he could becomes pale faced as he hears and then turns to see Elthana. "Nivara knows what exactly? What happened Elthana?"
Sam starts to react... but then realizes he doesn't know if he is being insulted or complimented.
Sam agrees with the assuaging of Griff's fears about them needing to convince Shenoh. "As Vin..." Sam pauses because it is indeed weird it was Vin and not Muir... "reminds, we have seen and heard her before. While we were besides Akiin. And she, I'm guessing, saw and heard us. We we're not approaching her as total strangers... Our people have done business with her people for ages via the Treasury, even if we didn't know about it. So Muir can use that as an angle to convince her if need be. I think your main part, Griff, will be convincing Shenoh of what you have seen to be true, and that you are here with us of your own free will..."
Anything else Sam may have been going to contribute is cut off by Elthana. Sam immediately turns and runs to her. He is reluctant to interfere at first... Stuff about waking sleepwalkers and not knowing what is happening and not knowing if it is his place... But eventually he moves up and sits down next to her, wrapping her in his arms and holding her tight while she works out whatever it going on...
Sam looks up and gives Muir a harsh glare when he asks what Nivara knows. "Let her tell it!' Sm hisses harshly but softly. "Let her choose her own words..." Because maybe it wasn't Nivara... Sam kind of hoped although he really had no hope that it wasn't. Still, no need to be putting names into her mouth...
Muir nods along with Sam "Exactly, what happened with Nivara?"
Elthana lets Sam take her in his arms and sobs take over. It takes her a bit for her regain control of herself and she finally looks up at Muir. "Yes, Nivara. Serafina was right to be worried about me." she swallows hard, still trying to shake her horrible nightmare... was it really a nightmare though? She gingerly touches her eye, and almost to herself she asks, "What's a nightmare that is actually real?"
Gewyn, who had been playing a playful tune for Spyro as he listened to the plan-making, stows his cittern and rushes over to stand over Sam's shoulder. "I'm so sorry," he whispers in sympathy upon seeing her eye. He takes Muir aside and says, "I really thought my ring would help, but it shields minds. In ineffectiveness here truly must speak to the entanglement of souls." As an afterthought, he pulls out his tome and tries looking into the shadowfell for any lingering signs of what plagued Elthana's dream.
Muir listens to Gewyn while looking at Elthana and her swollen eye "Dreams don't attack...something is not right" As Muir states the obvious his attention is turned back to Elthana "I know this is painful emotionally and physically but we need to know what happened, sooner rather than later. What did this to you? What happened?"
Elthana nods and takes several deep breaths as she tries to get control of herself. She takes off the ring and hands it over to Gewyn, "It was a thoughtful gesture and I thank you, but it doesn't work for me."
She gently removes herself from Sam, but stays sitting next to him on the floor. "My eye? Well, Nivara had taken control of my body, changed me into the skeletal boney lich and I guess I did it with her control? Had a crown made of bone that was digging into my head as well." she reaches up to see if there is any marks around the areas she felt it the worst and then realizes this isn't what they were interested in.
"She knows. She knows we are going to see Shenoh. I am so sorry, she entered my head and I couldn't stop her. She could hear you all talking around me and that is how she knows." She looks down, not able to look anyone in the eyes. "But.. I was able to go into her head as well. She is studying this immense book and though I can't read giant, her notes tell me she needs me, needs to be whole to complete her ritual."
Finally after a moment, she lifts her eyes to Vin, "I'm sorry I snapped at you. You can stuff me in whatever you want if it helps defeat Nivara. Though even though I want to fight her with everything I am, maybe I need to be as far from her as possible. I don't know."
As Elthana wakes and begins acting as though someone is there, Neferox whips her head around and Vin zones out for a moment.
"Nothing there we can see", Vin mumbles after a moment.
He stands away with a look of concern on his face, but doesn't approach with Muir, Sam and Gewyn all surrounding Elthana already. He listens as Elthana explains what is going on, the look of concern for his friend only growing.
When she apologises to him, he shakes his head.
"That's in the past. Right now we need to think about how to protect you from..her", he says with a tentative smile. "The box idea was only really a thing for some of us to sneak in unknown anyway", he adds trying to put to bed the idea once and for all.
He moves a little closer. "May I heal your eye?", he asks knowing he has to touch her to do that, and not wanting to overwhelm her.
If she agrees, he will heal her. Unless someone else simply does it without waiting.
Muir puts on a smile and tries his best to reassure Elthana "It is not your fault. She is powerful, more powerful than the hag in Hokum. She knows we are going to Shenoh and trying to raise an army. She is smart enough to piece this together. We have a few options....We continue with our plan and face adversity head on. We change our plan and head to speak to a different Djinn...Akin is the easiest choice in terms of convincing because of Griff......or there is another that I hesitate to mention but as I tell you all everything I know, here it goes.....We go home. The Clerics of Hermes have done something to Hokum. Master Gore's messages are short and not from him. Goodall and I can both see that. Hirsi, if you remember her from Hokum, she aided us there as an apprentice, is sneaking her way back to Archdruid Goodall because sending a message with a bird was too risky. I fear the worst....." Muir pauses and looks at the others
"I am understanding that this is not your plane, but would you really abandoning us to Nivara's wrath?" Griff asks, clearly shocked
Muir looks at Griff and nods "Yes, if the group were to decide that the fate of our plane is in danger than we would do what we can to aid you but we would need to return. It is for the group to decide. Our plane seems to be in a bit of disarray with the issues that one of the council leaders have caused. If you wish to know my specific thoughts, I am happy to share them but I was proposing options for the group with the information I have."
Sam has been a bit on the back foot unsure what to do or say about Elthana and her revealing she somehow encountered Nivara. Like in a dream realm or something? It kind of hurt Sam's brain thinking of such a concept but he had to accept an air and wind plane so would a plane of dreams be so impossible? Could one actually meet someone else on such and harm them? Sam is still trying to work this out in his head and almost misses what Muir said...
"Wait. What?" he asks. "When did the Hermanites do something to Hokum? If Gore's messages aren't from him, who are they from? Is he using a secretary or are you saying someone is masquerading as him? And how long have you and Goodall known this??"
Muir answers Sam's questions "I don't know exactly when they got to Hokum. I received a note from Goodall through the bag, so a handful of hours their time. Master Gore's messages are being sent to ArchDruid Goodall and are one sentence maybe 2. They are not from him. Hirsi is sneaking away from Hokum trying to return to Goodall with exact information on what is happening. The clerics have moved into Hokum...why....possibly the fruit or maybe the portal, or possibly both. We won't know until Hirsi makes it back safely to Goodall."
"A handful of hours their time..." Sam repeats and tries doing some math. "So... like... half a day ago, at least, you found all this out? And then waited to tell us??"
"I was hoping to have more information before I told you. A note hasn't returned with Hirsi's report. I wanted to give you all the information so we could make an informed choice. However, with the circumstances as they are, I decided now is better. If a note comes I will decipher it and tell you what it says...As I said, I was hoping to have more to share."
"Just how many secrets are you keeping from us while hoping to find out more?"