Famh presses close to Cainneach as they move into the crevice between stones, but soon finds the space too narrow for two to walk abreast. Following close behind him, she begins to pick up the echoes of conversation ahead and strains to make out what the reedy and muttering voices are saying (Perception 14). She resumes her place at her beloved's side as soon as the widening chamber allows enough room to do so. Then she sees the spindly figure by the wall, and is just about to open her lips to frame a (she hopes) polite and respectful greeting when ...
==============
WIS save 18
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Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
The cavern stretches and yawns into a cyclopean expanse festooned with darkling shadows that caper in the firelight....the words among the whispers fading upon reaching your ears...the hunched figure resolves itself into a cadaverous giantess, too-long, many jointed limbs like tree trunks twitch and spasm in the dark, an enormous snaggletoothed tusked and horned head higher than a ships mast cranes towards them on a neck too long and serpentine, lightning crackles through a mane of grey-white hair tangled with animal bones and a cold like the dead of winter radiates from her form. Beside her the fox is a great russet furred wolf the size of a cart-horse, it stares at them with lambent eyes.
A voice like thunder rumbles through the cavern, " Who calls on me? Who risks the Winters Wrath?"
Cainneach-
The old woman looks up from the fire and her toothless lips crane into a smile as she pets the fox beside her, she pulls her plaid tightly around her and ushers you forward with twisted arthritic fingers.
Cainneach notes the astonished and fearful looks on the faces of his friends (maybe taking some liberties there) and decides it best if he answers the ancient crone promptly, lest she do to him whatever she'd done to Famh and Thatch. "A thousand pardons, milady. I come not to court, though you are as magnificent as the stories say. I could never be worthy of one as esteemed as you. Rather, we've bested the lavallan and dodged the enchanting lights of the moors to seek your wise counsel. We've been told tales of fachan menacing the good farmers of this country ... is there any truth to that, or have we been misled? Our aim is to restore order here, or as much as you'd graciously allow us."
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Thatch recoils back as the witch towers over them in her full height, stumbling and almost falling prone but catching himself. “Cainneach, watch out!” he stammers as the ranger steps forward, seemingly unfazed by the creature.
Famh's jaw drops and she nearly cries out in her terror as the cavern and the crone both expand to gargantuan proportions. Her first fear is that the Cailleach is of the giantkin too, perhaps related to the fachan, and her second is that she is not but has been offended by the boldness of Famh's request to speak to her directly.
Only two things keep her on her feet, in fact: her love for Cainneach and her feeling that her words to the raven had led to this mess in the first place. She stumbles forward in front of her two companions, just barely noticing that they are speaking and not truly hearing what either says. "Dinna hurt him, Seanmhair!", she cries out, then hastily amends with an apologetic glance at Thatch, "Dinna hurt thaim! It wis ma fault we've intrudit upon ye; I oucht tae ha' given yer raven our message and let ye decide yerself whether ye wantit tae speak tae us or na."
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Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
Ori and Vardi in response to the loud cry begin trying to move down through the narrow crawlspace with their broader frames its slow going....Salt is having none of it and Skoggi jumps off Vardis shoulder and very definitely stands outside the opening refusing to enter.
................
Within
" Dinnae harm him? Should I not break my fast here on this young stag?", the long serpentine fingers moved out and wrapped around Cainneach lifting him up towards gaping jaws full of icicle teeth....
Cainneach-
The aged woman chuckled to herself, " Och well it is you've nae came to court wit the fire that wee lass holds fer ye."
" Aye, there's a Fachan risen oot o' the norr. Poor wee thing....famished and mad and not meant fer this world....yer aiming to kill it? Good Lad."
She shuffled forward slightly and patted Cainneach on the shoulder with twisted fingers.
"Ladies first, as I think you have a better chance then I of fitting, if you indeedplan to go in. Just remember and come back to push me out if I don't make it." Ori watches the animals thinking they had the most sense of the lot of them, but putting themselves in bad situations to clear up worse ones is what they were here to do. Plus his responsibilities were in there and it was not seemingly going well, he had to try. Hopefully they had gotten stuck themselves... "WHATS GOING ON IN THERE? IF YOU DONT COME OUT I'M COMING IN!"
Cainneach looks over to Famh (not sure what he sees), then turns back to the crone with a wondrous gaze. "A wee one, eh? If you say it must be killit, then we shall do our best. Do you have any words on how these things should be dealt with?"
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Vardi notes Skoggi's caution with unease as she shucks off her coat'o'chain and helm, hoping that the precious moments spent doing so will give her swifter passage through unforgiving stone and darkness.
Ori: "Ladies first, as I think you have a better chance then I of fitting, if you indeedplan to go in. Just remember and come back to push me out if I don't make it."
"I do, sarge, but I suspect this be nay job for a lady. And tha' I will, if I nay get stuck further in myself."the Lyften lass answers, all be it more cheerfully said than she truly feels, but she hefts the lantern in her hand and continues on her way into the cavern, which is a feat in itself in the cramped passage beyond the campfire.
"If I ha' tha slightest notion of wha' stepping up ta dance would lead ta..." she mutters to herself in a regretful sigh, but pushes on.
OOC: Can Vardi get far enough in to see what's going on as opposed to hearing it?
Thatch shrugs aside his fear and caution and moves into action as the strange creature picks up Cainneach. He fumbles with his shortbow and nocks an arrow, aiming toward the beast and crying out “Release him. We come to seek your wisdom and counsel, but will not be bullied about. We are not looking for a fight, but will defend ourselves.”
Thatch readys an attack if the creature moves to bite or otherwise attack Cainneach.
Vardi looks from one face to another, trying to untangle the riddle before her: Cainneach, a man unconcerned about being in the clutches of a seemingly terrifying personage to his comrades Famh and Thatch, yet a personage not offering any cause for terror to her own eyes and ears.
With Ori's voice booming behind her full of promised consequences, the Lyften lass ponders for an agonizing second over it, then speaks calmly to the Hag'O'Winter
"My apologies, Lady Winter, fra disturbing ye in yer home. As ye have been made aware by tha by, we came here because folk said ye knew of goings on here and might help us find out what might be done ta remedy them." then in a more coldly polite tone, after Thatch's valiant declaration "Please, I beg of ye ta nay let yer annoyance over it cloud others minds."
OOC: Is Cainneach within grabbing distance of Vardi? And if not, is Thatch?
Cainneach looks over to Famh (not sure what he sees), then turns back to the crone with a wondrous gaze. "A wee one, eh? If you say it must be killit, then we shall do our best. Do you have any words on how these things should be dealt with?"
Cainneach, Ori and Vardi-
Casting an eye over Thatch and Famh they appear extremely agitated but otherwise well.
" To kill the Fachan......same way one maraigh t'other Famhairean out of the North or the Jotnr of Lost Jotunheimen.....strength of arm, speed of wit.....dweomers and the like..."
" You will ken the Fachans laire by its barreness, nae living thing will it bare near its heim."
Thatch shrugs aside his fear and caution and moves into action as the strange creature picks up Cainneach. He fumbles with his shortbow and nocks an arrow, aiming toward the beast and crying out “Release him. We come to seek your wisdom and counsel, but will not be bullied about. We are not looking for a fight, but will defend ourselves.”
Thatch readys an attack if the creature moves to bite or otherwise attack Cainneach.
The giantess does not stir from its position, simply staring at Cainneach......
Vardi looks from one face to another, trying to untangle the riddle before her: Cainneach, a man unconcerned about being in the clutches of a seemingly terrifying personage to his comrades Famh and Thatch, yet a personage not offering any cause for terror to her own eyes and ears.
With Ori's voice booming behind her full of promised consequences, the Lyften lass ponders for an agonizing second over it, then speaks calmly to the Hag'O'Winter
"My apologies, Lady Winter, fra disturbing ye in yer home. As ye have been made aware by tha by, we came here because folk said ye knew of goings on here and might help us find out what might be done ta remedy them." then in a more coldly polite tone, after Thatch's valiant declaration "Please, I beg of ye ta nay let yer annoyance over it cloud others minds."
OOC: Is Cainneach within grabbing distance of Vardi? And if not, is Thatch?
( Thatch certainly is)
Cainneach, Ori and Vardi-
The old hag, cocked her head over Cainneachs shoulder to regard Vardi with a curious expression, " Cloud?"
Ori and Vardi in response to the loud cry begin trying to move down through the narrow crawlspace with their broader frames its slow going....Salt is having none of it and Skoggi jumps off Vardis shoulder and very definitely stands outside the opening refusing to enter.
................
Within
" Dinnae harm him? Should I not break my fast here on this young stag?", the long serpentine fingers moved out and wrapped around Cainneach lifting him up towards gaping jaws full of icicle teeth...
The cry that Famh uttered before is as nothing compared to her scream on seeing her beloved seized by the giantess' hand. She lunges forward and throws her arms about Cainneach as he is pulled from her side, struggling to pry the icy fingers loose in her desperation and waving her torch before them to ward off the teeth. Her mind races back to childhood tales around the winter fire, tales of the Cailleach chief among them (Religion in log: 17), and she finds herself crying out without thought, "NAY! Are ye no the Cailleach Mhor Nam Fiadh, wha protects the deer?! Hou can ye tak ma ane dear stag from me!"
It takes her a few moments to realize that she can feel Cainneach speaking, and that the giantess has not moved to bite him yet. Slowly she becomes aware that she hears the voices of Ori, Thatch and Vardi also addressing the Cailleach; slowly she remembers the original reason the retinue came here in the first place. Taking a deep breath, she tries to make sense of what is going on. But for the moment all her addled mind can come up with to contribute is, "Gin ye spare me ma love, an gin ye aid us, I 'll cook a feast for ye! I'll bring ye the red ale cake ye like, and roast mutton and uisgebeatha punch."
Confused by the sight of what can see and his co cern of the tiny tunnel getting any smaller for the trip back up, there wasn't enough room for him to even drag someone out of here. "Oi, somebody explain to me what's going on down here. Cain, Care to fill me in on the screaming and yet lack of ... entertainment, Aye?" Ori normally had a way with words but that entrance still had his a bit concerned. But the way Thatch and Fahm were yelling, Ori had expected to walk into a full fledged scrap, he still holds the spike club ready to swing. He will start to make his way forward to try and get himself between Fahm and Thatch, unsure if either was in trouble.
Cainneach seems completely unaware of anything in the cave other than the winter woman, the cailleach. He smiles dreamily at her words. "As you like, we'll take the Fachan down. My thanks to you, and the thanks of all my companions and the peoples of this land." He turns to leave and is somewhat startled to note that Vardi and Ori had joined them in the cave, while Famh and Thatch appeared alarmed. Cainneach regards them all with a placid, bemused gaze. "Come now, friends, the good lady has given us what we need. Let's leave her be, to enjoy this beautiful day." He takes Famh's hand on the way out and pats it reassuringly, then turns to give the crone one last appreciative glance.
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Ori and Vardi in response to the loud cry begin trying to move down through the narrow crawlspace with their broader frames its slow going....Salt is having none of it and Skoggi jumps off Vardis shoulder and very definitely stands outside the opening refusing to enter.
................
Within
" Dinnae harm him? Should I not break my fast here on this young stag?", the long serpentine fingers moved out and wrapped around Cainneach lifting him up towards gaping jaws full of icicle teeth...
The cry that Famh uttered before is as nothing compared to her scream on seeing her beloved seized by the giantess' hand. She lunges forward and throws her arms about Cainneach as he is pulled from her side, struggling to pry the icy fingers loose in her desperation and waving her torch before them to ward off the teeth. Her mind races back to childhood tales around the winter fire, tales of the Cailleach chief among them (Religion in log: 17), and she finds herself crying out without thought, "NAY! Are ye no the Cailleach Mhor Nam Fiadh, wha protects the deer?! Hou can ye tak ma ane dear stag from me!"
It takes her a few moments to realize that she can feel Cainneach speaking, and that the giantess has not moved to bite him yet. Slowly she becomes aware that she hears the voices of Ori, Thatch and Vardi also addressing the Cailleach; slowly she remembers the original reason the retinue came here in the first place. Taking a deep breath, she tries to make sense of what is going on. But for the moment all her addled mind can come up with to contribute is, "Gin ye spare me ma love, an gin ye aid us, I 'll cook a feast for ye! I'll bring ye the red ale cake ye like, and roast mutton and uisgebeatha punch."
There is a sudden hearty chuckle....not from the toothsome giantess....but somewhere down near her feet...and Famh and Thatchs eyes for a moment see two different scenes before them...the horror that greeted them......and a shrivelled old but very human woman, curled up in a ragged plaid with a red fox at her ankles cupping Cainneachs chin...
She fixes Famh with a twinkling eye and a voice slides through her mind:-
Famh-
" You need to work on your eye, Love....need to see the true path that awaits ye."
" Perhaps when yer seann, ye can cock fer Mai, fer noo see too yer Duine."
Confused by the sight of what can see and his co cern of the tiny tunnel getting any smaller for the trip back up, there wasn't enough room for him to even drag someone out of here. "Oi, somebody explain to me what's going on down here. Cain, Care to fill me in on the screaming and yet lack of ... entertainment, Aye?" Ori normally had a way with words but that entrance still had his a bit concerned. But the way Thatch and Fahm were yelling, Ori had expected to walk into a full fledged scrap, he still holds the spike club ready to swing. He will start to make his way forward to try and get himself between Fahm and Thatch, unsure if either was in trouble.
Cainneach seems completely unaware of anything in the cave other than the winter woman, the cailleach. He smiles dreamily at her words. "As you like, we'll take the Fachan down. My thanks to you, and the thanks of all my companions and the peoples of this land." He turns to leave and is somewhat startled to note that Vardi and Ori had joined them in the cave, while Famh and Thatch appeared alarmed. Cainneach regards them all with a placid, bemused gaze. "Come now, friends, the good lady has given us what we need. Let's leave her be, to enjoy this beautiful day." He takes Famh's hand on the way out and pats it reassuringly, then turns to give the crone one last appreciative glance.
As Cainneach turns to leave the old woman places a woolen sack into his trailing hand, then waves the others away......the cavern began to darken alarmingly as the blue flame snuffed out.
Thatch blinks in confusion as he tries to reconcile the two scenes that appear before him, the fearsome winter giantess and the old woman. He shakes his head and turns to scramble back up the passage as he sees Cainneach walk away from the women, needing no additional encouragement as the cavern begins to go dark. At the top of the passage he halts, breathing hard and helps the others through the narrow cleft. “What happened back there? I didn’t understand any of that. How did you talk to her, Cainneach?”
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Famh presses close to Cainneach as they move into the crevice between stones, but soon finds the space too narrow for two to walk abreast. Following close behind him, she begins to pick up the echoes of conversation ahead and strains to make out what the reedy and muttering voices are saying (Perception 14). She resumes her place at her beloved's side as soon as the widening chamber allows enough room to do so. Then she sees the spindly figure by the wall, and is just about to open her lips to frame a (she hopes) polite and respectful greeting when ...
==============
WIS save 18
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
The cavern stretches and yawns into a cyclopean expanse festooned with darkling shadows that caper in the firelight....the words among the whispers fading upon reaching your ears...the hunched figure resolves itself into a cadaverous giantess, too-long, many jointed limbs like tree trunks twitch and spasm in the dark, an enormous snaggletoothed tusked and horned head higher than a ships mast cranes towards them on a neck too long and serpentine, lightning crackles through a mane of grey-white hair tangled with animal bones and a cold like the dead of winter radiates from her form. Beside her the fox is a great russet furred wolf the size of a cart-horse, it stares at them with lambent eyes.
A voice like thunder rumbles through the cavern, " Who calls on me? Who risks the Winters Wrath?"
Cainneach-
The old woman looks up from the fire and her toothless lips crane into a smile as she pets the fox beside her, she pulls her plaid tightly around her and ushers you forward with twisted arthritic fingers.
" Well, who's this then? A gentleman suitor?"
Cainneach notes the astonished and fearful looks on the faces of his friends (maybe taking some liberties there) and decides it best if he answers the ancient crone promptly, lest she do to him whatever she'd done to Famh and Thatch. "A thousand pardons, milady. I come not to court, though you are as magnificent as the stories say. I could never be worthy of one as esteemed as you. Rather, we've bested the lavallan and dodged the enchanting lights of the moors to seek your wise counsel. We've been told tales of fachan menacing the good farmers of this country ... is there any truth to that, or have we been misled? Our aim is to restore order here, or as much as you'd graciously allow us."
Come join the Worlds of Pphost, a new and growing PbP community! Adventures are currently running in the world of Haven or do some role-playing!
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Thatch recoils back as the witch towers over them in her full height, stumbling and almost falling prone but catching himself. “Cainneach, watch out!” he stammers as the ranger steps forward, seemingly unfazed by the creature.
Famh's jaw drops and she nearly cries out in her terror as the cavern and the crone both expand to gargantuan proportions. Her first fear is that the Cailleach is of the giantkin too, perhaps related to the fachan, and her second is that she is not but has been offended by the boldness of Famh's request to speak to her directly.
Only two things keep her on her feet, in fact: her love for Cainneach and her feeling that her words to the raven had led to this mess in the first place. She stumbles forward in front of her two companions, just barely noticing that they are speaking and not truly hearing what either says. "Dinna hurt him, Seanmhair!", she cries out, then hastily amends with an apologetic glance at Thatch, "Dinna hurt thaim! It wis ma fault we've intrudit upon ye; I oucht tae ha' given yer raven our message and let ye decide yerself whether ye wantit tae speak tae us or na."
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
(Sorry for the delay, Ori Wis save: nat 20)
OOC: Vardi Wis save: 16
Ori and Vardi in response to the loud cry begin trying to move down through the narrow crawlspace with their broader frames its slow going....Salt is having none of it and Skoggi jumps off Vardis shoulder and very definitely stands outside the opening refusing to enter.
................
Within
" Dinnae harm him? Should I not break my fast here on this young stag?", the long serpentine fingers moved out and wrapped around Cainneach lifting him up towards gaping jaws full of icicle teeth....
Cainneach-
The aged woman chuckled to herself, " Och well it is you've nae came to court wit the fire that wee lass holds fer ye."
" Aye, there's a Fachan risen oot o' the norr. Poor wee thing....famished and mad and not meant fer this world....yer aiming to kill it? Good Lad."
She shuffled forward slightly and patted Cainneach on the shoulder with twisted fingers.
"Ladies first, as I think you have a better chance then I of fitting, if you indeedplan to go in. Just remember and come back to push me out if I don't make it." Ori watches the animals thinking they had the most sense of the lot of them, but putting themselves in bad situations to clear up worse ones is what they were here to do. Plus his responsibilities were in there and it was not seemingly going well, he had to try. Hopefully they had gotten stuck themselves... "WHATS GOING ON IN THERE? IF YOU DONT COME OUT I'M COMING IN!"
Cainneach looks over to Famh (not sure what he sees), then turns back to the crone with a wondrous gaze. "A wee one, eh? If you say it must be killit, then we shall do our best. Do you have any words on how these things should be dealt with?"
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Vardi notes Skoggi's caution with unease as she shucks off her coat'o'chain and helm, hoping that the precious moments spent doing so will give her swifter passage through unforgiving stone and darkness.
Ori: "Ladies first, as I think you have a better chance then I of fitting, if you indeedplan to go in. Just remember and come back to push me out if I don't make it."
"I do, sarge, but I suspect this be nay job for a lady. And tha' I will, if I nay get stuck further in myself." the Lyften lass answers, all be it more cheerfully said than she truly feels, but she hefts the lantern in her hand and continues on her way into the cavern, which is a feat in itself in the cramped passage beyond the campfire.
"If I ha' tha slightest notion of wha' stepping up ta dance would lead ta..." she mutters to herself in a regretful sigh, but pushes on.
OOC: Can Vardi get far enough in to see what's going on as opposed to hearing it?
( Vardi and Ori passed their Wisdom Saves- so they should be reading the Cainneach spoilers once they get part way down the tunnel)
Thatch shrugs aside his fear and caution and moves into action as the strange creature picks up Cainneach. He fumbles with his shortbow and nocks an arrow, aiming toward the beast and crying out “Release him. We come to seek your wisdom and counsel, but will not be bullied about. We are not looking for a fight, but will defend ourselves.”
Thatch readys an attack if the creature moves to bite or otherwise attack Cainneach.
.
Vardi looks from one face to another, trying to untangle the riddle before her: Cainneach, a man unconcerned about being in the clutches of a seemingly terrifying personage to his comrades Famh and Thatch, yet a personage not offering any cause for terror to her own eyes and ears.
With Ori's voice booming behind her full of promised consequences, the Lyften lass ponders for an agonizing second over it, then speaks calmly to the Hag'O'Winter
"My apologies, Lady Winter, fra disturbing ye in yer home. As ye have been made aware by tha by, we came here because folk said ye knew of goings on here and might help us find out what might be done ta remedy them." then in a more coldly polite tone, after Thatch's valiant declaration "Please, I beg of ye ta nay let yer annoyance over it cloud others minds."
OOC: Is Cainneach within grabbing distance of Vardi? And if not, is Thatch?
Cainneach, Ori and Vardi-
Casting an eye over Thatch and Famh they appear extremely agitated but otherwise well.
" To kill the Fachan......same way one maraigh t'other Famhairean out of the North or the Jotnr of Lost Jotunheimen.....strength of arm, speed of wit.....dweomers and the like..."
" You will ken the Fachans laire by its barreness, nae living thing will it bare near its heim."
The giantess does not stir from its position, simply staring at Cainneach......
( Thatch certainly is)
Cainneach, Ori and Vardi-
The old hag, cocked her head over Cainneachs shoulder to regard Vardi with a curious expression, " Cloud?"
The cry that Famh uttered before is as nothing compared to her scream on seeing her beloved seized by the giantess' hand. She lunges forward and throws her arms about Cainneach as he is pulled from her side, struggling to pry the icy fingers loose in her desperation and waving her torch before them to ward off the teeth. Her mind races back to childhood tales around the winter fire, tales of the Cailleach chief among them (Religion in log: 17), and she finds herself crying out without thought, "NAY! Are ye no the Cailleach Mhor Nam Fiadh, wha protects the deer?! Hou can ye tak ma ane dear stag from me!"
It takes her a few moments to realize that she can feel Cainneach speaking, and that the giantess has not moved to bite him yet. Slowly she becomes aware that she hears the voices of Ori, Thatch and Vardi also addressing the Cailleach; slowly she remembers the original reason the retinue came here in the first place. Taking a deep breath, she tries to make sense of what is going on. But for the moment all her addled mind can come up with to contribute is, "Gin ye spare me ma love, an gin ye aid us, I 'll cook a feast for ye! I'll bring ye the red ale cake ye like, and roast mutton and uisgebeatha punch."
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
Confused by the sight of what can see and his co cern of the tiny tunnel getting any smaller for the trip back up, there wasn't enough room for him to even drag someone out of here. "Oi, somebody explain to me what's going on down here. Cain, Care to fill me in on the screaming and yet lack of ... entertainment, Aye?" Ori normally had a way with words but that entrance still had his a bit concerned. But the way Thatch and Fahm were yelling, Ori had expected to walk into a full fledged scrap, he still holds the spike club ready to swing. He will start to make his way forward to try and get himself between Fahm and Thatch, unsure if either was in trouble.
Cainneach seems completely unaware of anything in the cave other than the winter woman, the cailleach. He smiles dreamily at her words. "As you like, we'll take the Fachan down. My thanks to you, and the thanks of all my companions and the peoples of this land." He turns to leave and is somewhat startled to note that Vardi and Ori had joined them in the cave, while Famh and Thatch appeared alarmed. Cainneach regards them all with a placid, bemused gaze. "Come now, friends, the good lady has given us what we need. Let's leave her be, to enjoy this beautiful day." He takes Famh's hand on the way out and pats it reassuringly, then turns to give the crone one last appreciative glance.
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There is a sudden hearty chuckle....not from the toothsome giantess....but somewhere down near her feet...and Famh and Thatchs eyes for a moment see two different scenes before them...the horror that greeted them......and a shrivelled old but very human woman, curled up in a ragged plaid with a red fox at her ankles cupping Cainneachs chin...
She fixes Famh with a twinkling eye and a voice slides through her mind:-
Famh-
" You need to work on your eye, Love....need to see the true path that awaits ye."
" Perhaps when yer seann, ye can cock fer Mai, fer noo see too yer Duine."
As Cainneach turns to leave the old woman places a woolen sack into his trailing hand, then waves the others away......the cavern began to darken alarmingly as the blue flame snuffed out.
Thatch blinks in confusion as he tries to reconcile the two scenes that appear before him, the fearsome winter giantess and the old woman. He shakes his head and turns to scramble back up the passage as he sees Cainneach walk away from the women, needing no additional encouragement as the cavern begins to go dark. At the top of the passage he halts, breathing hard and helps the others through the narrow cleft. “What happened back there? I didn’t understand any of that. How did you talk to her, Cainneach?”