Auger wastes no more time on words and attacks while retreating away from the chasm. Hoping that the creature might be pushed over the edge, Auger looks to the closest one and sends his twisting energies into it.
Auger
Status: As noted earlier, Mage Armor is already active.
Action: Casts eldritch blast, targeting A2 and pushing it 10' (back into the chasm?) on a hit. Attack: 20 Damage: 10
Move: to R17
Py
Status: Invisible (OOC: I did double-check and my command did stipulate invisibility above)
Move and Dash: Up 10' to 30' and then 70' over to R16. If this action would somehow still create an opportunity attack Py will instead Disengage and then move 40' without climbing, to N14.
(OC: Yes, invisible, not inaudible or odorless or motionless, and as I indicated on the map, surrounded on four sides, above and below.
Varielky attempts to negotiate with the Azhvuv, readying an attack.
Auger and Ednyss (whom I am botting for the moment) ready attacks.
Py zips away from the surrounding Alyasub, passing close by one of them, which takes an attack of opportunity, attempting to latch onto the fey alyasub by smell and hearing alone, but missing. Py’s invisibility allows him to maneuver past the creature and dash to R17.
Granophyre’s magic dagger remains in position before and above him, ready to strike. He advances to O13.
The Azhvuv. The shield-maiden’s words seem to have no effect, and the desert witches do not wait for her to finish her appeal before attacking. None, except Azhvuv #1, who tilts her head, peering keenly at Varielky, before moving forward to engage. She alone hears the second half of Varielky’s speech. The alyasub buzz into action.
Readied Attacks are Triggered
Auger blasts A2, but not before the Azhvuv has advanced toward him. Yet she is still thrown backwards and disappears over the edge of the chasm.
Granophyre’s eyes take on a murderous darkness, and a horrible, guttural cry escapes him. The tiny dagger shoots at A6 and explodes into a bolt of acid, doing 12HP damage, as her clothes billow with smoke and the acid works its way deeper into her sandy form.
Ednyss and Varielky may act before the enemies attacks take place (we will hold here until all players are ready to proceed).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(Hey, I'm back a little earlier than expected.)
Due to the way I worded the trigger, Varielky's attack will only trigger at the first enemy within reach who attacks one of her allies or herself. When one of them does, here's the Attack: 9 Damage: 14.
Seeing a second Azhvuv approach Granophyre while he blasts the nearest one with acid, Ednyss swings his War Pick out against it to protect the scholar.
(Against A5) Readied Attack: 24 Damage: 5
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
Ednyss’ war pick hums to life, slicing into A5, but her swirling scarves disguise her position and the weapon only barely connects for 5HP.
“You,” says Azhvuv 1, the desert witch, locking eyes with Varielky as she attacks, “I have met you before,” and Varielky recognizes her face, her eyes. They belong to the Azhvuv she met weeks ago, on a runaway carriage in Ishi Ammah. The Azhvuv who had been destroyed when the carriage crashed. But somehow, the witch is alive again, and how quickly move the Azhvuv’s thin curved blades; they are a blur, impossible to read. Before Varieky can shift her shield, she looks down and sees she is bleeding from three cuts on her legs, totalling 18HP damage. A loathsome wailing sound intensifies around the witch, inhabiting the slowly spinning sands surrounding the melee, and the wailing causes nearby Auger 6HP necrotic damage.
But Varielky has seen this all before, finds a rhythm, and smashes through the Azhvuv’s blades, slashing her for 9HP.
Azhvuv 3 attacks Auger, but her blades do not penetrate the confusing mists which surround him.
Azhvuv 4 attacks Ednyss, her blades whipping up and down, one reflecting off of his shield, but the other moves so quickly that the dwarf feels as if he is in slow motion. The blade strikes directly under his ear, drawing a line of blood along his throat for 18HP damage, and barely not severing the artery.The terrible wailing of the dead shifts to Granophyre, who takes 2HP necrotic damage
Azhvuv 5 attacks Ednyss, but her blades deflect off of his glowing shield.
Azhvuv 6 attacks Granophyre, lacerating the old scholar’s leg and wrist for 21HP damage, and now Ednyss suffers 4HP necrotic damage as the hellish wailing sound sucks away at his life force.
Alyasub 1 flutters around Auger, but its bite misses.
Alyasub 2 fastens on Ednyss, its sharp teeth penetrating his armor for 4HP.
Alyasub 3 latches onto Granophyre, biting him for 3HP then buzzing up again.
Alyasub 4 bites Ednyss but can’t connect.
Alyasub 5 buzzes around Varielky but can’t connect.
Alyasub 6 latches onto Varielky’s calf, critting for 7HP, then detaching and flying up again.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Varielky grits her teeth in pain. Those cuts were well made. For now, she turns her sword towards the other Azhvuv, though she still follows the previous one with her eyes. "Then you must remember we were not really enemies, and that we fought over a misunderstanding. Why must we repeat that mistake, which I remember cost you your life the previous time!" She slashes at the enemy next to the woman she recognised, trying to disarm her of her weapon. It'll be easier to talk to them once they don't have their weapons. If the weapon does drop to the floor, Varielky will try to kick it away into the chasm. As she pulls her sword back, she makes a swift motion towards one of the bugs, trying to cut it into half. It will be easier to deal with them once there are fewer enemies if she can't talk them out of this. They could be powerful allies. "We could have been allies then, let us be allies now! For the sake of just and honourable fighting!" She yells the last part, mostly as a way to endure the pain.
Action: Disarming Attack manoeuvre vs A3. Attack: 16 Damage: 10. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item of your choice that it’s holding. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and the target must make a Strength saving throw (DC 14). On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet. Free Action: If Varielky hits and A3 fails her save, Varielky will try to kick the weapon as far as she can towards the chasm. Action Surge: Attack B6. Attack: 14 Damage: 14. BA: Second Wind healing for 12.
Ednyss shouts a word of healing to restore some of his lost life as he touches his shield to draw upon its power. He then sets himself in a sturdy defensive stance, waiting to see if Varielky's words will have any effect. "The shield-maiden speaks the truth. Let us learn from our errors instead of repeating them."
Move: None
Bonus Action: Cast Healing Word (From Shield of Takal Demesh - Level 1) (On Ednyss) Ednyss regains 8 HP
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Sensing that Varielky's words may be having an effect Auger chooses his own non-violent approach. Reaching into the Sea of Stars to add a charming credence to his voice, Auger says, "I repeat. Treachery and lies have brought us here. A foolish Orc guided us here, hoping to raise your attention. We do not intend to disturb you. Leave off on your attacks and we can find another way to negotiate our differences!"
Py, still stunned at the ease of his detection, stays put.
Py
Action: Dodge
Auger
Action: Uses Fey Presence on a 10' cube affecting A4, A5, B4 and possibly B3 (and Ednyss!). All must make a DC14 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by Auger until the end of Auger's next turn.
Varielky’s attack hits the lead Azhvuv (A3), slicing through her sandy form for 14Hp, and dislodging one of her sabres from her grip, which the shield-maiden then kicks over the edge of the chasm. Varielky’s red-steel then blade snips back and above her, slicing the Alyasub over her head in two pieces, which flop down, oozing black blood. Varielky's words to Azhvuv 1 are compelling.
Ednyss dodges and heals himself.
Py dodges.
Auger’s face and voice glow with the calming and beguiling warmth of high summer, like a hypnotic pattern of wind through tall grasses, and his Fey Presence charms Azhvuvs A4 & A5, and one of the alyasub.
Granophyre’s acid continues to burn the Azhvuv near him, and lost in a fury, the scholar grasps Wad’s battle axe and strikes two-handed with all his might, but the Azhvuv springs up, twirling, and the axe passes below her, throwing sparks and pebbles when it ricochets off the ground.
Azhvuv 1 yells, “WAIT!,” disengaging and standing back, but her sisters are intently focused on their task, and ignore her.
Azhvuv 2, who had grasped the edge of the chasm after being thrown over the brink by Auger’s spell, hoists herself back up and catches her sister’s blade just before it disappears into the cleft after having been kicked by Varielky.
Azhvuv 3 attacks Varielky with her remaining scimitar, whipping it in a rain of blows and critting for 14HP. The attack also causes 5HP necrotic damage to Auger as the wails of the dead sap away his life force. Then the Azhvuv disengages (bonus action), moving back to Azhvuv 2 and recovering her second blade from her sister. She brandishes it in a defensive posture.
Azhvuv 4 and 5 disengage and stand back.
Azhvuv 6 counterattacks Granophyre, striking him repeatedly for 23HP damage, and the scholar falls to his hands and knees, awareness of his surroundings returning as the fire drains out of him and blood from many wounds staining his vest. The Azhvuv steps back, as…
...a new spiraling tendril of sand emanates from the opening in the wall, and from it materializes an Azhvuv Witch, tall and thin, wearing a silver death-mask, who calls to the four-winged creatures fluttering around you while intoning an arcane phrase. The Alyasub all flit back (they are immune to attacks of opportunity), and flock around her, and at that moment her deathly powers call into being a gateway to the dark between the stars, a region infested with unknown horrors. You are all surrounded by blackness and bitter cold, a void filled with a cacophony of soft whispers and screeching dead which push you to the edge of madness, and you are all magically blinded and feel the warmth seeping from you, including Ednyss & Varielky, despite their magical shields. For a long moment, you fear a terrible end is upon you.
Through this horror, you hear Azhvuv 1 yell once again, with all her power, like a roaring wind “STOP!!! LET THEM LIVE!!”
The wails of the dead and the spinning sands continue to batter you in the darkness and you begin to lose consciousness. But suddenly, light returns, and you see once more the six Azhvuv, and the thin witch, standing in place, waiting.
Azhvuv 1 continues. “Look at them. Do you not sense the mark? They are something other than treasure-seekers. They have been cursed by the Gods. And...I believe this one...possesses honor.” This last statement is made while pointing the tip of her blade at Varielky.
There is a long moment of silence as the wailing voices of the dead diminish to nothing more than the sound of a subtle breeze. Then, Azhvuv 6, whose smoking form has continued to suffer from Granophyre’s acid, succumbs to his magic with a screech, and erupts into a spiraling jet of sand, which spins back into the castle doorway. But a moment later, as her sisters remain motionless, another sandy spiral feels its way back to the rock shelf upon which you stand, and from it, the same Azhvuv materializes once more, her wounds no longer visible, seemingly, healed.
“Tell her. Simply,” says the first Azhvuv to you all, gesturing to the Thin Witch, “why you are here.”
Varielky gasps for air for a moment. No, she is gasping for warmth, trying to get the hot desert air into her lungs, heating her from inside. "I'm Varielky," her voice raspy and weak, but getting stronger with every word. "And I wish to save a friend of mine. We managed to capture one of those who kidnapped her," at this point, her voice is pretty much as it always is. She stands straight, her sword and shield in hand. She can't show weakness. "But when we tried to get information out of him, we were deceived. We came here thinking this place was the Orcs' fortress, where our friend is supposed to be held." She looks at the witch, but her eyes flick towards the Azhvuv she recognised. Why did she say they were cursed by the gods? Surely, she must be mistaking a blessing for a curse. The mark? Does she mean the mark that should be on Varielky's forehead now, while she's holding the sword? "We have no qualms with you, nor do we wish for your treasure. All I want at the moment is to save my friend. If you let us go, I'll leave this instant. Though, maybe, we can turn the tables on that snake for trying to fool us. He mentioned his tribe amounts to two thousand Orcs. Even with the gods' blessing, it's hard to believe we four will triumph." She doesn't want to sound impudent. Yet, their help is not something she can pass on. She must, at the very least, try. "I can't think of anything you can gain from this, but if you can help us eradicate the honourless Orcs, save my friend and other victims that should be there, I'd definitely be indebted to you."
"I see no orcs among you," says the Thin Witch in response. "I warn you to be truthful in this moment." Although the words are spoken quietly, they resonate in your minds painfully.
"He ran away the moment you appeared." Varielky gestures backwards the way the Orc ran. "He knew what he was leading us to, so he dared not stay. He even knew about your bridge. I'm sure he couldn't have gone very far." It's a bit hard to prove, and she doubts she'll be able to catch up with the Orc to show. "If you can fly to the sky, you might see him. If not... how could I prove I'm truthful?"
Madness. Darkness. Despair. A familiar despair. Not unlike his dreams. But this time not a dream. Real. Auger thinks it is real. And inescapable.
The dominating sensations suddenly disappear and Auger finds himself somehow still standing, though shaking. He barely hears the words of the Azhvuv and then wonders at Varielky's ability to speak. Swallowing and trying to match her bravery, Auger has to try twice before his voice works.
Auger addresses the Azhvuv, "Our story is simple. As travelers we were set upon by Lizardmen who were in turn attacked by an Orc band under an Imperial banner. Many of our friends --close friends... were killed but one was taken and we seek to rescue her. In our hope to find her we were easily lead astray and so you find us here. We seek no treasure and ask for no boons. This is your place, and we would leave it in peace if you would let us."
"The fool Orc ran away. We can find him and we will make him pay for causing this... misunderstanding."Gesturing towards Py Auger says to him out loud, "Py, you can find the Orc."Sensing the gravity of the situation Py makes itself visible, looks to the Azhvuv for a moment seeking an acknowledgment of permission, and then flies in the direction the Orc ran off to. While trying to sight the orc, Py makes itself invisible once again.
(OOC: Py will only fly off if he actually does see acknowledgement that it is okay.)
Auger looks to the Azhvuv, waiting upon their response while weighing a question. If they appear receptive he wants to ask the following: "What do you mean when you say you can see we are m-marked or cursed by the Gods?"
(OOC: Auger will only ask the question if the tension in the situation seems less dire.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
"No," says the Thin Witch to Py. "My sisters will find him, if he exists." She glances at two of the Azhvuv, and as you make way for them, they, and two Alyasub, dash and buzz past you, through the cleft in the rock face, in the direction you came.
The Witch cuts off Auger, seemingly reading his mind, and continues, "Your questions may or may not be answered by the Handmaiden. She will speak with you. This way." And she locks eyes with each of you in turn, then faces the chasm, almost in slow motion, and her long, thin form begins to drift over the cleft, to all appearances walking through thin air. The remaining four Azhvuv's eyes are upon you, their Alyasub perched on their shoulders, and all five of the Azhvuv wait for a moment for your response, the silver death-mask of the Thin Witch on the bridge turning part-way to face you, the hooded faces of the remaining Azhvuv waiting for you to fall in behind the witch, before themselves, moving.
Granophyre stands, panting, and clearly not himself, his grief-filled eyes round and empty, the lines in his face etched deeper than before, looking to Ednyss for guidance, for some clue as to what is happening and what to do.
Auger eyes the Thin Witch, the chasm, the apparently undying Azhvuv. He thinks on his strange powers. The fortune teller's warnings. The task set before him and he -- falters. Nothing was going right. The carriage attack. The Orcs. The Hyenas. The treachery. The long day's walk to this hellish place. And now... cross the chasm and enter this place? When will he be able to return home? When will he make things again? With a bit of anger and disappointment, Auger realizes he has not even thought of his carvings since the attack.
Control. He has no control.
With a quick derisive sigh at himself, Auger realizes what he must do. Helplessly follow instructions. Such has been his way so far and so it would be here. Auger takes a step forward towards the chasm, pausing a moment to quietly say to the others, "It seems we have little choice." Waiting to see who follows he gestures towards Py and sends to him.
Py, does the Dowager know of this Handmaiden? Are they... similar? And come close. Py flies forward and lands on Auger's shoulder. Briefly looking at the small dragonfly or alyasub or fey creature, or whatever it truly is, Auger continues his sending. I won't have you getting lost in there. And hopefully, Auger thinks to himself, I won't become more lost than I already am.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky slides her sword into its scabbard, and doffs her shield, putting it on her back. You don't go into someone's house with a weapon in hand... when it seems they can kill you with a mere look. Seeing the others hesitate, she steps forward, standing on the edge of the chasm. She remembers the rock the Orc threw earlier, but it's still hard to walk on something you can't see. ["May Hermod guide my way to the land of the dead, and show me the way out of it later."] She prays in Dreyen. It is a short prayer, but it is all she has to say. The gods wouldn't have revived her back then just so she could fall off a cliff here. Varielky makes a determined step forward, putting her leg where only air should be, hoping that more than air there is. If she doesn't fall when she shifts her weight to that leg, she continues to walk after the witch.
Following the Thin Witch onto the invisible bridge, you cross over the chasm, remembering not to pause long as you go, and, looking directly downward as you walk, vertigo fights with revulsion as a sea of innumerable black scorpions twists and churns visibly beneath you in the cleft’s dark depths.
The first Azhvuv turns to you, and, glancing towards the arachnids, says, “Orcs. Once.”
You enter the chamber of brick-red stone, and looking back over your shoulders, you see the entry seem to disappear, replaced by a smooth rock wall which now extends from one end of the room to the other.
“This way,” says the Thin Witch, again. Surrounded by the other Azhvuv, you keep a steady pace, leaving the first chamber behind you, entering a passageway with doors to either side, and then descending a broad stairway into another large chamber lined by many doors, in the center of which many Azhvuv are practicing with their weapons.
The furnishings are ornate, but dust-covered, and the castle gives the impression of vacancy, and you would guess, if you did not know better, that no person had set foot inside the palace for decades, perhaps centuries. It echoes greatness, power, riches, and influence, from some bygone age, yet now its brightness and history have been obscured and darkened by the passage of time. And yet it is inhabited, by animate persons, all dressed in desert robes, denoting their role and office. And half-transparent otherworldly beings too, dressed in exactly the same way, interact with the Azhvuv, every one of them seems to have their duties and place established. The occupants’ skin seems pasty, a dim orange, and unhealthy, and everyone you see - opaque or transparent, living or ghostly - is female. Then there are the Alyasub, which you see everywhere, congregating on the floors, buzzing in the rafters, moving mindlessly up and down the walls.
On the far side of the weapon-practice room, you follow another stairway downwards, and then turn into a courtyard which is open to the night sky, high above. Here, seemingly dead ivy swirls upon the ground and up the walls, and around the courtyard’s centerpiece. For there, directly in the middle, is a very thick chain, each link fashioned of six-inch diameter iron rods which some great force interlocked in a long past eon. The heavy chain is bolted to the ground, and, hanging from it in defiance of gravity, for it pulls upwards with such strength that the chain is taught, is a grey stone cube, 20’ above the ground, 30’ on each side. Around its perimeter, the darkening blue sky and the night’s first stars are visible, for the nearly full moon has not yet risen.
As Auger passes this ancient, ivy-covered artifact, he alone feels a pull, hears some ethereal whisper calling his name through the sea of stars.
But the desert witches do not slow, and you all continue onward, into another chamber, and another hallway, and then another huge chamber with thick windows whose view is a mystery after dark, and then up a grand staircase, and into an enormous space with high, dark windows and pale green luminosity tracing along the beams and columns which support the high ceiling.
Upon entering this final chamber, which you realize is a grand hall, you see at its far end, upon a raised dais, a throne of cold red stone, which is vacant. Before it and to its left stands an Azhvuv Witch, her garments more intricately decorated than the others, and her person of an entirely grander scale, standing seven feet tall, and nearly as wide, for her girth is enormous. Her face is like a child’s clay sculpture left in the sun before it has dried, for her pale orange flesh droops down, and her dark eyes peer out from deep recesses. Her tightly curled hair is the color of tarnished silver, and spreads away from her head in a wide corona. She is pigeon-toed, her feet are placed awkwardly, and she stands there, motionless, in a position showing misshapen but guarded strength, for the entire thirty seconds it takes you to cross the room. Her motionlessness is profound, and you might guess she has stood there not only since your entry, but for the entire last day, or week, or year.
The Thin Witch approaches this tall witch. Their lips move subtly, seeming to exchange a whispered greeting, but it is inaudible to all of you. The pair continue in this fashion for a moment, in silent communication. In time, the Thin Witch looks across at you, and says, “The Handmaiden,” then steps back, joining the line of her sisters who accompanied her and you within, leaving the generously formed Handmaiden standing alone and motionless before you once more.
“Long. Long it has been since the living have entered this place,” says the enormous silver-haired Witch, in Shian, her voice croaking and airy, yet somehow filling the room, though not with warmth. Only Varielky and Ednyss comprehend the language she speaks. The Handmaiden allows time for translations to be relayed to Auger and Granophyre.
“You have lost your friend. To orcs.” There is a long pause, and you understand that the Thin Witch has already relayed your entreaty to the Handmaiden, who in time, continues. “And you were misled. By an orc. And you wish to rescue your friend. And you know not where she is.” Another pause.
“The orcs live just beyond our borders. They are a curse. Yet...so, are we. Accursed, all. Accursed, all.” Her head moves, the rest of her body perfectly still, and she peers at Auger for a long time.
And now, two Azhvuv enter, holding between them the orcan cavalryman who tricked you, hands still tied, grunting and cussing, his eyes filled with hatred, anger, fear. The two Azhvuv throw him down before the speaker. As the Handmaiden peers at him, the orc grips his head in pain. “GET OUT OF MY HEAD!” he yells in Jenghen, helplessly. A minute later, the pain seems to leave him, and slowly, he stands up. Then, he curses in orcish and, fast as a snake, turns on his heel and bolts for the door. But just as suddenly, as if grasped by something huge and invisible, his feet are no longer in contact with the floor. You notice that although no other part of her has moved, one of the Handmaiden’s fingers has uncurled almost imperceptibly, and is pointing at him.
The orc continues to run, but he is suspended in air, and his arms thrash about, seeking purchase but finding none. Then, the Handmaiden’s finger rotates, just a fraction, and in an instant, the orc rockets upwards, smashing into the ceiling high above, and the Alyasubs crawling there, dozens of them, feast upon him. You hear his muted screams for a minute, then silence. A few thin trails of blood drip down, quietly painting thin lines on the floor. Then, the orc’s body suddenly falls again, slamming into the ground with bone-breaking finality. His breathing is now shallow and labored as more blood slowly pools around him. His hollow eyes look at you, then shut. But he does not die, for in a moment, he transforms, shrinking quickly, into a tiny, black-carapaced scorpion, which closes and opens its minute claws absently for a moment, before darting toward Auger’s feet, bumping against a boot then continuing toward the exit, back toward the chasm.
Hearing some silent call, alyasub flutter down and clean away the blood splashes on the floor, drinking them and leaving the place spotless.
Pointing to the first Azhvuv, who steps forward, the corpulent Handmaiden continues, “She will lead you to the Orcs. She will ease your entry.” And, to the first Azhvuv, she says, “Show them.” The Azhvuv’s appearance changes, muscle forming from thin air, her features gaining definition, her skin turning bright pink, her garb bristling and revealing a sky blue shirt, until she looks exactly like the orc who lay before you a few moments ago. Then the transformation reverses, and in a few breaths, she is as she was at first.
“You may pretend to be prisoners. Led by ‘him.’ And by other sisters, taking the forms of other orcs who have trespassed our domain.”
“We will help you recover your friend. And then, you will help us.”
Varielky stands silent. She wasn't sure whether she's allowed to speak. The way the Handmaiden spoke... it didn't sound like an offer, rather a fact. Not that Varielky would refuse anyhow. She nods, trying to convey both her gratitude and agreement to the Handmaiden's words. To think that not long ago, she was just a soldier, fighting other humans, and now she's here, in a situation that is beyond her ability to comprehend. She glances over Ednyss, wondering what he thinks about the matter. Either way, she's ready to go as the Handmaiden proposed. Benita should wait no more.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Led through the castle from chamber to courtyard and to chamber up and down Auger gets completely lost but it does not matter. He walk forward a passive viewer of his own experience, his thoughts when he has them, mostly in thanks to the Dowager for choosing him and not his son as this strange place would have been too much for him. Far too much. Auger proceeds forward in a haze even forgetting to think of Piya. Until he hears a whisper.
A. Cube. A floating cube. A floating cube trying to pull itself away. Or not away. Up. Straight up. Auger tries to listen to the whisper and learn what it is saying. (Arcana check: 20, if needed). Auger's mind is completely caught up in the cube and its... urge? To move away. Up. In his explorations of the Sea of Stars he has come across powers that could make this happen, but he has no idea how to harness such. Py, there is always so much to learn, he sends.
Auger's mind is continuing to focus on this abstraction as they move into the enormous chamber. And even as they begin speaking Auger still thinks on the cube. It is only when he realizes the Handmaiden is staring at him that Auger realizes he is a source of attention. Trying to sort through what was already said Auger opens his mouth, about to speak when the Orc is brought in and its horrible end plays out. As the nature of the planned approach to the Orc encampment is clarified, Auger nods along. It seemed the Azhvuv and their Handmaiden would aid them. For a price. Well, as Auger well knows, all things have costs.
Hearing no one else speak, Auger decides to voice his agreement. Clearing his throat he says, "It seems a fine plan, and a generous one, given how we appeared... on your doorstep. And to provide our help to you and your... community seems a fair exchange." Auger looks around a moment to ensure his friends actually do agree, noticing Varielky nodding, he continues, thinking now is the time to ask his question. "If I -- if I may... ask. The... leader of our... escort said something about... us... being m-marked and cursed. Cursed. If you would share any knowledge of... what you mean, ehrr -- what it means for... us... that would be... helpful."
(OC: Yes, invisible, not inaudible or odorless or motionless, and as I indicated on the map, surrounded on four sides, above and below.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Round 1 Results
Varielky attempts to negotiate with the Azhvuv, readying an attack.
Auger and Ednyss (whom I am botting for the moment) ready attacks.
Py zips away from the surrounding Alyasub, passing close by one of them, which takes an attack of opportunity, attempting to latch onto the fey alyasub by smell and hearing alone, but missing. Py’s invisibility allows him to maneuver past the creature and dash to R17.
Granophyre’s magic dagger remains in position before and above him, ready to strike. He advances to O13.
The Azhvuv. The shield-maiden’s words seem to have no effect, and the desert witches do not wait for her to finish her appeal before attacking. None, except Azhvuv #1, who tilts her head, peering keenly at Varielky, before moving forward to engage. She alone hears the second half of Varielky’s speech. The alyasub buzz into action.
Readied Attacks are Triggered
Auger blasts A2, but not before the Azhvuv has advanced toward him. Yet she is still thrown backwards and disappears over the edge of the chasm.
Granophyre’s eyes take on a murderous darkness, and a horrible, guttural cry escapes him. The tiny dagger shoots at A6 and explodes into a bolt of acid, doing 12HP damage, as her clothes billow with smoke and the acid works its way deeper into her sandy form.
Ednyss and Varielky may act before the enemies attacks take place (we will hold here until all players are ready to proceed).
You are now oriented like so for your reactions.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
(Hey, I'm back a little earlier than expected.)
Due to the way I worded the trigger, Varielky's attack will only trigger at the first enemy within reach who attacks one of her allies or herself. When one of them does, here's the Attack: 9 Damage: 14.
Varielky
Seeing a second Azhvuv approach Granophyre while he blasts the nearest one with acid, Ednyss swings his War Pick out against it to protect the scholar.
(Against A5) Readied Attack: 24 Damage: 5
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
(Round 1 Results, cont’d.)
Ednyss’ war pick hums to life, slicing into A5, but her swirling scarves disguise her position and the weapon only barely connects for 5HP.
“You,” says Azhvuv 1, the desert witch, locking eyes with Varielky as she attacks, “I have met you before,” and Varielky recognizes her face, her eyes. They belong to the Azhvuv she met weeks ago, on a runaway carriage in Ishi Ammah. The Azhvuv who had been destroyed when the carriage crashed. But somehow, the witch is alive again, and how quickly move the Azhvuv’s thin curved blades; they are a blur, impossible to read. Before Varieky can shift her shield, she looks down and sees she is bleeding from three cuts on her legs, totalling 18HP damage. A loathsome wailing sound intensifies around the witch, inhabiting the slowly spinning sands surrounding the melee, and the wailing causes nearby Auger 6HP necrotic damage.
But Varielky has seen this all before, finds a rhythm, and smashes through the Azhvuv’s blades, slashing her for 9HP.
Azhvuv 3 attacks Auger, but her blades do not penetrate the confusing mists which surround him.
Azhvuv 4 attacks Ednyss, her blades whipping up and down, one reflecting off of his shield, but the other moves so quickly that the dwarf feels as if he is in slow motion. The blade strikes directly under his ear, drawing a line of blood along his throat for 18HP damage, and barely not severing the artery. The terrible wailing of the dead shifts to Granophyre, who takes 2HP necrotic damage
Azhvuv 5 attacks Ednyss, but her blades deflect off of his glowing shield.
Azhvuv 6 attacks Granophyre, lacerating the old scholar’s leg and wrist for 21HP damage, and now Ednyss suffers 4HP necrotic damage as the hellish wailing sound sucks away at his life force.
Alyasub 1 flutters around Auger, but its bite misses.
Alyasub 2 fastens on Ednyss, its sharp teeth penetrating his armor for 4HP.
Alyasub 3 latches onto Granophyre, biting him for 3HP then buzzing up again.
Alyasub 4 bites Ednyss but can’t connect.
Alyasub 5 buzzes around Varielky but can’t connect.
Alyasub 6 latches onto Varielky’s calf, critting for 7HP, then detaching and flying up again.
Round 1 is now over, and positions are the same as above.
Varielky sees that Azhvuv 1, alone, is now slowing her assault, and a second persuasion attempt might be possible.
Please post Round 2 actions.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Varielky grits her teeth in pain. Those cuts were well made. For now, she turns her sword towards the other Azhvuv, though she still follows the previous one with her eyes. "Then you must remember we were not really enemies, and that we fought over a misunderstanding. Why must we repeat that mistake, which I remember cost you your life the previous time!" She slashes at the enemy next to the woman she recognised, trying to disarm her of her weapon. It'll be easier to talk to them once they don't have their weapons. If the weapon does drop to the floor, Varielky will try to kick it away into the chasm. As she pulls her sword back, she makes a swift motion towards one of the bugs, trying to cut it into half. It will be easier to deal with them once there are fewer enemies if she can't talk them out of this. They could be powerful allies. "We could have been allies then, let us be allies now! For the sake of just and honourable fighting!" She yells the last part, mostly as a way to endure the pain.
Varielky
Ednyss shouts a word of healing to restore some of his lost life as he touches his shield to draw upon its power. He then sets himself in a sturdy defensive stance, waiting to see if Varielky's words will have any effect. "The shield-maiden speaks the truth. Let us learn from our errors instead of repeating them."
Move: None
Bonus Action: Cast Healing Word (From Shield of Takal Demesh - Level 1) (On Ednyss)
Ednyss regains 8 HP
Action: Dodge
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
Sensing that Varielky's words may be having an effect Auger chooses his own non-violent approach. Reaching into the Sea of Stars to add a charming credence to his voice, Auger says, "I repeat. Treachery and lies have brought us here. A foolish Orc guided us here, hoping to raise your attention. We do not intend to disturb you. Leave off on your attacks and we can find another way to negotiate our differences!"
Py, still stunned at the ease of his detection, stays put.
Py
Action: Dodge
Auger
Action: Uses Fey Presence on a 10' cube affecting A4, A5, B4 and possibly B3 (and Ednyss!). All must make a DC14 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by Auger until the end of Auger's next turn.
Persuasion attempt (based on his words): 9
For any who are charmed, Auger has Advantage, here is the second Persuasion roll: 12
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Round 2 Results
Varielky’s attack hits the lead Azhvuv (A3), slicing through her sandy form for 14Hp, and dislodging one of her sabres from her grip, which the shield-maiden then kicks over the edge of the chasm. Varielky’s red-steel then blade snips back and above her, slicing the Alyasub over her head in two pieces, which flop down, oozing black blood. Varielky's words to Azhvuv 1 are compelling.
Ednyss dodges and heals himself.
Py dodges.
Auger’s face and voice glow with the calming and beguiling warmth of high summer, like a hypnotic pattern of wind through tall grasses, and his Fey Presence charms Azhvuvs A4 & A5, and one of the alyasub.
Granophyre’s acid continues to burn the Azhvuv near him, and lost in a fury, the scholar grasps Wad’s battle axe and strikes two-handed with all his might, but the Azhvuv springs up, twirling, and the axe passes below her, throwing sparks and pebbles when it ricochets off the ground.
Azhvuv 1 yells, “WAIT!,” disengaging and standing back, but her sisters are intently focused on their task, and ignore her.
Azhvuv 2, who had grasped the edge of the chasm after being thrown over the brink by Auger’s spell, hoists herself back up and catches her sister’s blade just before it disappears into the cleft after having been kicked by Varielky.
Azhvuv 3 attacks Varielky with her remaining scimitar, whipping it in a rain of blows and critting for 14HP. The attack also causes 5HP necrotic damage to Auger as the wails of the dead sap away his life force. Then the Azhvuv disengages (bonus action), moving back to Azhvuv 2 and recovering her second blade from her sister. She brandishes it in a defensive posture.
Azhvuv 4 and 5 disengage and stand back.
Azhvuv 6 counterattacks Granophyre, striking him repeatedly for 23HP damage, and the scholar falls to his hands and knees, awareness of his surroundings returning as the fire drains out of him and blood from many wounds staining his vest. The Azhvuv steps back, as…
...a new spiraling tendril of sand emanates from the opening in the wall, and from it materializes an Azhvuv Witch, tall and thin, wearing a silver death-mask, who calls to the four-winged creatures fluttering around you while intoning an arcane phrase. The Alyasub all flit back (they are immune to attacks of opportunity), and flock around her, and at that moment her deathly powers call into being a gateway to the dark between the stars, a region infested with unknown horrors. You are all surrounded by blackness and bitter cold, a void filled with a cacophony of soft whispers and screeching dead which push you to the edge of madness, and you are all magically blinded and feel the warmth seeping from you, including Ednyss & Varielky, despite their magical shields. For a long moment, you fear a terrible end is upon you.
Through this horror, you hear Azhvuv 1 yell once again, with all her power, like a roaring wind “STOP!!! LET THEM LIVE!!”
The wails of the dead and the spinning sands continue to batter you in the darkness and you begin to lose consciousness. But suddenly, light returns, and you see once more the six Azhvuv, and the thin witch, standing in place, waiting.
Azhvuv 1 continues. “Look at them. Do you not sense the mark? They are something other than treasure-seekers. They have been cursed by the Gods. And...I believe this one...possesses honor.” This last statement is made while pointing the tip of her blade at Varielky.
There is a long moment of silence as the wailing voices of the dead diminish to nothing more than the sound of a subtle breeze. Then, Azhvuv 6, whose smoking form has continued to suffer from Granophyre’s acid, succumbs to his magic with a screech, and erupts into a spiraling jet of sand, which spins back into the castle doorway. But a moment later, as her sisters remain motionless, another sandy spiral feels its way back to the rock shelf upon which you stand, and from it, the same Azhvuv materializes once more, her wounds no longer visible, seemingly, healed.
“Tell her. Simply,” says the first Azhvuv to you all, gesturing to the Thin Witch, “why you are here.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Varielky gasps for air for a moment. No, she is gasping for warmth, trying to get the hot desert air into her lungs, heating her from inside. "I'm Varielky," her voice raspy and weak, but getting stronger with every word. "And I wish to save a friend of mine. We managed to capture one of those who kidnapped her," at this point, her voice is pretty much as it always is. She stands straight, her sword and shield in hand. She can't show weakness. "But when we tried to get information out of him, we were deceived. We came here thinking this place was the Orcs' fortress, where our friend is supposed to be held." She looks at the witch, but her eyes flick towards the Azhvuv she recognised. Why did she say they were cursed by the gods? Surely, she must be mistaking a blessing for a curse. The mark? Does she mean the mark that should be on Varielky's forehead now, while she's holding the sword? "We have no qualms with you, nor do we wish for your treasure. All I want at the moment is to save my friend. If you let us go, I'll leave this instant. Though, maybe, we can turn the tables on that snake for trying to fool us. He mentioned his tribe amounts to two thousand Orcs. Even with the gods' blessing, it's hard to believe we four will triumph." She doesn't want to sound impudent. Yet, their help is not something she can pass on. She must, at the very least, try. "I can't think of anything you can gain from this, but if you can help us eradicate the honourless Orcs, save my friend and other victims that should be there, I'd definitely be indebted to you."
Varielky
"I see no orcs among you," says the Thin Witch in response. "I warn you to be truthful in this moment." Although the words are spoken quietly, they resonate in your minds painfully.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
"He ran away the moment you appeared." Varielky gestures backwards the way the Orc ran. "He knew what he was leading us to, so he dared not stay. He even knew about your bridge. I'm sure he couldn't have gone very far." It's a bit hard to prove, and she doubts she'll be able to catch up with the Orc to show. "If you can fly to the sky, you might see him. If not... how could I prove I'm truthful?"
Varielky
Madness. Darkness. Despair. A familiar despair. Not unlike his dreams. But this time not a dream. Real. Auger thinks it is real. And inescapable.
The dominating sensations suddenly disappear and Auger finds himself somehow still standing, though shaking. He barely hears the words of the Azhvuv and then wonders at Varielky's ability to speak. Swallowing and trying to match her bravery, Auger has to try twice before his voice works.
Auger addresses the Azhvuv, "Our story is simple. As travelers we were set upon by Lizardmen who were in turn attacked by an Orc band under an Imperial banner. Many of our friends --close friends... were killed but one was taken and we seek to rescue her. In our hope to find her we were easily lead astray and so you find us here. We seek no treasure and ask for no boons. This is your place, and we would leave it in peace if you would let us."
"The fool Orc ran away. We can find him and we will make him pay for causing this... misunderstanding." Gesturing towards Py Auger says to him out loud, "Py, you can find the Orc." Sensing the gravity of the situation Py makes itself visible, looks to the Azhvuv for a moment seeking an acknowledgment of permission, and then flies in the direction the Orc ran off to. While trying to sight the orc, Py makes itself invisible once again.
(OOC: Py will only fly off if he actually does see acknowledgement that it is okay.)
Auger looks to the Azhvuv, waiting upon their response while weighing a question. If they appear receptive he wants to ask the following: "What do you mean when you say you can see we are m-marked or cursed by the Gods?"
(OOC: Auger will only ask the question if the tension in the situation seems less dire.)
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
"No," says the Thin Witch to Py. "My sisters will find him, if he exists." She glances at two of the Azhvuv, and as you make way for them, they, and two Alyasub, dash and buzz past you, through the cleft in the rock face, in the direction you came.
The Witch cuts off Auger, seemingly reading his mind, and continues, "Your questions may or may not be answered by the Handmaiden. She will speak with you. This way." And she locks eyes with each of you in turn, then faces the chasm, almost in slow motion, and her long, thin form begins to drift over the cleft, to all appearances walking through thin air. The remaining four Azhvuv's eyes are upon you, their Alyasub perched on their shoulders, and all five of the Azhvuv wait for a moment for your response, the silver death-mask of the Thin Witch on the bridge turning part-way to face you, the hooded faces of the remaining Azhvuv waiting for you to fall in behind the witch, before themselves, moving.
Granophyre stands, panting, and clearly not himself, his grief-filled eyes round and empty, the lines in his face etched deeper than before, looking to Ednyss for guidance, for some clue as to what is happening and what to do.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Auger eyes the Thin Witch, the chasm, the apparently undying Azhvuv. He thinks on his strange powers. The fortune teller's warnings. The task set before him and he -- falters. Nothing was going right. The carriage attack. The Orcs. The Hyenas. The treachery. The long day's walk to this hellish place. And now... cross the chasm and enter this place? When will he be able to return home? When will he make things again? With a bit of anger and disappointment, Auger realizes he has not even thought of his carvings since the attack.
Control. He has no control.
With a quick derisive sigh at himself, Auger realizes what he must do. Helplessly follow instructions. Such has been his way so far and so it would be here. Auger takes a step forward towards the chasm, pausing a moment to quietly say to the others, "It seems we have little choice." Waiting to see who follows he gestures towards Py and sends to him.
Py, does the Dowager know of this Handmaiden? Are they... similar? And come close. Py flies forward and lands on Auger's shoulder. Briefly looking at the small dragonfly or alyasub or fey creature, or whatever it truly is, Auger continues his sending. I won't have you getting lost in there. And hopefully, Auger thinks to himself, I won't become more lost than I already am.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky slides her sword into its scabbard, and doffs her shield, putting it on her back. You don't go into someone's house with a weapon in hand... when it seems they can kill you with a mere look. Seeing the others hesitate, she steps forward, standing on the edge of the chasm. She remembers the rock the Orc threw earlier, but it's still hard to walk on something you can't see. ["May Hermod guide my way to the land of the dead, and show me the way out of it later."] She prays in Dreyen. It is a short prayer, but it is all she has to say. The gods wouldn't have revived her back then just so she could fall off a cliff here. Varielky makes a determined step forward, putting her leg where only air should be, hoping that more than air there is. If she doesn't fall when she shifts her weight to that leg, she continues to walk after the witch.
Varielky
Py says he has no knowledge of the Handmaiden to share.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
POST #4
Following the Thin Witch onto the invisible bridge, you cross over the chasm, remembering not to pause long as you go, and, looking directly downward as you walk, vertigo fights with revulsion as a sea of innumerable black scorpions twists and churns visibly beneath you in the cleft’s dark depths.
The first Azhvuv turns to you, and, glancing towards the arachnids, says, “Orcs. Once.”
You enter the chamber of brick-red stone, and looking back over your shoulders, you see the entry seem to disappear, replaced by a smooth rock wall which now extends from one end of the room to the other.
“This way,” says the Thin Witch, again. Surrounded by the other Azhvuv, you keep a steady pace, leaving the first chamber behind you, entering a passageway with doors to either side, and then descending a broad stairway into another large chamber lined by many doors, in the center of which many Azhvuv are practicing with their weapons.
The furnishings are ornate, but dust-covered, and the castle gives the impression of vacancy, and you would guess, if you did not know better, that no person had set foot inside the palace for decades, perhaps centuries. It echoes greatness, power, riches, and influence, from some bygone age, yet now its brightness and history have been obscured and darkened by the passage of time. And yet it is inhabited, by animate persons, all dressed in desert robes, denoting their role and office. And half-transparent otherworldly beings too, dressed in exactly the same way, interact with the Azhvuv, every one of them seems to have their duties and place established. The occupants’ skin seems pasty, a dim orange, and unhealthy, and everyone you see - opaque or transparent, living or ghostly - is female. Then there are the Alyasub, which you see everywhere, congregating on the floors, buzzing in the rafters, moving mindlessly up and down the walls.
On the far side of the weapon-practice room, you follow another stairway downwards, and then turn into a courtyard which is open to the night sky, high above. Here, seemingly dead ivy swirls upon the ground and up the walls, and around the courtyard’s centerpiece. For there, directly in the middle, is a very thick chain, each link fashioned of six-inch diameter iron rods which some great force interlocked in a long past eon. The heavy chain is bolted to the ground, and, hanging from it in defiance of gravity, for it pulls upwards with such strength that the chain is taught, is a grey stone cube, 20’ above the ground, 30’ on each side. Around its perimeter, the darkening blue sky and the night’s first stars are visible, for the nearly full moon has not yet risen.
As Auger passes this ancient, ivy-covered artifact, he alone feels a pull, hears some ethereal whisper calling his name through the sea of stars.
But the desert witches do not slow, and you all continue onward, into another chamber, and another hallway, and then another huge chamber with thick windows whose view is a mystery after dark, and then up a grand staircase, and into an enormous space with high, dark windows and pale green luminosity tracing along the beams and columns which support the high ceiling.
Upon entering this final chamber, which you realize is a grand hall, you see at its far end, upon a raised dais, a throne of cold red stone, which is vacant. Before it and to its left stands an Azhvuv Witch, her garments more intricately decorated than the others, and her person of an entirely grander scale, standing seven feet tall, and nearly as wide, for her girth is enormous. Her face is like a child’s clay sculpture left in the sun before it has dried, for her pale orange flesh droops down, and her dark eyes peer out from deep recesses. Her tightly curled hair is the color of tarnished silver, and spreads away from her head in a wide corona. She is pigeon-toed, her feet are placed awkwardly, and she stands there, motionless, in a position showing misshapen but guarded strength, for the entire thirty seconds it takes you to cross the room. Her motionlessness is profound, and you might guess she has stood there not only since your entry, but for the entire last day, or week, or year.
The Thin Witch approaches this tall witch. Their lips move subtly, seeming to exchange a whispered greeting, but it is inaudible to all of you. The pair continue in this fashion for a moment, in silent communication. In time, the Thin Witch looks across at you, and says, “The Handmaiden,” then steps back, joining the line of her sisters who accompanied her and you within, leaving the generously formed Handmaiden standing alone and motionless before you once more.
“Long. Long it has been since the living have entered this place,” says the enormous silver-haired Witch, in Shian, her voice croaking and airy, yet somehow filling the room, though not with warmth. Only Varielky and Ednyss comprehend the language she speaks. The Handmaiden allows time for translations to be relayed to Auger and Granophyre.
“You have lost your friend. To orcs.” There is a long pause, and you understand that the Thin Witch has already relayed your entreaty to the Handmaiden, who in time, continues. “And you were misled. By an orc. And you wish to rescue your friend. And you know not where she is.” Another pause.
“The orcs live just beyond our borders. They are a curse. Yet...so, are we. Accursed, all. Accursed, all.” Her head moves, the rest of her body perfectly still, and she peers at Auger for a long time.
And now, two Azhvuv enter, holding between them the orcan cavalryman who tricked you, hands still tied, grunting and cussing, his eyes filled with hatred, anger, fear. The two Azhvuv throw him down before the speaker. As the Handmaiden peers at him, the orc grips his head in pain. “GET OUT OF MY HEAD!” he yells in Jenghen, helplessly. A minute later, the pain seems to leave him, and slowly, he stands up. Then, he curses in orcish and, fast as a snake, turns on his heel and bolts for the door. But just as suddenly, as if grasped by something huge and invisible, his feet are no longer in contact with the floor. You notice that although no other part of her has moved, one of the Handmaiden’s fingers has uncurled almost imperceptibly, and is pointing at him.
The orc continues to run, but he is suspended in air, and his arms thrash about, seeking purchase but finding none. Then, the Handmaiden’s finger rotates, just a fraction, and in an instant, the orc rockets upwards, smashing into the ceiling high above, and the Alyasubs crawling there, dozens of them, feast upon him. You hear his muted screams for a minute, then silence. A few thin trails of blood drip down, quietly painting thin lines on the floor. Then, the orc’s body suddenly falls again, slamming into the ground with bone-breaking finality. His breathing is now shallow and labored as more blood slowly pools around him. His hollow eyes look at you, then shut. But he does not die, for in a moment, he transforms, shrinking quickly, into a tiny, black-carapaced scorpion, which closes and opens its minute claws absently for a moment, before darting toward Auger’s feet, bumping against a boot then continuing toward the exit, back toward the chasm.
Hearing some silent call, alyasub flutter down and clean away the blood splashes on the floor, drinking them and leaving the place spotless.
Pointing to the first Azhvuv, who steps forward, the corpulent Handmaiden continues, “She will lead you to the Orcs. She will ease your entry.” And, to the first Azhvuv, she says, “Show them.” The Azhvuv’s appearance changes, muscle forming from thin air, her features gaining definition, her skin turning bright pink, her garb bristling and revealing a sky blue shirt, until she looks exactly like the orc who lay before you a few moments ago. Then the transformation reverses, and in a few breaths, she is as she was at first.
“You may pretend to be prisoners. Led by ‘him.’ And by other sisters, taking the forms of other orcs who have trespassed our domain.”
“We will help you recover your friend. And then, you will help us.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Varielky stands silent. She wasn't sure whether she's allowed to speak. The way the Handmaiden spoke... it didn't sound like an offer, rather a fact. Not that Varielky would refuse anyhow. She nods, trying to convey both her gratitude and agreement to the Handmaiden's words. To think that not long ago, she was just a soldier, fighting other humans, and now she's here, in a situation that is beyond her ability to comprehend. She glances over Ednyss, wondering what he thinks about the matter. Either way, she's ready to go as the Handmaiden proposed. Benita should wait no more.
Varielky
Led through the castle from chamber to courtyard and to chamber up and down Auger gets completely lost but it does not matter. He walk forward a passive viewer of his own experience, his thoughts when he has them, mostly in thanks to the Dowager for choosing him and not his son as this strange place would have been too much for him. Far too much. Auger proceeds forward in a haze even forgetting to think of Piya. Until he hears a whisper.
A. Cube. A floating cube. A floating cube trying to pull itself away. Or not away. Up. Straight up. Auger tries to listen to the whisper and learn what it is saying. (Arcana check: 20, if needed). Auger's mind is completely caught up in the cube and its... urge? To move away. Up. In his explorations of the Sea of Stars he has come across powers that could make this happen, but he has no idea how to harness such. Py, there is always so much to learn, he sends.
Auger's mind is continuing to focus on this abstraction as they move into the enormous chamber. And even as they begin speaking Auger still thinks on the cube. It is only when he realizes the Handmaiden is staring at him that Auger realizes he is a source of attention. Trying to sort through what was already said Auger opens his mouth, about to speak when the Orc is brought in and its horrible end plays out. As the nature of the planned approach to the Orc encampment is clarified, Auger nods along. It seemed the Azhvuv and their Handmaiden would aid them. For a price. Well, as Auger well knows, all things have costs.
Hearing no one else speak, Auger decides to voice his agreement. Clearing his throat he says, "It seems a fine plan, and a generous one, given how we appeared... on your doorstep. And to provide our help to you and your... community seems a fair exchange." Auger looks around a moment to ensure his friends actually do agree, noticing Varielky nodding, he continues, thinking now is the time to ask his question. "If I -- if I may... ask. The... leader of our... escort said something about... us... being m-marked and cursed. Cursed. If you would share any knowledge of... what you mean, ehrr -- what it means for... us... that would be... helpful."
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory