"why not take a chance, the shrine is right there, can't hurt right? Praying to death once in a while... You seem like warriors that have seen your fair share..." Lumithor muses
Upon listening to Griff and Serafina, Muir shakes his head "I understand the issues of the past centuries caused by Nivara. I empathize with you both. However signs of great leaders is putting the realm before themselves and making the difficult choices. Griff and Serafina you both have an extremely large task on your shoulders. If you fail this world will crumble when Nivarra invades. She will use her army to conquer 1 Djinn at a time before coming here with a massive army to take the Shadowfell and continue down this road....You have a choice to make. We are outsiders. Yes we can report what we know but will we be believed? Perhaps not even Gewyn's silver tongue may be able to convince them. This will be the end of your world as you know it. To flee to our world, well I will do what I can to help those that can flee, but who makes the decision on who gets to come to our world? Sergor....Well the leaders in our world would have to accept terms to allow this....No the best course is to try to convince what was seen here if that doesn't work well......" Muir trails off at Lumithor's suggestion "Agreed, what would it hurt to try to commune with her? We saved this realm for now, defeated minions of the Shadowfell, perhaps she will answer. After all the gods are all interconnected yes? The Raven Queen collects the mind and soul, the physical body decays back into the ground allowing for the circle of life which is a tenet of the Keepers. Gods are mysterious and work in mysterious ways....Perhaps they would help now yes?"
Oh stars above, it's chatter time again, Sam thinks to himself with a sigh. Looking about the chamber Sam either spots someplace that looks comfortable to sit of uses his ability to Mold Earth for form a simple seat for himself so he can sit down, relax, and rest. The battle had been tough. A damn near thing. If not for the healing magics of Muir Sam figures he'd be one of the corpses being tossed through the portal... And for Muir's thorns as well. Not that everyone didn't do their part but it's hard not to credit the one who kept you upright through it all...
"Do the Djinn's know?" Sam calls out randomly. "That they're taking orders from an undead dragon thing?"
"If the leaders are immortal, or effectively so, then there's no reason they shouldn't take their time. Build up undead kobold armies into numbers unknown before. When you have all the time there is you don't need to take risks, I suppose. Just quietly build your armies until you have no more space to store them... then claim more space with your insurmountable numbers and lather, rinse, repeat..."
Sam then goes quiet and lets the chattering continue for a while. He spends some time studying his new jewelry - The ring Hog had sent him that seems to be a dud and the pendant he had slipped out of the garbage before it was all thrown in the disposal. The ring is worn openly on his right hand, the Cloud rune he etched into the face of it not quite as stark as when he first carved it in. But that was the thing with the runes, they faded out each day and needed to be redone. Magic... Go figure. The pendant is something else though. There's something about it but he's not sure what. Studying it surreptitiously sure isn't going to tell him anything though. When nobody is looking Sam slips the pendant around his neck and quickly tucks it under his armor and his clothes so the dragon doesn't notice it.
"Does all this have anything to do with the portals?" he asks again to nobody in particular and kind of out of nowhere. "Them opening up to our world and the like? Is it just a weakening or intentional? Should we be guarding the known spots against undead kobolds or...?"
"And you should clue in Sergor," Sam whispers after getting up, wandering around a little bit, and purposefully passing by Elthana. "Already dealing with enough crap, they don't need an unexpected migration pouring out on top of them."
"I think I could try and use the shrine to reach Morris, perhaps", Vin says. "I mean, Vox Tontritor's memories would be vast and a very important part of his collection. And if he was stopped from collecting them, he might at least tell us how and why".
He looks around, "I guess Dec was stopped from his task for sure, on account of Vox Tontritor's body being animated as a Zombie like the Kobolds. And I have no idea what happens to a soul when someone is brought back as a Zombie".
He looks across to Griff and Serafina, realising his overuse of the word zombie, might be uncomfortable for them. And Lumithor too.
"I am not sure I understand though. Nivara is a vampire, I get that. And she can therefore create thralls, but this is not that. This is raising the dead as zombies, a very different ability. Where did she get the power to raise hundreds of thousands of zombies. And to kill Vox Tontritor in the first place, she had to do that to raise them again under her power. Are we sure she hasn't already made a pact with Nectyran? We know Nectryan has power over undead".
He again looks at Serafina, Griff and Lumithor, "Sorry, but it is what it is".
Gewyn thinks everything over as the talking continues. "What we lack at every juncture is information. And these problems with the realms are like spreading cracks. The issues we face will grow faster, not slower. I think we should keep the book. I implore you to entrust me with it. When the Fae realm was encroaching upon ours, seeing into the ethereal plane was crucial on more than one occasion. Though I wasn't as open then with how I knew what I knew. I am telling you though, as I have gained some mastery over this plane, and the ethereal plane, so too can I more effectively learn how to counter threats from Shadowfell."
"to my knowledge the Djiini only know that they are getting orders from Vox Tontritor, it is not their want to be questioning why, she shaped their being, she is protecting the realm since it's birth, yes? And if what Nivara has been gathering is true, this is a threat to all, djinni included. Perhaps this is being a case of too much trusting in a higher power, but I do not think the Djiini would be doing what they are doing if they are knowing Nivara is behind it..." At this point Griff undoes the torso of his armour and slumps down near Sam, silently wishing for a chair of his own, he ruffles and lets his feathers breathe for a while, taking in what Muir suggested but not wanting to comment just yet.
Serafina does however, as her grief for Vox Tontritor turns to an underlying anger. "You're right. We are the only ones who know what is truly going on there, and we need allies to fight her. If she brings the fight to us it's over, not just for our realm but for all the others she could invade and effect... We have a long road ahead of us and I must get back to the elders and plan." She stands near the shrine and gives Vin an unsure scowl as he explains his ideas bluntly. Though, as Vin approaches to offer prayer, Serafina joins him, interested in the effort.
As Sam slips the pendant into his armour lumithor looks over, "what is it you have there? I sense it is causing you issue, irritating it's way round in your head, no?" As Sam gets a little nervous he notices that Lumithor isn't looking towards his breastplate where the pendant is tucked away, but at the ring with it's faded and failed runes...
As Gewyn stakes his claim as to safeguarding the book, serafina scoffs, Elthana had already stated her wish for the book to be returned to the shadowfell, and the rest of the room looks to vin (or Muir whoever has the book right now), the silence growing slightly tense.
Muir looks at the group “Although there are benefits to keeping the book, we simply don’t know what sort of doom it could bring to another realm. The mirror didn’t come without its own issues….No, It should be destroyed and not given back to the enemy. If there are other trinkets found on the dead in question they too should be destroyed.“We already have an enemy amassing an undead army far beyond what we assumed her capabilities. This leads me to question how as Vin said….She must have made contact with the shadow realm or found something in Vox’s stronghold…..We cannot risk giving them another advantage….” Muir moves to destroy the book with fire. Once the book or someone stops him….Muir takes a breath and…..
Sam's eyes go wide with panic for a moment. "Have where?" he asks, looking about him, initially wondering if it's the dirt-formed recliner that he formed that caught the dragon's eye. Perhaps redecorating an undead dragon god's den wasn't a wise idea.
"Issue? Sam then asks a bit relieved but also confused. "My head?" Sam eventually follows the gaze of Lumithor and notes that he is looking at Sam's right hand and not towards any pilfered loot. "You talking about the ring? It's nothing. Nothing to worry about anyway... Hog sent it to me. He's a maker from back home. Err, makes magic stuff. Not so sure how good he is. He had asked us to send him rare stuff so he could make stuff and so when we killed a chimera I sent him some bits. He eventually sent back the ring. I think it was made from it's bones. Thought maybe it would hold one of the runes I carve but... " Sam breaks off and shrugs a bit. "Maybe Hog isn't as good as he thinks. Maybe he just needs to work on it more... Or maybe it's just me, eh? Could be I reached my limits... But I wouldn't say it was irritating it's way into my head. I don't let anything get into my head!"
When the talk goes back to the book Sam puts an eye on the tome. Not literally but... Well, he watches it. "I'm not sure Gewyn should have it... No offense... But as Muir said, the mirror and all, yes? But the book does seem to have some very handy powers. And Vin said it's not cursed or anything so we have no reason to think it'd be a corrupting influence. I think we should use it. For information, like Gewyn suggested, and for during fights. The way the holder was able to fade away and go elsewhere instead of being hit would be invaluable in a fight. I think maybe someone who doesn't already have issues could hold it and use it's powers against our foes..."
But Sam ends his thought quickly as he sees Muir with the book out and doing something with fire. Sam lurches out of his chair to try to stop him!
Muir stops at Sam’s suggestion and turns to face Sam “You think it would be good for one of us to hold onto it and use it? Alright a compromise….One of us will use it once to see what happens while the others stand guard. No secrets no holding back information no games. You’ve mentioned Gewyn should not be the one to do it and so I will put forth that I don’t think Elthana should do it. This whole ordeal has taken a toll mentally on you…I think this could push you over the edge if you go to the Shadowfell and someone sees you or you see something that triggers a memory. I fear for your safety”
Vin stands in front of the Shrine, wondering exactly how one starts to commune with a god. Should you speak out loud? Or can a God simply read your mind?
He too turns around at talk of destroying the book, or the compromise of testing it out.
"It takes a fair amount of time to focus enough to use the book. If you are doing that now, I think I will try this shrine out".
With that he wanders around the shrine for a moment, trying to figure out if there is a front to it.
As the group decide to use the book they remember what vin said as he identified it, describing it as having no charges left for the day. Testing the book will have to wait.
Lumithor states at the ring and chuckles, "perhaps the wrong rune? You find power in rune carving yes? Like the giants of old, like my mother... You were big when I came back is that, is that a carving of yours? Tapping into creation itself to give you strength of giantkin...
What do you know of the chimera?"
As vin approaches the shrine it is a square with a column in each corner forming arches as they rise which surround a statue in the middle, the statue depicts a woman, long flowing robes with raven feathers all around it, her long flowing hair is crowned with what looks like a spine curled around her head, and her eyes are facing the gate to the Shadowfell directly.
After wandering around the shrine, Vin decides to take a kneeling position in front of the statue. Gods like it when you kneel, it shows deference, right? He then stares up for a while at the face of the statue. It looks nothing like that of Morris, who they had all met, him more recently than the others.
He thinks back to what Hector had said about the other aspects. Morris was one of three. Memento Mori, or Morris. His brother Inevitable Decay, or Dec, he had seen harvesting bodies recently. And then there is his sister Charon, the Grim Reaper. The Soul Collector. He had not seen that aspect.
He leans forward a little and lays a palm on one of the feathers jutting from the hem of the robe.
"I admit this feels a little out of my wheelhouse. Knowledge of religions is a bit different to worship or communion", he begins to say, but finds the noise from the others immediately starts to distract him.
"Hey, a little quiet, if you don't mind. I expect the Raven Queen is not one for lively banter", he calls back over his shoulder, and tries to tune them out if they persist.
Addressing the statue once again, he continues, "I don't know whether you remember me. At least, whether a part of you remembers me. I have met the aspect of you called Morris before, a couple of times actually. And I think Dec has shown an interest, letting me see him and all. I would really like to meet Charon, although in a way that would make me really nervous", he says as his fingers feel along the grooves in the detail of the feather carving.
"Anyway, I just wanted to reach out, because we are here doing our best to stand against those that look to make a mockery of your dominion over the dead. Against those who would desecrate the memories, bodies and souls of those who have passed on. Those who deserve your embrace and protection. But it turns out the forces we are up against are more formidable than we ever imagined, and have powers, unholy powers. And, well, it occurred to me that you might have an interest in how this plays out".
"I know you hold the memories of all who have died, and I know you collect their souls and bodies. But here those bodies are being taken from you, they are being defiled by un-death. In your name we would stand against those who perform such heinous rites. Help us do that. Help us Morris, Dec and Charon. Help us Raven Queen", he pleads.
"Wrong rune?" Sam half asks, half considers. Hog hadn't exactly sent along instructions, unless Sergor censored them, so it could be...
"Some power, sure," Sam then answers. "Ömertyr suggested I may have some giant blood in my family line. I don't know about that but a couple of the runes I know do lend me some tricks. The size though... Funny, I never much notice the size when using it... I guess mostly 'cause I am pissed off and focused on other things when I do... But that's not tied to the runes. At least no specific one. Maybe it's the blood, like Ömertyr said, but I can draw upon that whether I have carved any runes or not."
"The specific chimera? Nothing. It attacked the ship we were traveling on. The crew seemed to be accustomed to such. Chimera in general? Not much more... Wings. Claws. Too many heads... That's about it."
Before Vin begins his prayer, Lumithor responds to Sam. Cocking his crystal head to one side in amusement, apparently using this opportunity to take his mind off of the terrible goings on newly discovered in this realm "blood, like you say is likely the answer to your sporadic giantness... If it is true then we have shared kin.
The chimera is a mixed up being, a dragon, a lion, a goat. If they were separate they would no doubt prey upon one another. And each has it's strengths and weaknesses. Dragons have magic and maybe. Little too much ambition, lions are powerful predators but can be lazy, a goat is nimble and clever but it is still prey. The chimera though, it works as one. It uses it's strengths to cover for the other aspects weaknesses.
Now perhaps your strike of creation isn't strong yet, and so my advice would be to use what you have... A ring made from the parts of a beast which gains strength from it's duplicity and reliance... Ask yourself; What gives you strength in battle? what keeps you from dying? and what motivates you to keep going no matter what?" Lumithor blows on the ring, but this time his breath does not freeze, instead a crystal like sheen appears over the ring's flat surface healing over the fading rune that Sam had carved before. "Try again, but not with one of your usual runes."
Sam frowns and wonders if he is being insulted. Called prey and told he is not strong. When Lumithor blows on his ring Sam instinctively starts to pull back and fall into a defensive posture but he stops himself and... Well his hand gets cold but not too cold. Sam takes off his ring and looks at the flat crystal covered portion of it and ponders the questions asked by the dragon. Looking back up Sam inhales a breath and is about to suggest an answer... But no, they're not looking for an answer. They want him to etch a rune. A rune that is the answer.
Is a rune the answer? Is there one answer to the dragon's questions?
He sees an answer in his mind but he's not sure it is right... He sets the ring down for a moment to dig through his things and pull out his smith's tools. He chooses a couple of the smaller, more delicate tools. Ones even more delicate than what he normally uses for his etchings. He visualizes the rune. One line down the center as a base and then the hash marks up from the bottom to the top to symbolize... But before he makes a mark he pulls back. Even at his most delicate it wouldn't fit. Not coherantly... Once more he looks up towards Lumithor, this time to question him how to make it work. But would he even know?
Not with one of your usual runes, he had said. So maybe that was the answer anyway. But not with the runes he knew then what? What would this new rune look like? Was there a right answer? Or is the right answer instead what it symbolizes? Honestly, Sam wasn't sure. Still, he had to try something. With an exaggerated huff he bends back down over the ring and sticks his tongue half out of the side of his mouth so as to be able to better concentrate... And he begins etching.
If one were to stand over his should and watch they would probably get punched. But if not they would see Sam first carve two parallel lines lines, one on the far right and the other the far left. From the tops of those come two lines angled down towards the center of the surface, each stopping precisely where they meet the other. Sam pauses then as if done and examining his work... But there is one more line. Perpendicular to the first two lines, connecting them at the center point.
Now Sam does study the work for quite a bit and then gentle puckers his lips and brings the ring up to them and plants a tiny kiss upon it. A moment goes by and then Sam looks around unseeingly for a moment, aware but not seeing the people around him. He let's out a small chuckle to himself and frowns in an embarrassed way before shaking his head as if to clear it.
"Yeah, um... I dunno. Not sure this is what you were getting at but... Well, it's what came to mind. Not a rune, precisely. Not in the style I normally use. But mine, if that makes sense," Sam says. "It doesn't, cause it doesn't to me. Not really... But..." And with a shrug he lets the ring fall flat in the palm of his hand, flat display portion pointed outward, and he holds it up to show Lumithor or anyone paying attention who cared to look...
Gewyn cries out in protest as Muir goes to burn the book before being stopped by Sam. "The mirror didn't come with it's issues. I simply wasn't being entirely honest with what I knew about it, back when..."He looks around at the other listening ears who are not privy to the same secrets as the rest of his group. "Back when we didn't know each other as well. Out of anyone here, I am the one with by far the most experience in navigating the spaces in between."
He lowers his voice. "I beg of you all, at least consider while we wait for the book to recharge."
Lumithor frowns as he looks at the carving "I was expecting at least something I could read, not giant, not primordial, have you created something new?" As Sam explains, lumithor's brow furrows further, "no, no, no, creation takes inspiration from idea but also material... This must mean something to you, search yourself, take your time, find the meaning that you have placed upon this ring, that is the only way to unlock its potential, and yours."
To Gewyn's further explanation of himself, Griff perks up, "I'm thinking either the dead dragon or the bard should be having it, Lumithor is having experience with the plane in question, and Gewyn is having experience a little with planes walking yes? Perhaps he can be becoming like a planeswalker of old stories ha! Maybe, I'm not being sure my suggestions are valued in this particular argument."
Vin hears Gewyn speak, and tries to search his memory for what happened with the mirror, but comes up blank. With everything going on he had almost forgotten he was missing memories. Ironic that.
But he knows Gewyn, knows they share a bond, and to hear his friend have to beg the group doesn't feel right.
"If Gewyn wants the book, he shouldn't have to beg us. I admit, I can't remember what happened with the mirror, but I really don't care. Can any of us say we have been perfect on this journey?", he says passionately. "Just give him the book. That's my opinion".
"I will hold onto the book for now as it seems there are more pressing matters since the book has to recharge....The Raven Queen. We should speak with her and see what can be done to aid this realm. I feel as if I am always the harbinger of doom but if Nivara does somehow manage to conquer this realm to make way for the shadowfell infiltration, we will need the other realms to band together and fight to stop her or we are all doomed. We could barely fight off a fae incursion let alone two realms of an undead army. So enough dawdling, I know we are tired and wiped but we need to do this." Muir looks at Vin and gives him a nod
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Vin looks at the shrine, "Does that...work?".
"Or do you mean commune with them in general, rather than specifically use the shrine?".
"why not take a chance, the shrine is right there, can't hurt right? Praying to death once in a while... You seem like warriors that have seen your fair share..." Lumithor muses
Upon listening to Griff and Serafina, Muir shakes his head "I understand the issues of the past centuries caused by Nivara. I empathize with you both. However signs of great leaders is putting the realm before themselves and making the difficult choices. Griff and Serafina you both have an extremely large task on your shoulders. If you fail this world will crumble when Nivarra invades. She will use her army to conquer 1 Djinn at a time before coming here with a massive army to take the Shadowfell and continue down this road....You have a choice to make. We are outsiders. Yes we can report what we know but will we be believed? Perhaps not even Gewyn's silver tongue may be able to convince them. This will be the end of your world as you know it. To flee to our world, well I will do what I can to help those that can flee, but who makes the decision on who gets to come to our world? Sergor....Well the leaders in our world would have to accept terms to allow this....No the best course is to try to convince what was seen here if that doesn't work well......" Muir trails off at Lumithor's suggestion "Agreed, what would it hurt to try to commune with her? We saved this realm for now, defeated minions of the Shadowfell, perhaps she will answer. After all the gods are all interconnected yes? The Raven Queen collects the mind and soul, the physical body decays back into the ground allowing for the circle of life which is a tenet of the Keepers. Gods are mysterious and work in mysterious ways....Perhaps they would help now yes?"
Oh stars above, it's chatter time again, Sam thinks to himself with a sigh. Looking about the chamber Sam either spots someplace that looks comfortable to sit of uses his ability to Mold Earth for form a simple seat for himself so he can sit down, relax, and rest. The battle had been tough. A damn near thing. If not for the healing magics of Muir Sam figures he'd be one of the corpses being tossed through the portal... And for Muir's thorns as well. Not that everyone didn't do their part but it's hard not to credit the one who kept you upright through it all...
"Do the Djinn's know?" Sam calls out randomly. "That they're taking orders from an undead dragon thing?"
"If the leaders are immortal, or effectively so, then there's no reason they shouldn't take their time. Build up undead kobold armies into numbers unknown before. When you have all the time there is you don't need to take risks, I suppose. Just quietly build your armies until you have no more space to store them... then claim more space with your insurmountable numbers and lather, rinse, repeat..."
Sam then goes quiet and lets the chattering continue for a while. He spends some time studying his new jewelry - The ring Hog had sent him that seems to be a dud and the pendant he had slipped out of the garbage before it was all thrown in the disposal. The ring is worn openly on his right hand, the Cloud rune he etched into the face of it not quite as stark as when he first carved it in. But that was the thing with the runes, they faded out each day and needed to be redone. Magic... Go figure. The pendant is something else though. There's something about it but he's not sure what. Studying it surreptitiously sure isn't going to tell him anything though. When nobody is looking Sam slips the pendant around his neck and quickly tucks it under his armor and his clothes so the dragon doesn't notice it.
"Does all this have anything to do with the portals?" he asks again to nobody in particular and kind of out of nowhere. "Them opening up to our world and the like? Is it just a weakening or intentional? Should we be guarding the known spots against undead kobolds or...?"
"And you should clue in Sergor," Sam whispers after getting up, wandering around a little bit, and purposefully passing by Elthana. "Already dealing with enough crap, they don't need an unexpected migration pouring out on top of them."
"I think I could try and use the shrine to reach Morris, perhaps", Vin says. "I mean, Vox Tontritor's memories would be vast and a very important part of his collection. And if he was stopped from collecting them, he might at least tell us how and why".
He looks around, "I guess Dec was stopped from his task for sure, on account of Vox Tontritor's body being animated as a Zombie like the Kobolds. And I have no idea what happens to a soul when someone is brought back as a Zombie".
He looks across to Griff and Serafina, realising his overuse of the word zombie, might be uncomfortable for them. And Lumithor too.
"I am not sure I understand though. Nivara is a vampire, I get that. And she can therefore create thralls, but this is not that. This is raising the dead as zombies, a very different ability. Where did she get the power to raise hundreds of thousands of zombies. And to kill Vox Tontritor in the first place, she had to do that to raise them again under her power. Are we sure she hasn't already made a pact with Nectyran? We know Nectryan has power over undead".
He again looks at Serafina, Griff and Lumithor, "Sorry, but it is what it is".
Gewyn thinks everything over as the talking continues. "What we lack at every juncture is information. And these problems with the realms are like spreading cracks. The issues we face will grow faster, not slower. I think we should keep the book. I implore you to entrust me with it. When the Fae realm was encroaching upon ours, seeing into the ethereal plane was crucial on more than one occasion. Though I wasn't as open then with how I knew what I knew. I am telling you though, as I have gained some mastery over this plane, and the ethereal plane, so too can I more effectively learn how to counter threats from Shadowfell."
"to my knowledge the Djiini only know that they are getting orders from Vox Tontritor, it is not their want to be questioning why, she shaped their being, she is protecting the realm since it's birth, yes? And if what Nivara has been gathering is true, this is a threat to all, djinni included. Perhaps this is being a case of too much trusting in a higher power, but I do not think the Djiini would be doing what they are doing if they are knowing Nivara is behind it..." At this point Griff undoes the torso of his armour and slumps down near Sam, silently wishing for a chair of his own, he ruffles and lets his feathers breathe for a while, taking in what Muir suggested but not wanting to comment just yet.
Serafina does however, as her grief for Vox Tontritor turns to an underlying anger. "You're right. We are the only ones who know what is truly going on there, and we need allies to fight her. If she brings the fight to us it's over, not just for our realm but for all the others she could invade and effect... We have a long road ahead of us and I must get back to the elders and plan." She stands near the shrine and gives Vin an unsure scowl as he explains his ideas bluntly. Though, as Vin approaches to offer prayer, Serafina joins him, interested in the effort.
As Sam slips the pendant into his armour lumithor looks over, "what is it you have there? I sense it is causing you issue, irritating it's way round in your head, no?" As Sam gets a little nervous he notices that Lumithor isn't looking towards his breastplate where the pendant is tucked away, but at the ring with it's faded and failed runes...
As Gewyn stakes his claim as to safeguarding the book, serafina scoffs, Elthana had already stated her wish for the book to be returned to the shadowfell, and the rest of the room looks to vin (or Muir whoever has the book right now), the silence growing slightly tense.
Muir looks at the group “Although there are benefits to keeping the book, we simply don’t know what sort of doom it could bring to another realm. The mirror didn’t come without its own issues….No, It should be destroyed and not given back to the enemy. If there are other trinkets found on the dead in question they too should be destroyed.“We already have an enemy amassing an undead army far beyond what we assumed her capabilities. This leads me to question how as Vin said….She must have made contact with the shadow realm or found something in Vox’s stronghold…..We cannot risk giving them another advantage….” Muir moves to destroy the book with fire. Once the book or someone stops him….Muir takes a breath and…..
Sam's eyes go wide with panic for a moment. "Have where?" he asks, looking about him, initially wondering if it's the dirt-formed recliner that he formed that caught the dragon's eye. Perhaps redecorating an undead dragon god's den wasn't a wise idea.
"Issue? Sam then asks a bit relieved but also confused. "My head?" Sam eventually follows the gaze of Lumithor and notes that he is looking at Sam's right hand and not towards any pilfered loot. "You talking about the ring? It's nothing. Nothing to worry about anyway... Hog sent it to me. He's a maker from back home. Err, makes magic stuff. Not so sure how good he is. He had asked us to send him rare stuff so he could make stuff and so when we killed a chimera I sent him some bits. He eventually sent back the ring. I think it was made from it's bones. Thought maybe it would hold one of the runes I carve but... " Sam breaks off and shrugs a bit. "Maybe Hog isn't as good as he thinks. Maybe he just needs to work on it more... Or maybe it's just me, eh? Could be I reached my limits... But I wouldn't say it was irritating it's way into my head. I don't let anything get into my head!"
When the talk goes back to the book Sam puts an eye on the tome. Not literally but... Well, he watches it. "I'm not sure Gewyn should have it... No offense... But as Muir said, the mirror and all, yes? But the book does seem to have some very handy powers. And Vin said it's not cursed or anything so we have no reason to think it'd be a corrupting influence. I think we should use it. For information, like Gewyn suggested, and for during fights. The way the holder was able to fade away and go elsewhere instead of being hit would be invaluable in a fight. I think maybe someone who doesn't already have issues could hold it and use it's powers against our foes..."
But Sam ends his thought quickly as he sees Muir with the book out and doing something with fire. Sam lurches out of his chair to try to stop him!
Muir stops at Sam’s suggestion and turns to face Sam “You think it would be good for one of us to hold onto it and use it? Alright a compromise….One of us will use it once to see what happens while the others stand guard. No secrets no holding back information no games. You’ve mentioned Gewyn should not be the one to do it and so I will put forth that I don’t think Elthana should do it. This whole ordeal has taken a toll mentally on you…I think this could push you over the edge if you go to the Shadowfell and someone sees you or you see something that triggers a memory. I fear for your safety”
Vin stands in front of the Shrine, wondering exactly how one starts to commune with a god. Should you speak out loud? Or can a God simply read your mind?
He too turns around at talk of destroying the book, or the compromise of testing it out.
"It takes a fair amount of time to focus enough to use the book. If you are doing that now, I think I will try this shrine out".
With that he wanders around the shrine for a moment, trying to figure out if there is a front to it.
As the group decide to use the book they remember what vin said as he identified it, describing it as having no charges left for the day. Testing the book will have to wait.
Lumithor states at the ring and chuckles, "perhaps the wrong rune? You find power in rune carving yes? Like the giants of old, like my mother... You were big when I came back is that, is that a carving of yours? Tapping into creation itself to give you strength of giantkin...
What do you know of the chimera?"
As vin approaches the shrine it is a square with a column in each corner forming arches as they rise which surround a statue in the middle, the statue depicts a woman, long flowing robes with raven feathers all around it, her long flowing hair is crowned with what looks like a spine curled around her head, and her eyes are facing the gate to the Shadowfell directly.
After wandering around the shrine, Vin decides to take a kneeling position in front of the statue. Gods like it when you kneel, it shows deference, right? He then stares up for a while at the face of the statue. It looks nothing like that of Morris, who they had all met, him more recently than the others.
He thinks back to what Hector had said about the other aspects. Morris was one of three. Memento Mori, or Morris. His brother Inevitable Decay, or Dec, he had seen harvesting bodies recently. And then there is his sister Charon, the Grim Reaper. The Soul Collector. He had not seen that aspect.
He leans forward a little and lays a palm on one of the feathers jutting from the hem of the robe.
"I admit this feels a little out of my wheelhouse. Knowledge of religions is a bit different to worship or communion", he begins to say, but finds the noise from the others immediately starts to distract him.
"Hey, a little quiet, if you don't mind. I expect the Raven Queen is not one for lively banter", he calls back over his shoulder, and tries to tune them out if they persist.
Addressing the statue once again, he continues, "I don't know whether you remember me. At least, whether a part of you remembers me. I have met the aspect of you called Morris before, a couple of times actually. And I think Dec has shown an interest, letting me see him and all. I would really like to meet Charon, although in a way that would make me really nervous", he says as his fingers feel along the grooves in the detail of the feather carving.
"Anyway, I just wanted to reach out, because we are here doing our best to stand against those that look to make a mockery of your dominion over the dead. Against those who would desecrate the memories, bodies and souls of those who have passed on. Those who deserve your embrace and protection. But it turns out the forces we are up against are more formidable than we ever imagined, and have powers, unholy powers. And, well, it occurred to me that you might have an interest in how this plays out".
"I know you hold the memories of all who have died, and I know you collect their souls and bodies. But here those bodies are being taken from you, they are being defiled by un-death. In your name we would stand against those who perform such heinous rites. Help us do that. Help us Morris, Dec and Charon. Help us Raven Queen", he pleads.
"Wrong rune?" Sam half asks, half considers. Hog hadn't exactly sent along instructions, unless Sergor censored them, so it could be...
"Some power, sure," Sam then answers. "Ömertyr suggested I may have some giant blood in my family line. I don't know about that but a couple of the runes I know do lend me some tricks. The size though... Funny, I never much notice the size when using it... I guess mostly 'cause I am pissed off and focused on other things when I do... But that's not tied to the runes. At least no specific one. Maybe it's the blood, like Ömertyr said, but I can draw upon that whether I have carved any runes or not."
"The specific chimera? Nothing. It attacked the ship we were traveling on. The crew seemed to be accustomed to such. Chimera in general? Not much more... Wings. Claws. Too many heads... That's about it."
Before Vin begins his prayer, Lumithor responds to Sam. Cocking his crystal head to one side in amusement, apparently using this opportunity to take his mind off of the terrible goings on newly discovered in this realm "blood, like you say is likely the answer to your sporadic giantness... If it is true then we have shared kin.
The chimera is a mixed up being, a dragon, a lion, a goat. If they were separate they would no doubt prey upon one another. And each has it's strengths and weaknesses. Dragons have magic and maybe. Little too much ambition, lions are powerful predators but can be lazy, a goat is nimble and clever but it is still prey. The chimera though, it works as one. It uses it's strengths to cover for the other aspects weaknesses.
Now perhaps your strike of creation isn't strong yet, and so my advice would be to use what you have... A ring made from the parts of a beast which gains strength from it's duplicity and reliance... Ask yourself; What gives you strength in battle? what keeps you from dying? and what motivates you to keep going no matter what?" Lumithor blows on the ring, but this time his breath does not freeze, instead a crystal like sheen appears over the ring's flat surface healing over the fading rune that Sam had carved before. "Try again, but not with one of your usual runes."
Sam frowns and wonders if he is being insulted. Called prey and told he is not strong. When Lumithor blows on his ring Sam instinctively starts to pull back and fall into a defensive posture but he stops himself and... Well his hand gets cold but not too cold. Sam takes off his ring and looks at the flat crystal covered portion of it and ponders the questions asked by the dragon. Looking back up Sam inhales a breath and is about to suggest an answer... But no, they're not looking for an answer. They want him to etch a rune. A rune that is the answer.
Is a rune the answer? Is there one answer to the dragon's questions?
He sees an answer in his mind but he's not sure it is right... He sets the ring down for a moment to dig through his things and pull out his smith's tools. He chooses a couple of the smaller, more delicate tools. Ones even more delicate than what he normally uses for his etchings. He visualizes the rune. One line down the center as a base and then the hash marks up from the bottom to the top to symbolize... But before he makes a mark he pulls back. Even at his most delicate it wouldn't fit. Not coherantly... Once more he looks up towards Lumithor, this time to question him how to make it work. But would he even know?
Not with one of your usual runes, he had said. So maybe that was the answer anyway. But not with the runes he knew then what? What would this new rune look like? Was there a right answer? Or is the right answer instead what it symbolizes? Honestly, Sam wasn't sure. Still, he had to try something. With an exaggerated huff he bends back down over the ring and sticks his tongue half out of the side of his mouth so as to be able to better concentrate... And he begins etching.
If one were to stand over his should and watch they would probably get punched. But if not they would see Sam first carve two parallel lines lines, one on the far right and the other the far left. From the tops of those come two lines angled down towards the center of the surface, each stopping precisely where they meet the other. Sam pauses then as if done and examining his work... But there is one more line. Perpendicular to the first two lines, connecting them at the center point.
Now Sam does study the work for quite a bit and then gentle puckers his lips and brings the ring up to them and plants a tiny kiss upon it. A moment goes by and then Sam looks around unseeingly for a moment, aware but not seeing the people around him. He let's out a small chuckle to himself and frowns in an embarrassed way before shaking his head as if to clear it.
"Yeah, um... I dunno. Not sure this is what you were getting at but... Well, it's what came to mind. Not a rune, precisely. Not in the style I normally use. But mine, if that makes sense," Sam says. "It doesn't, cause it doesn't to me. Not really... But..." And with a shrug he lets the ring fall flat in the palm of his hand, flat display portion pointed outward, and he holds it up to show Lumithor or anyone paying attention who cared to look...
Gewyn cries out in protest as Muir goes to burn the book before being stopped by Sam. "The mirror didn't come with it's issues. I simply wasn't being entirely honest with what I knew about it, back when..." He looks around at the other listening ears who are not privy to the same secrets as the rest of his group. "Back when we didn't know each other as well. Out of anyone here, I am the one with by far the most experience in navigating the spaces in between."
He lowers his voice. "I beg of you all, at least consider while we wait for the book to recharge."
Lumithor frowns as he looks at the carving "I was expecting at least something I could read, not giant, not primordial, have you created something new?" As Sam explains, lumithor's brow furrows further, "no, no, no, creation takes inspiration from idea but also material... This must mean something to you, search yourself, take your time, find the meaning that you have placed upon this ring, that is the only way to unlock its potential, and yours."
To Gewyn's further explanation of himself, Griff perks up, "I'm thinking either the dead dragon or the bard should be having it, Lumithor is having experience with the plane in question, and Gewyn is having experience a little with planes walking yes? Perhaps he can be becoming like a planeswalker of old stories ha! Maybe, I'm not being sure my suggestions are valued in this particular argument."
Before settling at the shrine
Vin hears Gewyn speak, and tries to search his memory for what happened with the mirror, but comes up blank. With everything going on he had almost forgotten he was missing memories. Ironic that.
But he knows Gewyn, knows they share a bond, and to hear his friend have to beg the group doesn't feel right.
"If Gewyn wants the book, he shouldn't have to beg us. I admit, I can't remember what happened with the mirror, but I really don't care. Can any of us say we have been perfect on this journey?", he says passionately. "Just give him the book. That's my opinion".
"I will hold onto the book for now as it seems there are more pressing matters since the book has to recharge....The Raven Queen. We should speak with her and see what can be done to aid this realm. I feel as if I am always the harbinger of doom but if Nivara does somehow manage to conquer this realm to make way for the shadowfell infiltration, we will need the other realms to band together and fight to stop her or we are all doomed. We could barely fight off a fae incursion let alone two realms of an undead army. So enough dawdling, I know we are tired and wiped but we need to do this." Muir looks at Vin and gives him a nod