(I realized after posting that I had mistyped 'reweaving' as 'unweaving', but I elected not to change it for fear of the stupid manipulated dice roll label that seems to be so liberally applied to edits! I'll be more precise in the future! ;-)
Though Cainneach couldn't bear to watch Famh's struggles and, of course, he understood her desire for privacy in those intense and unknown moments of transformation, he still had to linger close by in an ineffectual, but well-meaning, show of support and protection. Unfortunately, that meant he was near enough to hear each breath, each catch in those breaths, and to wonder at what the poor girl must be going through. It was bad enough for the forester experiencing it vicariously through only the sounds she couldn't hold in, he couldn't imagine what this trial was like for Famh. Her strength was incredible, she'd been through so much growing up as she did, simultaneously bolstered and tormented by her fae blood in the moors of Thuland. Cainneach fancied he could even hear the drops of water striking the stone floor upon which she crouched. He hoped it was sweat, but feared they were tears instead.
When Cainneach heard her cry out in triumph, he could at first only fall to one knee and offer every thanks he could think of to Morkaan and the rest of the Old Gods for releasing her from her torment. Turning to see Famh once again a human(-ish) being, he joyously takes in her proclamation of thanks to the group, stunned to see she was as beautiful as ever, if not more so. Cainneach is content to simply hold her gaze as long as she allows, until she approaches him directly. "Famh, it could only be the worst place if you hadn't come back from that magic. Now I'll remember this moment even more strongly than the fear of having lost you!" He can't help himself, even in front of their companions, and fully embraces the lovely little sorcerer from the highlands, but only kisses her tenderly upon the forehead.
After she asks him about her elk form, Cainneach chuckles and breaks out in a huge smile. "Oh Famh, I'm a forester by trade, having spent the last seven or more years wandering the woods of Ellesland. And you were a giant elk! I'd not be very good at my job if I hadn't noticed, ummm, certain details of your elk-ness, so to speak. I mean, you had antlers after all. But don't worry, you were as handsome an elk as you are beatiful a woman, which is to say very. Expecting modesty of you as an elk would be like telling Salt to stop having a keech in the woods." He hugs her again and whispers in her ear, "Thank you for being so strong and so brave. I hope the Good Folk respect what you've become for them."
(I know you had a great Deception roll, but come on, give the ranger some credit! ;-)
Shining a lantern down the eastern corridor it can be seen that it turns north some way along and that there is a door in the southern wall of the corner.
(I know you had a great Deception roll, but come on, give the ranger some credit! ;-)
(OOC: LOL that's the thing. I don't think Famh actually was a male elk, she just THOUGHT she was one after getting a nat 1 on the Nature roll she critfailed when she was first trying to figure out how to help herself. Now she's absolutely mortified and desperately hoping Cainneach didn't see, but since it was a critfail I usually play those as a wrong idea that's so mulishly fixed in my character's mind that it takes some major and prolonged convincing to get it out)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
Thatch lets out a small breath of relief as Famh returns to her normal form, seemingly without any lingering effects from the transformation such as a pair of antlers springing from her head. “Welcome back, Famh. That was truly amazing.”Thatch lowers his voice to a whisper “has that sort of thing ever happened to you before?”
He stands aside as Cainneach and Famh embrace, then lets out a nervous cough as he clears his throat “Well, should we continue on and explore the rest of the floor? I think Cainneach had an idea of what direction we needed to explore and there is a door ahead.”
Fergus sighs with relief as Famh returns to form. He starts down the eastern corridor carefully, looking for any writing that may help the party avoid danger or learn more of this place.
Fergus bows and heads back to the others to see if there is anything he can do to help.
(Deception: 14 for any of those who want to check if he meant to walk on the pattern. Arcana: 10 for helping Famh return to form.)
Cainneach quickly grabs Thatch and Ori as Fergus heads back their way, then intervenes to have a quick word with the scribe before he can reach Famh and Tana. "Fergus, are you all right, man? We're all a bit concerned for you, can't figure as to why you would have breached that ritual circle. I'd think we've had enough experience at this point to avoid things of that nature if possible. You seemed to have an odd look about you heading toward it. Just want to make sure we're all on the same page here."
Fergus sighs with relief as Famh returns to form. He starts down the eastern corridor carefully, looking for any writing that may help the party avoid danger or learn more of this place.
(Investigation: 6)
(I'm guessing you probably just missed the previous in the walls of text, but I'll play it up a little as though Fergus was trying to brush off the inquiry.)
With Fergus either lost in thought or being evasive, Cainneach grabs the scribe's shoulder as he walks by. Cainneach's voice is lowered, with just a bit of an edge, as he says, "Fergus, I'm serious now. Almeric puts us in enough dangerous situations as it is, we don't need you piling on, too. Are you sure you're with us, lad? We've all got to keep our heads on straight in places like this." During this brief time, Salt pads up toward his master, but holds back a few paces and lets out a low growl toward the scribe. Cainneach will walk with Fergus down the eastern corridor, helping to look out for anything of interest, dangerous or otherwise. Salt follows behind, alert for anything out of sorts.
Moving past the stairs and up to the corner they could see that the corridor continued north for some way with doors on either side of it, the corridors of this place are wide and well-paved even though the floors are cracked in places by perhaps an ancient earthquake. Carvings in low relief adorn all the walls, showing life within the citadel in its heyday, full of activity and vigour. Wars against Thulish tribes and sea raiders are depicted in detail, and the spoils of victory are seen being carried by many captives.
At the corner they stood next to a swollen, water damaged door leading south.
(I'm guessing you probably just missed the previous in the walls of text, but I'll play it up a little as though Fergus was trying to brush off the inquiry.)
With Fergus either lost in thought or being evasive, Cainneach grabs the scribe's shoulder as he walks by. Cainneach's voice is lowered, with just a bit of an edge, as he says, "Fergus, I'm serious now. Almeric puts us in enough dangerous situations as it is, we don't need you piling on, too. Are you sure you're with us, lad? We've all got to keep our heads on straight in places like this." During this brief time, Salt pads up toward his master, but holds back a few paces and lets out a low growl toward the scribe. Cainneach will walk with Fergus down the eastern corridor, helping to look out for anything of interest, dangerous or otherwise. Salt follows behind, alert for anything out of sorts.
Salt - Perception15 (sniffing around and listening for trouble)
Her attention attracted by Cainneach's abrupt movement as he halts the scribe, Famh turns to ask him, "What's all this wi' Fergus, then, 'neach ghraid?" If he tells her, a troubled look comes into her eyes, and she looks down at her long hands as she replies, tracing the supple fingers of one with those of the other. Whether she is checking if she has them all after her own recent loss of magical control, or remembering how leery her magically summoned hand and Fergus' were of each other whenever they'd tried to have them work together, neither of them can tell. "I'm worried about it too, dear friend, but I'm not sure it helps to yell at him. And if he'd meant to harm us by it apurpose, he'd have fought on the thing's side after." But she turns to Fergus a little more sternly herself, adding, "Ye did let the thing free though, Fergus, whether ye meant to or not; and it seemed to be the gust of a moment. You gave no indication that such a thing had been passing in your mind. There must be some way you can find to warn us when these impulses take hold upon ye."
Moving past the stairs and up to the corner they could see that the corridor continued north for some way with doors on either side of it, the corridors of this place are wide and well-paved even though the floors are cracked in places by perhaps an ancient earthquake. Carvings in low relief adorn all the walls, showing life within the citadel in its heyday, full of activity and vigour. Wars against Thulish tribes and sea raiders are depicted in detail, and the spoils of victory are seen being carried by many captives.
At the corner they stood next to a swollen, water damaged door leading south.
(so the door to the south at the corner is in addition to the doors on either side of the hallway leading north from it, or is it one of them?)
Famh curiously examines the carvings along the walls on both sides near the bend of the corridor with its water swollen portal leading south. In particular, she notices if she can identify any of the places shown as parts of the citadel she has seen or is seeing, or learn anything more that is useful about them. That done, she turns to the door itself, examining it and pressing her ear against it to try and hear any sounds between.
===========================
Investigation 22
Perception 3
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
*** ALERT!!! L.R.P.T.W. (Long Rambling Post Trigger Warning)* - skip if you want ... and it is a tiny bit of a flashback to where we left the hall ... but, um, Famh's left a pattern of little dirk scars down the small of my back wondering if we'd finally gotten to the point in the story where she could muse this, so ... um ... ***
As she falls into her accustomed place in the retinue, close beside Cainneachand just a pace or so behind so she can ogle him by the hou... (good heavens, where did that most immodest thought come from?! She was simply helping her Cainneach keep watch in the spots he'd have to turn his head to see, that was all ... *sigh* ... her Cainneach ... um ... now what had she been saying again ... ? ... )
(* Ahem ... * )
As she falls into her accustomed place in the retinue Famh has time to reflect on how deep her feelings for Cainneachare, and on her newly blossoming awareness of them. Of how large a place he has come to occupy in her thoughts of the day; of how deeply his name runs through the worries and dreams that fill her nights; that ... that she is in love with him. There. She finally said it, if only to herself, flat out and clear. That would have to do for now; a horrid ghastly haunted ruin where they had sacrificed children to the moon was no proper place for a courting hearth. But remembering to herself was so sweet, and she found it helped her focus on her present need to keep them both safe until they had leisure and privacy to ...um ... talkabout it.
Perhaps too focused sometimes, especially in this terrible place: she'd been ready more than once since she regained her own form to sling at a harmless shadow because a breeze had stirred the cobwebs that hung half-obscured in the gloom. Still. her musings were better than the unaware ferment of she hadn't known what that had ruled her heart and mind since that sweet day they met till this moment when she finally admitted to herself in words that....
She had always loved him. She had always loved him, from the moment she saw him sitting so forlorn and alone amid all his companions in the reeve's hall back in Igham ... Igham. The very name brings back a wry chuckle at what a wide-eyed child of the heather she'd been back then. Good heavens, how could she have been so silly as to have thought her kind hostess the widowed Lady of the place?! She nervously wonders for a moment how offended the Baron would be if he somehow came to know of her innocent error. But she blesses the widow Mavis once more for letting her care for the sheep she'd gone to the hall that day about, else she'd never have seen him sitting there among the retinue in the flesh. She'd not known she loved him, at first, only thought that her dreams had been calling her to help save Dru. And since she'd come too late she owed him service, according to the old traditions, perhaps the honorably more so when it's not your fault. And she'd been willing enough at his asking to transfer that service to the basically good (in spite of his occasional strange remoteness) man she'd sensed Sir Almeric to be.
In that service she'd found not only love and friendship, but a place in the new world she'd been plunged into when chance allowed the Dayne retinue to unmask a traitor. And that world had proven to be the perfect place for a girl who before had had no chance to learn about love and life from the immersion most girls swim in since earliest childhood, within the word-woven sisterhood of their peers. She had a friend at court, so to speak, in Alais; but even though she was always the strange one she'd still been accepted enough by the other young ladies of the Baron's court to be included in their mysterious gigglings and whisperings. And generally their gigglings and whisperings had concerned which handsome knight or squire they were pining for in silence beautiful, and how they'd really rather the fellow would sweep them off their feet and carry them away on his destrier somewhere... after which, of course, their fathers would see that it was true love and give them their blessings to be wed immediately!
(Having been raised on the romances of CuChulain and Emair, she had found all the swoonings about 'silence beautiful' rather silly; but having also been raised on the romance of Naoise and Dierdre, she certainly could see merit in the carrying off part. Though she wouldn't have let her Cainneach die under any druidic waves tipped with sevenfold poison blades, and she didn't think he'd succumb so easily either after all they'd been through together.)
It was only Alais she'd told about Cainneach, though; just as she was the only young lady at that court Alais had dared to breathe her own secret to. There was a squire in the service of one Sir Ambrose Blayk, an older knight of Baron Aldred 's household. Sir Blayk was a Capellar like Sir Almeric, but less recently returned from the Crusades for Ibrahim; and like Sir Almeric was distantly related to the Baron. Unlke Sir Almeric, Sir Blayk had had several years in Aldred's court to use his Capellar-honed pragmatism to elevate his house's fortunes; and he had done so just sufficiently that his youngest son Blaise whom Alais found her heart drawn to was in the agonizingly unknown territory of maybe having a chance of winning her father's approval, but having it be far from a certainty.
Alas, Blaise was much like Cainneach: a quiet, thoughful boy growing into a quiet, thoughtful young man whose true worth was too easily overlooked amidst the showier deeds of those about him. At least in the busy beehive a Baron's court seemed to be, where everyone was flitting about half the time and half of them seemed bent on advancing themselves by casting everyone else into darkest shadow. His modesty made him perfect for the studious Alais at the same time as it made it more unlikely he would ever do such a deed as would impress her father in his favour. Back at Aldred's castle he'd seemed content to keep to the sidelines and dally in the courtly arts with the other squires. There was much speculation about why his ambitious father, Sir Ambrose, tolerates this behaviour in his son, but if anyone has had any more success than Famh at fathoming this mystery she hadn't heard of it before leaving for Port Clyster. About the elder knight all she knows is that the ceorls call him 'The Looking Glass' when no nobles are by. for the inscrutability of his face. They said that whatever look you gave him, that was what you got in return; you knew nothing of what was passing beneath the surface. They saw him as the Capellar's Capellar, whether that was in fact true or not: it was held highly unlikely that he truly had missed a trick and was unaware of what his son was doing. For while his loyalty was unquestioned and his faith to the Baron proven several times over in bandit ambushes and other battles he could easily have turned traitor, he misses no other opportunity chance... or guile... may present.
She'd been too miserable on the ship and too distracted before that to notice whether Sir Ambrose or Blaise were along; and she doesn't know nearly enough about the ins and outs of the Capellar order to know whether, if they were along, the fact that the Baron hadn't sent them along with Sir Almeric and the retinue to investigate Karvala's tower was strange or to be expected. Because of the elder Capellar's inscrutability she does not even know enough to judge whether his talents would have been suited to the mission in any case. The only incontrovertible fact was that he and his son were not along, and Blaise had once again missed a chance to win the approbation of his true love's father.
All in all, while she pities her friend the complications that stand between her and Blaise, they also make her profoundly grateful for any time at all alone with Cainneach, even trudging through horrible haunted ruins and swamps together like they seem to do with such painfully predictable regularity.
(so the door to the south at the corner is in addition to the doors on either side of the hallway leading north from it, or is it one of them?)
( In addition. Also Famh hears nothing from the damp door. She is able to pick out the obelisk, fortress and the temple they are currently in from the carvings.)
Cainneach senses some hesitation from his companions regarding the door to the south, despite no signs of danger being revealed to their finely tuned senses, human and canine alike. He consults quickly with Famh to confirm that she did not detect any signs of activity beyond the door, then shrugs, and signals to the party that he is going to open the door so that they might prepare to defend themselves. When it looks like everyone is ready, Cainneach takes a quick glance at Famh, mutters a quick prayer to Morkaan, and gives it a good shove with his shoulder.
As Cairneach moves through the door to the south, Almeric will quickly follows on behind the Forester. He is eager to completly explore this level of the temple, to collect as much treasure as possible. The amount of silver and gold trinkets retrieved so far has been surprising good, notwithstanding the thoroughly evil taint that hangs on the items like the smell of rotting meat. Almeric needs ro upgrade his harness and this requires a large investment of resources.
Almeric was confident that it would be an easy matter to have these items clensed and purified later. Holy water, incense, holy oils and a sympathetic priest could resolve the matter in an afternoon. With some research and training, Almeric could do the job himself.
During the warm down after the previous fight, Almeric has been impressed again by the raw potential of Fahm. He decided that once they were back safe in Gorham he would talk with her privately. Fahm had demostrated a profound belief in the True Faith and deserved to benefit from an elevated position and status due to her abilities. Almeric does have a second knuckbone of St Ambrisius, which Fahm may appreciate and benefit from. Food for thought later.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The thoughtful look in Famh's eyes slowly deepens as the retinue moves farther from what she is beginning to refer to as the 'elk prison'. Not even the interest of searching the etchings for clues that would be helpful to their current situation (there aren't any, that she can see) can divert her attention for long from what is passing in her mind. The best Sir Almeric can get from her if he brings up the subject of the relic is neither acceptance nor refusal, only a puzzled, "But didn't the soul of the Saint gae to heaven for his reward? How has any stayed in his bones?" It is clear that while her faith may be profound, her understanding of some of the finer points is, like her native moors, a little misty.
As she listens at the door and then consults with Cainneach about the possibilities that might lie behind it, the pensive returns and slowly deepens to a look that shades into being just a little troubled. Just as he puts his shoulder to the door, she says to him in a low voice, "Can we talk a bit after this, Cainneach? If there's no horrible demon behind this door to fight, that is ... " She grasps her improvised short spear as she says this, standing to one side of the door as it opens and peering around the lintel.
Cainneach pushes the door open and much of it crumbles wetly away as it is forced open....
Beyond it is a short corridor running south, This corridor ends with four barred cells, within one of which you see the mouldering remains of many chained captives. They must have starved to death centuries ago—a terrible punishment for who knows what crimes....the other three cells are in the east and west walls and cannot be seen into without approaching closer...
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Frowning, Famh picks up a stone from the ground and then skips it along the floor of the corridor so it ricochets into the east cell. If there is no response she repeats the process to land one in the west cell; and finishes with a shot straight forward like the curlers she'd admired as a lass at the winter games Lord Erek held once every seven years ... luckily falling just before her growing strangeness and the haunted look in her mother's eyes finally ended what little tolerance there had been for them. But it is of the bright times she is thinking as her stones sail down the corridor and ...
===========================
First stone "to hit" 3
Second stone "to hit" 22
Third stone "to hit" 5
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
Frowning, Famh picks up a stone from the ground and then skips it along the floor of the corridor so it ricochets into the east cell. If there is no response she repeats the process to land one in the west cell; and finishes with a shot straight forward like the curlers she'd admired as a lass at the winter games Lord Erek held once every seven years ... luckily falling just before her growing strangeness and the haunted look in her mother's eyes finally ended what little tolerance there had been for them. But it is of the bright times she is thinking as her stones sail down the corridor and ...
===========================
First stone "to hit" 18
Second stone "to hit" 21
Third stone "to hit" 7
Other than the clattering of small stones striking larger ones there is no response.
As she listens at the door and then consults with Cainneach about the possibilities that might lie behind it, the pensive returns and slowly deepens to a look that shades into being just a little troubled. Just as he puts his shoulder to the door, she says to him in a low voice, "Can we talk a bit after this, Cainneach? If there's no horrible demon behind this door to fight, that is ... " She grasps her improvised short spear as she says this, standing to one side of the door as it opens and peering around the lintel.
===========================
Perception 13
Famh's voice is just audible above the dull thud of Cainneach's shoulder slamming into the decaying wood. He's glad her entreaty wasn't delivered a split second sooner, as he's certain those particular words would have caused him to turn from the target and injure that shoulder, rather than striking the door solidly. Cainneach pauses for a moment to reflect upon the question, brushing some damp, moldy bits of door from his cloak. The winsome lass had been through quite the ordeal and he most certainly wanted to give her whatever comfort he could. While a mere conversation could do wonders, it wasn't all that had crossed his mind ... he'd rather sweep her away to some place safe and hold her, sitting in front of a warm fire, where they could talk and sing and revel in some kind of freedom. But that would have to wait. Realizing that the duration of his pause had likely reached an awkward point, Cainneach clears his throat and turns to Famh, replying, "Yes, of course, as soon as it's safe. I don't much like our odds in this particular hallway, apparently filled with corpses as it is. Seems ripe for more skeletons, although I can't quite make out what's in the furthest three cells. Any ideas?"
Frowning, Famh picks up a stone from the ground and then skips it along the floor of the corridor so it ricochets into the east cell. If there is no response she repeats the process to land one in the west cell; and finishes with a shot straight forward like the curlers she'd admired as a lass at the winter games Lord Erek held once every seven years ... luckily falling just before her growing strangeness and the haunted look in her mother's eyes finally ended what little tolerance there had been for them. But it is of the bright times she is thinking as her stones sail down the corridor and ...
===========================
First stone "to hit" 18
Second stone "to hit" 21
Third stone "to hit" 7
Other than the clattering of small stones striking larger ones there is no response.
(OOC: I love curling, having taken it up after moving to Ontario! Three leagues a week, hopefully including tonight if this storm doesn't get too gnarly.)
"Ha, brilliant! Wondeful skill there, Famh! You know my pa was quite the curler as well. I only had a few seasons being strong enough to play with the big rocks before ... well, you know ... Winters in Albion just don't carry the same chill as they did in Thuland."Cainneach is both tongue-tied by the memories of his lost family and likely to ramble on about the sport he so adored, and catches the look in Famh's eyes, so he shuts up and gets back to business. Turning to Almeric and the others, he says, "So, do we think it's safe?"
"Aye, as our good friend Fergus always says, one way to find out." Ori steps into the room, club held lowbut in a firm two handed stance readied to swing if something starts to stir within the room. Ori liked to make light of the situation as a was of defusing tension. Will have to speak to the others to squal is idea of Fergus purposely stirring up demons and the like, not good team building with distrust. Best decide a plan of him and Almeric come to blows as well later. For now Ori is focused on clearing the rooms.
"Aye, as our good friend Fergus always says, one way to find out." Ori steps into the room, club held lowbut in a firm two handed stance readied to swing if something starts to stir within the room. Ori liked to make light of the situation as a was of defusing tension. Will have to speak to the others to squal is idea of Fergus purposely stirring up demons and the like, not good team building with distrust. Best decide a plan of him and Almeric come to blows as well later. For now Ori is focused on clearing the rooms.
Ori moved down the corridor with the others close behind, the two cells on the left appeared to be empty with nothing but bare stone, the one directly ahead had a large number of chained skeletal remains and the one on the right had two chained skeletons and a third lying in the middle of the cell with a crushed skull....
Looking at the skeletons, Ori pokes his head around the door ways. "Well, they don't seem to be in too be of a hurry aye. Not much of a threat it appears." Ori relax his grip a bit seeing the lack of movement as he moves through the halls.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
(I realized after posting that I had mistyped 'reweaving' as 'unweaving', but I elected not to change it for fear of the stupid manipulated dice roll label that seems to be so liberally applied to edits! I'll be more precise in the future! ;-)
Though Cainneach couldn't bear to watch Famh's struggles and, of course, he understood her desire for privacy in those intense and unknown moments of transformation, he still had to linger close by in an ineffectual, but well-meaning, show of support and protection. Unfortunately, that meant he was near enough to hear each breath, each catch in those breaths, and to wonder at what the poor girl must be going through. It was bad enough for the forester experiencing it vicariously through only the sounds she couldn't hold in, he couldn't imagine what this trial was like for Famh. Her strength was incredible, she'd been through so much growing up as she did, simultaneously bolstered and tormented by her fae blood in the moors of Thuland. Cainneach fancied he could even hear the drops of water striking the stone floor upon which she crouched. He hoped it was sweat, but feared they were tears instead.
When Cainneach heard her cry out in triumph, he could at first only fall to one knee and offer every thanks he could think of to Morkaan and the rest of the Old Gods for releasing her from her torment. Turning to see Famh once again a human(-ish) being, he joyously takes in her proclamation of thanks to the group, stunned to see she was as beautiful as ever, if not more so. Cainneach is content to simply hold her gaze as long as she allows, until she approaches him directly. "Famh, it could only be the worst place if you hadn't come back from that magic. Now I'll remember this moment even more strongly than the fear of having lost you!" He can't help himself, even in front of their companions, and fully embraces the lovely little sorcerer from the highlands, but only kisses her tenderly upon the forehead.
After she asks him about her elk form, Cainneach chuckles and breaks out in a huge smile. "Oh Famh, I'm a forester by trade, having spent the last seven or more years wandering the woods of Ellesland. And you were a giant elk! I'd not be very good at my job if I hadn't noticed, ummm, certain details of your elk-ness, so to speak. I mean, you had antlers after all. But don't worry, you were as handsome an elk as you are beatiful a woman, which is to say very. Expecting modesty of you as an elk would be like telling Salt to stop having a keech in the woods." He hugs her again and whispers in her ear, "Thank you for being so strong and so brave. I hope the Good Folk respect what you've become for them."
(I know you had a great Deception roll, but come on, give the ranger some credit! ;-)
Active - Player: Sleeping Gods ---- Complete - Player: Masquerade, Teleportation Machine ---- Complete - DM: Extradimensional Spaces
Come join the Worlds of Pphost, a new and growing PbP community! Adventures are currently running in the world of Haven or do some role-playing!
It never hurts to help! ---- PbP: [Rolling Dice] [Tooltips] ---- DDB Content: [Free Adventures] [Encounter of the Week]
Shining a lantern down the eastern corridor it can be seen that it turns north some way along and that there is a door in the southern wall of the corner.
(OOC: LOL that's the thing. I don't think Famh actually was a male elk, she just THOUGHT she was one after getting a nat 1 on the Nature roll she critfailed when she was first trying to figure out how to help herself. Now she's absolutely mortified and desperately hoping Cainneach didn't see, but since it was a critfail I usually play those as a wrong idea that's so mulishly fixed in my character's mind that it takes some major and prolonged convincing to get it out)
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
Thatch lets out a small breath of relief as Famh returns to her normal form, seemingly without any lingering effects from the transformation such as a pair of antlers springing from her head. “Welcome back, Famh. That was truly amazing.” Thatch lowers his voice to a whisper “has that sort of thing ever happened to you before?”
He stands aside as Cainneach and Famh embrace, then lets out a nervous cough as he clears his throat “Well, should we continue on and explore the rest of the floor? I think Cainneach had an idea of what direction we needed to explore and there is a door ahead.”
Fergus sighs with relief as Famh returns to form. He starts down the eastern corridor carefully, looking for any writing that may help the party avoid danger or learn more of this place.
(Investigation: 6)
(I'm guessing you probably just missed the previous in the walls of text, but I'll play it up a little as though Fergus was trying to brush off the inquiry.)
With Fergus either lost in thought or being evasive, Cainneach grabs the scribe's shoulder as he walks by. Cainneach's voice is lowered, with just a bit of an edge, as he says, "Fergus, I'm serious now. Almeric puts us in enough dangerous situations as it is, we don't need you piling on, too. Are you sure you're with us, lad? We've all got to keep our heads on straight in places like this." During this brief time, Salt pads up toward his master, but holds back a few paces and lets out a low growl toward the scribe. Cainneach will walk with Fergus down the eastern corridor, helping to look out for anything of interest, dangerous or otherwise. Salt follows behind, alert for anything out of sorts.
Investigation 6
Salt - Perception 9 (sniffing around and listening for trouble)
Active - Player: Sleeping Gods ---- Complete - Player: Masquerade, Teleportation Machine ---- Complete - DM: Extradimensional Spaces
Come join the Worlds of Pphost, a new and growing PbP community! Adventures are currently running in the world of Haven or do some role-playing!
It never hurts to help! ---- PbP: [Rolling Dice] [Tooltips] ---- DDB Content: [Free Adventures] [Encounter of the Week]
Moving past the stairs and up to the corner they could see that the corridor continued north for some way with doors on either side of it, the corridors of this place are wide and well-paved even though the floors are cracked in places by perhaps an ancient earthquake. Carvings in low relief adorn all the walls, showing life within the citadel in its heyday, full of activity and vigour. Wars against Thulish tribes and sea raiders are depicted in detail, and the spoils of victory are seen being carried by many captives.
At the corner they stood next to a swollen, water damaged door leading south.
Her attention attracted by Cainneach's abrupt movement as he halts the scribe, Famh turns to ask him, "What's all this wi' Fergus, then, 'neach ghraid?" If he tells her, a troubled look comes into her eyes, and she looks down at her long hands as she replies, tracing the supple fingers of one with those of the other. Whether she is checking if she has them all after her own recent loss of magical control, or remembering how leery her magically summoned hand and Fergus' were of each other whenever they'd tried to have them work together, neither of them can tell. "I'm worried about it too, dear friend, but I'm not sure it helps to yell at him. And if he'd meant to harm us by it apurpose, he'd have fought on the thing's side after." But she turns to Fergus a little more sternly herself, adding, "Ye did let the thing free though, Fergus, whether ye meant to or not; and it seemed to be the gust of a moment. You gave no indication that such a thing had been passing in your mind. There must be some way you can find to warn us when these impulses take hold upon ye."
(so the door to the south at the corner is in addition to the doors on either side of the hallway leading north from it, or is it one of them?)
Famh curiously examines the carvings along the walls on both sides near the bend of the corridor with its water swollen portal leading south. In particular, she notices if she can identify any of the places shown as parts of the citadel she has seen or is seeing, or learn anything more that is useful about them. That done, she turns to the door itself, examining it and pressing her ear against it to try and hear any sounds between.
===========================
Investigation 22
Perception 3
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
*** ALERT!!! L.R.P.T.W. (Long Rambling Post Trigger Warning)* - skip if you want ... and it is a tiny bit of a flashback to where we left the hall ... but, um, Famh's left a pattern of little dirk scars down the small of my back wondering if we'd finally gotten to the point in the story where she could muse this, so ... um ... ***
* aggravated phrasing: L.S.E.F.R.P.T.W. (Long, Starry-Eyed Famh Ramblings Post Trigger Warning
As she falls into her accustomed place in the retinue, close beside Cainneach and just a pace or so behind so she can ogle him by the hou... (good heavens, where did that most immodest thought come from?! She was simply helping her Cainneach keep watch in the spots he'd have to turn his head to see, that was all ... *sigh* ... her Cainneach ... um ... now what had she been saying again ... ? ... )
(* Ahem ... * )
As she falls into her accustomed place in the retinue Famh has time to reflect on how deep her feelings for Cainneach are, and on her newly blossoming awareness of them. Of how large a place he has come to occupy in her thoughts of the day; of how deeply his name runs through the worries and dreams that fill her nights; that ... that she is in love with him. There. She finally said it, if only to herself, flat out and clear. That would have to do for now; a horrid ghastly haunted ruin where they had sacrificed children to the moon was no proper place for a courting hearth. But remembering to herself was so sweet, and she found it helped her focus on her present need to keep them both safe until they had leisure and privacy to ...um ... talk about it.
Perhaps too focused sometimes, especially in this terrible place: she'd been ready more than once since she regained her own form to sling at a harmless shadow because a breeze had stirred the cobwebs that hung half-obscured in the gloom. Still. her musings were better than the unaware ferment of she hadn't known what that had ruled her heart and mind since that sweet day they met till this moment when she finally admitted to herself in words that....
She had always loved him. She had always loved him, from the moment she saw him sitting so forlorn and alone amid all his companions in the reeve's hall back in Igham ... Igham. The very name brings back a wry chuckle at what a wide-eyed child of the heather she'd been back then. Good heavens, how could she have been so silly as to have thought her kind hostess the widowed Lady of the place?! She nervously wonders for a moment how offended the Baron would be if he somehow came to know of her innocent error. But she blesses the widow Mavis once more for letting her care for the sheep she'd gone to the hall that day about, else she'd never have seen him sitting there among the retinue in the flesh. She'd not known she loved him, at first, only thought that her dreams had been calling her to help save Dru. And since she'd come too late she owed him service, according to the old traditions, perhaps the honorably more so when it's not your fault. And she'd been willing enough at his asking to transfer that service to the basically good (in spite of his occasional strange remoteness) man she'd sensed Sir Almeric to be.
In that service she'd found not only love and friendship, but a place in the new world she'd been plunged into when chance allowed the Dayne retinue to unmask a traitor. And that world had proven to be the perfect place for a girl who before had had no chance to learn about love and life from the immersion most girls swim in since earliest childhood, within the word-woven sisterhood of their peers. She had a friend at court, so to speak, in Alais; but even though she was always the strange one she'd still been accepted enough by the other young ladies of the Baron's court to be included in their mysterious gigglings and whisperings. And generally their gigglings and whisperings had concerned which handsome knight or squire they were pining for in silence beautiful, and how they'd really rather the fellow would sweep them off their feet and carry them away on his destrier somewhere... after which, of course, their fathers would see that it was true love and give them their blessings to be wed immediately!
(Having been raised on the romances of CuChulain and Emair, she had found all the swoonings about 'silence beautiful' rather silly; but having also been raised on the romance of Naoise and Dierdre, she certainly could see merit in the carrying off part. Though she wouldn't have let her Cainneach die under any druidic waves tipped with sevenfold poison blades, and she didn't think he'd succumb so easily either after all they'd been through together.)
It was only Alais she'd told about Cainneach, though; just as she was the only young lady at that court Alais had dared to breathe her own secret to. There was a squire in the service of one Sir Ambrose Blayk, an older knight of Baron Aldred 's household. Sir Blayk was a Capellar like Sir Almeric, but less recently returned from the Crusades for Ibrahim; and like Sir Almeric was distantly related to the Baron. Unlke Sir Almeric, Sir Blayk had had several years in Aldred's court to use his Capellar-honed pragmatism to elevate his house's fortunes; and he had done so just sufficiently that his youngest son Blaise whom Alais found her heart drawn to was in the agonizingly unknown territory of maybe having a chance of winning her father's approval, but having it be far from a certainty.
Alas, Blaise was much like Cainneach: a quiet, thoughful boy growing into a quiet, thoughtful young man whose true worth was too easily overlooked amidst the showier deeds of those about him. At least in the busy beehive a Baron's court seemed to be, where everyone was flitting about half the time and half of them seemed bent on advancing themselves by casting everyone else into darkest shadow. His modesty made him perfect for the studious Alais at the same time as it made it more unlikely he would ever do such a deed as would impress her father in his favour. Back at Aldred's castle he'd seemed content to keep to the sidelines and dally in the courtly arts with the other squires. There was much speculation about why his ambitious father, Sir Ambrose, tolerates this behaviour in his son, but if anyone has had any more success than Famh at fathoming this mystery she hadn't heard of it before leaving for Port Clyster. About the elder knight all she knows is that the ceorls call him 'The Looking Glass' when no nobles are by. for the inscrutability of his face. They said that whatever look you gave him, that was what you got in return; you knew nothing of what was passing beneath the surface. They saw him as the Capellar's Capellar, whether that was in fact true or not: it was held highly unlikely that he truly had missed a trick and was unaware of what his son was doing. For while his loyalty was unquestioned and his faith to the Baron proven several times over in bandit ambushes and other battles he could easily have turned traitor, he misses no other opportunity chance... or guile... may present.
She'd been too miserable on the ship and too distracted before that to notice whether Sir Ambrose or Blaise were along; and she doesn't know nearly enough about the ins and outs of the Capellar order to know whether, if they were along, the fact that the Baron hadn't sent them along with Sir Almeric and the retinue to investigate Karvala's tower was strange or to be expected. Because of the elder Capellar's inscrutability she does not even know enough to judge whether his talents would have been suited to the mission in any case. The only incontrovertible fact was that he and his son were not along, and Blaise had once again missed a chance to win the approbation of his true love's father.
All in all, while she pities her friend the complications that stand between her and Blaise, they also make her profoundly grateful for any time at all alone with Cainneach, even trudging through horrible haunted ruins and swamps together like they seem to do with such painfully predictable regularity.
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
( In addition. Also Famh hears nothing from the damp door. She is able to pick out the obelisk, fortress and the temple they are currently in from the carvings.)
Cainneach senses some hesitation from his companions regarding the door to the south, despite no signs of danger being revealed to their finely tuned senses, human and canine alike. He consults quickly with Famh to confirm that she did not detect any signs of activity beyond the door, then shrugs, and signals to the party that he is going to open the door so that they might prepare to defend themselves. When it looks like everyone is ready, Cainneach takes a quick glance at Famh, mutters a quick prayer to Morkaan, and gives it a good shove with his shoulder.
Active - Player: Sleeping Gods ---- Complete - Player: Masquerade, Teleportation Machine ---- Complete - DM: Extradimensional Spaces
Come join the Worlds of Pphost, a new and growing PbP community! Adventures are currently running in the world of Haven or do some role-playing!
It never hurts to help! ---- PbP: [Rolling Dice] [Tooltips] ---- DDB Content: [Free Adventures] [Encounter of the Week]
As Cairneach moves through the door to the south, Almeric will quickly follows on behind the Forester. He is eager to completly explore this level of the temple, to collect as much treasure as possible. The amount of silver and gold trinkets retrieved so far has been surprising good, notwithstanding the thoroughly evil taint that hangs on the items like the smell of rotting meat. Almeric needs ro upgrade his harness and this requires a large investment of resources.
Almeric was confident that it would be an easy matter to have these items clensed and purified later. Holy water, incense, holy oils and a sympathetic priest could resolve the matter in an afternoon. With some research and training, Almeric could do the job himself.
During the warm down after the previous fight, Almeric has been impressed again by the raw potential of Fahm. He decided that once they were back safe in Gorham he would talk with her privately. Fahm had demostrated a profound belief in the True Faith and deserved to benefit from an elevated position and status due to her abilities. Almeric does have a second knuckbone of St Ambrisius, which Fahm may appreciate and benefit from. Food for thought later.
The thoughtful look in Famh's eyes slowly deepens as the retinue moves farther from what she is beginning to refer to as the 'elk prison'. Not even the interest of searching the etchings for clues that would be helpful to their current situation (there aren't any, that she can see) can divert her attention for long from what is passing in her mind. The best Sir Almeric can get from her if he brings up the subject of the relic is neither acceptance nor refusal, only a puzzled, "But didn't the soul of the Saint gae to heaven for his reward? How has any stayed in his bones?" It is clear that while her faith may be profound, her understanding of some of the finer points is, like her native moors, a little misty.
As she listens at the door and then consults with Cainneach about the possibilities that might lie behind it, the pensive returns and slowly deepens to a look that shades into being just a little troubled. Just as he puts his shoulder to the door, she says to him in a low voice, "Can we talk a bit after this, Cainneach? If there's no horrible demon behind this door to fight, that is ... " She grasps her improvised short spear as she says this, standing to one side of the door as it opens and peering around the lintel.
===========================
Perception 16
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
Cainneach pushes the door open and much of it crumbles wetly away as it is forced open....
Beyond it is a short corridor running south, This corridor ends with four barred cells, within one of which you see the mouldering remains of many chained captives. They must have starved to death centuries ago—a terrible punishment for who knows what crimes....the other three cells are in the east and west walls and cannot be seen into without approaching closer...
Frowning, Famh picks up a stone from the ground and then skips it along the floor of the corridor so it ricochets into the east cell. If there is no response she repeats the process to land one in the west cell; and finishes with a shot straight forward like the curlers she'd admired as a lass at the winter games Lord Erek held once every seven years ... luckily falling just before her growing strangeness and the haunted look in her mother's eyes finally ended what little tolerance there had been for them. But it is of the bright times she is thinking as her stones sail down the corridor and ...
===========================
First stone "to hit" 3
Second stone "to hit" 22
Third stone "to hit" 5
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
Other than the clattering of small stones striking larger ones there is no response.
Famh's voice is just audible above the dull thud of Cainneach's shoulder slamming into the decaying wood. He's glad her entreaty wasn't delivered a split second sooner, as he's certain those particular words would have caused him to turn from the target and injure that shoulder, rather than striking the door solidly. Cainneach pauses for a moment to reflect upon the question, brushing some damp, moldy bits of door from his cloak. The winsome lass had been through quite the ordeal and he most certainly wanted to give her whatever comfort he could. While a mere conversation could do wonders, it wasn't all that had crossed his mind ... he'd rather sweep her away to some place safe and hold her, sitting in front of a warm fire, where they could talk and sing and revel in some kind of freedom. But that would have to wait. Realizing that the duration of his pause had likely reached an awkward point, Cainneach clears his throat and turns to Famh, replying, "Yes, of course, as soon as it's safe. I don't much like our odds in this particular hallway, apparently filled with corpses as it is. Seems ripe for more skeletons, although I can't quite make out what's in the furthest three cells. Any ideas?"
(OOC: I love curling, having taken it up after moving to Ontario! Three leagues a week, hopefully including tonight if this storm doesn't get too gnarly.)
"Ha, brilliant! Wondeful skill there, Famh! You know my pa was quite the curler as well. I only had a few seasons being strong enough to play with the big rocks before ... well, you know ... Winters in Albion just don't carry the same chill as they did in Thuland." Cainneach is both tongue-tied by the memories of his lost family and likely to ramble on about the sport he so adored, and catches the look in Famh's eyes, so he shuts up and gets back to business. Turning to Almeric and the others, he says, "So, do we think it's safe?"
Active - Player: Sleeping Gods ---- Complete - Player: Masquerade, Teleportation Machine ---- Complete - DM: Extradimensional Spaces
Come join the Worlds of Pphost, a new and growing PbP community! Adventures are currently running in the world of Haven or do some role-playing!
It never hurts to help! ---- PbP: [Rolling Dice] [Tooltips] ---- DDB Content: [Free Adventures] [Encounter of the Week]
"Aye, as our good friend Fergus always says, one way to find out." Ori steps into the room, club held lowbut in a firm two handed stance readied to swing if something starts to stir within the room. Ori liked to make light of the situation as a was of defusing tension. Will have to speak to the others to squal is idea of Fergus purposely stirring up demons and the like, not good team building with distrust. Best decide a plan of him and Almeric come to blows as well later. For now Ori is focused on clearing the rooms.
Ori moved down the corridor with the others close behind, the two cells on the left appeared to be empty with nothing but bare stone, the one directly ahead had a large number of chained skeletal remains and the one on the right had two chained skeletons and a third lying in the middle of the cell with a crushed skull....
Looking at the skeletons, Ori pokes his head around the door ways. "Well, they don't seem to be in too be of a hurry aye. Not much of a threat it appears." Ori relax his grip a bit seeing the lack of movement as he moves through the halls.