Thatch bounded to Almerics door and knocked perhaps a little too frenetically, the bleary eyed knight stomped to the door and hauled it open.
" Oh, Thatch! Whats happening.....I was having quite a nice dream about our time back in Beltayne.", he caught sight of Thatchs face and quickly moved back and quickly threw his gambeson over his nightshirt as he snatched up a dagger and held it inverted against his forearm.
" Explain on the way."
Thatch ends his pounding on the door as Ser Almeric suddenly pulls it open. "Oh, sorry, Ser! There is trouble at the gate, we think it may have something to do with those lads. The sergeant asked me to fetch you." Thatch does explain on they way, talking much like the excitable young lad he was, words tumbling out of his mouth, but he believes he manages to get most of it out as they start to move back toward the main hall and the building exit. "Mis Famh feared something would be after the two remaining boys, and wanted to check in on them, which got most of us riled up as well, and then something appeared at the gate. There's strange things moving about tonight, Ser. Wait, one moment" Thatch pulls up short suddenly outside the room he shared with the others and rushed in to grab Ori's club before continuing with Ser Almeric.
Cainneach, Ori and Famh quickly determined that there was nothing out in the dark except more darkness and with the ice statues well on their way to melting they turned back toward the gate.....Salt hesitated looking back toward them unsure whether to stay or go find the Lyften woman...
............................
Thatch fetches Oris club and comes downstairs with Sir Almeric, they are about to head out to the gate when Thatch glances into the great hall and sees Vardi and two other people trying to manhandle a fourth person lying on the floor of the hall.
Hearing Salt's whine of uncertainty, Famh calls quietly over to him, "Whit is is, Salt? Yer da' and I are ower here!" She beckons him over and gives him a reassuring scratch between the ears. "We're gang in tae find Vardi, lad. She may neit our help inside if naught's happenin' oot here! Can ye help us find her?" Until she has a more specific direction to follow, she will take Cainneach's hand to avoid getting separated in the darkness and start back towards the hall at a quick walk. As she turns to do this, she calls over to Ori to let him know they have found nothing more and plan to return inside to check on the situation there.
Cainneach feels an increasing state of unease while listening to Famh's tales and observing the icy figures in front of him. What is the purpose of this grotesque statuary? It's nothing, only serving to confound them. DAMNIT. He realized that he was barely aware of Famh's interaction with Salt, right beside him. Cainneach takes Famh's arm more firmly and whispers fiercely to her and Salt, "This is only a distraction, we must get back inside, now!" The forester then urges them on to as stealthy a jog to the lodge as they can manage.
Thatch slides to a quick stop as he passes the main hall and sees the commotion, almost causing Ser Almeric to run him over from behind. “Vardi! What is going on, what are you doing?” Unable to clearly see who has the upper hand in the tussle, Thatch moves forward into the hall, dragging Ori’s oversize club behind him and urging Ser Almeric to follow. “This way Ser, Vardi looks to be in trouble. Unhand her you two!” he shouts into the confusion as he tries to figure out who is fighting who.
Famh raises her eyebrow and glances at Cainneach's face with a slightly startled look, puzzled by his intensity. "Of course, a mùirnean! Thon's why I wantit Salt tae lead us straicht tae where Vardi is instead o' havin tae spend time leuking aboot for the trouble once we get inside." Then it dawns on her that she spoke so quietly to the hound that his master might not have heard her clearly; and she owns up so very prettily in her apology to him. "And I do ken he's yer laddie and ah should haev askit. It's only that he seemit a wee thing unsure juist now, whether he shoud come wi' us or if he shoud stay on watch here as he was tauld erenow." This finished, she mends her pace to match his stealthy jog and hurries towards the hall ...
... where a scene awaits them which is so far beyond even Famh's wildest fears that even with Salt's guidance she must take a second look to assess what is going on; though that look is so informed by her knowledge of ghaist stories and supernatural legends that she can almost instinctively discard some possibilities and seek out others without needing to take the time to think about it. Suffice it to be said that after a moment's glance her sharp fey senses and mind have taken in enough for her to . . .
=========
Arcana (for Advantage in following PER roll, DC naturally at D_M's discretion so I'll split the PER roll in two to allow for but not assume success) 23
Perception (to see the details of what Vardi and the two men are doing, and distinguish the spectral blue arm):
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Famh stares at the eldritch scene before her in horror! She has, perhaps, been a little overzealous in remembering ghaist stories to guide her in the present situation. And she has missed seeing the small blue arm Vardi is grappling with, either because such things have never been a part of any tale she’s heard of or simply due to the rapid changes of light she’s subjected her eyes to in the last few minutes. Consequently she is now laboring under the imagination that Meabh's spirit has possessed the Lyften lass and is causing her to attack one of the very lads she set out to save! The Brymstone-born sheperd-sorceress’ mind flitters with anxiety, rapidly humming from thought to thought like one of the gossamer-winged darning needles she watched by the hour as a girl. Confronted with the confirmation of her worst fears (as if she needed further confirmation after the ice statues diversion), she is forced at last to admit to herself that she doesn't actually KNOW what clews among the story-skeins spun together in her head might lead to methods that are truly effective in calming or banishing an angry ghaist, and which are frayed threads of legend that will snap as soon as she places any reliance on them in this increasingly perilous situation. Many do indeed mention ghaistly possession, in fact too many: their very number masks the subtler distinctions that would mark the true from the false, as gazing into the sun blurs the details of all else in that direction by the very overabundance of His light. She runs over all the sorcerous glamours and piseogues which her faerie blood has thus far given her the ability to weave, but can think of none that is likely to help in this situation either.
In this dilemma, moved by she knows not what tender instinct of memory stirring within her, she begins to plaintively sing the song from her childhood that always moved her to tears no matter what her mood; the throbbing chords and words that spin together all the tragic beauties of her harsh-boned, mist-enchanted homeland. If anyone has the words to ask her, in this moment, she cannot say if she hopes to appeal to the dead girl's own tender memories of childhood, or Vardi’s, or if the faerie magic in her soul is simply bubbling up and out at a moment of high emotion. But Cainneach's breath, at least, catches in his throat (as Vardi's might if she were not already channeling all her breath to the struggle in which she actually is engaged) as they recognize the opening strains of 'The Bluebells of Thuland ':
It is obviously impossible for her to sing this without tapping the wellsprings of her own love and solicitude for Cainneach; but she also hopes the lost girl had a sweetheart she might retain some tenderness for … or if he had been corrupted by bad companions and was one of the lads who had been responsible for her death, at least some dregs of forgiveness in consideration of the tenderness that had been. As she approaches the achingly tender climax, it almost seems to the listeners as if she reaches deep down within her spirit to render her voice more echoing and resonant than they have heard a mortal singer achieve before outside of nearly forgotten religious ecstasies (minor illusionof Famh’s own voice, woven (hopefully X-9 … Stealth 11) subtly enough in with her actual singing that nobody can pin the charge of terrible sorcery upon her). Then, addressing the ghaist with all the confidence she can summon (for she certainly remembers the ill consequences of a wavering heart as a common thread in nearly all the ghaist stories she’s ever heard of that have a wavering heart in them at all) and yet in the tones of intimate friendliness which she looks forward to using when she tells her friend Alais all about the eventful journey north, she pleads, “Ye don’t want tae be rememberit this way, Meabh! An' we already mean tae see ye have justice. But it’ll be a justice everyane kens of, and it’ll be a justice thon brings the curses an the shunnin' whair they belong, on the shoulders o thae thon wrongit ye. This way ye’ll but mak’ thaim martyrs i' the e’en o’ aw save us few wha haev already learnt the truth! We’ve a Kingswoman wi’ us, ower, the very lass ye’ve put yer hand upon; an the knicht we serve wha’s i the service o' yon Baron visitin’ Duke Carnasse is here as weel. Thay aw four particularly commandit us thon we were tae protect aw the folk o’ Clan Carnasse we coud on our journey north, be they crofter, burgher, or bouman; an thon we were tae see thon e’en thae we cam’ ower late tae save haed their due from the justice o’ their laird. I swear tae ye, we’ll bring the anes wha remain on life back tae the Duke; an’ we’ll see they answer for any and aw misdeits and wrangs they may’ve done ye at the very neist coort leet he haulds.”
She even goes so far as to pull out her flask of uisgebeaugh and proffer it towards the ghaist she imagines as grappling with her companion as if offering to share some with the spirit* she is entreating. As she does, she curtseys long enough to catch up a scrap of stone off the hard earthen floor with her other hand … a little piece of roofing slate left over from a previous Sherriff who had wanted to ape the soft Southron fashions of Ellesland rather than combining his roof and shower bath as properly hardy Thulish thatch giveth one the opportunity to do so particularly often in the climates prevailing around Marrowglen ;=)* It has a small hole near enough to the center as makes no difference; and she peers through this towards the spot Meabh’s face would be if her spirit had stayed the size she was in life, and were standing on her feet beside Vardi instead of lying on her back gazing up towards the lad she is throttling through the packed clay marl on which he lies.
\===***===/
Performance 20
Persuasion (9 (again perhaps with Advantage (second roll 15) if Famh’s musicomagickal fiddling [‘;-)] hit the mark?)
Perception (in the unlikely event there actually is something supernatural over Vardi’s shoulder that Famh might see through her improvised fairy stone) 16
*pun not intended, consciously, but genetically and hereditarily probably unavoidable LOL
(And I consider a rich cosmic D&D joke of Gatanades and the Cailleach as well as of Beshaba and Tymora that my ...in d&d terms... wild magic sorceress should succeed so well in riding the forces of chaos and chance by her Arcane knowledge, only to have the forces of order immediately counteract the chaos by producing an exactly identical roll both times)
... where a scene awaits them which is so far beyond even Famh's wildest fears that even with Salt's guidance she must take a second look to assess what is going on; though that look is so informed by her knowledge of ghaist stories and supernatural legends that she can almost instinctively discard some possibilities and seek out others without needing to take the time to think about it. Suffice it to be said that after a moment's glance her sharp fey senses and mind have taken in enough for her to . . .
=========
Arcana (for Advantage in following PER roll, DC naturally at D_M's discretion so I'll split the PER roll in two to allow for but not assume success) 23
Perception (to see the details of what Vardi and the two men are doing, and distinguish the spectral blue arm):
1st roll: 4
2nd roll: 4
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
(And I consider a rich cosmic D&D joke of Gatanades and the Cailleach as well as of Beshaba and Tymora that my ...in d&d terms... wild magic sorceress should succeed so well in riding the forces of chaos and chance by her Arcane knowledge, only to have the forces of order immediately counteract the chaos by producing an exactly identical roll both times)
... where a scene awaits them which is so far beyond even Famh's wildest fears that even with Salt's guidance she must take a second look to assess what is going on; though that look is so informed by her knowledge of ghaist stories and supernatural legends that she can almost instinctively discard some possibilities and seek out others without needing to take the time to think about it. Suffice it to be said that after a moment's glance her sharp fey senses and mind have taken in enough for her to . . .
=========
Arcana (for Advantage in following PER roll, DC naturally at D_M's discretion so I'll split the PER roll in two to allow for but not assume success) 23
Perception (to see the details of what Vardi and the two men are doing, and distinguish the spectral blue arm):
1st roll: 4
2nd roll: 4
(... however, as They decided to richly compensate her with fortune so shortly thereafter, one wishes to emphasize that one is NOT complaining ... )
The commotion in the hall reaches a crescendo as Thatch and Sir Almeric come in from a side door and Cainneach, Ori, Salt and Famh from the main door........Vardi is caught up in her struggle and barely perceives the somewhat less than pious exorcism of sorts that Famh performs, as the dulcet words ring out and the liquor is offered the icy hand releases the boy and Vardi is able to pull him up off the floor and onto her lap, cold, shivering and pale yet still breathing.
The rest of those in the hall come awake suddenly as if slapped awake, the other lad, Dochartaigh, suddenly crying out in fright upon awakening.
Famh had no idea whether it had been the song, entreaty or the offering that had done the trick.....if any......
Vardis arm was almost purple from cold and she rubbed it vigorously to try and restore blood flow as the almost frozen lad lay shivering and blue upon her knee....
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Famh is nearly as startled as anyone else at the success of her improvised exorcism. She has no idea what among the things she did might have led to the boy's sudden release from the frigid ghaistly grasp that held him ... or, as she still mistakenly believes, Vardi's. (Arcana roll in log: nat 1) But the sudden startles and half-smothered outcries of those coming bolt awake all around her give her ample warning that far more of the inhabitants of Marrowglen had been affected by the spirit's supernatural influence than she had been aware of; and that it behooves her to be as cautious as she can possibly be until she kens more. Looking towards the Lyften lass, she sees that two figures flank her, and that one of them is Keenlen. She doesn't recognize the second at first glance but notices that both are on their feet and seem fully alert. Her first wild hope of pretending to have just come on the scene is dashed, but she breathes a sigh of modified relief as she sees no one else in the courtyard who doesn't seem new-awakened except for her own friends and companions ...
... and not necessarily all of those, she notes with the raised eyebrow of curiosity as her quick faerie e'en pick out Thatch and Sir Almeric approaching through the fringe of shadows around the courtyard; and perceive how tousled the normally immaculate Capellar's hair is. But the reversed dagger in his right hand and the quilted gambeson over his shoulders indicate that though newly awakened, the same knightly discipline that led him to be so attentive to the impression his appearance makes upon others has also snapped him fully alert in the short time since the erstwhile groom roused him. And the knowledge of unearthly things which his order has also instilled within him might give him some insight into what has happened here, and how to prevent the ghaist from returning to attack the lads another night if it hadn't been the promise Famh made her that quieted her wrath ... or if she thinks the retinue is taking too long or means to go back on that promise ...
As there's no way of knowing this until she has a chance to talk with the knight more privately, she stops herself at this point and reverts to more present practicalities. She turns her attention back to Keenlen and the other figure by Vardi, looking them over to see if they show any signs of having noticed her improvised turn as a filidhor of being perturbed by its unexpected results. (Insight 15) Concluding from that appraising glance that ...
... (Insight 18) Concluding from that appraising glance that ...
... while the few men who had been awake certainly know something out of the ordinary has occurred, none of them have identified her as calling upon eldritch powers, Famh breathes a silent sigh of relief. And Sir Almeric's crisp command, following hard on the heels of the tumultuous events that have just ensued, spares her from having to explain away any suspicions that might later arise until she's had time to think. She does retain enough wits to cross herself and breathe a prayer of gratitude to Gatanades for the lads' miraculous salvation. This latter is actually genuine as to the emotion and intent behind it, though the Marrowglen gillies round about would probably be shocked if they knew how vast and uncertain the pantheon is to which Famh is actually rendering thanks -- on the theory that SOMEONE certainly helped bring about a less catastrophic end than might have been expected, and deserves the courtesy of a sincere, "Much obligit tae ye". Then she hurries to do her part to fulfill the knight's orders, hurrying over to Dochartaigh and getting an arm under his shoulders to help him over to a place directly by the hearth. If he seems reluctant she murmurs in his ear, "Ye wouldnae want tae be refusin the direct command o' a Capellar, now wad ye?" If that title seems to make no impression, she will remind him that that Capellar is currently on a mission of knight-service to his own Duke and represents him in this case; and in extremis will evoke the terror of Vardi ... or rather, the impression it seemed to make on Dochartaigh before when he learned the Lyften lass was a Kingswoman. The more of these terrores juris she has to evoke, from her point of view, the better; for as she is gently assisting him to lie down on as comfortable a bundle of rushes as she can find on short notice and otherwise soothing him after his terrifying awakening, she suddenly looks deep in his eyes and in a voice keyed for his ears alone she says to him, "Nou, lad, I think ye know more aboot this nichtmare than ye're lettin on. An' I think ye can sense I wis prayin' for yer soul juist now, an thon ye know wha I wis entreatin' tae loose her icy grasp. Ma companions have aw been doin' their best tae save ye ower. But we cannae protect ye at aw unless ye're open and honest wi' us. Ye wantit tae be before, remember. an' his most hich Fraserlaird wouldnae have it? Ye see whit reward he's gotten for his silence . I juist saw him oot bi the gates, or rather a sgàile o' ice i' his exact likeness. But they'll be buryin' him i' Beltayne the same as gin the hangman haed haed him."
= = = * * * = = =
Persuasion {with Help from the impressive circumstances and the various authorities to whom she refers) 1st roll - 14 2nd roll 11}
The men certainly noted Famhs intervention though as they weren't aware that anything untoward was occuring....at least at first....they are confused as to what they just witnessed though the distressed and frostbitten state of Vardi and the lad indicates that something certainly was.
They all appear relieved that the danger, if that's what it was, is seemingly over...
Sir Almeric steps in behind Thatch, he nods to Famh with a bemused half smile.
" Build up the fire! Get these two near it at once!", his words cut through the air and Keenlen and the larger man hurry to stoke the fire....
*Assuming the hand retreated into the floor after releasing its grasp*
Ori, still considering the possibilities of the situation outside, wasn't walking into the room with the expectation of seeing anything out of the norm. Seeing the spectral hand release the fellow on the floor and Vardi pulling the man in, Ori felt that adrenaline start to rise in him again. "Someone get me down where that damned hand is going aye? Who knows the quickest way below? Now people!" Ori starts to move to try and force one the guards to comply with his request as he passes by Thatch. He stops for a moment and takes a step back to be a little in from of Thatch again. "Here let me carry that for you." Grabbing the greatclub he stores the axe back in its holder. He starts back in with pursuit to get down below incase there is something down there which allowed this hand to form.
Keenlen shook his head at Ori, " Theres naught below.......save some runnels to carry water away......I ken they outlet somewhere beyond the manor walls....perhaps within the ringfort? To much effort to dig them further..."
Thatch relinquishes the club to Ori without comment as he rushes past and moves to follow him to whatever lies below, only to pull up short as the old man reported that there was nothing below. Instead, Thatch moves over to Vardi, rubbing her arm. “What happened, what were you struggling with?”
As the others build up the fire, Thatch gently pulls the young lad away from Vardi and moves him closer to the hearth, urging Vardi to scoot closer herself. He looks up at Famh “What in the blue blazes just happened here?”
Cainneach is (apparently) too dumbstruck by what he's witnessing and Famh's invocations to take any concrete action in dealing with the fraught situation. Ori's arrival and exclamation shake his from this stupor, however. The forester places a hand on his betrothed's shoulder and leans in to quickly whisper "Well done, meudail!", while guiding her toward the sergeant. To Ori, Cainneach quietly asks with purpose, "Shall we follow the runnels, then?"
Thatch relinquishes the club to Ori without comment as he rushes past and moves to follow him to whatever lies below, only to pull up short as the old man reported that there was nothing below. Instead, Thatch moves over to Vardi, rubbing her arm. “What happened, what were you struggling with?”
As the others build up the fire, Thatch gently pulls the young lad away from Vardi and moves him closer to the hearth, urging Vardi to scoot closer herself. He looks up at Famh “What in the blue blazes just happened here?”
" I don't rightly know. Skoggi noticed it first, I didn't have the wit to understand.....the lad was freezing to death.....a spectral hand thrust up through the stone had him in its grasp......I suppose the dead girl?"
" Famhs scared her off......or something...I'm not rightly sure.", she moved over towards the fire trying to get the feeling back into her arm.
Cainneach is (apparently) too dumbstruck by what he's witnessing and Famh's invocations to take any concrete action in dealing with the fraught situation. Ori's arrival and exclamation shake his from this stupor, however. The forester places a hand on his betrothed's shoulder and leans in to quickly whisper "Well done, meudail!", while guiding her toward the sergeant. To Ori, Cainneach quietly asks with purpose, "Shall we follow the runnels, then?"
Looking up as Cainneach's hand comes to rest on her shoulder. Famh asks a little distractedly, "Whit wis that, ma ghraidh?" She blushes with pleasure as his compliment sinks in, but she's been so focused on the lad she is 'helping' that he has to tell her twice what Ori has discovered. As soon as this sinks in, she nods in admiration. "I hadna thoucht o' thon. I wis juist askin' Dochartaichhere gin he remembers aucht more thon micht help us, and I'd like tae see gin he feels strong enouch tae talk aboot it. But I'll be wi' ye aw as soon as I find oot. Syne the last clew we haed o' Meabh wis i' the underground water culverts leadin ' frae that ruinit broch... aye, Ori micht play the greet thick-headit bully i' his kintra plays, but his wits are sharper bi far than he lets on."
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
Cainneach is (apparently) too dumbstruck by what he's witnessing and Famh's invocations to take any concrete action in dealing with the fraught situation. Ori's arrival and exclamation shake his from this stupor, however. The forester places a hand on his betrothed's shoulder and leans in to quickly whisper "Well done, meudail!", while guiding her toward the sergeant. To Ori, Cainneach quietly asks with purpose, "Shall we follow the runnels, then?"
Looking up as Cainneach's hand comes to rest on her shoulder. Famh asks a little distractedly, "Whit wis that, ma ghraidh?" She blushes with pleasure as his compliment sinks in, but she's been so focused on the lad she is 'helping' that he has to tell her twice what Ori has discovered. As soon as this sinks in, she nods in admiration. "I hadna thoucht o' thon. I wis juist askin' Dochartaichhere gin he remembers aucht more thon micht help us, and I'd like tae see gin he feels strong enouch tae talk aboot it. But I'll be wi' ye aw as soon as I find oot. Syne the last clew we haed o' Meabh wis i' the underground water culverts leadin ' frae that ruinit broch... aye, Ori micht play the greet thick-headit bully i' his kintra plays, but his wits are sharper bi far than he lets on."
Dochartaich continued staring at his companion for some moments more then turned slowly towards Famh, his eyes flicking back and forth as if repeating her words over in his head.
" Aye......I mean....there is...."
His eyes flickered for a moment to his companion, and Famh thought she detected the flicker of fear in them...but the nervous lad turned back to her.
" Aye, their bade deid. And she'll be back again fer me. So I spoke there's nae point..."
" I didnae.....we just...it was a wee bit o' fun they said....forran we spent the o'winter."
" Macflurchair and Fraser they was in the lead up hill, and they seen this lass wit them coos. Fraser spooked her......he likes to scare folk.....but he's nae braw at it....crept fer me, I spoke."
An emotion flickered over the lads face....shame and disgust tinged with sadness.
" She squealed and took off up towards the broch, Macflurchair and Fraser laughed....and I laughed too cos she took off like a kinnen."
He stopped suddenly as the young man who had been almost frozen stirred by the fire and clapped his hand over his mouth.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Thatch ends his pounding on the door as Ser Almeric suddenly pulls it open. "Oh, sorry, Ser! There is trouble at the gate, we think it may have something to do with those lads. The sergeant asked me to fetch you." Thatch does explain on they way, talking much like the excitable young lad he was, words tumbling out of his mouth, but he believes he manages to get most of it out as they start to move back toward the main hall and the building exit. "Mis Famh feared something would be after the two remaining boys, and wanted to check in on them, which got most of us riled up as well, and then something appeared at the gate. There's strange things moving about tonight, Ser. Wait, one moment" Thatch pulls up short suddenly outside the room he shared with the others and rushed in to grab Ori's club before continuing with Ser Almeric.
Cainneach, Ori and Famh quickly determined that there was nothing out in the dark except more darkness and with the ice statues well on their way to melting they turned back toward the gate.....Salt hesitated looking back toward them unsure whether to stay or go find the Lyften woman...
............................
Thatch fetches Oris club and comes downstairs with Sir Almeric, they are about to head out to the gate when Thatch glances into the great hall and sees Vardi and two other people trying to manhandle a fourth person lying on the floor of the hall.
Hearing Salt's whine of uncertainty, Famh calls quietly over to him, "Whit is is, Salt? Yer da' and I are ower here!" She beckons him over and gives him a reassuring scratch between the ears. "We're gang in tae find Vardi, lad. She may neit our help inside if naught's happenin' oot here! Can ye help us find her?" Until she has a more specific direction to follow, she will take Cainneach's hand to avoid getting separated in the darkness and start back towards the hall at a quick walk. As she turns to do this, she calls over to Ori to let him know they have found nothing more and plan to return inside to check on the situation there.
=========
Perception: (Famh) 9
(Salt's borrowed super-sniffer) 20
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 feels an increasing state of unease while listening to Famh's tales and observing the icy figures in front of him. What is the purpose of this grotesque statuary? It's nothing, only serving to confound them. DAMNIT. He realized that he was barely aware of Famh's interaction with Salt, right beside him. Cainneach takes Famh's arm more firmly and whispers fiercely to her and Salt, "This is only a distraction, we must get back inside, now!" The forester then urges them on to as stealthy a jog to the lodge as they can manage.
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Thatch slides to a quick stop as he passes the main hall and sees the commotion, almost causing Ser Almeric to run him over from behind. “Vardi! What is going on, what are you doing?” Unable to clearly see who has the upper hand in the tussle, Thatch moves forward into the hall, dragging Ori’s oversize club behind him and urging Ser Almeric to follow. “This way Ser, Vardi looks to be in trouble. Unhand her you two!” he shouts into the confusion as he tries to figure out who is fighting who.
Famh raises her eyebrow and glances at Cainneach's face with a slightly startled look, puzzled by his intensity. "Of course, a mùirnean! Thon's why I wantit Salt tae lead us straicht tae where Vardi is instead o' havin tae spend time leuking aboot for the trouble once we get inside." Then it dawns on her that she spoke so quietly to the hound that his master might not have heard her clearly; and she owns up so very prettily in her apology to him. "And I do ken he's yer laddie and ah should haev askit. It's only that he seemit a wee thing unsure juist now, whether he shoud come wi' us or if he shoud stay on watch here as he was tauld erenow." This finished, she mends her pace to match his stealthy jog and hurries towards the hall ...
... where a scene awaits them which is so far beyond even Famh's wildest fears that even with Salt's guidance she must take a second look to assess what is going on; though that look is so informed by her knowledge of ghaist stories and supernatural legends that she can almost instinctively discard some possibilities and seek out others without needing to take the time to think about it. Suffice it to be said that after a moment's glance her sharp fey senses and mind have taken in enough for her to . . .
=========
Arcana (for Advantage in following PER roll, DC naturally at D_M's discretion so I'll split the PER roll in two to allow for but not assume success) 23
Perception (to see the details of what Vardi and the two men are doing, and distinguish the spectral blue arm):
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 this dilemma, moved by she knows not what tender instinct of memory stirring within her, she begins to plaintively sing the song from her childhood that always moved her to tears no matter what her mood; the throbbing chords and words that spin together all the tragic beauties of her harsh-boned, mist-enchanted homeland. If anyone has the words to ask her, in this moment, she cannot say if she hopes to appeal to the dead girl's own tender memories of childhood, or Vardi’s, or if the faerie magic in her soul is simply bubbling up and out at a moment of high emotion. But Cainneach's breath, at least, catches in his throat (as Vardi's might if she were not already channeling all her breath to the struggle in which she actually is engaged) as they recognize the opening strains of 'The Bluebells of Thuland ':
It is obviously impossible for her to sing this without tapping the wellsprings of her own love and solicitude for Cainneach; but she also hopes the lost girl had a sweetheart she might retain some tenderness for … or if he had been corrupted by bad companions and was one of the lads who had been responsible for her death, at least some dregs of forgiveness in consideration of the tenderness that had been. As she approaches the achingly tender climax, it almost seems to the listeners as if she reaches deep down within her spirit to render her voice more echoing and resonant than they have heard a mortal singer achieve before outside of nearly forgotten religious ecstasies (minor illusion of Famh’s own voice, woven (hopefully X-9 … Stealth 11) subtly enough in with her actual singing that nobody can pin the charge of terrible sorcery upon her). Then, addressing the ghaist with all the confidence she can summon (for she certainly remembers the ill consequences of a wavering heart as a common thread in nearly all the ghaist stories she’s ever heard of that have a wavering heart in them at all) and yet in the tones of intimate friendliness which she looks forward to using when she tells her friend Alais all about the eventful journey north, she pleads, “Ye don’t want tae be rememberit this way, Meabh! An' we already mean tae see ye have justice. But it’ll be a justice everyane kens of, and it’ll be a justice thon brings the curses an the shunnin' whair they belong, on the shoulders o thae thon wrongit ye. This way ye’ll but mak’ thaim martyrs i' the e’en o’ aw save us few wha haev already learnt the truth! We’ve a Kingswoman wi’ us, ower, the very lass ye’ve put yer hand upon; an the knicht we serve wha’s i the service o' yon Baron visitin’ Duke Carnasse is here as weel. Thay aw four particularly commandit us thon we were tae protect aw the folk o’ Clan Carnasse we coud on our journey north, be they crofter, burgher, or bouman; an thon we were tae see thon e’en thae we cam’ ower late tae save haed their due from the justice o’ their laird. I swear tae ye, we’ll bring the anes wha remain on life back tae the Duke; an’ we’ll see they answer for any and aw misdeits and wrangs they may’ve done ye at the very neist coort leet he haulds.”
She even goes so far as to pull out her flask of uisgebeaugh and proffer it towards the ghaist she imagines as grappling with her companion as if offering to share some with the spirit* she is entreating. As she does, she curtseys long enough to catch up a scrap of stone off the hard earthen floor with her other hand … a little piece of roofing slate left over from a previous Sherriff who had wanted to ape the soft Southron fashions of Ellesland rather than combining his roof and shower bath as properly hardy Thulish thatch giveth one the opportunity to do so particularly often in the climates prevailing around Marrowglen ;=)* It has a small hole near enough to the center as makes no difference; and she peers through this towards the spot Meabh’s face would be if her spirit had stayed the size she was in life, and were standing on her feet beside Vardi instead of lying on her back gazing up towards the lad she is throttling through the packed clay marl on which he lies.
\===***===/
*pun not intended, consciously, but genetically and hereditarily probably unavoidable LOL
(And I consider a rich cosmic D&D joke of Gatanades and the Cailleach as well as of Beshaba and Tymora that my ...in d&d terms... wild magic sorceress should succeed so well in riding the forces of chaos and chance by her Arcane knowledge, only to have the forces of order immediately counteract the chaos by producing an exactly identical roll both times)
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
(... however, as They decided to richly compensate her with fortune so shortly thereafter, one wishes to emphasize that one is NOT complaining ... )
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
The commotion in the hall reaches a crescendo as Thatch and Sir Almeric come in from a side door and Cainneach, Ori, Salt and Famh from the main door........Vardi is caught up in her struggle and barely perceives the somewhat less than pious exorcism of sorts that Famh performs, as the dulcet words ring out and the liquor is offered the icy hand releases the boy and Vardi is able to pull him up off the floor and onto her lap, cold, shivering and pale yet still breathing.
The rest of those in the hall come awake suddenly as if slapped awake, the other lad, Dochartaigh, suddenly crying out in fright upon awakening.
Famh had no idea whether it had been the song, entreaty or the offering that had done the trick.....if any......
Vardis arm was almost purple from cold and she rubbed it vigorously to try and restore blood flow as the almost frozen lad lay shivering and blue upon her knee....
Famh is nearly as startled as anyone else at the success of her improvised exorcism. She has no idea what among the things she did might have led to the boy's sudden release from the frigid ghaistly grasp that held him ... or, as she still mistakenly believes, Vardi's. (Arcana roll in log: nat 1) But the sudden startles and half-smothered outcries of those coming bolt awake all around her give her ample warning that far more of the inhabitants of Marrowglen had been affected by the spirit's supernatural influence than she had been aware of; and that it behooves her to be as cautious as she can possibly be until she kens more. Looking towards the Lyften lass, she sees that two figures flank her, and that one of them is Keenlen. She doesn't recognize the second at first glance but notices that both are on their feet and seem fully alert. Her first wild hope of pretending to have just come on the scene is dashed, but she breathes a sigh of modified relief as she sees no one else in the courtyard who doesn't seem new-awakened except for her own friends and companions ...
... and not necessarily all of those, she notes with the raised eyebrow of curiosity as her quick faerie e'en pick out Thatch and Sir Almeric approaching through the fringe of shadows around the courtyard; and perceive how tousled the normally immaculate Capellar's hair is. But the reversed dagger in his right hand and the quilted gambeson over his shoulders indicate that though newly awakened, the same knightly discipline that led him to be so attentive to the impression his appearance makes upon others has also snapped him fully alert in the short time since the erstwhile groom roused him. And the knowledge of unearthly things which his order has also instilled within him might give him some insight into what has happened here, and how to prevent the ghaist from returning to attack the lads another night if it hadn't been the promise Famh made her that quieted her wrath ... or if she thinks the retinue is taking too long or means to go back on that promise ...
As there's no way of knowing this until she has a chance to talk with the knight more privately, she stops herself at this point and reverts to more present practicalities. She turns her attention back to Keenlen and the other figure by Vardi, looking them over to see if they show any signs of having noticed her improvised turn as a filidh or of being perturbed by its unexpected results. (Insight 15) Concluding from that appraising glance that ...
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
EDIT:
... while the few men who had been awake certainly know something out of the ordinary has occurred, none of them have identified her as calling upon eldritch powers, Famh breathes a silent sigh of relief. And Sir Almeric's crisp command, following hard on the heels of the tumultuous events that have just ensued, spares her from having to explain away any suspicions that might later arise until she's had time to think. She does retain enough wits to cross herself and breathe a prayer of gratitude to Gatanades for the lads' miraculous salvation. This latter is actually genuine as to the emotion and intent behind it, though the Marrowglen gillies round about would probably be shocked if they knew how vast and uncertain the pantheon is to which Famh is actually rendering thanks -- on the theory that SOMEONE certainly helped bring about a less catastrophic end than might have been expected, and deserves the courtesy of a sincere, "Much obligit tae ye". Then she hurries to do her part to fulfill the knight's orders, hurrying over to Dochartaigh and getting an arm under his shoulders to help him over to a place directly by the hearth. If he seems reluctant she murmurs in his ear, "Ye wouldnae want tae be refusin the direct command o' a Capellar, now wad ye?" If that title seems to make no impression, she will remind him that that Capellar is currently on a mission of knight-service to his own Duke and represents him in this case; and in extremis will evoke the terror of Vardi ... or rather, the impression it seemed to make on Dochartaigh before when he learned the Lyften lass was a Kingswoman. The more of these terrores juris she has to evoke, from her point of view, the better; for as she is gently assisting him to lie down on as comfortable a bundle of rushes as she can find on short notice and otherwise soothing him after his terrifying awakening, she suddenly looks deep in his eyes and in a voice keyed for his ears alone she says to him, "Nou, lad, I think ye know more aboot this nichtmare than ye're lettin on. An' I think ye can sense I wis prayin' for yer soul juist now, an thon ye know wha I wis entreatin' tae loose her icy grasp. Ma companions have aw been doin' their best tae save ye ower. But we cannae protect ye at aw unless ye're open and honest wi' us. Ye wantit tae be before, remember. an' his most hich Fraserlaird wouldnae have it? Ye see whit reward he's gotten for his silence . I juist saw him oot bi the gates, or rather a sgàile o' ice i' his exact likeness. But they'll be buryin' him i' Beltayne the same as gin the hangman haed haed him."
= = = * * * = = =
Persuasion {with Help from the impressive circumstances and the various authorities to whom she refers) 1st roll - 14 2nd roll 11}
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
The men certainly noted Famhs intervention though as they weren't aware that anything untoward was occuring....at least at first....they are confused as to what they just witnessed though the distressed and frostbitten state of Vardi and the lad indicates that something certainly was.
They all appear relieved that the danger, if that's what it was, is seemingly over...
Sir Almeric steps in behind Thatch, he nods to Famh with a bemused half smile.
" Build up the fire! Get these two near it at once!", his words cut through the air and Keenlen and the larger man hurry to stoke the fire....
Dochartaigh stares at his companion in shock.
*Assuming the hand retreated into the floor after releasing its grasp*
Ori, still considering the possibilities of the situation outside, wasn't walking into the room with the expectation of seeing anything out of the norm. Seeing the spectral hand release the fellow on the floor and Vardi pulling the man in, Ori felt that adrenaline start to rise in him again. "Someone get me down where that damned hand is going aye? Who knows the quickest way below? Now people!" Ori starts to move to try and force one the guards to comply with his request as he passes by Thatch. He stops for a moment and takes a step back to be a little in from of Thatch again. "Here let me carry that for you." Grabbing the greatclub he stores the axe back in its holder. He starts back in with pursuit to get down below incase there is something down there which allowed this hand to form.
Keenlen shook his head at Ori, " Theres naught below.......save some runnels to carry water away......I ken they outlet somewhere beyond the manor walls....perhaps within the ringfort? To much effort to dig them further..."
Thatch relinquishes the club to Ori without comment as he rushes past and moves to follow him to whatever lies below, only to pull up short as the old man reported that there was nothing below. Instead, Thatch moves over to Vardi, rubbing her arm. “What happened, what were you struggling with?”
As the others build up the fire, Thatch gently pulls the young lad away from Vardi and moves him closer to the hearth, urging Vardi to scoot closer herself. He looks up at Famh “What in the blue blazes just happened here?”
Cainneach is (apparently) too dumbstruck by what he's witnessing and Famh's invocations to take any concrete action in dealing with the fraught situation. Ori's arrival and exclamation shake his from this stupor, however. The forester places a hand on his betrothed's shoulder and leans in to quickly whisper "Well done, meudail!", while guiding her toward the sergeant. To Ori, Cainneach quietly asks with purpose, "Shall we follow the runnels, then?"
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" I don't rightly know. Skoggi noticed it first, I didn't have the wit to understand.....the lad was freezing to death.....a spectral hand thrust up through the stone had him in its grasp......I suppose the dead girl?"
" Famhs scared her off......or something...I'm not rightly sure.", she moved over towards the fire trying to get the feeling back into her arm.
Almeric nodded to Cainneach and Ori, " I'll go rouse the Sheriff. We may as well all be up and about."
He sent a smile Famhs way then rested a hand on Vardis shoulder before breaking off to head back upstairs.
Looking up as Cainneach's hand comes to rest on her shoulder. Famh asks a little distractedly, "Whit wis that, ma ghraidh?" She blushes with pleasure as his compliment sinks in, but she's been so focused on the lad she is 'helping' that he has to tell her twice what Ori has discovered. As soon as this sinks in, she nods in admiration. "I hadna thoucht o' thon. I wis juist askin' Dochartaich here gin he remembers aucht more thon micht help us, and I'd like tae see gin he feels strong enouch tae talk aboot it. But I'll be wi' ye aw as soon as I find oot. Syne the last clew we haed o' Meabh wis i' the underground water culverts leadin ' frae that ruinit broch... aye, Ori micht play the greet thick-headit bully i' his kintra plays, but his wits are sharper bi far than he lets on."
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
Dochartaich continued staring at his companion for some moments more then turned slowly towards Famh, his eyes flicking back and forth as if repeating her words over in his head.
" Aye......I mean....there is...."
His eyes flickered for a moment to his companion, and Famh thought she detected the flicker of fear in them...but the nervous lad turned back to her.
" Aye, their bade deid. And she'll be back again fer me. So I spoke there's nae point..."
" I didnae.....we just...it was a wee bit o' fun they said....forran we spent the o'winter."
" Macflurchair and Fraser they was in the lead up hill, and they seen this lass wit them coos. Fraser spooked her......he likes to scare folk.....but he's nae braw at it....crept fer me, I spoke."
An emotion flickered over the lads face....shame and disgust tinged with sadness.
" She squealed and took off up towards the broch, Macflurchair and Fraser laughed....and I laughed too cos she took off like a kinnen."
He stopped suddenly as the young man who had been almost frozen stirred by the fire and clapped his hand over his mouth.