Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
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Lam’s focus during this conversation is on holding Hermes firmly in his arms- he will not allow the doppelgänger to escape on his watch. He does his best to follow the conversation. He frowns slightly when Saoirse asks the doppelgänger’s name, and frowns more when it responds with her name- but his face softens slightly when it responds just as quickly with its real name. When Saoirse plans to go with Tesfaye to rest while they work on the helmets, Lam’s first instinct is to ask to go with them- but he is torn and doesn’t say anything at first, because he also does not want to let Hermes out of his sight at least until they find Poniros. He doesn’t want to leave Hermes and let it potentially disguise again and cause more trouble- but he also doesn’t want to leave Saoirse alone with only Tesfaye. Saoirse is more than a capable fighter and Tesfaye is so smart, but Saoirse is already weak from what Hermes did, and if Poniros got to both of them before Saoirse was rested…
“…We should all stay together. Go with Tesfaye to make helmets,” says Lam, watching Saoirse and Hemlock’s faces to see if they plan to separate after searching Hermes’ things. He keeps focusing on his hold on Hermes.
Saoirse listens to Hermes and shrugs:
- If partial freedom and an ever present minor threat is what you settle for, who am I to argue? - she says, and begins to search the doppel, though perhaps not as thorougly as she intended.
When Lam interjects she lets out a tired breath and replies:
- You are right, I'm sorry, I'm not thinking clearly. Let's stick together, yes. - Then to Hemlock, she nods - I agree.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren
After that, and while the rest are still speaking and deciding, Saoirse takes Tesfaye a little away from the group and whispers to them:
- Tesfaye, dear, I know your heart is in the right place, but do try to be careful when speaking about the shapeshifting potion. Not only because it is enraging both Hermes and Saffron - and I specially don't want the first focusing on you - but also because this is hurting Saffi's feelings.
She then looks at the Tortle searching for a sign that they have understood, but also trying to convey that this doesn't mean that they are necessarily wrong. Only that they need to be a careful on how they speak about delicate matters such as this one.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren
"Our next meeting is in an hour-and-a-half, halfway between noon and sunset," Hermes says as you search its body and the belt pouches. "As for Vince, he is very good at holding all the cards. He has made sure that there are enough rumours and legends about him that the truths become lost among the countless falsehoods. He is a chosen of Cyric, the god of lies. Or he is a devoted worshipper of Shar, the dark lady. Or he is secretly Tiamat herself. Or, some would have you believe, he is in truth the greatest servant of the light, his iron grip on the criminal undergoings in Springdawn keeping back a thousand worse things. I know that he has the services of at least a few powerful clerics, not all of the same faith, who all believe him devoted to their god. I know that he has dealings with doppelgangers like myself, and that he has somehow been able to create nothics. I know that he - or someone bearing his public visage - is frequently among the youth of the Thieve's Guild, and that those orphans view him as their savior and their wicked father and their abuser all at once." Saffron visibly shudders, a cold shiver running up her spine. Eliza reaches out and grips her hand tightly. "I know that he has at least a few of the High Lords in his pocket, and that Strixwell and Vince both know that they need each other to maintain the balance of power in the city, although each always seems to believe that they have the upper hand. When he learns of the Crown of Divine Right, (Rhys winces)he will certainly attempt to seize it for himself. I know that he always gets his way, and that it is much better to be his friend than his enemy. As for his actual, personal power, I believe that he is just a man, decent in the bardic magics but otherwise not beyond any other. He may have masks that I have not seen through, either. Do you actually have a specific question?"
Searching Hermes itself, you find almost nothing. A dagger taped to the thigh, a brand just like the one Eliza and Saffron both have, though not cancelled by a surrounding tattoo, but nothing else. The belt pouch is full of the sort of tools you might expect from a spy and assassin. You find a vial of simple poison, three potions of feather fall, 4 sets of thieve's tools, a sling, and a line of garrote wire.
Tesfaye nods to Saoirse, and places a finger to their lips to indicate that they will not bring up the potions again. "Ok, well I guess we're going to go make an ugly helmet now, and just do the helmet thing, nothing else." They mean well.
Rhys is still visibly upset. "I do not know if I should remain here, while possibly under some sort of mental magics. Truly, if you know anything more of it, I wish to know.
Unless you want to do something else in the next hour while the helmets are made, you can take a short rest.
DM: Heavy is the Head
Hemlock frowns at Hermes, "That is all useful information, but you have still failed to mention where your next meeting with Poniros will be. Please, enlighten us as to that knowledge".
He then turns to Rhys, "I think for now we should stay together, but we can have a private conversation within sight of the others and I can tell you what I know", he suggests.
With that he walks with the others to the area Tesfaye needs to be at to make the helmets. During the next hour he keeps a constant eye and ear out as people pass within his vision and hearing, even as he whispers to Rhys if he decides to have the conversation.
Sha-Gravis touches Lam’s long hairy forearm, granting Vigilant Blessing. Then Sha stays with Tesfaye as he begins working once again, acting as assistant granting help and guidance/mending as needed.
Ever wonder what it would be like to be a bear?
Tooltips Crafting
Lam turns in response to the touch of his feline friend and he says in Goblin, “Danke.” Sha’s presence has continued to be a comfort, and his touch helps Lam stay sharp.
He walks with everyone, carrying Hermes, to the place where Tesfaye can make the helmets. He is grateful everyone is alive. He cannot stop picturing what Saoirse looked like when they found her with the doppelgänger. On the ground, whimpering. Nearly given up. Unlike he’d ever seen her to this point. He glances her way multiple times on the short walk, eyes full of concern, but he says nothing. He glances also at Hemlock, who he can swear is walking a just a bit taller than when they met. He is so grateful Hemlock has any idea how to handle a doppelgänger situation, if not a bit surprised by the shrewdness his firbolg friend displayed today. He is still learning about his friends. He is glad they are all safe for now.
When they reach the place where the work needs to be done, Lam finds a spot away from Saoirse, Tesfaye and Sha (and hopefully also from Hemlock and Rhys) and sets Hermes there. He is no longer directly restricting Hermes’s movements, but he takes out his greataxe and begins to hold that instead. The message is clear: if Hermes so much as approaches anyone else in here without warning, Lam will show no mercy.
For a little bit, Lam is content to silently keep watch for everything Hermes does and for anyone else who might enter. He never looks away from Hermes for very long, but he wants to let everyone rest, so he keeps watch on all of them. He watches Tesfaye work a bit. That Tortle understands things that Lam is sure he never will, and they have the solutions to problems Lam would have deemed impossible to solve. He glances at Saffron and Eliza, who seem now to be sticking together. After hearing what Hermes said, Lam cannot imagine what those two went through. Their lives were hard in a way he, growing up in the Outlands, never had to deal with. At first he is glad they had taken steps to get away from Vince… and then a thought occurs to him that worries him. He struggles to put it together in his head- and once he figures out what he’s worried about, he knows Hermes likely knows it too. Staying by Hermes, Lam tries to quietly call Saffron and Eliza over.
If the two come over to where he and Hermes are, Lam will take just a couple more moments to form his words. He won’t try to hide his question from Hermes, since it probably already knows what he’s thinking. He’ll ask Saffron and Eliza in a low voice, more to avoid disturbing his friends’ peace than to keep anyone from overhearing, “Hermes has brand. Like you had. What does brand do? …Can Vince find us? Can we stop it?”
Saoirse follows the group in silence, and when Tesfaye begins to work in the helmet (only the helmet, nothing else) she sits next to them, rests an elbown on table - being careful so as not to disturb the Tortle nor their thingies -, then rests her chin on her hand and spends a while just looking at how they work. She's completely mesmerized by the care Tesfaye is putting into this and smiles slightly at whatever thing they say, be that in common or in their language (she'll most probably not understand the first thing either way).
There is a moment when the blood hunter realizes, all of a sudden, that she's not paying attention to anything else, and she almost stands up in a rush. But when she sees everyone else is keeping watch, so she just resumes watching Tesfaye do their thing.
Short rested, used 3/4 hit die and now she's at 27/32.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren
Rhys does step aside to chat with Hemlock, (we ran to conversation in a private chat, and now I'll add the whole of it here).
Polaris: Rhys steps aside to talk to you at the earliest convenience, and launches right in:
"So, you know what may be affecting me. How much do you know of the great war, if any? There was some attempt to keep its true scope secret. I know your people have retreated from most other cultures, so I do not know what version of the story is told among you."
Hemlock casts his mind back to anything the elders might have said about the time before. History (with guidance): 6+1+1=8
Polaris: The elders spoke little of the war itself - other than to give the classic story, and a reason for your tribe's isolation: a great clash of peoples and nations, pushing back a horrible invasion of goblinoids, feywild elves, and strange warriors and monsters. Just before all was lost, the forces of good triumphed, and the monstrous armies stopped in their tracks, broken off from their leaders. Within days of that triumph, all those forces of good had bowed to the "True King," with few exceptions. The official story you heard, told with pride, was that your Firbolg ancestors refused to bow to the true king, as they did not believe in ownership of land or enforced borders to countries. They retreated into the forested mountains you grew up in, to preserve their way of life in peace.
Now though, especially as you recollect the story in your current wisdom, the explanation feels lacking. What exactly was the nature of the evil? Saoirse has spoken of mind flayers... The disagreement with the true king seems a little suspect as well, painting it as completely free of conflict and your own people as unfailingly noble.
"The elders spoke of the great war, and of the True King, and how they refused to bow to him", Hemlock starts to explain. "They say that my people retreated into the mountains and forests because they didn't believe in owning land. But I am starting to think that not everything I have been led to believe is true. What do you mean when you say they tried to keep the true scope of the war secret? Do you know the truth?".
"I was there, 500 years ago. Not an archdruid yet, but already fearsome in my bear form. I protected my enclave, and marched north to beat back the armies of enthralled slaves. It was more horrible than you can imagine. The enemy was a colony of mind flayers and their elder brain, and more than that, the vast armies of thralls at their command. I killed... many people, who would have been freed of the mind flayers' grip eventually otherwise. Of course, most were just soldiers, following the orders of the mind-controlled gernerals above them. The flayers brough in armies of abberations, but also of orcs and goblinoids from the feywild, and various enslaved monsters. But worse, they would take control of people on your side, insidiously plant orders that you didn't even know were there. We could not tell friend from foe. It was the most horrible period in my life.
"One of my best friends, he carried an embedded psychic order for months, and neither of us knew it, until he suddenly swung his blade at me. My claws were faster... I swore never to take a life again, after that.
"And people's memories were often tampered with - believing things they should have known false. This war of minds and espionage seeded a horrible fear and mistrust in all of us, and their armies continued to march. Had these armies overwhelmed us, there would be no free people left in our world, no sense of self at all. And make no mistake, we were losing. The battlegrounds were all over the continent, and I later learned that I had been very far away from the only fight that mattered - Gareth Dayne's desparate attack on the elder brain itself.
"He was victorious, of course, but emerged to a land stained in blood, hundreds of thousands of refugees unable to return to their home planes. I do not know exactly how he convinced all of the other kings and leaders to bow to him so quickly, but he had some sort of a power in his words. He even offered a balm to all of those who were distraught after the war, touring and giving speeches or inviting crowds into great assembly halls. Those who heard those speeches emerged freed from their memories of the details of the war, and also believing that the self-styled "Lightbringer" was the chosen of Selúne herself. I avoided these events - the memories I had were too important for the man I was becoming.
"Your ancestors fled. They feared the power he held, but knew they were too weak to stand up against him. And so, they removed themselves from the rest of society. I am saddened to hear that they decided not to share the full story through the generations. The refugees - especially the goblinoid and orc ones, were almost all sent to make their own way in the outlands. Gareth Dayne had a hatred of monsters and so-called 'monstrous' races, or perhaps simply saw the benefit to having the population fear outsiders. I believe he especially hated shapechangers - under his rule Changelings were marked and listed, and Doppelgangers were executed."
"I managed to avoid most of his rule, staying to the natural areas, protecting little people or nature when I could, and after a few hundred years of that I became as powerful as I am now, and eventually found this Valley to call home. But now you must understand my fear at a mental block. If I can not even consider certain ideas - I can not remember exactly what that doppelganger said to me, just what it did to me - then I must have some mental order buried in my mind. Either from the time of the great war, or more worryingly, from a time since the 'True King's' death. So I must avoid you all, and retreat into solitude, unless you know more specifically what might be affecting me - and whether it makes me a threat."
Hemlock looks at Rhys with sympathy, "That is truly awful. What I have experienced is miniscule compared to yours, and still I am torn and suffer guilt".
"I think you know far far more than I do about the grander scheme, but I do know that the automaton Fitzwhistle was once a gnome trapped in a tower by a suggestion that he could not go against. Someone told him to stay there, hoping he would starve, but he is resourceful", he starts to explain.
"He was also not able to remember who told him that, and when he tried to remember things or was reminded of things he was not allowed to know it caused him pain, much like what happened with you".
He looks down at the halfling and takes a knee so as to look him face to face. "When I looked at the magical aura around Fitzwhistle whilst he was a gnome, I saw a small tendril reaching from his head off into the distance. I believe this is part of how control was exerted over him. I see that same tendril when I look at magical auras around you. I presume this is not meant to be seen, so whatever is doing this has not yet been perfected."
"So, in truth, all you can confirm is that I am under some sort of control. Then I truly must isolate myself. Do you have any clues as to who is doing this, or to what end?"
“We are aware Strixwell is searching for the crown, but believe someone else already has it. She has managed to replicate some of the powers on a crude level. Whatever her reason, it is not for the betterment of all”, Hemlock replies.
”Isolating yourself might be the best idea, we could not hope to stand against you were you to oppose us. Perhaps though you can help before you go. We are up against formidable odds”, he asks, looking at the arch Druid’s staff.
Rhys winces slightly, but doesn't seem to notice it himself. "Well she'll search forever then, the True King's crown is just a myth. It doesn't actually exist. What powers are you suggesting she has developed?
"Do you mean that Strixwell herself may be affecting me? Or if you believe that the Crown of Divine Right is what has me under its thrall, then perhaps there is nothing to worry about after all.
"As for my staff, it was entrusted to me by the valley and its forest. I can not give that to you, until the forest has grown to trust you implicitly. Should this forest grow to trust you the same way, or should the need prove great enough, I will give it to you. But not until then.
Hemlock watches Rhys closely, "How can you be so sure that the knowledge the crown does not exist comes from you. Any mention of it has an effect on you, exactly the same way it did on Fiztwhistle. Did you not meet up with Fitzwhistle 20 years ago around the time his problems started too? If I had a crown that could control minds, the first thing I would do is convince people I didn't".
"As for Strixwell, she has created collars that when worn make you subservient to another", he replies.
"You know, I managed to make a concoction for Fitzwhistle that allowed him a few moments of clarity. I can try to the same for you as well if you are interested? And don't worry about the staff, I understand".
A pained expression passes over Rhys' face, though it fades quickly to the irritation of a parent who's impudent child is refusing to accept the concept of 'bedtime.' "The crown is a myth! A legend! An exaggeration! Did they teach you to question your elders' wisdom where you come from?" He steadies himself, breathes deeply. "Sorry, that was unfairly harsh of me. Trust me when I tell you that if I am confident of something, it comes with centuries of wisdom and experience. It is not your fault if you have been convinced of something false. And yet, my overreaction to your insistence is worrying in itself. I am affected by something... I think I must meditate at Silver Falls, at the top of the valley, and explore this myself. No, no concoction for me, I can make my own clarity."
"Yes, I did meet Fitzwhistle when he came to the valley two decades ago, he was a welcome visitor to Village tree, and a friend to us as he established his workshop. I was saddened when he disappeared on some fools quest after an artefact, and glad that he's back now, though in a strange new form. If that is all, I think I will take my leave now?"
“That is all I have to tell you right now. We will do our best to protect Village Tree in your absence. Do you know where Cylence is?”, Hemlock responds, a little taken aback when Rhys shouts.
"He said he would return sometime this afternoon. Much as we may disagree, I know he will protect the Tree as well. Take care, young stargazer. May you find the true reason for Strixwell's interest here, and solve this doppelganger issue swiftly." Rhys takes the form of a graceful wood-duck, and begins to fly north, away from the tree.
The hour goes by slowly, tension palpable between all of you, Saffron, Eliza, Tesfaye, and the [moster]doppelganger[/monster]. Hermes does walk a little bit back and forth when let go, but is careful to limit the pacing to the very narrow area that doesn't cause Lam to brandish the greataxe. It is, however, clear that everyone is tired, and conversation is muted as most people zone out and stare into the distance. Squirrels chitter in the trees, birds sing or call out to each other, at one point you notice a large constrictor snake moving slowly up a branch, and then lazing in the dappled sunlight. Eliza shrinks reflexively back from that, but Saffron steadies her and looks at the serpent with mild fascination - a moment of childlike wonder crossing the otherwise grim expression on her face. Saffi does approach Sha-Gravis at one point, her arms sprouting spotted white-and-black fur as she reaches out to the tabaxi. "I know my leaving was hard on you," she begins. But she doesn't seem to know how to continue the conversation.
During the time you spend in Tesfaye's workshop, it becomes clear that somewhere in their mind, the cluttered resources and reagants and tools are organized in a way that makes sense to them. It makes no more sense to you, but they seem to know exactly where everything is when they reach for it. Shaping the foil into a helmet proves even simpler than you expected, taking only a few minutes to size a part of the sheet, cut it, and hammer it into the helmet. However, if anyone asks if they're finished or reaches for it, they respond "just a moment" and reach in to perfect the shape or to snip off a little bit of lead peaking out. By the time an hour has gone by, there are two helmets that look like the simple leather ones some of the locals have lying around, with the lead concealed neatly within. Still, Tesfaye looks at them unsatisfied. "This is shoddy work, at best, and you'll need to lower the visor if they can read minds through their eyes" - "Oh, we can't--" Hermes begins to respond, before looking at Lam and Hemlock and deciding against trying another lie. "Although it has given me some ideas, and I may be able to make something for you that serves the same purpose, and is actually worthy of adorning the head of a friend of mine, during the next time you're off adventuring. Ooh, actually, I think that one could use a little more tinkering," they say, and reach for the leather helm in Saoirse's hand.
Sometime during all of this, the elven handworker who had been there earlier comes back towards his workbench, but on seeing all of you, and especially the abberant, monstrous features of Hermes the doppelganger, he nods briskly and respectfully to all og you, then turns on his heal and walks pointedly back the way he came. Sha-Gravis and the vigilant Lam (and Hemlock, if he's done chatting with Rhys) can see on his face that he seems to know what a doppelganger is, although he certainly doesn't seem to recognize the individual. He is just taking the simple and quick decision to not involve himself in whatever is going on with the heroes and monsters that have begun to visit his home. Hermes grimaces slightly - he does not enjoy seeing the fear on the stranger's face; or he's doing a good job of pretending that's what he's feeling.
DM: Heavy is the Head
Sha-Gravis leans into Saffi’s touch, his arms strong from wielding both hammer and shield. He looks into Saffi’s eyes… Sha’s mind is a swirl with thoughts
at first his desire to hold Saffi to express his desire and a hope for love… when Saffi manifests fur Sha’s thoughts become mixed with memory of his mate decades prior, and later his two daughters (one dark like him one pale like her mother). His thoughts turbulate into a scene of carnage, dark clothed murderers wearing Cultic imagery of Shar, his mate dead his daughters gone. He remembers how his goddess was with him even then herself split in two not whole, like himself broken conflicted.
If Saffi was aware of Sha’s thoughts, not sure how Saffron will respond, but Sha’s eyes water and he will embrace her if she will allow him to.
Ever wonder what it would be like to be a bear?
Tooltips Crafting
Saoirse, who is feeling much much better now, smiles at Tesfaye:
- Shoddy work? This? - she says while pointing at the helmets - Remind me not ask for your opinion if I ever try to make anything of the sort, your standards are insanely high, Tesfaye!
The blood hunter cocks her head with interest when they mention doing something specifically for their friends, but says nothing else about it. She grabs both helmets and says:
- Okay, wish us luck, we are going to need it...
With that, she approaches the group. Sha seems to be having a quiet moment with Saffi, and not wanting to interrupt, the genasi walks up to Lam and Hemlock and hands one of the helmets to the druid, and she keeps the other one. This will leave Lam's hands where they should be: on his axe, if not on Hermes. She then turns to the doppelganger:
- Where is the meeting going to be, Hermes?
She also shows him the helmet, expecting him to put it on by himself. She really hopes they won't have to force it upon him...
OOC: Rolled persuasion at advantage (because I've imagined that I would have Lam's support) and got... two 13. So 13 it is. This, taking into account that today is Tuesday the 13th (which is the bad luck day in Spain, instead of Friday 13th)... Lol!
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren
Lam is standing guard and ready to interrogate or attack the elven handworker who enters if he needs to- but when the elf leaves just as quickly, he relaxes slightly. He narrows his eyes at Hermes’s reaction to the event, unsure how to feel about the momentary sense of kinship with the doppelgänger’s unfavorable reaction to being feared. He is impressed when Tesfaye finishes the helmets- they may say it’s shoddy work, but to be able to make something like that works like that so quickly is impressive.
When Saoirse walks up to him and Hermes, Lam tenses up and tightens his grip on his greataxe, ready to act instantly if Hermes dares to try anything. He watches closely to see what Hermes decides to do.
Lam would indeed like to be giving Saoirse the help action here. He hasn’t tried to lay a hand on Hermes again, but he has stuck right by him while holding his greataxe. He expects Hermes to possibly take the helmet and put it on, but he doesn’t like that Hermes has to reach in Saoirse’s direction at all. If anything Hermes does looks like it could be an attack, Lam is ready to leap into action. If Hermes just refuses to put the helmet on, Lam intends to take it and put it on the doppelgänger himself.
Saffron can feel that there are some pretty intense emotions coming from Sha, and steps forward to hug him, but it is a little awkward. It's clear that he is holding on a little longer than she is, and that whe doesn't know how to respond to all of it. "Um, You're OK, buddy. I'm right here, for now, and you've got friends looking out for you, yeah? You're OK."
Saffron answers Lam's question about the brand in a monotone, matter-of-fact, suppressing all of the feelings she has about it. "Yeah, if he has the brand, Vince can know exactly where he is. Just like he could with us. But we're free of it now. And the best way to make sure that Hermes doesn't give us away... She draws a line across her throat with a finger, while standing just out of sight Hermes' sight. Hermes responds slowly "What do you mean, had?" "Yeah, we're fee of that now."
Hermes puts the helmet on without incident. "Hey, visor down." And lowers the visor, although a low growl escapes its throat as it does. "Our meeting was to be at the latrines. No place people pay less attention to each other than when they're flushing out the system." Saffron and Eliza offer to stay back to protect Tesfaye instead of joining you to hunt down the remaining doppelganger. It looks like Saffron has resolved to try to explain why she didn't like the moonbeam idea.
As you walk towards the latrines though, it is clear that the mood in the tree has soured dramatically. People are looking at each other with distrust, and holding their children close. The centaur who had critisized Saoirse earlier approaches the party, a pointed finger as they do. A centaur child of 6 or 7 years rests accross his father's back, its humanoid upper body alert and watching the exchange. "I was ready to forgive you when I heard that you brought all the kids back, even to praise you, but now I hear that you've led doppelgangers into the village! Shame on you! We were safe before you started interfering. Safe and peaceful!" From north branch you begin to hear some shouting - and then a plate crashing and the sounds of a fight breaking out. "See! This sort of thing didn't happen before!" Unless you convince him to stay, he will trot off in a huff towards south branch.
Hemlock notices a microexpression on Hermes face, a slight twitch in the lips where they can be seen through the helmet. It is pleased by this developement.
DM: Heavy is the Head
The fine genasi had let this centaur say his piece and walk off without any kind of response once, but she simply wasn't going to allow it twice.
- Now wait a moment - she addresses the centaur with a serious tone in her voice and trying to muster all the authority she can. She has none of that in Village Tree, of course, but having been a figure teaching and leading others, even if they were kids, she can at least try to summon that - I'm sorry, but you don't get to do this twice. You've said your piece and you are going to hear mine. Or is this the kind of behaviour you want to see repeated in Village Tree? To speak one's mind but do not give the other part the courtesy of replying? Is this what you want both kids and adults to mimic?
Hoping to have gained his - and whoever that might be around - attention Saoirse continues:
- I beg that consider if you know enough of the situation to be making this kind of accusations. And if you don't find in your heart to admit that you don't, at least, please don't insult my friends. I won't even include myself there. But do not insult or accuse my friends because the have done none other than to fight, and bleed and almost die for this place and its people. No, we haven't lead doppelgangers to Village Tree. And no, we are not the true cause of these dissensions. And please, just let us do out job, which is none other than solving both issues.
She stops once again, looking at the centaur in the eyes before continuing.
- Meanwhile, you and your neighbours, make sure you do your own job. Which is to stay united. To not let your guards down, but don't become what the real outsiders want you to become: untrusting and unkind people. Help each other out. You know, deep in your hearts, the people you've lived and shared your bonds with. Use that to defend your own. Nurture that, and for gods' sake, don't let it be torn apart.
Saoirse lets out a deep exhale and finishes:
- "Hay innumerables historias, y todas ellas tienen verdad."
"There are countless stories, and all of them are true."
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren
When Saffron answers Lam’s question, he cannot stop himself from wondering if it is possible to remove the brand’s effect on Hermes without killing him. After all, Saffron and Eliza are alive, but their brands don’t work anymore. He doesn’t continue the conversation for now, but he wants to ask Saffron about it later when it’s a little easier to figure out his own thoughts without risking giving anything away.
When the centaur comes to berate him and his friends, Lam turns to briefly pay attention- and when the centaur says that they led the doppelgängers here, a low growl momentarily escapes Lam’s throat. People were getting kidnapped from this place before any of them got there, but of course they’re getting blamed for everything bad that’s happened since. He doesn’t stay focused on the centaur, though, because commotion starts up in the distance- and Lam suspects things could get bad at any moment. His attention is back and undivided on Hermes, and his greataxe is out. He seems willing to move with the group anywhere, with the exception that he will not leave Hermes unattended.
The centaur flushes in embarrassment and anger at being put in his place, and after a few sentences he drops his pointed finger. He blubbers a little bit, trying to find words to counter Saoirse's chastising. He seems about to argue back at her when she finishes speaking, but before he can find words, his young son interrupts: "¿Qué dijo ella antes de la última?"
"Ella dijo que todos debemos mantenernos unidos, mijo, y que ellos se encargarán de la mala persona..." He turns back to Saoirse, deflated and embarrassed (it was a good speech). "So I'll trust you to do that. Sorry to bother you..." He walks off towards south branch, eyes down.
"What did she say before the last bit?"
"She said we need to stick together, kiddo, and that they'll take care of the bad person."
The sounds of a scuffle on the North Branch continue to escalate. "Well, we have an appointment in the latrines any minute now. If I'm late, my partner will not wait for me." Hermes reminds you all that time is of the essence, though its eyes stay focused on Lam's greataxe.
DM: Heavy is the Head
Hemlock simply watches the exchange, having no desire to get involved. It did not matter if these people appreciated their efforts, all that mattered was keeping them safe.
"You are of course right Hermes, time is of the essence, and letting Poniros disappear will not do anyone in Village Tree any good", he suggests not in an unkind way, but just with a bit of urgency.
"Tell me Hermes, how do you communicate when together? Verbally of through thought?", he enquires.
"By thought, of course. It would be foolish to speak one's secret plans aloud." This statement is sufficient to remind you that you are, in fact, speaking aloud currently in a very public place, and Hermes' gray skin is visible under its helmet and beyond the sleeves of its shirt and pants.
DM: Heavy is the Head
Something is bugging Saoirse. Something is happening in the North Branch. But Hermes's rushing them to go to the latrines. (Insight check on Hermes: 6)
Hm, he's right. They mustn't be late...
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren
"Time to disguise that grey skin Hermes", Hemlock whispers as they approach the latrines and try and find a secluded spot for some to wait and himself to put on his own disguise.
"You should head in first, Saoirse. Before the appointed time".
(OOC: I thought everyone was still gathered at North Branch, but I guess they are milling about after we spent time on a short rest)