The old woodland trail you find yourself upon leads toward the darkening light of the setting sun. Now that you have passed through, you find yourself surrounded by the ancient wood, old oaks stretching upwards protectively, stars peeking down through the canopy behind you, the sky blackening but still deep blue smudged by pink.
The lily sculptures, candlelit, line the path.
Crickets and tree frogs chorus calmly all around.
Now that you are through the portal, which remains open – for now, at least – the fragrance of the forest on this warm summer night, a complex mix of woody, earthy and herbal scents embraces you. The air seems… thicker here… though still moist, as it is at Candlekeep, rising on the edge of the sea as it does. Indeed, being outside and not hearing the rhythmic ocean waves breaking below tells you, as much as anything else, that you are someplace else entirely... There may be other clues to your location if you care to describe how your character might determine where you are.
The trail continues westward…
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
Erudisia looks ahead to Meredith, then side to side at Bell and Little One. Perhaps this was well enough when they knew where in the planes they were, but, too long this strange turn has lasted already.
”Meredith, wait, what has you so low? Let’s talk it before we encounter fiends, monstrosities, aberrations, or if we are particularly unlucky, fey. We need our heads clear and our hearts unburdened. Who knows what is around the corner!”
Erudisia strokes Meredith's hair and holds her as she sobs. Over the top of her head she looks at Bell and Little One with wide eyes. She thinks of what her mother used to say to her when she would cry, but can't bring herself to say anything quite so cruel as that about the fruitfulness of tears, so she just holds her, for as long as she might want to be held.
Little One shifts uncomfortably, his headband shining in the dusk over eyes cloaked in confusion. “Ogres who cry are attacked by other ogres,” he whispers urgently to Bell. “Is sign of weakness in ogre social… I understand now that destruction of such weakness not viable reaction in equitable society of citizens each express own self but… is hard to ignore upbringing when trigger…”
He squints, backing away from Meredith as he clenches his fists, shooting her looks of concern which melt into a hard-edged distaste, then shakes his head as empathy folds his brow and opens his dark eyes once more. Sighing sadly and shaking his head at his inability to support his friend in this moment, he backs away and squats against a tree trunk.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
Erudisia hesitates. Still she doesn’t know the source of Meredith’s sorrow.
“I do not know what is at the end of this path, but, I have learnt from our previous adventures.” She holds out her re-bound tome of shadow and smoke, now an odd hodge-podge of different sized pages, some from the book of magic stolen from the casino, some drawn free-hand, invocations from and to her master. At the back of the book are three blank pages.
“Sign your name at the top of each page,” she says, “and I will be able to reach you anywhere. You will never be alone.”
Erudisia hesitates. Still she doesn’t know the source of Meredith’s sorrow.
“I do not know what is at the end of this path, but, I have learnt from our previous adventures.” She holds out her re-bound tome of shadow and smoke, now an odd hodge-podge of different sized pages, some from the book of magic stolen from the casino, some drawn free-hand, invocations from and to her master. At the back of the book are three blank pages.
“Sign your name at the top of each page,” she says, “and I will be able to reach you anywhere. You will never be alone.”
Meredith looked hard at Erudisia, searching her eyes then eventually gave a small sigh and half smile and pulled the Quill out of her cheek and signed her name.
" She's marrying the wizard.....I don't know why...or what I did.....or even what I should do....I just feel like I can't breathe and I just want to run all the way there now.....but then you had this going on and we have an oath....and......I just want to curl up in a ball and die. It hurts SO much....."
Silence sits over them like a heavy cloak. She looks at Bell for a long moment. Looks a little longer.
“We find Alana and we take Alana home. And, if, in taking her home we go to this wizard and this woman and we make them explain herself, then this is all just our personal business and that’s what we’ll do. What do you say?”
Bell looks at each of her companions, "Personal business... " She closed her eyes and took a long slow breath. "I understand the impact and weight of personal business."
She gives a sharp nod as she comes to an agreement with her inner self. "This then that. Then I might have to take a bit of a trip back home to clear up some issues."
Meredith, and then Bell, sign Erudisia’s book, and when they do, the three companions feel the strength of their bond of friendship and perhaps draw courage from each other. But this moment of camaraderie is gently broken when Little One rumbles, “Oh-oh…”
You look at him then follow his gaze to the portal. Its glowing edges pull toward each other and then flicker into starry dust with a sound like a whispered question. The door back to Candlekeep has disappeared.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries //Dev Horndin Curious Critters
Erudisia takes a deep breath. She feels the temperature of the air and the wind on her skin, she tries to sort through the smells in her nose, and hear the sounds carried on the eddies and whorls of invisible zephyrs.
(Can Erudisia sense anything that tells her where they are in the sense of a very vague idea of latitude or even plane? Is it hot enough to be equatorial, is there a different smell in the air or a loss of the weave as the medium of magic?)
"Right or wrong, we can not let our friend do this alone," Bell exclaimed as she grabbed Erudisia's hand to drag her into the portal.
"Hurry, Little One... no telling how long this will stay open!"
With that, Bell hurried forward as best she could while dragging her friend along.
The old woodland trail you find yourself upon leads toward the darkening light of the setting sun. Now that you have passed through, you find yourself surrounded by the ancient wood, old oaks stretching upwards protectively, stars peeking down through the canopy behind you, the sky blackening but still deep blue smudged by pink.
The lily sculptures, candlelit, line the path.
Crickets and tree frogs chorus calmly all around.
Now that you are through the portal, which remains open – for now, at least – the fragrance of the forest on this warm summer night, a complex mix of woody, earthy and herbal scents embraces you. The air seems… thicker here… though still moist, as it is at Candlekeep, rising on the edge of the sea as it does. Indeed, being outside and not hearing the rhythmic ocean waves breaking below tells you, as much as anything else, that you are someplace else entirely... There may be other clues to your location if you care to describe how your character might determine where you are.
The trail continues westward…
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
Meredith hugged the book to her and marched onward paying little attention to her following friends.....
Erudisia looks ahead to Meredith, then side to side at Bell and Little One. Perhaps this was well enough when they knew where in the planes they were, but, too long this strange turn has lasted already.
”Meredith, wait, what has you so low? Let’s talk it before we encounter fiends, monstrosities, aberrations, or if we are particularly unlucky, fey. We need our heads clear and our hearts unburdened. Who knows what is around the corner!”
Meredith span around to face Erudisia, her eyes full of tears and her face a mask of anguish.
She didn't answer but rather threw herself into Erudisias arms and broke down into wracking sobs....
Erudisia strokes Meredith's hair and holds her as she sobs. Over the top of her head she looks at Bell and Little One with wide eyes. She thinks of what her mother used to say to her when she would cry, but can't bring herself to say anything quite so cruel as that about the fruitfulness of tears, so she just holds her, for as long as she might want to be held.
Little One shifts uncomfortably, his headband shining in the dusk over eyes cloaked in confusion. “Ogres who cry are attacked by other ogres,” he whispers urgently to Bell. “Is sign of weakness in ogre social… I understand now that destruction of such weakness not viable reaction in equitable society of citizens each express own self but… is hard to ignore upbringing when trigger…”
He squints, backing away from Meredith as he clenches his fists, shooting her looks of concern which melt into a hard-edged distaste, then shakes his head as empathy folds his brow and opens his dark eyes once more. Sighing sadly and shaking his head at his inability to support his friend in this moment, he backs away and squats against a tree trunk.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
((Poor Little One, what a life of conflict he endures.))
Meredith eventually recovered and levered herself softly out of Erudisias embrace, " Thanks.......", she whispered flushed with embarrassment.
" Gods.....I'm such a mess......"
Erudisia hesitates. Still she doesn’t know the source of Meredith’s sorrow.
“I do not know what is at the end of this path, but, I have learnt from our previous adventures.” She holds out her re-bound tome of shadow and smoke, now an odd hodge-podge of different sized pages, some from the book of magic stolen from the casino, some drawn free-hand, invocations from and to her master. At the back of the book are three blank pages.
“Sign your name at the top of each page,” she says, “and I will be able to reach you anywhere. You will never be alone.”
Meredith looked hard at Erudisia, searching her eyes then eventually gave a small sigh and half smile and pulled the Quill out of her cheek and signed her name.
" She's marrying the wizard.....I don't know why...or what I did.....or even what I should do....I just feel like I can't breathe and I just want to run all the way there now.....but then you had this going on and we have an oath....and......I just want to curl up in a ball and die. It hurts SO much....."
“Oh,” says Erudisia. “Oh.”
She offers her book to the others.
Silence sits over them like a heavy cloak. She looks at Bell for a long moment. Looks a little longer.
“We find Alana and we take Alana home. And, if, in taking her home we go to this wizard and this woman and we make them explain herself, then this is all just our personal business and that’s what we’ll do. What do you say?”
Bell looks at each of her companions, "Personal business... " She closed her eyes and took a long slow breath. "I understand the impact and weight of personal business."
She gives a sharp nod as she comes to an agreement with her inner self. "This then that. Then I might have to take a bit of a trip back home to clear up some issues."
She reaches for the quill to sign her name.
Meredith, and then Bell, sign Erudisia’s book, and when they do, the three companions feel the strength of their bond of friendship and perhaps draw courage from each other. But this moment of camaraderie is gently broken when Little One rumbles, “Oh-oh…”
You look at him then follow his gaze to the portal. Its glowing edges pull toward each other and then flicker into starry dust with a sound like a whispered question. The door back to Candlekeep has disappeared.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
Meredith nods enthusiastically at Erudisias words then goes over and hugs Bell.
And then almost breaks down again as the portal vanishes.....
((Does Little One sign the book too? It’s proficiency bonus number of names and, so far, he’s the one who most often can’t come with us into things.))
Erudisia takes a deep breath. She feels the temperature of the air and the wind on her skin, she tries to sort through the smells in her nose, and hear the sounds carried on the eddies and whorls of invisible zephyrs.
(Can Erudisia sense anything that tells her where they are in the sense of a very vague idea of latitude or even plane? Is it hot enough to be equatorial, is there a different smell in the air or a loss of the weave as the medium of magic?)
(Little One will also sign — in very large but practiced script.
Erudisia — and anyone else who wants to try — please roll Arcana to discern any changes in the weave, etc between your current locale and Faerûn.
You may also roll Survival to notice clues/cues in the physical/natural environment.
In either case results of 10+ will offer results. Higher roll = more details.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters
Meredith Survival- 7
Meredith Arcana- 22
Arcana 10.
Survival 13