And so, you have finally regrouped and reached the village of Rassalantar! You were still curious to explore those dungeons you had heard about, the flooded dungeons of Rassalantar's Keep! Sure, the fact that they are flooded - and rumored to be infested with monsters - will complicate the exploration, but who knows what secrets and adventures await you down there?
Rassalantar is a quiet village, not much more than a caravan stop on the Long Road, just north of Waterdeep in the Sword Coast North region, consisting of half a dozen walled farms, centered on a spring-fed horse watering pond.
It seems a quiet place - the worst current disturbance of the peace is the imperious voice of a speaker, coming from behind the wall of a nearby farm, and who seems to be urging some sort of crusade or holy war. Darvin Nolaras, who served here long as a sergeant, looks around with his dark green eyes with a mixture of serenity and pride - the place still looks as he left it...
Aedion, the little Couatl, now a little older but still a very young specimen, flies low between his 'mother' Spira and his 'father' Darvin, looking around curiously and excitedly.
Rubybreeze, the elegant Blood Hawk that accompanies Gaer everywhere, swoops down from a reconnaissance (or perhaps pleasure) flight and lands on his leather-armored shoulder. The tiefling ranger instinctively scratches her under her feathers.
Anita, who has since married Rash, has evidently learned a few of his tricks - given how she enjoys creating unnatural puffs of wind that caress her hair... or mess up Rash's!
You already know that to the west of the farmhouses, a narrow patch of trees known as Keep Woods masked the ruins of Rassalantar's Keep, and to the east of the pond was the Sleeping Dragon Inn.
As well as that Rassalantar's Keep is now a set of ruins, but once served as a fortress for the warrior Rassalantar. Within the dungeon was a permanent teleportation circle that was used by the Blackstaff to communicate with Rassalantar. Over the time, most of the keep's stones were dissembled and used for construction in nearby settlements. All that was left was the underground cellar and dungeons, both of which had flooded.
It's a cool morning, but the clear sky and the sun remind you that it will soon be spring.
[[ OOC: As you may have read, I have assumed that you came traveling together, to explore this dungeon that had intrigued you - but each of you may also find different motivations for this exploration. And feel free to chat among yourselves - the fact that you traveled together does not necessarily imply that each of you told everyone else what you did in the moments when you were not with the party. ]]
"I really should have known you'd use that to make a nuisance of yourself,"he tells Anita with a grin after she used her limited magic to mess with his hair yet again.
The half-orc mage has shifted his focus since the last time this team gathered. He has learned the art of rune shaping, and has put his full attention into protecting himself and others through abjuration magic. In essence, he's made himself into a living shield. He also carries himself with more easy confidence. And he is dressed more like a proper mage rather than a primitive shaman now.
Before the group has the chance to decide where to go, or even check the disturbance of the orator they hear the clopping of horse hooves behind them. A great horse is approaching at a slow pace. They look over their shoulders and they can see a knight crossing the wooden walls of the village. Riding atop a magnificent war horse, stands a knight, her white cloak billowing with the air. She wears a heavy armor that doesn't shine in all its glory for it has some mud from the road, but it is still impressive and it is clear that the rider takes good care of it. In the chest it has the symbol of Lathander, which is also depicted in golden threads in her cloak. In her right hand she has a lance, pointing towards the sky and with a white banner fixed to it. Or at least it should be white but now is ripped and covered in mud and what seems to be blood. At the left side of the saddle the party recognize the silvery shield of the Amazon´s Guardian, the mithral shield they recovered in their past adventures. The rider takes out her helmet and her blonde hair, braided to her left side is freed. They all recognize the glim in her green eyes when she sees them. She stops Feralof near them.
- Welmet my friends!! -she says - I am so happy to see you all. -
They notice that she had definitely changed her hair, for the right side has been cut really really short.
"You were the one who insisted so much on the importance of training, in the preparation of a wizard..." Anita winks at Rash "So what's wrong if I keep training!?"
The ex-bandit then promptly returns the greeting of the warrior consecrated to Lathander: "My pleasure, Aidwyn! How are you?"
Meanwhile, from behind the impressive heroine in the impressive armor, the tiefling who had been behind, on the saddle, dismounts from the impressive horse. The times when she, bitter and distrustful, was known by the name of 'Solitude' seem incredibly far away. Now, completely transformed since she tied her fate to that of Aidwyn and took the name of 'Dawnborn', she wears clothes that display solar motifs - and sunny and serene is her smile, as she turns to the rest of the party: "It is truly good to find you here again! And to see that you all seem to be doing well!"
Darvin routinely gives a military salute, but waits for Spira to speak, who, after all, is more familiar with the party than he is. Aedion must have promptly greeted Dawnborn with telepathy, because she gives him a smile and replies: "Thank you".
“We are good. “ says Aidwyn dismounting and heading to Anita to embrace her and then Rash. She goes on to hold on her arms the whole party as she keeps talking. “Sorry for the delay we encountered a small group of bandits that needed convincing on the wrong way of their life choices…” she ended scratching Aedion behind the ears.
“And that ogre before them…” Says Dawnborn with a smirk “And that big cocodrile at the ford before that…”
“I mean… we were passing by anyway, no harm to make the path a little bit safer while we are at it… right?”
“See what I have to deal with?” says the tiefling with clear amusement in her voice and love in her eyes when looking at Aidwyn. “We are going to be late always aren’t we?”
“Love, as long as you are with me, I will be right were I a meant to be”. Replies Aidwyn with a wink. “But we need to get ourselves a table and you all have to tell us everything! What have you done? How is the little one…” she says looking at Rash and Anita “and… wait a minute. Who’s making that ruckus? “ she says noticing now the loud voice nearby.
The person 'making that ruckus' is not immediately in sight... he is evidently preaching a little further away and the view of his person is obstructed by some intervening wall.
But since the fervent sermon is reaching this far, it should not take more than a few steps to get closer and go and listen (and see), if one wishes...
Aidwyn tries to hear better and see if she can make sense of the words of the speaker.
( Perception?: 18 )
Oh, well, no need for perception... Aidwyn just needs to walk in the direction of the noise for a while, turn a corner and...
...Aidwyn notices a young but fervent blond human male, dressed in a long tunic on which stands out the symbol of a right-hand gauntlet held upright with palm extended forward. A symbol that our holy warrior does not fail to recognize: it is that of Torm, the war god of courage and self-sacrifice.
And it is precisely to courage and self-sacrifice that this preacher seems to call, who tries to instigate the small group of people who are listening to him to organize a sort of 'crusade' against the monsters that infest the nearby Stump Bog!
"Torm wants it!" is the cry with which he concludes most of his heartfelt exhortations.
Aidwyn looks towards the people listening to the fervorous follower of Torm. Asking herself if they are just farmers or maybe they look able to manage themselves in a fight. That village wasn't so different from her home, but maybe there they had some kind of militia that trained the townspeople to fight.
The hamlet of Rassalantar is defended by Waterdeep, which consists of a garrison of just over fifty guards, stationed in the barracks just off the road behind the Sleeping Dragon inn.
As Darvin may have told you in the past, however, the main task of this garrison is to keep the hamlet and the road safe... so, evidently, the soldiers do not venture into the swamp.
The group that has stopped to listen to the speaker are young, strong and robust (and perhaps eager for a bit of adventure), but they are from the common people - there are no guards among them. From their body language it seems that they are toying with the idea of forming a group and attempting what the preacher proposes, even if no one is actually organizing it yet. Perhaps from all this a concrete initiative will emerge... and perhaps not.
Meanwhile, Dawnborn has reached Aidwyn and puts a hand on her shoulder, sighing: "We're not thinking of joining them, are we? We came to reunite with our friends and explore the ruins, not to get involved in crusades in the middle of the swamps, if I well remember..."
"No no, what I am thinking about is to stop this nonsense. Look at them... they are young and capable but if they run against a monster in the swamp... they are going the get butchered..." she looks Dawnborn in the eye and hold her hands "Gods, you are so beautiful..."and gives her a tender, quick kiss in her lips "..but I have to try..." and smiles at her with an apologetic look in her eyes before turning towards the group.
"May the light of the Dawnfather shine upon you brother"she says stepping out and calling for the attention of the group "And all of you. I am afraid that I've only heard the end of your speech brother but I cannot help to wonder. What is in those swamps that troubles the village? "
Dawnborn returns the kiss of the heroine who gave her a new (and beautiful) life and smiles condescendingly while Aidwyn behaves... like a heroine, indeed, and tries to prevent well-intentioned but inexperienced people from taking risks they might not be prepared for.
The preacher in turn smiles as he turns to the holy warrior who called him 'brother': "Oh, what an honor, sister! It is good that the Dawnfather has directed your steps here! When Torm sent me to ask for this crusade, I imagined that he would personally protect the volunteers... but I see now that perhaps his plans were different. Perhaps he knew that my embassy would be heard by someone well prepared to answer it!"
"The swamps are populated by monsters, sister, everyone knows it..." Torm's envoy searches with his eyes those present and everyone immediately confirms: "Without a shadow of a doubt". "At night, terrifying noises can sometimes be heard!" "Some poor wretch once followed some lights into the swamp and... who ever saw him again?" "Sometimes monstrous shapes can be glimpsed at the edge of the swamp stinkling mists!"
"The guards don't see fit to concern themselves with this matter," the preacher sighs. "They have their orders. They must defend the town and the roads. And that's fine... But surely you understand, sister, that the swamp monsters, left free to proliferate, could one bad day gather in sufficient numbers to pose a threat - and suddenly descend on this little community, probably carrying out a massacre. That's why Torm inspired me to call a preventive crusade."
"And perhaps that's why the Dawnfather sent you here!" his fervent eyes look at the newcomer with admiration and hope "To do this, for us and for our safety! So that you venture into the swamps, at least in the part where they are closest to Rassalantar, decimating the monsters you encounter, as these brave citizens would have done on their own if you had not reached us!"
The eyes of all the others also turn in admiration to the heroine in imposing armor - a little worried instead seem the eyes of Dawnborn, as she studies Aidwyn's reaction...
Aidwyn studies the preacher. He certainly wears the symbol of Torm, and he had seized the opportunity to entangle Aidwyn in his little crusade using the faith.. and the warrior's idea was that they let the guards protect them in the event of an attack. Now she was trapped if not by her words to them, by their expectations and by her own desire to keep the townsfolk safe, even when she didn't believe that there were an actual danger coming from the inhabitants of the bog, but for the dangers of the swamp itself and perhaps any dangerous animal that could life there.
Can I get an insight check on that preacher? Rolled a 14.
"Well.. I... "she tris to put her thoughts in order but the expectant eyes of the youngest among the crowd, barely children. "I will take a look as soon as my other obligations in the village allows me to do so. But in the meantime, brother, you must ensure that this people remain here in the village, where it's safe. Only if I know that everyone is safe I could concentrate on searching this... monsters and find a solution. It's that ok with you?"she asks, not directly to the preacher, but to the crowd. She can hear the resigned sigh at her back.
[[ OOC: "She can hear the resigned sigh at her back." Lol! ]]
Aidwyn gets the impression that the preacher may have hidden ulterior motives... Yes, sure, his speech about the danger of swamp monsters makes sense - and yet... Instinct (or perhaps the unconscious perception of some contradiction in his non-verbal communication, in his body language) suggests to the holy warrior to be wary.
"These are wise words," the preacher approaches, smiling and placing a hand on the heroine's shoulder. "We are all grateful to you and will do as you advised."
Even from the crowd come reassurances: "Of course!" "We will do so!" "Thank you!"
"It is with greater serenity that I now return to my duties," Torm's envoy takes his leave, with relief "I feel it in your soul, that your spirit is that of a compassionate and strong protector", while the crowd compliments Aidwyn for a little longer before dispersing.
Roxana rides up a bit behind the rest of the group on Snowshine. She shakes her head slightly at Gaer's focus on Rubybreeze, but had grown to expect nothing less from the ranger and his pet. It had been a comfortable ride from Longsaddle, where she still spent the majority of her time. She had caught the end of the loud orator's speech. Or sermon. Or whatever it was. "Where did Aidwyn and Dawnborn go? They weren't responsible for ending that droning noise were they?" She starts to dismount from her horse, giving the horse a pat for her fine service in traveling here. "They didn't kill the poor man did they?" she says with a sarcastic grin.
The woman is much as she was before, dressed in leather armor and a rapier and some daggers at her belt. And of course, her short bow slung across her back.
"It's still early, but should we find lodgings for tonight? We could spend the day looking about the town of Rassalanter. See what we might learn about the keep. Then head out tomorrow?" she suggests.
Aidwyn replies to the townspeople nodding and saying things like "not at all" "for sure" "you're more welcome" as they pass.
When she and Dawnborn are coming back to the others she shares her thoughts on the preacher.
"I do not know Dawn "she says in low voice " I have a bad feeling about this. I cannot put my finger on it but that preacher character, I think he is hiding something. As soon as we can I would take a look at the bog and see what's really happening there.. If only Roxana were here..."
And as if her words had the power to materialize her friend, they turn a corner and see the ranger greeting the rest of their friends. Aidwyn goes to her with a wide smile in her face.
"My dear Roxana!!" she hugs her "It's so good to see you. How was your journey? "
Gaer playfully raises an eyebrow and smiles at Roxana's joke: "Aidwyn? Are you talking of the same heroine who had qualms about killing even devils, demons, and wild beasts of the Feywild? That wretched man would have to be the most evil and corrupt preacher ever to meet his death at her hands!"
"Still," he casually approaches, sliding an arm around her waist "the idea of spending a day on preliminary investigations is a good one... We have no reason to rush, it seems..."
Meanwhile, Dawnborn sighs, turning to Aidwyn: "I know, sweatheart... I knew from the moment you took the first step to meddle with me how it would end. But you did well to at least declare that you would go later... so, of course, we will take our friends with us. If there are threats the preacher omitted, we better go in good company."
After that, Aidwyn and Dawnborn rejoin the others, finding Roxana and Gaer along with Rash, Anita, Spira, Darvin, and Aedion.
Gaer steps away from Roxana for a moment, to allow Aidwyn to embrace her. Hearing her ask about the journey, he can't help but comment: "This is a good season for travel... Often mild wheather... Game easy to find... And the first flowers that appear can even give an illusion of peace to this often difficult and tormented world." But he then leaves any details to Roxana, who, after all, was the one asked directly.
"A devil is one thing, but an annoying preacher is way different!" Roxana replies, keeping up the jovial banter with Gaer. She embraces Aidwyn for a moment when she hugs her. "It is really good to see you again too." She gives Gaer a sidelong glance as he inserts his comments before continuing. "Yes, the journey really was rather easy. A bit of rain early on, but nothing too horrible. And I had a fabulous guide to point out all the new wildflowers popping up."
"But what is this about you accosting some preacher?" she asks, shifting the subject. "A preacher hiding something? And you want to us to head into the bog to investigate him? Is that where he lives?"
Aidwyn hugs Gaer too, making a mess of his hair before answering to Roxana..
"Not exactly. You see that preacher was trying to raise some kind of... crusade towards the creatures of the bog. Townspeople talked about somethings weird, but you know the usual "I knew a guy who knows guy that said that once saw something" kind of stuff. Still... the preacher really wanted someone to go to the bog and exterminate, believe me he used that word, the inhabitants of the swamp. Felt kind of... off to me, as if he was hiding his true intentions. I offered myself volunteer to go to it and see if there are, indeed, any real threat to the village. After all they aren't warriors and most important, they lack the expertise of an excellent guide as yourselves... so before I got myself into a pool of quicksands... would you come with me? I said to them that I would go as soon as possible so there's no rush really. We could go and find a room for ourselves and a stable to our horses and then decide if we try the ruins or the bog first. "she turns to the rest "It's that ok with all?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PbP Character: A few ;)
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Rassalantar, 13 Ches 1501 DR, morning
And so, you have finally regrouped and reached the village of Rassalantar! You were still curious to explore those dungeons you had heard about, the flooded dungeons of Rassalantar's Keep! Sure, the fact that they are flooded - and rumored to be infested with monsters - will complicate the exploration, but who knows what secrets and adventures await you down there?
Rassalantar is a quiet village, not much more than a caravan stop on the Long Road, just north of Waterdeep in the Sword Coast North region, consisting of half a dozen walled farms, centered on a spring-fed horse watering pond.
It seems a quiet place - the worst current disturbance of the peace is the imperious voice of a speaker, coming from behind the wall of a nearby farm, and who seems to be urging some sort of crusade or holy war. Darvin Nolaras, who served here long as a sergeant, looks around with his dark green eyes with a mixture of serenity and pride - the place still looks as he left it...
Aedion, the little Couatl, now a little older but still a very young specimen, flies low between his 'mother' Spira and his 'father' Darvin, looking around curiously and excitedly.
Rubybreeze, the elegant Blood Hawk that accompanies Gaer everywhere, swoops down from a reconnaissance (or perhaps pleasure) flight and lands on his leather-armored shoulder. The tiefling ranger instinctively scratches her under her feathers.
Anita, who has since married Rash, has evidently learned a few of his tricks - given how she enjoys creating unnatural puffs of wind that caress her hair... or mess up Rash's!
You already know that to the west of the farmhouses, a narrow patch of trees known as Keep Woods masked the ruins of Rassalantar's Keep, and to the east of the pond was the Sleeping Dragon Inn.
As well as that Rassalantar's Keep is now a set of ruins, but once served as a fortress for the warrior Rassalantar. Within the dungeon was a permanent teleportation circle that was used by the Blackstaff to communicate with Rassalantar. Over the time, most of the keep's stones were dissembled and used for construction in nearby settlements. All that was left was the underground cellar and dungeons, both of which had flooded.
It's a cool morning, but the clear sky and the sun remind you that it will soon be spring.
[[ OOC: As you may have read, I have assumed that you came traveling together, to explore this dungeon that had intrigued you - but each of you may also find different motivations for this exploration. And feel free to chat among yourselves - the fact that you traveled together does not necessarily imply that each of you told everyone else what you did in the moments when you were not with the party. ]]
Rash chuckles as he smooths out his hair again.
"I really should have known you'd use that to make a nuisance of yourself," he tells Anita with a grin after she used her limited magic to mess with his hair yet again.
The half-orc mage has shifted his focus since the last time this team gathered. He has learned the art of rune shaping, and has put his full attention into protecting himself and others through abjuration magic. In essence, he's made himself into a living shield. He also carries himself with more easy confidence. And he is dressed more like a proper mage rather than a primitive shaman now.
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
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Before the group has the chance to decide where to go, or even check the disturbance of the orator they hear the clopping of horse hooves behind them. A great horse is approaching at a slow pace. They look over their shoulders and they can see a knight crossing the wooden walls of the village. Riding atop a magnificent war horse, stands a knight, her white cloak billowing with the air. She wears a heavy armor that doesn't shine in all its glory for it has some mud from the road, but it is still impressive and it is clear that the rider takes good care of it. In the chest it has the symbol of Lathander, which is also depicted in golden threads in her cloak. In her right hand she has a lance, pointing towards the sky and with a white banner fixed to it. Or at least it should be white but now is ripped and covered in mud and what seems to be blood. At the left side of the saddle the party recognize the silvery shield of the Amazon´s Guardian, the mithral shield they recovered in their past adventures.
The rider takes out her helmet and her blonde hair, braided to her left side is freed. They all recognize the glim in her green eyes when she sees them. She stops Feralof near them.
- Welmet my friends!! - she says - I am so happy to see you all. -
They notice that she had definitely changed her hair, for the right side has been cut really really short.
PbP Character: A few ;)
"You were the one who insisted so much on the importance of training, in the preparation of a wizard..." Anita winks at Rash "So what's wrong if I keep training!?"
The ex-bandit then promptly returns the greeting of the warrior consecrated to Lathander: "My pleasure, Aidwyn! How are you?"
Meanwhile, from behind the impressive heroine in the impressive armor, the tiefling who had been behind, on the saddle, dismounts from the impressive horse. The times when she, bitter and distrustful, was known by the name of 'Solitude' seem incredibly far away. Now, completely transformed since she tied her fate to that of Aidwyn and took the name of 'Dawnborn', she wears clothes that display solar motifs - and sunny and serene is her smile, as she turns to the rest of the party: "It is truly good to find you here again! And to see that you all seem to be doing well!"
Darvin routinely gives a military salute, but waits for Spira to speak, who, after all, is more familiar with the party than he is. Aedion must have promptly greeted Dawnborn with telepathy, because she gives him a smile and replies: "Thank you".
“We are good. “ says Aidwyn dismounting and heading to Anita to embrace her and then Rash. She goes on to hold on her arms the whole party as she keeps talking. “Sorry for the delay we encountered a small group of bandits that needed convincing on the wrong way of their life choices…” she ended scratching Aedion behind the ears.
“And that ogre before them…” Says Dawnborn with a smirk “And that big cocodrile at the ford before that…”
“I mean… we were passing by anyway, no harm to make the path a little bit safer while we are at it… right?”
“See what I have to deal with?” says the tiefling with clear amusement in her voice and love in her eyes when looking at Aidwyn. “We are going to be late always aren’t we?”
“Love, as long as you are with me, I will be right were I a meant to be”. Replies Aidwyn with a wink.
“But we need to get ourselves a table and you all have to tell us everything! What have you done? How is the little one…” she says looking at Rash and Anita “and… wait a minute. Who’s making that ruckus? “ she says noticing now the loud voice nearby.
PbP Character: A few ;)
The person 'making that ruckus' is not immediately in sight... he is evidently preaching a little further away and the view of his person is obstructed by some intervening wall.
But since the fervent sermon is reaching this far, it should not take more than a few steps to get closer and go and listen (and see), if one wishes...
Aidwyn tries to hear better and see if she can make sense of the words of the speaker.
( Perception?: 18 )
PbP Character: A few ;)
Oh, well, no need for perception... Aidwyn just needs to walk in the direction of the noise for a while, turn a corner and...
...Aidwyn notices a young but fervent blond human male, dressed in a long tunic on which stands out the symbol of a right-hand gauntlet held upright with palm extended forward. A symbol that our holy warrior does not fail to recognize: it is that of Torm, the war god of courage and self-sacrifice.
And it is precisely to courage and self-sacrifice that this preacher seems to call, who tries to instigate the small group of people who are listening to him to organize a sort of 'crusade' against the monsters that infest the nearby Stump Bog!
"Torm wants it!" is the cry with which he concludes most of his heartfelt exhortations.
Aidwyn looks towards the people listening to the fervorous follower of Torm. Asking herself if they are just farmers or maybe they look able to manage themselves in a fight. That village wasn't so different from her home, but maybe there they had some kind of militia that trained the townspeople to fight.
PbP Character: A few ;)
The hamlet of Rassalantar is defended by Waterdeep, which consists of a garrison of just over fifty guards, stationed in the barracks just off the road behind the Sleeping Dragon inn.
As Darvin may have told you in the past, however, the main task of this garrison is to keep the hamlet and the road safe... so, evidently, the soldiers do not venture into the swamp.
The group that has stopped to listen to the speaker are young, strong and robust (and perhaps eager for a bit of adventure), but they are from the common people - there are no guards among them. From their body language it seems that they are toying with the idea of forming a group and attempting what the preacher proposes, even if no one is actually organizing it yet. Perhaps from all this a concrete initiative will emerge... and perhaps not.
Meanwhile, Dawnborn has reached Aidwyn and puts a hand on her shoulder, sighing: "We're not thinking of joining them, are we? We came to reunite with our friends and explore the ruins, not to get involved in crusades in the middle of the swamps, if I well remember..."
"No no, what I am thinking about is to stop this nonsense. Look at them... they are young and capable but if they run against a monster in the swamp... they are going the get butchered..." she looks Dawnborn in the eye and hold her hands "Gods, you are so beautiful..." and gives her a tender, quick kiss in her lips "..but I have to try..." and smiles at her with an apologetic look in her eyes before turning towards the group.
"May the light of the Dawnfather shine upon you brother" she says stepping out and calling for the attention of the group "And all of you. I am afraid that I've only heard the end of your speech brother but I cannot help to wonder. What is in those swamps that troubles the village? "
PbP Character: A few ;)
Dawnborn returns the kiss of the heroine who gave her a new (and beautiful) life and smiles condescendingly while Aidwyn behaves... like a heroine, indeed, and tries to prevent well-intentioned but inexperienced people from taking risks they might not be prepared for.
The preacher in turn smiles as he turns to the holy warrior who called him 'brother': "Oh, what an honor, sister! It is good that the Dawnfather has directed your steps here! When Torm sent me to ask for this crusade, I imagined that he would personally protect the volunteers... but I see now that perhaps his plans were different. Perhaps he knew that my embassy would be heard by someone well prepared to answer it!"
"The swamps are populated by monsters, sister, everyone knows it..." Torm's envoy searches with his eyes those present and everyone immediately confirms:
"Without a shadow of a doubt".
"At night, terrifying noises can sometimes be heard!"
"Some poor wretch once followed some lights into the swamp and... who ever saw him again?"
"Sometimes monstrous shapes can be glimpsed at the edge of the swamp stinkling mists!"
"The guards don't see fit to concern themselves with this matter," the preacher sighs. "They have their orders. They must defend the town and the roads. And that's fine... But surely you understand, sister, that the swamp monsters, left free to proliferate, could one bad day gather in sufficient numbers to pose a threat - and suddenly descend on this little community, probably carrying out a massacre. That's why Torm inspired me to call a preventive crusade."
"And perhaps that's why the Dawnfather sent you here!" his fervent eyes look at the newcomer with admiration and hope "To do this, for us and for our safety! So that you venture into the swamps, at least in the part where they are closest to Rassalantar, decimating the monsters you encounter, as these brave citizens would have done on their own if you had not reached us!"
The eyes of all the others also turn in admiration to the heroine in imposing armor - a little worried instead seem the eyes of Dawnborn, as she studies Aidwyn's reaction...
Aidwyn studies the preacher. He certainly wears the symbol of Torm, and he had seized the opportunity to entangle Aidwyn in his little crusade using the faith.. and the warrior's idea was that they let the guards protect them in the event of an attack. Now she was trapped if not by her words to them, by their expectations and by her own desire to keep the townsfolk safe, even when she didn't believe that there were an actual danger coming from the inhabitants of the bog, but for the dangers of the swamp itself and perhaps any dangerous animal that could life there.
Can I get an insight check on that preacher? Rolled a 14.
"Well.. I... " she tris to put her thoughts in order but the expectant eyes of the youngest among the crowd, barely children. "I will take a look as soon as my other obligations in the village allows me to do so. But in the meantime, brother, you must ensure that this people remain here in the village, where it's safe. Only if I know that everyone is safe I could concentrate on searching this... monsters and find a solution. It's that ok with you?" she asks, not directly to the preacher, but to the crowd.
She can hear the resigned sigh at her back.
PbP Character: A few ;)
[[ OOC: "She can hear the resigned sigh at her back." Lol! ]]
Aidwyn gets the impression that the preacher may have hidden ulterior motives... Yes, sure, his speech about the danger of swamp monsters makes sense - and yet... Instinct (or perhaps the unconscious perception of some contradiction in his non-verbal communication, in his body language) suggests to the holy warrior to be wary.
"These are wise words," the preacher approaches, smiling and placing a hand on the heroine's shoulder. "We are all grateful to you and will do as you advised."
Even from the crowd come reassurances:
"Of course!"
"We will do so!"
"Thank you!"
"It is with greater serenity that I now return to my duties," Torm's envoy takes his leave, with relief "I feel it in your soul, that your spirit is that of a compassionate and strong protector", while the crowd compliments Aidwyn for a little longer before dispersing.
Roxana rides up a bit behind the rest of the group on Snowshine. She shakes her head slightly at Gaer's focus on Rubybreeze, but had grown to expect nothing less from the ranger and his pet. It had been a comfortable ride from Longsaddle, where she still spent the majority of her time. She had caught the end of the loud orator's speech. Or sermon. Or whatever it was. "Where did Aidwyn and Dawnborn go? They weren't responsible for ending that droning noise were they?" She starts to dismount from her horse, giving the horse a pat for her fine service in traveling here. "They didn't kill the poor man did they?" she says with a sarcastic grin.
The woman is much as she was before, dressed in leather armor and a rapier and some daggers at her belt. And of course, her short bow slung across her back.
"It's still early, but should we find lodgings for tonight? We could spend the day looking about the town of Rassalanter. See what we might learn about the keep. Then head out tomorrow?" she suggests.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue
Aidwyn replies to the townspeople nodding and saying things like "not at all" "for sure" "you're more welcome" as they pass.
When she and Dawnborn are coming back to the others she shares her thoughts on the preacher.
"I do not know Dawn " she says in low voice " I have a bad feeling about this. I cannot put my finger on it but that preacher character, I think he is hiding something. As soon as we can I would take a look at the bog and see what's really happening there.. If only Roxana were here..."
And as if her words had the power to materialize her friend, they turn a corner and see the ranger greeting the rest of their friends. Aidwyn goes to her with a wide smile in her face.
"My dear Roxana!! " she hugs her "It's so good to see you. How was your journey? "
PbP Character: A few ;)
Gaer playfully raises an eyebrow and smiles at Roxana's joke: "Aidwyn? Are you talking of the same heroine who had qualms about killing even devils, demons, and wild beasts of the Feywild? That wretched man would have to be the most evil and corrupt preacher ever to meet his death at her hands!"
"Still," he casually approaches, sliding an arm around her waist "the idea of spending a day on preliminary investigations is a good one... We have no reason to rush, it seems..."
Meanwhile, Dawnborn sighs, turning to Aidwyn: "I know, sweatheart... I knew from the moment you took the first step to meddle with me how it would end. But you did well to at least declare that you would go later... so, of course, we will take our friends with us. If there are threats the preacher omitted, we better go in good company."
After that, Aidwyn and Dawnborn rejoin the others, finding Roxana and Gaer along with Rash, Anita, Spira, Darvin, and Aedion.
Gaer steps away from Roxana for a moment, to allow Aidwyn to embrace her. Hearing her ask about the journey, he can't help but comment: "This is a good season for travel... Often mild wheather... Game easy to find... And the first flowers that appear can even give an illusion of peace to this often difficult and tormented world." But he then leaves any details to Roxana, who, after all, was the one asked directly.
"A devil is one thing, but an annoying preacher is way different!" Roxana replies, keeping up the jovial banter with Gaer. She embraces Aidwyn for a moment when she hugs her. "It is really good to see you again too." She gives Gaer a sidelong glance as he inserts his comments before continuing. "Yes, the journey really was rather easy. A bit of rain early on, but nothing too horrible. And I had a fabulous guide to point out all the new wildflowers popping up."
"But what is this about you accosting some preacher?" she asks, shifting the subject. "A preacher hiding something? And you want to us to head into the bog to investigate him? Is that where he lives?"
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue
Aidwyn hugs Gaer too, making a mess of his hair before answering to Roxana..
"Not exactly. You see that preacher was trying to raise some kind of... crusade towards the creatures of the bog. Townspeople talked about somethings weird, but you know the usual "I knew a guy who knows guy that said that once saw something" kind of stuff. Still... the preacher really wanted someone to go to the bog and exterminate, believe me he used that word, the inhabitants of the swamp. Felt kind of... off to me, as if he was hiding his true intentions. I offered myself volunteer to go to it and see if there are, indeed, any real threat to the village. After all they aren't warriors and most important, they lack the expertise of an excellent guide as yourselves... so before I got myself into a pool of quicksands... would you come with me? I said to them that I would go as soon as possible so there's no rush really. We could go and find a room for ourselves and a stable to our horses and then decide if we try the ruins or the bog first. " she turns to the rest "It's that ok with all?"
PbP Character: A few ;)