Ereworn Under The Shadow

Smiling Jack packs up some of the items to evenly distribute the weight of the haul.

Reg spends no more time in the Red Cap hole than is necessary. But he also doesn’t rush out. The digging, the examining all take time, then there was the logistics of hauling the items up and out of the well.  He has no need for a short rest at this time, but welcomes a few extra minutes if other need it  

Up top-side, he discusses with Caelan and any others how best to proceed back to return Clotha (if that is her desire).

”I’m no good at tracking, and have little clue of which direction to head. Sticking as close as possible to the path we took here would make the most sense to me. At least we are somewhat aware of what the dangers were to get here, we can plan on avoiding them. Won’t stop new dangers, but we might have a better chance of returning, especially with Clotha in tow.”

Smiling Jack nods in agreement with Reg.

Barn, still feeling the sting of his injuries (not having taken a Short Rest while helping Reg), but also feeling stronger and more... connected and empowered somehow, gathers as many of what seem to him to be the more valuable of the stolen items as fit in his pack, hoping to return them to their original owners.  Along with the strange Ring Mail of course, to try later the next time the group rests.  The coins and other treasures he leaves to his friends.

Once he ascends the well, the big man does not meet Clotha's eyes, recalling with shame the revulsion she had shown when he misunderstood her wishes.

Becoming more accustomed to his strange... abilities, Barn touches his own shoulder, giving himself a bit of the healing he had provided Smiling Jack earlier.  Then, gripping his halberd with a deep breath, the big man takes the lead, heading back the way Caelan, Jack or any others suggest.

Caelan nodded, " I can guide our way back the way we came.....but there were a number of dangerous things along that route......still, better the devil you know?"

" What happened down there? The young lady hasn't been overly forthcoming."

Clotha looked away, " So....your taking me home? Its alright....I'll be fine."

Smiling Jack answered Caelin, "Ned fought back....almost killed me, I was out... I believe Barn was almost dead as well."

"Ned w-was a... a story teller," Barn mumbles, adding to Smiling Jack's response.  "Doesn't m-make sense to me, b-but the story he settled on... w-was us f-fighting him to r-rescue Clotha.  Before th-that, he was calling her his bride...  But y-yeah.  He could have k-killed us.  Almost d-did."

Feeling the wounds in his torso sting with every stride in his chain mail, the big man takes the lead along with Caelan on the "devil you know" path home.

Quote from Damian_May >>

Caelan nodded, "What happened down there? The young lady hasn't been overly forthcoming."

Clotha looked away, " So....your taking me home? Its alright....I'll be fine."

As the group prepared to head back, Reg provides a recounting to Caelan as best he could, focusing more on the encounter before the fight.  Perhaps he elaborates more on Barn's part.  

"Goodfellow Ned had the idea that we were to play the part of heroes.  Like some of the tales of old I am sure you have heard of before.  He saw himself as the monster that carries the damsel away from her ordinary life after a plea for help or mercy.  The good soldier here (He motions to Barn) got the Fae's attention long enough that we were able to nearly convince him otherwise.  But alas, it went down I am afraid to say, nearly as he intended."  He takes a breath in wonder at what the other outcome could have been, but dwells not long on it.

The trapper address Clotha to clarify her desire and better help the group choose a course of action.  "Clotha, dear.  I can understand being upset about the way you look.  You aren't the first, and there are many tales that recount Fae tangling with people's appearances.  We have something (an artifact) that is supposedly magical.  As with all things from the tales of old, it only works in certain conditions.  Tonight, before we rest, we will fill a chalice with water.  If the story is true, it should turn the water into holy water.  Perhaps, if you believe, it will revert that which Ned has placed upon you."

"But even if it doesn't, if you have other ideas for how YOUR story unfolds, you should seek it out...look at Ardwynn for the inspiration you need."  

Clotha nodded to Reg, looking intrigued at the mention of the chalice.

As Reg prepares to tuck the shard away for the journey it catches the rays of the noon sun and there is a sudden flare of light from the shard.....

Shimmering before you is the hazy, translucent figure of a humanoid in a white robe, holding up his hands imploringly. The image seems fractured, somehow incomplete. All he can do is mouth the same three words, over and over. As you attempt to make them out they seem to be ‘Darian’, ‘Castle’ and ‘Crystal’.

OOC: Do we know where these places or people are at?

"I w-wonder," Barn stammers.  "Remember that leper we m-met when we first went into the w-wood from town?  He s-said he served some lord in a c-castle.  Fabian?  The leper g-gave us a g-gem and a parchment from Fabian.  Asking for h-help about s-something..."

The big man certainly does not remember the words on the parchment by heart, but he points to it (whoever has it).  It reads:

Fabian invites noble daring men:

Yesterday the other warriors eagerly rode
their horses ever nearer the hideous enemy: exhausted yet exalted,
men of undaunted trust, hall heroes against nameless
darkness, swords wielded over rising doom.

Barn shakes his head.  "Not that I know what that all m-means.  But I w-wonder if the guy in the crystal is... is Fabian.  Or an ally of h-his?  I'm g-guessing he is all right with n-noble and daring women as well as men too."  The big man thumps Ardwynn on the shoulder.

OOC what is the skill to figure it out?  

Investigation 9

insight 24

Intelligence 6

OOC Insight was a natural 20.

The rolls were to solve the written riddle.

Quote from Damian_May >>

As Reg prepares to tuck the shard away for the journey it catches the rays of the noon sun and there is a sudden flare of light from the shard.....

Shimmering before you is the hazy, translucent figure of a humanoid in a white robe, holding up his hands imploringly. The image seems fractured, somehow incomplete. All he can do is mouth the same three words, over and over. As you attempt to make them out they seem to be ‘Darian’, ‘Castle’ and ‘Crystal’.

Reg is a little startled by the sudden appearance of the image just as everyone else is as well. However, he has fewer questions than the others and does his best to explain what he knows about the figure and what he believes the words mean.

“The image is of Elvaron, archdruid of Ereworn before the sundering, counsel to the king. He ensorcelled a huge crystal and into it placed a reflection of himself, an echo that could remain behind and continue to pass on his knowledge to the people. The crystal was in the court of the castle.”

“But the ward fell and broke the crystal into three.  This is one of those parts, as I said earlier.”

”Darian must reference the Duke.”  The trapper looks to Barn, for confirmation.  “The castle most likely references Castle Ereworn, where the crystal was and where it needs to be re-installed to help end the blight upon the land. Better clarification will probably come if we can find the other parts.”

“The image cast in daylight is of Elvaron. We should be careful at night however. The tales say the rays of the full moon cast another image altogether.  While I believe when assembled, it will save Ereworn, in fragments I fear the Moon Gate might allow something more sinister to come through.”

The Recluse awkwardly shuffles waiting for further questions from the group. 

Smiling Jack looks toward Reg, "does that mean we need to run watches not only against what is outside our...bed fire, but from...from within as well?"

Quote from Character77006 >>

OOC what is the skill to figure it out?  

Investigation 9

insight 24

Intelligence 6

Smiling Jack is a little distracted by the strange image to put his full intellect behind puzzling it out but he does glean some meaning not of the poem itself but perhaps the thought behind it.

He knows from Regs words that the image is not Fabian, but he suspects the author of the poem was Fabian, especially based on the former lepers words.....he was still unsure exactly what it was Barn had done or how but he'd seen the dead walk and Reg summon fire from the air....so how things were done was becoming a much more fluid concept.

The language of the poem was wrong.......something about it.....words had been used where better words would have flowed more easily......like it had to be those particular words on the scroll to acheive what Fabian wanted the poem to achieve....perhaps the length, or number or letters......

It was a puzzle not a poem...of that he was certain.

Clotha stared at the image as it faded away, yet more tales and stories coming to life.....strange and fantastical things.....

She looked at the others, " Alright....no sense delaying.  Perhaps he won't want me anymore looking as strange as I do now?", she said hopefully.

The companions slowly make their way back to the southern bank of the river as they discuss, Caelan appears disquieted by the strange happenings quite outside his experience....he takes point nervously keeping an eye on the trees the bright sun overhead not allaying his fears.

After a little time they pass through the area where they fought the wolves and then step onto the river bank to find the boat where they left it.

....perhaps the length, or number or letters......

It was a puzzle not a poem...of that he was certain.

Smiling Jack blurts outs when they reach the boats, "that poem spells 'sword' when the last sword in the last line is read.  ...swords is s and w is welded and o is over and rd is rising doom.

And the beginning spells 'find'.  That is about as much as I came up with.    The middle was real confusing. Not sure if it means anything?"

Quote from kohlmetz_d >>

Quote from Damian_May >>

As Reg prepares to tuck the shard away for the journey it catches the rays of the noon sun and there is a sudden flare of light from the shard.....

Shimmering before you is the hazy, translucent figure of a humanoid in a white robe, holding up his hands imploringly. The image seems fractured, somehow incomplete. All he can do is mouth the same three words, over and over. As you attempt to make them out they seem to be ‘Darian’, ‘Castle’ and ‘Crystal’.

Reg is a little startled by the sudden appearance of the image just as everyone else is as well. However, he has fewer questions than the others and does his best to explain what he knows about the figure and what he believes the words mean.

“The image is of Elvaron, archdruid of Ereworn before the sundering, counsel to the king. He ensorcelled a huge crystal and into it placed a reflection of himself, an echo that could remain behind and continue to pass on his knowledge to the people. The crystal was in the court of the castle.”

“But the ward fell and broke the crystal into three.  This is one of those parts, as I said earlier.”

”Darian must reference the Duke.”  The trapper looks to Barn, for confirmation.  “The castle most likely references Castle Ereworn, where the crystal was and where it needs to be re-installed to help end the blight upon the land. Better clarification will probably come if we can find the other parts.”

“The image cast in daylight is of Elvaron. We should be careful at night however. The tales say the rays of the full moon cast another image altogether.  While I believe when assembled, it will save Ereworn, in fragments I fear the Moon Gate might allow something more sinister to come through.”

The Recluse awkwardly shuffles waiting for further questions from the group. 

Barn listens to Reg in wonder, soaking in the story of Archdruid Elvaron, Royal Concilor and his Crystal of Reflected Wisdom.  Though in truth, the last two days have taught the big man that stories could become real, and perhaps the other way around too.

Nevertheless, the his face darkens at the mention of Darian.  "Aye, the D-duke's the only Darian I know of...  Not that I've s-seen him.  Just his Riders."

Smiling Jack blurts outs when they reach the boats, "that poem spells 'sword' when the last sword in the last line is read.  ...swords is s and w is welded and o is over and rd is rising doom.

And the beginning spells 'find'.  That is about as much as I came up with.    The middle was real confusing. Not sure if it means anything?"

Barn then gapes at Smiling Jack as he attempts to decipher the poem, muttering the words out loud in an attempt to understand.

Fabian invites noble daring men:

Yesterday the other warriors eagerly rode
their horses ever nearer the hideous enemy: exhausted yet exalted,
men of undaunted trust, hall heroes against nameless
darkness, swords wielded over rising doom.

"Uhm... hmmm...find... m-my... tower... then... the... eye... mouth... h-hand... sword?"  Barn's strenuous, halting efforts are somewhat spoiled by his stutter.  The big man looks as if he's had to fight Ned all over again, wiping sweat from his brow as smoke almost emanates from his ears in the effort.