"Uh, I guess the answer is this way?" She looks over her shoulder to address the party. "Be right back! You guys can get going if I take too long, I'll just catch up!"
"With all respect, dear,"Astrid begins, hoping down from her large boar, "but when you go off on your own bad things seem to follow." The dwarf waddles over to the tiefling's side. "Hope you don't mind the company."
Alaris completes their morning devotions and moves about the larger camp, making sure Ivan and Melina's family has enough food for the morning, and checking on the priors' carriage and the security of the artifact.
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Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
The morning sunlight through the carriage door sparkles invitingly on the relic's surface as Alaris peers in to check on their precious cargo. Outside, Piotr and Lena both appear to have a little more colour in their cheeks this morning and their parents' looks of gratitude towards Alaris speak a thousand words.
Énbarr leads Shiva and Astrid to a hillock topped with a circle of mushrooms. She trots inside, stamps a small patch of ashes in the center with her front hooves and tosses her head to indicate for Shiva to join her within the circle.
Shiva nods to Astrid as the dwarf joins her. "That's a good point, darling. I appreciate the concern and the company."
Once Énbarr motions for Shiva to join her in the circle, the tiefling once more looks to Astrid. "I'm pretty sure that this will be fine, but it may be best keep your guard up just in case." Stepping over the mushrooms, Shiva locks eyes with the nightmare at the center of the circle.
The hoof is red hot to the touch and withdrawn as soon as Shiva makes contact. Once her foot is back on the ground, Énbarr begins to sidestep, holding eye contact with Shiva as she strafes around the inside of the mushroom circle.
Shiva reflexively withdraws her hand, but never looks away from the glowing red eyes. As Énbarr moves around the circle, she shifts to keep herself facing the fiend.
As the pair revolve around the interior of the circle, the world outside blurs in Shiva's peripheral vision. Standing on the hill outside the circle, Astrid sees both slowly turn grey and translucent.
Astrid begins to nervously chew her lip as she watches the demon-horse perform its ritual. Her hand instinctively reaches for her holy symbol.
When the pair begin to slowly fade out, the cleric slowly begins to approach arm beginning to reach out toward Shiva. "Umm... I don't know about that, hon!" her voice still unsure despite Shiva's calm.
Shiva's voice sounds echoey and distant to Astrid as she speaks and finally the tiefling and her steed fade from view entirely. When the nightmare stops turning, Shiva finds herself standing atop a similar mound, but the rolling hills are a verdant emerald green, rather than the flaxen grey of the grasslands in the Gap of Hirn that she knows. Slowly, Énbarr begins to step towards Shiva, until they are standing close enough that the nightmare can rest her hoof against her would-be mistress's chest. She presses into the tiefling, the scorching foot guiding Shiva down onto her back. Énbarr holds her gaze from start to finish.
Shiva quickly takes in the new details of her surroundings, recognizing what has happened. "Damn, not again." When Énbarr's burning hoof pushes her into the grass, she does her best to remain unphased. Looking deeply into the fire of the horse's eyes, she summons her Infernal, speaking calmly yet sternly.
"I trust you to know what awaits you should you truly harm me."
Astrid stands unmoving for a moment as they blink from sight. An wave hits her and goes into motion. She steps into the circle, looking around frantically. "I-I thought... No... NoNoNoNo!"
She flicks a finger across the face of the timepiece around her neck. "Alaris! Caio! Come quick!" Her voice much louder than typical, given power by her god.
Silently, Énbarr continues to press her hoof into Shiva's chest, directly over the tiefling's heart. Pain flashes sharp and brilliant white and then the nightmare steps away.
Hear me now, an imperious voice demands in Shiva's mind. I have marked you that I may hear your call. I will hunt now in these lands, away from you and your herd. Without sustenance my strength wanes.
"Goddess in Glory! SHIVA!" Alaris shouts as they reach for Zadkiel's saddlehorn and pull themselves up. They pause to offer Caio a hand to pull himself up before riding hard in the direction of the dwarf's alarmed voice.
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Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Shiva grunts as she endures the pain of the nightmare's mark. The voice that follows surprises her, and she appraises Énbarr with new eyes after hearing her voice for the first time. "I understand, I want you strong. How can I return to my herd from here?"
"Ah, got ya. All this travel between planes is still new to me. Good Hunting, Énbarr." After running a hand through Énbarr's mane, Shiva steps back into the circle of mushrooms expectantly.
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"Uh, I guess the answer is this way?" She looks over her shoulder to address the party. "Be right back! You guys can get going if I take too long, I'll just catch up!"
"With all respect, dear," Astrid begins, hoping down from her large boar, "but when you go off on your own bad things seem to follow." The dwarf waddles over to the tiefling's side. "Hope you don't mind the company."
Alaris completes their morning devotions and moves about the larger camp, making sure Ivan and Melina's family has enough food for the morning, and checking on the priors' carriage and the security of the artifact.
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
The morning sunlight through the carriage door sparkles invitingly on the relic's surface as Alaris peers in to check on their precious cargo. Outside, Piotr and Lena both appear to have a little more colour in their cheeks this morning and their parents' looks of gratitude towards Alaris speak a thousand words.
Énbarr leads Shiva and Astrid to a hillock topped with a circle of mushrooms. She trots inside, stamps a small patch of ashes in the center with her front hooves and tosses her head to indicate for Shiva to join her within the circle.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Shiva nods to Astrid as the dwarf joins her. "That's a good point, darling. I appreciate the concern and the company."
Once Énbarr motions for Shiva to join her in the circle, the tiefling once more looks to Astrid. "I'm pretty sure that this will be fine, but it may be best keep your guard up just in case." Stepping over the mushrooms, Shiva locks eyes with the nightmare at the center of the circle.
Ènbarr raises one of her front legs hoof first towards Shiva, red eyes staring deep into the tiefling's own.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Shiva reciprocates the gesture, reaching out and taking the hoof in her right hand.
The hoof is red hot to the touch and withdrawn as soon as Shiva makes contact. Once her foot is back on the ground, Énbarr begins to sidestep, holding eye contact with Shiva as she strafes around the inside of the mushroom circle.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Shiva reflexively withdraws her hand, but never looks away from the glowing red eyes. As Énbarr moves around the circle, she shifts to keep herself facing the fiend.
As the pair revolve around the interior of the circle, the world outside blurs in Shiva's peripheral vision. Standing on the hill outside the circle, Astrid sees both slowly turn grey and translucent.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Unsure of what is coming next, Shiva braces for anything. "I'm still ok, Astrid!"
Astrid begins to nervously chew her lip as she watches the demon-horse perform its ritual. Her hand instinctively reaches for her holy symbol.
When the pair begin to slowly fade out, the cleric slowly begins to approach arm beginning to reach out toward Shiva. "Umm... I don't know about that, hon!" her voice still unsure despite Shiva's calm.
Shiva's voice sounds echoey and distant to Astrid as she speaks and finally the tiefling and her steed fade from view entirely. When the nightmare stops turning, Shiva finds herself standing atop a similar mound, but the rolling hills are a verdant emerald green, rather than the flaxen grey of the grasslands in the Gap of Hirn that she knows. Slowly, Énbarr begins to step towards Shiva, until they are standing close enough that the nightmare can rest her hoof against her would-be mistress's chest. She presses into the tiefling, the scorching foot guiding Shiva down onto her back. Énbarr holds her gaze from start to finish.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Shiva quickly takes in the new details of her surroundings, recognizing what has happened. "Damn, not again." When Énbarr's burning hoof pushes her into the grass, she does her best to remain unphased. Looking deeply into the fire of the horse's eyes, she summons her Infernal, speaking calmly yet sternly.
"I trust you to know what awaits you should you truly harm me."
Astrid stands unmoving for a moment as they blink from sight. An wave hits her and goes into motion. She steps into the circle, looking around frantically. "I-I thought... No... NoNoNoNo!"
She flicks a finger across the face of the timepiece around her neck. "Alaris! Caio! Come quick!" Her voice much louder than typical, given power by her god.
Silently, Énbarr continues to press her hoof into Shiva's chest, directly over the tiefling's heart. Pain flashes sharp and brilliant white and then the nightmare steps away.
Hear me now, an imperious voice demands in Shiva's mind. I have marked you that I may hear your call. I will hunt now in these lands, away from you and your herd. Without sustenance my strength wanes.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
"Goddess in Glory! SHIVA!" Alaris shouts as they reach for Zadkiel's saddlehorn and pull themselves up. They pause to offer Caio a hand to pull himself up before riding hard in the direction of the dwarf's alarmed voice.
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Shiva grunts as she endures the pain of the nightmare's mark. The voice that follows surprises her, and she appraises Énbarr with new eyes after hearing her voice for the first time. "I understand, I want you strong. How can I return to my herd from here?"
Énbarr paces in a circle around Shiva and whinnies in what sounds like amusement.
An open gate can be stepped through in either direction.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
"Ah, got ya. All this travel between planes is still new to me. Good Hunting, Énbarr." After running a hand through Énbarr's mane, Shiva steps back into the circle of mushrooms expectantly.