The Long Road of the Mage King (Game Thread)

"Well, I have been looking for you nearly since you all left... then just recently I heard a loud commotion... I saw what had to be some of your handy work and figured you all would head toward here. What's going on? What do you all need help with?"

Feytok will look in the direction of the child and nod.

Gentoa walks over to Gash, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

"Genny..." Neventi, her mother, says.

The little girl turns to her mother. "Ribbit?"

This draws a muffled laugh from Nev. "Sorry," she says to Gash. "She is very interested in animals right now."

"Ribbit ribbit!" she says and starts hopping around everyone with far too much energy for this time of night.

"Oh, boy," Nev says. "She is definitely overtired."

Gash chuckles, "Yes, yes, ribbit indeed. I'm Gregory young one, nice to meet you." He looks up at the mother, "Quite alright. Honestly, its one of the better reactions people have to people like me."

"I wish we knew for sure that this place was truly safe from the fiends and the angels, and that we could have some way to conceal ourselves so they cannot find us," Dog says, looking around in the darkness. "I wonder if those symbols can tell us anything," he says, walking over to the stonework in the tower, and then the statues by the fountain. (13 +4 for arcana, +2 for religion/history)

He'll also do another look around to ensure there's no sign of approaching/observing angels, devils, or druids (perception 5). If he finds nothing, he will head to the belltower:

"Either way, we are all totally exhausted and need sleep," he says, with a sly look at Genny. "Why don't we camp out in the footprint of that belltower, and even if there's no consecration to ward off anything, the wall will still provide some cover. We can take shifts to keep watch - I'll go after FeyTok. Gash, it's good to see familiar faces, and we would love to have you. I'm rambling on and on so much my jaw is sore, so I'm going to sleep."

(Ooc: do the symbols look like a written language?)

"You all should sleep, I'm well, tired, but well. I will take watch for as long as you all need."

Gash will settle down and start up some rituals. He will start by casting and get an owl (since I’m guessing it’s night?) to start aiding in watch, then if its a written language, he will cast comprehend languages, finally probably after everyone wakes, detect magic.

Gash saves his spell, noting that the symbols do not denote a language. Dog definitely can tell that they are magical in nature, though, and that they are marks of defense and not offense. As Dog and Gash take an interest in the symbols engraved in the stones making up the wall and floor of the old bell tower, Gentoa comes over to look at them as well, copying Doggear by bending over to peer at them and getting onto her hands and knees and tracing her finger along them. In doing so, the symbols glow a golden hue, the glow spreading from symbol to symbol, along the floor and up the partial wall, climbing into the air and tracing symbols long absent where the walls of the bell tower once stood. The glowing symbols trace a path down the buried steps, lighting up the old copper bell, green and half-buried, and all the way down to the fountain. The little girl giggles as she watches the magical runes light up, then slowly fade.

"Again!" she says, but no amount of tracing the runes causes them to light up as before. She starts to cry and runs to her mother.

"Darling," Nev says. "That was an amazing trick. Maybe it will work again in the morning."

Before Dog can settle himself down to sleep, Gentoa is snoozing soundly in her mother's lap.

Feytok will approach Gash, "wake me for a watch when you need rest" and he will go take a needed nap.

"Traveler's Blessings upon you, old friends" declares Lucien in his thick foreign accent. Steeping out from the shadows and casting cure wounds on Tock ( 8 ). "I received guidance that you were in need, so here I have waited" Stepping in to the light Lucien knows his obvious hellish heritage might cause the new comers some alarm, he approaches slowly, arms outstretched in a sign of peace. Wearing purple robes in the traditional fashion of his people, with a sleeveless vest showing the bare, dusky grey skin of his arms and chest, a dark cloak draped down his back, and a long scarf wrapped loosely around his neck and top of his head, revealing his obsidian eyes and the smile on his face at returning to the only friends he has known.

Dog is drowsily trying to keep up with all the comings and goings, and before he drifts off to sleep, sitting up against the broken wall, he sees Lucien, and for a moment he thinks "well, the devils have found us yet again," but is too tired to do anything more than limply go for his sword.

His eyes focus briefly, sees the peaceful affect of the tiefling, and recognizes him. He throws a hand up to greet him and is asleep before it falls back down to his lap.

Neventi all but jumps up, dumping her child on the floor. She manages to keep composed, eyes wide as Lucien makes himself known.

"Have the demons found us?" she says, nervously stroking her daughter's hair.

But when he heals Tock, she relaxes slightly, still staying aware of any possible threat. "Who are you?"

Tock says, "Thank you, kind stranger." (Tock would watch Lucien for a bit to try to learn his motives (insight check: 18) ). "In need we are, but were also guided on where our path leads on the morn?"

(OOC: we know Lucien from the circus, right?)

"I am no demon m'lady, just blessed with these good looks. Nor am I stranger little Tock, this is not the first time i have healed your wounds. How fares Mr. Crowley and the rest of the circus?" 

(Yes, Lucien traveled with the circus for a time, offering his services.)

Nev relaxes further. "You know each other?" she says. "We could certainly use more friends, especially with Tyrol leaving us. I am Neventi and this is my daughter, Gentoa. We appear to be in the center of a power struggle between the heavens and the hells." She sighs and then hesitates to go on. In the end, she decides to be forthcoming. "My little girl is daughter to the god Milil. Her heritage is a blessing but, lately, also a curse. We sought refuge with the King's army, but they have already moved on. So we came here, seeking refuge in a holy place..." She trails off, uncertainty of her future stealing the rest of her words.

"I am no child of a god, but I understand a cursed heritage". Bending down to one knee and smiling at Gentoa , "The Traveler says I must come here to help protect his niece, and I assuming this adorable little angel must be her. Though I am very confused as to why a stag is traveling with you all as well, a new addition to the circus?"

Stirring still trying to sleep Feytok speaks up. "You've not seen this either?  Druid thing apparently,  pretty useful. "

Eventually, Keyrie reverts to her normal form and she and Lucien reconnect.

Sleep falls on the travelers. It only lasts for 3 hours, however. As (1) Lucien is watching over the sleeping travelers, a rumbling noise, followed by loud thumps sounds from down the half-buried steps. Coming up the steps with large, clomping steps, are four statues. One is bound in torn vines. Another two are covered in varying amounts of moss. The fourth is missing a portion of its face. The four statues wake up Nev and everyone else, except Gentoa who is deeply asleep next to her mother. The statues take a position to the north, south, east, and west of  the travelers. They draw their short swords but leave them lowered. The statue to the east, the one with the broken face, points down the stairs.

Dog is up in a flash, hand on his sword but not drawing it. He looks down the stairs, trying to see what the statues mean. He asks if they can understand him, and if they give no clear answer he will suggest some of them check the stairs.

Lucien is on his feet as soon as the statues approach, also trying to peer down the stares. Saying a quick prayer “Traveler guide us, I know you like surprises, but this seems like a bad time”