Paren has a sudden realization, if Tanni somehow has the presence in her then there is a good chance that Falaine does as well. "Try celestial. It's the language that the old gods seem to prefer. It seems that you two may have have been touched by the gods somehow so you should know it."
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Gronk in Bastion, Kingdom of Medrin Elixisysin Talaveroth (Team 2) Uthal in Lost Continent of Theviranne
Paren touches the cold stone and can feel the chill rush through his fingers, up his arm, and down his spine. He can see the magical energy from the obelisk charge through him for a split second before fading away. Left where his hand had touched the stone is a print void of light. Ever so slowly, that void fills as the magic continues to slowly expand around the obelisk.
Paren sees that...
The engraved words slowly seem to shift on the obelisk as your understanding of celestial is restored. This is clearly an obelisk dedicated to both Merveille and Lugh. The twisting words wrap the obelisk and run against each other making it seem very clear that they're two parts of the same. The very essence of life and death within this chamber fills you with a very strange sense of comfort and peace.
You look to the vaults and see the names followed by the titles Warden. You read the inscription and understand that these Wardens are surely some of the most important Warden's that Lugh has ever had. Though their names mean little to you, the large symbol of Lugh on each slab informs you of their importance and the sacred nature of this chamber.
Falaine looks around the room hoping that her statement is heard. There is no reply but she finds that the obelisk at the center of the room has returned to the black shimmering brightness it once held before the magic was dispelled. The soft hum lingers in the chamber as the magical energy lingers in the air. All of the others had touched the stone. She began to wonder what effect it had on them.
Falaine thought for a moment...
She dispelled the magic from the stone, but Tanni seems to have restored it. Paren and Jay seemed to have drawn from the magic of the stone when they touched it. Did they somehow take the power that Tanni had granted the stone? Why would Tanni have had that magic within her? If she had it, why didn't Paren have the same magic? Did something happen to him back with the shard? Was this same magic already within Falaine? Where did it come from? What would happen if she touched the stone now that it had its magic back?
Falaine, seeing her friends all succumbing to the pull off the stone will allow herself to give in to its pull. She'll walk up and place her hand on it. Her hand will shift into the grey featureless palm of a changeling as she reverts to her true form in the process of getting go of her hesitation.
"And again..." Jay says to himself, looking at his hand. As he does so, his hand begins to illuminate with a light that he was seemingly not expecting, illuminating the room again so they are no longer in the dark. "What is...?" He says, his tone faltering slightly for the first time, he lowers his hand so he stop blinding his eyes, the irises glittering gold. He then sees Falaine, changing to her natural form for the first time in his presence. He holds his illuminated hand up, the nails seems to slowly secrete a blackened substance. "Is this one of their tricks?" He asks, seemingly ready to cast something at her. "A spy and shapechanger for a rival party?"
Paren's yklwa spins out of the rest on his back and down with increadible speed, until the point rests in front of Jay's face. "Lower the hand, she's one of ours, much more than you are."
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Gronk in Bastion, Kingdom of Medrin Elixisysin Talaveroth (Team 2) Uthal in Lost Continent of Theviranne
"There is no need for violence. We have all been through much these past days, and I felt it fitting that if we are going to share this burden that I also share this secret. I am in the Duke's favor as well, so I would advise against assaulting me. You seem a man of logic, please, let things play out without rash reactions"
"An unannounced shapechanger sometimes requires immediate action." Jay tells the others."I would prefer that I do not have to resort to that." The acrid looking liquid seems to return into the nails, but the light continue to glimmer from his hand as he lowers it. "Deception does not suit your group. Does your lord in his lofty towers above here know of your true nature?" He tells the party bluntly as he keeps an eye on them, walking over to where his chest is and begins to chain it up again, placing the holy water back in, but keeping the manacles handy. "What is done here is done. If what has happened is what was needed then we can return."
As Falaine touches the stone, the group can see the magical energy begin to pool around her and as it did the others before. However, you watch as her hand matches that energy as the palm lays against the stone. The words engraved along the stone obelisk burn with and glowing light as the energy rises up the obelisk toward its point. The magical energy arcs from the top of the obelisk and across the stone ceiling. The tendrils of light and energy spread like lightning shooting across the sky.
The cracks in the stone walls around the room beam with a bright light that purges the darkness of the chamber. The bright white light contrasts heavily with the black stone obelisk at the center. The engravings on the wall beam with the same light.
Tanni can feel a sense of wonder as the magic filling the room engulfs her in a welcoming embrace that restores the blessing she had once received. The magic in the room turns to a visible sort of wisp on the air. The sound of shifting stone breaks the silence in this moment as the vaults slowly begin to open. Stepping out of the vaults are exceptional beings cloaked in the markings of Lugh. It would feel like you're in the presence of angels as each vault opens. Standing around the exterior of the room are now roughly twenty heavily armored and armed people of various races though most look to be rather mature. They show no signs of being undead or unnatural. Whatever magic had been in the place seems to have maintained them from the time they were placed here.
Paren would recognize the attire of the Wardens is not so different than what the man that trained him wore.
A voice in celestial seems to come from the stone.
"Children of Life and Death,The time for peace has ended. Find the artifacts. The Mother will be stopped. Cause no ill to the rest of the Family."
Falaine turns, recognising the phrase "Children of Life and Death" she turns to face the beings and holds her druidic focus forward. "Wardens of life, Shepherds of death, those before your would seek your blessing. Aide us in restoring balance, teach us of the artifacts, grant us the resolve of your station."
Paren spins his yklwa back into a resting position before bowing on one knee and reciting the words that Gareth had taught him to use when meeting other servants of Lugh. "I guard the forest until I return to her and I sense the same in you, let us stand Sentinel together."
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Gronk in Bastion, Kingdom of Medrin Elixisysin Talaveroth (Team 2) Uthal in Lost Continent of Theviranne
An elven man steps forward from the circle and addresses those gathered. He looks over the group with a keen eye before speaking in a very old dialect of common that you're able to understand without issue.
"There are four offerings. One from each of the new gods. They must be returned to the sanctuary to restore the balance. The shield of Camiela, the dagger of Aiden, the tome of Talos, and the necklace of Shamara. Each contains the power that made them gods. If the Mother hunts these offerings, she seeks to further her power and remove her limitations. These artifacts were stored in a sanctuary protected from the magic of the new gods the same this one has been. If things have grown dire enough to wake us, I'm afraid we don't have much time."
He looks to Falaine and says, "Do I know you? You look familiar." He seems puzzled for a moment but casts it aside.
He looks to Paren and shares the greeting before saying, "You must be the one to have summoned us. I'm glad to see that Lugh still has strong followers in his ranks. So long as the shrines hold, Shamara will not be able to enter the forests. We can gather our troops and resources there. She will most likely gather her acolytes at her shrine with Messenger Krusk. I don't know what she plans to do with her necklace, but it won't be good for the people of Holden Heights. We will worry about the other artifacts once she's contained."
Paren stands and stows his yklwa fully. "Forgive me but there is much to catch you up on. I do not know how long you have been resting but it seems things have changed. The followers of Lugh are few and far between these days. I know of only one other besides myself. The artifacts have been taken from their resting place and it seems that Aiden has recovered his dagger and I think Camiela has her shield. A battle of sorts took place in Holden Heights, we believe between Mervielle and the followers of Shamara, which lead to Messenger Krusk's death."
He then lowers his head, his face a mask of pain and disappointment. "And I'm sorry but I lost the Red Grove."
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Gronk in Bastion, Kingdom of Medrin Elixisysin Talaveroth (Team 2) Uthal in Lost Continent of Theviranne
Tanni curses and looks confused at the stone. "It, it absorbed something from me, but I'm not sure what. I was right, it's the property of the stone itself, not a spell of somekind that causes this."
Jay keeps his face passive, but feels some sort of hatred to what is happening. Are gods choosing him? He is not their pawn, his goals are for another... aren't they?
"You, elven creature." He speaks to the figure, gesturing with the glowing hand. He pauses as he looks to the hand, then goes back to addressing the elven man. "You came from beyond these portals, the network beyond. Tell us how to manage it. Perhaps if we have better knowledge of this our work may be made simpler."
The elf nods with understanding to Paren's statement. "This is all the more reason to make sure these offerings are returned. If Shamara is able to infiltrate our groves, she'll be able to connect to every place that we hold sacred. The Red Grove is just one of the many sacred sites but an important one. It is the closest to her power the first line of defense. With Krusk dead, she will have to find another to do her bidding. That will give us some time. If we can restore the grove, it should keep her away from the forest. "
He turns to Tanni and says, "The obelisks are how we connect to Lugh. He grants us our strength and fortitude from the stone so that we may protect the lives of many. That is why the shrines are so important and must be protected."
The elf looks at Jay with a rather strange look as he sizes him up. "I sense greatness in you,"he says seeming confused. "You mean these stones? They allow Wardens to share information quickly between the shrines. With the proper training, it allows Wardens to go to the Frozen Shrine when their time comes though the runes seems to be missing now from this place."
"So Shamara is behind this," Tanni mutters to herself. She then steps towards the elf challengingly. "One of our friends was stabbed to death by a person possessed by Mervielle with a stone shard from one of these obelisks," she gestures towards the monument, anger seeping into her voice, "And from what we heard, it was Shamara who stopped the shard from infecting him. If Shamara is behind this, why is it that every time something terrible happens, we find one of the younger gods as the aggressor."
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Falaine moves to where she can easily see everyone "Stay where you are, show yourself Merveil, Lugh, whichever. It is time we talked openly"
Persuasion: 17
Paren has a sudden realization, if Tanni somehow has the presence in her then there is a good chance that Falaine does as well. "Try celestial. It's the language that the old gods seem to prefer. It seems that you two may have have been touched by the gods somehow so you should know it."
Gronk in Bastion, Kingdom of Medrin Elixisys in Talaveroth (Team 2) Uthal in Lost Continent of Theviranne
Falaine repeats the statement in celestial.
Paren touches the cold stone and can feel the chill rush through his fingers, up his arm, and down his spine. He can see the magical energy from the obelisk charge through him for a split second before fading away. Left where his hand had touched the stone is a print void of light. Ever so slowly, that void fills as the magic continues to slowly expand around the obelisk.
Paren sees that...
The engraved words slowly seem to shift on the obelisk as your understanding of celestial is restored. This is clearly an obelisk dedicated to both Merveille and Lugh. The twisting words wrap the obelisk and run against each other making it seem very clear that they're two parts of the same. The very essence of life and death within this chamber fills you with a very strange sense of comfort and peace.
You look to the vaults and see the names followed by the titles Warden. You read the inscription and understand that these Wardens are surely some of the most important Warden's that Lugh has ever had. Though their names mean little to you, the large symbol of Lugh on each slab informs you of their importance and the sacred nature of this chamber.
Falaine looks around the room hoping that her statement is heard. There is no reply but she finds that the obelisk at the center of the room has returned to the black shimmering brightness it once held before the magic was dispelled. The soft hum lingers in the chamber as the magical energy lingers in the air. All of the others had touched the stone. She began to wonder what effect it had on them.
Falaine thought for a moment...
She dispelled the magic from the stone, but Tanni seems to have restored it. Paren and Jay seemed to have drawn from the magic of the stone when they touched it. Did they somehow take the power that Tanni had granted the stone? Why would Tanni have had that magic within her? If she had it, why didn't Paren have the same magic? Did something happen to him back with the shard? Was this same magic already within Falaine? Where did it come from? What would happen if she touched the stone now that it had its magic back?
Falaine, seeing her friends all succumbing to the pull off the stone will allow herself to give in to its pull. She'll walk up and place her hand on it. Her hand will shift into the grey featureless palm of a changeling as she reverts to her true form in the process of getting go of her hesitation.
"And again..." Jay says to himself, looking at his hand. As he does so, his hand begins to illuminate with a light that he was seemingly not expecting, illuminating the room again so they are no longer in the dark. "What is...?" He says, his tone faltering slightly for the first time, he lowers his hand so he stop blinding his eyes, the irises glittering gold. He then sees Falaine, changing to her natural form for the first time in his presence. He holds his illuminated hand up, the nails seems to slowly secrete a blackened substance. "Is this one of their tricks?" He asks, seemingly ready to cast something at her. "A spy and shapechanger for a rival party?"
Paren's yklwa spins out of the rest on his back and down with increadible speed, until the point rests in front of Jay's face. "Lower the hand, she's one of ours, much more than you are."
Gronk in Bastion, Kingdom of Medrin Elixisys in Talaveroth (Team 2) Uthal in Lost Continent of Theviranne
"There is no need for violence. We have all been through much these past days, and I felt it fitting that if we are going to share this burden that I also share this secret. I am in the Duke's favor as well, so I would advise against assaulting me. You seem a man of logic, please, let things play out without rash reactions"
"An unannounced shapechanger sometimes requires immediate action." Jay tells the others. "I would prefer that I do not have to resort to that." The acrid looking liquid seems to return into the nails, but the light continue to glimmer from his hand as he lowers it. "Deception does not suit your group. Does your lord in his lofty towers above here know of your true nature?" He tells the party bluntly as he keeps an eye on them, walking over to where his chest is and begins to chain it up again, placing the holy water back in, but keeping the manacles handy. "What is done here is done. If what has happened is what was needed then we can return."
"He does know. He appreciates what I am."
As Falaine touches the stone, the group can see the magical energy begin to pool around her and as it did the others before. However, you watch as her hand matches that energy as the palm lays against the stone. The words engraved along the stone obelisk burn with and glowing light as the energy rises up the obelisk toward its point. The magical energy arcs from the top of the obelisk and across the stone ceiling. The tendrils of light and energy spread like lightning shooting across the sky.
The cracks in the stone walls around the room beam with a bright light that purges the darkness of the chamber. The bright white light contrasts heavily with the black stone obelisk at the center. The engravings on the wall beam with the same light.
Tanni can feel a sense of wonder as the magic filling the room engulfs her in a welcoming embrace that restores the blessing she had once received. The magic in the room turns to a visible sort of wisp on the air. The sound of shifting stone breaks the silence in this moment as the vaults slowly begin to open. Stepping out of the vaults are exceptional beings cloaked in the markings of Lugh. It would feel like you're in the presence of angels as each vault opens. Standing around the exterior of the room are now roughly twenty heavily armored and armed people of various races though most look to be rather mature. They show no signs of being undead or unnatural. Whatever magic had been in the place seems to have maintained them from the time they were placed here.
Paren would recognize the attire of the Wardens is not so different than what the man that trained him wore.
A voice in celestial seems to come from the stone.
"Children of Life and Death,The time for peace has ended. Find the artifacts. The Mother will be stopped. Cause no ill to the rest of the Family."
What do you do?
Falaine turns, recognising the phrase "Children of Life and Death" she turns to face the beings and holds her druidic focus forward. "Wardens of life, Shepherds of death, those before your would seek your blessing. Aide us in restoring balance, teach us of the artifacts, grant us the resolve of your station."
Paren spins his yklwa back into a resting position before bowing on one knee and reciting the words that Gareth had taught him to use when meeting other servants of Lugh. "I guard the forest until I return to her and I sense the same in you, let us stand Sentinel together."
Gronk in Bastion, Kingdom of Medrin Elixisys in Talaveroth (Team 2) Uthal in Lost Continent of Theviranne
An elven man steps forward from the circle and addresses those gathered. He looks over the group with a keen eye before speaking in a very old dialect of common that you're able to understand without issue.
"There are four offerings. One from each of the new gods. They must be returned to the sanctuary to restore the balance. The shield of Camiela, the dagger of Aiden, the tome of Talos, and the necklace of Shamara. Each contains the power that made them gods. If the Mother hunts these offerings, she seeks to further her power and remove her limitations. These artifacts were stored in a sanctuary protected from the magic of the new gods the same this one has been. If things have grown dire enough to wake us, I'm afraid we don't have much time."
He looks to Falaine and says, "Do I know you? You look familiar." He seems puzzled for a moment but casts it aside.
He looks to Paren and shares the greeting before saying, "You must be the one to have summoned us. I'm glad to see that Lugh still has strong followers in his ranks. So long as the shrines hold, Shamara will not be able to enter the forests. We can gather our troops and resources there. She will most likely gather her acolytes at her shrine with Messenger Krusk. I don't know what she plans to do with her necklace, but it won't be good for the people of Holden Heights. We will worry about the other artifacts once she's contained."
Paren stands and stows his yklwa fully. "Forgive me but there is much to catch you up on. I do not know how long you have been resting but it seems things have changed. The followers of Lugh are few and far between these days. I know of only one other besides myself. The artifacts have been taken from their resting place and it seems that Aiden has recovered his dagger and I think Camiela has her shield. A battle of sorts took place in Holden Heights, we believe between Mervielle and the followers of Shamara, which lead to Messenger Krusk's death."
He then lowers his head, his face a mask of pain and disappointment. "And I'm sorry but I lost the Red Grove."
Gronk in Bastion, Kingdom of Medrin Elixisys in Talaveroth (Team 2) Uthal in Lost Continent of Theviranne
Tanni curses and looks confused at the stone. "It, it absorbed something from me, but I'm not sure what. I was right, it's the property of the stone itself, not a spell of somekind that causes this."
Jay keeps his face passive, but feels some sort of hatred to what is happening. Are gods choosing him? He is not their pawn, his goals are for another... aren't they?
"You, elven creature." He speaks to the figure, gesturing with the glowing hand. He pauses as he looks to the hand, then goes back to addressing the elven man. "You came from beyond these portals, the network beyond. Tell us how to manage it. Perhaps if we have better knowledge of this our work may be made simpler."
The elf nods with understanding to Paren's statement. "This is all the more reason to make sure these offerings are returned. If Shamara is able to infiltrate our groves, she'll be able to connect to every place that we hold sacred. The Red Grove is just one of the many sacred sites but an important one. It is the closest to her power the first line of defense. With Krusk dead, she will have to find another to do her bidding. That will give us some time. If we can restore the grove, it should keep her away from the forest. "
He turns to Tanni and says, "The obelisks are how we connect to Lugh. He grants us our strength and fortitude from the stone so that we may protect the lives of many. That is why the shrines are so important and must be protected."
The elf looks at Jay with a rather strange look as he sizes him up. "I sense greatness in you," he says seeming confused. "You mean these stones? They allow Wardens to share information quickly between the shrines. With the proper training, it allows Wardens to go to the Frozen Shrine when their time comes though the runes seems to be missing now from this place."
"So Shamara is behind this," Tanni mutters to herself. She then steps towards the elf challengingly. "One of our friends was stabbed to death by a person possessed by Mervielle with a stone shard from one of these obelisks," she gestures towards the monument, anger seeping into her voice, "And from what we heard, it was Shamara who stopped the shard from infecting him. If Shamara is behind this, why is it that every time something terrible happens, we find one of the younger gods as the aggressor."