Nodding his head to Kierro, Sylcan replied, "That's fine. My name is Sylcan, and she is Vilana." Turning to Mylene, Sylcan grinned. "That was quite a speech you gave yesterday. Do you truly believe in what you said?"
”Of course,” she says, adding a musical tilt to her voice where it rises and falls as she speaks, as if along to a song only she can hear. “The truth is a powerful and valuable thing, yes? I see no reason to deny what I am or what has been done to me out of fear. I don’t believe in maintaining vulnerability. Living with a secret like that out of fear of being taken advantage of would be just that.”
She eyes them both up and down, and performs a small curtesy, highlighting that yesterday she wore borrowed peasant’s clothes, while today it is a fine dress complete with a bow, stockings, lace, and heeled shoes, as if heading to a formal event. Her more fashionable thigh length boots, more practical for travel on foot, currently reside in Walter’s pack.
“Sylcan, Vilana, it’s a pleasure to meet you both. Now, were the two of you also ‘Erased,’ as some have taken to calling it? What do you remember of it? Where did you awaken and in what condition? Any items with a pull of familiarity, filled with memories restored by a touch?” She lays it all out extremely openly, unafraid and unashamed, though likely still angry, though that isn’t a proper emotion to expose in such a forum, Mylene reminds herself.
Amused a bit by the statement Mylene made, Sylcan replied. "Sure, the truth is powerful. So is a lie, if used correctly." Nodding a bit afterwards, he continued. "But you're right - there's no reason for one to deny one's self." Musing a bit to himself, he said, "Erased... While I see the reason, it's a bit boring. Then again, it's not like I have a better idea. Ah, but to answer your question, I awoke in some ruins nearby, without clothing or memory. These boots are what were calling to me," pointing to his boots, "which I took from a dead man. It's not like he was planning on using them." Pausing for a moment, he continued once more. "I'll assume since you asked about memories, you can deduce the same happened to me." Narrowing his eyes a bit, still wearing a slight grin, nearly sarcastic, he asked, "What about yourself? You seem to have gotten your hands on some clothes you didn't have previously - and something tells me you didn't purchase them here."
”There are occasions where one has to dissemble and obfuscate for tactical reasons, certainly, but truth is power. My experience was similar enough. I woke up in the forest outside town yesterday without memories or clothing, and since then I’ve allied myself with some local power brokers, who I have an arrangement with that is mutually beneficial,” Mylene says, explaining her clothing and equipment acquisitions. “I had the same experience with these bracers as you did those boots. I was certain they belonged to me, and I’m touching them I reclaimed both an item that was mine once, as well as what I believe to be a memory. And what of you, Vilana?”
As a brief sidebar to that, she adds, “Erased is terrible, as a term for this, I agree. We’re not erased entirely, though it seems someone tried to make it so. We have understandings and even personality traits and preferences that only come from being shaped by life experience, but no connection with the actual experiences that shaped us. I don’t suppose the common folk remember what first taught them to be what they are, be it meek or bold, and so on, but they at least recall personal history. Absent that we can only rely on certainty of self. It takes a special person to endure that and still thrive.” She leaves it with a dazzling smile, implying she is very much thriving.
She slightly lowered her head in admission, when Sylcan introduced them both. She smiled to Kierro, nodded but then turn her eyes at Mylene, studying her new clothes - good quality, true, but the colours are all wrong, what good is the bright colour for if you need to hide? Vilana strongly preferred plane black. Something else was a miss, but she could not quite put her finger on it... Finally she spoke:
"From your speech yesterday I did not picture you as someone, who would simply accept someone elses word - whether a term or a statement. But I could be wrong, of course." She smiled and dropped the high speech: "I am not "erased"" She glanced at Sylcan: "Would not call you one either. But that's not the point. You are too obsessed with details and missing the picture. Place could matter - that town (some magic went wrong?), the rest is unimportant. Sylcan here met two people that he, it seems, knew before and was friendly with - both don't care a bit about it. Nobody knows us here, people we knew prefer to forget - I say, we have a fresh start. Do not know about you, but I think I'll take that chance". She looked around: "Not here, though."
"Sylcan, still in the mood for a walk? After we see what's on the east, of course?"
Once you have relived your memory of Honor you come back to yourself kneeling over the chest. Looking inside you realize there is much more inside than just the cloak, which is what you have discovered the item you first touched to be. You sense something about some of the items, a sensation of familiarity, not a pull, like the cloak had been, but a sameness to the cloak. As if they have the same effect the cloak had on you, but you don't know what that might mean. Regardless you go through the chest. There is a wand, a small box with two lenses in it, bracers with archery designs on them, a set of boots, and a small pouch. These items give off that same 'sameness' feel. Also in the chest you find a set of chainmail, rusty but serviceable, scraps of rotted away cloth, and some coins. There is 39 GP in coin in the chest.
Once done you look around and spot a door along one wall, that must lead somewhere other than here.
((I'll just mark the wand/bracers/lenses/boots in my inv as extra, since I'm not sure what they are exactly. What kind of pouch? Empty for coins? Or component? Or other?))
Leto puts the clothing and cloak on, feeling better having some cover over his body. Looking around the room, and seeing no backpack, but not wanting to leave things behind when he had nothing, and still knows nothing of where he came, he puts on the bracers, boots, and chainmail, though all are uncomfortable, at least they are his. The wand and lenses he puts into a pocket, goes to the door and peers out to see if anyone, or anything, is around. perception 10
Leto...
The bag is a bag of holding. When you put the boots on you find your steps oddly silent (boots of elvenkind). The rest of the stuff you will need to do a short rest to identify.
As you open the door you find it leads out onto an old sewer system. One way leads to light, the other into darkness. You sense something in the darkness though, not like your cloak and ring, but like the other things you currently have about your person. Like to the items that pulled you, but as if meant for someone else. Which way do you go?
”Let’s see... me, you, Naivara, Latrius, Honor, Tessa, that’s six.” Kierro says. He looks to Walter and Higgul. “I- I don’t think I talked to either of you. And...” Kierro looks toward Sylcan and Vilana. “I don’t think I’ve formally met you two, either. I remember seeing you earlier yesterday; apologies to you four for not introducing myself.”
Walt
Walter shrugs. "I am just with the lady here, not part of these erased as she has aptly named you all."
Higgul nods to Kierro in greeting. "I think fighting the hobgoblins together was enough of a greeting yesterday." He says with a grin for Kierro. "I met Honor in the woods when she first appeared, but, no, I am not one of those who have lost their memories."
After greeting everyone else on the main street, and a few checking in with the Lionshield coster, and buying supplies as needed, you move towards the Eastern road. Are you all traveling together, or do some of you plan to scout, some to travel apart, what is the marching order?
The bag is a bag of holding. When you put the boots on you find your steps oddly silent (boots of elvenkind). The rest of the stuff you will need to do a short rest to identify.
As you open the door you find it leads out onto an old sewer system. One way leads to light, the other into darkness. You sense something in the darkness though, not like your cloak and ring, but like the other things you currently have about your person. Like to the items that pulled you, but as if meant for someone else. Which way do you go?
Leto hesitates, looking back and forth for a solid minute trying to decide which way to go... The light seems the way out... but the pull of clearly powerful items, which may be meant for someone else, but can be his, is stronger. He also feels as if searching for this type of item is something he used to do... and he heads to the dark. Trying to stay quiet (the boots helping, but the chainmail making noise seem to cancel each other out 21, and keeping his eyes and ears out for the sounds of other life 20
Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
Currently DMing: Princes of the Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss, Coliseum of Conquest—The Arena (Sometimes)
Tessa is feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of the excitement and chatter going on. All of the excitement is heightening her anxiety and mania. Recognizing this, she volunteers to scout ahead. It will also put some distance between herself and the controlling human female. Tessa finds her attempts to enforce her will and bring order to the group threatening. Tessa says, "I would feel more comfortable if we have eyes ahead to scout out any potential threats. I'll volunteer to scout ahead."
Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
Currently DMing: Princes of the Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss, Coliseum of Conquest—The Arena (Sometimes)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Honor
Honor would stay in the middle of the pack, casually chatting with the others, while doing her best to ignore Mylene, except to correct any obvious mistruths she catches. She'd also occasionally look back behind them, to make sure no one untoward is following them. Perception: 10
The bag is a bag of holding. When you put the boots on you find your steps oddly silent (boots of elvenkind). The rest of the stuff you will need to do a short rest to identify.
As you open the door you find it leads out onto an old sewer system. One way leads to light, the other into darkness. You sense something in the darkness though, not like your cloak and ring, but like the other things you currently have about your person. Like to the items that pulled you, but as if meant for someone else. Which way do you go?
Leto hesitates, looking back and forth for a solid minute trying to decide which way to go... The light seems the way out... but the pull of clearly powerful items, which may be meant for someone else, but can be his, is stronger. He also feels as if searching for this type of item is something he used to do... and he heads to the dark. Trying to stay quiet (the boots helping, but the chainmail making noise seem to cancel each other out 21, and keeping his eyes and ears out for the sounds of other life 20
Moving further into darkness, though your eyes are easily able to pierce the dark, you find a broken down doorway, some ancient defensive fallback area by your guess. Passing through the opening, you find a hallway with arrow slits on either side, though nothing moves behind those slits now. One of the pulls is from behind those slits, to your left, while the other is from further ahead. Seeing no way into the area behind the arrow slits, you continue forward, passing another broken and battered doorway. This next room is a bit larger, filled with cobwebs and rubble, only rodents having been here in a good long time. An opening leads back behind both arrow slits, while a rotted door hangs off its hinges further ahead. You sense something back in one of the arrow slits, and something else beyond the rotten door. Which do you check out first?
She slightly lowered her head in admission, when Sylcan introduced them both. She smiled to Kierro, nodded but then turn her eyes at Mylene, studying her new clothes - good quality, true, but the colours are all wrong, what good is the bright colour for if you need to hide? Vilana strongly preferred plane black. Something else was a miss, but she could not quite put her finger on it... Finally she spoke:
"From your speech yesterday I did not picture you as someone, who would simply accept someone elses word - whether a term or a statement. But I could be wrong, of course." She smiled and dropped the high speech: "I am not "erased"" She glanced at Sylcan: "Would not call you one either. But that's not the point. You are too obsessed with details and missing the picture. Place could matter - that town (some magic went wrong?), the rest is unimportant. Sylcan here met two people that he, it seems, knew before and was friendly with - both don't care a bit about it. Nobody knows us here, people we knew prefer to forget - I say, we have a fresh start. Do not know about you, but I think I'll take that chance". She looked around: "Not here, though."
"Sylcan, still in the mood for a walk? After we see what's on the east, of course?"
Mylene - Vilana
”You note ‘we’ so I assume you are one of us, someone who had the same experience,” Mylene says. “Interesting how you would want to abandon the past and consider all of this as a ‘fresh start’ as if you have something to run from, a past you would rather forget. My own reaction was the opposite - that something was stolen from me. I have a past I want to reclaim. This tells me that we aren’t truly ‘Erased,’ we evidently retain enough of our original selves to know if our pasts were a thing to be treasured, or a thing to flee from. Interesting. You didn’t provide much in the way of specifics, however. Where did you awaken? And what item, if any, did you touch, and what vision did it inspire?”
Good thing about talking is it can be done on the go. "As I said, I do not think details are matter anyhow. Do not know if I had something worth to run from or to in the past either. Call yourself "erased" if you want, I would prefer "re-born". My life is my own. I am not abandoning anyone, just saying even those clearly bound before do not rush to restore those bonds. And they might be right - new life, new sympathies".
"I've got my skills and a good partner if he wants to work together," she gave a smile to Sylcan, "any big city can provide the rest. Including some clues about lost memories. Take what you can, I say. Right now it seems like we can find a bit more about ourselves and we can go from there."
Sylcan Naïlo:
Nodding his head to Kierro, Sylcan replied, "That's fine. My name is Sylcan, and she is Vilana." Turning to Mylene, Sylcan grinned. "That was quite a speech you gave yesterday. Do you truly believe in what you said?"
Sylcan Naïlo - Eladrin Blood Hunter - DragonDenn's Dragonlords | Althaea Sylvaranth - Wood Elf Druid - JorvikDave's Storm King's Thunder | Ekane - Half-orc Warlock - Murk Over Gladerown | Aoth Meliamne - Aasimar Sorcerer - WoobyDoobyDoo's Vraleon
I also DM RemCultist's Frozen Sick
Mylene - Sylcan
”Of course,” she says, adding a musical tilt to her voice where it rises and falls as she speaks, as if along to a song only she can hear. “The truth is a powerful and valuable thing, yes? I see no reason to deny what I am or what has been done to me out of fear. I don’t believe in maintaining vulnerability. Living with a secret like that out of fear of being taken advantage of would be just that.”
She eyes them both up and down, and performs a small curtesy, highlighting that yesterday she wore borrowed peasant’s clothes, while today it is a fine dress complete with a bow, stockings, lace, and heeled shoes, as if heading to a formal event. Her more fashionable thigh length boots, more practical for travel on foot, currently reside in Walter’s pack.
“Sylcan, Vilana, it’s a pleasure to meet you both. Now, were the two of you also ‘Erased,’ as some have taken to calling it? What do you remember of it? Where did you awaken and in what condition? Any items with a pull of familiarity, filled with memories restored by a touch?” She lays it all out extremely openly, unafraid and unashamed, though likely still angry, though that isn’t a proper emotion to expose in such a forum, Mylene reminds herself.
Sylcan Naïlo: (To Mylene and Vilana)
Amused a bit by the statement Mylene made, Sylcan replied. "Sure, the truth is powerful. So is a lie, if used correctly." Nodding a bit afterwards, he continued. "But you're right - there's no reason for one to deny one's self." Musing a bit to himself, he said, "Erased... While I see the reason, it's a bit boring. Then again, it's not like I have a better idea. Ah, but to answer your question, I awoke in some ruins nearby, without clothing or memory. These boots are what were calling to me," pointing to his boots, "which I took from a dead man. It's not like he was planning on using them." Pausing for a moment, he continued once more. "I'll assume since you asked about memories, you can deduce the same happened to me." Narrowing his eyes a bit, still wearing a slight grin, nearly sarcastic, he asked, "What about yourself? You seem to have gotten your hands on some clothes you didn't have previously - and something tells me you didn't purchase them here."
(Insight check: 9)
Sylcan Naïlo - Eladrin Blood Hunter - DragonDenn's Dragonlords | Althaea Sylvaranth - Wood Elf Druid - JorvikDave's Storm King's Thunder | Ekane - Half-orc Warlock - Murk Over Gladerown | Aoth Meliamne - Aasimar Sorcerer - WoobyDoobyDoo's Vraleon
I also DM RemCultist's Frozen Sick
Mylene - Sylcan - Vilana
”There are occasions where one has to dissemble and obfuscate for tactical reasons, certainly, but truth is power. My experience was similar enough. I woke up in the forest outside town yesterday without memories or clothing, and since then I’ve allied myself with some local power brokers, who I have an arrangement with that is mutually beneficial,” Mylene says, explaining her clothing and equipment acquisitions. “I had the same experience with these bracers as you did those boots. I was certain they belonged to me, and I’m touching them I reclaimed both an item that was mine once, as well as what I believe to be a memory. And what of you, Vilana?”
As a brief sidebar to that, she adds, “Erased is terrible, as a term for this, I agree. We’re not erased entirely, though it seems someone tried to make it so. We have understandings and even personality traits and preferences that only come from being shaped by life experience, but no connection with the actual experiences that shaped us. I don’t suppose the common folk remember what first taught them to be what they are, be it meek or bold, and so on, but they at least recall personal history. Absent that we can only rely on certainty of self. It takes a special person to endure that and still thrive.” She leaves it with a dazzling smile, implying she is very much thriving.
She slightly lowered her head in admission, when Sylcan introduced them both. She smiled to Kierro, nodded but then turn her eyes at Mylene, studying her new clothes - good quality, true, but the colours are all wrong, what good is the bright colour for if you need to hide? Vilana strongly preferred plane black. Something else was a miss, but she could not quite put her finger on it... Finally she spoke:
"From your speech yesterday I did not picture you as someone, who would simply accept someone elses word - whether a term or a statement. But I could be wrong, of course." She smiled and dropped the high speech: "I am not "erased"" She glanced at Sylcan: "Would not call you one either. But that's not the point. You are too obsessed with details and missing the picture. Place could matter - that town (some magic went wrong?), the rest is unimportant. Sylcan here met two people that he, it seems, knew before and was friendly with - both don't care a bit about it. Nobody knows us here, people we knew prefer to forget - I say, we have a fresh start. Do not know about you, but I think I'll take that chance". She looked around: "Not here, though."
"Sylcan, still in the mood for a walk? After we see what's on the east, of course?"
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Leto...
The bag is a bag of holding. When you put the boots on you find your steps oddly silent (boots of elvenkind). The rest of the stuff you will need to do a short rest to identify.
As you open the door you find it leads out onto an old sewer system. One way leads to light, the other into darkness. You sense something in the darkness though, not like your cloak and ring, but like the other things you currently have about your person. Like to the items that pulled you, but as if meant for someone else. Which way do you go?
Walt
Walter shrugs. "I am just with the lady here, not part of these erased as she has aptly named you all."
Higgul nods to Kierro in greeting. "I think fighting the hobgoblins together was enough of a greeting yesterday." He says with a grin for Kierro. "I met Honor in the woods when she first appeared, but, no, I am not one of those who have lost their memories."
Everyone but Leto...
After greeting everyone else on the main street, and a few checking in with the Lionshield coster, and buying supplies as needed, you move towards the Eastern road. Are you all traveling together, or do some of you plan to scout, some to travel apart, what is the marching order?
Naivara plans to scout ahead, keeping an eye out for threats or any evidence of what was pulling them all towards the east.
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
Leto hesitates, looking back and forth for a solid minute trying to decide which way to go... The light seems the way out... but the pull of clearly powerful items, which may be meant for someone else, but can be his, is stronger. He also feels as if searching for this type of item is something he used to do... and he heads to the dark. Trying to stay quiet (the boots helping, but the chainmail making noise seem to cancel each other out 21, and keeping his eyes and ears out for the sounds of other life 20
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
Latrius:
Latrius will also scout ahead.
Stealth: 13
Perception: 14 (added the +2 already)
Survival: 13 (here as well)
Check out my Extended signature here
Class Guides: Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer, Bard General Guides: PvP
Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
Currently DMing: Princes of the Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss, Coliseum of Conquest—The Arena (Sometimes)
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
Tessa
Tessa is feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of the excitement and chatter going on. All of the excitement is heightening her anxiety and mania. Recognizing this, she volunteers to scout ahead. It will also put some distance between herself and the controlling human female. Tessa finds her attempts to enforce her will and bring order to the group threatening. Tessa says, "I would feel more comfortable if we have eyes ahead to scout out any potential threats. I'll volunteer to scout ahead."
Kierro stays with the main group, looking around them for danger as to avoid ambushes like the day before. He casts a spell (guidance to assist him.)
Perception: 26 (Passive is 15.)
(Both Latrius and Naivara already went ahead.)
Check out my Extended signature here
Class Guides: Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer, Bard General Guides: PvP
Currently playing in: Quest for the Shunned City, Coliseum of Conquest, DragonDenn's Dragonlords, Shipwrecked on Fugue, Tomb of Annihilation, Razor's Lost Mine of Phandelver, The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above
Currently DMing: Princes of the Apocalypse, Out of the Abyss, Coliseum of Conquest—The Arena (Sometimes)
Honor
Honor would stay in the middle of the pack, casually chatting with the others, while doing her best to ignore Mylene, except to correct any obvious mistruths she catches. She'd also occasionally look back behind them, to make sure no one untoward is following them. Perception: 10
(Lovely. Well, passive is 12.)
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
Moving further into darkness, though your eyes are easily able to pierce the dark, you find a broken down doorway, some ancient defensive fallback area by your guess. Passing through the opening, you find a hallway with arrow slits on either side, though nothing moves behind those slits now. One of the pulls is from behind those slits, to your left, while the other is from further ahead. Seeing no way into the area behind the arrow slits, you continue forward, passing another broken and battered doorway. This next room is a bit larger, filled with cobwebs and rubble, only rodents having been here in a good long time. An opening leads back behind both arrow slits, while a rotted door hangs off its hinges further ahead. You sense something back in one of the arrow slits, and something else beyond the rotten door. Which do you check out first?
DM rolls:
17
6
19
Mylene - Vilana
”You note ‘we’ so I assume you are one of us, someone who had the same experience,” Mylene says. “Interesting how you would want to abandon the past and consider all of this as a ‘fresh start’ as if you have something to run from, a past you would rather forget. My own reaction was the opposite - that something was stolen from me. I have a past I want to reclaim. This tells me that we aren’t truly ‘Erased,’ we evidently retain enough of our original selves to know if our pasts were a thing to be treasured, or a thing to flee from. Interesting. You didn’t provide much in the way of specifics, however. Where did you awaken? And what item, if any, did you touch, and what vision did it inspire?”
Vilana - Mylene
Good thing about talking is it can be done on the go. "As I said, I do not think details are matter anyhow. Do not know if I had something worth to run from or to in the past either. Call yourself "erased" if you want, I would prefer "re-born". My life is my own. I am not abandoning anyone, just saying even those clearly bound before do not rush to restore those bonds. And they might be right - new life, new sympathies".
"I've got my skills and a good partner if he wants to work together," she gave a smile to Sylcan, "any big city can provide the rest. Including some clues about lost memories. Take what you can, I say. Right now it seems like we can find a bit more about ourselves and we can go from there."
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice