Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Ednyss spends a moment clarifying his own thoughts, saying a silent prayer of thanks, and trying to retrieve as many memories from his time below ground as possible. Exhausted and battered, Ednyss winds his way down towards the campsite. He walks with a slight limp as one side is still bruised from the fall, but he tries his best to carry himself proudly. As he walks, he touches his shield and traces the outline of some of the gemstones. He also realizes that the sparrow and dragonflies imply that both Granophyre and the warlock made it out of the ruins safely, and he breathes a sigh of relief. However, his heart still catches as he approaches the campsite looking around anxiously for Varielky. Once he arrives and sees the shield-maiden outside of another tent he calls out to the group, "I hope you didn't miss me too much." He laughs weakly, but the laugh quickly turns into coughs and he stumbles to a log where he sits and rests his body on the shield.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
Auger is sleeping when Py returns to the camp, buzzing excitedly and awakening him, sharing the fruits of its reconnaissance labors. At that moment, Granophyre, who had been sitting in the driver’s bucket of the carriage in quiet contemplation, stands, his golden sparrow chirping animatedly into his ear.
“Wake up, wake up!,” shouts the scholar, joy written on his features. “Greybeard lives! He is on the hillside!” Amistan grabs a spyglass and jumps upon the carriage top. He scans, and sees Ednyss making his way down from the little ledge. The ranger waves his arms broadly. “He’s there! He sees me! He comes!” he yells.
(OOC: there has been time for a Short Rest. There is only one path between the hillside and the encampment which Ednyss has followed down.)
Auger dreams. He floats in the Sea of Stars. He is exploring. He searches for... for what? Here a small star. Old, past its prime. There a giant one, nearing an explosion in a few short millennia. How does he know that? Expanding his vision he takes in a nebula, in its center a golden star. Flames extend out. Towards him. He dodges the flames, looks down. Upon himself. Sleeping. Fitful. The widow's peak. That dark purple skin, though paler than usual. Others sleep nearby. Then his attention is drawn up again. Further up. Again he sees the golden star in the nebula. He is drawn to it because... because...
Py lands on his face and then buzzes away. Awaken sleeper. The one they call Greybeard returns. He fell but now he... he shines. And he lives! Again turning invisible Py indicates the others in his sending. Be true, they probably still don't trust you. I wouldn't trust you, he finishes, somehow communicating a wink in the sending.
Groggy, Auger sits up, belatedly sensing that Amistan had been yelling and pointing towards what must be Ednyss. Does he glow? No, that's surely his own eyes. Auger clears his own eyes and sights again. Yes, there is Ednyss, perhaps that shield caught some light for a moment. That must be it. His thoughts turn towards forming a proper greeting, a congratulation perhaps, but his belly betrays him, grumbling. How long since he last ate something? Slowly, but not too painfully, Auger rises to greet the returning dwarf.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The short period of rest has Varielky feeling better, though she's still slightly tired. At least she's used to battlefields where a full night's rest is rare and many short rests are much more common.
(Rolling one Hit Die, healing for: 2.)
The first words of Granophyre's wake Varielky up. 'It sounds urgent, are we under attack again?' She thinks as she leaps out of her bedroll, reaching for her sword and shield, but... she sees no enemies. Then, the dwarf continues...
Ednyss lives? Impossible. He fell so far down. Maybe the gods saved him, that would be the usual thought, but his shield broke. For her it wouldn't mean as much, but Takal Demesh, in the Jenghen version, was connected to the shield. That was his symbol, even.
Yet, eventually, Varielky too sees a figure coming towards them. 'Could be anyone.' She's not even sure why she can't accept he's alive. She wants him to be so, but she doesn't want to delude herself. She had done it before, and that was only more painful in the end. When the figure comes close enough that she can recognise Ednyss' features, she warns the others: "Wait, we don't know. What if Ednyss was also turned into a Hollow One? Look, he has something in his hand, but his shield broke earlier." Although, at this point, she recognises hope in herself, which she cannot supress. Oh, how she wanted to be wrong.
'He doesn't look nor sound like one of them, does that mean...' Varielky stands up, looking as if she had seen a ghost. She moves towards Ednyss. This is him and he's alive. He has a new shield, it looks beautiful, though that doesn't say much about how useful it is. The gods have not had it with him yet, then. Varielky is happy and relieved. Some people might cry at such a reunion but she doesn't. "Even after falling to Hel's realm you come back." is all she says, as a fact.
Tuff suggests that you remain where you are long enough to regain your strength and complete a long rest. Amistan agrees, but is of a mind to leave the vicinity and put the night, the hollow ones, and the temple behind you well before darkness falls again.
So it is, that after Ednyss returns, everyone eats, and rests, sleeps some more, and recovers their strength. (OOC: you have now completed a long rest.) It is afternoon when you break camp, and for several hours you continue your journey through the coastal range following the merchant’s path, ascending, perhaps travelling 5 miles before reaching a meadow in a quiet wood about which Amistan states, “this is as I remember it from times past. We have left the haunted wood behind us.”
Tuff, along the way, engages in conversation with Auger, and hearing that his plans seem vague after reaching Kalahata, fully introduces himself and his master, and lays out an offer.
"I am Tuff Blueschist, and my employer is Granophyre Strewn, whose name may be familiar to you (OOC: it is not). I have served the master scholar for many years, and that service has taken many forms. At the moment that means ensuring his safe travel to Kalahata and beyond.
“You have already proven your worth, and as you know, our small company has lost one of its members. I would like to offer you an employment contract with this terms:
"Upon signing your name to a contract which will state what I am about to tell you, you will guard Master Strewn, to the extent that you are able, for the remainder of the Second Month, or as the Jenghen call it, Beauty (OOC: irl, March, the current month). Your duties will extend throughout the day and night, and obviously, involve travel. The period of employment may go longer than that, if mutually agreed by myself and you. Your life will be at risk throughout this period. A small sum, in addition to any owed earnings, will be paid to any dependents you might have should you die while in the Master's service. You will report to me, or in my absence, directly to Master Strewn. While you are in the Master's employ, you are under an oath of confidentiality, and no details of service, or the name of your employer may be shared with any other person, including aforementioned dependents or family. The pay for these duties is living expenses, plus ten pieces of Jenghen gold per day (OOC: i.e., 10GP/day). You may take as much time as you like to think about it, until we reach Kalahata."
That night, after you set up camp, while Amistan quickly heads off hunting -- he seems to have already spotted his quarry, and comes back with a buck, his serious countenance betraying satisfaction and the slightest smile. “I think a feast is in order.”
Over the meal, Granophyre is eager to hear Ednyss’ complete story, and while plainly delighted at the outcome, seems mystified by the tale. His scholar’s curiosity is electrified, and he wants to hear every detail.
Tuff listens quietly, but his response is, at its core, a practical one. “I have witnessed many seeming miracles, many inexplicable circumstances. I find it best not to ask too many questions, for, I believe, there is much which we mortals are not intended to know. The co-existence of dimensions and transmission of energy from one to another, and the very existence of the gods is more than I can truly comprehend, I know this about myself, and that it does me no good to delve too deeply into such mysteries. For in the end I would prefer to believe that my own decisions have meaning and are not merely the whim of some fate beyond my kenning or control. I am glad that Ednyss has survived, for he has been not only a loyal employee, but, frankly, as kind and generous as I have ever known a mercenary to be. He serves my master faithfully, and worships a god I myself pray to. I thank goodness and Takal Demesh. And that is enough for me. Now: I must look again at our food stores and ensure the correct letters of introduction are penned before we arrive at Kalahata, and proofread Master Strewn’s newest manuscript pages as we ride. Much to do. Welcome back to the land of the living, Ednyss Greybeard.”
Granophyre is more philosophical. “It may be easier to accept life and feel that living a life worth living is worth the effort, by avoiding questions of fate, questions of the powers of the gods...the question of agency. But I find no solace in easy answers. Why do you yet live, Ednyss? Why were you challenged? Why now? Why here? I am satisfied with none of the answers which occur to me. Yet, I find satisfaction in asking the questions, and I play the long game. Perhaps the answers will come if I pursue them doggedly, perhaps they will not come. But the pursuit...whether the gods control us all or not, the pursuit creates in me a feeling of purpose, and that is enough. But it is a broad circle I traverse, is it not? Questions arise, I pursue their answers, and feel purpose in doing so. But what if the same force which creates the effects I question has endowed in me the latent tendency to feel purpose in exploring the questions? Am I simply an avatar of some greater power? Do I exist separately or do I not? How can I ever know, if that power wishes to keep itself secret from me?
"And surely, you must be asking yourself the same question? Or, if you are lucky, your devotion to Takal Demesh answers it for you?” The scholar falls silent for several minutes, lighting his pipe, then his gravelly basso sounds once more.
“I shall share with you my thoughts, restricting the existential questions to my own musings.” He inhales deeply, and exhales a slow puff of smoke, which is captured by an errant breeze and dissipates upwards, over the juniper crowns, toward the waxing moon.
“There are many ancient tomes setting down tales and fantasies, intrigues, and devotional tracts regarding the Gods of Heaven and Earth. Stories abound regarding individual gods and their interactions with mortals, their interactions between themselves. All save Idiwala of course, who perhaps is therefore the wisest -- if we judge gods and their behaviors according to the same rubric against which we judge the actions of mortals, which to my mind is pure folly.
“But regardless, it seems that Takal Demesh has revealed himself to you, Ednyss, one of his ardent advocates. He has blessed you, perhaps through one of his angelic host, with the divine gift which you now hold, made in the image of the rune which we as mortals use as his emblem: a shield. For whatever reason, Takal Demesh favors you, if the gift is indeed a blessing. I hesitate to say it, and would not wish it, but...perhaps down the road you may discover that to have died at the temple ruins last night would have been a greater blessing. Who can read the future? But let us take at face value that your survival is to the good, and not just to your comrades here, myself included. Let as take at face value that Takal Demesh, by granting this boon, favors you. The question of Why should he favor you? remains, but...let us not ask Why for now. Let us simply accept that it is so. We can then ask, What are you to make of this favor?
"I do not presume to understand the machinations of gods, but I am reminded, by recent events, of something which I, in my way, do believe I understand.
"Are you aware of the tale of Demsha and Demesh? It is not at the apex of dwarven literature, indeed I admit to have played a part in bringing it from complete obscurity to…lesser obscurity, perhaps through my own endeavors. Only the most learned scholars have any interest in the full lexicon of the doings of the gods. But this tale...comes to mind, as I said.
"Demsha and Demesh: mortal avatars for the gods, Ritha Demsha and Takal Demesh. They existed in a bountiful garden, and they loved each other. Some say the gods took mortal forms so that they could experience mortal emotions. So they could experience...love. For that emotion, some say -- any emotion -- is impossible for a God to feel, at least in any way we can understand as mortals. The cat chases its tail again, you see? But to get back to the story. They -- Demsha and Demesh -- lived as the sole inhabitants of their perfect garden, and each day Demsha would search and find a new delicious fruit and bring it to her love -- Demesh -- to share with him. And each day, Demesh, a hunter, would track a new animal, overcome it with his strength and cunning, and bring it back to Demsha as a gift. As a pet, or, to eat, to show his love for her. Perfect harmony, perfect love.
"Are you married, Ednyss? Have you children? Well, but certainly you have not lived so long without loving some one, not just your faith? It matters not, for you have seen among your flock: love among mortals...is not so simple. It is never so pure, so naive.
"There are various forms of this tale, but in each one, some new personality intrudes upon the happy couple, some stranger comes between them, and their great love comes to an end. And there are many tales -- you have heard them, no doubt -- of jealousy and animosity between the god of war and the goddess of the earth. The god of salted earth, the goddess of the living earth, some would say.
"Has it occurred to you...that the temple, where you were issued a challenge to your faith, was an ancient temple to Ritha Demsha? And the great ocean creature which rose from the gulf waters and whose multitudinous spawn attacked our company...well, no, not a creature of Ritha Demsha, but Bata Bell. And the goddess form of Bata Bell and Ritha Demsha, the tales tell us, are allies, if not in fact the same god in different forms. But I digress.
"For my part, these are the forces which seem to have taken an interest in you. In us. The god of war, and the goddess of nature. Their romance, their antipathy, is epochal, never ending. And I wonder if our journey is somehow, playing a part in their struggle.
"For on the eve of our journey, Varielky -- you were found by the red-steel blade. Or, you found it. I have not yet decided in my own mind which of the two has in fact occurred. Your powers were increased by what appear to be devotional carvings in the weapon, to Ellosh, and Takal Demesh, and Nanatya. I have lived many years, and seen such pairings before, such...links...between a mortal being and an item infused with arcane or divine energy which they did not themselves create. But they are rare. Very rare.
"And now, here, Ednyss. You have been faced with a challenge of faith, which according to our way of thinking, you have met, and you have prevailed, and live on, and enjoy divine favor. How many alive today can claim to have experienced such a vision as you describe?
"And perhaps the gods’ interest goes beyond you two alone. Suppose, just suppose that I reach my goal, and rediscover the Core of Dacite. Will that somehow change the balance of power between the gods? Are they...concerned? For some reason? Is there a central star, around which other heavenly bodies spin? Have you two experienced these divine gifts because you have allied yourselves to my cause? Is my cause bringing these divine visitations to you? Or, is the core of dacite and my journey there only occurring as a necessary bridge to the ends of Varielky and Ednyss’ empowerment? Or are we all fated to support one or the other of us -- Varielky, Ednyss, Granophyre-- in ways we cannot comprehend, as we move through our destinies on behalf of Takal Demesh -- or Ritha Demsha, Ellosh, or Nanatya?
"Again, for my part, I cannot say. The urgings, the movements, the plots and connections between the gods are unknowable, the open space of ignorance is vast. Yet there is much we can know which we do not yet know." Granophyre puffs on his pipe for a minute, contemplating.
"When we arrive in Kalahata, I hope to lessen that gap, for the royal palace there, the Poppy Citadel, holds an ancient library, whose custodians have somehow maintained their holdings through everything else which has transpired across the centuries. Perhaps there, more answers await us."
Varielky had tried to follow the scholar's thoughts but lost him lost him somewhere along the way. (OOC: I did follow though, worry not.) She wasn't, so it seems, that familiar with the Dwarven tales. All the talk about love between Takal Demesh and Ritha Demsha, Bata Bell an ally, love and the gods... it was not the stories she had known. By some measures, their beliefs are similar. In other they're as close as an arrow and a hammer are.
When she hears her name mentioned again, Varielky tries to listen again, but she loses track again before long. When the scholar is done talking, Varielky says the one thing she managed tovthink of back at the beginning. "The gods do not control us, that is a given. We all have our destiny, but as long as the thread is still spun, we cannot tell what it is. Even if the destination is known, there are many ways to reach there. If I am destined to die in battle, it will happen even if I spend my life running from it. It will find a way. But anything that happens along the way and where I'll end up after my death, the actions I chose in life will determine." At this point, she's just reciting what she was taught. "Even the gods have their fate and are actively fighting against it. That is why we follow the gods, why we sin and why we repent. Why we make sacrifices and why we protect those we care for.
"The gods guided me to the sword, but I could choose not to wield it. Ednyss was tested, it means he could have chosen to lay down his shield and die in that forest. The gods are mighty, they are not absolute. Even ah... D'ya Boabab has lost his bet to a mortal and paid a price for it."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Auger thanks Tuff and accepts the agreement as offered and signs the contract. "Yes. Danger finds us whether compensated or not and I do believe my path aligns with yours. This offer is generous and I accept. Revisiting at the end of Beauty to ensure we continue on the same path makes sense to me. I would add that while I have abilities that are useful in a fight, I am also a skilled carpenter. If need should arise for use of those skills I would happily repair or make what is needed. Should it come up, of course."
Py, we will be with them going forward. I hope the path they travel will bring the Dowager the enlightenment she seeks.
As the feast is being prepared Auger seeks out some wood near the camp, perhaps something of a softer variety, forearm length and sized. He does not search over-long and eventually settles for a piece that was longer and thicker that he was able to saw off a fallen tree. The softness seems good. He can work with his hands on this.
After filling his belly Auger takes up the wood and idly make small cuts and quietly smooths the wood out while listening to Ednyss and Tuff and Granophyre in turn. Ednyss' story he finds hard to believe. Except of course, here he sits, alive, with a very shiny celebration of Takal Demesh now in his possession. The wood becomes smoother down one side and Auger begins smoothing another area. Tuffs' statement leaves Auger feeling reflective. He asks questions of a great power all the time. Should he let himself be guided without questioning? Granophyre's long flow of thought engages Auger completely, his hands slowing at times while he thinks on what he hears. As the old scholar continues speaking Auger tries to remember what is known about well not just Piya, but how Piya interacts with the other gods. Where does she stand in all of this? Which of her stories are relevant?
Religion (if needed): 4
Auger sets down the wood and reaches for a drink. An excellent tea these resourceful dwarves somehow had packed away among their things. Auger is caught drinking as Varielky makes her statement. As she says "The gods do not control us, that is a given...'Auger momentarily sputters and chokes on his drink and then gesturally apologizes as Varielky continues.
Smooth. Very smooth, Py sends.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Auger thanks Tuff and accepts the agreement as offered and signs the contract.
Py, we will be with them going forward. I hope the path they travel will bring the Dowager the enlightenment she seeks.
Auger tries to remember what is known about well not just Piya, but how Piya interacts with the other gods. Where does she stand in all of this? Which of her stories are relevant?
Religion (if needed): 4
Tuff writes up the contract in perfect script, and folds it and tucks it away in a bound folio after Auger signs, shakes his hand firmly, and both he and Granophyre welcome him. "Alas," says Tuff, "we shall have to wait until we arrive in Kalahata to find livery for you of the proper height."
Py messages back, 'This is what she wanted, and she is...pleased.'
The story of Demsha and Demesh is a new one to Auger. His family and neighbors in the Great Basin give offerings to both Ritha Demsha and Takal Demesh, each in their season, but Auger's home is rural, no dwarves live there, and their lore is unfamiliar except for the general arch of ancient history which is common knowledge throughout the Lands and Seas. Auger knows many stories in which Piya is the central figure, on the other hand. He knows stories including interactions with Ritha Demsha, which are overall positive, and with Takal Demesh, which are overall negative. Actually, Auger realizes, there's one whopper where Piya tricks Takal Demesh into making love to a turtle, thinking it is a form of Ritha Demsha, in order to keep him from a battle against Ellosh, so as to restrain them both from destroying a lake in their wrestling. Auger doesn't remember the moral of the story, but it is a favorite among teenagers where he is from.
Even after the night's rest, anyone can see that Ednyss is clearly not in his usual frame of mind. The information that was being given by the scholar and even Varielky's two-cents wort is going in Ednyss's ear and mostly out the other. A few things stick, including the tale of Demesh and Demsha, but most of the scholar's implications are well above Ednyss's capacity to understand. The questions posed by the scholar are barely comprehended by Ednyss, although he senses that the scholar is only speaking partially to be understood by the others and is also trying to clarify his own thoughts. He nods when Granophyre says that they will be able to find answers in the library at Kalahata, but internally, he doubts that the answers that they seek are to be found in any library. Connection to the gods is the way to find answers to those kinds of questions.
Varielky's statements on the other hand match more closely Ednyss's barely coherent thoughts and although he doesn't fully process what the shield-maiden is saying, the principles of her tenets appear to be untethered to her faith specifically and although the names of their gods may be different, he begins to think that perhaps the faith associated with her religion is quite similar to that of his own.
He doesn't say a word as this conversation is happening however, and although some semblance of these thoughts are being processed slowly by Ednyss, he appears to still be struggling to process the events that happened to him last night. He continues glancing down to his new shield occassionally, as if trying to ensure that this wasn't all a dream.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
The following morning, your journey continues in earnest. From the quiet meadow where you feasted on venison and exchanged tales of the gods, you undertake two days of slow, winding travel along the rather tortuous merchant’s path which allows the carriage passage up and over the hills, before you break through to the northern slopes of the coastal range. There you see, spreading out ahead of you, the Orracan Steppes: an arid, winding plain which stretches for 120 miles through Orraca u Shia, all the way to the foothills of the great Bantu Mountains. From the foothills, one more day’s travel on the Queen’s High Way will bring you to your goal: the Shian city of Kalahata.
At this time of year, the land is covered with sage brush and is sprinkled with wild flowers, and Amistan says there are springs he knows of where you can stop each day to water the horses.
“Not so easy during Jenghen month of Perfection or Might. Very dry, very hot. Dust storms,” he tells you. “Better have a camel.”
Over the last few days, as you have passed from the southern slope through the coastal range to the northern slope, you have learned that the weather system on this side of the hills is quite different from what you experienced on the coast. The land is dryer, and you witness the rain clouds stopping almost exactly at the range’s summit, and moving inland no farther. This fact gives weight to the ranger’s words, and you may be glad to be traveling now rather than at the peak of summer.
By Amistan’s estimate, once you have descended to the Plateau, the wagon will be able to traverse about 15 miles per day, in other words, if you are lucky, you will arrive at the Bantu foothills in eight days. Along the way, you may expect to encounter herds of wild horses, hyenas, lions, cougars, bears, elephants, and flamingoes. The land itself is overseen by the Empire, of course, as is all of Orraca u Shia due to its status as an Imperial province. But the rule of law, Amistan tells you in short bursts, is more theory than practice. The population is spread out, distant, and most of the inhabitants of the Steppes exhibit a stark individuality and resistance to authority -- all the more so when you actually reach Kalahata, “that den of thieves,” as Amistan describes it, with a frown.
Tuff and Granophyre are intrigued by Auger’s carvings, and Granophyre asks about where he came from.
(OOC: Everyone has had the opportunity to Long Rest. Here is a map showing your current location as a small brass compass.)
"Back where I'm from, it's those two month in which the land looks as it does here now - blooming and green. At this time of the year, the only colour outside is white." Varielky remarks after Amistan.
During the journey, unless something significant happens, Varielky is just sitting next to Benita or Ednyss, if possible, and occasionally watches the steppes for anything that could indicate an encounter with other living beings. Not very frequently, though, as she quickly realises anything could probably seen from far away in this flat land.
"My carvings? I think I am building some skill but these are mostly things I do to keep my hands busy. Here," he says referencing the carvings on his quarterstaff, "here, under my thumb as I hold the staff, you will recognize the Jenghen symbol of Hope. This," slightly higher up the staff a series of small figures, "a reference to family. My wife. 2 sons. 2 daughters here. Across the top is what you might call a family crest," Wreathed around the top of the quarterstaff is carved a long narrow boat, viewed from the side, with rowers along it, almost giving it the appearance of a crown. "Yes, something of a family symbol, though we are not nobility. Where I get it to a slightly different color," referencing a slightly blueish band separating the family crest from the other symbols, "is a fine applications of my... powers." Thinking for a moment he sets the quarterstaff aside for a moment (OOC: are we on a wagon or walking on this trip?) "This wood," now pulling out the wood he found near that quiet meadow, "I am not sure what I will make but I do believe it will be something like Py, a form made of small pieces that interlock. Intricate work that keeps my hands busy." Auger will happily talk of wood, woodworking, carpentry and carving to any who are interested all day long and so the conversation continues as long as Tuff and Granophyre want.
When the conversation turns to questioning Auger's home he is forthcoming. "My home is far to the south and west in Anshin Subprefecture. Belliu Village would be obscure to you but perhaps you know of the Shining Lake of Ever, or the Everlac as we call it?" (OOC: Auger pronounces the 'V' in Everlac as if spelled 'VTH'. Any hearing would realize that Auger's last name, Fetherlac, is clearly a reference to the Lake). We all consider the lake quite special although my father would say that most lakes will shine if reflecting the sun just right. The Everlac, it always seems to catch the light, even on the darkest of nights." Auger pauses, recalling a moment on the Lake, in the Gazebo of Vines, with his son. Setting that thought aside he continues.
"My extended family has found itself working trade on or around the Everlac for generations. The lake is large. Some of us work as fisherman, some as ferryman. Most of us rely on the trade across the lake and then downriver to the coast. Some of my carpentry work involved shipbuilding. Riverboats, barges and rafts at times. My cousin Brenneth once said we are of the Lake, and so its shine stays with us. At any rate we have largely been prosperous and peaceful. As much as can be hoped," he says, his thumb rubbing the staff.
Brenneth. its been a while since he thought of him. What had become of Brenneth?
Auger realizes he has been going on for a bit and waits for any other questions before asking his own.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Granophyre’s eyebrows raise quite high upon his forehead when Auger mentions his home province. “Does the name Kieu-Lan Trinh mean anything to you?,” he asks, and that happens to be the name of a girl from a neighboring village to Auger’s, who, when she came of age, left the area along with her parents. Auger remembers her, because as a child, she sang each year at the Harvest Festival, and her voice was beautiful beyond compare. It turns out that Granophyre’s travels have taken him through Anshin Province before, he saw the girl sing at a Harvest Festival perhaps 20 years ago, and he has recently seen Kieu-Lan Trinh performing in Ishi Ammah before an audience of thousands. “The biggest in the world is small in its beginning, wouldn’t you agree?” (OOC: Auger should feel free to ask whatever questions he may have of the scholar, as there is plenty of time for small talk. However, I will push the plot forward.)
POST #2
The Journey to Kalahata, Days 10-11 (12th-13th of Beauty).
As you leave the coastal range behind, Takal Demesh is visible, his inanimate form, in full armor, seeming to take the place of the tallest hillsides behind you. Your first day in the steppes, you leave that image behind, and see a herd of wild horses across the plain from you, The next day, you witness wildebeests being harried by hyenas, whose chirping bark drifts on the breeze for some time after you pass the scene of one wildebeest being separated from the herd and outmaneuvered by the spry canines. You also pass a small group of travelers going the other direction and looking for the merchant’s road through the hills behind you. Amistan points the way, and in turn, they share that a contingent of orcs, flying imperial colors, is on patrol, and demanded a tribute before allowing them to pass.
It is the next morning when you have just packed away your tents and helped Amistan rehitch the horses after they’ve been allowed to graze and sleep unburdened, when the yipping barks of hyenas again are heard. There seem to be only a few, but the sounds come from various directions.
You camped in a low canyon, on a rise overlooking a small stream which has carved its way through the foothills over the eons. Looking around for the source of the barking, you see nothing, but Py and Granophyre’s golden sparrow flit upwards, and both return with the news that there is a small force of orcs flying the Jenghen banner, close around you. Amistan hurries and finishes his preparations, and instructs you all to ride in or on the carriage or horses, in case you need to flee. Granophyre and Tuff will remain in the carriage, and delegate to you the initiative to deal with any Imperial encounters so as not to reveal their presence. Tuff hands Ednyss a purse containing dozens of platinum coins to pay tribute if needed.
You leave the plateau and follow the stream for just about another mile, perhaps 30 minutes. Then the contingent reveal themselves.
On the canyon wall above you, where a long path merges down into the low canyon, you see a line of orcs, perhaps two dozen, riding enormous hyenas. In the center of the line is a very large, armored orc warrior, a war chief, sitting atop the biggest of the giant canine mounts. To either side of him are orcan Hands of Ellosh, fearsome priest-mages wearing spike-covered helms. One orc mounted near them, his bright pink skin glistening in the morning light, bears the Jenghen banner, which is torn, ragged, dusty. The entire band are wearing vestiges of Imperial livery. A torn tunic here, a headband tied around a longbow there, the Sky and Daggers painted on their scarred, tarnished shields.
You all feel the hairs on your forearms and hackles rising. This is the most fearsome force you have yet encountered, and in silence, they have pulled up above you. You now see, coming around the blind edge of the creek bed ahead of you, two large orcs on huge hyenas, garbed like the others, slowly advancing. Their demeanor is confident, and their expressions grim. They stop 30 or 40 yards in front of you. Meanwhile, four more riders pull up on the creek bed a similar distance behind you, after sliding downslope from the canyon ridge.
One of the orcs blocking your way shouts, in Jenghen, his voice a bright, feral growl.
“You travel. Through Imperial Lands.” His voice echoes down the canyon and back. The horses shift uncomfortably, the dry breeze gently licking at their manes. A moment later the orc continues, shouting across the distance, “What tribute. Do you offer. To Jen Ghessa?” Again his voice echoes.
(OOC: How are you arranged on the carriage?)
Flint, Wad, Benita, and Amistan look to you four to speak.
(OOC: Varielky would prefer sitting next to Benita, then next to Ednyss if she can't. If that is not possible either, any of the others are fine. That is only when riding is too fast for walking by the carriage. If the carriage is slow enough, she'll prefer to walk by the carriage than sit on it. Besides all that, the exact position matters less to her.)
Varielky steps down from the carriage and takes a step forward, visibly excited. A long time has passed since she had fought real opponents. The arena was mostly staged, against the Azhvuv she mostly tried to remain on the running cart and neither the crabs nor the Hollow Ones were opponents that mattered to her. The two hairy snakes were the worst of all though. Indeed, her body was aching for a good fight, and these warriors looked just like it. They also didn't seem like ones who would skip an offer for a duel. Everything was set for a good match, if only...
Varielky musters all the will power she has to stop right before the words - about to challenge the Orcs - leave her mouth. They are trying to avoid fighting the empire now, not entice their soldiers into conflict. How unfortunate. May the gods forgive her, Varielky cannot perform her sacred duty now. Not while she is bound by the contract she signed. She stepped forward, though. She can't just back away, it will seem strange to the Orcs. Varielky turns back to the others on the cart. "Do we have anything to give them?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Coming down into the steppes
Auger questions Granophyre, "Why do we go to Kalahata if we call it a 'den of thieves'? I would think other places might enrich your studies without as much risk as a place that carries such a label."
On the steppes
(OOC: Carriage/cart position. Auger would be towards the back working his wood and occasionally responding to any conversation that comes up.)
Sighting the Orc Contingent
Auger passes his consciousness into Py, invisible and flying far above them, he tries to get a sense for the full count and the overall health of these forces. The tattered Imperial insignia has him wondering if they have entered an area controlled by the thieves Amistan had mentioned.
Py Perception (if needed): 9
Coming back to himself he sees that Varielky had already left the cart and quickly relays anything he might have learned through Py's eyes. Hearing Varielky, he quietly asks of Ednyss, "Did anyone say how much of that purse you hold should be given in tribute?" Auger stays in the cart, knowing his spells, if needed, can work fine from up here.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(OOC: Ednyss's position around the carriage would likely be in the front, but slightly off-center. He wouldn't want to walk directly in front of the carriage, but perhaps on the side and ready to step up to the front if needed. He would likely be walking near Varielky although conversation would be mostly at a minimum as he has spent the last few days internalizing what happened to him (although he has become more himself this past day). When it was necessary to be inside the carriage, Ednyss would have taken any available seat once everyone else was seated.)
Ednyss, walking near the side of the caravan barely hears Augur's question with his perceptive ears and shakes his head slightly in response. Letting Varielky do the talking, Ednyss stands just behind her watching the expression of the Orc's and trying to get a better read on their intent. To himself, Ednyss thinks that those of the imperial army should have a more regulated and ordered method of collecting tribute and he can't help but question whether or not these are real imperial soldiers. In response to Varielky, however, he quietly says, "We have a tribute to offer them, but what is the tribute that they ask? I'm sure that Granophyre doesn't want to pay more than what is necessary, so I am not sure how much to tell them that we have." He lets Varielky take the lead in the negotiations as he continues his observation of the Orc.
Auger questions Granophyre, "Why do we go to Kalahata if we call it a 'den of thieves'? I would think other places might enrich your studies without as much risk as a place that carries such a label."
On the steppes
(OOC: Carriage/cart position. Auger would be towards the back working his wood and occasionally responding to any conversation that comes up.)
Sighting the Orc Contingent
Auger passes his consciousness into Py, invisible and flying far above them, he tries to get a sense for the full count and the overall health of these forces. The tattered Imperial insignia has him wondering if they have entered an area controlled by the thieves Amistan had mentioned.
Py Perception (if needed): 14
Coming back to himself he sees that Varielky had already left the cart and quickly relays anything he might have learned through Py's eyes. Hearing Varielky, he quietly asks of Ednyss, "Did anyone say how much of that purse you hold should be given in tribute?" Auger stays in the cart, knowing his spells, if needed, can work fine from up here.
Re: Kalahata, Granophyre retells what happens here:
Varielky nods in response. She inhales and then speaks, raising her voice so that it would be heard clearly over the distance. Disappointment over the missed opportunity is clear in her voice. "What sort of tribute do you seek? What is it that Jen Ghessa could want from modest travellers like ourselves?" She doesn't look back, but she hopes Ednyss didn't bring out his shield with him. Holding such an item in front of them might complicate things. On the other hand, she also hopes that he did. If the Orcs choose to try taking the shield by force, she'll have no other option but to fight in self defence. Varielky doesn't shift her look to check on the matter, but a faint smile appears on her lips as the thought occurs in her mind.
The orc casts an eye over your almost new livery, the well-varnished carriage, the fresh and obedient team of horses. “GOLD,” his voice rings out and echoes in answer. The dry breeze kicks up dust for a moment. The horses clip their hooves nervously while Amistan, under his breath, quietly soothes them. The force lining the canyon wall remains motionless.
(OOC: Ednyss's position around the carriage would likely be in the front, but slightly off-center. He wouldn't want to walk directly in front of the carriage, but perhaps on the side and ready to step up to the front if needed. He would likely be walking near Varielky although conversation would be mostly at a minimum as he has spent the last few days internalizing what happened to him (although he has become more himself this past day). When it was necessary to be inside the carriage, Ednyss would have taken any available seat once everyone else was seated.)
Ednyss, walking near the side of the caravan barely hears Augur's question with his perceptive ears and shakes his head slightly in response. Letting Varielky do the talking, Ednyss stands just behind her watching the expression of the Orc's and trying to get a better read on their intent. To himself, Ednyss thinks that those of the imperial army should have a more regulated and ordered method of collecting tribute and he can't help but question whether or not these are real imperial soldiers. In response to Varielky, however, he quietly says, "We have a tribute to offer them, but what is the tribute that they ask? I'm sure that Granophyre doesn't want to pay more than what is necessary, so I am not sure how much to tell them that we have." He lets Varielky take the lead in the negotiations as he continues his observation of the Orc.
As to the orc’s intent. Extortion would be anyone’s first guess, and Ednyss’ penetrating insight sees nothing more complicated than that. To get what they can. They are in their element and Ednyss guesses they usually come out on top. The chief and hands of Ellosh are too far away to read their expressions. As to whether or not they are in fact Imperial troops, see the answer to Auger’s similar question.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Ednyss spends a moment clarifying his own thoughts, saying a silent prayer of thanks, and trying to retrieve as many memories from his time below ground as possible. Exhausted and battered, Ednyss winds his way down towards the campsite. He walks with a slight limp as one side is still bruised from the fall, but he tries his best to carry himself proudly. As he walks, he touches his shield and traces the outline of some of the gemstones. He also realizes that the sparrow and dragonflies imply that both Granophyre and the warlock made it out of the ruins safely, and he breathes a sigh of relief. However, his heart still catches as he approaches the campsite looking around anxiously for Varielky. Once he arrives and sees the shield-maiden outside of another tent he calls out to the group, "I hope you didn't miss me too much." He laughs weakly, but the laugh quickly turns into coughs and he stumbles to a log where he sits and rests his body on the shield.
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
Dolkum, Auger, and Varielky
Auger is sleeping when Py returns to the camp, buzzing excitedly and awakening him, sharing the fruits of its reconnaissance labors. At that moment, Granophyre, who had been sitting in the driver’s bucket of the carriage in quiet contemplation, stands, his golden sparrow chirping animatedly into his ear.
“Wake up, wake up!,” shouts the scholar, joy written on his features. “Greybeard lives! He is on the hillside!” Amistan grabs a spyglass and jumps upon the carriage top. He scans, and sees Ednyss making his way down from the little ledge. The ranger waves his arms broadly. “He’s there! He sees me! He comes!” he yells.
(OOC: there has been time for a Short Rest. There is only one path between the hillside and the encampment which Ednyss has followed down.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Auger dreams. He floats in the Sea of Stars. He is exploring. He searches for... for what? Here a small star. Old, past its prime. There a giant one, nearing an explosion in a few short millennia. How does he know that? Expanding his vision he takes in a nebula, in its center a golden star. Flames extend out. Towards him. He dodges the flames, looks down. Upon himself. Sleeping. Fitful. The widow's peak. That dark purple skin, though paler than usual. Others sleep nearby. Then his attention is drawn up again. Further up. Again he sees the golden star in the nebula. He is drawn to it because... because...
Py lands on his face and then buzzes away. Awaken sleeper. The one they call Greybeard returns. He fell but now he... he shines. And he lives! Again turning invisible Py indicates the others in his sending. Be true, they probably still don't trust you. I wouldn't trust you, he finishes, somehow communicating a wink in the sending.
Groggy, Auger sits up, belatedly sensing that Amistan had been yelling and pointing towards what must be Ednyss. Does he glow? No, that's surely his own eyes. Auger clears his own eyes and sights again. Yes, there is Ednyss, perhaps that shield caught some light for a moment. That must be it. His thoughts turn towards forming a proper greeting, a congratulation perhaps, but his belly betrays him, grumbling. How long since he last ate something? Slowly, but not too painfully, Auger rises to greet the returning dwarf.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
The short period of rest has Varielky feeling better, though she's still slightly tired. At least she's used to battlefields where a full night's rest is rare and many short rests are much more common.
(Rolling one Hit Die, healing for: 2.)
The first words of Granophyre's wake Varielky up. 'It sounds urgent, are we under attack again?' She thinks as she leaps out of her bedroll, reaching for her sword and shield, but... she sees no enemies. Then, the dwarf continues...
Ednyss lives? Impossible. He fell so far down. Maybe the gods saved him, that would be the usual thought, but his shield broke. For her it wouldn't mean as much, but Takal Demesh, in the Jenghen version, was connected to the shield. That was his symbol, even.
Yet, eventually, Varielky too sees a figure coming towards them. 'Could be anyone.' She's not even sure why she can't accept he's alive. She wants him to be so, but she doesn't want to delude herself. She had done it before, and that was only more painful in the end. When the figure comes close enough that she can recognise Ednyss' features, she warns the others: "Wait, we don't know. What if Ednyss was also turned into a Hollow One? Look, he has something in his hand, but his shield broke earlier." Although, at this point, she recognises hope in herself, which she cannot supress. Oh, how she wanted to be wrong.
'He doesn't look nor sound like one of them, does that mean...' Varielky stands up, looking as if she had seen a ghost. She moves towards Ednyss. This is him and he's alive. He has a new shield, it looks beautiful, though that doesn't say much about how useful it is. The gods have not had it with him yet, then. Varielky is happy and relieved. Some people might cry at such a reunion but she doesn't. "Even after falling to Hel's realm you come back." is all she says, as a fact.
Varielky
POST #11
Tuff suggests that you remain where you are long enough to regain your strength and complete a long rest. Amistan agrees, but is of a mind to leave the vicinity and put the night, the hollow ones, and the temple behind you well before darkness falls again.
So it is, that after Ednyss returns, everyone eats, and rests, sleeps some more, and recovers their strength. (OOC: you have now completed a long rest.) It is afternoon when you break camp, and for several hours you continue your journey through the coastal range following the merchant’s path, ascending, perhaps travelling 5 miles before reaching a meadow in a quiet wood about which Amistan states, “this is as I remember it from times past. We have left the haunted wood behind us.”
Tuff, along the way, engages in conversation with Auger, and hearing that his plans seem vague after reaching Kalahata, fully introduces himself and his master, and lays out an offer.
"I am Tuff Blueschist, and my employer is Granophyre Strewn, whose name may be familiar to you (OOC: it is not). I have served the master scholar for many years, and that service has taken many forms. At the moment that means ensuring his safe travel to Kalahata and beyond.
“You have already proven your worth, and as you know, our small company has lost one of its members. I would like to offer you an employment contract with this terms:
"Upon signing your name to a contract which will state what I am about to tell you, you will guard Master Strewn, to the extent that you are able, for the remainder of the Second Month, or as the Jenghen call it, Beauty (OOC: irl, March, the current month). Your duties will extend throughout the day and night, and obviously, involve travel. The period of employment may go longer than that, if mutually agreed by myself and you. Your life will be at risk throughout this period. A small sum, in addition to any owed earnings, will be paid to any dependents you might have should you die while in the Master's service. You will report to me, or in my absence, directly to Master Strewn. While you are in the Master's employ, you are under an oath of confidentiality, and no details of service, or the name of your employer may be shared with any other person, including aforementioned dependents or family. The pay for these duties is living expenses, plus ten pieces of Jenghen gold per day (OOC: i.e., 10GP/day). You may take as much time as you like to think about it, until we reach Kalahata."
That night, after you set up camp, while Amistan quickly heads off hunting -- he seems to have already spotted his quarry, and comes back with a buck, his serious countenance betraying satisfaction and the slightest smile. “I think a feast is in order.”
Over the meal, Granophyre is eager to hear Ednyss’ complete story, and while plainly delighted at the outcome, seems mystified by the tale. His scholar’s curiosity is electrified, and he wants to hear every detail.
Tuff listens quietly, but his response is, at its core, a practical one. “I have witnessed many seeming miracles, many inexplicable circumstances. I find it best not to ask too many questions, for, I believe, there is much which we mortals are not intended to know. The co-existence of dimensions and transmission of energy from one to another, and the very existence of the gods is more than I can truly comprehend, I know this about myself, and that it does me no good to delve too deeply into such mysteries. For in the end I would prefer to believe that my own decisions have meaning and are not merely the whim of some fate beyond my kenning or control. I am glad that Ednyss has survived, for he has been not only a loyal employee, but, frankly, as kind and generous as I have ever known a mercenary to be. He serves my master faithfully, and worships a god I myself pray to. I thank goodness and Takal Demesh. And that is enough for me. Now: I must look again at our food stores and ensure the correct letters of introduction are penned before we arrive at Kalahata, and proofread Master Strewn’s newest manuscript pages as we ride. Much to do. Welcome back to the land of the living, Ednyss Greybeard.”
Granophyre is more philosophical. “It may be easier to accept life and feel that living a life worth living is worth the effort, by avoiding questions of fate, questions of the powers of the gods...the question of agency. But I find no solace in easy answers. Why do you yet live, Ednyss? Why were you challenged? Why now? Why here? I am satisfied with none of the answers which occur to me. Yet, I find satisfaction in asking the questions, and I play the long game. Perhaps the answers will come if I pursue them doggedly, perhaps they will not come. But the pursuit...whether the gods control us all or not, the pursuit creates in me a feeling of purpose, and that is enough. But it is a broad circle I traverse, is it not? Questions arise, I pursue their answers, and feel purpose in doing so. But what if the same force which creates the effects I question has endowed in me the latent tendency to feel purpose in exploring the questions? Am I simply an avatar of some greater power? Do I exist separately or do I not? How can I ever know, if that power wishes to keep itself secret from me?
"And surely, you must be asking yourself the same question? Or, if you are lucky, your devotion to Takal Demesh answers it for you?” The scholar falls silent for several minutes, lighting his pipe, then his gravelly basso sounds once more.
“I shall share with you my thoughts, restricting the existential questions to my own musings.” He inhales deeply, and exhales a slow puff of smoke, which is captured by an errant breeze and dissipates upwards, over the juniper crowns, toward the waxing moon.
“There are many ancient tomes setting down tales and fantasies, intrigues, and devotional tracts regarding the Gods of Heaven and Earth. Stories abound regarding individual gods and their interactions with mortals, their interactions between themselves. All save Idiwala of course, who perhaps is therefore the wisest -- if we judge gods and their behaviors according to the same rubric against which we judge the actions of mortals, which to my mind is pure folly.
“But regardless, it seems that Takal Demesh has revealed himself to you, Ednyss, one of his ardent advocates. He has blessed you, perhaps through one of his angelic host, with the divine gift which you now hold, made in the image of the rune which we as mortals use as his emblem: a shield. For whatever reason, Takal Demesh favors you, if the gift is indeed a blessing. I hesitate to say it, and would not wish it, but...perhaps down the road you may discover that to have died at the temple ruins last night would have been a greater blessing. Who can read the future? But let us take at face value that your survival is to the good, and not just to your comrades here, myself included. Let as take at face value that Takal Demesh, by granting this boon, favors you. The question of Why should he favor you? remains, but...let us not ask Why for now. Let us simply accept that it is so. We can then ask, What are you to make of this favor?
"I do not presume to understand the machinations of gods, but I am reminded, by recent events, of something which I, in my way, do believe I understand.
"Are you aware of the tale of Demsha and Demesh? It is not at the apex of dwarven literature, indeed I admit to have played a part in bringing it from complete obscurity to…lesser obscurity, perhaps through my own endeavors. Only the most learned scholars have any interest in the full lexicon of the doings of the gods. But this tale...comes to mind, as I said.
"Demsha and Demesh: mortal avatars for the gods, Ritha Demsha and Takal Demesh. They existed in a bountiful garden, and they loved each other. Some say the gods took mortal forms so that they could experience mortal emotions. So they could experience...love. For that emotion, some say -- any emotion -- is impossible for a God to feel, at least in any way we can understand as mortals. The cat chases its tail again, you see? But to get back to the story. They -- Demsha and Demesh -- lived as the sole inhabitants of their perfect garden, and each day Demsha would search and find a new delicious fruit and bring it to her love -- Demesh -- to share with him. And each day, Demesh, a hunter, would track a new animal, overcome it with his strength and cunning, and bring it back to Demsha as a gift. As a pet, or, to eat, to show his love for her. Perfect harmony, perfect love.
"Are you married, Ednyss? Have you children? Well, but certainly you have not lived so long without loving some one, not just your faith? It matters not, for you have seen among your flock: love among mortals...is not so simple. It is never so pure, so naive.
"There are various forms of this tale, but in each one, some new personality intrudes upon the happy couple, some stranger comes between them, and their great love comes to an end. And there are many tales -- you have heard them, no doubt -- of jealousy and animosity between the god of war and the goddess of the earth. The god of salted earth, the goddess of the living earth, some would say.
"Has it occurred to you...that the temple, where you were issued a challenge to your faith, was an ancient temple to Ritha Demsha? And the great ocean creature which rose from the gulf waters and whose multitudinous spawn attacked our company...well, no, not a creature of Ritha Demsha, but Bata Bell. And the goddess form of Bata Bell and Ritha Demsha, the tales tell us, are allies, if not in fact the same god in different forms. But I digress.
"For my part, these are the forces which seem to have taken an interest in you. In us. The god of war, and the goddess of nature. Their romance, their antipathy, is epochal, never ending. And I wonder if our journey is somehow, playing a part in their struggle.
"For on the eve of our journey, Varielky -- you were found by the red-steel blade. Or, you found it. I have not yet decided in my own mind which of the two has in fact occurred. Your powers were increased by what appear to be devotional carvings in the weapon, to Ellosh, and Takal Demesh, and Nanatya. I have lived many years, and seen such pairings before, such...links...between a mortal being and an item infused with arcane or divine energy which they did not themselves create. But they are rare. Very rare.
"And now, here, Ednyss. You have been faced with a challenge of faith, which according to our way of thinking, you have met, and you have prevailed, and live on, and enjoy divine favor. How many alive today can claim to have experienced such a vision as you describe?
"And perhaps the gods’ interest goes beyond you two alone. Suppose, just suppose that I reach my goal, and rediscover the Core of Dacite. Will that somehow change the balance of power between the gods? Are they...concerned? For some reason? Is there a central star, around which other heavenly bodies spin? Have you two experienced these divine gifts because you have allied yourselves to my cause? Is my cause bringing these divine visitations to you? Or, is the core of dacite and my journey there only occurring as a necessary bridge to the ends of Varielky and Ednyss’ empowerment? Or are we all fated to support one or the other of us -- Varielky, Ednyss, Granophyre-- in ways we cannot comprehend, as we move through our destinies on behalf of Takal Demesh -- or Ritha Demsha, Ellosh, or Nanatya?
"Again, for my part, I cannot say. The urgings, the movements, the plots and connections between the gods are unknowable, the open space of ignorance is vast. Yet there is much we can know which we do not yet know." Granophyre puffs on his pipe for a minute, contemplating.
"When we arrive in Kalahata, I hope to lessen that gap, for the royal palace there, the Poppy Citadel, holds an ancient library, whose custodians have somehow maintained their holdings through everything else which has transpired across the centuries. Perhaps there, more answers await us."
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Varielky had tried to follow the scholar's thoughts but lost him lost him somewhere along the way. (OOC: I did follow though, worry not.) She wasn't, so it seems, that familiar with the Dwarven tales. All the talk about love between Takal Demesh and Ritha Demsha, Bata Bell an ally, love and the gods... it was not the stories she had known. By some measures, their beliefs are similar. In other they're as close as an arrow and a hammer are.
When she hears her name mentioned again, Varielky tries to listen again, but she loses track again before long. When the scholar is done talking, Varielky says the one thing she managed tovthink of back at the beginning. "The gods do not control us, that is a given. We all have our destiny, but as long as the thread is still spun, we cannot tell what it is. Even if the destination is known, there are many ways to reach there. If I am destined to die in battle, it will happen even if I spend my life running from it. It will find a way. But anything that happens along the way and where I'll end up after my death, the actions I chose in life will determine." At this point, she's just reciting what she was taught. "Even the gods have their fate and are actively fighting against it. That is why we follow the gods, why we sin and why we repent. Why we make sacrifices and why we protect those we care for.
"The gods guided me to the sword, but I could choose not to wield it. Ednyss was tested, it means he could have chosen to lay down his shield and die in that forest. The gods are mighty, they are not absolute. Even ah... D'ya Boabab has lost his bet to a mortal and paid a price for it."
Varielky
Auger thanks Tuff and accepts the agreement as offered and signs the contract. "Yes. Danger finds us whether compensated or not and I do believe my path aligns with yours. This offer is generous and I accept. Revisiting at the end of Beauty to ensure we continue on the same path makes sense to me. I would add that while I have abilities that are useful in a fight, I am also a skilled carpenter. If need should arise for use of those skills I would happily repair or make what is needed. Should it come up, of course."
Py, we will be with them going forward. I hope the path they travel will bring the Dowager the enlightenment she seeks.
As the feast is being prepared Auger seeks out some wood near the camp, perhaps something of a softer variety, forearm length and sized. He does not search over-long and eventually settles for a piece that was longer and thicker that he was able to saw off a fallen tree. The softness seems good. He can work with his hands on this.
After filling his belly Auger takes up the wood and idly make small cuts and quietly smooths the wood out while listening to Ednyss and Tuff and Granophyre in turn. Ednyss' story he finds hard to believe. Except of course, here he sits, alive, with a very shiny celebration of Takal Demesh now in his possession. The wood becomes smoother down one side and Auger begins smoothing another area. Tuffs' statement leaves Auger feeling reflective. He asks questions of a great power all the time. Should he let himself be guided without questioning? Granophyre's long flow of thought engages Auger completely, his hands slowing at times while he thinks on what he hears. As the old scholar continues speaking Auger tries to remember what is known about well not just Piya, but how Piya interacts with the other gods. Where does she stand in all of this? Which of her stories are relevant?
Religion (if needed): 4
Auger sets down the wood and reaches for a drink. An excellent tea these resourceful dwarves somehow had packed away among their things. Auger is caught drinking as Varielky makes her statement. As she says "The gods do not control us, that is a given...' Auger momentarily sputters and chokes on his drink and then gesturally apologizes as Varielky continues.
Smooth. Very smooth, Py sends.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Tuff writes up the contract in perfect script, and folds it and tucks it away in a bound folio after Auger signs, shakes his hand firmly, and both he and Granophyre welcome him. "Alas," says Tuff, "we shall have to wait until we arrive in Kalahata to find livery for you of the proper height."
Py messages back, 'This is what she wanted, and she is...pleased.'
The story of Demsha and Demesh is a new one to Auger. His family and neighbors in the Great Basin give offerings to both Ritha Demsha and Takal Demesh, each in their season, but Auger's home is rural, no dwarves live there, and their lore is unfamiliar except for the general arch of ancient history which is common knowledge throughout the Lands and Seas. Auger knows many stories in which Piya is the central figure, on the other hand. He knows stories including interactions with Ritha Demsha, which are overall positive, and with Takal Demesh, which are overall negative. Actually, Auger realizes, there's one whopper where Piya tricks Takal Demesh into making love to a turtle, thinking it is a form of Ritha Demsha, in order to keep him from a battle against Ellosh, so as to restrain them both from destroying a lake in their wrestling. Auger doesn't remember the moral of the story, but it is a favorite among teenagers where he is from.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Even after the night's rest, anyone can see that Ednyss is clearly not in his usual frame of mind. The information that was being given by the scholar and even Varielky's two-cents wort is going in Ednyss's ear and mostly out the other. A few things stick, including the tale of Demesh and Demsha, but most of the scholar's implications are well above Ednyss's capacity to understand. The questions posed by the scholar are barely comprehended by Ednyss, although he senses that the scholar is only speaking partially to be understood by the others and is also trying to clarify his own thoughts. He nods when Granophyre says that they will be able to find answers in the library at Kalahata, but internally, he doubts that the answers that they seek are to be found in any library. Connection to the gods is the way to find answers to those kinds of questions.
Varielky's statements on the other hand match more closely Ednyss's barely coherent thoughts and although he doesn't fully process what the shield-maiden is saying, the principles of her tenets appear to be untethered to her faith specifically and although the names of their gods may be different, he begins to think that perhaps the faith associated with her religion is quite similar to that of his own.
He doesn't say a word as this conversation is happening however, and although some semblance of these thoughts are being processed slowly by Ednyss, he appears to still be struggling to process the events that happened to him last night. He continues glancing down to his new shield occassionally, as if trying to ensure that this wasn't all a dream.
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
Chapter 7: The Orracan Steppes
POST #1
The Journey to Kalahata, Day 9 (11th of Beauty).
The following morning, your journey continues in earnest. From the quiet meadow where you feasted on venison and exchanged tales of the gods, you undertake two days of slow, winding travel along the rather tortuous merchant’s path which allows the carriage passage up and over the hills, before you break through to the northern slopes of the coastal range. There you see, spreading out ahead of you, the Orracan Steppes: an arid, winding plain which stretches for 120 miles through Orraca u Shia, all the way to the foothills of the great Bantu Mountains. From the foothills, one more day’s travel on the Queen’s High Way will bring you to your goal: the Shian city of Kalahata.
At this time of year, the land is covered with sage brush and is sprinkled with wild flowers, and Amistan says there are springs he knows of where you can stop each day to water the horses.
“Not so easy during Jenghen month of Perfection or Might. Very dry, very hot. Dust storms,” he tells you. “Better have a camel.”
Over the last few days, as you have passed from the southern slope through the coastal range to the northern slope, you have learned that the weather system on this side of the hills is quite different from what you experienced on the coast. The land is dryer, and you witness the rain clouds stopping almost exactly at the range’s summit, and moving inland no farther. This fact gives weight to the ranger’s words, and you may be glad to be traveling now rather than at the peak of summer.
By Amistan’s estimate, once you have descended to the Plateau, the wagon will be able to traverse about 15 miles per day, in other words, if you are lucky, you will arrive at the Bantu foothills in eight days. Along the way, you may expect to encounter herds of wild horses, hyenas, lions, cougars, bears, elephants, and flamingoes. The land itself is overseen by the Empire, of course, as is all of Orraca u Shia due to its status as an Imperial province. But the rule of law, Amistan tells you in short bursts, is more theory than practice. The population is spread out, distant, and most of the inhabitants of the Steppes exhibit a stark individuality and resistance to authority -- all the more so when you actually reach Kalahata, “that den of thieves,” as Amistan describes it, with a frown.
Tuff and Granophyre are intrigued by Auger’s carvings, and Granophyre asks about where he came from.
(OOC: Everyone has had the opportunity to Long Rest. Here is a map showing your current location as a small brass compass.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
"Back where I'm from, it's those two month in which the land looks as it does here now - blooming and green. At this time of the year, the only colour outside is white." Varielky remarks after Amistan.
During the journey, unless something significant happens, Varielky is just sitting next to Benita or Ednyss, if possible, and occasionally watches the steppes for anything that could indicate an encounter with other living beings. Not very frequently, though, as she quickly realises anything could probably seen from far away in this flat land.
Varielky
"My carvings? I think I am building some skill but these are mostly things I do to keep my hands busy. Here," he says referencing the carvings on his quarterstaff, "here, under my thumb as I hold the staff, you will recognize the Jenghen symbol of Hope. This," slightly higher up the staff a series of small figures, "a reference to family. My wife. 2 sons. 2 daughters here. Across the top is what you might call a family crest," Wreathed around the top of the quarterstaff is carved a long narrow boat, viewed from the side, with rowers along it, almost giving it the appearance of a crown. "Yes, something of a family symbol, though we are not nobility. Where I get it to a slightly different color," referencing a slightly blueish band separating the family crest from the other symbols, "is a fine applications of my... powers." Thinking for a moment he sets the quarterstaff aside for a moment (OOC: are we on a wagon or walking on this trip?) "This wood," now pulling out the wood he found near that quiet meadow, "I am not sure what I will make but I do believe it will be something like Py, a form made of small pieces that interlock. Intricate work that keeps my hands busy." Auger will happily talk of wood, woodworking, carpentry and carving to any who are interested all day long and so the conversation continues as long as Tuff and Granophyre want.
When the conversation turns to questioning Auger's home he is forthcoming. "My home is far to the south and west in Anshin Subprefecture. Belliu Village would be obscure to you but perhaps you know of the Shining Lake of Ever, or the Everlac as we call it?" (OOC: Auger pronounces the 'V' in Everlac as if spelled 'VTH'. Any hearing would realize that Auger's last name, Fetherlac, is clearly a reference to the Lake). We all consider the lake quite special although my father would say that most lakes will shine if reflecting the sun just right. The Everlac, it always seems to catch the light, even on the darkest of nights." Auger pauses, recalling a moment on the Lake, in the Gazebo of Vines, with his son. Setting that thought aside he continues.
"My extended family has found itself working trade on or around the Everlac for generations. The lake is large. Some of us work as fisherman, some as ferryman. Most of us rely on the trade across the lake and then downriver to the coast. Some of my carpentry work involved shipbuilding. Riverboats, barges and rafts at times. My cousin Brenneth once said we are of the Lake, and so its shine stays with us. At any rate we have largely been prosperous and peaceful. As much as can be hoped," he says, his thumb rubbing the staff.
Brenneth. its been a while since he thought of him. What had become of Brenneth?
Auger realizes he has been going on for a bit and waits for any other questions before asking his own.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Granophyre’s eyebrows raise quite high upon his forehead when Auger mentions his home province. “Does the name Kieu-Lan Trinh mean anything to you?,” he asks, and that happens to be the name of a girl from a neighboring village to Auger’s, who, when she came of age, left the area along with her parents. Auger remembers her, because as a child, she sang each year at the Harvest Festival, and her voice was beautiful beyond compare. It turns out that Granophyre’s travels have taken him through Anshin Province before, he saw the girl sing at a Harvest Festival perhaps 20 years ago, and he has recently seen Kieu-Lan Trinh performing in Ishi Ammah before an audience of thousands. “The biggest in the world is small in its beginning, wouldn’t you agree?” (OOC: Auger should feel free to ask whatever questions he may have of the scholar, as there is plenty of time for small talk. However, I will push the plot forward.)
POST #2
The Journey to Kalahata, Days 10-11 (12th-13th of Beauty).
As you leave the coastal range behind, Takal Demesh is visible, his inanimate form, in full armor, seeming to take the place of the tallest hillsides behind you. Your first day in the steppes, you leave that image behind, and see a herd of wild horses across the plain from you, The next day, you witness wildebeests being harried by hyenas, whose chirping bark drifts on the breeze for some time after you pass the scene of one wildebeest being separated from the herd and outmaneuvered by the spry canines. You also pass a small group of travelers going the other direction and looking for the merchant’s road through the hills behind you. Amistan points the way, and in turn, they share that a contingent of orcs, flying imperial colors, is on patrol, and demanded a tribute before allowing them to pass.
It is the next morning when you have just packed away your tents and helped Amistan rehitch the horses after they’ve been allowed to graze and sleep unburdened, when the yipping barks of hyenas again are heard. There seem to be only a few, but the sounds come from various directions.
You camped in a low canyon, on a rise overlooking a small stream which has carved its way through the foothills over the eons. Looking around for the source of the barking, you see nothing, but Py and Granophyre’s golden sparrow flit upwards, and both return with the news that there is a small force of orcs flying the Jenghen banner, close around you. Amistan hurries and finishes his preparations, and instructs you all to ride in or on the carriage or horses, in case you need to flee. Granophyre and Tuff will remain in the carriage, and delegate to you the initiative to deal with any Imperial encounters so as not to reveal their presence. Tuff hands Ednyss a purse containing dozens of platinum coins to pay tribute if needed.
You leave the plateau and follow the stream for just about another mile, perhaps 30 minutes. Then the contingent reveal themselves.
On the canyon wall above you, where a long path merges down into the low canyon, you see a line of orcs, perhaps two dozen, riding enormous hyenas. In the center of the line is a very large, armored orc warrior, a war chief, sitting atop the biggest of the giant canine mounts. To either side of him are orcan Hands of Ellosh, fearsome priest-mages wearing spike-covered helms. One orc mounted near them, his bright pink skin glistening in the morning light, bears the Jenghen banner, which is torn, ragged, dusty. The entire band are wearing vestiges of Imperial livery. A torn tunic here, a headband tied around a longbow there, the Sky and Daggers painted on their scarred, tarnished shields.
You all feel the hairs on your forearms and hackles rising. This is the most fearsome force you have yet encountered, and in silence, they have pulled up above you. You now see, coming around the blind edge of the creek bed ahead of you, two large orcs on huge hyenas, garbed like the others, slowly advancing. Their demeanor is confident, and their expressions grim. They stop 30 or 40 yards in front of you. Meanwhile, four more riders pull up on the creek bed a similar distance behind you, after sliding downslope from the canyon ridge.
One of the orcs blocking your way shouts, in Jenghen, his voice a bright, feral growl.
“You travel. Through Imperial Lands.” His voice echoes down the canyon and back. The horses shift uncomfortably, the dry breeze gently licking at their manes. A moment later the orc continues, shouting across the distance, “What tribute. Do you offer. To Jen Ghessa?” Again his voice echoes.
(OOC: How are you arranged on the carriage?)
Flint, Wad, Benita, and Amistan look to you four to speak.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
(OOC: Varielky would prefer sitting next to Benita, then next to Ednyss if she can't. If that is not possible either, any of the others are fine. That is only when riding is too fast for walking by the carriage. If the carriage is slow enough, she'll prefer to walk by the carriage than sit on it. Besides all that, the exact position matters less to her.)
Varielky steps down from the carriage and takes a step forward, visibly excited. A long time has passed since she had fought real opponents. The arena was mostly staged, against the Azhvuv she mostly tried to remain on the running cart and neither the crabs nor the Hollow Ones were opponents that mattered to her. The two hairy snakes were the worst of all though. Indeed, her body was aching for a good fight, and these warriors looked just like it. They also didn't seem like ones who would skip an offer for a duel. Everything was set for a good match, if only...
Varielky musters all the will power she has to stop right before the words - about to challenge the Orcs - leave her mouth. They are trying to avoid fighting the empire now, not entice their soldiers into conflict. How unfortunate. May the gods forgive her, Varielky cannot perform her sacred duty now. Not while she is bound by the contract she signed.
She stepped forward, though. She can't just back away, it will seem strange to the Orcs. Varielky turns back to the others on the cart. "Do we have anything to give them?"
Varielky
Coming down into the steppes
Auger questions Granophyre, "Why do we go to Kalahata if we call it a 'den of thieves'? I would think other places might enrich your studies without as much risk as a place that carries such a label."
On the steppes
(OOC: Carriage/cart position. Auger would be towards the back working his wood and occasionally responding to any conversation that comes up.)
Sighting the Orc Contingent
Auger passes his consciousness into Py, invisible and flying far above them, he tries to get a sense for the full count and the overall health of these forces. The tattered Imperial insignia has him wondering if they have entered an area controlled by the thieves Amistan had mentioned.
Py Perception (if needed): 9
Coming back to himself he sees that Varielky had already left the cart and quickly relays anything he might have learned through Py's eyes. Hearing Varielky, he quietly asks of Ednyss, "Did anyone say how much of that purse you hold should be given in tribute?" Auger stays in the cart, knowing his spells, if needed, can work fine from up here.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
(OOC: Ednyss's position around the carriage would likely be in the front, but slightly off-center. He wouldn't want to walk directly in front of the carriage, but perhaps on the side and ready to step up to the front if needed. He would likely be walking near Varielky although conversation would be mostly at a minimum as he has spent the last few days internalizing what happened to him (although he has become more himself this past day). When it was necessary to be inside the carriage, Ednyss would have taken any available seat once everyone else was seated.)
Ednyss, walking near the side of the caravan barely hears Augur's question with his perceptive ears and shakes his head slightly in response. Letting Varielky do the talking, Ednyss stands just behind her watching the expression of the Orc's and trying to get a better read on their intent. To himself, Ednyss thinks that those of the imperial army should have a more regulated and ordered method of collecting tribute and he can't help but question whether or not these are real imperial soldiers. In response to Varielky, however, he quietly says, "We have a tribute to offer them, but what is the tribute that they ask? I'm sure that Granophyre doesn't want to pay more than what is necessary, so I am not sure how much to tell them that we have." He lets Varielky take the lead in the negotiations as he continues his observation of the Orc.
Insight: 9
“The mark of a successful DM is when you have caused more player deaths with doors than dragons, demons, or devils.”
Re: Kalahata, Granophyre retells what happens here:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/play-by-post/91549-age-of-resurgence-1-tracing-the-past-game-thread?page=35#c701
Kalahata is the doorway to the Vale of Deshar.
re: full count and health of orcs. 24, good health, veterans, all mounted. An overwhelming force if you were to come to blows face to face.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Varielky nods in response. She inhales and then speaks, raising her voice so that it would be heard clearly over the distance. Disappointment over the missed opportunity is clear in her voice. "What sort of tribute do you seek? What is it that Jen Ghessa could want from modest travellers like ourselves?" She doesn't look back, but she hopes Ednyss didn't bring out his shield with him. Holding such an item in front of them might complicate things. On the other hand, she also hopes that he did. If the Orcs choose to try taking the shield by force, she'll have no other option but to fight in self defence. Varielky doesn't shift her look to check on the matter, but a faint smile appears on her lips as the thought occurs in her mind.
Varielky
The orc casts an eye over your almost new livery, the well-varnished carriage, the fresh and obedient team of horses.
“GOLD,” his voice rings out and echoes in answer.
The dry breeze kicks up dust for a moment. The horses clip their hooves nervously while Amistan, under his breath, quietly soothes them.
The force lining the canyon wall remains motionless.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
As to the orc’s intent. Extortion would be anyone’s first guess, and Ednyss’ penetrating insight sees nothing more complicated than that. To get what they can. They are in their element and Ednyss guesses they usually come out on top. The chief and hands of Ellosh are too far away to read their expressions.
As to whether or not they are in fact Imperial troops, see the answer to Auger’s similar question.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer