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Oshirr House

DM Carl: At last... Oshirr House
Thursday November 24th, 2005 12:30:33 PM
The party decide to leave the scout be as they continue on their way, chatting with their new companions. Qwar replies to Jack "You mean dwarves? They don't have dwarves where you come from? Dont much like the sound of the place, Mhm? Not sure what to tell you; we live underground as a rule, miners mainly. A place without dwarves? Mhph!"

Vorelle examines the ground for evidence of the kobold's movements. She cannot find any tracks that are obviously made by that particular creature. Perhaps that suggests that it has been trailing them? But she does see that this route has been well trodden, both by humans and non humans. She sees evidence of many kobold tracks, as well as some made by larger, barefooted creatures. Orcs perhaps? But those tracks have probably been made a few days ago. She finds nothing recent save those of Domi and his party on their outward journey.

The dark cleric, having woken briefly, succumbs to Brahamah's tender ministrations and flops back limp for the rest of the journey, no doubt dreaming of torturing kittens and the like.

The cool of the morning has passed. As the journey continues beneath an ever warmer sun the sweat begins to drip. After a short while you climb to the brow of a low hill and get your first glimpse of Oshirr House.

Zeoll's dreams of some vast palatial structure are confounded; this place of legend is far simpler than that. It is a fortified compound, perhaps 300 feet by 400 feet. The surrounding wall is of stone and wood, with several manned lookout towers along its length.

The large wooden gates are open as you approach, and you see several students tending flowers and vegetable gardens in the courtyard.

As you enter the compound you see there are several buildings within. Most look like barracks or dormitories, but it is the building at the centre of the compound which is most eye-catching. It is instantly recognizable to those who faced the final battle at the end of the Year of Ascension, a beautiful simple white cottage. Those who saw it then saw it as the lone fragment of existence remaining at the centre of a universe devoured. A final shining white beacon of order amidst a maelstrom of chaos. It is a curiously jarring experience to see it here now, surrounded by the everyday bustle of life, knowing what lies in this place's future.

The students stand respectfully as you pass by in Domi's company. As your group move towards the porch of the cottage, two students move to guard the door.

"Well done," Domi says. "Please knock on the door and let the master know I am here with important guests."

One of the students knocks on the door and then whispers through it. At some unheard signal the door opens of its own accord and a bearded figure rises from a wartable, now covered with a sheet, and greets you in a rich, vibrant voice;

"Come in strangers. I would hear your tale!"

Zeoll
Thursday November 24th, 2005 5:06:41 PM

Zeoll gulps and then steps forward into the house. He waits for all his friends to enter before he speaks.

Ashira
Friday November 25th, 2005 12:39:56 AM
The ranger tags along quietly, almost invisible to the others around her as she simply watches and listens.

As she spots the cottage, Ashira lets out a sharp whistle. "I remember..." Ashira stops, remembering not to leak information about the future. Still, it is not everyday that you get to meet a god first hand and then are invited into the very place where the Wold was reborn." Spotting the bearded figure, Ashira gulps, the power of speech suddenly an almost impossible ideal.

Mad Jack
Friday November 25th, 2005 1:34:26 AM
"Yes Qwar, not many dwarves from where I come from. Oh there are some, but hey have all adapted to city life. You don't look like you've done that."

As they get to the Oshirr House Jack takes in his surroundings.

"Nice place you have here Mr. Qwar. If you need to check in, or ask permission from someoone, go do that now. I am going to unsaddle Trya, and give her a quick rubdown, then we can resaddle her, and let you have your go. Sound ok?"

Brahmah
Friday November 25th, 2005 3:03:38 AM
"I am Brahmah, Captain of the Chosen of Domi."

Zeoll d20+11=17 d20+24=31
Friday November 25th, 2005 9:05:11 AM
Zeoll almost gags when he hears Brahmah's words, but he tries to keep his surprise to himself (Bluff check 17 eh. Maybe it will seem that Zeoll is surprised Brahmah spoke before him).

Thinking furiously, he immediately steps up to speak.

"Yes, and I am Zeoll, the Seerr and Speakerr of those chosen by Domi to visit herre today."

"Let me intrroduce the otherrs of ourr company."

"This is Ashirra, the most herroic of those Domi chose to invite herre. Just coming in arre Rrose, the valiant; Vorrelle, who is keen of eye and earr; Theo, a brrilliant mage; Trratain, a brrave prriest and prrotectorr of the weak -- and Jack, the most enthusiastic of us, is still outside showing off his horrse."

"We are grrateful that Domi invited us herre, and we arre glad to meet you, sirr. May we have the honorr of knowing the name of the perrson that noble Domi calls 'Masterr'?"

[Diplomacy check 31]

OOC to Jay: Highlight to display spoiler: {Jay! As Mookie would say, "Jeezum Crow!"}

DM Carl
Friday November 25th, 2005 11:34:13 AM
(OOC: Waiting for posts...)

Theodore and Macaw
Friday November 25th, 2005 2:10:26 PM
Theodore bows politely when introduced. "Hello," he says.

Mad Jack
Friday November 25th, 2005 3:03:55 PM
Jack unsaddles the pegasus, and gives her a quick rubdown. She also takes the oputunity to roll in the grass. When finished resting, he resaddles her, adjusting the stirrups for the shorter dwarf. At last thought, he takes the saddle rope and ties it to both sides to hold the dwarf in the saddle.

Waits for Qwar to return.

OOC I should have gone inside as well, but couldnt really go back on my word to Qwar. Sorry.

DM Carl: Alemi
Friday November 25th, 2005 3:30:34 PM
"Do you think perhaps Qwar might tend to your steed in your stead? That way the two can get aquainted." asks Domi of Jack. "Master Alemi awaits us inside. There will be time for lessons later."

There is no pressure in Domi's suggestion, he leaves the choice to Jack.

As the party head inside the cottage the bearded gentleman greets each of you in turn. He is not as old as you had at first thought; though his long hair and beard are white his features and movements are those of a man in his middle years. His voice is powerful and resonant, and exudes an air of calm and power that are instantly appealing. You sense from the twinkle in his eye that although this is a man of great seriousness of character, a smile is never far from his lips.

When Brahamah speaks he raises a quizzical eyebrow and seems about to say something, but remains silent as Zeoll says his piece. He nods and smiles, saying;

"You are most welcome here, travellers. My name is Alemi."

He turns to the students at the door and says "Cold drinks and wet towels for our guests please."

He waves a hand and the temperature in the house drops by about 20 degrees instantly. He motions to a set of couches and chairs to the side arranged in a square for conversation.

"Come, sit!"

If you can make a Spot check DC 15 Highlight to display spoiler: {An urgent glance passes between Domi and Alemi when Brahmah mentions the Chosen of Domi}

If you can make a Sense Motive check vs DC 20 Highlight to display spoiler: {Alemi seems pleased about something}

If you can make a Sense Motive check vs DC 25 Highlight to display spoiler: {Alemi, although he doesn't seem to have bought Zeoll's cover story, seems quite pleased by it}

If you can make a Spellcraft check vs DC 30 Highlight to display spoiler: {Whatever method Alemi used to lower the temperature in the room, it was no magical effect you recognize. Perhaps it is some property of the House itself that allows the temperature to be controlled.}

Zeoll d20+9=28 d20+18=31
Friday November 25th, 2005 4:11:28 PM

[OOC: Spot 28, Sense Motive 31 woot!]

If a couch will accommodate his size, and if there are enough to go around, then Zeoll will take one ... but he is just as happy sitting on the floor.

He thanks Alemi for his hospitality and is glad to use the cloths offered.

OOC for Carl: Highlight to display spoiler: {D'Oh! And I thought my recovery was so clever! Well, there's no pulling the wool over Alemi's eyes, hey? (BTW, noticed you didn't even roll an opposed Sense Motive check for the bum! Prob his +20 check beats my crappy bluff 17 automatically!)}

Ashira
Friday November 25th, 2005 5:28:08 PM
There is an audible hiss from beneath her cloak as Ashira draws in a sharp breath. There is a small billowing of the cloak as Ashira begins to tremble, her fists clenching so tight that her finger nails bite into her palms. Desperately she tries to attract Zeoll's attention, but the liontaur has already set about making their introductions. After being introduced, Ashira nods and then turns, intent on leaving. I will not sit about making pretty faces and smiling at him. He may not know what he did but I remember...oh I remember just fine! Ashira seethes internally. Ashira grabs Zeoll's arm and pulls in close to him, whispering. "I'm sorry Zeoll, I don't mean to embarrass you, but I just can't stand it." Ashira mumbles something about not feeling well as she turns to flee from the presence of Alemi.

Mad Jack d20=12 d20=17 d20+9=13
Saturday November 26th, 2005 12:34:08 AM
"Ah good idea sir. Qwar, here are her reins, maybe you can find some oats, or carrots. If you have any sweets she will forever be your friend."
Jack moves into the building with the others. Nice place he thinks to himself. He will accept the offerings gracefully and sit where told.

OOC
Spot 12
Sense Motive 17
Spellcraft 13
No spoilers for me!!

Vorelle d20+15=18 d20+3=21
Saturday November 26th, 2005 10:59:24 AM
Vorelle slips quietly into the room and tries very hard to be invisible. When Zeoll introduces her, she bobs her head awkwardly and stares at the floorboards.

[Spot 18, Sense Motive 21]

Tratain d20+7=25 d20+5=8
Sunday November 27th, 2005 5:34:27 PM
Tratain catches the glance between Alemi and Domi, but says nothing about it.

He takes the offered seat and listens to the conversation.

rose d20+4=19 d20+10=29 d20+10=25 d20+14=15
Monday November 28th, 2005 12:02:06 AM
Rose has been quiet as she guides Mandy to follow the others. I hope they dont talk about anything that might let people know we're from the future she thinks.

At the house she leaves Mandy and Piper outside with some food and water before going in. When she hears Brahma and Zeoll introduce themselves she groans and thinks THOSE IDIOTS!!!

sense motive: 19
listen: 29
spot: 25
spell craft: 15

ooc: sorry for not posting I was busy with thanksgiving and getting ready for the nw wold meeting

Brahmah d20+4=12 d20-2=12
Monday November 28th, 2005 2:48:57 AM
"Domi, my lord, you called me while I was working as a bartender in a tavern. Then I found your Chosen like you asked. Remember?" Brahmah waits for a response from his deity.

(Sense Motive versus human 12, Bluff versus human 14)

DM Carl: Everybody Out!
Monday November 28th, 2005 7:19:27 AM
Alemi sits opposite the party. He remains affable and polite as the party take their seats. But when Brahamah speaks again the he looks once more at Domi, and nods to him.

Domi turns to the remaining students in the room (who are looking with great curiosity at the minotaur) he says with a smile "Time to leave, young ones. Alemi and our new friends have much to discuss that is not for our ears. Come."

Domi leads his students out of the room, leaving the party alone with Alemi. The white haired fellow says nothing for a few moments, seemingly lost in thought. If he is aware of Ashira's discomfort he shows no sign of it. Then he turns to you, twinkling blue eyes gazing deep into your own.

"Pray be wary, friends" he smiles softly. "I fear we now walk a perilous path, and must tread lightly. I have questions I must ask of you. Please be circumspect in your answers. Give me no more detail than you must, for new paths glimpsed may serve only to obscure the true way forward.

He looks to each of you, perhaps seeking a consenting nod or sign of understanding.

"But first, let us be clear; are you from our future?"

Zeoll
Monday November 28th, 2005 1:29:05 PM

Zeoll is confused by Brahmah's words. He thought the group understood that discretion was the watchword of the day. Evidently the Captain did not understand.

Well, that goose is out of the bag the liontaur thinks. Let's see if we can get her put back in, if only partway.

Zeoll waits for the followers of Alemi to leave. Then he says in answer to Alemi.

"Sirr, I do not know that we arre frrom yourr futurre. I do not know how any perrson could trravel to anotherr time. Can even gods do that? I do not know. I have hearrd no tales of such, and I am a barrd."

"But what I believe -- without sufficient underrstanding, good sirr -- is what you have alrready stated: that we should be cirrcumspect."

"Therrforre I would prreferr forr my frriends and I to rretain the discrretion not to answerr yourr questions. Although I prromise that I will not lie to you orr to the noble Domi, nonetheless I think that the less we say, the wiserr courrse ourr paws will trread."

"It is trrue that we have come herre forr a rreason, but I fearr to rreveal that purrpose. I will say on my worrd that ourr mission is imporrtant in defeating a foe who has been rresponsible forr the deaths of hundrreds of innocents, and who, if unchecked, thrreatens thousands morre."

"Perrsonally, I think it best to avail ourrselves of yourr hospitality forr so shorrt a time as politeness will allow, and then to be on ourr way."

"It is possible we will need some inforrmation to achieve ourr mission. But I fearr to question yourrself orr Domi. Perrhaps you would allow us to question yourr followerrs, with the underrstanding that they will not rreveal ourr questions to you? We will rreveal as little as possible to them. I hope you will forrgive the prresumption that such a rrequest assumes."

"And also, good host, perrhaps the wisest courrse would be forr you to give us a moment of trrue prrivacy beforre we say aught else."

Brahmah
Monday November 28th, 2005 4:34:00 PM
Discretion has never been one of Brahmah's stong points. However, he can read people pretty well and at this point he thinks Zeoll is about to kill him. He shuts up.

I was only trying to figure a few things out. Sorry. He thinks to himself.

Theodore and Macaw
Monday November 28th, 2005 11:00:20 PM
Theodore flexes his nostrils. I think I have a booger. Otherwise, he waits patiently.

Vorelle d20+15=29 d20+15=19
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 12:00:09 AM
Vorelle stays quiet, but her eyes and ears are alert for anything out of the ordinary.

[Spot 29, Listen 19]

Ashira
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 12:04:47 AM
Unable to stand being in the presence of Alemi any longer, the ranger bolts out of the room.

Tratain
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 12:48:45 AM
Tratain listens to what everyone around him is saying.

When given the chance he says "I am curious as to why Lord Domi and his students happened upon us. I know why we were at the cave, but it seems an out of the way place. Was there a specific reason as to why he and his students where there as well?"

Brahmah
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 3:32:58 AM
Brahmah remains quiet.

DM Carl: d20=13
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 5:25:11 AM
Alemi answers Tratain first.

"Those caves have long served us as a training ground and place of silent contemplation. Hidden from prying eyes Master Domi is able to instruct his more advanced students in isolation and privacy. It seems, however, that our foes have now discovered even this sanctuary."

He turns to Zeoll.

"And speaking of privacy, you are quite correct, my wise friend. Please, discuss matters amongst yourselves. Take as long as you need. When you wish to speak further just ring the bell you see on the table, and I will hear it.

However you should know that, in your responses, you answered all but one of the questions I had for you. That question can wait until I return.

As for your fears; I would ask that you direct any questions you have to me rather than my students, or even Domi. I will be in a better position to give many answers than will my students, and the fewer people who know the details of your quest here the better. Please do not be overly concerned however; you may ask your questions of me freely, and I will do what I can to answer them.

But please, discuss this matter amongst yourselves first. I will return when you are done." And with a bow of the head Alemi leaves the room.

----

Ahira stands outside the door of Oshirr House, wrestling with her emotions. Meeting Alemi face to face has done nothing to dispel her personal demons. Quite the opposite in fact.

After a few moments the door opens, and, of all people, Alemi himself stands beside her. They are alone, the guarding students a discreet distance away.

He looks at her with genuine concern. "Young one, it is clear that you find my presence here the source of great distress (OOC: Sense Motive 13+?: succeeds). I do not know why I am the cause of such pain to you, but it grieves me to be so. I can only offer my sincere apologies if I have wronged you in some way."

He looks at the tall aquatic elf with a sad smile, a smile filled with concern, sorrow and love. It is clear that it causes this man genuine hurt to be the cause of anguish to another.

"Your friends are now alone within, discussing how best to proceed. I will stay out here, and not return until they summon me. Join them in their discussion or stay out here with me. The choice is yours."

(OOC: To those in the room, please feel free to make as many posts as you need between now and the next DM post to decide what you want to do.)

Rose
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 3:03:37 PM
Rose has been listening to the others, but when Ashira bolts Rose follows and tries to comfort her. Rose will remain quiet when Alemi comes out to talk to Ashira.

Mad Jack
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 4:47:45 PM
Jack sits down and eats a bit of the proffered food. Then like a lightning bolt, it dawns on him what Zeoll is saying. This Alemi character was the god Alemi.

"Zeoll, I am mad as most, but you have me beat if you think we are talking to a God here. Hahaha, oh that is precious indeed. We are walking with the Gods. Hmm I may use that in the future." Laughing at Zeoll, he adds, "or the past." Hahaha, he laughs at his own mirth.

Theodore and Macaw
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 6:46:55 PM
"So," begins Theodore. "It seems we have gone back into the past. The most obvious question is 'why.' Should we start there?"

Zeoll
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 9:18:29 PM
When the group is alone, Zeoll lets out a loud sigh and sits down with a feline plop. He had not realized how tense he had been in the presence of Domi and Alemi.

No anger shows in his face as he talks with his friends. If anything, he seems tired. No wonder, he thinks to himself, we have not slept since the Mortician brought us together. The liontaur takes a second to think over all that has taken place ... the revelations, the fight, the travel to a new dimension ... and a great weariness seeps into him. Really, it had only been the adrenalin of trying not to say the wrong thing that had kept him going.

But they were not done yet.

Taking a deep breath, Zeoll stands (so that he will not fall asleep while talking). He speaks. "Frriends, I do not prretend to know what is going on. But if we arre in the past, and if these people will become gods some day, we must not rrisk changing the courrse of events by telling them too much. And since we do not know what is too much, we should not say anything!"

"Has Alemi met Garrgul yet? Arre they yet the grreat enemies they will become? Has Garrgul used Ebrryon's Token to crreate the drragons yet? Is it ourr duty to take the Token away from Garrgul? But we cannot ask Alemi orr Domi these questions forr fearr of telling them things they arre not yet meant to know!"

"We must not rreveal any morre. In fact, we should leave herre as soon as possible and hope we have not alrready done harrm."

Zeoll pauses to look around for Ashira. He hopes she is coping okay.

Vorelle
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 9:26:46 PM
Vorelle shifts nervously from foot to foot. About the only thing on her mind is an earnest desire to not mess this up.

"I-I w-want to d-d-d-do what's r-r-r-r-right," she says, when her opinion is asked for.

Ashira
Tuesday November 29th, 2005 11:16:29 PM
Well that just takes the cake!! I finally get to see him face to face and tell him what I think of his precious love and concern and I can't even say anything for fear of screwing up the very Wold itself. Fate you are truly a cruel master!!

Seething internally, Ashira nods angrily at Alemi and returns to the room, not even speaking a word. She manages to arrive about half way through Zeoll's advice. She sit in a corner, listening to the others..and seething... Though try as she might, she can't dislodge the final glimpse she had of Alemi. So sad...so concerned.

She tries to focus on the task at hand. "Is anyone else as confused as I am?? Why were we brought here when we can't even talk to anyone for fear of destroying the fabric of the Wold itself." Though Ashira tries to keep her tone even, her anger seeps through as she continues. "So how are we supposed to know what the right thing to do?"

Brahmah
Wednesday November 30th, 2005 3:20:08 AM
The minotaur just listens and looks on. The tale is woven and the taur is more confused as ever.

Zeoll
Wednesday November 30th, 2005 6:05:30 AM

"Rrememberr ourr mission. We have to find the arrtifact that Ebrryon gave to Garrgul, that Garrgul used to crreate monsterrs. Rrememberr the words of the holy priest at the Temple of Garrgul. Rrememberr the scrap of tapestrry we saw of it."

Zeoll calls on his bardic training to recall the priest's words, and then he takes out the ancient tapestry and shows it to his friends again.

[OOC: Here is the information we got yesterday? or was it the day before yesterday?

[It is an illustration on the corner of the parchment. An evil man in black has the name Gargulus written below him. He has something in his hand wrapped in a black cloth. He leans over an orc, sniveling in his evilness and a ray is shooting out from the things under the cloth at the orc. The painting shows several orcs in a row with each looking a bit more sophsicated and intelligent. Above looking out from a cave in the clouds is a godlike figure smiling and giving power to the item.]

"What do you think the parchment means my young adventurers?" whispers the old priest.

"I am determined that this pieces dates back to the first age of the Wold." He begins to get a wild look in his eyes. "This is his master as a mortal and very evil, putting souls in monsters to fight Alemi in the Oshirr House. But what intrigues me is the figure in the sky who supplies the power for the device. Who knows how much the artist of this tapestry knew about the goings on in that time, but we do know that the crisis of the age was Gargul and his army of monsters vs. Alemi and his adventures and allies. We also know that it ended with Alemi and a host of Gold Dragons destroying the current gods." He is begining to get excited. As if he holds some great knowledge and has been waiting to share it with someone who can do something about it.

"Apply that knowledge to this scrap of parchment." His demeanor changes from that of excitement to that of fear. "On an offchance, I did a divination and with an extra question I had, asked on a whim if this parchment has anything to do with the current flooding in the city and this Eberyon Fey King causing us our current problems." He pauses looking at each of you, one at a time. "The answer came back yes."

"Now, look closely." He hands you a seeing glass.

Now one can see ivy around the gods neck, daisies in the clouds growing through the being's feet. His arms look like tendrils. And small fairies fly around his head forming the circlet there.

The priest says, "See the ivy around the being in the sky's neck? See the way the daisies in the clouds grow through his feet? See how his arms look like tendrils of a plant? I now believe that the creature in the Sky is Eberyon."

Here is a link to the sketch of the Tapestry we were given.

DM Carl
Wednesday November 30th, 2005 11:00:03 AM
Outside Oshirr House Alemi looks up into the clear blue sky, lost in thought. He awaits the sound of a bell.

Inside the House the party discuss how best to proceed.

Mad Jack
Wednesday November 30th, 2005 5:49:45 PM
"Ok, if we are in the past, and we need to find Gargul, why not just ask Alemi if he knows where he is. I mean at this point in time they are not fighting right? That shouldnt change any events."

Zeoll
Wednesday November 30th, 2005 6:07:25 PM
"Just by asking about Garrgul, we tell Alemi that Garrgul is important in the futurre. Maybe this will influence him. Forr example, Alemi was Garrgul's enemy, and tried to kill him. Maybe, knowing that Garrgul has a role in the futurre, Alemi will not trry as hard to kill him. The past will change, and with it, our prresent!"

"Or maybe they arre fighting now. Alemi's battle plan may change knowing that we arre hunting Garrgul too."

"for what it is worrth, I think that the morrtal Alemi might agrree with me. He just said, 'Give me no morre detail than you must, forr new paths glimpsed may serrve only to obscurre the trrue way forrward.' "

Tratain
Wednesday November 30th, 2005 6:33:40 PM
Tratain listens to what Zeoll says and asks "How do we know that they are not already gods? Just pretending to be mortal to teach their students? I think we need to at least ask about Gargul, they say that they are at war, we can ask the name of thier enemy without revealing anything. If we just up and leave even though we are trying to protect our future, it may become impossible for us to complete the task we were brought here to do, and then we will probably have failed to save our future anyway."

Theodore and Macaw
Wednesday November 30th, 2005 9:31:48 PM
"Of course, there are many theories concerning time travel. The great Theodoric, whom I was named after, believed...ouch!" Macaw ends the mage's lecture before it begins.

Theodore rubs his head. "What I was getting at is that nothing is sure. That we have already altered the future could be a very real possibility. I think we should focus on the task at hand, not say more than is necessary, but neither should we hinder ourselves by being too cautious. I believe Alemi is willing to work with us if we act casually. Fabricate a reason for being here, and seek information from him to accomplish our goal."

Rose d20+4=8
Wednesday November 30th, 2005 11:03:59 PM
"What do we know about history? Is there anything that might mean we helped Alemi in the past or told him about the future so that he would be sure to remember to make it end up right?"

untrained knowledge history: 8 rose knows nothing

Vorelle
Thursday December 1st, 2005 1:20:37 AM
With little formal schooling, Vorelle is no help at all with history. But--

"I d-d-don't think w-we c-c-can a-ask for a-anything w-w-w-without m-m-making it s-s-s-sound imp-important," she points out.

Brahmah
Thursday December 1st, 2005 1:23:17 AM
"It could mean almost anything. Ancient writings can be interperated in many ways. Symbolism is key."

Ashira
Thursday December 1st, 2005 1:28:15 AM
The ranger rubs her temples overwhelmed by all the potential combination and implications.

DM Carl
Thursday December 1st, 2005 10:44:36 AM
As the party tie themselves in temporal knots Alemi waits patiently.

Zeoll
Thursday December 1st, 2005 11:59:55 PM
"So arre we agrreed?" asks the liontaur into the silence. "We'll ask Alemi to tell us about the enemy who is at warr with him. Then we will say thank you and be on ourr way. Okay?"

Brahmah
Friday December 2nd, 2005 2:11:45 AM
Confused, Brahmah stays quiet again.

Mad Jack
Friday December 2nd, 2005 4:19:29 AM
"So let me get this straight. We have come back in time to do something to help us in the future. Find this artifact. So you are sayin the whole reason we are here is to change history. Then in your next breath your afraid we are going to alter things? Im confuse, we cant have it both ways."

Zeoll
Friday December 2nd, 2005 6:01:06 AM

Zeoll's tail whips back and forth, and he wags a finger at Jack. "Now stop yourr nonsense, sirr! No one is saying that they want to change historry. We want to obtain the arrtifact, or to obtain inforrmation about wherre it will be when we rreturrn home to ourr own time. And we hope to interferre with things as little as possible while we arre herre. Especially we want to rreveal as little about ourrselves and ourr Wold as we can."

"I think that's not so harrd to underrstand."

The liontaur looks around the room. "My question rremains. Shall we ask Alemi to tell us about his enemies, and then take ourr leave? Does anyone else have anotherr idea forr a courrse of action? Maybe we should ask to stay the night. I myself feel so wearry."

Theodore and Macaw
Friday December 2nd, 2005 9:43:51 AM
Theodore yawns at Zeoll's suggestion of staying the night. "I could sure use some sleep. It would help me to concentrate on our current situation."

The young wizard muses for a moment. "Perhaps we could admit to being from a distant place and unsure of how we got to where we currently are. Both true. Simply ask for any news and other pertinent information that might help us to get home."

Rose
Friday December 2nd, 2005 12:33:45 PM
Rose just stays quiet, she isnt sure what to do.

Tratain
Saturday December 3rd, 2005 10:08:33 AM
Tratain says "I think spending the Night would be best, perhapse other options will present themselves in the Morning."

DM Carl
Saturday December 3rd, 2005 11:05:41 AM
Alemi waits for the sound of a bell as the party try to reach a concensus.

Ashira
Sunday December 4th, 2005 2:40:45 PM
The half-elf shrugs her shoulders. "I guess that sounds like as good of a plan as any...but I'm not staying here. I'll camp outside, but I'm not staying here with Alemi."

Vorelle
Monday December 5th, 2005 12:15:58 AM
Vorelle is agreeable to spending the night, but she is worried about letting Ashira camp outside by herself.

"I-I'll g-g-go w-with you, i-if you l-l-l-like," she offers shyly.

Rose
Monday December 5th, 2005 5:58:20 AM
"Girls night out! We can tell stories around the fire as we fall asleep." Rose is tired but you can tell that she likes the thought of being with the others.

Zeoll
Monday December 5th, 2005 6:15:35 AM

"Oh, no," protests Zeoll. "I do not think we should split up. How about you ladies wait just outside this building while we have a shorrt chat with Alemi; therreafterr we all will go camp out of doorrs?"

"The shorrt chat will be us asking him about this warr in which he is engaged ... who arre his enemies, theirr names, theirr descriptions, the state of the warr. Then he can ask his final question. Then we will thank him and bid him farrewell. Agreed?"

If therre is complete agreement, Zeoll will ring the bell. Of course, if anyone wants to talk some more, he will not.

Brahmah
Monday December 5th, 2005 9:53:05 AM
"I agree with Zeoll, we should stay together."

Theodore and Macaw
Monday December 5th, 2005 10:02:02 AM
Theodore nods to Zeoll. "That sounds acceptable." He hides a yawn behind his hand.

Macaw, atop the wizards head, seems to have bedded down. Plopped down on his tummy, his feather puffed out, and his head resting on his chest, he appears to be fast asleep.

DM Carl
Monday December 5th, 2005 10:52:08 AM
The party, although perhaps not in complete agreement, decide upon the best course of action and ring the small silver bell on the table. After a few moments the door opens and Alemi enters.

He waits for a few moments (giving Ashira time to depart if she wishes), and then says

"I am sure you have questions for me, friends, and I will be happy to answer them for you. But first I have one final question for you, and given the dangerous times we find ourselves in, I must asks that this question be answered with a degree of proof."

He looks to each party member present in turn, and casting two spells he describes as providing proof of truth and alignment, he asks of each member in turn;

"Is your heart and purpose good?"

Theodore and Macaw
Monday December 5th, 2005 4:43:10 PM
Theodore blinks at the forthright question of Alemi. Being a native of Dirt City, he's more used to slogging through twists and turns of wordplay to get to the point. I like this guy.

"Of course," he answers simply. As if there could be any other purpose. The aged man might glimpse a hint of mischief from Theodore's feathered friend atop his head, but otherwise all should be good and well.

Tratain
Monday December 5th, 2005 4:47:34 PM
Tratain answers Alemi "Yes" and waits too see what else is said.

Ashira
Monday December 5th, 2005 5:18:28 PM
Though seething, Ashira remains inside, awaiting the answer of Zeoll's question. She laughs out loud at Alemi's query. "It depends on what you define as good. But yes."

Mad Jack
Monday December 5th, 2005 7:16:24 PM
"I have to agree with her. Obviously we are going to hold back information from you, so is that a good and true heart? Well you will have to decide. Our lion friend here doesnt want to say muchh, afraid of changing fates or some nonsense. If this situation is how he thinks it is, then our times are so far apart I see little lasting effects or changes that may happen. But give me the choice, I would change alot of things." He starts laughing to himself, a sort of weird cackle.

Vorelle
Monday December 5th, 2005 10:39:15 PM
Vorelle takes a deep breath. Is her purpose good? She doesn't know. She certainly tries, but it's a matter of some debate whether a Dirt City Grubber can ever really be good.

"I-I-I th-th-th-think s-s-s-so," she says.

Rose
Tuesday December 6th, 2005 1:33:16 AM
"Of course you're good Vorelle!" Rose says startled that Vorelle would ever doubt herself. "Everybody here is good, we couldnt have come if we werent."

Zeoll
Tuesday December 6th, 2005 6:25:31 AM
"Although experrience has cast a shadow on my hearrt, I am still as devoted as everr to doing the rright thing, helping otherrs, ending warr among my people, and purrsuing the cause of good on this mission and in all I do."

DM Carl
Tuesday December 6th, 2005 9:02:01 AM
Alemi nods at your answers, smiling with approval. He seems perfectly satisfied, particularly with Vorelle's response. He says, almost to himself, but with a kindly twinkle in his eye, "Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure. We get very little wisdom from success, you know...."

He walks to his large wartable, his long white beard brushing the many maps thereon, and leaning on it he continues in his rich, sonorous voice;

"I thank you all. Please forgive any breaches of hospitality this may have caused. As I have said we are at war here and facing extinction if our enemy has his way. We must excerise every precaution in the face of a devious foe.

Now, as to your mission here; I am going to have to ask you that you do not speak of it to anyone, but go about it freely. I will give you a token of my respect which should allow you to ask questions and move around the countryside without too much of a problem."

He removes a pendant from about his neck, a silver circle with three overlapping circles within it, and places it on the table.

"Again, I ask you not to disturb the timeline more than you have to in accomplishing your mission.

Now, I am sure you will have questions. Please, ask them, but ask quickly. Tonight is the first full moon, and we know that we will be assaulted mercilessly tonight for as long as our enemies can sustain the attack. I must consult with my captains to plan the defense of the compound. But first, your questions. I will answer as best I can."

He looks to each of you, encouraging you to speak your mind.

Make a Spot Check DC 15 to notice that there is a very interesting-looking map on the table.

Brahmah
Tuesday December 6th, 2005 11:46:57 AM
Brahmah simply nods in acknowledgement at Alemi.

Theodore and Macaw d20+4=7
Tuesday December 6th, 2005 3:11:44 PM
Theodore neglects to notice the map right in front of him (spot 7) but does survey the pendant Alemi removed. I suppose it must be true, then.

Looking back at Alemi, he thinks, I wonder if he will remember us when...if...we return to our true time. Theodore puts a hand to his temple. Suddenly his head hurts.

He refrains from asking any questions. It seems that Zeoll has things well under hand.

Mad Jack
Tuesday December 6th, 2005 3:45:16 PM
"Yee yaw!!" He shouts bounding to his feet.

"More contradictions, you people make my brains muddlified. Ok, we are good people, right? Even this old codger says we are. So how in the name of the gods, er whatever, can we leave a fight for the right? I say nay to you, i stay and help the fight. I mean look at him, i think he will need our help."

Rose d20+10=21 d20+5=17
Tuesday December 6th, 2005 3:56:55 PM
Rose looks at the map and runs her finger along it. "Monster swamp? Valley of the Dawn? Winter town? Who thought up these names?" She then tries to decide if any of the spots relate to places she has been in her own time.

spot: 21
know local dirt city: 17

Zeoll d20+9=20
Tuesday December 6th, 2005 6:32:51 PM

Zeoll chuckles at Rose. "Good of hearrt, forr surre, but also rroaming of eye and carreless of tongue!" The liontaur also glances at the map, but says nothing about it.

Then to reassure Alemi, Zeoll says, "Rrest assurred, we will speak of ourr plans to otherrs only as much as as we have to you. Orr less."

"The questions that we have we hope will rreveal to us what we need to know without rrevealling anything to you, good sirr."

"Please tell us about yourr enemy, and this warr. Who is yourr enemy? Wherre is the enemy headquarrterrs? Who arre the enemy's prrincipal henchmen? What arre theirr goals? What arre theirr tactics? What have they accomplished? What do they seek to accomplish?"

Zeoll nods at Jack. "My frriends, my hearrt is with Jack. I wish we could stay to lend ourr strrength to that of this Oshirrr House." Zeoll pauses at that -- who would ever have thought he would utter those words, or that, given the chance to defend the Oshirr House, he would turn it down. He feels an ache inside, an echo of the emotions that ruled him when he betrayed his friends after his resurrection.

"But this is not ourr fight, and ourr prresence herre might well do morre harrm than good. No, we must leave before battle breaks, and we must be well away ahead of the attack. That is ourr duty, and it is, I hope, a grreaterr act of courrage forr us to leave than to rremain."

Zeoll sighs and sits down. Weariness weighs heavily on him as he realizes that they have a race ahead of them before they rest this night.

Ashira d20+12=17
Wednesday December 7th, 2005 1:12:17 AM
The ranger actually appears to hesitate...biting her lip and chewing on some mental calculation. "Jack, I don't like it any more than anyone else, but we need to go. Zeoll is right, it's time for us to go." Ashira spys the map and taps her chin thoughtfully, but says nothing. "Ashira looks over at Zeoll. "This changes a lot of things. We should get some rest while we can. Here would probably be best."

Vorelle
Wednesday December 7th, 2005 9:18:57 AM
Gently, Vorelle shakes her head at Ashira's suggestion of spending the night.

"Th-th-they're b-b-being attacked t-t-tonight," she points out.

DM Carl
Wednesday December 7th, 2005 10:16:20 AM
Alemi, a man who (unbeknownst to him) is fated to one day become the Supreme God of Health and the ruler of all the Woldian Gods, raises an amused eyebrow when Mad Jack calls him an 'old codger', but says nothing.

When Rose points out the locations on the map Alemi smiles, and turns it so you can all see it clearly.

"Our enemy is a man named Gargulus. You can see the location of his fortress here on this map. He has been growing in power for some years, but of late he has taken command of an ever-growing army of creatures. Our once-safe lands are at risk of falling to his creatures of the night. His goal is nothing less than the erradication of all those who would stand against his quest for absolute power. We few teachers and students have become a focal point for his attacks, and I fear that if we fall the town of Winter and those beyond cannot be far behind.

We have repelled a number of his attacks already, but each time we lose more students, and with each fresh attack the enemy's forces grow more numerous than before.

His creatures tend to be goblins and orcs, although with each new attack new and strange creatures appear.

But these are our concerns. You have concerns of your own, it is clear. But whatever your mission here might be, you are clearly in need of rest before you pursue it. You look uterly exhausted. If you are to leave before the attack tonight you had best get some rest very soon. But I warn you, there is no safety outside of these walls after sunset. You will be in great danger if you are caught out in the open by Gargulus' forces."

Alemi is certainly correct about you being tired. Since rising early yesterday morning you have had no chance to sleep. In fact you have been without sleep now for around 35 hours straight, and have marched and battled hard during that time. The entire party are fatigued

A fatigued character can neither run nor charge and takes a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.

If you reach 48 hours without proper rest you will become exhausted

An exhausted character moves at half speed and takes a -6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. After 1 hour of complete rest, an exhausted character becomes fatigued.

Brahmah
Wednesday December 7th, 2005 10:51:33 AM
(OOC: As it stands, I have no apparent choice, but as a ranger, Brahmah would never make a forced march or that length without resting at least twice. He would certainly never allow his party to go that fast and hard without some sort of rest.)

Brahmah looks at the party. "While I know my limits, I do not know yours." He says. "But I suggest moving for at least 16 hours during twilight and daytime. Sleep at night in forest or grasses. Even caves if possible."

"Logically, I can't see any reason why we should travel without resting. That can put us into more danger than these Gargulites." He says stiffly. With that said, he goes to sleep when a bed is offered.

DM Note:

It's less about the marching (I too assumed periodic rests), and more about simulating the tiredness the characters are bound to feel having gone 35 hours without sleep, Jay.

Carl

Tratain
Wednesday December 7th, 2005 6:11:15 PM
Tratain says to his Friends "With all respect, I must Disagree about leaving. How do we know that the act of us leaving will not cause more harm than good? What if we leave and the lack of our strength of Arms makes Alemi and Domi lose this battle tonight. We know that they win, I see no harm in staying for the night and makeing sure that the Oshir House stands tonight. We don't really know why we are here or what we are to retrieve. What if besides from returning with something we are to insure that the War is won? Our goals and those of Alemi and Domi may coincide."

Zeoll
Wednesday December 7th, 2005 10:59:56 PM
Zeoll studies the map and tries to memorize it. He agrees with Ashira about its importance, but still thinks they must go now. Even though Brahmah looks ready to tumble into bed, Zeoll will not let the group rest here in this place.

The liontaur flinches a little when Tratain says "We know that they win." He says, "Friend, your hearrt is good, but you cannot guarrd yourr tongue! Yourr worrds convince me that we must leave rright away, beforre we do morre harrm."

"Let us high-tail it out of herre beforre the fight, find a place to go to grround, and rrest. Theo, Rrose, do you have any magic to help us hide forr a few hours? Tiny Hut? Rrope Trrick? Or we can just trrust to the woodrraft of Brrahmah and Ahirra."

"Thank you, sirr Alemi. It was a pleasurre to meet you. We will now be on ourr way."

Ashira
Wednesday December 7th, 2005 11:01:41 PM
The aquatic elf yawns, the encounter with Alemi and the long journey finally taking their toll on her body. Somehow her body tells her this is a very bad idea. But she trusts Zeoll impeccably. And so she readies her equipment and gets ready to head out. She rubs her bleary eyes as she tries to focus. "So, where to boss?" she asks Zeoll as soon as they have left the compound.

Vorelle
Thursday December 8th, 2005 1:25:21 AM
[OOC: One more thing about us Rangers; we have Endurance. This makes it more difficult for us to become Fatigued and Exhausted, and (presumably) easier for us to recover.]

Vorelle quietly goes with the others, and assists in finding a safe place to spend the night.

[OOC: Vorelle is +14 to Survival checks, so she automatically succeeds in Aiding Another to help Bramah or Ashira find a camping spot.]

Mad Jack
Thursday December 8th, 2005 1:48:10 AM
Jack listens to the others talk, and the liontaur is on some mission that he cant fathom.

"Captain Brahmah there, he agrees with me. We do need rest. We are safe here, and not out there. The sound decision is to stay here. Tratain also speaks wise words. Fear of the unknown liontaur may cause more damage than you perceive. I am staying here. Sir Alemi, if you can show me to somewhere to rest until the upcoming fight."

Rose
Thursday December 8th, 2005 2:21:52 AM
Rose is drifting off to sleep as she's sitting on her chair. Mandy curls up and takes a little nap.

DM Carl
Thursday December 8th, 2005 5:26:26 AM
The party try to decide what to do next. Concensus seems a long way off.

Zeoll wants to leave at once and find a place to sleep in the wild. Ashira and Vorelle want to go too.

Tratain and Jack want to stay and fight (with a sleep first).

Brahmah wants to sleep at the compound, then leave.

Rose is too tired to get drawn into the discussion, and starts to doze off in her rather comfy chair. Mandy joins her.

(OOC: At least that's how I read it! Correct me if I'm wrong.)

Alemi smiles sadly at you all and says "Please, you are tired. I can provide you with beds where you can sleep in comfort and total privacy. You will still be able to leave before our compound is attacked, and will be able to do so with no further interaction with myself or my students, if that is your wish.

But the choice is yours, my friends. Stay or leave, as your heart dictates."

It is 2pm. If you decide to stay and sleep now you will be able to get a full 8 hours rest and be able to leave the compound at 10pm, hopefully well before any attack begins (Alemi and his captains anticipate the attack to begin some time after midnight if previous assaults are anything to go by).

If you decide to leave please let me know which direcion you intend to travel in, and give me a Survival checks (Vorelle is assisting) to find a suitable camp. Please note that you will need to remove your armour while you sleep, or you will become exhausted. This does not apply to those with the Endurance feat, who may sleep in light or medium armour without penalty.

Zeoll
Thursday December 8th, 2005 6:34:57 AM

[OOC: Sorry, Kathy! Forgot Vorelle is a ranger too.]

Zeoll will not, of course, split up the party. If some people collapse in place, Zeoll will not abandon them.

But he tries one last time to convince his party to leave now. "Though tirred, we can trravel now, in daylight, while the enemy arrmy is farr away. Orr we can sleep, then trravel in the dark, with the enemy arrmy nearr. To me the firrst courrse is clearrly the betterr one."

"We have thrree rrangerrs and a drruid. We will be able to trravel fourr or five hourrs frrom herre, find a hidden shelterr, and then rrest. The enemy will be focussed on this place, not looking forr a small parrty miles away."

[OOC: Gee Whiz, you people! Excuse the rant, but Zeoll has been making comments about being tired for weeks now -- for example, see Sept. 27, Oct. 14, and Nov. 29. There's no need to collapse right this second -- the DM just told us we have another 13 hours before we are exhausted. We'll be hidden away in some cave or inside a concealed lean-to long before that!]

Theodore and Macaw
Thursday December 8th, 2005 9:30:52 AM
Theodore's spirits seem to lessen when Alemi mentions the exhaustion etched in each party members' face.

"I think it much safer to stay here, Zeoll," he pipes up. "Better surrounded by walls and warriors than a cave. We'll get better sleep, too. I vote for staying."

Brahmah
Thursday December 8th, 2005 10:34:00 AM
(OOC: You are correct Carl, that was Brahmah's plan.)

The minotaur sleeps.

Zeoll (second post)
Thursday December 8th, 2005 11:00:32 AM
The liontaur bows to the inevitable, thanks Alemi for his hospitality, and gets some rest.

Just before closing his eyes, Zeoll covertly studies the old image of Gargulus. He remembers the map and thinks about going there.

[OOC: Zeoll uses his Read Dream Seer ability:
Read Dream: After meditating on a topic and sleeping all night undisturbed, the seer can interpret her dreams to gain insight into the topic. The DM uses a secret Sense Motive check to determine the knowledge revealed -- usually consisting of cryptic sounds and images, as described by the DM. This power is comparable to a Divination spell. (Note: The DM may sometimes give the seer cryptic dreams even if the seer does not seek them.)
Zeoll's Sense Motive roll is at +18.]

After eight hours, Zeoll is eager to be off. He urges people to hurry -- no time for the wizards to prep spells. (Divine casters prep at a particular time of day -- Zeoll does his at dawn, and I think dawn is still many hours away.)

DM Carl: Zeoll's Dream
Thursday December 8th, 2005 12:33:20 PM
(Please note, this is not a daily post. The Friday post will take place tomorrow as normal.)

The liontaur spends several minutes meditating on both the parchment and the map. Though he has neither to hand (the parchment was pulled from Theodore's hand in the Inner Sanctum and vanished in a blaze of light that hurled you into the past) he fills his mind with the images he has commited to memory.

He, like the others, falls asleep in no time at all, his mind and body utterly exhausted from going so long without sleep.

And as he sleeps, the wemic dreams.

All is still, silent, dark. You feel strange, disorientated, as if you have been turned somehow inside out or back to front.

But is the darkness you percieve really so still? No, it is moving, moving as if it were alive! A writhing, squirming mass, as if the very void itself were made of countless shivering maggots...

Not maggots, you realise. They are creatures,, certainly, but far below you. A sea of orcs, goblins, all manner of foul monsters, as far as the eye can see. An overwheming martial roar buffets you like a physical thing.

Now the horde is receding, shrinking, moving away. You follow, and as you do a rising sense of dread grips you. You try to resist, but you are pulled inexorably onwards into the darkness ahead, your terror mounting.

From out of the darkness a bearded figure dressed in black swims into view. He seems impossibly tall, towering over you, over the creatures, over the land itself, his laughter ringing in your ears. It sounds wrong, somehow, twisted.

In his hand he clutches an object, an orb of some sort, held beneath a cloth. Swirling patterns of translucent light surround it, and a beam of blinding green light seems to be extracting something from the horde below. As it does so they seem to shrink, diminish and recede still further. And so, it seems, does the figure in black.

The images come faster now, tumbling one over the next, becoming confused. Your fear is forgotten. The laughing figure recedes until all that is left is the orb, pulsing with power. The swirls of light around it sweep away and into a new figure, a flickering image that is one minute blue skinned and horned, the next clothed in moss and flowers, the next regal and bearded. He looks at you and his musical words fill your mind: "?yeK rO ?ngineB"

The images come faster still; a beautiful young fae female, terrible in her fury, a sudden change and the same woman blissfully happy, a pink force spinning about a green force, the two colours merging, spinning faster and faster, bright sparks of power being sucked into the fiery hot glow, until finally only green remains.

Soft, peaceful, endless green.

The Wemic blinks awake.

Vorelle
Thursday December 8th, 2005 7:58:19 PM
Willing though she was to help the others find a place in the wild, she is just as glad they are staying here. She finds a quiet place to curl up and falls asleep, grateful for the quiet.

Tratain
Thursday December 8th, 2005 10:31:55 PM
Tratain takes his rest with the others. He says to the Group "Leaving when I know a battle is going to take place, that is of this great importance goes against everything I believe, and I will not do it unless Alemi and Domi Throw me out, or there is a very compelling reason why I should leave. I understand your Point Zeoll, about not wanting to damage our Future, but we are here, and obviously have a roll to play in the events to come. I will not act any differently than I would from our time, because that also may damage our future."

Brahmah
Friday December 9th, 2005 3:14:14 AM
And sleeps. Zzzz.

Theodore and Macaw
Friday December 9th, 2005 11:24:20 AM
Theodore dozes with mouth wide open.

When they wake, he refuses to leave before memorizing his spells for the day. "Simply preposterous. It would be like asking a knight to leave behind his sword and armor when riding into battle."

Rose
Friday December 9th, 2005 12:09:37 PM
Rose wakes up enough to go where ever she is shown to sleep. She stays near Vorelle and Ashira (assuming we all get the same room or ones near each other) and Mandy stays with her. Piper fell asleep in the map room on a ceiling beam and stays there.

Mad Jack
Friday December 9th, 2005 1:16:09 PM
Mad Jack arises with the rest of his companions, fully rested. Heariung the words of Tratain, Jack agres, and will not leave.

"Zeoll, our enemy is here, now, we can find out so much about him in this battle. Especially if he doesnt know we are here."

OOC I figure Zeoll is the unofficial leader here, but I just dont agree with leaving, in or out of character.

DM Carl: Decisions, decisions...
Friday December 9th, 2005 6:11:37 PM
The party wake around 10pm, feeling gloriously refreshed. The evening is cool and pleasant after the heat of the day, and a full moon bathes the Oshirr House compound in a peaceful, blueish light. Even the students seem quiet and still, an unnatural hush over the entire camp as they stand at their posts.

If you make a Sense Motive check DC 20 Highlight to display spoiler: {Although the students are clearly brave and determined to do their duty with courage, there is an undercurrent of fear in the camp. The defenders are dreading the coming battle.}

If you make an Int check DC 12 Highlight to display spoiler: {The students and teachers that man the walls seem spread awfully thin.}

However as the party re-don their armour and prepare themselves it becomes clear that their rest has done nothing to bring about concensus on what to do next. Zeoll is convinced the party must leave at once, Tratain and Jack are equally determined to stay. Theodore demands to stay at least long enough to memorize spells. The discussion continues in the doorway of the barrack building Alemi set aside for you. Perhaps under orders from Alemi, the students give you plenty of space.

As the party continue to debate their next move, time ticks on. And of course there is still the question of what to do with the two red clerics of Gargul, who remain bound and gagged in the camp....

Theodore and Macaw d20+3=19 d20+4=11
Sunday December 11th, 2005 7:29:52 PM
(Sense Motive 19, Intelligence 11. Doh!!)

Theodore wakes and looks at the forces preparing themselves for the coming battle. Theodore feels a tug at his heart, but doggedly turns to his book. I must do as the group determines.

Vorelle d20+2=3 d20+1=4
Sunday December 11th, 2005 10:22:16 PM
Vorelle isn't sure what is the right course of action, but she knows what her instincts are telling her.

"M-m-m-maybe w-we should st-st-stay," she says diffidently. At any rate, she won't consent to leaving any of the group behind.

Tratain d20+5=20 d20=3
Sunday December 11th, 2005 10:34:01 PM
Tratain looks about the compound and notices the fear that seems to be present.

He seeks out Alemi or Domi and asks "How have you fared in the last battles? How close has the enemy come to breaking through you walls? We debate if we should leave now, or see this battle through before leaving. I for one will not leave unless I know for certain you can hold without our Aid."

Brahmah
Monday December 12th, 2005 11:00:36 AM
"We really shouldn't go if it'll screw up our future. Doesn't that mean if we kill a person, that person might be our relative and we would cease to be?" He looks at the humans.

Zeoll
Monday December 12th, 2005 4:59:49 PM
"I don't want to stay, but if some of us arre deterrmined, then we must all hang togetherr."

DM Carl
Monday December 12th, 2005 6:10:12 PM
The debate continues, and seems to be coming round to the idea of staying rather than leaving.

Tratain spots Alemi and Domi as they approach the party. They do their best to answer his questions.

Domi plants his feet wide apart, hands clasped behind his back. "The students have fought bravely, and will continue to do so. These night-kin are no match for a courageous heart and a strong right hand."

Alemi smiles at his companion's confidence. "My young friend," he says to Tratain, "the only thing we can know with certainty is that nothing is for certain. If you wish to aid us in this battle we would be glad of your help. If that is your choice I would ask that you appoint one of your number as a General, who can join us in the House to discuss tactics. If you wish to leave then go in peace, and know that I understand your reasons. If you keep away from the path you came by and keep to the foothills to the west you should be able to avoid the aproaching forces.

But you will need to decide quickly; time grows short, and soon there will be no time left to choose."

Mad Jack
Monday December 12th, 2005 6:43:38 PM
Looking to Zeoll, he says, "okay, lets say we dont fight here. What would you think about making an attack to the enemies rear? What we came looking for, certainly resides there, if not now, maybe we could get aglimpse into the whereabouts of said item. We would have the element of surprise on our side, and his army would be preoccupied. What think you others?"

Zeoll
Monday December 12th, 2005 7:01:06 PM
"Frrankly, I think now, with the arrmy herre, is the ideal time to trry to get into the enemy's lairr and rretrrieve the thing we came forr. I have morre to say about that, but I will do so when we arre outside and away."

"Frrom what Alemi and Domi said, we arrre not essential to theirr surrvival. We should leave, now, while we can, and make speed to the enemy's home."

Rose d20+4=22 d20+4=21
Monday December 12th, 2005 7:18:31 PM
Rose is waiting around for the group to decide. At one point she sneaks behind Zeoll and as his tail lashes she plays jump the tail.

sense motive: 22
int: 21

Vorelle
Monday December 12th, 2005 11:52:06 PM
Vorelle is torn, but it seems to her that Jack and Tratain are determined to stay, and Zeoll is equally determined to leave. It seems to her that they are the ones that need to work this out.

Ashira
Tuesday December 13th, 2005 12:39:19 AM
The ranger rubs her temples. "I don't know. We should probably just go with what we know for sure. We are supposed to be looking for...something, and we should probably just try and go get it."

Brahmah
Tuesday December 13th, 2005 10:46:33 AM
Brahmah looks hopeful to be named General. But his recent antics may not endure him to the group as a leader.

(OOC: Sorry all, I have had a rough couple of weeks and it doesn't look as if it'll be leting up soon. I will try to post better.)

Theodore and Macaw
Tuesday December 13th, 2005 11:37:48 AM
Theodore is leaning more towards staying until Zeoll brings up the good idea of sneaking into the enemies camp while they are attacking. He thumps his staff on the floor.

"I agree," he says. "The presence or absence of eight people will not sway a battle. We could be of more use in the enemy's camp. Perhaps we can commit some sabatoge there which might hurt the enemy more than facing them with swords. I vote we go."

Mad Jack
Tuesday December 13th, 2005 6:58:59 PM
"Before you agree to walk in the liontaurs footsteps, heed well what he said. He wants to 'search for the enemies home'. So before you make a decision to follow him, be sure you know what ypur deciding. My idea is to hit their camp, like Theo here just said. With Ashiras experience, and Brahmahs leadership, we should be able to come up with a simple raiding plan." He looks at them all, "Or we follow the liontaur out to some cave, hide, and then search for garguls home, when he is more suited to be waiting for us."

Zeoll (second post)
Tuesday December 13th, 2005 7:31:40 PM
Zeoll looks oddly at Rose and simply lifts his tail so that it is no longer an instrument of play.

Answering Jack, he says, "I think we should go to the location marrked on the map as Garrgul's compound. I want to go therre fast. We have had our rrest, so therre is no need to delay."

"When we get therre, ourr job will be to obtain the Fey arrtifact. If we go now, while Garrgul's arrmy is herre, we arre morre likely to succeed, I think."

DM Carl
Wednesday December 14th, 2005 4:51:22 AM
Domi and Alemi head for the House to discuss tactics as the party continues the debate. It is now 10.30pm.

Zeoll OOC
Wednesday December 14th, 2005 6:45:31 AM
Carl and Shegger, my understanding is that Theo won't go until he has tanked up on spells. Per the SRD, After resting, a wizard must study her spellbook to prepare any spells that day. If she wants to prepare all her spells, the process takes 1 hour. Preparing some smaller portion of her daily capacity takes a proportionally smaller amount of time, but always at least 15 minutes, the minimum time required to achieve the proper mental state.

If Theo does not have to prep every spell in his head -- because he has some uncast from yesterday -- then he can do it in less than an hour.

Anyway, please tell me that Theo sat down to prep spells at 10? Right, Shegger?

Us spontaneous casters only need 15 minutes of meditation after sleep to be able to cast a new slate of spells. If Zeoll has not done that yet, he will immediately.

And us divine casters prep spells based on time of day. I'm assuming that Zeoll's divine spells won't come back until dawn, OK?

DM Carl: I'm happy for the arcane casters to have finished all their spell prepping by 10.45 (the time of the next DM post). Divine casters will get their spells at dawn unless it states otherwise on your character sheet.

Theodore OOC
Wednesday December 14th, 2005 10:13:00 AM
You are correct, sir. Theo started memorizing spells when he woke up.

Brahmah
Wednesday December 14th, 2005 5:24:57 PM
"This'll be fun." Says the ranger.

Then the ranger gets an idea. "Domi!" He rushes over to the future deities as they walk. "If I die, I would like you to tell of my life and death. Can we sit and tell each other stories about ourselves? Get to know me, Domi." He smiles.

(OOC: SORRY SORRY, I had to take the opportunity and use the phrase in his presence. Had to plug it! ;))

Mad Jack
Wednesday December 14th, 2005 6:53:37 PM
"Again Zeoll you surprise me. If i had an artifact that allowed me to make monsters, and i enjoyed making monsters, and I was at war with somone at the moment, would I leafe such an artifact at home?'

Shaking his head back and forth, "it seems much more prudent that he is using the object each night in this war. He is doing his experimenting now."

Zeoll
Wednesday December 14th, 2005 8:10:41 PM
"You have a good point, Jack. If Garrgullus, or whateverr he calls himself in these days, will be at this battle, he may have the arrtifact with him. We should ask Alemi if he expects the enemy generral to lead the battle orr to stay at his camp in safety."

"Arre we agrreed that if Garrgul will be herre then we stay herre, and if he will be at his camp, then we go therre?"

Zeoll will approach Alemi with the question as fast as he can, then come back.

"Of courrse, if we continue to dilly dally, the enemy will be on us! Is that how you want to win your arrgument, Jack and Trratain? By delay until you win by default?"

"I say, we go to Garrgul, wherreverr Alemi says he is most likely to be! Okay?"

Theodore and Macaw
Wednesday December 14th, 2005 8:55:52 PM
Go after a god? Well, not yet at least, but I would think he'd have a long memory. Theodore sighes and then looks at Vorelle and Rose.

"It seems we're climbing the hierarchical ladder of upsetting people. First the Prince, now...a god."

He waits for the outcome of the argument, already having said his piece.

Vorelle
Wednesday December 14th, 2005 11:35:58 PM
Vorelle nods her agreement to Zeoll's sensible suggestion and waits for the others to make their response.

Rose
Thursday December 15th, 2005 3:04:38 AM
Rose looks disapointed when Zeoll moves his tail. She moves off to sit by Theo and pulls out her spell book. She spends 15 minutes memorizing the two spells she used yesterday (mage armor & magic missile) and leaves the other spells the same.

Brahmah
Thursday December 15th, 2005 10:54:02 AM
Brahmah waits to follow the group.

DM Carl: 10.45pm
Thursday December 15th, 2005 11:19:15 AM
The party opinion seems to be swinging back in the other direction. Now the plan is to seek out Gargul's lair and capture the artifact whilst his forces are busy attacking Oshirr House.

The party is able to speak briefly to Alemi.

"It is unlikely that Gargulus will lead his forces himself. That has not been his tactic in the past, at least. If he were to be found anywhere it would most likely be in his compound, I would guess. But I cannot be certain. Wait a moment, please."

He heads inside and returns moments later with the map you saw earlier.

"Marked on here you see Gargul's encampment, south out of the valley and to the east about half a day's walk. His evil usually sleeps during the day, and spreads at night.

As far as we can tell Gargul has been infusing lowly monsters with souls, making them far more dangerous and powerful in the process. We have no idea how he able to empower them in this way. If you find how he is binding souls into monsters please let me know. That could change the momentum of the war and is something we search for desperately. Hopefully it won't change the future in an undesirable way. Be wary, Gargulus is not a foe to be underestimated.

Gargulus is not the only creature of power in the Valleys, however. Here you see the palace of Queen Maab of the Fae to the SouthWest.

And to the West the home of her estranged husband, the Fae King Eberyon."

Rose
Thursday December 15th, 2005 12:51:24 PM
Rose's expression changes as she hears the name of Eberyon. "What can you tell us about him?" She asks Alemi.

It may seem like a drastic change to Alemi one moment Rose is laughing and playing jump zeoll's tail or studing her spellbook with a smile on her face and the next moment a look of profound sadness and anger are in her face and voice.

Theodore and Macaw
Thursday December 15th, 2005 9:43:02 PM
We might do well to enlist the help of Maeb, he thinks, recalling her role in ending Eberyon's terror in the "present."

Mad Jack
Thursday December 15th, 2005 10:30:37 PM
"Ok, off to find Trya. Jack moves off towards the stables to find his mount. He also apologizes to Qwar about not having the time now, but when he returned qwar would get his ride. Then Jack will return all ready to leae.

Zeoll
Friday December 16th, 2005 12:28:44 AM
Seeing Jack go get his mount, Zeoll deduces that the strong-willed fellow has chosen to depart with the group to go hit Gargul's lair.

Taking Tratain's silence for assent, Zeoll gets everyone moving out as quick as can be.

"Vorrelle, Brrahmah, Ashirra, we'll need you to lead the way. Please look at the map one last time, and we will be going."

Zeoll can't wait to head out.

Vorelle
Friday December 16th, 2005 12:42:28 AM
Vorelle dutifully looks the map over, but she hasn't had much formal education and such things tend to confuse her. She tries to take note, however, of any terrain markings (hills, rivers, forest land, etc.).

DM Carl: Departure!
Friday December 16th, 2005 1:42:20 PM
"What can I tell you of Eberyon?" Alemi ponders. An ancient creature indeed, from when the Wold was born. He is a fickle being, a creature of chaos. He can be generous one minute, dangerous the next, as the mood takes him. He may prove a valuable ally, a terrible foe, or most likely completely disinterested in your quest. Approach him with caution."

The party are able to take their leave at last. The great doors are swung open by a pair of students peering nervously out into the darkness. Domi is off marshalling the troops, but Alemi bids you farewell.

"Go in peace, my friends. If you are able to discover Gargul's means for infusing souls into monsters please return and tell me, for I fear without some major breakthrough this war has only one inevitable outcome, despite my friend Domi's brave words."

He looks at Ashira last, his piercing blue eyes seeming to bore into her very soul. In that look is everything that words cannot express; boundless love, strength and regret. He says to her, in a voice that is barely more than a whisper but that seems to convey more meaning than the most profound oratory, more emotion than the sweetest sonnet;

"Go in peace."

And with that you are alone in the dark, the doors of Oshirr House at your back.

The path you came by snakes off over gently rolling hills to the south. East and west the same hills are dotted with trees, receding into darkness. In the distance you can just make out the dark outlines of mountain peaks against the starry sky, forming a long, broad valley. The moon, coming out from behind a cloud casts its spectral hue over the land, and all is quiet. But for how long?

Vorelle looks down and notices she is still holding the map tightly in her hand.

By the moon's light it is bright enough to walk safely without further illumination. Please tell me which direction you are going in, along with a marching order and any special precautions you wish to take.

Brahmah
Friday December 16th, 2005 2:43:29 PM
Brahmah is happy to see they are leaving, but is anxious to see if he is chosen to lead.

Rose
Friday December 16th, 2005 4:09:47 PM
Rose orders Mandy to follow Vorelle then starts dreaming as they move along. Suddenly she jerks awake and looks startled. She then moves forward and whispers to Vorelle "You're married?"

Zeoll d20+9=23
Friday December 16th, 2005 10:31:59 PM
Zeoll stays in the middle of the group. He urges two rangers to take the lead and one to watch the rear.

He reminds everyone that if there is an encounter, let him try his enchantments first, before attacking. If they can capture a scout they might be able to learn something.

Zeoll keeps a sharp eye out as the group heads to the keep of the mortal Gargul. (Spot 23)

DM Carl
Saturday December 17th, 2005 9:01:28 AM
Remember folks, I need to know the route you plan to take. Are you heading back down the path you came by? Heading east or west before going south?

Tratain
Saturday December 17th, 2005 10:21:21 AM
Tratain agrees with Zeoll's plan to go to Gargulus Keep but looks rather unhappy about it, quite clearly he wishes to stay here and defend the compound with the students. He marches along with the others keeping an eye out for anything that could do the group harm.

OOC: Sorry for lack of posts, had real problems with my connection but they have cleared up now.

Zeoll
Saturday December 17th, 2005 5:20:35 PM

Zeoll wants to avoid the obvious path that an army would take from Gargul's HQ. Moreover, with the rangers and a druid in the party, he sees no reason to keep to roads. He pauses a moment and then offers to carry Rose on his back, since that will be faster. The exact route he leaves to the rangers.

Vorelle d20+20=23 d20+20=39 d20+14=30 d20+14=31 d20+14=24
Sunday December 18th, 2005 11:07:46 AM
Vorelle moves out ahead of the group, scouting the way ahead while trying to remain unseen and unheard herself.

[Hide 23, Move Silently 39, Spot 30, Listen 31, Survival 24]

Ashira
Monday December 19th, 2005 3:31:38 AM
As Alemi leaves Ashira she looks vexed as the inner turmoil churns inside of her. After a few moments she snaps out of it and catches up to the rest of the group as they leave the building.

"We are decided on going to Gargul's lair then?" She looks to the group.

"If so then perhaps we should stay off the paths and make our approach through the woods."

Mad jack
Monday December 19th, 2005 3:47:08 AM
Jack catches up to the others, after retrieving his mount. Hearing Ashiras suggestion he voices his consent, and then does what the group decides.

Theodore and Macaw (Carl Subbing)
Monday December 19th, 2005 9:05:08 AM
As the party move out Theo voices his earlier thoughts.

"Do you not think we might do well to approach the Queen Maab? She might prove a powerful ally."

Return To Index Next Scene (Leaving Alemi)