Chapter 12: Shadows in the Dark

[Brian]

Jun 8, 2015 15:33:48 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

As he hurries them out, Adamant moves to lay a hand on Condign, "I am nearly spent, I apologize for laying such a burden on you, but I know you will see us through."

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Adamant uses his last 2nd level slot for a cure wounds on Condign.
dlw32:4D8+2 → 19(8 +1 +1 +7 + 2)#cure wounds on Condign

Mixed bag but better than nothing.

Condign feels healing warmth flood through him and smiles broadly. "Thank you. Thank you very much. No need to apologize. We're all alive, and that's what matters."

[Dave B.]

Shorak smiles to see his new friends all up and a little better at least. That smile lessens greatly when he hears of Syrdan's fate. "I will bring up the rear for the trek back. I will watch your backs. Let's move as quickly as our wounds allow." Shorak waits for everyone to proceed and quickly follows, staying close behind the group. Just to be safe, he moves his sword to his left hand and quickly adds his boomerang to his right.

[Joe]

Streko speaks directly at Histra. "As I stated, and, I might add, he wishes to poison the rest of your family against you. Torcer...he is a good boy. Lonely, yes, but he is a child to be proud of. Brave, but, unfortunately, caught between lies and deceptions he cannot fathom."

He takes Belarin's hand and squeezes it gently. "Belarin, my friend, I am pleased you are with us again, and you as well, Adamant, of course, but Branash does indeed want you dead and is willing to kill his own kinfolk to do so, which does not bode well for us, despite our reluctance to enter this realm on a more permanent basis. We must find respite and we must heal, otherwise, our quest to find the Sphinx is doomed, and I would hate to have had paid the price we have tolled and not achieve our objective."

[Darren]

Kal looks back over his shoulder. "Less talking back there. Stay alert and keep moving!"

[Jeff]

Jun 8, 2015 17:30:46 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Histra lets out a sigh. "Yes...the yugoloth. He nearly killed me. I don't know how he was freed. Lord Vessar bound him in this labyrinth years ago. I cannot fathom how Branash would have managed to release him, or why. It would be madness to displease Vessar so directly."

Jun 8, 2015 18:16:05 GMT -4 Ken said:

Belarin nods. "Branash clearly wants ME dead."

"Yes," he does the woman answers. "But with this, he endangers much more than you. I need to discover how he did this."

Jun 7, 2015 10:02:20 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

Histra allows Kal and his map to take the lead. She falls into step behind him, beside Belarin, her skeletons staying close. The clearing and the death's head tree come into sight again. The corpses of the dogs, and the two-headed beasts, are still strewn about. Histra regards them as you pass them by. "This yugoloth had a fondness, and dominion, over hounds. These were his, yet they were set upon you." She throws an absence glance toward Tangat.

[Dave W.]

Jun 8, 2015 23:04:34 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal looks back over his shoulder. "Less talking back there. Stay alert and keep moving!"

"I agree, Kal," Adamant looks to Streko, "but there is one question I must ask.... Streko my friend, have you spawned a small halfling?"

[Jeff]

At Adamant's words, Histra looks at Streko and the bundle of cloth in his arms as if noting it for the first time. Her grim face darkens further somehow.

[Darren]

Jun 9, 2015 8:51:47 GMT -4 Jeff said:

At Adamant's words, Histra looks at Streko and the bundle of cloth in his arms as if noting it for the first time. Her grim face darkens further somehow.

Kal catches Histra's look. "For once, you and I agree, necromancer."

[Brian]

"This emmisary that Branash is sending," Condign says to Histra as they limp along. "Will you have the capacity or authority to stop it. or are we in for another fight?"

[Jeff]

"I do not know of this emissary. Branash's skill is not with conjuration, but I believe he has made some acquaintances others—even in my family—would consider unsavory. It could be a number of things in this place; he knows it better than I, as he generally lives in Stormreach. Perhaps I can learn more at the keep. Whatever it is, it would not dare to harm an ir'Serell."

[Dave B.]

Shorak follows quietly behind the party listening to the conversation while keeping his eyes and one ear alert for any other potential dangers.

[Joe]

Streko continues to hold the infant close to him. He chooses to say nothing in response, but a part of him feels the weight of Therendor in his haversack and imagines it cleaving through cloth and flesh. He blinks away the image and continues with the group, remaining close and keeping eyes and ears opened.

[Jeff]

With Streko's uncharacteristic silence, the group plods on in similar fashion, without much talk. Certainly Histra does not seem pleased with developments. Even Belarin's waking, which pleased her at first, she barely acknowledges and she drifts back into her more common, aloof state.

At one point on the journey, near the intersection where Kal, Condign, Shorak, and Streko had to decide which way to go when his map wasn't as clear, a battered, half-armored skeleton is standing. It looks lost, lacking direction and almost appears to be searching for its master, or former life, or a way out. The neck scrapes as it turns to regard the group.

Histra steps forward and makes a gesture of dismissal, then speaks in a language you haven't heard before. The skeleton cowers and you hear a creaking of its bones as it steps to one side and presses itself somewhat into the hedge wall, leaving plenty of space around it.

Then Histra prompts Kal to lead on again. When you've all passed the skeletron, Histra makes an absent but arcane gesture and the skeleton steps back out into the center of the path—freed from its suspension—and looks after the group.

Soon the ir'Serell keep looms into view, and Belarin and Adamant see it for the first time. It's not an impressive structure, but it's the only significant one you've seen in this labyrinth so far. Two towers rise up several stories, with the rest of its bulk further behind it. A pair of armored, ir’Serell skeleton sentries stare out from the battlements below the towers.

The path winds its way over toward the main gate to the right of the towers.

The path rises up a couple of times as it turns inward to the double doors. Looking at it now from the outside, Kal, Condign, Shorak, and Streko notice for the first time that there is a heraldic motif carved on the door: helmed snaked with humanlike heads coiled around spears.

“Torcer,” Histra says at normal volume, her voice still sounding hoarse.

The double doors begin to swing open, and you see Torcer standing there flanked by two of the sentries. Belarin and Adamant haven’t seen him before, but they can see he resembles the other boy from the ir’Serell’s lair. This one is slightly shorter and, while pale, actually looks a little bit healthier.

The boy smiles. “Histra, I am glad you are still living.”

..........“Still living,” echoes Torcer’s ghostly twin, who hovers about him.

“Hello, Shorak,” Torcer adds. “And Lords Streko and Kalarian. Did I remember that right? I am also glad you are still living. You don’t look well at all, though.”

“And I am glad you are still here,” Histra says by way of greeting her little cousin. “Torcer, we are all in need of some shelter and rest, though we cannot afford to stay long. I am granting permission for everyone in this company.”

“All right,” he answers. “Histra, Arthegon is here. He wants to speak with you. Privately.” He pauses. “Family business.”

[Dave W.]

Adamant quickly apologizes at Streko's cold shoulder, "I'm sorry my friend. I didn't mean to upset you." Adamant trudges on with a renewed weariness. "We clearly have stories to share at some point."

Jun 10, 2015 9:27:04 GMT -4 Jeff said:

“Hello, Shorak,” Torcer adds. “And Lords Streko and Kalarian. Did I remember that right? I am also glad you are still living. You don’t look well at all, though.”

"Yes, they look terrible," Adamant says mechanically, "I am Adamant, a vassal of Dol Arrah, Master Torcer. I'm sorry we must disturb your home."

“All right,” [Torcer] answers. “Histra, Arthegon is here. He wants to speak with you. Privately.” He pauses. “Family business.”

"I would not wish to interfere with your family business, Histra, but do you think we should have a discussion first? I don't know what we plan to do at this point. We are in no shape to continue the mission. But I have made a promise to the spirit inhabiting Tangat to get him though the maze."

"You may want to know more before meeting Arthegon." Adamant shares a glance at Belarin and the baby in Streko's arms.

[Darren]

Kalarian regards the boy. "I, too, am pleased to see you again, Torcer. And my compliments on your keen memory." He offers a smile that turns into a grimace of pain. "Your hospitality is appreciated. I hope we will not be too much of a burden." Unless there is any objection, Kal moves through the door, grateful to put stone walls between him and whatever lurks in the labyrinth, but nervous to be inside of stone walls with whatever might await them at the hands of the ir'Serrells.

(EDIT: I posted at the same time as Dave...)

Hearing Adamant's words, Kal stops short. "What did you say about Tangat?"

[Jeff]

"I will not keep my grandfather waiting long," Histra says in response to Adamant's request for a discussion first. She, like Kal, then looks to Tangat, frowning. "Talk, warforged. What has happened? It is unwise to bring a possessing spirit into the keep, and perilous for both the host and the spirit if they are here for any length of time."

[Brian]

Condign steps up beside Belarin, his expression tight with concern. "Belarin needs healing. Can you not see the pain he is in? Debate the nature of the dog or its spirit if you must, but I will take care of my friend first." He turns to Histra. "Is there a room where I could take him so he can rest?"

[Dave W.]

"What can I tell you? It would take me hours to report all that has happened and I don't know how this cursed place works, how can I know what's important?" Adamant struggles to keep frustration out of his voice and succeeds only partly.

"Fine, for now, just the hound. At some point in the detours that your cousin is responsible for, a spirit entered Tangat and caused him to run off. Belarin, Syrdan, and I chased after him."

"At another point the dog and I became part of a ghostly other existence ... no, before I was brought unconscious or killed or whatever happened... where I could vaguely see Belarin and Syrdan in whichever existence this is. In that ghostly other world I spoke to the spirit in Tagant. He agreed to quit the dog if I got him out of this labyrinth."

"I tried to cast out the spirit at one point, but I believe he is still possessed."

"What else might be necessary for you to know? I would gladly recall all of it to you and I suspect the others have tales too. But we would tarry here for some time."

[Darren]

Kal sits, somewhat heavily, on the ground, his back against the wall for support. He takes Tangat's head between his hands. "Can the spirit be expelled, Histra? I agree with you that having it in here, with us, is not advisable."

[Ken]

Belarin looks at Condign with a look of surprised embarrassment. "By the Host, Condign... I'm fine." He pauses to consider this, then he gives the tiefling a nod of assurance. "I'll BE fine. Thank you." He says to Kal and Histra, "I don't believe it's a malevolent spirit, just one that's desperate to leave this place, and who can blame it?"

He leans in - stiffly and painfully - to whisper to Kal. "And it's not stupid. Hold off on the banishment talk unless YOU want to chase your dog through a maze."

[Jeff]

Jun 10, 2015 12:10:21 GMT -4 Brian said:

Condign steps up beside Belarin, his expression tight with concern. "Belarin needs healing. Can you not see the pain he is in? Debate the nature of the dog or its spirit if you must, but I will take care of my friend first." He turns to Histra. "Is there a room where I could take him so he can rest?"

Histra seems annoyed by the delay in speaking to her grandfather. She looks at Condign. “There is—”

Jun 10, 2015 16:57:58 GMT -4 Ken said:

Belarin looks at Condign with a look of surprised embarrassment. "By the Host, Condign... I'm fine." He pauses to consider this, then he gives the tiefling a nod of assurance. "I'll BE fine. Thank you."

“—the mirror room, perhaps. Torcer can show you which rooms visitors may enter. Do not explore. or open doors already closed unless you are brought there.”

After Adamant, Kal, and Belarin speak of Tangat, she turns to face Kal and lower her voice. “Very well. Keep the dog with you at all times. We cannot afford a wayward spirit here wandering freely. If the dog acts in any manner contrary to its normal behavior, render it unconscious and find me. Spirits of the dead, as you might imagine, are not easily expelled on this plane. Those free to roam and enter the bodies of others have the advantage. That is precisely why I told all of you not interact with the spirits you encounter.”

She turns to face Streko. “If you found that here, Lord d’Jorasco, that is no living child you bear. Why did you take it?”

Histra seems more annoyed at the delay in speaking to her grandfather than with the particulars of Tangat and Streko.

[Dave B.]

"Well met, again, Torcer!" Shorak says bowing respectfully to the boy.

Shorak watches and listens to the conversations, raising an eyebrow at Condign's sudden over protectiveness at Belarin. It's not like he can do any healing on the human. Odd behavior and somewhat coincidental that it follows on Histra's warning about possessing spirits.

"We all need to rest and recuperate as much as we can. Perhaps Torcer can assist us with that while Histra speaks with her Grandfather?' He turns his attention back to the boy with a friendly smile.

[Ken]

"That... is a fine idea, Shorak," says Belarin, stepping forward. He places a hand on Histra's arm. "Give my regards and thanks to your grandfather, Histra," he says. "He may not like me, but I suspect he respects me."

He approaches the boy. "Hello, Torcer. I'm Belarin." He smiles weakly. "I'm certain you've heard of me."

[Joe]

Jun 10, 2015 17:25:06 GMT -4 Jeff said:

She turns to face Streko. “If you found that here, Lord d’Jorasco, that is no living child you bear. Why did you take it?”

"And yet it reacts just as an infant would. Regardless, I took it for two reasons. One, it is a child and as such, does not deserve to be stranded in this place. Two, and more importantly, taking it and promising to get it out of the labyrinth seemed better than being attacked yet again by another denizen of this place. As powerful as we are, we got lucky this day. Very lucky. I keep my promises, Lady Histra. My word is sacred, for without it, I am just another petty lordling only interested in myself. I have never been that man and I will never be that man. It may have been a mistake, but mistakes seem to be quite commonplace around here. We may need assistance with poisons and curses and only the Six know what else may have infected us."

[Darren]

Kal scratches at Tangat's ear as the dog lays its head in Kal's lap. Kal's own head rolls around his shoulders, the weight of it pulling his head around of its own accord. "Enough," Kal says, weariness unconcealed. "Histra, go speak with your grandfather. Give him our regards and let him know our intentions are good. We will be happy to speak with him later, if he wishes to talk to us. Please, Torcer, we need to rest. Can you show us where to do that?"

[Jeff]

Histra merely nods at Streko, letting the matter drop. "The responsibility is yours, then. We will be returning home soon and you cannot bring it with you. This quest of yours has already failed. The only way you will also survive this is to return to Eberron as soon as possible."

Jun 10, 2015 21:03:00 GMT -4 Ken said:

He approaches the boy. "Hello, Torcer. I'm Belarin." He smiles weakly. "I'm certain you've heard of me."

"I don't know much about you," Torcer says to Belarin. "But I do know that Branash hates you."

..........“Branash hates you,” echoes the ephemeral twin.

"I don't know why. But I think Histra likes you, and I like her. She's my favorite cousin." He looks around. "You can stay out here, if you want," he says, indicating the courtyard with its non-lethal-looking trees and the soft grass flanking the path that runs through it. They're more gray than green, leeched of vibrant color like everything you've seen on this plane, but are still a more welcoming sight than the hedge maze. "You can also rest in that room"—he indicates the door to the room where Shorak and Streko spoke with Branash in the mirror—"or in that one." He indicates the room at the northeast corner of the courtyard, which Kal, Condign, Shorak, and Streko recall as being the first room they entered on this floor. There was a bed in there and a chair, perhaps some sort of guard's chamber.

Histra nods, seeing Torcer has hospitality well in hand. She looks at the skeletons she brought in. "You will receive commands only from me, Torcer ir'Serell, and Belarin Malizia." She turns and walks back to Belarin. "Do not stray from the keep. Take what rest you can, and find out what injuries have been sustained. For those of you who have been bitten by the death's head tree especially, examine the wounds. Their teeth are seeds and will eventually kill you if not removed or neutralized. Start with yourself. I will return soon."

She heads for the double doors at the center of the courtyard, limping slightly and rubbing at her left arm. When she touches her hand to the doorknob, you hear a soft click. Opening one of them, she disappears into the dark beyond.

The armored skeletons that had been flanking Torcer now return to stand sentry on the walls between the two towers.

[Darren]

Kal nods at Histra, then begins examining the wounds he sustained. "Ah, damn it all. I can't see anything here. Streko, would you give me some assistance? I don't want to turn into... one of those things.". He shudders involuntarily.

_____________________
Kal will use whatever limited skill he has to examine the wounds.

[Dave W.]

"The death's head tree ? I hope I didn't miss anything interesting in our unfortunate speration..." Adamant essays a light tone but injury and weariness sap any real humor.

"I'm sorry, perhaps I should stay away from speaking for a time. Someone does need to decide what our intentions are from here."

Weary as he may be, Adamant tries to tend to his friends, "So, who was bitten by a tree or a head from a tree? Let me see these wounds. Then I would like a rest, as long as we can afford."

---------------------------------------
Adamant's got a Medicine +5, he'll start examining wounds of anyone who comes to him. Unfortunately he's completely tapped out of magic.

[Dave B.]

"Seeds? Of course, it makes perfect sense in this realm." Shorak says as he quickly takes Adamant up on his offer to look at their wounds. "Thank you, Adamant. I'm not sure how many times I was bitten, but at least twice."

[Brian]

Condign walks up to Adamant. "I was bitten by those heads and by one of those damned two-headed dogs. If you could please check out the wounds?" He holds out his arms.