Chapter 12: Shadows in the Dark

[Jeff]

At Kal's response, it seems to trigger an idea with Histra. She looks around your group and walks among you, speaking privately. "Were any of you already injured by some of the blight, in my absence? Was blood drawn? Tell me."

[Brian]

Jun 29, 2015 11:58:31 GMT -4 Jeff said:

At Kal's response, it seems to trigger an idea with Histra. She looks around your group and walks among you, speaking privately. "Were any of you already injured by some of the blight, in my absence? Was blood drawn? Tell me."

Condign raises his hand. "I, my lady, have battled these creatures. And yes, blood was drawn. My blood."

[Dave W.]

Jun 29, 2015 10:31:06 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

Shorak follows behind everyone. When he passes Adamant, he stops and waits for the warforged. Together they continue down the path that Histra has chosen.

Adamant nods and moves out in step with Shorak. (a small grace-note between the Daves...)

When they encounter the weed-creatures, Adamant shakes his head, "I don't believe I have encountered these... blight?," he answers Histra.

[Dave B.]

"Yes, I also was wounded by one earlier." Shorak says. "Does that help us, somehow?"

[Ken]

"Demonic dogs, cannibalistic giants, floating heads, yes," says Belarin softly, eying the plant creatures. "Bloodthirsty weeds, no."

[Joe]

"I was unscathed," Streko says, leaving it at that.

[Jeff]

Eyeing Kal for a moment, Histra turns back to the two vine-wrapped skeletons.

"Three of my companions have already been waylaid," she answers. "Tasted, drained. They defended themselves, unknowing of our pact. The matter will be forgotten when I have passed through this place."

There is an angry rustle from the gathered host of carnivorous plants. "If any strays from you, lady, they are forfeit."

Histra nods. "We are agreed."

The weeds and vines rasp and skitter out of your path. Histra leads the way through them and chooses the right-hand path.

[Darren]

"You keep some remarkable company, my lady," Kal says quietly.

[Brian]

Condign follows silently behind Kal, each step sending shards of pain like broken glass slicing through his abdomen.

[Dave B.]

Shorak follows, staying in the back of the group. He keeps a close eye on the vines, just in case.

[Dave W.]

Adamant continues through being careful where he steps.

"Ummm... so, Histra," Adamant creaks out his words in a somewhat forced casual way, "You know the path through here to this Drowned Gate. And clearly there are a lot of... ummm, tricks?... to moving about here. Is there anything we should know in advance? Something we might prepare for?"

"Drowned Gate sounds like swimming which I regret to mention I'm remarkably untalented at."

[Joe]

Streko stays close to Kal, holding the child tightly to his chest.

[Ken]

"One difference between plant creatures here and those in Thelanis," says Belarin softly to Histra as they walk past, "is that the fey creatures are better are finding loopholes in arguments. These ones here, though.... what they may lack in cleverness they make up for in eagerness."

[Jeff]

Histra ignores Kal’s remark.

Jun 30, 2015 11:44:47 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

"Ummm... so, Histra," Adamant creaks out his words in a somewhat forced casual way, "You know the path through here to this Drowned Gate. And clearly there are a lot of... ummm, tricks?... to moving about here. Is there anything we should know in advance? Something we might prepare for?"

"Drowned Gate sounds like swimming which I regret to mention I'm remarkably untalented at."

Histra looks sidelong at Adamant. “You will get wet,” she says simply. “Yes.”

“The gate is situated on a mere and fed by the waters of the harbor nearby. The Whelms and the Drowned, their victims, occupy the all the waterways of this region. I will be retrieving a talisman which will grant us passage through the gate. And it should deter them from molesting us. But remain on your guard. I am concerned not with the denizens of this place, but with our roaming foes who may try to sabotage our errand. Namely the yugoloth, and the meddling of my cousin.”

Soon after Histra leads you into a new clearing that actually has some greenish turf at the side. Another building that resembles a small keep looms before you, erected of black stone. Its upper floors are a mere ruin and most of which have been torn away, The ground floor still looks solid. A slender moat encircles it. The water is grey with only a hint of blue, and it murmurs with a slight current clockwise from where you can see. There is a small pool within the grass, and even what might pass for a healthy tree near it. There is some sort of fruit growing from it.

A path leads up to the beginning. A short wood bridge crosses the moat, where a pair of double doors hang open to the darkness within. Histra steps forward, her skeletons flanking her tightly now without even a command from her. She turns around to face Belarin. “I must go in alone. The presence of the living, unless they be of ir’Serell blood, will provoke the traps within. We cannot afford further harm. I will return with some supplies.”

Keenly aware that you she must separate from you all again, she looks to the whole group. “I will only be a few minutes. You all need to remain on guard. The blights may be able to stall Branash’s emissary, but the yugoloth is not so limited. Do NOT engage with any spirits—even if you’re not sure they are spirits—unless you are attacked first. Do you understand?”

[Ken]

Belarin nods his assent. "See you shortly."

[Brian]

Condign angles slightly to his left, careful not to stray from the group, so that he can watch the two paths that lay beyond the pool.

[Dave W.]

Adamant nods to Condign as the tiefling places himself.

"Good," the warforged turns to Shorak , "Can you aid Condign in defending these approaches. I think I will move forward."

The warforged moves more smoothly than just a few hours ago and stands near Belarin, "Would you be offended if I stood near you, Belarin?" Adamant says cautiously, "I suspect if an attack is aimed at us, either by the yugoloth or by Branash, it will be aimed at you."

[Darren]

Kal nods at Histra. "Be careful. If you are not back in 15 minutes, we will come looking for you."

After Histra leaves, Kal stands next to Streko, looking out at the labyrinth. "I miss the Plains," he says. After a moment, he sighs and adds, "I wonder what Varna is doing right now?"

[Ken]

"Offended?" says Belarin with surprise. "Of course not. You're my metallic rock of honor, no matter how annoyingly honest you are. I'd welcome it."

[Dave B.]

"Of course, Adamant." Shorak says as he moves to assist Condign with his watch. "You watch one, I'll watch the other."

[Joe]

Jul 1, 2015 15:13:14 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal nods at Histra. "Be careful. If you are not back in 15 minutes, we will come looking for you."

After Histra leaves, Kal stands next to Streko, looking out at the labyrinth. "I miss the Plains," he says. After a moment, he sighs and adds, "I wonder what Varna is doing right now?"

Streko nods, rocking the child in his arms. "I suspect she is getting into some form of trouble or another. I miss her and I worry about her. She is a wonderful sister." He turns to face Kal. "However, as a lover, she may be more than even the vaunted Kalarian d"Deneith can handle." He begins to chuckle, allowing the joy to flow through him before the wistfulness can return, which it does all too swiftly.

"I think I should ask Histra is this is a good place to allow the child to be released, or if she knows the best location. I want to make sure his spirit is given every opportunity to be free, I'm just not sure where Torcer said I should do so. Bah, I am so tired. I feel, almost detached from myself, as if I've been awake for days. Have I? Must focus."

[Brian]

Jul 1, 2015 22:12:39 GMT -4 Joe said:

"I think I should ask Histra is this is a good place to allow the child to be released, or if she knows the best location. I want to make sure his spirit is given every opportunity to be free, I'm just not sure where Torcer said I should do so. Bah, I am so tired. I feel, almost detached from myself, as if I've been awake for days. Have I? Must focus."

"Girl," Condign says to Streko . His eyes remain fixed on the lake area, but his voice sounds haunted, as if he is remembering something unpleasant. "The spirit you carry. It is a girl's."

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Perception Roll: (1d20+1=4)

[Jeff]

Histra gives a nod to Belarin and turns to go.

Jul 1, 2015 15:13:14 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal nods at Histra. "Be careful. If you are not back in 15 minutes, we will come looking for you."

She halts and turns back. “Then you would be slain as well. No. If I am not returned in half an hour, you had best search for the gate on your own and pray to your gods.”

Then she’s gone.

After a few minutes pass, the infant in Streko’s arms begins to wail. The sound is conspicuously loud in this hushed place where only the water murmurs softly.

---

Everyone give me a Perception roll with your next post. Invisible Castle appears to be up at the moment.

[Darren]

Kal's head swivels quickly towards the crying child. "I told you to leave that thing behind," Kal hisses, perhaps more harshly than intended. "Keep it quiet." Kal drops into a fighting stance with his sharrash in front of him. His eyes dart around the area, alert for danger. "Tangat. Ears up. Let me know if you hear anything."

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Perception check (1d20+3=5)

Once again, Kal finds himself staring into his reflection in a pool of water and can't be bothered to notice the dragon walking up behind him...

[Dave B.]

Shorak was about to agree with Condign about the spirit baby being a girl when the baby starts wailing.

Shorak looks around them and listens intently.

Perception check (1d20+4=7) I'm so happy that invisible castle is working.

[Dave W.]

Adamant turns to the baby in Streko's care. "Why are you fussing Child of Streko?" The warforged tries to sound soothing but his damaged neck still introduces a rasp, "Do you miss Aunt Histra? She will be back shortly..."

---

Perception (1d20+2=13)
Kind of middlin' result.

[Joe]

"Hush little baby, don't say a word, I'm going bring you a..." Streko's attempt at singing to the child ends when he can't recall the rest of the lyrics. "Now what would a Halfling bring to a dead baby that won't stop crying, anyway? Kalarian, in the past, the child has cooed and kept quiet when things have been quiet and has been upset when danger approached. Rather than belittle my continued compassion and taking your misplaced anger out on the child, I'd suggest looking around for signs of trouble. That's been the history of it thus far. She may just need to feed on someone's soul. Aren't you glad I'm the one holding her. Apologies, on the change in your...sex, little one, I swore that Torcer called you a boy. I'm sure I've tormented your spirit to no end with that gaff."
____________________________________________________________________________

1d20+4=12

A little less than middling. Like Dave said, thank the gods the dice roller is back up. Such amazing results. :-)

[Ken]

Belarin looks anxiously around after Histra's departure. Then he hears the baby and he says, "By the Host, you do have a child with you, Streko! All this time I'd thought it was a feverish dream brought on by near death! Sudden parenthood .... truly there are no end to this realm's horrors."

It's unsure whether Belarin is joking about the child.

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[a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4824782/"]Perception check: 14[/a][/font]

[Jeff]

Belarin alone notices that there is a figure now standing at the edge of the nearby passage, across the small lawn and large puddle. A woman's shape in rags. She'd have been easily dismissed on the streets of any big city of the Five Nations, or even Stormreach. But here, in this place....

Cloth has been drawn across her face completely, but you can see a single pale hand at her sleeve. She lingers near the hedge, shyly.

[Ken]

Belarin turns away and whispers to his companions, "There is a figure watching us. Ignore her. Do NOT interact with her in any way unless she attacks you. I don't care what sort of tear-jerking plea she might make. The only jeopardy I feel like dealing with today is the situation I plan to put Branash in."