Chapter 12: Shadows in the Dark

[Darren]

Kal feels the hairs on his arm stand on end. He unconsciously rubs at his Dragonmark. "Are we sure that was thunder? Or that it was natural?"

[Brian]

Trailing behind Histra and Belarin, Condign glances darkly at the featurless sky but says nothing.

[Dave W.]

Aug 10, 2015 14:10:14 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal feels the hairs on his arm stand on end. He unconsciously rubs at his Dragonmark. "Are we sure that was thunder? Or that it was natural?"

"I'm not sure how to be sure of something that's a faint reflection of something that may or may not be happening in another plane of existence." Adamant rubs at a recently-acquired dent in his head, "No, sorry, that makes my head hurt. Let's face what we must and get back to Stormreach, whether it is stormy or calm."

[Dave B.]

Bringing up the rear, Shorak looks up to the sky, as the thunder rumbles and just shrugs. Weather is not something he can control, nor would he want to.

[Ken]

Belarin looks up at the sky as they walk. "During my... tutelage, I heard tales of monstrous, misshapen fey giants called fomorians. During a really bad thunderstorm, the redcaps and spriggans would cackle, 'The fomorians are wrestling! The fomorians are wrestling! HA HA HA!'"

He glances up again. "That must be some bout."

[Joe]

Streko shudders and instinctively hugs the child closer to his chest. "I've experienced my share of storms and I can honestly say that experiencing one here in this place is NOT an one I would wish to endure."

[Darren]

Kal grins at Streko and holds up his hand. Sparks jump between his fingertips. "Streko, have you forgotten that thunder and lighting have often been your friend?"

[Jeff]

Moments later, Histra leads you around a corner into a wide junction where five passages intersect. In the center of the small clearing juts a heavy, black-metal pole which Belarin and Adamant are certain they’ve seen before. It’s driven a few feet into the ground at an angle, though there are no chains or links to be found. Perched on top of the pole is a black owl with yellow-green eyes watching the party intently. Shorak, Condign, Streko, and Kal have seen one like it before.

Histra notices the bird but doesn't seem concerned with it. She looks at the other exits and counts them, nodding.

[Darren]

Aug 11, 2015 9:18:26 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Moments later, Histra leads you around a corner into a wide junction where five passages intersect. In the center of the small clearing juts a heavy, black-metal pole which Belarin and Adamant are certain they’ve seen before. It’s driven a few feet into the ground at an angle, though there are no chains or links to be found. Perched on top of the pole is a black owl with yellow-green eyes watching the party intently. Shorak, Condign, Streko, and Kal have seen one like it before.

Histra notices the bird but doesn't seem concerned with it. She looks at the other exits and counts them, nodding.

"Histra," Kal says, lightly touching the woman on the shoulder to stop her. He points to the owl. "Do they act as messengers around here? Or eyes for some unseen watcher? We've seen one of those before." He lowers his voice and adds, "I may have tried to kill it...or one just like it, anyway."

[Dave W.]

Aug 11, 2015 9:18:26 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Moments later, Histra leads you around a corner into a wide junction where five passages intersect. In the center of the small clearing juts a heavy, black-metal pole which Belarin and Adamant are certain they’ve seen before. It’s driven a few feet into the ground at an angle, though there are no chains or links to be found.

Adamant stops suddenly and stares across the open space at the pole. "That's not good. Belarin, this can't be the same place, can it? How long was I inert?"

---

It's not the same place, right? I mean there are no bones and stuff...

[Jeff]

Aug 11, 2015 9:52:05 GMT -4 Darren said:

"Histra," Kal says, lightly touching the woman on the shoulder to stop her. He points to the owl. "Do they act as messengers around here? Or eyes for some unseen watcher? We've seen one of those before." He lowers his voice and adds, "I may have tried to kill it...or one just like it, anyway."

“If they are spies,” she answers. “Nothing ever comes of it. They are called grims, perhaps one of the few truly benevolent creatures on this plane. They are like familiars but without proper masters. Some are charged, mysteriously, to guard specific sites, though none can say who gives them this charge. Some help guide wayward spirits away from entrapment. In the labyrinth, of course, that is difficult work.”

Adamant doesn’t think this is the same place he's thinking of. No sign of the dogs, the bones, nor the standing stone. But looking at it, he can tell the black pole looks recently driven into the ground here.

[Brian]

"Let us proceed," Condign says quietly, wiping at the sweat that has formed on his brow. "The longer we tally, the greater our chances of failure. And I, for one, have had my day's fill of failure."

[Ken]

Belarin hears Adamant, looks forward, and warns, "That pole was used by the nycaloth to tether his pets. He's been here. Recently. Watch where you step."

He glances around, dagger ready, for a sign of the demon, and then he lets his gaze shift into the unseen energies of arcane auras.

_______

Eldritch sight time.

[Darren]

Kal looks embarrassed. "Sorry for last time," he says to the owl.

[Jeff]

Belarin sees no inherent aura around the pole. It’s just a big pike, thick enough to anchor the chains of some large and fearsome hounds, perhaps, but perhaps that’s all. The owl, on the other hand, seems to radiate a curious aura of its own which he thinks might be akin to abjuration. But before he can study it any longer, it issues a whispering Hoot! and then flies up and out of sight.

Histra glances at the owl one more time, then leads the party on and into the centermost exit across the junction. Only a couple of windings in and you find that the hard-packed earth beneath your feet is getting softer. Soggier. “We’re close now,” Histra says.

Then you round another corner until you see that the path ahead of you is becoming downright swampy. Ten or twenty feet in, the path begins to disappear under several inches of water. But you can see at the edge of your darkvision eyes that it’s going to get much deeper than that.

Strangely, there’s no particular odor to the water. It doesn’t smell like swamp water. And it also doesn’t look unclean.

Histra stops. She half turns, addressing the party, “There is a sort of high tide, low tide to this place. It appears the waters have risen; arestill rising. At their lowest, it’s only just inside the gate. The water in itself will not harm you, unless you let yourself drown in it. Rather, it’s what dwells within that we must be cautious of. As the waters rise, the power of the Whelmed wax. If you don’t do anything foolish and stay close to me, we will be fine.”

She regards each of you. “Think now. Are there any concerns about moving through water? Address them now.” She looks at Streko, then at Adamant. “The warforged should carry Streko. The waterline will be above his head at times.”

[Darren]

Can Tangat swim? I would assume Kal would know this already, hence not asking in character...

[Joe]

Streko looks up to Adamant. "Are you well enough to carry us, my friend? I would hate to place more of a burden upon you."

[Brian]

Condign gazes at the water. "Swimming in armor is never easy, but it can be done." His eyes cut over to Histra. "What lurks in the water? What are the Whelmed?"

[Dave W.]

Aug 11, 2015 23:27:55 GMT -4 Joe said:

Streko looks up to Adamant. "Are you well enough to carry us, my friend? I would hate to place more of a burden upon you."

“You will be no burden my friend.” Even with his ruined voicebox, a bright happiness fills the simple sentence. “I will keep you dry.” The warforged kneels down and gently but confidently sweeps the halfling up to straddle his neck. “Be comfortable, I have given rides many times in High Wall. My passengers have always found it joyful.”


“Water is not my element, Lady Histra, and I am a poor swimmer… but I think you mean for us to wade. That should not be a problem.”

---

The imagery makes me smile... with apologies to Joe...

[Jeff]

“Yes, we will be wading,” Histra says. “If you are swimming, you have likely done something wrong.”

While you speak amongst yourselves, Histra opens and rifles through her newly-acquired haversack. She takes out and unrolls a gray-colored bar; it looks like soap or wax. She then glances at the group, then proceeds to remove her outer robe. Seeming self-conscious about this, she angles her body around the other side of Belarin, making him a rudimentary shield.

Most of you can't help but notice her, however. For one, beneath her robes you now see that Histra is garbed like a monk. A few layers of linen are wrapped around her torso and limbs, affording some sort of protection. Some of them even have symbols drawn on them and it’s impossible not to compare them with funereal wraps. Shorak immediately recalls the many layers of garments Captain Morsha had worn when he first met her—which she gave up after her Siberys dragonmark was revealed.

But then she begins to unwind some of the linens around her torso. She answers Condign even as she does this. "The Whelmed are denizens of Dolurrh, creatures of the tides. They pose no threat to the dead, but the living become the Drowned in their embrace. Hence you will need to carefully stay with me."

[Ken]

Belarin holds up his black and grey cloak - which has seen better days - to act as a screen for Histra. He wags an admonishing finger at Adamant.

"With that in mind," he says after Histra is done rearranging her clothing, "let's take care of any protective enchantments now." He touches Kal's shoulder and mutters several lilting syllables. "Don't say I never gave you anything." He looks at Histra. "I can do this once more for now. Do you need it?"

________

Belarin casts Protection from Evil on Kal. (Warlocks get very few spell slots compared to other magic-using classes, but they regain them much more quickly, which is a nice balance.)

[Dave B.]

Shorak waits patiently for Histra finish her preparations. He raises an eyebrow ever so slightly when he notices the similarity in undergarments to what Captain Morsha had worn. Again, the thought of Morsha increases his determination to get out of this alive.

Shorak hefts his sword, readying himself to follow everyone into the water.

[Dave W.]

Aug 12, 2015 16:22:28 GMT -4 Ken said:

Belarin holds up his black and grey cloak - which has seen better days - to act as a screen for Histra. He wags an admonishing finger at Adamant.

Adamant tilts his head a bit to side... awkwardly since there is now a halfling sitting on his neck... the gesture that Belarin would recognize as confusion...

---

I kind of like what they did with Warlocks. The quick refresh is a definite boon.

[Jeff]

Histra unwinds the wrappings until only a few strategic strips remain. Mostly concealed behind Belarin, she begins to draw the strange waxy bar across her skin. It comes off like a gray paste, which within seconds begins to give her a palor which makes her former pale self look ruddy by comparison. Although she is slender, she is not emaciated…but as she applies this substance to herself, she begins to look moreso. Soon her ribs become apparent, and strange marks rise to the surface of her skin like faded tattoos. They are hideous to behold.

“I am fine,” she says to Belarin as if understanding how sickly she appears.

When she is finished, nothing of the waxy bar remains. The paste has faded from view, but Histra’s become a scarecrow of her former self. Her eyes, too, are altered. There is a vacant green light in place of the sclera, giving her an unearthly countenance. Histra rolls up her outer robes and packs them into her haversack, stepping around Belarin so she is in full view again.

Her decidedly necromantic-looking skin-engravings and sunken flesh are apparent to all who look upon her. “The unguent I have used marks me as one who is an equal to the Whelmed. As far as they are concerned, you are all in thrall to me, either as servants or food. Play along if you wish to pass through the gate unscathed. Am I understood?”

[Dave W.]

Aug 13, 2015 10:19:32 GMT -4 Jeff said:

[Histra says] “The unguent I have used marks me as one who is an equal to the Whelmed. As far as they are concerned, you are all in thrall to me, either as servants or food. Play along if you wish to pass through the gate unscathed. Am I understood?”

"You want us to walk behind you, say nothing, and do only and exactly what you tell us to." Adamant looks at his friends. "That sounds simple enough."

---

Not adding that we often have the most trouble with "simple"...

[Brian]

Aug 13, 2015 10:19:32 GMT -4 Jeff said:

[Histra's] decidedly necromantic-looking skin-engravings and sunken flesh are apparent to all who look upon her. “The unguent I have used marks me as one who is an equal to the Whelmed. As far as they are concerned, you are all in thrall to me, either as servants or food. Play along if you wish to pass through the gate unscathed. Am I understood?”

"Yes, my lady," Condign says, sheathing his sword so that he presents as less threatening. "I understand."

[Dave B.]

Shorak nods. "Understood."

[Ken]

Aug 13, 2015 10:19:32 GMT -4 Jeff said:

“I am fine,” she says to Belarin as if understanding how sickly she appears.

"All right," says Belarin, softly. "That bar ... a very handy thing to have in Dolurrh."

Her decidedly necromantic-looking skin-engravings and sunken flesh are apparent to all who look upon her. “The unguent I have used marks me as one who is an equal to the Whelmed. As far as they are concerned, you are all in thrall to me, either as servants or food. Play along if you wish to pass through the gate unscathed. Am I understood?”

"Quite." He sheathes his dagger. "We should be fine. Kal has perfected the vacant stare."

[Jeff]

Seeing at least a few nods of assent, Histra turns around proceeds slowly forward. She steps into the first few inches of water, then continues the stride. Following in her wake, you find the spongy ground becomes sodden and squishy, then your boots begin to slosh through the inches of water.

The moment it reaches above your bootline, the water starts to flow into your footwear. And it’s cold, the cold of the dead without actually being icy. Involuntary shivers shoot through you until you become a little bit acclimated to it. Except, of course, for Adamant; it bothers him little. Tangat weathers it without complaint, for now.

As you move around the corner, you see a stone structure loom out of the gloom. Largely featureless, but it’s tall and rises out of sight in the darkness that hangs over the labyrinth. There is an opening, though; a ten-foot-by-ten-foot gap that makes you think of a gaping eye socket or missing tooth.

Through the clean-looking water around you spy more bone piles, where unfortunates have dropped or been placed. Then you glimpse, sunken into the mire and halfway consumed by the vegetation of the labyrinth walls itself, an enormous but intact-looking skeleton in the water to your right. If it were a living thing, it might count among the tallest of giants.

Histra makes no remark. She just keeps moving towards the opening. She shivers openly but doesn’t rub her arms or make any attempt to warm herself.

---

What, if anything, is in your hands?

[Darren]

Before wading into the water, Kal takes some rope and lashes his sharrash firmly to his back. The weapon won't be of much use to him in the water. He looks at Streko up on Adamant's shoulders and glances over at Tangat. "You're on your own," he says. "You shouldn't have eaten all of those sweet rolls when Belarin offered them to you."