Chapter 18: Where the Mighty Rivers Roam

[Dave W.]

Adamant is a little uneasy when Kal says no spellcasting. But after a moment's thought he relaxes. "Yes, you are right, we should try to avoid the risk. There is a thing that has been on my mind of late, a thing I think I will have to do, but we will talk about that after the Long Shadows."

"As I have said I would like to perform the Chant over those days. Once started it can not stop without someone else picking it up. I could perform nonstop but after 3 days I will be exhausted. If someone can take up the Chant for four hours each night so I can rest... well I would be pleased."

[Ken]

Belarin nods at Kal after he speaks.

Late in the afternoon, shortly before sunset, Belarin asks Histra to join him in their cabin. "Let's try this," he says softly.

In the cabin, where it's just him and Histra, he sits cross-legged on the floor and pulls the mirror from his backpack. He takes his dagger and "draws" a series of symbols over the mirror's surface. Holding the mirror in his other hand, he takes a deep breath and says, "Show me Larest ir'Zathryn."

________________

Belarin casts Scrying.

The wizard details on the sheet look great, Jeff. Thanks. Spells selected.

[Joe]

Aug 16, 2020 19:43:16 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Adamant is a little uneasy when Kal says no spellcasting. But after a moment's thought he relaxes. "Yes, you are right, we should try to avoid the risk. There is a thing that has been on my mind of late, a thing I think I will have to do, but we will talk about that after the Long Shadows."

"As I have said I would like to perform the Chant over those days. Once started it can not stop without someone else picking it up. I could perform nonstop but after 3 days I will be exhausted. If someone can take up the Chant for four hours each night so I can rest... well I would be pleased."

"I will take up the chant on my watches, brother. Although, I must say, my voice has been known to frighten stray cats from their hiding places. I am not known for being able to carry a tune, but chant, that I can do."
_________________________________________________________

Streko will assist with whatever needs to be done. Once the Long Shadows begins, I'm thinking Streko will arm himself with a few more necromantic spells, but we will see how things shape up. For today, however, he's good to go.

[Darren]

Kal places himself cross legged on the floor across from Belarin, his eyes never wavering from the warlock's face.

[Brian]

Melethos spends the day on rotating watch, his manner alert, his gaze sharp.

"I will only take short rests during Long Shadows. I prefer to stay on watch during the entire three days." He grins at Kal. "And no spell casting unless absolutely necessary."

As he wanders the deck, his attention fixed on the shorelines and the areas in front of and behind the Dragonfly, his hands creeps to the crystal around his neck, his fingers running lightly over the strands of Jyoti's hair now wrapped securely around the gem.

[Jeff]

Ken's post above implies it's just him and Histra in the cabin attempting Scrying. Darren's post says Kal's with him. Ken, what's Belarin doing here?

[Ken]

Just Belarin and Histra. He doesn't want to draw attention to what he's doing.

[Darren]

Aug 17, 2020 8:30:52 GMT -4 Ken said:

Just Belarin and Histra. He doesn't want to draw attention to what he's doing.

Alright. I thought the earlier discussion had been of doing this together.

When Kal approaches Belarin's cabin, Histra nearly shuts the door in his face. He frowns and folds his arms. He points his fingers at the cabin door and in their ears, Belarin and Histra hear Kal's whispered voice. We will speak of this later. I'll be on deck when you're finished. As soon as you're finished. Kal makes a point of thumping his staff onto the floorboards as he moves to the ladder leading back up to the top deck.

[Jeff]

Aug 16, 2020 23:49:01 GMT -4 Joe said:

Aug 16, 2020 19:43:16 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Adamant is a little uneasy when Kal says no spellcasting. But after a moment's thought he relaxes. "Yes, you are right, we should try to avoid the risk. There is a thing that has been on my mind of late, a thing I think I will have to do, but we will talk about that after the Long Shadows."

"As I have said I would like to perform the Chant over those days. Once started it can not stop without someone else picking it up. I could perform nonstop but after 3 days I will be exhausted. If someone can take up the Chant for four hours each night so I can rest... well I would be pleased."

"I will take up the chant on my watches, brother. Although, I must say, my voice has been known to frighten stray cats from their hiding places. I am not known for being able to carry a tune, but chant, that I can do."

Kurra and Calirataia take an interest in this. "Continuous chanting, Adamant?" the artificer asks him. "Can you be interrupted? Can you not converse with anyone? What if something does happen and you are needed?"

"I will harmonize, when it is appropriate," is all the dryad says.

Later in the afternoon...

As Kal is heading away from their cabin, Histra says from the door, "This spell takes some time and concentration. Guard against distractions."

Kal finds Sem on the top deck, flipping through one of his Xen'drik lore books (Kal assumes that's what they are). 

Alone with Histra in their dimly lit cabin, and with the polished obsidian mirror focus in his hands, Belarin readies his spell. Considering the magic involved, he knows it would be potentially more effective if he had a possession of Larest's on hand. The enchanted boots he wore were "dismantled" and repurposed by Kurra into magic greaves that Adamant now wears. Hardly the original boots now. And the circlet that Larest wore much of the time is now in Sem's possession. At least he has firsthand knowledge of Larest.

Still, without these, he beings. It takes ten minutes of incantations, something he imagines would require a lot of study to memorize had he mastered this spell from a spellbook. But the words come to his tongue as easily as though he were repeating them right back to Raeshara after she spoke them first. The last few times he sought the location of Krez. This time he seeks Larest . . .

Doubt gnaws at him. He has never tried to Scry the dead before. If Larest was disintegrated, would the spell simply fail? Or would it bring his senses to the dust that he has become? He's heard mages speculate about this before, and never conclusively: one cannot Scry a spirit on another plane, and surely not a soul. He is still new to this powerful magic.

He focuses, and finds that surprisingly easily, two images of Larest come to mind:

When Belarin first set eyes on him, in the Celestial Vista restaurant in Skyway, high above Sharn. Almost right away it was apparent that ir'Zathyran wasn't a full-blooded human. Too exotic. Too...lofty? Patrician, handsome; and Sem even said it was rumored that he had the blood of Syranian angels in him, like some sort of aasimar. His face was clean-shaven, his white-gray hair neatly combed, and his eyes were gold but not in a piercing manner like Melethos's. They were gentle, intelligent. His nobleman's clothing was turquoise and black. There was obvious arrogance in his manner, but he didn't seem to lord his station over anyone.

The second image is of Larest on the top deck of the Merrow Down early in the voyage across the Thunder Sea. It was night, and he was dressed in simple but expensive traveling clothes and a thin cloak; a rapier hung from his belt as well as the jeweled dagger he always had; Larest never did draw out that rapier, Belarin doesn't think. The handsome older man wore a guarded expression then, and often. The circlet he wore gleamed in the moonlight. This memory is colored in Belarin's mind by the appearance of Histra, before he knew her, for she was standing just behind Larest then. It was the second time Belarin encountered her, and she stood there in her tattered black robes. She'd tried to kill him and his friends the first time. Belarin has to shake away the memory to avoid distraction. This was half a lifetime ago, it seems.

As Belarin's chant concludes, he looks into the obsidian mirror, sees his own dark reflection, then his perception seems to enter it, and seek beyond...

Darkness, then...resistance. "What?" he hears a garbled male voice as if hearing it spoken through water. He isn't sure if it's his own voice or someone else's. Larest's?

Then the spell ends. His magic rebuffed. By someone or something. He'd felt a presence, and couldn't really tell if it was a familiar one or not.

In his gut, Belarin really doesn't think it would feel like this if the person he was seeking was simply dead or completely absent from this plane.

Histra says nothing, but looks at him questioningly.

[Ken]

Belarin's eyes widen. He looks at Histra with amazement. "He's... not dead. We need to tell Kalarian!" He scrambles quickly to his feet and, before Histra can say anything to dissuade him, flings open the cabin door.

"KAL!" he yells. "Get down here!" He moves to the bottom of the stairs leading to the main deck. "KAL!"

[Darren]

Aug 17, 2020 12:35:05 GMT -4 Ken said:

Belarin's eyes widen. He looks at Histra with amazement. "He's... not dead. We need to tell Kalarian!" He scrambles quickly to his feet and, before Histra can say anything to dissuade him, flings open the cabin door.

"KAL!" he yells. "Get down here!" He moves to the bottom of the stairs leading to the main deck. "KAL!"

Kal freezes as he hears Belarin call across the ship. So much for discretion. Moving towards the ladder, Kal passes Sem and without missing a step begins to lead him by the shoulder. "I need your assistance," he says quietly.

"I need you to act like everything is normal," Melethos hears in his mind. "Belarin may have just stumbled on to something. I'll fill you in as soon as I know more. Just keep things calm up here."

Waiting for Sem to descend in front of him, Kal follows down the ladder and heads straight for Belarin and Histra's cabin. "What did you discover?" he asks, as he closes the door behind them. Seeing Belarin's questioning look at Sem, he adds, "Might as well fill him in."

DM's Edit: I added the strikethrough since we didn't get that far yet.

[Dave W.]

Aug 16, 2020 23:49:01 GMT -4 Joe said:

"I will take up the chant on my watches, brother. Although, I must say, my voice has been known to frighten stray cats from their hiding places. I am not known for being able to carry a tune, but chant, that I can do."

"I would be proud to have you join."

Aug 17, 2020 9:17:15 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Kurra and Calirataia take an interest in this. "Continuous chanting, Adamant?" the artificer asks him. "Can you be interrupted? Can you not converse with anyone? What if something does happen and you are needed?"

"I will harmonize, when it is appropriate," is all the dryad says.

"Thank you Calirataia, you will add beauty and color to the fabric."

"There can be… deviations." He answers Kurra, "Though I would not encourage large ones. Sometimes a chanter will introduce one new verse as an Intention. The last time we performed it we each introduced an verse for the protection and comfort of Father Charl as it was not clear his body would carry him through all three days."

"A moment's pause would also not disturb the musical fabric terribly, but again, I will not be carrying on lengthy discussions for those days. If we find ourselves in combat I will chant while fighting."

[Jeff]

Aug 17, 2020 13:54:23 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal freezes as he hears Belarin call across the ship. So much for discretion. Moving towards the ladder, Kal passes Sem and without missing a step begins to lead him by the shoulder. "I need your assistance," he says quietly."

Sem has a couple of books open in front of him where he sits on a small barrel on the mai ndeck. When Kal prompts him, he fumbles to tidy them up but doesn't allow himself to be led down the hatch yet. "What's going on, Kal?" he asks, alarmed. "What's Belarin shouting about?"

Brack, Kurra, and Calirataia all whirl to regard the commotion.

[Darren]

Aug 17, 2020 14:13:20 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Aug 17, 2020 13:54:23 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal freezes as he hears Belarin call across the ship. So much for discretion. Moving towards the ladder, Kal passes Sem and without missing a step begins to lead him by the shoulder. "I need your assistance," he says quietly."

Sem has a couple of books open in front of him where he sits on a small barrel on the mai ndeck. When Kal prompts him, he fumbles to tidy them up but doesn't allow himself to be led down the hatch yet. "What's going on, Kal?" he asks, alarmed. "What's Belarin shouting about?"

Brack, Kurra, and Calirataia all whirl to regard the commotion.

"He has found something," Kal says, then lowers his voice as he leans over Sem so that only the gnome can hear. "Someone." He stands up. "I need your help with this. No arguments. We'll explain in a moment."

[Jeff]

"Was he...scrying?" Sem says, not being especially quiet, as he stands up and starts to place his books away in his satchel. Not hurrying. But his black eyes fixate on Kal's face. Studying him. "Not Krez. He would be 'napping' at this hour still. Demise?" There is a touch of trepidation in the gnome's voice. Then he sits down again. "Well, tell Belarin to get up here in the light of day." He lowers his voice somewhat, though. "Our enemies are the captain's business, too."

Starg and Thul take notice now, too, as they turn to look toward Kal and Sem; aware that's something's going on, but it's just general puzzlement now.

"What's up, d'Deneith?" Brack calls out from the bridge.

[Brian]

Aug 17, 2020 14:13:20 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Sem has a couple of books open in front of him where he sits on a small barrel on the mai ndeck. When Kal prompts him, he fumbles to tidy them up but doesn't allow himself to be led down the hatch yet. "What's going on, Kal?" he asks, alarmed. "What's Belarin shouting about?"

Brack, Kurra, and Calirataia all whirl to regard the commotion.

Melethos steps forward with his hands raised. "No need to be alarmed. Belarin needs to talk with Kal, and you know how excitable Belarin gets. I can't imagine it's anything dangerous or I would have been warned. Let's give them the time to talk, okay?"

It damn well had better not be dangerous, Melethos thinks to Kal. I don't like suprises when it comes to the safety of us and the ship.

[Darren]

Aug 17, 2020 14:26:06 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"Was he...scrying?" Sem says, not being especially quiet, as he stands up and starts to place his books away in his satchel. Not hurrying. But his black eyes fixate on Kal's face. Studying him. "Not Krez. He would be 'napping' at this hour still. Demise?" There is a touch of trepidation in the gnome's voice. Then he sits down again. "Well, tell Belarin to get up here in the light of day." He lowers his voice somewhat, though. "Our enemies are the captain's business, too."

Starg and Thul take notice now, too, as they turn to look toward Kal and Sem; aware that's something's going on, but it's just general puzzlement now.

"What's up, d'Deneith?" Brack calls out from the bridge.

Kal places both hands on Sem's shoulders so the gnome has no choice but to look him in the eyes. "I need you to listen to me right now," he says. "This is what Larest would have wanted you to do. We need to go talk with Belarin about it, and then we can explain everything. I am going to need your help with the next part." Kal smiles. "You're not in trouble, Sem. This may actually be good news."

[Jeff]

"All right," Sem says with a puzzled but friendly smile. "I like good news as much as the next guy, and secret news as much as any Zil. And if I can be of assistance, all the better." He fiddles with this satchel some more, withdraws a small book, and places it on the small barrel he was sitting on. "This spot is mine," he declares, looking toward Starg and Brack as if acknowledging their curiosity. "Save my place, old friend," the gnome says to the book and pats the blank back cover.

"Lead on to clandestine chambers, Kal," Sem says. "I do hope Histra is involved. She'll be angry with me if she's not."

He follows wherever Kal leads him.

[Jeff]

Aug 17, 2020 12:35:05 GMT -4 Ken said:

Belarin's eyes widen. He looks at Histra with amazement. "He's... not dead. We need to tell Kalarian!" He scrambles quickly to his feet and, before Histra can say anything to dissuade him, flings open the cabin door.

"KAL!" he yells. "Get down here!" He moves to the bottom of the stairs leading to the main deck. "KAL!"

After his outburst, Belarin finds a disappointed expression on Histra's face. "You need a cool head for this," she says sternly. "Tell me what you saw, Belarin. Let us discuss before you make rash decisions. Words have impact. You should know this."

[Jeff]

Aug 17, 2020 14:30:05 GMT -4 Brian said:

Melethos steps forward with his hands raised. "No need to be alarmed. Belarin needs to talk with Kal, and you know how excitable Belarin gets. I can't imagine it's anything dangerous or I would have been warned. Let's give them the time to talk, okay?"

It damn well had better not be dangerous, Melethos thinks to Kal. I don't like suprises when it comes to the safety of us and the ship.

Melethos finds many eyes on him (assuming Kal leads Sem down below*).

Thul gives Melethos a look like there's something wrong with Melethos. But then the grizzled Karrn's like that.

Brack just shakes his head, Kurra goes back to what she's doing, working with Shorak on placing the new frame of the crow's nest around a large metal band.

But Starg approaches the tiefling. He looks concerned. Starg is the only one on board who physically looks down on Melethos. "What would alarm Belarin so?"

---

* Darren, best to reiterate what Kal is doing next, since you got ahead of me earlier.

[Darren]

Waiting for Sem to descend in front of him, Kal follows down the ladder and heads straight for Belarin and Histra's cabin. "What did you discover?" he asks, as he closes the door behind them. Seeing Belarin's questioning look at Sem, he adds, "Might as well fill him in."

[Brian]

Aug 17, 2020 15:17:05 GMT -4 Jeff said:

But Starg approaches the tiefling. He looks concerned. Starg is the only one on board who physically looks down on Melethos. "What would alarm Belarin so?"

"I honestly don't know," Melethos replies. "I don't know what's going on, and I don't know who's involved, though I can guess it's Belarin and Histra, since they are the only ones unaccounted for. I assumed she was teaching him a spell or some such thing." He pauses. "I trust my friends. I'll be content waiting to see what all this is about."

[Jeff]

Aug 17, 2020 15:24:50 GMT -4 Darren said:

"What did you discover?" he asks, as he closes the door behind them. Seeing Belarin's questioning look at Sem, he adds, "Might as well fill him in."

Sem follows quietly, pausing at the door, and for a moment it looks like he's going to resist coming in. But he comes in casually, and he and Histra look at one another in a curious way. It speaks to an older relationship, for they have known each other longer than you have known them.

"What's the news, Belarin?" he says with interest, then adds imperatively, "That only we need to hear." He indicates the four.

Aug 17, 2020 15:32:19 GMT -4 Brian said:

"I honestly don't know," Melethos replies. "I don't know what's going on, and I don't know who's involved, though I can guess it's Belarin and Histra, since they are the only ones unaccounted for. I assumed she was teaching him a spell or some such thing." He pauses. "I trust my friends. I'll be content waiting to see what all this is about."

The minotaur inclines his head but remains thoughtful. "Have you felt a measure of confidence in your new skills, Melethos?"

[Dave W.]

Aug 17, 2020 14:30:05 GMT -4 Brian said:

Melethos steps forward with his hands raised. "No need to be alarmed. Belarin needs to talk with Kal, and you know how excitable Belarin gets. I can't imagine it's anything dangerous or I would have been warned. Let's give them the time to talk, okay?"

"Are they all right? Is it Histra?" Adamant seems poised to rush down the stairs but is so far restraining himself...

[Dave B.]

Shorak spends his time working with Kurra on finishing the crow's nest. He looks up for just a moment when the commotion arises with Belarin, Kal and Sem. Shorak just shrugs and goes back to his work. Later in the morning, Shorak turns to Kurra, "I need to drain the salt water from the barrel of ribs. If possible, I'd like to start them smoking right after lunch. That way they'll be ready in time for dinner. Do you think we can do that? Then I can spend the rest of the afternoon finishing up the crow's nest."

[Brian]

Aug 17, 2020 15:50:00 GMT -4 Jeff said:

The minotaur inclines his head but remains thoughtful. "Have you felt a measure of confidence in your new skills, Melethos?"

Melethos gives a short, rough laugh. "It's only been a couple of days. I won't feel any measure of confidence for at least a month or two. But will I start blasting holes in the ship or her sails with unskilled power? No, I think I have at least that much control."

Aug 17, 2020 15:56:25 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Aug 17, 2020 14:30:05 GMT -4 Brian said:

"Are they all right? Is it Histra?" Adamant seems poised to rush down the stairs but is so far restraining himself...

When Melethos sees Adamant looking eager to go charging after Kal, he shouts, "Stand down, soldier!" Then he smiles. "I don't know what this is about, Adamant. But you've taught me to trust without reservation in our friends. Follow your own example. Let them be. If they need us, we are only seconds away."

[Ken]

Aug 17, 2020 15:01:27 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"You need a cool head for this," she says sternly. "Tell me what you saw, Belarin. Let us discuss before you make rash decisions. Words have impact. You should know this."

"You're right, you're right," he says, placing his hand on hers. He takes a deep breath. "I'll be dispassionate... as well as I can."

At that moment, Kal and Sem come down the stairs.

"What's the news, Belarin?" he says with interest, then adds imperatively, "That only we need to hear." He indicates the four.

"Sem," he says with a curious smile. "Come in, take a seat."

The warlock then relates the concerns he'd already expressed to Kal and Histra. He continues, "I decided to try scrying for Larest. I'd mentioned it only to Kal and Histra. If I told everyone first and then I was wrong, then a) I'd look stupid, and b) I'd have dredged up concerns and suspicions for nothing. I'd already done that to you once, Sem, and I apologize. I'm sorry."

Belarin is clearly having trouble containing his excitement, but he also seems keenly aware of the drama of the moment, like the master of ceremonies at a carnival.

"I just scryed for Larest. He's not dead." He pauses for a moment. "My scrying attempt was resisted. It didn't come up empty, as it would have if his spirit or body had left this plane. It was rebuffed." He turns to Histra, aware that he should try to provide a more clinical assessment. "There was a presence. I heard a voice! If he were dead, I shouldn't have sensed anything. He's alive ... or at least not DEAD dead. Considering the nature of some of our foes, we can't discount undeath. But he's here, on this plane."

He lets his words sink in. "Kal, we should see if Streko has included scrying as one of his prepared spells today. If so, he should try today, and you should give him one of Larest's telepathy rings to use as a focus."

He then addresses Histra and Sem. "Someone went out of their way to create an elaborate show for our benefit that night. Demise? The nycaloth? Krez? Or Larest himself? I don't know. But we need to give it some thought."

[Jeff]

Sem just stares blankly for a bit. “That’s . . . incredibly un . . . likely?” He looks at Belarin. “That would raise questions, indeed.” He shakes his head, tries to smile. “But this is Xen’drik, Belarin. Spellwork across great distances are open for . . . not misfiring, but misdirection.”

He looks at Kal to see his reaction.

[Dave W.]

“I’m not going, Melethos. You’ll forgive me if I still want to.” Admanat says lightly.

[Ken]

"You're not wrong, Sem," says Belarin. "That's why I'd like Streko to try it. I would try again tomorrow - but the calendar is against us at that point. Still... I'm sure it's him."