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05.19.20

Puzzling the Way Forward

by Steel Claw

Yrna, on her previous adventures: "Abbadar is not the worst of the gods who's path(s) I've crossed."
 
Upon meeting Francis, she recognized both that he is awakened, as well as the name of the druid responsible -- Stoneshoes, as Murg remembers it. A gnome and well-known modern druid, Stoneshoes tends to do things with little thought of responsibility... like awaken animals without discretion. As a result, he is outcast from the greater druidic community.
 
Around noon, we came across a fork in the road that wasn't mapped; after discussion we decided to head down it. The trail led, in one way or another, to a large tree with a den carved in at its base. The home of some creature, Murg ducked his head inside to spot animal bones and a pale blue egg.
 
Yrna thinks the egg is a gryphon's, though has no clue as to why it might be blue.
 
Gryphons are rare in CONTINENT, and are considered almost cross-culturally as signs of exceedingly good luck and blessing (from the gods?). As far as we can tell, the egg is alive and well, self-incubating and not in need of anything except protection from predators. Steel found tracks in the den, though they're not from a gyphon. Izol identified the creature as elemental.
 
Yrna had wandered off: she returned to lead us to a clearing about a quarter of an hour away. Two adult griffons, almost larger than life, lay dead in the center of dozens of wolves. They must have fallen protecting their egg from at least two packs of wolves. Amidst the carnage a few faeries sat, crying softly to themselves at the scene.
 
The faeries, after a bit, spoke to Theo after noticing his arcane chants. They explained that the griffons were not only defending their clutch but also them -- the tree the pair fell by was a tether between the Feywilds and the material plane.
 
Together, we laid the griffons to rest. Murg conducted the rites, and Yrna summoned the creatures of the forest that wanted to be in attendance. Our cleric offered the coins from his pockets before the griffons, in the symbol of Abbadar.


 
As a thank-you, the faeries blessed us with temporary flight.
 

 

Borea Cave


Thanks to the faeries' blessing, the flight took us to Borea Cave by the end of the next day (with a normal sleep the night between).
 
On the way, Steel asked Yrna about possible mounts for hire in Wander Hall. She mentioned oxen, used often by giants to haul goods; northern-bred horses, that withstand the winters well; and bears, temperamental and dangerous, and oft used for raids. In Yrna's words:
 
"If it's brown lay down,
if it's black fight back,
if it's white goodnight"
 
With our arrival at Borea Cave at night, we camped at the cave's entrance to tackle it the next morning. We left the egg with Francis, who realized as he sat down on his haunches that the bear can still read.
 
Izol stealthed ahead, and was therefore the first to see an obelisk written with the giant language (and emanating motes of telekinesis to Izol's magic vision).
 
"Speak the name of the cursed betrayed / and thou shalt gain entrance."
 
"Kreethi," Murg and Izol enthused; in response (accidentally) the obelisk slowly cracked, then shattered, into nothingness. This revealed a hole downwards with a rope ladder descending.
 
The chamber below led into a large hall, with a gigantic statue of a maiden wielding a greatsword, flanked by two smaller handmaiden statues (priestess-like). The greatsword featured both three empty slots (for gemstones), as well as runic giant (language): SAVIOR. From bottom to top: DECEIVED. Another inscription was cut into the base of the giant (female) warrior's pedestal:
 
"Here lies Freya, last of her name, Queen of the Giants and Final Patron of the Ordening. By the Deceiver laid low, within these walls she takes her final rest. Disturb not this tomb, lest ye brave the cold of death and the colder wrath of life."
 
We turned down a side corridor, lined with several doorways. None of them opened, except for one: inside Murg was able to gain entrance. A pitcher sat on a table with a goblet full of water, and by pouring the liquid back into pitcher unlocked another of the four doors. The second room contained a massive humanoid skull (a giant's). Izol followed, and found buttons hidden by magic in the room. Izol was quick to push his, and out-of-sync shards of ice rained down on Murg, drawing blood. Pushing the buttons simultaneously unlocked a third door ("Correctly this time"). Theo could read the runes that appeared on it: "Thus unto betrayers". The door wouldn't budge -- until Theo blasted the giant skull to pieces with a firebolt, resonating an undying shriek throughout the small chamber.

Continue reading...

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    10.22.19
  2. To Waylay Arcadia
    10.29.19
  3. As the Gods Watch
    11.12.19
  4. Recap: Riding the River to Bezia
    12.03.19
  5. Honor Returns to the Redtails
    12.03.19
  6. Honor and Innocence
    12.10.19
  7. What Ends & What Begins
    01.07.20
  8. Night Before the Report
    01.14.20
  9. Adrenaline
    01.28.20
  10. Fairytale's End
    02.11.20
  11. CSI: Abominable Charges
    02.25.20
  12. Stones in the Basement
    03.03.20
  13. Saviors
    03.17.20
  14. A Night To Remember
    03.24.20
  15. The End Draws Near
    03.31.20
  16. Black Reckoning
    04.07.20
  17. Argyle's End
    04.10.20
  18. Two and Two
    04.14.20
  19. Concentration
    04.21.20
  20. The Magic in Winter
    04.28.20
  21. Real, Under, Dark: Indrada
    05.12.20
  22. Puzzling the Way Forward
    05.19.20
  23. The Cold Cases
    05.26.20
  24. Band through the Woods
    06.02.20
  25. Cold Claws of Death
    06.09.20
  26. Another Shot in the Dark
    06.16.20
  27. More To Learn
    06.30.20
  28. The Heart of Varunmund
    07.10.20
  29. Arcane Mishap
    07.14.20
  30. The Treasure of Weave-Steel
    07.21.20
  31. Rolling Bones
    07.28.20
  32. A New Land
    08.04.20
  33. Ice and Storm
    08.11.20
  34. Up Rocks
    08.18.20
  35. At the Top of the World
    09.01.20
  36. Beware the Depths
    09.08.20
  37. Granting Repose
    09.15.20
  38. Trial by Crystal
    09.22.20
  39. Cries of the Pained
    09.29.20
  40. Old Friends
    10.06.20
  41. Watch and Tower
    10.13.20
  42. The Death of a Gate and an Alhoon
    10.20.20
  43. Joy in Many a Reunion
    10.27.20
  44. A New Line of Questioning
    01.05.20
  45. Renewing the Offense
    6th of February, 2022
  46. The Last Vanguard
    02.13.22
  47. Portals
    02.20.22
  48. Heed the Changing Winds
    03.13.22
  49. Champions of the Winds
    03.27.22
  50. The Epicenter of Truth
    04.03.22
  51. It Begins Again
    04.10.22
  52. Stratagem to the Winds
    04.24.22
  53. Wet Cat
    05.01.22
  54. Another Hot Time
    05.15.22
  55. The Aegon Assault
    07.31.22
  56. Unfavorably Familiar
    08.07.22
  57. Cloaked in Red
    09.11.22
  58. Forged After War
    09.18.22
  59. Truthseeking
    10.02.22
  60. Two-Parters
    11.12.22
  61. Blade & Bow, Hammer & Axe
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  62. Faith, Truth, and Peace
    11.27.22
  63. Act as you know, and you will never shame me
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  64. The Stringing of the Bow
    01.08.23
  65. A Clashing of Fangs
    01.15.23
  66. Nleyke [v. To Wish]
    01.29.23

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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.042 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 14:49, Nov 8 2024