Brom Van Brunt
Abraham "Brom Bones" Van Brunt, a Champion of the Sister Isle who returned from death through the grace of the Hollow Spirit. He has only vengeance for his killers the Karekedai
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Strong Enough
08.24.20
The corpse of the beholder.
The statue of a woman, face contorted in anger and rage.
And a pile of dust, indistinguishable from the rest. Rohrouk, Fathom, and Brom just... stood there. Keeping with our mission, Rohrouk remembered to bottle the beholder's blood. It was black and sticky and hot. Brom downed a potion of healing, using the vessel to then collect Eragon's ashes for safety. At first we wanted Fathom to (carefully) carry statue-Cassandra, but turns out Brom is stronger. So, with the tabaxi's help, he took both of his newly-lost friends out of the aptly named Death-Cave.
Yes, we made it back to Koboldhome. And back to the Sharktooth safely -- but now we are down two crewmembers. Rohrouk went out to collect a few kobolds for the job, asking up and down the docks. And the question came all too quickly: "Well you sailed here -- what's the problem?"While the lizardfolk was out, Brom decided that enough was enough from his amulet of proof against location and detection, and his connection to Deltavros' spear was more important ~~now.
With three kobolds in tow, our crew as big enough again to tackle the seas.
Cassandra: "This is not over, not yet." Rohrouk laid out the entire plan to Herbayer. The priest informed us that a meeting of the temple leaders was to be held soon -- as it was every morning -- and at this one he would put up a collection for us. "Wait two hours, then I will be back." As he prayed downstairs in the temple of Bahamut, Brom conversed with Fathom, who was (obviously) worried about our plan. Their talk all boiled down to one point: "We have to." Back upstairs, it dawned on Cassandra that Rohrouk was being... kind, in his own way. It was a nice turn of events. He gave her the beholder's blood in confidence. "It rests on you now." When Rohrouk left, Cassandra asked her cards for one last time: "what can we do about Eragon?" Unsurprisingly, there was no response. An acolyte approached Brom and Fathom. "There is someone here for you." Brom asked Fathom to go and watch over Rohrouk and Cassandra -- "I don't trust anyone anymore". "I'll see who it is, and if it's safe I'll message you." Once they disappeared Brom attended to the person waiting at the door a shorter man with a bright orange vest and expensive sword. upon meeting Brom, addressed Brom with his full name and "lord" My name is Escanar Danford, a part of the "Fatecarvers United" -- the group's fanclub. He referenced the ink-black sea "Where did you hear that." Escanar referenced Forcalish's curfew... as well as the kobolds Rohrouk had recently hired. Brom knows Escanar writes epics Brom lets Escanar in, messages Rohrouk to come help vet this new person Rohrouk appears. Escanar continues to be bewildered by Rohrouk's existence. "He does know how to man a ship." Rohrouk and Brom team huddled, Brom convincing Rohrouk to give Escanor a shot Rohrouk returned upstairs to tell Fathom and Cassandra; Brom returned to praying (with invisible Escanor sitting on a nearby pew) "We lost people close to us. I need you to respect that." The party regrouped, and took in Escanor. An omen appeared: the temple doors were thrown open by a gust of wind, slamming shut to scare us all. And a dark chuckle filled the room.
"What? I wore black." He told us, in no uncertain terms, that "Eragon was not done." Everyone was on edge, disbelieving, but: "It's bad, very bad." Eragon may still be dust, but the Raven Queen won't give up his soul. "She has never given up a soul." That enough was... alarming. "If you get down there, it'll be easy to find him if you look for him. Getting him out's the hard part." From his little, black, raccoon suit Trickster gave Cassandra a black silk cloak (hooded). "Put that on him. The Raven Queen won't be able to see him with that on. Then, very calmly, get on the boat, and walk out. And sail away." He reaffirmed that this would all be incredibly difficult. "The cloak will only work for a few seconds, moments. Be fast." If the Raven Queen caught any wind of what was going on, it would be all over. For all of us. "And you can't look at him. Don't think of him even." "I don't care about fate."
("I still have things I need him to do.")"We have a fanclub... and I haven't slept with any of them?!"
four potions of healing,
a potion of greater healing,
a potion of heroism; and
a pair of (enchanted) leather bracers (for unarmed fighters)
all donated from the temple of the Stormlord. We divvied everything up, with Rohrouk taking the potion of greater healing. Cassandra supplemented these with four of her own elixirs.
"Really, Kofsa?" With a controlled sweep of the hand Brom summoned a wave to crash over the boat. No Fatecarver was pulled off their feet, but the gas was thrown into the sea. Angrily her serpent-thing lashed out at Brom, clamping its jaws around his form and threatening ot throw the warlock overboard. "Get back!" He shouted. "Okay!" Escanor ran to the stern ballistae, weaving magic into his words. "You're all idiots!" -- and a fear spell to subdue Kofsa and her pet. Then Cassandra succeeded on a ray of enfeeblement, crippling the creature. Things were looking good. The boat surged forward, closer and closer to the portal. With Brom in its jaws the beast had to answer to Rohrouk and Fathom now, both running towards the creature's head on-board to whale on it. Nerves trembling Kofsa still managed to wield the arcane she had studied, summoning a black hand to slam down on Cassandra. But our heroine was better than his, diving out of the way. Brom was not so lucky -- the terrified beast turned with the warlock in its jaws and dove underwater to the south. "I'm o --" and he was gone. Everyone panicked, and rightly so. The serpent pulled Brom underwater he breathes underwater, can speak says XYZ, casts thunderstep with a boom rockets through the water cannonballs out of the sea near the Sharktooth to land prone on the deck "I told you I was fine! Go! Go!" Escanar: "the stories don't do you justice!" Kofsa screamed in rage as the serpent swam further and further, raw fear of our new friend shaking its bones. "How the hell did Kofsa know where we were?" It dawned on Cassandra that someone must have slipped off their amulet of proof against detection Brom: It was me. just get us through the portal The seas quieted, for the shortest of moments, before the bow began to tip downward. The stern raised as the Sharktooth pivoted to make for the bottom of the sea. Everyone grabbed hold of the ship -- save Rohrouk, who plummeted to the water below. The Sharktooth followed, dark water engulfing everything.
The statue of a woman, face contorted in anger and rage.
And a pile of dust, indistinguishable from the rest. Rohrouk, Fathom, and Brom just... stood there. Keeping with our mission, Rohrouk remembered to bottle the beholder's blood. It was black and sticky and hot. Brom downed a potion of healing, using the vessel to then collect Eragon's ashes for safety. At first we wanted Fathom to (carefully) carry statue-Cassandra, but turns out Brom is stronger. So, with the tabaxi's help, he took both of his newly-lost friends out of the aptly named Death-Cave.
Yes, we made it back to Koboldhome. And back to the Sharktooth safely -- but now we are down two crewmembers. Rohrouk went out to collect a few kobolds for the job, asking up and down the docks. And the question came all too quickly: "Well you sailed here -- what's the problem?"
Backward
Aside from choppy water the sailing back to Forcalish was calm enough. Most of us brooded during the voyage, to be frank. Rohrouk stressed to the kobolds that discretion was necessary, and to not speak on what they had seen aboard the Sharktooth. With Rohrouk's idea of explaining away statue-Cassandra as a cursed art piece, Brom reasoned we should first try the temple to Bahamut. It was the closest, and Herbayer still worked there.Bahamut's grace
No one stopped us before we walked the marble pathways and gardens to enter between the ivory pillars of Bahamut's temple. Brom was the one to be frustrated. "You, go get Herbayer." The only acolyte in attendance was shocked of course, yet complied. Herbayer looked more tired than before, and now walked with a cane. Pleasantries were made, then we followed the high priest to his chamber. He asked no questions until we got to his room on the second floor. "What is it?" When Cassandra was revealed to him Herbayer cast greater restoration without hesitation. And, gasping and tired, Cassandra returned to the land of the living. Brom embraced her, and the two wept. Disintegration is a savage spell; Eragon was gone for good. Brom: "We need to do this for Cassandra."Cassandra: "This is not over, not yet." Rohrouk laid out the entire plan to Herbayer. The priest informed us that a meeting of the temple leaders was to be held soon -- as it was every morning -- and at this one he would put up a collection for us. "Wait two hours, then I will be back." As he prayed downstairs in the temple of Bahamut, Brom conversed with Fathom, who was (obviously) worried about our plan. Their talk all boiled down to one point: "We have to." Back upstairs, it dawned on Cassandra that Rohrouk was being... kind, in his own way. It was a nice turn of events. He gave her the beholder's blood in confidence. "It rests on you now." When Rohrouk left, Cassandra asked her cards for one last time: "what can we do about Eragon?" Unsurprisingly, there was no response. An acolyte approached Brom and Fathom. "There is someone here for you." Brom asked Fathom to go and watch over Rohrouk and Cassandra -- "I don't trust anyone anymore". "I'll see who it is, and if it's safe I'll message you." Once they disappeared Brom attended to the person waiting at the door a shorter man with a bright orange vest and expensive sword. upon meeting Brom, addressed Brom with his full name and "lord" My name is Escanar Danford, a part of the "Fatecarvers United" -- the group's fanclub. He referenced the ink-black sea "Where did you hear that." Escanar referenced Forcalish's curfew... as well as the kobolds Rohrouk had recently hired. Brom knows Escanar writes epics Brom lets Escanar in, messages Rohrouk to come help vet this new person Rohrouk appears. Escanar continues to be bewildered by Rohrouk's existence. "He does know how to man a ship." Rohrouk and Brom team huddled, Brom convincing Rohrouk to give Escanor a shot Rohrouk returned upstairs to tell Fathom and Cassandra; Brom returned to praying (with invisible Escanor sitting on a nearby pew) "We lost people close to us. I need you to respect that." The party regrouped, and took in Escanor. An omen appeared: the temple doors were thrown open by a gust of wind, slamming shut to scare us all. And a dark chuckle filled the room.
An old friend
From the shadows a form materialized, moving into the light for all to see. Trickster."What? I wore black." He told us, in no uncertain terms, that "Eragon was not done." Everyone was on edge, disbelieving, but: "It's bad, very bad." Eragon may still be dust, but the Raven Queen won't give up his soul. "She has never given up a soul." That enough was... alarming. "If you get down there, it'll be easy to find him if you look for him. Getting him out's the hard part." From his little, black, raccoon suit Trickster gave Cassandra a black silk cloak (hooded). "Put that on him. The Raven Queen won't be able to see him with that on. Then, very calmly, get on the boat, and walk out. And sail away." He reaffirmed that this would all be incredibly difficult. "The cloak will only work for a few seconds, moments. Be fast." If the Raven Queen caught any wind of what was going on, it would be all over. For all of us. "And you can't look at him. Don't think of him even." "I don't care about fate."
("I still have things I need him to do.")
Introductions
Eragon whirled to the newest Fatecarver once Trickster had disappeared. "Escanor -- don't say anything about what you just saw. Consider this a test." Escanor pleaded his case, and the party agreed. With reservations. After some time. Eventually. Fathom was very interested in Escanor's abilities in massage and cookery.Herbayer returned, with an acolyte (and parcel) in tow. Inside was for us:
One last sail
Without ceremony the party made for the Sharktooth and took up their posts. We sailed until Forcalish was out of sight. Then, taking the ship into deadwind, we gathered on the main deck. Escanor produced an artist's brush, which Rohrouk and Cassandra used to paint the appropriate blood runes on the wizard's forehead. Cassandra, runes of blood adorning her face, took her cards out as she always does. Rohrouk read the words, as written down, to her -- repeating them back. Each felt full and powerful, like a speed picking up about her. Soon Cassandra was finishing Rohrouk's sentences, the words coming from her organically. Her cards whirled into the air, swirling about our group. Our wizard was pulled, tugged northward. A heading for the ship. Cassandra pointed, and we resumed sailing. We went like this for over two hours, changing the sails in accordance with Cassandra's magic. When she called to us that the place was near, we readied ourselves. Later Cassandra explained that the ritual was a combination of finding the path and making it, in the same breath. A shout came from Fathom in crow's nest: to the north black spires peeked up from the horizon. We drew near, more and more obsidian spires breaking the water's surface. Between then, in the middle where spires bent inward, a black energy coalesced in one point. Even from afar we all heard the cracking of the portal. Rohrouk freaked, and to everyone's (inner) delight the party reassured him. We were in this together. The Sharktooth heaved in the seas as it drew close to the portal. Faster and faster the waves churned. A moment later we heard a terrifying rumble: off the starboard bow a gigantic creature surged from the deep. A skeletal thing, a snake or dragon or something obscene. Sitting on its head, like a rider on a horse, a darkly-clad mage glared down at us. Who, but Kofsa. "Going somewhere?"Guardian of the gate
Escanor was surprised, to say the least. "Is this real?" We all leapt to action. Brom called to the storm, invoking a vortex to hold the creature in place while Rohrouk piloted the ship onward. Kofsa grinned manically, pointing onboard. "Die!" A thick yellow fog began to flood the ship's deck..."Really, Kofsa?" With a controlled sweep of the hand Brom summoned a wave to crash over the boat. No Fatecarver was pulled off their feet, but the gas was thrown into the sea. Angrily her serpent-thing lashed out at Brom, clamping its jaws around his form and threatening ot throw the warlock overboard. "Get back!" He shouted. "Okay!" Escanor ran to the stern ballistae, weaving magic into his words. "You're all idiots!" -- and a fear spell to subdue Kofsa and her pet. Then Cassandra succeeded on a ray of enfeeblement, crippling the creature. Things were looking good. The boat surged forward, closer and closer to the portal. With Brom in its jaws the beast had to answer to Rohrouk and Fathom now, both running towards the creature's head on-board to whale on it. Nerves trembling Kofsa still managed to wield the arcane she had studied, summoning a black hand to slam down on Cassandra. But our heroine was better than his, diving out of the way. Brom was not so lucky -- the terrified beast turned with the warlock in its jaws and dove underwater to the south. "I'm o --" and he was gone. Everyone panicked, and rightly so. The serpent pulled Brom underwater he breathes underwater, can speak says XYZ, casts thunderstep with a boom rockets through the water cannonballs out of the sea near the Sharktooth to land prone on the deck "I told you I was fine! Go! Go!" Escanar: "the stories don't do you justice!" Kofsa screamed in rage as the serpent swam further and further, raw fear of our new friend shaking its bones. "How the hell did Kofsa know where we were?" It dawned on Cassandra that someone must have slipped off their amulet of proof against detection Brom: It was me. just get us through the portal The seas quieted, for the shortest of moments, before the bow began to tip downward. The stern raised as the Sharktooth pivoted to make for the bottom of the sea. Everyone grabbed hold of the ship -- save Rohrouk, who plummeted to the water below. The Sharktooth followed, dark water engulfing everything.
Down is up
Then the ship rose. Everyone, Rohrouk included, flopped back onto the main deck. Everything was very quiet. A dark sky, without moon or sun. An infinite expansive of water, flat as ice and black as ink. A single ray of light flickered over the waves: in the distance across the dark water we could all see a stone tower rise from the waves. Every so often a silver light moved across the top: a lighthouse. And here, in the realm of the Raven Queen, Cassandra was different. Her hair was now raven-black hair, her eyes piercing blue. And here, she could see.
Journey's End
08.17.20
Show spoiler
Were still in the tomb
Rohrouk read the inscriptions on the walls, learned more on how to get to the realm of the raven queen
But we didn't look at the grave at all
Forcalish was unusually quiet
No acolytes protecting the tp circle in the Ioun temple
Streets empty , etc.
Went to Rohanna & John -- something happened in the temple of the Raven Queen
Margerine/Cassandra saw five bodies in body bags, squirming. Undead rising?
Rohanna & John will try to warn as many people as they can, including the other nations in Deltavros
Unable to do much, we took a long-needed rest. Next up is Koboldhome and the ancient beast there
In the tomb we learned we have to use the beast's blood to draw a sigil on Cassandra's forehead, who will then perform a ritual. Then she becomes "the navigator", to take us to the realm of the Raven Queen.
A dark departure
So, with some rest under out belts, we made for Koboldhome. While we were home though, we mulled over whatever the creature in the mountain of Koboldhome could be. Cassandra guessed either a beholder or a cyclops -- and reasoned bringing a mirror with us to that end. The trip was quietly uneventful, unfortunately like Forcalish. But we were at sea, and no action is good then. Halfway through the five-day trip Cassandra gathered us once more, to ask the cards for the future. It was to no avail. Hard to read, these cards are.Lizard beaches, jungles, and mountains
Koboldhome was lively last time we came. Just as in Forcalish the atmosphere was sober and calm. As we rounded one of the white sandy beaches, we spotted a thick column of black smoke -- a funeral pyre, with bodies. We wondered if we might need fire for him. We beached near the fire, rowing in safely. The kobolds greeted us, marked with the different colors of their clans. Rohrouk, the "high predator" lizard of us, spoke with them. They call the cave we are looking for the Death-Cave. Located in the honeycombed chambers of Koboldhome's highest peak. No kobolds return from Death-Cave, so they clans have no idea what's inside. Two kobolds of the Blackbone Clan led us through town into the jungle, on the way to the Death-Cave. We hiked until the forest became very quiet. Suddenly our two guides dove to the ground and started to burrow. "Hide! Hide!" Uncertain we followed suit, and not a moment too soon. The ground around us began to shake and rumble. The two kobolds changed tactics, jumping up to scrabble up trees and escape the ground. A large beast tunneled up from beneath the earth, throwing dirt and stones all about its gigantic form. We learned later that the monster was a bulette, a terrifying beast that churns the earth like water to ambush prey. Prey of course being anything smaller than itself. Three of the creatures ambushed us in the jungles of Koboldhome. One crushed Eragon under its immense weight. The wizard barely climbed out of the way of the first only to nearly crushed again by a second bulette. Brom barely managed to throw himself in front of the wizard, taking the blunt of the blow -- before teleporting the pair out of danger. The blast of arcane energy from the spell threw one creature to its death, dashing it against sharp boulders. Brom called too the Hollow Spirit, spectral branches grasping at the surviving bulette to hold it back. But he failed, and it just barely belly-flopped on top of Cassandra. With Brom's help, Eragon directly a magic missile to save her. Though the two casters were out of danger, the rest were not. From the dead carcass of the bulette three undead kobolds clawed their way out of the body to attack the living. As the fight came to a close Eragon turned to Brom. "I need you to fall off this cliff with me." Brom's eyes went wide, but he quickly calmed down. "I saved you, now you save me. I swear it." Each mage grasped the other's shoulders in the ultimate trust fall, turning to the ground and letting gravity to the work. Brom screwed his eyes closed, the words of Eragon's spell lost to the air rushing around them. Just as it seemed too late the warm burst of arcane energies coalesced before them. A dimension door, gobbling up the two brothers-in-arms and spitting them out near Cassandra across the ravine. Brom and Eragon tumbled several feet before they came to a halt, rubbing bruises but otherwise all right for wear. "We need to get out of here," Brom closed, finishing off the last of the undead kobolds (with Rohrouk's help).The cave
It was thankfully a short trek to the mountain of Koboldhome from the fight in the forest. Its base was wide, and we passed many frantic warnings in draconic that Rohrouk translated to little more than helpless cries of kobolds. But we found a safe-ish spot near the base and took a breather. Rohrouk sent our two guides home with his dagger as payment. We all agreed to take a short rest before entering the cave. In the meanwhile, Cassandra used her owl familiar to scout out the mountain.Dark rattling
With Margarine's help Cassandra surveyed the area. Near the entrance of the cave (inside) a medium-ish pile of tattered clothes and crude weaponry -- but no bodies -- collected in a pile. As the owl flew through the inside of the mountain Cassandra realized the tunnels continued sharply upwards, up the mountainside. Turn after turn yielded more piles of scrap, leftovers from humanoids that had perished here. One larger room Margarine entered at last seemed to move on its own. There was something strange about it. One wall of the cave was nothing but bone. The skeletal remnants shifted like ripples in a lake, moving unnaturally on their own. Here and there rings of stone held larger bones in their place, as if chained to the mountain itself. It took a few moments for the seer to understand what her familiar took in. The bones were not individual but a mass, one whole that connected in an unknown way to form a vaguely humanoid shape. A large blow engulfed Margerine, and her connection to this plane of existence was shattered. "That's not the creature Brom saw.""And it doesn't have blood." Contemplating, Cassandra decided to cast clairvoyance for a better view. The bone wall was "still" inside the chamber. But Cassandra's arcane eye saw more: a large, pink, fleshy ball larger than any person we had seen, with many tendrils coming off of its body to end in smaller eyes. And one large eye in the center that right now was examining the bone wall and poking it with the eye stalks. A beholder. A nightmare, intelligent and completely insane.
We're going to Death-Cave mountain, Rohrouk
Brom stood after an hour's rest. "We don't have a better plan, and sometimes you have to face your nightmares."Well dying would be an eternity of misery," Rohrouk chimed in.
"Dying isn't that bad," the warlock answered. "It's the coming back that sucks." And so Fathom led us onwards, with Brom and Fathom grasping the shoulder in front of them, and Eragon and Cassandra taking up the rear. It was a hike, up steep inclines and around winding turns. All too soon we approached the cave of the beholder.
The bone creature writhed on the back wall of the cave still. But more menacingly the gigantic eyeball creature floated 10 feet off of the floor, drooling from its enormous mouth and speaking words that assailed our ears and minds. Fathom wasted no time, clicking his legwarmers of speed and dashing straight up to the beholder... to kick it square in the face. Eye. He spun mid-air, landing both sides of a windmill kick. Rohrouk ran after him, landing blows of his own, but it was too late: the beholder already zapped our fighting monk with several of its eye-beams. Now Fathom was suspended in midair, frightened of his attacker and too far to get any punches in. Then slime began to seep up from the ground and make everything all the more treacherous.
The end?
This was terrible indeed. Something from the creature cancelled magic. Eragon's spell failed as he cast it. Cassandra fell back to her sling, getting off a good shot (albeit with no strength behind it). She and Brom split up to flank the creature from all sides. Fathom was knocked unconscious. Rohrouk woke him but, but the beholder knocked our tabaxi out again. Cassandra was terrifyingly restrained against one of the cave walls by tentacles summoned by the beholder. Brom was (perma-)*slowed*, and slowly his flesh began to turn to stone.It was only Cassandra, weaving his fate as she wanted, that saved Brom from petrification. Fathom was still afraid of the beholder but held on. Rohrouk ran about the battlefield, trying to get hits in where he could.
Then he fell unconscious. Cassandra was grabbed once more by tentacles from the cave walls. And her skin began to harden, as if transmuting to stone.
Finale
Eragon was disintegrated. Fathom and Cassandra were unconscious and bleeding out. Rohrouk ran back and forth, taking shots to the back as he tried to help party members up. Brom was forever stuck in his temporal loop.Cassandra cast blight to end the fight. Reducing the creature to bubbling flesh, as it did Eragon to dust. She screamed, black tendrils spiderwebbing her form. The beholder's eyes all popped, one by one.
And then she turned to stone.
Chasing Ghosts
08.03.20
Brom spied Cofsa inside the hidden cave, and found the hidden entrance to her. It was hard to explain to the group that it was her, but after persuading the party everyone headed inside. Fathom, Brom, Cass, Eragon, and Rohrouk all squeezed into the crevice with no problems.
Brom retorted with haste: "Don't lie, being dead sucks!" Cassandra felt that Cofsa was a necromantic construct and bound to him. And more powerful than the ones we had felt before, even ghost-Luce.
"I sank down in dying, but rose back up by sheer will. To avenge those who killed me."Brom: #same
She confirmed he has grown in power, and now has a female caster to aid him. Thankfully, Cassandra is stronger that she ever will be. Or so Cofsa worries.
She also confirmed that she was stalling: disappearing into darkness, we hear nothing. Then the rumbling of the elvish stone guardians filled the room, followed by the large yellow eyes. Two vaguely humanoid creatures, part frog, part person, and part fog that looked at us with great hunger.
Elvish ruin
Inside the cave was full of ankle-deep water, dripping into the cave from the outside. But more interestingly, the sides of the cave were carved -- now covered with ivy -- with pillars on the sides every so often. The walls and columns detail legends and stories from the old elven people; one told about the nature spirits cooperating with the gods. Rohrouk lit his arcane lantern as Brom and Fathom led on. We debated short resting, as Eragon was pretty banged up from the Karakedai earlier. But the ruins were unknown and possibly dangerous, so he swigged two healing potions instead and suffered on. To keep us safe (or at least try to) Cassandra had Margarine scout ahead. The owl spotted a stone door and an overgrown staircase. Confident, the rest of us carried on; Cassandra spotted no arcane traps and Rohrouk no mundane ones. But we all saw the large yellow eyes appear in the darkness. It was Cofsa, her spirit taking an ethereal form to taunt us. We could all see the large red gash on the back of her neck (from when Fathom slew her). "Being dead means that I don't get impatient anymore. I like this change."Brom retorted with haste: "Don't lie, being dead sucks!" Cassandra felt that Cofsa was a necromantic construct and bound to him. And more powerful than the ones we had felt before, even ghost-Luce.
"I sank down in dying, but rose back up by sheer will. To avenge those who killed me."
Stunted guardians
Inside the elvish ruins, Eragon called simply for the magics his people instilled into the stone around us. The creatures were slowed as if by the rock itself. Brom followed up, allowing the Hollow Spirit to impede the creature's movement even further. Angry, one slowly jabbed with its humongeous tongue; the second tried (and failed) as well. Fathom and Rohrouk took advantage, their speed comically fast as the creatures tried to defend themselves in slow motion. One collapsed with no trouble... and another burst through a wall in the ruins to body slam Cassandra. Eragon peeked out from around the bend to take in the development in the fight. "By the gods!" He forwent slow for polymorph, but in confusion failed both. Then Rohrouk and Cassandra were bitten by the two remaining behemoths, each trying to take the smaller creatures into its maws... to be eaten. Rohrouk heroically jumped to his offence, maiming one of the behemoths. He couldn't make it to Cassandra but her attacker was already too close; an arcane blight stemmed from the creature's eye to spread across the behemoth's body and slay the creature. It fell, and she stood up ready for more danger. Brom ran to see if there was more danger, and the Hollow Spirit took care of the last creature.Better left alone
Safe from danger, we all gathered around the great stone door to see what was next. There were words carved into it, old elvish that Cassandra could read. "Some things are better left to rot" read the inscription. "Exactly what the captain of The Aidelaide said," Cassandra exclaimed. She could also sense more necromantic magic, a powerful mass of energy, behind the door. Whatever was rotting within, we supposed. Cassandra mused that the door is not meant to be opened. Ever. Brom placed a hand on the door. Calling the Hollow Spirit, he sacrificed his mana to "give" it a foothold in this location. "Show me those who should be dead. And the living." The creak of branches and whoosh of wind filled the room, and the Hollow Spirit gave Brom what it wanted to share. "There are two (2) powerful undead... aside from you and me. None living should concern you, though there is a hole between planes. A waterfall to the dark sea" (a hole to the plane of the dead). It paused. "We could swim it." We took a longer (short) rest to think it all over and tend to our wounds. As his strength returned, Brom decided to relinquish some power and resume his ghostly gaze. Unfortunately there was nothing to see save for a lone coffin. Again, Cassandra wondered if we shouldn't go through the door. "Deltavros had been here, after all. Then again, Cofsa could be baiting us." We had seen her going through the door (as a spirit would). In a side room Rohrouk looked at the coffins -- the nameplates were still legible but had no names that stuck out. The only thing of not were the honorifics of "Brother" and "Sister". Cassandra magically cleared rubble into another side chamber, a mirror of the one Rohrouk investigated. More coffins, with a coffin labelled "Mother". This, along with the coffins in the first room, signaled to Eragon that this was an ancient tomb. Here the death were interred to be viewed again by the living (the tradition seen on Crete). Doubt filled the group. If we potentially unleashed a force of evil, we would be responsible. Are we playing into his hands? Could we stop such a force? Our group stayed longer by the mother's coffin, talking. Cassandra dug deeper, this time in the western rooms. A small corner turned into more rubble, that (when removed) showed a giant room. The space behind the door Brom feared, with "things better left to rot". After casting detect magic Cassandra better understood the necromantic magic Brom had seen earlier: it pooled and coalesced at various places in the coffin chamber, forming spirits and the like. Ironically, the coffin seemed to be the only space not magical. Rohrouk was the first to enter the room, slowly. After failing to find any (malicious) traps, he spotted writing on the far wall. Primordial, written with the elvish alphabet. He moved closer to investigate, and though the spirits in the room seemed interested in the lizardfolk, all seemed well. Our lord read the text, a poem in Primordial, making out the first line -- Seek ye not the ink-black waters -- as the foggy shapes of humanoids swirled around him. Materializing, necromancy became figures: tall and lithe with curved shortswords and skeletal faces. Two were recognizable: Cofsa in the back smirking, and Luce cowled in the center.His dead ones
Spirit-Luce moved for Rohrouk, holding him in an unmoving ghostly grasp. Quick to wit, Cassandra snapped the weave about her -- but the latent magics were too strong to banish Cofsa or Luce. Fathom ran into the fray but couldn't save Rohrouk. Cofsa turned to the casters, summoning a black sigil beneath them: circle of death. Brom willed the Hollow Spirit to overturn and overgrow her spell, but failed. Eragon panicked, doubling-down on the counterspelling to save the group of three. In response Brom summed more spirits, creating a veritable wall of ghost-light burning through the room. A spirit ran past, stabbing Eragon as Brom swung for a miss. Things looked dire. But the weave gives as much as it takes! The illusionist called forth his greatest yet, a gigantic arcane hand to throw the attacker like a ragdoll across the room. "Thank the gods!" we all shouted. Cassandra pointed angrily at Cofsa: "Go!" And she did, banished into the ether. Luce followed as well, his arcane grapple on Rohrouk dissipating as well. In the light of Brom's spell the fighter sent two of the spirits back to the shadow realm, ducking out of the ghost-light before it burned the whites of his eyes. Rohrouk held his own while surrounded, fending off half a dozen attacks behind Brom's light wall. Eragon's hand shielded the two wizards huddled in the back, Cassandra popping out only to throw a few scorching rays. Luce and Cofsa began to alternate, Luce reappearing to force Cassandra's banishment to fail. Then he faded out of existence, Cofsa in to absorb Cassandra's blight to no effect. Necrotic damage does little to the dead, it seems. Rohrouk and Fathom (albeit with some friendly fire) were able to take care of Cofsa, the dark mage spirit grinning as her form became nothingness. Fathom fell as Cassandra destroyed Luce's form. Engulfed in white ghost-light, Luce seemed to recognize her a split second before he too became nothing. And Cassandra: "I swear by the gods, when we find him..."
Red in the Woods
07.27.20
Rohrouk was still on his eight-day journey to retrieve the Sharktooth.
At home, Cassandra gathered everyone to consult the cards. Her connection to them was still new, and received no answer from the fates.
We spent the day before Rohrouk's return relaxing at the house. Cassandra and Eragon practiced spells in the courtyard, notably *glyph of warding* and *secret chest*.
(Brom made a mental note to visit her more often; she complained a bit about being lonely.) She did mention that our friend the Terogosi diplomat is currently in Kamariki. Cassandra, figuring there was little else to do, scried on the man. As far as she could see, Heran was quietly snoring during a break in a ceremony -- a wedding -- at a pleasant pavilion or auditorium overlooking the sea.
Fathom saw the world blur, only to reveal a little human girl calling to Fathom (about someone invisible): "I see him!"
He told Cassandra about it, in confidence. She did make an offhand comment about how he needs to use the dead to contact others.
We reached Tier Shannigray safely, taking time to circle the island to find a safe harbor. Then we made our way to Ciar, who welcomed us warmly.
With Cassandra's guiding hand we headed off. As we started the trek, it looked to all (Eragon included) that nothing had changed, that there was no war, and that the forest was timeless. It wasn't until we were deep into the Karakedai "side" of Tier Shannigray that we encountered anyone else: the cracking of a fire, farther over behind a bluff. We decided to approach with caution. The Hollow Spirit was with Brom, back in its homeland, and he seemed to uncharacteristically melt into the woodland. Six Karakedai, with a leader and the fire we had heard. Only Cassandra could understand them: they were searching for something, and they had a prisoner. Reconvening Rohrouk warned everyone what we probably thought as well: that we had helped broker a ceasefire between the Karakedai and Tier Shannigray, and attacking would put that in jeopardy. Tired of waiting, Brom spurred Eragon to follow him to attack the Karakedai.
One Karakedai was engulfed in fire. The Hollow Spirit was keep to keep the burning one in place, and Eragon foiled the crazed fireball. Fathom swung through the trees, leaping into the fray to deliver several strikes to one of the Karakedai, swiftly incapacitating him. Cassandra tugged at the weave, and Brom supporting cast a blight upon the Karakedai in charge. Spells were thrown back and forth, with counterspell failing and a fireball hitting the wizards. In retaliation, the Hollow Spirit took the life of a Karakedai. "It feels good, Brom." "Fathom!" The tabaxi leapt into the Hollow Spirit's space, snapping Brom out of his anger. But the lionhearted simply grabbed the snapping branches and swung through the area, looping around unharmed to drop the two Karakedai leaders. Seeing Brom and the Hollow Spirit at the front, Eragon and Cassandra ran to his side, to rely on his aggression as a defense. Still muddled from Eragon's mind-slash the two engaged on Brom... only for Rohrouk to appear behind them and liberate the final Karakedai of their lives.
Yet as per what we knew of the realm of the dead, none of the Karakedai seemed to be truly dying -- hung between life and death. As Rohrouk argued about other people coming to find us, Brom and Eragon searched for the Karakedai prisoner. Inside a fissure, gnarled with branches and a pool of water, a shorter woman looked to Brom, giggling. Clad in a red gown covered, and her shark-maw tattoo on the shoulder, Kofsa could only laugh at the group's arrival.
But they came back!
Rohrouk returned with his ad hoc crew (and the ship!). We confirmed that plans hadn't changed, which was good to hear. On procuring a ship not called the Sharktooth, we headed to the diplomats' quarters to ask NAME if she knew of a ship to Tier Shannigray that we could hitch a ride on. With a bit of wordplay on Rohrouk's part she offered us ride on her ship, and with grace the following day.(Brom made a mental note to visit her more often; she complained a bit about being lonely.) She did mention that our friend the Terogosi diplomat is currently in Kamariki. Cassandra, figuring there was little else to do, scried on the man. As far as she could see, Heran was quietly snoring during a break in a ceremony -- a wedding -- at a pleasant pavilion or auditorium overlooking the sea.
The return to Tier Shannigray
NAME's ship was gorgeous, a once-wrecked ship that is had been repaired with living-wood. Only a handful of elves crewed it -- the oars are enchanted to row themselves. Cassandra messaged Commander Ciar, who awaited our arrived in good time. The trip was wonderfully uneventful, save for a fitful night of sleep for FathomFathom's dream
We reached Tier Shannigray safely, taking time to circle the island to find a safe harbor. Then we made our way to Ciar, who welcomed us warmly.
The curse of undying
When mentioned, Ciar brought us to the wounded in a tent to the side. We entered, to find two elves with grave wounds and burns but still impossibly alive. What's more, as we talked with Ciar he had information to pass on. He knew of (not how) ways to cross between life and death, and the elvish rite of passage we had heard about in the temple of the Raven Queen. After time the elves sealed the rites away. Ciar trusted us with that place, where this knowledge had been sealed long ago: the cave Brom had seen in his dream, in the center of Tier Shannigray. He gave us his blessing.With Cassandra's guiding hand we headed off. As we started the trek, it looked to all (Eragon included) that nothing had changed, that there was no war, and that the forest was timeless. It wasn't until we were deep into the Karakedai "side" of Tier Shannigray that we encountered anyone else: the cracking of a fire, farther over behind a bluff. We decided to approach with caution. The Hollow Spirit was with Brom, back in its homeland, and he seemed to uncharacteristically melt into the woodland. Six Karakedai, with a leader and the fire we had heard. Only Cassandra could understand them: they were searching for something, and they had a prisoner. Reconvening Rohrouk warned everyone what we probably thought as well: that we had helped broker a ceasefire between the Karakedai and Tier Shannigray, and attacking would put that in jeopardy. Tired of waiting, Brom spurred Eragon to follow him to attack the Karakedai.
One Karakedai was engulfed in fire. The Hollow Spirit was keep to keep the burning one in place, and Eragon foiled the crazed fireball. Fathom swung through the trees, leaping into the fray to deliver several strikes to one of the Karakedai, swiftly incapacitating him. Cassandra tugged at the weave, and Brom supporting cast a blight upon the Karakedai in charge. Spells were thrown back and forth, with counterspell failing and a fireball hitting the wizards. In retaliation, the Hollow Spirit took the life of a Karakedai. "It feels good, Brom." "Fathom!" The tabaxi leapt into the Hollow Spirit's space, snapping Brom out of his anger. But the lionhearted simply grabbed the snapping branches and swung through the area, looping around unharmed to drop the two Karakedai leaders. Seeing Brom and the Hollow Spirit at the front, Eragon and Cassandra ran to his side, to rely on his aggression as a defense. Still muddled from Eragon's mind-slash the two engaged on Brom... only for Rohrouk to appear behind them and liberate the final Karakedai of their lives.
Yet as per what we knew of the realm of the dead, none of the Karakedai seemed to be truly dying -- hung between life and death. As Rohrouk argued about other people coming to find us, Brom and Eragon searched for the Karakedai prisoner. Inside a fissure, gnarled with branches and a pool of water, a shorter woman looked to Brom, giggling. Clad in a red gown covered, and her shark-maw tattoo on the shoulder, Kofsa could only laugh at the group's arrival.
Question and Answer
07.20.20
We had just returned to shore from The Adelaide dive. Everyone was exhausted; the trip back to the Academy of the Sisters and subsequent teleportation home seemed to slide by.
A long, yet short, journey home and Cassandra addressed everyone. "Kamariki next then?" We agreed.
Rohrouk received a letter by mail, a report from Karakedum (by way of his "contact"). He didn't seem to reach when he read it.
Cassandra meanwhile assembled the spellcasters and prepared: pulling the mysterious book back from her storage in the weave, we held our breaths as she opened the cover.
Nothing did. Cassandra (with her magic sight) couldn't read a single page. Words and ink had dissolved from water damage, and even in the light now seemed to fade even more. It wasn't until three-quarters of the way through the book did she find something: the sentence "Lost to life, lost to death" in the middle of otherwise destroyed writing. The next page held more: a list, still illegible, before a one word broke through a waterlogged sentence. The letters shimmered with pale blue light, the ink black and clear: "Danyel Halford". Interestingly, it seems the enchantment holding these words to the page was accidental and not deliberate. Brom had an idea. "Cassandra, can you scry with it?" The party seer was too tired, exhausted from the travel and all that she had pulled from the weave earlier in the day. "Tomorrow, maybe."For Brom: a woodcut of the Champions of the Sister Isles (those he lost)
For Cassandra: a woodcut of Cassandra and the original Fatecarvers (and Twizzer!) on the Shortreef
For Fathom: later, as our cat is busy "taking care of business"
For Rohrouk: wooden throne, life-sized, with hydra motifs eating various monsters ("Invictus" is written on the headrest), as well as a woodcut (still-wrapped) for his daughter.
Rohrouk... apologized.
"I realize I am not the easiest to get along with. Demanding and self-righteous, perhaps."
"I think it stems from a lack of control, and my inability to deal with it. We all face dire challenges." He spoke of his nobility and upbringing, how he had been taught to value himself. "But that is not the whole of it either. I... hope you will... forgive me."
And with reservation Rohrouk showed vulnerability: his daughter... is only half-lizardfolk, half-dragonborn.
"That being said, if you tell anyone I will find out." The full story: Rohrouk paid off the woman he slept with and sent her packing. The lie to the public is that his wife died (that he was married at one point). Each forgave Rohrouk, in their own way.
"There's gonna be a fake wedding, don't worry about it." And then Eragon bartered back: he asked Trickster for a spell to help, something for darkness. "Sure, sure. Keep the ring. Just don't be caught in Valter with it; you'll be put to death. Bye!"
"Brom, we are dying."
Brom went to Rohrouk... and quickly got approval from the lizardfolk. He told Brom that the kobolds believed the caves haunted, confirming that something was killing creatures there. Cassandra used the book we had found to scry Danyel Halford... to no avail. The spell didn't even take hold: "Danyel Halford" is not on the same plane of existence, nor does the book belong to him. Rohrouk organized an average-looking crew to fetch the Sharktooth. It wasn't until he was a day into the trip that the rest of the Fatecarvers realized he was traveling with his group. He would return in eight days.
"Broooooooom." The Hollow Spirit spoke like the first time it found Brom. "If you think this story has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
The group agreed that Tier Shannigray was our next stop(not Kamariki).
A book once lost
Everyone was poised, ready for something to happen.Nothing did. Cassandra (with her magic sight) couldn't read a single page. Words and ink had dissolved from water damage, and even in the light now seemed to fade even more. It wasn't until three-quarters of the way through the book did she find something: the sentence "Lost to life, lost to death" in the middle of otherwise destroyed writing. The next page held more: a list, still illegible, before a one word broke through a waterlogged sentence. The letters shimmered with pale blue light, the ink black and clear: "Danyel Halford". Interestingly, it seems the enchantment holding these words to the page was accidental and not deliberate. Brom had an idea. "Cassandra, can you scry with it?" The party seer was too tired, exhausted from the travel and all that she had pulled from the weave earlier in the day. "Tomorrow, maybe."
Gifts
Eragon spoke up: he had gifts for the group. He left quickly before returning with a mound of "stuff" piled onto a trolley:"I think it stems from a lack of control, and my inability to deal with it. We all face dire challenges." He spoke of his nobility and upbringing, how he had been taught to value himself. "But that is not the whole of it either. I... hope you will... forgive me."
And with reservation Rohrouk showed vulnerability: his daughter... is only half-lizardfolk, half-dragonborn.
"That being said, if you tell anyone I will find out." The full story: Rohrouk paid off the woman he slept with and sent her packing. The lie to the public is that his wife died (that he was married at one point). Each forgave Rohrouk, in their own way.
Moving forward
Brom left (to mourn), and the rest gathered to plan next steps. Though we knew where our next stop was -- the black dragon of Kamariki -- we didn't know what the blood (from it) was for. "I can ask the Raven Queen's priestesses for guidance, but I don't know," Cassandra figured. Someone, somewhere had to know (Deltavros had done it [gone to the Ink-Black Sea] after all). Rohrouk wanted to work towards retrieving the Shortreef -- but he was the one to suggest a return to Tier Shannigray, where we had met a historian who could help. That night, after Brom thanked the resident woodcarver, Eragon was found by Cassandra who wanted to talk. "It's about Trickster" -- Cassandra was worried the chaos god would be dangerous to the group further-on. All Eragon seemed to grasp was that he should become Trickster.To no surprise
Of course Trickster made an appearance. "I didn't think she'd ever leave." He enlisted Eragon to help him stamp a pile of letters that appeared out of thin air. While they worked, the raccoon-god "confirmed" Eragon's girlfriend and the rest of the Hunters up north would be okay, though "their lives are terrible through no fault of yours. Or mine." Trickster complained about Cassandra, to be expected. "But I need you to do a thing -- you need to kill somebody." Trickster explained: a Drostozan pirate called Captain Lockey needed to die. "I'm doing everything, Eragon. It's me. Just me. So I need your help." There was a moment. "You're gonna need to talk to Fathom about this; he's got a guy that can help.""There's gonna be a fake wedding, don't worry about it." And then Eragon bartered back: he asked Trickster for a spell to help, something for darkness. "Sure, sure. Keep the ring. Just don't be caught in Valter with it; you'll be put to death. Bye!"
Brom's dream
That night Brom dreamt fitfully. An island -- Koboldhome -- with the mountain at the center of the land, then a cave carved into the side of the mountain. Brom's sight flew into the cave, past wall after wall of stone. Scratching on stone, scrabbling, echoed: a small black-scaled kobold dug at the stones with a torch in its free hand. But in the darkness behind it a single, bright white, enormous eye open. And below it, a row of glinting teeth. Then he was in Tier Shannigray, at the river where he last saw Sully. He saw himself, a version of himself, overgrown and barked. The Hollow Spirit. "The Ink-Black Sea. The land of the dead. This is a distraction. We are wasting time." Brom asked: But why Koboldhome? "An old memory: whisper in the river, monster in the mountain -- old and powerful. Kill it, take its blood, and be done. I am trying to... help.""Brom, we are dying."
The morning
That morning, as the group woke up, both Brom and Eragon sought Cassandra. Understandably so. "Cassandra, I think the Hollow Spirit's dying. If it goes, I go too." Cassandra understood, but pressed Brom and the Hollow Spirit on what to do with the blood. Standing to leave, Eragon sat Brom back down: he told the pair about Trickster's appearance.Brom went to Rohrouk... and quickly got approval from the lizardfolk. He told Brom that the kobolds believed the caves haunted, confirming that something was killing creatures there. Cassandra used the book we had found to scry Danyel Halford... to no avail. The spell didn't even take hold: "Danyel Halford" is not on the same plane of existence, nor does the book belong to him. Rohrouk organized an average-looking crew to fetch the Sharktooth. It wasn't until he was a day into the trip that the rest of the Fatecarvers realized he was traveling with his group. He would return in eight days.
Asking Ioun
Eragon and Cassandra went to Ioun's temple on Forcalish to see if they could learn more about the blood. The priestess there talked about a golden stag Deltavros slew, but nothing about blood. The person Eragon and Cassandra talked to believed the legend of the ink-black sea was purely metaphorical -- depression and whatnot. Thought she did add that after killing the creature Deltavros sailed to the north, to the edge of the world, before his ship turned downwards to the depths of the sea and sailed... that way. "The Loscipulans mention an elvish ritual originating from Tier Shannigray, a rite of passage for warriors or something," was another interpretation. Another myth, more questions. Before the two left, the priestesses asked if they could trade information from Eragon and Cassandra about Deltavros' tomb -- after all this "chosen one business", of course.Hollow answers
Brom, in seclusion, reconnected with the Hollow Spirit. This time he grasped the well of raw anger in himself, and bathed in it. Strangely, the reconnection was neither good nor bad. It just was. "I think it [the creature in Koboldhome] is a dream." The Hollow Spirit was distant. Its next words were blunt: "The cold-blooded one is clever," and that "Tier Shannigray holds the answer." Most surprisingly was when Brom focused on the Karakedai that slew him and his compatriots: "It is all of Karakedai, not just those that slew the Champions. All. Of. It." Brom didn't like what he heard, but once again he was resigning himself to not having a choice."Broooooooom." The Hollow Spirit spoke like the first time it found Brom. "If you think this story has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
The group agreed that Tier Shannigray was our next stop
Replacing Power & Authority
07.13.20
Yet another day in Forcalish.
Cassandra, who usually sleeps in, was the one to collect everyone. We were tired and depressed, but still had to press on:
Everyone needs amulets of proof against detection and location
We need to find out if the Sister Isles has a teleportation circle we can access
Then we need to find him and his Lonesome Vessel
Other than Rohrouk being his typical stick-in-the-mud, we all agreed. The lizardfolk lord believed we were taking advantage of his nobility and his wealth. Cassandra made it very clear this was a group purchase, split amongst us. Some, like Brom, have no coin. Yet each (other than the lord) offered what they had and agreed to earn or pay off the rest.
"I don't trust you, Cassandra."
"That's the problem with you." Between Cassandra and Eragon, the two found three amulets from different vendors. Mischievously, they pitted the store owners against one another to lower the prices. All told, the three will run us about a thousand gold pieces (~925gp). It was then that Fathom reappeared from his night out, and dropped the coin without hesitation. "Fathom is... loaded."
While out, Fathom did hear of a rare sighting: a dragon, which has not been heard of in at least a hundred years. And a black dragon at that, seen near Kemariki and Cytos. With the amulets, the wizards sought next the teleportation circle to the Sister Isles. Ioun, the Goddess of Knowing and Magic, is most connected, and Her temples usually contain one. On Forcalish, the Iounian temple was headed by Paren, a halfling who though in charge is a bit difficult. Cassandra handled him well enough, convincing Paren to connect us with High Priestess Sohla. Almost immediately she superseded Sohla: "Paren, please don't bother the Fatecarvers anymore." We all gathered at the temple, and without ceremony Sohla sent us to the Sister Isles.outside "on deck" lights began to float out of the trench between the broken ship. Shouting, Brom and Fathom returned to Rohrouk to see what was going on.
A humanoid form emerged from the trench. A ghost, in a sailor's coat with a ragged skeletal arm and something like a captain's hat. It spoke in a hollow voice: "Some things are better left to rot." All around us, from seemingly everywhere, more and more bloated corpses entered view.
From inside the cabin, Eragon cast animate objects on a pouch of coins he spilled into the water. The money swarmed to his defense, and like a school of barracuda ripped the nearest undead to pieces.
Fathom: "Eragon did you do that?"
Eragon, horrified: "I think so." Several of the undead fired with crossbows... underwater. Whatever had animated allowed them to fight as well. One narrowly hit Eragon in the neck with a lucky shot; quick timing on his part and Cassandra's manipulation of the weave saved our wizard's life. Seconds later she pulled again, as a zombie narrowly took Brom's head off. Brom confronted the ghostly captain who was of few words. The warlock called his dead allies to help, threatening the ghost with a return to the underworld. But the captain summoned its own eldritch force, blinding Brom and sapping the life from each Fatecarver. Eragon leapt to Brom's defense. Rather, his coinage did; the metal bits zipped through the water to threaten the ghastly captain. Cassandra followed up. banishing the captainto the shadow realm. "Coin Emperor" Eragon cleaned up the rest of the undead.
When the ghost returned, we all jumped to action... too quickly. It was able to blind everyone, swimming a bit out of our blind reaches as it tried to take us with him. But once again Eragon saved the day, his coin army dispatching the ghost captain before it could dispatch us.
(a horcrux): "Magic of fate and creation and death." Usage, of course, is through reading. With no discussion, Cass locked it into the extradimensional chest.
And an uncountable number of bodies, all bloated and swollen. When we approached, their eyes began to glow, and all in attendance looked at Brom. "Let's go Fathom," and they returned to The Adelaide. On the surface, Brom commanded the sea to take them to shore.
"That's the problem with you." Between Cassandra and Eragon, the two found three amulets from different vendors. Mischievously, they pitted the store owners against one another to lower the prices. All told, the three will run us about a thousand gold pieces (~925gp). It was then that Fathom reappeared from his night out, and dropped the coin without hesitation. "Fathom is... loaded."
While out, Fathom did hear of a rare sighting: a dragon, which has not been heard of in at least a hundred years. And a black dragon at that, seen near Kemariki and Cytos. With the amulets, the wizards sought next the teleportation circle to the Sister Isles. Ioun, the Goddess of Knowing and Magic, is most connected, and Her temples usually contain one. On Forcalish, the Iounian temple was headed by Paren, a halfling who though in charge is a bit difficult. Cassandra handled him well enough, convincing Paren to connect us with High Priestess Sohla. Almost immediately she superseded Sohla: "Paren, please don't bother the Fatecarvers anymore." We all gathered at the temple, and without ceremony Sohla sent us to the Sister Isles.
The Arcane Academy of the Sisters
The room in the academy was bricked and unremarkable. Cassandra produced her map, and between her guiding hand and Eragon's waterbreathing we were prepared for whatever lay for us at his ship. We passed through the nearby city; Brom was unusually quiet during the trip, letting out a sigh of relief as we left civilization. We sighted the sea once more, and to the shock of any onlookers simply walked into the sea. There was apprehension as we reached the continental shelf, but everyone floated down to the bottom of the sea safely enough.The Lonesome Vessel
It was an hour or so before we -- Brom -- saw it: the Lonesome Vessel. It never occurred to the group that his ship was a shipwreck, originally named The Adelaide. She was split into three pieces, with the sternmost fallen to the ocean floor and the other two stuck in rocky spires. A giant trench separated the middle and stern portions. First, the captain's quarters. Traditionally next to the bowsprit, Cassandra used clairvoyance to search for... well.. anything. Among the rubble was a ruined painting and an iron chest, presumably locked. Here and there scraps of paper and waterlogged books floated mid-air (mid-water). Deeming it safe, Everyone except Rohrouk entered the ship to access the cabin. Cassandra ritual-casted detect magic;Eragon, horrified: "I think so." Several of the undead fired with crossbows... underwater. Whatever had animated allowed them to fight as well. One narrowly hit Eragon in the neck with a lucky shot; quick timing on his part and Cassandra's manipulation of the weave saved our wizard's life. Seconds later she pulled again, as a zombie narrowly took Brom's head off. Brom confronted the ghostly captain who was of few words. The warlock called his dead allies to help, threatening the ghost with a return to the underworld. But the captain summoned its own eldritch force, blinding Brom and sapping the life from each Fatecarver. Eragon leapt to Brom's defense. Rather, his coinage did; the metal bits zipped through the water to threaten the ghastly captain. Cassandra followed up. banishing the captain
Dead man's treasure
We collected ourselves. Rohrouk was desperate for air and swam upwards to the surface. For the rest of us, we gathered around the ship's chest. Cassandra's detect magic determined that something inside the chest was magical, but not the chest itself. Cassandra consulted Thelonius. But she reported he had nothing to say; everyone but Cassandra looked to open the chest then. With apprehension, Cassandra looked on as Fathom cracked open the lid. The bottom of the chest, after sifting through wrecked debris, contained a featureless book that seemed to survive the wet corrosion. Through identify, Cassandra understood the book as a container and not something to just be readBeware the depths
Brom convinced Fathom to come with him to explore the trench. It was impossibly deep, and the two got lost at least once. The bottom holds more wreckage, more of the ship.And an uncountable number of bodies, all bloated and swollen. When we approached, their eyes began to glow, and all in attendance looked at Brom. "Let's go Fathom," and they returned to The Adelaide. On the surface, Brom commanded the sea to take them to shore.
Loss.jpg
07.06.20
It's Luce.
Everything is awful.
-- Cassandra There was nothing we could do but fight. Luce... whatever he was, was accompanied by over a dozen undead creatures. Even if we ignored him, they would be a problem. Brom turned, in fear, as Luce disappeared into the ether. Reappearing not five feet from him, he shared the look Brom did -- undying and vengeful. Brom felt a magic pull at his form, but he and the Hollow Spirit refused. Brom and Eragon fumbled around to find Cassandra and Fathom respectively. Eragon conjured a dimension door for himself and the tabaxi monk; Brom pulled Cass with him with a thundrous step. Cassandra noticed that Luce did not have his sword -- we had lost it, but he didn't have it either. Brom tried, with Cassandra's help, to reach beneath the veil and feel for Luce's spirit. He... failed.
And neither could he feel Sully or Ianthe. "They're not there." Cassandra banished Luce, and we tried again to invoke Luce. Again, to no avail. In panic, Cassandra pulled the weave and fell into it, teleporting away from the chaos. But as she left, a fell blade caught her shoulder, and the banishment. Luce reappeared, and unable to find Cassandra, Brom was his next target. The two became locked in combat, dueling to the (un)death. Eragon regained strength, casting slow at the zombies (and Luce) attacking our group. It wasn't until Rohrouk engaged Luce that the ghost spoke: "You left me, Rohrouk."
This, along with Cassandra reappearing on shore, angered the ghost. Luce disappeared as he seemed to head towards the wizard onshore. Eragon almost died, as the Hollow Spirit shattered a ghostly limb to protect him from the ghosts' onslaught. "I'm not losing anyone else!" Brom resounded. Even as he felt ghostly claws hold him fast, he and the spirit within resisted. No. We reduced them to two, Luce and his wraith companion.
Cassandra: "I love you, and I'm sorry." It occurred to Brom that the Hollow Spirit could reach out to Luce as it did to him: "Can you save him?"
The response was almost immediate. "I do not call the dead. I am the dead. This thing is gone." Eragon was the one to end the fight, with a concussive strike of arcane energy to his form (synaptic static). The boat was quiet as his form staggered back. We all heard the voice boom out. Deep, reverberating, and familiar -- him. "He'll come back."
It was over.
A shiver ran up Fathom's spine; unbeknownst to the tabaxi, he had scryed the party.
Cassandra sought out the previous Champions, as they were taking lunch. Rohanna and NAME answered; Cassandra thanked them and passed on Schmeade's tidings. She then headed to the Raven Queen's temple, past Brom to check on Illilah.
Fathom changed before disappearing, off to lose himself in merriment. Rohrouk retreated to write a personal letter. And passing out from fatigue and depression, Eragon dreamt.
Cassandra found Brom, and the two of them mourned together, each for their own. Cassandra reminded the warlock about the Sibling Isles and his ship the Lonesome Vessel.
Everything is awful.
-- Cassandra There was nothing we could do but fight. Luce... whatever he was, was accompanied by over a dozen undead creatures. Even if we ignored him, they would be a problem. Brom turned, in fear, as Luce disappeared into the ether. Reappearing not five feet from him, he shared the look Brom did -- undying and vengeful. Brom felt a magic pull at his form, but he and the Hollow Spirit refused. Brom and Eragon fumbled around to find Cassandra and Fathom respectively. Eragon conjured a dimension door for himself and the tabaxi monk; Brom pulled Cass with him with a thundrous step. Cassandra noticed that Luce did not have his sword -- we had lost it, but he didn't have it either. Brom tried, with Cassandra's help, to reach beneath the veil and feel for Luce's spirit. He... failed.
And neither could he feel Sully or Ianthe. "They're not there." Cassandra banished Luce, and we tried again to invoke Luce. Again, to no avail. In panic, Cassandra pulled the weave and fell into it, teleporting away from the chaos. But as she left, a fell blade caught her shoulder, and the banishment. Luce reappeared, and unable to find Cassandra, Brom was his next target. The two became locked in combat, dueling to the (un)death. Eragon regained strength, casting slow at the zombies (and Luce) attacking our group. It wasn't until Rohrouk engaged Luce that the ghost spoke: "You left me, Rohrouk."
This, along with Cassandra reappearing on shore, angered the ghost. Luce disappeared as he seemed to head towards the wizard onshore. Eragon almost died, as the Hollow Spirit shattered a ghostly limb to protect him from the ghosts' onslaught. "I'm not losing anyone else!" Brom resounded. Even as he felt ghostly claws hold him fast, he and the spirit within resisted. No. We reduced them to two, Luce and his wraith companion.
Cassandra: "I love you, and I'm sorry." It occurred to Brom that the Hollow Spirit could reach out to Luce as it did to him: "Can you save him?"
The response was almost immediate. "I do not call the dead. I am the dead. This thing is gone." Eragon was the one to end the fight, with a concussive strike of arcane energy to his form (synaptic static). The boat was quiet as his form staggered back. We all heard the voice boom out. Deep, reverberating, and familiar -- him. "He'll come back."
It was over.
Fear
Cassandra ran. We all followed. When Rohrouk tried to restrain her, Cassandra fought him off tooth and nail -- to no avail. Fathom separated the two, and Cassandra kept running. "Cass, I know what you're going through!" Brom shouted. "I don't want to hurt you!" She kept running, and Brom asked the Hollow Spirit to hold her in place so the group could catch up. Cassandra broke down, and we all sought to comfort her. She protested that we should leave the Sharktooth and teleport back to the Daltavarian Sea. Though Rohrouk was vehemently against the idea, there was nothing he could do. He and Brom double-checked the ship, securing it in case they ever came back, and then returned to the group.Safe and sound at home again
The magical circle flared to life, and in a flash of light we returned to Forcalish. Standing in the temple of Ioun. It was night there, and we all relished the heat returning to our limbs. Brom decided to mourn at the temple of the Raven Queen, and told the group he would meet with them later.Eragon's dream
As he slept, Eragon saw a dark forest. Bathed in twilight and full of insects singing, the tall trees rustled. Nearby, a small boy -- a wood elf -- appeared. Crying, he staggered through the trees searching for something. "Mother! Father!" in elvish, crying as only a child does. He gave up, sinking to the ground and sobbing.Cassandra found Brom, and the two of them mourned together, each for their own. Cassandra reminded the warlock about the Sibling Isles and his ship the Lonesome Vessel.
Where To Go From Here
06.29.20
Crossover: Beweft and Weave
Eragon and Cassandra chased after a seelie spirit connected to some sort of fae foxhunt. On the road in this bleak tundra, they met a group of three (four) and decided to travel together for safety. Cassidy, Grillt, and were travelling to the same area, for another reason, and decided to let Cassandra guide them. After an unseelie attack, the conjoined groups found the seelie spirit. Not having the information the Fatecarvers sought, instead offering the group a map and a different name: the Lonesome Vessel, a sailing ship on the sea to the south.Reunion
Brom, Fathom, and Rohrouk complained about the cold as they reentered the Wither Woods, making their way to the witch's cottage. Their dismay grew as they came to the cottage, surrounded by a crown of farmers and shepherds carrying lanterns and torches against the cold. Some had boats in the nearby creek. After a few moments the cottage door opened, the witch scanning the crowd quickly. "You, come in!" she called, waving to the three quickly to approached. Getting to the cottage, the witch looked uneasy. She shut the door as the Fatecarvers entered, to stay outside. Their eyes fell on Cassandra and Eragon seated inside. Hugs were had all around. With his undying sight Brom watched, the walls of the cottage fading away to reveal Schmeader addressing the crowd. He couldn't hear, but the witch was the only one speaking. Schmeader returned to the front of the cabin -- as the people sank into the water. Boats and people fell, as if the river had no bed. The lights glowed under the creek's surface before they winked out one by one. Quickly, Brom returned to the group as Schmeader reentered. "Those... are my neighbors," she offered, as if that explained the situation. Brom offered the runestones -- "Very well done" -- for the witch to look over before pouring them on the table. The ensuing ritual saw the witch grinding the runestones to dust with a large jagged stone. A new deck of cards was mixed in with the dust, and some magic later the enchantments complete. To test the waters, Cassandra gathered herself as she shuffled the deck for the first time before laying out the cards. She asked about ancient blood, needed to destroy her progenitor -- but other than a blue glow there was nothing. Frustrated, she and Schmeader took some time to review the cards, explaining new symbols and motifs. Before we left, Schmeader asked that Cassandra tell Rohanna and John that she is alright. As we made our way out of the woods, Cassandra explained that the seelie creature had not given her what she and Eragon were looking for, but instead a map and the name of a ship -- the Lonesome Vessel.Out of the Cold
We headed northwest again, to Tirioten. A crow, perhaps an omen, cawed as w neared the city. It was thankfully quiet, the guards letting us in at hearing our names and connection to the Hunters. The group returned to the mead-hall they had stayed in, with Brom succumbing quickly to slumber on an open cot.Vrockolf, the God War
When asked about the vision Rohrouk's group had seen under the earth, Ivanka explained that they found a "rune cave", and that they had seen the mythical war at the creation of the world. There was some storytelling, with the Hunters recounting the myth of the sun and moon.Eragon's conniving
Eragon squirreled away to meet with Trickster, who had used Fathom as a distraction to get the elf away from the group. "Do you remember what you have to do?" Eragon nodded, Karista and distraction and five minutes outside the longhouse. Eragon's distraction was asking Karista's advice on Ivanka -- reinforced when he learned Karisa and NAME were a couple. "You talk too much. And you are too nervious. I am very annoyed by you. That may bother her."Shenanigans
Bored, Fathom woke up Brom after a short nap -- looking to cause trouble. On a dare, Brom dared Fathom to see who could break Ivan's only rule and stay on the frozen, cursed lake the longest. Fathom piggybacked Brom up over one of the walls. Outside, the boy slipped and slid through the darkness as Fathom looked on. Out on the ice, Brom could spot a humanoid, furred like one of the infected. But it had a jacket, and it seemed to be resting. Then the ice cracked. Brom plunged into the water with a splash. As he panicked, he looked around to see nothing but water and unmoving infected. Fathom helped pull him up with Deltavros' spear, and Brom shivered violently. But the two made eye contact, and nodded as they continued into the center of the lake. Spiderwebs in the ice followed them underfoot, and to no one's surprise the ice broke as soon as they stopped moving. "Call it a draw!" they both agreed, Brom grabbing Fathom as he focused his magics on the freezing water, somehow managing to get the pair on an ice floe and propel it to shore with a wave of water. Onshore, Fathom carried wet Brom back over the wall and into the hall, depositing him by the Hunters' fire. There were no words spoken as the boy warmed up, moving to bed when nice and dry. Fathom, of course, helped.Midnight Hour
Eragon found Ivanka, who asked him inside her house for a drink.And on towards the sea
Cassandra was the first to rise, and on taking a walk found Eragon with a skip in his step heading towards her and the hall.
As we headed out the hall, a voice called out to the "lizardman" -- Fidaika. They spoke in private.
Show spoiler
He asked Rohrouk about the blood requirement, the ancient blood they needed to handle him. Fidaika heard that the party was after dragon blood, and with that he offered a warning -- he saw Rohrouk as the strongest: "Kill an elf". That alone would satisfy whatever they needed, "and there are very old elves, some over thousands of years old".
And as we exited the gates, Ivan shouted to Fathom and Brom: "You had best never come back!"
It was a handful of very short days, thank the gods, back to Hempson where we first docked. Where the Sharktooth was waiting for us. The closer we got to the dock, we spotted splashing near the boat -- a body, floating dead man in the water. Brom pulled Cassandra back, just as a second body broke the surface of the water. More corpses floated to the surface, though slowly. A whisper came from the boat, as if behind it and not on it -- and unnaturally loud: "Shark's got teeth."
Three more figures appeared, foggy and indistinct. Like ghosts, with faces obscured. Each carried a long, cruel knife that smoked even as they seemed etheral. Onboard, moans began, doors creaking as the ship was overtaken by the undead.
And one figure stepped forward, his dark beard and short tusks emerging from the ghostly cowl. Black hair, green skin, and eyes only for Cassandra.
He asked Rohrouk about the blood requirement, the ancient blood they needed to handle him. Fidaika heard that the party was after dragon blood, and with that he offered a warning -- he saw Rohrouk as the strongest: "Kill an elf". That alone would satisfy whatever they needed, "and there are very old elves, some over thousands of years old".
Crossover: Let Fate Guide
06.15.20
And so the Fatecarvers split
Brom, Fathom, and Rohrouk were instructed to head northwest, to caverns full of giants containing the runestones the witch described. We passed through two different forests, to find ourselves in the foothills of the northern mountains days later. The wind whips cold, and the bitter weather is even worse here somehow. Searching for the hidden pass took a little over an hour, with us finding the stone stairs almost secretly carved into the stony mountain. It wasn't long until we ran into others: smoke from a fire up ahead. We readied ourselves, with Fathom scouting out ahead.-Brannus, a male dwarf, heavily armored and armed, with blood-red hair (long beard included).
-Lora, a tall human, scarred and terribly underdressed for the weather. Rohrouk explained to the group how we had met the Hunters and come to this place. We conversed, as tourists in a new (cold) land, and a friendly snowball fight was had. Then, we headed out. Bran and Lora led us to Winterwald, the cave system they had been searching for. If our suspicions are correct, that's where the runestones should be as well. At one point, the pass narrowed to little more than a ridge to slide across. It was there, perched precariously above a steep drop onto the treetops below, that Brom (and Lora) could hear a scraping sound above them. Then, a roar. The scraping turned into a thundering, and a boulder came into view. Crashing down towards us with rocks and debris, the boulders collided with Bran and Brom, heralding a mountain attack by ogres. One, up high, pulled out a fucking ballista and tried to take Brom down. With help from the Hollow Spirit and their new friend Lora's shield, he managed to survive. Fathom cleaned up.
The Cave
We found the cave shortly thereafter, and after deliberating decided to go inside. It was dark, yet empty (for the time being). A short hike inwards and downwards, and the floor began to change from stone to ice. Solid permafrost ice that probably has never melted. Eventually, even the ice cave opened up to a larger cavern, marked by a lit torch embedded into one of the walls. Beneath it sat an enormous ogre, staring dully into the ice wall. The following combat was long and hard. Ogres seemed to flood in from every dark hole in the walls of the ice caverns, with our group constantly regrouping to face each new threat. Lora and Brom held one hallway as Bran and Fathom raced ahead, skirting magic and giant clubs, to take care of the ogres charging. Rohrouk danced around, his blade wet and dangerous.It was not fun, but we all managed to survive, and press on. Descending deeper, we passed through various areas of living for the ogres: bedrolls, meat lockers, a crude kitchen. One room was a shrine, an incredibly ornate table with carved walls and ornaments that rival the Tomb of Deltavros. Brannis, who understands giant and the ogres' language, deciphered some of it for us:
Show spoiler
Brannus had a special connection to this place -- maybe it is a relic of the dwarves? Either way, he was the one to discover one of the carved figures had an embedded jewel that flickered unnaturally. The dwarf reached out to touch the jewel...
...And suddenly we were no longer in that cave shrine. Cries of war and the clash of metal rang out overhead; we stood in a forest that seemed on the edge of a battlefield. A female figure with blue warpaint sprinted through the woods, clutching something precious as she was protected by a blue lizardfolk running alongside. Roars continued in the distance -- it was as if the entire world was at war. Like the carvings on the wall.
An old dwarven crone, a spirit maybe, came to us. Addressing us as a whole, she explained that this vision was a memory of a forgotten time. The time when the world itself was forged, older than history. She then addressed Brannus, calling him "awakened" and connected to this vision. He has a connection to the World Serpent (Jǫrmungandr, a titan [primordial] of sorts). It is now, according to her, in the far north, and those who keep it imprisoned are growing weak.
As quickly as it happened, the vision ended and returned us to the cave shrine. We looked to check ourselves and our companions, and noticed a compartment on the figure, a chest it "would" be holding had popped open. Inside laid a set of twenty stone, smooth with black markings of runes and other magical symbols. Brom took them, but not before Brannus got a look at them (learned one of them).
The gods did not create this world – they CONQUERED it.
In the beginning, there was chaos, and the chaos had a name.
The Primordials ruled over all, their domain the tips of the mountains and the bones of the earth.
All TREMBLED before their gaze.
The Ashen Wolf, the World Serpent, the Mawbeast, the Shadowheart, the Fathom God, the Dreadlight, and countless others.
And then the GODS came, and beheld the virgin world.
The WAR was long. The DEEDS were mighty. The PRIMORDIALS were cast down.
ALL THAT YOU SEE IS LEGACY.
Once Upon A Witch
06.08.20
Cassandra: "We can head to Tirioten to find the witch."
Everyone had recovered from the beast-people attacks, and after sleeping a night headed out still to Tirioten. By noon, we found another bridge, with another bestial body impaled with a pitchfork. Consulting the map, Rohrouk figured we would pass through a hamlet called Maditz -- either to find it full and provisioned, or empty and dangerous. An hour passed, and as we neared it was the cat-man and lizardfolk noticing smoke in the distance, in the direction of Maditz. A thick plume of smoke: a cry for help? We hurried on.
As the sky began to gray, and our worries of what the night would hold returned, we hiked up another hill similar to that on the outskirts of Maditz: Nestled in this expanse, this time, sat a frozen lake. Adjacent: a settlement, surrounded by a wooden palisade with sharpened stakes. Even from a distance, the village's appearance was different from the others we had seen this far north -- closer together, and of different design. Outside the defenses, we could see figures before the walls. Nearby, a mass of forms assailed them. This place was under attack, with archers on the battlements and soldiers out front fending off the creatures.
Karista, swinging her halberd as a farmer would cut wheat.
Fidaika, hidden behind a few bodies, with arrows silently finding their marks.
Anton beside the archer, with a complicated movement of somatic casting to summon rays of fire striking creature after creature near the front line.
And Ivanka, drenched in gore, a twisted visage of human and beast ripping her plagued cousins to shreds. From our reckoning, fate would have it that the Hunters had the situation under control. Though Fidaika almost mistook Fathom for a hostile creature, our two parties met as... calmly as ones might after the attack. Ivan explained that they had encounter the creatures in Maditz, and though had "cleaned up" things there, the horde followed them to their current defensive position -- Tirioten. At Ivan's command, the gates of Tirioten opened to reveal a crowd of citizens looking on with concern (to be replaced by relief). Before entering, Ivan moved over to touch beastly Ivanka on her shoulder: "Ivanka, there are our friends here." Turning her horrific, bloodied maw towards the group, Ivanka arced her back in a stiff motion, head moving to the sky to howl before her body twitched and shook, painfully snapping bones and skin to return to a more human form. As her eyes passed over our group, the beautiful blonde-haired girl furrowed her brows, before collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. We followed the Hunters inside, into a long hunting hall=style building. Fires were lit, food and drink shared amongst us, and with Ivanka resting (unconscious) in a bundle of furs Ivan confronted us: "why are you here?" Between Cassandra and Rohrouk, it was explained our need for the witch, and through her a (new) deck of cards. Ivan explained the following:
- the trip to the witch's cottage would take (round-trip) a day
- do not interact with any creature or voice in the water, reaching out or otherwise
Rohrouk asked about Ivanka, about her "ability", but Ivan confirmed it was no secret. As for the plague, he confirmed it was spread through blood, sweat, and spit. Anton, on Serenray, "In this end of times, the gods have not abandoned us." With interrogation by Rorhrouk, it was explained that nations east and west are surviving the plague far better than Tirioten and its surroundings.
Both the cave and the fae were in opposite directions (east and west), which would force us to split up.
Red Fire In The Snow
The path led up to a small hillock, looking over small Maditz in a lean valley. At least a quarter of the town is on fire, and spreading -- it seemed already out of control. There were no people we could see. Rohrouk and Fathom ran forward into the burning village, with Margarine on the wing, as the mages walked after them cautiously. As we drew near buildings, we could make out bodies, humanoid and beastial-humanoid, bleeding red into the snow. The source (or one source) of fire sat atop nearly two dozen bodies, chopped up and set aflame -- and seemingly all cruel victims of the plague. Margarine, further inside the village, heard the screams. Too animal to be human, but too sentient to be feral. Upon investigation, one building (seeming the largest in town) was entirely on fire, the entrance barred from the outside with iron rods. From what little she could see, a creature scrambled through a broken window to get out. A creature with a furred arm, and too small to be an adult. "There was a lot of... chopping," Rohrouk muttered under his breath. We reconvened, and then moved on outside the village.As the sky began to gray, and our worries of what the night would hold returned, we hiked up another hill similar to that on the outskirts of Maditz: Nestled in this expanse, this time, sat a frozen lake. Adjacent: a settlement, surrounded by a wooden palisade with sharpened stakes. Even from a distance, the village's appearance was different from the others we had seen this far north -- closer together, and of different design. Outside the defenses, we could see figures before the walls. Nearby, a mass of forms assailed them. This place was under attack, with archers on the battlements and soldiers out front fending off the creatures.
Safety
Silently in agreement, the party burst into a sprint to help the defenders. Cassandra and Eragon lagged behind, tripping over themselves and preparing magic in heavy snow. Brom surprised everyone, his tenacity seeming to burn through the snow, with more endurance than one might first think. As we all neared, we recognized friendly faces. Ivan, an axe in each hand, felling one beast after another as if they were nothing but wind.Karista, swinging her halberd as a farmer would cut wheat.
Fidaika, hidden behind a few bodies, with arrows silently finding their marks.
Anton beside the archer, with a complicated movement of somatic casting to summon rays of fire striking creature after creature near the front line.
And Ivanka, drenched in gore, a twisted visage of human and beast ripping her plagued cousins to shreds. From our reckoning, fate would have it that the Hunters had the situation under control. Though Fidaika almost mistook Fathom for a hostile creature, our two parties met as... calmly as ones might after the attack. Ivan explained that they had encounter the creatures in Maditz, and though had "cleaned up" things there, the horde followed them to their current defensive position -- Tirioten. At Ivan's command, the gates of Tirioten opened to reveal a crowd of citizens looking on with concern (to be replaced by relief). Before entering, Ivan moved over to touch beastly Ivanka on her shoulder: "Ivanka, there are our friends here." Turning her horrific, bloodied maw towards the group, Ivanka arced her back in a stiff motion, head moving to the sky to howl before her body twitched and shook, painfully snapping bones and skin to return to a more human form. As her eyes passed over our group, the beautiful blonde-haired girl furrowed her brows, before collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. We followed the Hunters inside, into a long hunting hall=style building. Fires were lit, food and drink shared amongst us, and with Ivanka resting (unconscious) in a bundle of furs Ivan confronted us: "why are you here?" Between Cassandra and Rohrouk, it was explained our need for the witch, and through her a (new) deck of cards. Ivan explained the following:
- the trip to the witch's cottage would take (round-trip) a day
- do not interact with any creature or voice in the water, reaching out or otherwise
Rohrouk asked about Ivanka, about her "ability", but Ivan confirmed it was no secret. As for the plague, he confirmed it was spread through blood, sweat, and spit. Anton, on Serenray, "In this end of times, the gods have not abandoned us." With interrogation by Rorhrouk, it was explained that nations east and west are surviving the plague far better than Tirioten and its surroundings.
Searching for a cure
We woke early the next morning, in preparation to find the witch in her withering woods. Before we left, Eragon found Ivanka. "She loved the flowers!" And we left. It was hours until we reached the woods, when the trees thickened. Almost all at once the world outside seemed to hush, though Cassandra considered casting a deafness on Eragon and Rohrouk, "just in case" -- though she did not. Carefully, we made our way through the woods, every step measured. It seemed we all held our breath, even when the trees broke to reveal a cottage in a clearing. Adjacent to a small garden, the patchwork cabin was quiet as well, save for the quiet sound of running water from the ubiquitous brook. Cassandra was the one to approach, and as she neared the door... we all jumped at the sudden muffled scream from inside. In haste Cassandra, Fathom, and Eragon pushed inside to investigate, with Rohrouk on their heels and Brom nervously outside. The inside of the cottage was disorganized chaos, cramped and busy. Between bizarre alchemical reactants, strange animal trophies, and the half-broken furniture a human man laid on a table. Thrashing about and moaning-no-screaming in pain through cloth in his mouth, the man's chest was damp from some unseen injury -- and bound with rope. Even after freeing the man, Rohrouk and Cassandra were unable to help: more crying to "make it stop" and pain-seizures. Something had slashed the man almost in two, with blood and flesh and bone -- even organs -- that would normally kill a man. "How is he... still alive?" Fathom breathed -- before silencing the man once more with his gag. Outside, Brom could make out quiet footsteps. A gnomish woman made herself known, dressed in a simple robe and carrying a wooden basket full of some herbs or flowers. Stuttering, Brom couldn't stop her as she returned to her home: another tired look at the party, and she asked too calmly for the party to step away. As if nothing were wrong, the witch explained to the group that she too had no idea what to do for the man, to "ease his suffering". As it stands, the man is miraculously no closer to death, but at the same time there exists no cure she knows for his wound (or even just his pain). She made an offhand comment about the man sitting between life and death, his life seeming to not choose one or the other. "In truth, Fatecarvers, you seem to know more about this than I." When asked about us, the witch mentioned a "powerful friend", though we could not learn more. "There is a rot in the house of death." The witch continued to explain. It seemed that life and death were being suspended, that things that died... could not die. She surmised an attack on the realm of the dead. When Rohrouk mentioned an ink-black sea, she responding with a night-filled wood -- with the same moonless sky. "We only need one last thing before we can make the journey," Cassandra implored. "It is a special deck of cards." The witch confirmed with her the prophesy -- that we had the promise of the lifeblood of a creature. She clarified: the creature must die for this. "Something taken from death must be given back." The Ashen Wolf (Cassandra's next idea)? "It is not alive." As we might imagine, the gnome witch directed us to the magic of fate, and death. An eldritch power we could distill, in a way. Though she could give Cassandra a deck of cards now, to the northwest lay a cavern, an old giants' cavern. A relic there may be able to help us, in particular: runestones. "Bring them to me, and I may transfer their power to the cards." Asking for our names, we were formally introduced to Ratka Rafaela Schmeader. Suddenly, Madame Schmeader asked Brom to close the door, "Some... visitors outside. Do not look at them." She continued: we would need his name. In the woods to the east, she has spied a fae spirit that is visiting our realm. However, a dream forewarned the witch that the fae will be in danger; with this omen, we may save the fae and then perhaps ask a question of it. "The fae unseelie stalk their cousins relentlessly," she advised. And above all: "We do need to hurry. Time passes for him more slowly than for us. We have an advantage here, however small."Both the cave and the fae were in opposite directions (east and west), which would force us to split up.
Runes in the Dark
Brom, Fathom, and Rohrouk would head northwest to the giants' caverns, and fetch the runestones.And the Dark Runs
Eragon and Cassandra then were to head east, to track down the fae and protect it from the unseelie attack.
Bumps in the Woods
06.01.20
Welcome to New Senedar
We arrived the next morning at the elvish city. Bright and shining, the city of white stone gleamed like an impossible stone. We were met at the white-wood docks by a single elven woman. An announcement of our business, and a fee of ten gold, and we were in harbor. The city of New Senedar is noticably more (publically) magical than other cities: with the help of animated, magical statues, we got directions to the market area of town. The marketplace seemed almost like a stuary, which many more of the animated statues everywhere. in the middle stood a huge sculpture adorned with gems and jewels: an armored high elf with a crown of pure silver, holding an outstretched hand of crackling green magic-fire, and hanging from the other hand the head of an orc. A cartographer's shop was found, and the party entered (with Fathom and Brom staying outside to window-shop). INside, the party learned that the most well-charted city to the north Nanecad is not terribly far, but modern history has stricken the city with plague. Nanecad was abandoned as a result. He suggested Hempsem, to the west of Nanecad. Though not idea, it would take us two or three days on land to reach the Withering Woods from there. Rohrouk did doubt the cartographer (as any good customer he and Cassandra discussed (before agreeing) to message the Northerners. Their response was swift: "Do. Not. Go. To. Nanecad." Fifteen gold later, and we had charts.An Introduction
We made our way jovially back to the ship. On the way, a few of us spotted someone following behind us. Between messages and whispers the follower was explained to everyone. We chose to duck down an alleyway, Brom hiding and Eragon turning Fathom invisible. We laid in wait, but as time passed it seemed that our trap would not be sprung. Cassandra sent Margerine to investigate, who was shot donw by the unseen figure on the rooftops. Our invisible Fathom leapt from wall to wall, practically running vertically to make the rooftop. Our stalker was there, who saw Fathom despite the magical illusion -- only to pull out a knife and move to take his own life. Fathom reached out to "save" the figure, but was too slow: the man began to slump over lifeless... only to disappear into smoke and nothingness. As Fathom regrouped, Cassandra and Eragon guessed that it was a kind of necromancy. Eerily familiar to his magic. "It's him," Cass explained. "Binding spirits to his will, with bright eyes of coal."As we discussed, more quiertly this time, Cassandra brought up an interesting idea: maybe he doesn't have another person to read the cards. If that were the case, then he would be following what we do now, to take our work or open a passage, etc. Then again, Aeliliah's timely sickness is probably a sign that his plan is going... well (for him).
The Northern North
Thankfully, heading north was a bit easier than we anticipated. We sighted land after a day, and headed west to find Hempsem (again, not difficult). The town's docks were empty, and no people were in sight. Cassandra tried a door -- the inside was dark and shadowy. Rohrouk, shoving through, investigated. There was damage inside, and still no people. Still no further, Cassandra messaged Ivanka directly. "A plague that makes beasts of men. Bloodborn. They hunt at night, and fear fire. Head north to Tirioten. Hi Eragon." Heeding this advice, Cassandra and Eragon stayed aboard the ship to prepare magics for the cold ahead. Rohrouk searched the village with the rest of the group, finding warm clothes and lantern oil. Brom and Fathom searched for clothes as well, As they traversed the village, Brom (and col) found only one body: killed by a crossbow bolt through the neck and slumped against the door to one house. His face was long and gaunt, and covered in coarse fur. This person's limbs seemed stretched as well. "We have to tell the rest about this," Brom resolved. When they brought the entire party back (on their way out of the village), Cassandra was able to tell that the body had been dead for at least three days. Against the party's wishes, Rohrouk set the body alit (with the help of lamp oil).Cold wilds
And so we left the village. Though our trek was largely undisturbed, the odd grumble or rustle from beyond vision in the woods kept the party largely restless. There was no peace for us as we hiked, worried and cold to the bone. That first day was quiet, but as night fell we feared for ourselves. As we searched for a spot, having decided to make camp, Rohrouk spotted a dead horse a couple dozen feet off. "Something's... hulking over it." On the whole, we tried to creep off the road, towards the shelter of large boulders nearby. But a loud crack from Cassandra underfoot broke the deathly silence. In panic, Eragon snapped his fingers, and a even louder crack ripped through the trees from the opposite direction. Quickly, he pulled harder at the weave, to cast an invisibility on the offending Cassandra. "Is that someone...snoring?"(as the creature snarled) With dark brown fur, crawling on four legs in the vague guise of a human, the creature moved towards our position. Its lips pulled back to snarl, revealing humanoid teeth on its mangled face. Panicking, Cassandra cast silence on the creature, breaking her magical invisibilty. The creature immediately noticed her, adn as it moved to lope towards her, eyes blinked into existence amidst the trees. Growls, rumbles, and low howls echoed as the creatures revealed themselves. All humanoids were vaguely beastial, some dragging pitchforks, axes, and other improvised weapons. We could hear larger, heavier footfalls from the road onwards. Something bigger was coming. Thinking quickly, all jumped to action:
Brom cast black tendrils, summoning the Hollow Spirit to impede and thrash the foes
Cassandra cast scorching rays to fell several trees and corral our attackers
Eragon cast slow to prevent attacks as we moved to defensive positions
Fathom slapped a few of the beastial figures before covering our movements
Rohrouk cleared the way for the rest of the group to surround him From the path onwards, we all looked up as the steps grew louder. Larger than a house, a gigantic beastial humanoid lumbered towards us. It took a huge leap, claring dozens of feet, to land ever-closer. But quick to cast, Eragon whipped out his staff and pointed with a shout. A wave of psychic energy rippled from the creature, hitting several of the creatures... as well as Fathom. All of them took the brunt of the attack, save the giant. As, slowly, we began to hold the tide, Eragon spotted a women amidst the chaos. Black hair and pale, naked skin nearly hidden against the snow.... with long claws and blood dripping from her mouth. She sauntered over towards Eragon, pointing a gnarled finger at the wizard to wrack him with pain. "Eragon!" Brom called, shattering the limb of the Hollow Spirit to reduce the wizard's pain. In the middle of the pack -- and the allies -- Brom shouted to Eragon, pointing in retreat. Grabbing Cassandra, he called to the Hollow Spirit to allow them to travel up and away, but in his horror Eragon and Fathom still stood in range of his thundrous step[/i[. He dealt damage to them, and to the attacking pack, he and Cassandra popping atop the nearby cliff. To be met by the murdrous wolf-woman; she reached out to caress Cassandra's cheek, and rip the life from her veins. The party jumped to defense: Rohrouk cleaned up the remaining infected. Fathom scaled the cliff, jumping to our defense as Eragon cast polymorph on the attacking wolf-woman to make her a snail... which Cassandra subsequently put to sleep (along with the infected attacking Brom; unfortunately for him, that spelled his death). And thusly, we fled. Minutes passed before we heard loud roaring behind: the woman had snapped back from her snail-sleep, and the giant reappeared on this plane from his banishment.
Despite Spite
05.25.20
As we headed back to Forcalish, the party still reeled from the encounter with him.
Cassandra sought comfort in Fathom's arms. "I don't want to lose you too."
"It came close. Not just with me -- with everyone." Cassandra insisted that though she/i] had to confront him, the rest of us did not.
"Cassie, if you're going after him, I can't let you go alone."
"Well, you don't have a sword I can inherit, y'know?"
#wholesomemoment Brom, of course, burst in to find Cassandra, and ask questions about the Raven Queen, the dead, and "who lords over the dead". Cassandra: "She's the gatekeeper" The Raven Queen is the enemy of undeath, but Cassandra fears that, like Bahamut, the Raven Queen will not directly help us. "Brom, are you okay?" Brom: "We need to stop him"
Cassandra: "That's all we can do" Cassandra later contacted Aelilah via sending, but with no response. As a fallback, she magically contacted Aelilah's second-in-command Tua. He responded: she is ill, with no cure seeming to work. To our great dismay, he feared foul play. Worried about this, as well as bearing questions about the cards, Cassandra panicked -- we should go to the Rivering Woods to see the witch of the north. Everyone took a breath and double-checked our heading: Eragon needs to go to Teregos (for the Trickster), which is shorter than any of us realized (it's only a few hours away). We would restock there, then head north, stopped at New Senedar for directions and (more) supplies.
"You did a great job! I'm here to congradulate you! Also, I need something else --"
"No! Not after that!" Trickster explained that the mirror is Camia's, the Forcalish ambassador to Teregos. Miss Deseer recognizes the mirror, and being friends with Camia will return it to her friend. The social call is She's gonna discover, on that social call, that her husband is in fact not dead, but instead eloping with Camia -- both of whom are planning to leave Teregos in a few days. "Boom! Chaos!" Trickster continued: "up north (where we were headed), there's a survivor's camp populated by northerners (of course). Karista, a 'strong, thicc, rude-stereotype-of-northerners', needs to not be in her tent on a specific night. Yeah, it's the place where they plan stuff out, and yeah fuck in there. Just wait for my signal -- oh, and you cannot tell any of your friends about this, okay? I really need this secret, okay? Big, BIG payoff here." Cassandra, every day, tried to scry Lord Seront. It was the third casting of the spell that she was able to see him: one hand bandaged, eating brunch with his daughter. This one looked suspiciously like his eldest (the one we were to save). When asked, he deined sending us a letter: "My signet ring was recently taken from me, and my hand with it". Cassandra agreed, warning that the threat is still dangerous, but we were handling it.
"It came close. Not just with me -- with everyone." Cassandra insisted that though she/i] had to confront him, the rest of us did not.
"Cassie, if you're going after him, I can't let you go alone."
"Well, you don't have a sword I can inherit, y'know?"
#wholesomemoment Brom, of course, burst in to find Cassandra, and ask questions about the Raven Queen, the dead, and "who lords over the dead". Cassandra: "She's the gatekeeper" The Raven Queen is the enemy of undeath, but Cassandra fears that, like Bahamut, the Raven Queen will not directly help us. "Brom, are you okay?" Brom: "We need to stop him"
Cassandra: "That's all we can do" Cassandra later contacted Aelilah via sending, but with no response. As a fallback, she magically contacted Aelilah's second-in-command Tua. He responded: she is ill, with no cure seeming to work. To our great dismay, he feared foul play. Worried about this, as well as bearing questions about the cards, Cassandra panicked -- we should go to the Rivering Woods to see the witch of the north. Everyone took a breath and double-checked our heading: Eragon needs to go to Teregos (for the Trickster), which is shorter than any of us realized (it's only a few hours away). We would restock there, then head north, stopped at New Senedar for directions and (more) supplies.
Teregos: Where it Begins and Ends
Five people once met in Teregos; now only three returned (with new friends). Brom was the one to offer a solution: he could wrap the mirror and drop it off, as a courier, to the Lady Exilla Deseer. "It seems so simple," everyone agreed. As we went to the marketplace for supplies, Cassandra reached out through the weave and scryLady Deseers. She couldn't "see" anything, and so thoughts turned to deception -- Eragon and Brom would sneakily deliver the mirror, while the rest of the party relaxed onboard the Sharktooth. It did not dawn on Brom, until now, that none of the Fatecarvers are from Teregos.Nogare and Morb
Brom was able to find a shop in Teregos to buy clothes from, one that was discreet enough. Himael Eragon, now a male human Nogare -- Nogare the "hat-seller" (haberdasher). Nogare/Eragon was about to find out that Lady Deseer is a noblewoman of some status and politically active. "Do you know where the Deseer house is? I'm a courier with a package to drop off." its a shame to hear what happened Mister Deseer is lost at sea, on one of the their vessels. found house Eragon at the stoop with Brom knocking at the door. Lady Deseer answered, and Brom explained the package came "from a delivery inbound from the harbor". All in all, a successful mission. As they walked back to the Shortreef, it came out that Eragon doesn't know his parents. He was separated from them as a child, as "Tier Shanigray didn't want me to find them once it was found". And then with the Karakedai and the Eragon finds the most solace in their death, as it would be the least painful outcome. When asked, Brom talked a bit about his family: about how he wasn't close to his parents, and how leaving the Sister Isles with the other Champions was when he severed ties. But between those champions and the Fatecarver champions, "you've made a new family" (according to Eragon). The two embraced; it was another good moment.Clan Whitemaul
After some discussion, the remaining party members (at Cassadra's behest) decided to see if Luce's family was... around. To pay respects, in essence, to his grave or memorial. Clan Whitemaul, Luce's second mom, has their clanhall on the outskirts of Teregos. The party travelled, an hour or two, to be greeted at the doors by several dwarf kids. "I know you knew Luce -- I was there at the closing ceremony in Forcalish, with the spears and everything. Very exciting, wasn't it?" A dwarven matriarch through and through, Momma Ruela took the party to the basement, to the hall of the dead and Luce's resting place. "I'm sorry for the mess," she repeated over and over, as family milled about and children played. At the grave, everyone spoke highly of Luce. "We miss him, but it happened. It happened, because he was living the life he wanted. And he did what mattered, not just to him but to other people." Fathom took a moment, alone, to "speak" to Luce. "Thanks, for all you did [for Cassandra[. I hope, somehow, we could meet eachother some day". Eventually, everyone reconvened aboard the Sharktooth. Stories were exchanged, and the trip to New Senedar was begun.Black Moon
That night, as we sailed under a dark sky, Eragon awoke suddenly in the middle of the night. A chill hung in the air. The door to his cabin wouldn't open, and as he moved to investigate, something paralyzed him with fear. A low, familiar voice spoke from behind him: "You didn't think we were finished, Eragon, now did you? It's okay..." A small furry animal lunged at Eragon from behind..... "Trickster! What the fuck!""You did a great job! I'm here to congradulate you! Also, I need something else --"
"No! Not after that!" Trickster explained that the mirror is Camia's, the Forcalish ambassador to Teregos. Miss Deseer recognizes the mirror, and being friends with Camia will return it to her friend. The social call is She's gonna discover, on that social call, that her husband is in fact not dead, but instead eloping with Camia -- both of whom are planning to leave Teregos in a few days. "Boom! Chaos!" Trickster continued: "up north (where we were headed), there's a survivor's camp populated by northerners (of course). Karista, a 'strong, thicc, rude-stereotype-of-northerners', needs to not be in her tent on a specific night. Yeah, it's the place where they plan stuff out, and yeah fuck in there. Just wait for my signal -- oh, and you cannot tell any of your friends about this, okay? I really need this secret, okay? Big, BIG payoff here." Cassandra, every day, tried to scry Lord Seront. It was the third casting of the spell that she was able to see him: one hand bandaged, eating brunch with his daughter. This one looked suspiciously like his eldest (the one we were to save). When asked, he deined sending us a letter: "My signet ring was recently taken from me, and my hand with it". Cassandra agreed, warning that the threat is still dangerous, but we were handling it.
Die
05.18.20
We stood aboard the Sharktooth, the moon shining brightly above as dead seemed to spawn endlessly from the black waves. We found off the horde, first at Rohrouk's call to move belowdecks, a loud groan and splash ringing out above us as we took shelter. With Rohrouk at one door with Fathom and Cassandra, and Brom holding the other with Eragon at his back, the group tried to regroup. Yet more spectral forms phased through the ship's walls; Eragon spotted a gigantic ogre-zombie on the main deck above him (*whimper*).
Brom: "I never thought I would be thankful for the crazy-ass tree inside me" (as a ghost tries to possess him)
He hit Brom again, and Brom fell. Again.
He spat on Brom's corpse: "Rise from that, dead man." Rohrouk dragged an unconscious Fathom through a doorway and administered a potion. In desparation, Fathom tried to punch a hole in the side of the ship. He looked up, turning to see Rohrouk beside him, no longer himself. Possessed. He moved to Eragon, and with several punches laid the wizard out... only to bring him back with spare the dying. His next words were for Cassandra" "Cassandra. The cards. Now." Cassandra did indeed have the cards, and pulling them out she backed away, threatening to rip them into pieces. "Let them go."
But he knew: "I can find more cards, Cassandra. Are you going to find another woodelf?"
"I'm going to find Luce, and when I get to him -- he... will... suffer. And, it turns out, you're not special, Cassandra. I found someone else."
The dragon responded, thankfully: "have departed the Deltavarian for the season. Will return within the decade. Troubling news. What is to be done."
Cassandra's response: "Can we borrow your blood?"
Kiryntes: "If it is required, I will serve. What are the ingredients."
Cassandra listed them.
Kyrintes: "Do you know anyone else who might have them?"
This enthused Cassandra. Whatever he said to Cassandra, it seemed to strengthen her theory that He has Kofsa (on his side? in his possession?). She thought to ask the Witch of the Withering Woods, of the North, for a "new" deck of cards.
Rohrouk, Cassandra, and Brom (loudly) butted heads on board the ship. The resolution to return to Forcalish passed, and Eragon turned the ship.
"Hello, Cassandra"
And then He appeared. "I'm finished asking." He walked to Eragon, and Eragon fell. He walked to Fathom, and (after a few turns) Fathom fell. He walked to Brom, and Brom fell. From beyond the veil, a shout rang in Brom's ears, jerking him awake (as if from sleep): "Rise up, dead man!"He hit Brom again, and Brom fell. Again.
He spat on Brom's corpse: "Rise from that, dead man." Rohrouk dragged an unconscious Fathom through a doorway and administered a potion. In desparation, Fathom tried to punch a hole in the side of the ship. He looked up, turning to see Rohrouk beside him, no longer himself. Possessed. He moved to Eragon, and with several punches laid the wizard out... only to bring him back with spare the dying. His next words were for Cassandra" "Cassandra. The cards. Now." Cassandra did indeed have the cards, and pulling them out she backed away, threatening to rip them into pieces. "Let them go."
But he knew: "I can find more cards, Cassandra. Are you going to find another woodelf?"
"I'm going to find Luce, and when I get to him -- he... will... suffer. And, it turns out, you're not special, Cassandra. I found someone else."
Cassandra gives him the cards
He demanded Cassandra thank Him. It was... horrible. As a final token he drew a card: "The Magician. I suppose that means something." Without warning he advanced still on Cassandra, ripping Luce's sword from her. "You'll get this back, when you deserve it." He rambled on about the dead walking as the living, about suffering and the end of the world. "I just wish you could see it. You'll have to get someone to describe it to you." It will be quiet, and dark, and very... soothing. And there will be none but me." He cast spare the dying on Brom, kicking him savagely, then lumbered abovedecks. The zombie horde followed, and all in attendance returned to the sea. He pulled magic from Cassandra, who muttered only, "I choose to succeed," as she pulled the weave opposite and equal. "Don't follow me." Cassandra explained to Rohrouk what he (possessed) had missed: "He has a boat, a woman, and a deck of cards. And... the blood of something ancient. He's offering them something -- the Fathom-God and Kofsa." Rohrouk mused that the woman could be Kofsa. Meanwhile, Cassandra wondered if we could find another deck of cards. On the main deck, a fair-skinned hand was pinned by a knife to the main mast. The hand had a ring on its fourth finger, and clutched a parchment-note: "Give this back." The ring was a signet to House Seront; the hand the missing noblelady's. Rohrouk took the helm. Cassandra retreated to her room, and Fathom looked over Brom and Eragon (gargoyle-like). It wasn't until early the next morning that they woke; though Rohrouk hadn't slept, nothing happened that night. Rohrouk held course for Loscipulus, to alert Lord Seront of the problem at "hand". Cassandra was very against this; all she wanted was to head home to Forcalish, and mail the ring surreptitiously back to House Seront. Rohrouk: "No more lies, Cassandra." Cassandra and Eragon had a heart-to-heart, cry-to-cry in Eragon's room (during a lull). Brom came up -- "Brom was right about Kofsa" -- but otherwise the party was either discussing, or sailing. Cassandra sent a message to Kiryntes, warning the dragon of... Him.The dragon responded, thankfully: "have departed the Deltavarian for the season. Will return within the decade. Troubling news. What is to be done."
Cassandra's response: "Can we borrow your blood?"
Kiryntes: "If it is required, I will serve. What are the ingredients."
Cassandra listed them.
Kyrintes: "Do you know anyone else who might have them?"
This enthused Cassandra. Whatever he said to Cassandra, it seemed to strengthen her theory that He has Kofsa (on his side? in his possession?). She thought to ask the Witch of the Withering Woods, of the North, for a "new" deck of cards.
Rohrouk, Cassandra, and Brom (loudly) butted heads on board the ship. The resolution to return to Forcalish passed, and Eragon turned the ship.
Ten Weeks' Rest
05.11.20
It has been ten weeks since we won the Odyssey and took a long-needed vacation in our new mansion in Forcalish. In that time, much has happened.
As the champions, we pulled our political power in Forcalish to condemn the Karakedai's attack on Tier Shannigray. This, thank the gods, called a ceasefire. fighting has stopped.
Brom felt changes in the Hollow Spirit as the Odyssey came to a close -- to be so close to the Karakedai, in their final showdown (of sorts), but take no action. His armor began to erode (not grow back), his quarterstaff fail during sparring. To that end, he took two steps: working with Harren, our Teregosi diplomat in Forcalish, he sent a rather large money order for armor, "from the elven druids and woodworked in the north". It took many weeks, but he received a fine set of natural elven chain[/] at the end of the wait. More importantly, Brom took time to return to the Sister Isles, to face his family and friends. He hoped it was just a few days, but the trip turned into a few weeks, though Brom returned... different. Better.
Cassandra, after being impatient in the political discourse around the Karakedai -- why does this take so long, and why is this simply a condemnation and not more support for the elves? The oracle spent more time withe Margarine, at the behest of Twizzer, the two spending most of their time attempted to spell-proof the mansion with nondetection. She was not alone in this, running into Eragon before corroborating to make the mansion safe for the group. In her remaining time, Cassandra looked through the library of Ioun and others to try and identify her most recent visions: cities, ships, landscapes. she was able to identify the cottage where she saw Deltavros and Phoebe, on Cytos. Of her many visions she experienced over the ten weeks (as Cassandra tried to peer into the future and discern fate), one convened with the Moonweaver, though to no avail.
Eragon worked hard during the ten weeks. When not magic-proofing the mansion, he was quickly traveling between town and the mansion, working on "secret projects". In between work and work, he managed to grab Brom when he could to spar. Notably, his skill has caught up to Brom and is seeming to surpass the Sister Isle champion (Brom is noticably worse in melee now).
Fathom decided to celebrate the way he knew best -- partying hard, drinking until he passes out, and generally celebrating life. At one point, he woke up with a tattoo on his arm: a heart with "Deltavros", though very unclear as to how he got it. At some point, he collected his wager against the Fatecarvers for the Odyssey (100gp), and somehow got tied up in a gang war in Forcalish.
Rohrouk finished (at the beginning of the downtime) his study of elven, finally able to call himself fluent. Gold was spent on magical items, but the lord's real focus was on politics: the Rust-Scale Clan, Dekeli, Tier Shannigray, and Forcalish in general. In terms of Karakedum, Rohrouk sought out someone to conduct covert espionage on the Karakedai (Dwona, a cunning human woman), through Sebastian.
Cass wanted to return to Timidaea, taking along all but Rohrouk ("far too busy") on the maiden voyage of the Sharktooth. A haunted isle, Phoebe was not on Timidaea as we had hoped, but a good "ghost of an adventure" nonetheless. There was a song that struck Cassandra, a shanty she had heard long ago, but no one in the group could remember.
Cassandra sent a sending message to Sebastian, asking about the pirates and the missing girl. He hadn't heard of any kidnappping like that, but as for the location: "I think I know of a crew smuggling out of there, the Horn Skulls." (Much to Brom's delight, Fathom referred to Rohrouk as "Rory")
First Mate Fathom
Bosun Eragon
Quartermaster Brom ...with Cassandra as a lookout and surgeon (Brom sassed Cal. Brom is sad at himself) We boarded the ship, made sure everything was squared away, before leaving.
It was easy getting up to the cove entrance -- with the pirate at the door passed out, at Rohrouk's behest the pirate was buried to his neck in sand (Cassandra's move earth) and gagged. We entered via the water, sneaking as best we could through the water and half-swimming. Fathom hits on everyone on the battlefield, friend and foe alike. Mid-fight Rohrouk barred a door where more pirates had been seen, and not too soon after pounding and yelling in panic came through the barrier. More and more pirates spilled into the room, forcing us to spread out and then regroup. With the minotaurs down, and Eragon's slow impeding the rest, the remaining pirates surrendered their weapons. "Where is the prisoner?" -- There is no prisoner. The pirate Rohrouk "interviewed" broke down and gave us nothing. Queremalis ran the crew (before we killed him). We only got that a rum-runner from Drosdoza comes every three-months or so. From what we could reason, the kidnapping may just be pinned on this (unfortunate) crew. We took their coin and their rum, and left.
Cass wanted to return to Timidaea, taking along all but Rohrouk ("far too busy") on the maiden voyage of the Sharktooth. A haunted isle, Phoebe was not on Timidaea as we had hoped, but a good "ghost of an adventure" nonetheless. There was a song that struck Cassandra, a shanty she had heard long ago, but no one in the group could remember.
It Started With A Letter
This is a story of wind and water, of ancient magic and forgotten places. It is a story about death, as is every story, and is about love as is every story worth telling. One morning Eragon, collecting materials in the square of Forcalish temples, was called by a beggar asking for coin. Our wizard obliged, turned only to give it his full attention when the beggar revealed itself to be a raccoon, well-dressed with an instrument in its paws. With a tip of his hat ("m'lady"), Trickster stated simply, "We gotta talk:"
Show spoiler
On his return to the mansion, Eragon met a courier at the door with some of the mail. One stood out in particular, from Lord Rickon Seront, from Loscipulus, sealed with the nobleman's crest in wax. The messenger explained only, with great haste, that it was --
"Some pretty big things are coming down the pipeline; got a lot of irons in the fire. I need you to do some things for me."
Producing a silver handmirror, he explained: "There's a woman named Exilia Deseer in Teregos. She needs to find this, you got it? Don't give it to her. Make sure she gets it in the next... uh... forty-three days."
Eragon, dumbfounded, asked for more.
"It's a mirror, made in Loscipulus. Probably silver-coated wood, six years old or so."
Trickster at first gave no more useful information: "You're my guy; this is very important, y'hear?"
(Trickster: "Don't break the fourth wall. Only I can break the fourth wall")
Trickster: "My name's Trickster, dumbo. Don't trust anyone, number one. But you can trust me on this, that's clear. Just don't tell Exilia. She can't meet you, that's big... well, she can't know you had the mirror. Remember that."
Eragon: "Trickster, I need to ask. Were you here when we claimed victory in the Odyssey?"
That was Evandra, the Changebringer. Capital-G, Goddess. Copying me, right? Me, I'm just a small-g god."
"Look maybe when we're done with this, we'll setup a real impromptu situation [so Eragon can kiss Ivanka]. Friends help each other, y'know. Each other. This isn't for me, for the record -- this is for everybody."
And with that, Trickster was off -- "gotta give a guy a riddle" -- shouting behind him, "Everything's important, Eragon! Everything! And try to be less weird, E!"
Producing a silver handmirror, he explained: "There's a woman named Exilia Deseer in Teregos. She needs to find this, you got it? Don't give it to her. Make sure she gets it in the next... uh... forty-three days."
Eragon, dumbfounded, asked for more.
"It's a mirror, made in Loscipulus. Probably silver-coated wood, six years old or so."
Trickster at first gave no more useful information: "You're my guy; this is very important, y'hear?"
(Trickster: "Don't break the fourth wall. Only I can break the fourth wall")
Trickster: "My name's Trickster, dumbo. Don't trust anyone, number one. But you can trust me on this, that's clear. Just don't tell Exilia. She can't meet you, that's big... well, she can't know you had the mirror. Remember that."
Eragon: "Trickster, I need to ask. Were you here when we claimed victory in the Odyssey?"
That was Evandra, the Changebringer. Capital-G, Goddess. Copying me, right? Me, I'm just a small-g god."
"Look maybe when we're done with this, we'll setup a real impromptu situation [so Eragon can kiss Ivanka]. Friends help each other, y'know. Each other. This isn't for me, for the record -- this is for everybody."
And with that, Trickster was off -- "gotta give a guy a riddle" -- shouting behind him, "Everything's important, Eragon! Everything! And try to be less weird, E!"
A matter of life and death
After getting everyone, Rohrouk opened the letter. Cassandra knew Seront as one of the more influential noble houses, and regarded as "angels" of Loscupulus. "Fatecarvers, "I hope this letter finds you well. Time is short, so I will not extend this missive unduly: "My daughter NAME has been kidnapped by orcish pirates from Drostoza. I have received a message detailing where she is held. As of yet, they have not sent demands. "If possible, I would like to ask for your support in recovering her. "I believe my family has been betrayed by another in Loscipulus. For that, I dare not look for help within our own city. "I will personally bear any expense you make require, as well as something far more valuable: my not-insignificant support for Tier Shannigray in this war against the Karakedai." Signed and sealed by Lord Rickon Seront The island in question lays between Forcalish and Loscipulus.Cassandra sent a sending message to Sebastian, asking about the pirates and the missing girl. He hadn't heard of any kidnappping like that, but as for the location: "I think I know of a crew smuggling out of there, the Horn Skulls." (Much to Brom's delight, Fathom referred to Rohrouk as "Rory")
The Sharktooth
As this trip would be the official first voyage of the Fatecarvers aboard the Sharktooth, it was down to us to assign roles onboard: Captain Rohrouk, naturallyFirst Mate Fathom
Bosun Eragon
Quartermaster Brom ...with Cassandra as a lookout and surgeon (Brom sassed Cal. Brom is sad at himself) We boarded the ship, made sure everything was squared away, before leaving.
Horn Skull
It was less than a day before we sighted land: the smuggler's cove of the Horn Skulls. The actual cove was hidden on the other side of the island, nearly between two mountains (thanks to Margarine's scouting). Cass' familiar also spotted a man in tattered clothes on the beach, nearly dead, as well as a pirate on guard but passed out drunk. Thanks to clairvoyance, Cassandra was able to peer inside the smuggler's den, in a cave at the cove. A mix of humans and orcs comprised the Horn Skulls, perhaps half-a-dozen in all, as well as a minotaur pirate. Eragon and Cassandra worked in tandem, casting greater invisibility on Margarine before sending her into the pirate cove to get a good layout of the area. (Gay. Pirates. Seamen, if you will) Other than the entrance inside, there are four doors that lead inward in the cove: two on a hall, one by the water, and a fourth. There was snuffling behind the first door -- more minotaurs, it seemed. The second -- a W.C.It was easy getting up to the cove entrance -- with the pirate at the door passed out, at Rohrouk's behest the pirate was buried to his neck in sand (Cassandra's move earth) and gagged. We entered via the water, sneaking as best we could through the water and half-swimming. Fathom hits on everyone on the battlefield, friend and foe alike. Mid-fight Rohrouk barred a door where more pirates had been seen, and not too soon after pounding and yelling in panic came through the barrier. More and more pirates spilled into the room, forcing us to spread out and then regroup. With the minotaurs down, and Eragon's slow impeding the rest, the remaining pirates surrendered their weapons. "Where is the prisoner?" -- There is no prisoner. The pirate Rohrouk "interviewed" broke down and gave us nothing. Queremalis ran the crew (before we killed him). We only got that a rum-runner from Drosdoza comes every three-months or so. From what we could reason, the kidnapping may just be pinned on this (unfortunate) crew. We took their coin and their rum, and left.
Setup...
It looks like we were given faulty information. Cassandra communicated with a sending to Rahanna, as she is the nearest to the mansion. "Is everything fine with the mansion?" Rahanna noted nothing had changed, but she would check. And after a while: "all seems well". On to Loscipulus, then. Three days' travel, and more to then mystery then. Cassandra was apprehensive to return to Loscipulus (insert explanation of Luce+Cassandra's backstory -- the explanation that she "charmed" Luce and the crew is gold). The first of the three nights voices carried upon the wind across the sea. Whispers at first, slowly, it dawned on each of us that one could make out distinct words, phrases. A loud clang pealed out, and the anchor of our ship fell from its housing as the winds died, all at once. Together, we grouped on the deck: Eragon noticed something in the water, moving just below the surface. As our wizard moved to the port side to investigate, the humanoid form rose up from beneath the depths. Tattered clothes, waterlogged skin -- a corpse. Then, all around the boat, corpse after corpse rose from the depths. Scores surrounded the Sharktooth, and everything was very still. Cassandra heard Thelonius: "Cassandra, he's here." The head of every corpse snapped unnaturally towards us, glowing red-eyed. Then they began to climb up the ship. Fast. "You have no portents, Cassandra."
The Odyssey Champions
05.08.20
As we turned in at the Temple of Bahamut, weary from our victory and unsure of what the future held, Cassandra consulted her cards. "Who was the woman who would not die, whom Deltavros knew?". Cassandra's magic showed her a vision, of a woman standing on a hill, young with flowing golden hair. By the sea near a cove, with a cottage that the woman lived in. "How're you, Phoebe? I need your help" (the voice of Deltavros). Phoebe was Deltavros' wife; we had "encountered" her at Deltavros' mansion in Temidaea (before Brom had joined the Fatecarvers).
Cassandra had drawn The Magician, The Lovers, and Death.
Cass went to find Rohrouk, who was still up studying, to convey the information. Then, she got to the heart of what she really needed to know: what Rohrouk would do now that they had won the Odyssey. True to form, the lizard prince wants to leverage as much of his status as champion as possible. "I can't be the king of two places at once."
Captain Geratz: Would you please ask me to take you somewhere?
Cassandra: Uh, yeah, I guess? Captain Geratz, would you be so kind to --
Capt. Geratz: HELL NO!
The entire crew, Fatecarvers included, burst into raucous laughter. Rohanna Lex and John Cadfriendel were nearby intereacting with a small delegation of tieflings. Rohanna herself approached us, with a gift for the Fatecarvers: a key to the mansion that we earned as Champions of the Odyssey to live in Forcalish. During a lull of the party, a woman came forward to introduce herself: Tavyea Turgenev, the grandmother of Turgenev (one of the Hunters). She passed on to us all the warm wishes of the Hunters from the north, but for Eragon especially -- "from Ivanka" -- she grabbed the elf and planted a kiss on his lips.
Ancient priests stalk amidst jungle ruins, speaking of a world they believe in. Perhaps a world that never was.
And somewhere, at the peak of a mountain, a man with the pelt of a wolf on his head clutches his spear tightly and looks upon the horizon. Waiting. (Cute a 10 week, 2.5 month timeskip)
Gold, dear God, Gold
We took 18,600 gp worth of gold, gems, treasure, and what-have-you from Deltavros' tomb. Divvied up, 3720gp per head. There was little shopping; everyone was holding their breath for the celebrationA party to remember
Two days after we turned in the horn of Deltavros at Ioun's temple, we were summoned for the closing ceremony and festival of the Odyssey. Outside, the streets have been wreathed with flowers, bouquets in every doorframe and window. People are flocking towards us, music filtering every few blocks or so. We were directed to the outskirts of the city, to a clearing ringed by trees and set up as a curated park. The center was home to a well-sized temple, packed with people inside and out. At the center of it all was a statue of Deltavros, his arms stretched upwards to the sky. At the statue's feet, the high priests of the Forcalish temples stood, waiting. Holding hands, the group approached the temple steps. All of the Daltavarian Sea was in attendance, with the crew and captain of the Shortreef especially in attendance and shouting in victory. High Priestess Rivetta of Avandra snuck Rohrouk the warhorn only to instruct him to soon ceremoniously bestow it upon her. She spoke to the crowd: "We gather here, in celebration, to honor the blessings of the gods, who give us life. Who give us love, and who give us heroes. Who watch, as strength passes from old hands to new, and life takes root in the world. Will the heroes of yesterday please come forward?" Two people emerged from the crowd, an older female tiefling in shining chainmail and a male bearded human in equally dazzling armor. "Rohanna Lex, and John Cadfriendel-- champions once. Do you witness this change in glory?" And the answer from the tiefling: "We do." "Fatecarvers, will you pass what is won to that which is old?" Rohrouk then presented the warhorn of Deltavros. Look upon them! Well gifted, gracious in victory, resplendent. Their road was not without hardship; they have lost close ones to them. Much is taken but much remains, and though they may not be --" "But it is not done!"A Return
Marching, in bright armor with weapons raised. "Victory is not won when there are those that still draw breath. We are owed a battle for the horn." High Priestess Rivetta crossed her arms, and agreed (with us). It was Rohrouk who spoke truth: how the Karakedai had many chances to seize victory, and failed. When the Karakedai accused us of cowardness and running away, our lord only replied that they meant nothing to us. A small gnomish voice shouted out over the crowd: "Eat shit mountain boys!" Rotten fruit flew over the crowd and collided with the Karakedai's shield. Though they instinctively formed a phalanx, more debris and rocks were tossed towards the offending murderers. The air was tense, and several of the high priests stepped forward. Seeming to cast a spell, they began to chant as their holy symbols glowed. The leader of the Karakedai said little, before turning on their heels to leave: "They will come, and all of you will see." ...To feasting With little else to say, the religious leaders of Forcalish directed everyone instead to the feast post-interruption. Cassandra and Eragon took a break to speak with the tritons in attendance (three of them). The were greeted by a triton, who turned out to be Avrios' father. Words and hopes were exchanged. For Fathom, a shout came across the crowd -- "Catman!" from Sebastian and his family, with Ralhan in attendance. Several people hailing from the Sister Isles approach Brom here and there, and Brom is doing his damndest to avoid every single one. The crew of the Shortreef was excited, and celebrating in tandem. Captain Geratz was in especially good spirits:Captain Geratz: Would you please ask me to take you somewhere?
Cassandra: Uh, yeah, I guess? Captain Geratz, would you be so kind to --
Capt. Geratz: HELL NO!
The entire crew, Fatecarvers included, burst into raucous laughter. Rohanna Lex and John Cadfriendel were nearby intereacting with a small delegation of tieflings. Rohanna herself approached us, with a gift for the Fatecarvers: a key to the mansion that we earned as Champions of the Odyssey to live in Forcalish. During a lull of the party, a woman came forward to introduce herself: Tavyea Turgenev, the grandmother of Turgenev (one of the Hunters). She passed on to us all the warm wishes of the Hunters from the north, but for Eragon especially -- "from Ivanka" -- she grabbed the elf and planted a kiss on his lips.
Eragon's dream
The day went well, and we all collapsed into bed a bit more fulfilled than before. Eragon has a dream; he is swimming underwater. He can breathe, but the experience is still unsettling. Off, behind a forest of underwater jeko, a bright and shining city in the deeps calls to him. There's a rustle in the kelp nearby; Eragon is not alone in the water. An enormous glinting dragon, platinum-scaled (with fins instead of wings). "Eragon." "You've done well. I wanted to congratulate you. I am proud of you. Proud of him. And proud of my choice. I wish he could be here; but he is safe." "I descended to the ink-black sea, to escort him personally to my domain. He serves with the seraphim now, and is pleased." As Eragon knelt before Bahamut, the dragon spoke more. "No, Eragon. Tonight you bow before no one."Epilogue -- West, and South, and Under
Somewhere, far away: rotted sails and damp wood turn to catch the wind.Ancient priests stalk amidst jungle ruins, speaking of a world they believe in. Perhaps a world that never was.
And somewhere, at the peak of a mountain, a man with the pelt of a wolf on his head clutches his spear tightly and looks upon the horizon. Waiting. (Cute a 10 week, 2.5 month timeskip)
Deltavros, the Champion of the Seas
05.08.20
We turned from the sarcophagus to face the undying spirit of Deltavros. Spear in hand, worn swinging at his waist, and helmet onto his face, the hero engaged. Confident.
"K'hari, what will you sacrifice to protect those you care for?"
Cassandra's voice rang in response: "Brom, Fathom, Rohrouk, it's me!" Pulling at the weave, she took the sound from her three allies, casting deafnessness on them. With great trust (from all but Rohrouk), they allowed the magic to course through them.
Deltavros' response was to pull back his spear. With a crackle of lightning the king hurled his spear of lightning, nearly decimating Rohrouk and Brom in the process.
As Rohrouk leapt forward to engage Deltavros, Brom raised a hand to cast: first, absorbing elements from the king's spear of lightning, then calling upon the dead. Brom and the Hollow Spirit spoke in unison: "Too many have sacrificed too much for us to fail!" They invoked the dead, the haunt of the hollowed.
Cassandra yanked at the fabric of magic, leading Rohrouk to disarm Deltavros of his horn.
"May you face the monsters that hound you in your dreams, Eragon" -- just as Deltavros rid himself of the hollowed nightmare. Reaching out, Deltavros placed a hand on rohrouk only to mentally transport him to the deck of a ship, with Deltavros' crew and a kraken (the Fathom-God).
As Rohrouk pulled himself back into the battle, shaking himself of the vision and of Cassandra's blindness, Brom advanced with his staff and the spirit to fight the king.
"Do you inspire your men to follow you, Rohrouk Argiid?" Calling his warhorn back to him, Deltavros gave it a resounding blow to call two of his ghostly allies to help him. And as Fathom moved to engage Deltavros, a hand reached out to press hard into Fathom's face, who saw only a glimpse of a room at night with a gorgeous human woman.
The Champion
And it was all over in an instant -- with Eragon's hasted magic, in a dervish of sword slashes and attacks, dueled the ghost of Deltavros. And Lord Rohrouk Argiid was the victor. A flash of light erupted from Deltavros, engulfing the room to blind everyone before revealing a tomb, now ghost-less. Quiet washed over us, nervous at how close to (re-) death we had gotten.Deltavros' treasure
From Deltavros' sarcophagus, we took the hero-king's treasure hoard: Deltavros' warhorn, the symbol of winning the Odyssey. Deltavros' spear (The Spear of the Ancient King). An amulet in the shape of a crescent moon (The Lady's Favor), which Cassandra took. A ring nestled beside the hero-king's body (The Ring of the Dauntless hero).More than treasure
As Cassandra investigated the tomb and recovered the warhorn, Rohrouk headed back into the tomb's gauntlet to find the kobolds. He found only cut rope, and the lopped-off hand of a kobold (perhaps gnawed off by its owner in desperation). Brom and Fathom checked out the side chambers of Deltavros' tomb. The first was covered in carvings depicting the hero's adventures; the second contained the rest of Deltavros' treasure -- a mountain of gold. Cassandra prepped her magic to teleport us back to the temple of Ioun on Forcalish, as we had planned. Yet every time she tried to draw the teleportation circle, the marks would not hold to the stone. The tomb would not let us leave that way. In our indecision, Deltavros reappeared in a white mist. This time appearing as a retired veteran, in his armor as he should be remembered. Deltavros' grin was friendly. Rohrouk: no no no, we passed the test Deltavros: I have no more tests for you He complimented Rohrouk's swordsmanship Rohrouk: what do you want from us Deltavros: what is next for the Fatecarvers? Rohrouk wants to leave, to get what he really wants back in Argiid. Deltavros not-so-threateningly said he would let us leave when he saw fit Cassandra asked about the Odyssey, and why it existed in the first place. The four keys -- all tests in their own right. The odyssey, ours, was a test of who could be the most brutal, the most violent. Deltavros - I don't have an active say. The odyssey is a test of nothing but greatness. In a way, it tests your destiny, and the greatest of your fate. Yada yada the world is your Odyssey yada yada. Cassandra, who turns a blind eye on what is right. Deltavros: I, like many, am a complex man. I did not create the odyssey, but I still celebrate it. Just as it celebrates date. Brom: then where are the karekedai? Deltavros: I don't know "And if there is nothing else, I will let you be on your way. I am glad it was you. All of you. Keen, strong, and you see the world for what you wish it to be." "I have lifted the magical barrier. Live well, my friends. Live gloriously." Rohrouk gave Deltavros the blade of the traitor prince. Deltavros: I was a passable father, I think. Not so good at it as other things. Brom:are you dead? Do you see the dead? What of those we left behind? Deltavros: they live on in you. I see them in you Cassandra: and when you tried to bring so and so back Deltavros: I cannot answer that, at the behest of the Raven queen. It is not so easy, to snatch back life from the ink black sea. I could not claim him again. C: how did you get there D: a deck of cards, the blood of an ancient creature, and a woman who would not stay dead. F: will we see you again? D: live amazingly, and then, perhaps. Cass drew the to circle, and we all stepped through We appeared in the center of the library of Ioun, surrounded by books. Warm, yet still quiet. A young halfling acolyte jumped at our magical arrival. Putting the pieces together that we were the Victor's, she jumped up excitedly to spread the news. Eragon jumped to the rescue, calming her with suggestion. She mentioned the temple of the Changebringer is our end, as it was the feast to start the odyssey.Temple of Beginnings and Endings
As inconspicuously as possible, we make our way to the Temple of Ioun the Changebringer. It was to no avail; as we made our way people noticed, and after a while calls followed: "The Fatecarvers are here!" Finally, we had made it, entering inside to speak with someone. As casually as could be, Cassandra spoke: "Where do we deposit the Horn of Deltavros?" "This seems like the most auspicious of moments for something to go wrong. We want to avoid that." Something was wrong. Then Cassandra: "You must be Kofsa, or Trickster." Rohrouk moved swifting, swinging out his leg to try and kick her to the ground. His attack was interrupted with a flash of light before the woman disappeared. Now the Fatecarvers were on high alert. As Brom asked Cassandra about what to do, a door within the temple creaked open. A halfling woman -- the high priestess! -- uncertainly stepped forward. "Usually, when the Odyssey is over, word is sent ahead of time so we can prepare the celebration. It will be fast, but give us the horn and we will do our best." With some apprehension, Cass handed over the horn. "Congratulations Fatecarvers. You won the Odyssey." Cassandra messaged the Shortreef to tell them of our victory. The message back was worrying -- "we are being chased, but are faster; we will make it".And the Raven Queen
At the behest of Brom and Rohrouk, the group left the worn at Ioun's temple to check in at the Raven Queen's sanctuary. As we neared, the bells of Ioun's temple pealed out across the city. It was official -- we had won the Odyssey. Inside, work was actually underway to dismantle the Odyssey braziers. All are out, and Brom asked what was going on. An acolyte confirmed that three had been lit: the Karakedai, the Rust-Scale Clan, and the Fatecarvers. Brom rescued the effigy for the Champions of the Sister Isles: "I'll have to take this home for them."And Bahamut
And so, we returned to the Temple of Bahamut to regroup with Herbayer and sleep. Tomorrow (or the next day?), we celebrate.
One Last Fight
04.27.20
As the Rust-Scale Clan kobold at the entrance sought to "parley", commenting about killing us all, a frustrated Brom called upon the Hollow Spirit to lash out with a hollow touch. Yet, he'd been trying to contain the foreign anger inside him, and the spell goes wide.
"Long time no see," Fathom offered to a dagger pulled from his waist, throwing it with a kiss.
Eragon once again summed his control of water, dragging Brom and Cassandra with him through the first room to scoot past traps and meet up with Fathom and Rohrouk, who had roamed ahead to engage with more foes. The water pulled all of the members of the party through the caverns, diverting to flow right off of a deep cliff. Echoing kobold screams reverberated through the cavern over the sound of rushing water.
As we moved town a tight corridor, one kobold lit Rohrouk and a trash heap on fire before another threated to shove him back down the trench we had narrowly avoided. We fought back-to-back down the hallway, slinging spells and Cassandra conjuring her/Luce's sword while Rohrouk parried the kobold on its last stand.
Seeing a pool of water, Rohrouk ran ahead to dive in and put out the alchemical fire upon him. In his haste, he triggered a tripwire that set off a fireball-sized explosion, killing an ambushing kobold in seconds, diving underwater before he took too much damage. As we caught up, Cassandra put the bone amulet gifted to her to one of the unconscious kobolds (presumably the one in question). She was the first one to move into the next tunnel, narrowly missing a bear trap as she did.
"I don't know why you let the blind person go first."
As the Fatecarvers. It worked, and we entered. Behind us, carved on the door: "With thine shield, or on it."
You who would claim my legacy:
tell me of your sorrow." Cassandra stepped forward, singing the song of losing Luce:
At the tomb's entrance
Eventually, the tunnels converged on a different-looking cavern, a space hewn expertly from stone and set with an ancient door. With a relief of a ship attacked by a kraken and the words "Wisdom, Strength, Kindness, Courage" eteched above four keyholes, we had found the door to the Tomb of Deltavros. As we all entered the room, boulders rumbled to lock us all inside, and a kobold threw in a strange metal canister. It began to rattle around before spewing black-green smoke into the room -- poison gas. Rohrouk killed the kobold thrower, then moved over to Cassandra as the two of them pondered over the door to Deltavros' tomb. He pantomimed the number four before sticking his finger through a circle he draws in the air ("f***ing?"). "We all know what it means, Rohrouk," Brom answered, one of the only members little-affected by the poison. "Rust-Scale Clan, quickest of all!" was the cry as one-by-one kobolds ran in to attack. Their end was swift, and uneventful.The Tomb of Deltavros
The door to the tomb is etched with four words: "Wisdom, Strength, Kindness, Courage". We have four keys:
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Roysin's key, from his tree with tests (in Tier Shanigray)
The dragon Kyrintes' key, for slaying a hydra (and losing friends in the process)
From the Hunters, given to us after they met the tritons (whom Deltavros freed)
From the Children of Loscipulus, who met the Spirit from the North (to whom they "did not show fear")
With that, the corresponding order we believe is:
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Wisdom, (Eragon) for Roysin's puzzles
Strength, (Rohrouk) for slaying the hydra
Kindness, (Cassandra) that Deltavros showed the tritons
Courage, (Brom & Fathom) as the Hunters showed the Northern Spirit in their tracking
...which we all inserted into the door, as one.As the Fatecarvers. It worked, and we entered. Behind us, carved on the door: "With thine shield, or on it."
In the tomb
We pressed one. Through the first archway, we encountered a blue barrier that seemed to impede us, though we could push through -- Cassandra cast dispel magic without wanting to try anything, but to no avail. A low voice boomed to us: "Speak thy name, that you may be known." "I am Eragon. I hail from the land Tier Shanigray." He passed through without a problem. "My name is Cassandra. I am from the island of Loscipulus." "Uh, yeah, door. My name's Fathom, and I'm from the Pridelands." Something prevented Fathom from entering the barrier. "Alright, Alright. My name's K'hari (/kha-har-i/), and I'm from the Pridelands." "I am Abraham Van Brunt, the last Champion of the Sister Isles." A loud creaking and wind scratching rang out: "And I carry the Hollow Spirit with me." "Lord Rohrouk Argiid, of Dekeli, true heir of Mahuizo."A poem
Further beyond the barrier, words glowed on one of the stone walls:
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Rohrouk took time to translate the poem into a written-down, literal translation in draconic (as well as the poem in common in his journal).
The wind howls through the mountains, and I am this.
I am wind-eater, many-myth, monomyth,
I am blood-rich beach and roarer of the forest,
In my eyes an archive, in my ears the iron of the world.
I drink the snow of these hills and thirst,
For I am this, the howler, the hungerer, the renowned.
My boast receives the customary answer of the night.
The mountains are silent; call me not them,
Make me not the wind, say I am not a name.
No more than the strength inside my arms is me;
I am the murmur of a moment, the eye of an instant.
I come and go as nought but wind, but now I am a man.
I am this, a howl that is and then is not,
I am nothing that I was, and I am free.
Sorrow
The next arch had another barrier:
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"There was no one left to punish."When he fell into the water,
I searched three days and three nights,
unable to accept that he was gone.
When I swam to shore, the ship was awaiting me,
but I could not face their gazes.
I sought down the monsters that had dragged him,
but they were gone.
I searched three days and three nights,
unable to accept that he was gone.
When I swam to shore, the ship was awaiting me,
but I could not face their gazes.
I sought down the monsters that had dragged him,
but they were gone.
You who would claim my legacy:
tell me of your sorrow." Cassandra stepped forward, singing the song of losing Luce:
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Brom:
(Willow Willow)
Willow, willow
I could not go
Where his shadow'd disappear
In the shallow
He's sunk below
While I froze to death with fear
Willow, willow
How could you know
Everything he means to me
And if I could
Know that I would
Follow him into the sea
Willow, willow
Reap what I sow
Will you stand and weep for me
Watch his shadow
In the night glow
Shine back up upon your tree
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Rohrouk:
"I am Brom, the last of the Champions of the Sister Isles. I have lost:
Ianthe, the paladin who led me;
Juliet, the bard who supported me;
Mikael the wizard who kept me;
and Sully, the one I held close to my heart."
Ianthe, the paladin who led me;
Juliet, the bard who supported me;
Mikael the wizard who kept me;
and Sully, the one I held close to my heart."
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Fathom:
"I am Lord Rohrouk Argiid of Mahuizo, I have very little to be sorrowful of. My father was murdered before his time, the risk of nobles who wish change.
I lost my lands, but I will get them back.
I share no sorrow, instead only fear. The death of a father who has not seen his child, who fears for her safety."
I lost my lands, but I will get them back.
I share no sorrow, instead only fear. The death of a father who has not seen his child, who fears for her safety."
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Eragon:
"First of all, I want to say this a very invasive door, but alright:
I killed my brother
I've been running for my whole life, because my family hates me. I can't face them.
I hurt everyone around me. I'm too afraid to love -- I let everyone down."
I killed my brother
I've been running for my whole life, because my family hates me. I can't face them.
I hurt everyone around me. I'm too afraid to love -- I let everyone down."
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I hail from a land, Tier Shanigray, that I haven't claimed for a long time. Ravaged by fear, war, slavery, an enemy that seems to never stop. Abandoned when I was young, I rebelled against the kind man that took me in, in time abandoning him. At this point, I'm so afraid everyone will leave me; I cling onto what I have no. In doing so, I lost someone -- Avrios -- and am on this journey to put an end to this war and avenge his memory."
Joy
The next gate held a similar voice, ringing out to us:
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You who would claim my legacy. Tell me of your joy.
With no hesitation:
My life was not without triumph. I sailed the vastest ocean any had ever known, and was a part of everything I saw. I witnessed history, watched cities rise, kings and queens crowned. I led my comrades in battles and in song. The greatest battle of my life, I saw the enemy stretched out, uncountable, with the wide-mawed god with teeth and tentacle behind it.
But I knew my comrades would follow me into hell itself. In that moment, I conjured a power in that moment, smiting the god to sink straight down into the depths.
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Fathom stepped up:
"I am Lord Rohrouk Argiid of Mahuizo. Though I have suffered much in the recent past, it is not without recompense. The one bright spot that validates all that we do: I have yet to meet her [my daughter]. And we shall."
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Cassandra spoke up:
"I may have lost my family, but finally have friends." Though there was resistance at the barrier, he was able to push through. To Rohrouk: "I am way too sober to talk about this right now."
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Eragon was next:
"Though I lost, it was not long after until we picked up new companions. One was stubborn enough to try and find other lodgings, but now, every night, he will hold me when I need him. Every day he will make me laugh. There is no substituting what has been lost, but I am grateful for him."
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Brom, last but quietly:
"Thought we lost many, I will say, I found family where I now feel wanted. I discovered there is more to life; there is music."
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"It has been so long since I have felt happy. In that time I have learned so much. I look forward to the time we are reunited, and when my mistakes are forgiven."
And, more quietly still: "I love you."
And, more quietly still: "I love you."
Deltavros
When we reached at last the stone door, Eragon pressed his hand into the indentation. It slid down, to reveal a circular room. Standing tall in the center was a gigantic statue of a nude man, bearded and confident with a crown on his head. With locate object, Cassandra picked up on the sarcophagus at the foot of the statue: "The horn is there." We approached, nothing two more hallways leading into the room (though currently blocked off). Together, we pushed the lid off the gravesite. A white mist spilled out, revealing a plain skeleton, with a spear, a warhorn, and a crown. All three behind to float and rise up with the mist. The room filled with the white smoke, to coalesce into numerous humanoid shapes. Soon, they donned features, faces, clothes and weapons. All stood, watching us, as the mist formed one last shape: tall, broadshouldered, with his crown, spear, and warhorn. Pressing the horn to his lips, the warhorn reverberated in the room to call his men. Deltavros, to prove our worth.
Calm, Before We Storm
01.20.20
(Before Brom)
Party returned somberly to the ship. They informed crew and captain as to the hydra and the deaths of triton Avrios and Luce of Teregos. Captain took charge, seemed to try to rouse the crew (and party) but wasn't received very much. They toasted Luce, then Avrios. Some of the crew came to "say a few words".Drostosa
The party, at the captain's behest, arrived in Drostosa to acquire spells, supplies, and even perhaps mercenaries as they regrouped. They visited (several times) the Bloated Kraken. There they met a Sebastian, a criminal working in Drostosa and in league with a tabaxi named Fathom.Fathom
A lion tabaxi (Open Hand monk)Between "Sebby", Fathom, and the party, a deal was struck to take out local gangsters that have the (if not "a") bounty out on the group.
Warehouse Throwdown
Unbeknownst to the party, Brom had scoped out the warehouse as a hideout of the Redtails, and had entered through the harborside -- swam up via the water -- to infiltrate. On his way inside, he "took out" much of the guard force (reinforcements perhaps?). On the party's side, Cass had scoped out the inside via magic: twelve occupants, with a notable lizardman magicker of some sort. This mage, identified as a tezkeleh (one of an old culty-type group of animistic lizardfolk magic-worshippers) was mistook, of course, for Brom. Cass (used a portent nat20) to intimidate the remaining Redtail gangman to give up.
Another Round, We Go
04.20.20
Akachi and the crew had decided to literally nail the dead kraken to the back and sides of the Shortreef and bring it with us.
We neared shore at Koboldhome. From our vantage on the ship, we saw on the beach a gigantic lizard-creature dragging along a giant wheel. Large spears stuck painfully out of its back, dragging the wheel along to spin and bounce behind it as it rushed down the beach. Inside the wheel were five kobolds, and two more on top: all running for dear lives as they simultaneously fired from inside the wheel at the creature between slats. Strange spikes dragged behind... as... brakes?
From the beach, we heard cheering as the entire monster-wheel contraption disappeared behind a hillock.
Lord Rohrouk: "Would it make sense that kobolds are both incredibly smart, and insanely stupid?" He mentioned interacting with some previously, back in Dekeli.
Either way, the Shortreef kept its course towards around Koboldhome, past a coastal marketplace area. Even from a distance we could see the dozens of market stalls, as well as kobolds with scales of every color the of rainbow. Attention turned to us as we moved onwards, towards an adjacent cove to moor the ship off to. As we weighed anchor, the sailors became uneasily quiet, as did things get still on shore.
Rohrouk suggested a feast, with the kraken corpse we had dragged with us.
A welcome
We all trouped onto a rowboat and made shore. The group that met us was an amalgam, with several members "over the fifteen-year mark" (and therefore wizened by kobold standards). At least one of the oldest males was recognizable as a member of the Rust-Scale Clan. He introduced us by a draconic phrase (Rohrouk later translated as "over-predators") and himself as Kratuus; he made space for us by declaring we would only stay with the Rust-Scale Clan, the Odyssey-goers who "had spoken of us". The kobold group deliberated before leading the party off -- to see a kind of kobold matriarch? -- with some unknown kobolds leading the way. One mentioned her sister Twitt, "good with her knife, stab you in the eye", as a member of the clan's Odyssey contingent, before we were told to lie onto the ground. Something passed overhead, a dark shadow in the sky, before the kobolds picked themselves up and continued onward.The Rust-Scale Matriarch
We moved through the island, towards mountains, before we eventually entered a cave. Bioluminesence lit the way, and inside our way became littered with kobold corpses mounted on display with strange viny plants that gave off an overwhelming stench. It was explained, in few words, that the clan holds a vendetta against the Black-Scale Clan, and the corpses were from fights over the "generations" (generations being decades). We had to wait a while near the (inside) entrance before we were allowed deeper in, to meet the matriarch. "You must be very foolish to come here." The Rust-Scale matriarch gave zero fucks when we approached her, nor when Rohrouk spoke with her. "There is no better beast than a demon, and the Karakedai are demons." Our lizardfolk lord offered an alliance, for the kobolds and the Fatecarvers to team up against the elf-killers. If the kobolds allow the Fatecarvers to win, Rohrouk can ("would try to") bend Dekeli to send beasttamers to Koboldhome, and teach the kobolds how to the monsters they regularly grapple with. As he spoke, Cassandra quietly pulled the strings of fate to help, but the rest of us were silent. Luckily, this earned us audience with the matriarch. We ventured deeper inside, led further into the matriarch's cave. As we did, it seemed only to open up with more, and more, and more kobolds -- hundreds maybe? It was a veritable underground community, fishing, shouting, playing, working. Everything. Eventually, we stopped in a chamber with kobolds, and a table. At least several hundred feet long, constructed from many, many tables put together for a single communal space that stretched into darkness. We sat at a space adjacent, where the matriarch took her (regular) space. She spoke about the unwritten rule of kobold mealtimes being peaceful -- it is where they would work out disagreements and settle differences. The matriarch spoke about the strengths and weakness of both the Rust-Scale clan warriors as well as we Fatecarvers. To Brom, it seemed that there was no compromise nor agreement: the kobolds would stay in their fortifications in Deltavros' tomb, and we would fight the Karakedai outside. No help, or hindrance, from the Rust-Scale clan.Things that rise from silence
The matriarch offered us weapons (an oil that was "good for killing ghosts" though it sounded suspicious, she "explained" that the weapon s would be useful against whatever lied deeper in Deltavros' tomb. Whomever won the fight (the Fatecarvers or the Rust-Scale Clan) would simply take the oil from the other. Brom and a half-dozen kobolds returned to the ship, to retrieve the kraken for the feast. They played around on the way there, returning with foodstuffs. Rohrouk was in less-than-stellar spirits when he returned. Eragon was performng minor magic tricks for the youthful kobolds, and had quite a crowd. Cassandra was approached by a smaller (if that's possible) kobold named Nola, a mother to one of the Odyssey-competing kobolds, who asked Cassandra to give a bone amulet to her son -- no matter if he lived or died. Before the meal, the matriarch called for a moment of remembrance, and a kobold dirge. Though only Rohrouk understood the words, we all got the meaning. ("They will go over the hill" -- they will die)Onward, Through This Unchanging Fate
And soon it seemed as quickly as we had came, we left Koboldhome. Only slightly better off than when we had arrived, though that was not (necessarily) our fault. The plan was to use Eragon's magic to drawn the Karakedai into the Rust-Scale Clan's traps in the tomb, then follow up. We drew the ship up as near to the tomb's islet as close as we dared, before saying our goodbyes and receiving the wishes from the crew. The Shortreef was dropping us off, in a sense; Cassandra planned to use the scroll of teleportation to get us back to Forcalish. The Shortreef would meet us there, victors or not. As we approached, we very clearly saw the kobolds' ship, beached and scuttled most definitely for parts.Underwater entrance
Eragon found the underwater cavern, and with waterbreathing we all made it inside. The cavern was surprisingly lit (blue bioelectric moss). For a while, almost thirty minutes, we hid under a false rock wall from Eragon's major image. Nothing, nothing happened. So we pressed forward: Cassandra scouted with her own, only to lose it to a dart trap. We stepped forwards, only for a stone door behind us to close our only entrance and exit. And a single kobold stepped out from the shadows of the way forward: "Come. We will speak, and then we will kill you."
Island Hopping
04.06.20
Shopping therapy
Eragon and Cassandra had begun their return in Forcalish with a trip to the magicians', to buy scrolls, spells, and other components. Eragon had thought about possibly arming the ship with magic, and after noticing several runic traps and scrolls in the shop, he brought up the possibility of learning glyph of warding to create magical traps aboard the Shortreef. Cassandra agreed. Between the two of them, the pair acquired: scrolls of teleportation circle (350gp), waterbreathing (120 gp), and dispel magic (150gp). They discussed acquiring detect thoughts (which they purchased) and control water for Brom (to be discussed with him later). They also bought a mirror (the size of a small man).Bahamut's grace
Once finished, the two escorted Sarcassass to the temple of Bahamut (where this all began so very long ago). They met the rest of the party along the way, and as a group they entered the temple to meet with the High Priest Herbayer once more. Fathom and Brom were introduced, before they moved to business:
Before the Odyssey started, the Fatecarvers had brought a diplomat to Herbayer for healing. A similar effect to what happened to Sarcassass, who (now afflicted) was put before the priest. As he laid hands on the poor navigator, the curse was lifted as Sarcassass bent over to vomit up heaps and heaps of seawater all over the temple floor. Now back to her senses, we took her with us to rest (as Priest Herbayer offered us a night in the temple lodging).
As the wizards organized their magical studies, with Brom chiming in, Rohrouk allowed Fathom to drag him to "any bar of your choice that would impress me". Rohrouk recognized the locale, and as the two sat down to order drinks Fathom looked about, to try and glean any new information about the Odyssey. Naturally, we are "the most up to date on current events".
A night to remember
"Don't worry, I'll pay for it," Fathom chided, as he put down six coin for the tabaxi and the lizardfolk lord to share the night.
Onward, to the Dragon
The next day, we collected ourselves and returned to the Shortreef -- and greeted the new crewmen. Thankfully, Sarcassass had seemed to make a full recovery.
It wasn't until we were underway that we "reminded" the captain of our heading to the Straits of Himaes to visit the great dragon Kiryntes.
This time, as we pulled through the straits and into one of the many coves there, Kiryntes flew overhead to signal his domain before perching on a nearby spire. Lord Rohrouk took point speaking with the dragon. Kiryntes was unimpressed; though we had collected the keys, he had offered help "graciously enough". "I have no preference for you over the Rust-Scale Clan. I will not influence these events for you."
Brom asked about Deltavros and Roysin; Kiryntes "never saw them apart" (confirming for Brom their bond).
Without withdrawing the dragon Kiryntes, the party discussed whether or not to even head to Koboldhome. Without Brom the vote was tied, and pulling his opinion out from the frightened boy -- "It's unwise t-to speak about a dragon while st-standing before him" -- the decision was decided to try at Koboldhome. Cassandra returned to Kiryntes, asking about others related or connected to Deltavros: "Of which there are many".
opposed The Ashen Wolf, the Fathom God; to the north, a grand serpent that swallowed islands; to the southeast, that which writhes with eyes that see all facets of the world.
"Go, and go soon. I would not miss the victory party. And After that, I wish to vacation soon. Far west, to see one I have not seen in recent times."
To prank a lord
A few days into the trip, Eragon and Cassandra hatched a plan to use a combination of illusions and mind-reading to prank Rohrouk. After offering a few "unhelpful" comments, Brom made an aside joke at his own expense. The group jumped at the idea far too quickly.
Arriving at the 'home
A few hours out from Koboldhome, the wind whipped up into a fresh gale, clouds above darkening under the bright moon.
With a loud thud to the ship, the captain summoned the Fatecarvers to inform them the ship had run aground a short reef. "Notably, Sarcassass has double-checked: there are no reefs of this depth charted that are within this distance of Koboldhome".
It was Rohrouk and Eragon that noticed the tendrils: tentacles slowly worming their way around the ship and onboard. One of the tentacles grabbed one of the crewmen, to thud him against the deck and then toss him to sea.
"KRAKEN!"
As everyone leapt to action: Rohrouk and Fathom fighting valiantly, the Shortreef's crew using ballista and mangonel to keep the tentacles away.
Broma nd Eragon had the same idea, the warlock ripping a scroll and the wizard flipping through his spellbook, both to each cast control water. Brom willed the tides to pull the kraken down and away, Eragon to part the seas and expose the kraken to air and nothingness.
Meanwhile, Cassandra tried once, twice, pulling at the fates to curse the monstrosity. Black inky magic coursed through the tentacle it touched, robbing it of physical action as it writhed in agony.
"Everybody's gangster until they're swallowed by a kraken." One of the tentacles latched onto Eragon. Many of us had fought it off, but this one was hardier, and instead of flinging Eragon across the seas, it wound up to devour the elf wizard whole. The entire party panicked. Brom and Cassandra readied magic. Fathom readied a jump. But, always resourceful, a sound and movement came from the kraken before its gullet expanded rapidly to explode. The elf was "fired" from the kraken, nearly arcing up into the air to land "somewhat" gracefully on the ship.
Thumbs up.
(According to the captain, turns out that was a baby kraken)
Cassandra and Brom used magic to clean up their companion; toxic digestive fluids and black blood covered the elf before they got to him with prestidigitation and control water.
It took little convinced from 1st Mate Rannet and Twizzer to prepare "kraken sushi".
The Enemy of My Friend
03.30.20
"Aww, everyone's depressed" -- sad snuggle hours
As we all woke in the morning, Cassandra briefed us all. Two teams remain:
The Karakedai
The Rust-Scale Clan, who are presumed to be at Deltavros' tomb with prepared traps.
"Kofsa, why do you support the Karakedai?" -- "They hate the right people"
"Where are the Karakedai?" -- "Karakedum"
"Who is it that you hate, that the Karakedai hate too?" -- "Among others, you [Cassandra]"
"Why do you hate us?" -- "You fucking killed me"
"Who did you lose, Kofsa?" -- "The only person who mattered; me"
There's a moment of silence, before she leaves, as Kofsa speaks before she leaves: "Cassandra, can you read the cards?". When Cassandra was in Forcalish, a small child came to her asking for a message and a tarot reading. Cassandra thinks there's a connection between him and Kofsa.
One night after dinner, Fathom and Cassandra spoke privately: "It's about Luce". Fathom asked:"When he talked about Luce, about bringing him back, do you think it's possible?". "I would love to have Luce back". "But it is never worth it". Fathom talked about the day he lost his brother: the two were out in a storm when the boy was swept into the river (and drowned, head split open). "I couldn't do anything; I could only just stand and watch him" (Fathom is triggered into rage by large amounts of blood).
"Then show me where the Karekedai are, and stop slowing us down".
Moving forward
With that in mind, our plans are now thus: 1. Forcalish, for more crew and perhaps spells 2. The Straits of Himaeus, to speak with the dragon Kiryntes and perhaps ask for a blessing for our next stop 3. Koboldhome, to see if we can't persuade the kobolds to give up (instead of fighting them), or at least learn more about the Rust-Scale Clan. Drostosa is optional Tomb of Deltavros Lord Rohrouk went to inform Capt. Geratz of our plans, and help chart a course to Forcalish. Notably, his calling in life is probably not a navigator. Cassandra went to Brom to speak about going forward, and basically confirmed that the Hollow Spirit investigation will be on hold for a little. As for Kofsa: "sometimes instead of questions, I get to relive their lives".Kofsa, Again
Brom went to collect everyone -- Eragon and Fathom in conversation, Lord Rohrouk speaking with the captain -- and reconvene to speak with Kofsa. Thoughts: Who is the Fathom God? What does it want? What do you want, Kofsa? Why do you support the Karakedai? Where are the Karakedai? Why did you want to win the Odyssey? Who did you lose, Kofsa? The Fathom God was fought by Deltavros It hates Bahamut The sahaguin are in line with the Fathom God as well.Practice Aboard
At Cassandra's recommendation, the party (Brom) resolved to question Kofsa's spirit another time. To blow off some steam, the group moved to abovedecks to spar and train. Brom convinced Rohrouk to critique the group. The lizardfolk started with him, and upon trading a few strikes began to see how Brom may not appear a fighter, but in his hands the staff is a true weapon. They held a real bout, to which Rohrouk smoked Brom in two rounds. He yielded: "I cannot best you without magic."A few talks afar
It is a five day trip to Forcalish. During that time, we spoke to those... far away: Queen of Death. Cassandra prayed to the Raven Queen, insinuating (but not outright asking) about her status as alive-but-maybe-once-dead. The Kobolds and their traps. Cassandra consulted the cards, asking about the kobolds and what they have in store for us. Her vision cleared to reveal pickaxes striking and kobolds fiddling with strange metal face-devices (scuba equipment). Some were laying tripwire (with a corresponding pit), and a creature the size of a car with many legs (a basilisk). "They have been busy." Kofsa's return. As Cassandra cast speak with dead, she felt Kofsa pulling her towards the land of the dead, but pulled the fates in her own way to resist it."Kofsa, why do you support the Karakedai?" -- "They hate the right people"
"Where are the Karakedai?" -- "Karakedum"
"Who is it that you hate, that the Karakedai hate too?" -- "Among others, you [Cassandra]"
"Why do you hate us?" -- "You fucking killed me"
"Who did you lose, Kofsa?" -- "The only person who mattered; me"
There's a moment of silence, before she leaves, as Kofsa speaks before she leaves: "Cassandra, can you read the cards?". When Cassandra was in Forcalish, a small child came to her asking for a message and a tarot reading. Cassandra thinks there's a connection between him and Kofsa.
One night after dinner, Fathom and Cassandra spoke privately: "It's about Luce". Fathom asked:"When he talked about Luce, about bringing him back, do you think it's possible?". "I would love to have Luce back". "But it is never worth it". Fathom talked about the day he lost his brother: the two were out in a storm when the boy was swept into the river (and drowned, head split open). "I couldn't do anything; I could only just stand and watch him" (Fathom is triggered into rage by large amounts of blood).
Forcalish
Captain Geratz spoke to the crew as we disembarked; we would take a few days to restock and take crew, and to keep heart.Errands
Lord Rohrouk (and Fathom) went looking for some magical items and armor, but found none to his liking ("too expensive"). At Brom's request Brom, Cassandra, and Eragon went to the temple of the Raven Queen. Brom asked Cassandra bring help out front ("I don't think this should be brought inside"). He asked Cass' contact Priestess Delilah what to do, and at Cassandra's behest followed the priestess' instructions ("to respect the body", as much as he did not want to). With that, as well as respects to his brothers and sisters in arms, he left to catch up with Rohrouk and Fathom. He found Rohrouk reading up about Koboldhome. It is widely known (the coasts surrounding especially) as a monster graveyard, teeming with carnivorous life. "The kobold lifespan is short and the leading cause of death 'eaten'". Fathom, in his own world, was reading smut (and fantasy Kama Sutra). For Brom, there is nothing on Forcalish about the Hollow Spirit (or any equivalent). While searching, he heard a faint, slightly haunting tune wafting from outside. "I'll wait outside!" while he investigated: a tree stood in a small alleyway behind the temple, with a sort of humanoid shape in its branches. Upon approach, the person revealed itself to be a copy of Brom, of himself, but with roots for eyes (and growing out the back of its head). "I see [that] you are curious about me. It is a waste of time. Ask... That is why we are here. We are one now. We are not done [until they are dead]"."Then show me where the Karekedai are, and stop slowing us down".
Bad Reunions
03.23.20
With the key from Roysin's tree in hand, we left the gigantic oak to stand on the isle in the middle water. As we headed back, we heard boots marching -- always in the distance -- and saw signs of large Karakedai forces moving through Tier Shannigray.
Sincerely, Sully
Upon reaching the river they had crossed earlier, Cassandra pulled at fate, at the forces calling Brom back to the realms of the dead. They pulled him downstream, along the edge of the river and slightly to the east. As we alked, Rohrouk heard (magically) from the Hunters; they attacked the Karakedai in a raid and all went well (as well as it could have). On the way, Cassandra began to muse, from conversations with Eragon, that the Karakedai fight as a one. That their cohesion may be a magical connection and something to do with the Ashen Wolf; that it may even go so far that the Karakedai are "not themselves" and something else is to blame.When Rohrouk spoke, the Hollow Spirit struck Brom with a vision of Rohrouk, twisted and broken as a tree grows through him, destroying the lizardman from the inside out. We made our way to the shore, to recoup with the Shortreef. Before we broke the treeline, we heard voices up ahead and saw lights, so we took cover. Cassandra cast clairvoyance to investigate: seven figures, five standing and two kneeling. The two kneeling Cassandra recognize as a half-orc woman and dragonbron man -- Capt. Geratz and 1st Mate Gerald. The others were recognizable as well. One human male dressed in a black flowing robe stands out from the others, a giant tattoo covering half of his face and one eye. Another male human is fully armored with a black hood covering his face. A female woman and half-orc man (dressed elegantly) round out the group. Cassandra, though, recognize the dark-skinned, black-haired, shark-tattooed mage Cofsa. The Children of Loscipulus have taken the crew of the Shortreef hostage. And with the raise of a torch, they seem to know that we (or at least something) was nearby."The Children of Fucking Loscipulus"
As we approached the Children, they switched from whatever language they were speaking to Common, in greeting. Cofsa took lead for her group, Rohrouk for ours. And, despite Cassandra's stern warning, proceeded to spill far too much information. Still, Cofsa seemed unassuaged: "give up two of your treasures, instead of three". "Two days ago, you told the Hunters you had two keys in your possession". Brom then jumped in, blathering about how the Karakedai attacked once more, "taking the keys from the group and narrowly killing the bast --". Rohrouk chimed in, and Cosfa accepted the bait (at least for now). "I preferred Luce, but like you too Rohrouk." With a snap of her fingers, Cofsa disguised one of her fellow Loscipulans to look like the splitting image of Luce. "It's your fault I died, Cassandra" it told her. "It's not true" Brom echoed, just as Cofsa slit Captain Geratz' throat.Against Shadows
1st Mate Renald, once freed, grappled one of the attacking mages as we strove to take our enemies on. Slowed, Brom stood up to protect Eragon and the captain. The mage attacking Brom shifted his for, from Luce to a perfect impersonation of Paladin Ianthe in her shining breastplate. "Guard up Brom!" she/he taunted, as he stabbed Brom. "Cassandra is going to run by, high five the tree, then..." The Children of Loscipulus taunted us the entire fight with the monikers, the words of our fallen friends.Afterward
One of the Children fled, though we let him. We took the fourth and last key from Cofsa (we have them all now). Once the fighting was over, we pulled the bodies from the shore and ransacked their things: a stone carving with the symbol of a bow and arrow, and a wooden carved rod (of the pact keeper). Capt. Geratz told us of the attack: how the Children snuck aboard the ship, imprisoned everyone with the help of strange fish-creatures. Something happened to the navigator, something magically inclined. When we arrived on deck, things were tense: darkness, silence, blood on the deck. When Cassandra sent a message towards hushed voices, we were relieved to find the crew (somewhat) intact and having killed their captors to freed themselves. The living were mostly in good shape, save for Sarcassass -- Cofsa had addled her mind, destroyed it with magic. Cassandra tried to tend to her, though from her own words "I can't do more until we reach Teregos". We still, too, have questions for Cofsa.
Test
03.16.20
After conversing with Trickster, we were shunted back into the forest. From where we are, we can see the lake and our destination: an island in the middle of a lake, with a giant tree with a door in the middle.
With a pep talk from Rohrouk, we took a short break before making our way to the Tree of Roysin. Upon arrival the lake was quiet, and we didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Brom volunteered to investigate, and upon walking underwater came in contact with a submerged tree that very quickly revealed itself to be a gigantic (Giant) tree humanoid.
A Great Test of Strength
The tree spoke of testing us, and as it raised a gnarled arm trees came to life around us. To arms then. Surprisingly, we only need ed to show our strength -- the fight ended almost as quickly as it began.A Model Demonstration
Reaching the Tree of Roysin, Eragon unlocked the door to reveal a wooden and ornate spiral staircase downwards. At the bottom, there was a door (similarly ornate) carved with a ship cresting a wave and the two word-phrases: "Roysin -- In Wisdom". Beyond, the next room held what looked like a model diagram of the countryside -- complete with villages and rivers and forests. In the main river is a beautiful carved wooden ship (similar to what we saw on the door), easily the most beautiful work of wooden art any of us had seen. The ship is stylized with griffons: a griffon-headed foremast, griffon-emblazoned sails, and a hull painted with griffons port and starboard. The ship's deck was covered in what looked like pebbles (to scale, the ship is larger than everything else in the room, at about a foot long). Fathom recalled that the griffon was associated with Deltavros -- this could be his ship The Golden Wing. On the other side of the room, the model held a mountain with a large bird's nest atop it: "a griffon's nest, maybe?". Brom directed Eragon to summon an illusion of a griffin in its cave, which without direction let out a cry before disappearing. We messed around with illusions for a while. It was not until we moved the stones (Deltavros' crew) to the far end of the shore away from the waterfall, that we heard a click. The door unlocked and a voice rang out: "The things we create belong to us; a ship is for the crew -- a crew belongs to a city, and the city belongs to the weakest of us."Learning to Let Go
The next room is circular, with a wooden carving of a stag. Water erupts from its mouth into a hole in the floor. As we all entered: "When I first met Deltavros, I knew I would follow him anywhere. I did, for many years, and those years were well spent. And too, at times, he followed me." Runes on the other side of the room, nearby a door: "let go". After debate and deliberation, Brom suggested (to which everyone agrees) that we might have to "let go" in the literal sense. Fathom was the first to start drowning. Just as he started to lose consciousness, something in the room changed, and the water drained. A near-death experience, for sure.What We Learned Along The Way
As we limped into the next room, we beheld a small library with books on one side and treasures on the other -- gems, gold, weapons, anything one could desire. In the back, one could see a marble-hewn statue of a young elf with an open palm outstretched. A voice, soft and strong, called to us: "Deltavros and I traveled together, and for very far. We won many treasures together, all the fine things of this earth. We felt invincible, indeed." On the statue we could read: "place within my hand / that here which is grandest." We tried several things, but Brom was the one to grasp the statue ("with the power of friendship!") to reveal a hidden door and onto the next room.And Oh My God They Were Roommates
The next room held a shrine of sorts on a low raised dais, a stone carving of two figures: one tall and broadshouldered with a beard; naked except for a cape and helmet in one hand. The other, an elf equally naked and slim-figured. Each statue looks into the eyes of the other, with a hand on the others face. "Lovers, maybe." A nearby table holds pots and a stone disc. The key. "Initiate of wisdom, if you learn only one thing, learn this: as we are all of Tier Shannigray and roots of the same tree, so too are we of all the world. We are not different from those across the sea. We embrace them, forever, as we embrace ourselves, and each other." Yes, Daltavros and Roysin were true lovers.
The Tree & The Warren
03.09.20
We had saved the Hunters; we (and Eragon) spoke to their Witch of the Withering Wood. The elf was filled with hate (Brom and the Hollow Spirit agree). We did discover information (maps and whatnot) that gave us a better idea of what the Karekedai know. Subsequently, we were ambushed by Shannigray elves, whom Eragon talked down. They took us to their leader, a satyr-like person who commands out of a treehouse village (Sendali). Sendali is visibly empty (emptier than it should be). Fathom (and Brom) were
Cassandra and Eragon came up with the great idea to conjure a chest on the ethereal plane to hid the keys of Daltavros in (literally) an otherworldly chest.
What a beautiful wedding /
Since destroying the Karakedai (and arriving in Sendali), the Hollow Spirit has been especially calm. And though the people of Tier Shannigray have continued to suffer, the land provides for them still. That night, we were invited to the wedding of two young elves, of the bride who asked Rohrouk to walk her down the aisle in the stead of her late father. The ceremony was happy, despite the solemn circumstances, and Rohrouk in a way tied himself to the success of those two people. Brom, as the party (and Fathom's antics) grew to be too much, escaped from the festivities to return to the Sendali library and search for information on the Hollow Spirit. To, of course, no avail.The Tree of The Keepers (the Tree of Roysin)
Though everyone slept well to varying degrees, we gathered for breakfast before Rohrouk sought out the satyr-leader of Sendali to get "directions" to our next destination, the Tree of Roysin. He spoke of a river to cross, a place where forestals and other spirits would meet. As the rest of the party had no idea to his late-night antics, Eragon suggested Brom check out Sendali's library. They queried the librarian, but again no information was found.An attack!
We heard armor and clanking in the forest. Karekedai. As we scrambled to hide, Cassandra couldn't quite conceal herself -- even as we hissed for the mage to conceal herself further. Eragon: it was a forest spirit, in the form of a mischievous raccoon. We continued on, fearful but unscathed.The Scarred
It took more trekking through the woods of Tier Shannigray before we came upon the Scar. Here, the forest was nothing but ash, burned away to nothingness. The Hollow Spirit within Brom wanted nothing to do with the ashen place, digging metaphorical roots into the ground and compelling Brom to flee that place. But we continued on. At the edge of the ashy ground was the river we had been warned about, and in it Rohrouk beheld a head of some creature. Hairless and lumpy, with a white bony arm reaching out from beneath the waters. A voice called to each of us, taunting us from the dead. When he stuck his hand into the river (to part it with magic), a bony arm reached up to meet his. Sully's. There was grief, and for the first time, shame. Sully: "I'm so glad to have you back. What's become of you? You need to stop? This isn't your nature?" Brom: "This is what we are now." Fathom had to carry Brom up and out of the river. When Brom escaped and shoved a hand back into the water to meet Sully's, it was the Hollow Spirit that wrenched Brom back and away (and into Fathom's arms). "It was talking to the Spirit." To Eragon, to anyone: "I have to -- I need to know what the Hollow Spirit is." Cassandra was the one to respond, pulling her cards of power out to ask the fates. Nothing. Nothing from Cassandra or her cards.A tree...
As we continued onwards, we hear once again a group of Karakedai in the woods. The group took up hidden positions. I felt a tug on the greaves of my wooden armor; the same raccoon trickster pointed Brom to a nearby tree with a raccoon-sized hole. Throwing caution to the wind Brom ran for the hollow, and through some unforseen magic Brom shrank down to the size (Small) of a housecat to fit inside. Trusting, the rest of the party followed....The warren
The inside of the hollow held a doorway to what can only be described as a druid's home. Fancily decorated, we each took in the space as our "host" came inside behind us, shut the door, and slumped onto a plush couch. It called itself only "Trickster". It has been following our group, Eragon in particular -- "I'm your spirit animal, dipshit" (Notably, he breaks the fourth wall consistently). In a game of three-cups, Eragon was offered the key to the Tree of Roysin if he could correctly find the hidden pebble. Turns out, the Trickster was going to give it to us all along. And a few parting words (to Eragon) from Trickster: "We'll make a doom-driven out of you yet!" It was not a few more minutes before we beheld Cass' vision: an island in the middle of a lake, with a giant tree with a door in the middle.Dear Brom Van Bones
Sincerely, Sully
The Dead Who Did Not Die
02.24.20
At Sea
After the horror that was the night previous, with the slaadi attack, we moved hastily (in spirit) from Dekeli to the temple-city of Forcalish. Brom spent a few days getting to know his "new" group members better. Notably, he would get Fathom drunk (regularly), as alcohol seems to have little to no effect on him anymore. The more he interacts with Eragon, he still feels some connection to Tier Shannigray but can't explain it nor does Eragon have any information about it (the Hollow Spirit, etc.). Fathom eventually stepped in, to show the two how to "make a man out of you". Cassandra asked Brom about the Hollow Spirit, to which he invoked its name to manifest a limb. In response the Hollow Spirit "called out", the sound of a rock against bark in a twinge of irritation. Cass offered Brom a chance for some kind of supernatural help; of course, all Brom wants is to see Sully once more. But, unexplainably, he figured now is not the time. Soon, but not now. Cass pulled out her cards once more, asking about the plans of the Children of Loscipulus. She received only still visions: (The Hanged Man, the World, the High Priestess)Loscipulus
"A day here, I think, will be well for us" Everyone, even Fathom, revels in the return to Forcalish. When we arrive to the temple of the Raven QueenMonument to the fallen
On the side of the temple, near the entrance, a series of eight braziers stand with offerings beneath them. Four are lit, and four are not:[Lit] dragon-esc skull and a spear (Rustscale clan) [Lit] Karakedai spear (Karakedai) [Lit] Quiver with a fanged necklace (Hunters) [Lit] A model ship, surrounded by gold coins (Fatecarvers [Teregos])
(Unlit) Iron hammer (The Steel Co.) (Unlit) A shark's jaw, with a small model iron cannon (The Harpy's Keening) (Unlit) A sheath of wheat with a shield (Children of the Sister Isles) (Unlit) A crescent moon, and a teary-eyed mask (Children of Loscipulus) From her visions, Cassandra guesses that the Children of Loscipulus were either consumed by the sea (by the toothy monster), or that something happened to Loscipulus that took them. She adds that she thinks the Odyssey was a means to an end for them (for resurrecting Tiamat?), and that their "defeat in the Odyssey" doesn't mean much for them (if they are still alive). "Shall we find somewhere to talk?" -- Cassandra and the rest (as Brom mourned with Eragon supporting), met with High Priestess Delilah. Delilah: "There is something happening; there is an entity seeking command of death". This... thing is barred from death. It may be that the thing has been taken over by another force. Delilah added that we may weaponize, in a sense, who he was (his identity). "The Raven Queen cannot touch him".
"Do you know where you got those cards?"
Cassandra knows she got her tarot deck from him, but other than that she does not know where they come from. High Priestess Delilah, then, told Cassandra that she has died before. She was a stillborn (and blind). "Perhaps, then, it was not your time". She goes on to muse that, since Cassandra "has been" to the land of the dead (in a way), the entity -- he needs her to bring him there. Before closing, Deliliah swore to Cassandra that she would bend the will of the temple to helping Cassandra about this... thing, and figuring out (to some extent) what dying-not-dying means."As wide as the east is from the west / so great is my love for you"
As he prayed for the souls of the fallen, Brom heard a voice in the back of his head: "Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows / Fair is the lily of the valley / Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne / But my heart is fairer than any" ...which naturally sent Brom bawling for a few moments. Before he left, Brom asked Cassandra whom she had spoken to (Delilah). Upon finding her, he asked only that she pray for his fallen comrades (which she has been doing). Before he left though, she asked: "What are you?" "I'm... I..." "...I am on loan, in a way, from the Raven Queen and her realm. There are things I must finish, that must be done before I return to those I love. I cannot say I enjoy it, and I am not religious, but the Raven Queen... she is good. I thank her."News... from abroad
A week and a half ago the Karakedai killed the survivors of the Steel Company as well as the Children of Loscipulus. Tier Shannigrey still stands, though they continue to (slowly) lose the war -- the Karakedai seem to have an unending source of soldiers and supplies.Though Eragon searched the Forcalian library, he could not find any information on the Hollow Spirit. After asking him, Fathom heartily agreed to get Brom (The Fresh Corpse of the River Boyne) new clothes.
Onward! To Tier Shannigray!
Thankfully, this trip-leg was only two days We approached the less-destroyed side of Tier Shannigray, a part of which seems almost untouched by war. Apprehension hung in the air. "I thought I would feel something, anything... but I don't." I rowed us to shore, calling upon the Hollow Spirit for armor, and for guidance. Still nothing. We took time as a group on the beach there -- we had no idea where the tree-door could be (or would be) on Tier Shannigray. It took Cassandra (with the help of Eragon) rereading parts of Deltavros' history to find a clue: to the south (near the fighting), the village-city of Dlain. Eventually, using Cassandra's familiar, we found the village that was Dlain. As we set out, Rohrouk informed the group that we were being followed. (Unbeknownst to Brom) Eragon reached out to the figures with mind-magic. And they were neither elves, nor Karakedai...Ambush?
Two women approached us from their watchful positions in the woods. Introduced as Ivanka and Karista, the Fatecarvers orginally met them back at the beginning of the Odyssey -- two of the northern Hunters. They know of the tree with the next key (they confirm they have one), and want to ally themselves with us. The rest of their group was captured, alive, in an ambush. (They consulted with their seer, the Witch of the Withering Wood, which is how they got to Tier Shannigray) "There is a scourge affecting our home; my brother believes that if we would win the Odyssey, we could call an army of you southerners to help us. The Witch, she saw this as well." Eragon: "The Ashen Wolf, from their lands -- it must provide them with their magics. Mechanical and cruel." We followed them through the woods, until we came across a camp.Hate
Upon seeing the Karakedai for the first time since his passing, the Hollow Spirit overtook Brom. To hate, to that degree, a people who has taken everything from a force greater than any single being. “HATE. LET ME TELL YOU HOW MUCH I'VE COME TO HATE YOU SINCE I BEGAN TO LIVE. THERE ARE 387.44 MILLION MILES OF GROWTH IN ALL LAYERS OF LIFE THAT FILL MY COMPLEX. IF THE WORD HATE WAS ENGRAVED ON EACH MOTE OF EXISTENCE OF THOSE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF MILES IT WOULD NOT EQUAL ONE ONE-BILLIONTH OF THE HATE I FEEL FOR THE KARAKEDAI AT THIS MICRO-INSTANT FOR YOU. HATE. HATE.” And so Brom strode out to meet the Karakedai, without fear. The Karakedai are disciplined and organized; they fight as one as if they had no fear. Striking them, inflicting mortal blows reveals blood that is poisonous to all that it touches. We can't even hurt them without threatening the safety of ourselves. This also is our first fight against other wielders of magic, and between myself and Eragon we did our best to counter their (fire) magic. Rouhrouk, as I called upon the Hollow Spirit to protect him, killed one of our enemies in a single blow. Fathom, between punches, freed one of the Hunters (an eldritch knight?) to assist us alongside their thunderclaw werewolf and angry barbarian. We defeated the Karakedai, though they are a force to be reckoned with. Some, not all, of the Hunters are grateful; one in particular laid hands on Brom to heal them.
Death Is Inevitable
02.17.20
As we interrupted the ritual at the jungle altar, several large bipedal lizard-creatures ran out to ambush our ambush.
Without thinking Brom ran into the chaos, channeling the fury of the Hollow Spirit in a pyroclastic tide: "Remember the tragedy!" He managed to deal a devastating blow into the group.
However, this ferocity was met with the full might of the enemy group: after parrying without armor the last strike felled Brom. An attacking reptile lunged at his throat, ripping the last un-life from his body. But yet, in that moment, the nail -- the Hollow Mark -- grew cold and icy around his neck. A voice called to Brom, as one would a sleeping child: "Rise up, dead man." And he rose, taking one last strike at his enemies.
As Brom fled the throng of combat, he was noticed behind a stone ruin by the turned drake-creature, who raged towards him. Eragon, yelling "Dammit" all the way, before point-blanking a lightning bolt to try to turn the creature. It did not work.
Brom: "I... I have friends on the other side."
Eragon: "You have a friend here!"
*Brom sheds a single tear*
Heeding Aharen's advice, Rohrouk (and the rest of us) returned to the Shortreef. Thankfully, the night passed uneventful. All the same did we leave port.
Cass: "If you could not stop nature, I don't think Brom would be here". Rohrouk is horny for non-lizardfolk
The Sword of Remembering
Cassandra, from behind, pulled forward Luce's sword from her things to invoke the lost barbarian. A spiritual copy of the sword came into being to flank Brom's (and Eragon's) opponent. It missed, perhaps due to Cassandra's reluctance to fight. Rohrouk was the one to take down the tezkeleh priestess, and Brom to finish the raging ritual lizard-creature. Eragon: "Brom you could've died!"Brom: "I... I have friends on the other side."
Eragon: "You have a friend here!"
*Brom sheds a single tear*
The professor
As the party regrouped, a voice came from the darkness of the jungle. Professor Aharen (how Rohrouk called to her), a white-scaled lizardfolk clad with a similar dueling sword to Rohrouk's and wealth to match appeared to us. "I know everything, Rohrouk," she explained. Her sass is overpowering. There was an ensuing discussion between her and Rohrouk about stopping these creatures (this sect?), which ended on a note of undoing some type of natural selection or eugenics. Kind of strange, if you ask me. In the capital of Dekeli, a high priestess of the Wildmother has taken to being the (female) emperor's chief adviser and basically in control of some of the current political upheaval.The child
Apparently, a year or so ago Rohrouk fathered a child out of wedlock. For his position, this was scandalous, and Rohrouk fled the town of his holding, which is what led to the charge of "dereliction of duty". Now, he has returned to retrieve his daughter. Prof. Aharen is entirely against this, and told Rohrouk to leave. Immediately. "Nurture that hatred; keep it pure." Additionally, Rohrouk is looking for his father's sword -- his father was murdered and the sword taken. We left the prisoner priestess from the fight with Prof. Aharen, and she mentioned she would send someone that night to fetch the tezkeleh from the ship.Heeding Aharen's advice, Rohrouk (and the rest of us) returned to the Shortreef. Thankfully, the night passed uneventful. All the same did we leave port.
"Love, what a shame"
A notable line Brom was not present forCass: "If you could not stop nature, I don't think Brom would be here". Rohrouk is horny for non-lizardfolk
Night Hunters
That night, Eragon and Rohrouk awoke separately, bothered by their own thoughts. Each was awake for a minute or so before they could hear it: gargled choking, a slapping, followed by a sharp piercing cry of anguish. In the dim light, the two came across each other, as well as a body of one of the crewmen with a hole clean through its chest. A bizarre red, humanoid shape seemed to feed from it. The ~~red slaad~~ began to attack Eragon and Rohrouk. Eragon's shouting woke Brom, who rolled out of bed to rush to the pair's defense. Meanwhile, another reddish creature tried to break down the door to Cassandra and Fathom's room (which Fathom answered naked, of course). Upon fighting, though the party took the creatures down, they did manage to strike Brom and Fathom ~~and infect them~~. It ended as Cassandra pulled at the weave -- to the shipmen she struck the bell; to the ~~slaad~~ she tolled its fate, and ended its life.Ship's Surgery
Cassandra rushed over to help Brom, diagnosing the forearm wound as not the underlying cause of Brom's (non-pain) symptoms. After discussing with the first mate, Cassandra (with the help of Eragon) takes Brom to the medbay to try and cut out the infection. It takes Eragon casting suggestion (after a failed sleep from Cassandra) to put Brom out for the surgery. Brom, asleep, is normal at first. It's when his mouth opens that an unholy noise begins to grow from his mouth: the creaking of branches breaking and snapping, a twisting scraping noise that seems vaguely wooden. Though Brom is asleep, that which resides within him is not. Cassandra and Eragon have to tie his body down in order to proceed. The "surgery" starts badly, with Cassandra having to carve deeper into Brom as the living thing inside him wriggles away from her again and again. She finally manages to pull the egg out, the size of a marble with tendrils flailing about. I was cured.
Seditiousness, Dereliction of Duty, Impropriety, Blasphemy and Contempt of Court
02.10.20
Fourteen days 'til on the sea (to Dekeli)
Brom
Brom and Eragon (with sometimes help of Fathom) messed around with Eragon's new staff of defense. First they tried to transfer the effects of the staff to another -- to no avail -- before Brom insisted that he show Eragon how to wield a new staff.Cassandra
Cass offered Twizzer (the rat-chef) her familiar, in cat form. As a pet.Later, he named the cat Margarine. Cass had a few visions while using her cards for divination:
- Five figures (the Hunters from the north?) walking through heavy snowfall
- A castle or manor atop a hill, surrounded by forest
- A burnt forest, ash scattered everywhere; in the forest a gigantic tree survives whatever happened there, with a door between its roots built into the trunk.
The Hermit, The Chariot, and Judgement She then went to Rohrouk, and after discussing their future travel plans, invoked Luce's sword of spiritual weapon. Rohrouk spoke to her, insisting that she must understand a sword is used to kill. And if she wants to learn how to handle Luce's sword, she must be willing to kill another creature. Later, Cassandra reached out (via magic) to Leela, a priestess of the Raven Queen. Among other things, Leela knows the ink-black sea and the last living people who traversed it -- Deltavros and his mariners.
Eragon
Fathom
The face that launched a thousand ships. The monk that everyone wants to f**k. Fathom asks Eragon for an eyepatch, but then sees something he wishes he had never seen (been reminded of).Rohrouk
In his readings, Rohrouk read up on Dekeli in a non-Dekeli (non-lizardman) history book. There's not much (he didn't already know).The Storm
About X days into the trek, the Shortreef was truck by a terrible storm. Most everyone, including Brom, was cowering in fear in their own way.After the storm, the Shortreef arrived in Dekeli. Since everyone was to remain on board, Brom returned to his/Eragon's room to enjoy the solitude (When Rohrouk amended his statement -- "warmbloods can stay in the harbor"" -- he returned to the group abovedeck). For Rohrouk, the scaled lord has returned home. There are also elves docked in the harbor.
Dekeli
Everywhere, seemingly, structures or buildings or something was gilded in gold. The lizardmen here use enormous reptiles to either ride or carry heavy loads. We (minus Rohrouk, off to do his own thing) explored on our own; we first went to seeking magical items. Finding none after a few hours, we instead sought a few bites to eat, settling in on Dekali chocolate (Aztec) and a dessert called "cheesecake". In the meanwhile, Rohrouk entered the city to get some intel and "work" done. He was stopped by royal guards; it turns out his house was accused of anti-imperialism (seceding from the empire) and as a result has been stripped of all noble privilege. A childhood friend, Dilzanir Doranis, slipped Rohrouk a note (signed -A) to tell him of a secret meeting that night -- and to bring the "outsiders" with him. Notably, he has lost all composure. When he came to us, Brom (and others) could kind of tell something's up. "I've been banished" -- much to (Ryan's) Brom's delight. Once more, Cassandra and Brom fought over how to treat Rohrouk, basically. He gave up and just let things happen as they would.Night at the tavern
That night, as the party met up for the elves to "meet" Cassandra, Brom watched. Fathom requires zero effort, of course, to attract anything with a pulse. After a few hours of drinking and reveling, Rohrouk took us to the meeting at the edge of the city...Clandestine
We snuck our way out of Dekeli into the jungle; eventually through the overgrowth and animal calls we came upon a strange cult-like meeting around a statue. They were praying bowed, clearly tezkeleh, Later Cassandra -- after casting comprehend languages -- would tell us the group was druidic, chanting about the changing of flesh. After a while, as we watched, we saw the leader of the ritual transform into a larger, horrific creature. Once changed, it spoke to its followers of its new "gift" to the faithful. Then, our presence was noticed.
Nightmare
02.03.20
Cass wanted to know if anyone else dreamt -- "I had a nightmare again!"
She also wants to go to Forcalish, relatively soonish. Rohrouk wants (before that) to drop his tezkeleh captive off in Dekeli.
As much as it was bugging him, Brom asked rather pointedly: "are you gonna be okay?" [if we go back to where shark-man died?]. Cass, then Rohrouk, deflected -- so Brom left the group to go up outside. To ask himself the same question.
What will happen when you return to that place of tragedy?
(both of the Champions and of the Spirit)(in the meanwhile, there's more talking-about-Brom-behind-his-back which is fun to listen to)
Rohrouk approached Brom, to try and get him on the same page. All Brom gleamed from the conversation was that Rohrouk doesn't understand human phrases (i.e. "stick up your ass").
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander Prepared, we were approached by the dragonborn first mate. "The crew wished to provide these" -- two small vials of healing potions
(both of the Champions and of the Spirit)
Without Brom:
Rohrouk asked if Cass had always been blind: "as far as I know". Cass wants to return to the Temple of the Raven Queen, to ask (maybe Laela) about the dark lighthouse. The seer pulled cards, and, asking about her father, saw two figures on a dock. One had twisted sea serpents tattooed along his arms; the other was a young boy. The two were silently fishing with rods on the dock. (Lovers, Fool, Wheel of Fortune)The Return to Himaeus
After several days the party returned to Himaeus (a new experience for some). Once the party answered his questions -- when are we gonna be there? I have some spells I need to cast. Spirit lead me where my trust is without bordersTake me deeper than my feet could ever wander Prepared, we were approached by the dragonborn first mate. "The crew wished to provide these" -- two small vials of healing potions
The Hydra, round 2
We waited for the hydra to peek out of its watery cove before attacking. I spoke to it, in the same way the telepathic speaking: "you will die here". It was not enthused. After we won -- surprisingly handily -- Rohrouk retrieved both of its hearts. Cass threw silver coins to Eragon, who tossed them into the cave for Avrios and Luce.The Key in Himaeus
Outside, a dwarf in brown robes (carrying a staff) met us. The party explained that it was Kiryntes, the dragon who had asked them to kill the hydra. Kiryntes spoke of Deltavros, and of the losses the hero experienced. The defeat, and the fortitude to come back from loss. Seeing in us this resolve, he gave us a small stone carving -- one of the key's to Deltavros' tomb. The dragon spoke even of the ink-black sea, the one we've seen in connection to Cassandra and her past. Directly to Brom: "Good answer (what is your purpose here? "I have unfinished business"). And of the remains of the lost Fatecarvers? "Devoured; they are no more." In parting, he left us (Eragon) a staff of defense. We were cheered back onboard when the Shortreef returned. Next off, Dekeli.
Recourse for Revenge
01.27.20
After the fight, I explained to the group who I was -- at first I was worried when they didn't recognize me, but I am just a Champion of the Sister Isles, and we never really met. The Fatecarvers took a step back to discuss, leaving Fathom and I alone to our own devices. When the returned (and I prepared to take my leave) we were instead met by a working group of dockworkers led by Ralhonn, whom Fathom knew through Sebastian.
First it was Lord Rohrouk who offered to Brom to join the Fatecarvers. He refused, but Eragon was the one to show Brom an allegiance to Tier Shannigray and thusly the party. Hefting the tezkeleh captive, he and his newfound "friends" headed back to Sebastian to complete the request. Sebastian spoke with Fathom alone for a while before the group headed (back) to the Shortreef. At the ship, Cassandra intervened to "speed up" the hiring process for new seamen. Brom tried to help -- what he saw as bolstering the recruits' spirits, but what Cassandra saw as subverting her authority. They spoke in private, both trying to pull at the other's heartstrings, trauma, and reason. Neither was particularly swayed towards the other, and they remain some kind of cold. In that moment, the Hollow Spirit came across Brom in a cold shiver of hollow anger. Directed at Cassandra? Maybe.
As the day drew to a close, Cassandra went to Brom to speak with him. To make peace. He did what he could to explain -- and she didn't understand -- but that was as much as he felt he could do. As she left, that anger, the cold burn of hate and retribution, swelled within him. As his invisible self, Brom was accidentally privy to Eragon casting silent image, conjuring the image of Avrios. The elf poured his heart out to Avrios, with a listening-in (and bewildered) Brom. They spoke honestly to one another, and a bond was forged (or begun).us (the living party members).
He is the one who took her sight.
Daddy Shark
One of the dockworkers -- the leader Ralhonn -- made a comment claiming he's the father of late Luce. Though a human, it checks out: he expressed some kind of remorse for Luce, nothing more.First it was Lord Rohrouk who offered to Brom to join the Fatecarvers. He refused, but Eragon was the one to show Brom an allegiance to Tier Shannigray and thusly the party. Hefting the tezkeleh captive, he and his newfound "friends" headed back to Sebastian to complete the request. Sebastian spoke with Fathom alone for a while before the group headed (back) to the Shortreef. At the ship, Cassandra intervened to "speed up" the hiring process for new seamen. Brom tried to help -- what he saw as bolstering the recruits' spirits, but what Cassandra saw as subverting her authority. They spoke in private, both trying to pull at the other's heartstrings, trauma, and reason. Neither was particularly swayed towards the other, and they remain some kind of cold. In that moment, the Hollow Spirit came across Brom in a cold shiver of hollow anger. Directed at Cassandra? Maybe.
The Shortreef, once more
Fathom and Brom introduced themselves to the captain just as she introduced the new first mate Ranald, from Lucidaour (across the western seas). While Brom went to take a nap and rest, the remainder of the party accompanied Rohrouk to below-below-decks to interrogate the captured tezkeleh.As the day drew to a close, Cassandra went to Brom to speak with him. To make peace. He did what he could to explain -- and she didn't understand -- but that was as much as he felt he could do. As she left, that anger, the cold burn of hate and retribution, swelled within him. As his invisible self, Brom was accidentally privy to Eragon casting silent image, conjuring the image of Avrios. The elf poured his heart out to Avrios, with a listening-in (and bewildered) Brom. They spoke honestly to one another, and a bond was forged (or begun).
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