Ayrell/Logs/Wild Magic 02282025/Asildu Seeks Refuge at the Zaulfung
| Asildu Seeks Refuge at the Zaulfung |
| Event Date: 2/28/2025 |
| Event Instance: Prime |
Date
It has been 452 years, 16 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer.
It is the 1st month of Akroeg the Ram in the year of the Iron Toad.
Asildu Arrives with Drakes
[Rolling Hills, A Sheltered Vale]
The grass grows in a dark, soft circle here, inviting you to rest and relax, while tall wiir trees make a ring around the patch of green, their boughs intertwining in defense against the wind and rain. An opening in a set of rocks piled up by the side of a hill creates a cave-like shelter to further protect you from the elements. You also see a rock troll that appears rather calm, a stark black banner slowly dripping drops of phantasmal blood, a rock troll that appears rather calm, a rock troll that appears rather calm, a rock troll that appears rather calm and a rock troll that appears rather calm.
Overhead, you notice a cluster of shadows darkening the sky.
Raising her sparkling cider to Ollythander, Illiya gives him a toast.
Ollythander says, "Thanks, I did my best."
Illiya blinks.
Nispey squints.
Illiya says, "Um.."
Imroth says to Ollythander, "I would join you in battle."
Maraisel gazes up at the sky.
A rock troll tromps in.
Lileath glances up at the sky.
Illiya says, "Did you guys notice.."
Couri coughs.
Aerilia nods to Illiya.
Lileath says, "Buffing perhaps..."
A rock troll tromps in.
Illiya gazes up at the sky.
Crobin says, "You did well."
Ollythander asks, "Should we be concerned about the shadows?"
Aerilia asks, "Drakes?"
Crobin smiles at Ollythander.
Aerilia gazes up at the sky.
A rock troll tromps northeast.
Ollythander glances up at the sky.
Crobin says to Ollythander, "My hero."
Crobin glances up at the sky.
Illiya says to Aerilia, "Rock trolls don't fly the last time I checked.."
A rock troll tromps northeast.
Imroth joins Ollythander's group.
Aerilia says to Illiya, "Thank goodness."
Ollythander nods.
Saragos asks, "Might be. Shall we move outside the barricade?"
Illiya laughs!
Lileath puts her wine in her silk carryall.
(Crobin turns to the side and moons the Heralds lifting his cloak)
A rock troll tromps in.
Ollythander says, "Let's head to the barricade."
Drakes swoop low across the area, exhaling a line of flame that scorches everything in their path before circling away.
Maraisel bursts into flames!
Lileath bursts into flames!
Vaerek bursts into flames!
Illiya bursts into flames!
Couri bursts into flames!
Nispey bursts into flames!
Saragos bursts into flames!
Aerilia bursts into flames!
Ollythander bursts into flames!
Crobin bursts into flames!
Imroth bursts into flames!
Maraise is stunned!
Lileath is stunned!
Vaerek is stunned!
Illiya is stunned!
Couri is stunned!
Nispey is stunned!
Saragos is stunned!
Aerilia is stunned!
Ollythander is stunned!
Crobin is stunned!
Imroth is stunned!
A stunned Imroth slowly tips over, falling on his face!
Imroth shakes off the stun.
A stunned Crobin slowly tips over, falling on his face!
A stunned Ollythander slowly tips over, falling on his face!
Ollythander shakes off the stun.
A stunned Aerilia slowly tips over, falling on her face!
Aerilia shakes off the stun.
Illiya tremors suddenly and rouses from her stupor.
A stunned Illiya slowly tips over, falling on her face!
A stunned Saragos slowly tips over, falling on his face!
Saragos shakes off the stun.
A stunned Nispey slowly tips over, falling on his face!
Nispey shakes off the stun.
A stunned Couri slowly tips over, falling on her face!
Couri shakes off the stun.
A stunned Vaerek slowly tips over, falling on his face!
Vaerek shakes off the stun.
A stunned Lileath slowly tips over, falling on her face!
A stunned Maraisel slowly tips over, falling on her face!
Maraisel shakes off the stun.
Imroth says, "Oh."
Lileath slips out of hiding.
Lileath rises to her feet fluidly, like a large, graceful cat.
Saragos stands up.
Aerilia exclaims, "Drop and roll!"
Nispey stands up.
Couri rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Saragos moves over to guard Ollythander.
Crobin comes out of hiding.
Crobin stands up.
A rock troll tromps in.
Illiya comes out of hiding.
Illiya rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Aerilia twitches slightly.
Imroth leaps to his feet!
Crobin falls over.
Aerilia rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Crobin rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Lileath says, "Fire."
Ollythander twitches slightly.
Imroth seems not to notice as the flames consume his chest!
Crobin seems not to notice as the flames consume his chest!
Ollythander seems not to notice as the flames consume his chest!
Aerilia seems not to notice as the flames consume her chest!
Saragos seems not to notice as the flames consume his chest!
Nispey seems not to notice as the flames consume his chest!
Couri seems not to notice as the flames consume her chest!
Illiya seems not to notice as the flames consume her chest!
Vaerek seems not to notice as the flames consume his chest!
Lileath seems not to notice as the flames consume her chest!
Maraisel seems not to notice as the flames consume her chest!
Vaerek stands up.
Ollythander rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Nispey lies down.
Lileath says, "Roll."
Couri continues to roll around frantically.
Vaerek ponders.
Illiya continues to roll around frantically.
Nispey rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Aerilia continues to roll around frantically.
Imroth bows his head and chants a prayer.
Crobin continues to roll around frantically.
Lileath falls over.
Lileath rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Ollythander continues to roll around frantically.
Couri continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Illiya continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Vaerek falls over.
Aerilia continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Nispey continues to roll around frantically.
Crobin continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Vaerek rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Lileath continues to roll around frantically.
A rock troll tromps west.
Illiya exclaims, "Roll!"
Ollythander continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Couri rolls around on the ground. Typical.
Nispey shrieks!
Aerilia stands up.
Saragos lies down.
Maraisel rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Nispey continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Saragos rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Crobin stands up.
Illiya rolls around on the ground. Typical.
Lileath continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Illiya rolls around on the ground. Typical.
Ollythander stands up.
Imroth falls over.
Imroth rolls around on the ground in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
Illiya stands up.
Nispey gestures.
Maraisel continues to roll around frantically.
Saragos continues to roll around frantically.
Lileath rolls around on the ground. Typical.
Nispey stands up.
Aerilia lays her hand on Ollythander's arm.
Vaerek continues to roll around frantically.
Lileath rolls around on the ground. Typical.
Couri leaps to her feet!
A rock troll tromps northeast.
Lileath rises to her feet fluidly, like a large, graceful cat.
Imroth continues to roll around frantically.
Nispey assumes a rigid stance, concentrating on something.
Illiya lays her hand on Maraisel’s arm.
Crobin laughs!
Illiya lays her hand on Lileath's arm.
Lileath assesses her combat situation.
Maraisel continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Vaerek continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Imroth continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Maraisel stands up.
Illiya lays her hand on Vaerek's arm.
Vaerek stands up.
A rock troll tromps in.
Vaerek chuckles.
Crobin says, "That is proof the banners don't protect all."
Saragos says, "We're safe here for now, but we're going to want to move outside of the banner to fight them."
Saragos continues to roll around on the ground until the flames are completely extinguished.
Illiya lays her hand on Couri's arm.
Illiya lays her hand on Saragos's arm.
Aerilia nods.
Illiya nods in agreement.
A rock troll tromps west.
Saragos stands up.
Imroth stands up.
A rock troll tromps in.
Illiya lays her hand on Ollythander's arm.
A rock troll tromps northeast.
Illiya lays her hand on Imroth's arm.
Nispey closes his eyes for a moment and grows still.
Nispey is stunned!
Ollythander says to Saragos, "You should have leadership of the group."
Aerilia says, "We should establish a new banner on the other side too, if possible."
Ollythander designates Saragos as the new leader of the group.
Imroth asks, "Where are they?"
Saragos nods to Aerilia.
A rock troll tromps in.
Aerilia gestures toward Nispey's head.
Crobin says, "Fly by."
A rock troll tromps northeast.
Nispey says, "Ow."
Imroth nods to Crobin.
Crobin scans the area briefly.
Saragos says to Imroth, "Good point. Let's head out."
Vaerek says, "Drake swooped in."
Maraisel says to Illiya, "Thank you for the healing."
Maraisel smiles.
Crobin joins Saragos's group.
Vaerek says, "Someone didn't feed em."
A rock troll tromps northeast.
Saragos asks, "Imroth, toss down a banner outside of the barricade, let me know when it's set?"
A rock troll tromps west.
Illiya smiles at Maraisel, revealing the dimples in her cheeks.
Crobin says, "Didn't like me mooning their bosses."
A rock troll tromps west.
Vaerek shakes his head at Crobin.
Illiya says to Crobin, "It was bound to happen eventually."
Vaerek chuckles.
Imroth asks, "To the west? northeast?"
A rock troll tromps in.
Ollythander asks Nispey, "I don't know your skill level, would you like me to protect you?"
Sir Imroth trudges northeast.
Sir Imroth just arrived.
Saragos says to Imroth, "Right outside the barricade to trolls. I'll start moving there with the group."
Sir Imroth trudges west.
Sir Imroth just arrived.
Imroth says, "Oh."
Imroth says, "Ok."
Imroth bows his head and chants a prayer.
Saragos says, "Moving out in 10."
Maraisel asks, "Should we check the city?"
Ollythander nods to Saragos.
Sir Imroth trudges northeast.
Illiya takes a sip of her cider.
Aerilia nods to Maraisel.
Illiya touches the jadeite stones on her gwethdesuan.
Illiya's gwethdesuan snaps in two places as its jadeite stones crumble into a fine powder.
Saragos says, "Moving out in 5 towards the barricade."
Illiya snaps her fingers.
Illiya picks up a broken silver chain.
Illiya puts her chain in her haversack.
Saragos says, "Moving now."
Saragos stops guarding Ollythander.
You follow Saragos northeast.
[Rolling Hills, A Sheltered Vale]
The grass grows thick and lush beneath your feet, while above you rise tall wiir trees in full flourish. The only disturbances are a set of large, unusual footprints that have crushed the tall grass, and the long marks, as if something heavy had been dragged through here, that accompany them. You also see a rock troll that appears rather calm, a rock troll that appears rather calm, a stark black banner slowly dripping drops of phantasmal blood and a rock troll that appears rather calm.
Illiya nods.
You follow Saragos southwest.
[Rolling Hills, A Sheltered Vale]
The grass grows in a dark, soft circle here, inviting you to rest and relax, while tall wiir trees make a ring around the patch of green, their boughs intertwining in defense against the wind and rain. An opening in a set of rocks piled up by the side of a hill creates a cave-like shelter to further protect you from the elements. You also see a rock troll that appears rather calm, a stark black banner slowly dripping drops of phantasmal blood and a rock troll that appears rather calm.
Illiya gets a gwethdesuan from inside a swirling eddy of incandescent light bound by a gold-striated coralite frame.
You follow Saragos northeast.
[Rolling Hills, A Sheltered Vale]
The grass grows thick and lush beneath your feet, while above you rise tall wiir trees in full flourish. The only disturbances are a set of large, unusual footprints that have crushed the tall grass, and the long marks, as if something heavy had been dragged through here, that accompany them. You also see a rock troll that appears rather calm, a rock troll that appears rather calm, a stark black banner slowly dripping drops of phantasmal blood and a rock troll that appears rather calm.
You follow Saragos up.
[Rolling Hills, Green Slope]
Drained of their color, the hills display several hues of gray that ripples over them, creating a shadowy illusion of movement. The side of the hill you stand on slopes downward toward a tiny vale, while to the east it climbs back toward a dip where several hills meet.
Illiya attaches a gwethdesuan around her head.
You follow Saragos east.
[Rolling Hills, Grassy Knoll]
The hills rise like frozen waves of cooled lava, their slopes leading down to a grassy knoll, as if in homage to something or someone. A ghostly night breeze gusts down from the high, untouched hilltops, creating a lonely song that whistles eerily through the night blackened stones of the knoll.
You follow Saragos southeast.
[Rolling Hills, Clear Pool]
The hills close in about you, monuments to greenery and life. A pool is cupped at the base of one of the hills, its surface constantly moving from unseen currents. A good-size hole opens up in the ground by one of the largest, steepest hills. It leads down into darkness, giving no hint of where it might go.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group went down a dark hole.
[Rolling Hills, Inside the Log]
It is pitch black in here, too dark to see anything but light coming from a round hole to the south that is probably one end of the log, and a hole in the roof that leads up into dim light.
You follow Saragos out.
[Rolling Hills, Trickling Stream]
The stream splashes its way southeast, springing forth from underneath a set of rocks that jut out of the hill in front of you. A hollow log lies next to the creek, looking a tad out of place in this mostly treeless land.
You follow Saragos southeast.
[Rolling Hills, Trickling Stream]
A dirt path cuts its way along the grassy bank of a thin stream, winding northwards to untamed hills, and southward back to the Journalai Route. The size of the stream's bed suggests that it must have been bigger once, but upheaval has changed it to a fraction of the size it used to be. You also see a Famous Faces Shartug Fengral card, a soft iron keyblank, an embroidery needle, an embroidery needle and a hollow log.
You hear a growl behind you and spin to see a rock troll climbing out from behind a rock!
You hear a growl behind you and spin to see a rock troll climbing out from behind a rock!
A rock troll begins growling a spell!
The rock troll begins to advance on Aerilia.
The rock troll begins to advance on Nispey.
You follow Saragos south.
[Journalai Route, Rolling Hills]
The Route continues to the east and west, while to the north you notice a dirt path that looks to have been tread by the passage of feet, not the passage of wagons. A trickling stream passes over the road, leaving mud and muck in its wake as it vanishes into the grasses of the surrounding hillside.
You follow Saragos east.
[Journalai Route, Rolling Hills]
The old, abandoned Journalai Route runs through the rolling hills outside of the village of Kaerna like a winding brownish-green ribbon someone dropped and forgot. A few stones that might have been road markers still remain, cracked and weathered and lying, forsaken, to one side of the road. You also see a stark black banner slowly dripping drops of phantasmal blood and a patch of rough dirt.
You follow Saragos east.
[Journalai Route, Foothills]
A set of rolling green hills rise up to the west, gradually flattening out into grasslands to the east. A barricade blocks off further passage toward the east along the Journalai Route. You also see a rock troll and a heavy barricade.
The rock troll begins to advance on Nispey.
Nispey appears to focus his attention on a rock troll.
A rock troll falters, and suddenly ceases to advance upon him.
Ollythander moves into position to block attacks against Nispey!
Saragos says, "Ok, climb over, we'll regroup on the other side."
Nispey nods.
Ollythander says, "Understood."
Aerilia nods.
Nispey smiles at Ollythander.
Vaerek climbs up and over a heavy barricade.
Illiya climbs up and over a heavy barricade.
Couri climbs up and over a heavy barricade.
Aerilia climbs up and over a heavy barricade.
Nispey climbs up and over a heavy barricade.
Maraisel climbs up and over a heavy barricade.
[Journalai Route, Open Grasslands]
The grasslands here are caught between the presence of rolling hills to the west and the small village of Kaerna to the east. To the north and south is nothing but empty plains, wind-twisted and long ignored by humanity. You also see the heraldic unit, a stark black banner slowly dripping drops of phantasmal blood, a pile of rocks and a barricade that blocks passage northwest.
Crobin arrives, climbing over a heavy barricade.
Ollythander arrives, climbing over a heavy barricade.
[General] Your mind hears Illiya thinking, "Any sign of drakes near or around the Crossing?"
Imroth lets out a loud "Huzzah!"
Lileath arrives, climbing over a heavy barricade.
Saragos arrives, climbing over a heavy barricade.
Aerilia praises Imroth.
Illiya smiles at Imroth, revealing the dimples in her cheeks.
Lileath comes out of hiding.
Imroth says, "Banner is up, but so it a unit."
Imroth gestures.
Imroth's shadowleaf cloak emits a loud *snap*.
An armored drake swoops low, joining the assault and landing with a THUD. Asildu dismounts it in a single fluid motion, a look of sheer anguish on his face. Taking advantage of the commotion, Asildu begins a soft humming that increases in volume, punctuated by glottal stops. The strong notes of Albreda's Balm fall from his lips, and the anguish fades from his face. In a moment of clarity, Asildu pivots, sprinting away to the northeast, abandoning the drakes to their fate at your hands.
Saragos adds Imroth to his group.
Imroth flails his arms about.
Aerilia blinks.
Nispey asks, "Who was that?"
Crobin says, "Hello Asildu."
Aerilia says, "Asildu ran off.."
Lileath gets an eerily glowing icesteel estoc inlaid with blackened moonsilver wolverines from inside her gossamer gamebag.
The soldiers of the heraldic unit draw their colors, unfurling their banners all at once.
Imroth asks, "Take these out real fast?"
Aerilia nods in agreement.
Lileath swings her icesteel estoc in an overhead arc.
Ollythander nods.
Saragos says, "Northeast. Ok, Illiya, make sure people know. I'm moving the group to look for him."
Imroth examines the heraldic unit.
Illiya nods.
Saragos says, "Moving in 5 roughly NE."
Crobin says, "See if he can talk before we kill."
Illiya gestures at Crobin.
Saragos nods to Crobin.
Maraisel points at the heraldic unit.
Ollythander slings a steel lance off from over his shoulder.
Saragos says, "Agreed, we want to talk."
Nispey taps a metal target shield that he is wearing.
Saragos says, "Moving now."
Searching for Asildu
You follow Saragos east.
[Journalai Route, Kaerna Outskirts]
The grasslands lap like waves at the edge of Kaerna Village to the east. The small, dun-colored houses of the town endure silently, islands in a sea of green. To the west the land begins to take on a more rolling form, an abrupt and unusual change from the endless plains that stretch to the north and south.
Vaerek says, "Sounds like he's singing the song."
You follow Saragos east.
[Kaerna Village, Intersection]
Even in the cool of the night the village remains active. A soft, cheery glow shines from the windows and open doorway of the Gilded Unicorn Inn, and a few traders are yet about; checking their camels, inspecting their wagons, or preparing for the morning's excursions to come. The stars overhead seem to stretch on forever, the moons smiling benevolently down on the sleeping village. You also see a roadsign.
You follow Saragos northeast.
[Kaerna Village, By the General Store]
A few residences huddle here, alternately shouldered up against the back of the Gilded Unicorn Inn and the sides of the general store. The store is squat but neat, its exterior newly whitewashed and a small garden carefully cultivated outside it. You also see the town gate.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group went through the town gate.
[Northern Trade Road, Kaerna Outskirts]
The wooden wall surrounding the tiny waystop of Kaerna is a visible line drawn between the plains and hamlet. Thick grasses and shrubs growing against the protective barrier seem intent upon reclaiming the village's side-by-side buildings for the prairie. Off to one side stands an abandoned militia shack, a silent casualty to the ongoing war between civilization and nature. You also see a weathered wooden sign, a trailmarker burned into a sun-bleached slat of wood and the town gate.
You follow Saragos northwest.
[Northern Trade Road, Open Grasslands]
The wind rushes through the grass, making a soft shirring sound. Occasionally you catch the crackle of movement or the twitterings of birds, but any sounds of civilization generated by something other than yourself seem like the sort of thing you would think up in a dream.
You follow Saragos northwest.
[Northern Trade Road, Open Grasslands]
Miles upon miles of uncivilized land lie before you, devoid of any sign of humanity. A shifting sea of brown, green, and tan grasses rises about you, rustling with the movement of the occasional bird or butterfly that dares to plunge down into the vegetation. A line of dark mountains rises to the north, shadowed and gloomy, they climb abruptly from the grasslands.
Crobin says, "Glad he is singing."
You follow Saragos north.
[Northern Trade Road, Foothills]
The road rises along the curve of a low hill that slopes down to the south into open grasslands. The rocky crest of the hill rises sharply above you as you toil along the well-kept roadway. Local stones from the hillside have been smoothed and shaped to form the roadbed and the footing is good. Northwards though, the hills shift quickly into steep mountains.
You follow Saragos east.
[Northern Trade Road, Foothills]
You crest a low hill that gives a far-reaching view. To the north a line of mountains rises steeply from the surrounding hills, while southward the hills fade out to forest and plain. Far to the south, a heavy haze obscures the view, but you glimpse the occasional flash of open water.
You follow Saragos east.
[Northern Trade Road, Foothills]
You travel through a small dell that rises northwards into a narrow pass. You follow the path with your eyes until it fades from view among the steeply rising mountains. Southward a low hill rises, bearing the roadway along its shoulders. A Trader's Guild outpost sits alongside the stony trail. You also see The Guild Stables, a weathered roadsign, a stony trail and a stone marker.
You follow Saragos north.
[Northern Trade Road, Mountain Trail]
The roadway is made from cracked stone that seems to have fallen from the steep rocky shoulders of a mountain whose flank forms a boundary along your path. Rising steeply to the north and falling away to low hills to the south, the road cuts a narrow path among the mountains.
You follow Saragos north.
[Northern Trade Road, Mountain Trail]
You edge along a steep drop as the road narrows sharply in order to work its way along a narrow ridge of rock. Snow-capped peaks tower overhead and an occasional eagle or hawk can be seen soaring on the high-road of the sky far overhead. You envy them their direct routes as you gaze over the lip of the road and note the crumbling stone along its rim.
You follow Saragos northeast.
[Northern Trade Road, Mountain Pass]
The road passes onto an almost level area as you work your way through a narrow gap in the mountains. Huge boulders that have tumbled loose from the escarpments above you cause you to keep a wary eye out for more such unwelcome fellow-travellers. A tiny roadside shrine has been erected here, perhaps by someone who made a lucky escape from such an avalanche of stone.
Aerilia nibbles her lip thoughtfully.
You follow Saragos north.
[Northern Trade Road, Mountain Trail]
A huge boulder blocks much of the road, but room remains to squeeze by between it and the mountain wall. One broken and shattered bone shows you that someone or something was far less fortunate in times past. You look nervously up at the rock-strewn slopes above you and mutter a short prayer that the boulders rest easily these days.
You follow Saragos east.
[Northern Trade Road, Mountain Trail]
The road rises sharply to the west as it wends among the steep mountains. Eastward, it falls away into a narrow, heavily-wooded valley. Evidence of frequent landslides shows in the piles of rock and small boulders that make passage here uneven and slightly risky.
You follow Saragos east.
[Northern Trade Road, Wooded Valley]
Thick woods grow heavily along the shoulders of the roadway, blocking both sky and sight after a short distance. Several sets of wolf tracks are evident in the heavy leaf mould under some of the trees. Troublesome travelers' tales describing the forest's dangers come to mind as the journey continues through the close-set trees.
You follow Saragos northeast.
[Northern Trade Road, Wooded Valley]
You come upon a small clearing in the heavy woods that allows a view of the sky. A faint path can be made out that wanders into the trees, but it fades off before you can wonder about where it might lead. There is an unnerving quiet here, even the wind seems to have died. You feel a stranger in this wild place, perhaps an unwelcome stranger.
Lileath glances at Saragos.
You follow Saragos northeast.
[Northern Trade Road, Wooded Valley]
Tall trees grow close along both sides of the road. Small animals skitter among the branches overhead and dart among low-growing shrubs that eke out an existence in the deep shade of the forest. Something taller than you has clawed the bark off a tree trunk several feet overhead and you wonder just where the beast that wore such claws is currently.
You follow Saragos northwest.
[Northern Trade Road, Foothills]
Tall trees grow thickly to the south as the road climbs into a narrow valley. Northwards, the land opens out into rolling hills that fade off into the looming shadow of several sharp mountain peaks, each distinct from the other.
[General] Your mind hears Casari thinking, "No."
You follow Saragos north.
[Northern Trade Road, Foothills]
Heavily wooded hills rise on both sides as the roadway winds among them. The air is dead and stale, any breeze is blocked by the trees and hills. Clouds of gnats and worse seem to follow you, getting in your mouth and hair. There is a faint smell of damp earth and rotting vegetation. You also see a destroyed caravan.
You follow Saragos north.
[Northern Trade Road, Rolling Hills]
Massive flocks of small black birds wheel and dive among the low hills on either side. They seem to be feeding on the dense swarms of midges and other insects that lurk in the heavy air. A miasma of musty smells and unknown odors roils in your nostrils. The ground to the north descends into a faint mist or cloud in the air.
You follow Saragos north.
[Northern Trade Road, Grasslands]
A cloud of flint-dry dust rises on every breeze, making you sneeze. For the most part, you see the grasslands about you in a state of decay and near death. Mountains rising sharply in the south form a counterpoint to others, sharper yet, that loom northwards. Saw-edged peaks and broken crowns indicate their origins as volcanoes in the not-so-distant past. You also see a charred tree stump.
You follow Saragos north.
[Northern Trade Road, Open Grasslands]
Eroded wagon ruts cause you to notice that this road was once travelled with a greater frequency than it is now. While safe from becoming overgrown by the dying grasses of the plains, this part of the trail is crumbling from disuse and the encroaching dust.
You follow Saragos north.
[Northern Trade Road, Open Grasslands]
The winds veer around you, catching the grasses and your clothing in their grip and tugging like beggars vying for attention. Flowers, closed for the evening, bob along in time with the lonely music the breezes create with the plains. You can hear the babble of rushing water coming from the north.
You follow Saragos north.
[Northern Trade Road, River's Bank]
A narrow river rushes past you on its way southwest, its turbulent grey waters creating a deafening roar. To the north the land changes dramatically from plains to the darker, more verdant green of meadows. To the south stretches a narrow strip of grassland. A sturdy wood and stone bridge spans the river, allowing safe passage. You also see a roadsign.
You follow Saragos east.
[Stream Bank]
Smooth rounded pebbles, bleached by the sun to a pearly white, line the rocky bed of a sparkling stream. Not much wider than a strong leap could carry you, the brook flows gently over clean stones, occassionally parting for a large rock thrust from its center. Green clumps of reeds prospering along the grassy bank offer a safe haven to the shy water creatures which make their home here.
[Stream Bank]
Smooth rounded pebbles, bleached by the sun to a pearly white, line the rocky bed of a sparkling stream. Not much wider than a strong leap could carry you, the brook flows gently over clean stones, occassionally parting for a large rock thrust from its center. Green clumps of reeds prospering along the grassy bank offer a safe haven to the shy water creatures which make their home here.
(travel)
[General] Your mind hears Illiya thinking, "Asildu was spotted on the NTR and we are in pursuit. We were attacked by drake fire during the Zoluren Defense training"
After a moment's silence a spotted storm-grey lynx with piercing blue eyes appears, lands, and glances up at Saragos expectantly.
The storm-grey lynx pads off.
Saragos asks, "Vaerek, try a locate?"
You follow Saragos south.
[Northern Trade Road, Open Grasslands]
The winds veer around you, catching the grasses and your clothing in their grip and tugging like beggars vying for attention. Flowers, closed for the evening, bob along in time with the lonely music the breezes create with the plains. You can hear the babble of rushing water coming from the north.
[General] Your mind hears Asildu thinking, "I... can't..."
You follow Saragos south.
[Northern Trade Road, Open Grasslands]
Eroded wagon ruts cause you to notice that this road was once travelled with a greater frequency than it is now. While safe from becoming overgrown by the dying grasses of the plains, this part of the trail is crumbling from disuse and the encroaching dust.
You follow Saragos south.
[Northern Trade Road, Grasslands]
A cloud of flint-dry dust rises on every breeze, making you sneeze. For the most part, you see the grasslands about you in a state of decay and near death. Mountains rising sharply in the south form a counterpoint to others, sharper yet, that loom northwards. Saw-edged peaks and broken crowns indicate their origins as volcanoes in the not-so-distant past. You also see a charred tree stump.
You follow Saragos south.
[Northern Trade Road, Rolling Hills]
Massive flocks of small black birds wheel and dive among the low hills on either side. They seem to be feeding on the dense swarms of midges and other insects that lurk in the heavy air. A miasma of musty smells and unknown odors roils in your nostrils. The ground to the north descends into a faint mist or cloud in the air.
You follow Saragos south.
[Northern Trade Road, Foothills]
Heavily wooded hills rise on both sides as the roadway winds among them. The air is dead and stale, any breeze is blocked by the trees and hills. Clouds of gnats and worse seem to follow you, getting in your mouth and hair. There is a faint smell of damp earth and rotting vegetation. You also see a destroyed caravan.
You follow Saragos south.
[Northern Trade Road, Foothills]
Tall trees grow thickly to the south as the road climbs into a narrow valley. Northwards, the land opens out into rolling hills that fade off into the looming shadow of several sharp mountain peaks, each distinct from the other.
You follow Saragos southeast.
[Northern Trade Road, Wooded Valley]
Tall trees grow close along both sides of the road. Small animals skitter among the branches overhead and dart among low-growing shrubs that eke out an existence in the deep shade of the forest. Something taller than you has clawed the bark off a tree trunk several feet overhead and you wonder just where the beast that wore such claws is currently.
You follow Saragos southwest.
[Northern Trade Road, Wooded Valley]
You come upon a small clearing in the heavy woods that allows a view of the sky. A faint path can be made out that wanders into the trees, but it fades off before you can wonder about where it might lead. There is an unnerving quiet here, even the wind seems to have died. You feel a stranger in this wild place, perhaps an unwelcome stranger.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group went down a faint path.
[Wilderness, Overgrown Path]
Though deep, the darkness isn't complete and the chirring sounds of insects fills the air. Pressing in all around, a thicket of scrub and brush make passage difficult. What little light there is comes from the east. All other directions stare back with an opaque blackness as thick as tar. You also see an Inkhorne.
Lileath says, "He is thinking to the gweth."
[General] Your mind hears Casari thinking, "Are you yourself?"
[General] Your mind hears Illiya thinking, "Asildu, we'd like to talk to you"
[General] Your mind hears Kerennya thinking, "you can't what, Asildu?"
Saragos searches around for a moment.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group went down a faint path.
[Northern Trade Road, Wooded Valley]
You come upon a small clearing in the heavy woods that allows a view of the sky. A faint path can be made out that wanders into the trees, but it fades off before you can wonder about where it might lead. There is an unnerving quiet here, even the wind seems to have died. You feel a stranger in this wild place, perhaps an unwelcome stranger.
You follow Saragos southwest.
[Northern Trade Road, Wooded Valley]
Thick woods grow heavily along the shoulders of the roadway, blocking both sky and sight after a short distance. Several sets of wolf tracks are evident in the heavy leaf mould under some of the trees. Troublesome travelers' tales describing the forest's dangers come to mind as the journey continues through the close-set trees.
You follow Saragos west.
[Northern Trade Road, Mountain Trail]
The road rises sharply to the west as it wends among the steep mountains. Eastward, it falls away into a narrow, heavily-wooded valley. Evidence of frequent landslides shows in the piles of rock and small boulders that make passage here uneven and slightly risky.
[General] Your mind hears Tirost thinking, "Resist their influence, Asildu! Think of Miraena."
You follow Saragos west.
[Northern Trade Road, Mountain Trail]
A huge boulder blocks much of the road, but room remains to squeeze by between it and the mountain wall. One broken and shattered bone shows you that someone or something was far less fortunate in times past. You look nervously up at the rock-strewn slopes above you and mutter a short prayer that the boulders rest easily these days.
[General] Your mind hears Crobin thinking, "Asildu let us help if we can"
You follow Saragos south.
[Northern Trade Road, Mountain Pass]
The road passes onto an almost level area as you work your way through a narrow gap in the mountains. Huge boulders that have tumbled loose from the escarpments above you cause you to keep a wary eye out for more such unwelcome fellow-travellers. A tiny roadside shrine has been erected here, perhaps by someone who made a lucky escape from such an avalanche of stone.
You follow Saragos southwest.
[Northern Trade Road, Mountain Trail]
You edge along a steep drop as the road narrows sharply in order to work its way along a narrow ridge of rock. Snow-capped peaks tower overhead and an occasional eagle or hawk can be seen soaring on the high-road of the sky far overhead. You envy them their direct routes as you gaze over the lip of the road and note the crumbling stone along its rim.
You follow Saragos south.
[Northern Trade Road, Mountain Trail]
The roadway is made from cracked stone that seems to have fallen from the steep rocky shoulders of a mountain whose flank forms a boundary along your path. Rising steeply to the north and falling away to low hills to the south, the road cuts a narrow path among the mountains.
You follow Saragos south.
[Northern Trade Road, Foothills]
You travel through a small dell that rises northwards into a narrow pass. You follow the path with your eyes until it fades from view among the steeply rising mountains. Southward a low hill rises, bearing the roadway along its shoulders. A Trader's Guild outpost sits alongside the stony trail. You also see The Guild Stables, a weathered roadsign, a stony trail and a stone marker.
You follow Saragos west.
[Northern Trade Road, Foothills]
You crest a low hill that gives a far-reaching view. To the north a line of mountains rises steeply from the surrounding hills, while southward the hills fade out to forest and plain. Far to the south, a heavy haze obscures the view, but you glimpse the occasional flash of open water.
[General] Your mind hears Kerennya thinking, "you can't what, Asildu?"
You follow Saragos west.
[Northern Trade Road, Foothills]
The road rises along the curve of a low hill that slopes down to the south into open grasslands. The rocky crest of the hill rises sharply above you as you toil along the well-kept roadway. Local stones from the hillside have been smoothed and shaped to form the roadbed and the footing is good. Northwards though, the hills shift quickly into steep mountains.
You follow Saragos south.
[Northern Trade Road, Open Grasslands]
Miles upon miles of uncivilized land lie before you, devoid of any sign of humanity. A shifting sea of brown, green, and tan grasses rises about you, rustling with the movement of the occasional bird or butterfly that dares to plunge down into the vegetation. A line of dark mountains rises to the north, shadowed and gloomy, they climb abruptly from the grasslands.
You follow Saragos southeast.
[Northern Trade Road, Open Grasslands]
The wind rushes through the grass, making a soft shirring sound. Occasionally you catch the crackle of movement or the twitterings of birds, but any sounds of civilization generated by something other than yourself seem like the sort of thing you would think up in a dream.
[General] Your mind hears Couri thinking, "Fight it, Asildu let us help ye"
You follow Saragos southeast.
[Northern Trade Road, Kaerna Outskirts]
The wooden wall surrounding the tiny waystop of Kaerna is a visible line drawn between the plains and hamlet. Thick grasses and shrubs growing against the protective barrier seem intent upon reclaiming the village's side-by-side buildings for the prairie. Off to one side stands an abandoned militia shack, a silent casualty to the ongoing war between civilization and nature. You also see a weathered wooden sign, a trailmarker burned into a sun-bleached slat of wood and the town gate.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group went through the town gate.
[Kaerna Village, By the General Store]
A few residences huddle here, alternately shouldered up against the back of the Gilded Unicorn Inn and the sides of the general store. The store is squat but neat, its exterior newly whitewashed and a small garden carefully cultivated outside it. You also see the town gate.
You follow Saragos southwest.
[Kaerna Village, Intersection]
Even in the cool of the night the village remains active. A soft, cheery glow shines from the windows and open doorway of the Gilded Unicorn Inn, and a few traders are yet about; checking their camels, inspecting their wagons, or preparing for the morning's excursions to come. The stars overhead seem to stretch on forever, the moons smiling benevolently down on the sleeping village. You also see a roadsign.
[General] Your mind hears Kerennya thinking, "Oops, sorry for the repeat!"
You follow Saragos west.
[Journalai Route, Kaerna Outskirts]
The grasslands lap like waves at the edge of Kaerna Village to the east. The small, dun-colored houses of the town endure silently, islands in a sea of green. To the west the land begins to take on a more rolling form, an abrupt and unusual change from the endless plains that stretch to the north and south.
You follow Saragos west.
[Journalai Route, Open Grasslands]
The grasslands here are caught between the presence of rolling hills to the west and the small village of Kaerna to the east. To the north and south is nothing but empty plains, wind-twisted and long ignored by humanity. You also see a stark black banner slowly dripping drops of phantasmal blood, a pile of rocks and a barricade that blocks passage northwest.
You follow Saragos east.
[Journalai Route, Kaerna Outskirts]
The grasslands lap like waves at the edge of Kaerna Village to the east. The small, dun-colored houses of the town endure silently, islands in a sea of green. To the west the land begins to take on a more rolling form, an abrupt and unusual change from the endless plains that stretch to the north and south.
You follow Saragos east.
[Kaerna Village, Intersection]
Even in the cool of the night the village remains active. A soft, cheery glow shines from the windows and open doorway of the Gilded Unicorn Inn, and a few traders are yet about; checking their camels, inspecting their wagons, or preparing for the morning's excursions to come. The stars overhead seem to stretch on forever, the moons smiling benevolently down on the sleeping village. You also see a roadsign.
[General] Your mind hears Asildu thinking, "I'm... trying..."
You follow Saragos northeast.
[Kaerna Village, By the General Store]
A few residences huddle here, alternately shouldered up against the back of the Gilded Unicorn Inn and the sides of the general store. The store is squat but neat, its exterior newly whitewashed and a small garden carefully cultivated outside it. You also see the town gate.
(travel)
Illiya says, "He says he's trying."
Aerilia furrows her brow.
Couri nods.
Saragos says, "He's in Zaulfung."
Aerilia says, "Oh dear."
Imroth narrows his eyes.
Saragos says, "Heading North to the Faldesu."
Crobin asks, "The swamp?"
[General] Your mind hears Ollythander thinking, "Focus on the song, focus on what brings you joy. Remember who you are."
Illiya nods.
Aerilia nods.
You follow Saragos out.
[Northern Trade Road, Kaerna Outskirts]
The wooden wall surrounding the tiny waystop of Kaerna is a visible line drawn between the plains and hamlet. Thick grasses and shrubs growing against the protective barrier seem intent upon reclaiming the village's side-by-side buildings for the prairie. Off to one side stands an abandoned militia shack, a silent casualty to the ongoing war between civilization and nature. You also see a weathered wooden sign, a trailmarker burned into a sun-bleached slat of wood and the town gate.
(more travel)
[General] Your mind hears Ezerak thinking, "Remember who you are."
[General] Your mind hears Casari thinking, "Where are you?"
You follow Saragos northwest.
[The Marsh, Stone Road]
A large stone bridge that once spanned the river here now lies in ruins. The town of Riverhaven, the bridge's original destination, sits on the other side. Gazing at the town, you notice that the orange glow of the town's street torches forms an eerie dome in the night sky. To the southeast, a wall of reeds creeps down from a group of trees into the river and attempts to survive the currents of the river.
Imroth gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Saragos asks, "Ok, anyone who can't swim this?"
[General] Your mind hears Crobin thinking, "They are right, remember who you are...focus on that, use the coin"
Saragos gets a distant look on his face.
Illiya gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Nispey raises his hand.
Couri gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Ollythander says, "I cannot."
Aerilia says, "I may be a little slow, but I can make it."
Aerilia gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
[General] Your mind hears Asildu thinking, "I'm in a swamp. I think this might be safe for me?"
Crobin says, "I can get one across I am sure."
Ollythander slings a steel lance over his shoulder.
Vaerek gestures.
Ollythander says, "If you need to leave me, then just go."
Crobin says, "Jump in Olly."
[General] Your mind hears Asildu thinking, "The stones are supposed to protect, right?"
Ollythander says, "This is more important."
Saragos asks Crobin, "Ok, I'll drag, you'll drag?"
Crobin says, "I got you."
[General] Your mind hears Kystrk thinking, "sounds super safe, go with your gut"
Ollythander gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Crobin gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Strawberry Nurse Illiya came out of the Faldesu river.
Saragos says, "Jump in Olly, Nispey, we'll drag."
Firehawk Casari just arrived.
Sir Imroth came out of the Faldesu river.
Saragos says, "We'll meet on the other side."
Nispey gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Casari gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Illiya nods.
Saragos gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Illiya gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Imroth gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Stellar Statistician Urbaj just arrived.
[General] Your mind hears Ollythander thinking, "Let's turn seconds in to Roisaen, focus on who you are."
Vaerek gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Urbaj gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
Maraisel gracefully dives into the Faldesu river.
(swimming)
[General] Your mind hears Crobin thinking, "We are coming to you"
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group climbed up a stone bridge.
[Riverhaven, Stone Bridge]
The lanes outside the eastern gate of Riverhaven are crowded with the bustle of street peddlers and merchant wagons coming and going in a great rush to sell their wares. Beggars line the paved road, aware that the more influential and wealthy folks use this gate. They hover, hands extended, hoping that a moment of kindness and charity might befall them. A stone bridge that once provided passage across the river is now little more than a crumbling stone pier used by some local fishermen. You also see a boggy path along a river and a crude bloodstained altar near the rubble of the old bridge.
Ollythander nods.
Strawberry Nurse Illiya came out of the Faldesu river.
Crobin joins Saragos's group.
Ollythander joins Saragos's group.
Crobin says, "Join sara."
Illiya joins Saragos's group.
Crobin says, "Saragos."
Karthor joins Saragos's group.
Sublime Mender Kerennya came out of the Faldesu river.
Sublime Mender Kerennya glides northeast.
Illiya takes a sip of her cider.
Ollythander snaps to attention and hails Saragos with a crisp hand salute.
Sir Imroth came out of the Faldesu river.
Imroth joins Saragos's group.
Nispey says to Saragos, "Thank you."
Imroth nods.
Saragos gets a distant look on his face.
Karthor says, "H'lo folks."
Nispey pants.
Illiya takes a sip of her cider.
Saragos nods to Nispey.
Illiya waves to Karthor.
Healer Aerilia came out of the Faldesu river.
Aerilia joins Saragos's group.
Sir Madigan came out of the Faldesu river.
Crobin says, "Howdy."
Sir Madigan went through the east gate.
[General] Your mind hears Ollythander thinking, "You have a favorite drink friend, a favorite snack?"
Saragos says, "Ok, he's in the Zaulfung in a Dense Thicket. I don't know exactly where that is, so we're going to have to look."
Aerilia nods.
Ollythander nods to Saragos.
Crobin says, "He is heading to the stones it sounds like."
Imroth says, "Let's go look."
Sir Madigan came through the east gate.
Sir Madigan goes northeast.
Crobin scans the area briefly.
Saragos says, "Ez found him. Good."
Saragos says, "Moving in 5."
Illiya nods.
Imroth says, "I am not keen on being nice to him, so I hope y'all find him first."
Ollythander nods to Saragos.
You follow Saragos northeast.
[Riverhaven Road, South Road]
The dirt surface of the South Road is trampled and wide at this point from the heavy traffic of merchant wagons and travelers. Following the natural cut through the foothills, the road continues northward and dips out of sight. A faint moisture hangs in the air from the Faldesu river directly to the south. The eastern gate of Riverhaven can be seen off to the southwest. You also see some ornate iron gates.
(travel)
You follow Saragos west.
[Zaulfung, Standing Stones]
This circular clearing is dominated by the presence of two imposing standing stones, silent sentinels of an ancient power. A shadow deeper than the night reaches across the clearing from the south, while at the north end the stark grey stone looms pale and ghostlike. You also see a black standing stone.
You follow Saragos southwest.
[Zaulfung, Boar Trail]
The bare dirt of the trail is extremely uneven thanks to the digging of boars and the crisscrossing of thick, tough bladebrush roots. Extra care must be taken to avoid spraining an ankle.
Saragos trips as he passes by, but executes a casual roll and bounds back to his feet. You follow Saragos south.
[Zaulfung, Boar Trail]
The path is wide enough here for a full-sized carriage, though it would undoubtedly break an axle on the rough and broken ground. A column of ants marches purposefully across the trail.
Saragos quickly steps around the exposed roots. You follow Saragos southeast.
[Zaulfung, Boar Trail]
The path is made treacherous by roots as big around as a barbarian's bicep. If it is supposed to be leading somewhere in particular, it's taking neither the most direct nor the easiest route. It opens up into a marshy clearing to the south and meanders northwest to drier ground. A large spider pauses its work to regard you dispassionately from its web in a nearby scrub pine.
Saragos scans the area briefly.
Illiya says to Imroth, "He said he's trying.."
You follow Saragos south.
[Zaulfung, Marsh]
The tangle of scrub to the north gives way to more open terrain here, where the vegetation is too thin to hold back the cold wind. A rough trail twists haphazardly northward, apparently the work of a half-mad boar or a drunken band of Gor'Tog rangers. You also see a tiny frog.
Imroth sighs.
You follow Saragos east.
[Zaulfung, Marsh]
Through a curtain of dead Vilt stalks, you can see a weed-choked pond to the east. A pair of baleful orange eyes stares at you from the center of the pond, the only part of some unspeakable creature not submerged in the noisome water. You also see some dead Vilt stalks.
You follow Saragos south.
[Zaulfung, Marsh]
Each step leaves a deep impression in the boggy earth. Not surprisingly, a pair of boots are stuck in the mud here. The ground looks a bit drier and more solid to the west, but softer and muddier to the south. Beyond the pond to the east, there is no promise of drier ground. You also see a swampy mire and a pair of rotting boots.
Aerilia says, "We should give him a chance, at least."
Ollythander smiles at Imroth.
You follow Saragos south.
[Zaulfung, Marsh]
The Zaulfung stretches out endlessly to your east, though there are no notable landmarks to guide your passage through the treacherous swamp. A lone Troiliff flower grows here among the more common grasses and weeds. You also see a faint trail leading into the swamp.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group wandered over to a faint trail leading into the swamp.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
All here is mire and misery. It is difficult to tell where the pond ends and the land begins, for walking in either produces the same squishy result. The disquieting squelch of some untold creature stalking through the swamp makes you long for drier ground. You also see a weeping ghost.
You follow Saragos east.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
While most swamps are home to hundreds of species of plants, birds, and reptiles, this one is lacking in vitality and variety. One could paint this swamp in three colors: grey, grey-brown, and grey-green. Even the birdsong is monotonous and melancholy.
You follow Saragos east.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
An abundance of standing water makes this a fine and fitting home for mosquitoes and weeds, but little else. The ground to the west is higher and drier, though a double row of Vilt stalks to the north indicates a causeway between two ponds.
You follow Saragos north.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
This would be a land bridge between two ponds, if only it weren't half a foot underwater. It doesn't seem to be a natural formation, though why any builder would bother in this reeking morass is anyone's guess. The causeway, demarcated by dead Vilt stalks, rises slightly as it progresses to the northeast.
A dyrachis just arrived!
A dyrachis just arrived!
A dyrachis just arrived!
A spiny dyrachis bristles menacingly, puffing itself up to enormous size.
A spiny dyrachis bristles menacingly, puffing itself up to enormous size.
You follow Saragos northeast.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
Mud, your constant companion, squelches in your boots, is caked on your clothing and matted in your hair. The only escape from it is to wash it off with fetid pond water, an unpalatable prospect. The mud continues to the north but seems less pervasive to the northwest, while the southwest route is flooded but passable. You also see a spiny dyrachis, a curving path leading deeper into the swamp and a spiny dyrachis.
You follow Saragos northwest.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
An unnerving wail breaks out suddenly. It takes a moment to realize it's not a banshee, just a sudden gust of wind, colder than it should be. This whole area feels quite chill, as if something had leached out all the warmth. You also see a spiny dyrachis and a thicket of briar brush.
You follow Saragos north.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
This narrow patch of dry ground has the appearance of gradually losing a battle on two fronts. It is sinking slowly into the encroaching bog, while a conquering army of briars marches inch by inch, year by year, to close off the remaining space. There are no apparent trails through the brush. You also see a spiny dyrachis and a spiny dyrachis.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group wandered into some thick brush.
[Zaulfung, Deer Trail]
Countless deer have left deep tracks in the soft soil en route to a watering hole to the southeast. However, their prints are somewhat eroded, as if the trail has been recently abandoned. A northwesterly breeze carries with it a whiff of decay.
You follow Saragos southeast.
[Zaulfung, Watering Hole]
This watering hole is the final destination of the trail. Final seems to be the operative word for the unlucky deer, several days dead, which lies rotting on the shore. Even without the stench and the flies, one look at the fouled water is enough to discourage you from lingering for a drink.
You follow Saragos northwest.
[Zaulfung, Deer Trail]
Countless deer have left deep tracks in the soft soil en route to a watering hole to the southeast. However, their prints are somewhat eroded, as if the trail has been recently abandoned. A northwesterly breeze carries with it a whiff of decay.
[General] Your mind hears Casari thinking, "You're not at the stones I assumed you meant."
Sir Imroth trudges northwest.
Crobin scans the area briefly.
Saragos gets a distant look on his face.
Aerilia tilts her head to one side.
Illiya says, "Not within sensing range."
You follow Saragos northwest.
[Zaulfung, Standing Stones]
This circular clearing is dominated by the presence of two imposing standing stones, silent sentinels of an ancient power. A shadow deeper than the night reaches across the clearing from the south, while at the north end the stark grey stone looms pale and ghostlike. You also see a black standing stone.
You follow Saragos southwest.
[Zaulfung, Boar Trail]
The bare dirt of the trail is extremely uneven thanks to the digging of boars and the crisscrossing of thick, tough bladebrush roots. Extra care must be taken to avoid spraining an ankle.
Roots and dirt explode up around Saragos's feet as he barrels through the area. You follow Saragos south.
[Zaulfung, Boar Trail]
The path is wide enough here for a full-sized carriage, though it would undoubtedly break an axle on the rough and broken ground. A column of ants marches purposefully across the trail. You also see a wild boar.
Saragos trips as he passes by, but executes a casual roll and bounds back to his feet. You follow Saragos southeast.
[Zaulfung, Boar Trail]
The path is made treacherous by roots as big around as a barbarian's bicep. If it is supposed to be leading somewhere in particular, it's taking neither the most direct nor the easiest route. It opens up into a marshy clearing to the south and meanders northwest to drier ground. A large spider pauses its work to regard you dispassionately from its web in a nearby scrub pine.
Saragos hops from root to root as he passes through the area. You follow Saragos south.
[Zaulfung, Marsh]
The tangle of scrub to the north gives way to more open terrain here, where the vegetation is too thin to hold back the cold wind. A rough trail twists haphazardly northward, apparently the work of a half-mad boar or a drunken band of Gor'Tog rangers. You also see a tiny frog.
You follow Saragos east.
[Zaulfung, Marsh]
Through a curtain of dead Vilt stalks, you can see a weed-choked pond to the east. A pair of baleful orange eyes stares at you from the center of the pond, the only part of some unspeakable creature not submerged in the noisome water. You also see some dead Vilt stalks.
You follow Saragos south.
[Zaulfung, Marsh]
Each step leaves a deep impression in the boggy earth. Not surprisingly, a pair of boots are stuck in the mud here. The ground looks a bit drier and more solid to the west, but softer and muddier to the south. Beyond the pond to the east, there is no promise of drier ground. You also see a wild boar, a swampy mire and a pair of rotting boots.
You follow Saragos south.
[Zaulfung, Marsh]
The Zaulfung stretches out endlessly to your east, though there are no notable landmarks to guide your passage through the treacherous swamp. A lone Troiliff flower grows here among the more common grasses and weeds. You also see a faint trail leading into the swamp.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group wandered over to a faint trail leading into the swamp.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
All here is mire and misery. It is difficult to tell where the pond ends and the land begins, for walking in either produces the same squishy result. The disquieting squelch of some untold creature stalking through the swamp makes you long for drier ground. You also see a weeping ghost.
You follow Saragos east.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
While most swamps are home to hundreds of species of plants, birds, and reptiles, this one is lacking in vitality and variety. One could paint this swamp in three colors: grey, grey-brown, and grey-green. Even the birdsong is monotonous and melancholy.
You follow Saragos east.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
An abundance of standing water makes this a fine and fitting home for mosquitoes and weeds, but little else. The ground to the west is higher and drier, though a double row of Vilt stalks to the north indicates a causeway between two ponds.
You follow Saragos north.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
This would be a land bridge between two ponds, if only it weren't half a foot underwater. It doesn't seem to be a natural formation, though why any builder would bother in this reeking morass is anyone's guess. The causeway, demarcated by dead Vilt stalks, rises slightly as it progresses to the northeast.
You follow Saragos northeast.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
Mud, your constant companion, squelches in your boots, is caked on your clothing and matted in your hair. The only escape from it is to wash it off with fetid pond water, an unpalatable prospect. The mud continues to the north but seems less pervasive to the northwest, while the southwest route is flooded but passable. You also see a curving path leading deeper into the swamp.
You follow Saragos northwest.
[Zaulfung, Swamp]
An unnerving wail breaks out suddenly. It takes a moment to realize it's not a banshee, just a sudden gust of wind, colder than it should be. This whole area feels quite chill, as if something had leached out all the warmth. You also see a thicket of briar brush.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group wandered into a thicket of briar brush.
[Zaulfung, Dense Thicket]
Tall brittle bushes, sickly-grey and leafless, intertwine with an overgrowth of savage thorn-vine, leaving little room for unencumbered passage. Bent and broken branches, heavily laden with old insect cocoons, arch and weave into a thick canopy above, effectively blocking out light. You also see a spotted storm-grey lynx with piercing blue eyes that is sitting.
You follow Saragos south.
[Zaulfung, Dense Thicket]
A thousand thorns rip at your clothing and tear at your flesh. A family of spiders has created a bower of glistening, sticky webs strung between the branches and thorns of this dense thicket. The dull stench of rot and decay rises from the molding and mildewed leaves beneath your feet.
You follow Saragos south.
[Zaulfung, Thicket Clearing]
The brittle fingers of greyed and dying brush reach toward you imploringly from all sides. A ring of broken and yellow bones forms a formidable barrier around a gaping hole in the earth. A faint rustling interspersed with long periods of silence warns you of foreign eyes watching, and waiting.
You follow Saragos north.
[Zaulfung, Dense Thicket]
A thousand thorns rip at your clothing and tear at your flesh. A family of spiders has created a bower of glistening, sticky webs strung between the branches and thorns of this dense thicket. The dull stench of rot and decay rises from the molding and mildewed leaves beneath your feet.
You follow Saragos north.
[Zaulfung, Dense Thicket]
Tall brittle bushes, sickly-grey and leafless, intertwine with an overgrowth of savage thorn-vine, leaving little room for unencumbered passage. Bent and broken branches, heavily laden with old insect cocoons, arch and weave into a thick canopy above, effectively blocking out light. You also see a spotted storm-grey lynx with piercing blue eyes that is sitting.
Also here: Thinker Couri, Student Nispey, High Priestess Maraisel, Fearless Crobin, Pint-sized Paladin Ollythander, Strawberry Nurse Illiya, Bastion of Life Karthor, Healer Aerilia, Defier of the Heralds Saragos who has a stony visage, Mountain Lord Ezerak and Breath of the Heralds Asildu.
Obvious paths: south, out.
Asildu Speaks
[Zaulfung, Dense Thicket]
Tall brittle bushes, sickly-grey and leafless, intertwine with an overgrowth of savage thorn-vine, leaving little room for unencumbered passage. Bent and broken branches, heavily laden with old insect cocoons, arch and weave into a thick canopy above, effectively blocking out light. You also see a spotted storm-grey lynx with piercing blue eyes that is sitting.
Ezerak says, "Ah, there you are."
Asildu paces back and forth.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Kystrk's face.
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Asildu says, "I don't think they can see me."
Asildu gazes up at the sky.
Ezerak says, "Well, that one can."
Ezerak gazes up at the sky.
Asildu says, "That doesn't stop them from sensing me through the connection, but I'm hoping the stones might help."
Ezerak ponders.
Ezerak asks Asildu, "Do the stones hinder them?"
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
[General] Your mind hears Casari thinking, "You're not at the stones I assumed you meant."
Asildu says to Ezerak, "I don't know. I don't know that anything hinders them. I'm grasping at straws here."
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos's group just arrived.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos runs south, leading his group.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos just arrived, leading his group.
Asildu paces back and forth.
Illiya waves to Asildu.
Saragos nods.
Ollythander waves to Asildu.
Crobin pats Asildu on the back.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Darkgaze's face.
Crobin asks, "How can we help?"
Aerilia glances up at the sky.
[General] Your mind hears Asildu thinking, "I didn't want to stay out in the open."
Saragos says, "Hello, Asildu. We have not come to fight, but to help."
Ollythander nods.
Asildu nods.
Aerilia nods in agreement.
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Ollythander says, "I brought drinks if you're thirsty."
Asildu says, "That's good. I don't want to fight."
Sir Imroth just arrived.
Ollythander smiles at Asildu.
Crobin says, "Nor do we."
Imroth joins Saragos's group.
Ollythander rummages through a small ironwood treasure chest stamped with the letters "T.G." searching with intent, but it quickly becomes apparent he's not got a clue where to look.
Imroth glares at Asildu.
Aerilia nibbles her lip thoughtfully.
Couri whispers to your group, "any bard in the group ta figure out the song?"
Illiya asks Asildu, "How are you?"
Ollythander gets a glass of mint iced tea from inside his treasure chest.
Ollythander offers Asildu a glass of mint iced tea.
Karthor closes his eyes for a moment and grows still.
Saragos whispers to your group, "Don't think so."
Asildu says, "I felt a compulsion to fight at first, but I've been trying to fight it."
[General] Your mind hears Casari thinking, "I can't do anything for you if you're hiding. If there's anything that can be done in the first place."
[General] Your mind hears Baelor thinking, "trust no one."
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Crobin asks, "Is there anything we can do to help you focus?"
Ollythander nods to Asildu.
Asildu says, "I'm trying the song again. It worked before."
Saragos asks Asildu, "Is getting free of the Heralds and their anger something that you desire?"
Asildu says to Ollythander, "Oh..."
Ezerak asks Asildu, "Is it helping?"
Ollythander offers Asildu a glass of mint iced tea.
Asildu accepts Ollythander's mint iced tea.
Ollythander says to Asildu, "It's ok, I'm hard to notice."
Sir Madigan just arrived.
Asildu gazes at his tea.
Asildu says to Ollythander, "I'm very distracted."
Madigan scans the area briefly.
Ollythander exclaims to Asildu, "I can imagine!"
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Asildu says to Ollythander, "Thank you."
Harurs del Cawna Warbrolus just arrived.
Ollythander smiles at Asildu.
Asildu sniffs at a glass of mint iced tea.
Madigan sheathes his massive zweihander.
Ollythander says to Asildu, "I have food too, if you hunger."
Aerilia shifts her weight.
Crobin says, "You have many here trying to help."
Ollythander says, "I imagine someone hasn't offered you that in a while."
Madigan gets a mug of roasted coffee from inside his traveler's pack.
Asildu says to Ollythander, "Not in a very... very long time."
The air shimmers for a moment as Darkgaze's spell ends and he becomes visible once more.
Darkgaze nods politely to Madigan.
Ollythander gets some anglaise cream and juicy berries from inside his treasure chest.
Madigan snaps to attention and hails Darkgaze with a crisp hand salute.
Crobin nods to Ollythander.
You get an odd feeling that someone is watching you. It quickly passes.
Ollythander offers Asildu some anglaise cream and juicy berries.
Karthor strokes his beard in thoughtful contemplation.
Saragos says, "I think we are near to a shrine of Urrem'tier. If so, that might explain why you think they can't see you here. The influence of the Immortals might be able to shield you."
[General] Your mind hears Asildu thinking, "I can't stay in the open. The sky..."
Ollythander says to Asildu, "Well in case I don't get a chance again, here."
Ollythander smiles.
Aerilia nods to Saragos.
Imroth asks, "Do monsters like you eat?"
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Illiya gives Imroth a playful poke in the ribs.
Ollythander smiles at Asildu.
Asildu quietly says, "Monsters."
Asildu winces.
Imroth fixes Asildu with a solid, steady stare.
Illiya says to Asildu, "The last time we saw you, you appeared to be taken away by the Heralds rather abruptly."
Darkgaze says to Imroth, "Not sure Monster is the term I would use."
Asildu exhales involuntarily and shifts his stance, as if now under a heavy burden.
The shimmering ethereal shield fades from around Asildu.
Ezerak nods to Illiya.
Darkgaze says, "For someone that wreaks of elemental mana, but buffed to the teeth with holy."
Ezerak says, "It looked rather painful."
Darkgaze narrows his eyes.
Asildu says to Illiya, "The Heralds dislike disobedience."
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Vaerek just arrived.
Crobin says, "Oh they are going to hate me."
With a waver like a mirage, Damoone fades into view.
Damoone joins Madigan's group.
Illiya says to Asildu, "So we've come to gather.."
Darkgaze joins Madigan's group.
Warbrolus joins Madigan's group.
Ollythander exclaims to Asildu, "I think it's important you've made an attempt for this then!"
Aerilia says, "They don't seem to be particularly kind masters."
Madigan gestures.
Geysers of uncontrolled mana suddenly erupt from Madigan's flesh, illuminating the surroundings in an excruciating display of blue-black fire!
Saragos says to Asildu, "I can sympathize. When I was trying to rescue my friends, I felt the watchful eye of the Heralds all the time. I tried to speak in riddles, felt like I was going crazy. It was too much."
Ezerak nods to Saragos.
Forest Sprite Lileath just arrived.
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Illiya lays her hand on Madigan's arm.
Lileath joins Saragos's group.
Imroth shifts his weight.
Warbrolus smiles at Illiya.
Sublime Mender Kerennya just arrived.
Crobin hugs Kerennya, getting a smile in return.
Kerennya waves to Crobin.
Madigan says to Illiya, "Thank you Illiya."
Madigan smiles at Illiya.
Crobin asks, "The Heralds have disliked Holy magic yes?"
Illiya bobs a quick curtsy to Madigan.
Karthor says, "Yeesh, ya folks weren't kiddin' about the vines an' whatnot. Surely there's still a human in there somewhere."
Karthor strokes his beard in thoughtful contemplation.
Damoone searches around for a moment.
Imroth chuckles at Karthor.
Aerilia closes her eyes for a moment and grows still.
Imroth says to Karthor, "Maybe."
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Illiya says, "Asildu said he is trying, and I am prone to believe him."
Imroth says, "I am not sure there is anything left."
Asildu paces back and forth.
Damoone nods to Madigan.
Saragos says to Asildu, "I'll be honest, the only way I see out of the clutches of the Heralds for you, if that's something that you want, is to seek out the succor of the Immortals. We sought Their help in the past to shield our activities from the Heralds, and it seemed to help. I don't know if they can fully free you, but I think that's a task that's out of our power."
Aerilia nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.
Illiya asks Imroth, "Miraena was saved, why couldn't he be?"
Ollythander ponders.
Saragos says, "If I knew a way to blind their sight of us, I would have been using it for a long time."
Asildu says, "I don't think they can do anything for me so long as this connection exists."
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Ezerak ponders.
Kerennya hugs Crobin, who wraps his arms around Kerennya with a warm smile.
Roughneck Rileos just arrived.
Crobin asks, "Is there any holy magic that we can cast on you to help protect you?"
Asildu says, "My hope in coming here was that the stones that guard this swamp might somehow guard against other things, too. It's a stretch, I'm sure."
Crobin nods to Kerennya.
Ollythander ponders.
Firehawk Casari just arrived.
Darkgaze ponders.
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Asildu says to Crobin, "I can't say I know much about holy magic. I've spent my life studying the ways of the Bards."
Crobin asks, "Would a bit of sorcery weaken the link?"
Ollythander says to Asildu, "It's good that you've made the attempt, it couldn't have been easy."
Asildu winces.
Ollythander smiles at Asildu.
Aerilia says, "This may work as a temporary measure, but if you want to stay out of the grip of the Heralds forever, I agree with Saragos. Seek the protection of the Immortals once again."
Asildu quietly says, "Sorcery... I hate sorcery..."
Imroth smirks.
Casari says to Asildu, "Are you okay? The last time I saw you, you seemed to be obliterated."
Crobin says, "So do the Heralds which is why I wondered if it would weaken the link with you."
Ezerak nods at Casari, obviously agreeing with her views.
Illiya says to Asildu, "Miraena was saved by embracing the Immortals, so there's reason to believe you could be too."
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Couri says, "Do ye hate it or do they tell ye.."
Asildu says to Illiya, "Miraena didn't have a connection to the Heralds. She had only the visions. I hope they no longer plague her."
Illiya ponders.
Karthor strokes his beard in thoughtful contemplation.
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Rileos scratches distractedly at his beard.
Ollythander puts his berries in his treasure chest.
Warbrolus gently slides his palm along the surface of the vessel, causing crimson light to flare around him.
Imroth nods to Saragos.
Darkgaze ponders.
Illiya asks Asildu, "How does the connection work? Can it be severed?"
Asildu says to Casari, "I think I'm mostly in one piece. One... very monstrous piece."
Imroth twitches.
Illiya glances at Imroth.
Crobin pats Asildu on the back.
Saragos asks Asildu, "Did you do anything to help them make the connection, or was it just something that happened?"
Casari says to Asildu, "A unique one, anyway."
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Rileos says to Asildu, "I'm fair certain a chisel and some garden shears will fix that right up, don't think about that part."
Rileos nods.
Madigan takes a sip of his coffee.
Ezerak looks at Rileos and sighs.
Ollythander gets a wooden hairbrush from inside his white backpack.
Darkgaze grins at Rileos.
A deep, resounding "Mooooo" comes from Darkgaze's pouch as he opens it up.
Ollythander says to Asildu, "I have a hairbrush if that will help you feel a little less of a monster."
Darkgaze ducks his head.
Saragos snorts at Rileos.
Ollythander smiles at Asildu.
Karthor says, "Oy, shears? An' here I was ponderin' a more shifty approach."
Karthor chuckles.
Illiya lays her hand on Warbrolus's arm.
Asildu says to Saragos, "It just... happened. Over time. Throughout my research and study. Certain artifacts must have had some residual energy or something in it. I can't even explain how it happened, only that it did."
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Imroth says, "Death doesn't seem to help reduce the connection."
Illiya smiles at Warbrolus, revealing the dimples in her cheeks.
Crobin asks, "Artifacts from where?"
Ezerak looks over Asildu very closely.
Asildu says, "It was mild at first, but as their anger grew, so did the strength of the connection. My guess is that it was unintentional, on their part."
Darkgaze asks, "Speaking of artifacts. And your hatred of sorcery. What are your thoughts on feral magic?"
Darkgaze grins at Asildu.
Aerilia ponders.
Asildu flinches.
Darkgaze gets a mended tome with badly scorched and tattered pages from inside his thigh pouch.
Lileath asks, "Accepting that how the bonds formed are unclear, are there now circumstances now when they feel stronger or less distinct?"
Darkgaze rubs a mended tome with badly scorched and tattered pages.
Ollythander puts his hairbrush in his white backpack.
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Casari asks Asildu, "Have you decided that you want out? To break the connection?"
Imroth nods to Casari.
Illiya nods to Lileath.
Illiya says, "He said he is trying to resist them."
Asildu says to Crobin, "I spent a lot of time studying historical landmarks. I was what one might call a history "buff."
Imroth says, "I am going to need loud confirmation that you actively want to sever your connection with the Heralds."
Damoone scans the area briefly.
[General] Your mind hears Czidvar thinking, "retreat to the caves!"
Crobin nods to Asildu.
Saragos says to Asildu, "I wasn't able to rescue our missing people - the Immortals did it - so I don't have a good answer on the nature of their connections. We'd just have to try things. I did notice in the Null Prison that we did not sense Sorcery, so it's possible that a sustained barrier of Holy magic would help."
Crobin asks, "What is your favorite landmark?"
Imroth says, "My mistrust is also pretty deep."
Ollythander nods to Crobin.
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Illiya grins at Crobin, her dimples flashing into view.
Asildu says, "I want to not be *this*. It's like giving up my life's work, but this... this isn't what I was looking for in my studies."
Saragos says to Asildu, "But you would have to be willing to try things. And the Heralds might get mad if they noticed. That's a choice you'd have to make, to see what we can do to help. We can't make it for you."
Aerilia nods to Asildu.
Casari asks Asildu, "Are you willing to do anything to be free, no matter the result?"
Imroth exclaims, "Isn't it? You are closer to the Heralds than ever!"
Ollythander ponders.
Couri says, "The external or the internal...both are tainted."
Illiya asks Asildu, "What do you want?"
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Darkgaze says to Asildu, "I was saving this to possibly use on you if I felt it could save us, but maybe you can use it."
Damoone searches around for a moment.
Darkgaze offers Asildu a mended tome with badly scorched and tattered pages.
Damoone scans the area briefly.
Asildu says, "I want to be free."
Asildu accepts Darkgaze's scorched tome.
Rileos gives a slight nod.
Asildu gazes at his tome.
Casari nods to Saragos.
Asildu says, "I'm familiar with these..."
Asildu offers Darkgaze a glass of mint iced tea.
Darkgaze says to Asildu, "Holds a different kind of magic. It's not sorcery persay."
Asildu moves a glass of mint iced tea to his left hand.
Asildu moves a mended tome with badly scorched and tattered pages to his right hand.
Asildu offers Darkgaze a mended tome with badly scorched and tattered pages.
Damoone nods to Warbrolus.
Darkgaze accepts Asildu's scorched tome.
Kerennya gazes thoughtfully at Asildu.
Darkgaze asks, "No?"
Madigan takes a sip of his coffee.
Imroth asks Darkgaze, "What is the tome?"
Darkgaze shrugs.
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Asildu says, "I've never believed in sorcery. Even before the Heralds made their disdain clear."
Darkgaze says to Imroth, "Holds a feral magic we had to use against the some others in the past, and present, and the past in the present."
Darkgaze crosses his arms and points in opposite directions.
Darkgaze mutters to himself.
Madigan nods to Warbrolus.
Darkgaze shrugs.
Crobin asks Asildu, "Where were you when they connected with you?"
Asildu says, "But I heard of those tomes and have avoided them as well."
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Darkgaze asks Asildu, "Well, think on this. If you wanted to control someone, wouldn't you tell them the answer to their salvation is evil?"
Darkgaze says, "I mean, if I were an evil genius, I would."
Darkgaze shrugs.
Ollythander ponders.
Asildu says to Crobin, "It happened gradually. I don't think I even noticed the exact moment it happened. I started feeling odd and thought I was maybe getting sick. Until eventually I realized it was something else entirely that I was feeling."
You get an odd feeling that someone is watching you. It quickly passes.
Darkgaze says, "Keep them far away from the thing that will help them."
Rileos says to Asildu, "Well, sometimes you gotta to distasteful things to get good results. S'time to grin and bear it."
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Illiya asks Asildu, "Do you believe in the Immortals?"
Rileos gazes up at the sky.
Asildu says to Illiya, "Of course I believe in them."
Saragos says, "I don't know how that would help, but the Heralds' connection is not one that we cracked. My best guess is that their connection is wrought of multiple mana streams, in something like we could call Sorcery, but that they know how to keep the streams from touching."
Kerennya glances up at the sky.
Illiya lays her hand on Asildu's arm.
Madigan takes a sip of his coffee.
Darkgaze puts his tome in his thigh pouch.
Ollythander ponders.
Madigan adjusts his half plate.
A pitiful reptilian whimper emanates from Darkgaze's pouch as he closes it.
Vaerek gets a blue iris from inside a swirling eddy of incandescent light bound by a gold-striated coralite frame.
Imroth says to Asildu, "We can sacrifice you."
Vaerek holds a blue iris in both hands and closes his eyes in concentration.
Illiya gives Imroth a playful poke in the ribs.
Darkgaze winces.
Ezerak asks Illiya, "Do you sense anything?"
Asildu blinks at Imroth.
Crobin asks Asildu, "Have you been in the Temples and if so what happened when there?"
Saragos glances at Imroth.
Ollythander cocks his head.
Illiya nods to Ezerak.
A soothing melody plays across the area, each soft, tranquil note a balm to your soul that leaves you unable to summon aggression.
Warbrolus gazes intently at Asildu.
Illiya says to Ezerak, "He feels like a normal person.."
Asildu asks Imroth, "Sacrifice me?"
Vaerek shakes his blue iris!
Lady of the Watch Dantia just arrived.
Aerilia nibbles her lip thoughtfully.
Dantia joins Madigan's group.
Madigan smiles at Dantia.
Dantia touches Madigan with a confident grace and heartfelt smile.
Madigan moves into position to block attacks against Dantia!
Beneath the shroud of the overgrowth, hundreds of audible cracks occur simultaneously. Asildu's body contorts at impossible angles as each bone in his body shatters in unison, twisting into a garish approximation of what was only moments before a human body. Asildu emits a piercing wail as he is reduced to an unrecognizable bloody pile of meat and shattered bone on the ground before you in a single moment. Arterial spray fills the area, dousing each of you with droplets of Asildu's blood.
Before you can react, the pile of gore lifts into the air, stretching into a tableau of torture, animated by some impossible force to still pulse with life from a still-beating heart that forces a shower of blood to descend from the mangled carcass. The only cohesion in the flesh forms the outline of a face, presumably so that Asildu's agonizing screams can fill the area.
The screams cease -- though the hideous mass continues to ripple with heartbeats and breaths indicating it still lives in some nightmarish form, allowing what remains of the face to deliver a message in a monotone recitation.
A voice that is not Asildu's calls from the mess. "This is the last warning."
"You, and every person whom has ever known you or loved you, will suffer agony that is indescribable, if you defy the will of the Heralds."
"Your existences will be erased from memory as motes of dust, forgotten as an age of fools that pollute the very magic you were given the chance to use, while you and all you love suffer torment for the rest of the eternity."
"You will cease using Sorcery now or you will suffer an endless nightmare that you cannot begin to fathom."
"Asildu cannot save you. Your Gods cannot save you. Turn away from Sorcery NOW. Abandon your Gods."
"Tempt him one more time, and Asildu will be the first to demonstrate the fate that each of you -- and those you love -- will receive."
At that, the mangled body is torn apart mid-air, as if beset by a pack of invisible vultures. No recognizable part of Asildu remains before you. You are left with only a lingering memory of the brutality that the Heralds, the only reminder the droplets of still-wet blood that coat your clothing, as Asildu's song fades.
Darkgaze says to Imroth, "You may wish to explain what the purpose is to him first, that's pretty steep."
Dantia touches Damoone with a confident grace.
Darkgaze blinks.
Illiya blinks.
The storm-grey lynx pads off.
Aerilia mumbles something unprintable.
Nispey gasps!
Saragos blinks.
Maraisel blinks.
Dantia touches Rileos with a confident grace.
Discussion After Asildu's Departure
Rileos dusts himself off.
Rileos says, "Well."
Illiya softly says, "That was brutal..."
Couri says, "Oh...."
Ollythander blinks.
Rileos says, "That was certainly...something."
Crobin says, "Everyone that uses Sorcery."
Crobin says, "HIT IT NOW."
Ezerak frowns.
Crobin grumbles.
Damoone scans the area briefly.
Illiya touches the tattoo on her arm and closes her eyes in concentration.
Vaerek dusts himself off.
Ollythander gazes up at the sky.
Nispey scratches his head.
Casari dusts herself off.
Rileos glances up at the sky.
Imroth coughs.
Crobin glances up at the sky.
Vaerek scans the sky from horizon to horizon.
Imroth bows his head and chants a prayer.
Maraisel dusts herself off.
Damoone joins Madigan's group.
Karthor says, "Yeesh."
Illiya gestures.
You continue to feel an uncanny confidence, bolstered by Illiya's fearlessness.
Warbrolus joins Madigan's group.
Illiya nods in agreement.
Casari says, "Fine."
Crobin says, "Hmm."
Imroth says, "Well."
Dantia raises an eyebrow.
Kerennya mutters something into the air about donkey-butt Heralds.
Madigan says, "Alright, you heard the LT. Let's cast some sorcery and see what happens."
Crobin asks, "Wasn't there three Heralds in the sky earlier?"
Illiya grins at Kerennya, her dimples flashing into view.
Imroth says, "That didn't end very well."
Ezerak says to Illiya, "I am sorry, if you mentioned what you sensed, I didn't hear it over the sound of...whatever that was."
Damoone touches the tattoo on his forehead and closes his eyes in concentration.
Vaerek sighs.
Crobin glances up at the sky.
Ollythander glances up at the sky.
Kerennya grins like an idiot at Illiya.
Aerilia says, "If he really wants to be restored, he must seek out the forgiveness of the Immortals. There's no other force that can shield him from the Heralds."
Vaerek strides out.
Karthor closes his eyes for a moment and grows still.
Kerennya kneels down.
Illiya says to Ezerak, "He felt just like a normal person."
Darkgaze says to Illiya, "I'll need a nerve check in a while."
Damoone gestures.
The earth beneath your feet begins to shake violently!
Kerennya continues praying fervently.
Aerilia closes her eyes for a moment and grows still.
Ezerak glances up at the sky.
Yiel just arrived.
The sudden oscillation in the ground beneath you leaves your teeth chattering.
Darkgaze gestures.
Kerennya continues praying.
Illiya lays her hand on Darkgaze's arm.
A spasm passes over Darkgaze as his eyes drift about in an otherworldly motion.
Ollythander says, "I don't think that's true..."
Saragos says, "This is what the Heralds do. They make threats. They hurt us. DOn't lose heart. The Immortals took the effort to retrieve our missing people when They didn't have to. They can help us, if we help Them."
Ollythander ponders.
Saragos gestures.
Dark stripes form upon his skin, rippling with feral power.
Darkgaze says, "It will be over time."
Darkgaze nods to Illiya.
Imroth says, "I am thinking the same ritual that can destroy many favors could be used to sever the tie with the Heralds."
Crobin says, "I could of sworn when we were doing the exercises earlier there were three Heralds in the sky."
Nispey fidgets nervously.
Crobin says, "Now I only see one."
Ollythander says, "The Immortals alone are not what saves that person."
Damoone glances up at the sky.
Ollythander ponders.
Ezerak says, "Clouds."
Imroth says, "If he is willing, sacrifice might be a good option."
Aerilia glances up at the sky.
Ezerak nods to Crobin.
Kerennya says, "There's weird stuff happening when I pray. Not sure if it's normal for this locale or not."
Saragos glances up at the sky.
Kerennya continues praying.
Imroth shrugs.
Kerennya prays fervently.
Kerennya prays fervently.
Crobin glances up at the sky.
Madigan says, "Asildu, the Stones is not the place to seek your redemption. There is only death here for bad people. You need to seek an altar of an Immortal and the Immortals in general to find shelter."
Saragos says to Crobin, "I notice that too."
Vaerek just arrived.
Vaerek strides south.
Damoone touches the tattoo on his forehead and closes his eyes in concentration.
The violent heaving of the earth finally subsides.
Kerennya continues praying.
Kerennya prays fervently.
Casari says to Madigan, "I don't think he can hear you anymore."
Imroth kneels down and begins to pray.
Rileos says to Madigan, "Oh he's meat now."
Rileos scratches distractedly at his beard.
Imroth stands up.
Madigan says, "Gads."
Illiya grins at Rileos, her dimples flashing into view.
Warbrolus inhales a great swallow of air.
Crobin says, "Normally I can make out things behind clouds."
Warbrolus slowly empties his lungs.
Crobin says, "Maybe you are right Ezerak."
Kerennya continues praying fervently.
Saragos gestures.
Illiya gestures.
Damoone gestures.
Madigan gazes up at the sky.
Kerennya prays fervently.
Ollythander asks Crobin, "I have a thought, if you'll indulge?"
Kerennya continues praying fervently.
(Crobin Moons the Heralds)
Crobin says, "Sure Olly."
Damoone searches around for a moment.
Aerilia gazes up at the sky.
Illiya says, "He was destroyed rather brutally."
Warbrolus grins at Crobin.
Yiel scans the sky from horizon to horizon.
Darkgaze searches around for a moment.
Kerennya stands up.
(Ollythander waits for the mooing to stop.)
Damoone blinks.
Aerilia nods.
Imroth just left.
Damoone studies the area, intently looking for signs.
Crobin smiles at Ollythander.
Casari says, "The Immortals are just as bad as the Heralds, but that one was personal. So the Immortals it is."
Kerennya says, "He definitely didn't deserve that, even with the things he's done."
Saragos says, "The mote that he talked about - that's exactly what happened to Navesi and the others. They were trapped inside a mote of dust."
Ollythander asks, "Well...every time I've gone to a gathering involving the Immortals, a sign has been shown right?"
Ollythander ponders.
Saragos says, "Or trapped outside of our world, somehow."
Crobin ponders.
Illiya closes her eyes for a moment and grows still.
Crobin says, "I think so."
Ollythander says, "I don't know anything about Sorcery, and I don't want to indulge personally..."
Ollythander says, "But..."
Ollythander says, "That song. That was Albreda's work."
Madigan says, "The Stones never fail to deliver I suppose."
Crobin nods to Ollythander.
Casari yells, "Here's your sorcery."
Damoone searches around for a moment.
Illiya grins at Madigan, her dimples flashing into view.
Casari gestures.
Casari is stunned!
Karthor grins at Madigan.
Illiya lays her hand on Casari's arm.
Casari hardens her stance and bellows a defiant decry against oppression!
Madigan chuckles.
Damoone scans the area briefly.
Casari dusts herself off.
Ollythander says, "I don't think the Immortals alone is the answer. I think it is our actions through them that will make the actual difference."
Karthor asks Madigan, "One o' these days folks'll learn to leave 'em well enough alone, eh?"
Ezerak nods at Ollythander, obviously agreeing with his views.
Madigan nods to Karthor.
Crobin nods.
Ollythander says to Crobin, "What we've already done has meant something."
Madigan says to Karthor, "I probably should have warned him a bit earlier."
Crobin says, "I agre."
Vaerek just arrived.
Illiya says, "If anything, becoming a follower of the Heralds looks rather unappealing."
Ollythander says to Crobin, "And I'm sure he's done terrible things, but I cannot help but feel...bad for him."
Ezerak says, "The Immortals don't just do things because someone wants them. There's always a cost."
Crobin smiles at Ollythander.
Crobin says, "That is what makes you a true paladin my friend."
Illiya lays her hand on Saragos's arm.
Yiel scans the sky from horizon to horizon.
Ollythander asks Ezerak, "Is that not true of most beings?"
Ollythander asks, "Even us?"
Crobin says, "You have seen someone do the bad, but willing to help and save them even if from themselves."
Illiya lays her hand on Couri's arm.
An electric light shines around Casari, pulsing and crackling in time with her song.
Geysers of uncontrolled mana suddenly erupt from Couri's flesh, illuminating the surroundings in an excruciating display of blue-black fire!
Illiya lays her hand on Maraisel’s arm.
Aerilia folds her arms across her chest.
Madigan says, "Ohh, he mad his bed Olly. He dropped rocks on three clans and many drakes. A person has a choice, despite what he may have professed at the end."
Illiya lays her hand on Lileath's arm.
Saragos says, "I think we need to help the Immortals. I think we need to do Sorcery on a bigger scale. In coordination with Them."
Ollythander nods to Madigan.
Dantia folds her arms across her chest.
Couri beams at Illiya!
Madigan says, "But, that was a bad way to go out for sure."
Madigan nods to Ollythander.
Madigan takes a sip of his coffee.
Madigan searches around for a moment.
Ollythander asks, "I'm sure that's true, but...if someone seeks redemption, should they not be given the chance to make at it?"
Crobin says, "So."
Madigan gets a mug of roasted coffee from inside his traveler's pack.
Casari says, "He never had a choice. You saw how he behaved when he was himself, if you were paying attention. The Heralds did the things you said."
Crobin shakes his head.
Madigan says, "Just so in my opinion."
Illiya asks Dantia, "Thoughts?"
Crobin stretches his arms.
Ollythander nods to Madigan.
Crobin bends over and touches his toes.
Ollythander says to Madigan, "I respect that Sir."
Vaerek presses his palm against the vessel.
Aerilia says to Madigan, "I don't disagree. I hate what he's done. But the fate of his soul is between him and the Immortals. He They will have him back, I can hardly argue."
Nispey makes an odd noise like he just inhaled a tart.
Dantia shakes her head.
Vaerek examines a floating vessel of flaring crimson light.
Illiya gazes at Dantia.
Saragos says to Madigan, "I think if Asildu wants to repent to the Immortals, and They accept him, it's not my place. He might be able to help us understand their plans, too, once he's brought clear. I'm not after helping him out of some misguided bent towards forgiveness. I think his repentance would be useful."
Ollythander says, "I just...well, in this moment when he has his mind about him...I don't know..."
Couri says, "I seem ta be bleedin..."
Illiya lays her hand on Couri's arm.
Crobin pats Couri on the back.
Couri says, "This be me blood, nae Asildu's."
Couri looks healthier and Illiya appears to weaken.
Madigan says, "I hope he does find redemption. Everyone deserves to find redemption."
Illiya lays her hand on Saragos's arm.
Couri beams at Illiya!
Casari sighs.
Ollythander says, "I'd like to be clear, seeking redemption does not denote the obligation of forgiveness..."
Madigan says, "But, he is still the person that killed a bunch of people in my book."
(Crobin paces around the back of the group his ears tilted back as he thinks)
Dantia says to Illiya, "I'm not sure Asildu's fate, redemption or otherwise, really matters here."
Ollythander ponders.
Casari asks, "Anyway, were there a bunch of drakes causing mayhem somewhere?"
Warbrolus asks, "I feel like I have his redemption all over me. What do I need to do to get a turn of the moat?"
Karthor strokes his beard in thoughtful contemplation.
Illiya asks Madigan, "Can't we just send him around the moat a couple times?"
Ollythander says to Madigan, "Just be sure it's justice we seek and not vengence."
Madigan grins at Warbrolus.
Illiya nods to Dantia.
Madigan grins at Illiya.
Ollythander ponders.
Saragos says to Madigan, "Agreed. And after this war is over, I think he should go on trial, with his misdeeds on one side, and whatever he does to help us on the other."
Dantia laughs!
Dantia says, "He can go up right behind Kauga and Srinoja."
Rileos nods to Dantia.
Karthor says, "Ah good, I wasn't the only one thinkin' it."
Karthor chuckles.
Casari shrugs.
Crobin flicks one ear back as though listening for something.
Firehawk Casari goes out.
Ollythander says, "Sorry if I've spoke out of line or turn. I know this is more personal for some of you."
Vaerek gestures at a floating vessel of flaring crimson light.
Saragos says to Dantia, "Well. Yes. We don't have the best track record, but the point stands."
Dantia grins at Saragos.
Crobin says to Ollythander, "Do not apologize you have done nothing wrong."
Maraisel says to Ollythander, "No, I think you're right."
Madigan says, "Olly, everyone has a say and opinion. Yours is as good as any of ours."
Madigan smiles at Ollythander.
Ollythander shrugs.
Ezerak nods at Maraisel, obviously agreeing with her views.
Ollythander smiles.
Karthor closes his eyes for a moment and grows still.
Saragos says to Ollythander, "No apologies needed."
Illiya says, "He might be able to help us with his connection and the things he knows."
Ollythander says, "I just don't want anyone robbed of joy in the future over the decisions they made in the heat of fury."
Ezerak says to Ollythander, "Careful now, your wisdom is showing."
Crobin glances up at the sky.
Ezerak winks at Ollythander.
Darkgaze scans the sky from horizon to horizon.
Madigan says, "Well...as Warb said...time to wash him off my armor."
Saragos says to Illiya, "I agree. If we can break his connection, that might be a big step towards learning how to break others out of the Null Prison. There were others captured there. We might be able to free the Heralds' other victims."
Lileath glances up at the sky.
Vaerek strides out.
Crobin chuckles at Ezerak.
Ollythander says to Ezerak, "Just doing Glythtide's work. That is all."
Illiya nods to Saragos.
Madigan says, "I am going to test out the new hunting area a bit if anyone cares to join me."
Madigan puts his coffee in his traveler's pack.
Warbrolus nods to Madigan.
Darkgaze joins Madigan's group.
Madigan says, "Assuming I can find my way in and out."
Madigan smiles.
Darkgaze says, "I was just looking up directions myself."
Saragos nods to Crobin.
Yiel joins Madigan's group.
Saragos glances up at the sky.
Dantia gazes up at the sky.
Yiel exclaims, "I'll go that way!"
Damoone grins.
Crobin joins Madigan's group.
Karthor says, "It's fairly straightforward, right over there near Droughtman's arena."
Madigan says, "Moving. Let's meet up at the El Bains crossroads."
Lileath left the group.
Ollythander says to Saragos, "Thank you for bringing me, I'm sorry I could not offer more."
Madigan says, "We will get spearated I suspect, so that is the gathering point."
Warbrolus says, "Please let us know if you need a shield on you if you'll join Madigan."
Madigan says, "Moving in 10."
Darkgaze grins.
Forest Sprite Lileath goes out.
Nispey left the group.
Nispey waves.
Student Nispey goes out.
Ezerak asks Illiya, "So nothing unusual? Someone suggested the Empathic link might be of some help. Kethrai, I think?"
Damoone glances at Madigan.
Darkgaze gestures at Madigan.
Sir Madigan goes out, leading his group.
Illiya says to Ezerak, "Nothing unusual.. he seemed just like a normal person."
Saragos nods to Illiya.
Ollythander gazes up at the sky.
Karthor says, "I was thinkin' that too. Shiftin' his form back to normal or somesuch. But it sounds like we'd only have one shot at it, so we'd better be pretty sure it'd work."
Karthor twitches.
Ollythander quietly says, "Thank you for the moments Albreda..."
Saragos says, "I still think the nature of their connection involves Life, Elemental, and Lunar mana, but not Holy."
Illiya says to Karthor, "Maybe.."
Illiya says to Saragos, "Well, that was one heck of a workshop."
Saragos says, "But we might only get one more shot at helping him. Maybe we can get together and come up with a solid list of things to try."
Aerilia nods to Saragos.
Illiya says, "Good idea."
Ollythander says to Saragos, "Bring him snacks and a drink, he could use it."
Ezerak says, "If we even get another chance."
Ezerak frowns.
Rileos says, "Think gettin him off the plane would be the best bet. The Heralds are here, so take him not here."
Saragos nods to Ezerak.
Maraisel says to Ezerak, "We could try."
Rileos shrugs.
Saragos says, "If we get one, it's true."
Ezerak nods at Maraisel, obviously agreeing with her views.
Rileos waves dismissively.
Saragos says to Rileos, "We could bring him to the Plane of Electricity. Easy enough."
Rileos says to Saragos, "S'what I was thinkin, he can just walk there."
Ollythander says to Couri, "That's a cool sword."
Ezerak says to Maraisel, "Do not let my pessimism fool you, I still think we should try. But that was...brutal."
Aerilia says, "I suspect the first thing he should do is find an altar and pray for redemption. Anything we can do won't stand up to the Heralds for long."
Couri beams at Ollythander!
Rileos says, "Almost certainly ain't gonna work, but it's worth tryin."
Illiya says, "Maybe we can ask Unaka for help."
Saragos says to Aerilia, "He seemed to think he would need to break the connection before the Immortals would be able to help him."
Saragos says, "Don't know if that's true, though."
Ollythander says, "More gatherings for more Immortals may help. They lend their hand through our actions."
Couri puts her sword in her deep crimson haversack.
Maraisel nods to Ezerak.
Aerilia says to Saragos, "They've broken through his meleody twice now. I don't give it good odds, personally."
Ezerak says to Illiya, "I'm not sure that is such a good idea. The fight with her seemed to set him on this path, it's been downhill for him since."
Saragos nods to Aerilia.
Couri says, "Unless the bards could add to it."
Illiya ponders.
Maraisel says to Ezerak, "We would have to try and figure out a way to do it quickly. Or in pieces? It seems like the longer he stays with us, the greater the chances are that they take notice."
Ezerak nods at Maraisel, obviously agreeing with her views.
Ollythander gets a flame-hued scroll labeled with Glythtide's Gift from inside his white backpack.
Ollythander peruses a flame-hued scroll labeled with Glythtide's Gift.
Illiya says to Ezerak, "You might be right, but he seems willing to change now."
Ezerak says to Maraisel, "They certainly seemed to notice suddenly. Unless something else delayed them."
Rileos says to Aerilia, "I don't give anything regardin the fella good odds at this point. Folks don't walk away from bad deals like this, it just never happens clean. Asildu is gonna have a bad end no matter what we do I suspect."
Aerilia says, "Unaka might be the best bet, actually. If anyone would show Asildu mercy, it would be Truffenyi."
Saragos says to Maraisel, "We asked Damaris to hide our efforts from them before, and it seemed to help. We managed to complete our ritual before being interrupted."
Aerilia nods to Rileos.
Saragos says, "But we'd need to have a solid plan. It still woudn't last forever."
Saragos nods to Aerilia.
Ollythander puts his scroll in his white backpack.
Couri says, "Mazilyn is workin on Truffenyi helpin."
Saragos says to Aerilia, "Probably true."
Aerilia says to Rileos, "You're probably right, but I think his soul will fair much better if he gets back in with the Immortals. The Heralds have promised him eternal torment otherwise."
Illiya takes a sip of her cider.
Ollythander says, "I would also recommend everyone get on the same page. There were I think several ideas thrown at a wall there."
Ollythander shrugs.
Saragos nods to Ollythander.
Ollythander says, "People need to at least agree on an approach and stop trying to solve it themselves."
Rileos says to Aerilia, "Well, the promised a lot of people eternal torment just now."
Rileos says, "They."
Rileos says, "Words is hard."
Aerilia nods to Rileos.
Ezerak nods at Rileos, obviously agreeing with his views.
Illiya says, "If anyone can protect him from the Heralds, the Immortals have the best shot at it."
Aerilia nods in agreement.
Saragos says, "We should call a meeting, let people argue out the approach there, and then make an attempt together."
Ollythander says, "They promised to kill my family too...I don't know if the Heralds know what an orphan is."
Ollythander shrugs.
Saragos says, "Later on, not at the meeting."
Illiya nods at Saragos, obviously agreeing with his views.
Rileos gazes up at the sky.
Rileos says to Illiya, "I suspect they might be busy."
Illiya gives Saragos a little prod between the shoulder blades.
Saragos grins at Ollythander.
Illiya grins at Rileos, her dimples flashing into view.
Kerennya says to Ollythander, "Frankly, I doubt the Heralds give a damn about orphans."
Ezerak nods at Rileos, obviously agreeing with his views.
Ollythander nods to Kerennya.
Illiya asks Saragos, "So you're setting up a meeting?"
Saragos says, "My suspicion is that it's a general threat designed to scare us. We have good reason to believe that the Heralds don't really understand our relationships."
Ollythander nods to Saragos.
Ollythander says, "I was more making an amusing jest at my being an orphan."
Ollythander says, "Sorry."
Kerennya says, "Nor do they want to. They just want to boss everyone around like big bully bosses."
Saragos says, "If they understood us, they wouldn't have kidnapped five of the people most likely to be on board with their anti-Sorcery agenda in the first place."
Ollythander laughs!
Saragos says to Illiya, "Let's either you or I set one up, yeah."
Ollythander sighs.
Illiya nods to Saragos.
Rileos mutters something into the air about wearing white to watch a man explode.
Ezerak nods at Rileos, obviously agreeing with his views.
Rileos dusts himself off.
Ollythander says to Saragos, "Let me know how I can help."
Aerilia sighs.
Karthor says, "Well anywho, I should probly be off. Take care folks."
Karthor raises his hand in a quick salute.
Illiya hugs Karthor, getting a smile in return.
Bastion of Life Karthor plods out.
Kerennya says, "Yeah, I got a few things to get done before I turn in, myself."
Saragos asks, "I'm going to head out too. Anyone need help making it back to Haven?"
Kerennya waves.
Illiya hugs Kerennya, getting a smile in return.
Aerilia nods to Saragos.
Ollythander asks, "Where are we?"
Kerennya hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return.
Illiya says to Saragos, "So.. that was one heck of a training session."
Kerennya says, "Zaulfung swamp, somewhere."
Ollythander ponders.
Ezerak says, "Ollythan The swamps near Riverhaven."
Sublime Mender Kerennya glides out.
Ezerak coughs.
Saragos says to Ollythander, "Out East of Haven, in the Zaulfung swamp."
Illiya hugs Aerilia, who wraps her arms around Illiya with a warm smile.
Rileos says, "Gonna go wash Asildu out of my hair."
Aerilia hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return.
Rileos raises two fingers to his brow in a quick hand salute.
Illiya laughs at Rileos.
Ezerak says to Rileos, "Probably a few other places, too."
Illiya says to Rileos, "Gross."
Ollythander says to Saragos, "I'll try to find my way back."
Saragos says to Ollythander, "I used my familiar to find Asildu, and recognized the area enough to find him."
Saragos gets a lynx talisman from inside his leather rucksack.
Aerilia says to Rileos, "Good plan."
Ollythander nods to Saragos.
Ezerak says to Rileos, "Don't forget behind your ears."
Saragos puts his talisman in his firesilk tote.
Illiya dusts herself off.
Rileos says to Illiya, "You say that like he isn't in yours, too."
Rileos chuckles.
Illiya winces.
Illiya says, "Good point."
Rileos raises two fingers to his brow in a quick hand salute.
Aerilia says, "A swim through the Faldesu will help a bit."
Roughneck Rileos moseys out.
Illiya says, "I'm going to wash my hair too then."
Saragos says, "Ok, take care, everyone."
Illiya waves.
Saragos gives a courteous nod and tips his hat politely.
Couri left the group.
Ollythander waves.
Strawberry Nurse Illiya goes out.
Couri clasps Ollythander's hand tenderly.
Defier of the Heralds Saragos strides out.
Ollythander smiles at Couri.
Ollythander says to Couri, "Thank you."
Maraisel sighs.
Aerilia bobs a brief, respectful bow.
Healer Aerilia strides out.
Ollythander bows.
Thinker Couri goes out, leading her group.