Karthor/Logs/09032024/Investigating Hrendh Skogar

Event Name: Investigating Hrendh Skogar

Event Instance: Prime

Real Date: 2024-09-03

Game Date of Event: Unknown Date

Point of View: Karthor

---- Introduction and Preparation [Hrendh Skogar, Barrier] The faint scent of pine is carried upon the air ever so slightly. Small squirrels scamper along the edge of the path, searching for any stray bits of food accidentally left behind. A large wooden barrier, painted with bold red lettering, reaches across the road to block passage northward. You also see an ethereal vela'tohr thicket, a sand-hued lynx with a tufted black-tipped tail that is sitting and a coppery saluki puppy flaunting a goldenglow glaes collar and jadeleaf snood. Also here: Druid Zyros who has a stony visage, Knight of Meraud Tirost who has a stony visage, Alley Fighter Allye who is haloed by ethereal lotus and gladiolus blooms dancing in a gentle breeze, Peace Keeper Vaddon who is shining with a dark golden glow, Lord of Elamiri Gridaksma, Firehawk Casari, Doctor of Kittens Sukidesu who is surrounded by six playful cats bounding around, Vaerek, Holy Lash Nawain who is shrouded in ghostly flames and Lady Knight Elurora whose figure is gracefully highlighted in a soft aurora of silvery-violet light. Obvious paths: southwest. You say, "H'lo everyone, an' thanks fer comin'. I'd like to start with a brief introduction on why we're here an' what we're doin' before we dive into the fray." Aerhys beams at Elurora! Gridaksma bows his head, acknowledging Aerhys. Sukidesu nods to you. Aerhys bows to Gridaksma. Sukidesu exudes life and vitality, rutilant sparks dancing around him. You say, "There's been a lot o' focus lately on Heralds an' Immortals, Elementals an' Probability-Things. Some folks, however, suspect that there's also somethin' else at work. Somethin' that thrives on the chaos o' pittin' these beings, and indeed us, against each other. Somethin' that has yet to be fully revealed." Allye nods to you. Elurora nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views. You ask, "Fer my part, my mind keeps goin' back to the plague wraiths what were said to accompany the arrival o' the most harmful wild magic effects. None o' the aforementioned entities seem likely to bring such creatures to bear. So where'd they come from? What was behind 'em? How do they fit into all o' this? What've they been up to since then?" You say, "My hope's that by bringin' the fight to them, some o' these answers may shake loose. Perhaps the nightmarish Slug-Thing featured in some o' the Moon Mage visions is the culprit, with its apparent aura of entropy where a plague wraith'd surely be right at home." Allye nods to you. Dawnsworn Briaen just arrived. You say, "Or maybe I'm way off an' they were just a fluke, but even then Life'll be well served by the destruction of its undead enemies. Perhaps that'll be enough to nudge the balance a bit in the right direction even if they're not directly involved." You clench your fist. Tirost nods to Briaen. Nawain nods to Briaen. Aerhys grins at you, his dimples flashing into view. Elurora nods to you. Briaen gives a gracious nod. Aerhys joins your group. Elurora leans on Aerhys. Elurora grins at Aerhys. You say, "So let's get ready fer battle an' keep all our senses sharp as we take the field. Be on the lookout fer anythin' suspicious from the wraiths 'emselves, or in the environment they infest." Allye joins your group. Tirost nods to you. You say, "I'd ask that everyone refrain from usin' any sorcery in this. It has nothin' to offer our efforts here anyway that can't be achieved just as well by a sharp axe or yer native magic. That especially goes fer any necromancers what may be lurkin' among us; if ya want to help, do so by mundane means." Briaen subtly reels as a pained expression crosses his face. Briaen clears his throat. Elurora draws forth a loimic war scythe with starry white blossoms strewn across its crescentic blade. Elurora glances at Briaen. Elurora pats Briaen on the back. You say, "The area's pretty broad, so let's split into smaller teams to cover more ground an' try to keep the scale o' battle to somethin' manageable. Maybe groups of somewhere 'round 3-5 members, give or take? I can take one, but we'll need some other volunteers to lead as well." Vaddon searches around for a moment. Elurora says, "I can lead a small group if folks want." Gridaksma left the group. Elurora left the group. Casari joins Elurora's group. Aerhys left the group. Aerhys joins Elurora's group. Elurora smiles at Casari. Gridaksma joins Elurora's group. Elurora grins at Aerhys. Nawain left the group. Elurora smiles at Gridaksma. You ask, "As we finish our preparations an' begin to form up, does anyone have any questions or anysuch?" You close your eyes, drawing all your thoughts inward, and then slowly reach out to sense the life essences of those around you... You sense: The presence of Briaen. The presence of Aerhys, a fellow Empath. The presence of Zyros. The presence of Tirost. The presence of Allye, a fellow Empath. The presence of Vaddon. The presence of Gridaksma. The presence of Casari. The presence of Sukidesu, a fellow Empath. The presence of Vaerek. The presence of Nawain. The presence of Elurora. Sukidesu joins Elurora's group. Nawain indicates her viridian whip with a smile. Elurora asks, "Should we just gweth if something happens?" Zyros gets a Dwarven greataxe with an intricately-engraved tyrium double-bladed head from inside his weapon harness. Vaerek asks, "Anyone need a class?" Elurora smiles at Sukidesu. Vaerek chuckles. You say, "That's a good idea, aye." You nod to Elurora. Briaen says to you, "I will remain here, out of respect for your specific request against Sorcery." You nod to Briaen. Briaen gets a light leather prayer mat tooled with a sheaf of golden grain overlaying a brilliant rising sun from inside his pilgrim's satchel. Briaen reverently lays his prayer mat at his feet, smoothing out its corners. The air feels thick with an almost palpable sense of malevolence. Briaen sits down on the prayer mat. Nawain gnaws on her lip. Nawain says, "I could lead a third group, if you think there's need." Nawain shifts her weight. You say, "If ya've got a group together, please feel free to head in an' start clobberin'. I'll take mine in last to make sure everyone's sorted out." Allye joins Nawain's group. Allye touches Nawain with a confident grace and familiar smile. Casari nods to Elurora. Aerhys nods to Elurora. Sukidesu nods to Elurora. Nawain hugs Allye, getting a smile in return. Allye grins at Nawain. Allye hugs Nawain, getting a smile in return. Gridaksma nods to Elurora. The wounds afflicting Nawain gradually fade, corresponding injuries blooming on Allye's flesh. Elurora exclaims, "We'll head in then! Good luck to everyone and stay safe!" Vaddon says, "I will lag and bring another group in about 5 rois." Nawain moves over to guard Allye. Lady Knight Elurora's group climbed up a weather-worn barricade. Vaddon says, "For any late comers." You say, "Ah, good thinkin'." You nod to Vaddon. You say, "Methinks there may be some folks on their way yet." Walking Armory Malkien just arrived. Tirost raises his hand in a quick salute. Allye nods to Nawain. Nawain nods. Holy Lash Nawain's group climbed up a weather-worn barricade. You say, "Right then, well in that case let's head out ourselves." You adjust the fit of your spectacles. Tirost nods. The Battle Begins (mostly just some combat that's been cut, I've tried to just leave a bit at the beginning to set the scene and anything relevant to the conversations that took place. Or things that were just amusing) [Hrendh Skogar, Barrier] The large trees blossom in abundance, hugging the edges of the pathway through its twists and turns. Small lilies and tulips grow sporadically amongst the underbrush adding a splash of color to the drab greens and brown of the wilderness. A large barricade crafted of a dark wood rests across the pathway, settled deep into the earth. You also see a vile plague wraith. Obvious paths: northeast, southeast. Zyros, Vaerek and Tirost followed. You peer at a vile plague wraith over the rim of your spectacles. You say, "Well that didn't take long." You chuckle. Zyros says, "Found one." The plague wraith closes to melee range on Zyros. An icy blade circling Zyros lands a hard hit to a vile plague wraith's left arm! The vapor surrounding Zyros coalesces into an icy blade that joins the four deadly weapons already twirling about him. A vile plague wraith rears back and slowly draws in a deep breath before lurching forward to regurgitate a swarm of scorpions at you! With cunning movements you manage to evade the rain of vicious black scorpions, which fall to the ground with a sickening *SPLAT*! A plague wraith raises an open skeletal hand towards Zyros, sending a misty tendril of emerald green light streaking in his direction. He evades the blast of emerald light easily. You sling a broad-bladed Dwarven iron voulge with a stout hickory haft off from over your shoulder. You lower your shoulders and steady your weapon. Swiftly, you launch an assault with wide swipes of your voulge! Your Dwarven iron voulge lands a cataclysmic strike to a vile plague wraith's chest! A vile plague wraith bellows with untamed malice and erupts into a pillar of swirling emerald fire, leaving a pile of smoldering bones in its wake. An icy blade circling Zyros lands a strong hit to a vile plague wraith's back! A vile plague wraith bellows with untamed malice and erupts into a pillar of swirling emerald fire, leaving a pile of smoldering bones in its wake. You sling a broad-bladed Dwarven iron voulge with a stout hickory haft over your shoulder. You say, "A fine start." You say, "Let's see what's to be seen." (A little bit of wandering) You plod east, leading your group. [Hrendh Skogar, Animal Trail] The light tan of the rugged pathway stands out in contrast to the deep greens of the lush foliage. A thick carpet of leaf litter, muddy brown in coloration, shifts with the movement of the wind sweeping through the surrounding forest. You also see a vile plague wraith, a vile plague wraith and a vile plague wraith. Also here: Vaerek, Knight of Meraud Tirost who has a stony visage and Druid Zyros who is surrounded by five circling blades of ice. Obvious paths: south, west. Tirost says to you, "It is quite a sight to see you using weapons, Karthor." Vaerek gestures at a vile plague wraith. A vile plague wraith collapses as if dead, dropping its steel scythe. You grin at Tirost. You ask, "I s'pose it is a bit rare, eh?" Tirost nods. Tirost traces a geometric sigil in the air. An icy blade circling Zyros lands a strong hit to a vile plague wraith's chest! An icy blade circling Zyros lands a strong hit to a vile plague wraith's abdomen! A vile plague wraith bellows with untamed malice and erupts into a pillar of swirling emerald fire, leaving a pile of smoldering bones in its wake. Tirost gestures. An overwhelming clap of thunder booms through the area, rattling the teeth in your jaw. Vaerek gestures at a vile plague wraith. A vile plague wraith staggers and collapses, suddenly asleep! Vaerek says, "I think some of them need to destress with a nap." You say, "Oy, I think some of US need to destress by wailin' on some walkin' death." Vaerek laughs at you! Vaerek nods. (fighting) You exclaim, "Well struck, onward!" You plod south, leading your group. You plod northeast, leading your group. You squint through your spectacles at a weeping willow. (fighting) You nod. You say, "Movin' right along." You plod northwest, leading your group. (bit more wandering, no creatures to be seen) Things Go Quiet and Avatars Appear [Hrendh Skogar, Animal Trail] The twisting trail expands drastically as the dense wilderness of the west begins to thin here. Visible through gaps in the trees, a large mountain dominates most of the view of the northern sky. Leading down into a deep, murky trench is a steep slope that is covered with patches of withered roots. Obvious paths: southwest. Zyros, Vaerek and Tirost followed. Everything is silent. Strangely silent. Tirost frowns. You narrow your eyes. Vaerek blinks. Zyros asks, "So what is this place, anywho? What got your attention Karthor?" You say, "This's the place where there're plague wraiths." You grin. Zyros says, "True." Zyros smiles. An angry whisper echoes all around you, damning you. You say, "Buggers popped up when magic went the most haywire, so I figured it'd be worth investigatin'." You frown. Zyros says, "Well I'll be darned." Zyros chortles softly at some secret joke. Vaerek chuckles at Zyros. You say, "Hm, an' it's startin' to sound like I may've been onto somethin'." Vaerek asks Zyros, "Is this normal?" You close your eyes, drawing all your thoughts inward, and then slowly reach out to sense the life essences of those around you... You sense: The presence of Tirost. The presence of Vaerek. The presence of Zyros. A raven circles far above, cawwing in agitation. Zyros says, "It didn't like the pun." >think How're the other groups doin', still seein' wraiths? Seems to've gone a bit quiet here. You concentrate on projecting your thoughts. (affirming responses not captured since they go to the thoughts window) Tirost says, "You can feel the maelovlence here." You nod to Tirost. The raven is joined by a welkin, who swoops down before disappearing in a golden haze. You ponder. Tirost asks, "Are those signs of the Immortals?" You ask, "Raven an' welkin, eh? Is Kertigen involved?" You scratch your head. The raven flutters awkwardly a moment, and also vanishes in a golden haze. The malevolent whispering returns, louder! You ask, "Oy, are they shieldin' us from somethin'?" The whispering intensifies, echoing all around you! You narrow your eyes. Louder and louder, the furious whispers continue! Suddenly, silence. Malformed Plague Wraiths Appear. Battle Ensues. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. A pinpoint of black light appears in midair and gradually expands into a churning purple abyss. A malformed plague wraith slowly emerges from behind the mirrored surface of the dark portal which quickly collapses on itself with a sudden rush of cold wind. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A pinpoint of black light appears in midair and gradually expands into a churning purple abyss. A malformed plague wraith slowly emerges from behind the mirrored surface of the dark portal which quickly collapses on itself with a sudden rush of cold wind. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. A pinpoint of black light appears in midair and gradually expands into a churning purple abyss. A malformed plague wraith slowly emerges from behind the mirrored surface of the dark portal which quickly collapses on itself with a sudden rush of cold wind. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. A pinpoint of black light appears in midair and gradually expands into a churning purple abyss. A malformed plague wraith slowly emerges from behind the mirrored surface of the dark portal which quickly collapses on itself with a sudden rush of cold wind. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A pinpoint of black light appears in midair and gradually expands into a churning purple abyss. A malformed plague wraith slowly emerges from behind the mirrored surface of the dark portal which quickly collapses on itself with a sudden rush of cold wind. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A pinpoint of black light appears in midair and gradually expands into a churning purple abyss. A malformed plague wraith slowly emerges from behind the mirrored surface of the dark portal which quickly collapses on itself with a sudden rush of cold wind. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. The plague wraith begins to advance on Zyros. The plague wraith begins to advance on you! The plague wraith is still a distance away from you and is closing steadily. The plague wraith begins to advance on Tirost. The plague wraith begins to advance on Tirost. The plague wraith begins to advance on Vaerek. The plague wraith begins to advance on you! The plague wraith is still a distance away from you and is closing steadily. The plague wraith begins to advance on you! The plague wraith is still a distance away from you and is closing steadily. The plague wraith begins to advance on Vaerek. The plague wraith begins to advance on Vaerek. The plague wraith begins to advance on Vaerek. A malformed plague wraith spreads its expansive wings and glides southwest. A malformed plague wraith spreads its expansive wings and glides southwest. A malformed plague wraith spreads its expansive wings and glides southwest. A malformed plague wraith spreads its expansive wings and glides southwest. Zyros says, "Oh shoot." A malformed plague wraith spreads its expansive wings and glides southwest. A malformed plague wraith spreads its expansive wings and glides southwest. A malformed plague wraith whispers to you, "Your eyesss are ssshrouded to the sssecrets that lay within your grasssp. Sssubmit and allow me to pull back the concssealing veil that hidesss the truth." You say, "Oy, those don't look right at all." Held aloft by two expansive skeletal wings, the massive plague wraith towers over thirty feet tall. Under its tattered cloak, a black mass of writhing insects and serpents cling tightly to a nearly fleshless skeleton. Four elongated arms, covered in a tangle of scorpions and spiders, end in wickedly curved talons that twitch in anticipation of its next victim. Practically obscured by the inky shadows cast by its voluminous hood, two flaming emerald eyes partially illuminate its malevolent hook-toothed skull. A malformed plague wraith spreads its expansive skeletal wings wide and howls at the sky! (Much fighting as we handily defeat the swarm of malformed plague wraiths) Vaerek says, "This is not good." Vaerek gestures. An ominous rustling comes from all around as debris takes flight of its own accord! A wee blue-white sliver suddenly swings from orbiting around his head and zips toward a malformed plague wraith! It manages to get out of the way! A wee blue-white sliver suddenly swings from orbiting around his head and zips toward a malformed plague wraith! The blue-white sliver lands a very heavy hit to its left leg! A wee blue-white sliver suddenly swings from orbiting around his head and zips toward a malformed plague wraith! The blue-white sliver lands a strong hit to its left arm! The blue-white sliver explodes into even tinier multicolored fragments and vanishes! A wee blue-white sliver suddenly swings from orbiting around his head and zips toward a malformed plague wraith! The blue-white sliver lands a strong hit to its abdomen! The blue-white sliver explodes into even tinier multicolored fragments and vanishes! A wee blue-white sliver suddenly swings from orbiting around his head and zips toward a malformed plague wraith! The blue-white sliver lands a heavy strike to its right arm! The blue-white sliver explodes into even tinier multicolored fragments and vanishes! A wee blue-white sliver suddenly swings from orbiting around his head and zips toward a malformed plague wraith! The blue-white sliver lands a heavy strike to its right leg! The blue-white sliver explodes into even tinier multicolored fragments and vanishes! A wee blue-white sliver suddenly swings from orbiting around his head and zips toward a malformed plague wraith! The blue-white sliver lands a massive strike to its left leg! The blue-white sliver explodes into even tinier multicolored fragments and vanishes! A wee blue-white sliver suddenly swings from orbiting around his head and zips toward a malformed plague wraith! The blue-white sliver lands an awesome strike to its back! The blue-white sliver explodes into even tinier multicolored fragments and vanishes! A wee blue-white sliver suddenly swings from orbiting around his head and zips toward a malformed plague wraith! The blue-white sliver lands a very heavy hit to its right leg! The blue-white sliver explodes into even tinier multicolored fragments and vanishes! A malformed plague wraith bellows with untamed malice and erupts into a pillar of swirling emerald fire, leaving a pile of smoldering bones in its wake. >think Well they're back in force up here. You concentrate on projecting your thoughts. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A pinpoint of black light appears in midair and gradually expands into a churning purple abyss. A malformed plague wraith slowly emerges from behind the mirrored surface of the dark portal which quickly collapses on itself with a sudden rush of cold wind. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. The ground begins to tremble and suddenly tears asunder as four skeletal arms break the surface. With practiced movements, a malformed plague wraith rises from its earthen prison and bellows in triumph. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A malevolent laugh fills the air as a malformed plague wraith slowly materializes before your eyes. A malformed plague wraith whispers a few inaudible words to Zyros. A malformed plague wraith snorts in disgust, causing a few plump white maggots to fly from its nose cavity. (Oh yeah, I should probably make sure my group's not getting clobbered...) You lay your hand on Tirost's arm. You sense a successful empathic link has been forged between you and Tirost. You feel the burning fire of pain and suffering building slowly as you instinctively draw out the truth behind Tirost's injuries. You reach out to Tirost with your empathic senses, gradually strengthening the fragile diagnostic link until it is robust enough to persist between you and Tirost without any concentration on your part. You deepen your link with Tirost, placing yourself on the verge of establishing a transference link. A dull ache rises in your throat as Tirost's pain begins to seep through the connection to you. You lay your hand on Vaerek's arm. You sense a successful empathic link has been forged between you and Vaerek. You feel the burning fire of pain and suffering building slowly as you instinctively draw out the truth behind Vaerek's injuries. You sense nothing wrong with Vaerek. You reach out to Vaerek with your empathic senses, gradually strengthening the fragile diagnostic link until it is robust enough to persist between you and Vaerek without any concentration on your part. You deepen your link with Vaerek, placing yourself on the verge of establishing a transference link. A dull ache rises in your throat as Vaerek's pain begins to seep through the connection to you. You lay your hand on Zyros's arm. You sense a successful empathic link has been forged between you and Zyros. You feel the burning fire of pain and suffering building slowly as you instinctively draw out the truth behind Zyros's injuries. You sense nothing wrong with Zyros. You reach out to Zyros with your empathic senses, gradually strengthening the fragile diagnostic link until it is robust enough to persist between you and Zyros without any concentration on your part. You deepen your link with Zyros, placing yourself on the verge of establishing a transference link. A dull ache rises in your throat as Zyros's pain begins to seep through the connection to you. (Okay they're fine. Whole bunch more fighting) Tirost asks, "Why are they malformed?" You ask, "Not sure, maybe whatever was conjurin' them up sent 'em out before they were finished?" Tirost says, "Ah, that could be it, Karthor." (Still more fighting) You say, "Well done." Vaerek blinks. Malformed plague wraiths defeated. Huzzah! Incoming sense of approval You say, "Right then, well let's press on I s'pose. There may yet be somethin' to find." Tirost nods to you. Vaerek asks, "What the heck just happened?" Tirost says, "I don't know." Vaerek says, "They swarmed us like prey." You say, "Very good question." You feel his attention on you, and his pleasure in a job well done. His land is purified, imperfections removed from the jewel of his heart. Far above, the raven and the welkin once again soar, and you feel their attention on you for a sharp, sublime moment. The two vanish against the horizon. Tirost says, "And I could sense something whispering." You smile. You make an appreciative grunting noise. Tirost smiles. Vaerek says, "I don like it." Vaerek shakes his head. Tirost says, "Nor me, but the I had a good feeling when I saw the raven and the welkin." You nod in agreement. The normal plague wraiths returned, and we fought them for a little bit more You peer at a vile plague wraith over the rim of your spectacles. You say, "Hm, looks like the normal-shaped ones're back." Tirost nods to you. You say, "Insofar's those things can look normal, anyway." Lord of Elamiri Gridaksma just arrived. Lord of Elamiri Gridaksma climbed up a massive boulder. You close your eyes, drawing all your thoughts inward, and then slowly reach out to sense Vaerek's life essence... You sense a successful empathic link has been forged between you and Vaerek. You feel the burning fire of pain and suffering building slowly as you instinctively draw out the truth behind Vaerek's injuries. You sense nothing wrong with Vaerek. You close your eyes, drawing all your thoughts inward, and then slowly reach out to sense Tirost's life essence... You sense a successful empathic link has been forged between you and Tirost. You feel the burning fire of pain and suffering building slowly as you instinctively draw out the truth behind Tirost's injuries. You sense nothing wrong with Tirost. You close your eyes, drawing all your thoughts inward, and then slowly reach out to sense Zyros's life essence... You feel the burning fire of pain and suffering building slowly as you instinctively draw out the truth behind Zyros's injuries. You sense nothing wrong with Zyros. (Yep, they're still fine) You say, "Right then, let's carry on." Tirost nods. Your Dwarven iron voulge makes the climb more difficult. [Hrendh Skogar, Animal Trail] Small bits of rubble lay strewn about, not much more than random pieces tossed away from a mammoth boulder before it came to rest on the trail. A light growth of trees surrounds the path, green foliage swaying gently with any movement of the wind. You also see a vile plague wraith, a vile plague wraith, a vile plague wraith and a vile plague wraith. Obvious paths: west. Zyros, Vaerek and Tirost followed. A vile plague wraith glides into view, carefully searching for intruders. The plague wraith begins to advance on you! The plague wraith is still a distance away from you and is closing steadily. The plague wraith begins to advance on Zyros. Shifting winds gently blow from behind Zyros. Shifting winds gently blow from behind Tirost. A vile plague wraith rears back and slowly draws in a deep breath before lurching forward to regurgitate a swarm of scorpions at Zyros! With cunning movements Zyros manages to evade the rain of vicious black scorpions, which fall to the ground with a sickening *SPLAT*! The plague wraith begins to advance on Zyros. You say, "Well h'lo to you too." You grunt at a vile plague wraith. Vaerek chuckles at you! Tirost grins at you. A vile plague wraith shouts, "Bow before the tempessst of death, and welcome your eternal unlife!" (More fighting) Zyros gestures. Laden with blossoms of many colors, loam erupts from the ground as crumbling dirt and cracking stone solidify into an earthen ballista smelling of meadows. The earthen ballista grinds and rotates until it faces a vile plague wraith. A wildflower-strewn earthen ballista covered in fresh loam shudders slightly and makes a noisy thrumming as it launches a large rock at a vile plague wraith! A vile plague wraith is jerked forward by its steel scythe! A vile plague wraith is jerked forward by its steel scythe! Tirost is jerked forward! Vaerek is jerked forward! Zyros is jerked forward! You feel your stomping boots, titanese greaves, titanese gloves, hand claws, iron bracer, glaes buckler, elbow spikes, scale vambraces, cambrinth armband, scale lorica, cambrinth raven, cambrinth spectacles, scale balaclava and Dwarven iron voulge jerk you forward! The sickening crunch of bone and flesh around a vile plague wraith's abdomen being forcibly compressed seems as loud as a thunderclap! Tirost says, "Rub that ballista, Zyros." A wildflower-strewn earthen ballista covered in fresh loam shudders slightly and makes a noisy thrumming as it launches a large rock at a vile plague wraith! A vile plague wraith is jerked forward by its steel scythe! Tirost is jerked forward! Vaerek is jerked forward! Zyros is jerked forward! You feel your stomping boots, titanese greaves, titanese gloves, hand claws, iron bracer, glaes buckler, elbow spikes, scale vambraces, cambrinth armband, scale lorica, cambrinth raven, cambrinth spectacles, scale balaclava and Dwarven iron voulge jerk you forward! Small splatters of blood fly out from the left leg, struck dead center by the speeding large rock! The earthen ballista grinds with the sound of stone on stone as a second large rock settles into place atop the launching device. Zyros says, "Oh fine." Tirost grins. You chuckle. (More fighting) You discharge a portion of the Calculated Rage spell. There is no connection there, no empathy to be had. Fury without release builds in a split second; a white hot, certain thing. You reach out violently for catharsis. Striding forward in a cold rage, you abruptly land an earth-shaking strike with a debilitating headbutt. A vile plague wraith bellows in pain and savagely rakes the ground with its talons before suddenly erupting into a pillar of swirling emerald fire, leaving a pile of smoldering bones in its wake. A pile of smoldering bones gasps and regains control of its breathing. Tirost grins at you. Tirost says to you, "Nice shot." You adjust the fit of your spectacles. You say, "Why thank ya." An icy blade circling Zyros lands a massive strike to a vile plague wraith's chest! A vile plague wraith bellows in pain and savagely rakes the ground with its talons before suddenly erupting into a pillar of swirling emerald fire, leaving a pile of smoldering bones in its wake. A pile of smoldering bones gasps and regains control of its breathing. >think Methinks we've accomplished all we're goin' to. Let's regroup where we started an' compare notes? You concentrate on projecting your thoughts. You notice a sand-hued lynx with a tufted black-tipped tail sniff at a pile of smoldering bones. You say, "This seems to be endless, an' I get the feelin' we've done all we can fer now. Let's fall back." Tirost nods. Zyros nods. Tirost says, "Retreating." A vile plague wraith snarls and says, "Bow to your massster sssilly flessshlingsss, you have nothing but death to look forward to." (We enact a somewhat disorderly but ultimately successful retreat and return to the entrance) We meet back up to discuss what happened [Hrendh Skogar, Barrier] The faint scent of pine is carried upon the air ever so slightly. Small squirrels scamper along the edge of the path, searching for any stray bits of food accidentally left behind. A large wooden barrier, painted with bold red lettering, reaches across the road to block passage northward. You also see an ethereal vela'tohr thicket. Also here: Strawberry Nurse Illiya and Dawnsworn Briaen who is kneeling. Obvious paths: southwest. Vaerek, Zyros and Tirost followed. Elurora just climbed down a weather-worn barricade, dragging Aerhys behind her. Aerhys joins Elurora's group. Firehawk Casari climbed down a weather-worn barricade. Elurora says to Aerhys, "They like you much too much." Illiya gazes at Elurora. Vaerek says, "What a mess." Aerhys chuckles. Lady Knight Elurora climbed up a weather-worn barricade. You nod at Vaerek, in complete agreement with his views. Aerhys says, "I'm delicious." Vaerek shakes his head. Aerhys shrugs. Lady Knight Elurora's group climbed down a weather-worn barricade. Elurora hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return. Aerhys joins Elurora's group. Elurora says to Aerhys, "It was the easiest way to get you out of there." Aerhys beams at Elurora! Gridaksma chuckles. Madigan raises his hand in a quick salute. Healer Leilanie climbed down a weather-worn barricade. Tirost says to you, "Not sure what to make of the malformed wraiths and whatever sent them." You wave to Madigan. Tirost snaps to attention and hails Madigan with a crisp hand salute. Madigan snaps to attention and hails you with a crisp hand salute. Madigan says, "Sorry I was late Karthor." You say to Tirost, "Aye, same here. About all I've got is that "there's a somethin' that sent 'em"." You gesture. Your cambrinth raven emits a loud *snap* as it discharges all its power to aid your spell. Your cambrinth armband emits a loud *snap* as it discharges as much power as necessary, leaving a small amount left for future use. A sudden wave of heat washes over you as your spell flushes all poison from your body. Since you are no longer poisoned, you use your knowledge of Adaptive Curing to set a reactive ward. You feel the pattern center itself in the small of your back, a lingering warmth reminding you of its protective presence. Madigan snaps to attention and hails Tirost with a crisp hand salute. Elurora asks, "They're both avatars of Gods, aren't they?" You ask, "No worries. Did ya get some good kills in?" You grin at Madigan. Elurora giggles at Aerhys. Madigan grins. Aerhys grins at Elurora, his dimples flashing into view. Peace Keeper Vaddon's group climbed down a weather-worn barricade. Madigan asks, "Anything interesting happen?" Madigan raises an eyebrow. You nod to Madigan. Holy Lash Nawain climbed down a weather-worn barricade. Aerhys nods to Madigan. Crobin waves to Vaerek. Briaen stands up. Crobin chuckles. Sukidesu waves to Nawain. Vaerek waves to Crobin. You say, "Quite. We'll give folks a moment to trickle back an' discuss." Nawain waves to Sukidesu. Briaen carefully gathers up the delicate folds of a light leather prayer mat tooled with a sheaf of golden grain overlaying a brilliant rising sun. Briaen puts his mat in his pilgrim's satchel. Crobin hugs Tirost, who wraps his arms around Crobin with a warm smile. Zyros says, "Indeed. More signs." Allye smiles. Madigan nods in agreement. Allye nods in agreement. Tirost says to you, "Kertigen seemed to look fondly on your actions, from what I felt." Crobin hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return. Leayne hugs Tirost, who wraps his arms around Leayne with a warm smile. Tirost hugs Leayne, who wraps her arms around Tirost with a warm smile. You nod to Tirost. Madigan smiles at Leayne. Leayne hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return. Tirost hugs Crobin, who wraps his arms around Tirost with a warm smile. Madigan snaps to attention and hails Crobin with a crisp hand salute. You say to Tirost, "Seemed that way." Crobin pats you on the back. You wave to Crobin. Leayne smiles at you, revealing the dimples in her cheeks. You say, "Well methinks this's more folks than we started with, so let's debrief." You grin. Leayne softly says, "We came an awful long way for this." Crobin says, "I shall keep my pants on." Elurora nods to you. Crobin says, "Thank you though." Nawain says, "Alright. This medallion is very much no longer cursed, but is still stuck. Maybe it's got glue on it." Elurora blinks at Crobin. Tirost glances at Crobin. You say, "Crobin Oy, not .... nevermind." You chuckle. Crobin chuckles. Crobin stands near Leayne. Crobin clasps Leayne's hand tenderly and draws her into his arms. Sukidesu ponders. (Nawain shakes her hand, trying to dislodge the relic.) Nawain mutters to herself. Illiya beams at you! What a warm feeling! Aerhys winces. You ask, "Right then, so wha'd we learn?" Casari says, "Uh, well, we could always remove it the hard way." Gridaksma nods to Elurora. Aerhys says, "I'm irresistable." (Crobin reaches over grabbing the relic and pulling on Nawain) Tirost props his elbow on the arm of his stone seat and rests his chin in his hand. Elurora giggles at Aerhys. You say, "Kertigen an' his positive aspect, Divyaush, were clearly interested in what we were doin', and seemed pleased." Elurora says, "Aerhys does make good bait, but I'm not sure that's useful." Aerhys looks at Elurora, obviously trying not to grin, but the dimples in his cheeks give him away. Nawain says to Crobin, "Definitely glue." Tirost nods to you. Nawain ponders. Crobin nods to Nawain. Sukidesu chuckles. Madigan gets a mug of iced coffee from inside his traveler's pack. Madigan gazes at you. Elurora says, "It got real quiet, did anyone else notice that? Strangely quiet even." Nawain drops an emerald scarab medallion with a delicate gold inlay. Nawain gets an impish expression on her face, and lets out a hearty cheer. You nod to Elurora. Nawain exclaims to Crobin, "You helped!" Sukidesu says, "We empaths are very good bait." Sukidesu nods. Aerhys nods to Elurora. Nawain mumbles a word of general praise. Nawain praises Crobin. Crobin chuckles. Crobin strikes a heroic pose. You say, "Aye, sort of a calm before the storm." Tirost says, "There was a great silence, and then whispering." Tirost nods to you. Elurora says, "And then there was a lot of angry whispering." You nod. Aerhys says, "Very angry whispering." Elurora nods to Aerhys. Aerhys nods to Elurora. Madigan whistles low. You say, "Extremely angry. Almost as angry as I get at the undead." Allye nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views. Nawain asks, "They were talking about their masters. Is that normal? Do we know what those are?" Elurora says, "I couldn't make out any words." Allye angles her ears forward, gazing curiously at Nawain. You stroke your beard in thoughtful contemplation. Aerhys peers quizzically at Nawain. Tirost glances at Nawain. Allye says, "I couldn't understand the words either." Sukidesu glances at Nawain. You say to Nawain, "Hm, hard to say. I didn't catch any o' that." Elurora asks Nawain, "What did you hear?" Nawain says, "Let me see if I can recall." Zyros says, "I just heard wspspspspss." Elurora nods to Zyros. Aerhys nods to Zyros. Zyros says, "Loudly." Elurora says, "It got really loud for whispering." Elurora gazes off into the distance. Allye nods at Zyros, obviously agreeing with his views. You nod in agreement. Elurora says to you, "It makes me wonder if you aren't on the right track out here." You say to Elurora, "There certainly seems to be "somethin'" at work." Elurora nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views. Vaddon says, "Need to head out. But thanks all. Fine group to explore with." Vaddon raises his legionary's pilum in a quick salute. You ask, "Anywho, after the angry whispers came a whole mess o' malformed plague wraiths. Like they were...I dunno, half-baked?" You scratch your head. Crobin waves to Vaddon. Elurora nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views. Vaerek waves to Vaddon. Nawain says, "Oh. I didn't notice that. It was pulling bits out of my automaton and making more." Aerhys nods to you. Nawain squints. Tirost gazes thoughtfully at you. Vaddon waves. Peace Keeper Vaddon strides southwest. Elurora says, "Meaner too." Crobin says, "Came in droves." Aerhys blinks at Nawain. You nod. Madigan says, "That sounds serious." Allye nods at Elurora, obviously agreeing with her views. You say, "Once we'd struck them down, there was a strong sense o' Kertigen's pleasure as the raven an' welkin left." Tirost nods to you. Nawain says, "Oh, there.... One of them said, "Bow to your massster sssilly flessshlingsss, you have nothing but death to look forward to." Nawain ponders. Elurora gazes thoughtfully at Nawain. Tirost frowns. Nawain says, "I think that seems like fairly standard villian speech." Nawain shifts her weight. You say, "Ah, that's just "welcome to plague wraiths" material. Their enmity with Life is strong." Nawain nods to you. Nawain quietly says, "Still want to know how they pulled a soul out of an automaton and turned it undead." Nawain squints. Vaerek asks you, "Almost like the entity was happy with our decision to not use sorcery to combat what might have been sorcery?" You ponder. You ask Vaerek, "Hm, I didn't get that sense. What makes ya think that?" Elurora says, "It didn't really feel happy if the whispering was it." Sukidesu nods to Elurora. Tirost says to you, "It was good to fight by your side my friend. I should take my leave for now." You nod to Tirost. Crobin hugs Tirost, who wraps his arms around Crobin with a warm smile. You shake Tirost's hand. Tirost hugs Crobin, who wraps his arms around Tirost with a warm smile. You say to Tirost, "Thanks fer comin' out. We did somethin' good here." Tirost shakes your hand. Tirost nods in agreement. Vaerek nods to you. You say, "Now we just need to figure out, er, what." You chuckle. Elurora quietly asks, "It felt like the angry whispering was damning me, I'm not sure for what, being here maybe?" Knight of Meraud Tirost drifts southwest. Elurora rubs her head. Sukidesu nods at Elurora, obviously agreeing with her views. Sukidesu says, "Maybe so." Aerhys nods to Elurora. Nawain nods to Elurora. You ask, "Could be. Like maybe it wasn't expectin' to be found out, an' had to rush out more wraiths?" Crobin snuggles up to Leayne and cradles her in his arms. Elurora says, "I don't know the area, but nothing else seemed...out of place." Elurora furrows her brow. You nod to Elurora. You ask, "Aye, I didn't spot anythin' amiss on that front either. Anyone else see anythin' strange in the environment?" You look around, trying to appear nonchalant. Sukidesu says, "It was just eerie all around, but nothing...stood out." Allye shakes her head at you. You nod. Nawain shakes her head. Leayne softly says, "Never been here, so I have no idea." Crobin says, "I didn't, was a bit caught up in watching Nawain kill the things by the handful." Nawain blushes furiously! Aerhys grins, revealing his dimples. Leayne grins at Nawain, her dimples flashing into view. You say to Leayne, "Aye, it's not exactly a vacation spot." Leayne grins at you, her dimples flashing into view. Crobin says, "Much like Leayne I had never been here before." Leayne softly asks, "No beach?" You chuckle. Casari says, "A little sweeping and it would be a nice place to build a house." Casari shrugs. Crobin says, "Though there is a hot spring close by." Elurora begins chortling at Casari. Aerhys grins at Casari, his dimples flashing into view. Crobin smiles at Leayne. Leayne softly asks, "Does it come with scorpions?" Elurora lightly asks Casari, "Clear things out with a bit of fire first?" Crobin says, "I hope not." Crobin chuckles. Zyros says, "Might go exorcise the demons in that spring." Casari grins at Elurora. Zyros ponders. Casari says to Elurora, "That was the sweeping." Elurora chortles softly at some secret joke. You chuckle. Nawain says, "I suppose plague wraiths always come out of purple-black portals, right? Are those void-related? The scorprions have me thinking about Urrem'tier." Elurora asks, "Right, so, we think there might be *something* but how do we find it?" Elurora glances at a weather-worn barricade. Sukidesu ponders. You stroke your beard in thoughtful contemplation. You say to Nawain, "I suspect the symbolism there's coincidental, but who knows." Crobin asks, "Are there traveling altars?" Sukidesu says, "Well, seems to me Urrem'tier would be pro-death." You say to Elurora, "Now there's a good question." Casari asks, "Wouldn't be the first Immortal to have undead friends. But why would Kertigen and Urrem'tier be at odds at a time like this?" Nawain says to you, "Maybe. There are some undead affiliated with gods, though." Nawain nods at Casari, obviously agreeing with her views. Nawain ponders. You stroke your beard in thoughtful contemplation. Crobin asks, "Do clerics or Paladins have a way to travel with altars with them?" You say, "In any case, I have a feelin' we may've surprised somethin' and should be on the lookout fer a retaliation in the days to come." Elurora says to Crobin, "Not that I'm aware of." Crobin asks, "If so could you hold a vigil here and see what sort of happens?" Casari gives you a slight nod. Nawain shakes her head at Crobin. Sukidesu ponders. Aerhys nods to you. Elurora says, "We could probably hold a vigil here without an altar." Nawain says to Crobin, "The prayer rugs are our closest thing to altars." Crobin says, "You all should talk to your leaders." Casari says, "Raven's Point and Shard are generally pretty ready to handle the likes of them. I'd be concerned about some of the villages in the area." Crobin says, "Get some travel size altars." Elurora says, "Banner the whole place and see if that shakes anything out." Nawain firmly says to Crobin, "I know. I have a list." Zyros nods to Casari. Crobin says, "Lists are good,." Illiya asks, "Um.. sorry I arrived a bit late, could someone fill me in after?" Nawain says, "I've got a little carved table, but the furniture people won't let me have it back." Illiya smiles, revealing the dimples in her cheeks. Crobin says, "I normally go off memory, which is badly." Leilanie smiles at Illiya. Briaen says, "I should note I could also hear the whispers here. I could also see the avatars." Nawain nods to Illiya. You stroke your beard in thoughtful contemplation. Illiya just hugged Nawain. Crobin asks, "Avatars?" Sukidesu says, "The raven and the welkin." Nawain says to Crobin, "The raven and the welkin." Allye nods. Leilanie nods in agreement. Nawain holds her hand out towards Sukidesu for a highfive. Crobin says, "Aww I must of missed that." Leayne laughs at Crobin. Sukidesu and Nawain hold their arms up and pretend to highfive. Gridaksma nods to a weasel skeleton. Elurora glances at Gridaksma. Sukidesu grins at Nawain, his dimples flashing into view. The large, transparent image of a tilted almond-shaped cat-slitted amber eye wavers in the sky above. Zyros says, "Woa." Casari whistles the light ballad, "Heroes Walk With Us Still". Aerhys blinks. Leayne blinks. You ask, "Methinks that about covers the highlights, unless I missed anythin'? Any other insights or anysuch?" Aerhys grins at Nawain, his dimples flashing into view. You look around, trying to appear nonchalant. Aerhys gazes up at the sky. Vaerek came through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges. Elurora says to Aerhys, "It's a moon mage's eye." Aerhys says, "Oh." Madigan raises his hand in a quick salute. Vaerek says, "If anyone needs a walk back just let me know. I'll be watchin." Vaerek went through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges. Crobin waggles a finger at a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges. Nawain asks, "Still confused why Divyaush felt the need to send His welkin. We weren't exactly crafting anything?" Nawain ponders. Sukidesu looks at Nawain and shrugs. Crobin says, "You crafted death." Gridaksma says, "That depends on what stories you believe in." Crobin says, "I watched it." Gridaksma nods to Nawain. You say, "I wonder at that too." Nawain asks, "I suppose Kertigan wanted backup, maybe?" Nawain grins at Crobin. Gridaksma says, "Malformed things are not something he abides easily." Nawain says to Gridaksma, "That's a good point." Elurora gazes thoughtfully at Gridaksma. Sukidesu says, "I feel like we're left with more questions than answers, as is typical." Sukidesu sighs. Leayne sighs. Nawain chuckles. Leayne gives Crobin a gentle poke in the ribs. Casari says, "If we're going into the philosophical debate about whether Kertigen and Divyaush are or aren't the same, I probably have some rum on me." Elurora chuckles at Casari. You chuckle. Nawain gets an itsy-bitsy Ilithic applewood keg reinforced with howlite-studded leather straps from inside her slender rugursora. Nawain asks Casari, "Have you tried frat?" Nawain offers Casari an itsy-bitsy Ilithic applewood keg reinforced with howlite-studded leather straps. Casari accepts Nawain's applewood keg. Casari sniffs at an itsy-bitsy Ilithic applewood keg reinforced with howlite-studded leather straps. Elurora quietly asks you, "A vigil here might not be a bad idea?" Crobin says, "Vaerek could we get the moongate opened please and thank you." You ask Elurora, "Couldn't hurt, at any rate. Know any Kertigen specialists?" Casari says, "Uh, I shouldn't drink while... on duty, or something." Casari offers Nawain an itsy-bitsy Ilithic applewood keg reinforced with howlite-studded leather straps. Nawain chuckles. Nawain accepts Casari's applewood keg. Allye grins at Casari. In a blazing fountain of red-gold sparks, a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges blazes into life. Elurora begins chortling at Casari. Crobin waves. Crobin hugs Allye, who wraps her arms around Crobin with a warm smile. Nawain waves to Crobin. Crobin just hugged Nawain. Aerhys grins, revealing his dimples. Crobin hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return. Nawain hugs Crobin, who wraps his arms around Nawain with a warm smile. Sukidesu laughs softly, trying to hide his amusement. Elurora says to you, "I don't." Crobin waves to Sukidesu. Illiya hugs Crobin, who wraps his arms around Illiya with a warm smile. Crobin pats you on the back. Sukidesu waves to Crobin. Illiya hugs Leayne, who wraps her arms around Illiya with a warm smile. Leayne waves. You stroke your beard in thoughtful contemplation. Crobin says, "Talk to you all soon." Sukidesu waves to Leayne. Leayne softly says, "Be well." Leayne hugs Nawain, who wraps her arms around Leayne with a warm smile. Aerhys waves. You wave to Crobin. Elurora waves to Crobin. Leayne hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return. Nawain hugs Leayne, who wraps her arms around Nawain with a warm smile. Elurora waves to Leayne. Crobin hugs Elurora, getting a smile in return. Leayne hugs Allye, getting a smile in return. Crobin asks, "Ready love?" Leayne nods. Fearless Crobin's group went through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges. Illiya casually observes the area. Casari says to you, "Good job." Casari praises you. You smile. Elurora nods at Casari, obviously agreeing with her views. Elurora smiles at you. Elurora says, "I don't know what it means, but another piece is another piece." Aerhys nods. You say, "Thanks, this success belongs to us all though." Sukidesu inhales a great swallow of air. Sukidesu slowly empties his lungs. You say, "Bonus points if anyone figures out exactly what we were successful at." You scratch your head. Sukidesu grins at you, his dimples flashing into view. Allye laughs softly, trying to hide her amusement. Elurora laughs softly, trying to hide her amusement. Casari grins at you. Nawain matter-of-factly says to you, "Killing lots of undead. And that is good." You smile. Elurora says, "We upset something. Which makes me believe more that there IS something else involved here." You say, "That's enough fer me." You nod to Nawain. Aerhys quietly says, "Being bait." Nawain pats you on the back. Allye says to you, "Thank you for gathering us for it." Elurora pats Aerhys on the back. Nawain grins at Aerhys. Allye nods at Nawain, obviously agreeing with her views. Aerhys grins at Elurora, his dimples flashing into view. Elurora says to Aerhys, "You were very good at that." You nod to Allye. Aerhys looks extremely pleased with himself. You nod at Elurora, in complete agreement with her views. You say to Elurora, "Agreed." Illiya ponders. Sukidesu gazes up at the sky. Allye says, "Safe paths, everyone. I need to run, I'm afraid." You sense an odd, unprecedented torsion in the mana streams. It slowly passes. Illiya hugs Allye, getting a smile in return. Elurora says, "I think I'm going to take another peek around the area." Allye hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return. Elurora hugs Allye, getting a smile in return. Allye beams at Illiya! Illiya hugs Elurora, getting a smile in return. Aerhys bows to Allye. Sukidesu nods to Elurora. Allye hugs Elurora, getting a smile in return. Casari waves to Allye. Allye curtsies gracefully to Aerhys. Nawain hugs Allye, getting a smile in return. Allye waves to Casari. Allye hugs Nawain, getting a smile in return. Aerhys grins at Allye, his dimples flashing into view. You wave to Allye. Allye waves to you. Allye grins. Casari exclaims, "Back to Shard for me. Good evening, everyone!" Nawain waves to Casari. Alley Fighter Allye goes southwest. Aerhys hugs Elurora, who wraps her arms around Aerhys with a warm smile. Elurora says to Aerhys, "Unless you wanted to come but I figured you'd been bait enough." Elurora grins at Aerhys. Elurora hugs Aerhys, who wraps his arms around Elurora with a warm smile. Casari waves. You say, "Right then, well thanks fer yer help everyone." Firehawk Casari goes southwest. Illiya asks you, "Would you mind if I ask you a couple of questions?" Aerhys says, "I think I'll wander back.. without baiting anything, hopefully." Aerhys grins at Elurora, his dimples flashing into view. You say to Illiya, "Not at all." Elurora says to you, "Reach out if I can help further." You nod to Elurora. Elurora looks at Aerhys, obviously trying not to grin. Sukidesu says, "Watch out for Gryphons, they're nasty." Aerhys bows to you. Aerhys bows to Gridaksma. Elurora says to Aerhys, "Try not to look too tasty." Aerhys laughs! Gridaksma bows his head, acknowledging Aerhys. Aerhys peers through the sanguine Moongate. Elurora bows. Aerhys bows. Lady Knight Elurora climbed up a weather-worn barricade. Aerhys waves. Courtier Aerhys went through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges. Illiya says to you, "Keep in mind that I don't have the full context of what happened here yet, but I may write about this later for the Herald." Illiya chuckles. You grin. Zyros says, "Think I'll go read the willow again. It was a nice poem." Zyros exclaims, "Thanks all, and good luck!" Vaerek came through a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges. You nod to Zyros. Zyros waves to you. Illiya asks you, "What exactly were you hoping to accomplish, and do you feel you have accomplished it?" Illiya waves to Zyros. You wave to Zyros. Sukidesu takes a seat. Druid Zyros climbed up a weather-worn barricade. Vaerek says, "Ok, you're on your own after this one closes." Vaerek points at a sanguine Moongate with unnaturally seeping edges. Illiya just hugged Vaerek. Vaerek hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return. Sukidesu says, "I'm going to sit here and meditate for a moment. I'll be fine getting back." You say to Illiya, "Mostly it was an attempt to see where the plague wraiths fit into all this. If ya recall, folks were sayin' they appeared all over when magic first went out an' then came back all wild-like." Illiya nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views. You say to Illiya, "Some folks've been sayin' they think there's somethin' else at work besides the major cosmic beings behind the messengers we've been dealin' with. I tend to agree, so we were hopin' to find out somethin' about that as well." You say to Illiya, "The thought bein' that whatever it is is what was behind said wraiths." Vaerek says to you, "Thank you for having me." You nod to Vaerek. Vaerek smiles at you. Illiya nods to you. Vaerek says, "Take care everyone." Vaerek strides southwest. Illiya asks you, "Was the result what you expected?" You stroke your beard in thoughtful contemplation. (Nawain murmurs quietly, offering thanks to Mrod, Coshivi, and Enelne. She quietly gives additional praise to Kertigan and Divyaush, for making clear Their presence.) You say, "Not sure I had much in the way of expectations, but I'm satisfied that we confirmed that there's somethin' else in play associated with the plague wraiths. No clues as to what it might be though." Illiya asks you, "Do you have any theories or plans for further investigation?" You say, "An' apparently it's been buggin' Kertigen." You chuckle. Illiya says, "Interesting." You say, "Hm, not so far. Will have to give it some more thought, methinks." Illiya nods to you. Illiya says to you, "Thank you for your time, it sounds like some insights were gained from your efforts." You smile. Illiya says, "I think Nawain said she would fill me on on the details later." Nawain nods to Illiya. Illiya smiles at Nawain, revealing the dimples in her cheeks. You nod. Illiya curtsies to you. You bow to Illiya. Nawain asks Illiya, "Does now work for you? Or later later?" Illiya exclaims to Nawain, "Now works!" Nawain nods. You hear the faint voice of Vaerek emanate from the moonbeam, "whatever it was needs to be dealt with." Illiya gazes at a pale red moonbeam. You hear the faint voice of Vaerek emanate from the moonbeam, "yes, I'm here even when I'm not." Lord of Elamiri Gridaksma climbed down a weather-worn barricade. You grin. Illiya chortles softly at some secret joke. You say, "Neat trick." Lady Knight Elurora climbed down a weather-worn barricade. Illiya smiles at Elurora, revealing the dimples in her cheeks. Gridaksma gazes thoughtfully at Elurora. Nawain says to Illiya, "It was quite odd. We found some normal plague wraiths and dispatched them quickly, but a sudden silence fell over the whole place, followed by very angry whispering." Elurora says, "I didn't find anything that I think has to do with today, but there is a sad tale in there anyway." Illiya nods to Nawain. Elurora rubs her nose. Sukidesu glances at Elurora. Gridaksma nods at Elurora, obviously agreeing with her views. Illiya rubs Elurora in a friendly manner. Nawain asks Elurora, "Oh?" You nod to Elurora. Sukidesu asks, "What did you see?" You hear the faint voice of Vaerek emanate from the moonbeam, "It was odd this time when the silence came around I was able to prepare spells." Elurora says to Nawain, "There's a tree with a poem written on it, an old camp site with some bits of a journal that speaks of a lost love...and a Gor'Tog's body under a tree." Elurora says, "Well, more bones than body at this point." Nawain winces. A pained expression crosses Sukidesu's face. Nawain nods to Elurora. Illiya says, "Oh.. that does sound sad." Elurora says, "It all looks very old though, whatever happen to them was not recent I'd guess. Not much help to our current issue." Illiya nods to Elurora. You nod in agreement. Illiya asks Nawain, "So.. umm what kind of whispering?" Sukidesu stands up. Nawain says to Illiya, "Malevolent whispering. The kind that damned us simply for continuing to breathe." Illiya frowns. Illiya jots down some notes. Nawain says to Illiya, "We all saw a raven, very clearly. It looked a bit like it was struggling to fly? It was... awkward." Illiya nods to Nawain. Nawain says, "Then came a welkin. Both of them disappeared in a golden haze, and the whispering got louder, and angrier. And then malformed plague wraiths showed in great numbers." Illiya asks, "Was the welkin injured as well?" Elurora says, "It was a bit odd though, that the wraiths stopped appearing at all for a bit before that. Like something scared them off." Nawain says, "It didn't seem to be." Nawain nods to Elurora. You nod to Elurora. Illiya asks, "Other than being malformed were they any different from the regular plague wraiths?" Nawain says to Illiya, "And I'm not sure the raven was injured. It might very well have been... Hmm. I don't know. It might've been fighting off something we couldn't see, or caught in some sort of... spirital updraft." Illiya nods to Nawain. Nawain says to Illiya, "They were a bit tougher." You say, "Which's itself odd, eh? Ya'd think a malformed one'd be defective, not extra strong." Illiya jots down some notes. Elurora says, "There was a golden haze too, that they seemed to disappear into for a bit." Nawain nods to Elurora. Illiya nods at you, obviously agreeing with your views. Gridaksma says, "I can't recall a time before when avatars acted in this way." Elurora says, "The raven and welkin, not the wraiths." Illiya asks, "They went into the golden haze and then came out of it?" Elurora says, "I didn't see them come out of it specifically, just that they disappeared into it for a bit." You say, "I thought they reappeared after the malformed wraiths were defeated? Lost sight of 'em amongst the fray, honestly." Elurora nods to you. Illiya nods to you. Nawain says, "They did come back." Gridaksma says, "It was almost as if something was screening them." Nawain says, "They saw us. Very much Saw us." Elurora slowly says, "One of the visions that happened around Unaka did hint at some sort of...battle going on." Illiya asks Nawain, "Oh?" Nawain nods to Illiya. Elurora gazes up at the sky. . Illiya nods to Elurora. Illiya asks Nawain, "How do you know?" Nawain says to Illiya, "I felt it. It was a moment of sublime attention." Elurora says, "I felt it too." Elurora nods to Nawain. You nod in agreement. Nawain nods to Elurora. You say, "Likewise. A very tangible approval." Illiya asks, "It felt positive?" Briaen gazes up at the sky. Briaen says, "It usually does." Elurora nods to Illiya. Nawain says, "It felt... Well. It didn't feel negative." Nawain nods. You say, "Aye, from Kertigen specifically." Illiya nods to you. (Elurora stares at the land rising up beyond the barrier with a thoughtful expression.) Elurora asks, "Do we know anything about this area?" You say, "Fer the sake o' disclosure, I do carry Kertigen's favor. Not sure if or how that plays into it." Illiya nods to you. Illiya asks you, "It just felt as if Kertigen was paying attention to you for a moment?" Gridaksma gazes thoughtfully at you. Nawain smiles at you. You say to Illiya, "Somethin' like that. Somethin' about havin' purified the place." You hear the faint voice of Vaerek emanate from the moonbeam, "uhm, be on your toes here folks." Illiya says, "Ohh, interesting.." Nawain raises an eyebrow. Illiya asks, "Why, Vaerek?" Sukidesu blinks. You ask, "Ya spot somethin'?" Illiya asks, "In this particular area?" You narrow your eyes. Nawain stands up. Nawain carefully gathers up the delicate folds of a verdant jadeleaf prayer mat graced with golden butterflies and wildlace tassels. Nawain puts her mat in her slender rugursora. A red moonbeam flares into a brilliant blossom of light! As your eyes slowly recover, you notice a dazed-looking Vaerek, who wasn't there before. You say, "Welcome back." Illiya raises an eyebrow in Vaerek's direction. Elurora searches around for a moment. Elurora casually observes the area. Illiya closes her eyes for a moment and grows still. Vaerek says, "Hmm, maybe I overracted." Illiya says, "Better safe than sorry." Illiya grins at Vaerek, her dimples flashing into view. Elurora says, "Better to be careful, I think." Elurora nods at Illiya, obviously agreeing with her views. Sukidesu nods at Illiya, obviously agreeing with her views. Elurora asks you, "You said it felt like Kertigen thought you'd purified this area?" Illiya nods. Illiya asks, "That was interesting.. could you elaborate?" You nod to Elurora. You say, "Aye, it's a bit hard to describe. I'll have to reflect on it some to find the words, methinks." Elurora gives you a slight nod. Illiya nods to you. Elurora asks, "It makes me wonder if there are other areas we might need to...heal?" Elurora shifts her weight. You stroke your beard in thoughtful contemplation. Vaerek says, "There was something in the ground again." Vaerek sighs. Sukidesu says, "Almost certainly." Illiya gazes at Vaerek. Elurora gazes down at the ground. Vaerek looks at Elurora and shrugs. Illiya asks, "Did anything happen after you felt Kertigen's attention for a moment?" You ask Vaerek, "Some sort o' tendrils? An' the air heavy with malevolence?" Briaen says, "I've attempted purification in multiple places. I was reminded that some scars exist so that a lesson is not forgotten." Vaerek says, "Yeah." Elurora asks Briaen, "For that, yeah, but maybe this is different. Maybe this is like healing those holes we keep hearing about. Healing the place IT is getting in?" You say to Vaerek, "Not sure what to make o' that either, honestly." Gridaksma says, "I should get back to my library to check some notes." Illiya says, "I think that was Nawain." Briaen nods to Elurora. Elurora nods to Gridaksma. Elurora bows to Gridaksma. Illiya curtsies to Gridaksma. Gridaksma bows his head, acknowledging Elurora. Gridaksma bows his head in acknowledgement. Lord of Elamiri Gridaksma goes southwest. Nawain nods. Nawain says, "That's my hydra's hex." You say to Illiya, "I don't think so, was about the time the malformed wraiths were defeated though." Nawain asks you, "Shall I cast it again so you can see?" Illiya nods to you. You ask Illiya, "So I guess ya might say "there weren't more of 'em" is a thing happenin'?" Vaerek scans the sky from horizon to horizon. You grin at Illiya. Illiya exclaims to you, "Certainly seems that way!" Sukidesu says, "Hmm...I need to get my targeted magic skill up..." > You say to Nawain, "No need, I'll take yer word for it." Sukidesu mutters to himself. Nawain gives a slight nod. Elurora gives Briaen a slight nod. Illiya says, "I wonder where the malformed wraiths came from." Elurora says, "I should go feed Dog. Please reach out to me if I'm needed." Elurora hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return. Elurora just hugged Nawain. Illiya hugs Elurora, getting a smile in return. Elurora hugs Sukidesu, getting a smile in return. You say, "From Angry-Whispers-Thing, I'd suspect." Elurora bows to you. Nawain hugs Elurora, getting a smile in return. You nod to Elurora. Elurora quickly salutes Briaen by bringing two fingers to her brow. Illiya nods to you. Lady Knight Elurora goes southwest. Illiya asks Briaen, "How do you interpret what happened?" Briaen says, "There are few things that all thirty-nine agree upon, but the undead is one of those things." Illiya nods to Briaen. Sukidesu ponders. Briaen says, "The whispers we heard were of whatever keeps them here. The silence, a noted experience of what it means to be undead in the presense of Their glory." Illiya nods to Briaen. Briaen says, "While temporary, the avatars did drive away the undead." Illiya asks, "Avatars?" Illiya says, "Ah you mean the divine avatars." Briaen says, "The raven and the welkin that were seen, yes." Briaen smiles at Illiya. Briaen says, "The Immortals rarely appear in their true forms. I'm not certain we could handle such as sight." Vaerek says, "I bid you all good night. My eyes are droopy." Illiya asks, "So they were driven away by the avatars, and after the avatars left they reappeared?" Illiya just hugged Vaerek. Vaerek sighs. You nod to Vaerek. Vaerek hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return. Vaerek waves. Briaen nods to Illiya. Vaerek strides southwest. Illiya jots down some notes. Sukidesu says, "I need to go buy something in Riverhaven, I'll see you all later." Sukidesu waves. Illiya waves to Sukidesu. You wave to Sukidesu. An explosion of crimson flames envelops Sukidesu, and he disappears! Illiya asks Nawain, "What do you think about what happened?" Nawain ponders. Nawain says, "I don't think it happened in that order. I think the avatars came, and watched. I think they disappeared into a golden haze before the malformed wraiths showed up at all, and didn't return until we'd wiped them out. I think they wanted us to succeed, not to intercede on our behalf." You say, "I wonder whether the whisperer was angry with them, or with us. Or both, I s'pose." You scratch your head. Nawain says, "There are things a person has to do with their own two hands, that cannot be done by a well-meaning parent. We don't learn when things are done for us." Illiya ponders. Illiya asks, "Another question, do you think that the choice to not use sorcery was a factor in the reaction that you received?" Nawain ponders. You stroke your beard in thoughtful contemplation. Nawain says, "I don't know. I think the culling of the undead is always a worthy act. I'm not sure if doing so without sorcery was a necessary thing." Nawain ponders. Nawain says, "It might have been, but I just don't know." Briaen says, "If the Immortals had much to say on the matter of Sorcery, I'd likely not be here to talk about it. Save for Necromancy, they care little about our melding of mana and patterns." Illiya nods. Illiya says, "I suppose no very obvious signal either way about sorcery was seen." You say, "Hard to say, but if nothin' else it'd have avoided incurrin' new wrath from the Heralds." Illiya nods to you. Illiya asks, "I am a bit curious about why it was Kertigen and Divyaush.. was it simply because of Karthor's own faith?" You stroke your beard in thoughtful contemplation. Nawain says to Illiya, "Perhaps. I can't think of any other reason for them to appear here, for this." Nawain ponders. Illiya nods to Nawain. You ask, "Hm, it seemed like the area itself was of some interest to Kertigen. Somethin' about bein' his jewel?" Nawain frowns. Illiya asks, "Oh, how so?" Nawain asks, "Is it because it's close to Raven's Point?" You say to Nawain, "Could be." You say to Illiya, "Hard to say, that's the bit I'll have to meditate on methinks." Illiya nods to you. Illiya jots down some notes. Illiya asks Nawain, "And you said that the raven did not appear injured necessarily, but somehow gave you the impression it may have been involved in a conflict?" Nawain says to Illiya, "It was moving very awkwardly." Illiya jots down some notes. Illiya ponders. Nawain says to Illiya, "I can't say it was struggling against anything I could identify, or even bore battle wounds. But it was flying very.... awkwardly." Illiya says, "That part is interesting." You ask, "Well a less hindered Kertigen can only be a good thing, eh?" Illiya nods to you. Nawain smiles. Nawain nods to you. Illiya says, "I wonder if there is indeed some conflict going on that we are only seeing glimpses of." Nawain gives Illiya a slight nod. Illiya asks, "Any other thoughts or observations that any of you think is important to mention?" You stroke your beard in thoughtful contemplation. Nawain ponders. Briaen shakes his head. Nawain exclaims, "Stupid wraith tried to steal my automaton's soul. It doesn't even HAVE a soul!" Nawain mutters to herself. You chuckle. You ask, "Did it...work?" You act puzzled. Illiya exclaims, "It tried to steal its soul?!" You say, "They do that to create lesser wraiths with their victims' essence." Nawain says, "Not really. Well... I mean, it crafted a lesser wraith out of it. Which died even quicker than it did." Nawain nods to you. Illiya says, "Ah, well.. it was mistaken I suppose." You say, "That an' puke scorpions at folks. Which I somehow managed to let myself get hit by." You twitch. Nawain nods to you. Illiya asks, "Puke actual whole scorpions?" Nawain nods to Illiya. You say, "A whole swarm of 'em. Quite poisonous." Illiya says, "Creepy." Nawain says, "Gross." Briaen casually runs the tip of his tongue over the point of one of his carved ivory fangs, somehow managing to appear both threatening and seductive at the same time. Illiya nods at Nawain, obviously agreeing with her views. Illiya says, "Well, thank you all for your time." Illiya smiles, revealing the dimples in her cheeks. You nod to Illiya. Illiya says, "A lot of stuff going on in the world now, it's hard to stay on top of it." Nawain pats Illiya on the back. Illiya just hugged Nawain. You say, "Very much so." Nawain says to Illiya, "You're doing great." You chuckle. Nawain hugs Illiya, getting a smile in return. Illiya says to you, "And thank you for your efforts." You nod to Illiya. Illiya hugs you, and you give her a smile in return. Illiya bobs a quick curtsy to Briaen. Briaen gives a gracious nod. Illiya says, "Hopefully we don't lose any more clans tonight." You wince. Illiya waves. Nawain makes a grunting noise. Nawain nods. Strawberry Nurse Illiya goes southwest. Nawain slowly empties her lungs. You push your spectacles up the bridge of your nose. Nawain says to you, "Well done." You smile. You say, "Right then, I should probly be off too. Take care folks." Briaen nods to you. Nawain hugs you, and you give her a smile in return. You raise your hand in a quick salute. Nawain waves.