Magic and Myth, Steam and Steel (or, "The Adventures of the Fey-Team") IC

[PairO'Dice Lost]

It is a beautiful summer afternoon on the coast of southern Europa. The sun is shining brightly as it always does on the land known to mortals as Hellas and to the Fair Folk as the seat of power of the Summer Court, and a gentle breeze wafts across your faces while over a dozen of you travel up to a palace overlooking the Mediterranean. The breeze is refreshing in the warm sun, and never too chill nor too strong, for it dances and whispers at the whim of the Lady who lives in the palace: the Regent of Winds, she who commands Zephyrus and Boreas and their six siblings, she who is the favored granddaughter of the Queen of Air and Darkness, she who has fought skirmishes against four generations of mortals and counting, she who advises the Unseelie fey of Summer in the arts of aerial warfare.

She will soon add to her list of accomplishments “she who serves as your mentor and guide,” for each of you has been chosen to serve the armies of the fey in the not-quite-openly-acknowledged conflict with the Empire of Man—some of you for your noted excellence in battle, some of you for your hatred of the Empire, some of you for...other reasons. Being among the most personally powerful of the lesser fey, you shall be held accountable only to one of the most politically powerful of the fey nobility. You are reminded of this power as you each are formally invited over the threshold of the Regent's home by her manservant; the palace is a glittering wisp of gossamer-thin glassteel (as is the fashion among Summer nobles) glowing in a riot of colors thanks to the multitude of lesser Summer fey flitting about limned in faerie fire and singing with breathtaking music thanks to the air elemental creatures flitting hither and thither through the flute-like minarets atop the towers.

As you enter the main audience hall you finally meet the Regent in person. She descends the crystal stairs spiraling down from the ceiling, garbed in a diaphanous gown that looks to be woven out of morning mist. She herself appears to have been sculpted from mountaintop snow and the silver lining of the clouds, and there are many indrawn breaths from the fey who accompanied you in response to the sight. She smiles at you and, with a wave of her arm, conjures up a handful of tables around the room set with all manner of delicacies. Undaunted by the strange and varied appearances of the fey around you, the Regent's servants flutter in with a range of seats able to comfortably fit anything from a tiny sprite to a large humanoid beetle.

Your journey must have been tiring, she sings out in a smooth contralto. Please enjoy my hospitality before we address the reason for your coming. Look around you, and look well...to your left and right stand those with whom you shall share your lives for the foreseeable future. Make friendships; eat and drink; celebrate life. I shall return in two bells' time. With that, the Regent fades away and small placards appear on the tables; you notice the names Tahlthi-zair, Bluebell, Tesse, Ráwen, Tulacea, and Grigor arranged clockwise around the closest table.

With that rather verbose introduction out of the way, you are now free to introduce yourselves and interact with the other characters over munchies. Once everyone has established their character to their satisfaction, we'll move on to your first assignment. The OOC thread is here.

[Eurus]

Mara shifts around anxiously, feeling very out-of-place but trying not to make it too obvious. The mortal world was her home, not this strange place where the illusions were more solid than the real things; she might have been half-faerie, but she wasn't really of Faerie, not really. She couldn't control people here, for one thing - not when most of them were at least a century her senior and brimming with magic - and she hated that. But she'd adjust to it more in time, she was sure; and, well, she'd apparently have quite a lot of time, assuming she was fortunate enough to live out her natural lifespan.

Now distracted in addition to being uncomfortable, she took her seat and flashed what she hoped was a winning smile at her colleagues. Maybe they'd be more within her understanding. If she could understand them, she could take control before somebody else did. "Well hi, I'm Mara. I look forward to working with all of you, and hopefully getting to know you."

Were it not for the blue-gray butterfly wings sticking out of her back, Mara would have looked quite human. Clad in a simple blue tunic and black trousers, with short black hair and dark brown eyes, she actually looked somewhat plain and rural. Not unattractive by human standards at all, but a far cry from the almost ethereal appearance of many fey and their descendants. It was her personality that was magnetic, something about her that was just attention-grabbing. She was the kind of person that people couldn't help but listen to, even when she didn't have much to say.

[userpay]

Tahlthi looks around in wonder, the crystalline rainbow hued drape swishing about as she turns this way and that, as her bug head almost never stopping for a moment. This place... so very different from the forests of home. She was certainly enjoying herself, despite her curiosity she never left the woods often. The humans strayed to close for comfort on a regular basis. But when the Regent appeared oh boy did she ever straighten up in respect, and maybe a little slack mandibled to. She was still surprised that she'd been chosen, apparently she'd earned a bit more recognition than she thought when she received the honorific. When the regent disappeared she hesitantly took her spot at the table, looking around at her new companions. She nods as Mara spoke. "I am called Tahlthi-zair, though you can call me Tahl for short. I look forward to working with you all."

[Demons_eye]

Owain stands, with the rest, in the back waiting for the noble to grace them with her presence. He had mix feelings when he found out that he was selected for this team. His master still had much to tell him and he was still not sure of how others would view his ability. Owain knew that the war had been going on but it was background noise at this point to him. He also feared that needing people like him to to enter the war meant it was getting louder.

Coughing hard and trying to to interrupt anyone he leaves to the next room and stares into a mirror. Owain loved Agares' power and praised his ability to talk to anyone but Agares' coughing would leave him voiceless for days after Owain released him. Returning in time to catch the first persons name Owain knew it was only a minute before he would start again. So after Tahl says his piece Owain speaks up, voice full of confidence.

"Hello, my name is Owain Girgor. I too am looking foreword to working with you all and-" But sadly it was too much as the coughing started up and he waved to the next person telling them to go.

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

Bluebell basked in the radiance of the Court, and it's mistress, barely listening to (though still hearing) what the Regent had to say. Admittedly, this wasn't her first appearance at Court, so she knew that nothing of importance would be discussed yet. She breathed in deeply, and smiled. It's good to be home.

When the others started toward the tables, Bluebell watched them for a moment, and then followed. She grabbed a bowl of honey water (one nearly as large as her self, and likely heavier), and settled in. "Golden Bluebell, I am" she said when the opportunity arose, as she studied the others, trying to discern their their real names, "And I'm sure whatever they have planned will be endlessly amusing, and even more fun to sing about."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
A large lion padded over to the place at the table labeled "Ráwen", before sitting on her haunches and revealing the elven face beneath the mass of wild hair. She wore carefully wrapped sashes about her body, more for the magical protection they provided than for modesty, though it filled for latter purpose as well. A soft purr turned to speech and she said, "Goood. Amusement would be most welcome. And to be amused, we are to celebrate the gift your mother gives you... though prized by all, the long and short of it is, too much of it kills you every time." The sphinx's emerald eyes gleam hungrily and her tail swishes, smirking broadly.

[Fishy]

Tulacea seems almost in a daze as the Regent's servants usher her through the mansion, her sky-blue eyes as wide as saucers as she tries to take it all in. Between the strobing lights and their flickering reflections, winds shifting at random through the breezeways, spun glassteel looking like it might collapse at any moment, and furniture appearing out of thin air... it's all changing far too rapidly for her liking.

"Life," she announces, and takes her seat beside Ráwen, still somewhat distracted. She's wearing even less clothing than the sphinx: Her slender, lanky frame is covered only by several layers of rough bark, and even that is peeling and flaking off in thin white sheets. Nothing about her body or demeanor suggests that there's anything underneath that's necessary to cover up, though.

Idly, she picks up her placard, reads it, and sets it down... and then seems to realize she ought to be meeting people. "Oh. Um. Hello! It's nice to meet all of you in person.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Not many among the faerie who take much interest in riddles, that are not sphinx; you amuse me already. Do you know any of your own?"

[Eurus]

Mara tries not to stare too openly at the sphinx, and the woman that answers him, but responds slowly. "I know a few. They're all ones that I've heard enough to remember, though, so you've probably heard them before."

[userpay]

Interesting companions indeed... "Life... Some live long, others short, others still have theirs shortened for them..." Tahl says before shaking as if to rouse herself. "Where I'm from riddles and stories are delighted in but not much time for, one often has to travel alone so that the land can be protected."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"So strange it is, how the faerie delight in mischief and mirth, and yet you feel riddles frivolous. Still, tis better than those who feel riddles are a game of iron, the purview of mankind. Some fae fear those who think too much.

"But not I; I'll give one more before I desist. 'To name me, is to ask the time of midday above the greatest of monuments to my kind.'"

Ra is the Egyptian god of the sun, associated with midday. Hence, "Ra, when?" could be a way to ask how long til noon in Egypt - where the Great Sphinx is.

This riddle's kind of weak, really, since there are more than one acceptable answer and it references real world things that may have no counterpart in the game, but it's the best I could come up with.

Also, in the background fluff I wrote up on Sphinxes in my backstory, I described a situation where many fae find riddles too strongly associated with mankind - namely, with the 'iron of the mind' that causes things like laws and society and technology to form, because the puzzles have a single correct answer, which fae find constraining, and therefore seem too lawful for faerie taste. If anyone objects to that, let me know so we can work something out. Of course, as PCs I suppose we're special anyway.

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

Having missed the first riddle entirely (more due to not having realized it was one, than not figuring it out), Bluebell finally puts it all together, and exclaims "Oh! You're a Riddle Kitty! I see now." She takes another sip of her honey water, but offers no solution for the riddle.

[Fishy]

"It's also written on the card right in front of you," Tulacea points out, helpfully.

"And I'm afraid I think I don't know any riddles... I could probably remember one of the ones you're going to tell me, but then you'd probably already know that one now..." She pauses for a moment, squinting at something in the non-existent distance. Her hair ruffles with the winds of the mansion, but she's otherwise as motionless as a plant.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"And the first had been answered by our regent just moments prior. It matters little to me. I'm not aiming to really puzzle you..."

[Eurus]

Mara shrugs, and starts poking at the food in front of her and tasting it. Delicious, of course, but there wasn't much substance to it. It was all strange fruits and exotic nectar and what have you. Never a decent piece of meat. She tried not to think too hard about what her tastes in food said about the tastes of the fey that she was descended from. In between bites of something sweet and fluffy, she tries to make more conversation.

"So if we're going to be working together, maybe we should try to get to know each other a little? I'm not asking for deep dark secrets or anything, just some basic information would be nice."

Idly, she spears a blossom with a fork and bites off a petal while she thinks for a moment. "I'll start, if you want. Let's see... I'm Mara Tesse, you already know that, and I was born and raised in the human world. Hadn't ever seen the Otherworld at all until a few weeks ago, actually. As far as I can tell, I only got thrown into this team because I'm good at talking with humans."

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

Nodding to Mara, Bluebell puts in "Good idea. I'm a Petal, one of the immortal fey races. If you try to sniff me, I will bite your nose. I'm very unsure of my age, besides very old. Oh, and I sing, dance, and arrange flowers. Mostly sing, though."

After a moment's pause, she adds "And while my name might be Golden Bluebell, I'd rather be called Blue, or Bluebell."

[userpay]

Tahl tastes the food inbetween her new companions speaking, when it came to the subject of backrounds her antenna sort of twitched. "As I said before I am Tahlthi-zair though Tahl for short is just fine. Born and raised in the human world as well though within a community of fey and elves, I haven't seen the Otherworld till now either..." She shrugs. "I'm handy with a blade though otherwise not good at much much."

[Fishy]

Tulacea remembers to blink, and comes out of her momentary trance with an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, miles away. I'm Tulacea the Oracle, and I can see things long ago and far away and yet to be." There's a slightly strange rhythm to that last part, as if it were something she's memorized and has been saying for a long time without really thinking about what it means.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
The sphinx looks up and says, "I study, I remember, I twist. That is what riddles do. I have magic and I have knowledge, and ever do so enjoy using them to play with others."

[Demons_eye]

Owain stops coughing for a few seconds to speak up again "I was born, and lived a short while, in human world but I was raised here. I work for the warden, jailing Fey that are dangerous or have broke the laws or traditions. I bind... things and my skill can vary from day to day."

[Eurus]

"Sounds like we have a pretty diverse group here, if maybe a lack of serious muscle. That's good, at least. Now we just need a plan." She chuckles at her not-joke, somehow managing to still be charming in the process.

[Fishy]

Tulacea daintily picks up her wineglass, and pours a portion of its contents over her toes. "What's the Real World like, anyway? I've seen it lots of times, but that's not the same as being from a place. Usually."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"The mortal mind is endlessly amusing. So short-lived, so lost, so desperate, so confused. And yet so ambitious, so often relentless - there is something to be said for the pressure that mortality exerts on a society. It makes them so... silly."

[userpay]

Tahl's mandibles take on a somewhat odd shape, a smile?, at Mara's comment even as she lifts a goblet to cover it. Appearances are decieving after all... With goblet close to mouth Tahl's outer mandibles lightly grip the goblet's rim and the inner set cups to catch the trickling liquid. She sets the goblet down. "I think that plans cannot be made until we know exactly what we are to do, in good time..." Head tilted towards Mara, then she tilts it towards Tulacea. "It's difficult sometimes... I know that as much as any other from that realm. Most of us have limited time to live which does tend to drive one to do odd things, or devote oneself to something..." Eyes stare idly into the distance as a finger traces her bracers.

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell looks over the others, sipping her drink as they talk. "I've found the constant rush of the mortals to be quite refreshing at times, exhausting at others. But it is definitely very easy to get caught up in that sense of immediacy. On the other hand," the smile that has been on her face since she arrived fades a little, "if you get too close for too long, it can be very painful, too.

Grinning once more, she adds "Still worth it, though, I think. And our memories of those mortals who do pass on, grant them a measure of immortality, right?"

[Demons_eye]

"No disrespect miss Bell but that 'immediacy' you talk of makes us, rather, powerful. Look at what some of the emperors and kings have done in a short time? Also without this 'immediacy' the fey and this beautiful world would be taken over by the empire in decades." Owain says after taking a drink for his cup. He taps his glass three times on the table before downing the rest. "It would be nice to hear you sing of some mortals you have brought to the ranks of immortality, unless it would be to painful that is."

[Dreamshifter]

"Oh, I quite agree, that sense of immediacy is a great strength. I didn't mean to imply otherwise, and apologize if I did. Many mortals have done more in their short lifetime than I have done in mine! Well, perhaps not more, but more meaningful, is probably a better way to put it. Without the pressure of time, it is very easy to get caught up in something small, trivial even. I've done that myself more than once, most recently in spending many hands of turns trying to establish snoring as a viable form of music..." Her skin darkens slightly at that admission, which appears to be her version of blushing.

Clearing her throat, her skin returns to it's normal shade. "Alas, I have not yet composed a song for the one that introduced me to mortality, such a short time ago. I will one day, but even though her death was a number of years ago, the pain has only started to fade. Perhaps our work here, whatever it will be, will distract me enough that I can sing of her life properly..."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
Ráwen yawned, though quietly and she ducked her face to hide it - she knew well enough that her disinterest in heartbreak would only insult her companions, and she had no desire to do that - it was just that, she could not for the life of her understand why some care so much about particular other people. Disappointment at the loss of a particularly helpful tool and/or amusing toy, she understood, but the acute pain was bewildering. Wasn't as if there weren't literally millions of potential replacement amusements...

Yay Sphinxes are cold-hearted bitches.

[Fishy]

Tulacea's eyes go wide with horror. "More rushed? Than here?" She empties her wineglass onto her foot at the thought.

"I remember one year, when the grass was growing too quickly. I couldn't concentrate on anything. I mean, I've gotten better, obviously," she adds, suddenly defensive.

[Eurus]

Mara just stares at Tulacea for a second, and tries not to laugh. "Um, yes, well, you get used to it after a while. And 'mortals,' as you call them, might be silly, but we- they, I mean, aren't exactly unique in that regard. You wouldn't see most humans spending years doing nothing but obsessing over riddles, after all..."

By the end of her response, she sounds somewhat defensive as she stares down into her cup. Trailing off, she takes a long drink to cover herself.

[userpay]

Immediacy... well they don't know how right they are... She thought thinking of her own circumstances. "Well one must understand, and maybe even do likewise, the nuisances of potential enemies. I do not wish for war to start but I can't help but fear that it will come, at least in small scale. Aside from that people are often surprised at how much in common they have with others."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Oh, but they do spend years obsessing over riddles. Riddles are very mannish. 'Why am I here?' 'What do I need to do?' 'How can I get food?' 'How can I crush my enemies, have them driven before me, and hear the lamentations of their women?' More's the pity that they aren't any good at riddles..."

[Fishy]

"Surprise heavy cavalry charge," Tulacea notes, with exactly the same tone that she answered the other riddle, and without a hint of irony.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"That's the problem with a lot of mankind's riddles: they don't have single answers. Yes, I think a cavalry charge would be effective in that last one. I don't think it would be the only answer, and I'm quite sure it would not satisfy the one asking the question.

"Mankind has questions, and they care about the answers. Largely because they are going to die. This makes them most amusing. They want to know so much, but they have so little time, so they run about, seeking answers where none can be found.

"Of course, that's also why we're in this position. They've been getting better at asking the right questions, and getting the answers, too, haven't they? 'What is fire, and how can I use it?' 'What is the lightning, and how can I use that?' It does make them somewhat less amusing, to be honest."

[Eurus]

"Alright, fine, so they do care about riddles. But as a means to an end, not just for their own sake. Even questions like 'why am I here' have a practical purpose, since it would give them some idea of what to actually do if they could figure it out. When they make art, it's because they want to express something or make a part of themselves immortal. When they study science, it's usually because they want to better themselves or humanity in general. They work against each other, yeah, and they tear themselves down almost as much as they build themselves up, but they actually accomplish things, because they're not afraid to be part of something bigger than themselves and they have actual goals beyond staving off boredom for another thousand years."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Oh but riddles are an end in and of themselves. Riddles are word and word is magic. Riddles twist words, force the mind to jump through hoops - and strengthen the mind that can. Asking and answering riddles is almost besides the point - it's learning riddles that is important. Learn the riddles, learn reality.

"Yes, mankind does this, to an extent. But they do so blindly and half-heartedly, because they are so short-lived and have so many distractions."

[Fishy]

"Look, it was very distracting grass," pouts Tulacea, who seems to have taken this turn of the conversation rather personally. "I was thinking about something very important and it just, it just kept-" she frowns in frustration, and gestures with her hands, wiggling her fingers while gradually raising her arms.

It does look rather distracting.

[Eurus]

Mara looks like she'd like to keep arguing with the sphinx, but refrains from doing so, taking a slow breath and flicking the hair out of her eyes. "Well, to each his own. Their tactics seem to be working pretty well for them so far, at least. And in all honesty, I'll be glad to get back there for a while. And I doubt it'll make you feel any better, Tulacea, but there's not much grass in most human cities..."

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell laughs softly at Tulacea's comment. "Nasty grass. I prefer flowers myself. Slower growing, and only really distracting at the end. Much more colourful, too!"

Turning her attention to the discussion of riddles and mortals, she shrugs. "I think the problem with humans much of the time is, they just don't get enough sleep. They let riddles keep them up at night, wake up grumpy, and then kill each other over the things they dreamed up while they thought they were awake. So, clearly, the answer to all their riddles is, sleep more. Well, except food, unless you have some nice friendly Petals to get you some while you sleep." She frowns slightly. "Though, they usually won't, since they prefer to just put people to sleep, strip them naked, and flutter off to the next person..." With that last bit, she rolls her eyes.

[userpay]

Tahl chuckles as the conversation continues on. "All one must do is be in tune with the rhythm of the land, of the grass and other plants, and it ceases to be such a distraction. It makes finding intruders all the easier as they tend to break the rhythm."

[Fishy]

"Can you do that?" Tula asks Tahl, intruiged by the possibilities. "I usually just try to remember when people are going to show up. Of course, that doesn't always work around the Courts, let alone in the Real World..." She shrugs, wiggling her toes in the puddle of wine that's formed under her chair.

[userpay]

Tahl shrugs. "I'm certainly not a master at it but haven't you ever been somewhere and some sound or other thats out of the ordinary occurs that catches your immediate attention because its not normal for where you are? Its like that in a way..."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Just as Tahl mentions unusual sounds, the whimsical music surrounding all of you reaches a pause in the melody, and three sonorous chimes ring out from unseen bells, clearly indicating that the meal is halfway through yet harmonizing with the music and each other. Over the course of the next bell, you are able to continue your conversation, with each other and with a few curious fey from nearby tables who wish to make your acquaintances. New courses are served, different music is played, the lighting slowly wanes from midafternoon sun to twilight glow, and the celebration otherwise moves apace.

A full bell passes in what seems like minutes, and soon enough a second chiming of the bells signal that your respective audiences with the Regent are to begin and you are to be given your first task. In the midst of much excited murmuring, the Regent appears once again at the top of the stairs--not appearing out of thin air, as she left you last time, but simply floating gracefully through a set of double doors. I hope you have all eaten and spoken your fill, and have begun to know your companions. At this point I formally welcome you all to the society--nay, family--of the nobility of Faerie and its devoted servants. Please, join me.

At that, the Regent begins to float down the stairs...and splits into four Regents, each of her drifting towards a different table, each of her slightly more ephemeral than usual. The Regent approaching you six smiles warmly and beckons you to follow: Come; we shall speak in privacy and comfort. She leads you to a well-appointed room full of opulent cushions, gossamer drapes, and other finery, all in golden orange and cloudy blue, and motions for you to sit.

I noted earlier that some of you are new to our lands, or at least are more familiar with the Realm of Mortals than the Realms of Faerie, she says, and so much of this must be somewhat overwhelming. As well, I would not wish to send the Faerie natives among you out into the mortal realms without sufficient preparations. She leans forward in her chair and clasps her misty hands before her. Thus, before I pronounce your task, I would welcome any questions you may have about our lands or our peoples, or of those lands and peoples beyond our borders.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
Ráwen smirks. She can't help herself: "What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three in the evening, and is stronger the fewer legs it uses?"

Can't be a Sphinx and not use that one. Seems especially fitting here. Plus, I do have a follow-up that's less cliche.

No idea if this riddle is at all famous in this game world, as it is in real life. Nor do I know if the Regent would know it even if it were obscure, or is simply clever enough to figure it out herself. Or hell, she could have Detect Magic up. But Ráwen will be paying very close attention to try and see how, if at all, the Regent answers the riddle.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The Regent also smiles. Ah, sphinxes and their riddles. I do appreciate them. Well, she says mock-thoughtfully, as her insubstantial body gradually shifts to a more quadrupedal shape resembling a centaur, though they might not strictly involve the time of day--her shape becomes that of a nymph-like biped--I can certainly think of several answers to that riddle--then becomes a more amorphous, three-legged cloudy mass--though I'm sure none of them would be what you are looking for.

She returns to her natural state and smiles once again. I believe the accepted answer is any variety of humanoid mortal. I appreciate your attempt to bring levity to the conversation, as it has been several years since I have been able to indulge myself with mirth and whimsy in the company of others. However, the regent states solemnly, now is the time for serious concerns, so I would appreciate greatly your saving your riddles until your companions have learned what they wish to know.

Given that humans obviously aren't the only race in this world by any means, that riddle isn't particularly common relative to any other. The Regent is a spellcaster and a ruler, so she's fairly clever and personable; she could easily figure it out without any need for detect magic, though having her dominion in the part of Faerie that sphinxes hail from probably makes her better with riddles than most other nobles you'd meet.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"With all due respect, no sphinx ever takes a riddle anything less than seriously. More importantly, mine was brought up for a specific reason: yes, the accepted answer is the mortal, and the accepted form is as I said it. But despite the riddle, that they are strongest with the fewest legs is not entirely true, and this is what I sought to illustrate.

"There is something to be said for aging; the cane-walking old man will soon die, but his age bears with it experience and wisdom, and though I am young for a sphinx and older than the oldest man has ever been, his wisdom might surpass mine in some ways. And, with the appropriate deference, possibly yours, as well. To age is to grow, that I have seen. We can learn new things but we do not change. It is what we are, we are timeless, we are continual. They do change, they are temporary, mortal. They change and they change quickly.

"Tula described being distracted by the way the grass grew for a century. I myself have spent decades on pondering various riddles. In the meantime, mankind has... grown. Aged. Died, but also been reborn, over and over, continuously.

"Thus, that is my contribution to this discussion, for the sake of those who have spent little time among the mortals - they will surprise you. Even those you have known will change, and to leave and return years later is to find someone new in the place of the one once known. And especially recently, the mortals have been using this fact very much to their advantage."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The Regent nods thoughtfully; it is apparent she hadn't expected that degree of depth from Ráwen's riddle.

I am suprised, friend sphinx--Ráwen, yes? I am surprised at the wisdom you show. The Regent looks off into the distance, seeing past the tapestries on the wall to older days. I have not had the opportunity to converse with many sphinxes in my centuries upon this earth, and those that I had met were wont to speak of serious matters in times of leisure and trivialities in times of import.

With a sweeping gesture, she indicates all of you. Your talk of mortals surprising us is most definitely truth. With a wry grin and a shake of her head, she continues: A brother of mine, in the Court of Spring, holds dominion over the sprites and brownies and others of their ilk; at one point they proposed to him that a mortal placing a "lucky" horseshoe over his door be grounds for the brownies to leave his home...by the time he had come to his final decision, the Empire had conquered Iberia and invented their steam-driven devices!

Once again serious, she meets each of your gazes in turn. And that is the main reason why you were chosen. Yes, I heard speculation in the hall concerning why certain fey were called here, and the reason is simple: you are either mortals or familiar with them. The older fey are bound by many things...bound by tradition and a mindset which is too deliberative to handle all but the longest-lived mortals, bound by ancient magics which connect us to the Realms, bound by strictures which the mortals find completely alien and which thus cause them to react in ways even more inconceivable to us.

The Regent sighs deeply. Yes, that is why you are here, truly. If it were but your magic and strength that was desired, centaurs and dryads by the dozen could throw themselves against the enemy until victory was achieved; it is your knowledge, your perspective, your...mortal-ness, for lack of a better term, which holds the key to our success.

[Fishy]

A Fae Lady who can split herself into four people and turn into a centaur but yet criticize herself for not changing quickly enough has just complimented the team for their close understanding of the mortal world.

Tulacea looks down, and notices that she's tracked in wine-footprints on the Regent's carpet.

[userpay]

Tahl cocked her head but slowly nods regardless. "You seek fey or those who otherwise lie on the fey's side, who are unbound by magic or rules to act, that also understand other mortals." She shrugs, the crystalline wrap seeming like a glittering, dancing sea. "I know few mortals besides the elves that I grew up with yet if anything I've the most common with them appearance aside."

[Dreamshifter]

Having no specific questions about either world, Bluebell remains silent, waiting to hear about the mission they are about to be sent on.

[Demons_eye]

"For give me, and please don't tell my master I forgot, but how many nobles are there? How many are for this group and how many might try and stop it? Are we to kill or talk to our aggressors? And last are the courts outside of the empires sight going to help us if needed?" Owain says rather fast and holds his breath in wait. He knows one last cough is coming and he tries to hold it back.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The Regent laughs softly at Owain's apparent discomfort, her laugh resembling the gentle tinkling of wind chimes. No need to be ashamed of forgetting anything, or about your master being told; better to be prepared and live than be arrogant and die. She moves to a writing desk off to the side, and from one of its drawers pulls a scroll case. As for the number and stances of the nobles, well....

She unrolls the scroll in front of you, revealing it to be about eight feet in length and a quarter that in width. Written in a neat, tiny hand are hundreds of names; each name is circled in one of several colors, and lines of different patterns and hues connect them all. As you can see, we favor a more diverse rulership over a pure monarchy, though of course the Kings and Queens might not see it that way. Our nobles hold dominion over various aspects of the world, through the power invested in us by the land, as well as dominion over various regions of Faerie. Being a Regent, I hold considerable political power; being a noble of Winds, I hold middling personal power. The Regent indicates several names connected to hers via dashed lines. These nobles serve under me, and so have titles of Duke and Earl and so forth, regardless of their strength. The more broad a noble's power, the more expansive their domain, so for instance my vassal Skiron, Lord of the Northwest Wind has slightly lesser powers than I, while Autumn's Baron of Storms outmatches me.

A wry laugh escapes the Regent's mouth. In short, if you come across a Regent of Flowers and a Squire of Seas whom you believe to hostile, always bow to the former and never take your eyes off the latter. Replacing the scroll in her desk, she continues: Speaking of hostile nobles, you most likely shall not meet any who are openly hostile, in this or other Courts, though several opposed this initiative and might be most excessively polite to you were you to meet them in person. Also, much as it pains me to say it, there are some who have turned their back on Faerie to cooperate with the mortals, believing that we are inevitably to lose against them. Obviously I could not tell who they might be, but if you find any...well. She shrugs elaborately. The mortals, in their infinite wisdom, invented the concept of "innocent until proven otherwise" before they fey did, and the Courts never did like being seen to copy anyone.

As for the mortals, be fair; we have no grievances against mortals as a whole, and aid even those in the Empire still, despite their government's lack of respect for us. However, should a soldier come at you bearing hostility, show no quarter. In such circumstances, you can expect aid from any nearby fey, though the more remote your location the less likely the Courts will be proactive in aiding you.

Having answered Owain, the Regent turns to Tahl. Even limited experience with mortals is more than most fey can claim; I have known a family of fauns who for more than eight generations have not laid eyes upon a mortal of any race. And while there are many nobles who live and breathe the mortal world, interacting with mortals as often as with fey, they are bound as much as I, from simply being restricted in their speech to being physically bound to this land. It is the combination of the two that we seek, so even if you view your mortal knowledge to be inconsequential, it is definitely of value.

[Demons_eye]

"What should we do if we find a noble or highly powerful fey we believe to work for the Empire?" Owain asked with intense focus. His job revolved around jailing 'bad' fey and knowing that some were betraying them for the empire burned his blood.

[userpay]

Tahl listens to the explanation and nods. To the regents response to her she shrugs. "I won't pretend that I am good with convincing people, well at least not without the potential for violence. Not many mortals take well to my appearance though if worse comes to worse I am confident in my, and everyone here, abilities. I just hope that such does not come to pass without due need." Her head tilts to the side as she is curious about the answer to Owain's question.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

As you have most likely guessed, the Regent says to Owain, we do not take lightly any fey who turns her back on Faerie, much less a noble whom we hold to a much higher standard. As I said, we do not have any "courts of law" such as one might find in mortal lands within the Courts; our sense of justice tends to the poetic over the legal sense of the term.

But, Owain, your calling exists for a reason, and we would not train Wardens if we simply wished to kill traitors on sight. Though they are not brought back to "stand trial" or something similarly asinine, we do wish for them to be brought back to us in order to be punished. Thus, if you encounter any traitors, I would appreciate it greatly if they could be taken alive. If not...well, if not, I will understand.

Once again she turns to Tahl. We do not need you to persuade mortals of anything, simply out-think them. I perfectly understand being misunderstood by mortals based on one's form, and would not subject any of you to that unnecessarily.

[Fishy]

Tulacea's hair and bark rustle as she visibly relaxes some of the tension she's been holding in since coming face-to-face with the Regent. It sounds not unlike a sigh of relief. By that standard, she has plenty of experience dealing with mortals- A handful of them come to the Grove of the Loreleaves every now and again, to ask questions of the Oracle- and you can tell a lot about a person by the kind of questions they ask.

"So, asymetric sabotage campaign targeting military infrastructure across the breadth of the Empire... how are we getting around between jobs?"

Her eyes light up. "Are we flying? I've really never flown before and even though people do it all the time it just seems like it would be scary but if you need us to then obviously it would be... um."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Yes, that describes your goal adequately, though you might also be asked to directly assault a position or remove a particular individual as well. The Regent waves a hand, and in the air between you appear glowing images of several flying creatures. If a mission necessitates that you fly, we possess a stable of pegasi for individual travel, as well as rocs for carrying equipment or prisoners. Other mounts can of course be arranged if you are more familiar with them, though they may have to be obtained from other Courts.

The Regent waves away the images and replaces them with an image of a satyr dressed in emerald robes. Should we know the approximate location of an objective, you might also be teleported to its vicinity. As most of those fey capable of frequent teleportation are somewhat restricted in their movements, nobles retain the services of fey mages to transport desired possessions or beings; this is Menelaos, the mage who performs that service for my court, and whom you may be working with should such be required.

[Eurus]

Mara finally speaks up. "What exactly are we hoping to accomplish, in the end? Completely throwing the Empire into chaos, or just giving them a reason to remember us?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The Regent raises her eyes to the ceiling and laughs. Ask four different fey, and you will receive nine different answers. Some simply wish the Empire to leave us alone; some wish to see their forces removed from the mortal countries in which we make our homes; some wish to see the Empire quake in terror at the merest mention of the Fair Folk, as their kind once did; some wish to see their capital laid waste and every trace of their artifice put to flame. In general, Spring seeks solitude, Summer seeks separation, Autumn seeks terror, and Winter seeks annihilation, though there is by no means a perfect consensus.

She sighs dramatically. As for what you are hoping to accomplish, well, your goals align with mine: I personally believe that the Empire is free to do whatever it wishes politically--I would never wish to curtail their desires in that direction--but that its method of doing so is troubling. This new fixation on "technological progress" has only been witnessed in the past two centuries and already they forget their former respect for the forests and skies as they seek to build ever larger machines more and more hungry for wood. Today they rely on steel steam-belching monstrosities only in their cities, being forced to use enchanted items for anything smaller than a building, but I fear that someday soon that may change.

The Regents eyes become suddenly hard and furious. And on the subject of the Empire's methods, that brings us to your task, assuming you have no more questions.

[userpay]

Tahl shakes her head, she doesn't have anything else to add.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Seeing no one with questions remaining, the Regent nods once, sharply. Once the mortals respected us, feared us, and at the very least the dullest among them treated us as equals. Of late, however, a small few in the Ordo Okkultus have decided that the best method for understanding the fey is to capture, interrogate, and occasionally vivisect us, as if we were nothing more than animals to them. She becomes visibly angered; the soft breeze always whispering about her begins to slowly rise in intensity, and your clothes and the tapestries in the room flutter in the wind. Seeking to dissuade them, ambassadors were sent, one from each Court, to procure captured fey's release and to stop this abhorrent practice. However, they in turn were captured and meant to be tortured along with the rest.

The wind about her head begins to howl, and her body darkens to the deep violet-gray of a cloud just before a storm. Worse yet, treachery of the highest order is the only possible cause. The ambassadors were druids all, and not of small talent. Though they each had newly come to form-changing, they should have easily been able to escape had the Imperial soldiers not been specifically prepared for that eventuality. Only one escaped, the emissary of Autumn, and the emissary of Spring was killed in the ambush. The Regent's color returns to normal--mostly--and the wind dies down slightly. All is not lost, however. According to Autumn's word, before her death Spring's emissary was able to slay both of their magi. An Imperial company's magus primus is its sole provider of mystical communication and protection, and its magus secundus magical transportation and summoning, so the legion is stranded somewhere in the Rhineland without a magical means of escaping or calling for help, forced to travel overland.

The Regent's face breaks out into a fierce scowl, and the wind whipping around her falls suddenly silent. Your inaugural task is to find this caravan, rescue the emissaries of Winter and Summer, retrieve the body of Spring's emissary...and slay every Imperial who stands in your way. With an impatient flick of a wrist, she conjures up two images, one of a short blue-skinned elfin fey decked in frost-rimmed armor and the other of a dark-skinned faun clad in vine-laden finery. These are Caldur Forradar, Frost Duke, and Adelige Strophistos, Lady of the Woods. The general area where they were ambushed is known, and the Imperials could not have traveled far; Menelaos will transport you there. He can give you any information and advice you may need.

Finally her face and color soften, and the ever-present gentle breeze returns. I have full confidence in your abilities. Menelaos waits for you in the main audience hall. Fare well, and may good fortune follow you. With that, the Regent nods a dismissal, and her form dissipates to mere mist and vanishes.

[Eurus]

Mara puts a hand to her mouth reflexively, her expression one of horror and disgust. She remains silent until the Regent leaves, then shakes her head slowly. "Gods above, that's awful. I think I can safely say that I've lost any sympathy that I might have had for this particular group right now."

Sighing, she rises and reorients herself before heading toward the main hall where Menelaos should be.

[userpay]

Small arcs of electricity play around Tahl's hands briefly and her crystalline wrap vibrates in indignation at such acts. "Let us hope that it is just a small portion of Imperials that support such else I see not much chance for keeping on relatively peaceful terms with them." Tahl stands and moves to follow Mara to Menelaos.

[Fishy]

Tulacea frowns, pondering the disturbing implications of the Regent's briefing- she too stays silent until she's some distance down the stairs. Finally, she can't keep quiet any longer, and turns to Ráwen-

"You can learn things by cutting people up? How does that work?"

[DragoonWraith]

On Tula's question:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
Not sure what this would fall under, but there ya go.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ráwen
Knowledge (Arcana)
You know that mortals put great stock in the inner workings of living creatures (though not much about those workings themselves), and often attempt to do with alchemy and other, more esoteric magic-substitutes what the fey always accomplish with the powers of the world and the old gods. You also know that, being creatures of magic, the fey aren't purely creatures of flesh and blood, so it is entirely possible that mortals want to know what makes fey tick differently than themselves.

Bardic Knowledge
You've also heard a few rumors of several alchemists and artificers in the Ordo Okkultus who have attempted to graft clockwork parts to living creatures, bring true life to golems, or otherwise unite life and false life. Researching the magic that sustains the fey may have applications in that area...or, who knows, they might just be in it for the fey body parts to try sticking those on golems instead of the reverse. As far as the rumormongers know, these individuals are not in high favor in the Empire--most being considered mad or at least deviant--but some have enough connections to "borrow" captives after legitimate interrogations are finished.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Like much that they do, men approach things bluntly. They wish to know how their bodies work, so they cut their bodies open. Usually after death, but it seems they think that there are some things that cannot be learned from an already-dead body. As if there weren't massively superior methods for gaining such information from the world without harming things." Ráwen sighs, "From my guess, they were probably excited by the prospect of studying the magical fey body to see how it differs from their own mundane one. Half a chance they'll want to use the fey body parts for some of their more sickening creations..."

[Eurus]

"Well, as distasteful as I find this particular group, it's hardly representative of all of humanity. If I remember, there have been more than a few sphinxes who amassed quite a body count in their days, and there was a time when people feared to go into the woods at night not for the wild animals but for the possibility that some passing sprite would amuse itself leading the poor folks around in circles until they passed out from exhaustion."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Killing is one thing. We are carnivores, and not ashamed."

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell breaks her silence, looking thoughtful. "Yes, this particular group needs a long nap. Might help cheer them up, maybe."

[Eurus]

"Oh, I don't care if we kill them all off. Like I said, this group lost any sympathy I had for them. I'm just saying that we shouldn't assume that the entire Empire is made of depraved psychopaths."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Mara's last comment is made just as you enter the main hall. The elaborate curtains, tapestries, chandeliers, and other adornments of the day's celebration are nowhere to be seen; now, the windows are covered with luxurious velvet drapes in a deep crimson, the only light coming from candles floating in twos and threes around the room emitting a pale blue light. The music of the wind blowing through the towers remains, though muted, reminiscent more of a lullaby now than dance music.

And right thou art, young one. 'Tis not our place to judge the sins o' th' whole from the smaller part, rotten as their seeming may be. The voice, rough but warm, comes from behind a column towards the far corner of the room. In a moment, a satyr emerges, leaning on a long wooden staff as he walks towards you. This is obviously Menelaos, but slightly older and more gaunt than the Regent's illusion suggested. Still, he doesn't seem too infirm for a satyr of three or four centuries, and quickly meets you at the foot of the stairs. I am her ladyship's...chauffeur, of a sort, called Menelaos. Good evening, and well met. He rests both of his hands on his staff and regards all of you. I am given to understand that you have had a long day today. Though your mission is of grave import, it is not so urgent that you needs must leave anon; should you wish, I can show you to our guest accommodations and we shall leave at first light on the morrow. The choice is yours.

[Demons_eye]

"I could stay or go, but if we do go now I would rather take care of.... something that might take a bit." Owain managed to say. He did not think the fey looked to poorly on binders but he hide his secret best he could.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Ha, an interesting riddle you pose Owain.

"In any event, I am ready to leave and willing to wait, so perhaps another will choose."

[userpay]

Tahl gives a shrug of her shoulders. "I'd be willing to go now or later, I don't have anything extra I need to prepare where as someone else may like to prep specifically for this..."

[Eurus]

"Same here, I don't have any preference."

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

"Well, I won't be more ready than I am right now, so as long as none of us need to overnight, I say we go now. If the Regent is right, and treachery is abloom, then best we strike sooner. That which blooms first gets the most sun, after all."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Menelaos nods his head, once. "Thy metaphor is apt, small one, though reversed; the moon should be close to rising at our destination." He turns to Owain and motions him to follow: "Come, young one; I shall show you to a more private room for your meditations."

-------------------------

When Owain rejoins the group, the satyr steps in the middle of your party and lightly touches each of you, before raising his staff. "I suggest you all close your eyes so as not to be disoriented; the moon is bright this eve. When you open them, we shall be in the Germanies."

He closes his own eyes and taps his staff on the ground several times, then whispers a single world. The world shudders above, beneath, and around you, and suddenly the soft lullaby of the Regent's hall is replaced by the lullaby of a much more diverse orchestra--birds of all sorts sing in the trees and crickets chirp from all around you. It seems you have appeared close to a main trade route; you are all standing near a stone-paved road about four yards across, typical for an official Imperial thoroughfare, with a short strip of grass on each side between the road and the moderately thick forest in which you currently find yourselves.

Menelaos steps out to the road and gives it a cursory examination. Seemingly satisfied, he turns back to you. "Her Ladyship's diviners attempted to extrapolate the legion's path so as to place us closer to them; it appears they have indeed come this way. I cannot say how accurate our transit has been, but it should be a walk of at most a few miles to their camp." He retrieves a bit of topaz about the size of Mara's fist from one of his pockets and places it on the grass in your midst. "Simply hold this and think a message, and I shall hear. Be sure you are all prepared to depart, however, for it only functions once between one noon and the next."

He steps back and taps his staff thrice on the road. "And now I wish you good fortune. Farewell." He whispers a final word, and between one instant and the next he is gone.

[Fishy]

Still distracted with the idea of cutting people up and studying them, Tulacea is caught off guard by the abruptness of the teleportation. "So... This is the Real World? Wow."

She shakes her head, rustling her hair out behind her. "Right- Hang on, I remember this place... We need to go... That way!"

[roll0]: Where are we, and where is the nearest population center that I would retreat to if I were a wounded and isolated military caravan?

Based on that, Tula is going to pick a direction, start walking and then cast Omen of Peril, receiving a vision of whether the next hour of travel is likely to be 1) Perfectly Safe, 2) Mildly Perilous, or 3) Mortally Perilous. Said vision is 80% accurate: if the roll fails, she gets one of the two wrong answers.

Go go gadget divinations!

[Fishy]

"Wait, no..." Tulacea stops for a moment, and pulls a large, thick book out of the satchel that the Regent's servants discretely returned to her. SHe takes a moment to consult it, then points in the opposite direction. "That way!"

... right. Activating the Tome of Worldly Memory for a +5 on that knowledge check. This may or may not give me a re-roll, so if it does, [roll0]

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Tulacea
You normally can't retry Knowledge checks, but since you just forgot about the tome I'll give it to you this once.

You're in one of the seven Germanic city-states (technically, between two of them, though still in Germanic territory) in the Black Forest, a few miles east of the Rhine River. Most Imperial highways have many small outposts every day's travel along the road, but given that this one runs through the Black Forest and the Imperial army is a bit leery of the fey presence in the Forest (and rightly so!) that isn't the case here. Instead, along the road along the Forest's north edge, there's a trading post of middling size, which would be the legion's likely destination.

Though there aren't any buildings or other mortal creations within the Forest proper, passing merchants and army caravans have hacked out small clearings in the trees where the land is flattest, so that vehicles and tents can be moved off the road for a time if something goes terribly wrong. You're not so familiar with the Forest to know exactly where the next one is, but given the slope of the local terrain, you can estimate that there's likely to be one such clearing less than two miles ahead.

Though the Black Forest is terrifying for mortals, it holds almost no danger for fey...though there are still Wyldfae who claim no allegiance to any Court who roam the forest who might cause problems. You get the sense that the journey would hold only mild peril for your party.

[userpay]

Tahl looks skeptically at Tulacea's little turn around but shrugs. "Unless someone has other means of finding them..." She starts to move off in the newest indicated direction with the intent to scout, pausing for a moment to pick up the stone and slip it into her bag.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
[roll0] (won't tell me anything Tula doesn't already know, but just for the sake of it)
[roll1] (assuming my ranks in Knowledge (Local) are applicable here)
[roll2] (yay for generic trivia knowledge!)

[Eurus]

Mara takes Tulacea's directions at face value and heads that way. She shrugs her cloak aside, and a pair of delicate blue and black butterfly wings expand out from her back, somehow managing to let her fly almost silently despite all laws of physics to the contrary. "I'll scout ahead to make sure there aren't any scouts, with anyone else who wants to."

I'll go a good 40 feet ahead of the rest of the party, along with anyone else who wants to take point.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[PairO'Dice Lost]

You all move out, heading along the road in the direction Tulacea indicated. The rest of you see Mara fly up ahead near the tree line; with the uneven moonlight and dense foliage, she blends in rather well.

Everyone
I'll need everyone to post where they are relative to the group; so far, Mara is 40 feet ahead of the party, Tahl is in front of the group, then Tulacea, then the rest of you. If anyone wants to make a Survival check to check out the road, or Spot/Listen/Hide/Move Silently checks for general attentiveness and sneakiness, you can give me those as well

Ráwen
Knowledge Geography
You're in one of the seven Germanic city-states (technically, between two of them, though still in Germanic territory) in the Black Forest, a few miles east of the Rhine River. Most Imperial highways have many small outposts every day's travel along the road, but given that this one runs through the Black Forest and the Imperial army is a bit leery of the fey presence in the Forest (and rightly so!) that isn't the case here. Instead, along the road along the Forest's north edge, there's a trading post of middling size, which would be the legion's likely destination.

Though there aren't any buildings or other mortal creations within the Forest proper, passing merchants and army caravans have hacked out small clearings in the trees where the land is flattest, so that vehicles and tents can be moved off the road for a time if something goes terribly wrong. You estimate that there's probably one of those a few miles down the road.

Knowledge (Local) (Kn: Local is in fact applicable; it's the one for laws and humanoids, so it'll give you information on Imperial practices and such.)
Assuming the trading post is like others of its type, it isn't designed to hold a standing legion, so there's little danger of your quarry getting reinforcements. Since they're geared towards merchants, however, trading posts generally have a small shrine to Pluto, god of wealth; among his priests' duties are assisting in communication among merchant houses and caravans, so if the legion gets there they can get off a distress message. Standard Imperial legions are too large to be transported in one or two jaunts, so if you could incapacitate the priests or ambush the legion in the midst of being teleported you'd still have a chance...but in general letting them get there would be a bad idea.

Bardic Knowledge
According to mortal legend, there are fey who were expelled from the Courts due to their overwhelming hatred of mortals and hunger for their flesh, and some of them have taken up residence in the Black Forest; for this reason, even mortals on good terms with most fey are afraid of the forest. The truth of the matter is that the creatures known as Wyldfae simply don't claim allegiance to any Court, and are effectively the Switzerland of fey politics, but of course enough fey find the legends useful that they perpetuate the myths. The legionnaires on guard are thus very likely to be skittish and jumping at shadows.

Mara
You don't see or hear any obvious signs of scouts at the moment, but of course you could be miles from the camp and any of their scouts. Once the party gets moving, I'd like three Spot and Listen checks from you.

[userpay]

Tahl nods towards Mara, her crystalline wrap shivering and unfurling themselves to reveal dragonfly like wings and the fact that she only wears a lioncloth, chainmail, and a few belts for her four swords. She takes to the air and joins Mara off towards the side of the road keeping an eye on the road and their surroundings.
(I'm keeping towards whatever tree cover is by the side of the road to take advantage of my racial hiding, I suggest we take opposite sides of the road. And survival, hide, move silently, and spots and listens for when we get moving.)
survival
[roll0]
hide
[roll1]
move silently
[roll2]
spot
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
listen
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"For the edification of those unused to mortal lands, a few notes. One, we're looking for a clearing that the Empire builds along this road for the sake of caravans; the Imperial presence this near the forest is weak, due to their misunderstanding of details of the wyldfae and belief that the wyldfae are looking to eat them, so it's literally just a space kept free of trees on flattish ground. Therefore, two, they're not heading to a fortified position, as there are none nearby, but to a trading post. They will not be able to get reinforcements there. They will, however, be able to contact the rest of the Empire through magical means thanks to the priests who are found at every such trading post, which means that reinforcements will not be far behind their arrival there.

"For this reason, we want to strike before they ever reach the town. They'll be on guard in the forest, but also scared. I wager that the highest chance for fun, not to mention success, is to convince them they are surrounded by wyldfae, scare them, and get them to do something stupid. Getting mortals to do something stupid is hardly a challenge, but has extremely high reliability for amusement. It would serve us well tactically, as well."

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

Taking to the air effortlessly on her flowery wings, Bluebell keeps her ears open as she flutters along quietly. She takes up a place in back, the better to listen for surprises from behind, but makes no effort to conceal herself.

[roll0] Listen check
[roll1] Move Silently
And with a +24 Hide modifier, she is kinda naturally hard to see.:smallwink:

"Pity we don't have any Wyldfae to attack them, that would make our job easier. And once we make our move, do we want to ut as many of them down as we can, or get to the prisoners as quickly as possible? I worry they might try to kill them as soon as the attack begins, or at least once they think they might not win."

[Demons_eye]

Owain slips into the room and starts to draw symbols on the wooden floor. He knew that Buer would be mad for summoning her in a house but he needed her help if they were to track down the people they needed too. He finishes his chalk circle in a rush but the perfect lines made him proud.

Owain started to say a few word but it was not long after that when smoke started to rise from the circle. Owain called out "Buer, Grandmother huntress show you face and lend me your power." and with that a five-branched star with satyr legs strolled into view and in the middle where all the legs meet an ugly hag face meet him. They talked for a bit, shared, and a bright light evaporated.



Binding check DC 20

[roll0]




Owain left with everyone without a word. When they arrived he was stuck silent with the new found beauty. He takes it all in before speaking up.

"Wyldfae or not we need to find them first right?"



With Buer I have the track feat and will put it to use.

survival
[roll1]

hide
[roll2]

move silently
[roll3]

spot
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]

listen
[roll7]
[roll8]
[roll9]

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Survival Results

10+ with Track, or 15+ without Track
The road is made of large stones with sand and pebbles filling in the cracks, so it's not easy to pick up signs of the legion's passage. Fortunately, it's rained recently, so the mortar is soft and receptive to tracks. You can find portions of lots of footprints, all of which appear to have been made by heavy boots. You also can find signs of at least one large wagon or similar vehicle, but can't tell much else about it.

15+ with Track, or 20+ without Track
Looking closer, you can tell there are three separate sets of wheel impressions, and from the pattern of footprints you guess that there are more than a score of mortals walking with the wagons.

20+ with Track
You can peg the number of walkers at between two and three score, and looking closer at the wagon tracks you can tell that the vehicles are either exceptionally heavy wagons or not wagons at all.

25+ with Track
A particular marking on the soles of the boot tracls suggests that there are two different kinds of boots being worn by the legion, one type a metal-shod infantry boot and the other a hardened leather and wood boot typical of scouts, archers, hunters, etc.

[Demons_eye]

Owain glared at the prints he found and wondered what would weight more than a wagon but keep theses tracks. "There are three sets of wheel impressions here, maybe to heavily to be wagons, I can not tell. Forty men, more than that in fact, split into two groups. Infantry and maybe bowmen or some sort of forest men. Quick on their feet types, scouts. We should be weary...."

[userpay]

(ooc I'm going to assume that Mara and I haven't moved away yet, planning session first I suppose)
Tahl eyed the tracks, what she saw agreed with Owain though apparently he saw more than her so she nods. "If we can scare them off with threats of wyldfae then all the better. I agree with Bluebell though, they may try to kill who we are trying to save..." Her wings buzz angerly for a moment. "If worst comes to worse I can fly from above right into the middle of them to secure the hostages, I'm quite quick upon the wing and know how to fight many at once. I could do the same for any priests we find as well."

[Eurus]

"Directness isn't my thing, but if we're trying to scare them, I can make some people disappear. Covering fire too, if you need it." To illustrate her point, Mara holds up one hand in front of her and conjures a strange heat shimmer in it, which she directs into a beam that strikes a small leaf on the ground and simply evaporates it.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"I strongly doubt any of them would be able to recognize that any of us is not a wyldfae. And appearing may be as effective as disappearing - for one of us to suddenly appear amidst them might work splendidly, if any of us could pull off the act. Would require incredible skills, I think, but my imagination cannot deny how unbelievably funny it would be for one of us to suddenly appear in the middle of their camp, catching them by surprise, and then acting completely nonchalant about it, while, I don't know, giving one of those silly speeches that men imagine fae would give before ruining them."

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

The image of a Fey appearing in the middle of a human camp is one Bluebell can imagine clearly, and her imagined reaction to it makes her chuckle."Yes, if any of us could pull that off, or even an imaginary version of it, that would likely do the job for us. It's beyond my abilities, though. Pity, what a performance that could make!"

After a short thoughtful pause, she adds "I suppose it would help to know what I can do. We Petals put people to sleep with song, and that's my specialty. I can provide a few fun distractions as well, like making the ground too slippery to walk on. If they weren't gonna be so hostile, I could try to distract them with song, but that would likely get me filled with arrows..."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Owain and Tahl
As the party discusses its options, the two of you hear a slight rustling in the trees somewhere near you. Nothing out of the ordinary is visible where you think the sound is.

[Demons_eye]

"Shhh..... We might be the hunted now. " Owain said as he pointed to the trees. He walked over to the one he thought he herd the noise from and waited a second, listening.

[userpay]

In practically a blink of an eye Tahl was in the air and over in the general vicinity of the rustling. Hissing something and scanning about as four swords slide smoothly out of their sheaths.
Using spell like ability to detect law, not to mention my darkvision to 60 feet, I suppose spot check is in order if the detect law doesn't give it away)
[roll0]

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The rest of you hear no noise from the indicated area when Owain first speaks; when he points to the trees, no noise; as he walks over, still no noise. As Tahl whizzes over to the treeline and unsheathes four swords in a very intimidating manner, however, you all clearly hear the crackling of leaves and a single soft sound:

"...Crap."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
Ráwen immediately falls silent and crouches, eyes narrowing in the indicated direction.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Demons_eye]

Owain pulls out his crystal scythe and stamps it to the ground twice. A small earth elemental rises from the ground and stares back at Owain with its blank nonface before turning slowly to the trees.


Summoning earth elemental

Owain
[roll0] Spot
[roll1] Listen

Earth elemental

[roll2] Spot
[roll3] Listen

[PairO'Dice Lost]

No more loud noises come from the trees, only a slight shaking of branches, but the damage has been done. Owain's earth elemental raises a blocky limb and ponderously points to one particular clump of bushes.

[Fishy]

Tulacea, puttering around near the front of the group behind the advance scouts, smiles brightly and waves in the general direction of the profanity. "Hello! Are you a Real Person? You should probably come out of there, there's all sorts of things in these woods, you know."

Tula readies an action: if she gets line of sight/effect to our mysterious friend in the bushes, and he's doing anything other than peacefully surrendering, Entangle a 20' burst, centered on him.

[userpay]

Tahl glaces towards the earthy creature that Owain summoned then considered the patch that it had indicated. She waved a hand in its direction hissing something else, light flaring around the bush. "I suggest you come out now..."
(ooc casted faerie fire, 5 ft burst (4 squares?), centered on the bushes)

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Several bushes go up in violet flames, as well as a large fallen branch, two birds...and a humanoid figure, about four feet in height. With a frightened "AAAAAGH!" the mysterious figure launches itself out of the bushes into the road along with one of the birds, revealing themselves to be a halfling and a raven, respectively. Patting himself down furiously, apparently believing himself to actually be on fire, the halfling dashes down the road at a dead run—only to take a painful fall as tendrils of grass shoot up through cracks in the road and around his ankles, yanking him to a rather abrupt stop.

He thrashes around for a while, until the lack of heat and his raven's calmness finally lets him know that he is not, in fact, in danger of burning to death. Breathing hard, he looks up at you all and gulps noticeably. Sitting up as best he can with grass and roots restricting his movement, he gives a feeble wave and clears his throat. "Uh, h-hi? Do you p-people speak Imperial? Please don't kill me...."

I'm assuming you'd have been speaking Sylvan up to this point, it being the most common language of the Courts and something most mortals are unlikely to speak, so whatever language this person considers to be "speaking Imperial," that's not it.

[Fishy]

Tula's got Voice of the City (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a), so she can automatically convey and understand 'simple concepts' regardless of language.

She can roll for more complicated conversation, but it's an impossible DC if the speaker doesn't know a language that shares an alphabet with Elven, and if he does... we'll just speak Elven.

The circle of extremely distracting grass keeps Tula from approaching the stranger too closely, but her spell picks up some of her curiosity and her general urge to poke and prod at him.

"Sadly, no." She frowns, then switches languages- "Do you speak Elven? I don't remember you being here..."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The halfling's brow furrows in thought, and he appears to be mouthing the words to himself slowly. "Speak I...tongue of Elves something", he says haltingly, as if not too familiar with the language, "but to speak...learned quick, ah, basic...with study speech...in week third of trade, ah, merchant study." He grins sheepishly, shrugs helplessly. "No speak you...tongue of Humans anything?"

I probably should have mentioned he's speaking in Common; my mistake. As I explained in the OOC thread, Imperial citizens are kind of biased and think of Common as the Imperial language or the Human language rather than a generic mortal trade language.

[Fishy]

Oh right, that language that the mortals sometimes used when they came to visit. Nevermind, then.

"Actually, yes. Hello! We're looking for an army- have you seen one?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The halfling's face brightens. "Praise Minerva, you do speak Human! I thought all the Wyldfae just tried to eat us instead of talk to--" Tulacea's words seem to finally sink in. "Wait. You're looking for...an...army...? Ohhhhh, crap" His expression becomes fearful once again. "You're not Wyldfae, are you? You're the evil regular fey! You're gonna ambush the legion! Oh-crap-oh-crap-oh-crap-oh-crap."

With a wave of his hand, he sends his raven flying off down the road, then frantically renews his efforts to escape from the plants binding him.

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

The Raven's departure catches the small fey off guard for only a second, before she is off, following it as fast as she can go. As she follows, she starts to sing a beautiful, drowsy song, about a Centaur in the deep woods, who has finally reached safety and can finally rest.

Bluebell moves at 60 when flying, not sure how that compares to the raven. Once she gets in range, she casts a Heightened Sleep spell, save DC 20. Affects up to 7 HD.

[Demons_eye]

Owain walks up the the halfling as best he can. "Are you hurt friend? I can heal you if you are. We are not evil as you say but just unknown. We wish to find some delegates that left our city to make peace with the empire.

"Sadly the empire captured out diplomats and killed one in ambush. Yes we are angry but we wish to spill no blood. Excuse me." He stops to cough "We just want our friends back and to make piece with you."

[userpay]

"You don't give up do you..." Tahl sheaths her swords and zips after the bird, hanging back to let Bluebell work whatever she was doing but ready for anything.
(ooc if her spell doesn't work (or it does and the bird just plummets) then I'm going to try and catch the bird, I can fly much farther and have better maneuverability than it.)

[Eurus]

Mara doesn't speak immediately, but discreetly folds up her wings from behind the others, tapping the band tying her hair back to release a subtle wave of illusion magic over herself to conceal her few nonhuman features. Only when that is finished does she step forward with Owain. She didn't know how much he'd heard of their conversation, but for now she would assume that the situation was still salvageable. Covertly, she attempts to influence his mind, shifting his perceptions toward her to be more favorable. "He's telling the truth. If we can possibly avoid it, we don't want to shed blood here. We just don't want our friends to have any more of their blood shed either."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The raven is a swift flier, but not swift enough--as Bluebell finishes the first verse of her song, the raven's wings flutter erratically, and then it drops like a stone, right into Tahl's waiting hands.

Meanwhile, the halfling is looking askance at Owain's offer of healing. "No, I'm--I'm fine, thanks", he says suspiciously. "What in Pluto's name is a human doing with a bunch of fey!?" Thoroughly confused at this point, he addresses Owain's explanation. "The legion captured a bunch of fey, but I don't know about any diplomats; I was out scouting when the fight happened, and I'm not allowed in the holding wagons. You're not gonna get them back; we've got over twenty--no! I shouldn't be telling you this!" He crosses his arms and presses his lips together, refusing to talk any more.

Until Mara approaches, at least. The halfling uncrosses his arms and stares at her for a second. "Two humans! Wow. And, uh, a really pretty one." He smiles at Mara and lowers his eyes, blushing, apparently smitten with her. "I don't wanna hurt anyone either, especially not you. I want to help you, but I can't betray the legion. I...I don't know what to do...."

[Eurus]

"Trust me, you'll be helping the legion if you help us. Like I said, we don't want to hurt anybody, but if we fail, who knows who they'll send next? There are a lot of very angry fae right now back in the Otherworld, we were lucky that they gave us a chance to try to handle this our way at all." Her voice was soothing and sincere-sounding, almost honeyed. The sort of voice that her ancestors might have used to lure children or hapless wanderers into the forest.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
Ráwen had relaxed from her crouch, and now wandered over to the captive human. "Hmm... would you be willing to accept a fair challenge, then? Say... if you can answer my riddle, we'll let you go free, but if not, you tell us everything you know, honestly and not leaving anything out, and stay with us as a good prisoner?" Ráwen asked, with a smirk and a gleeful look in her eye.

Dice, I changed the mechanic on riddles after a number of people claimed they were grossly over-powered using Knowledge (Riddles) - they instead use the Sphinx's choice of Knowledge skill. Acceptable?

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The halfling is obviously torn, love for Mara and fear of being eaten warring with loyalty to the legion and hatred of fey in his expression. "I--but I can't--how will--argh." He sighs and presses his palms into his eyes. "I can't tell you anything without Centurion Augustina's permission! She'd kill me if she ever found out!"

Just then, the halfling catches sight of Ráwen over Mara's shoulder and hears her proposal. His eyes grow wide and his arms drop limply to his sides. "A t-talking lion thing wants to a-ask me a riddle...fine. S-sure, fine, okay, talking lion riddle, can't be that bad, how hard can it be, just talking", he babbles. Taking several deep breaths, he calms slightly and tries to regain some measure of his dignity. "Okay, Mr. Talking Half-Lion, I accept your challenge."

The mechanic change is fine with me; you might even want to ask the scout to choose the Knowledge skill, to give him a sporting chance. :smallwink:

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

Bluebell claps as the raven falls into Tahl hands. "Yay! Nice catch!" She heads back, leaving the carrying to the much larger Fey. She zips back, looking for flowers on the way to weave into a necklace for the raven, and maybe a few extras for the Little Big Folk waiting with the others.

Not sure what flowers would be around, or what would be needed to find them (Spot? Survival?), but [roll0] Craft: Flower Arranging check to make the actual necklace. :smallsmile:

*rolls eyes* And I roll a 20, of course...

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Bluebell
Bluebell's Flower Arranger Senses are tingling, and she manages to find the most beautiful, fragrant, and otherwise desirable flowers in the entire Black Forest, and some that aren't even native to the area. :smallwink: More seriously, she manages to whip up a few perfectly-woven flower necklaces in a few seconds.

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

The flowers almost meld into a pair of necklaces as if by magic, one sized for a raven, the other large enough for a Halfling (or other Small creature). Bluebell flits back to the entangled Halfling, and slips the necklace over his head before settling down in his hair/hat. "Don't worry, Mr. Little Big Folk, your pretty bird is just sleeping. Good luck with Riddle Kitty's riddle!"

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
Ráwen's smile broadens, revealing rather sharp teeth. She now looks absolutely predatory. "Well then, tell me this:

"In the days of yore,
I would not lie,
nor let Death settle the score,
but fell to the biting of my eye;

who am I?"

Well, it rhymes, but the rhythm is horrid. I suck at poetry.

[roll0] (Ráwen has the same score on both, and both seem appropriate)

The answer, of course, is Acererak.

Wow, another nat-20. Well, good, I don't want to lose the prisoner. As for giving him a sporting chance - hehe, I don't think that's a sphinx's idea of a good time.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Tensing slightly as he feels Bluebell place the necklace on him, the halfling frowns, thinking furiously. He takes a while to come up with an answer, muttering under his breath occasionally. "Um, days of yore, okay--godsdammit, I hate history....No lying, is that truth? Sleep? Dunno.....How in Hades does an eye bite!?"

After a good five or ten minutes of waiting, the halfling waves his hands uselessly and gives up. "I don't know, the sun?"

Giving him the choice of subject wouldn't have mattered, as he has the same ranks in every Knowledge skill (zero), but it would at least have given him the illusion of hope. All the better to have his ego crushed, right? :smallbiggrin:

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
Ráwen is absolutely ecstatic now. "Hahaa, nope. A liche of some notoriety had a scheme to gain for himself phenomenal cosmic power, but fell due to a vulnerability to the eyebite spell. His name was Acererak, and that was the answer to my riddle. Now then, start talking. And be glad I didn't attach more conditions on your answer."

He's affected as with Geas to answer questions truthfully and without leaving anything out, and to remain a good prisoner.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"Acererere-who?" he asks incredulously. "And what in Hades is a liche anyway?" The halfling shakes his head and begins to rise. "That's not fair, and that was a stupid riddle. I don't think I'm going to help you after all." He gets to his feet and starts trying to rip free of his bindings, when he turns an interesting shade of green, clutches his side, and falls back to the ground. He flops on his back with a groan. "Ohhh gods, the pain. I think I've...changed my mind." A sigh. "What do you want to know?"

[Eurus]

Mara rolls her eyes at Ráwen's efficient but direct method of securing obedience, and she lays a comforting hand on the soldier's shoulder. "Relax, we'll let you go once this is over. And we won't tell anyone that you helped us."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Ah, I see I should have worded that differently. Mmm, next time that will be my prisoner; let him go? Do you have any idea how funny a prisoner can be? But fine, he's our prisoner, you can let him go when we rescue them."

[userpay]

Tahl drifts back over towards the group, gently depositing the sleeping raven into the halflings lap. Setting down behind Mara, wings almost daintily wrapping back around her body, Tahl tries to not appear as scary as she had earlier and studys the halfling. "All we want is to get our kin back, without bloodshed would be best but if it isn't possible then we will use force. As it is we've heard some rather disturbing things that are being done to fey and not a one of us are amused at such." She nods towards Mara. "And she speaks the truth. Many fey are outraged at what your 'legion' have done to us, tis a miracle that any are willing to try a peaceful solution."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The halfling seems to have resigned himself to his position and adjusted somewhat; he doesn't even look up when Tahl approaches him to return his raven. "Look, I don't know what these 'disturbing things' are, but I'll tell you what I can about the legion, 'cause it doesn't look like I have much choice. Whatever you're talking about, it can't be all that bad; I mean, we're no fey sympathizers or anything like that"--from his tone of voice, it is apparent that being on good terms with the fey is not something to be proud of--"but we don't go out of our way to, I don't know, pull fey wings off or something like that. Um." He looks up and suddenly remembers that the current love of his life and the big scary sword-wielding bug both have wings. "Not-that-I've-ever-heard-of-that-happening-of-course" he adds quickly.

With the raven returned to him, the halfling is stroking its feathers for comfort. As he finishes speaking, he notices that they're both still glowing with faerie fire. He snaps his fingers and the raven disappears in a flurry of feathers; a moment later, he snaps them again and the raven reappears on his shoulder, no longer glowing. "Would you mind getting rid of this stuff? It's kinda distracting."

[userpay]

Tahl cocked her head and clicked her mandables, the flickering flames dieing out. "Well I suppose they wouldn't tell the footsoldiers of all they do... suffice to say if you know what vivisect means you'll realize why so many of us are pissed off. That not all people share the same views as those that commit such crimes is a primary reason that we don't sally forth to war. As to information... well troop numbers and such would be a good start, as well as telling us about the commander in charge of this troop."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"Um, lessee now...I'm in the Ninth Century of the Legio Altivolus Aquila, the Soaring Eagles. We're the oldest legion in the Germanies." The halfling's chest puffs out a bit at this; he's obviously proud of his legion. "After that last battle with the fey, we're down to about 60 soldiers, all spearmen and light infantry; we lost our magi primus and secundus, but our tertius and quartus are fine."

The halfling's stance returns to normal and his lip curls in disgust. "We've been traveling with part of the Second Century of the Legio Ferrum Leo for a few weeks now, and those cowards didn't take any casualties--and if they'd had the whole century there, instead of splitting up to travel with different Eagles centuries, not as many of us would have died. Iron Lions, my ass...more like mewling kittens. They're all crossbows and heavy infantry, and I think there are about 20 of them, but they keep apart from us so I'm not sure. That should be it...

"Oh, right, the Centurion. Don't know much about her, really; she's usual command material, and she was there since before I joined. She's kinda strict, but fair, and a pretty good commander in battle. Is that the kind of information you want?"

[Demons_eye]

"Where are you currently camped at? Where are our friends? How many people are guarding them, if you know that what type of fighters are they?" Owain asks in rapid secession. He tapes his weapon twice on the ground and his earth elemental starts to keep an eye out, looking around. "What are you doing out here away from the rest of your team? Were you working alone? What are your orders? What if any plans do you know about that the legion plan to do? Would it be possible to talk with your commander?"

[Eurus]

"I'd like to know about the two mages you still have, if you don't mind. I'm not familiar with Imperial army layouts, what roles are the tertius and quartus supposed to cover?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

In response to Owain's rapid-fire series of questions, the halfling waves his hands, trying to slow him down. "Hold on, hold on! One at a time! Okay, first, the camp. We're a short way up the road that way"--he points in the direction you were traveling--"in a little clearing on the side of the road. Your friends are probably in the steam wagons; we have three of them, but I don't know how many fey there are, so they could be in any or all of them. Um, guards, probably just a handful assigned to that, since the wagons are right in the camp and everyone can keep an eye on them. They're all spearmen, unless some of the heavy infantry are hanging around too."

He pauses to take a breath. "I don't have a team; scouts work alone. I'm just supposed to walk up and back, keep an eye on the road and the forest to see if there are any Wyldfae or other dangerous creatures around. Normally I'm just supposed to run right back and report if I see one, but when I saw the five of you--six, I guess, with the tiny one--I, uh, kind of froze up." He laughs, embarrassed. "Should've just ran when I could, right? What else...the legion's heading to the trading post on the edge of the forest, so we can maybe get reinforcements from another Soaring Eagles century stationed at Fort Moguntiacum and then get transport home. If you want to talk to the centurion...heh. You can try, but if we're already carrying some fey prisoners, I don't think she'd think twice about trying to add you to the bunch."

Turning to Mara, the halfling brightens, happier to be talking to her. "Sure, I can tell you that! Our magus primus is the one who would send messages when we split up, move rocks into fortifications, and stuff like that; our magus secundus would transport us to and from headquarters, summon mounts or fighting creatures, and so on. Our magus tertius handles enchanting our equipment and maintaining the steam wagons, and our magus quartus does any healing we might need."

[userpay]

Tahl scratches at her neck with a finger. "See theres the catch, we don't want bloodshed yet neither are we willing to be captured ourselves... First off how did your legion encounter their prisoners in the first place and what does your magus tertius look like?"

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
Amused by his infatuation, Ráwen gives Mara a sly look, "you know, I can do that trick too," she says as if to no one in particular, but figuring Mara would get it.

[Eurus]

She just rolls her eyes at him and keeps one protective - or perhaps possessive - hand on the prisoner's shoulder. "Show some basic kindness, you mean? I doubt that, but I'd love to see it."

"Besides," she mutters in a lower voice with a sly twinkle in her eye, "I do it better."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
Ráwen rolls her eyes. "Well, seems the no fun rules are in effect, so I guess I'll just wait for the next plan."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"I'm not quite sure how we ran into them, actually, since I wasn't there. I do know that the week before the Iron Lions' sub-centurion told us to go there, so I guess he knew where they were. As for our magus tertius..." He looks off into the distance, thinking. "He's, I dunno, kind of...average? A bit short for a human, brown hair, nothing to really set him apart. I never really see him, no one does. He keeps to himself."

Hearing the side conversation between Ráwen and Mara, the halfling looks in their direction, and ends up just looking at Mara as they banter.

[Demons_eye]

Owain coughs, this time forced, and snaps his fingers to gain the halflings attention. "What are these Steam wagons?"

[Eurus]

Mara waits so that she doesn't interrupt Owain, but follows up his question with another one of her own. "And who can you think of, besides the commander, that might know more about the fae and the security in place to keep them contained? I assume the mages, but anyone else?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The halfling stares blankly at Owain for a second, then says very slowly: "They're wagons...that run on steam." Giving an incredulous shake of the head, he quickly turns back to Mara. "She'd probably know best, but really, it's not all that complicated. I mean, put cold iron manacles on them, stick 'em in a cold iron wagon, you don't really need to do much else, right?"

[userpay]

Tahl hisses. "Just what we needed, cold iron... I suppose the best chance that we have to stop them is to take out the magus tertius and the other so the first can't be healed. Though I suppose thats only if we can't negotiate with them. Yet this didn't start with your legion, it started with the Iron Lions yes? Who has more sway them or your legion?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The halfling shrugs. "There's more of us, so probably the Eagles. The centurion might have gotten other orders, though."

[userpay]

"I'm not sure... but maybe your legion got wrapped up in an issue another legion started... and for all we know it wasn't on orders... Those fey that were captured? They were here on a diplomatic mission, and those Lion's knew right where they were. This doesn't sit right."

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell hangs on tight as the Halfling tries to stand, the remains quiet through the questioning. Finally she puts in a word. Or several.

"I agree, this smells of stinkweed. The Big Folk who caused this aren't the ones we will be having to interact with. Sounds to me like there's a lot of this that other field of humans is hiding from their supposed friends." She peeks over the Halfling's head. "Makes you wonder who your friends really are, doesn't it?" She frowns, while looking in his eyes. "And pulling wings is the least of what we've heard happens to Fey who get caught. Makes me wonder if those Metal Heads are the ones doing those things."

[Fishy]

"Probably," replies Tulacea, who has been standing very still during the interrogation but listening intently. "He doesn't know what's going on, not really- and there's sixty more like him between us and where we need to go. I think it'd be best for everyone if we just went around them."

Tula claps her hands together with excitement- "Right! I need someone who can speak Terran and someone who can break metal with me, and someone else to go scout exactly where the wagons are. Oh! And-"

As an afterthought, Tulacea leans in close to the captured halfling. "One more question: Is 'No' the answer to this question?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"N--wait, y--um, maybe?"

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
in Terran
"That's not a proper riddle, you know."

[Demons_eye]

Owain
in Terran


I agree

[Eurus]

Mara has no idea what the gibberish that the sphinx is spouting off is, but she assumes it's nothing good. Rolling her eyes again, she sighs. "You could at least try not to enjoy this so much."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Why would I even be here if I didn't enjoy it so much? Mortals are amusing."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The halfling continues sitting there, amusing himself by making his raven appear and disappear on alternate shoulders. He has an expression on his face that indicates he has no idea what anyone is saying but is too polite to say so. After a bit, he raises a finger hesitantly and asks, "So...is that it? Can I go now?"

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

Also failing to understand the language in question, she addresses the Halfling instead. "Well, you've had a stressful day. I think maybe a nice long nap would be better for you first. Wake up refreshed and all that."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The halfling looks up, crossing his eyes comically in an attempt to see the fey sitting on his head. "And how exactly am I supposed to fall asleep at a time like this!?"

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"You'd be surprised what you can do if you put your mind to it.

"But no, you're our prisoner, and no matter what else anyone else says, you're not going until we've gotten the ambassadors back. The terms of the agreement were that you would be a 'good prisoner', so I'd recommend avoiding even the thought of escape. You will, apparently, be released in due time, but certainly not yet."

[userpay]

One of Tahl's antennae flicked in annoyance. "But still what shall we do with him? Surely we cannot take him with us, nor would I think he would willingly aid us in getting our kin back."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"I don't intend to give up any potential advantage. A trade of prisoners, returning him unharmed as a show of good faith, threatening them with harming him, whatever, it depends on how the situation unfolds. As for keeping him, he's a soldier, a scout even; he shouldn't have trouble keeping up. The magic of the riddle will prevent his escape and we therefore need give little consideration to his security."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

His eyes popping out a bit, the halfling turns slowly to Ráwen. "You wouldn't actually hurt me, just threaten, right?"

[Eurus]

Mara quickly interjects soothingly. "Don't worry, I won't let that brute hurt you."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Ha! Brute is not a word I hear applied to myself often. You continue to amuse, Mara. This has been a good trip already."

[userpay]

Tahl sighs as the two continue to bicker. "Well regardless we need to have a plan if there will be so many soldiers. Appearing from nowhere would help... along with some illusions maybe..."

[Demons_eye]

"I can make a distraction if needed. They are not likely to attack me on site because I am a human and I can buy you more time." Owain offers to the group.

[Eurus]

"Owain and I could claim to be humans fleeing from Wildfae, perhaps? I doubt they would turn us away."

[userpay]

"Hmm is anyone able to make one of us invisible? I could drop right into the middle of the camp and then make use of faerie fire, or illusions of someone else can cast them, to disorient and scare them. If they come after me I could be back out in the blink of an eye."

[Eurus]

"At least a few of us, myself included, can conjure some fairly distracting patterns. It's amazing what some pretty lights can do."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Well then, Tahl, which of us gets to pretend to be Wyldfae? I think we're most likely to scare. You perhaps more than I, though I think my race is more notorious in this area, though I am not sure."

[userpay]

Tahl shrugs. "Why not both of us? Mara and Owain can go in first to get a feel for them and if it fails we can deal with it, and with Bluebell and Tulacea to back us up we should beable to do it."

[Fishy]

"Or," Tulacea offers, "We could tunnel in from outside the camp. Skip past the Eagles, pop up directly underneath one of the wagons, and by the time anyone knows anything is happening, we're already inside. Their numbers don't matter, their crossbows aren't effective, and we have a shot at the prisoners. Better than being invisible is not being there at all," she muses.

Lost in thought for a moment, she turns to the halfling again. "What are three questions about Faeries that you wish you had answers to?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"Uh...." The halfling sits there, pondering momentarily. "Okay, uh, why don't you like iron? Why don't you have governments like we do? And, uh...I can't think of another one, sorry."

[Eurus]

Mara coughs to draw attention to herself, and tries to get the discussion back on track. "So Owain and I will try to go in as humans, while the rest of you wait to move in? They might see through our disguise right away, but that just means we'll have to go in blind."

[userpay]

"As long as we do it during the dark I can hide against the blackness of the night sky I think, particularly if someone can render me unseen." Tahl looks towards the halfling. "Honestly I myself do not know for the first, I've never given it much thought, though of the second we do have a form of government though I suppose it isn't as... strict as yours is."

[Eurus]

"When I was young, I used to hear the old women say that iron hurts the fae because it represents mankind imposing his will on nature, beating raw materials into something useful. Fae are more closely connected to the natural world, so that unnatural order unravels their magic and their defenses." She shrugs, "but to be honest, I've always assumed it was just a fluke, the same way humans don't do so well around lead."

[Demons_eye]

"The same reason some dragons are not burned by fire while others are not brought down by lighting. Humans live for a short time and fey are burned by iron, it is the way of nature." Owain says to the halfling. He then turns to the others to speak more of the plan. "If we do go we need to hurry, otherwise they might start to look for our new friend here."

Owain stomps his weapon on the ground twice and the elemental comes back. He mutters a few words to in Terran and it sinks back into the earth following Owain were ever he goes.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

As Owain mentions the legion looking for the halfling, he twitches just a bit and grabs his stomach, as if expecting it to suddenly hurt. After a few seconds with a guilty expression on his face, he sighs heavily and looks at the ground. "I...might have told my friends I'd be back by moonset, which is, ah, maybe an hour from now? I kinda...forgot to mention that earlier. Sorry."

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

"An hour? That's not much time to get there and set things up. Oh, for a little more time..." She stops to think for a second. "Wait, what will they do if Little Big Folk here doesn't show up? If they send out people to look for him, that means less guards we have to deal with, right?"

[userpay]

Tahl nods. "More than likely there will be fewer guards at the main camp as a result, however at the same time it might make things tricky because they would be on guard and if more soldiers are in the forest it makes it harder for us to sneak up. I suppose we should get going."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"On guard... but skittish. Soldiers fight well when alert and confident. But these would be on edge and scared. They will not be at all confident that they are capable of handling what lurks in the forest. I say it is to our advantage to scare them. Also, as previously mentioned, absolutely hilarious."

"As for you, boy, I believe the terms of the agreement included that you would leave nothing out. It seems that you have. This is a problem. For us, but more for you."

in Sylvan
"Mara, I know you frown on taking advantage of the advantages we have, but it might be quite helpful to have the young lad screaming for help for an ambush. Between the magic and his obvious infatuation, think you can swing that?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"I didn't try to lie to you! Honest!" The halfling's face is pale, and he's making placating gestures as fast as he can. "I just forgot about it 'til he mentioned it, 'cause I was just thinking all about how I was stuck here and how I was probably gonna get eaten and how I was letting the legion down and how I wasn't gonna see my friends again and--" He stops and takes a deep breath. "Your magic isn't going to kill me now, is it?"

[Eurus]

In Sylvan:
"You want to use him as bait, huh? Yeah, I think I can manage that, if that's the plan that we decide on."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Kill you? Oh no, no no no - it doesn't kill you. If it killed you, you wouldn't be able to do what you agreed to. It will just make life very miserable for you if you don't comply with your agreement. Though the fact that you aren't miserable means you are telling the truth - but too much forgetfulness will be punished, even if not by that magic. There are others..."

[Demons_eye]

"Time is thinning, if we are going to use Mara's plan we need to head out now. If we use any plan we sould head out now and talk of it while we move." Owain says

[Eurus]

In Sylvan:
"Yes, decision time. Do we set an ambush, wait for them to come looking for their scout, or do Owain and I go into their camp? Feigning innocence is much less likely to work once they realize that he's not back yet, although it still might if we convince them that the 'Wildfae' attacking us are the reason for his disappearance. My vote is for that plan, but we have to try it now."

[Dreamshifter]

Bluebell

In Sylvan:
"If you go in claiming to have been attacked, and their scout is missing, they are likely to send more Big Folk out, aren't they? I say we go with that, and set out right away."

[userpay]

Tahl
In Sylvan:
"We'll go forward with that plan then, shock and awe can be the fallback if it doesn't work."

[Fishy]

Tulacea looks about as the plan forms, not entirely comprehending how her companions are makind decisions that quickly. "Wait, hold on," she complains in Sylvan, "We convince them that Wyldfae have snatched their scout, put them all on alert, and... then what?"

[userpay]

Tahl
"Most likely we will have to attack them, Mara and Owain may beable to figure out a peaceful solution as they walk among them but if worst comes to worse then we've people who can attack from within. I think attacking from multiple directions should keep them off balance."

[Eurus]

"Ideally, some of them leave and we make a surprise attack from there. This is pretty much a smash-and-grab job, so we only need to take down anyone who actually gets in our way; if we freak them out enough, that might not be many."

[Fishy]

"That's... Almost like having a plan," Tula eventually decides.

[Eurus]

"The best plans are the ones with room to improvise. Otherwise you get too panicked when they fall apart."

[Demons_eye]

"Shall we head out then?"

[userpay]

Tahl nods. "Its enough of a plan for me." Fingers tracing her sword hilts.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The halfling, having listened to the party speaking Sylvan gibberish with the same expression of polite incomprehension as before, tentatively raises a hand. "So...anybody going to tell me what's happening, and what you're doing with me?"

[Eurus]

In Common:
"Owain and I are leaving for now to try and find our friends, but you'll be staying with the others. On the plus side, you'll probably be back with your division again by tomorrow morning."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Owain and Mara
First, I'll need two Spot and Listen checks from each of you if you're heading off to the camp.

Second, are you planning to look around the camp at all or just head directly in?

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
Ráwen paces a bit, bored. Speaking aloud but to no one in particular, she says, (Common) "Hmm... what can be taken

From the beginning of eternity,
To the end of time and space;
To the beginning of every end,
And the end of every place?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Owain and Mara
Here's what you can see of the Imperial camp, rendered with my superlative artistic talent:
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb176/psychictheurge10/FirstEncounter.png

You can probably guess what most of the map is--turquoise rectangles = tents/bedrolls, blue circles = groups of sentries, and the road, campfires, and steam wagons should be self-evident. The map isn't exactly to scale, but it's between 5 and 10 feet to the square.

[Demons_eye]

"Umm please sirs we need help" Owain says as he walks up to a solider

[PairO'Dice Lost]

[From which direction are you approaching the camp?]

[Demons_eye]

[Mid bottom in the road]

[PairO'Dice Lost]

After scouting out the camp--spotting several sentries just in time to avoid detection--and returning to the road, you can see one sentry sitting on a tree stump at the edge of the road, eating some fruit. Past him farther along the road, you can just see the glint of light from the copper-and-iron contraptions you now know to be steam wagons, unwieldy vehicles almost as tall as they are long. The moon is at its highest point in the sky, so you have plenty of light to see, but it doesn't drown out the orange flicker of campfires glowing dimly through the trees.

Coming closer, you can see that the sentry is an orc of middle age, still wiry and strong despite his years. He is wearing a dark blue tunic and kilt with leather sandals, bracers, and belt, covered with minimal banded armor and topped with a helmet holding a feathered crest. Emblazoned on his breastplate in full scale, and stitched on his bracers in miniature, is what you assume to be the emblem of the halfling's Soaring Eagles legion:

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb176/psychictheurge10/EagleCrest.png
The sentry catches sight of you at about the same time you see him; quickly stuffing the rest of the fruit in his mouth, he wipes his hands off on his uniform, leaps up from his seat, snatching a shortbow leaning up against the stump and nocking an arrow in your direction. After a second, he finishes his meal and gruffly responds to Owain: "Whaddya 'need help' with?" He glances over both of you quickly, and though his eyes seem to linger at Mara's shoulders for a second, he does not seem overly suspicious. Lowering the bow slightly, he looks at Mara: "An' what in Hades're the two o' ye doin' out here all by yer lonesomes? Th' gennleman could be a soldier, all I know, but still that ain't enough to protect a lady like yerself."

[This conversation will be unspoilered for now, since it's within sight and hearing range of the rest of the party, but if Owain and Mara get into the camp, everything will be in spoilers.]

[Eurus]

With clothes artfully torn (yet carefully arranged to fully conceal her wings), face and arms scratched as if by thorns and small claws, and dirt everywhere, Mara looked like she'd been through a war. To help her deception, she'd even done a quick sprint through the forest to run herself out of breath.

So when the guard challenges them, she's breathing raggedly and actually has tears of feigned fear and relief in her eyes. "Oh, it's awful! We've been lost in that forest for over two days now! We were with a caravan going north, and one of the children ran into the woods to play - he was lost before we knew he was missing, and we tried to find him, but..." she trails off for a moment and has to "compose" herself before going on, "there were half a dozen of us searching and I don't know where the others are now and there were horrible creatures and music and laughing and I, we..."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The orc lowers his bow and replaces the arrow in his quiver, raising a hand hesitantly toward Mara, then apparently thinking better of it. "Hold on, hold on, slow down, Miss", the orc says, put off balance by her act. His eyes soften with concern, and his voice has a certain warmth in it that only magic can engender. "It's gonna be okay, Miss, don't ye worry now. Two days..." The orc squints off into the distance and his mouth moves momentarily. "That would put yer van about a half-day ahead o' us, maybe a day...ye must really have gotten turned around!" He gives a hearty laugh, which subsides into an embarrassed cough after a moment. "Sorry to make light o' that, Miss."

He turns to Owain with a newfound look of respect in his eye. "Sounds like the two o' you ran into the Wyldfae--nasty creatures, them. If ye managed to protect the missus with just a staff for days, ye're a fine hand with that weapon o' yers. I respect that in a human." His smile is slowly replaced by a frown, and he mutters to himself: "That damned halfling shoulda seen you folks and brought ye in, though. Wonder why he missed ye? He's normally good at sniffing 'em out." He pivots and cups his hands to his mouth; in his normal voice, he shouts back toward the camp, "Oi! Antony! Come on out here, and bring Short Stuff wit' ye! Looks like he done messed it up this time!"

A few seconds later, you hear stamping the underbrush, and another orc in the same uniform hustles up to the sentry, this one holding a spear and shield. "Sorry, can't; he ain't come back yet. Who're these?" "Ain't come back? He was supposed t'be back a while ago! Damn halfy. These are some lost 'uns, never mind them for a sec." Both orcs turn towards Owain and Mara. "Either o' you seen a halfling hereabouts?"

[Eurus]

Mara puts on a look of puzzlement, and shakes her head as she dabs at her eyes. "No, but... well, if anyone else was out there, I'd be awfully worried for them. Those things, whatever you called them, they were vicious. They kept toying with us and getting us turned around, it was almost impossible to even tell which way was forward."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The two orcs look at each other with a knowing expression. "I know what ye mean. Tricky bastards, all of 'em. We ran into a bunch of fey a while back, not the Forest 'uns, an' we killed a bunch of 'em, but they're vicious. This one half-horse thing tore this one soldier's arm off and started beating him with the bloody--urgk." The sentry bashes the other orc in the throat with his bow. "Shaddup, Ant, she's not in a good mind now! What if I'd tol' you all 'bout steam burns an' wheel arm fractures that time you got run over by the wagon, huh? Get back to yer post." Suitably chastised, the second orc wanders back the way he arrived.

The sentry turns to Mara and rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry 'bout that...listen, Ant's not all bad, he's jus' worried about this halfling we sent out 'bout three, four hours ago. He shoulda been back by now, but he's not back and he didn't find ye, so he probably got in a spot o' trouble. Tell ye what--what say ye bring yer gennleman back to camp wit' me? We can get ye both somethin' to drink and eat and ye can come wit' us to the trading post at the edge o' the Forest, how'zat? Maybe yer van's even waitin' for ye there!" He offers his hand to Mara.

[Fishy]

Tulacea is with the rest of the strike force, a safe distance back and off of the road proper, and wasting time with Ráwen. "The Veils of Obscured Sight," she announces, "...Or, the letter 'E'. What's green, hangs on a wall, and whistles?"

[Demons_eye]

Owain agrees to come with them and after a while he attempts to walk over to the other Orc and study the wagons. He is trying to find out which wagon holds the fey by saying things like 'Are you here' in Sylvan. If stopped his excuse is that he is an amateur engineer that wished to study the machines up close. If anyone wonders what he is saying he says that the fey chasing them said random things like this. He can not get the words out of his head, like a bad song, so he says them randomly.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

[From this point on, Owain's and Mara's actions should be spoilered.]

Owain and Mara
The sentry escorts Owain and Mara to the main area of the camp, explains the situation to the other soldiers there, and returns to his post after apologizing to Mara for being unable to stay with her. The orc he called over previously leaves to inform the centurion of the situation. The camp is mostly quiet, as it's a few hours after midnight. A handful of soldiers are talking softly around the campfires, all of whom are wearing a blue tunic and pants emblazoned with the Soaring Eagles' standard. When the two fey are brought to the camp, the soldiers greet them and offer them some of what food and drink they have, then invite them to either join the conversation by the fire or to wander about camp and relax.

Owain's attempts to identify the wagons containing the capture fey by sound are less than successful. While no one bothers him about what he is saying--if anyone is even paying attention--the wagons seem sturdy and thick-walled; in fact, even thumping the side doesn't shake the wagon at all or make more than a muted noise. The only sound that can be heard coming from the wagons is the slight hiss of steam rising from pipes on the roof.

After Owain has made a circuit of the wagons, three figures step out of the woods between the two parts of the camp. One is the orc from before. Another is a tall woman who appears to be long past her fortieth winter; this is most likely the Centurion Augustina the halfling mentioned. Hard lines crease her face, and her hair is a uniform iron-gray. Like the other Soaring Eagles present, she is dressed in an informal camp uniform rather than armor and formal dress, but her Eagle emblem is more finely detailed and she wears a flowing cloak around her shoulders. The third figure is a man of middle age, wearing armor and carrying a spear like the orc, but his uniform is crimson and gray instead of blue and sports a different emblem:

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb176/psychictheurge10/LionsCrest.png
The Lions sentry is trailing behind the two Eagles, and is arguing with the centurion as they approach the camp. As she walks into the firelight, the centurion motions Owain and Mara over to the trio, flashing a welcoming smile; a suspicious frown on his face, the sentry's ignores them for now. "...and I'm telling you, this is a waste of time", the sentry snaps at the centurion, "because if they're telling the truth, the halfling's already dead, and if they're lying the halfling's probably still dead. Either way, there's no reason to send out any troops!" "Calm yourself. Twenty soldiers should be able to determine the halfling's whereabouts quickly, and their presence or absence will not determine the battle should the Wyldfae ambush us." "And what if it's not the Wyldfae we have to worry about? What if these are fey spies?" Don't be ridiculous, Derrick, they are as human as you or I, and I have never heard of the fey allowing non-fey to work with them. Now, either accept my judgment in the matter or scurry back to your sub-centurion, but in either case I will not have our guests treated so.

The sentry narrows his eyes and gives a mock-salute, then stamps back into the trees. Turning to Owain and Mara, the centurion smiles once more. "Don't mind him; he is always so suspicious. I am Augustina, the leader of this century. What are your names, and what brought you to the Black Forest?"

[Demons_eye]

"Hello, I am Owain and this is Mara. We both found ourselves separated from our caravan while searching for a boy. Wild 'things' attacked us and we fled from them wondering the woods for two days. Sorry to be a bother but we found the road and saw your camp and ran right here." Owain starts to panic himself as he asks the next questions rapidly. He trys to play the victim and acts stupid. "Are you saying that those things were fey? Why would they attack us? Why would they need a spy? Are we cursed or doomed... Why would they want us? Just evil, they where, and the music.... gods the music.....

[Eurus]

"Yes, I'm Mara," she replies with a nod, looking distracted. "And... I'm sorry but, did I hear someone say that there are fae here?! Isn't that terribly dangerous?"

Technically, nobody had said anything about there being any fae prisoners in the camp, but Mara considered the deception to be a calculated risk. Hopefully they would take her "fears" at face value and chalk the leak up to an overly chatty soldier, but it was possible that they might realize that she'd already known about them before ever setting foot in the camp. Still, it seemed like their best bet at getting information quickly.

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Ah, you know, riddles are supposed to have a bit of cleverness to them; the answers are supposed to be obvious, but only when told the answer. The Veils of Obscured Sight... well, those qualify as obscure.

"I am not familiar with any specific green, whistling thing, though I suspect that this is another case where you confuse trivia - even if not so trivial - for a true riddle. Riddles have power, you know, but it comes from the cunning."

[Fishy]

"Oh, and I suppose "Acererak" wasn't, then?"

As they move closer to the encampment, Tula takes a moment to peel off a sheaf of papery bark from her arm, and tears it neatly into strips. She throws them into the air, and peers curiously at the pattern they make on the floor.

Casting Omen of Peril when we're about half an hour's journey from the heavily armed and highly trained strike force. 80% chance of an accurate omen- is this a Disaster-in-the-Making, Completely Harmless, or MILD PERIL?

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Tula
MILD PERIL!

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
"Even the lowliest of Wizards taking night classes while working as a baker would know Acererak; he is not obscure. That the Halfling almost certainly didn't is trivial; I wasn't playing, I was getting us a prisoner we wouldn't have to worry about too much. Nonetheless, while not the hardest riddle I've ever offered to one who knows of the lich, the clue at least specifies a unique individual. Others might fit the bill but I should think the 'correct' answer to the riddle should be obvious to any who is aware of Acererak. No chance for ambiguity with multitudinous possible correct answers."

[userpay]

Wings flutter and Tahl is gone in a blink of an eye, soaring up into the night sky from a different direction than where Owain and Mara entered. Flying so that she doesn't not risk being silhouetted against the moon, she drifts where the light of the camp fades into darkness to observe the camp activity from on high and to keep an eye on her allies.
Okay flying so that I'm just past the shadowy illumination cast by the light from the camp, idea is that I should beable to see into the camp being that I've low light vision and darkvision while staying in the darkest portion of the sky to keep hidden. I would like some estimates of how high I am though in case I need to dive if you would. I'll make some rolls, I don't think the racial hide applies here since I'm not in foliage and I'll roll move silently even though I should be rather high up to hear.
hide
[roll0]
move silently
[roll1]
spot
[roll2]

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The centurion's face retains its smile, but suddenly there is a harder edge to it. "Someone told you there were fey here?" she asks, speaking through clenched teeth. She slowly leans to the left, staring past the two fey at the soldiers around the fire. "And which fine, upstanding young man mentioned the minor but classified detail that we are holding fey prisoners--and to a person recently attacked and stranded by some of them, no less?" Instantly, calls of denial ring up from every voice, most of them blaming sentries, Iron Lions soldiers, or other Eagles wandering around the camp, possibly all three. "I shall have a talk with you gentlemen later", she hisses.

Turning back to Owain and Mara, the centurion's anger fades slightly. "Not to worry, sir, ma'am; it is true that we have some captive fey we're bringing back to headquarters, but you're in no danger. All steamwagons are constructed with enough cold iron so the fey couldn't easily break out of them, and these particular wagons have been soundproofed, lightproofed, and lined with lead to prevent them from ambushing the soldiers who come to feed them and escaping that way." Momentarily glancing the way the Iron Lions sentry left, she lowers her voice a bit: "Leaving the fey deaf and blind for the duration is a bit excessive for my taste, but I must admit that after the first time, they didn't try to steal the keys from any other Eagles, so it's effective enough for the time being." She nods once, sharply. "We might be a few yards away from the wagons, but in terms of your safety, we're as good as miles away."

[Eurus]

Mara seems to calm down slightly, but she still glances nervously at the wagons, and she edges almost imperceptibly away. "I see... Are... do all of them hold fae right now?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The centurion chuckles. "If only we were so lucky! No, only two of them have fey, one with their commanders and the other with their soldiers; the other one behind the trees is the Ordo Okkultus wagon, where our magi and the Lions' magi work. Well, it's been down to just the Lions' tertius for two days now...long story. Not that you're in any danger", she hastens to add. "You can talk with her, if she'll let you in; she'd probably be a more interesting conversationalist for you than the legionnaires, since she's been back home more recently than the rest of us and is probably more up-to-date on politics and current events."

[Eurus]

"Oh, I'd like that," Mara nods, seeming once again to grow less anxious. "Is she in there right now?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Owain, Mara, and Tahl
The centurion nods. "She should be; she doesn't exactly mingle with the troops, and tends to keep odd hours. Her wagon is in the middle of the other century's camp, and they might not look so favorably on your presence, so I'll give you an escort--Antony, if you wouldn't mind?" The orc escorts Owain and Mara through the clump of trees to the Lions' side of the camp; Tahl is easily able to keep within sight and earshot. Exiting the trees, only a single guard can be seen, who glances unconcernedly at them and then returns to his vigil. Antony brings the fey to the wagon's door and knocks hesitantly.

An irritated voice responds, somewhat muted through the thick door. "If Corvin sent you, tell him no, I don't have any more iron filings or spare pieces of glass, and if I knew why he wanted them I wouldn't have given them to him in the first place. If Augustina sent you, I'm already busy with three magi's worth of work, I'm not going to add another four's worth to the mix. If you're knocking on my door for the fun of it, get the hells away from my wagon." Antony looks a bit embarrassed, and whispers to Owain and Mara, "Don' worry, she ain't mean, she just got a lot of things on 'er mind." In a louder voice, he calls back "Magus Julia, ma'am, Centurion Augustina sent me 'cause we got two civilians what got stuck in the woods an' want to talk wit' someone who ain't a soldier."

A short pause, and then a panel opens in the door, and a gray-furred cat peers through the hole at the trio with its luminous green eyes. After a brief inspection, it meows once and the panel shuts. With a minor creaking, the door opens to reveal the cat padding back to a robed woman sitting at a small table, screwing a bolt into a strange contraption resembling a bow-less crossbow holding two small glass balls. Books and alchemical apparatus line the walls, and from the structure it appears that the interior used to hold several magi's living areas. The woman puts down her tools and looks up, a smile on her face. In a more cheerful tone of voice, she introduces herself: "Greetings to you both. I am Julia, and you've met my familiar Anabelle. I'd be glad to keep you company until we reach the trading post; I could use a break, anyway. I completely understand how you feel about military conversational skills--no offense intended, soldier." As Antony exits the wagon and closes the doors, Julia pulls out two chairs and motions for Owain and Mara to sit.

Rest of the Party
At a pause in the conversation, you can all hear the sound of snapping branches and crackling leaves begin to emanate from several directions in the forest, getting louder as they approach, though you can't discern precisely where it's coming from. Several indistinct voices reach all of your ears, though again the exact number is unclear. It appears several loud someones unconcerned with subtlety are making their way through the forest.

Your halfling friend looks excited for a moment when he hears the noises, but then his face droops again. "I have to hide and be quiet if I don't want to die, don't I?" he whispers in a melancholy tone of voice. "That's probably some other Eagles coming to look for me. Either your friends are captured, or they did what they were supposed to and tricked the centurion." The halfling sighs. "And now my century's going to die a few at a time, isn't it? Divide and conquer?"

[Fishy]

"Actually, yes," Tula says, informatively. "Everyone in that army is going to die, one at a time, and there's nothing you can do to save any of them."

A pause.

"Oh! Did you mean 'right now'? Oh, no, they're fine. We'll be very careful."

In Sylvan: "Blue? I hate to be a bother, but we're running out of time, and I still don't know where we're going, and you've got wings. Be a dear and find the wagons? I need direction and distance, as good as you can get."

[DragoonWraith]

Ráwen
Ráwen is idly playing with her dolls, making them perform tricks.
in Sylvan
"Ah, showtime then? I was a bit fuzzy on this part of the plan; what are we do, exactly, at this point? Not get found, I suppose, though a few more missing scouts would do wonders for frightening them..."

[Fishy]

As the sounds of breaking branches draw closer, Tula makes (gasp, shock, horror) a snap decision. "Blue? Nevermind. Time to go."

She closes her eyes, imagining herself reaching out with her roots, calling down to the power of the earth below. "We're going to dig our way right past their defenders, and pop up out of nowhere- directly underneath the wagons, if I can manage it. I need you to come with me and explain it to... them."

Tula casts her Suddenly Extended Summon Nature's Ally IV, calling up [roll0] Thoqqua (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/thoqqua.htm), who can drill through rock and explicitly leave a tunnel behind. She also gets ready to immediately cast Create Water, in the unlikely event that they set the underbrush on fire when they arrive.

EDIT: "Well, okay, 'him'."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ráwen, Tula, and Bluebell
There is what can best be described as a twisting in the air, which sounds like heat and smells like red, and suddenly sensory perceptions make sense again as a thoqqua materializes in your midst. The halfling practically jumps out of his skin at the sight, babbling something unintelligible as the fiery, wormlike elemental appears almost on top of him. The thoqqua is hissing and crackling rhythmically,
Ráwen
which you understand to be a happy sing-song chant of "Dirt, stones, delicious new earth! Can't wait to snuggle under the cozy ground and munch on it!" and more to that effect,and it places its head close to the ground, waiting for direction.

The voices and stamping sounds are dispersing slightly, some getting louder as they approach and others fading away entirely; you can estimate that none of the sounds are directly approaching your location, but some will probably come close.

[DragoonWraith]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
Ráwen
Ráwen smirks at the creature. "Aha, I see, I remember this bit now."
in Terran
"Yes, plenty of earth and stone, but in particular we need a tunnel dug. So you need to dig wide enough for us to follow, and you need to dig to a certain spot. Can you handle that?"

for Tula (and others with Voice of the City?)
"Much rock. Need tunnel. Dig us follow. Yes?"

[Fishy]

Ráwen, Tula, and Bluebell
OOC: Can I have the dumbed-down version of what you guys are saying? Voice of the City means he can automatically pick up 'simple concepts'.

Also, she's going to fire off a quick "I don't speak Terran, do what she says."

[Demons_eye]

After Owain sets down he jokingly asks "When does everyone sleep around here? Hello I am Owain."

[DragoonWraith]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula

OOC: Can I have the dumbed-down version of what you guys are saying? Voice of the City means he can automatically pick up 'simple concepts'.

Also, she's going to fire off a quick "I don't speak Terran, do what she says."
Edited my post with that. The thingy had only said something about being excited about all the rocks.

[Eurus]

Mara takes a seat, and attempts to make conversation with the mage, asking about current events and military life - stalling, essentially, while she waits for any sign of their allies acting outside. Hopefully if they were watching, they would realize that her and Owain couldn't easily signal them from within the wagon, and act of their own accord.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Owain and Mara
"Only those soldiers on guard duty are awake right now, the rest are sleeping normally. I'm just awake because I have some projects to get done without any interference from the sub-centurion, like the fire-thrower I was working on when the two of you arrived."

After that, she answers questions, relates some amusing anecdotes, and otherwise tries to make the two of you comfortable.

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
The thoqqua wags its head in Ráwen's direction.
Terran:"Can do! Can do! Favorite part! Just tell what to smell for and will eat lots of stone, make huge hole!"
Voice of the City:Just tell it where to tunnel and it'll do it.

Tahl
Owain and Mara are in a thick-walled steamwagon, so you can't hear or see anything of them anymore, and apart from seeing a big glowing worm by the rest of the party, you can't really tell what's going on there either.

[DragoonWraith]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
Ráwen
Ráwen smirks at the silly creature.

in Sylvan
"It wants to know what to smell for. Think it can just smell its way to the right spot? Fey have different smells than these, I'd think."

in Terran
"We want to tunnel to our friends, other fey like us that are in that camp,"
Voice of the City
"Tunnel to Fey-friends in camp."
Ráwen gestures at the camp.
in Terran
[color=DarkOrange]"But we don't want to run into any of the mortals. Can you smell our friends? Can you tunnel underneath them, without letting those above know we're even there?"
Voice of the City
"No mortals. Can smell fey-friends? Can tunnel, no telling surface?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
The thoqqua moves its head around, bringing it close in turn to the halfling and the three of you; the halfling cowers, chanting "Don't burn me, don't burn me, don't burn me" under his breath. The elemental remains still for a moment, then its head droops.
Terran
"No, don't think can. Sad. Flesh-things all smell the same, not like stone-things or metal-things. Can tell many metals by smell, and many-many rocks, but only live-flesh-thing from dead-flesh-thing. Unless friends made of metal or earth?"
Voice of the City
It can't differentiate creatures by smell.

[DragoonWraith]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
Ráwen
in Sylvan
"Says he can't tell creature smells apart, only rocks and metals. Think any of em's got a distinctive metal on them?"

[Demons_eye]

"Would you mind if I stepped out? Its getting stuffy in here." Owain asks

[Fishy]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
Sylvan:"That's fine- tell it we're looking for three big metal objects, sitting on or just above the surface, over that way."

Voice:"Good- somethingsomethingsomething, that way."

Common:"Oh, stop that. It's not going to hurt you- unless you touch it. Or get too close. Or make it mad."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Owain and Mara
"Oh, yes, of course; I know this isn't the most comfortable place." The magus points at the door, and after a moment it slowly swings open. "I hope I'm not boring you; you don't have to keep me company, you know. Feel free to walk around for a while if you need to."

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
The thoqqua looks quizzically at Tula--as much as an elemental with no face can convey slight confusion--and sits silently for a moment as it puzzles out her directives, then points its head somewhere into the forest while patting the halfling with the tip of its tail.
Terran"Three big-somethings that way? Smell some dark-cold-hard metal mixed with fuzzy-heavy-hard metal, in big lumps, almost bigger than four of this tiny flesh-thing. Those what you want?"
Voice of the CityIt wants to know if you're talking about the three huge metal things over that way.

Holding himself as still as possible, the halfling slowly glances at Tula, and speaks through clenched teeth: "Does this count as touching it or being too close? 'Cause this thing is petting me and it's damn weird."

[DragoonWraith]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
[roll0] Just to kind of get an idea of what a Thoqqua might mean by "dark-cold-hard metal" and "fuzzy-heavy-hard metal"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ráwen
Given what you know of Terran vocabulary and metals' mystical properties, you're fairly sure the "dark-cold-hard" metal would be cold iron, and "fuzzy-heavy-hard" metal would be lead.

[DragoonWraith]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
in Sylvan
"It says it sees three objects about four times the size of the Halfling of what I'm pretty sure it's saying is cold iron and lead. Sounds like the spot."
in Terran
"Sounds like what we want. Dig us a tunnel under those three lumps, please."
in Common
"Oh hush. It's clearly not hurting you; you ought to count your blessings, they've been many recently. Besides, we're leaving. You're almost out of this, despite my better judgment, but you really don't want to be breaking that 'be a good prisoner' clause in any kind of permanent manner, or you're looking at a very miserable, and probably quite short, life."

[Eurus]

Mara gives Owain a meaningful look as he departs, but masks it from the magus quite well. "Oh, it's no bother at all, I'm enjoying the peace."

(Rolling [roll0] to convey secret information without being noticed. Mara automatically passes the DC 15 check, so Owain understands that she's letting him know to try to signal for the others while she stays and handles the mage.)

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Owain and Mara
Just as the door finishes opening, you both feel a bit of a rumble under your feet. It isn't too strong--the many glass implements around the interior of the wagon clink and clatter, but that's the extent of the damage--and lasts only a moment, but it is definitely noticeable. The mage frowns, suspicious, and excuses herself for a moment: "Earthquakes, even minor ones, are unusual for this time of year in this part of the continent. If you'll pardon me, I'm going to take a look through my grimoires."

She retrieves her fire-thrower and several books open on her desk and retires to one of the smaller compartments in the front of the wagon; her familiar grabs the edge of a curtain hanging over the opening with its teeth and covers the entrance, before following her within.

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
No sooner does Ráwen finish speaking than the thoqqua coils itself into a ball of rocklike plates. In the space of a few seconds, the glow of the tip of its head intensifies from a smoldering reddish hue to a blinding orange; in the next moment, it springs into the air and dives into the ground, leaving a slightly smoking hole behind about three feet in diameter. Aside from a slight rumble when the thoqqua breaks the surface of the ground, you can hardly hear or feel any evidence of its passage.

About a minute and a half later, with another slight tremble, the thoqqua breaks the surface in exactly the spot it started the tunnel. It hisses softly and gives a happy little twirl.
Terran/Voice of the City"All three! Done!"
And not a moment too soon. While the thoqqua was digging, the sounds of scouts grew stronger and weaker intermittently as they roamed through the forest, but the sounds of searching are now growing louder than ever.

[Eurus]

Wondering if that was her comrades already, Mara quietly eases the door shut and locks it once Owain leaves. If she was lucky, and that rumble really was her friends, she might be able to either stall the magus until it was too late for her to do anything or even subdue her outright. As a precaution, she weaves a minor charm of protection against the oppressive conformity so common to the empire.

(Using Protection from Law on self.)

[userpay]

Tahl just stays where she is, on overview watch if you will, ready to dive into the fray when needed.

[Fishy]

"And besides," Tula points out to the cowering halfling. "It's an Elemental. So technically it's a 'normal' creature and you're weird." She frowns, distracted by a passing thought. "Although, you're a Real Person, so I guess that counts, doesn't it? Maybe it's just us, then."

She ponders along those lines for a minute and a half, and then beams brightly as the thoqqua returns. "Thank you!"

"So. Shall we go save the day, then? One puppet in front and one behind, maybe?"

[DragoonWraith]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
Err... actually, and I'm an idiot cuz I just realized this, Ráwen can only have one doll active at a time. Soooo... there's just the one, the Small Ironwood one. She's carrying the Tiny Wooden one, but it's inanimate right now. Care to rephrase?

[DragoonWraith]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
(assuming Fishy rephrases it to only indicate one puppet)

Ráwen
"Ah, the play things cannot venture very far for very long. Has to stay pretty close. So if we want him to lead, I'll have to be right behind him. Don't have any problem with that, though."

[Fishy]

"Sounds as much of a plan as anything we've got," Tulacea admits. "I don't remember any trouble, but if something does run into us down there, it's a bit of a squeeze for the two of us. After you, then. Blue? If you'd be a dear and arrange for our guest to take a nap, and then follow us down?"

She gets down onto all fours, frowning at the dirt on the papery bark of knees, and peers into the hole- and then up at the sky. "By the way, what walks on four legs at sunset?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
You all manage to slip through the tunnel with little difficulty--it's a bit of a squeeze for Ráwen, but nothing too uncomfortable. The halfling is sleeping soundly behind you; with the distraction of your conversation and the thoqqua disappearing in motes of orange light, he didn't even get a chance to resist Bluebell's magic.

You come upon a three-way split in the tunnel, two ends of which essentially lead to the same place. Traveling up either one, you can see that there is already a small hole about four inches across where the thoqqua just barely poked its head through the topsoil. Just above your heads is a dark metal panel with six wheels around its perimeter--obviously the steam wagons the halfling spoke of--and through the gaps in the wheels you can see a few blue-clad soldiers in the camp.

Following the third slightly longer path, you come upon essentially the same scene, with two differences. First, there are no soldiers around, just tents, marked in gray and red rather than shades of blue. Second, you can see Owain wandering around in the vicinity of the wagon; Mara is nowhere in sight.

[DragoonWraith]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula
Ráwen
"A great many things use four legs at sunset. If you'd said 'no legs at sunset' I'd have offered 'worm' as a reference to the decay of mortal creatures after their death, but I'm afraid if there's a clever answer here I'm not seeing it."

Ráwen sees Owain, and quietly breathes a few words of power, connecting Blue, Owain, Tula, and herself in a quiet web of communication.

Bluebell, Owain, Ráwen, and Tula
"Owain, it's Ráwen, don't look now but we're under the cart, in a tunnel a nice earth elemental made us. I've magicked us so that we can all hear each others' whispers. Where's Mara?"

OOC
Standard action to cast Message on the four of us. No save - which I'm relieved to see, since I'm not sure it would have been automatically obvious to Owain that the magic was harmless.

[Demons_eye]

Bluebell, Ráwen, and Tula


Shes in a wagon with the only mage. Two of them have fey, one with their commanders and the other with their soldiers. Do you guys have a plan? I think I could cause a distraction if needed.



Edit: Edited

[DragoonWraith]

Bluebell, Owain, Ráwen, and Tula
Ráwen
"Well, if possible, it seems the plan is to whisk them away through this tunnel without the mortals suspecting a thing. While quietly amusing, I feel like there is more fun to be had here... but the 'no-fun rules' are in effect, it seems.

"Are we under one of the wagons with fey in it? Where's the other?"