The Necromancer's Pact VI: Lake of Tears [closed]

[Lost Sage]

Kiah, Human Cleric

"Ha! The name's too old fashion for you eh? Well, she was an old lady when I knew her and 'Poppy-Bell' seemed to suit 'er just fine."

When Achkby asks about owing her business she looks over at him. What... does he think I'm getting a kickback? Quite the suspicious one Mr. Achkby "Well, maybe I do and maybe I don't." she says blandly. "But it would be kind of hard to pay her back now that she's dead. Does your position as moral compass have suggestions for such a problem?"

[HempRope]

Achkby, Halfling Sorcerer

"I wouldn't expect you to go and pay her now," he says, apparently somewhat taken aback. "That'd be pretty inconvenient for you. I was just wondering if she brought a lot of people by. I've never had an inn. Dunno how much draw one potion-maker could get."

Whoa, there! What's all that? Don't think she likes me much...

[Lost Sage]

Kiah

Kiah looks at Achkby appraisingly. Not sure what to make of him.

"Well an Inn's a lot of work - long hours. But you get to talk to people which is the part I liked... travelers especially. Poppy-Bell didn't come by often but people would ask for her. She been there for time out of mind which might account fer some of it. But I think many where traders - coming around to get stuff they couldn't get other places. She didn't talk about them much. She helped me with my herbals though. Sort of a mentor of sorts. That was nice..."

Kiah's voice trails off and she looks rather sad. Lost in her thoughts.

[runehawk]

Lizardkin Druid

The lizardkin meditates. He tunes himself into the Otherwhere and attempts to focus on his tribe.

In the end when he can't help himself he shifts his mind to Sheyra.

[sacreddeamon]

Thokk

"Haha lads, come on! We have slain the beast, saved the people, drink and be merry, lads, ye never know when the hammer will come for yer!"

*Thokk proceedes to find a pint of mead and celebrate with anyone willing*

[blackfox]

Katrin

Katrin also remains silent on the way back to the keep, lost in thought. When the group gets back, she excuses herself from the group, saying she's going up to her room.

If dinner is going to be served, Katrin will come down for that, but otherwise will remain in her room.

((Dr. Bob--I PM'd you.))

[kariokie]

Nyssa

Nyssa thanks Lissa and Kiah for the information. "Well, the group coming south mentioned a ferry, I believe, to Lord Ulrich. Perhaps we'll find a river there, if we're taking the same path." She thinks for a moment, appraising the situation. "However, with the condition his body is in, I'm not sure we can wait past this evening. Any rites sound better than none."

As Kiah and Achkby bicker over what seems to be a simple misunderstanding, she struggles to remain quiet and not step in as a peacemaker. But as their conversation ceases, and Kiah trails off, Nyssa looks at her. "She sounds like she was a very good mentor, and that you were very fortunate to have her in your life. Always remember that."

When Tiriel makes her way past and asks about the missing man, Nyssa thinks for a moment before she responds. "You mean the handsome gentleman who was almost catatonic on the bridge? I never saw him inside the keep, but I remember he left the bridge with us, heading in that direction. I'm sorry I can't be of more help." Nyssa then looks at Tiriel strangely, almost says something, but instead keeps her mouth shut.

[Lost Sage]

Kiah

to Nyssa
"Thank you dear. That was kind of you to say so."

---

Kiah watches as Katrin as she separates from the celebrations.
Something's bothering her. She don't seem like the type.

Kiah is sitting a little off to the side, not thinking that it is appropriate that she join in. She moves as if to talk to Katrin but, when the young lady heads straight up to her room, thinks the better of it.

---

On entering the keep Kiah will greet the lord and/or lady and ask permission to stay. She will spend the time before dinner chatting to those in the group and getting to know them (those that aren't drinking heavily that is :)). At dinner (assuming that she may join), she watches the dynamics of the group and also notes if any topics or names catch Katrins interest.

[dauphinous]

Delphinia, not far away in a forested area

Yeah, now this is more like it. Delphinia and Gladi wound their way slowly through the trees. The sure-footed dog forged her own path in the snow, getting little direction from her distracted rider. All those people – just too many in one space. This is better. Enough room to breathe. She took a deep breath, savoring the frigid air for its freshness, its emptiness. Who needs them anyway? Off to save the world, indeed.

An hour or so later, she stopped Gladi and dismounted, pulling out her bow. Clearing her mind, she grabbed the reins and continued on foot, intending to scare up some dinner. Orris always said, ‘find food before your hunger finds you.’ This time of year, they rarely ate well, but she could usually find something. They came upon a skinny squirrel drinking from a swift stream. Stupid thing, she thought as she drew back an arrow on her bow. You deserve to be my dinner if you’re dumb enough to pop out here alone.

After finding an old hollowed tree stump and digging it out enough so they both fit, she pulled off Gladi’s gear and brushed her down. Then she started a fire and they snuggled down in together for the night. ”Yep, Gladi,” she ruffled the hair on Gladi’s head with one hand. ”This is how it should be. No world to save, no people churning up the tracks you’re trying to follow.” Giving most of the meat to Gladi, she cobbled together a small meal for herself. ”Orris never much liked lots of company. ‘Course, you never met him. He passed on a while before you were born. We talked a lot, Orris and me. Poor guy, I think he sometimes wished I was human, so we could be…closer I guess.”

Gladi laid down her head and drooped her eyelids as she watched the fire. Delphinia stopped talking. After five years, thinking too much about Orris still choked her up a little. They’d traveled together, for how long? Almost twenty years. In all that time, he’d never taken a wife. She’d never even looked at another halfling, either. We used to talk. And watch each other’s backs. We were friends. I’ve got Gladi now, but it’s just not the same.

She leaned into Gladi’s warmth, her mood turning to sadness. Watching the fire play, she adjusted the blanket over them both. The mesmerizing dance of the flames combined with the warmth from both bodies induced a soporific haze. Gladi’s breathing slowly changed over to the rhythm of sleep and Delphinia began to doze. The oldest wound replayed in her mind, a dark memory buried deeply enough that she hadn’t thought upon it in many years.

The sun sparkled overhead, warming the day without baking it. Five whole families of halflings attended that picnic to celebrate Anemone’s birthday. Delphinia watched her little sister basking in the warm glow of being princess for a day with an indulgent smile on her face. They were close enough in age to be friends, sharing secrets and clothes. Anemone was standing on a log, giving the requisite birthday speech, when the sharp point of an arrow pushed through her chest, spreading a crimson stain on her special birthday day that eerily matched the pattern of her namesake flower.

Everyone watched, horrified, as she slumped forward to the ground and her killer became apparent. A horde of goblin-bearing worgs, their coats matted and black, thundered across the wide meadow. The gathered crowd erupted into panic- screaming, flailing, crawling, running. Delphinia just sat there in shock, frozen by the sight. People she had known all her life fell under arrows as she watched. In the madness, a fleeing halfling was struck down right before her eyes, falling over her and pinning her to the ground. Her brain, processing the information too sluggishly, took what seemed like an eternity to recognize the face of Tassik, her boyfriend of almost eight months, as it slackened with death. Turning away, she saw her cousin lying dead just a few feet beyond her reach. A little farther away, her mother crawled, arrows protruding from her back.

She woke with a start, trying to push Tassik off, just as she had done then. Gladi woke to her struggles, jumping up to defend her master from…nothing. Delphinia’s head found the ground, and the impact shook the memory loose to drift back into her subconscious. She sat up and started immediately to calm the dog. ”It’s ok, Gladi. Just a bad dream.” And no one to talk to about it. I didn’t notice before, but that halfling, dammit, I forget his name, he looks a lot like my cousin. I wonder if he has any relation to the Featherwillow clan.

She pet the dog soothingly and rearranged the blanket over them both. What the hell was I thinking? I must be some kind of first-rate idiot. Like it wasn’t enough clue when that gnome girl asked just one simple question and I gushed all over her like the fat girl getting the attention of Prince Charming. She sighed heavily. I don’t really like being alone. Being with Orris wasn’t the same as being alone. I’ve been flailing around for long enough since he died. It’s time to be with people again. I’ll go back in the morning. Maybe by then I can come up with a good enough bull story to explain why I was gone all night. Maybe they won’t ask, maybe they won’t even notice. But I need me someone to talk to again. And dammit, I want to know about that halfling kid. With that resolution, she drifted back off to sleep.

[HempRope]

Achkby, Halfling Sorcerer

Oh, how sad. Well, I'll leave her to mull that over herself. Maybe she'll realize my folk aren't just there to help her along.

Achkby trots his mount a bit aways from the conversation and seethes to himself.
Oh, in the name Brandobaris, why are they carrying that damn priest's body along with us?! They had better not want to go on another excursion tomorrow to do some more priestly hocus-pocus with it. If so, I'm leaving with Callos. If he hasn't left already.

[Dr._Bob]

Elthan watches as Lady Ulrich turns away from her silver bowl and moves to another workbench. She begins assembling a number of ingredients from various jars and beakers.

She lights a small burner and soon a flask of purplish fluid is being boiled over high heat.

"I imagine that your friends will be in need of some healing when they return."

Elthan sees that Lady Ulrich is preparing more of the healing draughts that were provided last night at the midnight meal.

The entire process takes several hours, and by the time the potion has cooled and been decanted into a dozen small vials, it is almost sunset.

Together, Elthan and Lady Ulrich descend the stairs as the cheering of orcs filters up from the courtyard ...



End of Lake of Tears I. To be continued in The Necromancer's Pact VII: Lake of Tears II ...