In the Plains of Yl (IC)

[Dexam]

Dacien

Activating her belt of magical healing to negate some of the damage caused by the boy's strange powers, Dacien carefully moves a little closer to the group. "Be wary," she calls. "The 'boy' may be another creature in disguise; or he may be possessed by some evil spirit." She rests her hand on the pommel of her falchion, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

Actions:

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Activate Healing Belt (2d8)[5] (2 charges remain)
Move to U15.

[OMG PONIES]

Chas follows suit, activating his belt as well with a ginger touch. He tilts his head, attempting to make the tattoo seem straighter. "Definitely Aeral," he says, "and possibly the child of an important tribesman." Chas does his best to kneel without letting his knee actually touch the ground. "No need to fear us," he says while averting his eyes as a sign of respect. "We seek an audience with the village elder. Your father, perhaps?" Even as Chas speaks, he can't help but tilt his head strangely.

Actions:

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Healing Belt - (3d8)[13] 1 charge remaining
Diplomacy - (1d20-1)[9]

[Frog Dragon]

All
The child seems to want to answer, and opens his mouth to the effect, but then collapses backwards upon the dirt. He is no longer awake, but he is breathing. It appears the exhaustion had finally caught up to him.

Zindar himself walks up closer while Hayre sheathes his blade. "What do we do with him?" Hayre asks, wishing for input from both his client and the rest of you. "If he truly is the child of an important Aeral, then they will want him back." Zindar notes. "I just hope they don't think we put him in this state."

[JeminiZero]

Xaine

As the child collapses, Xaine squats next to him to check that he was still alive before remarking. "Alright, I'm thoroughly confused now. Someone tell me what's going on and what we should do."

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And now Chas must share his OOC knowledge. Xaine being the big dumb fighter is out of his league here.

Incidentally, would protection from Evil be able to suppress the possessing entity?

[MammonAzrael]

Laraek

Approaching the fallen child, the shining automaton looks down impassively. "Containment or binding magic would be useful. Child may have been banished and is outcast. Caution to ensure mission is not disrupted is advised."

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Laraek uses detect magic on the child, concentrating for at least three rounds.

[OMG PONIES]

Chas scratches his head, then takes a cautious step back. "They may not want this boy back; in fact, he may have been exiled. His symptoms are all indicative of fiendish possession--sudden rage, inability to communicate, fainting--all signs point to the indwelling of an...evil creature, as superstitious as that may sound. However, this may provide us some leverage. If we cure the boy--possibly a child of importance--we may gain the favor of the village.

If we have strong enough magic, we may be able to end the fiend's control of the child. If not, we can try speaking with the creature. Perhaps we could negotiate with it," he says with a sideways glance to Lakarrn, "unless any are morally opposed. Either way," he continues, "we may all want to step back and encircle the victim with chalk. You know, if you're superstitious."

[Dexam]

Dacien

Dacien cautiously approaches the boy and kneels down to look him over. "I agree that it looks like he might be possessed by some evil spirit or another." She looks at Chas and Laraek. "It might well be that the spirit escaped using the boy as a host, rather than the boy being outcast or exiled. I think we should take him with us, but he should be bound and prevented from invoking any form of magic - for his own safety as well as ours."

She strides up to Zindar and levels a stare at him, arms folded across her chest. "Okay, mister employer" she says gravely. "Tell us straight - do you know if these Aeral tribesfolk practice the summoning and/or binding of spirits, demons, or any variety of other-worldly entities?"

[OMG PONIES]

Chas cuts off Dacien before Zindar can answer. "No such practice," he says matter-of-factly.

[Ghost6442]

Lakarr'n shakes his head, "Chalk will not do, you will need silver dust, but while it has a vessel such methods will not contain it, and the dust alone is useless anyway." he says solemnly "I do not have a problem with you negotiating with the creature, though I would rather be rid of it and free the child, but I have yet to obtain the power to do so. I do agree the Aeral might be pleased for us to return him fiend free, or at least his parents, which would be a useful foot hold for leverage if the need arises."

[OMG PONIES]

Chas scratches the back of his head as a puzzled look crosses his face. He was...wrong? "Yes, yes," he does his best to cover, "Silver dust, of course. Must still be the symptoms of the child's attack clouding my mind. Anyway, any suggestions as to how we can cure this child, if silver dust won't hold the fiend and you haven't the spells to expel it?"

[MammonAzrael]

Laraek

Laraek listens to the discussion, absorbing the information and waiting. When it dies down a little, he chimes in. "Viable to return to Tren? Should be priests capable of exorcism there. What is distance still to Aeral? Possible possessed child ran from village and will be happily returned regardless of of demon." Looking towards Zindar, the golem waits for an answer from the merchant.

[Dexam]

Dacien

Chas cuts off Dacien before Zindar can answer. "No such practice," he says matter-of-factly.

"How can you be so certain?" The sorceress turns to face Chas. "Unless the child was randomly possessed by some wandering spirit, or making pacts with other-worldly powers is what the kiddies are into these days," her tone of voice makes it clear that she considers either of these possibilites highly unlikely. "It seems to me that someone or something in or near that Aeral community called up whatever is using that boy as a host."

Dacien nods in agreement with Laraek's assessment of the situation. "As I see it, we have two choices - we either turn back Tren and take the boy to a priest or mage powerful enough to banish the entity; or we press on to the Aeral with the hope they have the ability to deal with... whatever's happened to him." She directs her gaze back to Zindar and Hayre. "Well?" Dacien arches an attractive eyebrow at the emissary. "What do you think we should do?"

[JeminiZero]

Xaine

As Dacien mentions children making pacts with other worldly powers, Xaine's expression changes to one of mild paranoia... or was it a tinge of guilt? He glances around somewhat suspiciously, wondering what the others would know about pact magic.

Not that he knew anything about such things, nosirree... nothing at all...

[Frog Dragon]

"We have been traveling for hours now." Zindar comments. "I don't think we should turn back now. We've been making good time, and should be able to reach the tribe by tomorrow morning. He briefly turns to Chas. As you said, bringing him back to them is likely to be a significant leverage, and they will want to know of the actions taken towards their child. At least, I think so." The merchant finishes, and gestures at Hayre, who gently picks up the child, walking back to the wagon. "Or does anyone have any objections?"

[MammonAzrael]

Laraek

"Decision is yours. Payment does not hinge on success of mission, only your safety. Recommend constant guard on child."

[JeminiZero]

Xaine

"Well, if the kid is possessed as you say, then we are probably the only folk around this here wilderness who can keep him out of trouble." Xaine says as he scratches his head nervously. "So while, I do not think disagree with the principle of taking him along, does anyone have any idea how we are going to... ya'know... keep him from stabbing us in our sleep?"

"I mean, I could punch his lights out in a big way, but I doubt the resulting bruises would please his parents. Rope would probably be more... diplomatic, but there's a good chance that the demon inside might have magic to get free... so what should we do?"

[Frog Dragon]

"Perhaps we should use one of the chests? We have a fairly large, empty one in the back just in case." Zindar suggests as he starts walking over to the back of the wagon in a movement somewhat resembling a waddle. He whisks a cover to the side, revealing a cargo compartment in the back of the wagon, and indeed, a large chest. "It's not airtight, and it has a lock." One of the horses looks inquisitively at Zindar from the other side of the wagon as he speaks.
"If we pad the chest, I think we could put the kid in fairly comfortably, and he won't be getting out before we let him." Zindar smiles slightly nervously as he throws open the chest as Hayre carries the child over to the cargo compartment in his arms. "Could someone rein the horses?" Hayre asks, setting the child in. "I think we should go."

[OMG PONIES]

Chas seems slightly nervous about the idea of keeping the child in a wooden chest. "Th-th-the chest," he stammers, "is it clean-clean-clean?"

[JeminiZero]

Xaine

Xaine helps hold the horses as Hayre puts the kid inside the chest. "Don't forget to tie him up first. And yeah, we should probably get moving. Times a'wasting."

[MammonAzrael]

Laraek

"Chest should function, assuming no further incident." With that, Laraek turns, surveying the area, before following to the back of the wagon and taking up a rear guard position. "Time to proceed."

[Dexam]

Dacien

Dacien frowns at the idea of keeping a child locked in a chest, but without any form of magical restraint, she can't think of any other way to prevent the boy from hurting himself or others.

"All right," she says, somewhat dubiously. "We lock him up - but only under the provision the chest gets opened regularly to check on him, and give him fresh air, water, and food as needed."

The sorceress nods in agreement with Xaine and Laraek. "The sooner we get going, the sooner we can get him to his people. Hopefully they will be better equipped to deal with whatever has happened to him." She sounds a little worried.

Dacien assists with binding the unconcious boy, making sure the ropes aren't so tight as to cut off circulation or forcing him into an overly uncomfortable position, and ensures that the chest is lined with plenty of blankets before he is placed inside.

[Ghost6442]

Lakarr'n looks thoughtful as he watches them package the child.

"hmm... If the Aeral find him or if he makes a ruckus or escapes when he's being checked on, could cause us major problems, like making the Aeral think we did this to him. I can supply magical restraint but it will not last very long at all and there is the possibility of it not taking at all. And I do not have it readied at this time, we might want to plan how we are going to do this." he suggests uneasily, the last thing he wants is to be chased by angry tribes people.

[Frog Dragon]

"Can we do much else?" Zindar asks as he dusts off the inside of the chest before getting out blankets to stuff the chest with. Finally, Hayre puts the sleeping child in, as Zindar takes rope and tries to tie him down securely without causing him discomfort, gladly accepting Dacien's help to do so. "We'll let him out shortly before entering the Aeral settlement." He runs his eyes across the group to make sure no-one objects, before closing the chest. "That way, we won't be taking him out of the chest in the middle of their camp. Hopefully they know what to here." Zindar adds, before climbing back over to the wagon.

[Frog Dragon]

All
The child actually sleeps through most of the trip, waking up only the next morning and vacantly and mindlessly eating what food is offered to him. "Whatever is possessing him probably went to hiding right now." Zindar notes. "Better for us, since we don't have to keep him in the chest. We should see the settlements any minute now."

True enough, you shortly see a village shaped of clay and stone. A river cuts across the landscape behind the village as you regard it from the crest of a hill overlooking the settlement. Clearly, the Aeral have developed rather advanced building skills despite their relative isolation from most of Ylian society. Such a tribe apparently feels reason to be watchful, for you already feel many eyes upon your caravan. No one comes to greet you yet however, as the wagon begins rolling down the hill. Zindar glances at the child.Hopefully they will appreciate his return.

[MammonAzrael]

Laraek

Looking out from the vista the hill crest offers, Laraek considers the village, wondering if these primitive tribesmen really having crafts worth his consideration. Well, this merchant and the others back in Tren seemed to think there was something special about them. So I suppose its possible, and certainly worth exploring more. Hopefully that blasted child doesn't make things too much more awkward.

Turning, it nods at Zindar's reflections. "Are the Aeral welcoming of outsiders? Do you need protection within the village?"

[JeminiZero]

Xaine

Xaine took some time to peel his eyes off Dacien and to look at his surroundings as the group approached the village. The fact that they were watched but not greeted, made him wonder if there was some sort of ambush waiting for them in the village. Kinda makes me wish I could bind Malphas.

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And of course, Xaine will heal himself, and whoever else wants it back to full health, by channeling positive energy from the plane of fire or something like that.

[OMG PONIES]

Chas O'Malley

Chas looks around with consternation, counting the number of buildings he can see. "It's prime," he says with a sigh of relief. "Everything's okay." He scans his mind for any bits and pieces about the Aeral.

Knowledge Local - (1d20+13)[26] for how the Aeral regard outsiders (and any ways to gain acceptance).

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Does Xaine's healing require a touch?

[JeminiZero]

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Does Xaine's healing require a touch?

Yes. I take it Chas will take care of his own healing then.

[Dexam]

Dacien

As the wagon crests the hill and reveals the settlement before them, Dacien casts Mage Armor, first upon herself and then upon Zindar. "Better safe than sorry," she explains to the negotiator. "And it's our job to keep you safe." She looks around at the others. "I can't really speak for everyone here, but we'll try to follow your lead. However, if things go downhill, you'll have to let us take charge of your safety."

Dacien can't help but feel uncomfortable with all the stares upon them as they approach the buildings. "I wonder why no one came out to greet us?" she asks quietly. "I would've thought that if they saw strangers approaching their village, they'd send out scouts to find out if they're friendly or not." Still, she does her best to appear friendly and non-threatening.

Xaine took some time to peel his eyes off Dacien and to look at his surroundings as the group approached the village.

Dacien can't help but note that the young man was gazing at her every time she looked in his direction. Goddess help me, I hope he's not getting a crush. She sighed to herself. The attention was flattering, but she knew all too well that romantic involvement with adventuring team-mates could turn awkward very quickly.

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And of course, Xaine will heal himself, and whoever else wants it back to full health, by channeling positive energy from the plane of fire or something like that.

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Dacien will still be down 2 HP after a night of rest. She'll gladly accept any healing magic on offer, rather than using a charge from her Healing Belt for a measley 2 HP.

[Frog Dragon]

All
"The Aeral are reclusive folk, and we are both odd and diverse." He glances at the bunch of you, who, if you had a uniform, would be extremely out of. "But we'll see them soon." Zindar adds as the wagon approaches the settlement. Individual people start to be in your sight, though the child still does not react at all to going back home.

The village opens into a clearing of sorts as the tribespeople clear out, all wearing tattoos similar to the one on the child, in varying shapes and levels of detail.The wagon is let to advance to the clearing, but people now dot the surroundings, seemingly stopping the group's advancement. None of them seem to be armed, though they strike off the resolute air of people with the situation well under control.

The horses seem nervous, surrounded from afar by the entire tribe, and even Hayre and Zindar seem wary. The silence lasts for a moment, before three tribesmen break off from the surrounding mass of tribesfolk. In the middle walks an older man, likely reaching his fifties, cloaked in the skin of some great beast, tattooed quite similarly to the boy, though his tattoo has some additional details. Surrounding him are two fit young men, both unarmed, and wearing skirt-like clothes on their waists. They stop in front of the horses, and the cloaked man opens his mouth to speak, tone signifying both relief and suspicion. "Who are you to hold my son within your grasp?"