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2013-12-07, 01:04 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
So... the place belongs to a blind elf? No, it belongs to the goblins. And their friend is in a... cupboard? And possibly blind, or just asleep? They can't exactly leave if these goblins need help. When it starts talking like Rachel her expression hardens. She looks back toward the house and walks through the door. As she walks by she takes Arthur's hand and drags him with her looking for a staircase or ladder or some entrance to an attic space. "Okay boys, I think they have a friend passed out in a magic attic? Or a cabinet? I don't know, they don't speak Intuneric and I'm too tired to play Charades."
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2013-12-07, 02:24 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2013
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
As Anna walks inside, she is greeted by the older goblin who kneels and presents her with her comb, repaired as if nothing had happened to it. Having completed that duty, he and the leader come inside and walk over to the book shelf and start browsing its contents, trying to find something they could understand, but their search was in vain as the piles of books around them soon grew. The rest of the goblins remained outside, sitting in the same formation they had while standing.
As far as anyone could tell, there was no sort of ladder anywhere in the place, nor was there any sort of floor above them as the rafters were entirely open for the group to see, and nobody was up there. The group's search stops when the leader calls out, "Anna, Anna!" and holds up one of the smaller books they had found. It was really just a stack of papers between two black leather covers bound together by a string wrapped around the left edge of the packet so that it would open like a standard book.
Upon opening it, Anna discovers that the writing is not Intuneric, but some form of language formed of gracefully flowing characters. It was not something she could read.
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2013-12-07, 07:47 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Anna graciously takes the comb and the book, though she had hoped to restore the comb with Arthur. Even if he couldn't use magic, he could be there with her and hold her when she did it, as an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to one another and to Rachel. It is a very kind gesture though, and enough to force a warm and grateful smile out of her.
In any case, due to no failure of these goblins her patience is wearing thin and she has no idea what to do, but no desire to be rude. They apparently expect more out of her than she has right now. All she wants is to withdraw from the world and rest to heal her wounds, physical and emotional, and this is anything but the withdrawal she needs. She looks pleadingly between Sin Je and Elastial, as though begging one of them to take charge and give her some relief.Last edited by Saskia; 2013-12-07 at 07:48 PM.
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2013-12-07, 08:20 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2012
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- Oklahoma
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Elastial watches the conversation between Anna and Arther shift into worry about the goblins around them. Elastial goes to the window to scout the new threat. Not really seeing any other option, Elastial doesn't argue when Anna decides to go and talk to them. He does, however, grab Bran and take him with him to where Tai'Shar, and more pressingly, where his armor and his weapons are.
"Help me to get these on, can you lad? And if trouble breaks out, take Taishar, grab Anna, and try to get out of here. If grabbing Anna isn't an option, do your best to get Saffron or Arthur and get out of here. But be careful not to risk yourself too much."
With Bran's help, Elastial puts his armor on and straps his morningstar to his side as Ann has her conversation with the unexpected guests.
"I don't think that they mean us any harm, but be careful still. Be ready to get out of here if things go south. I will hold them off as long as I am able."
With that, Elastial walks with the others into the house. He walks in in time to see Anna take a book from the goblins. She looks at it, but doesn't seem to understand what she is seeing. Anna looks up and gives him a pleading look and Elastial walks closer. He catches a glimpse of the script and sees some familiar designs. "May I?" He asks of Anna as he reaches forward for the book.Last edited by Shinovar; 2013-12-07 at 10:53 PM.
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2013-12-07, 11:21 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2013
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- GMT -4 b/c DST
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Elastial opens the book, written in elvish, and starts reading it, and from its front page, he determines that it is a research journal of the arcane belonging to a Lisara Ashaern.
At this point, Elastial's reading is interrupted by a familiar face who had made her way through the goblins. Charlize now stands in the doorway and says, "Good evening, Anna. I trust you've made acquaintance with the chieftain of the Znalosť tribe. He was fairly eager to thank you for freeing him and his kinsmen." As she mentions the chieftain, she acknowledges the younger of the two goblins among the book pile who once again is bowing toward Anna. Charlize says something in that tongue which until now had only served to confuse the group, and the chieftain straightens up and gives a nod to the elf in the doorway.Spoiler: ElvishAfter all these decades of searching, I may have finally found an answer as to how I can see, not just with this arcane echolocation I've developed, but with my actual eyes, to see the letters I direct my quill to write, to see the colors of the world I live in. My peers, they all said I should just go to the healers and beg some god or another for the gift of sight, but they fail to realize that it was these same divines that cursed me and begging for that which all others have naturally is acknowledging their victory over me, but I digress.
I have found a way to avail myself of the sights of creatures: birds, mice, squirrels, and anything else that might find its way into my home, but when I do this, it seems the creature loses its gift of sight, so I am at somewhat of a loss. I could continue to use this procedure on the creatures around me, but I do not want to be some petty thief who steals the natural gift rather than gold or knowledge. If there were but a means to warn them and offer compensation for their services, I would have no problem with it, but to an animal, sight is often the most precious thing to them.Now, I could conceivably use goblins or some other semi-intelligent beast as they have the capacities to understand contracts and payment, and certainly nobody would mind if a goblin village suddenly disappeared, and the unknown force that caused that disappearance might even seem heroic to the people of Intunercale. They would honestly be the perfect source save the fact that I personally have a strong aversion for such uncivilized races, such is the pain of an arcanist. If I had to use such horrible subjects, I would still need some form of compensation, but that is a topic for some other day.I know now what I must give as compensation for my heart's desire, and that is the heart's desire of whoever gives their sight to me. Now, many of my peers might wonder how I can offer what often amounts to some impossible dream which can only possibly be conceived in the mind of the one with the desire. However, I have--
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2013-12-07, 11:59 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jul 2012
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- Oklahoma
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Elastial takes the book and reads it out loud to those gathered, doing his best to translate as he goes. At some points, he has to pause and search for a translation that better gets across the meaning, as a direct translation would just confuse the listeners. As he he continues, the rust begins to fall off of his translating skills and he goes a bit faster, gaining confidence as he goes.
When Charlize walks in, he pauses and looks up at her realization dawning on him as she talks. "So is the spell broken now? They will be free and the house wont work anymore?"
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2013-12-08, 12:11 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2013
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- GMT -4 b/c DST
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Charlize nods, "Margareta and I made it so that the next time the owner decided they no longer wished for what they had asked of the house, that the goblins would become free. With the dreams of the goblins no longer giving shape to the house, it can no longer offer anyone his desire, so it is virtually harmless. The goblins do, however, bear a grudge against Lisara and more specifically, this house, and wish to see it burn to the ground." She looks to Anna, "But they are creatures of honor, and will not destroy the house if it is against the will of their savior."
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2013-12-08, 12:32 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
After giving the book to Elastial, Anna sits down against the wall, asking with her eyes for Arthur to accompany her to lean against in case she dozes off. She smiles warmly at Charlize and says "Charlize, I'm so glad you're okay." She's surprised actually at how quickly she had bonded and become attached to the woman, so polite and sweet and not making passes at Arthur. She looks to the indicated goblins and smiles warmly, and closes her eyes. She was supposed to go with the others to Bentwood, but Anna's in no mood to argue the point, and it would be in poor taste anyway. Her stomach churns at the improper ratio of men to women with only Hansi, Fle, and Caitie with the twins, but at least Hansi seemed like a lovely enough young man and Fle, while perhaps a bit touched, is probably harmless.
When she becomes aware that she's being spoken to she opens her eyes again. So collapsing crying and squeezing Saffron like she were made of gold saved the goblins. Suddenly this whole place makes a lot more sense. She doesn't want to speak, but now it's directly referring to the work she dedicates herself to, and to that she is far more amenable. "Oh, well, I don't blame them one bit. But where is this Lisara? As a Karuth one of my duties is to protect unique magical effects and places so they can be studied and understood, but only if it's not going to impose undue harm and discord to do so." She pauses to adjust herself against the wall. "If they really want to destroy this place I understand and I won't begrudge them for it, but I think it's important to understand that if the same mystical framework is employed to create a similar device elsewhere it'll be much easier to dismantle if it's understood. If Lisara is still around somewhere then she'll just make another house, or something more compact and easier to conceal, so that information will be invaluable." She lays her had on Arthur's shoulder and closes her eyes once again with a deep, exhausted breath. "And more practically for the tribe, if the magic is still intact then there's a good chance that its unusually intimate connection with its creator can be used to find her and bring her to justice so she can't destroy any more lives."Last edited by Saskia; 2013-12-08 at 12:34 AM.
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2013-12-08, 09:59 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2013
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- GMT -4 b/c DST
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Charlize shakes her head, "I don't know where Lisara is, and whatever magic that might have remained after freeing the goblins has been canceled, so we can assume that Lisara is out there somewhere, but because she didn't come here or at least send an angry message, we can assume she does not desire confrontation or desires it on her own terms. I do not believe, however, that Lisara would make such a thing more difficult to find as she needs people to find it; however, there are plenty of ways to hide things from people who she believes shouldn't find it. As for the information needed, I believe we may find it in the books the Znalosť have been so kind to organize for us." She turns to the chieftain and speaks in goblin for a short while, and he nods and replies to the elf who in turn translates for Anna, "The chieftain wants to know if there is anything else you desire, possibly some healing or a place to sleep for you and your companions."
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Hansi and Fle wake up to the sight of the branches above them just starting to be visible in the light before the dawn. The fire the halfling had started has long since been extinguished, not by any person or creature, but simply by the passage of time. The bard feels refreshed, and what injuries he had sustained the night before have all gone away, and all that is left is some minor bruising, but that won't interfere with what he has planned for the day. As his stomach reminds him of its vacancy, Hansi thinks once more of the woman he was to meet, and of the bread she would be passing out. One look around reveals that the others still sleep. It was a cool and quiet morning, and the birds and insects had just started to sing and chirp.Last edited by Diful Takveh; 2013-12-08 at 11:43 AM.
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2013-12-08, 01:03 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
"I don't have any strong personal interest in the matter if there's no magic to be studied, so it's up to them to determine what should be done with it. But sleep and healing sounds like a lovely pair." The muscle strain from the fall into the lizard's pit was about the only thing she hadn't recovered from. Laying of hands really is a powerful, if understated tool in the holy warrior's arsenal. "I don't think I've ever been quite so thoroughly worn out."
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2013-12-08, 02:29 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2013
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Having Charlize to translate truly was a boon as soon the older goblin walks over and puts his hands on Anna's head, and reciting a short prayer, she can feel healing energy make its way through her entire body, and welling in her back before it flows out through her extremities, taking the pain and injury with it. At the same time, the chieftain heads outside and gives the gathered tribe some orders, and soon, they all make their way to the caves from which they came.
Shortly thereafter, they come back carrying bundles that the group learned were piles of straw and blankets as they brought them inside and piled them into makeshift beds which seemed more like nests than actual beds. The chieftain says something else, and Charlize translates for him, "I am sorry we cannot offer more, but everything else was taken from us and we have not been awake long enough to regain that which we have lost to our enslavement. We shall keep watch as you sleep, so relax knowing that you are in the care of the Znalosť."
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2013-12-08, 03:11 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jul 2012
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- Oklahoma
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
"Charlize, please pass along our dearest gratitude towards them. Will you be accompanying us when we leave tomorrow?"
As he waits for the elf's reply, Elastial detects evil on those gathered. He really must get better about doing that first thing.Last edited by Shinovar; 2013-12-08 at 04:11 PM.
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2013-12-08, 04:34 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Anna gratefully takes the opportunity to get out of her armor. Without the shell of steel scales to contain it she realizes in just how dire a need she and her clothing have of cleaning. When they reach Bentwood she's got to be the same placid and dignified Anna that passed through three seasons ago, and that won't be possible if she smells like a horse with festering bridle sores. Besides, the cold water should be invigorating. "Absolutely," she says to second Elastial's thanks, "And is there a river or creek nearby where I can get cleaned up before I lay down for the night? I'm sure I smell even worse than I look right now, and I'd rather not subject everyone to the filth."
Last edited by Saskia; 2013-12-08 at 04:36 PM.
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2013-12-08, 05:08 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2013
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- GMT -4 b/c DST
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Elastial looks around at those gathered and sees no apparent evil in either the group nor in the surrounding areas. Charlize nods and clarifies, "As will Margareta, but she's still a bit tired from all the excitement of the evening and will stay in the caves for the night. As for a stream..." She has a short conversation with the goblin chieftain before continuing, "The goblins are, regrettably unfamiliar with the area, but are willing to send out a small group to search for one. Though, if you desire, I do possess magic which I can use to clean both you and your clothes. Any others who desire such magic can see me as well."
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2013-12-08, 06:06 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
"I would appreciate that tremendously, Charlize. Thank you." It's not always easy explaining seemingly arbitrary rituals; she wants to be clean, certainly, but it's also important as a daily religious rite; bathing daily ensures that a Karuth has time for herself, to relax with her own meditations and prayers. Still, she can't ask the goblins to risk encounters with nocturnal predators for a religious practice that the priesthood takes more seriously than the goddess. And, putting it in those terms, it sounds like a rather foolish idea anyway. There should be plenty of time for that in Bentwood. Even if it's not necessary though, there's a comforting security in maintaining rituals. Even without a creek she's still got a conjuration to create water prepared, so Anna looks around for a wash basin to wash her face and hands before laying down for the night.
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2013-12-08, 07:15 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2013
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
In her search for some form of bucket or wash basin, Anna realizes just how empty the house and the surrounding land is. Besides the straw, the blankets, the bookshelf and its contents, and the house itself, the area is seemingly devoid of man-made objects. Anna does, however, find a stump that has been hollowed out and finished so as to retain water, which it had from the previous day's rain. Carved about the edge of this carved basin are letters of the same script in which the journal had been written. "May the one reflected here ever treasure her vision." The voice from behind Anna belongs to Charlize who had followed he out, "That's what it says at least. Don't worry though, I can see no magic about it."
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2013-12-08, 07:31 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2013
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- Philadelphia, PA
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Hansi looks up at the bright morning sky. Mornings were nice, he supposed. Not as much fun as nights, but nice. This morning, however... Alright, everyone! Time to get up and get going!"
"By the way, do you know the best thing about magic? ... Everything." - Sarda, 8 Bit Theater
Thanks to Madcrafter for the avatar!
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2013-12-08, 10:34 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Vision. The topic makes for a good focus while she washes her already-cleaned face. How powerful a tool to be taken for granted. How lonely it would feel to never again bear witness to Arthur's smile, or the juxtaposition of Elizabeth's careful cleanliness with her brother's inability to stay that way;to never again be able to stare at a beautiful work of art. The thought is heart-wrenching.
Ruby had a favored saying when Anna would ask why somebody did something stupid or obviously incorrect. You don't need eyes to see, you need vision. As a girl this didn't make much sense, and as she grew she dismissed it. But should she have? The primary function of vision is that it grants a glimpse into the future—to see a charging bull or a diving raptor, or a kobold turning a ballista. Any idiot can see a tree fall, but it takes vision for a lumberjack to make it fall where he wants it. So should be the case with sight, and information more generally. If it's not being used to broader effect, you're just faffing around in the darkness, seeing the trees but blind to the forest.
Divine magic exists to restore sight to the sightless; restoring lost senses is widely considered one of the more common miracles, just behind the mending of wounds. Sure, it's beyond the power granted to Anna, but for a fee, (and a modest fee given the practicality of sight weighed against the budget this wizard obviously had to work with) she could have had it restored in the space of a day. Why had she opted not to take that path? Was she so consumed with restoring her sight that she forgot the powers of those around her? Perhaps the real tragedy wasn't in the loss of her sight, but in the loss of her vision. Perhaps the use of her eyes was the least of her problems.
Anna sighs and looks at the ripples now distorting her appearance even more than the hideous facial carving, and is indeed quite happy that she can see them. Even happy she can see the scarring, though still not happy about being vandalized in such a personally offensive manner. She had lost her own vision several times just today: First in mistrusting Arthur's desire to be only with Anna, second in failing to keep collected when it was most crucial to save him. In nearly every way she had failed today, and because she had lost vision. Even so, in her Beloved Lady's love, her fumbling allowed her to save her stalwart pillar of strength. It might take a while for her to come to terms with what Saffron's done to her in claiming Arthur as her husband though. The thought of Arthur and Saffron consummating their imagined marriage wrenches Anna's gut like a knife, but her family is now safe; Arthur is hers again and that duplicitous little wench of hers has learned her lesson. At least with Saffron, Anna knew he wouldn't be bringing fell ailments into her bed. She can't blame Arthur for what he'd done under the effects of magic, but she would certainly need to talk to him about it. Resolution and devotion are not measured in one's ability to resist the influence of powerful magic. That said, Anna is resolved to ward Arthur against such influence in the future, and with trinkets so ensorcelled under her own hand. Creating magical attire to ward against magical attacks on her lover, how quintessentially Jasidin.
Her meditations done and feeling her thoughts are sufficiently collected, Anna kisses Arthur and retires for the night at his side to bury herself under his arm. The powerful emotions still coursing through her heart cause tears to flow silently from her eyes, but it's alright; just residual passions and tensions flowing out from her while she prepares to rest. She hasn't had a day so full of emotion for ages. She's got Arthur back, and she'll get Rachel and Lyle back. So at least for now, things are good as she closes her eyes to rest.Last edited by Saskia; 2013-12-08 at 10:39 PM.
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2013-12-08, 11:10 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jul 2012
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- Oklahoma
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Elastial walks up to Charlize as well. "If you don't mind, my armor and I need cleaning as well."
Elastial begins removing his armor, now comfortable that he will not need it this night. These last days had been action packed. Hopefully they were approaching the end of their struggles, although with his promise to help find Rachel and to help end this new scourge upon the land that seemed doubtful.
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2013-12-09, 10:10 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2013
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
The first ones up are the twins who both jump out of a gap between the roots of a nearby tree, Robert fully covered in all manner of dirt and leaves while Elizabeth has a single leaf on her nose which she promptly picks off and adds to her brother's hair. Next up is Blaire whose hair is a tangled mess full of sticks and leaves which she immediately starts brushing out. That means the only one left is Caitie, but neither Hansi nor Fle can see any sign of her. After a brief moment of debating whether to call out for her or not, Robert points to a figure walking toward the group. As the figure gets closer, those gathered can see that it is Caitie who immediately apologizes for making them worry for her.
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Anna wakes up to a gentle kiss on her cheek and a hand, Arthur's strong hand which is ever so gently brushing her hair. She lets this go on for a short while before she turns and looks up at him, at the pain in his eyes, at the apology he could not yet put into words. He tries to put on a smile for the woman he had wronged, but Anna could still see that what he had done was bothering him. Without thinking too much on the matter, she sits up and throws her arms about her beloved, letting him know that it would all be okay, not with words but with the comforting embrace she so often used when those around her were suffering from a wide variety of problems. Arthur returns the embrace, calming an emotional storm that Anna wasn't even aware was howling inside of her, and what Arthur said next had a profound effect on her indeed:"Good job, Anna. You saved me. Now why don't you thank the one who told you where I was?""Isn't it your duty to thank someone if they've helped you? Isn't that what you're all about, your duty to this person and that person and everyone and your goddess? Start acting the way you're supposed to, do your duty, and thank your beloved fiancé."
Anna wakes with a start. It is still dark, but she can hear the goblins talking in that language she knew not. Arthur's arm is still wrapped around her, holding her loosely in his sleep. As far as she can tell from where she is, only she and the goblins are awake at whatever hour of the night this is.
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Sin Je decides that it would be best to wait until morning to give Anna the letter as she had quite a rough day, so after Charlize cleans him up, he heads straight for one of the piles of straw the goblins had brought out and wraps himself up in one of the blankets, promising himself that tomorrow would be a better day. With that, he falls into a fairly sound sleep.
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After getting himself cleaned up, Elastial checks to make sure Bran and Saffron were accounted for and sleeping before heading out front to bring Tai'shar around to the back of the house to tie him up. With everyone accounted for and in the protection of honorable goblins, Elastial offers his nightly prayers to Pelor, praying for the coming dawn. Having completed his prayers, he lays himself down on one of the piles of straw and falls into a nice sleep.
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2013-12-09, 11:49 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2012
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
That's... That's true. She does owe him her thanks. Maybe it was a more aggressive approach than she approved of, but that doesn't change the fact that he did help her invaluably. As a magus he should understand that her ability to communicate with him is limited, but she shouldn't have forgotten his assistance completely the way she did. Naturally, he should not be a petulant child because her mind was exhausted from running every which direction all day. She sits up with her hand on Arthur's chest, and speaks lowly to the air. If he could affect her dreams he might be able to hear her still. "You're right, and I'm sorry. I couldn't have done this without you. I was exhausted physically, emotionally, and intellectually, and everything else left my mind. You will come to understand this, and you will not speak to me that way again. You helped me invaluably twice when I needed help, and rest assured that I will repay you for it."
She strokes Arthur's hair, thinking about what the future could hold for the two of them with all the powers seemingly arrayed against them. Not just the two of them specifically, but a peaceful and happy life together will be impossible as log as Lyle and Rachel are stolen, and even then the impending conflict won't make things easy. She quickly decides that the only appropriate option is to guard him with her life, just like she knows he would do, and make sure she spends as much good time with him as she can, in case she doesn't get the chance later. And if anybody or anything comes between them, she'll just annihilate the offending party. With a gentle kiss for her peacefully resting Arthur, Anna replaces his arm around her and lays her head on his chest to let the beating of his heart lull her back to sleep.
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2013-12-09, 01:18 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2013
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Anna falls back to sleep easily and peacefully to the steady beat of her beloved's heart. This time, she finds herself standing in front of a forest in the light of a noon some midsummer's day. She can feel a small hand in her right, and looks down to see Rachel's smiling face. In the smiling girl's other hand are the fourth and fifth finger of the man Anna loved who also wears a smile. In Arthur's right hand is a basket which is most commonly used to carry food for lunches outside of the home. She looks back to see the people of Hillingshire going about their daily business, walking to and fro happily talking with each other. Leaving that place behind, the three of them walk into the woods, led by Arthur who knew exactly where they were going.
The three of them stopped by a stream about a quarter of an hour into the forest, and Arthur put down the basket to wash his hands and face in the stream. Rachel and Anna follow suit, and wash up before lunch with Anna finding a place where the water was still enough to provide a reflection, so she could fix her hair. Rachel sits down next to her and starts doing the same thing, and, in the pool, she can see the smile stretch across her unmarred face.
After washing up, the two ladies go back to Arthur for their lunch, Anna taking her rightful spot next to Arthur, and Rachel alternating between sitting between them and playing with the things she found in the forest. The three of them had a wonderful day with wonderful conversation, but none of what they said really mattered. All that mattered was that the three of them were once again together and happy once more.
As the day ended and Anna gave Arthur a farewell kiss before taking Rachel home to Olivia, a breeze blows past, carrying a simple message:"Thank you."
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Elastial and Sin Je wake up from a nice restful sleep, ready to face the new day as the sun has just started to rise. As with the day before, the clear skies foretold a good day for travel. Those in the house can hear the goblins outside, talking more excitedly as the sun starts to rise. A whiff of cooking meat welcomes the group into the waking world.Last edited by Diful Takveh; 2013-12-09 at 01:21 PM.
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2013-12-09, 02:20 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jul 2012
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- Oklahoma
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Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Elastial gets up slowly, stretching his old body slowly. He had done more exercise lately than he was used to, and his body didn't recover as quickly as it once did.
Elastial walks over to his newly clean armor and begins putting it on, finishing by strapping his morningstar on. These past few days had been filled with violence and possible threats, and Elastial didn't intend on being any more vulnerable than was necessary.
That done, Elastial went to go check on Bran and Tai'Shar, making sure that they were as comfortable through the night as he had been.
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2013-12-09, 02:30 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Anna stands and flexes the stiffness of sleep from her body, surprised by her newfound vigor. She feels like she could wrestle a bear. She wouldn't, of course, because that would be stupid, but her face carries an infectious smile in spite of the world around her crumbling. Setting the world right after what's happened might be difficult, but as long as she's got her lover, something to fight for that hasn't been destroyed, it'll be much easier, and having her comrades to shore up her weaknesses and share her burdens should make the daunting tasks ahead of her achievable. How she'll repay them she has no idea, but something should become apparent.
She decides to seize the opportunity to take the morning sun, even if the air is cool, to honor the forebears who laid their successive tiers of improvements to build the world today, and for continued strength through the troubled times.
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2013-12-09, 07:59 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2013
- Location
- GMT -4 b/c DST
- Gender
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Bran continues to sleep with his wolf Gray curled up around him. As Elastial approaches him, some wolf fur gets in Bran's nose, and he sneezes and wipes his nose with his shirtless arm before continuing his peaceful sleep. Going outside, Elastial sees that the goblins had been productive during the evening as there are many wooden and stone tools and weapons for hunting and meat preparation. These things are necessary as Elastial looks at the many fires the goblins had made to cook a variety of smaller animals they had caught: squirrels, rabbits, frogs, and a variety of other small forest creatures. As Elastial walks among them to his horse, they offer him cooked goods and bags of gathered nuts and berries.
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Anna heads out the front of the house as she knows the back leads into a decent-sized band of goblins, and not that there's anything wrong with them or she's prejudiced. She just knows that they have a tendency to over-idolize her and would likely interrupt her meditation if they knew she was awake. In addition, she has no idea how she would communicate with them without Charlize whom she had not yet seen that morning. Who knows, maybe she had had the same idea and is now sitting right outside the front door.
Anna opens the door, and though she does not find the mysterious elf, she does find another sitting by the front door. Saffron looks up to acknowledge the one who came through the door, but when she sees who it is, she quickly darts her eyes back down until they once again look across the road and lets her head slowly follow. The eye contact they had had was brief, but long enough for Anna to realize Saffron's eyes were still discolored, though, from her actions it could be assumed she still saw.
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2013-12-09, 08:45 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2013
- Location
- Twin Peaks
- Gender
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Fle moved to clap his hand, forgetting about the missing one, he made a strange half squeak, half hiss, content with their awakening. He starts off with questions, intending to take advantage of not having a horrendous headache for the first time since waking up without a right arm. "Why was the woman gone? Does mule man plan to enter, or circle around town, do we together stay? You did already think about said, did you mule man?"
Last edited by Bladehunter217; 2013-12-09 at 09:05 PM.
I'm back.
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2013-12-09, 09:10 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2013
- Location
- GMT -4 b/c DST
- Gender
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Caitie, who had been walking back to the group rather quickly, given the forested terrain, stops where she stands and calls back to the halfling in annoyance, "The woman was gone for her own reasons, and the halfling should remember the woman's name is Caitie."
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2013-12-09, 09:15 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
"Saffron," she says simply, not overly friendly but not without warmth, and sits down beside her. She wants to be friendly. She wants to go back to how things were with just a dull, implied rivalry rather than open competition between them. "It'll rip me apart if you're pregnant, you know."
Damn it, Anna, way to go. Why would you try to start a conversation with that? She takes Saffron's hand as a gesture of peace and continues with her voice calm, if hurt. "Look, I meant what I said last night, but I really need to talk about this with you, for Arthur's sake as much as for mine, because I don't think you know how deep you cut us, Saffron. Breaking his free will to be with you? It hurts so badly for me, but I just don't understand how you could do that to Arthur. You're not a bad girl, how could you think that's any different from rape?" Even so, she still feels an unusually placid calmness. Almost like she's not even angry. Almost.
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2013-12-09, 09:25 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2013
- Location
- Twin Peaks
- Gender
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
"Fle is aware. Names are a strange thing, Fle doesn't like using them. Not even Fle's name is Fle, been so long, can't even remember what is was, something Greenfire, but Fle was always small, like a flea." He shrugs and runs his hand through his hair, a little uncertain as to what he should think of her response.
I'm back.
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2013-12-09, 09:50 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2013
- Location
- GMT -4 b/c DST
- Gender
Re: The Winding Road II (The Narrow Path)
Saffron pulls her hand away from Anna and wraps both of her arms about her legs which she pulls up to her chest. She doesn't even turn her head to listen but continues staring across the road even as Anna questions what she was thinking. She continues to stare with eyes devoid not only of color but of the life that generally flourished in the girl's eyes, the life that could charm any number of boys who happened to but glance in her direction. As Anna continues, she draws herself even tighter until all that was visible above her knees were her eyes which continued to stare straight across the road.
The girl voiced neither answer nor argument to anything Anna said, and in fact, her only answer was a single tear that seemed to crawl down her face, not quite knowing it was falling. She didn't even bother to wipe her cheek as her gaze lingered on the other side of the road.
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With Caitie back in the group, all that remained was for Hansi to answer Fle's questions and decide how best to disguise themselves for the trek into the village.