Auromar: Beginnings and Endings (IC4)

[Toliudar]

Travellers:

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Reid

At the end of a full day of walking, Reid is grateful for a place to set out his bedroll and a chance to chat with the townsfolk. He tries to at least say hello to everyone - to get a sense of whether most people are planning to return to Pyrosia, stay in Eras, or re-equip and head back out into the continent.

After another bland meal* of summoned food, Reid settles in to chat with Hist, trying to draw the troubled man out.

This is...hard. After such success in helping Krista and the great forest recover, the frustrations of Incrucio are all the more painful to me. I suppose I should take some comfort that we were, in some way, able to save some of the newcomers. And I try to think about Rico's face, as he stepped into the presence of Pelor. But that tentacled creature -

He shuddered.

It's hard, thinking about the people we had come to know, sucked up into that thing. For all we know, they're still aware, somehow, still inside that Pygas-spawned monstrosity.

How are you doing with your own demons, friend? Is it the past that troubles you, or the future?

* Unless they have Dothen's magical pot to add some flavour and variety.

[Moral Wiz]

Travelers

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Hist

Heh. Neither look that appealing.to me.

Hist is relaxed, seated on the ground, his small ioun stone rotating around his forehead. His face is still a little grim however.

Incrucio...

Some battles, you can't win. No matter what the war, and what you do. Fate is not always nice enough to leave everything as possible. The only thing you can hope for is to do what you can, save those we can. And we did. We fought with every damn thing we had., and saved a good many people

Those that we couldn't, spirit and mortal... "Think of them, remember them... but best not to dwell on them. That never does anyone good."

He sounds like he's quoting something. He looks more... whistful, for a moment. As if remembering times, that if not better, were similar.

What I try to do. The sort of wisdom old men teach. Doesn't make it much easier though. Never does...

[guardinal]

Forest Folk:

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"That would be helpful, thank you."

Anura is happy to let Freeman do the actual digging of a grave, not really having the physique or tools for the job herself.

When the time comes to say a few words, Anura clears her throat.

"I didn't know Dothen very long. But he was clever, and brave, and skilled at many things. I think he would not consider himself a hero, but he nevertheless died heroically. Our group is lessened without him."

***After the deed is done.***

Anura is quiet for a while, just glad to be away from the cursed town and back to what passes for a healthy, normal place on Auromar. Finally she clears her throat and looking over at the enormous treant.

"So, do you think it would be rude to pop over to the grove?" Anura smiles faintly. "I don't want to interrupt Lady Krista if she is in the middle of baking up a new batch of brownies or something."

(OOC: If Freeman doesn't warn her against it, Anura will indeed attempt to tree-gate into the grove, bringing Kjapp if he wishes.)

[Lochar]

Forest Folk:

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Freeman's large hands make quick work of pulling up the ground a little ways away from the main trunk of the tree, and Dothen is quietly buried.

After Anura's words, Freeman speaks as well. "I knew Dothen even shorter of a time, but I admired the place he had made for himself in the world, during the time when I was still in the process of finding my own. He will be missed."


When Anura asks her question, Freeman shakes his head. "I do not think that Lady Krista will mind you coming."


Opening a portal into Krista's grove, you find the wood spirit quietly tending to a tall blooming apple tree, it's flowers giving a sweet fragrance in the air. She turns around as you enter, smiling. "Welcome back, Anura. Who is your friend?"

[Toliudar]

Travellers

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Reid's gaze idly followed the orbit of Hist's stone. A hand traced the line where his armour met the now-unscarred skin of his neck. With a smile, he invites the newly-contemplative Grazys to join in the conversation if he wished.

Well, the effort matters, I suppose. And next? What do you think we should do when we get to Eras? I contacted Uri, and we'll have a few days with him to share stories, to apprise him of the situation. But, if I know him, he'll be eager for something to do, especially after a sea voyage. I'm hoping that, once we're all together again, we can make an effort to reach the Summoner. Find out if the merging that took place in the last battle was permanent, and where he might be now. If we might have lead him to the last enclave of the energy, perhaps he might lead us to the next.

[Moral Wiz]

Travelers

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Well, we've got that map. Anura'll probably confirm it thru divination whilst she's in Eras.

I plan to train myself a bit on the journey. Most of the town probably knows I'm a warlock at this point, no real worries on that score.
OOC

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Did Hist hear about Uri? I'll post the rest of his reaction once I know

[Toliudar]

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He was worked into conversation while Hist was unconscious, but by now nearly two days are presumed to have gone by, so I'd say it's safe to say he knows. Unless you want to RP otherwise.

[Moral Wiz]

OOC

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Hmm... sort of. I'll run with him as just having caught the basis

Travelers

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So... you know this Uri, Reid? You've met before?

[Toliudar]

Travellers:

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Reid nods. His eyes are downcast.

We fought together a bit, at the end of the war. It was...pretty awful. Even the winning battles.

Uri. He's very...focused. A kind man, underneath, but there is a vigilance instilled in him. Those of the Evening Star may prevent the sufferinng of hundreds of others through their courage, but I'm not sure how much joy they allow themselves. But perhaps he'll be changed, after the war. I look forward to seeing him again, regardless.

[Moral Wiz]

Travelers; Hist

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Hist nodded at Reid's reference to the war, his face set a tad grim, his voice quiet

All the battles were. That... was the bad point of traveling Pyrosia during the war; you saw it in all it's darkness...

He too is silent, thinking back, more than a little bitter. Then laughed

Oh, that sounds worrying. Still, a humorless dour warrior... well, given our exploits thus far, he'll fit right in. There hasn't exactly been a lot to laugh about of late.

[Toliudar]

Travellers:

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Instinctively, Reid responded with one of his favourite homilies from Pelor's teachings. A smile spreads across his face as he speaks.

"Although the sun may be concealed behind a cloud, yet does it warm and nurture the people." Despite the concerted efforts of twenty demonic hounds larger than my father's coach, and a tentacled horror that eats minds, we survived. One of the things I admired most about Dothen was his ability to find humour in the darkest situations. I may not share his gift of wit, but I will glory in it in others.

[guardinal]

Forest folk:

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Anura bows and smiles. "Hello again, Lady Krista. This is Kjapp, an explorer and adventurer who joined our group in the lands to the west of your forest. I have known him only a few days but he has proven himself to be a loyal and able friend."

(OOC: Anura pauses here to let Kjapp introduce himself if he wishes.)

Anura's smile fades as she continues on to the matters at hand. "Lady Krista, I am reluctant to interrupt your work, but I have grim tidings. You may know already that most of our group passed to the west to investigate the fate of a town that explorers hoped to resettle...a town called Incrucio. They found the newly settled town still tightly gripped by the curse, with scores of spirits trapped on this plane, unable to pass on, and a kind of 'order' maintained by a group of Pygas-followers from ancient times, who had stolen bodies from the living.

“Two nights ago we fought a terrible battle in that town involving two rival spellcasters. One was the servant of a fiend lord called the Scholar. The other was...I believe...a servant of Pygas. They were both perhaps hoping to claim the curse energy for their respective masters. There were many deaths. The curse energy that gripped the town was taken…by the servant of Pygas, it seemed. The survivors have scattered.

“Reid and the others have decided to escort a large group of refugees back from Incrucio to Eras; I expect they will pass this way in a few weeks. I am journeying ahead in order to research the magic I believe I will need as we continue our explorations. I came here first to bury Dothen...who fell in the battle...but also because I hoped to ask you some questions. Mostly about the ancient times before the curse, but also about more recent matters."

[Lochar]

Forest Folk:

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"It is good to met you, Kjapp." Krista says to Kjapp after he introduces himself.

After Anura's statements, Krista looks saddened. "Ask away, Anura. I will answer as best as I can, although know that my knowledge of the world outside the forest is limited to what I learned from those who were able to leave."

[guardinal]

Forest folk:

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(OOC: Lochar, I didn't have time to go back through all the archives to review everything that Krista has already told us...so if some of this touches on what we've asked before, my apologies.

Also, it may be a few days before I can post again and I don't want to hold things up, so I am just posting all of Anura's questions to Krista here. Hopefully this can be pieced together in some kind of normal conversation.)

Anura nods and takes a deep breath. “Mortals have many stories about the origins of the world. I'm sure most of them are nonesense. But one of these legends, I have come to suspect, might have some bearing on understanding exactly what was done to blight the continent. And perhaps hint at a way to undo what was done.

"I first read this legend as the following. When our world was created, it grew from seeds planted deep under the waters by an Overgod who left once this task was done. Over time, these seeds grew. Some floundered, some flourished. As the seeds grew, they became islands, and islands became connected and turned into continents. The seeds themselves grew together and strengthened each other.

The Overgod had left one command, that rang through the divine realm. "These seeds are here at my planting, and no other divine hand may influence their growth. Only mortal hands may prune this growth."

But as the seeds were buried under the continents, no mortal hand has ever been able to reach these 'seeds' to even verify that they exist. But a mortal that made it there could, possibly, do so at a divine hand's behest, and cause the root of the continent to wither or flourish.’

“I know it is impolite to ask a lady her age. But I would imagine that both you and Yggdrasil is very old, and that the mighty tree's roots go very deep indeed. Can you say…or could Yggdrasil say, if asked by someone who could speak with its spirit…whether there is any truth to this legend about the continents growing from seeds that could be made to wither or flourish? Could someone tampering with those seeds be the cause of Auromar’s curse? And is that something that Yggdrasil might have been able to sense when it happened?”

**Later**
"Through several different sources, I have heard vague rumors that there was a terrible battle at Pygas' Most Holy Grounds shortly before the doom of the curse blighted the land. Have you heard of such a place? Is a battle there something you remember hearing anything about from the elves or others, as they began their preparations to flee?"

[Greymist]

Kjapp

Forest Folk:

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At Anura's pause Kjapp adds I'm glad to meet you Lady Krista, I've heard a little of you. If it wouldn't trouble you I'd like to spend some time exploring your forest.

While Anura continues talking with Krista, Kjapp walks around her grove inspecting the flourishing plants. Then sits down with his parchment and quill to update his map.

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Assuming no objections from Krista, recalling Lay of the Lands with a pearl of power and then touching the root we travelled through and casting it again.

Btw, any chance I can beg for a new world map, I'm not sure which post it's in.

[Lochar]

Forest Folk:

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Krista nods her assent to Kjapp.

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I'll give you a better map of the forest sometime this evening, hopefully.

Krista falls silent at Anura first statements, before she seems to slowly collect herself. "You speak of the Land's Heart. Yggdrasil's roots did indeed reach those depths at one point, before shrinking back only a short time before the curse descended upon the land. As an immortal creature, bound to this forest and gifted with immortal powers, the edict covers myself as well, so I may not enter there."

Krista smiles slightly before speaking. "Although, with the passing of time, what you think is the edict has changed. To thou, who art immortal, no matter thy toils thou shalt not reach the seed of the land. To change the world is left in the grip of those whose lives are but fleeting in comparison, and no two may knowingly take the same route. To those immortals who wish to touch the Heart of the Land, thou may only do so through a mortal champion. Krista's voice takes on a lilt as she speaks the edict in Celestial, before translating it back to a tongue you understand.


To Anura's second set of questions, Krista shakes her head. "Unfortunately my friend, I do not know of a battle such as that. I do, however, know that Pygas was an oddity among the gods, that his divine realm was not among the Outer Planes, but on this material plane. His own realm would be considered his most Holy Grounds. If, as you heard rumors of, a battle happened there, I could not see how a God could lose such a battle."

[Lochar]

Travellers:

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Several whistles are heard when Reid describes how many hounds. "You all did a hell of a job on them then. Those things were absolutely huge. I'm glad you all were there. I don't think we could have held them in a stalemate for much longer." one of the nearby refugees states quietly.

[Moral Wiz]

Travelers

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Oh, I don't know. You could probably have held them for quite a while. Good position, nice plan, enemy... well, strong but idiotic...I've had worse odds.

He smiled

Not by much though.

Father's coach? Reid's noble?

Of course he is, you idiot. Reid de Birchcliff? When did you last hear of someone less than noble being called "de"?

[Toliudar]

Travellers

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And I'd love to hear the story of the fight that was worse that that.

Reid gestures for more of the townsfolk to join them in conversation. Reid feels more relaxed than he has since the night before arriving in Incrucio. As it turns out, once the worst has happened, there's less to be worried about.

[Lochar]

Travellers:

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Those with you don't actually have much to add to the discussion, but do wish to hear the recounting of the battles outside from the temple or the inn. Most didn't see anything but a few hounds, and really didn't see any of them defeated either.

[Moral Wiz]

Travelers

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Heh. Which one?

Hist smiles, and leans back

But most worse battles, I stood alone. This... now, this was uplifting.

Do you want to tell the story, Reid? Or shall I?

[Toliudar]

Travellers:

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Reid ducks his head, grinning.

I'm afraid that I would turn the story into a sermon, friend, and drive everyone away. I happily give you the stage.

[guardinal]

Forest Folk:

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Anura's eyes widen as she takes all of this in. There is an eager, perhaps unsettling, gleam in her eyes now as this key mystery begins to unravel.

"Incredible...and I've thought for years it was all just about plate tectonics..." She pauses a moment, her mind racing. "You said that Yggdrasil's roots once reached that far. With the tree's roots diminished, would the passages they had once made down towards the Heart still remain, or would they have filled in somehow? And what, exactly, could a mortal...or a mortal champion...do to such seeds that could cause them to wither or flourish? And if the curse of Auromar was caused by someone 'withering' the seeds, are they dead forever or could they somehow be restored?" She pauses again. "And are we really talking about seeds? Or is that just a metaphor for something else?"

**Later**
(will respond to this seperately, need to review some off-list posts...)

[Lochar]

Forest Folk:

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"I cannot tell you, nor guide you if you wish to attempt a travel to the Land's Heart. Not even if you were a mortal champion can an immortal reveal a passage there. At best, since I owe you a favor for my freedom, I could allow you to know of where entrances to the ground are in the forest here."

"As for the seeds, metaphor, allegory. A way for mortal minds to comprehend something beyond mortal ken. From what I know of them though, they react to the presence of a mortal soul. That which is asked by a mortal in their presence is fufilled, if there is power enough. A mortal champion may speak the required words of the immortal they champion."

Krista sweeps a hand out, encompassing everything around her. The seed of Auromar has more power to wield because of the size of the land that comes from it. The seed of a small isle would be much more restrained. Control the seed, control the land. Control the land, control the people living on it."

[guardinal]

Forest Folk:

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To Anura's second set of questions, Krista shakes her head. "Unfortunately my friend, I do not know of a battle such as that. I do, however, know that Pygas was an oddity among the gods, that his divine realm was not among the Outer Planes, but on this material plane. His own realm would be considered his most Holy Grounds. If, as you heard rumors of, a battle happened there, I could not see how a God could lose such a battle."

Still looking a bit overwhelmed at having the legend of the seeds confirmed, Anura doesn't seem to process this at first.

"The material pl...so the Icon's destruction...the most Holy Grounds...I didn't put it together..."

She looks at Kjapp, and falls silent, but her eyes are not really focused on him. When she speaks again, she seems to be talking to herself.

"So the blight of Auromar that descended a thousand years ago was caused by some mortal champion of who reached the Seeds and withered them. Probably a champion of Pygas. But as an immortal Grahf might well sponsor...or have sponsored...a champion himself. And that made all sorts of terrible things happen. But now the Icon is destroyed, and Pygas has been...dispersed, and His power is diminished. The blight the Seeds inflicted on Auromar has mostly lifted. But this is still Pygas' home plane. Icon or no, He's not gone, not really. If Silas reaches the Most Holy Grounds, Pygas...or what's left of Pygas...will be there. And if Hist is right that Grahf controls Pygas' divine realm, the Scholar might be there too. And these pockets of malignant magic we've been uncovering and calling 'curse energy'...what was bound at the pact circle and the altar of the temple in Eras, the energy that was used to bind Krista here, the binding of the spirits of Incrucio...too often it's behaved like more than mere magic. Jumping from person to person and all that. Behaving with purpose. I think it isn't really curse energy at all. In some sense, it's what's left of Pygas. Drawn to certain places of particular power or significance. Maybe so that a certain well-meaning but ignorant warlock can come along and put Humpty-Dumpty back together again, if Grahf's agents don't beat him to it.

"But I'm still missing something. A lot of things. Why did Pygas turn from a somewhat-benevolent tyrant Silas remembers, to the depraved evil god we know as the One? Did Grahf have something to do with his corruption? And this battle at the Most Holy Grounds, just before the continent was blighted...if it happened, what could it mean? Who was fighting and why? And who won?"

[Lochar]

Forest Folk:

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OOC:

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Ah, exposition. :P

Krista nods slowly. "I would think that..." and then Krista pauses, trying to frame the words, but failing. She then scowls. "There is an interdiction. Obviously, what I think is close, because the land itself keeps me from telling you, as an immortal to a mortal."

Krista stands quickly from where she had been sitting in fresh grass. "I have told you already what happens with who controls the seeds of the land." She frowns at the sky, trying to frame her words. "And as you can see, not even an immortal can get beyond that control, if they are tied to the land as I am."

[Greymist]

Kjapp

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As Anura's eyes fall on him Kjapp starts paying attention to the conversation again, then as Krista appears to choke up he sits up straight.

Krista, sorry, Lady Krista. Is Yggdrasil tied by the same strictures as you are? If I asked about the seeds would Yggdrasil answer me?

[Lochar]

Forest Folk:

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"Your answers would most likely depend on your questions, young one."

[Greymist]

Kjapp

Forest Folk:

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Kjapp smiles at Krista's answer.
Anura, if you're not in too much of a hurry to get back to Eras, I will be able to cast a spell that lets me talk to flora tommorow morning.

[GimliFett]

Travelers

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Grazys looks at his friends and grins, he had been deep in thought throughout the day, remaining quite distant. "This should be interestin'," he comments wryly with a wink and a wave to Hist.