Secret of mana IC thread

[WindStruck]

"He, uh.. what now??"

Larimar refrained from asking who the heck this guy was. In part because he just introduced himself, but that didn't seem to mean much.

"I don't think we were told anyone would be waiting for us. Here."

[kinem]

Ken still doesn't fully trust Migúel, but has to admit that the man seems to be on the path to redeeming himself. Not unlike me. But Larimar mistook me for a hero ... that one is far too generous in his judgements.

Cannon travel is a fun adventure in itself, and Ken enjoys it more this time, as his comfort with the process grows.

Ken's knowledge of the various elements and manas is rather limited, but Shade seems to have many aspects, as this Charon guy seems likely to know very well.

"Hello, I'm Ken." It seems only polite to greet the man as well.

[Toliudar]

Coney

Coney is again delighted by the effect of the cannon, and keeps bouncing several more times after they land.

"That's something of a miracle. Does my old bones good, the fun of it."

Then they meet Charon. An auspicious name for a healer. Coney tilts an ear to one side, but doesn't seem to be otherwise anything less than fulsome and cheerful.

"And I'm Coney. No, not much has been promised. Do you think you'll be able to help them?"

[Aegis013]

As the party flies through the air, they get to hear the rendition of Jahn's enjoyment; a simple "Weeeeee!!!" as the group hurtles through the air. Jahn intentionally rotates until he accidentally loses control, eventually spewing his last meal, only partially digested, somewhere between Valsena and Wendal.

Upon their landing he struggles against the dizziness from the experience for a moment his feet shuffling from side to side briefly before he whispers to himself: "Worth it."

[Alhallor]

Charon seems to take a look at everyone in question and decides to answer Thaum's question first.

"Yes he has sent me. It seems you made quite an impression, with the most azure lady of the luminous flowers helping your elven friend, helping him in a personal matter and then getting me involved. It seems he hold you of great importance."

He then faces Larimar." You weren't told? That can't be. Didn't your shining friend say It seems the high priest would be happy to accommodate some new and challenging villagers and would have some people near the cannon landing spot to take the two in.

His voice mimikry is nearly perfect.

Towards Coney. "Well at least I have an idea. I do worship Shade in his role as the negator after all."

He nods towards Ken and Jahn and then seems to look after both Miguel and Alrik. "You wanna come with? We have a house for you prepared and some chicken."

He seems to find this immensely funny for some reason.

[Ridai]

What colorful characters Thaum has met during this endeavor.

"I will come with, if you do not mind. I would like to see the house and help you settle in," the healer says, the last bit directed to Migúel and Alrik. It should not take too long, and they will most likely need to stay the night somewhere in Wendel, too, given the time of night.

[WindStruck]

"Oh? Oh, that's right, didn't he. Maybe I just didn't expect you to be right here.. or maybe I hit my head during that ride." Larimar shakes his head.

"That's, uh, a good impression by the way!"

Looking at Thaum he says, "Oh right, may as well see them off."

[Alhallor]

Both Miguel and Alrik seem to be quite happy that they will be accomodated with Charon and his silent entourage leading the way. He then falls back a bit at Larimar's side and says: "Thank you. The high priest sent me as soon as he heard what your request was about and I have heard the voice of the little light. Mimicry is one of my hobby's you see."

He can't really hide the fact that Larimar's praise pleases him quite a bit.

"The house came from one of the farmers. After we realized that there is an awakening of the rabites a lot of them where asked to change they're ways but some refused and not all houses that became empty have been reestablished. We have some of these houses that get regularly mended should the need arise. Wendel likes to be prepared."

You arive at three Buildings. One small house a bigger building (most likely a barn) and a roof on stilts. Under there is a coop.

Charon makes a grandiose gesture. "Make yourself at home, I will visit you tomorrow and I'll leave two of my acolytes with you. If you need anything just ask them and they will provide the best they can."

Miguel and Alrik say they're goodbyes.

I still don't know how I can repay your kindness, but thanks a lot. When I have gotten better I'll see to it that you're getting compensated.

Thanks, really. Sorry for the first time we met, I'll get better, promised!

Two from Charon's entourage seem to settle in the barn while Miguel and Alrik go in the house. Charon looks at both of the closed doors for a moment and then turns to Wendel, inviting you with a gesture to follow him.

"I'll really hope it works out with those two. Do you already have a place for the night or do you still like to travel further?"

[Ridai]

Thaum smiles to Migúel and Alrik. "I do hope a cure for your condition can be found here. I do not know when we may pass through Wendel next, though perhaps a friendly mage can send a message to us if there are any news. The best of fortunes to the both of you."

Turning to Charon later, he says "Thank you for your help in this matter. I do would like to learn any insights you gain in terms of curing them. Call it a bit of professional curiosity. We do not have a place to stay yet. Do the Canoni Brothers still ply their trade at this hour?"

[WindStruck]

"I'm just happy that you two are here and safe now. If that beast man ever decided to rear his ugly head around your cottage, he might be surprised to find it empty." Larimar grins at the vampire.

And lowering his voice he asks Charon with a frown, "Your guys are just going to sleep out in the barn?" He shrugs.

"Oh well. It's probably temporary. And they'll get sleeping bags or.. something? Haha, imagine. Knocking on the door and asking permission to enter a vampire's house?" His grin was really wide and cheesy.

[kinem]

Ken tells Migúel and Alrik "I sincerely wish you well, as it seems that you are indeed sincere in wanting to do better."

Though Ken enjoys the outdoors, he finds himself looking forward to a change of scenery ... or perhaps it's something else that's bothering him. Something about the way he handled the situation with Migúel, perhaps, but nothing that he wanted to admit. Whatever it was, a meal and a bit of exercise - perhaps practicing swordplay - would soon lift his mood, he hoped.

[Alhallor]

To Thaum. "Oh, I would really like to send you some information if I can get any. If I'm informed correctly you are a powerful negator in your own right and perhaps we would need to work together if we have found an angle."

"And yes I'm pretty sure there are still open. They do work in shifts and never pass up an opportunity to make a bit more money. And flying by night may make for another interesting experience."

To Larimar. "Oh yes, they are a hardy bunch. Also sleeping uncomfortably builds charakter." He says it pretty straightforward, like he really means it.

[Ridai]

"Negator of wounds and maladies, you mean? If so, I would like to believe that this is the case, although my measure of power is quite relative. Do you happen to know if there is a local temple dedicated to Wisp?"

[kinem]

During his time as a mercenary, Ken picked up a good deal of knowledge about how to judge the value of loot. He applies it now, trying to estimate how much the medals might be able to fetch.

OOC: Appraise (1d20+16)[23]

[Toliudar]

Coney

Beaming happily at what seemed like a very promising turn of events, Coney embraces Miguel.

"I am full of hope for your future, and look forward to joining you out in the sunshine soon. But for now, if you'll excuse me?"

While the others chat, Coney goes out into the barn to briefly reminisce about the time of her own awakening, in a barn very much like this one. She bends to smell the straw, hop around the courtyard. Once a place like this might have been her whole world. Life was unpredictable, to be certain.

[Alhallor]

Charon towards Thaum: "Yes exactly! In this way we all serve some sprite somehow in our own ways."

Charon strides to Wendel with you, he can point you to the nearsest temple of Wisp and takes your stay at an Inn at his own cost and then retreats to meditate.

[Toliudar]

Coney

Coney is delighted to be back in Wendel again, pointing out landmarks to Ken and Jahn as they go.

"I'd like to take Miguel's sculpture to the high priest. Even if he doesn't know the man, he might be able to suggest someone in town who could - or might even be able to attempt to divine his location from his likeness."

[Ridai]

"Thank you very much, Charon. I wish you good night, and much success." Thaum smiles to Charon.

"We appear to have several tasks to accomplish. However, I would like to get to them tomorrow, we have been traveling the whole day."

Spoiler: OOC

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So after getting sleep:
Buying a scroll of light and delivering it to the Wisp temple
Selling magic items
Showing the medal-statue to Ethan

[Alhallor]

"I'll gonna keep you guys informed. That's the least I could do." Charon waves back and slinks away into the night.

Wendel by night seemed to be not that busy. There may be a floating spirit here or there, resting on a roof but not much activity in the otherwise bustling city.

Though Wendel by day seems to be a whole different beast.

The first impression is that of diversity. You see a humanlike earth elemental that seems to play some kind of board game with an old women. There is a group of young goblins and rabites that are rushing through the street, celebrating something. Some people give a fire elemental enough place that it can go through the streets without harming anyone and the citizens don't even look twice. It's a peaceful but definitely a bustling town.

Thaum's plans go without problems at first. A simple scroll is easy to get and the temple of Wisp thanks you for your offering.

The selling of items works very well and it seems you're getting some name recognition with some of the traders regarding magical stuff in Wendel. (Like they giving you recommendations where to buy and sell specific stuff.)

Though the high priest can only make an appointment for you in the evening, but then you are invited to the small little building again where you first met him. With the same bench and some chairs strewn about the room, the same small table with a bowl and some fruits in it but the person who emerges through a door to great you again is definitely not the same. Instead of a nearly dead priest he seems to be pretty well. Greeting you with a youthful energy like the desperation he exuded the last time you met seem like it never even occured. He still has his salt-and pepper White black hair but today he wears an earthen robe that seem to sometimes fall in a way that miniscule crystals are blinking through.

"Greetings Thaum, it seems you are well. Most heartful greetings from King Chanterelle, he has arrived safely in his kingdom and thankfully it seems he has fully recovered."

If he is shown the statue his expressions darkens, but only a little.

"That's pretty good craftmanship. I'll see what I can get out of that, but some of my divinations take some time. I'll think I have at least something by tomorrow the same time. Were you succesful in Rabiton?"

[Ridai]

"It is good to hear the king being well. I see the days since we last met have been kind to you as well."

In regards to Rabiton: "We were able to warn and prepare the village in time, and managed to fend off a cultist attack. A deal with Valsenan mercenaries was struck afterwards to defend and train Rabiton for the time being. Valsena, meanwhile, revealed to us the threat of plague, leading to a power-crazed woman who had corrupted the Temple of Water and who was defeated by us. This beastman helped her in her attempt to spread her corruption and hunger for mana, which led to Migúel and Alrik forcibly being injected with, I can only assume, her Shade-aligned tar-like substance. So finding and stopping this beastman is our next priority. And I have little doubt that we will run into many, many more maniacs on the way."

[Alhallor]

"Thankfully I had the time to properly rest."

Regarding Rabiton: "Well it's good that the little village will be safe for the time being. Though the attack is of course worrying, but it's good to know that you have saved it."

Regarding Valsena: "That are some very worrying news. Though it seems you could prevail yet again. I hadn't thought that you would stumble about that manyÂ… well maniacs. I'm sure that Charon can find a way to heal the two and I will do my best to give you a lead." Ethan weighs the statue in his hand a moment. "Let's meet tomorrow evening I'll have to hold a meeting in the morning but I will definitely find the time to aid you in your priority."

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm gonna assume that the whole rest of the party is here as well.

Next evening you meet in the same room, with the same chairs and the same bowl, the same ethan with a gashing wound on his left arm... Wait. He holds up his right arm to stop Thaum should he want to approach.

"I'm sure it's bothering you but it's alright." The wound doesn't seem to be that deep and there is only a trickle of blood. "It seems the one you are searching is protected like the Claw-birthed lady. Charon thinks that we can use the wound as a starting point to pinpoint the astral resonance caused by the wound to search for remains of evocative or necromantic energy's. A healing could disrupt the resonance.

Spoiler: Spellcraft DC 20

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Basically reverse-engineering the spell that caused it to pinpoint it's location.

"But I have some good news at least. Well, somewhat. The beastman you are searching is definitely in Ferolia and his most used name is definitely 'Archon Megralras'." Ethan sighs heavily. "Though I fear that is the only thing I could find out before the safeguards activated. It's at least a bit more than I could find out about the claw birthed lady and perhaps through him you can find out more about her, when you wanted to search for him anyway. Can I help you in any way to ease your travels?"

[Toliudar]

Coney

Coney nods, listening quietly to the priest's information.

"this is already a tremendous help, your grace. I'm afraid I haven't traveled to Ferolia before - too many apex predators. Do you know of anyone there who might be friendly to our cause, a starting place for our search for this Megralmas"

[Aegis013]

Jahn's head, his beaming smile still twinkling in the morning light, seems to be on a swivel as he takes in the sights of Wendel as the team heads to their destination.

He keenly listens to the goings-on when they reach the little building. He nods his head as if he understands when the man explains his refusal of healing despite not understanding at all. If anything, Jahn at least respects the man's wish to continue being in pain.

"Excellent idea, Coney. A guide could be invaluable as I've not been to Ferolia either. I imagine it will be quite different than the marvelous city of Wendel."

Spellcraft (1d20+8)[9]

[WindStruck]

"Wow, we must definitely be onto something..." Larimar comments.

"Archon Megralras. Got it. Though I have a feeling that if we just blindly go asking around about that name, we'll have assassins coming after us very quickly..."

[Ridai]

Thaum does not like the idea of leaving Ethan with a lasting injury inflicted by some force as mysterious as it is seemingly nefarious, but if he wishes not to receive healing, that is his wish.

"It appears these dark myths are converging. Thank you kindly for your generous aid. We have a name now, at the very least. What little I know of Ferolia, much of it is an expansive forest, so the search may well turn out to be quite time-consuming."

[Alhallor]

Ethan nods slightly towards Coney. "I fear that is a problem that you have to face. After they're statement ten years ago none that I know had set foot inside Ferolia. They are of course some information but it's not much."

"The entrance is not barred but madeÂ… Very uncomfortable. You can get through no problem but they are enough warnings to stray the normal wanderer away. I'm sure they will be sympathetic to you Coney, Larimar too. I don't know how they would react to the rest of youÂ… But with some beastman having just rather subtle changes, perhaps it would not be such a problem at all. The Moonlight forest, that stretches most of the land is unusual, because it's always trapped in a starlit night and it's full of strange and weird beasts, just like the beastman like it."

"The village of Mintos has in the past been friendly to wanderers and some traders from the beastlands come from there but we don't know much about the rest of the lands. If you want to begin your search you may want to start there."

It seems Ethan thinks a moment but then tells you the rest of the information he has. "There is also a holy place of Luna there. The moonreading tower, some say it's the house of Luna. If you have no other way, you may try there and simply ask the sprite. But she is one of the more capricious spirits and I can hardly say if she would really be sympathetic."

Spoiler: State of Ferolia

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Just to be sure, you all know that roughly ten years ago, the beastlands (or Ferolia) have barred they're lands for an unknown reason and have just said "leave us alone." They are some traders but they are very tightlipped about everything going on in Ferolia.

[Toliudar]

Coney


The Rabite's ears twisted in contemplation.

"Mintos it is, then.

She glances around, wondering if there were any other questions.

[Ridai]

"It appears so," Thaum responds to Coney.

"Please, take care of yourself, Your Grace," he asks Ethan, given the way the High Priest seeks to investigate.

Passage to Mintos it is. So the next step, after leaving (with a slight, respectful bow), is finding out the best way to travel there.

[kinem]

Ken again enjoys the sights and sounds of Wendel, and stops to converse with a group of elves. He inquires about the way things are back home, and even flirts a little with one of the women.

The land of the beastmen also sounds interesting to him, as it's something he hasn't seen yet.

"Jahn, any songs or tales of those lands?" he inquires.

[Alhallor]

Spoiler: Kinem

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When asking how things are back home you can find out that one of the higher priests of the Dryad (the sprite of nature) has traveled there to investigate, which everyone seems to be pretty relieved about.

When simply asking around a way to Ferolia you get some different responses.

- The Canon travel agency doesn't let you travel directly there, as part of Ferolia's "leave us alone" policy.

- The entrance to Ferolia is not that far from Wendel, a stout wanderer can make the way towards it in two weeks, half the time by horseback, if not faster. (Though that is almost always accompanied by "Though you should never ever go there young'un")

-

Spoiler: Ridai

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Given that the policy existed for only 10 years by now, the chance to find a spellcaster who could teleport to Ferolia should be quite high.

- There are no official trackers or guides to show you the way towards or through Ferolia, but if you ask around a bit, sooner or later someone may come to you and go "well I may know a guy who knows a goblin who knows someone that could get you there and through if you're interested."