Royal Awakening [IC]

[JNAProductions]

Mistral shakes her head, but with a smile. "I can't imagine I'll be leaving this place for days. There's so much here! But maybe after that?"

[Xihirli]

But… there’s only one bed here and it might put you to sleep for a thousand years"Ah… Okay," Tilda says, smiling. "I’ll be honest, it all just looks like old stuff to me."

[Illven]

Investigation (1d20+6)[14]

[Illven]

No, I've heard the name once
But I can't recall what it was in reference too... I don't think it was an enemy nation.

[JNAProductions]

Mistral nods at Tilda's words. "It's fascinating, isn't it?"

Over by Alexandria, "Hm," Martin lets out. "It was something Isjul, but what it is I'm still trying to find out."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

If no one has anything more to add, I'll skip ahead some time and investigating from the archaeologists.

[JNAProductions]

You're not sure exactly when you expected results, but you were kinda hoping it wouldn't take as long as it does. While Mistral and Martin are positively enraptured, you're kinda left to tag along.

But, on day two, with the two researchers having spent the entire time within Bihucha, Martin seems to achieve a breakthrough of some kind. He huddles with Mistral. "Is it possible?" he asks.

"In theory?" she replies. "Maybe. I'd lean towards no, with what I know... But then again, I'm learning a lot here."

"What would it take?" he says.

"Years, at a minimum. Probably closer to decades," she says.

He thinks. "That doesn't add up-if you look at my notes here, they would've started it too late to matter-and they should've known that, right?"

She nods. "Yes. Unless..."

Martin looks at her. "Unless... What?"

Mistral says "Remember Makku? Like that."

Spoiler: History DC 14-Alexandria Cannot Roll This

Show

Makku was an ancient civilization. You're not even 100% sure-but context helps reinforce that.

Spoiler: DC 19

Show

They were not a nice civilization. Warlike, brutal, the works.

Spoiler: DC 23

Show

They were big proponents of sacrifices. Huge on that.

[Xihirli]

"Yes, of course," Tilda says. "And just so we're all talking about the same thing....?"
She holds out a breakfast roll to Mistral. "Brought you something from breakfast, by the way."

[JNAProductions]

Martin takes a deep breath, and looks at Alexandria. He pauses a moment, then talks. "We think we've found out what Atamathon is. It was some kind of war machine-a golem, of course, but one that was bigger, tougher, stronger, deadlier..."

"And," Mistral says, "unless I'm very mistaken, there was no way for it to have been completed in time to do anything. Not without... Well, not without the kind of practices Makku had. Sacrifices. Living, sentient beings, being used as fuel for it."

[IcemanJRC]

That's rough to hear.
Fleggr plays cat's cradle lazily, finding that he perhaps overestimated how interesting an adventure could be had at an archaeological excavation.

Though, and I'm not an academic type really, so maybe I'm way off base. But, it sounds far-fetched. I mean, what is it getting at? Some sort of people eating machine? Like what, the maid? Or the princess? We spent a good deal of time exploring the mountain before we stumbled along these two, and nothing else we found seemed like much of anything at all.

He pockets his string and glances at Tilda and Ymir,
At least, nothing like a war machine. Am I wrong?

[JNAProductions]

"It's not here," Martin says. "But the fact that there's records of it-you found it embedded in, uh, what was it, Mistral?"

Mistral says "Embedded in the quintessential runic matrix."

"That. That would imply that Atamathon, among other things, might have been preserved just as the princess was."

[Nyan]

After some arguing it had been decided that they would follow the archeologist back to Bichua rather than going to check on rallingway...Something Ymir wasnt exactly keen on but relented eventually.

When they returned home he greeted his mother warmly and spent a moment of time with the staff and unlike when he spoke with the children, accurately retold their adventures for him to record.

Then they set out to the mountain once more and he very quickly found himself regretting submitting to the choice his friends made to follow back here. Especially since he was neither a scholar or a historian... But he never voiced his complaint.

However by day two he was staring daggers at both Fleggr and Tilda. Blaming them both for his boredom. The conversation about this golem was only mildly interesting. Finaly at Fleggers comment directed at him he grumbled.

"No...There is nothing more here to find."

He turns to the archaeologist and his companion. "It sounds like you have found everything you can. And now all that is left is to theorize on what might be somewhere else...So can we leave?"

He looks to Tilda and Fleggr and adds. "Now. Assuming they are done. And you are happy with what you have gained from this trip...Honestly I've forgotten what you actually said to convince me to go along... I'd like to actually do something and travle to Rallingway and see what is going on with the kami."

[Xihirli]

Tilda scowls at Ymir. "First of all, you don't gotta be such an ass. Second..." Tilda looks back to Mistral. "Did you find out about the location of any other ruins like this? Or nah?"

[Illven]

Any idea where the ultimate golem would have been stored? Alexandria asks cocking her ruby head.

[JNAProductions]

They shake their heads. Mistral adds "Honestly speaking, I think we've found everything here that might pertain to the modern day. There's a lot more to investigate, but it's more for historical interests."

[Xihirli]

"Alright. In that case... yeah, me and my friends will be headed off to join Da." Tilda smiles tightly to Mistral. "I'll miss you two. Alexandria, are you willing to come with? I know it's not directly about your homeland..."

[JNAProductions]

You leave the two researchers to their doings-they're quite content to spend ages learning and prying into the depths of history.

Outside, you discover it's not quite the time you thought it was-it's approaching evening as you descend Bihucha. You run into Einar on the way down. He looks worried. "Tilda," he rumbles out, "Hrimnir got a message from your father. Your mother was taken captive." He holds up a hand, belaying any questions. "I don't have much in the way of details-my father and I will do our best to ascertain more, but if you want to help your family, you should leave now. We can keep you updated as best we can via the sending stones. What we know for now is that they haven't made it to Rallingway yet."

Tilda has the urge to simply start running, but she's smart enough to know that that'd be foolish. Marie makes the suggestion of "Why don't we ask Mistral and Martin if we can use the horses and carriage? It'll be faster than us on foot."

Some of you go to ask, quickly, and get a yes in response. You board the carriage, and start off at a strong clip for the path Tilda's parents would've taken.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Moving along at a faster pace than I might've if there hadn't been real world delays. But yee, setting forth for them!

[Xihirli]

Tilda bounces in the carriage, itching to move, to run, feeling wrong sitting still.

In one of her rarer quiet moments she opens up a page in her father's old journal. "Ma and Da have been captured a lot... mostly Da," she reminds herself. "They're arright." She repeats it to herself. "They're arright."
She rests her head on Fleggr's shoulder and cries, once. "Why can't just once, someone else's parents be the ones 'n danger? Why's it always got to be Ma and Da?"

[Illven]

Alexandria pats Tilda's shoulder awkwardly.

[JNAProductions]

Nothing much happens for the first few days of travel. You pass Cashmere, going around its borders to avoid traffic. But early afternoon on the day after you pass Cashmere, you run into a patrol.

Tilda's at the front of the carriage when they arrive, with the others either inside the carriage or sitting with her. Three barded horses come galloping down the path, each bearing an armored knight. The lead knight speaks in a strong tenor voice. "Halt!"

[Xihirli]

Tilda furiously pulls on the horses' reins. "What," she says back testily. Her father would be disappointed in her manners. Her mother wouldn't care, though.

[JNAProductions]

"We're going to need to search the carriage," the lead knight says. His face is mostly obscured by his helm, but his voice is bored.

Spoiler: Insight DC 13

Show

He has a job to do, but he doesn't really care that much. Probably overworked-with the right words, you could get him to do a cursory search, if that.
With the wrong words, you might peeve him off and bring some badness your way.

[Xihirli]

Tilda doubted they were searching for passengers, so just said: "Fine, we just have people in here. What are you searching for?"

[JNAProductions]

The knight dismounts, and heads for the carriage.

One of the other knights-his voice a little higher, more youthful-says "There's been an attempt on the king's life, so-" he starts, but an icy glare from the leader silences him.

"If you don't have anything illegal, you've nothing to worry about," the leader says. He opens the carriage's door, and says "Right-everyone out."

There's some grumbling from you all, especially if anyone was napping, but you know well enough to not make enemies when can be avoided. Marie gets a look from the leader, but he passes on her wordlessly. He spends a few minutes searching through the compartments, and after the carriage is far messier than it was before, he leaves it. "No contraband," he says, "but peacebind your weapons before you get into any towns. And if any of you know how to cast spells... Just don't."

He mounts back up, and they continue on their way. When they're far enough that you can't make out the words, you can see him turn to face the younger knight that spoke-probably giving a good tongue lashing.

As you start travelling again, the sending stone lights up. Hrimnir's voice comes out. "She's held near Rallingway. Encampment three miles east. Heavy guard."

Spoiler: Peacebinding

Show

Not sure if this is a real thing, but it's a thing in Kamigawa! It's basically tying your weapons down to their sheathe or other appropriate storage. Makes it so you can't immediately raise weapons, or if you do by cutting the binding or something, there'll be evidence.

[IcemanJRC]

Perhaps, Tilda and I can do some scouting. Locate her parents, and report back. With the right plan, we ought to be able to avoid a lot of trouble and, who knows, we may not even need to break the bindings. I've not exactly got a specific reason, but I've got a bad feeling about things around here. Those knights have set me a bit on edge. An assassination, a kidnapping? It feels like once one thing happens, everything seems to be happening all at once...

Fleggr thumbs his belt and taps his foot in the carriage impatiently. It seems like ever since the princess woke up, things have been going wrong. It would be irresponsible to say it's her fault, but he can't shake the idea that it's all related somehow.

[Nyan]

Ymirs at first was eager to finally be on the way to do something useful but his mood quickly turned sour as he noticed the worried expression of his father, meeting the spear outside the mountain. Hearing about the news that Tildas mother has been kidnapped felt like a strike to the chest, looking concerned at Tilda. But wasting no time to even say goodbye to the spear he rushed with the others back to borrow Martins cart. Barely asking for permission as he got it ready to leave.

Once on the road and Tilda bouncing with unease and worry and leaning on his brothers shoulder Ymir bent forward and gripped her shoulder firmly and he said with the most confident voice he could muster. "We will save her."

The day passes and then they get stopped by the patrol Ymir being inside the cart at that time, barely awake he grumbled but quickly assessed the situation and simply left the cart for the guards to do their due diligence. Crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently as they did.

When they left and they got to moving on the cart again he pondered only briefly on the news of the assassination attempt on the king. At his brothers words however about everything going wrong all at once he felt his worry, which also meant his anger, increasing a bit. "We are 2 days away from Railingway. And the camp is one hours march from the town. We take the cart there, park it and set out. We wont even need to enter the town proper so no need to peacebind our weapons. Cause I dam well intend to use them when we get to those inbreds who took Alice hostage." He stares out at nothing with murder in his eyes as he says those words. Seething on every syllable like he is restraining himself from shouting.

"But yes...You and Tilda can perhaps see if you can find Alice within the camp...Then we go from there."

[Illven]

Um....besides support. Is there any way I can help? Alexandria asks hopefully.

[Nyan]

Um....besides support. Is there any way I can help? Alexandria asks hopefully.

Ymir looks at Alexandria silently for a moment... "Depends on how we resolve this and how the situation is at their camp...But at the very least you can help by killing some of those bastards with that weapon of yours if it gets to that."

[JNAProductions]

With the patrol gone, you pick up the pace again. By the time you arrive, your mounts could definitely use some well-earned rest. You find a stable that's willing to look after them for a reasonable fee, but as you slap the money down, you realize you're being followed.

Thomas Ward steps from the shadows. "You guys are in a hurry. What's the big rush?" he asks.

[Nyan]

With the patrol gone, you pick up the pace again. By the time you arrive, your mounts could definitely use some well-earned rest. You find a stable that's willing to look after them for a reasonable fee, but as you slap the money down, you realize you're being followed.

Thomas Ward steps from the shadows. "You guys are in a hurry. What's the big rush?" he asks.

Ymir who stood at the counter of the stablemaster, hearing the sound of Thomas behind him quickly turns. Then at the question he stares at him with a shocked expression. "What do you mean what's the big rush?!...Your wife is in danger Thomas!" He snaps at him, his voice just bellow yelling.

[JNAProductions]

There's a moment of silence.

Thomas looks at Ymir. "No?" he responds. "She's not. She's literally down the road. We were going to head out of Rallingway for a bit when I spotted you all, and I thought I'd spook in and say hello."