LPDnD: Hazy Shade of Winter

[Furiel]

While digging the simple trench will stop for a moment but quickly continue, becoming deep in thought as he considers his next move.

After finishing will head up to Syric, indicating to Tony and Victea to group up while Trinal talks to the other group. Asking Trinal while he waits for the two. "How long do you think it would take to make a copy of the ritual?"

[OOC that is likely more directed at you Joun.]

Tony will assist Stavis in the process of burying the bodies.

[Staris]

Presuming Victea joins the conversation and will ask Trinal to join as Stavis feels he deserves to hear this as well, will say his piece load enough for those closest but not their friends that have joined them on their journey "Unless they are unwilling to have someone accompany them, which I don't see working out if they can't communicate with others, they are going to need someone to go with them."

Stavis will pause a moment to let that sink in a bit "I would first point out I don't view this as good bye. I fully expect you guys to go to the Citadel, build the gate, help the Southern Alliance push back the Chulassa, and then come and get me and possibly them to help get them further away from the fighting."

"I have always assumed there was going to be a point that I would have to stay behind as we are working our way towards helping in Elvin domain, and I am kind of the Drow in the room, even if I consider myself more akin to followers of Eilistraee even if my skin color does match them*. I am very appreciative that the group as been willing to to view my on my actions then skin color but since this is our fore back there is nothing yet to show the Citadel they should trust me."

[OOC I recall reading somewhere about good drow that worshiped Eilistraee that lived on the surface who ended up with a more a dark brown skin color who went by a different name than Drow, but for the life of me can't find it now. Had I found it would have used that instead of "followers of Eilistraee".]

"Originally presumed that based on our grown size we would have to send an envoy into the Citadel with the rest getting back to a safe distance and wait for what I just mentioned above."

"If I go with them, does also give me an opportunity to talk with Drayson. I won't need the communication stone as if I do learn something I would have my spectral horses to get back to you all as quickly as possible and would want to group to have both if it was required to split up in getting into the Citadel. If I don't learn anything I'll at least try to teach them common."

Unless there are complaints will ask to borrow Trinals Ritual book so he can start copying it and apologies to Tony for having to bow out of helping bury the bodies and move the horses out of the way.

[Jimer Lins]

OOC: I don't understand, are you leaving the game? That's what it seems like.

[Staris]

[OOC No, just rping. Like I said this isn't good bye, just makes sense with him being a Drow and going towards Elves that theoretically should kill him on site, not withstanding the current war with the Chulassa, though figured Victea would be able to talk them down from that but wouldn't be putting our best foot forward on convincing them to let us build a gate. Should it work out this way Stavis was going to make a joke of don't leave me with them away from the action for too long or the racks in the Citadel dungeon might get very tempting or something like that.

Its also why I mentioned unless they don't want help going with them, as a means of giving Joun a way out of having to deal with split parties. Though was going to suggest the name Bards Gone Wild for the form name. Even if it may not need a new form, as I figured it would be quickly setup to be things get established as routine with him playing for money to help pay for the rooms as well as help around the lodge, after some lessons in common or at least simple hand signals having the green group help out with simple chores like cut firewood, loading and unloading carts. So could establish that within this form.]

[Blackferne]

Victae "I'm not sure I follow, did you think you'd not be let in the citadel?"

[Staris]

"Though wouldn't be the first town I wasn't allowed in at all. I assumed I would eventual be allowed, presumably straight to the dungeon if I entered before that gate was constructed. Blindfolded and bound once the gate was constructed so I wouldn't be able to know the address of the gate, nor its location inside the Citadel. Since that information could be used to allow enemies in if I was a spy, we all know I'm not but they won't know that and I would expect them to act accordingly. Better for me to account for it so I can keep tensions down. Would hate for me to be the reason this expedition fails, having gotten all the way there for them to be unwilling to have us build the gate for fear an enemy army, aka Drow army would use it to get easily inside the walls."

"Also, point to the green group you really expect them to willing head back towards the Chulassa and them going on their own being unable to communicate with others would be will be near suicidal, lessened if we pointed them towards the lodge and a letter and money but still no guaranteed they will be helped when they get there nor treated all that fairly. Though I won't require them to have me accompany them if they don't wish it."

[Jimer Lins]

"I was actually considering asking them to go with us, assuming they're willing. They obviously have no love for the Chulassa and since they don't have anywhere else to go, maybe they'd be willing to throw in with us."

[Staris]

"And before you ask, yes I fully expect to be blindfolded and probably bound to use their gate when we first started this journey, as I was/am going to suggest at at least the blindfold when I get to use it to return to the Southern Alliance. May even if they don't require it as I would rather show I am willing to earn their respect then demand it."

"Granted you've been able to talk to them but the way they have acted and presumable asked about the way towards the lodge meant to me that they would be unwilling to head back that way even with us."

"But I have been called a pessimist by more then one, though prefer to think of myself as a realist."

[Furiel]

"If anyone wants to question your loyalty there while they're up to their asses in alligators and we're trying to bail then out then Tony Plush is perfectly happy to have a POINTED discussion with them...."

Tony says while caressing the hilt of his rapier.

[Staris]

"As honorable as that is Tony I would again hate to see this venture fail and at worse the whole lot thrown in jail on my account. Once we have a reputation that shows I'm reputable and its still a problem I will more then welcome you CUTTING in."

"Also even if they do come with us unless you know of a way to get a group this big undetected Victea, we would have to have two groups. One to create a distraction while the envoy enters the Citadel with the Chulassa distracted."

[Blackferne]

Victae : "Well the thing about the citadel is that it is carved into the side of a mountain. And they have all sorts of tunnels. Obviously it has been a while since I've been round these parts, but depending on where the Chulassa troops are, some of them may still be available to us. If nothing else we can make a signal fire and see if anyone responds. Two groups may not be necessary."

[Jimer Lins]

"Personally I would prefer we stuck together. Unless someone objects I'm going to try to ask these gents to go with us- goodness knows both us and the Citadel could use some more strong arms and maybe they'll be helping to liberate their home, wherever it is."

[Whiteness]

"Listen Stavis, You were just another damn dirty drow to me when I met you, and I admit I didn't trust you for a long time. I was always waiting, expecting something to happen, but all you have done, time and time again, is prove your worth to us... to me... and we're here for a bigger purpose now. I don't care about these people, but if they want to fight the chulasa with us, they are welcome to, but I can't let you go be their nursemaid when we still have so much left undone

Syric turns to Trinal, Let's See what they want to do and get going.

[Furiel]

"Tony Plush fully supports asking them. They have good reason to want the Chulassa crushed like we do, and while the enemy of my enemy isn't always my friend, they're much more likely to be that if we work with them now. And we, not just The Phoenix Guard, but the alliance in general, needs as many friends as we can get."

[Whiteness]

Syric nods in agreement with Tony.

[Jimer Lins]

Hearing general consensus, Trinal turns back to the new guys.

"You go - " here he holds his hands out apart, points one to our group, one to them, then brings them together - "with us?"

He pauses, then points to our group. "We fight-" he looks at number 1, makes the karate chop move, and then points to the bodies - "Chulassa. You help?"

He then points in the direction we're going and says "We go... big place. Many..." in common, he says "soldiers", and makes the chop gesture again.

Raising his eyebrows, he looks at them for a response.

[Staris]

Stavis looks to Syric realizing there are downsides to wearing a mask "You act like this would have been last time we see would see each other. No you won't have gotten rid of me just yet. But can't help but ask if you admit that it took you a long time to recognize I was different, why the unwillingness to recognize that others will also need it."

Without giving time to respond "Regardless, seems that clearly Erevan is at work for my lack of mischief by playing it on me. So I will concede defeat on this, though did hope given time they would open up to where their families where to rescue by the time you all had gotten back to the lodge."

[Blackferne]

To Trinal

1: "Ne duhet të largohen nga Chulassa . Ne duhet të drejtuar prej tyre në tokat e reja ."
2: "Ne jemi mirënjohës për ndihmën tuaj magjistar fisnik , por ne nuk do të kthehemi ."
1: "Faleminderit për dhuratat e pushtimit . Mund perënditë e tua pagane ju bekoftë ."

Spoiler:

To Trinal

1: "We must flee the Chulassa. We must run from them to new lands."
2: "We are grateful for your help noble wizard, but we will not go back."
1: "Thank you for the gifts of conquest. May your pagan gods bless you."

[Jimer Lins]

"Well, they are firm in their desire to continue on their course, which sadly is not ours. They're going to proceed on, but they've wished us well."

To them, Trinal says "Be careful. Ahead may be... " he stops and draws a crescent moon in the snow, then a stick figure man next to it, then makes a small howling noise. "We were warned of it. Did not see it."

[Blackferne]

The men bow and give general pleasantries and goodbyes, take their share of "loot" and start walking down the road you came on.

Torvo looks to the party and says "If the army ahead has a desertion problem, that gives us problems and opportunities. We should be extra vigil about patrols."

[Staris]

"For sure, though not enough deserters that they don't have the spare men to wrangle them back or punish those that try."

"We'll want to do our best to also conceal our camps at night going forward."

With that Stavis will help finish moving the bodies and horses off the road and the Chulassa bodies covered in snow.

[OOC Joun a question on copying rituals, I'm assuming it would be allowed to start and stop, aka if Stavis stays awake for an extra night shift copying over multiple nights until he has finished a ritual, presumably meaning two or three shifts per ritual. Thought that does bring up the question since Trinal was asked by the professor to make copies of the Arcane gate, which I'm assuming is a ritual, that do we have enough supplies left from that process to account for the cost of make the copy. I'm ok with the answer being no or only enough for one or two rituals but figured I should verify before having Stavis make those intentions verbally.]

[Jimer Lins]

"Agreed. We should be very careful to avoid running into this army or its patrols if we can."

[Whiteness]

"Did those men say anything about where they left the army, or the size?"

[Jimer Lins]

"No they didn't. I should have thought to ask them but I'll be damned if I know how I'd have done it, heh."

[Blackferne]

The party moves along the road. The wind picks up as you go and you remain hyper vigilant of any noises that might indicate people around. Over the next two days you notice that the larger mountains tend to be north and the ones to the south are starting to be smaller and smaller. Victae mentions that we are almost to the plains.

One morning you break camp and after a while you come to a cliff overlooking a large plain. The road takes switchbacks down to the plain and leads to an army fortified around a massive structure carved on the side of a mountain. The road was built you can see to go to the front gates, but obviously that would be ill advised.

"Well going down is not how we get in. We need to find one of the hidden tunnels in the mountain to the north." Victae says. "Out of caution we shoudl take every care to cover our tracks. The Chulussa army probably patrols."