Start of #Odal buffer: Wed Jun 17 21:15:45 2009 [18:09:20] * When last we left our heroes, they had met with W'vren, the aged kobold priest of Bahamut, in an effort to find out how to abjure the influence of the Eye of Vecna. [18:11:41] * After a brief, but understandable, period of W'vren freaking the fuck out that you're toting around a relic of the Maimed God, he relates that you're out of luck in terms of mundane methods for blocking its powers, but perhaps a high priest of Ioun might be able to help you. [18:14:59] * Your questions answered, albeit not satisfactorially, you reported your success to Thorwol, who gives the go-ahead to take dwarves away from the fortification to aid in harvesting from the Seed of Pelor. [18:16:03] * Hours later, the first harvest is ready to ship out. [18:16:09] [Session start] [18:16:53] * Eilenia stands by the ship, admiring the results of her handiwork. [18:19:21] * Eilenia stands by the circle, actually. [18:19:31] Oh, look at that. [18:19:47] * Eve_Kasnora is helping haul the crates of food into the portal room. [18:19:52] Anyss will be so pleased. [18:20:51] * Paera sighs, relieved. "Well, that's one less thing to worry about, at least." [18:24:58] "So, I will be arriving in Odal's Fen, yes?" [18:25:22] "They are not expecting me." [18:25:46] Why not? [18:26:34] "I am not being in Odal's Fen, ever." [18:26:43] "This is being my first time entering." [18:26:50] * W'vren is standing at the teleport circle, hidden in a cavernous room hidden behind layers of inward-pointing defenses and complex traps which the kobold expertly disabled on the way in. The room is stuffed with the vegetables and grains of the instant harvest. [18:27:13] It's a friendly place, nothing to worry about. [18:27:22] * His claws are occupied in the busy work of opening a linked portal. [18:27:34] "If you are saying so, Paera." [18:27:51] * Eve_Kasnora sets down the last of the crates of food. [18:29:54] The teleport circle should take us to Anyss. From there, it isn't far to Odal's Fen. [18:30:19] "Ah, that is making me feel better. Walking through the gates." [18:32:12] * There's a brief moment of silence in the room as the ambient magic concentrates in the center of the room, and then a strange, occult hum as a plane of energy opens up under an arch in the center of the room. Through the arch, you can see a room with elegant, sweeping Eladrin architecture. [18:33:11] * Eve_Kasnora bends down and lifts a crate of food, then walks through the portal. [18:33:48] Oh, good. The tower is in the World for now. [18:34:39] * "Quickly, quickly! I don't know how long it'll last!" A group of dwarven laborers, formerly lounging in the corners of the room, begin dragging crates through the portal as quickly as they can [18:35:42] * Paera takes a deep breath and steps through the portal. [18:35:43] * Eve_Kasnora makes multiple trips through the portal, going back for more food. [18:36:19] * Eilenia picks up some food, then steps through. ANother portal can be re-opened later if we can't get EVERYTHING through. It'll just cost money. Sweet delicious money. [18:38:31] * As you step through, there's a brief moment of being nowhere and everywhere that lasts a fraction of an instant, and then you stand in the Tower's portal chamber. The ceiling is extraordinarily high, and the room itself is small but round. You also notice what seems to be a magical voice, coming from the walls around you. [18:39:38] * It repeats itself in Elven, a calm, female voice repeating the same phrase, over and over. In the distance, you can hear footsteps. [18:40:05] * Eve_Kasnora takes as many trips as she can before getting dizzy. [18:40:15] "Is... is room speaking?" [18:40:27] * Eve_Kasnora sways a bit, leaning on a stack of food crates. [18:40:44] Oh, don't worry. THe room isn't angry. [18:40:47] Just alarmed. [18:41:04] "Room is very insistant..." [18:41:18] * Eve_Kasnora takes a few deep breaths and rights herself. [18:41:59] * Paera shakes her head, disoriented after just one trip. "And you do this OFTEN, Eilenia?" [18:43:02] * The room's door slams open, as an aged, eladrin man barges through it, shoulder-first. He holds a massive tome in one hand, and the other is clenched in a tight fist. Behind him are a dozen Eladrin children, each carrying the own arcane instruments. When he sees the group, he barks a command in elven, and the children lower their implements. [18:44:43] * Eve_Kasnora blinks and raises her empty hands. [18:44:44] * "Eilenia. Vagrants-working-with-Eilenia. Welcome to my home." He looks around the room, somewhat nonplussed by his portal room being filled with the harvest. [18:45:03] It's wonderful to see you all again [18:45:20] * Eve_Kasnora silently wonders if all Eladrin are as creepy as Elenia. [18:46:16] * Paera rolls her eyes and mumbles "Vagrants?" quietly. [18:47:44] * Eve_Kasnora , still with hands raised, tentatively begins to speak. "Ah.. sir, I am being Eve Kasnora. We are bringing food for Odal's Fen to be surviving the winter." [18:50:05] * "Eve Kasnora. The pleasure's mine, I assure you." He steps forward. Behind you, the portal snaps shut. "I have been expecting all of you. You may take your harvest to the Fen at your leisure." [18:51:03] "You were expecting us?" [18:51:18] * Eilenia stands happily. [18:51:59] * Eve_Kasnora lowers her hands, feeling more at ease knowing that a throng of feychildren aren't going to spell her into last week. [18:52:03] * He approaches Eilenia. "You found constant diversions, but demonstated your skill admirably. I must dock points for the diversion at the ships." He pauses. "You have been found Acceptable. Your parents will be informed." [18:52:26] * Eve_Kasnora blinks. "You were watching us?" [18:52:59] * Eilenia smiles. "THank you." [18:53:21] * "I was watching Eilenia. The rest of you simply got involved." [18:55:52] * He pauses. "You Worldly humanoids spend an inordinate amount of time sleeping." [18:55:52] * Eve_Kasnora nods. "I am just being suprised." [18:56:01] * Eve_Kasnora blinks. [18:56:07] "You don't?" [18:56:48] * Eilenia stands back and lets her teacher explain it all. [18:58:00] * "Our people have learned to refresh ourselves in a daily trace. It saves time. Not that it does much good when I've been spending eight hours every night watching you sleep." [18:58:48] "..." [18:59:30] * Eve_Kasnora turns to Elena. "You are staying up all night and watching us sleep? I was thinking you were just taking first watch." [19:00:18] My people don't sleep and there's no one to talk to, and if I were to summon a light to study, it would wake you all. [19:00:22] What else would there be to do? [19:03:48] "I suppose that is making sense." [19:03:53] * Eve_Kasnora tries not to be creeped out. [19:04:45] * The eladrin teacher opens his tome, and begins writing on a page. Finally, he pulls it from the book, folding it quickly into a bird made of paper, which begins flapping its paper wings and extended its neck on its own. He hands it to Eilenia. "Your marks. A copy will be sent to your parents when the tower worldfalls again." [19:06:52] * Eve_Kasnora stares at the bird, trying her damnedest not to look like a fool and reveal how entrancing she just found that. [19:07:08] * Eve_Kasnora does a passable job. [19:08:24] * Eilenia accepts the paper. "Thank you." [19:10:21] * Paera watches, bemused. [19:16:13] * He turns, speaking to the children in Elven, and they scatter. "Perhaps you should begin moving the food down to the swamp. I appreciate it being in my home, but we have our own ways of feeding ourselves." [19:16:38] "Oh! Of course. I will be getting right on it." [19:17:15] * Eve_Kasnora picks up a crate. "Where is the exit being?" [19:17:40] * Eilenia nods. "Perhaps we can spend some time here later, if everyone is so fascinated. Perhaps if we're lucky, we can show them what a proper sky looks like." [19:18:35] * Eilenia looks to the other students and speaks in Elven. [19:20:46] * The students pause and look at Eilenia, and follow her example. Many of the crates rise haltingly from the ground, and the elder eladrin nods sharply. "Tolerable. Follow me." He leaves the room, and the doors close behind the group once everybody leaves. He leads the group down a long, spiralling ramp, to the very floor of the tower. [19:21:41] * Paera (dlarmour@wnpgmb1307w-ad02-33-137.dynamic.mts.net) Quit (Read error: No route to host) [19:21:46] * Yongon (dlarmour@wnpgmb1307w-ad02-33-137.dynamic.mts.net) has joined #Odal [19:21:49] * Yongon is now known as Paera [19:23:49] "So... how were you becoming a teacher?" [19:26:44] * With a loud crack, the bottom of the tower seperates, and begins falling to the earth below. The wind whips around you, and after a short moment, the enchantment seems to 'catch' as the platform begins floating slowly down. [19:27:04] * Eilenia spends some time on a rituals. Through careful concentration and manipulation of arcane force, she and any of the students who choose to help create a number of levitating concave discs of force. The crates of food are soon loaded onto these. [19:27:33] * Eve_Kasnora tries to make small-talk with Elena's teacher during the trip. [19:28:28] * "Before the war, I was a magical researcher. But when the barbarians began attacking universities, I left my brother and began teaching the children of nobles." He pauses. "It's less rewarding, perhaps, but there's a much smaller chance of having my skull turned into a goblet." [19:28:37] * Paera is quiet throughout the trip, looking off into the distance towards the village. [19:30:52] "Certainly understandable." [19:31:01] * Eve_Kasnora stops trying to make conversasion. [19:35:28] * Eilenia looks out a window as they start to descend. [19:36:41] * The trip continues down to the ground in an awkward silence, and finally, the base of the tower touches down in one of the fields inside Odal's Fen's pallisade. Anyss watches as the students begin to unload their crates from the base of the tower and then mill around uncertainly, their Tenser's Floating Discs following them in a casual, meandering pattern [19:39:28] I think some time to relax after this will do us all some good. [19:39:31] * Eve_Kasnora sets her crate down. [19:39:56] "We must not be taking long. We are having.... Important Cargo." [19:40:28] * Eve_Kasnora turns to the teacher. "Sir, are you knowing where we might be finding the closest center of Ioun-worship?" [19:43:29] * He pauses, considering the question "There's a city along the trade roads, north of Harborhead. It was..." He pauses. "Ivorgard. I did some planar research there before I changed vocations, and there were many Iounites on staff." [19:45:50] "Thank you. That is being most helpful." [19:46:09] I guess we know where we gotta go next, then. [19:46:32] Do they have a portal circle? [19:47:42] * He nods. "They do indeed." [19:48:43] * Eilenia nods. [19:49:24] Eve, how long do we have until the artifact flies away? [19:50:06] ...until it what? [19:50:58] "I... am not believing it will fly away on its own. However, I am worried about Vecnite cultists locating it and attempting to retrieve it from us, exposing Odal's Fen to danger." [19:51:30] "I am not knowing how long the Cults of Vecna would be taking to act, if at all." [19:51:45] How will they locate it? [19:53:35] "Visions from Vecna? We were openly discussing plans to destroy a part of him." [19:54:30] "And are doing so presently." [19:54:58] * Eve_Kasnora frowns and places a hand to her side, where the pouch containing the Eye is hidden on her person. [19:55:34] Vecna can read lips? [19:55:48] We don't even really know how it works, but it's probably better to be safe than sorry. Still, it's been a long time since we've been home... [19:55:53] * Paera trails off wistfully. [19:56:47] * Eve_Kasnora nods. "If you are wanting to stay, I am not blaming you." [19:56:56] * Eve_Kasnora glances around at the town. [19:57:12] "To be welcome home is being a beautiful thing." [19:57:51] * The townsfolk seem to be gathering at this point, almost not sure how to react to the wizards bearing gifts of vegetables and grain, but then one of them notices Paera, and shouts "Harvesters!" [19:58:17] * The crowd begins to pick up the shout, which slowly becomes a chant, as more and more townsfolk gather around the landing site." [19:59:31] * Eilenia smiles [20:00:14] * Paera waves, grinning, but reddens a bit at being part ofthe center of attention. [20:01:25] * Eve_Kasnora smiles broadly for her friend's efforts finally culminating. [20:03:59] * A middle-aged woman dressed in the robes of a priest of Erathis pushes her way to the front of the crowd, and pulls Paera onto an embrace. "Oh, Paera! I was worried sick!" [20:05:23] * Eve_Kasnora laughs good-naturedly at the woman's reaction to seeing Paera, who she assumes is a motherly figure for her. [20:05:38] * Eilenia watches the two [20:06:04] * Paera brightens considerably. "M-mom!" She returns the hug. [20:09:08] I...I missed you so much. [20:09:13] * Paera looks like she's about to cry. [20:10:30] * Paera's mother strokes her hair. "Hush, it's alright. You did good out there. You're my brave girl." [20:12:40] * Paera's mother, a doughty human woman, looks around. "We need to get the people their food, though. We're going to make it, because of you and your friends, Paera." She lets go momentarily, and turns to the townsfolk. "Take it! It's yours! Bring it to the storerooms!" With a final cry of "Harvesters!", the townsfolks begin taking the crates and hauling them away through the fields, towards the town proper. [20:13:01] * Eilenia walks along, discs in tow. [20:13:51] "Your mother is being very affectionate, PaePae." [20:13:58] * Eve_Kasnora grins. [20:14:34] It's good to see you have such a good relationship with her [20:14:59] * Paera blushes a bit, trying to give Eve a dirty look but failing. "Yeah, well..." [20:16:22] * Paera's mother looks at Eve with false indignance. "Can't a woman be happy her daughter's home?" She pauses. "Actually, I don't think I've seen you around. You are?" [20:16:52] * The Eladrin students finally stop walking in lazy circles and begin following Eilenia, hoping to make pace with her [20:17:06] Mom, this is Eve. She's from, um...sorry, I can't pronounce it. [20:17:23] "Oh, please be forgiving my manners, ma'am. I was not making the fun at your daughter. I am being happy she has family." [20:17:33] * Eve_Kasnora extends her hand. "I am being Eve Kasnora." [20:18:43] * The woman shake's Eve's hand. "Melandre Tress, Harmonious of Erathis. It's a pleasure to meet you." [20:18:45] "I am originally being from Tsavarogorov, but have been living in the area around your town for a few years now." [20:19:10] "I am being a Knight in service to Bahamut." [20:20:24] * Eve_Kasnora suddenly wonders how her little hut has fared in the swamp. [20:22:52] * "Oh! Well, you're welcome in our town, Eve. I'm hoping this is the last we'll need of adventurers for some time, but I doubt it will be." [20:24:29] * Eve_Kasnora smiles genuinely. "Thanks to you for the hospitality." [20:25:11] "I was being quite suprised when your gate was opening, actually. I was never seeing it do so before." [20:26:35] * She nods. "We've avoided contact with the outside world since the war. The elders knew something was wrong after it broke out when Nerath's tax collector didn't come. And hasn't, for a century." [20:27:03] * Eve_Kasnora nods. [20:27:41] "I would be loving to stay and be accepting your hospitality, but I must be leaving soon." [20:28:06] "I am having business with the Ioun clergy in Ivorgard." [20:29:37] * She nods. "Stay the night, at least. The elder's been planning a celebration, and since you helped us get food, it's only fair that you stay." [20:29:48] Oh, a party! Wonderful [20:30:05] * "Or at least stay for dinner. What have you been eating on the road? You look so skinny, Paera." [20:30:11] * Eve_Kasnora smiles and nods. "I am supposing one night of rest will be okay." [20:30:45] M-mom! [20:30:48] Is Anyss to celebrate as well? [20:33:00] * "If he wants, though I imagine he'll spend the night in his tower." [20:35:44] * As if in response, the base of the Sky Tower begins to ascend again. Anyss standing in the middle. [20:36:25] "Well, there he is going." [20:38:00] Oh well [20:38:25] * Paera shrugs. "He'd probably complain about the food not tasting blue enough or something anyway." [20:39:35] Don't be silly. [20:39:38] He likes orange. [20:39:42] * Paera's mother leads the group back to the temple in the center of the city, to her living quarters. It's small, but comfortable, with numerous small, clockwork contraptions and a squat, round metal stove in the central area, adjoining a pair of bedchambers. Paera's mother busies herself at the stove, cooking what seems like a genuinely prodigious amount of food for a town that was in danger of starving until just now. [20:40:38] * Eve_Kasnora idly inspects one of the clockwork doo-hickeys. [20:41:36] * Eilenia looks around Paera's home, curious [20:43:16] * Paera goes to help out in the kitchen. [20:43:22] * It appears to be a clock designed purely for aesthetics, rather than practicality. On one side is a large, spiralling slide, and on the other, a scoop attached to a conveyor. A ball bearing rolls down the slide, hitting a switch at the bottom which lets a small amount of colored sand fall from the central tube, and is picked up by the scoop, and released to travel down the slide again. [20:44:00] * It seems like Paera's mother, or someone close to her, has decided, for some reason, to construct a clockwork hourglass. [20:44:03] * Eve_Kasnora boogles at the device. [20:44:36] * Eve_Kasnora sets it down and picks up another, fascinated. [20:46:57] * This one appears to be a miniature cube on a pair of stilts, a pair of batlike wings emerging from the back, and a crude green face painted onto the front. When wound up it walks in a small circle on its stilts, flapping its wings and making a strange clockwork grinding noise. [20:48:03] * Eve_Kasnora blinks. [20:48:21] "This is looking vaguely like those things the Wyrmgear clan had." [20:49:46] * Eilenia doesn't find that much. It seems to just be the three rooms, none of them particularly large. An old Nerathi-style sofa sits against one of the walls, its cushions patched, and a bookcase is filled with documents, both those specifically relevant to Erathis, and those of a more prosaic nature. [20:51:05] * Eilenia looks at the cube. "Fascinating. Where did you learn of this creature?" [20:52:09] * Paera's mother looks up from the stove. "Oh, that's my quadrone. One of my acolytes made it for me from parts we were able to salvage from a broken-down plow. It's based on pictures from..." She ducks away from the stove momentarily and heads to the bookcase, pulling out a book called Clockwork Nirvana: Journey to Mechanus, and flips it open, brushing through the pages. [20:53:14] * Eilenia looks over the book. "I think we may have seen a similar creature in our travels." [20:53:46] But enough about that. Tonight, we celebrate [20:53:49] * She stops on what looks like a print of a quadrone, holding a hammer in one hand and a chisel in the other, making some minute adjustment to a fantastically large-scaled gear. Paera's mother looks up in suprise. "Oh! How lucky! The Modrons don't often visit the World." [20:54:42] "They were trying to harm us." [20:55:16] * Eve_Kasnora purses the corner of her mouth in disappointment. [20:56:01] * "That's considerably less lucky. It might have just been a rogue. The book mentions the rogue modrons briefly." She briefly loses herself in thought, then looks up with a start, and returns to the stove, and, with Paera's help, finishes making the dinner. [20:57:19] * It's a heavy meal, with a large amount of starchy vegetables and bread, along with very little meat, but ultimately satisfying. The group passes the time until nightfall, then, from outside, the sound of a loud crack rings out above the village. [20:58:04] * Eve_Kasnora looks up, hand dropping to her hip due to habit, even though her weapons aren't ready. [20:58:33] * Paera looks up suddenly. [20:58:34] * Eilenia eats happily. She blinks, then looks towards the sound. [20:59:04] * A few seconds later, there's another crack, and then a third, and Paera's mother heads outside to look [21:00:01] * Eilenia heads out to see [21:00:02] * Eve_Kasnora gets up and buckles on her sword belts. [21:00:13] * Paera rushes out after the others. [21:00:14] * Eve_Kasnora throws on her scale coat on the way out the door. [21:03:16] * Above the town, there's another crack, and then colored sparks rain down, painting the night sky. In the center of the town, the market stalls have been set up, and a few of the townsfolk are sharing their bounty, giving their newly aquired food away. The eladrin children, along with Anyss, stand in the center of the market square, the townsfolk forming a ring around them, as another pulse of magical energy launches from the ground, and explodes in the sky above. [21:04:56] * Eve_Kasnora blinks. [21:06:05] * Eilenia watches. She smiles. She'd join in the work, but she's done enough for now [21:06:21] * Eve_Kasnora gives a rather girlish giggle as she watches the beautiful patterns explode in the sky. [21:07:00] * Paera grins. "It really is good to be home." [21:14:43] [Season end] End of #Odal buffer Wed Jun 17 21:15:45 2009