Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

As we play, occasionally we'll close a thread and open a new one to keep the size of threads (and relative complexity) down to a dull roar. Here's where we store the closed posts from the history of Errant Road.
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Graybeard
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

Post by Graybeard »

Lillith dissolved in tears at Sister Rose's inquiry.

"No," she sobbed when she got herself back together, by which time she was well enveloped in a (step)motherly hug. "Do -- do you think he'll be mad?"

Rose produced a quiet laugh, not loud enough to wake anyone at the camp, but enough to startle the girl. "Heavens, no. He'll be overjoyed beyond words. He's wanted kids for years, and when he and his first wife couldn't have any for some reason, that -- was a stress on their marriage." It seemed like a good idea to get off that subject. "Just wait for the way he reacts when you tell him, it'll be like the best fireworks display you ever saw." She smiled wryly. "And another thing. Brad is going to be one hell of a good father."

She was going to say something else, but at this point, Tim's coded message reached her ... and her mood changed. She released the hug. "Something I need to deal with," she said apologetically. "So congratulations, and go eat a biscuit; they're supposed to be good for morning sickness. And when Brad wakes up, give him the news." The smile was back. "I'll be listening for his reaction, which they'll probably be able to hear all the way down in Goriel."

Lillith turned to go, but there was one more thing Rose wanted to say. She gently took the girl's shoulders again.

"I envy you," she said softly.
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Drannin
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

Post by Drannin »

"Are you close?" Harker whispered under his breath into the communications tab Argus had whipped up.

"Nearly in range. Waiting for the others to close." Argus responded, moving with all the stealth he could muster. Harker had noticed Tim's odd behaviour and mentioned it to Argus. Unable to find Rose, Argus made a hurried explanation to Harker, which took less time than one might have thought. Master and Familiar understood each other well.

Now, Harker lurked, unobserved, a short distance from Eli and Tim, unable to hear what they were discussing, but it looked like the priest was trying to keep Eli talking. He hoped. The alternative was that Tim found Eli's speech compelling. Which would be very, very bad.

Argus was further out, hoping that Rose had picked up on Tim's signal, hoping for some backup. His strategy was basically to restrain Eli with the earth itself... and hit him in the head with a rock.

No, it wasn't the flashiest strategy. But it tended to work damned well. Just a little closer...
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

Post by Jack Rothwell »

OOC Bear in mind, it's almost featureless terrain between the camp and the meeting place bar the hill which blocks Eli and Tim from view. Getting close enough to get a line of sight and not be observed in return would be impossible for anyone who doesn't know an invisibility spell. The half-elf picked that location for that purpose, especially in light of him getting ambushed by Drusia in the last thread./OOC
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

Post by Alberich »

[OOC: It's also dark though - and the country is hilly and rocky - so it can't be too easy to make it totally unapproachable-unobserved...will continue Tim's dialogue a little later.]
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

Post by Jack Rothwell »

OOC The Sun came up a while ago. Rose's post last page./OOC
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Graybeard
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

Post by Graybeard »

OOC: A couple of things from one who spends a lot of time in the mountains (as in, lives there):

First, "light of dawn" isn't exactly the same thing as "the sun came up." Rose would be doing her prayers as it's getting light, not at the first appearance of the sun above the horizon. A reasonable interpretation of conditions is that as this encounter starts, it's still twilight, but brightening quickly. That should probably drive developments from here on.

Second, we're in the mountains here, having just come off a pass and not descended very far. For the terrain to be completely "featureless" is probably asking too much. However, it could be relatively open, with a minimum of obscuring features. I'd think there could be room here both for Eli to show up under conditions where he can see a long way in most directions, and for there still to be concealment of a local nature; I can just about walk from my house to a spot meeting those criteria.
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Jack Rothwell
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

Post by Jack Rothwell »

OOC Alright, fair enough. Just as long as no-one goes ninja-assassin and gets close enough to flick Eli's ears or fart in his general direction before he has the chance to react./OOC
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Drusia
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

Post by Drusia »

Jack Rothwell wrote:OOC Alright, fair enough. Just as long as no-one goes ninja-assassin and gets close enough to flick Eli's ears or fart in his general direction before he has the chance to react./OOC
OOC: Other than Drusia, who could teleport behind him...

... if anyone had bothered to wake her up. :p

Also, she hasn't had a chance to eat since her last batch of teleports, so she's not going to be at full strength even if someone woke her now.
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

Post by Alberich »

Tim nodded. He wouldn't be able to stall much, but it had to be convincing -- and the best he could do would be to stay quite close to the truth. Not that he believed being deceptive without lying made him morally better than an outright liar; but he admitted the possibility that Rose and the elf would not accomplish their purpose on the first try, in which case he'd have to get away with Eli so they could try again...

"The one thing to keep in mind," said he, "...is, if I simply leave with you now, the Church would see that as deserting my post. Rose could have me cashiered and possibly defrocked if she wanted to. I don't know what she'd do but she could. If she did I wouldn't have a lot of moral standing with the Church to bring it to Goriel -- at least not without some pretty smart maneuvering, like if the Ralkin had some connections in Emerylon. And you can appreciate it's a big step for me. If I cross that bridge, it's on fire behind me.

"So if you can't tell me everything right now - can you tell me a little more? Just what the Ralkin are planning to do to Goriel and the elves? I mean I don't think they're worshippers of Luminosita...they've got their own reasons for what they're doing...so what's it really all about?" He wouldn't keep pressing this point but it's something anyone in his position would want to know. There had to be some master, some cause, some theory behind it all. He had his own idea already what it really was. But it would be interesting to see what they'd told Eli.

And there was just one other point -- but he'd wait for the answer to this one first.
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Re: Goriel and Beyond, Part 5

Post by Graybeard »

[OOC: OK, I can take a hint...]

He's out there somewhere, thought Sister Rose. It was much too early for the annoying mosquitoes to be out, so Tim had to be using the code word. That made the situation ... dangerous.

She put up the magical Empathy spell, not really believing it would do much good; even Tim would probably be out of range, and Eli, almost certainly so. However, it didn't take much energy, and who knows, it might actually be useful. She peered out into the dim morning light, trying to get a glimpse of at least Tim. Yes, he was out there ... but no sign of Eli, or Eli's emotions. She did manage to get one sensation, very briefly, off her fellow priest: desperation.

Well, that pretty much said it all, didn't it? She dropped the spell and went to awaken Therese and Drusia; what came next was going to require all the magical firepower the party could muster.
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