[Game Thread] Chapter 1.9 The Long and Winding Road

[PsionicRanger]

A couple hours after meeting at the tavern, you meet Barrett and the rest of the party at the North Gate. I'd like to say that waiting for you were several white horse, but being that not all of you are exactly the noble hero who would take an arrow for any "lady fair," let's just say that there is a variety of coats on the beasts. Barrett looks at you, and says, I've arranged for the fastest safest way for us to travel. By purchasing these magebred horses and ponies, it assures us a safer trip than either the Rail or chartering an airship. Until we get to the bottom of what's happened to Tainted Joy, I feel it's in our best interests to not have to be around a large group of people, and since there's always people on the Rail, and always a crew on an airship--we're taking it one step higher than the "good 'ol fashioned way."

After several hours on the road, Barrett comes to a fork, and asks, Alright folks, moment of truth, left, right or even further left? If we go right, it'll tack a few more days onto our trip, but it will take us through the Talenta Plains, Left will take us through the Mournlands, but will shave a few days off the journey. We do have the option of veering totally off the road, and with Phineus with us, it may not be the worst thing, but we could find another road that would lead us to Thrane...I know it's not normally like me, and maybe I've grown to cautious with my age--normally I wouldn't have a problem trekking through the Mournlands, but they're just not sittin' right with me at the moment, probably just superstition...I'm sure that's what it is...anyway, what do you folks want to do? I'm all for the sooner the better, but not sure of the best course of action.

Barrett makes valid points, but all in all, it is hard to see the old "leader of the pack" so conflicted over this simple decision. Needless to say, dusk is coming in a couple of hours, so there's not much sunlight anyway. It could be as simple as setting up camp and then figuring it out in the morning.

OOC If you decide to set up camp, we can use that as a point of Role play, and each of you can have a moment to remember a specific thing about the member of the Tainted Joy you most connected with. It will be worth a nice XP reward if you decide to do this vs. moving along in the story. It will also give another depth of character to your PC. If you decide to take this action, just have the first person ready to do this say/do the setting up of camp, and fast forward right to the camp fire to tell your story.

[Aosaw]

Daega looks to the right, then balefully to the left, and lastly to the fading light of the sun; he shakes his head. "I don't like traveling right or left when it's dark out; and if we're going to even consider walking through the Mournlands, I'd much rather it be during the day. Maybe we should stop here for the night, think it over, and decide our course when the light is a bit more favorable. Someone help me with the tent." He climbs down from his horse, gives it a reassuring pat on the neck, and pulls the tent from his pack. "Now, I'm not used to these new high-tech tents, but if I'm not mistaken you just pull this lever and..."

[MorganLockbreaker]

Kelvin never was much help with setting up camp, so he instead focuses on gathering wood and arranging everything for the fire. As he set about his task, he couldn't help but think back to those times around the fire as his protege Durkon would shave and widdle pieces of wood. He kept such a sharp knife that the shavings were almost paper thin. We were never without an abundance of kindling when Durkon was around, Kelvin thought to himself. Durkon, the consummate craftsman, seemed to always have a project in hand. A dwarf's hands are what shape his legacy, he would often say,he is remembered by the deeds he has done and by the things he has made. I hope to leave behind a great legacy.

[Pilgrim]

"Tents are nice, but I prefer something safer. Especially as we will be at a crossroads at midnight, an event of at least some occult significance." Andreal reaches into his haversack, pulling out a 30 foot length of silk rope. Casting Rope Trick - it'll last 10 hours.A gesture, an incantation, a bit of powdered corn and twisted parchment, and he throws it into the air... where it hangs, straight up. "I remember trying to teach Kassic this spell. He was always better with earth and fire spells, and the idea of climbing into the air to sleep seemed absurd to him. Like a mental block. I recall how happy he was when he finally got it. Of course, nobody else wanted to share sleeping arrangements with a kobold if they could help it." The ebon-eyed sorcerer gives a sigh. "I kept telling him that nobody else liked reptile smell, and to bathe more often." A shake of the head, and Andreal comes back to the present. "Hmm. I'm not usually given to sentimentality. In any case, my extradimensional space can hold all of us if needed or wanted, though we'd have to leave the horses down here."

[Aosaw]

Daega eyed Andreal's rope with suspicion, shook his head, and continued to fiddle with the tent. "I'm not as spry as I used to be, Andreal," he said. "Climbing up there is one thing, but I don't trust myself not to break a hip when I come back down. No, this tent should be big enough for all of us, and the horses, if I can figure out how to operate it..."

"Mull loved these things. I never understood why; he was always tinkering away, trying to figure out how they worked. I tried to tell him that he wasn't a tinkerer, he was a wizard, and as far as I knew wizards didn't busy themselves with trinkets, and then he pointed to my wand..." He smiled. "I don't imagine he ever figured out the command words to that little item. He wasn't much of an apprentice, at least not by my standards. Still; it would be nice to have someone around who knows how to set up a simple magic tent - even if that's all he could ever do." He turned the small bundle over in his hands, and found a woven draw-string. His eyes lit up. "Ah! Here we are. Somnus Somnorum!" He whipped the bundle out, holding the string, and out of the bundle burst a large tent, very nearly the size of a small cabin. "I may have overestimated the size, but at the very least those who wish to sleep on the ground may do so in peace." He winked at Andreal. "Last time I tried to use this thing, I held the wrong string, and the whole contraption came out upside down. The inside, too; we were cleaning candlewax off the ceiling for weeks."

[Huhart]

Phin gives the rope trick a dubious look. He never fully trusted or accepted the arcane arts. "What a hypocrite I am, surrounded by a pack on mages."

"I'll stay down here and keep an eye on the horses. You can never be too careful. I remember one time, Hans and I were in the Talenta Plains, hunting dinosaurs. Hans had the bright idea he wanted to train a clawfoot. Kind of stupid, 'cause while you're hunting them, they're hunting you.

Anyhow, we found some fresh tracks, so we left the horses and followed on foot. Hadn't gone but a quarter mile when we heard some commotion back the way we came. Turned out the clawfoot had doubled back and were feasting on our mounts.

Of course, Hans managed to charm one of 'em, named him Fatso. Took us three days to walk to Gatherhold. The halfling treated him like some kind of hero, wanted to make him an honorary Mask Weaver."

Phineus trails off, remembering the glory days. "Last I heard, he'd trained one of them Tyrannosaurs."

[MorganLockbreaker]

Hmph, the only way you'd ever get me to ride a clawfoot is if you stuffed it and put it on a carousel. They're entirely too prone to try to eat you. What would be nice is if Durkon had ever finished up his idea for an elemental bound coach. We wouldn't have even needed horses. Finished with the fire, Kelvin walks over to inspect the tent. No offense, Andreal, but I think I will stay in the tent as well. The space at the top of the rope is a bit too dark. But before we settle down to eat, lets take another look at this orb. We should look through the ledger again in case there are any clues as well.

OOC PR, could we possibly find the trigger word with a UMD check?

[Pilgrim]

"An excellent idea," says Andreal, pulling out the orb. "Ghost Sound. Play. Emerald Claw." Andreal tries a few other words, including the names of the members of Tainted Joy, and of their own group.

OOC Lol, I was thinking the same thing - a UMD check. I was going to wait until the campfire was done, though. :P Obviously, if one of the above words works, Andreal will stop. If none of them does... well, that depends on PR's okay for the UMD check.

[Acheron]

***ANDRA DELACROIX***

”description” Andra is a medium toned, strawberry-blond half-elf with blue (with a little green) eyes; her hair falls to her waist; she is wearing almost the exact same clothes that Cole was wearing the day prior. She looks a little older in years, but not as aged as the company she has taken, sometimes her looks might be used to the advantage or disadvantage of people around her. The group has seen this particular persona before on very few occasions. The general thought is that the girl could be a little prissy because she is small, dainty, and prefers expensive(looking) things. In truth she also has a few “dark” hobbies like telling ghost stories, and cooking. Gaiaonline image for reference: [CLICK]

Andra dismounted a beautiful sable horse, she was never that good at riding, and she hadn’t gotten better over the years, that being said she did have a love of the horse, it was perfect. And part of her actually wanted to name it, even if she might never see it again after the trip to Thrane. She watched the others start to set up, and as she moved to help a rather large house-tent exploded from the ground. “Erm, I’m fine with the tent if anyone cares to take my vote into account.” she said in partially withdrawn voice as everyone started talking and she was lost in the conversation for a minute.

Since everyone had begun to reminisce about the days before Tainted Joy had taken over and the ‘apprentices’ were still under their wings. “In all honesty.” she began, adding her own thoughts to the nimbus of lingering melancholy “I miss Grellan, he would have been here to at least aid me in the stories, not to mention he was a great distraction. Just about now he might have even cracked a joke about you Blackwand, you know being back and all. Just anything to get us all to smile, who knows he might have even been able to get all of your bones back to dancing; he did it before, he could probably do it again.”

[Pilgrim]

"I don't believe he ever got me dancing," says Andreal. Then, "No, wait. I apologize, there was the one time he got us all to attend that nobleman's ball. What was that young lord's name? I believe he had a fit over Hairy, especially after the incident with the hors d'œuvres."

[MorganLockbreaker]

Kelvin chuckles and says, I think I might have a fit too if a gorilla dumped a whole platter of crabcakes on my head simply because they had horseradish in them. I believe it was Grellan too, who convinced the lord that it was common knowledge that gorillas have descriminating pallets and that he should have known better than to offer anything with horseradish to Hairy.

[Huhart]

"Served him right, too," Phin says. "Especially after he insisted that I dress the poor beast in a suit and tie. He did like the cape, though." Phineus gets a bit melancholy remembering his old companion.

[Aosaw]

"Yes, that ball was quite interesting," Daega said, smirking. "Dodging distant relatives in conversation, trying to keep Mull out of trouble, and then there was the duel..." He shook his head and laughed.