The trip gets off to a rocky start.
Score: 581 | 8/10/19 |
9th-10th Veltom 1517
The Rolling Stones - Valteri Tomser, Vyktor Wyvernjack, Boris Hillmens, Sean Shamshara, and the new member W'ranan - gather back at the Trunk and Bough. Having welcomed W'ranan into the group, they decide to take Annabelle's suggestion and form a Group True Pattern. After deciding on the group symbol, falling rocks (external link), they each go their separate ways to make their symbolic items.
Sean took his broken bow string from the battle with the noxious lizards during his initiation trial, along with the broken bow string of the man from the battle in the tree house to rescue Annabelle. These were sown into a bandana into the shape of the group symbol to be worn about his neck.
Vyktor had the symbol etched into the back of a silver amulet.
W'ranan embroidered the symbol, in a simplistic fashion, on a small banner. This banner can be flown to represent the whole group, especially on an airship.
Boris took a piece of wood from the Trunk and Bough fireplace and carved a token, on which he carved the group's symbol. He hangs it on a leather thong and wears it around his neck.
Valteri, to represent his constant dance with death from directly engaging foes, etched the symbol into an empty booster potion vial.
They all come back together in Valteri's room, since the windling's is the largest. They pronounce the words of the ritual, Naming themselves and their loyalty to the group. They then make a blood oath to each other, and power flows between them, the Group True Pattern of the Tolling Stones formed. They immediately set about weaving threads to the pattern. Valteri made himself harder to wound. W'ranan strengthened his will, making it harder for enemies' spells to take affect. Boris and Sean give themselves an increase in speed and battle awareness, making it harder for blades and other weapons to hit them. Vyktor, the wizard, failed to weave his thread.
Valteri then kicked everyone out of his room as it was late and he was tired.
They all wake the next morning, healthier, performing their karma rituals, and readying themselves to leave. Vyktor attempts again to weave a thread to his new spell matrix ring, the Sunrise Ruby. He succeeds! The group meets downstairs where Annabelle is waiting with a breakfast of cured meats and bread, ready to be taken for travel. She informs them that Delmuth Lorafir had already left and would wait for them at the South Gate. Sean notices that Annabelle's eyes still have a slight glassiness to them and she has some small, difficult to notice trouble moving about, signs of a lingering health issue. She tells them, "I took the liberty of procuring a breakfast we could eat while we walked. Shall we?" And so the group proceeds to the South Gate.
A wide road cuts south from Axalalail, and numerous caravans are coming and going. Platforms carry goods and people up and down while others ascend or descend ladders. Two massive, ornately carved poles rise from either side of the road: the South Gate. Images of fish and t'skrang dancing in water, windlings flying from tree to tree, riverboats and cargo, magic and festivities, all encircle them, covering every square inch of these two-hundred foot tall poles. Patrols come and go, both along the road but also from the trees on either side. Other guards wait by the poles, periodically checking wagons and waving them through.
Delmuth and his crew are gathered a short distance from the gate, and he waves to the Rolling Stones as they approach. "Good, good, we're all here. You may notice, Tokoba is staying behind to heal. I hope she gets well quickly!" Fhin Thunderspike nods while his son, Thommel, grasps Boris's forearm in greeting. Jorik, wearing a new cloak made from Espagra scales, spins his spear in a flourish only to drop it. Ibil and Theo wave from the second cart.
Delmuth addresses his guards, "Fhin, these two are W'ranan and Annabelle. The Rolling Stones vouch for them, so they will be joining us to Urupa. Now, if we're ready, let's be off! It'll take about ten hours to reach P'shestis, then another half day to Urupa. The group is waved through the South Gate with no issues. The road curves slowly towards the Coil River, eventually just following parallel to it. As the sun rises, the forest things and becomes rolling hills.
As midday approaches, the group sees a gleaming white structure in the distance, too fare to make out details at first, but it's clearly near the road. As they get closer, they realize it is not as pristine as it first appeared. White stone has been laid into a massive amphitheater, or it would be if it was completed. Tiers upon tiers of stone steps rise on the north side and begin an arc south to wrap around the closer stage. The massive scale of the steps is impressive, but they taper off a mere third of the way around. The stage itself is is a huge stone slab and serves as a disappointing marker for how far the seats would have extended.
A worn and decrepit dock sadly rests further south. The local flora has already started to retake the land. Grasses and flowers sprout amongst the edges, beginning the slow process of breaking apart what Namegivers have abandoned.
As the caravan rumbles towards the structure, they hear a woman's voice call out in Throalic, "Ho, travelers! Please, I could use some help!" A dwarf waves from the north side of the stage. "Mind you may not want to get too close!" The small woman is wearing ornate robes of green and brown.
The Rolling Stones find out that her name is Lonoko Icegarden, a 5th Circle Elementalist traveling to Throal from Urupa. She decided to summon an earth elemental for protection while traveling. The amphitheater looked like a good location to do it, as she thought all of the stone around it would make summoning easier. "But something got this earth elemental riled up and a gate to the elemental plane of earth fully manifested. Then some weird rock beasts showed up and chased me away from the portal and the elemental, so I can't fix it. I need someone to buy me time to banish the elemental and close the rift. Shouldn't take too long!"
Lonoko believes the rift is a threat to travel along the road as the portal appears to be slowly moving towards the river. Right now it is safe to simply move on, but it could pose a problem when Delmuth's caravan travels back to Travar. The Rolling Stones agree to help her while Fhin and crew, with Annabelle, stay back with the carts. It did not hurt that Lonoko offered to pay a decent sum in elemental coins with some kernels of True Earth thrown in for good measure.
The group heads deeper in to the unfinished amphitheater towards the glowing rift. It appears as a large vertical tear emerging from the ground, the glow a shifting and moving pattern of earthly greens and browns. There is a rumble, the earth noticeably moving.
Lonoko puts her hand up, signaling for a halt. "Okay, any closer and the elemental will appear. Please, do not attack it. Leave it to me." Lonoko casts Air Armor on everyone and Flameweapon on Boris, Valteri, and W'ranan. Their swords erupt in fire while Vyktor uses the spell matrix ring to cast Mage Armor on the group. As they all step forward, Lonoko begins to chant and move her hands in the air, calling on her magic. The ground rumbles and shakes as a giant boulder erupts next to the rift and roars. The ground shakes, knocking Vyktor, Sean, and W'ranan to the ground.
Over a small hill behind the rift appear four creatures. Three look like large goats, their fur covered in rocky protrusions, and their horns made of stone. The last towers over the other three and shines in the high sun. Where the others have rocky growths, this one is covered in tiny crystals, reflecting rainbows. Its horns look to be razor sharp, and it snorts and leads the charge down the hill.
Boris charges the crystal goat, striking a powerful blow that knocks the creature off its feet. One of the earth goats strikes back at him but power surges from the group pattern, feeding his speed and awareness as he dodges out of the way. The battle continues back and forth when the earth elemental begins to strike at the ground, knocking over Sean, Vyktor, and Lonoko. The crystal goat is shaken, too, and stumbles terribly, getting its horns stuck in the ground, though none of the earth goats seem affected.
Sean jumps to his feet, rapidly pulling an arrow and firing it at the crystal goat, the arrow biting deep. Boris slams his ax into the crystal goat again, and it stops moving. The other goats bleat plaintively as their leader goes down. But reinforcements come soon as three more goats burst from the ground. One goes after Sean and another chases Lonoko.
The battle approaches a stalemate until one of the goats drives its horns deep into Boris's side, exposing his intestines to the open air and knocking the troll down. Barely surviving that blow thanks to the combined magical protections of Vyktor and Lonoko, Boris summons magical energy inside him, his blood bursting in flames, erupting from the gaping wound in his side. His skin knits closed as nearly half the damage is healed through his magic. Lonoko herself is hit but takes no damage thanks to her Air Armor.
The goats strikes Lonoko again, knocking her to the ground and savagely wounding her. Sean looses another arrow at the same goat, wounding it severely, though these creatures are tough to knock over. W'ranan knocks a goat unconscious when the earth elemental begins striking the ground again causing Vyktor, W'ranan, and Sean to fall yet again. The goats attempt to take advantage of the situation, hurting W'ranan and Sean. In retaliation, Boris swings his ax hard, decapitating a goat, flames shooting from the enchantment and consuming the head. The smells of earthy roasted goat are somewhat pleasant and kinda confusing.
Sean is gored and knocked to the ground. The fight rages, with W'ranan driving his blade home through the lung and heart of one goat. Another earthquake knocks several more fighters to the ground. Boris, still on his feet, swings his ax up, taking off half of a goat's face. Vyktor scores a hit with his Mind Daggers, while Sean is struck again and falls unconscious. W'ranan knocks another goat out of the fight while another goat gores Vyktor on the ground. Boris summons his Fireblood talent again as Lonoko says, "A few more seconds!" The group closes in on the final goat, strike after strike.
A flash of light, and the portal closes. The earth elemental fades into the ground, leaving. And the last goat standing begins to placidly chew the grass. Valteri says, "Guys, we can just let it be," and he sheathes his sword.
"That was a lot harder than I thought it would be," says Lonoko as she offers to use her spell Heat Food to aid in the healing.
Legend Point Awards:
- Got on the road: 100
- Helped close the portal: 600
- Defeated the Rock Goat Clan: 600
- Total: 1300