Krynn - Silvanesti (Day One, Part Five)

Onforithalas scowls at the party, not liking how they were able to penetrate so deeply into Silvanesti without detection. He mutters and grumbles to himself, and is overheard by Knives. The ex-mayor of Hamelin smiles and says, "Don't let it get you down. I go most places undetected." The guardsman's frown deepens, his jaw clenched so tightly that the acrobat swore he could hear teeth cracking under the pressure.

Drax followed along, a silhouette in the bright autumn afternoon. He watched everything and took in all the details, intersections, landmarks, shops, elevated firing positions, passersby, guards, and potential places to seek cover as the group traveled to their destination. The assassin, as usual made almost no sound as the group moved through the city, being so unobtrusive as to almost not exist in the minds of on-lookers at all.

The group moves around the runic circle, each of the wizards pondering the patterns within the ring. Grotto joins them after a few moments and asks Shadow, "Is this some sort of arcane magical place?" The scarred dwarf's eyes go wide and he begins to jabber at the drow, "Shin gone din dang walla! I'm speaking Drow!" The dark elf looks back at the dwarf and replies, "No, you aren't" in the drow tongue. Grotto pauses, his expression confused, "but I thought I was - the All-Speak..." his words, this time actually spoken in drow trail off. The dark elf nods, "It seems you must Hear the language before you can speak it. Interesting."

As Raz'iir inspects the circle, he continues speaking with Lorraine, “So these three powerful sorcerers head the so-called Towers of High Sorcery then?” He queries, then “Why do they insist on robes? I learned my first incantations with a sword in my hand."

Lorraine laughs lightly, "No, this was long, long ago, even by the measure of elves. A Conclave of Wizards heads the entire Brotherhood, and each order selects its own master. And, there is no hard and fast insistence on robes but many wear them out of tradition and the name has stuck. I knew one wizard early in my third century who wore beautiful crimson trousers with a matching shirt and vest. He cut quite a dashing figure!"

After circumnavigating the design, he turns and says to Lorraine “It seems our former host intended for us to come here, but neglected to inform us why…” again letting his comment trail off.

“One thing is certain…” Ra’ziir finally quips, “we need to hear more about these dragon armies you speak of, as well as the Towers of Sorcery themselves.”

The elf looks from Lorraine to Onforithalas, searching for any clue or sign of their intentions. Onforithalas paces around the circle left by the Bifrost's contact with the stone, nearly stalking the group, eyes staring daggers into Knives as the vest-wearing thief smiles politely at him.

Lorraine seems mostly amused, the antics of the party members and the mystery of their arrival a welcome change from her daily routine.

Romulus joins in, "Yes, I would be willing to go and take whatever test it is you mentioned earlier. I'm certain that a guild of this size must have access to laboratories and workshops that I could use to recreate some of the items I lost when I died in the volcano."

Lorraine pauses, her mouth slightly agape, "I'm sorry, did you say that you died?"

Romulus nods, "Oh yes, this body is a replacement I had created in the event I should meet an untimely end."

Lorraine shakes her head, trying to wrap her mind around the concept of spare bodies and returning from the dead. "Ummm... alright." She pauses again, collecting her thoughts. "I can have one of my assistants carry a message to House Magus. They will be able to arrange a Test of High Sorcery for you at Wayerth."

Kysek stares intently at the circle and its patterns. The memory of Odin saying home would be a death sentence floods his mind. The elf thinks to himself, “Of which home does he speak? Evereska, or that in which my wife and child reside?”

The thief-turned-mage steps away from the group and calls upon the magic of his Ring of Sending to inquire of how things are with his wife and child. “Hello my love. Is all well with you and our son? How are we doing with the Grange? Hoping to be with you soon!”

Moments after he casts the spell, he hears a mental response. Instead of his wife's voice, the one in his head is... younger somehow. "H-h-hello? Who is th-th-there?" The mental voice takes on a more panicked tone, "MOMMY! There's a strange man's voice in my room! HELP! HELP ME! GUARDS! ANYONE! AHHHHHHH.....!" The words cut out as the spell ends, leaving Kysek with no real answers and even more questions than he had before.

As the wizards gather around the circle, Raven notices a flicker of light through the trees and hears the gurgling of water. He excuses himself, and makes his way down to the nearby riverbank. He gathers what stones are available and piles them into a shape approximating a throne. "I can't say that you didn't warn me. I ask only that you grant me the wisdom to guide us through this world and finally back to home again."

Cedron follows Raven at a distance, and takes some time for private reflection and prayer hoping to establish a connection with the God of Progress yet, the place where he usually finds the God feels empty, like a missing tooth lost in childhood.

After praying quietly for about a minute, Raven rises and starts walking back to the group.

Suddenly, he stops, his eyes glaze over and he wobbles unsteadily for a moment or two. He shakes his head to clear it, "What was that? A vision? Of a carnival and faeries? And what the hell is an 'Iggwilv'?" He presses on, rejoining the group, never noticing the circle of white-capped mushrooms that he inadvertently crossed through.

Grotto, unfazed by his brief exchange with Shadow, turns to Nik and Arthur. "Surely you hear the chatter! I can't be going mad!" Grotto says to the two. "That guard said we are to help them to the cobbler. That child commented on my face. Those gardeners were complimenting each others lawns. All this in Elvish! But how?"

Arthur looks to Grotto "It is a gift from the All-Father. Do you not remember him laying his hand upon your head and heart? What is important is that we should try and figure out about these dragon armies, I have a feeling we will have to face them in due time."

"Could it be our minds have progressed? A boon from your god perhaps?" Grotto jokingly quips to Arthur.

Niklas' mind wanders idly, "What can this new ability mean for his understanding of Nature’s plans? Can I now communicate with any and all creatures?"

Cedron rejoins the group as well, taking the opportunity to also apeak with Lorraine. "I couldn't help but but notice the well-organized cityscape and bountiful gardens. This is so very different than many of the cities we’ve visited. No apparent poverty. No hardships. This place is truly special Lorraine, and the gardens are quite beautiful. I would love to explore the city more given the opportunity, but considering our attentive escorts, I’m assuming you don’t receive many guests of our composition?”

Onfroithalas joins Cedron and the physician. "We receive as few visitors as possible, by design. They distract from our well-organized cityscape and bountiful gardens. We all have our place in Silvanost. The city was founded 4,000 year before the Cataclysm and we have taken the time to perfect our society. Every child is trained from birth for the role that has been chosen for them. House Protector keeps our enemies among the ... lesser races at bay, House Physic tends to our sick and injured. House Gardener grows our food and tends the forest. Each order works together to support the whole."

- - - - -

• Arthur: 100% health

• Cedron: 100% health

• Chronosaj: 100% health

• Drax: 100% health

• Grotto: 100% health

• Knives: 100%

• Kysek: 100% health

• Niklas: 100% health

• Raven: 100% health

• Ra’ziir: 100% health

• Romulus: 100% health

• Shadow: 100% health