Harp and Thanga cont., the ceremony continues
Subject: Harp and Thanga
Thanga face shows that she does not really understand what Harp is saying. "You mean the people running the houses take less then half your fee? That would be nice. I could buy some really nice clothes then."
From: Mark
Subject: The ceremony continues
With the departure of the avatar, the feeling of power in the glade diminishes. Flint's voice thunders out "Brothers and Sisters, Mothers and Fathers, now is the time to honor Acer's last request. Join with me; lend me your power, so that we may send the vengeance of Obad-Hai down on those who would desecrate our woods." The chant starts up again, but with a different tone this time, a wilder beat, a more primal theme.
Above the clearing clouds start to gather; huge, dark clouds, roiling and churning. Flashes of light and rumbling thunder echo the bolts of lightening that streak from one cloud to the next. The storm grows larger and larger and those sitting on the small hill can almost sense it wanting to release its pent up power. The clouds almost seethe with a hatred that is palpable. Winds whirl around the party but the tops of the trees are almost bent at right angles from the force of the winds above the tree tops.
The druids continue chanting, summoning more and more power. The very air crackles with static from the storm when Flint releases the storm. Suddenly it splits into two parts, and faster then they could have thought possible, the storms rushes to the northeast, towards Bodentown and almost due north, to the estate. Flint's voice rings out again "Now let us summon the power of the earth, so that it might reclaim what belongs to it."
The chant changes again, this time becoming a low, thrumming sound, almost more felt then heard. It builds up a repetitive cadence, working with harmonics in the ground. The earth itself seems to respond to the chant, flowing and undulating in beat with the druid's song. Then as the song reaches a high point, a wave of power rushes through the ground towards the direction of Bodentown. A few seconds later another wave rushes towards the estate. Like the waves in the sea, these waves rush towards their targets, leaving the ground in between undisturbed. Wave after wave, they alternate between Bodentown and the estate, deadly earthquakes bent on destruction.
The people on the small hill are transfixed. They have never seen power like this before. Salix is emotionally transported to a place he never knew existed. He had been one with smaller aspects of nature, but never on this scale. His own personal identity is almost lost in the primal fury of the storm and the ground breaking power of the earthquakes. A piece of him follows the one of the storms and the tremors, and he sees the destruction they are causing.
Rain of acid melts the skin off people caught out side and hail stones the size of a fist batter people to bloody pulps. The earthquakes shatter some buildings and topple others, the inhabitants rushing into the rain and hail of the storms. It is a lethal combination. The buildings are death traps and the outside is certain death. The estate is even worse. The main house lies in ruins, guttering flames coming from its carcass. All over the estate collapsed tunnels ring with the cries of the trapped while others try and flee, only to be knocked to the ground by the tremors or swallowed by the fissures that open beneath their feet.
Salix is suddenly drawn back to the circle. Flint has stopped the chant and struggles to his feet. "Check your neighbor. Make sure everyone is ok." Salix, feeling more tired then he has ever felt, crawls more than walks to the druid to his left. The man had collapsed to the ground and was laying face down. Salix grabs him by the shoulders and shakes "Hey, it's over. Let me help you up and we can get something to eat and rest." When the man does not respond, Salix rolls him over onto his back and gasps in recognition. Lantono. His face is ashen white and he seems not to be breathing. "Flint" Salix calls "It's Lantono. I think he's dead."
Flint hurries over and checks the druid's body. A few seconds later Flint reaches out a hand and closes the eyes on the still form. "Damn, I had hoped we could do this with Acer being the only loss. Get some help and take him to the oak grove. We will bury him there. Then you and your friends should rejoin me. We need to talk." The druids disperse, helping those who were weakened by the ceremony. Salix walks over to his companions.
OODM: I will let Karl and the rest of you role play the rest.
From: Karl
Subject: The ceremony continues
Lantono, dead. Why? Salix wonders. It couldn't be mere skill. Lantono was already a brother, Salix only a wealward still. If a brother succumbed, why not a mere wealward? Maybe it was because a brother had the power to give more, and Lantono had given too much? Or perhaps, lover of lording petty authority that he was, he found himself consumed in the chance to wield the judgement of their god. It did not matter. He had given the ultimate sacrifice and would surely be taken into the bosom of Obad-Hai himself along with the Stormfather. Salix thought of the road ahead and wondered if Lantono hadn't gotten the easier path after all.
Salix calls out, "Ilex! Helix! Quercus! Come to me, please." The three druids named run over. One gasps aloud and all three bow their heads and mumble something inaudible to Salix's group. "The Mountainfather has asked we give him a honorable burial among the oaks." Without further word, the four pick up the spent body of Lantono and carry it out of the circle and out of sight of the party.
Just under an hour later he returns to where the party is assembled. "The Mountainfather requests to see us."
"That was pretty quick for a funeral" Mund says.
"We do not bury our dead very deep, nor do we shield them from the bosom of Obah-Hai with coffins. Lantono will return to the earth from which he came, in truth, not just in words."
Salix leads the group to the Mountainfather.
From: Kevin
Subject: The cerermony continues
OOC: I want to go back to that part about being naked for the ceremony. Mark, can you generate a picture of that for us?? Something like the Summer of Love, right??
From: Mark
Subject: The ceremony continues
They were only naked for the healing ceremony.
From: Porter
Subject: The ceremony continues
"Summabitch," Mund whispers to his brother. "I was lookin' forward to havin' the druid Stormfather owe us a favor," he says with wistful sigh.