The Group Is Resolved, Raja Out For A While
Subject: Re: For Celia. Please stop bugging me.
Holes in the earth. Riddles in the dark. Darkness watching. . . Mission catches his breath. Sand take him. "Rennick is right. We need to get out of this tunnel now. Rennick and I both left Cadfael to go sneaking around. . . if Cadfael is keeping us hidden from Kor Goresh's sight. . ."
He spreads his palms wide.
300 steps. . . did that mean that 300 steps from the entrance to the temple, around the mountain, there was a hole that led to the sanctuary? And Cadfael maintained that only he could walk in through that hidden way and remain unseen.
The Path ahead was dark to him. How deep was he really willing to place his faith in Cadfael? Not deep enough to trust Promise to the priest. Not that.
"Out through the zombies," Mission says. "As quietly as we can."
OOC: So, we're out of food, surrounded by evil, and our best hope of victory is an insane cleric who may or may not be possessed by the same evil we're fighting against.
LOVE THIS GAME!
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
OOC: Grr. Figured this needed to be responded to. Twinky's done a good job with this post.
Mission bristles at Sa'id's words. Bandying about Promise's life and his own redemption like they were. . . the ingredients to some spell. Like some difficult lesson to learn. He feels the smoke of shadow in his heart, bitter, quick--
Sand take him. It was one thing to contemplate trusting the priest in his own heart, but to have it forced on him like this. . .
"The Path is not straight, nor is it soft." Mission echoes the mage's words hollowly. He looks at Cadfael, then Sa'id. "When we met Anileth last, Cadfael fled. You've somehow reached the conclusion that Anileth will be disabled during her childbirth-- although the reasoning is lost on me, since by reason she shouldn't be alive at all, so how can we know what she is capable of? Rennick nearly chopped her foot off, and it healed over before he blinked. Who can say that she will not heal as quickly from giving birth to Promise? And remember, she didn't need to even lift a finger to send the lot of you scurrying for the woods."
Mission unclenches his fists. His tatoos are glowing grimly in the darkness, like veins lighted from within. Like the blood within him is fire. Blood and stone. "You presume too much, _mage_."
Then he sinks back from Sa'id. "I will let Cadfael go down the tunnel alone. I have the priest's oath. He will return with my son." He nods at Cadfael. "You remember, Cadfael? You will return with my boy so that you can kill me."
"Now. Let's get out of these tunnels so that you can have that chance."
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
Not all of us went scurrying, Farron thinks to himself. But never mind. He is done expecting even a modicum of respect from the single-minded monk with his contempt for everyone, most probably even himself. Or even the others around whom this whole terrible enterprise seems to revolve.
He suddenly feels exhausted. The lack of food, the soreness telling him he is not fully healed, and the need to rest all seem to come crashing down on him. How did he get in with this lot? He'd almost believe the gods were trying to teach him something, but that would imply he would live past tomorrow. And in the darkness of the tunnel that seemed a hope he could find no rational reason to entertain.
Done with his study, he lays a hand on Sa'id's shoulder in the dark and says quietly, "I'm ready. We can camp wherever we decide."
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
Can I get a short recap of the plan? I will write up the next turn today if I can get it.
From: Dan
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
I think we're planning on sneaking through the crowd of zombies and up to the surface. At which point we're going to try and find whatever Cadfael was talking about. When we get there, if it's as safe as he seems to be convinced it is Farron will cast his spell and we'll hide in the hut. We may also be invisible for the journey, depending on what Raja does.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
That sounds right. I'm looking for the hidden code in Dan's message, something along the lines of, "My character's led them all into your trap, O Lizardly Master of Eternity! Feast on their souls at your liegelike leisure!"
:)
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
I believe that the plan is to sneak up the mountain -- Cadfael claims to know where to go -- and camp using Farron's Tiny Hut spell to keep us safe. Then in the morning, Cadfael goes down the secret tunnel at noon and we create a diversion at the main entrance.
That last bit may be subject to change if stuff happens through the night, I suppose, but the camping bit is the plan to this point from what I understand.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
That's how I understood it. What about the invisibility?
I guess I didn't mention that Garyth is cool with this plan, but he is.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
No can do, not until tomorrow. I only had one instance of the spell memorized.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
Do you have an open slot you could use to memorize it? (Not that we necessarily want to take another 15 min for you to do that.)
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
No, I always fill my slots each day. I memorize as much as I possibly can.
And tonight, that will be fire, fire, fire. :-D
From: Matt
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
Rennik is cool with the plan to move up the mountain.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Muddling through...
Apologies to those (including myself) who will get this twice.
I will be incommunicado for the next two or three days while I drive 1,800 kilometres back home to Nova Scotia with my family.
Sorry for the inconvenience. Matt or perhaps Erik could handle Elotai; as for Sa'id, Ty, Dan, or Karl can cover for me provided we don't get to the point where I need to submit a spell list.
Talk to you guys in a few days.
Raja