Back to the Temple; Magic Horses
Subject: Re: Out from the door where it began...
Sitting at a table beside Sa'id, studying, the peace Farron felt in the Sunmaster's circle continued. It was like he was back in college, a good friend at his side, probing the realms of arcane power -- the closest he had ever been to what he thought of as heaven. He knew their peace was an island in the eye of a hurricane, but that only barely lessened his enjoyment of that peace.
Surreptitiously, he kept stealing glances at Sa'id, wondering what he was working on so seriously. He was amazed earlier when his friend burned several pages of his notes, something Farron would have thought Sa'id would die to protect. "What we learn is one of the few things we really ever have", Sa'id had once told him. That had stuck with him for years. He wondered what Sa'id had learned that had led him to destroy something formerly precious to him. Before that, he would have said that he knew Sa'id better than he knew anyone. But as much as Farron was glad to have Sa'id by his side in this, the whole of the past several weeks had only served to show him how little he really knew him -- and therefore how little he knew anyone.
But he didn't want to pursue that train of thought. He wanted the peace to last as long as it would. And besides this study time had proved to be one of the most productive he'd ever had. He was putting the finishing touches on two new spells he had discovered and was almost itching to try them out. Granted one of them was just a more potent version of a spell he already knew - the power to summon creatures from another realm -- but it would, theoretically at least, allow him access to creatures of greater power, or perhaps larger numbers of the creatures he already knew he could summon. The other spell, one he was most proud of, was one he may not have even tried had he not been along on this journey. He knew the party had been watched at various times, probably from the moment they first met Elise at the farm in Overlook. Since then arcane powers had been bent all over the island as the demon and his minions spied on the people of Overlook and Nesalin (and probably each other). Though he could not pinpoint the times exactly that the power had been used, he knew it had, and had been working on correlating times the party must have been scried on with times in his diary when he felt the most paranoid and exposed. Try as he might, he couldn't quite discover how actual scrying was being done, especially over such vast distances, but he did think he could tap into a version of that power to extend his own sight at least into another room, and around corners. He would try this spell tonight before sleep, if he didn't have occasion to make use of it before then.
"We leave in 15 minutes"
Farron turns to Sa'id and without a word, they both close their books and go to assist the Sunmaster. The man seemed more frail this morning, his bones creaking and groaning as he got out of bed and dressed. But even so he made little complaint. Old men should not have to carry such burdens, Farron thought. They should spend their days in libraries, and by the fireside, not traipsing through the jungle with god knows what on their heels, or more likely waiting in their path.
As the group prepares to leave, Farron turns to the Sunmaster. "Sir, may I summon a mount for you to ride? It will allow us to go faster, and be less taxing on you, I believe. At least until we get to the edge of the jungle?"
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Out from the door where it began...
OOC: Great turn, Karl. I'm ready to go.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Out from the door where it began...
OOC: I'm also ready to go.
From: Ty
Subject: Back to the temple; magic horses
The group stands outside Gully's in the early dawn light, the soldiers warily eying the forests around them, and Rennik quietly discussing routes with Garyth. Gully moves around the group, pressing the last of his hard rolls into their hands, and promising that he and Manut will be fine since he plans to follow the boy over to Kalama territory as soon as they leave.
Farron offers again to summon Fellus a mount, and the old man looks like he is getting ready to be indignant, then suddenly smiles and lowers his head. "You are right, of course. Pride tells me that I can walk to the demon on my own two feet, but of course, that would only slow the rest of you down. Thank you, Farron. I would appreciate the mount very much." Farron quickly conjures it up, and he and Sa'id help the Sunmaster get seated.
Rennik and Garyth appear to finish their conference, and Rennik heads off into the brush without a word, the wolf at his heels. Garyth whistles to his men, "Flank Farron, Sa'id, and the Sunmaster, and keep your eyes on the forest around you."
Osred organizes the men, and adds his own encouragement for them. "If the Sunmaster gets so much a sliver because one of you wasn't paying attention, I promise that man will regret it." His thick scabbed hands, and scarred face are all the threat he needs.
Once Rennik has moved about fifty feed ahead, Garyth leads the main group into the brush behind him. Bartok lets the group get another fifty feet in before he follows.
Rennik, having seen Farron put the old cleric on a mount, sets a punishing pace through the forest. By the time the mid day break comes, the wizards help Fellus off his mount, and then collapse. The Sunmaster himself is so saddle sore he can only lay on the ground with his eyes tightly shut. Garyth is telling his men, "Ten minutes. Eat fast boys." When he sees Fellus and the wizards, he asks with concern, "We are only stopping for ten minutes. Will you be able to continue?"
Fellus nods emphatically, not opening his eyes. "We will, Captain. We are not tired. We are merely conserving our dread powers for the battles to come." He then opens his eyes and winks at Garyth.
The group does not stop until nightfall, when the forest is as black as a cave. Rennik finds them a decent camp site with a trickle of running water. Garyth has his men set up the tents quickly, and the Sunmaster is sleeping soundly inside his tent within ten minutes of stopping. He claims not to be hungry, and doesn't take any of the cold beef and bread the rest of the men eat. After Garyth sends two men off to patrol, Rennik pulls everyone else into a circle. "We are taking a more direct route to the tunnel entrance this time, so we should be there by tomorrow. My worry is that they will have either collapsed the tunnels to prevent their use, or that they will have added additional defenses there. If that is the case, we could go overland, but I am doubtful we can bring the old man through the jungle safely. In any event, we will have to decide that when the time comes. The real question in my mind is how we get into the temple. The demon's creatures will have surely blocked the passage Cadfael used. They are now aware of its existence. The main entrance has no doors, but would undoubtedly bring all of the demon's remaining troops down on us. Any other ideas?"
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Back to the temple; magic horses
"I have climbed the mountain several times but no nothing of this temple you speak of. I have always climbed the mountain from the other side and am not familiar with this side. I am sure I can get us to where you want to go safely, but I will need someone to tell me where we need to go. I am sorry."
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Back to the temple; magic horses
OOC: Remember, there was a shaft leading directly into the demon's chamber from the mountain's face last time we came to the temple. It was designed to allow light into the oratory, but that may be our entrance this go-round.
It is exhilirating carrying the holy symbol. And frightening. This is what the Kaishin was meant to do, sweep the Path with blood, renewing it, strengthening it. Promise's coming was already changing things for Pensive, and wasn't the holy symbol proof of that? When he is alone, Pensive cups the figure in his hands, and brings it close to his face. It smells of grass and earth, and a sweet breeze seems to surround it, tickling Pensive's nose.
Ancestor of the Elves, my ancestor whom I never knew. It is hard to think the words, to acknowledge the...pain. Pain, that's what this was, and jubilation. Pain, because where had this ancestor been all his life? Where was its protection, its love, when he'd been with the Gnomes? Where was it when he, alone of all the acolytes to walk the Path, could not light the fires on Grace days because he didn't have an ancestor to call his own? I was born from Bannock's Ire, baptised in snow and wind, and now this Elven thing has come to me, and it is what I wanted and feared more than anything. My Ancestor, my people!
His people. How were the Elves his people? Elvira and Overlook were more precious to him than the ruins of Aleandell.
I have been alone my whole life, my Ancestor. Forgive me, that I am a poor host.
He whispers to the holy symbol, telling it of his life, and inhaling the continual breeze from the figurine.