Griznuq Gaming

D&D Campaigns => Threshold => In Character Discussions => Topic started by: Wildfire on July 25, 2006, 01:20:46 PM

Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 25, 2006, 01:20:46 PM
On the way to Ashe's house Laren got lost in his own thoughts. He reviewed all the events of the past weeks trying to digest the gigantic meal he had been served. It was nearly overwhelming. The only way out was through.

Much to his surprise he found himself at the door. Above his head the sign that read "Ashe's Herbs" was creaking slightly in the mountain breeze. The lantern lights escaping the windows were fairly dim and Laren could see Ashe through the distorted glass panes.

He seemed to be washing the blood from the cloth used in healing Kit. Laren could see that many of the cloths were hanging by the fire and the room was in disarray. Laren noticed that Ashe was analyzing the backs of his hands.

Kit was lying face down on the bed in complete upheaval. The blister had swelled even more since he had last seen it and had even started to split a little. Kit's face was in constant contortion trying to deal with the pain of it all.

The early morning birds began to sing their sweet melodies and for a split second Laren actually felt at ease.
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 31, 2006, 02:42:20 PM
Ashe could see that Laren was intent on getting answers. He wasn't going to leave unless he was reasonably satisfied. "I don't know the answer to that Laren. I can only guess." Ashe talked as he thought of possibilites of the outcome. "That crystal contains a great deal of power all driven by greed. Destroying it could either destroy the greed or release it into the world. I can only hope that my little brother will see his way to destroying what nearly consumed him. Will it destroy what's around it? Perhaps. But that's no less than what will happen if it falls into the wrong hands."
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 31, 2006, 02:11:19 PM
Laren continued to wait for a reply as he climbed up onto a stool. He swung his legs a little to pass the time.
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 31, 2006, 02:06:50 PM
Ashe said nothing but simply smirked and raised an eyebrow at the mirth and optimism of the Halflings question.
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 31, 2006, 02:01:25 PM
Laren nodded. "Of course, I understand the uncertainties." Laren shrugged. "Well, anyway what's the worst that could happen?"
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 31, 2006, 01:37:19 PM
"A chance? Yes." Ashe said knowing it would offer some, if any, relief to Laren. He followed with "A promise?....No. I would like to give you more than that, believe me, but I can't. Instead of seeing your dreams as a curse though, try embracing it as a gift. They may one day save your life."
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 31, 2006, 12:56:57 PM
Laren noted an ominous tone in Ashe's voice.

"So, you mean..." Laren started. His eyes went from Kit to Ashe. "There's a chance we'll..." The thought of finishing the sentence brought a lump to his throat. He forced the lump away and continuted.

"...a chance we'll .. be... Rid of this damned curse?" His eyes lit up at the thought! Ashe's reaction to that thought was not exactly what Laren had expected.
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 31, 2006, 12:38:20 PM
Ashe looked at Laren and sighed. He then answered, "I wish I knew..."
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 30, 2006, 12:40:48 PM
Laren sighed. "Why is nothing ever just easy. Why isn't anything like, 'just throw it in the fire' or 'just crush it beneath your boot'?" He shook his head looking at the floor.

As he gaze raised again, it stopped on Kit. "Ashe... What happens to those of us connected to this thing?"
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 26, 2006, 07:54:03 PM
Ashe stopped babbling in his bizarre speech and looked at Laren with tears welling up in his searching eyes. "I'm loathe to the solution. Part of why I didn't destroy it before."

Laren could see that Ashe was in mental anguish.

Ashe stared squarely at Laren with forceful look. He tooka deep breath seeming to find his resolve. "The Eye was kept in Kulryk Wood to the north under the boughs of the Vallenwood in the center..the resting place of my brother. In order to release the spirit in the crystal it must be returned to him. The Eye must be put into the heart of the great tree. The tree will die...but so will the crystal."
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 26, 2006, 07:31:36 PM
That wasn't quite the reaction that Laren had expected, though it was the one for which he was hoping.

"How do we do that?" he asked, not sure that he wanted to hear the answer.
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 26, 2006, 07:21:39 PM
Ashe stared into the fire for a few minutes in dead silence. He seemed to not even breath. He removed his tea bob from his mug and took a sip. "MMM...this is so very good."

He continued to stare into the flames, lost in old and tired memories. His silence seemed to be deafening to Laren's anxious ears. An occasional pop from the fire was the only noise that broke the tense absolutism.

With a sigh Ashe said, "All that time it was kept safe...away from the world. It was more than just a thing to me. I wanted the crystal to remain after my brother had gone so that a piece of him, however twisted, remained. Ultimately, it was my greed that caused the recent pain...not my dear brothers."

Ashe stood up and paced in front of the hearth. "It's time for me to let go, Laren. The Eye of Portence must be destroyed." Ashe's hands began to shake and twitch. He closed his eyes and spoke in what was babbles to Laren's ears.
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 26, 2006, 02:01:16 PM
"The eye..." he repeated. "Yeah, about that thing... Would... Destroying it be a good idea?"

Laren watched Ashe intently waiting for the answer.
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 26, 2006, 12:58:49 PM
[color=green:896e2b955c]OOPS! Nope...you're not wrong.

Well, in light of that I would invite Maccabeus and Wolf to join the thread. If you care to make any edits to reflect this I would say to go ahead. Sorry for the oversight.[/color]
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 26, 2006, 12:55:04 PM
"How's she doing...". Ashe repeated the words. They hung in the air with great weight. "For what she's gone through she's doing remarkably well. As for what's to come...who knows. The Eye really got into her head. I suspect it hasn't left yet either."

Ashe pulled two ceramic mugs from atop the mantle of the hearth and filled them with steaming water. He dunked the two tea boxes into the water and handed one to Laren.

"Watch it...it's hot. Let that sit for a little bit so it can steep."

The tea had both an earthy and fruity aroma. It was an odd sort of mild scent that Laren had almost forgotten. Ashe sensed that Laren was here for more than tea but figured that the Halfling's conversation would soon reveal it. Sometimes it was best to let things happen on there own. A lesson he was sharply reminded of this night.
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Johan on July 26, 2006, 12:46:02 PM
[color=green:84408f4890]I beg to differ. Yes, you do have that note, but that is after Maccabeus had left, not before he was summoned. Well, actually, it is before he was summoned by Vallenwood, but Jarmok had summoned him there the night before and Maccabeus babysat Kit for the night.

Dray's very first post on that page of that thread states that it is now 11:00 am.

Take a closer look and tell me if I'm wrong.[/color]
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 26, 2006, 12:39:55 PM
[color=green:ec5abbbbe7]If you look at page 12 of Kit's Life about the fourth post down I injected a note saying when this thread occurs during that epidode.
Maccabeus has not yet been summoned.[/color]
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Johan on July 26, 2006, 12:36:23 PM
[color=green:694c58434e]OK. Thanks. Take note that Maccabeus and Wolf are still there at this point, and in fact, as noted in Kit's Life, Ashe is still asleep at 5:00 am.

How do we want to proceed?[/color]
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 26, 2006, 12:33:08 PM
[color=green:f797c249be]This is probably about 4:30-5:00am before we head off to rivercliff.[/color]
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Johan on July 26, 2006, 12:25:28 PM
[color=green:12439c55a0]Sorry to intrude folks. I'm trying to assess the exact timing of this thread...I think that there's a disconnect:

It clearly begins on Duthash Dracum Fehy [14 May][/color]  [color=red:12439c55a0]as noted here.[/color] (http://www.griznuq.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=731&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=165)

[color=green:12439c55a0]However, a few posts before it is noted that the time is now 11:00 am. At 11:00 am on Duthash Dracum Fehy the gang is already pretty close the River Cliff Keep.

If we were to back up and cause this to occur earlier, then Maccabeus might still be present, since he was at Ashe's until 8:00 am.

The log for Session 13: Return to River Cliff Keep starts in "the morning". Exactly what time isn't listed so there's a bit of room, but my sense was that session 13 started earlier than 8:00, since it is a half-day's journey to RCK and they would want an early start.

Help, please.[/color]
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 26, 2006, 11:36:29 AM
"Ah, to be honest, I've never really had much tea. I'll trust your judgement."

Laren's attention again fell on kit. "So uh, how's she doing?"
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 26, 2006, 11:21:34 AM
Ashe smirked and said, "Your grandfather had excellent taste then."

Ashe turned and started to walk to his kitchen saying "That is a delicate tea imported from Sargonnas..." his voice lessened a bit as he turned the corner and went out of sight,  "...far to the north from here. It's a tropical sort of place you know."

Laren could see a score of wet rags hanging around the fire and Kit lying on the bed in her distressed state. The room smelled a bit like washing soap and lavender. The work table was covered in jars and mixing bowls. The place was in fantastic diarray. Except for the floor. The floor was still clean from the blood and mess. Laren did a better job mopping it than he may have thought.

Ashe came from back around the corner holding a small leather pouch and two metal filters and continued, "But to answer your question, yes I do have some. Is there any particular sort of way you like it prepared?"
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 26, 2006, 11:00:43 AM
Laren had never liked tea in the past, but for some reason he found the idea more than appealing. "Why yes, I would love a cup of tea. My grandfather used to drink tea a lot..." he was struggling to remember the kind. "It was imported, I think. Stonefruit tea, that's what it was! Do you have any of that?"
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 26, 2006, 10:57:33 AM
Ashe looked at Laren with profound curiosity. He had seen the look of someone that had just discovered the answer to a vexing question.

"You seem to have stumbled upon something, yes? Oh, would you like some tea or some other drink?"
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 26, 2006, 10:44:44 AM
"Sorry to bother... again... Fact is that I was sleeping, but the bed in which I found myself was home to many pests." Laren scracted the bug bites on the side of his face.

"Ashe," he started. "Out of... mere curiousity... I see how these, what was it? Psi crystals? ... are made. Why would anyone want to make one? I see no advantage to these things... This blasted eye," Laren unconsiously patted the pouch at his side, "has brought nothing but pain to anyone. Why woul... Oh," he said as the though sunk in. "They want it for that purpose, don't they?"

The sheer malice with which some people acted never ceased to amaze the halfling. Perhaps he was a bit to naive.
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Wildfire on July 26, 2006, 10:35:24 AM
Ashe approached the door. His footsteps sounded heavy. Usually Ashe was silent as the grave when he walked.

The door opend and Ashe said, "You're back. This is unexpected. I figured with the exhaustion painted on your face when you left you'd be sleeping like the dead! Please, come on in." Ashe stepped aside and swung his arm out as if to sweep the way for Laren's entrance.
Title: Seeking Solace
Post by: Griznuq on July 26, 2006, 09:52:43 AM
Laren's momentary comfort was chased quickly away by the sight of Kit. Ugh, what a disaster... and here I am feeling sorry for myself...

For a moment Laren was ashamed. That too went away when he reminded himself that just because someone else had worse problems didn't mean that his own weren't important. He even tried to justify that though by reminding himself that he told her not to touch the crystal.

The halfling shook his head for the umpteenth time since returning to Threshold. That damned crystal. Everything came down to that damned crystal. Why would anyone want this thing? All it does is make things complicated and inconvenient. It'd be better off destroyed.

Like a thunder bolt rumbling through a peaceful valley, the idea slammed into Laren's head. He gasped audibly at the revalation. He had to destroy the eye. He knew in the pit of his belly that he had to do this.

After a moment or two, the little fellow realized that Ashe had stopped what he was doing and was simply watching the thoughts boil across Laren's unarmored face.

Knowing what he had to do made him feel like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Now he just had to figure out how to do it.

He stood up straight and managed a convincing smile. He motioned to Ashe to make sure the door was unlocked this time.