Session 83: Questions of Mortality: Animaesus and Tarrasques
General Summary
It is 2am, and Birdman has snuck with ease into the overtly alert Keep of the Beast. The moot, the city awake at time when many are asleep--the people are on edge. They are making the beginning stages for evacuation, for leaving a life they have always known. This life, though, is one of squalor, of blood, of viscous fluids and moral tests no one person should have to face on a dialy basis. This City of Salt is a City of Sin, and the people know it, but they rarely do anything about it. He needs to try to commune with the beast, but his essence, his connection is not innate, and to make that bold bond, he must have more of a catalyst. He must drink more of the spinal fluid of the beast, or he must go within it, where he must find an organ, a nerve--some other means to connect to the beast. However, he notices all the carrion birds around him, vultures, ravens, crows, blood hawks, etc; the shadows of these birds play in the morning light as they move and fly. In these shadows, the Change-maker, Jacq, his vestige through the Kenku imagery and shadow of the beast's control, and Birdman takes a wild idea. He goes over to one of these birds, a giant raven, apprarently, and when he speaks to it, it tilts its head and waits for more to understand Birdman's intent. Birdman asks for answers, and the raven turns as if to ask Birdman to go for a ride. He does, and he leaves the City of Salt, traveling for some hours, nearing the end of the day.
The raven is attacked as a large block form snaps large jaws too close to its head. The raven dodges, but in that maneuver, Birdman falls from the giant raven, and he falls into the water. The large form fishes him out of the water, and Birdman is surprised to be saved by Baarong, The Terror of the Marsh, the ancient black dragon he met weeks before when he was last with Eros. Baarong lays the wood elf on the riverbed, and Birdman begins to ask where and how. Baarong has been curious of the quakes and shakes of the city. Birdman then notices that the dragon has an injury in his shoulder, and Birdman is able to pull out a spine. Baarong apparently got too close to the beast, under the waters of the city, and it lashed out, and it flung spines toward Baarong. The beast is getting cantankerous, and it is not as asleep as originally thought.
Birdman then has to debate. Does he bring the dragon into the story? Does he allow him to know the truth of the beast? Baarong is informed, and he seems to know of Jacq, and the ancient beliefs of his changes, his beasts.
Early in the day, about nine or so, Pio and Amu meet to discuss there plans for the water purification issues. They agree to come together, for other lords are taking control of much.
Faurwiin sets plans to meet with Killian so he, Tenebris, and Faurwiin can help the wolfkin with his final investigations into the sewers that the 9th House has procured from the fall of the drow, former 12th House. In preparation for this adventure, Faurwiin creates his final son, Maedhros, and Eember and Boccob shine through the creation afterward. Boccob warns through this son, that in order for Faurwiin to gain control of the tower, he must sacrifice something.
As he tries to start to reason what this sacrifice will be, Eember, the tower, informs him that Mel has arrived. Graciously, he goes down below, and they talk. Mel wants his help to attack her enemies, and to control the fall of the city. She wants one of them to go after the 9th House--Xantha is a great threat--and one to go after the 4th House, for they are a weak link. She wants, she knows, she could lead the Undercity, the real city, after the beast rises, after the others evacuate. And, well, those who do not remain, they will rise and join her undead ranks as part of the new Undercity. They first must work together, Faurwiin and Mel, to ensure water and resources are plentiful enough for those within the city, so they can actually have enough to leave the City of Salt in time. They agree, after this venture, they will work together to slay Xantha, one of the true evils of this City of Sin.
Faurwiin agrees to scry upon Birdman for Mel, and she is surprised to find him out of the city after his speech from the night before. Her magic and connection to the dark and fate of the City of Salt allows them to talk across great distances. He needs help, Mel knows, but Birdman refuses the aid.
We find Tenebris who has made is way to the Tarrasque, and he attempts to commune with the ancient beast, but he is only able to find a connection tenuously with its mind. The beasts goals are simple: freedom, and to find and chase the Sun, so it can eat the bright star.
Faurwiin is soon met by a gathering of 6th, 7th, and followers of Clam. They have in mass, more than 30, with lion mounts and powerful weaponry and focus. Duordein, the Binder Lord of the 6th House, rises to the gates, and thankfully Faurwiin meets them in person with Tenebris and his Seven Sons, with the Seven Dragons looming over and leering at the animaesus creatures gathered. There is something off, and Duordein seems to be the deciding voice on whether or not the Animaesus attack the 11th House Tower, the Wizard Tower of Faurwiin. All the Melin, the badgerman, wants to know is that Faurwiin will indeed follow through with his promise to help the city. Promises are shared, but will actions of truth follow?
We come back to Amu, and the druid has made his way with Pio to water district that the 13th House used to control. It is about 10 am. The come to members of the 9th House, [Vear and his closest compatriots, Mel with her horde of nulls, and the 1st House leadership, Dirp, pressing in towards them all. Amu and Pio step forward, and attempt to quell the obstruction, the 9th House and others, Lasi and a duo of lupin--they being the focus of the contention, so Pio and Vear confer with Amu, and soon the threat of others, and then especially the presentation of Amu's druidic powers that are able to create water from the world about Amu. Pio and Amu then talk as well, separately, and Pio agrees to fly outside the city, changed into the form of a hawk my Amu's natural powers, and he will go stop there other moustelin friends from bringing an army to the city.
Amu then changes into a bug, as to not be seen by any other eyes, and he travels to the ancient tree; he will do an 8 hour ritual of plant growth to encourage the trees strength to stay: he has a feeling they will need to quick escape. He will be done as the sun goes down, closer to 6 pm.
It is nearing the evening, and Birdman as flown through the skies for many hours astride the black terror known as Baarong. After some time, trying to get his bearings, having lost the raven who would show him the way to the ancient sites of Jacq, the Change-Maker, they find a camp, a large one, for fey, centaur, animaesus--mostly cats, wolves, and lizards. It is a joyous place, and with that, the dragon backs away. Baarong knows when a small army is not in his favor. There are many centaur who stomp their hooves closer, many who join the night party.
Birdman attempts to get closer, for among them, there is a armored warrior, a bronze scaled paladin, who is joined by an odd, small creature, one burgeoned from pure light. The creature of light seems to notice him, and it teleports right next to Birdman, where introductions and shock follow. Once Birdman fully joins the party, he and this entity, a celestial of sorts named Pocket, discuss the goals and the fats at play. This creature Pocket seems to know a lot about the workings and play of all these actions, of Birdman, of the Shadow of the Beast, of the Syth, the elves of darkness within the City of Salt. With this knowledge, Birdman tries to understand the implications of this fate, of this celestial, of his circumstances, and how he is being changed to be seen as some prophetic symbol, this Shadow of the Beast. They attempt to bring the paladin along, but he would have suffocated within Birdman's briefcase like Pocket had suggested.
Thus, Birdman teleports back with Pocket, to find the Syth, the death of the false Shadow of the Beast, and a means to keep the city from spiraling into full war. The beast will rise, but will the City of Salt stills stand?
Killian, Lord Gravitas, Tenebris, and Caranthir and Celegorm, sons of Faurwiin, have come to the old sewers, cisterns, and wells of the ancient lands and the City of Salt. They will face a laboratory of sorts, and the smell of rot, blood, and iron fills the tunnels and caverns around them. They are not alone, for other voices echo from the gloom, and the breath of the beast from above, from the city above, still shakes the stone walls around them.
The raven is attacked as a large block form snaps large jaws too close to its head. The raven dodges, but in that maneuver, Birdman falls from the giant raven, and he falls into the water. The large form fishes him out of the water, and Birdman is surprised to be saved by Baarong, The Terror of the Marsh, the ancient black dragon he met weeks before when he was last with Eros. Baarong lays the wood elf on the riverbed, and Birdman begins to ask where and how. Baarong has been curious of the quakes and shakes of the city. Birdman then notices that the dragon has an injury in his shoulder, and Birdman is able to pull out a spine. Baarong apparently got too close to the beast, under the waters of the city, and it lashed out, and it flung spines toward Baarong. The beast is getting cantankerous, and it is not as asleep as originally thought.
Birdman then has to debate. Does he bring the dragon into the story? Does he allow him to know the truth of the beast? Baarong is informed, and he seems to know of Jacq, and the ancient beliefs of his changes, his beasts.
Early in the day, about nine or so, Pio and Amu meet to discuss there plans for the water purification issues. They agree to come together, for other lords are taking control of much.
Faurwiin sets plans to meet with Killian so he, Tenebris, and Faurwiin can help the wolfkin with his final investigations into the sewers that the 9th House has procured from the fall of the drow, former 12th House. In preparation for this adventure, Faurwiin creates his final son, Maedhros, and Eember and Boccob shine through the creation afterward. Boccob warns through this son, that in order for Faurwiin to gain control of the tower, he must sacrifice something.
As he tries to start to reason what this sacrifice will be, Eember, the tower, informs him that Mel has arrived. Graciously, he goes down below, and they talk. Mel wants his help to attack her enemies, and to control the fall of the city. She wants one of them to go after the 9th House--Xantha is a great threat--and one to go after the 4th House, for they are a weak link. She wants, she knows, she could lead the Undercity, the real city, after the beast rises, after the others evacuate. And, well, those who do not remain, they will rise and join her undead ranks as part of the new Undercity. They first must work together, Faurwiin and Mel, to ensure water and resources are plentiful enough for those within the city, so they can actually have enough to leave the City of Salt in time. They agree, after this venture, they will work together to slay Xantha, one of the true evils of this City of Sin.
Faurwiin agrees to scry upon Birdman for Mel, and she is surprised to find him out of the city after his speech from the night before. Her magic and connection to the dark and fate of the City of Salt allows them to talk across great distances. He needs help, Mel knows, but Birdman refuses the aid.
We find Tenebris who has made is way to the Tarrasque, and he attempts to commune with the ancient beast, but he is only able to find a connection tenuously with its mind. The beasts goals are simple: freedom, and to find and chase the Sun, so it can eat the bright star.
Faurwiin is soon met by a gathering of 6th, 7th, and followers of Clam. They have in mass, more than 30, with lion mounts and powerful weaponry and focus. Duordein, the Binder Lord of the 6th House, rises to the gates, and thankfully Faurwiin meets them in person with Tenebris and his Seven Sons, with the Seven Dragons looming over and leering at the animaesus creatures gathered. There is something off, and Duordein seems to be the deciding voice on whether or not the Animaesus attack the 11th House Tower, the Wizard Tower of Faurwiin. All the Melin, the badgerman, wants to know is that Faurwiin will indeed follow through with his promise to help the city. Promises are shared, but will actions of truth follow?
We come back to Amu, and the druid has made his way with Pio to water district that the 13th House used to control. It is about 10 am. The come to members of the 9th House, [Vear and his closest compatriots, Mel with her horde of nulls, and the 1st House leadership, Dirp, pressing in towards them all. Amu and Pio step forward, and attempt to quell the obstruction, the 9th House and others, Lasi and a duo of lupin--they being the focus of the contention, so Pio and Vear confer with Amu, and soon the threat of others, and then especially the presentation of Amu's druidic powers that are able to create water from the world about Amu. Pio and Amu then talk as well, separately, and Pio agrees to fly outside the city, changed into the form of a hawk my Amu's natural powers, and he will go stop there other moustelin friends from bringing an army to the city.
Amu then changes into a bug, as to not be seen by any other eyes, and he travels to the ancient tree; he will do an 8 hour ritual of plant growth to encourage the trees strength to stay: he has a feeling they will need to quick escape. He will be done as the sun goes down, closer to 6 pm.
It is nearing the evening, and Birdman as flown through the skies for many hours astride the black terror known as Baarong. After some time, trying to get his bearings, having lost the raven who would show him the way to the ancient sites of Jacq, the Change-Maker, they find a camp, a large one, for fey, centaur, animaesus--mostly cats, wolves, and lizards. It is a joyous place, and with that, the dragon backs away. Baarong knows when a small army is not in his favor. There are many centaur who stomp their hooves closer, many who join the night party.
Birdman attempts to get closer, for among them, there is a armored warrior, a bronze scaled paladin, who is joined by an odd, small creature, one burgeoned from pure light. The creature of light seems to notice him, and it teleports right next to Birdman, where introductions and shock follow. Once Birdman fully joins the party, he and this entity, a celestial of sorts named Pocket, discuss the goals and the fats at play. This creature Pocket seems to know a lot about the workings and play of all these actions, of Birdman, of the Shadow of the Beast, of the Syth, the elves of darkness within the City of Salt. With this knowledge, Birdman tries to understand the implications of this fate, of this celestial, of his circumstances, and how he is being changed to be seen as some prophetic symbol, this Shadow of the Beast. They attempt to bring the paladin along, but he would have suffocated within Birdman's briefcase like Pocket had suggested.
Thus, Birdman teleports back with Pocket, to find the Syth, the death of the false Shadow of the Beast, and a means to keep the city from spiraling into full war. The beast will rise, but will the City of Salt stills stand?
Killian, Lord Gravitas, Tenebris, and Caranthir and Celegorm, sons of Faurwiin, have come to the old sewers, cisterns, and wells of the ancient lands and the City of Salt. They will face a laboratory of sorts, and the smell of rot, blood, and iron fills the tunnels and caverns around them. They are not alone, for other voices echo from the gloom, and the breath of the beast from above, from the city above, still shakes the stone walls around them.
Report Date
09 Nov 2024
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