[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter XIV

[Aaron Clausen]

>>> [Ted]
>>> Ted nods grimly. "Thank you for all you have done for us so far, Master
>>> Druid," he states.
>>> [/Ted]

>> [GM]
>> The head of the council nods and smiles, perhaps sadly. "I see a great
>> fate wrapped around you and your friends. You go with our blessing, and
>> with what help we can offer. We shall send word to those of our order
>> throughout the Isles, and if you can find them in Tree, stream or
>> cavern, they shall offer you aid."
>> [/GM]

>>> [Alex]
>>> The red haired ranger does smile a lot at Vesper. Been quite a while
>>> since she had a romance.
>>>
>>> "In the Coalition, we were suppose to avoid all magic as being the
>>> work of evil. As such, never seen an airship although heard a bit
>>> about them. A bit nervous about them as a result."
>>> [/Alex]

>> [Jacek the Borg]
>> "It is not so different where I come from." the borg says. "The New
>> German Republic has little love of casters of spells and the like. And
>> yet I spent a decade serving a man who used those forces to keep his
>> people safe."
>> [/Jacek the Borg]

>> [GM]
>> "Then good luck to you all." the chief of the council says. "If all goes
>> well, you should be back here in a few days to pick up the girl-thing.
>> If you do not return, we will hold her as long as we can, though her
>> imprisonment is... taxing."
>> [/GM]

> [Alex]
> Mister, if you think that you have trouble imprisoning her, we have even
> more problems," the ranger responds. "Being on that chiefly had to keep
> her under control, I understand your problem more than most. I am not
> however a practitioner in any way of mystic arts.
> [/Alex]

> [Vesper]
> "I have some spells that might help you in controlling and containing her
> though her power is considerable."
>
> "If one of you has the ability to create scrolls or talismans I would be
> happy to place some spells in them to help you out." Vesper says to one
> of the Druids.
>
> He stands next to Alex.
> [/Vesper]

> [Alex]
> The red headed ranger smiles back and squeezes his hand.
> [/Alex]

> Alex ooc: One way to contain the creature might be the temporal spell of
> suspended animation

[GM]
"Perhaps upon your return." One of the druids says. "Between the cold
iron, whatever powers Alex can bring to bear and your spells, a cage
can be built that will prove inescapable. For now, I suspect Captain
von Schellburg wishes to be on his way."

Von Schellburg nods. "Ya, I wish to be there and back in a few days.
No more, and zen I must return to my base to plan for our defence
should ze Splugorth come to pay us a visit."
[/GM]

> [Anne]
> Anne speaks up "My people would have no difficulties at all restraining
> just about anything, but they're a very long distance away. And we'd
> probably put her in psychotherapy rather than permanent incarceration."
> [/Anne]

[GM]
"Such creatures are born of evil and chaos, and seldom desire reform."
the chief druid replies. "Perhaps, if all is accomplished, this
creature could be delivered into the care off your people, and we
would pray, no matter how slim the hope, for its reform. But for now,
be on your way, and if the gods have any power left in these dark
times, may they shield you."

Captain von Schellburg interjects, "If see is nothing else, gather
your belongings. One of my crew will fetch you in an hour."

The adventurers are led back to their quarters. When they arrive, the
elf druid Taelaen is chatting happily with some of Oz's soldiers. On
the table are several items, all appear to be made of leaves.

"The Tree has given you gifts!" she says. "They are blankets of
healing, which can heal and serve as some protection. You must be well
loved by the Tree, for never before have I seen it give so many at
once."

The adventurers note that each leaf has a name on it; Alex, Louissa,
Vesper, Osmar, Anne and Ted. There are also leaves for Oz's soldiers;
both New Camelot and mercenaries.

There is time to pack any belongings and take a few minutes to collect
thoughts before one of von Schellburg's comes to collect them. He's an
odd looking fellow with greyish skin, four arms and a nose add least
three inches wider. He is wearing an aviator's hat with two holes cut
in the top for long grey furred ears. In an odd, thick accent he says
"Dar Daptain wishes you do board dar ship now. Follows me."

The crewman/thing/person leads them up several flights of stairs to a
part of the Tree they have not visited before. Here one of the
leylines that makes up the nexus point lies above a wide platform.
Hovering in the air, atop the ley line, is a three masted sailing ship
[OOC: see attached image for what the vessel looks like]. Emblazoned
on its hull is the name "Teufelshörnchen".
[/GM]

[Jacek the Borg]
Jacek laughs out loud, but says nothing else.
[/Jacek the Borg]

[GM]
Captain von Schellburg can be seen on deck barking orders in Euro. It
seems most of his crew must come from the Continent, since they answer
back in the same language.

"Erlaubnis an Bord zu kommen, Captain!" the crewman leading the company shouts.

Von Schellburg looks down and sees the entire company, including Oz's
military unit, gathered below. "Ya ya!" he shouts. "Let us hope zis is
a short trip, or ve vill be eating der rats und your fluffy ears
before it's done. Show zem zer quarters. We're loaded and vill be
underway within a few minutes."

The crewman leads the entire company up a long gangway and on to the
ley line ship. The feeling onboard is not unlike being on an ocean
vessel, but neither is it quite the same. There is an audible hum from
the ley line itself, and everyone's hair seems to stand on end.

The adventurers are each lead to quarters; three per room. The
soldiers and mercs have to bed down in the hold among casks of wine
and ale, and bags of grain, potatoes and other vegetables.

The crewman instructs the company that they may come on deck if they
wish, though they would have to stay out of the way. With that, he
salutes and heads back on deck.

Any members of the party below barely notice the vessel start moving
at all. Its acceleration is incredibly smooth. For those that go
above, the sight is stunning. The Millennium Tree slips away, and the
ship moves out over the snowy ground far below. Above the winter sun
has broken through the clouds, basking thee land in light. A white
mist is rising off the river in the distance, and perhaps for the
first time the company can see the full beauty of these enchanted
isles. For a brief while, at least, thoughts of war are put aside.

Within an hour, the Tree is out of sight, and below them is a vast
forest. Here and there a small homestead surrounded by fields and, as
a reminder of the dangers, a wall of earth, concrete or metal and
whatever else can be scavenged is built up for protection.

The sun is sinking low in the sky, about to pass behind a distant line
of low mountains, when another river comes into view. On both sides of
it is, for this part of the world, a large town. There are perhaps
sixty or seventy buildings, evenly divided between both sides of the
river, and surrounded by a large wall. At the very center of the town
is an old church, with the a flag with a lion and a cow on it. The ley
line passes just to the north of it, along a series of docks on the
river.

One of the crew tells the party "Zis is the River Wye, und the town is
Belmont Abbey. Ve shall spend the night here, so if you wish, you can
spend it at one of ze inns, or aboard the ship. Ve shall leave shortly
after dawn tomorrow."
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com
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