[Taocow PBEM] [Vesper, Oz and Miles] Book 3 - Chapter XIII - The Millennium Druids

[Aaron Clausen]

>> [GM]
>> Two druids, looking an impossible combination of pleasant and
>> suspicious, suggest that the Blind Warrior Women be taken to the same
>> place the "girl" creature is being held.
>>
>> "She is your prisoner, of course." one of them says. "But there are
>> few places here to securely hold prisoners."
>>
>> The Sergeant turns to Oz. "Sir, if I may, I'd like to question her as
>> soon as possible.
>>
>> As the Sergeant speaks to Oz, it's the first time the rest of the
>> company notices the injured Blind Warrior Woman. Her kind is known by
>> almost all as the Splugorth Slavers' chief servants and warriors.
>> [/GM]

> [Oz]
> Oz nods at the sergeant. "Agreed, sergeant. We'll question her as soon
> as she's secured."
> [/Oz]

[GM]
"Looks like you've got yer dinner, Sir." the Sergeant says with a
smile. "I can start the questioning, if you like Sir, an' you join me
when you can."

The Sergeant does not look to have any cruel intentions, but Oz can
tell he's a battle hardened man who has faced this woman's kind
before.
[/GM]

>>> [Alex]
>>> Alex gets an um kind of look, "Whenever I wore a dress it was made by my
>>> mother. Can tell you my uniform and boot size if that would help?"
>>> [/Alex]

>>> [Vesper]
>>> "That would be perfect." He smiled.
>>> Once she gave him the sizes he said, "I shall be right back."
>>> He will then sense for safe rifts leading away from the tree. Asking
>>> some of the people at the tree where any portals
>>> in it may lead.
>>> [/Vesper]

>> [GM]
>> "There are no portals as such here." one of the Druids replies. "There
>> is the nexus, which does flair into a rift fairly regularly."
>> [/GM]

>> [Jacek the Borg]
>> Not exactly the soul of tact, Jacek turns his inhuman cybernetic eyes
>> on Alex and Vesper.
>>
>> "How does the odd American expression go?" he says in his metallic
>> Eastern European voice. "Ah yes, a room you two should get."
>> [/Jacek the Borg]

>> [Louissa]
>> Louissa is beaming. "It's so sweet!" she says. "I hope I'm Maid of Honor!"
>> [/Louissa]

>> [Thodin the Dwarf]
>> Thodin seems embarrassed by the whole display. He turns to Miles and
>> says "Are humans always this... er... open in their affections?"
>> [/Thodin the Dwarf]

>> [GM]
>> As the company discusses strategies, locations of dimensional portals
>> and other things, another Druid enters the tent.
>>
>> "The feast of celebration and sadness is ready." the Druid says. "The
>> Council asks that, when you are ready, that I lead you to the feast."
>> [/GM]

> [Vesper]
> Vesper nods to the Druid.
> "I shall create a small portal and be back to a place of relative safety."
> "I should not be too long."
> Vesper creates a small rift personal for him and his familiars to a city
> back home in the federation of magic territories.
> He will bring one of the staffs for purposes of trade.
> [/Vesper]

[GM]
The Druid nods. "It is your choice. A place will be set for you."
[/GM]

> [Alex]
> While waiting for Vesper to come back, Alex will look through teh gear,
> selecting some grenades, some additional e-clips, and a blind warrior woman
> armor.
> [/Alex]

[GM]
As Alex is going through the Splugorth equipment, she finds a long,
sword-shape object largely coated in mud. When she scrapes the mud
off, she is amazed to see bio-wizard Dragonfire sword glinting before.
[/GM]

OOC 1: Any other special requests for Atlantean equipment will be
considered here. Everyone has worked darned hard, and on top of likely
experience level hikes, I think some good loot is in order...
Especially considering what I've got planned ;-)

OOC 2: Okay, assuming everyone but Vesper is heading up to the feast,
we'll push on...

[GM]
The company are lead up to several flights of wide stairs to a set of
intricately carved wooden doors. The symbols, for those that know
something of England, are vaguely Celtic. There is no gold or silver
inlaid into the carved lines, but cunning use of amber gives the doors
an almost liquid look. They are things of great beauty, and there is
some sadness to see that the Splugorth attack has marred one of the
doors; there are burns on the bottom half. The doors themselves, even
damaged, remain intact, which suggests they are made of stronger stuff
than ordinary wood.

The doors swing open to reveal a long hall, perhaps two hundred feet
long and half that wide, with a ceiling fifty feet high. The room is
lit brightly by some sort of torches that give off a bluish-white
light. A long table that looks, impossibly, to be one vast piece of
wood, stretches much of the distance of the room.

There is a large gathering, at least a hundred people, is already
there. Many are Druids, half human, half D-Bees of a dozen different
races. The other half are other residents of the tree; adventurers,
warriors, scholars, and the like. At the very end are seven Druids in
plain robes, looking relatively non-descript, save there seems a faint
yet discernible aura about them. Even those who are not sensitive to
psychic or mystical powers feel somehow that these people are
inherently and innately powerful. At the very head of the table is a
seventh Druid, an old man with a long flowing beard and piercing, and
oddly shining eyes. He rises, and when he does, the rest of the
gathered assembly rises. The company is met by applause.

A druid comes up to them. "A place had been prepared for you all." He
leads the company towards the far end, by the powerful Druids.

Once seated, they are witness wondrous feast; though it is entirely
vegetarian. Delicious vegetables, salads with sauces that make the
eyes water with the taste. There is singing and much chatter. The
company is treated like great warriors who have saved a kingdom. The
wine flows freely and all feel their cares and woes fall away from
them. For some, this is the first real rest in months.

The old Druid at the head of the table, with his strange shining eyes,
sits quietly for a while. The company notices that the more wine he
drinks, the more there seems to be an odd shine coming from him.

Finally he turns to the company. "It is my understanding that one
among you suffers a grave illness, and that you are all north bound to
seek out its cure. When they time comes, we will discuss this further,
but I wonder, will you be taking custody of that girl-thing that sits
in a prison below the tree? And tell me, what is your relationship to
that thing."

The old man looks to Ted. "And you will have to tell me what your
relationship to the Splugorth is." he says, with a laugh.
[/GM]


-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com