Elfquest #3

[GM Mad]

Elfquest #3

The elves have arrived at Karn’s Keep. There, Sharadin’s daughters revealed the Archmage’s idea to get them to the Sylvan Realm. A magic item call the Crown of the Stars has the ability to make sailing ships fly! Sharadin had been experimenting with the Crown using a flat-bottomed river barge. The general idea seems to be to rotate usage of the Crown around the groups’ mages so that they can travel around the clock.

Placing the Crown of Stars on her head, Terry gives them a demonstration of its power. Kylie's mouth falls agape as she watches. "That's incredible!" she says. "How far away does it work? For example, could Sharadin conceivably carry us all the way to the Sylvan Realm while staying here himself?"

“We haven’t determined just how far away you can be from what you’re controlling,” one of the twins answers.

“Although, if I were to guess, line of sight is most probable.”

“I wouldn’t want to be on board a ship being controlled by someone who couldn’t see it!”

“My only concern would be that if we are attacked while in mid air. How well those who will be using the crown be able to handle the barge under that type of pressure, as it would be new to them.”

“The Crown only requires a minimal concentration once in action.”

“No more than you would need to use a fly spell.”

“So, the wearer could walk around, talk to others, or eat.”

“They cannot, however, cast spells while wearing the crown.”

After a moments thought Sherwood wills say to Sherry & Terry, “Uncle mentioned that Karn had a library of maps. Did he have any maps showing the northwest portion of this continent?”

“Yes, he did.”


The twins will then lead the group back into the keep through the concealed tunnel in the basement. You’re escorted higher up into the keep and arrive at what was used as a large meeting area. A large table dominates the middle of the chamber and numerous maps line the walls.

“I believe this one is what you’re looking for.”

The map in question depicts the entirety of the continent of Brun. Cynalon and the former Keln Lands are to the southeast. To the west are the enlightened lands of Zakhara, while some place called Norwold lies to the north. Vassa seems to dominate the middle of the continent.

“Anything else we can help you with?”


GM Notes:

Use the Arret map in the public map section to see the lay out of the continent. To locate the approximate location of the Sylvan Realm, locate the “Z” in Zakhara and follow it due north. The Sylvan Realms lie between the ocean and the mountains up in that area.

Now what?

[Laucian]

Laucian

“Not at all. We’ll need to have lookouts to keep their eyes peeled for trouble. Being airborne opens up to the possibility of being attacked from any direction. If we fly the majority of the day and night, we’ll need to be on guard all the time. You’ll also have to keep your eyes open for places for us to land.”

“Hopefully we will be able to give everyone fare warning of any danger before it strikes.“ Looking at the barge a thought comes to him, “Above and the horizon should be simple enough to watch; Its keeping watch from below that concerns me."


The twins soon bring us up from the lake to the keep. Upon walking into the room it quickly becomes apparent as maps line the walls. Laucian walks about the room looking at the various maps when the twins find the map they are looking for.

Approaching the table he begins to look at the map getting a general idea of the landscape. If he is able he will make mental notes of any landmarks the map has to offer.

“Nothing that comes to mind. Though I am curious if you have any archery ranges or places to practice while the others see what the mage guild has to offer?"

[Nariya]

Nariya:

Sherwood reveals they will be spending a couple more days here. The thought doesn't really please Nariya until she realises that will give her time to get more familiar with Laucian.

Seeing all the maps laying about, Nariya will spend some time reviewing them as well. Maps can be inaccurate, but it will at least give Nariya a little more information before arriving. Still, until she's walked the land, she doesn't take any map as absolute truth.

“Nothing that comes to mind. Though I am curious if you have any archery ranges or places to practice while the others see what the mage guild has to offer?"

Hearing Laucian voice the question, Nariya approaches him, "It seems we will have time after all to get working on our signals and gestures. We could also spend some time together in practice as well, if you would like. If we are going to be responsible for the majority of the work involved in keeping the mages safe, we should be in top form."

[Laucian]

Laucian



While waiting for the twins to answer Nariya quickly gets his attention.

Hearing Laucian voice the question, Nariya approaches him, "It seems we will have time after all to get working on our signals and gestures. We could also spend some time together in practice as well, if you would like. If we are going to be responsible for the majority of the work involved in keeping the mages safe, we should be in top form."

“It would seems so. Considering we will be here for a time let’s stow are gear and find a quiet place, in the open away from this confining place and see what we can put together. (courtyard or maybe where the barge is stored)” he says with an easy smile.

“I would like to practice with you. It is always good to learn more of those you are working with.” he smiles at her last comment and retorts. “Mages do seem to find themselves get into some trouble, Chareos, for as brave and smart as he was, always managed to find himself in a predicament.”

[Kylie]

Kylie:

“We haven’t determined just how far away you can be from what you’re controlling,” one of the twins answers.

“Although, if I were to guess, line of sight is most probable.”

“I wouldn’t want to be on board a ship being controlled by someone who couldn’t see it!”

"I wouldn't either," Kylie assures them. "I was just curious about the possibilities."

“Zynara there is one fortunate individual. She was early in her pregnancy when she was accidentally caught up in the effects of a Haste spell. The magic ages those under its influence by a year, so she came to full term in a matter of seconds. Somehow she survived this ordeal and when it was over her son was 5 months old. Mystra was clearly looking out for her that day.”

Kylie is astounded by this tale. "That must have been a very difficult delivery. It's incredible that she survived."

“Alternating users of the Crown is a logical way to proceed. However, I suspect that we’ll need to land before switching over. It seems to me that if the Crown is removed, then the magical energy moving the ship is removed as well. I’d just assume risk not crashing in that manner.”

“Where we are going is going to be dangerous be it day or night. As Kylie noted, if we fly high enough we should avoid casual notice. However we will have to land at some point as I outlined above. We could even take a path that follows the mountain ranges in that general direction rather than just fly there in a straight line.”

Kylie nods as she listens to their mentor. "I hadn't considered the need to land to exchange the Crown. If we land at each exchange, then we may want to have our scouts stock up on food and water at those times as needed. Admittedly, following the mountain ranges as much as possible is a good idea."

“There’s really nothing to debate here, Lia. My task is to get you to the Sylvan Realm. This option will get us there the fastest and safest way. However, we will have to wait a few days before departing. I would want each of us who are going to use the Crown to be familiar with controlling the barge before we depart. We’ll also need to collect supplies for the trip.”

Though she's concerned abou the delay, Kylie is actually glad that they will have some opportunity to practice flying the barge.

Kylie follows the twins to where the maps are kept. From what she can tell, there appears to be quite a collection. She wonders just how extensive the collection is; could they even have maps of the hidden valley they so recently visited? Something to explore another time.

Sherry and Terry provide a map of the continent on which they live. Kylie gives a low whistle as she has never seen such a thing and hadn't realized that it was quite so vast.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that there are mountains across the entire distance, regardless of route. It looks like we could follow the mountains north to this area marked Norwold and then west, but that seems like it would mean travelling over the heart of Vassa with no mountains to hide in. Perhaps a better option would be flying west over Hule and Zakhara, then north along the mountains?"

Kylie looks at the map a bit more. "By the way, do you know anything about this big lake in the middle here?" she asks, pointing at the lake in the center of the continent.

[Lia]

Lia

“So, the wearer could walk around, talk to others, or eat.”

“They cannot, however, cast spells while wearing the crown.”


“Well, that’s comforting to a point.” she says with a grin.

Upon reaching the Map room Lia’s eyes go wide at all the maps on the walls and tables. ‘There must be hundreds!” she says with amazement. She looks at the map that is indeed the one that Sharadin and Sherwood discussed. Never would she have believed that the world was as big as it is, even on paper it looks huge!!!!

After the scouts poor over the map Lia will do so, hopefully she can locate her beloved Lost Valley and begin to figure out just how far that they traveled.

Kylie nods as she listens to their mentor. "I hadn't considered the need to land to exchange the Crown. If we land at each exchange, then we may want to have our scouts stock up on food and water at those times as needed. Admittedly, following the mountain ranges as much as possible is a good idea."

“It may be prudent for us to just bring extra dry rations, then rely on foraging for food. We do not know what food sources there or how plentiful they may be.” she chimes in. “just in case.”

[Sherwood]

Sherwood:

"I was not debating anything cousin, More so just expressing not to take and plan to much in advance, because things could change and all these discussions of apples and nuts as it were are for not."

“I can assure you, Lia, that I never do finalize a plan until I have all the facts in hand. Situations tend to change rapidly and one must adapt on the move.”

"My only concern would be that if we are attacked while in mid air. How well those who will be using the crown be able to handle the barge under that type of pressure, as it would be new to them."

“Another reason to practice using the Crown before we attempt our journey. If it is as easy to use as our cousins suggest, then this might be a moot point.”

"What would you wish the wearer to do? Land or hold position and fight back the attackers or flee? One thing is for certain if any attack is sprung upon us the wearer of the crown should be protected at all costs."

“And you’re the one who didn’t want to have any finalized plans? Depends on the situation and the threat it poses. If the ship can move fast enough, we may be able to outrun a threat, or we might have to go closer to the ground or higher into the air. Impossible to say for sure without knowing what you are facing.”

“Hopefully we will be able to give everyone fare warning of any danger before it strikes.“ Looking at the barge a thought comes to him, “Above and the horizon should be simple enough to watch; its keeping watch from below that concerns me."

“While in flight the only real source of danger might come from ahead of us. If we’ve passed something, then they are not likely to be able to catch up with us. But it would still be prudent to keep an eye to the rear.”

Kylie nods as she listens to their mentor. "I hadn't considered the need to land to exchange the Crown. If we land at each exchange, then we may want to have our scouts stock up on food and water at those times as needed. Admittedly, following the mountain ranges as much as possible is a good idea."

"Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that there are mountains across the entire distance, regardless of route. It looks like we could follow the mountains north to this area marked Norwold and then west, but that seems like it would mean traveling over the heart of Vassa with no mountains to hide in. Perhaps a better option would be flying west over Hule and Zakhara, then north along the mountains?"

“I concur”, Sherwood will say to Kylie about the best course to take to reach the Sylvan Lands. The path north is too dangerous in my opinion. We’d have to pass over barbarian lands before even reaching this Norwold, which we know almost nothing about. After that we’d need to pass over the heart of Vaasa.”

“Traveling west and then north seems the most prudent. Hule is mostly a desert occupied by nomads. They were once united and did pose a threat, but that was dealt with centuries ago. I think we’ll have little problems there.”

“We’ve had trade with Zakhara for many centuries now, but they are not what I would call an ally. Depending on the lay of the land, we might be able to turn to a more northwestern course once pass Hule. We’ll have to see what we find.”

“It may be prudent for us to just bring extra dry rations, then rely on foraging for food. We do not know what food sources there or how plentiful they may be.” she chimes in. “just in case.”

“We’ll be taking as much food as prudent with us,” Sherwood states. “This can be supplemented with foraging when possible. Gathering what we’ll need with take a few days anyway.”

Kylie looks at the map a bit more. "By the way, do you know anything about this big lake in the middle here?" she asks, pointing at the lake in the center of the continent.

Sherwood takes a look at the map. It’s labeled in Alphatian, but he can understand it. “They call it Lake Sember. Apart from that, you know as much about it as I do. It does look quite large.”

Sherwood will practice using the Crown first and then pass on what he figures out to Kylie and Lilia.

[Valena Feador]

Valena:

Valena just tags along with the others as they arrive in this giant keep and are shown just how they plan to reach the Sylvan Realm. She doesn’t quite understand how this Crown works, but has the gist of it.

“Excuse me, does this Crown only work for Mages? It seems to me that we priests can use spells too. Does it work for priests?”


Later on, Laucian and Nariya suggest some targeting practice to alleviate the boredom.

“Nothing that comes to mind. Though I am curious if you have any archery ranges or places to practice while the others see what the mage guild has to offer?"

“I’d be interested in that,” Valena chimes in. “That is, if you don’t mind.”

[Talen]

Talen:

Talen watches the barge fly in wide-eyed wonder. “That’s amazing! Who does it work?”

Talk then turns to passing the Crown around the groups spell casters to propel the ship.

“Uhm, Sherwood, I have some magical training myself,” Talen says with a hopefull look on his face. “Certainly not as powerful as yourself, or Kylie and Lilia, but I can know some spells. Perhaps I can help too?”

[Kylie]

Kylie:

“It may be prudent for us to just bring extra dry rations, then rely on foraging for food. We do not know what food sources there or how plentiful they may be.” she chimes in. “just in case.”

“We’ll be taking as much food as prudent with us,” Sherwood states. “This can be supplemented with foraging when possible. Gathering what we’ll need with take a few days anyway.”

"I pretty much expected that to be the case. But fresh is just so much nicer when you can get it."

“Uhm, Sherwood, I have some magical training myself,” Talen says with a hopefull look on his face. “Certainly not as powerful as yourself, or Kylie and Lilia, but I can know some spells. Perhaps I can help too?”

Kylie wasn't aware that Talen had magical training; apparently that slipped by her. "It probably wouldn't hurt to have as many people trained in flying the barge as possible. You never know when people are going to get hurt." Kylie has no idea whether priestly magic will work with the Crown, so she leaves Valena's question for others to answer.

“And you’re the one who didn’t want to have any finalized plans? Depends on the situation and the threat it poses. If the ship can move fast enough, we may be able to outrun a threat, or we might have to go closer to the ground or higher into the air. Impossible to say for sure without knowing what you are facing.”

"Didn't Sherry, or Terry, say that the speed was dependent on the power and skill of the wielder? Thus, we'd have the best chance of outrunning an attacker while you're using the Crown. Also, I believe Lilia has surpassed me by a bit, so she might be a better choice for secondary pilot than myself, though I would like to give it a try at least once."

Kylie nods as Sherwood responds to her remarks on a route. "That might save a little time. I don't really know anything about the terrain out there, or where the borders lie. If we can stay outside of Vassa, I would think that would be in our best interest.

Sherwood takes a look at the map. It’s labeled in Alphatian, but he can understand it. “They call it Lake Sember. Apart from that, you know as much about it as I do. It does look quite large.”

Kylie is actually surprised by this admission, but doesn't say so. She has gotten so used to Sherwood seeming to know something - and often a lot - about everything, that this catches her off-guard. "Have you ever travelled in Vassa or Zakhara, or been near the Sylvan Realms before?"

Kylie has some interest in practicing her archery with the others, but even more in flying the barge and learning about the Lord Sharadin's Mage Guild.

After Sherwood has practiced and learned what he can of the Crown, Kylie will gladly take her turn either before or after Lilia.

[GM Mad]

Post Continued:

The elves continue their visit to Karn's Keep...

"Nothing that comes to mind. Though I am curious if you have any archery ranges or places to practice while the others see what the mage guild has to offer?"

"There's certainly more than enough room inside the keep to set a range up for your use," one of the twins suggests.

"I would suggest the storage area on the third level," the other twin offers.

"Yes, I agree."

The area in question is part of a very large storage area and there's a long corridor that runs off of it. The main storage area itself is a massive 90' wide by 150' long. The corridor is 300' long! Targets can be set up and the area sees little pedestrian traffic.


The group studies maps in the large meeting room. Nariya and Laucian review them to get some idea on the lay of the land. The twins will note that they are all at least 75 years old, so they might not be completely accurate.

After the scouts poor over the map Lia will do so, hopefully she can locate her beloved Lost Valley and begin to figure out just how far that they traveled.

Lia does find a map that would have the Lost Valley on it, but nothing is indicated on the map. It’s just an unlabeled valley. Her rough estimate would place her current location about 465 miles to the southwest of the Lost Valley.

"Excuse me, does this Crown only work for Mages? It seems to me that we priests can use spells too. Does it work for priests?"

The twins will look at each other momentarily surprised by that notion.

"Its never been tested using a priest."

"Would you care to try it?"


Quarters are arranged for the group and you begin to settle in. They are on the second floor of the keep and each room is a massive 30' wide and 60' long. Curtains have been set up allowing each of you some measure of privacy in these huge, multi-guest chambers. Each guest area can be curtained off from the rest.

Testing flying with the barge is a simple as the twins make it out to be. A few moments after you don the Crown, you can begin to control the barge. It does not require total concentration to perform this task it seems no more difficult that walking. Strangely enough, the barge seems to remain level while in use, suggesting that it is a side affect of the crown to maintain stability. The user can direct the barge to go up, down, and forward. Turning is possible, but this is done in a wide arc.

The Crown of the Stars does work for priests! It drains their spells just like it does a mage and functions just the same. (This means that Nariya is the only one here who cannot make use of the Crown.)

Another side effect that you notice is that once in flight the atmosphere around the barge becomes very comfortable in spite of the cold of being up in the mountains and at high elevations.

The speed does indeed vary depending on who is using the Crown. With Sherwood using the Crown, the barge flies nearly one and half times faster than when you rode the Phantom Steeds on level terrain. Best guess would make it that Corunglain could be reached in 2 days with only Sherwood using the Crown.

[GM Mad]

Lord Sharadin does finally arrive later that day and will apologize for his tardiness. Keeping up with the new King is taking much of his time these days.

Those who are interested will be shown the Mage Guild. Sharadin allows all who are interested in joining to do so at no cost thanks to what they've done to help the Kingdom these last few weeks. The ground floor of the mage towers was used as a common area and living areas for apprentices in the past.

The second floor is a massive library with reading areas. Many types of books are found. A sheer 70% of the books are written in the Alphatian language. Twenty percent of the remaining books are in other known languages; Cynalonian, Elvish, and Dwarvish primarily. The rest of the books are in rarer tongues.

The subjects of the books range from poetry, minor construction, myths and legends and strange lands the most of you have never heard of. A series of volumes details the land of Celestia. Another deals with the Island of Everwinter. Books can be read in the library, but you need permission to remove one. Part of Guild Membership includes donating any books and spellbooks to help improve the guild.

A large amount of texts deal with magical spell casting and spell research, but none are magical in themselves.

The pride of the library was a series of spellbooks that contained all the spells for levels 1-7 in the Players Handbook. By now, most of the mages present here have come across these spells before, but it does give you an opportunity to try and learn a spell that you failed to learn before.

Two towers continue up from the library. Apparently these were the living quarters for a male mage and a sorceress in the past. (Much of Argent’s clothing and magic items came from this sorceress in the Sword of Doom game.)

The next level up in the male tower is a plush reception area. There are more books and scrolls up here to peruse. Topics include ocean life, Jennite culture, the outer planes, philosophy, recipes, and the nature of other cultures in the world.

The next level is a massive mage laboratory filled with just anything a spell caster could need to do research. Zynara spends much time here working on new magicks. The mages personal quarters fills the uppermost level.

The females tower has only two levels. The next floor up from the library is split into two sections. One part is a smaller lab and the other a reception area. Her quarters occupies the top level.

[GM Mad]

GM Notes:

There's a map for Karn's Keep now in the private area. Here's where some of the locations mentioned in the post are:

The proposed archery range is area #4 on the level 3 map and the long corridor is the one that runs towards #6.

The room with all the maps is #15 on level 2. The quarters provided are #12 & #13 on this same level.

The mage areas are already noted on the map.

There is a strong military presence here at the Keep. It is normal to see soldiers in the common areas.

What kind of supplies do you wish to take on your journey?

Now what?

[Laucian]

Laucian

“I’d be interested in that,” Valena chimes in. “That is, if you don’t mind.”

Laucian looks to Nariya for a moment reading her reaction then says, “I wouldn’t mind. After seeing you use a bow I wonder if I could pick up a thing or two from you.”

twins wrote

"There's certainly more than enough room inside the keep to set a range up for your use," one of the twins suggests.

"I would suggest the storage area on the third level," the other twin offers.

"Yes, I agree."

“I guess this will do.” with some resent in his voice, Upon seeing the said corridor It must be at least 300‘ Long!! , “Hard to compensate for wind when there is none present though.” he says with a shrug.

Going about the business at hand Laucian goes about setting various targets at different ranges for any of those in attendance.

The group studies maps in the large meeting room. Nariya and Laucian review them to get some idea on the lay of the land. The twins will note that they are all at least 75 years old, so they might not be completely accurate.

As Laucian and Nariya look over the maps the twins chime in and let it be known that the maps are fairly old and out of date. In fact they are Almost as old as he is!!! He looks up at the twins with dismay in his eyes , “ I have never seen a map that was a perfect match to the land,’ running his finger across the map and spotting several Mountain ranges and waterways. “Least these wouldn’t have changed for the most part. Even if the water dried up we should be able to distinguish the river bed.” he surmises.

Valena wrote:

"Excuse me, does this Crown only work for Mages? It seems to me that we priests can use spells too. Does it work for priests?"



The twins will look at each other momentarily surprised by that notion.

"Its never been tested using a priest."

"Would you care to try it?"

Laucian notes the surprise on the Twins faces and awaits their answer in anticipation Apparently it was never tried by a priest. Upon seeing Valena try on the crown, Laucian watches the barge with curiosity only to see the barge raise up has it had done before!! It does work for Priests!!
Laucian watches and then says to Sherwood after some thought, “If it is okay with you I would like to refrain from using the crown or limit my use of it. As much of a marvel this Crown of Stars is, I do not believe Ehlonna’s blessings should be used so freely in such a way.”

After being shown where they will be sleeping Laucian stows his gear, placing the at the foot of the cot/bed. The room is very large and curtains hang from the ceiling effectively giving some privacy. Before Long Laucian can be found staring out the window at the scenery beyond.

Supplies: Thinking Nuts, raisins maybe 2 weeks dry rations. Though could be bought down because of Substance ring

[Kylie]

Kylie:

The hallway suggested for archery practice sounds fine to Kylie, if she can find the time. She isn't quite sure why Laucian is complaining about it, but she's only really known him a little while.

It is amazing just how easy it is to fly the barge! Kylie takes a little time with it, making sure to test the limits of her control, and the speed and maneuverability of the vessel. Of course, she cannot make it move as fast as Sherwood, but she gets a respectable speed out of it.

Valena tries the Crown, and it does indeed work for her. This is good news, as it gives them even more people with the capability to fly them if the need arises.

When Lord Sharadin arrives, Kylie listens as he tells them about the Mage Guild. "Thank you," she replies, when he invites them to join free of charge. "That's quite an honor." The library is impressive; disappointingly, most of the books are in languages she is unable to comprehend. "Alphatian, Lord Sharadin? Do that many people still know Alphatian?" A thought occurs to her. "Is there someone who can teach it to members of the Guild?"

The towers are fascinating. These two mages lived here next to each other, but were apparently unwilling to share a laboratory or reception area. Not very social, apparently.
______________________________
When time allows, Kylie will try to learn the following spells: 1st - Detect Undead; 2nd - Fog Cloud; 3rd - Hold Person, Illusionary Script;

Other than stocking up on arrows, warm clothes/sleeping gear and non-perishable food, there is nothing special Kylie plans on taking.

[Lilia]

Lilia:

There is so much of interest at the Keep that the Elf Maiden doesn’t know where to begin. She’ll spend at least one session at the impromptu archery range. She hasn’t used her Manabow much since it was given to her and wants to become comfortable with the weapon.

Learning how to maneuver the barge is important for the trip ahead, so time is allotted to this task until Lilia becomes comfortable with using the Crown. She notes that the atmosphere on the barge becomes warmer and comfortable. At least they won’t freeze on their way to the Sylvan Realm.

What really captures her attention is the massive mage library! The laboratories beyond are nice as well. Small wonder Argent didn’t want to leave here! The spell books are quite impressive as well and only become more impressive when the Opikus’ books are added to the mix. Learning new spells will be as simple as returning here when ready.

When Lord Sharadin arrives, Kylie listens as he tells them about the Mage Guild. "Thank you," she replies, when he invites them to join free of charge. "That's quite an honor." The library is impressive; disappointingly, most of the books are in languages she is unable to comprehend. "Alphatian, Lord Sharadin? Do that many people still know Alphatian?" A thought occurs to her. "Is there someone who can teach it to members of the Guild?"

“Yes, this is indeed a great honor,” Lilia adds bowing to Lord Sharadin. “I am in your debt.”

Lilia’s eyebrows arch as Kylie speaks of Alphatia. “I am surprised that you do not know Alphatian. Alphatia is the Empire of Magic far to the east. It is the language of mages and most common to spell casters. I am well versed in it, as I am sure are most other mages here. I can teach it to you during our journey to the Sylvan Realm.”


The supply list that the others have come up with seems suitable. Lilia has nothing to add and can be found in the library most often.

[Lia]

Lia

Sherwood wrote
“And you’re the one who didn’t want to have any finalized plans? Depends on the situation and the threat it poses. If the ship can move fast enough, we may be able to outrun a threat, or we might have to go closer to the ground or higher into the air. Impossible to say for sure without knowing what you are facing.”

Smiling sheepishly she answers back, “Nightmist always taught me to be mindful of what may come. I understand, that situations change as do the plans that go with them though a basic understand of what may happen never does hurt.”

“

Traveling west and then north seems the most prudent. Hule is mostly a desert occupied by nomads. They were once united and did pose a threat, but that was dealt with centuries ago. I think we’ll have little problems there.”

“If we are going to be traveling over a desert should we not bring several wineskins or barrels of water with us as well?”

When it comes to the use of the Barge Lia will ask to limit her use of operating it, “I agree with Laucian. If I am needed to use the Crown of Stars then I would like to do so perhaps a half shift? as not to heal our healing abilities."

Lia does find a map that would have the Lost Valley on it, but nothing is indicated on the map. It’s just an unlabeled valley. Her rough estimate would place her current location about 465 miles to the southwest of the Lost Valley.

Lia looks up from the map at Sherwood and the others. “No wonder you were not prepared for what you have seen. There is no mention of our Lost Valley at all.”

Upon seeing her Uncle she smiles and gives him a hug. “Good to see you well Uncle, Though you look gravely tired. Hopefully the new King has not been asking to much of you?”

The soon go to the mage Guild which Lia is unsure of if she will be allowed to enter. “ I know it is odd to ask such a request but have there ever been a non mage allowed to join the mage-guild?” she asks hopefully. “My clergy is granted some measure of arcane arts though not as widely as a mage. If you would care for a demonstration I could show you.”

After the tour Lia approaches Sharadin and asks, “ Sherri and Terri showed us a map of the world in your absence. Never in my dreams have I imagined that such a world existed on such a scale. Though I noticed the valley from which me and my brother came was left unmarked for almost 75 years. I think it is merely by chance that Sherwood and the others found us.”

“I wanted to thank you for allowing us to stay here for the time being. And I was hoping that maybe we could spend some time getting to know each other, that is if you have the time. There are many questions I wish to ask you of yourself, our family, and things I have not yet fully understand.”


Lia will take sometime at the Archery range to fire a few bolts with her crossbow. She will also ask Nariya and Laucian, “What sort of signals were you thinking of using? I would like to help with the design if you find it suitable to do so.”

After stowing her gear Lia looks about the large stone rooms, what she wouldn’t give to be back in the Elfholds where she felt so complete and warm. It is only then she notices Laucian standing staring out the window. Figuring that the elf needs his space she leaves it be and goes about sharpening her sword.

[Kylie]

Kylie:

Kylie makes sure while practicing with the crown to spend at least one session on the barge, rather than on the ground, so as to get comfortable with the perspective. In this way, she experiences first-hand the climatic buffer that seems to exist while doing so. This cheers her greatly, as cold weather is less of a concern than she had expected.

Lilia’s eyebrows arch as Kylie speaks of Alphatia. “I am surprised that you do not know Alphatian. Alphatia is the Empire of Magic far to the east. It is the language of mages and most common to spell casters. I am well versed in it, as I am sure are most other mages here. I can teach it to you during our journey to the Sylvan Realm.”

"Ah... That's probably one of those things I should have learned from Jallarzi. It seems I wasn't really a very good student. If you would be willing to teach me the language, Lilia, I would be very grateful." Is this actual humility from Kylie? Hard to believe...

“If we are going to be traveling over a desert should we not bring several wineskins or barrels of water with us as well?”

Kylie nods. "Barrels of water are an excellent idea. As they get used, we can replenish them with rain water or other sources."

"Lord Sharadin? How long has this mage guild been in operation?" Based on the small number of spell books, she's inclined to think not very long.

Like Lilia, she will spend at least one session in the impromptu archery range. However, she's more interested in exploring the mage guild library and getting familiar with what all is there. Never hurts to improve your understanding of magic theory - or other subjects, apparently.

[Nariya]

Nariya:

Laucian looks to Nariya for a moment reading her reaction then says, “I wouldn’t mind. After seeing you use a bow I wonder if I could pick up a thing or two from you.”

Nariya looks back at Laucian before turning to Valena, "Why would we mind? Of course you can join us. We figured since many of the others would be busy learning how to use that crown, we could pass the time in other ways."

Lia will take sometime at the Archery range to fire a few bolts with her crossbow. She will also ask Nariya and Laucian, “What sort of signals were you thinking of using? I would like to help with the design if you find it suitable to do so.”

"Depends on the situation we end up facing," Nariya replies to Lia. "If it is going to be a lot of trail blazing, then Laucian would need to learn the signals I would leave since I would be working ahead and alone."

Continuing, Nariya adds, "If we don't need my skills in that area, then it would mostly be hand signals and short phrases should we encounter an enemy. Especially if the enemy might be able to understand more common languages."

Several others drop in and out of the practise session. Nariya will work with Laucian and any others that want to perfect a series of signals, words and sounds, and what they will be used for. Also she will tell Laucian what many of her trail blazing marks mean so he can understand and follow them.

As Laucian and Nariya look over the maps the twins chime in and let it be known that the maps are fairly old and out of date. In fact they are Almost as old as he is!!! He looks up at the twins with dismay in his eyes , “ I have never seen a map that was a perfect match to the land,’ running his finger across the map and spotting several Mountain ranges and waterways. “Least these wouldn’t have changed for the most part. Even if the water dried up we should be able to distinguish the river bed.” he surmises.

"Nor have I," Nariya agrees about the accuracy of maps. "These are almost going to be useless, except for maybe the major terrain features you pointed out," she says to Laucian.

After being shown where they will be sleeping Laucian stows his gear, placing the at the foot of the cot/bed. The room is very large and curtains hang from the ceiling effectively giving some privacy. Before Long Laucian can be found staring out the window at the scenery beyond.

After stowing her gear Lia looks about the large stone rooms, what she wouldn’t give to be back in the Elfholds where she felt so complete and warm. It is only then she notices Laucian standing staring out the window. Figuring that the elf needs his space she leaves it be and goes about sharpening her sword.

Nariya also notices Laucian staring out a window as she comes in to store her gear and claim a bed. Unlike Lia, Nariya walks over to Laucian and takes in the view he is gazing at without being too intrusive. After a second, she'll ask him, "Everything alright? Seems like something is on your mind. If you don't want company though, I'll leave."

[Laucian]

Laucian

"Depends on the situation we end up facing," Nariya replies to Lia. "If it is going to be a lot of trail blazing, then Laucian would need to learn the signals I would leave since I would be working ahead and alone."

“I’m fairly sure I could find you without the signals you left for me.” he says with a hint of confidence as well as a wink. “Though I must admit I haven’t worked with many pathfinders, how many yards ahead would you be?“ he asks curiously.

Continuing, Nariya adds, "If we don't need my skills in that area, then it would mostly be hand signals and short phrases should we encounter an enemy. Especially if the enemy might be able to understand more common languages."

"Nor have I," Nariya agrees about the accuracy of maps. "These are almost going to be useless, except for maybe the major terrain features you pointed out," she says to Laucian.

<“Perhaps we could use it as kindling.”> he playfully adds in elfish.

While gazing out the window with his arms crossed Nariya’s voice cuts through the silence of the serene landscape.

Nariya also notices Laucian staring out a window as she comes in to store her gear and claim a bed. Unlike Lia, Nariya walks over to Laucian and takes in the view he is gazing at without being too intrusive. After a second, she'll ask him, "Everything alright? Seems like something is on your mind. If you don't want company though, I'll leave."

Raising an eyebrow he looks over at Nariya then smiles slightly, “You don’t have to leave Nariya, your company is always welcome. I was just thinking How much I would rather be out there, regardless of the weather, then in the confines of these dismal walls.

After visiting the Elfholds and now with the prospect of seeing the Slyvian realm, our true home, I find myself ill at ease here. It will gladden my heart greatly when we leave this place behind us. I guess I’m just being nostalgic.” he says with a sheepish smile.

After a few moments he asks Nariya, “Would you care to get some air in the courtyard?”

[Nariya]

Nariya:

“I’m fairly sure I could find you without the signals you left for me.” he says with a hint of confidence as well as a wink. “Though I must admit I haven’t worked with many pathfinders, how many yards ahead would you be?“ he asks curiously.

"I'm fairly sure you could as well," Nariya replies playfully. "I really don't need more than ten yards, unless Kylie is talkative," Nariya says with a laugh. "Still, ten yards can be a lot when in an ancient forest with lots of underbrush."

<“Perhaps we could use it as kindling.”> he playfully adds in elfish.

Nariya simply laughes along with Laucian's playfulness.

Raising an eyebrow he looks over at Nariya then smiles slightly, “You don’t have to leave Nariya, your company is always welcome. I was just thinking How much I would rather be out there, regardless of the weather, then in the confines of these dismal walls.

After visiting the Elfholds and now with the prospect of seeing the Slyvian realm, our true home, I find myself ill at ease here. It will gladden my heart greatly when we leave this place behind us. I guess I’m just being nostalgic.” he says with a sheepish smile.

"I wasn't sure if my company would always be welcome," Nariya says with a mixed tone, but it quickly fades. "I too long to be out there rather than entombed in wood and stone, regardless of the height of the ceilings," saying the last, she glances up towards the ceiling made to house giants.

"I had never been in such splendor as our short trip to the Elfholds," Nariya reveals. "I hope the Sylvan realm is as wonderous, and not tainted by an occupying force."

After a few moments he asks Nariya, “Would you care to get some air in the courtyard?”

"That sounds perfect," Nariya replies, looking into Laucian's eyes for a long moment before turning to go outside.

[Kylie]

Kylie:

It occurs to Kylie that she still doesn't fully know what she found in the cave with the rocky lizards. Thus, she will spend a day on an attempt to Identify those three (?) items.

As a result, she probably won't have time to help in developing the hand signals or whatever. Hopefully the others can teach her what they've come up with once they're travelling.

[Sherwood]

Sherwood:

“Uhm, Sherwood, I have some magical training myself,” Talen says with a hopeful look on his face. “Certainly not as powerful as yourself, or Kylie and Lilia, but I can know some spells. Perhaps I can help too?”

“The more the merrier”, Sherwood states. “The more of us how can use the Crown the better off we’ll be. I am unsure just how many spells that you have in your book, but you may want to learn what you can from the Mage Guild here. The more spells you have the more versatile you’ll be in the field, Talen.”

Kylie is actually surprised by this admission, but doesn't say so. She has gotten so used to Sherwood seeming to know something - and often a lot - about everything, that this catches her off-guard. "Have you ever traveled in Vassa or Zakhara, or been near the Sylvan Realms before?"

“No, I haven’t,” Sherwood admits. “My knowledge of them comes from what my ancestors wrote about those areas and the maps they drew. There’s always some trouble here in the Kingdom that demanded my attention that has kept me from just wandering about and exploring. So from an exploration point of view, I’m really looking forward to this journey.”


The tests with the Crown are easier than Sherwood expected. The Crown itself seems to not only stabilize the barge, but provide a comfortable atmosphere around it too. It seems the wearer of the Crown does little beyond providing the push and giving a direction to fly in. Simplistic is always better.

Turns out that Priests can use the Crown as well.

Laucian watches and then says to Sherwood after some thought, “If it is okay with you I would like to refrain from using the crown or limit my use of it. As much of a marvel this Crown of Stars is, I do not believe Ehlonna’s blessings should be used so freely in such a way.”

When it comes to the use of the Barge Lia will ask to limit her use of operating it, “I agree with Laucian. If I am needed to use the Crown of Stars then I would like to do so perhaps a half shift? As not to steal our healing abilities."

“I respect your choice to refrain from using the Crown. However, I would like each of you to at least try it and become comfortable in using it. Should we be in a situation where either of you have to use it, then you’ll be prepared. From the sound of it, most likely myself, Lilia, and Kylie will be the predominate users of the Crown.”

“Making any use of the Crown drains your spells, Lia. It doesn’t matter if you wear it for ten minutes or ten hours. All your spells will be removed from using it.”

“If we are going to be traveling over a desert should we not bring several wineskins or barrels of water with us as well?”

“Yes, it would along with cookware and firewood. We’ll need a small stove for heat and to cook with on the barge. It’s not like we can build a campfire on the deck.”


While not involved in the testing of the Crown, Sherwood will be involved in the gathering of supplies. He’ll add firewood, cooking pans, and several lengths of rope to the cargo manifest.

During one of his times using the Crown, Sherwood will draw his Wand of Magic Missiles and attempt to use it. He’s trying to determine if the user of the Crown can use magic items or if the Crown inhibits that too.

At one point, Sherwood will turn up at the practice range. He’ll have used the Elf Pendent to turn into an elf and will begin practicing with his longbow. Compared to most present, he’s not particularly good at archery.

[Valena Feador]

Valena:

The twins will look at each other momentarily surprised by that notion.

"Its never been tested using a priest."

"Would you care to try it?"

Valena had the suspicion that they had not tried to use a Priest with this magic item. How typical of mages, however she is surprised that they offer it to her so easily.

“Uhm, okay I’ll give it a try.”

Valena is both surprised and pleased when the device works for her. Why should Mages have all the fun? She is happy that she tried it, but is equally happy to let the mages use it for the trip.

Nariya looks back at Laucian before turning to Valena, "Why would we mind? Of course you can join us. We figured since many of the others would be busy learning how to use that crown, we could pass the time in other ways."

“Thank you,” Valena politely answers.


Valena truly feels at home on the archery range. It feels like she spent much of her life there practicing with her chosen weapon that it has become an extension of herself. She’ll try to refrain from showing off, unless badgered into it. She’s able to fire at a more rapid rate than normal and can do some trick shots.

She’ll also try to keep aware of the signals being set up between Nariya and Laucian just in case she needs to decipher them at some point.

[Talen]

Talen:

“The more the merrier”, Sherwood states. “The more of us how can use the Crown the better off we’ll be. I am unsure just how many spells that you have in your book, but you may want to learn what you can from the Mage Guild here. The more spells you have the more versatile you’ll be in the field, Talen.”

“Thank you, cousin! I’ll do that!”

Talen is very excited to be about to help out and enjoys his time using the Crown with an almost childlike wonder. He shows the same excitement when permitted to and shown the Mage Guild here. The prospect of adding new spells is very exciting! There is some disappointment when most of the books are written in language he never heard before.

Lilia’s eyebrows arch as Kylie speaks of Alphatia. “I am surprised that you do not know Alphatian. Alphatia is the Empire of Magic far to the east. It is the language of mages and most common to spell casters. I am well versed in it, as I am sure are most other mages here. I can teach it to you during our journey to the Sylvan Realm.”

"Ah... That's probably one of those things I should have learned from Jallarzi. It seems I wasn't really a very good student. If you would be willing to teach me the language, Lilia, I would be very grateful." Is this actual humility from Kylie? Hard to believe...

“Forgive me for interrupting,” Talen says, “but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Do not feel bad, Kylie, I don’t know this language of mages either. Never even heard of it before. So, what I guess I’m saying is that, if you don’t mind, I’d like to learn this too. If I’m not intruding that is.”

As usual Talen has his hopeful and excited look on this face.

While not browsing the spell books, Talen will try to spend time with his family here at the Keep. He stops to watch the archery practice and is amazed just how good everyone else is. He’s not trained to use a regular bow, and after seeing the displays shown there, is too self-conscious to practice with his hand-crossbow.

[Lilia]

Lilia:

Lilia finds her time with the Crown to be exhilarating. She can’t help but wonder just how the elves would design a vessel that sailed through the sky instead of across the water. No doubt it would be elegant, perhaps with sweeping butterfly wings.

"Ah... That's probably one of those things I should have learned from Jallarzi. It seems I wasn't really a very good student. If you would be willing to teach me the language, Lilia, I would be very grateful." Is this actual humility from Kylie? Hard to believe...

“I’d be happy to teach you what I have learned. You’ll find that many texts of higher learning are in this particular tongue. Knowing it is very important to a studious mage.”

“Forgive me for interrupting,” Talen says, “but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Do not feel bad, Kylie, I don’t now this language of mages either. Never even heard of it before. So, what I guess I’m saying is that, if you don’t mind, I’d like to learn this too. If I’m not intruding that is.”

Lilia doesn’t know what to say at first. The young half-elf hasn’t exactly been hiding his attraction to Kylie before. The Elf Maiden is unsure just how she’ll react to this request.

“If Kylie agrees to this then, so will I”, Lilia answers diplomatically.

[Laucian]

Laucian

Sherwood wrote:

“I respect your choice to refrain from using the Crown. However, I would like each of you to at least try it and become comfortable in using it. Should we be in a situation where either of you have to use it, then you’ll be prepared. From the sound of it, most likely myself, Lilia, and Kylie will be the predominate users of the Crown.”

Laucian nods as he listens to Sherwood’s explaination, “I will do as you ask and thank you for understanding my beliefs.”

At the archery range

Laucian stands to side watching as the ladies begin their practice, seeing Valena strike a bulleye from 150 yards. Laucian makes a face that can only be read as being impressed he can’t help but wonder and that wonder turns to words before he can rethink them.
“Very nicely done, Valena. But I wonder with your speed of your movements just how accurate can you be. Could you make that shot again?” he asks curiously.

He’s not trained to use a regular bow, and after seeing the displays shown there, is too self-conscious to practice with his hand-crossbow.

Laucian takes a moment from shooting a few volleys when he sees Talen off to the side. By the looks of his features he can’t help but see the young man is hesitant, whether it be his skill or his confidence in question. After a moment he approaches the half-elf standing to his side watching the volleys fired from the others. “May I join you?” he asks and then states, ‘They are very good are they not?” as he casts a glance to the younger elf trying to read his features. “You know it wasn’t always so. I remember lessons I wasn’t even able to hit the outer rim of the target.” he says with a chuckle, “And now I can strike a bird in mid-flight.”

“Do not be afraid to try, Talen. No one here will judge you by your skill.” placing a hand on his shoulder as he leaves to shoot another volley, hoping that the young man will join them.

"I'm fairly sure you could as well," Nariya replies playfully. "I really don't need more than ten yards, unless Kylie is talkative," Nariya says with a laugh. "Still, ten yards can be a lot when in an ancient forest with lots of underbrush."

Laucian lets out a laugh as he hears Nariya’s jest. “She seems to be a talkative one though I would know little of it. We haven’t spoken much, even when we were with the Guardians for what ever reason.” is that regret you may hear.

“Especially with untold dangers laying in wait.” he says evenly.

"I wasn't sure if my company would always be welcome," Nariya says with a mixed tone, but it quickly fades. "I too long to be out there rather than entombed in wood and stone, regardless of the height of the ceilings," saying the last, she glances up towards the ceiling made to house giants.

"I had never been in such splendor as our short trip to the Elfholds," Nariya reveals. "I hope the Sylvan realm is as wondrous, and not tainted by an occupying force."

Laucian notes the uncertainty within Nariya’s voice but says nothing of it, leaving it to the wind. “And you only experienced a portion of the Elfholds beauty. It holds many wonders besides the Sky Palace of Alfheim.”

“I am sure it would dwarf the Elfholds by comparison.” he says as he looks to Nariya for a fleeting second. “If orcs or humans are involved in its occupation, I’m afraid it will be a shadow of its former self.” he says quite gloomily.

"That sounds perfect," Nariya replies, looking into Laucian's eyes for a long moment before turning to go outside.

Laucian grins in reply to her answer and looks into her blue eyed gaze until she turns and begins walking away. For a few moments he watches her walk away, appreciating the gentle sway of her hips and the sunlight glistening off her blonde hair. He catches himself staring and moves to catch up with her, If asked what kept him he will merely offer lamely, “Something got caught in my eye.”

[Kylie]

Kylie:

“The more the merrier”, Sherwood states. “The more of us how can use the Crown the better off we’ll be. I am unsure just how many spells that you have in your book, but you may want to learn what you can from the Mage Guild here. The more spells you have the more versatile you’ll be in the field, Talen.”

"...Assuming you can accurately predict in advance what spells you're going to need," Kylie adds in. "I think that's the toughest part of being a mage; having to decide what spells you want to memorize in advance. If you pick wrong, you can be entirely stymied in some situations."

“No, I haven’t,” Sherwood admits. “My knowledge of them comes from what my ancestors wrote about those areas and the maps they drew. There’s always some trouble here in the Kingdom that demanded my attention that has kept me from just wandering about and exploring. So from an exploration point of view, I’m really looking forward to this journey.”

"So it will be as new for you as for the rest of us. That's kind of refreshing, actually."

“Making any use of the Crown drains your spells, Lia. It doesn’t matter if you wear it for ten minutes or ten hours. All your spells will be removed from using it.”

This was Kylie's interpretation of what they'd been told, but it's nice to have Sherwood confirm it.

“Yes, it would along with cookware and firewood. We’ll need a small stove for heat and to cook with on the barge. It’s not like we can build a campfire on the deck.”

Kylie is embarassed to realize that she didn't even think about bringing cooking gear, since she's often the one to do the cooking.

Valena truly feels at home on the archery range. It feels like she spent much of her life there practicing with her chosen weapon that it has become an extension of herself. She’ll try to refrain from showing off, unless badgered into it. She’s able to fire at a more rapid rate than normal and can do some trick shots.

Despite her restraint, Kylie is impressed by the elven woman's bowmanship. "You're quite an archer, Valena. Perhaps I'll get the opportunity to learn a thing or two from you during our trip - if you wouldn't mind sharing some of your skill, that is."

“I’d be happy to teach you what I have learned. You’ll find that many texts of higher learning are in this particular tongue. Knowing it is very important to a studious mage.”

"Thank you, Lilia. I'm beginning to realize just how true that is," Kylie replies, gazing about the library.

“Forgive me for interrupting,” Talen says, “but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Do not feel bad, Kylie, I don’t know this language of mages either. Never even heard of it before. So, what I guess I’m saying is that, if you don’t mind, I’d like to learn this too. If I’m not intruding that is.”

“If Kylie agrees to this then, so will I”, Lilia answers diplomatically.

"Thank you, Talen. It's nice to know I'm not the only mage that missed out on this part of their education," she says with a smile. "And I certainly have no objection to you learning the language with me." In truth, she's still somewhat uncomfortable around the siblings, but she's trying to be more accepting of them since they're Sherwood's cousins and their travelling companions.

Fortunately, Kylie isn't there to hear Nariya and Laucian's discussion...

[GM Mad]

Post Continued:

The elves continue to prepare for their journey at Karn’s Keep. Practice using the Crown of the Stars continues and supplies are gathered for the journey to come. Some gravitate to practicing their archery while others spend time reading. Lord Sharadin turns up eventually.

Upon seeing her Uncle she smiles and gives him a hug. "Good to see you well Uncle, though you look gravely tired. Hopefully the new King has not been asking to much of you?"

Sharadin is surprised by the hug at first, but does return it. “I am the Archmage of this Kingdom, so it is my duty to serve the King as he sees fit. Much is happening and many people are being moved around. What we are doing is necessary. I just wish that we had more experienced mages around to help share the burden. But we are working on that. Both Jallarzi and myself have had several promising apprentices who are now out in the field. Eventually, should they survive, they will become powerful individuals.”

"Lord Sharadin? How long has this mage guild been in operation?" Based on the small number of spell books, she's inclined to think not very long.

“It’s only been about a month. The Company of the Sword found the Spellbooks here when they cleared the Keep. The only other guild in the Kingdom is in Elcadan and its rules and regulations can be tiresome to deal with. Our goal here is to gather and share knowledge as opposed to hording it. The other mages among the former Seekers and the Company of the Sword are also members of the Guild.”

They soon go to the mage Guild which Lia is unsure of if she will be allowed to enter. " I know it is odd to ask such a request but have there ever been a non-mage allowed to join the mage-guild?" she asks hopefully. "My clergy is granted some measure of arcane arts though not as widely as a mage. If you would care for a demonstration I could show you."

“One of the conditions for membership is the ability to cast mage spells. However the lines between priestly magic and mage magic are becoming more and more blurred. This is especially true to those Priests of Mystra as the Lady of Mysteries allows her followers to make use of both types of magic.”

“As I stated before, the Guild is here to expand our base of knowledge. While you are not a traditional mage, I see no reason why you cannot make use of the library. I am sure that you have little use for having access to the spellbooks or the laboratories, so just limit yourself to the library. Books need to remain in the library. There is a great deal of room to read in there.

After the tour Lia approaches Sharadin and asks, " Sherri and Terri showed us a map of the world in your absence. Never in my dreams have I imagined that such a world existed on such a scale. Though I noticed the valley from which me and my brother came was left unmarked for almost 75 years. I think it is merely by chance that Sherwood and the others found us."

“As I understand it, part of that was by design, Lia. Our ancestor, the first Archmage of this Kingdom worked to conceal the Lost Valley from the outside world. Illusions covered the entryways and perhaps the entire valley itself. Everyone was led to believe that nothing was there to protect the Hutaaka. Father simply used this to keep knowledge of Nightmist a secret later on.”

"I wanted to thank you for allowing us to stay here for the time being. And I was hoping that maybe we could spend some time getting to know each other, that is if you have the time. There are many questions I wish to ask you of yourself, our family, and things I have not yet fully understand."

“I will make what time that I can, Lia. Unfortunately, duty frequently pulls me away. Depending on the question, I am sure that either Sherwood or my daughters could answer them. What is it that you wish to know?”


Finally, the practicing is over and the supplies are loaded on the barge. The night before you are scheduled to depart, Lord Sharadin will have a special meal created in your honor. Much of the fair is traditional elfin dishes. There’s even feywine to be had.

During the meal the discussion of what has been going on with your friends comes up. Sharadin reveals that shortly after the group left Corunglain the King Knighted Lords Acerion, Corley, and Validar. The other Cynalonians in the group were granted the status of Lord or Ladyship. (That covers Argent, Chareos, Ivy, Lyonessa, and Sherra.)

Sharadin delivered the group to Fort Fletcher, and abandoned fortress to the northwest of Ardelphia that is believed to be haunted. Their task is to retake the fortress and be prepared to defend it against another wave of humanoid invaders from the Broken Lands. Lord Sharadin will be returning there tomorrow with more supplies and troops.

"Good luck to you on your journey!", Lord Sharadin will toast. "My your quest succeed!"

[GM Mad]

GM Notes:

You’ll be departing on the barge in the morning, so wrap up your discussions. The barge has been loaded up with enough supplies to feed all of you for two weeks. After that, you’ll have to hunt and forage or gather supplies in towns you come across along the way.

Sherwood determines that the wearer of the Crown can use magic items. They just can’t cast spells.

Kylie learns the four spells she wanted from the Guild Spellbooks. Detect Undead, Fog Cloud, Hold Person, and Illusionary Script.

She also ID’s the items she found in the rock reptile caves. There were only two magic items there. One is Potion of Climbing, the other a Ring of Truth.

I’m assuming that Sherwood will use the Crown during the first sustained trip for up to ten hours and then land. Lilia will take over and use the Crown overnight. You’ll need to decide who is going to be on watch during those times.

Now what?

[Sherwood]

Sherwood:

"...Assuming you can accurately predict in advance what spells you're going to need," Kylie adds in. "I think that's the toughest part of being a mage; having to decide what spells you want to memorize in advance. If you pick wrong, you can be entirely stymied in some situations."

“But that comes with practice and experience,” Sherwood adds. “Some spells are very situational, while others are more versatile. When preparing for the unknown you go with versatile. Then you can be more specific when you know what you are dealing with.”


Sherwood will pass on his discovery to the others using the Crown. “It appears that while spell casting is impossible, the use of magic items is allowed. So the Crown wearer will be able to use them while in flight.”


Sherwood tries to relax during the feast the night before we depart. Seeing that the spread is primarily aimed towards elves, Sherwood decides to see how well the Elf Pendent works. Does it give him the tastes of an elf when it comes to Feywine or will it still affect him as a human? Regardless of how the wine affects him he’ll most likely sleep well this evening.

Sherwood listens intently to the news given by Sharadin, but makes no comment on it. Things seem to be getting very interesting in the Kingdom.

[Lilia]

Lilia:

"Thank you, Talen. It's nice to know I'm not the only mage that missed out on this part of their education," she says with a smile. "And I certainly have no objection to you learning the language with me." In truth, she's still somewhat uncomfortable around the siblings, but she's trying to be more accepting of them since they're Sherwood's cousins and their traveling companions.

“Very well then,” Lilia says in agreement. She’ll retrieve a book from a nearby shelf for demonstration purposes.

“Learning Alphatian may not be that difficult since you both can speak the local human tongue. The sentence structure and syntax are not that dissimilar to Alphatian. For the most part, only the words themselves are different.”

Holding the book up, Lilia will say, “Thaet librarius continere knowlech. This book contains knowledge. And so on.”


Finally, the practicing is over and the supplies are loaded on the barge. The night before you are scheduled to depart, Lord Sharadin will have a special meal created in your honor. Much of the fair is traditional elfin dishes. There’s even feywine to be had.

The Elf Maiden is very surprised to learn of the feast. Even better the faire is more what she is used to than human food. Lilia eats lightly as she is prone to do and will have a glass of Feywine before turning in for the night.

[Valena Feador]

Valena:

Laucian stands to side watching as the ladies begin their practice, seeing Valena strike a bulls eye from 150 yards. Laucian makes a face that can only be read as being impressed he can’t help but wonder and that wonder turns to words before he can rethink them.

“Very nicely done, Valena. But I wonder with your speed of your movements just how accurate can you be. Could you make that shot again?” he asks curiously.

“Thank you, Laucian,” Valena beams. “At this point in my training, I probably would fail what you suggest more than succeed. With target practice like this, I’m just as accurate firing at a more accelerated rate then I am at normal speed. The only disadvantage comes during combat. To gain more shoots, I have to sacrifice mobility. That in turn makes me an easier target to enemy archers, so my use of increased firing is very situational.”

Despite her restraint, Kylie is impressed by the elven woman's bowmanship. "You're quite an archer, Valena. Perhaps I'll get the opportunity to learn a thing or two from you during our trip - if you wouldn't mind sharing some of your skill, that is."

“Thank you, Kylie,” Valena answers. “It’s taken a lifetime or practice to become as skilled with the bow as I have. The bow is almost an extension of myself by now. But, I am very poor in the use of other weapons. That is the price that I’ve paid to be the archer that I am. I can probably give you some advice to increase your accuracy, but it would take many years of training to duplicate what I can do.”


Valena is also pleased at the feast. She’ll enjoy the foods of her homeland and will enjoy her Feywine. It matters not to her what guard shift she has during the voyage.

[Talen]

Talen:

"Thank you, Talen. It's nice to know I'm not the only mage that missed out on this part of their education," she says with a smile. "And I certainly have no objection to you learning the language with me." In truth, she's still somewhat uncomfortable around the siblings, but she's trying to be more accepting of them since they're Sherwood's cousins and their traveling companions.

“It seems that we both have a lot to learn,” Talen smiles back happily both pleased to be learning the language and looking forward to spending time with the lovely half-elf.

“Very well then,” Lilia says in agreement. She’ll retrieve a book from a nearby shelf for demonstration purposes.

“Learning Alphatian may not be that difficult since you both can speak the local human tongue. The sentence structure and syntax are not that dissimilar to Alphatian. For the most part, only the words themselves are different.”

Holding the book up, Lilia will say, “Thaet librarius continere knowlech. This book contains knowledge. And so on.”

Much to Talen’s surprise, Lilia starts the lesson write away. “What was that again? Let me find some parchment to write that down on…”

Laucian takes a moment from shooting a few volleys when he sees Talen off to the side. By the looks of his features he can’t help but see the young man is hesitant, whether it be his skill or his confidence in question. After a moment he approaches the half-elf standing to his side watching the volleys fired from the others. “May I join you?” he asks and then states, ‘they are very good are they not?” as he casts a glance to the younger elf trying to read his features. “You know it wasn’t always so. I remember lessons I wasn’t even able to hit the outer rim of the target.” he says with a chuckle, “And now I can strike a bird in mid-flight.”

“Uhm, sure you can,” Talen answers, obviously surprised to find Laucian talking to him. “Yes, they are amazing! A bird in mid-flight? That’s incredible!”

“Do not be afraid to try, Talen. No one here will judge you by your skill.” placing a hand on his shoulder as he leaves to shoot another volley, hoping that the young man will join them.

“I do not know how to use a bow like the ones here. I spent much time learning to use the hand crossbow, a weapon common to my grandmother’s people I am told. But upon seeing these true bows, I am wondering the wisdom of my choice.”

"...Assuming you can accurately predict in advance what spells you're going to need," Kylie adds in. "I think that's the toughest part of being a mage; having to decide what spells you want to memorize in advance. If you pick wrong, you can be entirely stymied in some situations."

“But that comes with practice and experience,” Sherwood adds. “Some spells are very situational, while others are more versatile. When preparing for the unknown you go with versatile. Then you can be more specific when you know what you are dealing with.”

“I will try to remember that cousin. Thank you for your insights.”


Talen will spend much of his time adding many new and wondrous magics to his meager spell books. He isn’t surprised to find most of his spells already here in the Guild Spellbooks. But he is surprised to find that he has one that is not!

He’ll seek out Uncle Sharadin when he has the time. “Excuse me, Uncle, but it seems that I can contribute to your Guild Spellbooks immediately. I have a spell that you do not have it. It is of second level and is called ‘Sky Hook’. The magic creates an immobile anchor point that you attach ropes too. One use would be to cast it over a chasm and attach ropes to swing across.”


Finally, the practicing is over and the supplies are loaded on the barge. The night before you are scheduled to depart, Lord Sharadin will have a special meal created in your honor. Much of the fair is traditional elfin dishes. There’s even Feywine to be had.

Talen eyes the feast with curiosity. He’s never had what would be considered traditional elfin food before, the so the prospect of trying it excites him. It seems to primarily be meatless dishes.

“What is Feywine,” he asks having never heard of it before.

[Laucian]

Laucian

Talen wrote

“Uhm, sure you can,” Talen answers, obviously surprised to find Laucian talking to him. “Yes, they are amazing! A bird in mid-flight? That’s incredible!”

“I do not know how to use a bow like the ones here. I spent much time learning to use the hand crossbow, a weapon common to my grandmother’s people I am told. But upon seeing these true bows, I am wondering the wisdom of my choice.”

“I’ve had many decades worth of training and experience, my young friend. I only came of age less then two decades ago.” he simply states, looking to the others he wonders just how many seasons they have all seen.

Laucian’s cocks an eyebrow at this bit of information, Strange that an elf even a half elf would chose such a strange weapon. “I must admit I find it strange as well. I do not know many elves that would forgo conventional bows for one of such limited range.” he says as he looks at the Half-elf with a quick examining eye. “Whether your choice is wise or not is solely yours, Talen. I am sure it as its advantages and disadvantages as all weapons do. I prefer the longbow over the rest for its range and pull, Valena the short bow as you can see, for I do not think she could wield a longbow. It is all a matter of what you feel comfortable with.”

“If you would care to learn, I would be glad to show you.” he says observes the young half elf. “Then perhaps you can see if your choice was the wise one.”

valena wrote

“Thank you, Laucian,” Valena beams. “At this point in my training, I probably would fail what you suggest more than succeed. With target practice like this, I’m just as accurate firing at a more accelerated rate then I am at normal speed. The only disadvantage comes during combat. To gain more shoots, I have to sacrifice mobility. That in turn makes me an easier target to enemy archers, so my use of increased firing is very situational.”

Laucian nods as Valena explains the limitation of her skill, “Even though you would fail more times then not, I would wager you could place several arrows closer to that arrow then most. I would not wish to be within your target sight.” he evenly states with all seriousness.

After gathering several supplies the barge is loaded up and a feast prepared. Laucian takes a seat at the feast near Nariya, As he looks and smells the fine spread he can’t help but notices Talen’s expression, which brings a smile to his features. He notices the Feywine which he greatly likes and pours himself a glass and asks those around him if they wish some.
Hearing Talen’s question he says, “It is a wine of our people. It is said to be made of crushed flowers ,honey, and distilled moonbeams. I would be careful of how much you drink, it has a habit of sneaking up on you.”

Hearing Sherwood and Sharadin speak of their human friends Laucian listens as he learns that Acerion, Corley and Validar has earned the rank of knight and the others the rank of honorary Lordship and Ladyship. “A position most fitting for their noble actions. The orc horde and Ember were very formidable foes. I am ashamed to say, I did not think we would all make it through that battle.” as he recalls his faith being tested, then the thought of Lyonessa laying cold and lifeless on the ground. Shaking the thoughts from his mind he takes a sip of his Feywine.

[Nariya]

Nariya:

Laucian notes the uncertainty within Nariya’s voice but says nothing of it, leaving it to the wind. “And you only experienced a portion of the Elfholds beauty. It holds many wonders besides the Sky Palace of Alfheim.”

"Hopefully someday I will see those other wonders," Nariya replies.

“I am sure it would dwarf the Elfholds by comparison.” he says as he looks to Nariya for a fleeting second. “If orcs or humans are involved in its occupation, I’m afraid it will be a shadow of its former self.” he says quite gloomily.

"I agree, which is why we must get there soon. This extra time spent in delay is needed I know, but it still feels too long," Nariya says with some evident impatience.

Laucian grins in reply to her answer and looks into her blue eyed gaze until she turns and begins walking away. For a few moments he watches her walk away, appreciating the gentle sway of her hips and the sunlight glistening off her blonde hair. He catches himself staring and moves to catch up with her, If asked what kept him he will merely offer lamely, “Something got caught in my eye.”

Nariya thinks she feels Laucian's eyes upon her as she walks away. However, since he invited her, she doesn't get too far ahead. She does however, smile to herself while waiting for Laucian to catch up.

Being outside is very refreshing, made even more pleasant by Laucian at her side. Nariya keeps the conversation light, asking him questions about his younger years and any elven traditions he experienced that might be different than her own. If Laucian has any questions for her, she will answer them as well.

Finally, the practicing is over and the supplies are loaded on the barge. The night before you are scheduled to depart, Lord Sharadin will have a special meal created in your honor. Much of the fair is traditional elfin dishes. There’s even feywine to be had.

After gathering several supplies the barge is loaded up and a feast prepared. Laucian takes a seat at the feast near Nariya, As he looks and smells the fine spread he can’t help but notices Talen’s expression, which brings a smile to his features. He notices the Feywine which he greatly likes and pours himself a glass and asks those around him if they wish some.

The meal comes as a pleasant surprise. Smiling at Laucian when he sits near her, she accepts his offer of the Feywine. She eats lightly, listening to the news Lord Sharadin tells them about those other heroes she met briefly. She also smiles at Talen's inexperience with savoring Feywine. He is in for a definite treat!

Lord Sharadin toasts them and Nariya will take a moment after the meal to approach him. "Thank you for the meal and your help seeing us off on this quest," she will tell him.

[Lia]

Lia


Sharadin is surprised by the hug at first, but does return it. “I am the Archmage of this Kingdom, so it is my duty to serve the King as he sees fit. Much is happening and many people are being moved around. What we are doing is necessary. I just wish that we had more experienced mages around to help share the burden. But we are working on that. Both Jallarzi and myself have had several promising apprentices who are now out in the field. Eventually, should they survive, they will become powerful individuals.”


“Is this title appointed the king?” she asks curiously “I am sure your apprentices are more then capable and trained well enough to traverse many trails before them.”

Sharadin Wrote

“One of the conditions for membership is the ability to cast mage spells. However the lines between priestly magic and mage magic are becoming more and more blurred. This is especially true to those Priests of Mystra as the Lady of Mysteries allows her followers to make use of both types of magic.”

“As I stated before, the Guild is here to expand our base of knowledge. While you are not a traditional mage, I see no reason why you cannot make use of the library. I am sure that you have little use for having access to the spellbooks or the laboratories, so just limit yourself to the library. Books need to remain in the library. There is a great deal of room to read in there.

Lia looks into her Uncle’s eyes as he begins to explain the intricate details of how the guild works. Then a smile begins to form as she realizes he is agreeing to allow her membership!

"Oh, of course Sharadin! Of Course!” She bounds up and hugs him once again. Then quickly composes herself, “I know it may sound trivial, But it would greatly improve my learning of this new world before me. I will do as you ask and keep to the Library, besides I am sure it will keep me busy for sometime.”

“I will make what time that I can, Lia. Unfortunately, duty frequently pulls me away. Depending on the question, I am sure that either Sherwood or my daughters could answer them. What is it that you wish to know?” [/quote]

“Perhaps the others could answer what I wish to ask you but I would have rather ask you. When I met you I could not help but notice your movements, confident yet simple as well as your grip. I do not think mages would be so strong in the shoulders nor arms. . Would I be wrong in assuming you were not always a mage?” she asks curiously. She will then ask him, “Why did you begin Adventuring? Or is it family honor and tradition that drove you?”

Before the feast Lia will pour over many books as she can in her short time perhaps starting with the History of her new families land. To better understand where they have been and yet they may travel.

As the feast begins Lia will look at the many dishes before her taking a portion from each dish and try each one in turn. She will also look to The others as her brother puts forward the question of the drink before them. Picking the Feywine up in her goblet she swishes it around smelling it. And takes a sip, many words come to her mind as the taste bubbles on her pallet. “It is very good,” having not tasted it before or any wine for that matter, “It is the best wine I have ever tasted.”

Laucian’s cocks an eyebrow at this bit of information, Strange that an elf even a half elf would chose such a strange weapon. “I must admit I find it strange as well. I do not know many elves that would forgo conventional bows for one of such limited range.” he says as he looks at the Half-elf with a quick examining eye. “Whether your choice is wise or not is solely yours, Talen. I am sure it as its advantages and disadvantages as all weapons do. I prefer the longbow over the rest for its range and pull, Valena the short bow as you can see, for I do not think she could wield a longbow. It is all a matter of what you feel comfortable with.”

Lia stops for a few moments to check her crossbow watching the conversations curiously, Praying that there is not another dispute over their bloodline.

When the prospect of rotations come up Lia tells Sherwood, "I may have something that could help with the watch shift." Taking a statue of a lioness from her waist pouch, " With this I can summon two lioness to aid me. We could use the extra eyes."she surmises

[Kylie]

Kylie:

During a practice session with the Crown, Kylie pulls out her bow to see if she can still shoot accurately while controlling the barge.

“But that comes with practice and experience,” Sherwood adds. “Some spells are very situational, while others are more versatile. When preparing for the unknown you go with versatile. Then you can be more specific when you know what you are dealing with.”

Kylie nods. She had known that much already, but she finds that far more experience than what she currently possesses will be necessary before she will have any real confidence in her selections. "I understand what you are saying. Still, I find it difficult. Inevitably, I run into situations where a certain situational spell would have been of great use if I had anticipated its need, and there is little opportunity to wait around for to choose it the next day."

“Thank you, Kylie,” Valena answers. “It’s taken a lifetime or practice to become as skilled with the bow as I have. The bow is almost an extension of myself by now. But, I am very poor in the use of other weapons. That is the price that I’ve paid to be the archer that I am. I can probably give you some advice to increase your accuracy, but it would take many years of training to duplicate what I can do.”

"That makes sense," Kylie replies, "the more you focus on one thing, the less you learn of others. And some advice and guidance would be wonderful; I don't expect to match your level of skill, I just would like to improve mine."

“It’s only been about a month. The Company of the Sword found the Spellbooks here when they cleared the Keep. The only other guild in the Kingdom is in Elcadan and its rules and regulations can be tiresome to deal with. Our goal here is to gather and share knowledge as opposed to hording it. The other mages among the former Seekers and the Company of the Sword are also members of the Guild.”

"Ahh, so the guild doesn't predate the Company of the Sword's taking of the Keep. I didn't realize that; I just assumed you moved it here from somewhere else."

Kylie considers for a moment. "Sharing knowledge is a good approach. Hopefully, it will help those worthy mages associated with the guild to grow in power more quickly. From what I've seen in our travels, the world needs them."

After the decide that Kylie and Talen will learn Alphatian together from Lilia, she pulls out a book and jumps right in. Talen seems thrown off a bit by this, and Kylie feels much the same. "Ah... take good notes, please, Talen," Kylie asks, "I think we'll both be needing them..."

In a day spent mostly alone, Kylie succeeds in identifying the items she gained from the lizard tunnels near the Hidden Valley. The potion is unlikely to do her personally any real good, but may be useful for one of her comrades at some point. The ring, however, has the potential to be very useful, though mostly in specific circumstances. Kylie stashes them both in pockets of her Girdle for the time being.

The feast hosted by Lord Sharadin is a welcome diversion from their preparatory activities. Sharadin announces the uplifting of their friends by the king, and Kylie nods, smiling. In truth, they are all deserving. Even though it has been but days, she already misses some of them.

Kylie wears her nicest outfit for the feast, though it's actually quite plain compared to the outfits Argent is given to wearing. She does use Argent's trick of accentuating her appearance subtly using cantrips. For some reason, for the first time, she is really starting to want to be seen as a mature woman.

The food proves to be delicious, and Kylie enjoys watching the other people interacting. There are more and more signs of romance growing in this group, which she finds fascinating.

“What is Feywine,” he asks having never heard of it before.

Kylie smiles at Talen, who ended up sitting across from her, and adds a bit to Laucian's explanation. "As I understand it, it is a type of wine made only by elves. Apparently, it's potency is such that non-elves do not tolerate it well, physically. I tried a sip once, and it was truly delicious, but being only half-elven, I was glad I hadn't tried to drink more."

Swirling her glass of feywine, Kylie is reminded of her first experience with the heady elven libation. She wonders how different her experience of it will be now that she has been made more elven...

Like Nariya, Kylie will approach Sharadin after the feast has concluded. "This was a wonderful feast, Lord Sharadin. Thank you for sharing it with us, and for all of your support in preparing for this quest."

[Laucian]

Laucian

"Hopefully someday I will see those other wonders," Nariya replies.

“Perhaps you would like a guide?” He asks with a fleeting smile.

Being outside is very refreshing, made even more pleasant by Laucian at her side. Nariya keeps the conversation light, asking him questions about his younger years and any elven traditions he experienced that might be different than her own. If Laucian has any questions for her, she will answer them as well.

Laucian feels the strain of the keep leave his body as he walks about in the courtyard. The bite of winter is diminished by the women standing beside him. As she asks him about his younger years he pauses for a second then says, “I was orphaned at an early age when an orc raiding party came across my villiage. My mother, in her last hours, came to a temple of Ehlonna and asked for sanctuary. I was raised there for sometime and felt Ehlonna’s call to her.”

“Our traditions range differently among are clan, Coloring of the skin to honor those before you, and perhaps one day if you are worthy enough they will honor you. There is also tradition among are people when one comes of age they choose a name to identify them away from the clan. Nailo is the name I have chosen. It means ‘NightBreeze’ in elvin tongue.

Laucian soon asks similar questions about her past, as well as her homeland. Time seems to pass far to quickly when he is with Nariya but doesn’t point this out.

Upon leaving the feast Laucian will express his thanks to Sharadin as well then turn and follow the others to the dorms. Uphead he sees Nariya walking alone and quickly catches up with her. Smiling down at her Laucian says, “I enjoyed our time together earlier,” taking her hand and lightly kissing it, “I hope we can do it again sometime soon.”

Before bed he will pray to Ehlonna for her guidance and blessings.

(I would just suggest splitting the three clerics up amongst th rotation. Perhaps Lau with Sherwood and Lia with Lilia's shift)

[GM Mad]

Post Closed