The foresters were unwilling to stay too near the slug-built orc lair so the Party moved into the woods to lunch and discuss what had happened and what their next steps should be. [The discussion was held in email. See After the Orc Cave. ] Two of the foresters actually left the Party in the middle of the discussion. The decision agreed upon was to seek out the Vale of Roses as the only available clue to the origin of the books found in the orc lair. The foresters did not choose to take up Anton's suggestion that some of them report back to the Duke -- and Paris observed that he did not choose to follow his own suggestion. Kivan and Ralf accompanied the Party to the vale.
Despite all of Paris' previous arguments, the Party in general decided that they would study the books as time allowed. There would not be much time to actually study spells, but Claire chose to skim through the history book. It proved to be the History of the Founding of Eastmarch, written in archaic Common tongue. Claire told the group that in the 5th year of King Reynard he sent out a group of settlers who founded the line of the Count of Eastmarch. None in the Party knew of Eastmarch; their own duke was the Duke of Westmore. That was all the time for learning that lunch provided.
Brillig commented on the forester's comment that the vale was the only place where roses grew in these woods, noting that in many other parts of the lands such flowers were considered weeds. Roses did occur wild in the forests near Jouet.
Troubled by her inability to draw her fellows to a less self-important view of the use of their discoveries thus far, Paris chose to join Red and Kivan as a scout when the Party headed towards Kivan's Vale of Roses. Calais frowned a bit at this, knowing that his own scouting skills now far surpassed his twin's -- but he said and did nothing to dissuade her. Paris, Red and Kivan left the main body of the Party and stayed so for the rest of the day.
Once en route, someone asked about the missing foresters. Ralf assured the main Party that, as Georges and Claude were best at hiding, they had left to scout out potential dangers in other parts of the forest. Kivan did, at one point, comment that they were off doing what they were supposed to do, "looking for thieves and the like." Also, each night there was an owl call from camp, from somewhere near where Kivan was staying. This inclined Paris to suspect that the "missing" foresters were, in fact, keeping track of the Party, but she said nothing.
Mia may have noticed that Ralf was watching her closely. Paris tried not to notice ... given that she herself no longer felt particularly comfortable around Mia. But, then, she was finding that she was starting to make moral evaluations of most of her companions and that wasn't something she ever did back in the "old days." She didn't want to be judgmental; so she was starting to be more alone.
In the early evening, the scouts reached the vale and began threading their way through the scented briars. Paris halted, listening to some sort of chant. Using hand signals, she directed the other two to circle around opposite sides of the vale. As they reached their places, the rest of the Party reached Paris who silenced them and then signaled Kivan and Red to advance towards the center of the vale where stood a man at a small table. He was chanting and -- before Paris could speak -- told them to wait and be silent. As they did so, he proceeded to lift various objects from the table -- cup, pentacle, twig, sword, and scroll-winding staff -- and toss them into the air. A juggler!
The twig looked a lot like the wand Anton now used. The scroll winding staff was a short piece of wood (the books the Party had found were more like big scrolls wound onto a staff than they were like a flat bound book).
As he finished his trick, the Party -- save for Paris -- burst into applause. Those observant could see that there was somewhat of a resemblance between this juggler and the Fool they had met some days ago.
Anton proceeded to lead the questioning of the juggler.
Anton then asked the Magician to do his trick again and, after some false starts, the Magician did so. Anton used his Detect Magic spell to determine that no magic was involved in said trick.
Then the Party set up camp for the night near the edge of the Vale, leaving the Magician to write his book in peace.
Claire found a still pond within the Vale and proceeded to drink from it. The only unique feature she noticed was how well it reflected its surroundings.
The Party set up watches, 3 of 3. On Anton's watch, several figures were spotted -- around the Magician's table. Anton noted that one was gesturing as if to cast a spell. And, indeed, a Flash of some kind narrowly missed him. Anton responded with a Flash spell of his own and the interlopers dispersed into the woods. Most of the Party woke and sprang into action. Brillig, Calais and Paris sped in the direction Anton indicated and -- with much running and dodging of trees (which proved more of a problem to the chased than the chasers) -- managed to take down three (out of 5 that Anton had noticed). With Kivan's help, Calais' fell first, having already been stunned by a tree. Brillig managed to catch the fastest and down him. Both of those proved to be orcs. Paris took on the smaller opponent whom Anton thought had been the magic user and managed to gut him almost to the point of death. As Brillig prepared to deliver the coup de grace, however, she told him that perhaps they could question this one -- not realizing how near death he was. It was not an orc, although Brillig immediately identified it as a Fell Creature. It was smaller than the other orcs and had a flatter, almost cat-like face with long pointed ears, and carried a nicer-than-usual orc-type sword. [Goblin, said Pat.] Calais, as usual, examined all the bodies and managed to slip a book out of the Goblin's bag without being noticed by anyone other than Paris.
Brillig hauled the captive back to the edge of the Vale where Claire and Mia joined up. There Paris refused to use her spells to heal the Goblin because the Party maintained that they would thereafter have to kill it. Having decided that they did want to question the creature, Anton then prevailed upon Mia to consider using her spells. Uncertain as to what she should do, Mia decided to pray.
As the entire world stopped and grew motionless and senseless around her, Mia found herself conversing with a radiantly handsome god who labeled himself the god of Dying. They discussed why she would not display her calling; she promised to wear the robes if they would first teach her what the robes stood for. They compromised on such teaching coming as she wore the robes. The discussion was joined by a dwarf-like green-garbed god who kept shouting "Off with her head!" and then a super-pregnant woman who claimed to be goddess of Birth. There was some mention that "Others" were still missing. Little was actually said to enlighten Mia either as to the overall nature of the gods she served or what she should do about the dying goblin. When that last matter came round again, the green god actually changed his mind, and said they should help Mia. But Mia had to decide what she wanted to do. Mia couldn't decide, she wanted guidance from the gods as to what was the right thing to do, and that's when Murphy said to do what he always did--and he flipped the coin. Mia called out, "Heads equals heal." The light faded and Mia found herself back. No time had passed for the others.
Mia proceeded to heal the Goblin. The others trussed him to a tree. Calais asked Paris to stand back and not interfere but to hold an arrow shot ready in case the Goblin could still somehow manage to try spell-casting. Paris agreed, stipulating first that Calais give her his pouch. The others assumed that it was the pouch in which Calais had been storing the silver cards -- and so it was; but it was also the pouch in which she had seen him place the Goblin's book. Paris, recalling the Magician's promise, had no intention of letting the possible release for her duke be destroyed by proximity to a Fell spell, whatever risks the others chose to engender.
Calais proceeded to torture the Goblin -- which made Mia quite ill and made Paris regret her word. Mia had apparently not been listening when the Party had discussed having to kill the creature after healing him. Eventually she insisted that the Party simply kill him. [Sheryl cannot recall the Party learning anything of interest from the procedure -- but then Sheryl wasn't feeling at all comfortable with this portion of the run.][ Pat wasn't either. It's no fun role-playing amateur torturers. Save that his group was supposed to wander, you didn't get anything important. Interrogation on a zero or less is merely messy.]
Paris returned the pouch to Calais and proceeded to spend the rest of the night in solitude.
Come morning, the Magician again showed up in the Vale near his table. When Anton and Claire commented on his absence during the night's bruhaha, the Magician said, "I sleep in the Mirror Lands." Further conversation touching on the previous day's subjects indicated:
[Barry was inclined to continue questioning but, by this time, both Marian and Steve had left and, with 3 players now absent, Sheryl asked for a postponement.]
EPs: no cards
Note: Michael was gone this week.
The contents of this site are copyright 2004 Sheryl A. Knowles unless otherwise specified. All rights reserved.