Session 39

[Bynw]

19:59 <@bynw> |------------------------------------------------
19:59 <@bynw> |          Session 39 - Imperial Dreams
19:59 <@bynw> |------------------------------------------------
19:59 <@bynw> |
19:59 <@bynw> | Chadwick lives. After the stasis was released
19:59 <@bynw> | he has regrown from the remains. Reforming his
19:59 <@bynw> | own body, whole once more. And again he lies in
19:59 <@bynw> | a permanently induced slumber in Hemmelhold.
19:59 <@bynw> |
19:59 <@bynw> | Audric holds in his hand a crystal orb that
19:59 <@bynw> | contains the thoughts and memories of Chadwick.
19:59 <@bynw> | Any adept properlly attudned to the orb is able
19:59 <@bynw> | to see and hear events in Chadwick's long life.
19:59 <@bynw> |
19:59 <@bynw> | These memories are viewable by anyone in the
19:59 <@bynw> | same location as the adept with the orb. The
19:59 <@bynw> | images appear within a smokey cloud but are
19:59 <@bynw> | life-sized, 3 dimensional images and sounds.
19:59 <@bynw> |
19:59 <@bynw> |------------------------------------------------
20:00 <@bynw> ::within the smokey haze is Chadwick, on his knees and there are a pair of ghostly hands on his shoulders. those ghostly hands are translucent::
20:02 <@bynw> ::in Valmari, but translated by the orb the ghostly figure speaks:: "You have done well for our cause. You are the loyal and faithful servant. You must kill the false priest and traitor to his line. Ibon must die. After that your work here at Kirsh is done. I have other plans for you."
20:04 <@bynw> ::Chadwick rises and gazes into the face of his Lord::
20:04 <@bynw> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10511/Teara%20Adan/shining1.png
20:09 < Alderic> "This says much and tells nothing. It is out of context. Does anyone know who that ghostly figure is?"
20:09 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "That is General Leopold. His clothing is that of a Valimarian officer of those days long ago." ::he says slightly drifting in thought of old memories that are not his::
20:11 < Alderic> "The Ibon he means, is it the man that fought with my father in the Kirsh swamps decades ago?"
20:11 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "I'm not sure but it is possible. I don't know everything."
20:13 < Alderic> "And where is this meeting? Where is this ghostly apparition of Leopold hiding?"
20:14 <@bynw> ::Audric concentrates on the orb and the image expands showing a forest clearing. with large ancient trees and several owlbears just standing and watching::
20:17 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "Looks like the forest of Kirsh maybe"
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20:21 < Alderic> ::looks to Maydia:: "perhaps you could find those trees? Or sense leopold's hiding place? What do you think?"
20:21 < Maydla> "I can try.."
20:22 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "This is a memory of decades ago ..."
20:22 < Maydla> "Trees and forests do not change, only disaster can change that"
20:24 < Alderic> ::nods:: "Yes but it seems Leopold has moved into the heart of the mountain of Kirsh."
20:25 <@bynw> ::the image fades back to smoke and swirls until it reforms again. this time Chadwick is in another forest sending his owlbears out to ravage a villiage as he watches the death and mayham with glee::
20:27  * Maydla gasps quietly.
20:27 < Alderic> ::raises an eyebrow at the scene::
20:27  * Alianna looks over at Maydla and then returns to watching the scene.
20:28 <@bynw> ::the image shows Chadwick entering the village and searching for survivors after the owlbears have left ... where he heals some and acts has a benefactor to them::
20:28  * Alianna watches the scene apparently emotionlessly, but her eyes become hard watching the owlbears ravage for no good reason except Chadwick's ego.
20:30 < Alianna> "What the hell?  Was he trying to get them in his debt?"
20:30 <@bynw> ::another image forms from the swirling smoke. another villiage is laid waist. 2 survivors are seen riding off on horses and Chadwick and his owlbears give chase. one is a man the other a women. the man escapes but the woman is captured and gravely injured::
20:31 <@bynw> ::Chadwick takes the woman and walks into a tree and steps out of another tree that appears to be growing inside of a cave::
20:32 <@bynw> ::he lays the woman down on a bed of vines which move to engulf her forming a pod::
20:34  * Alianna looks at this and rubs her eyes.  "Have I been drinking?  What the holy hell is he doing?"
20:34 <@bynw> ::Chadwick turns from the pod and bends knee to his Lord. shimmering before him:: "Her brother has the medalion of the Southlands Matrix. She can be used if we can convince her to join us." ::He says to his master, again in Valmari::
20:37 < Alderic> "This scene is near a Matrix, but I can't tell which. The man he is talking of was one of the founding members of House Horizon if I'm right."
20:37 <@bynw> ::Leopold:: "Very well. See what you can do with her."
20:39 <@bynw> ::Audric jumps back abit and the image completely disappears::
20:41 < Alderic> "Are you alright?"
20:41 <@bynw> ::Audric lets out a breath:: "Apparently she did not cooperate with Chadwick's plan. She was raped and murdered by him. I saw it while scanning ahead looking for more instances of Leopold"
20:41  * Alianna grits her teeth but says nothing.
20:43 <@bynw> "Every time Chadwick meets his master. He is in that shimmering form. No substance. He apparently can appear at will anywhere."
20:43  * Maydla cringes slightly while listening to the conversation around her
20:45 <@bynw> :Audric continues:: "Entering his memories is like wading through a cess pool. Except the cess pool is cleaner."
20:46  * Alianna looks over at Audric with some sympathy and says, "I bet."
20:46 < Alderic> "Why? Why does Chadwick do what he does? maybe something in his far past, the times he knew Leopold before, could tell us something?"
20:48 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "I looked at some of his childhood. He was raised in the isolated druid clans of Kirsh. They have a long history of vile deeds and serving their equally vile Lord. Leopold is belived to be, by Chadick, the true incarnation of that Lord."
20:49 < Alianna> "Vile is right.  Mind-ripping would have been a mercy for one such as this."
20:49  * Alianna looks with considerable disgust at Chadwick's body.
20:50 < Alderic> "how was he made?"
20:51 < Alderic> "by whom?"
20:51 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "He was born human. Became a druid as his clan elders foresaw him to be their cheiftain. He used his own magic to do it."
20:53 <@bynw> ::the smokey cloud reappears and grows in the chamber and forms again as Chadwick and Leopold::
20:54 <@bynw> ::Leopold:: "The Anadari Nym has taken an interest in you. Your abilities are weak compaired to that of an Anadari Master. We must give you a gift of power so that you can withstand his mental assults against you in the coming days my friend."
20:57 <@bynw> ::Leopold places his hands around Chadwick's head for several minutes. One can almost feel the power being raised, even in the memory of the event. At the end Chadwick's Shields flare visibly to new life and new strength::
21:01 <@bynw> ::this time the shimmering form of Leopold has an added feature. he is wearing a chain with a gold medalion around his neck. as Chadwick rises, a similar medalion of silver floats effertlessly towards Chadwick who catches it in his hands::
21:01 < Alderic> "Audric, where is this?"
21:03 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "A room built into a cave from when Chadwick walked in to it"
21:03 <@bynw> ::Audric expands the view showing the brickwork around the pair::
21:05 <@bynw> ::Chadwick puts the medalion round his neck and the two walk towards the center of the room. they look at the floor, there is a hole where an brick should go::
21:06 <@bynw> ::Leopold produces a brick from no where and places it in the hole with a smile. and power batters the Shields of Chadwick, but the medalion protects him::
21:09 <@bynw> ::Leopold:: "Learn to use this place. And all of your dreams can come true. The human hordes will be reduced to a manageble level and they will be forced from their cities into small villiages. The forest can reclaim what was taken from it. Start here with the Uthani. For they have betrayed their birthright."
21:10 < Alderic> "it's a Matrix chamber, but which one Audric?"
21:10 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "I would say the one in the desert of Utha"
21:11 <@bynw> ::Leopold:: "The time is coming when we shall return to your homeland and claim what is ours."
21:12 < Alderic> Looks over at Chadwicks body::
21:15 <@bynw> ::Chadwick's body, alive and whole, lies sleeping like an innocent babe in the sarcophagus::
21:16  * Alianna continues to watch the images from the sphere, occasionally sparing a gaze of repugnance for the sleeping Druid.
21:18 <@bynw> ::the images swirl back into the smokey cloud and then disapate as Audric sets the orb down into a lined box::
21:19 < Alderic> ::To Audric:: "Where is the medallion?"
21:20 <@bynw> ::Audric closes the lid of the box:: "it wasnt in the tower when we captured it."
21:20 < Alianna> "Oh, splendid.  So now we have to find out what he did with it."
21:22 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "According to his memories he was wearing it next to his skin"
21:22 < Alianna> "Well, where the hell is it now, if it's not on him?"
21:24 < Maydla> "Whats the next best thing to being on his person?"
21:25 < Alderic> "didn't we fry his original body when we met him? The one over there, regrew right?"
21:26 < Alianna> "You burned him with acid, if I recall correctly."
21:26 < Alderic> "Where is THAT body?"
21:26 < Alderic> ::Looks to Audric::
21:26 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "According to Lord Hagen's report. He was shot several times in the chest and then burned with acid. There was very little left."
21:27 < Alderic> "He was in the tower. Is it still there?"
21:27 <@bynw> "It's right there. Its the same body, or what was left of it. The other parts have regrown."
21:30 < Alderic> "Where is the medallion then, it must be in his memories."
21:41 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "He was wearing it under his homespun clothing when you entered his tower. His last memories are chaotic and really not readable. A jumble has he was shot and lay dying before his rebirth started."
21:45 < Alderic> "it's just gone!? that's your story?"
21:49 <@bynw> "Just gone? No. Nothing is just gone. There is power at work that has taken it." ::Audric answers::
21:53 < Alderic> "You think leopold took it back?"
21:56 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "I only know the facts. He had it when you entered the tower. He did not have it when we captured the tower. And it isn't here now. It's not something that is 'gone' or lost. The only explanation is it was removed magically or otherwise from the tower prior to us capturing it."
21:59 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "
22:00 < Alderic> "You saying Leopold set Chadwick up? Took the medallion just when he'd need it?"
22:01 <@bynw> But I will also tell you. In order to get his memories, one does have to circumvent Shields. And his were ... average ... not all that powerful or horribly weak for that matter."
22:02 < Alianna> "Or Leopold took the medallion back rather than see it out of his control."
22:02 <@bynw> "It's a possibility. Leopold routinely betrayed those that followed him."
22:03 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "Bards sang about it in taverens outside of Valimar. In Valimar, the bards would be arrested and tried for insolence."
22:07 < Alderic> "So then we off to the Matrix in the deserts of Utha then?"
22:07 <@bynw> ::Audric's eyes light up:: "That's it ...." ::he rushes out of the room leaving the 3 of you alone with Chadwick and the orb::
22:08  * Alianna watches Audric leave and mutters, "What the hell is he doing now?"
22:08 < Maydla> "Seriously."
22:08 < Alderic> ::shrugs:: "Find the medallion hopefully."
22:09  * Alianna regards Chadwick's sleeping body.  "You know, I've killed people in my time, in battle, but I've never before been tempted to kill someone in their sleep before now."
22:10  * Maydla smirks at Alianna's comment.
22:10 < Alianna> "I'm not going to, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about it."
22:12 <@bynw> ::Audric comes back in the room, slightly out of breath and stops to chatch it. He is clutching another orb in his hand::
22:12 < Alderic> ::pulls a small knife from the folds of his tunic:: "carve your name somewhere?" ::offers it to Alianna::
22:13  * Alianna laughs sharply.  "No, I'm not into torture.  I'd just cut his throat and be done with it."
22:14 <@bynw> ::Audric stands after catching his breath and strolls back in the room:: "I just remember this from the tower." ::he says holding up the orb:: "Hagen had just shot Chadwick, the vines were forming a pod around him, do you remember?"
22:14 < Alianna> "Yes."
22:15 < Maydla> "Yes"
22:15 < Alderic> ::nods and the small knife disappears back into the folds::
22:15 <@bynw> ::he looks at the orb and smokey cloud fills the room again, this time with the image of Chadwick's throne room::
22:15 <@bynw> *the other owlbear which was conversing orginally with Alderic hasn't said a word since Hagen's attack. It only stands watching the pod*
22:16 <@bynw> < Maydla> "Hey you all, I see something next to the pod. A person; nay, an elf or possibly half-elf reaching into the pod. He's staring at me..."
22:16 <@bynw> * Alianna keeps her weapon pointed at the owlbear but glances over to the pod.
22:16 <@bynw> ::the owlbear turns to look at the pod, sniffing the air::
22:17 <@bynw> < Maydla> "He's shimmering, and moving his hand in and out of the pod. And now he's gone. I think he may have been phasing or maybe a spirit."
22:17 <@bynw> < Alianna> "What the flying hell?"
22:17 <@bynw> ::the owlbear turns back to the group:: "tricks"
22:17 <@bynw> *more flowers are blooming on the walls and celing across the vines*
22:17 <@bynw> < Maydla> Maydla to the owl bear: "You saw that, did you?"
22:17 <@bynw> < Maydla> "Did anyone else see what I saw?"
22:17 <@bynw> < Alderic> ::shakes his head no::
22:17 <@bynw> < Alderic> "What is the owlbear mean Maydia?"
22:17 <@bynw> ::the owlbear ignores the human, and seems to only watch Alderic and sometimes Alianna's gun::
22:18 <@bynw> ::the image stops and holds at Audric looks at the others::
22:19 < Alianna> "Oh holy shit.  It WAS Leopold, except only Maydla and the owlbear could see him."
22:19 < Alderic> ::nods:: "I appologize Audric."
22:19 < Alderic> "You where right."
22:19  * Maydla sighs.
22:20 < Alianna> "So Leopold has the medallion now.  Splendid."
22:20 <@bynw> ::Audric:: "Leopold's appearance to Chadwick ... it reminded me of the events at the tower. And it dawned on me why. Because the only other Anadari in the tower SAW him."
22:23 <@bynw> ::Audric sits down and the image fades:: "He took the Utha medallion and left Chadwick to his fate. Leopold was ready to breath life back into the Matrix at Kirsh. So he does have both. Utha and Kirsh."
22:25 < Alderic> "sounds like the only way anyone is going to get this...thing to show itself is to attack one of those Matrix's. Seems to be the only things he cares about. Power."