Episode 4

[Bynw]

 [19:15:25] <.Bynw> game session is starting ... move all OOC to #Teara-Adan:OOC
* Playing 'recap.txt' to #Teara-Adan with 1300ms delay
[19:15:34] <.Bynw> ****************************************
[19:15:35] <.Bynw> **
[19:15:36] <.Bynw> **   The Winds of Change - Episode 4
[19:15:38] <.Bynw> **
[19:15:39] <.Bynw> ** Beginning Adventure Recap
[19:15:40] <.Bynw> **
[19:15:42] <.Bynw> ****************************************
[19:15:43] <.Bynw> **
[19:15:44] <.Bynw> ** Arriving in the Warp Wood territory,
[19:15:46] <.Bynw> ** the party is advised of the dire
[19:15:47] <.Bynw> ** situation that has befallen the nobility
[19:15:48] <.Bynw> ** of the land.
[19:15:50] <.Bynw> **
[19:15:51] <.Bynw> ** They are given a place to stay in the
[19:15:52] <.Bynw> ** palace and make their final decision
[19:15:53] <.Bynw> ** in the morning before the King and his
[19:15:55] <.Bynw> ** remaining 3 lords of state.
[19:15:56] <.Bynw> **
[19:15:57] <.Bynw> ** After resting awhile, the party has
[19:15:59] <.Bynw> ** gathered in a small parlor room for
[19:16:00] <.Bynw> ** there use to determine what is their
[19:16:01] <.Bynw> ** next move.
[19:16:03] <.Bynw> **
[19:16:04] <.Bynw> ****************************************
[19:16:05] <.Bynw> **
[19:16:07] <.Bynw> **   End of Adventure Recap
[19:16:08] <.Bynw> **
[19:16:09] <.Bynw> ****************************************
* Playback of 'recap.txt' complete
[19:16:41] * +Antilles broods over a cup of steaming tea...
[19:17:47] <+Antilles> "So, a task has been put before us. It is now up to us to decide if we are to take it, or... some other course."
[19:17:51] * +Charissa double checks the scrying preparations and then heads over to the parlor room
[19:18:21] <.Bynw> *the interior of the palace is fairly cool - and has remained as the sun has set
[19:18:25] <+Charissa> "well, I think the first step would be to do the scrying for the King and for that I need most of you"
[19:18:42] <+Jack> "Okay."
[19:18:43] <+Antilles> :: places his cup on the table before him, and looks at his companions, each in turn ::
[19:19:17] * +Coch who has been wandering about the palace arrives at the parlor
[19:19:22] * +Antilles nods to Charissa
[19:19:37] <+Antilles> "What will that require, Charissa?"
[19:20:08] <+Charissa> just concentration for the most part.  The deryni amongst us can provide the focus for the scrying
[19:20:30] <+Antilles> "And I take it, by this gesture, that you at least have committed to this cause?"
[19:21:01] <+Charissa> "I would like to help this nation.  If nothing else, to help them find out who might be doing this"
[19:21:42] <+Antilles> "Indeed, Charissa, and so would I. With the current affairs of the Territories, this may all prove to everyone's benefit in the long run."
[19:21:44] <+Kevin> "I'll help with the scrying, but I do not think I cna do much."
[19:22:06] <+Coch> "I would like a bit more information before I fully commit to this endeavor"  ::looking in turn at each person::
[19:22:18] <+Charissa> "hopefully the scrying will provide that"
[19:23:19] <+Charissa> "and that might help us to decide if we want to go further or not"
[19:23:36] <+Coch> "Speaking of that, I would help if I could but I'm afraid magic and I don't mix very well" ::addressing Charissa::
[19:23:50] <+Antilles> "Well said, m'Lady."
[19:24:23] <+Charissa> "well then, you can just help by guarding us against any distractions"
[19:24:42] <+Charissa> "thank you Master Antilles"
[19:24:57] <+Antilles> "I suppose you intend to perform this before the king?"
[19:25:09] * +Antilles nods to Charissa
[19:25:36] <+Charissa> "aye.  In an ante chamber would be best"
[19:25:56] <+Antilles> "What preparations will you need?"
[19:26:28] <+Coch> "Consider it done"  :: and Coch moves towards the entry way to block access to the parlor
[19:26:35] <+Charissa> "I have already prepared the bowl.  We just need to take it to the where the King is"
[19:26:51] <+Charissa> "or wherever we are going to be doing this"
[19:26:59] <+Antilles> "If I may be of assistance, just give the word."
[19:27:20] <+Antilles> "I would suggest we find Lord Merriam, and announce to him our intentions."
[19:27:22] * +Charissa nods
[19:27:26] <+Charissa> "aye"
[19:28:01] <+Antilles> " Coch, be so kind, and find Lord Merriam, will you? "
[19:28:56] <+Coch> "On my way Antilles"  and ::Coch leaves the room to find Lord Merriam::
[19:30:04] <+Antilles> "Whats your take on this, Jack?"
[19:30:14] <+Antilles> :: turns to face Jack ::
[19:31:41] <+Jack> "I'm in favor of it."
[19:31:58] <+Antilles> "and you, Kevin?"
[19:32:14] <+Jack> "The more we know about the situation, the better."
[19:33:02] <+Antilles> "I doubt my father has anything to do with this.. but, I am no longer sure of anything at this point."
[19:33:32] * +Antilles picks his tea back up, and only stares into it...
[19:33:53] <+Charissa> "if as I suspect there is some kind of magic at work, then we need to know its source or at least its strength"
[19:34:08] <+Jack> "I was told by an old monk once that that's the first step to enlightenment."
[19:35:23] <+Antilles> "Wise words, Jack."
[19:35:54] * +Antilles gulps the tea down, and looks up.
[19:36:03] <+Antilles> "whats keeping Coch?"
[19:37:19] <+Antilles> :: stands up, and paces slowly about the room :: 
[19:38:38] * +Coch Coch returns to the parlor
[19:38:44] <+Coch> "I'm afraid Lord Merriam is asleep and doesn't want to be disturbed.  I think we should go on with the scrying"
[19:39:02] * +Antilles looks at everyone
[19:39:10] <+Charissa> "well, I do have all the necessary items in my room.  I suppose we could all just go there"
[19:39:24] <+Jack> "Sounds good to me."
[19:39:38] <+Antilles> "Perhaps we should see if the King is awake?"
[19:39:47] <+Charissa> "if you want to"
[19:40:07] * +Antilles twitches his lip, as if bothered..
[19:40:13] <+Coch> "Antilles the King is indisposed as well"
[19:40:33] <+Antilles> "Very well.. let us move to your chambers, Charissa"
[19:40:46] * +Charissa leads the way to the quarters assigned to her
[19:41:04] * +Coch follows along
[19:41:49] <+Charissa> ::upon arrival, Charissa suggests everyone but Coch sit in the center of the room::
[19:41:55] * +Kevin follows as wekk
[19:42:03] * +Kevin follows as well
[19:42:10] * +Jack nods and sits
[19:42:20] * +Antilles sits as Charissa would have him
[19:42:21] <+Coch> "May I say I find it a bit strange that all the Lords are sleeping and not to be disturbed all at once but maybe this has to do with the influence being exerted over them"
[19:42:32] <+Charissa> "Coch, would you please guard the door?"
[19:42:47] <+Charissa> "aye, it's possible"
[19:42:52] <+Antilles> "Your probably right, Coch"
[19:42:52] <+Coch> "Will do, no one will enter"
[19:43:04] * +Charissa nods at Coch
[19:43:15] * +Coch braces the door
[19:43:45] <+Charissa> "alright, let's bring the bowl of water, ink to me"
[19:44:05] * +Charissa pulls out the King's signet ring that was given to her for this from her pocket
[19:44:42] <+Antilles> "I feel like I'm back in training.. we used to fool with such ceremonies.."
[19:45:12] <+Antilles> "those were only pranks, though.." 
[19:45:12] * +Charissa smiles...it is MUCH more than fooling around, Antilles
[19:45:46] <+Antilles> :: raises his eyebrow at Charissa ::
[19:45:51] <+Jack> "I've had a bit of experience in training, too.  And we didn't consider it a prank."
[19:46:19] <+Antilles> "I didn't mean to offend you, Jack"
[19:46:28] <+Jack> "Oh, no offense."
[19:48:37] <+Jack> "Lotsa serious things can be used for pranks.  Fire is serious . . . ever light cow farts?"
[19:49:22] * +Antilles looks strangely at Jack
[19:49:36] <+Antilles> "no,,, never did that Jack"
[19:49:49] <+Charissa> "probably a very good thing, as you'd blow up"
[19:49:52] <+Antilles> "doesnt that smell bad?"
[19:50:20] <+Charissa> "you would blow yourself and the cow up"
[19:50:52] <+Charissa> "Jack, did you see someone do it?"
[19:51:19] <+Antilles> :: cough cough ::
[19:51:34] <+Jack> "Yeah, a few of us did it when I was about 10 years old.  Scorched the cow's butt and got a whipping for it, too."
[19:51:46] <+Charissa> "I'll bet!"
[19:53:14] <+Antilles> "Maybe I should call you 'the breeze' Jack."
[19:53:49] <+Jack> "Nah, we did a lot of weird stuff when I was a kid."
[19:54:11] <+Antilles> "I can tell..."
[19:54:56] <+Antilles> "At any rate.. we should do this."
[19:55:26] <+Kevin> "I'm ready
[19:55:48] * +Charissa pulls out a little leather bag from her pocket "alright. Jack, can you help me set the wards?"
[19:56:09] <+Jack> "Okay."
[19:56:35] <+Charissa> ::looks to Kevin and Antilles:: "you two just relax and try to clear your minds the best you can"
[19:57:27] * +Antilles nods to Charissa
[19:57:29] * +Charissa opens the draw strings of the little bag and empties out 4 plain black and 4 plain white cubes into her palm
[19:57:47] <+Antilles> "What are those?"
[19:58:02] <+Antilles> :: peers at the strange cubes ::
[19:58:16] <+Charissa> "those are called Ward Cubes.  They will help protect all of us from the forces outside"
[19:58:29] <+Antilles> "I see."
[19:58:54] <+Antilles> "and what forces would those be?"
[19:59:10] <+Charissa> "elemental, human, forces"
[19:59:16] <+Coch> "Charissa will this draw any attention to us?"
[19:59:33] <+Charissa> "no, Coch, it shouldn't.  It will help to protect us"
[19:59:43] <+Charissa> "alright, let's get started."
[19:59:47] * +Kevin sits and starts to 'clear his mind'
[20:00:07] * +Antilles watches Charissa.. and tries to clear his head of thoughts
[20:00:26] * +Charissa looks at Jack: "I'm going to set the wards. I will need you to help strengthen the ward once I've done the initial part"
[20:00:48] <+Jack> "Okay."
[20:01:20] <+Charissa> ::Charissa puts the 4 white cubes in the middle of the circle everyone has formed.
[20:01:21] * +Coch ear against the door, listens for anyone coming near the room
[20:01:52] <+Charissa> ::she arranges the cubes so that all the white cubes are touching each other and they seem to form a square::
[20:02:24] <+Antilles> :: peeks over at Coch :: "Careful of worms in the wood.. they might crawl into your skull, Coch."
[20:02:59] * +Antilles turns back around, and grins
[20:03:00] <+Charissa> ::Charissa then puts the 4 black cubes so they are diagonal with the white cubes
[20:03:49] * +Charissa concentrates on the white cubes and says "Prime" as she touches the white cube in the upper left corner::
[20:04:31] <+Charissa> ::"Secondus" for the white cube in the upper right corner:: 
[20:04:40] <+Charissa> ::both cubes take a faint glow::
[20:04:47] * +Jack sits in a light meditative state and mouths the words of the warding silently as Charissa says them.
[20:05:16] <+Charissa> ::"Terce" for the bottom left cube.  It too glows as she touches it::
[20:05:29] <+Antilles> :: sits and watches .. wondering what will happen next ::
[20:05:48] <+Charissa> ::"Quarte" for the last white cube and watches it glow::
[20:06:03] * +Charissa then turns her attention to the black cubes that are placed diagonally
[20:06:41] <+Charissa> ::touching the black cube next to the first glowing white cube in the upper left, she says "Quinte"
[20:06:58] <+Charissa> ::she touches it and it too glows::
[20:07:37] <+Charissa> ::she then goes in the same order and says "Sixtus" "Sept" and "Octave" until all 8 cubes are glowing::
[20:08:15] * +Coch glances from time to time at the ritual being performed and then returns to listening with his ear against the door
[20:09:09] * +Charissa stops to take a deep breath and then picks up white and black cubes from the upper left corner and touches them together.
[20:09:14] <+Charissa> "Primus!"
[20:09:51] * +Charissa repeats this with Seconde and Sixte and says "Secondus!"
[20:10:24] <+Charissa> ::then comes Terce and Sept and she says "Septime"::
[20:10:55] <+Charissa> ::and finally she picks up the two cubes that had formed the bottom right of the square and says "Quartus!" as she touches them together::
[20:12:06] * +Charissa takes another deep breath and then picks up the now glowing oblongs of black/white cubes and places them in 4 corners of the room
[20:12:40] <+Charissa> ::turns to Jack..."Now I need you to help me with the setting"
[20:12:41] <+Charissa> ::
[20:13:12] <+Charissa> ::waits as Jack gets ready to help her::
[20:13:16] * +Jack moves to where Charissa is.
[20:14:49] * +Charissa takes Jacks hand into hers and both seem to be concentrating. Together they turn and face each set of cubes and say "Primus, Secondus, Tertius, Quartus, Fiat Lux!"
[20:15:18] * +Jack says the last phrase out loud as he adds his energy to Charissa's in the ward.
[20:15:38] <+Charissa> ::instantly a glow seems to appear covering the entire room::
[20:15:50] <+Charissa> "Now, we can proceed with the scrying."
[20:16:30] <+Charissa> ::takes the bowl of water and adds the black ink to it::
[20:18:26] <+Charissa> ::she then stirs it until the water in the bowl is jet black::
[20:18:41] * +Charissa then plops the King's signet into it.
[20:19:17] <+Charissa> ::asks Antilles and Kevin to gather closer and along with Jack has everyone holding hands and forming a circle::
[20:19:52] * +Antilles moves in, and joins hands with the others
[20:20:42] * +Jack joins hands as well.
[20:21:08] <+Charissa> "now, you two will feel a slight tickling sensation in your head.  There is nothing to be alarmed about.  It is just Jack and I making a sort of connection with the two of you.  There will be no harm done to you."
[20:21:20] * +Antilles nods
[20:21:46] <+Antilles> "Please, proceede, Charissa"
[20:21:46] <+Charissa> ::waits for Kevin's acknowledgement::
[20:22:15] <+Charissa> "Jack, would you work with Antilles, and I will work with Kevin."
[20:22:35] <+Jack> "Sounds good."
[20:23:06] <+Charissa> ::after what seems to be just a couple of moments, Charissa nods to Jack.  Both Antilles and Kevin are dozing lightly::
[20:23:27] * +Jack returns the nod.
[20:23:55] * +Kevin dozes lightly
[20:24:04] <+Charissa> ::concentrates on the bowl and the ring within it.::
[20:24:21] <+Charissa> ::the water seems to clear up::
[20:25:16] <+Charissa> @fudge+2
[20:25:16] <+SnakeEyes> Charissa Rolled +1 (Good)
[20:25:37] <.Bynw> *the water reflects only the faces of those staring into it
[20:26:11] <+Charissa> ::concentrates on the ring that is in the water and tries to make a connection to it::
[20:28:43] <+Charissa> @fudge+3
[20:28:44] <+SnakeEyes> Charissa Rolled +3 (Superb)
[20:29:40] <.Bynw> *an image of the sleeping king appears on the surface of the water in the bowl. he is still breathing and alive
[20:33:16] <+Charissa> ::concentrates on the image and tries to See around the King.  Looks for any unusual aura or energy surrounding the king and/or his mind.  Also tries to gently probe the King's mind for any unusual presence::
[20:33:52] <+Charissa> ::turns to Jack:: "Just the image of him, nothing else."
[20:34:38] <+Jack> "Well, then he is either the root or focus of the problem.  If the latter, that's no new news."
[20:35:13] <+Charissa> "let's see if we can find out any more though before we give up"
[20:35:28] <+Charissa> ::concentrates again on the ring and the image of the sleeping King::
[20:35:31] * +Jack nods
[20:35:49] <+Charissa> @fudge+3
[20:35:50] <+SnakeEyes> Charissa Rolled +3 (Superb)
[20:39:03] <.Bynw> *the image shifts and shimmers abit in the bowl the kings head is surrounded by an aura of myriad sparkles
[20:40:20] <+Charissa> ::concentrates on the sparkles to see if she can make out anything more::
[20:40:52] <+Charissa> ::shakes her head and breaks her concentration::
[20:41:22] <.Bynw> *the image on the water vanishes
[20:41:53] <+Charissa> "I'm going to try one more time, Jack and then we'll have to call it a day"
[20:42:30] <+Charissa> @fudge+4
[20:42:30] <+SnakeEyes> Charissa Rolled +2 (Great)
[20:44:26] <.Bynw> *the water remains still
[20:44:52] * +Antilles cracks his eyes open..
[20:45:08] <+Charissa> ::shakes her head and looks up at the others::
[20:45:27] <+Antilles> "what... ?"
[20:45:47] <+Charissa> "Well, there is certainly something going on, but I couldn't tell what it was.  I do know that the King is alright for right now though"
[20:45:56] <+Jack> "Well, we know the problem is focused on the King.  That's something we would have suspected anyway, but confirmation is good."
[20:45:58] <+Charissa> "I am very tired now."
[20:46:12] * +Antilles curses
[20:49:01] <+Charissa> ::dismantles the wards and puts the cubes back in their bag and in her pocket::
[20:49:03] * +Coch turns his head and says "Charissa is there anyway to check Lord Merriam without something personal?"
[20:49:29] <+Charissa> "it can be done, but not right now.  too tired" ::yawns::
[20:50:12] <+Coch> "ok"
[20:53:17] <+Antilles> "very well, let us leave her chamber so that she may sleep"
[20:53:40] * +Antilles turns and helps Charissa to her bed
[20:54:00] * +Kevin goes out and waits for the others
[20:54:16] * +Jack exits as well.
[20:54:27] <+Charissa> ::gets into bed and promptly falls asleep::
[20:54:39] * +Coch trails behind
[20:55:18] <+Coch> "Antilles may I have a word?"
[20:56:09] <+Antilles> "Yes, Coch.. "
[20:56:26] <+Antilles> :: moves outside the room, and speaks to Coch privately ::
[20:56:56] * +Jack moves a distance away to allow them privacy.
[20:56:57] <+Coch> "Until we find out who is behind these problems in Warp Wood I think we should be cafeful with the other Lords"
[20:57:30] <+Antilles> "Yes.. a good idea, but, what is your foundation for saying so, Coch?"
[20:58:54] <+Coch> "It seems strange all the Lords asleep at this hours and all not wanting to be disturbed and Lord Merriam was very reluctant to allow the King to be helped by Charissa"
[20:59:52] * +Kevin goes to his room and sleeps
[21:00:02] <+Antilles> "Very well, from now on, we will be on guard, Coch."
[21:00:29] <+Coch> "I will poke about and see what I can hear"
[21:00:53] <+Antilles> "Be careful.. and report to me any information you uncover, Coch."
[21:00:58] * Kevin is now known as otter
[21:01:27] <+Coch> "Will do Antilles"
[21:02:23] * +Coch head back to his room
[21:03:40] * Coch is now known as db144
[21:04:12] * db144 is now known as Coch
[21:05:05] * Coch is now known as db144
[21:06:09] <.Bynw> !! thats a wrap
[21:06:15] * +Jack returns to his room to sleep.