Session 16

[Bynw]

19:50 <~bynw> |------------------------------------------------
19:50 <~bynw> |          Session 16 - Imperial Dreams
19:50 <~bynw> |------------------------------------------------
19:50 <~bynw> |
19:50 <~bynw> | The 4 have travelled for several days. Making
19:50 <~bynw> | camp and keeping watch during the night. By
19:50 <~bynw> | mid-day, in the 4th day of travel, they have
19:50 <~bynw> | stopped at a clearing on a bluff. Lord Hagen
19:50 <~bynw> | pulls out a spyglass and uses it to point out
19:50 <~bynw> | the dark tower of Chadwick on the mountain
19:50 <~bynw> | side. Now just another few days ride away.
19:50 <~bynw> |
19:50 <~bynw> |------------------------------------------------
19:52 < Alianna> "So, we should be there in a few days, yes?  Then what?"
19:54 < Alderic> "Good question. The obvious answer is charge in and slay the evil wizard I suppose. Though perhaps not the most intelligent."
19:54 < Alianna> "Well, I think if it were that simple, somebody would have killed his trifling ass by now."  She laughs.
19:56 < Alderic> "We need questions answered."
19:58 < Alderic> "Any ideas how we are going to capture this....well Chadwick."
19:59 < Alianna> "I don't have a clue, myself.  Do we have to capture him or just kill him?"
20:00 <~bynw> ::Lord Hagen:: "Our patrons thought we were the best for the job. I think some want him alive. As a key to finding out more information."
20:01 < Maylda> "Sound slike we should at least try to to keep him alive..."
20:01 < Alderic> "I'm not sure we can kill him."
20:02 < Maylda> "Correction: Sounds like WE should try to stay alive."
20:02  * Alianna emits a short, harsh laugh.  "That would definitely be to the good."
20:02 < Alderic> "My father told me the story of the time he sliced his head from his shoulders. He left him in two pieces but he came back, somehow."
20:03 < Maylda> "Yowch."
20:03  * Maylda mumbles, "Talk about a headache.."
20:04 <~bynw> ::Lord Hagen raises an eyebrow:: "I've heard of people coming back but generally not after being beheaded."
20:04 < Alianna> "Can we burn him like a dead tree?"
20:08 < Alderic> "I don't suppose either of you can control plants?"
20:09 <~bynw> "I don't have that kind of skills" ::Lord Hagen says::
20:10 < Alderic> ::Shrugs:: "Chadwick is a plant."
20:11 <~bynw> ::Lord Hagen turns to Alderic:: "A plant? I thought we were after a man that has had his head chopped off"
20:11 < Maylda> "All I can do with them is grow them and nurture them. Good, positive things. Chadwick is neither of those."
20:12 < Alderic> "I don't think anything we do to him will make him give us our answers. We will need to pry open his mind." ::looks to Maylda::
20:13 < Alderic> "My father says Chadwick had some of the strongest shields he's ever encountered. And that was before he controlled a Matrix."
20:13 <~bynw> ::Looks again to the tower with his spayglass::
20:14 < Maylda> "I don't think getting into his head will be that easy. My skills aren't nearly as developed as you may think they are. All I can do is try."
20:15 <~bynw> ::Lord Hagen:: "No guards on the tower, but its already covered with vines that should have taken decades to grow. And I do see any of those creatures either."
20:15 < Alderic> "You wont see them."
20:17 < Maylda> "You dont see them; they see you."
20:17 <~bynw> "Then we should make our way to the tower. No time like the present. Nothing will change but us waiting around."
20:19 < Alderic> ::Sighs and turns to Lord Hagen:: "Do you really think he doesn't know we are coming?"
20:19 < Alianna> "How?"
20:20 < Alderic> ::Puts his palm on a tree and peers up at it::
20:20 <~bynw> ::Lord Hagen:: "That depends on what he really is capable of doing."
20:20 < Alianna> "He has the frakking trees as guards and spies?"
20:21 < Maylda> "It's possible, Alianna."
20:21 < Alianna> "Holy shit."
20:21 < Alderic> ::shrugs:: "Or the animals."
20:22 < Maylda> "Nature has its own rules and a mind of its own. You poison one plant and the whole forest is against you."
20:22  * Alianna looks alarmed.
20:24 <~bynw> "To capture this madman I'm not above buring the whole damn forest down." ::Lord Hagen says as he mounts back up on his horse::
20:25 < Maylda> "The plants depend upon each other; the trees depend on the foliage on the ground for the protection and nutrients gathered from the earth. The roots of the large trees are the foundation of the forest. You mess with a tree enough to damage its roots, it very well could kill everything around it simply because it has become sick."
20:25 < Alianna> "But we don't want to burn down the whole damn forest and have nothing to show for it either."
20:25  * Maylda raises a hand in question.
20:27 < Maylda> "What if, we could simply regain the forest and animals from Chadwick? We could turn them against him, wherein they would realize exactly how evil he is and how he is poisoning their evironment?
20:27  * Maylda swings up into her saddle as well, still curious.
20:28 < Maylda> "We wouldnt be controlling the forest, per se, we would simply be changing its course so to speak."
20:28 < Alderic> ::Looks to Maylda suddenly as she talks and seems to be mulling something over::
20:29  * Alianna regards Maylda as she clumsily gets back into her saddle.
20:30 < Alderic> "Roots. Yes. Yes. It must be. Perhaps a seed, or a piece. Like a phylactery."
20:31 < Maylda> "Possibly, Alderic. But even an amulet can be overridden. Remember: Nature is an entity of its own."
20:32 <~bynw> ::Lord Hagen:: "Lets get going. We will run out of daylight in a few hours"
20:32 < Alderic> "Chadwick must have a phylactery somewhere. A piece of himself. A place to....grow...another Chadwick. Fertile soil and a kind of root and seed."
20:33 < Maylda> "And nature needs no direction, unless one may be given. Right now the forest is being given a negative direction which hasnt yet affected its health. Give it, Chadwick, enough time and his power will have infected this entire area and nothing but thorns and poions will grow here. Driving all greenery out."
20:33 < Alianna> "Ah, I see where you're going.  Destroy that and we can destroy him for good."
20:33 < Alderic> ::Stops talking and concentrates on pulling himself onto the horses back, still looking clumsy and nearly falling off the other side::
20:33 < Alianna> "Maylda has a good point too."
20:34 < Alderic> "or follow his essence to his source."
20:35 < Maylda> "Alderic: You are correct. The forest could easily tell us where to look. All we really need is to convince it Chadwick is evil. Which means, find the deepest and nastiest part of the forest..."
20:35 <~bynw> "She does make a good point. Something to consider."
20:36 < Maylda> "Think of it like this: You have a weed, or a poisoned vine. How do you get rid of it without killing your whole garden?"
20:36 < Alderic> ::Nods:: "Perhaps you don't have to pry open his mind Maylda, but just keep his minions occupied."
20:36 < Maylda> "Exactly."
20:37 < Alderic> "Can you....converse...with the trees?"
20:37 < Maylda> "Me?"
20:37 < Maylda> "Do you mean, actually talk to them?"
20:38 < Alderic> "Or whatever it is you do, yeah. Maybe the animals?"
20:39  * Alianna watches the conversation quietly from the back of her horse.
20:40 < Alderic> "Do you think he will sense you if you try?"
20:40 < Maylda> "It has been said that some Anadari have this ability but it very very rare among us."
20:40 < Maylda> "Personally, I think that he already knows we are here but not that I can have the forest turned against him."
20:41 < Maylda> "The way the forest works is like this: it shows you what you want to see."
20:43 <~bynw> ::Lord Hagen begins leading the group down the trail again:: "I'm sure we will come up with something. We all have talents and abilities at our disposal."
20:43 < Maylda> "When it is given a negative energy or directive, it shows and acts either with it, or against it. Our current situation shows that it did not have a positive direction to go, being that it is so established. Now that there is a positive energy and motion being brought into it, it should and already has shown signs of positivity."
20:43  * Maylda moves her horse under a low tree limb and gently touches a newly grown leaf.
20:44 < Maylda> "Basically: the forest doesnt like Chadwick anymore, but its beginning to love us."
20:45 < Alderic> "Can you see if anything in the forest surrounding the tower means us harm?"
20:46 < Alianna> "How can we use the forest liking us better than him to defeat him, then?"
20:47 < Maylda> "He's using the forest to defend himself and his tower over there. A shield, if you will. Take his shield away, turn it upon him, and you've found his weakness."
20:47 <~bynw> ::Hagen:: "From the last sighting on it that I took. It's covered in vines. And the forest is pretty thick in that area. Almost the opposite of what you would think given a tower in woods. No real clearing at all."
20:48 < Maylda> "Considering how this little vine right above me is trying to love on me, I dont think that will be a problem." She says as she rubs a few leaves.
20:50  * Alianna smiles at Maylda.  "Can you turn the forest against him?
20:50 < Alianna> "
20:50 < Maylda> "I think we may already have."
20:50 < Maylda> "Simply by being here."
20:51  * Alianna looks thoughtful.
20:51 < Alianna> "How does that help us capture or kill him, though?"
20:51  * Maylda smirks.
20:51 < Alderic> ::Raises an eyebrow skeptically, but then shrugs and rides on::
20:51 < Maylda> "Have you ever had an angry vine attack you?"
20:52 < Alianna> "I haven't spent much of m y life  in forests since I was a kid.  Even then, I was mostly interested in the sea."
20:52 < Maylda> "What about seaweed? Ever had any problems with that or how about running up on a reef?"
20:53 < Alianna> "Yeah, that can be a problem.  Seaweed around the anchor isn't much fun."
20:53 < Maylda> "Moral: Don't piss off or ON nature."
20:54 < Alderic> ::Chuckles:: "You sound like the Druids of Tennes."
20:54  * Alianna laughs coarsely.  "Yeah, any sailor learns quickly that the sea has a mind of her own, to be sure."
20:54 < Maylda> "The sea is just your version of my forest, Alianna."
20:54  * Alianna laughs again, more gently this time.
21:00 < Maylda> "Alianna, have you ever tried your hand at--" then suddenly leaps straight from the saddle straight up into the air...
21:00 <~bynw> ::the creaking of the branches comes too late for most to do anything. as two large branches sweep across the trail and smash into Maylda's horse ... killing it instantly::
21:02  * Maylda gently lands a few yards away. "Well then. Chadwick definitely knows we are here."
21:02 < Alderic> ::Reins in his horse::
21:03 < Alianna> "Holy shit!"
21:03 < Alderic> "It seems not all the forest is happy to see us Maylda."
21:03 < Alianna> "Maylda, are you okay?"
21:03 <~bynw> ::another swing of the branches and Lord Hagen is caught by the branch sending him flying towards the ground::
21:03  * Alianna moves her horse away from the attacking tree.
21:05  * Maylda waves her left hand lightly and a few thick vines catch Lord Hagen before he lands some yards away from the angry trees. She then snags the startled horses reins and soothes the animal."
21:05 <~bynw> ::the two trees have the trail "surrounded" for several yards in all directions, their branches taking swipes at the horses and riders caught between them::
21:06 < Maylda> "Apparently he has found the few disturbed trees in the forest and convinced them to move and attack anything and anyone."
21:06  * Alianna struggles to keep her horse calm and away from the attacking trees.
21:06 < Alderic> ::Drops to the ground, pulling a 3 1/2 foot staff topped with 2 feet of wickedly curved steel from the side of his saddle::
21:07 < Maylda> "What are you going to do with that, Alderic?"
21:07 <~bynw> ::another swipe, would have sent Alderic flying, but he dropped to the ground just before it swung overhead::
21:07 < Maylda> "Alianna, move closer over here, You too Lord Hagen. It's safer here."
21:08 < Alderic> ::Shoots Maylda a wicked smile then launches into an intricate kata with the staff, his eyes locked on the nearest tree::
21:08  * Alianna follows Maylda's instructions.
21:09 <~bynw> ::the rider-less horses are panicked and flee if not restrained::
21:09  * Maylda shivers lightly. "These trees are sick inside," she says to no one in particular.
21:10  * Alianna is still struggling to keep her seat on her panicky horse.
21:10 <~bynw> ::as Alianna moves closer towards Maylda a branch crashes down in front of her path .. just inches from pulverising her and lifts up again for another attempt::
21:10  * Maylda gently soothes Alianna's horse with a soft hand on its nose.
21:11 < Maylda> "There's something wrong here. Those tree's are more than just Chadwick's work. They are sick. Look at those damaged beds around them.. something's not right here."
21:11  * Alianna starts so hard she almost falls off the horse.
21:12 < Alianna> "Can you do anything about them?  Stop them somehow before they kill all of us?"
21:12 < Maylda> "Alianna, Are you alright?!"
21:12 < Alderic> !df 4
21:12 <@ChanServ> Result: (-)(+)( )(+)
21:12 < Alianna> "Yeah, I'm still okay.  But I won't be for long if we can't get away from these vicious, sick trees."
21:12 < Maylda> "All we can do for now is move away from them, there's nothing I can do until they calm down and stop their violent thrashing."
21:14 < Maylda> I'll have to find some things in the forest even then that's not much to go on. I'll have to wait it out in order to 'fix' them. For now, Alderic can cut a limb or two closest to the ground and show it we mean business."
21:14 <~bynw> ::lord hagen makes a dash for it but is caught by another flying branch that hits him square in the chest ... he is not seen after the branch continues in its path::
21:14 < Maylda> "Alderic, cut that limb, NOW!"
21:14 < Alianna> "Oh shit."
21:15 < Maylda> "oh shit is right, my dear. If the tree didnt hurt him too badly, we'll find him behind that tree about two feet down in the dirt."
21:16 < Alderic> ::Bellows and swings his staff, the air ripples with a black energy from the staff's blade and strike the tree that struck Lord Hagen::
21:16 <~bynw> ::Lord Hagen falls from the trees and hits the ground hard just as one of the branches follow him and hits him hard ... smashing him into the trail::
21:16 < Maylda> "Told ya."
21:16 < Alianna> "Holy shit, is he okay?"
21:16 < Maylda> "This is one cantankerous tree there."
21:17 < Maylda> (minus the there.)
21:17 < Maylda> "I have a few herbs that will help if he's not. If I ever get these trees to mellow out, the trees themselves will help him."
21:18  * Maylda feels a vine curl around her ankle and follows its trail back behind one of the angry trees.
21:18 < Alderic> ::the energy in the shape of a large blade itself cleaves the limb from the tree. Alderic continues swinging his staff, the energy smashing through tree limbs again and again::
21:19 < Maylda> "Alianna, hold the horses if you can, I'll be right back..."
21:19 <~bynw> ::the other tree takes another swipe, just missing Maylda. she seems to be standing in the "sweet spot" of the trail ... just out of reach of all branches::
21:19  * Alianna wraps her hand around Hagen's reins and sits firmly down in her saddle, holding the reins of her own horse securely.
21:21 <~bynw> ::the tree that lost its branch begains to flail about even more violently than before. constantly sweeping the trail with its remaining branches ... going for anything that moves::
21:22  * Maylda quickly follws the sweetheart vine back behind the tree, ducking to miss a few errant branches... and then gasps as she lays gentle hands upon the large angry scars on the back side of the trees trunk.
21:26 < Alderic> ::Concentrates on the first tree, enlarging the 'safe zone'::
21:28  * Maylda looks up at Alderic and rejoins him quickly, feeling a gentle squeeze on her ankle from that same sweet vine.
21:28 < Alianna> "Okay, I can't keep these horses here for long.  They're trying to panic and run like hell."
21:29  * Maylda touches Alderic's arm, "Put away your weapon, slowly. If you must, a handknife will suffice for my protection alone.
21:29 < Maylda> "
21:31 <~bynw> ::several smaller branches are littering the trail where Alderic has been enlargining the 'safe zone' at the expense of the tree::
21:32 < Alderic> ::Grounds the butt of his staff and with a crackle and a pop the energy is gone::
21:32 <~bynw> ::the creaking branches stop as the trees realize they cannot reach the 3 still standing unless they move::
21:33  * Alianna begins to have a somewhat easier time with the horses now that the trees are no longer flailing.
21:34  * Maylda slowly leans down and touches the jagged edge of a young broken limb and a small mushroom pops up.
21:34 < Alderic> ::Yells at the trees:: "Count your blessings it's not a cloudy day!"
21:35  * Alianna rolls her eyes.  "Alderic, secure the chatter and let Maylda do her thing," she mutters.
21:35  * Maylda shoots a look at Alderic. "They can't understand you but I sure can and I can understand them as well. Please be nice, even if they did try to kill you."
21:36  * Maylda crouches and slowly gazes up the trees counting broken limbs versus cut limbs on this side of the trees around them.
21:37 < Maylda> "Alderic: How many limbs did you cut?"
21:39 < Alderic> ::Shrugs:: "As many as I could."
21:40  * Maylda suddenly grabs a handful of loose, sandy dirt and tosses it into the air around and watches it settle upon the limbs Alderic damaged, watching as the limbs absorb the energy she is sharing with the trees and greenery around her.
21:41 < Maylda> (around the tree)
21:41 <~bynw> ::there is a sound of vibrating metal for an instant behind them. then the 2nd tree trunk explodes in a shattering of wood and splinters::
21:42 < Maylda> "these trees weren't sick. Merely appeared so. Chadwick had a bunch of minions come out and do his bidding, meaning these tress were animated.
21:42 < Maylda> trees*
21:42 < Alderic> ::Ducks as the tree explodes:: "WHOA!"
21:44 <~bynw> ::Lord Hagen holsters his pistol:: "Let's go before any more trees become bewitched and start to kill us again!" ::he says from behind them on the trail::
21:44  * Maylda seems sad.
21:45 < Maylda> "I'm glad you've survived those rather angry trees."
21:46  * Maylda trails a finger over the ragged edge of a broken limb and smiles as tiny ferns pop up and uncurl down the limb to the trunk of the tree.
21:47 < Maylda> (Correction, other tree!)
21:47 < Alderic> ::Smiles at Lord Hagen::
21:47 < Alianna> "I think Lord Hagen has a point.  Getting the hell out of here sounds like a good idea to me."
21:48 < Alderic> ::Snarls at the trees and mutters:: "I'll make a chair out of you, and you can spend your days kissing my arse."
21:48 < Maylda> "I'm inclined to agree. This vine has become rather enamored with me."
21:50 <~bynw> "All you are seeing is Chadwick's magic here. I believe you are correct. Every plant and possibly every animal in this forest. As we move closer to that tower will be against us."
21:50 < Alderic> ::Raises an eyebrow at Maylda, but again says nothing::
21:50 <~bynw> ::Hagen says:: "Someone needs to ride double for Maylda since her horse is gone"
21:51 < Alianna> "She can ride with me, we're probably the smallest two here."
21:51 < Alderic> "Then why walk? Chadwick knows we are here."
21:51  * Maylda pinches off a leaf of the vine and sticks it behind her ear for safe keeping, letting it grow a little curl into her hair.
21:52  * Maylda approaches Alianna's horse and hops up behind her saddle, gripping said saddle.
21:53 < Alianna> "What were you going to suggest we do rather than walking, Alderic?"
21:54 < Alderic> "I can move us to the tower."
21:56 <~bynw> "I'm all for it" ::Hagen replies::
21:56 < Alianna> "Do we have a plan once we get there?"
21:57 < Alianna> "I don't have a problem with it except that I get a little motion-sick from teleportation, but I'd like to know that we've got some idea what we're going to do once we get to the tower."
22:00 < Alderic> ::Looks about him:: "I don't think we should be talking aloud."
22:01 < Alianna> "Okay, then, we have a psychic conference before we take off for the tower."