1. The Wilderness

Victor.Strokov Inactive for 3 months

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"Of course your eyes have a touch of the divine! Truly, they are breathtaking."

Stella blushes and grins, grateful he can't see her. She could swear her stomach was shapeshifting into a swarm of butterflies.

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"I've only had the most rudimentary of lessons, enough to use a wand or two. My father prefers not to put his trust in magic, and so I spent the majority of my time in other endeavors, such as reading, accounting, family history, and such. If he ever caught me or my sister with an arcane tome, he'd make sure to find other things for us to do."

"That's a shame..." Stella remarks. "I bet you'd be great at it. I suppose if there's a chance you'll take his place someday, that makes sense, but...that sounds like a lot of pressure."

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"There are worse things to be than genuine,"

She purses her lips. "True."

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Anyway, at least you can be sure you're unique. I swear, my father expects me to be an exact copy of him. Not that he's a bad man; he's one of the best! But I'd prefer to walk my own path, be my own person... Hells, I'd prefer to walk at all without this cane."

"Same! Be my own person, I mean..." she says. She opens her mouth to say more when Aiwë interjects.

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He clears his throat. "But we were talking about you! I think I can understand how it would be difficult, not being able to hide your feelings. I suppose you could try wearing some kind of a veil - it's done in some lands - but it seems like an awful lot of trouble to hide eyes so wondrous.

"Well, we were talking about you too," she grins, dangling her feet off the carriage, looking at her skirt. Her smile fades. Snapple gobs... Her leather armor and travel skirt were both burned and in shreds from all the fighting they had been doing, and from the strips she had cut from it. It looked terribly unkempt and revealed far more of her leggings than she would have liked...Aiwë, Imoen, and her own mother didn't usually care about such things, but the other women she worked with in Kulahar certainly did, and she had picked up on trying to dress modest and proper.

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...but it seems like an awful lot of trouble to hide eyes so wondrous.

She blinks a few times, realizing her thoughts had wandered. "Mmm? Ah, yes, that's a reasonable point." She could hide one of her obviously unique qualities, or she could continue to embrace it. And they did help her try to be genuine.

Dieter

Jul 8, 2023 10:44 pm

Catsqui1688 Inactive forever!

Dieter strings his longbow and adjusts his various throwing weapons. "Sire, you mentioned being proficient in archery earlier?" he says to the young noble through the window.
"it’s not our money that’ll be paying the fee, but it will be our blood that pays the iron price"

Jul 9, 2023 3:47 am

"I shall talk with my comrades about your generous offer and come back with a reply."

With that, I wheel Tulco around and return to the group to confer with them about what to do next.

"I assume you all heard that exchange? I was wondering what the group would like to do about our two problems. Should we pay, fight, run or something else entirely? I was thinking we might be able to reason with them, maybe throw in some bardic inspiration about writing them a song to barter. Who doesn't want a song written about themselves?" I throw a wink at Aiwe.
With a laugh I add... "That turned out better than I thought actually. I worried I might bumble that exchange up. Instead, I got nervous and started being eloquent with giants. Which somehow worked!"

Last edited July 9, 2023 3:47 am

Jul 9, 2023 11:31 pm

Aiwë brightens. "Oh! Great idea! I'll go see if we can pay them in song. If it doesn't work, I'll have stalled for your ambush."

Aiwë heads out to the giants.

"Hello! I hear that you require payment. I have come to offer you something more valuable than mere gold!"

Aldous Silvershield

Jul 10, 2023 6:38 pm

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"That's a shame..." Stella remarks. "I bet you'd be great at it. I suppose if there's a chance you'll take his place someday, that makes sense, but...that sounds like a lot of pressure."

"Yes, he's quite demanding. But he's also one of the most respected members of the Council of Four, and that's saying something! I could do worse than to turn out like him." Stella hears a light thump from inside the carriage, and recognizes it as the sound Aldous' cane makes when it comes in contact with wood. "Much worse..."

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"Isn't there a cleric or druid in Baldur's Gate that can restore your leg?" Aiwë interjects.

Aldous gives a rueful chuckle. "You would think so. There are certainly high priests within the city that have managed to perform such feats. I'm afraid my malady was a rather persistent one, though. Not even Jalantha Mistmyr could heal me of it. Not that we wanted her help much anyway. Jalantha's the High Priestess of the Temple of Umberlee. Not someone you want to be in debt to. Anyway, that's why I was sent south to Amn, to see if any of their healers might know what to do." The young noble grunts. "At least they did what Father couldn't. If he'd let the healers in the Gate amputate when they suggested it, I might have more of this leg left." Aldous pauses a moment, apparently considering his words. "He hasn't been told about... this... yet. Hopefully he'll just be glad to see me alive, even if I'm not quite whole."

From her place on the carriage, Stella can hear him mutter the next words: "As if trying to live up to his standards wasn't hard enough already..."

Aldous Silvershield

Jul 10, 2023 6:42 pm

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Dieter strings his longbow and adjusts his various throwing weapons. "Sire, you mentioned being proficient in archery earlier?" he says to the young noble through the window.

Aldous chuckles. "Well, I learned the basics once. Unfortunately, when it comes to archery lately I'm afraid I... don't have a leg to stand on." He gestures to his stump his stump and winks.

Ajantis

Jul 10, 2023 6:56 pm

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Aiwë looks to the boss. "Whats the Silvershield policy on bandit tolls?" she asks Ajantis.

The soldier grimaces. "The organized bandits are a growing problem, especially with this Iron Crisis. I'm not sure that I'd say these giants are with them though. Who would want to approach a pair of those brutes and ask for a portion of their loot?"

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Aiwë brightens. "Oh! Great idea! I'll go see if we can pay them in song. If it doesn't work, I'll have stalled for your ambush."

Ajantis hops down from the carriage. "Very well! We'll try to make the most of the advantage."

"It's best you stay with the carriage, Lord Aldous." The authority in his voice brings a frown to Aldous' face, but the noble stays put.

The soldier calls the other companions over as Aiwe heads off. "Should things go poorly for the bard, I recommend we be ready to charge in." He nods at Dieter's bow. "That'll be useful. You don't want to get too close to these monsters. I suggest leaving your horses behind, unless you're accustomed to fighting on horseback." A glance at Runeson. "A hurled boulder could mean the end of your mount's life, and possibly yours as well. That said, if you're confident in your horsemanship, it could be a great boon to us."

Ajantis looks Sheemish and Stella up and down. "I assume you two have some sort of magic at your disposal? I haven't worked much with spellcasters. You know your abilities better than I would, so I trust you to make yourselves useful. And not get yourselves killed." The last words are under his breath, but several of the companions are keen enough of ear to hear them.

"Let's see how your friend does avoiding a fight today, eh?"

Jul 10, 2023 7:01 pm

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Aiwë heads out to the giants.

"Hello! I hear that you require payment. I have come to offer you something more valuable than mere gold!"

The giants still wear expressions of confusion from when Runeson simply rode off. They brighten up when they see Aiwe, however. One appears curious."Better than golds? What's better than golds?"

The other giant scratches his head. "But we was going to eat 'em." He rubs his enormous belly. "I'm getting hungry..."

Jul 10, 2023 7:19 pm

"Amputation isn't the end of the matter though. My grandpa's knee was so bad, it couldn't be healed either. So my mom chopped it totally off and Stella's mom grew his leg back for him. Crazy, right?" Aiwë relayed the story with a wild grin, remembering their fathers' horror and their mothers' harsh practicality. "They got the idea from a cleric of Waukeen in Waterdeep who did the same thing to her foot. If no one in Baldur's gate can get you your foot back, maybe that cleric or Stella's mom can help." Aiwë winks at Stella.

Last edited July 10, 2023 7:29 pm

Jul 10, 2023 7:23 pm

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"What's better than golds?"

"Something that gets you more gold!" Aiwë declares dramatically. "People will pay you more money if they think you're scarier! And the best way for people to know how scary you are, is if you have your own war song. I," she bows dramatically, "am the War Chanter of the Cagebreaker tribe. I can make you your own war song in exchange for safe passage for me and my friends." She looks up. "I bet no other bill giants have their own war song."

Rolls

You could be so special and scary (persuasion) - (1d20+6)

(9) + 6 = 15

Jul 10, 2023 7:47 pm

The giants are certainly interested. They look to each other and begin conversing in their own tongue.

OOC:

Anybody who speaks Dwarvish, Gnomish, Goblin, or Orc can make a DC 15 Intelligence (History) OR Wisdom (Insight) check to see if they can catch the gist of the giant's conversation.

Jul 10, 2023 7:49 pm

Catsqui1688 Inactive forever!

.

Rolls

Uhhhh (insight) - (1d20+2)

(6) + 2 = 8

Runeson

Jul 10, 2023 10:43 pm

Victor.Strokov Inactive for 3 months

I hear the giants talking after Aiwe goes over there.

Rolls

Insight - Dwarvish - (d20+1)

(3) + 1 = 4

Dieter

Jul 11, 2023 1:10 am

.

Rolls

Dwarven insight - (1D20+2)

(15) + 2 = 17

Jabbbahut

Jul 11, 2023 1:57 am

Sheemish speaks to the guardsman without taking his eyes off the giants. "I have a fireball that can come in handy from a distance if needed. And a protection spell for you lord if it comes to that."

Sheemish adjusts his right gauntlet, a keen observer would notice shards of wood built into the mechanics, with runes from a specific staff recently acquired.

"But hopefully it won’t be needed. . ."

Stitch darts forward silently, picking up bits of giant conversation and relaying them back to the blacksmith. Sheemish’s dwarvish heritage and attention to detail may just come in useful.

Last edited July 11, 2023 2:03 am

Rolls

Dwarvish history check - (1d20+7)

(13) + 7 = 20

Jul 11, 2023 2:33 am

The giants' voices rumble forth in their language. Most of the listeners can't grasp the significance of the words, but Sheemish and Dieter are each able to separate the sounds and guess at their meaning.

"Haven't heard a song in ages!"

"Music's not scary though, hey?"

Nah. Mum used to sing, remember?"

"Uh-huh. While she cooked."

"Those were the days..."

"Well. Let's hear it then, aye?"

"Aye. In memory of Mum."

Having reached their agreement, the two hill giants turn to look down at Aiwe. One of them speaks to her in Common. "Sing us a song then, little bird. If we like, you and friends can pass."

Aldous Silvershield

Jul 11, 2023 2:39 am

"I don't doubt that powerful magic can right or circumvent many a wrong!" Aldous sighs. "But as I said, even the mightiest clerics and sages in the Gate could accomplish nothing. Either my ailment was of some rare, formidable variety, or I've offended a handful of deities enough that they won't answer their servants' prayers concerning me." Another chuckle. "And I think I've managed to avoid blaspheming against the great majority of gods worshiped in the city!"

Jul 11, 2023 2:42 am

"Thats a shame," she commiserates. "I suppose it's not worth Stella having a look then?" she asks, her voice dejected. To Stella, outside the carriage and Aldous' eyesight, she throws a wink.

Stella

Carcabob

Jul 11, 2023 5:46 am

Victor.Strokov Inactive for 3 months

Stars...and I thought I had trouble with my father...

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"Yes, he's quite demanding. But he's also one of the most respected members of the Council of Four, and that's saying something! I could do worse than to turn out like him." Stella hears a light thump from inside the carriage, and recognizes it as the sound Aldous' cane makes when it comes in contact with wood. "Much worse..."

Stella frowns. What did turning out like his father have to do with his leg? she wondered.

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I'm afraid my malady was a rather persistent one, though. Not even Jalantha Mistmyr could heal me of it...I don't doubt that powerful magic can right or circumvent many a wrong!" Aldous sighs. "But as I said, even the mightiest clerics and sages in the Gate could accomplish nothing. Either my ailment was of some rare, formidable variety, or I've offended a handful of deities enough that they won't answer their servants' prayers concerning me."

Had he done something that caused him a deep curse?

Stella's grandmother had involved herself in dark deeds that marred her soul. Perhaps he had tried to take similar measures... It was only by the grace of Ilmater her father that could scourge the malady—and apparently only through agonizing experience.

Stella had taken to magic to avoid the pressure of living up to Zenithral's legendary reputation. It wouldn't be unreasonable if Aldous decided to turn to means of coping as well, whether through avoidance or acquiring some kind of skill or power. If magic was taboo in his house, it would probably sound especially appealing. Or perhaps it was taboo because of what he had done?

Merely conjecture, Stella reminds herself. She looks down at her boots, solemn.

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"Thats a shame," she commiserates. "I suppose it's not worth Stella having a look then?" she asks, her voice dejected. To Stella, outside the carriage and Aldous' eyesight, she throws a wink.

Shella glances quizzically at Aiwë, dark indigo eye-stars scattering distractedly. She shakes her head and looks to the forest behind them. "Well," Stella says finally. "If you've offended the gods, primal magic usually isn't so fickle. Mama had disavowed them most of her life." She shrugs. "Perhaps someday you'll at least narrow down what's preventing the healing."

She'd have to ask him more later.

Stella glowers at herself, some eye-stars flaring orange. There she was doing again! She didn't have to ask him. This wasn't any of her business. He was sharing, sure, but she didn't need to go around trying to fix people. She realized she had the same thought about Dieter.

Thoughts from Zenithral talking about Ilmater and what an "arcane archer" was started to enter her mind, but she shoved them down. "I'm not a 'watchman', watchwoman, or some martyr," she mumbles quietly to herself, eye-starts cooling to an icy dark blue. But she did want to be a hero...right? Where was the balance between helpful and intrusive?

Before her thoughts can wander more, a warning visage of giant figures ahead of them flash in her mind from Noctalia.

Stella's eyes widen. "Stop! Stop the wagon!" she hisses.

Dieter

Jul 12, 2023 7:16 pm