The World of Layonara
NWN Discussions and Suggestions => Quests Ideas and Discussion => Topic started by: Harlas Ravelkione on April 09, 2007, 04:00:06 PM
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* During a rest on the way back from the Backbone Mountains Kobal addresses the group. *
Evreywon Oi got a questien. Ye saw dose red eyes painted on deir faces, loike. Dinnae dey remoin' some of ye of deh eye in deh ancient dungeon we passed through on our way teh deh Lumbral?
We were den sent back boi deh Lumbral teh defeat deh floatin' head - a demoi lich, ehh? Dat was deh eye unless Oi be mistaken. Wha' iffen we dinnae kill deh buggart, coul' dis cult worship deh very same eye? Or is dis completely different...
* Kobal stops and waits for a response. *
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*Connor looks up after a silent moment and directs his attention to Kobal. In an unassuming but somewhat projected voice, he speaks to Kobal directly*
You are mistaken, old friend. Though not entirely.
*He pauses briefly to take a drink from his canteen*
At the bottom of that cavern, we were being watched through a divination. I only knew this because I looked for it. I was curious to see if it was nearby or not...so I followed it back. It ended in a dark cavern...and a pair of red eyes staring right back at me.
*Another short pause*
I returned back as quickly as I could, fearing for my very existance. As I left, it laughed at me...a maniacal laugh. It would be safe to say it saw me as little more than an annoyance. At any rate, those eyes...they were familiar....
...from the place below the Deep, in a cavern inside a cavern, near a stone alter that felled Rev and Remi between heartbeats...
You know the presence I mean...
*Stops speaking and simply stares a Kobal a moment, then moving his gaze between Kobal, Kat and Savin*
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:looks at Connor and Kobal from the side and shivers:
if you got unnerved,something is up
mind tell the rest of us what we have stumbled into?
:drogo crouches down, watching them all:
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*Rhynn looks to Connor*
What Presence Connor?
I felt it in the mind of that dwarf, a mind and mage so powerful that he flicked me and my mind protections aside like a mere flea and almost sent me to my grave. What power was this?
Red eyes denotes a Drow does it not...though I hope you do not mean who you are causing me to assume.
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:shakes his head:
no hes not allowed out of his mountains
the time isnt up yet
is it?
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*wren leaning against a tree listening when the others are done he speaks up*
Not many of us here know of what you speak Conner. Perhaps you would go a little deeper, no pun intended, and give us more information on this presesnce.
*he sits up a bit now*
I would not want to make guesses that will end up just being confusing.
*he smiles*
I mean if I had to guess using the facts at hand I would say you saw a dragon and the dragon I have heard of, and seen with my own two eyes once, that lives deep down is Fisterion
*he pauses for a moment*
yeah I think that is its name.
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Drogo , did he ever physically leave? Did we specify that?
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*Kinai looks around nervously before speaking*
I was down there with Fisterion when Erk fell...Running, of course. Not down there gawking or trying to talk to the dragon.
*she swallows hard, then coughs*
After the surviving ones, including me, got out... The sky turned a red and orange and a great roar shook the air. Fisterion was warning us, we thought...
But...Was it a warning, or is it a threat he's just decided to taken up on?
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:looks to them all:
i dont think fisterion would bother laughing
milara on the other hand would,and from the way you felt toyed with would fit all i have heard about him
and he had to stay within his confines of the mountains from what i was read of the pact with plen and not bother the outside world
or did i hear it wrong?
:looking to those who know of him better:
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**she shrugs lightly and sighs**
I wish I could add more on my thoughts to Milara, but I hardly know about the man. By the sound of his character, though, it doesn't sound very ... correct, maybe ... That he'd be the one behind this.
What exactly would anyone really get out of doing this? What's the deep rig? What's the real plan?
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*looks at Drogo*
If that is the case then I was right when I said we would regret that agreement.
*shakes his head and says to himself*
lets let the big bad evil guy have all the time he needs to hatch his evil plots.
*looks at Ozy*
This is where you laugh at us all.
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*Connor begins to speak several times, and stops each time before a single word can be uttered amongst the clamor. With a hidden gesture and a whispered word a harmless bright flare of blue light explodes outward from Connor's form accompanied by a chord of sound that is loud enough to grab attention but not harmful to anyone's ears. Before both the light and sound fade with time and distance, he speaks with a quiet but firm voice.*
It is not a dragon.
It is not a Dark Elf.
I have seen both, and one of them I know very well.
I have also seen the eyes of Milara, and again, they are not his.
*he lets that sink in a moment*
The eyes belong to nothing any of you are likely to have encountered, except myself, Kobal, Katrien, Savin *looks to each as he says their names* and perhaps a dozen others...who are not here.
*he pauses briefly*
I cannot tell you much of this presence, or speculate as to what manner of being it is. I can only say it is terrible, it is ancient and it possesses a power that cannot easily be discounted. It was enough to strike true fear into the hearts of the strongest among us, and a nearby altar killed two who tried to examine it. This being did not show itself...there was no need. But it watched, and if we drew close enough to its lair, it made sure we knew not to come further.
*he looks to Rhynn*
I'm not surprised at your experience, after what I saw. I'd advise caution in future such investigations.
*he looks around the room again, moving his gaze from person to person as he continues to speak*
One other thing...
As I followed the divination back, its thread intersected many others, forming probably hundreds of webs. Whatever is happening, it's huge.
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**Kinai's eyes widen under her hood as she hears this, and she averts her gaze to the ground**
Whatever is happening, it's huge...? **she repeats under her breath, shaking her head**
**returning her gaze back up, although still appearing worried, she says in a voice soft yet loud enough to be audible to all**
What are we dealing with here, and what can we do?
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*Wren listens and does his best to understand. He says nothing else. He just listens and remembers*
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She rubs her head, actually (and for once) looking embarrassed
Yeah..No more trying to undo mind spells from me anymore. Ugh I hate enchantment more and more every day
She rubs her temples and continues to listen
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* Lin'da listens in on the many diffrent opinions, she then suddenly says *
This being that you saw Connor, these red eyes. Could they belong to that person that was known as the Flether. Perhaps she have become something very diffrent since that day she killed the White Dragon that haunted Bastil, and Kraslin. Not Darkelf, Not dragon, but something inbetween.
Ive been trying to get some questions asked about this person, but everytime I touch the subject, people clam shut, as if trying to ignore it.
Im not trying to suggest that your hiding something, but alittle information would would go along way.
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*wren nods in agreement*
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* Kobal replies to Connor. *
Den our worst fears may be comin' true. Damnit!
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**she frowns slightly, trying her best to keep up in the conversation**
Who are we talking about...? I mean, what is this person, who? And Flether...? What?
**she seems downright lost now, and grumbles about her childhood of being locked up at home being a very big bother right about now**
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*Katrien catches Connor's look at her, Savin and Kobal and shudders as she recalls the mouth of the cave far beneath the surface of Layonara*
Many, many years ago, a party of friends assembled in Arnax to investigate a strange darkening of the skies and rumbling of the earth on the direction of Xora. I was one of those, along with Connor, Kobal and Savin and a handful of others. Our investigations took us to Shaddison's lair, but we where there but a short while when the earth began to tremble and shake. The floor of the cave crumbled beneath our feet and down we fell into a system of caverns below. Another series of rumbles and the whole that delivered us closed, trapping us. With out a way up, we searched for a way out.
Every search took us downward, deeper and deeper until we stumbled on a section of the Deep. Thinking this could be our salvation, we explored, looking for passage back to the world we knew. We found nothing but ambush by dark elves that seemed to be trapped such as us by the unrest of the earth. With our backs to a deep crevasse we made a stand against advancing forces. A rope was noticed in the crevasse. A rope that was familiar to those of us who had explored the deep just months earlier looking for something special. We wondered if indeed the tremors had somehow shaken and twisted that section of the Deep and the decision was made to explore the way down once again in hopes of finding a way out. The way forward seemingly a suicide mission against overwhelming numbers of dark elves. Two were sent to investigate and two were tardy on return. A wave of attackers in the fore barely repelled it was decided to go after the two and down the rope we went.
Down beneath the Deep, we repelled. When we passed into a cavern full of stale and ancient air we discovered we were indeed trapped. A magic ceiling prevented any from climbing back up. With no way to go but forward we fought and struggled our way through caverns that had not seen or breathed in what would seem millennia. Strange and wondrous beasts did we have to endure, but finally we came to a cavern. A river flowed through the middle and I remember the bridge was there had long since decayed. A rope swing was fashioned to cross as the water flowed swiftly and tumbled over a magnificent water fall. From the other side were two markers with strange runes upon them. I remember Connor and Reventage and Alantha studying the runes for hours before determining that they were those of some type of divination. I myself was still but a novice at runes so I can't recall what they looked like. I trusted my brother to decipher them. Down a steep staircase was a landing where we made camp. The water cut the cavern in half and on our half was a strange altar and a great door. On the other half was a small outcropping of rock that formed the lip of a cave and a pillar with runes upon it. A lake with a swift current that disappeared into an opening in the cavern wall separated us.
I remember Rev and Remi approaching the altar. I remember the pained looked on Rev's face as the life drained from her. In a heartbeat Remi followed lifeless on the cold stone floor. We carried them back to camp and Plen sat vigil over their bodies. He prayed for most of what I think was night. Day and night had lost all meaning at that point, as we had been weeks underground.
With Katia's grace Plen was able to guide them back to us. When Rev and Remi awoke and they got their bearings they told us of an odd vision,as if they really were not dead, but floating,floating over a strange city. Now at the time we had no idea where or what this city was, but at the end of our adventure I assumed it to be the city of the Lumbral that they had traveled too. Remi told of seeing the red eye turned onto him before he blacked out and feeling a crushing presence of Evil. Rev stated that she saw the eye and heard the laugh and attempted to trace it in the weave, only to be swatted down when she got close to seeing what it was.
After a lengthy discussion, Plen offered to fly over the water to investigate the cave entrance and it was decided to leave the altar be.
It was the only time in my life I have seen the feathers scared off of Plen. He did indeed fly across the lake. He told of the cave on the other side and what he or someone else termed a -beast- within. He said he could see the ghostly image of an outline and a red eye turned onto him. But I am sure he said a single red eye was turned on him, and he also confirmed the presence of great evil.
The cave was left, in favor of a dwarven build door. The door we passed through and into the test. That is a tale for another day. Suffice it to say in the end we stood before the Lumbral and the ancient.
That is the evil my brother speaks of. It is not the Fletcher, for that is another tale completely. I think we deal with something far older, far more malevolent than the Fletcher.
*she finishes her tale and looks around at those gathered*
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* Lin'da chews on the words spoken by Katrien, she then responds to the story *
I thank you for sharing this story with us Katrien. I can only imagine what horrors lied beyond that place you spoke off. But its frightning to think of an evil that can go so unnoticed in this world, until it chooses to reveal itself. But what evil? Are we dealing with a diety, a new diety unnoticed by the plan of Layonara. Is it some long forgotton evil, from past wars. This is merely guessing, and it helps us no further along. I will stand aside on this one, and lets those that have actually felt, and seen this evil speak of it instead. But I fear that this is only the beginning.
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**Kinai wrinkles her nose as she hears the story, understanding the going ons, but still rather lost**
So who exactly ARE we dealing with, then, or do we not know that?
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She mutters to herself
"What in the vilest realms are we dealing with..."
holding her head again, she thinks back to the powerful presence she felt, now taking in Katrien's story as well.
'if it killed Remi and Reventage and scared Plen so, what chance do we really have'
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*Connor lets his sister speak with far more ability and eloquence than he can usually muster. When she finishes, he nods a bit and repeats, looking in Lin'da's direction.*
My sister speaks true...it is most assuredly not the Fletcher. Both her full story and her visage are quite familiar to me...too familiar. And she is, in fact, quite the epitome of Dark Elves. As Kat said though, that is another story entirely, and one whose roots strike a very personal chord for those who know its breadth.
*he turns then to Kinai*
That is a question you keep asking, and one which would be answered if any of us knew. Not all questions have fast answers.
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* Savin pulls back the hood that has covered his face since they sat down for the rest *
Our encounter with the eye from the deep has for many years now, been something few of us has spoken much about. Other more pressing affairs have kept us all occupied, and so, this "beast" has been allowed to remain hidden to most of the world.
Im not claiming any connection between these people we just fought and the eye from the deep, but when Kobal brought it up again, after all these years, I can't deny the coincidence.
* Savin stares into the blazing camp fire in the middle of the camp for a moment *
That said, the symbol of an eye is not an umcommon one. These people were under the control, or influence, of something powerful. The symbol of a watching eye seems fitting.
* Savin leans back against the rock behind him, letting the memory of the eye fill his mind *
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I'm still a bit confused..This happened somewhere under the realm of Shadison? geographically, where does this "beast" lay? I am in no way suggesting going back...that'd be insane..
If this is a power greater than Blood greater than Milara....it really makes you wonder what more is out there. Things we don't even know about yet? More troubles coming loose in addition to all we have. So much more...
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**she smiles sheepishly and holds her hands out in a shrug**
Just...You guys seem to know a lot, so I figured one of you had the answer. If not, I'll try to contribute also. There's just a ton of names, all that which I'm completely unfamiliar with...So...
**she falls into a brief silence, thinking**
What about those golem things we fought? Would there be a connection we could make through them? The story of the cave collapse and the same way the earth moaned as each died seem rather tied together, although I won't make any big assumptions.
**a hopeful smile crosses her face as she tries to be useful herself**
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*He answers both Rhynn and Kinai at the same time*
There's no way of knowing exactly where this beast lies geographically. Our journey started at Shadison's temple *he spits out the word* but we fell down, traveled more, fell further and descended into deep unfamiliar places with no points of reference. Days and nights blended. Passages wound as they descended. It could be anywhere...even under a sea.
As for the constructs... *shrugs a bit* I only know they were brought to be through arcane means. Perhaps someone else found something in that last chamber of value or relevance. I don't think they're related to the story we have told of our first encounter with this being. I have never seen the likes of these constructs before, and in the past, it was much more than the earth moaning...it shook violently, and opened up passages that had been closed for untold ages.
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**she nods to him and looks to drogo**
It was sort of hard to follow what you found out in the cave earlier when you transformed. Did you find anything out when you touched the cave walls?
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*looks to Rhynn*
Power is dificult teh meshuhr loike. Stronger den Bloodstone wit' his Pools workin' fer 'im? Nay loikely Oi'd say.
Bu' dere be differen' koin's of power. *shrugs* Oi bet we will foin' uht sooner rahder den later.
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*wren looks around*
I thank you for this information, the more we know the better off we all will be.
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**she pauses slightly, a flicker of an expression flitting across her face**
Are we going to tell the others who were interested in the journey about this, or is this hush hush?
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Jennara speaks softly.
There is nothing special about us simply because we traveled to the mountains. This information should be available to anyone and everyone.
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*wren nods at Jennara's words*
I will tell this tale to all who will listen to my bad telling of it
*he grins a little*
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looks to Kobal
Bloodstone is dead, this thing is not. That is my measurement for power.
however she nods along with his assertion
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*Kat waxes philosophical for a moment*
Does evil ever truely die?
What we are, what we know, or think we know, is but a spec of quartz in the hourglass of time.
*she draws out her flute to play a simple tune.. one of a curious cat.. as if to comfort herself and those around her*
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Ozymandias looks up from from his journle wiping his lips of blood
Ahem, Ha ha ha. That enough for you? Hrmph, I will leave this for wizards of intelect and power to explane.
mutters about heroes resuming writing humming his infamus dirge under his breath as he limps along behind the group
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:looks up:when i touched the walls of the cave i sensed the earth was drained
that its very essense was sad,but i have never come across feelings from stone before
trees yes,but never stone
i think these constructs we ripped from the stone almost like part of its very lifeforce
the earth,water,fire,and air all have life
but this was almost like when you heal a friend who is only an instant from passing
alive still,but almost not alive if that makes sense