DM POSt: Portent of Flame (Part 2 of 2)

Evellyn continued to walk the shadowy streets of her mind's perception of Zarcharis with a growing sense of anticipation. Ricin had come and gone, leaving her with very few answers and far more questions. There was one thing at least he did make clear, she has to use this moment to look for answers to help the others. The shade-structures continued to burn, surrounding her in eerie fires that gave no light, no heat, no hope; a perfect image of the city itself, a city losing every strand of hope it could grasp onto as they burned away in the fires of corruption, greed and despair.

The pulsing power continued to increase in intensity, a sign she took to mean she was nearing its source. Ahead of her a red glow began to build, emanating from within one of the shadow structures. She halted her march to better take in her surroundings. The buildings that formed around her had a more "solid" state to them and they seemed to be lined with a greater fire than the others she had seen in her time here. Many buildings began to burn around her, the flames spreading at random, but not without cause. All around her she caught fleeting images of creatures resembling humanoid-lizards wreathed in flame and flaming bats wheeling through the air above her. These denizens went throughout the area leaving a chaotic swath of burning structures in their wake.

"Time to see what else I might accomplish with you", she whispered down to her spiked gauntlets. Fearing not the danger she strode forward, determined to find the source of this disaster. The pulsing energy was nearly overwhelming yet she continued on. She pulled forth her flute and began playing a simple tune to keep herself focused and to counter the pervading evil with whatever good came from the sweet melodies she could play. She came to the building where the red glow originated and began to search for an entrance. She searched the perimeter, everywhere her eyes could see for any entrance, any way at all into the building, but none presented itself. Growing increasingly frustrated with her predicament she punched out at the structure as a last resort, unleashing all of her frustration and confusion on the shadowy mass before her and with the fury of the blows she found herself falling right through the wall before her.

She staggered to her feet as she attempted to regain her bearings. She surveyed the space around her looking for anything that appeared amiss. "This whole situation is 'amiss'", she thought to her self with a self-deprecating chuckle, "none of this makes much sense". Yet despite her doubt she could not, would not!, readily set aside the task Ricin had tried to give her, to help the others in anyway she could. The emanations of magic no longer pulsed here, it was constant; a continual state of magical energy poured into the room from some unknown source. Evellyn began to walk around and as she focused her mind more on her task the features of the building began to sharpen, no longer appearing as indistinct masses. The room's walls, wooden, came into focus as well as furniture and even the dimensions of the room; most importantly a door could now be seen leading to a back storage room within the complex.

She crept silently towards the door and as she approached she heard what sounded like excited chattering. Unsure of the effect she her opening the door would have in this "mind realm" she hesitated outside of the door. She pondered everything that had happened to her in the past few days, meeting her new "friends", Balthor's growing monument in the Cellar, the trials and seeing the true face of Zarcharis, meeting Ricin, the trip to the Stoneyard and its many dangers and now this. It seemed so unreal, like a myth or story that has no real ending; something the teller keeps making up as it goes along, each segment becoming more extraordinary than the last. "The stuff legends are truly made of", she thought to herself with a grin. Casting aside her concerns Evellyn pushed open the door and stood in shock at the site before her.

Five robed figures stood around a swirling mass of energy, a rift or tear in the very fabric of reality. Their arms were raised up, their bodies trembling with excitement; most horrifying of all were their faces, they were stretched into some macabre image of glee and terror, frozen, unmoving. Evellyn's eyes were locked on the spectacle before her, unable to deviate from the sight of fanaticism embodied. The perception of time slowed around her, from the rift flames leaped forth, licking the fanatics standing around, and as she watched the look of ecstasy grew.

Evellyn was finally snapped from her hypnotic state by a sudden roar from the rift. She looked towards the portal and there in the midst she beheld a form. It appeared small, as though approaching from a great distance, but it was getting closer. An aura of fear began to pervade the room..

The fiend approached and Evellyn looked into its eyes.

Rage. Anger. Hate.

Unchecked... uncontrollable, like the flames that seemed to comprise its body.

The fiend approached and her courage faltered. She must escape, she must warn the others... to flee... to run... the city was doomed to burn... nothing could stop this... no one could stand against the horror that approached.

She ran.

Through smoky streets and swimming shadows she ran. Her concentration slipping, the world around her gradually losing its shape, its textures, she ran. Only one thought consumed her mind:

"Escape"... but how?

She was stuck here, in her mind, there was no escape back to the real world. She would lie there, wherever there was, until the fires came and consumed her.

She stopped running and collapsed on the ground, despair threatening to overwhelm her. She fought to regain her thoughts, to "see" the world around her, "the truth of it", as Ricin had said. She raised her head and ahead of her she saw a white light gleaming, a beacon in the shadows, a glimpse of hope. Gathering any resolve she had left she lifted herself and walked towards the light. She stopped in her tracks, joy and confusion welling up inside her as she beheld the sight in front of her. Briefly she caught a glimpse of a woman, robed in white, staff in hand, walking towards her, and around her neck she wore an amulet that shined forth in a brilliant light. As the woman passed she felt an aura of cold, unnatural cold, pass her.

"Kirsi.... frozen soul...." the words came filtering back to her mind. Now at last she began to understand in part what Ricin was trying to tell her. Evellyn tried yelling to her but as she turned to where Kirsi was walking she had already faded from view.

"Now, if only Ricin had told me how to get out of here"!

She wandered the streets looking for a way out, searching for anything to help her escape from here, to warn her friends.....

DM POST: The Mind's Eye (Part 1 of 2)

Consciousness slowly settled upon her as she began to lift her head. No sooner did she open her eyes than another wave of dizziness swept over her already fragile mind. She fell back to the ground struggling to subdue the swirling thoughts, trying to grab onto one thing to focus on, a single thought or memory to cling to for direction. The suddenly midst the torrent she heard a simple tune played gently on a lute. She strained her ears to keep the tune in mind and slowly she felt control being restored. The tune still playing in the back of her thoughts she slowly opened her eyes to take in her surroundings. The sky above her was dark, no stars or moon shone across its entirety. She sat up cautiously peering out into the strange world she had awaken in; a world of shadows and.... nothing...


No... not nothing... but....


Flames....


Shadows coalesced into something resembling a structure, but swirling with darkness, insubstantial and yet very present and clinging to the edges, red flames giving no light or heat seemed to burn away at the structure without consuming it; and then as if carried on an un-felt wind they would return to a formless state.


She forced herself to her feet, whatever the danger, she would not face it lying on the ground. The music played on in her mind, strengthening her resolve, fueling her to move on despite the uncertainty. She stood looking around her, at the formless place stretching as far as she could see, at the flames that would dance just out of sight until they faded back into the shadow and smoke. There was no direction to take, no choice better than another. Shadows continued to coalesce and dissipate around her to form familiar shapes, images... memories.... all burning...


Zarcharis...


Those buildings so familiar, so distant, but truly that is where they belonged. The more she bent her mind towards the familiarity of her surroundings the more consistent they became; shadows coalescing into structures that remained, still swirling in the moving shade, still burning in the eternal flames. She began to walk the spaces, the roads, between the shadow-buildings, unclear of her direction but resolute in finding a solution to this puzzle. The sights became more familiar, shadows of the city she knew. As she wandered the shadowy fire-lined streets she began to sense a oppressive force, malignant, evil, powerful.... pulsing about her. She looked further ahead for the source of the emanations and before her on the road stood a hooded figure obscured in the swirling shadows. 


Never one to back away from a confrontation regardless of the potential danger she strode forward to faced this threat head on. Banging her spiked gauntlets together she broke into a run, ready to hit the robed figure with a flying tackle. Just as she was about to leap the figure turned towards her and her eagerness became relief when she stared into the eyes of Ricin.


Where? Who? How? and a thousand other questions flooded into her mind. She wanted to know where everyone else was, where she was exactly, and why and how could shadows burn?


Ricin stared at her with the same unyielding stare, nearly impossible to read. He nodded his head in greeting and then spoke to her saying, "I admit you were not what I expected to see here". His voice was deep and devoid of inflection or any notable tone, so even in every word and yet, she could hear him clearly.


"Where are we Ricin? How can you speak? Were you lying this whole time?"


"To your last question: No. The second shall be answered by the first: We aren't necessarily anywhere, and yet, we are.. in a sense anywhere you have the will to see".

Confusion was evident on her face at the cryptic answer. Needing no further prompting Ricin continued with his explanation. "We are not here.... more... we are just able to see here... our minds are here. I would estimate that you fell prey to the mind attacks of those individuals in my quarters, as I have, they seemed very keen on making sure I was incapacitated, though for what purpose I am not sure". 


"Ricin, you are not making any sense. What mind attack? What people in your quarters? What are you talking about?"


"Yes, that answer was not beneficial, I apologize. Upon return from the Stoneyard we were attacked by unknown assailants, an attack on our minds. I presume, you were affected more than the others, though for what reason I do not know. As for the others, they seem to be fine, and not here. As for here: This is not strictly a place but more of a matter of perception. What you see around you is what your Mind's Eye perceives. Very few people have the discipline to truly see it and fewer still can control it. My guess is with the overload of psionic energy, you were "jumped" here. The Mind's Eye has a way of revealing the truth of your perspectives and the world around you as you see it. So tell me: What have you seen here?"


"Nothing. Shadows, smoke, flames. It looks like Zarcharis, but burning, but not consumed. None of this makes any sense. You know that right?"


"Actually, to me this makes perfect sense. I frequent this state often and have done so for many years; and t is through this that I have found you all. I bent my mind to look at the city, to truly see it, and there I saw each of you, beacons against the despair that chokes this city of all hope. That is why I can speak here; the image of myself before you is a manifestation of my mind. You are in the same state of being, a manifestation of your own mind and it is truly a spectacle that we can share this moment." He paused a bit and seemed to be lost in deep thought. After many moments had passed he looked up and his face was set in a grave expression, "Your perception does not lie, this city burns, everyday... every night. Yet, even now there is something else. A presence, a power that I have never felt when I meditate. Something stirs within the city proper, something we must take action against."


"I felt it to, a pulsing power, strong... and.... evil"


"Indeed. Come my friend, let us look into this matter for as long as we can. I do not know when we will awaken but let us learn what we can so that we may benefit the others upon our return" He motioned for her to walk with him. She fell into stride next to him until he suddenly jerked as if in sudden pain. She watched as he grabbed his head and struggled to maintain his balance. He looked at her in a panic and quickly shouted, "I can't hold on much longer, something is pulling me away! Find out what you can! Help the others and do not worry for me! You", he struggled to spit the last words out, "must... help... them...." he fell to his knees barely able to form words. He looked up and with a last effort he cried out, "Kirsi... give her.... pendant..... the key....Frozen... Soul...". He looked up to the blank sky and let out a cry of anguish and the he seemed to melt away. As she stood staring in confusion and disbelief words came to her mind, almost like a whisper from the back of a deep cavern, "The music will bring you out"


Evellyn stood for just a second more to see if Ricin would reappear. When it became evident that no such thing would happen she steeled herself and made ready to set off to investigate the pulsing magic. Her head swam with so many questions and cryptic commands from Ricin but now was not the time to give in to confusion. She would learn what she could of her present predicament, then she would find a way to make her way back outside of her mind and help her new allies. 

Evellyn Godrick

Evellyn, with her flute Moonbeam.

Evellyn stepped into the night, ready to go to her small apartment down the road and put a few finishing touches on a song before going to bed. The spiked gauntlets on her hands chilled in the night air and she blew through them into her hands. As she stood just at the top of the stairs outside Segrac Cellar she heard an unintelligible language. Strangers with evil intentions weren't completely unheard of in Zarcharis-Taoul, which is why she wore her gauntlets out by herself at night.

She turned her head around the corner and saw three goblins, one in chainmail armor.

Not one to run from a fight, she began to taunt them.

"Goblin breath smells like crap on a hot street," she sang. They couldn't understand what she was saying, but they picked up her intent, but before they could react her voice had dealt a serious blow against the leader.

The battle ensued, with Evellyn alternately singing or punching them in the face. The crunch of goblin noses against her bladed fist was incredibly satisfying, and Evellyn sang gleefully while being sprayed with jets of blood. They got in a few good hits, but eventually the leader fell, and the others fled. Evellyn smiled to herself, and looted the body. She found some strange, high quality gold coins, which she turned over in her hands.

She dragged the chainmail and axe back into the bar and Balthor called, "Who the hell is it? We're closed!" He looked up and saw his blood-drenched songstress, smiling proudly

"I don't just sing about heroes anymore," she said, slamming down the axe. "I am one."

DM POST

THE HERALD


NEWS AND RUMOR

BARRIER BREACH?

Reports are coming in of a possible breach of security at the Stoneyard last evening. Two individuals, who chose to remain anonymous, reported to the City Guard of a terrible site. Hearing the sounds of a struggle within the eastern corner of the Stoneyard, the two witnesses slowly crept to the gate. They report seeing a large figure, clothed in a black hooded cloak exiting the graveyard. The estimate the being to be well over 7 feet tall and wielding what looked to be a large scythe. The witnesses, to scared to approach the figure as he stalked across the fields towards the city, lay on the ground.
"We just wanted it to leave. It seemed to evil to approach, the terror was to much, we could not even warn the guards. That Dark Stalker could have been none other than... than...", the interview ended with shivering and the witnesses refused to provide any more information concerning the previous nights encounter.
An investigation was launched by the Raven Temple into the matter. High Priest Sheiran declared no breaches in the barrier have been found, nor had any magical suppression been discovered.
"The containment wall is as strong as ever. We are constantly on alert and have received no indication that our efforts have been compromised. We are in the midst of a serious investigation into the matter. The perpetrator will be found, and we shall deal with it".

-Damakos

SIGHTING: LADY IN WHITE

Another sighting of the mysterious woman, deemed "The Lady in White" has been reported again, making this the 7th sighting in the past year. The cloaked figure was seen exiting the sewers just outside of the Dregs. City Guard members found the bodies of two men in the sewer tunnels where she was seen leaving. The men seemed to have acid burns and what appears to be frostbite around several of their wounds. There is, however, no evidence to link the Lady to the killings.
The victims seemed to have no family or connections in the city and careful study of the cadavers seemed to indicate they were indeed a Lycanthrope species, lending support to the rumors of a clan of Wererats in the sewers of Zarcharis. City Guards have closed the access to this sewer system, after they discovered an Otylugh in a connecting chamber, far to close to populated areas. The City Guard is now asking for volunteers to begin hunting for Otylughs, promising 100 gold for each eye stalk turned in.

Mika

CITY NEWS

GOOD MUSIC, GOOD ALE
Tavern Review by Lidda Bumbletumble

The Segrac Cellar has long been a place for a good evening for relaxation and good ale. The owner, Balthor, is a courteous Dwarf, by Dwarven standards at least. The patrons of the tavern are as varied as they come and all are welcome. On occasion, you may even get the pleasure of sharing company with journeyers of distant lands or even hear some of our own local explores spin a yarn or two. Though a rousing row is not completely out of the question, the Cellar is generally a relatively peaceful place to enjoy a good mug of grog and no tavern in the city has better than the Cellar. While named for its trademark ale, Segrac, a heavy and fulfilling ale brewed by no other than Balthor himself from a secret recipe handed down by his ancestors, the cellar also boasts an extensive ale list for all tastes and preferences.
The newest and certainly a noteworthy addition to the Cellar is their newest performer; a halfling by the name of Evellyn. Skilled with the flute and a beautiful (and strong for one of her stature) voice, Evellyn seems to spin enchantments on the patrons of the Cellar with every rousing performance. This halfling recommends strongly a visit to this most magnificent establishment, come for the ale and stay for the music!

TERRIBLE LOSSES IN OVERNIGHT BLAZE

Last night a fiery blaze in the Dregs claimed seven lives as well as five buildings. No origin of the fires could be determined and the City Guard once again have another incident to add to the list of unexplained fires that have plagued Zarcharis in the last months.

Damakos