Gib’s inquiry as to how Davena and her man had come to first learn of the abominations was met with a reply which, to Ch’dau’s mind, was as enigmatic as the blonde woman and Garn, themselves.  

“We heard tell of the walking dead as we traveled the road, and were persuaded to investigate,” Davena had said, “As for the center of the activity... the dead man you searched is not the first priest of the death cult that we have encountered.  I believe their information to be accurate.”

Answers without answers, the kazari chuffed to himself as he took note of Garn’s sneer that punctuated his mistress’ statement. Found the death-monkeys, themselves, and tortured the information from them, likely.

“I have heard tales of human sacrifices before,” Davena continued following a shake of her head, “I am surprised, though, that these cultists would be so bold as to send wandering packs of the dead to terrorize the countryside.  I do not see the benefit.” A faint but still telling grin of her own touched the corners of her mouth, “but then, I do not pretend to know the mind of such a cultist.”

And you know nothing, then, of why these ghouls would be forcibly mating themselves with living women, either, would you, woman?! The chuffing welled into something of a low growl as Ch’dau’s eyes flitted to Kith and he recalled the fate that had nearly befallen her. Something in the cat-man’s gut desperately wanted to raise the question (or would it have been a challenge) but, before he could do so, Davena addressed Aranwen, once more…

“Tell me, brave warrior... I hear that your folk are immune to the grave paralysis of these ghouls.  Is this true?”

…At this moment, Ch’dau’s honor prevented him from intruding on his khatun’s conversations and, in truth, his own curiosity as to how Aranwen might answer diverted his focus on the query he might have posed. He hadn’t thought about it until this moment but, as he considered things, he did recall the Bladesinger having been struck more than once by a giggler and, in none of those instances had the woman succumbed to the grave’s hold. Interesting.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the morning’s preparations and conversations behind them, the recently expanded party set out through the wood with Kith, Ch’dau, and Garn scouting slightly ahead of the rest. It struck the kazari as unsettling, not for the first time in recent days, how quiet these timberlands were. Not even in the brightest heart of Capasha’s Twilight Forest could such a deafening silence be found. Had the trees not still shown signs of their greenery, he might have sworn that death had laid claim here long ago. Khr’a reclaim it, he had muttered more than once in the course of their travel. Midday found the group, at last, making the edge of the woods, emerging at the foot of a broad cliff face.

"I expect that our caves will be there," the usually reticent Garn remarked.

A faint snort and nod of agreement was the only reply the kazari offered before he, Kith, and the big monkey set about surveying the expanse of the bluffs. After a time, Ch’dau managed to find traces of a path which led down into a cavemouth. “Here,” he called, motioning to Kith and Garn, as he crouched beside the track and scrutinizing the prints and trampled earth which defined it. “It looks well and recently used,” the Silver Cat offered, sniffing the ground, then turning his eyes, ears, and nose toward the opening in the rock face, “by several folk, at least. I cannot determine exact numbers but, I believe that this is the path we seek…”

((OOC: Depending on how far back Aranwen and the others are, Ch’dau will either recommend that Garn go back and pass on their find or, otherwise, wait for them to catch up. Once we’re all gathered together again, the stratejiving can commence in earnest.))

...in the course of doing the retcon, I seem to recall another of our troupe managing to resist... was it Midge? I can't recall off the top of my head... anyway... *shrugs* ... Aranwen's fought it off a good couple of times, so, keep swinging, Bladesinger!

Nice silver-screen, boss! Creepy AF, but nice all the same.

Breebles - I had been wondering for a while how half-syl resistance to the ghoul attacks would be, myself... Until Kith got mauled in that last encounter. Now we know... and knowing is half the battle... the other half is unfettered violence.

Post for grumpy-cat in the works.

But I dress like a pirate and, on occasion, do share some prop building fun, as well.

Besides, my dog is friggin' adoreable!!!

The Friends of the Red Dragon Inn group is a great place to see some fun and sometimes ridiculous gaming related content and, as our illustrious webmaster has pointed out, a great place to report or track outages and such at the Inn, itself.

Also, if you're so inclined and wish to spy on my own ridiculousness, feel free to add me, as well.

We've been in the mid-90's here in the armpit of America, too. Supposed to be like that until Friday when we get a low of 38 and a high of 67 or some nonsense. Me thinks someone has been toying with weather-magic or somesuch. Bring on the bronchitis!!!

After the team re-equipped themselves, there was a brief moment in which Ammpe2 was sure that he could smell and taste something akin to over-nuked chicken skin. Wrinkling his nose and sucking on his own teeth, though, seemed to have cleared the sensations and, with a crackle that only he heard, reset whatever circuit in his brain had produced them. Following a blink and a shake of his head, the maintenance clone (and, somehow, Team Leader), eyed the rest of his squad a bit curiously before Junkie the Jackobot… or was it Jackie the Junkobot?... begam leading them back toward the hoverbot.

"BEE-DEE-BEE-DEE-BEEP. Welcome, new superior human troubleshooters," Jackie chirped in it’s familiarly annoying tone, "I sincerely hope that none of you meet a similar fate as your old team, as radiation poisoning is apparently rather unpleasant. Our next stop is to return to the cafeteria where you originally assembled. Are you up to the task, oh fleshy overlords?"

“If those are Friend Computer’s orders,” Ammpe2 nodded, running a hand through his staticky red hair, “then, I suppose we are. Lead on, Junkie.”

Arriving at their designated conveyance, Steam2 turned to face him, hands to his sides and his spine as straight; “Team Leader, permission to remain the pilot of this efficient hoverbot. I believe I have finally mastered the controls and anticipate no further loss of clones.”

“Permission granted,” Ammpe2 nodded following only the spark of an instant’s consideration. It seemed the wisest choice given the soldier clone’s qualifications and, despite the debacle that was the troubleshooters’ first voyage aboard the thing, even Friend Computer offered second (and third and fourth and fifth) chances. He motioned Steam2 to the controls and then, following behind him, called back to the res; “All aboard, team. Back to the cafeteria, it is.”

That dream sequence bit was chilling! Well done!

Works for me, Brom!

Kinda goes along with my "I love everybody and you're next" thing, I guess!

#Point/Counterpoint

I Sextuple Secret Squirrel dare you!!!

...ummm...

...I guess there is no other news.

In ages long past, while Khr’a still slept, the world was dark and cold and alone; a vast expanse of naught but salted waves crashing in chaos against the nothing. In time, the roaring of the angry waters stirred Khr’a from her slumber and she opened her right eye to gaze upon that which had disturbed her sleep. Long did her fiery gaze linger on the tumult of the angry waters and, under that blazing scrutiny, the seas began to diminish. The tempestuous waves quieted to a soothing murmur and the surface of the sea smoothed, allowing Khr’a to see her reflection in them and, in this, she was pleased.

As she stared longer, the searing light of her eye heated the waters, coaxing mists from them which rose into the now bright sky, hanging there as clouds to veil the world from the intensity of her contemplation. This shroud, too, lessened the brilliance of Khr’a’s reflection and allowed her to see that, beyond the surface of the ocean there was more than just the water. Solid shapes appeared in her sight, as well; some that were still and solemn and others that wriggled and writhed and flitted about beneath the mirrored face of the sea, spurred to life under the warmth of her watch. This pleased Khr’a even more than her own reflection and, through the clouds created under her sight, she wept, raining her joy upon this thing she had discovered. As she wept, the world turned, and the fire of her eye faded as she tired; thus, she sighed, her breath introducing the winds, closed her right eye and, now, gazed upon her discovery with the left.

The silvery light from Khr’a’s left eye was cooler than the fire that burned in her right, and, under this more serene contemplation, the skies of the world darkened and her tears froze as they fell, shimmering above the waters, reflecting the subtler brilliance of her enamored sight. The gentler light of her left eyed gaze, along with the waves bestirred by her contended sighs, softened her reflection on the waters and allowed her to peer further into the depths. The things that swam beneath the surface came together in the absence of her more fiery sight, seeking the warmth they had come to know from it, and some even chose to find shelter near those still and solemn shapes that huddled in the farthest depths. Khr’a watched these things until her left eye, too, began to tire, and, as she fell into slumber, once more, she sought to dream of what she might see when next she gazed upon them.

And dream, she did.

When next Khr’a opened her eye to the world, the sea was teaming with life beyond what had been left in her first viewing. The creatures flitting beneath the waves were larger, the colonies they had established amongst the structures in the deep, more complex, and, while waves still churned on the surface, they seemed to have more direction and purpose than when last she saw them. She smiled upon the changes, pleased with the progress, and, as she watched a second time with her right eye, delighted as she was, she found something amiss. The vivacity that she perceived beneath the waves seemed far away, not quite unreachable but, at the same time, not quite within her grasp, either, and, as she pondered this in the time her orange eye blazed in the skies, filtered by the skittering veil of her joyous tears, she yearned to draw that life closer to her sight. Long and long did she ponder on this until her scorching gaze had reduced the seas, once more, to the point where the still and somber monoliths hidden in the depths poked their heads above the waves. In their hearts, Khr’a saw a fire as hot as her right-eyed study and, as that eye sought to close a second time, giving way to the subtler inspection of her silver left, she wept again. This time, though, her tears did not freeze in the deep blue-black of the firmament; instead, they rained down into the waters and upon the sarsens, urging the infernos from their centers to spring forth into the sea. When enervation took her, she breathed over the face of the world, once more, and, again, fell into slumber, her hopes dancing among the still frozen tears that remained from her first observation just as they frolicked in her wakeless thoughts.

Her exhaustion abated, Khr’a woke a third time and her fiery right-eye looked anxiously enough upon the world that the veil of clouds parted before it and her breath escaped in a gasp as opposed to a sigh. Atop the rippling waves there were, now, streaks and strips of earth, born of the passion she had ignited in the core of the deep and, upon them, crawled the sleek and slippery creatures that had chosen to rise above the churning of the oceans to seek the fire of her heart with them. Long and long did Khr’a marvel at what she had prompted, but, the longer her blazing eye watched, the more she noticed that the life she had brought forth suffered. The creatures sought shelter from her gaze, out of her sight, in the still turbulent waters of the oceans or, in other instances, by burying themselves under the earth spewed forth from her earlier intentions. Once again, did Khr’a weep; this time, though, not out of joy but from despair. The life she had brought forth, it seemed, feared her gaze rather than loved it and, in her anguish, her tears fell on the world and the clouds gathered to mask her sorrow before her blazing, orange eye shut against the misery of it. The silver of her left eye did not appear, this time, as she settled into uneasy slumber, as she felt she had failed the world which she had found. Instead, that world suffered a long night in which the substance of her tears burrowed itself into sea and sky and silt. As she slept this third time, she pondered on where her overconfidence might have taken her and, in her torpor, imagined what might have made it right.

When Khr’a awoke again, she was reluctant to look upon the world to which she felt she had laid waste but, given her need for the truth of things, she opened her right eye and gazed upon what she imagined to be its destruction. To her surprise and delight, though, the world had not suffered and failed under her administrations. Instead, goaded forth by her love and repentance, it seemed, the world had only grown stronger. Out of the earth had grown trees and plants to shelter them from her fiery gaze and, from their skin, sprouted fur, feathers, and other finery with which they could warm themselves when her silver eye was upon them. So, too, had the substance of her sorrowful tears brought forth food and fresh water from the grounds, upon which they might sustain themselves. In all of this, Khr’a was pleased and, as her heart mended, she smiled on her creation, watching as her creatures frolicked and hunted above the waves and below...

((OOC: Been toying with this for a few days. Not sure that it's 100% finished - do I take it to the point that the kazari gain sentience or do I make that a legend of it's own? - but I figured I'd put it up here, as is, just in case anyone wanted to comment, provide input, etc.))

I wouldn't judge you for anything, Little Kitten! After all, "if it wasn't for your thieving ass, I wouldn't have a world." 

It just occurred to me that "the other team" probably wasn't the best way to put that. I've got a few friends and numerous cousins that possibly might take offense to that terminology. Oops!

Who's to say that there are "teams," after all? You love who you love and there's not a thing wrong with that in my mind... Maybe Davena just likes Bladesingers... Maybe Aranwen has been travelling with Kazari and Cids and clerics long enough that comfort is easily taken wherever it may be found... and, let's be honest, if I'd have found that video on InnHub, I might have watched it myself.

Regardless... my apologies should that have happened to offend anyone. Not my intent, at all.

E~

P.S. I've said it here and in other forums... I don't judge anyone on political affiliation, religious beliefs, race, color, or creed. I will, however, judge the s#!t out of you based on the way you choose to treat other people.

... the "encounter" between Aranwen and Davena did, in fact, happen on page 5. Can't claim I recalled due to superb memory, though, as I spent a good part of yesterday retconning the thread and flipping Davena to the other team.

Happened back in Crandel... I wanna say back around pahe 5 or so...

Man, do I love me a Gib post!!!

I knew you'd been busy thanks to ye olde book o' faces but figured you'd be back soon enough.

Glad the confusion wasn't too long lasting.

I hate to admit it, but I've been so wrapped up in "Kazari world-building" that I'd forgotten all about this!

*whacks self on the nose with a newspaper* Bad Eol! No facelicks for you!!!

Let me go back and see where we are and I'll see if I can't get something together.

^^ What THEY said! ^^

I'm all atremble with cheesy anticipation!!!

Edits have been completed and our retcon, I believe, is fully accomplished (at least in the game thread). Again, if anyone catches something I may have missed, just let me know and I'll correct as needed.

As to Aranwen's blade, I don't believe it was mentioned that her sword actually hit the soil, so I think she's safe to keep it. I, of course, defer to our illustrious DM on the final decision, there, but, as I read it, Aranwen's sword is still useable in accordance with Bladesinger tradition.

Now... coffee and, perhaps, another little post of my own.

I've spent most of my career at a keyboard and scouring data for discrepancies. I suppose that helps.

Aaaaand, as far as your nervousness goes, it doesn't show at all in your first post. I know you're going to do juuuuust great!

I'm back to editing, here, for a bit, but will be taking the wife to dinner to celebrate our 20th year in our house, so I may not finish all edits until tomorrow but, I'm guessing that it won't be too late in the day that I get done.

...taking a bit of a break, now. A cup of coffee, perhaps, and a drop or two of visine.

Back to it, soon.

Woo to the hoo!

Great post! Great plan!

As you say it Aranwen-khatun, so it will be done.

Done through Page 3... I think... If anyone is reading through and sees anything I might have missed, just let me know.

Unfortunately, work calls, so I'm forced to take a break from editing but I'll get back to it ASAP.