Fey and dinosaurs

Arent Elves Fey?

Luna wrote:

OMG! I can't breathe!

Quote :

Arent Elves Fey?

No. They share a very distant ancestry with the fey, but that's a very ancient connection.

Leonis wrote:

Leonis turns the medalian carefully and slowly paying careful attention to what happens.

Randomly picking one of the two possible directions, Leonis turns the pendant clockwise on the sculpture. It turns fairly smoothly, with no real resistance, till it has turned a full quarter of a circle and aligned with the carving of a star that is on the right. At that point, there is a clicking sound and it stops, as if sliding into a groove, though Leonis can make out that he simply needs to exert a little more pressure to turn it again.

As the clicking sound occurs, the magical 'window' turns completely clear, now providing an excellent view of the glade beyond. It's now clear that the glade is shadowed, the faint glimpses of the sky above it that one can see being utterly dark, starless and moonless. The lights moving among the trees are now more clearly visible and seem very similar to those of the will-o-wisps that the adventurers recently encountered. They move aimlessly back and forth, showing no signs of an awareness of being observed.

The sense of faint pressure away from the 'window' also disappears. Experimentation reveals that the 'window', which could previously not be physically felt but hung there like a visual illusion, is now material reality. It feels soft and faintly gelatinous to the touch, but if one pushes on it the material hardens and resists, bending in only an inch or two. Rowan's touch seems to have less resistance, causing the area under her palms to move in nearly half a foot, before it ceases to move in. After casting a detect magic and otherwise studying it, the two arcanists conjecture that this position of the pendant is what is needed to attempt transportation through the window to the glade beyond it. However, the group is lacking something vital to achieving that transport, whether it be a teleport spell to cast into the sculpture, a bralani to attempt it, or something else they aren't aware of.

Continuing to experiment, Leonis then turns the pendant one more half-circle, causing it to stop with another 'click', now upside down from the position in which it was originally inserted. The 'window' this time remains transparent, but something appears in it. They are two eyes, each at least six inches across. Besides the obvious size difference, they are proportionally longer and more slanted than most human eyes. The iris of each is narrow, like a cat's, and green in color, while the pupil is a bright gold, flecks of which also appear in the iris around it.

The eyes simply hang in mid-air before the 'window', with no accompanying face. There is, however, a voice. Not a verbal one but telepathic, clearly heard in their minds by all those looking into the 'window'. "Yes, Griana?" it asks. The gentle tone is simply curious and the words simple, but the effect is much stronger. All those hearing it in their minds feel a frisson of pleasure, accompanied by the physical sensation of goosebumps. It feels for a second as if each of them had just found something precious that they had been seeking for a very long time.

The eyes shift slightly, as if their owner were focusing on looking through the window, and then the voice queries, "Who are you? Where is Griana? Is she ... dead?" The tone shifts to querulous and faintly suspicious, and immediately there is a shift in the hearers' emotions too. There is a sharp pang of disappointment and faint shame at having inflicted such suspicion on the speaker.

The voice is androgynous, but seems to lean toward sounding female.

Luna wrote:

Arent Elves Fey?

Older versions of D&D, I think even 3.0, allowed elves to use fey items like fey. But this is no more in 3.5 and pathfinder.

Admin wrote:

The eyes shift slightly, as if their owner were focusing on looking through the window, and then the voice queries, "Who are you? Where is Griana? Is she ... dead?" The tone shifts to querulous and faintly suspicious, and immediately there is a shift in the hearers' emotions too. There is a sharp pang of disappointment and faint shame at having inflicted such suspicion on the speaker.

The voice is androgynous, but seems to lean toward sounding female.

OOC: With knowledge arcana, planes, nature, etc can Leonis identify what kind of creature the group is facing.

Leonis, responding "If Griana is the Bralani who held the pendant then yes, she is dead. Are you the 'lady' the Bralani referred to before she died?"

OOC: Based on the answers Leonis will want to ask about the "Chosen ones", and "Why did you send Griana to harass us? What have we or our village done to you or your kind?" If the conversation goes well, "Who are you? Name, age, sex, location, single?" (ok skip the last part)

Leonis wrote:

OOC: With knowledge arcana, planes, nature, etc can Leonis identify what kind of creature the group is facing.

Not without being able to see more than just the eyes. Fey, presumably of the celestial variety, would be a good bet.

Quote :

Leonis, responding "If Griana is the Bralani who held the pendant then yes, she is dead. Are you the 'lady' the Bralani referred to before she died?"

OOC: Based on the answers Leonis will want to ask about the "Chosen ones", and "Why did you send Griana to harass us? What have we or our village done to you or your kind?" If the conversation goes well, "Who are you? Name, age, sex, location, single?" (ok skip the last part)

The eyes narrow further for a moment and then there is a soft sigh, before the voice replies, with a faint tinge of sorrow, "A pity. She was a friend." There is a momentary pause, and this time when she speaks again her voice is much colder and more aloof. "I am ... what I am, though some might," and there's a flash of amusement, "Call me a lady."

When Leonis asks some questions, the voice replies, first with a tinge of impatience, "Chosen ones? Griana should have been more ... discreet." Then there is growing irritation at the next query and she responds, "My ... kind, as you put it, are safely far beyond the reach of your kind. And you ask ... you dare ask what you have done?" The eyes darken with genuine anger, before it oddly dissolves a moment later into wry amusement. "I have not spoken to creatures like you for long, so I shall answer. When you go forth, when you travel, when you walk the streets of your villages and towns and cities, ask yourself - what was there before? Ask what plants have been uprooted, what animals butchered, what life and joy and beauty eradicated so that you and yours could live and dwell and breed where you are not welcome. Think of that when next you see your village. If you see your village," she concludes, her voice turning ominous.

The conversation feels exceedingly odd, not so much because it's happening inside the group's heads but because of the emotions it evokes. Every shifting emotion of the speaker--and her emotions do seem to be quite mercurial--causes either a sharing of it or a response to it within the listeners. Sorrow, joy, fear, disappointment, amusement, shame and more - the emotions flash one by one through the adventurers. There is only one emotion which seems to, by this point, remain constant and running through them all. A growing appreciation of how beautiful those eyes and the voice are.

OOC: I didn't respond to the questions about "Name, age, sex ... etc" yet since I wasn't sure if Leonis would consider the above as going well

Leonis listens to the speaker, "I understand that you are a creature of nature and revere those things, so are we. No we do not have four legs, or fur" Leonis pauses for a moment and for some reason looks at Kara, "but we are still creatures of this realm. We were conceived like animals are conceived, and we were birthed like animals birth. We feed, we sleep, we hunt, and we die like animals. Although our shelters are more grand we build shelters like some animals do." Leonis pauses for a moment to pontificate, "while settling these lands our group has made great effort to keep both the natural residents and our people at peace so all will benefit. We have made agreements with the local Fey so we can protect them, and they can protect us. We have worked to destroy unnatural and evil beings to remove their blight, and we have not made attempts or even though to travelling to another realm, such as yours, to cause harm." Pausing again, "Is there some reasonable agreement we can come to? I would rather we be allies then foes"

Ooc: if all goes sour, as I suspect I will ask the lady for a a/s/l just for shits and giggles

Before I post a response, I'll give the others a chance to chime in too if they want to. While I'm waiting, could you roll me a Diplomacy check for Leonis? Anyone else who wants to try that can do so as well.

Ri don't have my stats at hand, but here is the roll

The member 'Leonis' has done the following action : Dice roller

'd20' : 3

Rowan steps forward, trying to displace Leonis. Hopefully he has enough Sense Motive to realize it.

"Griana challenged us, Lady," Rowan says, "and we accepted her challenge. It was a challenging battle, but she lost fair and square."

"We appreciate the beauty of this land, and so do those who have settled here. Not all of them, of course, but when some have crossed the line, we have... admonished them. And did everything we could to restore the damage they had done. If you help us, we'll have even greater abilities to preserve the beauty of this land."

Edit: That's a 24 Diplomacy.

The member 'Rowan' has done the following action : Dice roller

'd20' : 8

Leonis wrote:

Leonis listens to the speaker, "I understand that you are a creature of nature and revere those things, so are we. No we do not have four legs, or fur" Leonis pauses for a moment and for some reason looks at Kara, "but we are still creatures of this realm. We were conceived like animals are conceived, and we were birthed like animals birth. We feed, we sleep, we hunt, and we die like animals. Although our shelters are more grand we build shelters like some animals do." Leonis pauses for a moment to pontificate, "while settling these lands our group has made great effort to keep both the natural residents and our people at peace so all will benefit. We have made agreements with the local Fey so we can protect them, and they can protect us. We have worked to destroy unnatural and evil beings to remove their blight, and we have not made attempts or even though to travelling to another realm, such as yours, to cause harm." Pausing again, "Is there some reasonable agreement we can come to? I would rather we be allies then foes"

Ooc: if all goes sour, as I suspect I will ask the lady for a a/s/l just for shits and giggles

Rowan wrote:

Rowan steps forward, trying to displace Leonis. Hopefully he has enough Sense Motive to realize it.

"Griana challenged us, Lady," Rowan says, "and we accepted her challenge. It was a challenging battle, but she lost fair and square."

"We appreciate the beauty of this land, and so do those who have settled here. Not all of them, of course, but when some have crossed the line, we have... admonished them. And did everything we could to restore the damage they had done. If you help us, we'll have even greater abilities to preserve the beauty of this land."

Edit: That's a 24 Diplomacy.

The adventurers continue to experience various emotions as the owner of the two eyes expresses (and presumably undergoes) related emotions while they speak. It seems that she is first curious, then mildly indignant, and finally simply bored by the time Leonis completes his spiel, before sliding back into curiosity (more so than before) when Rowan begins to talk, followed by mild amusement.

When the sorceress falls silent, the eyes narrow slightly as if in thought. A couple of seconds pass and then the voice says, "I ... see. Tell me then, what will you do to preserve the land when more of your people spread across it and settle it, cutting and burning in order to ... survive? Or if another of your ... civilized people opens this land to otherworldly horrors in blind searching for arcane power - as was done so recently? Or if your patrons, your ...," there is a pause, as if the speaker is searching for an unfamiliar word, "... Aundair seeks to claim this land and what is in it? And what think you of the Green King?"

All of the listeners get the strong impression that the speaker is genuinely curious about their responses. Especially to the last question.

OOC: Add a Diplomacy check to your next post too (you can take 10 if you want). Also, anyone wanting info on the Green King needs to make a Knowledge (History) or Religion check (you can take 10 here too, if you want. You can make an untrained check as well).

Happy to let Rowan take the lead, Leonis studies the creature some more and tries to recall information about the Green King:

Leonis has history and religion, so not sure if I get a bonus. They are both at +9. Based on what Leonis knows I will comment appropriately

OOC: Suggestion comments for Rowan
"We are the rulers of this land and plan to keep it happy and green"
"Powers of the Guardian Angels are not exactly common, I doubt that would happen" OOC: Definitely a slam against Nameless and his maddening quest to become a level 10 arcanist Tell her we will just kill those beings as we encounter them. After-all we are hippies (I have a good bluff btw)

EDIT: 15 for history, 28 for religion

The member 'Leonis' has done the following action : Dice roller

#1 'd20' : 6

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#2 'd20' : 19

I give up... I can't figure out how to roll!

The member 'Luna' has done the following action : Dice roller

'd20' : 20, 16

Luna wrote:

I give up... I can't figure out how to roll!

You always say that and then manage to roll And very well too.

So what does Luna say?

Did I know anything about the Green King?

Luna wrote:

Did I know anything about the Green King?

Leonis and Kara have both heard something about the Green King, though it's a fairly obscure name, which they might not have been able to place except for the context they're in. The Green King is an obscure deity of nature who shows up in some of the few studies that scholars have written about the religion(s) of the fey.

As is usually the case in Khorvaire, scholars tend to believe that the Green King represents one of the gods of the Sovereign Host (probably Balinor) being worshipped in a different form. A rarer theory is that he instead represents the Devourer from the Dark Six (the NE deity of the destructive power of nature). A few scholars argue that the fey tend to worship deities who combine qualities of two gods, one from the Host and one from the Six - in this case, the Green King being both Balinor and the Devourer. This is all religious/philosophical theory, of course, especially since the fey are not known to be particularly religious at the best of times.

The Green King is generally associated with the seasons of spring and fall, while his wife, the Red Queen (considered to connect to the NG Host deity Arawai and the NE Six deity, the Fury), is connected with summer and winter.

In response to the "Lady's" question about the Green King, "Well that depends in what fashion you are referring to. There is not much knowledge about the Green King other then he is a powerful god of nature which some fey revere. Scholars believe the Green King is either one of the Sovereign Host gods or one of the Dark Six gods. I tend to believe the Green King is a manifestation of both gods - neither good nor evil - with the intent to live in peace and harmony with all things of nature...which includes the people who live in these lands." Getting bored of the philosophy, "What does this have to do with us? What do you want from us? We do not wish to fight you or your people - we would prefer to live in harmony and use the limited resources of this planet to make our lives better, but as you can tell we will not tolerate attacks on our people just as you will not tolerate attacks on your people."

Leonis wrote:

In response to the "Lady's" question about the Green King, "Well that depends in what fashion you are referring to. There is not much knowledge about the Green King other then he is a powerful god of nature which some fey revere. Scholars believe the Green King is either one of the Sovereign Host gods or one of the Dark Six gods. I tend to believe the Green King is a manifestation of both gods - neither good nor evil - with the intent to live in peace and harmony with all things of nature...which includes the people who live in these lands." Getting bored of the philosophy, "What does this have to do with us? What do you want from us? We do not wish to fight you or your people - we would prefer to live in harmony and use the limited resources of this planet to make our lives better, but as you can tell we will not tolerate attacks on our people just as you will not tolerate attacks on your people."

When Leonis finishes, the hidden speaker scoffs, "What is it with you mortals and your fascination with gods? He's far from a god, and if you believe he only wishes to live in peace and harmony with all things natural, you have been listening to his lies far too long! And I, of all people, should kno..."

The voice falls silent and the eyes narrow. "You're not lying, are you?" she then says, in a tone which implies she's half-talking to herself. "You truly do not know him?"

She stops speaking again, eyes flickering slightly, as if looking back and forth through the 'window' between you. Immediately, each of the adventurers feels an overwhelming and irresistible urge to explain that you truly do not know this Green King. It lasts for only an instant before it passes, with a sensation as if a protective force had interposed between them and an unstoppable will. Leonis and Rowan realize immediately that it is Leonis' magic circle vs evil which kept them from responding immediately to her query. It's a distinct possibility that one or more members of the group have been charmed or mentally dominated in some manner, with only the magic circle keeping them from being controlled.

The eyes narrow slightly further and then return to their earlier size, while a wry chuckle is heard. "I see. You are not utterly foolish. And ... it seems you are honest. Good." There is a sense of, if not actual appreciation, at least a lessening of dislike and mistrust. "What shall I do with you now? Hmm..."

There is a moment of silence and then a sudden feeling of a realization and suppressed amusement. "Tell me - and know this, your lives may depend on the answer - how long ago did Griana die? And what did you do with her pendant after that?"

Sensing the magic wash over him, "That's not very nice of you, you know that - Though I am more impressed with your ability to cast a spell through this portal - but would you mind refraining from trying to control my friends?" Looking towards the group, "One of you has been charmed, I believe, don't leave the protection of my circle for this creature has influence over your mind"

Looking back towards the eyes, "Before I answer your question, what is a name which we can call you? It would be, hm, polite." After the fey answers (whichever direction)

OOC: Before I answer, would Leonis know why this creature is asking? I assume due to the creature wishing to cast something like raise outsider? If so, based on knowledge arcana / spellcraft, how long does Leonis know someone needs to be dead before those spells are no longer applicable?

Quote :

OOC: Before I answer, would Leonis know why this creature is asking? I assume due to the creature wishing to cast something like raise outsider? If so, based on knowledge arcana / spellcraft, how long does Leonis know someone needs to be dead before those spells are no longer applicable?

You really have no idea. This being Eberron, raising anyone from the dead is incredibly rare, so that's unlikely to be the reason.

Leonis wrote:

Sensing the magic wash over him, "That's not very nice of you, you know that - Though I am more impressed with your ability to cast a spell through this portal - but would you mind refraining from trying to control my friends?" Looking towards the group, "One of you has been charmed, I believe, don't leave the protection of my circle for this creature has influence over your mind"

Looking back towards the eyes, "Before I answer your question, what is a name which we can call you? It would be, hm, polite." After the fey answers (whichever direction)

Minor irritation, coupled with faint curiosity, flows over the adventurers. "You may call me ... the Lady, as you did earlier," says the voice, before it adds, its tone as smugly self-satisfied as the emotion that the hearers feel, "And this portal, as you put it, is my creation, after all. Now - answer me."

OOC: When you answer, give me a diplomacy check. Anyone else chiming in can do so as well.

Leonis raises an eyebrow, and fights off his pubescent urge to rebel against an adult, "We killed Griana about a day ago, and the amulet remains with us for now. What is your interest in the amulet? Before we answer more about it, how about you share some information. Tell us about this gate, this amulet, the Green King, and why your interest in our people? I mean other then you hate us because we are not in tune with the natural lands. History shows that the machines of man will expand and take over the land - it is inevitable - even if you kill us, someone will come and replace us. You, I am sure, are aware of this."

OOC: Yea ok so maybe I want to piss this creature off a bit, but I hate getting pumped for info without seeing something in return.

Oh I have +0 diplomacy. On the bright side I do have +8 bluff

The member 'Leonis' has done the following action : Dice roller

'd20' : 16