Shae bends down to help Floradine clean up the shattered statuette. "It was an accident Floradine," Shae says comfortingly, "It was a stupid place to have suck a delicate thing anyway."

Floradine begins picking up the pieces, but it is too late.  Erthnon steps in, leading Syrissa behind him.  Syrissa is clad in a cream silk dress, elegantly wrapped around her lithe form.  Her face is covered by a white silky veil beyond which you cannot see anything.  Her head is topped by a beautiful turban-like headdress, and a long flowing robe of dark green trails behind her.  She steps forward daintily, raising hands covered in white silken gloves.  Erthnon takes her hand and leads her to the bottom of the dais.

She pauses as she sees the broken piece.  When she speaks her voice is calm, almost wistful.  "An Elsa porcelain bowl.  Almost two thousand years old.  A priceless piece."  Her head turns toward Floradine.  "What a loss.  How do you suppose you can repair this problem?"

"I am terribly sorry for my clumsiness," Floradine says.  "We have brought you a picture as a gift and token of our friendship."  He pulls out the picture and hands it to Syrissa.  "I hope this will repay for the unfortunate accident and show you our goodwill."

[Players: As I am currently traveling internationally, my posting will be sporadic over the next couple of weeks.  My apologies, but I will be posting as much as possible.  Feel free to post as often as you like in the meantime though.]

Syrissa looks at the picture.  "Ah, a genuine Syraconi.  'Flight of the Sphynx,' I believe it is called.  Must be..."  She pauses, thinking.  "Yes, 436 years old.  Quite valuable.  Almost enough to replace the bowl."  She steps forward and takes the picture in her hands, holding it arm's length to admire it.  Then she sets in on a nearby table and turns to you.

One silk-glove hand reaches out and touches Shae softly on the chin.  Her head tilts.  You cannot see her eyes or expression, but you can tell she is appraising Shae.  Then she looks over at Shanjalae.  "Two elves...er, a half elf and an elf, and a knight," she says, looking over at Floradine.  "All excellent specimens."  She then says, "And Garanon too."

She snaps her gloved finger, and the hollow sound brings Erthnon closer.  "Have our servants clean this mess up," she says.  "Then, if our guests will allow, I would like to paint their portraits.  And," she adds with a raised finger, "perhaps they will let you carve their likeness in stone."

She looks to you.  "Would that be okay with you?  I have painted many great men, wizards, even all three of the Trinity have submitted to my painting.  And Erthnon's skill in sculpting cannot be bested.  Of course, he would need to touch your faces to carve your bust, if you will allow."

Shae looks slightly discomforted at the woman's touch though she makes no move to break from her hold, instead a brilliant smile crosses her lips as she looks at Syrissa, "You would paint our portraits? That is a lovely compliment m'lady, I would be most honoured."

She moves to stand beside Syrissa ready to be lead further into her home. "You must be a very accomplished artist to have painted so many people's portraits." she leans in close to the woman as if sharing a closely held secret, "Like most of my clan we have a love of art." She brushes a hand along the Briar Vine tattoo that curls up her calf and along her thigh before moving to the Mountain Ash Leaf upon her cheek to confirm that statement.

"May I be so bold and ask if I may seem some of your earlier work?"

Floradine says, "Normally, I do not take part in vanities such as portrait painting or the like.  However, since it is your desire, I will indulge this time."

Syrissa peers over at Shae's tattoo work.  "Fine work indeed.  Have you sold anyone advance rights to your skin for after your death?  If not, I might be interested."

She leads the party back.  "My own work is mostly kept in the back.  I am but a diletante."  The party follows her into a large warehouse-like area.  Light floods in through open archways.  Pictures in their canvases are strung along the walls.  Statues strike all sorts of curious poses.

Most of the statues are unfamiliar.  She steps up to one and holds her hand out.  "This one you may know."  You see a statue of a young wizard with curly black locks and an eye patch.  "He is not so young now, so you may remember him as an old man.  The wizard Gathbael.  I carved the statue.  However, like real life, statues are full of imperfections.  Erthnon chipped away to make it more striking and then polished it to this sheen."  She touches it, and you see a glossy oil come off in her hand.

"But my real love is painting," she says.  "It takes much more work for me to render a likeness on canvas."

Glancing around the room, you notice that the paintings all seem to be of people, mostly faces.  You notice after a moment of looking around that there is a statue for just about every painting.

As though seeing your recognition, she says, "I would like to paint your portrait first and then carve your likeness in stone."  She pulls out a frame with a blank canvas and begins mixing her colors.  "You never know," she says wistfully, "when some of these people will be deemed heroes, and then these pieces of art could be priceless."

She turns to you, "If you have no more questions, could you strike a pose, and I will begin?"

Floradine holds up his sword and strikes a pose.  "Go ahead," he says.  "I'm ready.  But you didn't happen to see Gathbael lately, did you?  Like today perhaps?"

As Floradine has his portrait painted Shae wanders through the warehouse looking at each portrait and statue intently, seemingly lost in the wonders of the various pieces.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:42, Thu 25 Dec 2003.

Shae begins looking at the artwork while Syrissa begins painting Floradine.


Syrissa responds to Floradine, "It is many years since any of the Trinity has sought my company.  Ever since my affiliation with the Allevian Alliance, they have shunned me."  She begins painting with long strokes and eyeing Floradine from behind her veil.  "Of course, my loyalties have always been to the 'art' in the artifacts, not to anyone in the Alliance.  Everyone knows that.  Any object entrusted to me is kept safe."

"What exactly is your connection to the Allevian Alliance and the Brotherhood?" Floradine asks.  "As you may well know, a paladin such as myself will not deign to keep company with evil without the possibility of conversion to better ways."

"The Allevian Alliance and Brotherhood are the same thing," Syrissa explains.  "It is a loosely knit organization of many vying for power around the time of the final gathering.  Some think they are evil.  Although some of them are, most are just absorbed in their own self interests.  I do not choose sides.  Perhaps that is why they trust me.  But over the next decade, this organization will rise to power, and the kingdoms will be unable to stop it.  Anarchy will rein unless the Brotherhood can reign in control of the races.  Fat chance of that.  Dark times are to come.  Doesn't take an oracle to see that."

She adds a few more strokes.

"Now, if all of you could stand together, I'd like to do this as a group.  Is that okay?"  She turns her veiled head in the direction of Shae wandering around her art.

"Certainly milady." Shae replies as she moves to stand beside Floradine.  As she walks her eyes move to Garanon, taking a long look at him as she watches Syrissa.

"Please forgive my boldness milady, for you have been a gracious host, but might I inquire how you know my friend Garanon here?" She pauses watching the woman, her head cocked to one side as if sensing something unseen.

"After Garanon was branded a traitor by the King, the Allevian Alliance was his only refuge.  Most everyone knows his story, but I admit this is the first time I have met him outside of council meetings."

As Shae takes her position, Syrissa calls out for her blind servant, Erthnon, who makes his way into the room.  Syrissa turns the paintings toward you.  They are nicely done, but nothing spectacular. Just like the other paintings.  Not nearly so good as the statues.

"Erthnon, it is time for the sculpting of our new friends."

"Yes, milady," Erthnon replies.

"You will need to hold very still and look this way," Syrissa says, her silk gloved hand moving to touch her veil.  "This part takes a master's touch.  Give me great hero poses like those statues you see around you.  I will need you to be still, so are there any final questions?  I am happy to oblige.  You have been so patient and helpful to me."

"The Queen of Krussack is with you milady.  Where is she?" Shae asks in a matter of fact tone, as if she were asking about the weather.  Shae doesn't stay still, her eyes move around the room, at all the different statues.  "Which one of these is she?"

"Child, the queen is not a statue.  After all, a statue is very difficult to transport.  She is perfectly healthy and in my safekeeping for almost two decades now.  The queen was placed in a crystal ball for her protection.  It is what we might call an 'alternate reality.'  She has no idea she ever left this world and she is not subject to age or disease.  Were I to relinquish the queen, she would be in mortal danger.  That is why, sad though it may be, she is in my safekeeping.  I would so much have liked to paint her portrait or sculpt her statue--for she is strikingly beautiful--but leave has not been given to me.  Perhaps some day," Syrissa says, trailing off wistfully.

Shae takes a several steps toward Syrissa her face now an expression of hope, "You seem a reasonable woman milady and so it is with a small hope I ask; Give the crystal ball unto my keeping.  I would know the woman that is my supposed birth mother."

"What good would I be if I turned over something in my safekeeping to another?  I did not get my reputation by doing such.  However, after the statue sculpting is over, I will show her to you if you like.  Nevertheless, she must remain as she is for now."

"Very well." Shae replies, though you get the impression that its taking her a lot of will power to stand still and patient as the group is sculpted.

"As I am in service to the crown, and particularly the queen who is the blood heir to the throne, I too would like the opportunity to see that she is alive and well."  Floradine then resumes his pose.

[Sorry for the delays.  I've begun teaching at the law school (in addition to my day job), and the beginning semester has kept me tied up this week.]

"Yes, yes," Syrissa says.  "I promise.  After the sculpting is complete, you may see the queen."  Then, as the party poses, Syrissa reaches up and lifts her veil to reveal her face.

You don't quite know how to respond to the beauty...and the writhing snakes.  You try to run--to scream--but it is too late.  Your body won't respond.  Every nerve seems to scream out in pain, and then you feel a heavy weight on your chest.  You can't breathe.

Shae sees Floradine's body as it begins to turn to stone, body, clothes and all.  Neither Floradine nor Shae can tell if Shanjalae or Garanon, standing behind them, have looked at the medusa's face, but it is too late to guess.



As your body hardens, you hear Syrissa talking offhandedly to her blind servant.  "When they are finished, put them next to Ashe.  I can't believe he thought I wouldn't recognize him after those longevity potions he imbibed."

"Yes, madaam," Erthnon says.

"Are the artifacts in a safe place?"

"Yes, madaam."

"They are safer this way, don't you think?  The human body is so frail, after all."

"Yes, madaam."

"Do not let the Brotherhood know they have been here.  She may be the last hope for the throne of Man...and Elf.  Of peace."

"But the Gathering, madaam."

"Yes, yes."

"The prophecies."

"All of which will be decided in due time.  For now, they must wait in this preserved state until--"

You hear nothing else as your body turns into completely solidified rock.  One last image of her petrifying gaze burns into your retinas, and you can only stare at it...for years...and years...


[All active members of the party have been turned to stone.  This campaign will continue if and when they are revived.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:54, Sat 17 Jan 2004.

Pictures lost in fortunecity.  Check disc for pics.

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