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10:58, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Chapter 3C: A Teller's Tell.

Posted by The ShadowFor group archive 0
The Shadow
Ally, 22 posts
The Light
The Dark
Sat 29 Oct 2016
at 17:55
  • msg #1

A TELLER'S TELL

The blackness did not recede, but took on a different feel and form. There was no feeling of standing anywhere, but there was no sensation of floating, either. There was just the sensation of existing in a definite, just very black, space.

And then, one of those exact areas of blackness took on a form in Meri's mind. There felt like a face, and eyes, and mouth, and a humanoid body. Distance was impossible to gauge, so it may have been very far away and impossibly large, or very close and simply giant.

The mouth opened, and a word came out. It was a simple, familiar word, yet it conveyed an unfamiliar tone despite the familiarity of the voice saying it.

"Meri?" said The Shadow. Her name was not said with uncertainty though. It was said with abject terror.


And I'll leave it there! Oh, except to answer a couple of comments from before Yes, I got the name wrong typing from memory - I'll go correct that. The name you have written down is the correct one. The name is a D&D name, but at leats for 5th edition it was hidden in the DM guide. I think they are a little more forthcoming in the 4th edition rules, so maybe skip passed it when you get to the section on gods :p Then again, I think you can guess most of the things it would say!

Sadly yes, both rolls were too low, even though you had the right rolls. As you might guess though, a religion check about a long lost and hidden 'god' might need a very high skill anyway :p Still, there are odd pieces of lore that you might have been able to recall that might have echoed, if you'd been able to make the check.

Meri
PLAYER, 1123 posts
Artificer
Level 6
Sat 29 Oct 2016
at 23:55
  • msg #2

A TELLER'S TELL

Meri had barely flinched as the hand descended, merely closing her eyes against the ensuing darkness.

When one set of tools are of no use in a particular situation, use different tools...

"You never thought of a situation like this though, did you, old one?" she murmured softly, chuckling to herself.

She ignored the Shadow's voice at first, apparently continuing to cling to that train of thought for a bit longer.
"Still, you always had an answer for everything.  What would you have said to him back there?  Shii marhu polto huuntad ka ruuska atchot?"

Something struck her as funny about that and she laughed again, although her good humour vanished almost as quickly as it had come.

"What do you want now?" she eventually asked quietly, her eyes still closed...


OOC: If you're curious, the Dhakaani phrase there means: "Even an emperor must think twice when looking into the eye of a tiger".  :)
And the "old one" she was referring to was her memory of her master in the ways of artificery (kind of an informal nickname she had for him, though she never actually used it to his face, hehe).

This message was last edited by the player at 23:58, Sat 29 Oct 2016.
The Shadow
Ally, 23 posts
The Light
The Dark
Sun 30 Oct 2016
at 05:51
  • msg #3

A TELLER'S TELL


There was a feeling of confusion in the 'air', and a release of pressure, as if The Shadow was momentarily looking away. The pressure came back.

"I want? For you not to be here. Meri, this is not possible, and I am the Giver of Wishes - I am Magic - to whom nothing is impossible. How did you do this? Why? This is no power of the arcane, for I would feel it."

The words were not measured and assured. They were rushed, hushed, and filled with trepidation.


Is the continuation of that phrase 'and even a king must carry a pointy stick?' Nice phrase, pity the Shadow seems too terrified to comment upon it.
Meri
PLAYER, 1124 posts
Artificer
Level 6
Sun 30 Oct 2016
at 10:58
  • msg #4

A TELLER'S TELL

Meri frowned slightly at that.
"Two strange questions in one day.  Is it still the same day?  Not too sure now with time being a mere suggestion like it seems to be these days.  Not that this place seems to have much in the way of day and night.  Kind of wished I could have slowed it down before when I was working to a deadline for a crafting commission.  Anyway, I thought you two knew everything each other knows."

She opened her eyes again, looking straight at the Shadow.
"Your...  How shall I put it?  'Twin'?  Seems to have brought me here to gloat.  Wasn't too sure if I was dreaming actually, though I'm hoping I didn't fall asleep, since last time I looked I was in an extremely tall tree, and I do tend to be a bit restless in my sleep."
Despite her previous half-amused rambling, there was a definite bite of sarcasm in her reply.

"Where exactly am I anyway?"
Her voice had now shifted from sarcasm to very deep displeasure...


OOC: Dunno, I found it on a site listing Dhakaani phrases.  Thought that Meri would have picked a few of them from her former master, who I've imagined as having a smartass answer for everything.  Think Yoda with an attitude problem and speaking Goblin instead of... mixedupese or whatever language Yoda spoke :)  hehe.

Pointy sticks are always handy.  As long as your attacker doesn't have any fresh fruit!

The Shadow
Ally, 25 posts
The Light
The Dark
Sun 30 Oct 2016
at 13:13
  • msg #5

A TELLER'S TELL


Eh, just eat the fresh fruit, thus rendering your assailant harmless :)

The Shadow seemed lost at the words from Meri's mouth. His speech at least gained a measure of calm, but it was still hushed, rather than the normal voice he had ever used before. "You are not dreaming. We only spoke briefly in your dreams once, and that was because you were still focused upon the portal room, and I had had not yet come back...here."

The Shadow looked around then back to "Where are you? You are where I once resided, from the first moment the gods created me, to the day the gods banished me. And where I again reside, thanks to you. You have entered a place I have no wish for the gods to look. This is the Nexus of the Arcane, the meeting point of magic in the whole multiverse. It glowed so brightly before I was formed, and was darkened the day of my creation."

The Shadow gestured to the black expanse, yet despite Meri's sensitivity to the arcane, she could feel... nothing. There did feel as if there was a vast space around her, it just felt as if it was filled with nothing. Perhaps that was the point.

The Shadow continued, sadly, quietly, in a speech quick but lacking the haste of earlier. "On that day were the powers of mortals limited, magic lessened, and each possibility was cut off and bound only to the the lesser possibilities residing close by. Yet I can hold the strands of all those possibilities, all those universes. And through me I can give mortals back their true potential. It is here that I was supposed to be the arbiter and wall to mortal will. And when I was too lenient, they banished me. That is where you are, Meri."

The Shadow seemed to give his full focus to Meri, clearly confused but determined to understand and be understood. "So you see, I know because I would feel it if anything within your power had pulled you here. To subvert the natural order of the universe like this can only be the hand of the divine. Or something truly, terribly demonic, something so powerful they are like a god. That is why the question is not so strange. That was why I warned you of the thin walls of reality in the portal room. It means the gods - or at least one of them - knows what I did not wish them to, and that I have returned."

A deep sigh. "At best I will feel their boot upon my neck to have the power of mortal limited once more, perhaps worse than before for they will fear what you accomplished. And at worst I will be banished once more. Or destroyed utterly."

The Shadow then focused on Meri. "No, that is not the worst that could happen, for it has already happened. The worst is that the gods will see you, when I tried to hide you, and who knows how they will react. Whatever found you, and sent you here, was not gloating. They were forcing the hand of the gods, and focusing the attention of the gods on us rather than themselves."

The Shadow felt as if he stood upright. "Whatever found you, it was not my twin. I have no twin, how could I? It is most likely some demonlord, though I know of none that would have such power. I doubt any of the true pantheon would.... wait..."

Something seemed to occur to The Shadow. And then the fear came back. "Meri, listen very closely. I am a chain by the gods put upon mortals, to replace the magic mortals once possessed. I am the balance between fear and yearning. If I had a twin, it would be a chain that mortals put on the gods. Perhaps something the gods unwittingly formed the day they created me. Or perhaps even something formed when I was freed, something that took my place, filled the void I formed perfectly. A shadow self, if you will. If it were that, though, Meri... it would have the powers of a god. No, the powers of all the gods. And it would hate mortals. It would be the resentment of the god's need for faith, multiplied by the countless number of mortals the gods have ever had to rely upon. It would be the extremes of fear and the extremes of yearning, and it would stop at nothing to free itself. After all, what is all of creation to a god?"

The Shadow seemed crushed at even the thought of such a counterpart. "There is no help for it. To mitigate the plans of ... whatever this is... I must make myself known to the gods. The quicker it happens, and if upon my own terms, perhaps the quicker they can be focused on this rogue power, whatever it is. Though I may be banished once more, or even destroyed."

He looked to Meri with determination. "And you must go. Now. Though I fear it too late, and you will be visible to the gods now. Still, at least if the gods are focused on you, this powerful foe won't be able to act in secret against you. Though it is a thin hope that this is a change in your fortune. Seek my followers, if you can, to protect you. I have moved so slow to avoid detection, and I have barely made any even aware of my potential presence. And yet they exist, and they will aid you if they are true."

Is this a bluff, or is this really the true Shadow, and he feels forced in to showing himself, even though he may be destroyed or re-imprisoned. And who knows what effect that would have on the world, and your magic.

So... there you go? This shadow is claiming to be the one from the portal room, and then from your first dream (which was also in the portal room). The other shadow claimed to have only spoken to you when you touched the stone (and of course in the portal room).

So basically the dream one seems to say they had no twin they knew of, and claims that if they did, it would be the chain of mortals on the gods, and the extremes of fear and yearning. And hasn't really stated what he might know to what his twin might know. Also, he seems to be all 'we can't talk anymore, seek my followers'

The stone one seemed to say it knew it had a twin, and claims that both of them were the chains of mortals and demons respectively. That he was more the 'fear' part, the mortal thoughts, and the other was more 'yearning', the lusts of demons. And that he could read thoughts, and his counterpart their hearts, and that's how you could know the difference. Except there's nothing he and his twin didn't not know about each other when confined, so only deep knowledge from your own mind (or of course something new that has happened that would be missed) would be a way to tell them apart. Oh, and the stone one was all 'don't trust my followers, they might be evil guys or tricked, only listen to me when I contact you again'.


Anyway, so that's enoughto be going on with :) Have fun reacting whatever that reaction might be. And then you might finally get to chapter 4, since this shadow doens't seem inclined to keep you.

Meri
PLAYER, 1125 posts
Artificer
Level 6
Sun 30 Oct 2016
at 13:58
  • msg #6

A TELLER'S TELL

Meri folded her arms, or at least she thought of doing that.  It was difficult to see anything here, least of all her own body.
"I was speaking of the one referred to as the Chained God.  The one the Thrak'i called on for the power to try to destroy us.  I'd thought it was you who warned me about him, since it seemed odd that he would warn me about himself.  I'd tell you his name, except that I got the impression speaking it was dangerous.  Maybe that was just in the portal room.  Or maybe..."

She sighed and shook her head.
"I don't know what to believe really.  As for gods, I'm certain there are at least two who have become involved, either directly or through someone I suspect to be a servant, though even that is in doubt."

Shaking her head again, she looked back at the Shadow.
"I meant what I said to him though.  This was never my fight.  If I'd known what tampering with that portal could have done, I'd have likely just killed Krunluc and buried the place.  I believe an enemy of ours has gone looking for it now.  So she gets to take Krunluc's place in Plan B it seems!  Because apparently that's what I have to do with my life now, clean up the mess I seem to have inadvertently made.  At least if I can find a way out of this place..."

Trailing off, she fixed the Shadow with an intense stare.
"Speaking of this place.  Is Nym here too somewhere?  Because if this Chained God or whatever he calls himself has hurt her, I'm going to find some way to bring him down to my level and strangle him with his own chains...  And if that 'chained' part just happens to be a metaphor, well I'll forge some chains specifically for the purpose!"


OOC: Yep, Meri seems to be progressing from "deep displeasure" to "rather ticked-off"... :)
The involved gods she was referring to are Melora with her "very tree" act.  And the Raven Queen, since she suspects Farren is linked to her in some way, though where Blace comes into that equation, she doesn't know.  Though she does remember how Krunluc seemed to have "double-crossed" the Raven Queen before with his puzzle-chest spirit control gimmick.

This message was last edited by the player at 14:01, Sun 30 Oct 2016.
The Shadow
Ally, 26 posts
The Light
The Dark
Sun 30 Oct 2016
at 15:42
  • msg #7

A TELLER'S TELL


Ok, somehow Nym needs to see that chain line. It's the perfect combination of touching and scary :D


The Shadow again seemed confused by Meri's words, and clearly there was a frustration that he did not have the time to unravel some of truth of her words. "The Thrak'i? I knew of them. They were from another world, and sought me as others have. Whereas the Eladrin of the portal turned upon each other, the Thrak'i exercised caution, for which I cannot blame them. Though that caution cost them their lives. I felt their slow departure from the flow of magic even in my imprisonment. They are gone, an age dead and a cold, dark void distant even if not. And a Chained God? One who styles themselves so seems arrogant enough to tell you of themselves. After all, a god needs belief. Even a false one. Besides, it appears their words have been enough to keep us apart when I could have aided you. I presume this is why Nym has not used her wish? And now this beings actions have taken me out of the picture, perhaps permanently."

The Shadow sighed. "Tell Nym I am sorry. And of course you aswell. Your parts in my freedom should have been better rewarded than to have the attentions of mutliple gods already upon you, and a powerful foe using you. Instead I cannot honour her wish, whatever it would have been. And I cannot give you the peaceful life you should have. Please, do not give up on your fellow mortals. Krunluc for his blindness - spiritual, not physical - was still noble once. I did not kill him, and nor should you have. He was the wrong one to wield power, but he deserves pity not death. He may feel his end is torture, but he is back with his family, being cared for. He is at peace, or will be once he finds his true centre. And Nym, most of all. She is not here, we could not have spoken had she been here. There is something you do not know of her origin. Perhaps she does not know herself. You need to be careful with her, help her as you already have, and guide her as you guide Meronym."

The Shadow took a step back, or perhaps simply expanded. And then took another, or expanded further. "Farewell," said The Shadow. "If this chained god has a plan to use someone, like Krunluc, remember how you truly defeated Krunliuc. You did not kill him. Nym spoke with him to understand him. And you outsmarted him. And perhaps, one day, he will be a better person. Do not lose your way. Do not listen to this false god nor speak with him again. Seek my followers if you can, or follow your heart if you cannot. And on the day you defeat this foe, I will do all in my power to help you forge that chain around his neck!"

There was an odd hum in the air. Meri's senses tingled, as there seemed to be a rush of magic, unfathomably great. The Shadow was calling attention to himself, and once the distract was in place, it seemed it was easy to push Meri back to the real world...


And with that, interlude ended! Let me know when you've seen this, and I'll go restore all the other threads and so let you in to the chapter 4 thread. I'll leave this thread open so you can ask any questions or request clarifications. Or you can just write more yoda-like goblin quotes :p

Oh, the OOC thread should already be open to you, where I did congratulate you both on 4000 posts - which means an extra AP for you too :)

Meri
PLAYER, 1126 posts
Artificer
Level 6
Sun 30 Oct 2016
at 16:57
  • msg #8

A TELLER'S TELL

OOC: Seen this :)  Interesting situation.
Yeah, the chain line was one of those things where the character kind of writes herself.  Was going to finish the post, when it just cropped up in my mind, and it seemed too Meri-like not to use.  That perfect attitude of "mess with my few true friends and I'll destroy you.  Even if you are a god, I'll find a way!"  hehe.

Still, wonder if she'll ever actually show that side of herself when Nym is in the same location as her? :)

There are a few more Goblin Yoda lines I haven't used yet.  Unfortunately, the guide seems to be phrases taken either from the Eberron source books, or from some kind of stories set in them.  Rather than detailing the language itself, it just seems to be specific quotes and their translations within whatever world they're taken from.
So, having to hold them back till I happen to find myself in a situation that coincides with their meanings :)

(Also, since she knows Nym can't understand Goblin, it's possibly her way of expressing how she really feels without the risk of anyone thinking her Ice Queen exterior is cracking!)  ;)

The Altweaver
GM, 1111 posts
The Teller
of The Tale
Sun 30 Oct 2016
at 21:07
  • msg #9

A TELLER'S TELL


Cool, I will reveal all the threads again (including the new chapter thread)

It will be temporarily closed to you, until I know Nym has seen a thread that may or may not be for her for reasons that may or may not be revelant to you :p

Still, you can go ahead and read what you're about to wake back up in to!



And awww, poor caring Meri with her reputation to maintain.

The Altweaver
GM, 1112 posts
The Teller
of The Tale
Sun 30 Oct 2016
at 21:37
  • msg #10

A TELLER'S TELL


Cool, Nym just posted in her other thread, so the main thread is now open!

Not that there are any other threads around...

Meri
PLAYER, 1127 posts
Artificer
Level 6
Sun 30 Oct 2016
at 23:40
  • msg #11

A TELLER'S TELL

OOC: Should I wake Meri up now in the main thread then?  Or is Nym now elsewhere again?
Something about Goodwin makes me wonder if I should check my inventory for missing items after waking up...  ;)  hehe.

The Altweaver
GM, 1113 posts
The Teller
of The Tale
Mon 31 Oct 2016
at 06:42
  • msg #12

A TELLER'S TELL

You can wake Meri up, Nym will either have posted again by the time you do, or will be standing in a trance with the clear stone :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:52, Thu 03 Nov 2016.
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