Berry mumbles something about sexism and mana making men and women equal.

In reply to Berry (msg # 574):

Gareth notices how Berry was spurned, and goes to comfort her in low tones.

"Social customs are stupid. You either have power, or you don't. You either abuse it, or you don't. I don't get all this 'do this, don't do that, oh now you can do it.' Haderaum can make undead to clean sewers, but if I do to help us defend ourselves, we all get offended...a woman can fight beside me, but she can't act as a guide even if the guy keeps getting lost.

I guess what I am trying to say is I know how you feel."

In reply to Berry (msg # 574):

"Your will defines your value, not somebody else's physicality or restrictive \ancestral code. Dose people, dey don't drink but they sure are fast ta tell you why what
you are doing is wrong because dey don't do it. a lot like them triunists. bah!"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:39, Fri 31 Jan 2020.

In reply to Var (msg # 576):

the path continues to climb until it reaches a wooded plateau at a higher altitude than the level of the former bandit camp. It is surprisingly easier to look down at those burnt out ruins, and into the northern valley where the mountain folk dwelt, than to gaze directly at the woods ahead.  To the west, the mountain rises higher.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 577):

"The woods, for my money..." says Gareth determinedly.

Haveron nods in assent. "I agree.  It seems like the most difficult path has consistently been the way here.  Burke, what do you think?  I trust your judgement on these things as you are the most experienced here.  Any concerns or thoughts before we proceed?"

Burke laughs out loud.  ”Concerns Cap'n?”  The outdoorsman takes a minute to gather the phlegm and mucus from his mouth and nose then spits it out onto the ground.  ”Ya...off the top 'a my head, I'd say...a three headed TIGER.  But, like he said an' you said...”, Burke takes a moment to point at Gareth, ”...the way that don't want us seems ta be the way ta go.”
This message was last edited by the player at 19:25, Mon 03 Feb 2020.

In reply to Bechazruhk Burke (msg # 580):

Haveron's senschal  looks toward the woods.

"Is it me, or is there no birdsong?"

Haveron purses his lips, listening for a moment.  "That also would be un-natural.  It would seem that we are in lands that are under the influence of magic.  Perhaps the same effect that has confused our canine friend has also influenced the birds.  We can probably assume we will not see the normal forest creatures.  But what we do see...  We should beware.

Unless anyone else has noticed something of note, I say we proceed, but with caution."

OOC Haveron thinks he understands what is going on.  He may or may not.  After pausing a moment for any comments, he will gesture for Burke to lead them forward.

In reply to Haveron Stormwal (msg # 582):

another round of will rolls to press on.

Haveron starts forward towards the woods.

[Private to GM: 09:40, Today: Secret Roll: Haveron Stormwal rolled 8 using 3d6.  Will roll 12.]

The longer they walk this path, the more Ryojin feels the pull on his mind. He was not trained in the ways of the mind and as such had little defense to such tricks, But his will was not breaking. He continued to follow the group.


OOC: PM MEGAMAN AND ROLL!



[Private to GM: 12:17, Today: Ryojin rolled 9 using 3d6.  will.]

In reply to Ryojin (msg # 585):

Amelia fings herself drifting...

The Adept does not feel the disquiet others do ...



[Private to GM:  11:32, Today: Adept Yisslitheniss rolled 5 using 3d6.  Will.  by 10 ]

Bow in hand Shroud quietly moves with the group, seemingly unaffected by the mysterious force at work.


OOC:
Dice rolls in PM.


[Private to GM:

14:14, Today: Shroud rolled 7 using 3d6.  Will.
Made it by 5.
]

Burke too is oblivious to the wierd effect of this place.


OOC:
Dice rolls in PM.


[Private to GM:

14:15, Today: Bechazruhk Burke rolled 9 using 3d6.  Will.
Made it by 5.
]

Feylan follows along side his partner faithfully.


OOC:
Dice rolls in PM.


[Private to GM:

14:15, Today: Feylan rolled 9 using 3d6.  Will.
Not sure if this is a success or failure.
]

In reply to Feylan (msg # 590):

Gareth, as determined and stubborn as ever, notices Amelia wandering off...he goes up to her.

"Where are you going? This way..."

[Private to GM: Passed will roll by 6]

Haveron hears Gareth, and turns around to see Amelia wandering off a bit.  He opens his mouth to say something, but then thinks better of it.  Instead, he thinks to himself a moment.  Gareth was perhaps not the best person to shepherd along the people who were affected by the magical effect on the land.  However, he also tended to get in trouble some when left to his own devices.  It wasn't the easiest decision.  However, after a moment of reflection, Haveron decides on the latter.  He wanted to see how it worked out.

With a bit of shortness in his comment, Haveron states flatly "Gareth, please see to Amelia and Omar, please."

He then turns back around and continues to lead the way with Burke.

Amelia looks back at Gareth, with a confused look on her face.  Absently she fingers the chain and pendant hanging around her neck.  She responds "But the path is over here...", only to have her eyes open a bit wider after looking again.  She then looks over at the real path, and sighs in a frustrated manner.  With a sidelong glance at Omar, and a certain understanding and empathy in her eyes, Amelia responds to Gareth.  "The magic here fooled my eyes.  I thought the path went that way.  Now I don't trust myself.  Lead on."

In reply to Amelia Montaigne (msg # 593):

"Magic can have a lot of strange effects. I could even show you how you die, but not everyone is able to handle that vision, and even if they can, it doesn't have to be. The world of magic is rarely as it seems. This way now..."

Burke turns suddenly at Gareth's words.   His face scrunches up in shock and confusion.  ”I hear you right?  You can show me my death?”  The very idea that Burke's fate was known to the universe, a fixed point and event in time just waiting to happen was both mind blowing and chilling.  Bechazruhk had always thought of death as a kind of random event.

This began a cascade of thinking into other previously assumed 'random' events.  Last month when Burke's hand slipped due to juice from broiled chicken and he lost his grip on the clay pitcher holding wine, the result was that the wine decanter smashed onto the floor and broke into a hundred pieces.  Was this event destined to happen?  Unavoidable?  How many others in life were 'scheduled'?

Burke processes all of this in mere seconds, waffling through the temptation to ask to see his own death and drifting to a healthy fear of the knowledge.  In the end he does not ask and decides that Gareth is right.  Most cannot handle the truth.


OOC:
Ready to move on.

In reply to Bechazruhk Burke (msg # 595):

Gareth merely shrugs.

"Yeah. The power of magic. Kept me going in those vats, cause I knew it wasn't there. Weird, huh?"

[Private to GM: Presuming he had cast this years ago, what would he have seen?]

In reply to Gareth (msg # 596):

You pass the treeline and enter the quiet woods.

Per rolls, at +4 for naturalists.

[Private to Gareth: you drowned]

the adept looks around curiously ...



[Private to GM:   20:35, Today: Adept Yisslitheniss rolled 6 using 3d6.  perception.  by 8]