Zuriel nods. "I agree with Boreas. I don't think any of us are in any condition to press onward to new trials today. Let's take some time to eat, rest, and regroup. We've all had a long day, and I could use a hot cup of tea."

He turns his head to make eye contact with Cassie, whom he is still largely supporting. "And yes, I too would like to talk."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:09, Tue 15 Oct 2013.

Maeve, now the acknowledged tea-maker of the P.A.R.T.Y prepares, everyone a cup of tea using the chamomile that Boreas found in the wooden chest.

In reply to Maeve (msg # 473):

Cassie remains largely cooperative while the party sets up for an impromptu cup of tea, smiling at Chomper and whispering sweet nothings.

Once the steaming beverages have been poured and the conversation has turned back to more serious matters, she feels the eyes of all upon her once more.

"While I'm happy to sit and chat with you find ladies and gentlemen," she begins cautiously, "I would like to know what your plan is.  Concerning the vaults, concerning Chomper, and concerning myself, that is.  What fate awaits us?"

Zuriel sighs as he inhales the aroma of the chamomile and takes a sip. "Well, that depends on a lot of things. I think we can unanimously agree, no matter what happens that Chomper won't be harmed. He can't be held responsible for your choices."

He looks sadly at Cassandra, catching her eyes and holding it with his intense gaze. "As for the rest, I personally can't make any decision without knowing more about you. Who you are, who the Defilers are, and what your purpose in these woods is?"

[Private to DM: I don't know how you want to do sense motive checks here. I'd like to get a sense of how forthcoming I feel she's being.]
This message was last edited by the player at 03:09, Tue 15 Oct 2013.

In reply to Zuriel Silendril (msg # 475):

Keef stands for some time looking back and forth from the staff in his hands to the place the barrier once stood.

He takes a cautious step forward but meets no resistance.  He shuffles quickly back.

As the rest of the party chats and makes tea, Keef slinks back and joins the outside of the circle of adventurers.

For the time being he places the Everstaff underneath his backpack and sits on the whole affair.  He watches everyone, particularly Cassandra, with curious eyes while resting his 'real' sword across his knees.

Chubbs, for his part, hops back and forth across the area of the missing barrier as if on sentry duty, then decides it's beneath him and snoozes on the opposite side of the fire from Keef.  From time to time he opens one eye lazily to keep tabs on Chompers...

In reply to Zuriel Silendril (msg # 475):

And stick to the facts- preferably the lurid facts. I find the majority of my followers enjoy a sexy overview more than they do an indepth introspective about philosophy and raison d'etre.

In reply to Keef (msg # 476):

Who am I, who are the defilers, and why am I here?

Cassandra blinks at Zuriel, taken aback, then frowns at Giles.

"We've been over this, haven't we?  My name is Cassandra," she flashes her innocent smile once more.  "And I'm here for the same reason you are: to open the Vault and discover its secrets."

Chomper jumps into her lap, curling himself into a protective ball before nuzzling her leg gently with his forehead.

She grins at the animal before continuing.

"The Defilers, of course, is the name assumed by Veilspire's circle.  When he was defeated, most people assumed the circle fell with him.  And for the most part, they'd be right."

Cassie pets Chomper as best she can in her bindings.

"But then the Master came along.  He knew all kinds of secrets, such as the location of this vault, and he started the most recent drive for fresh recruits.  Time passed and here we are, sitting in a Feyic Vault buried beneath the circle's home."

She stops speaking, having said her piece, and speaks in a playful voice to Chomper.

"And they all lived happily ever after, didn't they boy?  Didn't they? Yes, they did!"

In reply to DM (msg # 478):

Giles playfully scratches behind Shep's ear, before musing to him silently:

What do you think boy? Can we trust them? Should we? After that pitiful display of fighting earlier, would she even be a worthy ally?

"But what is it the Defilers intend to *do* with the secrets they uncover in the vault? I must say, the name 'Defiler' doesn't sound like a group dedicated to bringing peace and prosperity to the forest. What exactly does your organization stand for? How many are you? And what do the local wild ones think of your activities?"

Very well, but these Defilers of yours seek to open the vault for a reason.  Opening the vault isn't its own end.  Is it a thirst for knowledge?  Is there something inside that you would use to complete some grand mission?  What is the true goal of the Defilers?

In reply to Boreas Highwind (msg # 481):

And try to expound a bit on the defiling..

Maeve quietly sips at her tea while her friends throw question after question at Cassie and Giles demands that she answer said questions in the most titillating way possible.

In reply to Boreas Highwind (msg # 481):

"The Master wasn't as free with information as you might expect," she replies, somewhat sarcastically.  "If there's something specific he wanted down here, he didn't say.  It was always about the treasure and the chance to find something interesting."

She looks at each speaker in turn.

"As for our mission, it involves harmonizing the forests.  Surely you're aware of the marshland surrounding Lo'driel, and the many failed attempts to cleanse it? The circle believes that this is because that land is now in its natural state.  We further believe that much of this continent should be in a similar state, and that the faerie folk and their elven allies have enchanted the bulk of this continent's landmass to support the forests they prefer instead of the marshes and swamps that should be here.  We are therefore dedicated to purging these forests to make way for what was always intended."

Cassandra shrugs.

"It's not a popular hypothesis, I'll admit, and it has certainly aggravated those who live in and around the woodlands.  But you don't get to play favorites with the truth."

The druid smiles at a sudden thought.

"We've done a pretty good job with the area around the vault, though, don't you think?"

So you have decided to actively destroy a natural area to replace it with another.  Even if what you say about the fey is true, that makes you no better.  Whether or not it's the 'natural state' of the land, thousands, millions of plants and animals live in the forest now.

Druids must be protectors of nature, I've always heard.  Clearly you are one, but you don't adhere to that code.  How?

In reply to Boreas Highwind (msg # 485):

Cassandra grins mischievously at this train of inquiry.

"Let that thought be testament to the validity of our mission."

[Private to Boreas Highwind, Zuriel Silendril:
Sense Motive: So far, she does not appear to have knowingly told a lie -- though her sincerity is harder to get a read on. ]

Zuriel frowns in thought. "An interesting hypothesis to be sure. Especially when the forests have been here for untold millennia. So let me pose another question. Say you are correct, and this continent was swampland in its natural state. What is so important about restoring that to be worth the countless lives that would be lost in doing so? Even setting aside the lives lost to violence over the history of your group, hundreds of thousands of men and elves would starve from the loss of food sources, to say nothing of the millions of birds and beasts who would undoubtedly perish as their homes were destroyed. Whatever the land once was, it is forest now, and home. What could possibly be worth the price to change that?"

What she says makes sense. . . .  .in a perverse sort of way. Was there no way to balance the needs of those who dwell here without any sort of major upheaval?

In reply to Zuriel Silendril (msg # 487):

"That's not the point!  Different creatures would live in the appropriate land, having the appropriate affect on nature.  It's threatening to throw the world out of balance.  And, besides, it's just unnatural to have so much feyic magic pulsing through the land itself.  They aren't of this world, you know."

If that's the case, then it's a very long-term threat.  The fey are ancient and seem to be pretty good at this 'balance' thing.

Regardless, if you have druidic powers, chances are you were a... real... druid once.  How did you come to be associated with such a group?

Zuriel studies Cassandra intensely. At first she meets his gaze, then looks away. "That," he speaks deliberately, "*is* the point. The entire point, the whole purpose of everything. I have been gifted with a modicum of power by the Goddess, which I use to save lives whenever possible. Cassie, with your powers, do you have any idea how much good you could do for this land? How many lives could be improved by your will alone? Please help me to understand. No matter how life here came to be, what could possibly be worth extinguishing so much of it?"

Zuriel looks at her almost pleadingly. "Can't you feel it when life is snuffed out? Doesn't it hurt beyond all physical pain you could feel? Have you truly considered the implications of what you are proposing? As Boreas asked, weren't you once a true Druid of this land?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:27, Tue 15 Oct 2013.

Seeing Keef at towards the outskirts of the circle Lyriel goes to sit beside him, a concerned look on her face. Goddess, I wish I knew what to do, this poor boy who is barely older than a child is carrying such a heavy burden. We need to get that thing away from him, even if it does help us to get to the vaults we know it is evil, there has to be another way. Giving they boy a small smile she attempts to make conversation with him, How are you doing Keef, you must be tired or hungry, can I get you anything?

In reply to Lyriel Vesper (msg # 492):

"Boys, boys," Cassie says, smiling to defuse the tension.  "That was a lifetime ago, and I'd rather not dwell on the past.  Let's focus on things that matter: this vault."

Chomper emits a wolverine's equivalent to a satisfied purr.

"With the gates destroyed, the Master dead, Binkles dead or deserted, the barrier dispelled, and myself captured, the treasures within are protected by nothing more than the trials," Cassie continues.  "We can discuss the tiresome history of druidic law at length afterward, if you wish.  I imagine you won't be letting me go free."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:13, Tue 15 Oct 2013.

In reply to Lyriel Vesper (msg # 492):

Keef smiles.

I don't like that 'tee' stuff.  It tastes like treebark.

Keef eyes Lyriel.

You're a priestess, right?  You don't use evil to get good, right?  And how do you know when something you could do is evil if it makes people happy?  Isn't that what good is?  Someone said that, but Sir Greenheart never had to ask that question.

Keef is not judging, merely curious.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:14, Tue 15 Oct 2013.

Zuriel refuses to break his gaze despite Cassie's evasions. "As we discussed, nobody here is in the condition to press onward, least of all you. So regardless, we are going to pause here to recover. Might as well fill the time with conversation, right?"

In reply to Zuriel Silendril (msg # 495):

Cassandra sighs, and Chomper looks up at her expectantly and yips.

[Private to Boreas Highwind: "Dinner?"]

"Yes, yes," she nods toward her companion.  "Chomper is right.  Keep the fire going, and let's have a proper meal while we rest.  The story you want to hear is a long one, and if I'm ever going to get to sleep tonight, we should get started."

She turns his pretty blue eyes toward each party member in turn.

"It all started decades ago, when I was very young..."

Ding!  Boreas, Lyriel, Maeve, Keef, Zuriel, and Giles have reached Level 3!  Please update your sheets accordingly.

~~ END CHAPTER 02 ~~
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:46, Tue 15 Oct 2013.