The Sundered Way

[thinkslogically]

Nemeia gives Randy a "You think?!" sort of look, but doesn't say anything. She waits to hear what's going on.

[spiderwrangler]

He tries to refuse the ruby.

"Didn't answer your question. Didn't earn the shiny ruby."

[Arch Lich Burns]

Maji gives Randy confused look. He's not a fan of people hiding things from him. Espessially with something as confusing as this.


Per: 1D20+5 = [7]+5 = 12

► Show Spoiler

(Damn! That means I can't open up those spoiler boxes!) Maji did look over them a bit in interest but I don't think he correctly identified them?

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

He tries to refuse the ruby.

"Didn't answer your question. Didn't earn the shiny ruby."

Randy just shakes his head. " I think you earned it long before I met you."

[spiderwrangler]

"Oh... alright."

He seems puzzled, but keeps the ruby.

"Oh, I answer your purple friend's question, yes? Lord of Estmont only looks human! Used to be old Lord of Estmont, who looks the same, but not-Lord takes his place, you see, yes?"

[thinkslogically]

"Well, well... He's quite the font of information, isn't he!"

[BadgeAddict]

Zephyr is so bored, and kept from her whittling, begins to image ways to kill the dirty naked little man so that they can keep moving.

[spiderwrangler]

"Okay, bye!"

The little old halfling wanders into the underbrush and is lost from sight.

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

((Perceptive too! ))

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy watches the halfling disappear into the brush, shakes his head a little, and walks back to front of the wagon.
"Let's go. I'll explain on the way."
He walks along side of the horses, seeming to collect and order his thoughts.
"When I was...indisposed... my mind was freed for a short time of the normal earthly blinders we all wear. That's not uncommon with hallucinogens like Jester's Thorn. Shamans will typically practice this, albeit under more controlled circumstances, in order to gain insight and contact spirits or other beings. What's unusual is for it to happen in uncontrolled circumstances. What is almost unheard of is for the contact to happen with a major entity...."
He shudders with the memory.
"My unprotected mind came to the attention such an entity. To be specific, it came to the attention of an Old One, the one responsible for the creation of this world and the life on it. We call her the All Mother. She formed this world and all others on it. The gods came later, more or less at her invite, to help care for her creation. They are tied to this world. SHE is not and is therefore both more and less than they. SHE has partially divorced Herself from this world in an attempt to draw the attention of the other Old Ones away from it. They war with Her. Where she creates, they corrupt and destroy. The cult we fought in Circle Vale are Their followers. Like Her, the other Old Ones cannot fully manifest on this world. Their followers would change that. They seek to open a gate between the planes to allow Them full entry here.
She opposes, but Her champions are few and scattered, and by divorcing Herself from this plane, She has limited her ability to act directly. That's where we come in. She is asking us to act for her, to oppose the followers of the Others. The cult is seeking the Gate of the Planes in order to open it for the Others. She is asking us to permanently seal the Gate, or find some way to guard it. Destroying the cult would be ideal, but would be difficult as the Others are always recruiting new followers. They are insidious.
There is risk with this. Not just the typical death or dismemberment, but a risk of being driven mad like our friend the hermit, or even being corrupted into the very thing we would oppose. I can only ask you to help continue with the work we started in the Vale. If you decide not, I will understand. After what She showed me, I have no choice. I will attempt what She asks for as long as I'm able.
The All Mother gave me a few gifts to help. If we get close enough to the Gate, I will feel it and be able to guide us to it. As to where to start," he shrugs, " the All Mother did not show me where. The hermit seemed to indicate that the Gate is not necessarily fixed in one location. He suggested we start with the followers of the Others and trace them back. They may lead us to the Gate."

[thinkslogically]

Nemeia listens and stares at the ranger as he talks. She has no doubt at all that he's sincere (because he's ALWAYS sincere), but has no idea if his story is even remotely true, or just a jumble of hallucinated, half-dreams, half memories pulled together by whatever he poisoned himself with yesterday. A fever dream.

She's not sure which would be worse.

She looks at Randy with concern and pity and glances around to the others, trying to work out what they make of all this.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Maji isn't sure what Randy says is true or not, but the back of his mind he's reminded of what happened to him not too long ago when he burned the mouther. He shivers at the thought, never got over that experience, and now Randy is saying they are trying to destroy the world with them. He glares at Randy looking him dead in the eyes to see what he is saying is true.
Int: 1D20-1 = [5]-1 = 4
Insight: 1D20+3 = [2]+3 = 5
( maybe maji accidently ate some of the berries)

[spiderwrangler]

Randy is really hard to read.

[spiderwrangler]

You continue to discuss Randy's post-hallucinatory revelations as you continue eastward, the terrain growing rougher and rougher, jagged spears of rock jutting from the uneven earth. The trail winds in and out among the broken shards. You're entering the Blasted Waste proper... is there anything you'd like to do beforehand?

[thinkslogically]

((I don't need to recast Find Familiar if it's never been killed, right? He can just keep popping in and out of his pocket dimension I think)).

Nemeia will check the supplies of water and food, but largely plans to trust to her companions to keep them going on the road. Her skill set isn't entirely useful in the wilds

[spiderwrangler]

((Correct, only needs to be recast if it drops to 0 HP, or you permanently dismiss it.))

[thinkslogically]

((cool, then Nemeia is good to go))

[spiderwrangler]

((I'm assuming it is kept in the pocket dimension most of the time though?))

[thinkslogically]

((yup, Nemeia is still keeping most of her abilities under wraps from the group (like the Teifling thing) so he's in the PD most of the time. I'll make it clear when she's going to have him around.))

[Theis2]

Holger nods in agreement to Tess' whispering, choosing to ignore her hints towards Holger acting unusual.
After Randy finishes his speech, Holger gives him an appraising look to figure out how sincere and affected he is about the whole ordeal. He looks harshly at Randy at first.

"I'm going to be frank with you. Never talk like this again unless you trust those you tell with your life and then some. You sound like a raving madman that had help to collect his thoughts in a somewhat sensible manner, all things considered. You are hurting your own reputation greatly and will hurt ours as well if you let this dictate your every action. You might even delve into the domain of heresy, granted I should not be the one to judge that..."

Holger takes a deep breath, collecting his thoughts momentarily, indicating Randy should keep quiet if he wants to defend his words. His facial expression also lightens.

"That said, I'm willing to give you the benefit of doubt and not completely dismiss this as your inability to handle special berries. I've read books with similar but vague descriptions as you've just given us. Similar to the gods and some people are seeking them out in order to be granted power for their servitude. We can keep an eye out for clues of such followers if it helps ease your mind, but a direct manhunt for them and the gate is foolish and suicidal as it stands now. I'm all for the excitement and glory, but we need truly serious magic for this endeavor! If any mishaps happens and we are send straight to the abyss we'll be dead. The very least we need is a surefire way to get us all transported to the astral plane and from there we MIGHT get lucky and find a way back to the material plane without meeting too much resistance. My magic is great and all, but not for planar travel."

Holger breathes out watching for any reactions

Holger insight: 1D20+3 = [15]+3 = 18

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy gives a weak grin.
"I'm well aware of what my breathern might do to me if this ever got back to them, although I suspect some of the church elders may be aware of this. This is not the kind of information to be bandied about if you don't want to be burned for a heretic. And I also know this may take years to accomplish. As you say, we are not strong enough to make a difference yet. We've much to learn before we attempt to seal the Gate. But every journey starts with a single step. Since we don't even know where to start, we should go about our business like normal, but keeping an eye and ear open. Our greatest advantage in this is that they don't know about us. Secrecy is a must. If we tip our hand too soon, they will move against us. We won't get a second chance." Randy looks pointedly at Zephyr as he says this. "Above all, don't attract unwanted attention."
He turns his attention back to the trail, studying the way ahead. "Deserts aren't my specialty, but we can count on using about twice as much water as normal during the passage. Make sure the water containers are topped off every chance we get and that everyone drinks their fill at the wells when we can. We need to make sure we have food and water for the horses as well. If it starts to get too hot in the day, we'll have to change to travel at night. We would need to find shelter from the sun during the day in that case. The desert gets cold at night, so make sure you have warm clothing ready."

[BadgeAddict]

Zephyr grins at Randy and pats him on the shoulder. "As long as there is something to kill, I'll go to hell and back with you Randy."

[M0rtimer]

"The all mother..? An old one..?" Ulmwin says, for a moment seeming to turn red as if he was about to yell something he'd regret later. He wasn't overly religious, but he had always deigned her fit for a certain level of respect. Eventually he seems to let out a huff, not seeming utterly convinced, likely more convinced Randy to be delusional, although with his words that didn't seem to matter much.

"No matter what the case might be, I think we can all agree those cultists were bad news... So, certainly, if we do ever find ourselves able to foil their plans... I'd see no reason why we shouldn't."

---

Later, it turns to travel through the desert... Ulmwin agrees that as it gets too hot, travel by night might be more advisable- Especially since a good number of them had means to look through the dark. They could camp their trailer under the rocky outcroppings that littered the landscape, to provide for some shade during the day.

[thinkslogically]

Nemeia spends some time listening to the discussion and thinking before saying (as gently as she can):

"Do you not think this is all just too unlikely? I'm not doubting that you believe what you say Randy, but you were out of your mind for most of the day yesterday, muttering and twitching in your sleep. Given all we've been through lately, could it not just have been a terrible nightmare? I mean... no offence, sweetheart, but why would she speak to you? What can we do against creatures with the power to create and destroy entire worlds that the gods cannot?

And if not, if it's all true and you were indeed contacted by someone or something else (she glances at Holger again), how do you know it was truly the All-Mother and not some other being trying to con you for its own purpose? It wouldn't be the first time a trickster god or one of their devotees tried to upset the normal order of things by manuipulating a gullib- ... .honest mortal. "

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy chuckles. "I WISH I had that much imagination. I could give Ulmwin here a run for his money in the troubadour department. I may never sleep soundly again." He shudders. "I rather hope it's just a delusion or a vision by a lesser entity. Time will tell, although I've yet to see anything less than a major entity be able to 'gift' abilities to a mortal. I can touch the planes to a certain extent now and channel some of their energy. I can use this to detect the portals...or to attack. SHE left some additional knowledge that I'll be able access as my abilities grow in this regard. I've not tested them...I've been afraid to. If it turns out those abilities are real, than I have accept the rest of it as real too. The attack power would be easy enough to check. Among other things, it converts physical damage to energy."
Randy pulls out his long bow and an arrow. He looks at them dubiously, then knocks the arrow. He designates a tree nearby as his target and concentrates on it (Planar warrior) and looses the arrow at it.