Darkwood--The first shadow.....

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Seven Words
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Post by Seven Words »

A horrific series of jarring tones resonates from the building...ear piercing, discordant, agonizing.....

and then a voice comes forth....cold, malign, dripping with its own superiority....

"Korrg, you pathetic excuse for a shaman, if you do not respond you will become one with It's Touch. I will send a demon to bring you before me. The time has past....connection made, yet you have failed to be here as pledged...every day, to try the door. Do not think your failure prevents anything. I must make sacrifices here, holding there in my mind....but I shall bring that Root below. And then...you shall die. I have two score here, more than enough"
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Laurel
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Post by Laurel »

The bard winces at the discordance, then her eyes fly open as the disembodied voice speaks. "Perhaps it is time to escort the former prisoners back to Waymeet, and return with the larger entourage Led suggests," she whispers...
~Close your eyes girl
Look inside girl
Let the sound take you away...
~
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Seven Words
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Post by Seven Words »

There is a hearty, albeit very hushed chorus of agreement to Laurels suggestion.

Darak even says, "P'rps more than three score o' dwarves be needed here."

Marrik says, "I shall put forth the call into every temple of Light."

Jauron is running through muttered profanities in a dazzling series of languages and interspersing, "I did not agree to this...to watch, report, yes...but demons? ancient evils?"

The Shield scowls, "I do not wish to simply leave this place open, an avenue for demons. But we appear to have no choice. We are woefully incapable of winning against nigh upon ANY of the denizens of the Abyss, or the Hells."

Skyseeker looks shaken to her core. "I agree. Leaving. Now. Lorekeeper spoken."
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Seven Words
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Post by Seven Words »

The freed prisoners want no part of anything involving demons. Their preparations to set out for Waymeet assume a manic intensity, punctuated by frequent glances over at the building...they seem to draw reassurance from your standing right there, to at least slow down anything coming through, and give them warning.
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Led Pighp
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Post by Led Pighp »

Led gets on his belly and then peaks his head around the doorway to look into the room. Was that voice coming from in the room, or just projected through?
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Laurel
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Post by Laurel »

Laurel hurries over to Marrik...

"Do you know if there were any relay messaging equipment in the armory? Horns? Drums? Anything? We can not leave this place unguarded, we can't ! If there is any relaying equipment, and enough willing volunteers to space themselves apart between here and Waymeet, I will volunteer to stay here and watch this portal from the outside of the building. If anything emerges from within that I did not see enter, I would start a relay back, so you would not be taken unawares upon your return..."
~Close your eyes girl
Look inside girl
Let the sound take you away...
~
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Post by Vynarkus »

Vynarkus looks at the others. "We all need to leave, but it would be a bad idea to not have someone here to make sure that the commoners are safe before leaving this place empty. I'll be the rearguard. As a Warlock, anything... bad...that comes through may assume that I am on its side, so I might be able to get away. I'll leave as soon as the leading wagons are out of sight, but I would like a horse so I can catch up.

"Unless any of you have better ideas?" He looks hopefully at the rest of the party as he asks this.

[ooc]Vynarkus says this before Laurel, because I wrote it before Laurel posted.[/ooc]
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Led Pighp
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Post by Led Pighp »

Led pulls back from the door, and gets back up. Moving closer to the party, he whispers, "There's nobody in there... just a voice coming through. But I think it's awake now."

Looking at Skyseeker, he asks "Can you put it to sleep again? Or can we destroy the room entirely? Maybe bring the building down on top of it... let them teleport into solid rubble. We can't hold this portal until greater forces arrive, so our best chance is to just close it down, permenantly if necessary."
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Post by Vynarkus »

After hearing Laurel's idea, Vynarkus nods. "That may be a good idea, although even I am reticent to remain here alone after what just happened.

"I'm surprised you were willing to volunteer."

Vynarkus looks at Led. "It would be good to destroy this, but I highly doubt any of us have the capabilities to do so. It would take a while in any event."
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Seven Words
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Post by Seven Words »

Darak overhears the bard's question, "Lass, there be but one single drum here. Tis a brave idea ye have, by Valkhan's Hand."

Marrik nods in agreement.
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Seven Words
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Post by Seven Words »

Skyseeker shakes her head....."We cannot put it to sleep. it simply is there. That is why the room was sealed. And destroying a Web Root...we did it once, in the darkest days of the Great War. The result is what the Iceland-folk call the Bowl of Heaven...it's a large lake...perfectly cut, smooth sided bowl....a circle ten miles in diameter. That act took seven archmages and three Prelates of the Unknowable."
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Led Pighp
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Post by Led Pighp »

"There is a tool the Heshic use for long-distance communication. 'Tis a thin blade of wood on a long cord. Easy to make, and easy to use once made. I could make you one and teach you. You wouldn't know how to send detailed messages, but... you could at least make a sound that would carry across the plains."

"But, I'm probably the best horseman we have here, since none of you are Heshic. Leave me your fastest horse, and I'll stay to watch. Then race to escape my fate when something comes out."

"Would unsining the Song of Awakening be able to just shut it down?"
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Seven Words
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Post by Seven Words »

"I believe the Song of Awakening would do exactly nothing. I think the Web has been totally corrupted. To do what was done before requires unsongs. the original songs are powerless now I think. There never was a song to close off a Root."

Jauron pales as an idea occurs to him. "Lady Skyseeker, if you would share with us all the songs of any kind for the Aether Web you recall, perhaps we may by working together, determine an underlying pattern? and compose a song of sleep, as it were?"
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Laurel
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Post by Laurel »

Vynarkus wrote:After hearing Laurel's idea, Vynarkus nods. "That may be a good idea, although even I am reticent to remain here alone after what just happened.

"I'm surprised you were willing to volunteer."
"I spoke without thinking it through. It will be close to a week before a party could return, if Sir Pval is hard to convince, or there are delays on the trail or..." her voice trails off as she thinks.
Led Pighp wrote:"But, I'm probably the best horseman we have here, since none of you are Heshic. Leave me your fastest horse, and I'll stay to watch. Then race to escape my fate when something comes out."


Turning to address Led and Vynarkus directly, she continues, "We had similar intents with our suggestions, and as much as I am drawn to a certain mare, I am surprised I didn't think of asking for a horse. If Master Jauron could be convinced to lend several horses to us, will either of you consent to stand watch here with me for the next few days? We will split the night hours, and awaken the other should it be time for Vynarkus to attempt to fool what may come through, or flee to rejoin our party."
Jauron wrote:"Lady Skyseeker, if you would share with us all the songs of any kind for the Aether Web you recall, perhaps we may by working together, determine an underlying pattern? and compose a song of sleep, as it were?"
The bard nods at this. "'tis a good suggestion, if such is possible..."
~Close your eyes girl
Look inside girl
Let the sound take you away...
~
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Led Pighp
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Post by Led Pighp »

Laurel wrote:Turning to address Led and Vynarkus directly, she continues, "We had similar intents with our suggestions, and as much as I am drawn to a certain mare, I am surprised I didn't think of asking for a horse. If Master Jauron could be convinced to lend several horses to us, will either of you consent to stand watch here with me for the next few days? We will split the night hours, and awaken the other should it be time for Vynarkus to attempt to fool what may come through, or flee to rejoin our party."
"I think that whatever is coming through... it's coming quickly. There will be no need for sitting watches. Vynarkus' plan has some merit, but also quite a bit of risk. But if it fails, he won't escape the demon. I can stay a good distance from the building and then gallop the horse away as fast as possible. Perhaps escape it that way, if the horse is fast enough."

"But there's no need to risk yourself, lady. Your skills lie in communicating with people... inspiring them to greatness. If Sir Pavl is as these caravaners describe him... your best place is there, in his hall, rousing him to come here with all haste."
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Seven Words
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Post by Seven Words »

Before going off to collaborate with Beauregard, Jauron, and Laurel on trying to create an unsong of sleep, Skyseeker pauses to have a brief word with Led, "the song you would hear for something coming here would be *she sings briefly, some fifteen seconds*...the unsong of that would be *she sings now, a discordant cacophany*. Once that is heard, the connection is made...there would be five minutes until the passage can be made. If you were to go and listen for that unsong, we shall work to craft a song of sleep, as you and Jauron suggested".
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Led Pighp
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Post by Led Pighp »

Led nods. Grabs a potion of CMW and his skin of holy water, and heads for the door again.

"Please hurry, though."

After a few more paces in, he calls back, "And hurry those prisoners up in leaving, just in case."

After yet more paces, he pauses, then says, "But have them leave the fastest horse by the exit to the building, just in case."
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Seven Words
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Post by Seven Words »

The caravan gets underway...

All is quiet within the halls.

After nearly an hour, Beauregard appears to become inspired...animatedly talking and gesturing to the others. Laurel nods, a smile breaking out on her face, and she then looks deep in thought...trying a few different notes, VERY quietly so as not to carry clear into the hall.

After nearly another hour.....
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Laurel
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Post by Laurel »

The bard rubs her head at the headache the composing of the unsong lullabye had caused her. Such discord. Such...discomfort in a tune. She had never heard such before.

Grabbing her composition sheets and her harp, which she felt truly did not do the jangled sense of the unsong justice, thinking something which sounded harsher would sound better though she knew not what that could be, she made her way into the building and took a stance next to Led. "I would be grateful for the company while I attempt this," she whispered, laying a brief touch on his forearm. "But if you wish to wait outside, I will not fault you. The tune is unlike anything you may have ever heard."

Then turning to face the unsealed door, she glanced at her notes, plucked a discordant chord, and began singing...
Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
Off to never never land

Now I lay me down to sleep
Pray, Barxonas my soul to keep
If I die before I wake
Pray, Lady Death my soul to take

Hush little baby, don't say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
It's just the beast under your bed,
In your closet, in your head

Exit light
Enter night
Grain of sand

Exit light
Enter night
Take my hand
We're off to never never land...
~Close your eyes girl
Look inside girl
Let the sound take you away...
~
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Seven Words
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Post by Seven Words »

As the bard's voice and handharp play out the unsong...faintly, another music can be heard as she intones "exit light" for the second time....and the lights swirl in two or three different pattern, whorls clashing wildly...

/ooc--awaiting something from Led...in the name of continuity, wait for him to post. :)
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