• Event • [Global Plot 717] Round Two: Walkers in Dreams

[Pegasus]

1st Zi'da 717

Everyone Sleeps & All People Dream

A

shared experience had brought them here, though in larger numbers than he had anticipated. A group of four and another of three - all of them known to him, although not all of them in his favour. He had hoped that there would be no violence, but the interloper in Ethelynda's group had seen to that not being the case. It was irksome. More than irksome, downright irritating. Still, very little would spoil his mood. Soon, the items he sought would be in the hands of his Immortal brethren and the consequences for him, the favours owed and gained would be great.

Besides, it would be a good story

They appeared, each one of them. They were standing alone, no sign of their companions at this point, on a rickety bridge leading to a strange dock. Flames licked around the place, except for in the very center as they looked. There, at an archway from which hung a bell was a man, and a boat. They knew the man, he had greeted them when this all began after all. As they approached, each of them, he gave an almost old fashioned, courtly bow to the women, tipped his hat to the men. "Congratulations," he said with a smile. The smile was wide for some, less so for others. "You have reached round two of the game. Not all teams made it this far. But yours did. So, we will make our way, now, to the Choosing Ground. It is a brief boat journey."

There was a small, single rowboat there and the man would help them down if they needed it. Then, they had a brief chance to have a one to one conversation with him - if that was their wish. Or, they could pass the journey in silence, of course, if they preferred. Cassion rowed and took them to a small inlet, where he would bid them farewell and help them out of the boat if needs be. They were standing directly in front of a doorway on this tiny island no bigger than the width of the door. As they (presumably) turned the handle, the door opened, bright light pouring out of it and temporarily blinding them........

Objectives

1. Cross: Decide whether you go in the boat with Cassion.

2. Use your time: You have a 3 - 5 minute period of sitting on a boat on your own with Cassion. Feel free to pm me and clarify what sort of reception you'll get from him / what he'll say in response to you. I'm happy to assume general chit-chat or silence on your part, but anything significant via pm please!!

OOC Info

!

Message from: Pegasus

Welcome to Round 2 of the Vhalar 717 Global Event moderated threads! This takes place from the 1st Zi'da. One post between mod posts please. No posting order. You may, of course, control your own NPCs, but not mine. There are a number of hidden objectives throughout the game. I will let you know if you unlock them. I will post again on the 9th December. Please note that I will do this even if no one has posted. We will operate on a "three strikes and you're out" basis. Please note, for this post only, you are alone, not able to see anyone else. Please take your post no further than opening the door at the other side and being blinded by the light. Also - I will review your Round 1 threads soon. May the Immortals have mercy on you all

[Arlo Creede]

Kali'rial, Pash, Emmaline and him, they'd each placed their hands on that last door together. But somehow he'd ended up standing alone on an old bridge, in a place where dreams and reality joined up. At least it felt that way to Arlo. And there was Cassion again. Even if they hadn't been greeted by the Immortal previously, he'd have known him anywhere. And it appeared he wouldn't be alone for long.

Before he'd passed through the door with the others, he'd taken the time to thank Schubert for all that he'd done, and to bid him farewell. That was only assuming of course that they wouldn't see him again on the other side. The Choosing Ground, Cassion said. Arlo had no real idea what it meant. But what he would come to realize was that it was to be the most important and meaningful boat ride of his life. What had transpired, what had been said and what he'd taken away from it, he'd keep to himself and share with just one other person.

It was over too soon, and there he was again, alone in front of a door. Just a door, as if it was an island all on its own. He had no idea what he'd find on the other side. There was only one way to find out. This time, he was wearing his leather armor. He'd left it off before and the lack of it could have cost him everything. Or so he'd thought at the time. Arlo was no longer sure about that. But no matter now. He'd stick to his promise to swear off violence. Even more so now than before. But he wouldn't refrain from defending himself, and he was armed if need be. Dream meets reality or not, some things were impossible to forget. Reaching out, Arlo opened the door and threw up his arm to shield his eyes from the light.

Off Topic

2gn and 1 lightstone deduction from ledger

[Kali'rial]

121st Vhalar, 717

Kali’rial stopped short when the door before her disappeared when she touched it. More to the point, she disappeared, reappearing on a platform surrounded in flames. Looking back and then around her, a small feeling of concern rose it the pit of her stomach and her brow drew closer together.

Where was Sarkis?

Where was Pash?

Where was Schubert?

Where in Moseke’s name was everyone else?

Bow nocked, she walked through the circle of flames directly towards the Immortal that stood waiting for her. He tipped his hat and bowed beautifully, two which the huntress herself bowed in return.

“Thankyou Great One.” Climbing into the boat, she looked around once again, before looking back at Cassion

“Where are the others?” The brunette asked cautiously, her nocked bow in her lap.

“Others are here, too, just coming on their boats. They'll be with you shortly.” Kali nodded, feeling the tension in her stomach abate somewhat.

“And Schubert?” She asked, both worried for the little man and also curious of what she had begun to realise.

“And Schubert?” The Immortal laughed and shrugged.

“Schubert is me, and I am Schubert.” Smiling now, the huntress nodded.

“I suspected as such. Thank you for guiding our journey.” They sailed on in companionable silence, Kali’rial saying a fond goodbye to the man who was also Schubert. She had liked Schubert.

Reaching the door, the Sev’ryn took one last look around, calling to Sarkis silently. There was no reply and no appearance. Trusting Cassion as she had trusted Schubert, Kali reached out to open the door, lifting her hand as it swung wide to shield her eyes from the overwhelming bright light...

[Pash Raj'oriq]

And then he was alone.

For a moment, the tall Biqaj was confused, the rising tide of frustration, the undertow of impatience tugging at his feet and threatening to pull him under, to steal the breath of hope from his already stinging lungs. He stood on a bridge, tide pool gaze staring down at a man in an archway—the Wanderer, Cassion. Crossing the bridge, Pash reached into his domain bag as he walked, needing something, needing an anchor. He withdrew his lute—well, the masterwork lute that had become his replacement after the darkness of Magani—and slung the instrument comfortably over his shoulder.

That was better. That was something he understood, the weight of an instrument and the way his fingers felt on the frets but playing nothing. He just needed what he knew, for without Kali'rial's common sense and Arlo's quick wits, he was just who he'd always been: a seafaring musician, an unprepared adventurer, a smiling fool. Pash didn't feel worthy of congratulations from the lips of an Immortal he held high esteem for, for his injured friends and their healing were still fresh in his mind. He hadn't done enough, hadn't reached far enough into their interloper's tangle, hadn't fought for them when he should have—

"I'm sorry, Wandering Friend." Pash had said the same to Zanik, hadn't he? Seasons ago. It felt like a lifetime. The tall Biqaj always felt as though he'd missed the mark, never feeling enough. For a moment, he worried he was alone because he'd failed, because he'd let down those he cared about, because he hadn't been who he should have. But when he took in just how Cassion smiled, he understood that was not the case. He blinked and looked at the Immortal who stirred in him the need to sail that he'd already felt for almost an entire season, the breath of fresh air he craved, the storyteller, "If m' friends 're in danger again, I can't promise t' keep your rules."

He followed him onto the boat, and when he sat, he couldn't help but let his fingers wander the courses, to process the puzzles and the violence both, to settle himself in his own form of meditation without silence, to play the melody of the past three trials for the Immortal he knew would appreciate hearing it told in Pash's own way. So he played until they reached the doorway, and standing, he offered a broad, hopeful smile, that Elithem glow a mirror of the indestructible inner hope the tall Biqaj carried like a fiery brand inside the hull of his chest,

"But I can promise t' honor them instead: t' honor you an' t' honor m' Maker, U'Frek. An' I can promise t'o make 't tell-worthy, a song worth singing, whatever unfolds." The seafaring musician grinned then, unable to stay defeated for longer than a heartbeat or two, unable to lose the light that all but oozed from his inked, tanned skin even when not under the light of the moon,

"Thank you."

Through the door with his calloused fingers on the courses and a song already on his lips, Pash moved through the light and onto the next challenge the only way he knew how to feel prepared.

[Nightshade Eld]

Night felt her heart hammering against her ribcage. She needed to stop appeared in strange places, each scarier than the last. the bridge swayed under her feet, creaking dangerously, her body feeling rather heavy. This was the first time she'd felt the fear of falling in many arcs. It ran through her entire body, forcing a shiver and wreathing around her mind and heart. It took her a moment to compose herself properly, reminding herself that no, she couldn't fall, it wasn't possible. Hopefully. After she conquered the original weakness of the feathery appendages she hadn't felt the same sickening fear that she once did whenever she was someplace high. The feeling of fear had instead always been replaced by a prevailing peace that swelled in her chest and urged her higher, higher, higher. If anything, flying had become therapy or perhaps a kind of drug. And yet, here she was, standing in a position where if only for a moment she felt like a child again, scared to fall a couple feet because she knew she wasn't strong enough to beat her wings let alone pick herself up. The cold steel that encased the feathered appendages didn't help much either. It made her feel all the heavier. Her steel coated claws duck into the wood as she pulled on a deep breath and forced her nerves to relax.

Night turned about trying to take stock of everything around her. The flame did little to help ease her nerves. The brilliant fire meant fear, and she was completely alone if she had to face any dangers. Of course, that was how it always ended up. At the end of the trial, she was alone, and she could only rely on herself. She turned her attention to the dock. There a familiar figure stood. Carefully she picked her way across the bridge, each creek of the wood causing another shock of fear to run through her body. The flame continued to flare brilliantly, hungrily, she wanted to take up a position that was defensive. She was scared. But she wasn't going to act like a frightened animal no matter how much her nature begged it to be so. Fear could often times come off as aggression, just ask animals backed into a corner and any hunter that faced it. Her eyes tilted upwards towards the bell as she walked towards the dock. She wanted it to ring, she wanted it to ring so desperately because the ringing of bells was something she associated with wind and wind storms, and it didn't matter if the fire was actually closing in or not, it felt like it. Oh, immortals did it ever feel like it. It was getting so hard to breathe, so very hard to breath. She wanted to fly up, up, up and escape whatever mess she was in now, but there was no running away and turning her back on this challenge. The rushing of wind, the freedom of the clouds, the ability to be far away from any other living being, the ability to breath. Why did the air feel so thick? She couldn't breathe, couldn't breathe, couldn't breathe!

Taking one last final step, closing the distance between herself and her lovely host, she forced one last breath into her lungs trying to force the air into her body. It felt too hot, uncomfortably hot, at least it felt so. It didn't matter if it actually was or not, the half-breed was going to choke on stifling flames. The words needed to come out in order to banish the fires. Panic, panic, panic, panic. Oh, how she wanted to stay strong and pretend how it was nothing. How she wanted to acknowledge the fact that this situation was currently completely harmless, but her mind wouldn't come to terms with that fact and she could feel the horrible screeching danger clawing at the back of her eyes, threatening to make her hands shake, her eyes leak, daring her to slip up, daring her to look weak. She couldn't begin to explain why the random flurry of emotions had stolen away her peace of mind. It was a combination of her actions in the last part of the game, which she'd hated herself for fiercely, and a strange inexplicable phantom of her own mind which if she took the time to think didn't actually exist.

She forced one last breath into her body. In the span of trills her mind had worked its way into this panic. The man bowed, saying his piece to her. She had bowed in return. "Congratulations," he said to her with a smile. If it was truly kind of not, she didn't know, but her mind made up whispers of how disappointed and scornful the expression truly was. He didn't want her here. "You have reached round two of the game. Not all teams made it this far. But yours did. So, we will make our way, now, to the Choosing Ground. It is a brief boat journey." The whir of thoughts were familiar and old, ones that she hadn't had for at least a couple seasons prior. Their taste was bitter and she wasn't sure what had brought them about. Stress? Anger? Perhaps she'd just come face to face with the actual reality of the situation when she'd done so very little to actually help her team advance during the events of the prior part of the game. She didn't deserve it, the shield-shaped emblem on the back of her hand. At least she didn't feel like she did right now.

The man offered his boat to get to the Choosing Ground, something she appreciated since she feared she lacked the strength at present to fly. When she was hesitant to step into the boat, one foot quivering as she tried to decide where to place it, the other clinging to the dock for dear life, she held out her hand with an expression begging for help. If the immortal took her hand, perhaps he would realize how much it was shaking as her heart furiously pounded in her chest. She'd heard of this before, or at least something similar once upon a time. Icarus had told her about it when he'd made a fruitless attempt to teach her medicine. She thought it was called a panic attack...

As she sat down on the boat she closed her eyes, taking slow and deep breaths, hoping to calm herself at least slightly. She weaved her hands together and kept her legs from crossing, instead just forcing her knees next to one another. It was roughly 20 trills before she opened her eyes again, looking at the immortal rowing the boat. She took a deep breath. What needed to be said needed to be said. "My greatest and most sincere apologies for how I acted at the begin of this game. I rejected a gift, and that was doubtlessly rude. It's something that I regretted near after, but the past is something I've found can't be reclaimed and actions need to be taken account for, so I feel as though I must apologize. I allowed my own distrustful fears to take hold of me. There's only so many times you can get food poisoning, or stabbed or used to get rid of 'evidence' before you learn to distrust gifts," a couple tears escaped her orbs as she took another breath trying to compose herself. The breath shivered as did her whole body as she wrapped her arms around herself, specifically letting them rest upon her abdomen. The number of times she'd taken lesser poisons as a child for the amusement of those around her, no, she didn't trust anymore. She wasn't allowed to trust anymore. She didn't want gifts anymore, but that was a rather childish thought to have. Ironically enough. "I understand that not everyone means malice with their actions. I was stupid, I made a decision that I regretted and I want a second chance, something that seems to happen a lot with me. And I don't blame anyone who doesn't want to give that second chance. At the end of the trial, I am a foolish, rude, half-bred monstrosity of a creature who lacks tact or manner and could learn a thing or two about gifts. But I try my best to keep myself and those around me alive and well, and I won't discredit myself of that. Again, I'm so sorry," she said.

The woman lowered her head quietly, a silent sign that she was ready for whatever scorn that would and should be placed upon her. Her hands had stopped shaking and when the boat docked once more, she managed to step out of the boat on her own this time.

Staring down the door as her feet tried to dig themselves into the floor of the island, she gulped. The waves of panic had finally subsided slightly. She once again had control of her emotions. She still had no explanation for the sudden appearance or disappearance of the strange panic, but she didn't have the time to think about it. Pushing the door open she tried to step through as she squinted against the light.

[Yanahalqah]

Yana was more than a little disappointed to find herself not in a room with the promised gem, but on some sort of shoddy bridge surrounded by hungry flames. They were everywhere, and it reminded her of Faldrun’s place. Or at least the location where she’d met the Firelord. He did not appear to be around though, which begged the question, why was she here?

Her eye spotted less fire in the center of the area, where an odd dock could be seen. Not sure if this was still part of the game Cassion had set up, Faldrun’s wrath for her potential failure, or just an elaborate trap set up by…someone, the Yludih proceeded with caution, arrow knocked and bowstring drawn taut.

She was met by a familiar face on the dock. It was the same man she’d seen sitting in the mess before, who’d explained the game to them. If he was here, well, there was little doubt about his identity anymore, now was there? She lowered her weapon as he bowed for her, the smile on his face nothing more than a neutral polite one. Of course it was. She couldn’t imagine he was pleased with how things had turned out.

“The others are already at these Choosing Grounds then?” she responded to his voice, not really fishing for an answer. It was very likely her guess was right. She stopped to think for a bit, pondering who had made it to this round. Cassion didn’t reveal too much, but it was safe to assume at least one team hadn’t made it. Yana could already guess it was the one she hadn’t been sent to. The possibility of the people she’d attacked being present at the Grounds was real then, and Yana considered changing her strategy to take this into account. As a Yludih, she could shift to her other form, and with the domain bag on her hip she could change into the armor of the Etzori Army. It would give her the advantage of not being recognized by the other team, but she’d have to give up the possible support from Ethelynda’s group. IF they would, that is. She’d be on her own for sure if she changed her form. Staying as Saeri would surely get the other team to recognize and possibly attack her, if not turn Ethelynda’s champions against her. But, if she could convince the hybrid and Ja’mir that the others were lying, that they were trying to turn them against each other…

Besides, there was no telling if becoming Rayna would help at all. Cassion had told Yana’s group that there were two other groups, and that some had not managed to make the cut. Neither Ethelynda’s or that other group was likely realize that Yana did not belong when they were on their own, but if they were put in a room together… well, they’d figure it out soon enough. And then it was game over. No, it was best to be Saeri, even though the Yludih did not like the risks it brought with it.

She stepped in the boat, taking note of the look Cassion was giving her. He smiled still, though it wasn’t one of mirth. It had a patronizing feel to it. Pitying, almost. She’d have rather seen annoyance and anger than what was in his gaze now. Now it just felt as if she was a child who’d misbehaved in public. It irked her, though she tried not to show it.

Cassion knew, she was sure. He knew who she was, what she was, and why she was here. Omniscient was not an accurate term for the Immortals, but it was safe to assume he was acutely aware of what happened during his game. And yet she was still allowed to continue. Why? Had he decided she was now part of the game, an obstacle for the others to overcome? A wildcard introduced to make things more exciting? Or had he simply realized too late, and did not wish to interfere with the proceedings, as it would alter the end result of his puppet-show? Or all of the above?

“Are you enjoying your little game?” the Yludih asked, arms crossed and gaze intense. “What is your objective? What purpose does it serve? Is it mere entertainment to you, or do you want to test how far those devoted few are willing to go for their Immortal Overlords? Is this an attempt to set off another petty war between your kin, to get them to fight for the artefacts when the game is over? Or is there another angle I am not seeing?”

The Immortal chuckled, shaking his head as if her question was the silliest thing he’d heard in arcs.
“Well, if those are the only options you can come up with,” he spoke, “then there are a lot of angles you’re not seeing.”

Yana narrowed her eyes slightly at the vague response. “And that is exactly why I am asking.”

His gaze met hers, and he smiled. Again, not one of kindness or glee or excitement, but a sad one this time. “It's all about the journey. Never more than in learning.”
She didn’t understand what he meant by that, but turned away from him and made an annoyed hum all the same.

They reached an inlet then, and Yana hopped off the boat, onto the small island that lay before her. There only seemed to be a doorway on it, with no other way to go. She approached, pushing it open after a moment of hesitation, shielding her eye from the blinding light that radiated out from the inside.

[Pegasus]

1st Zi'da 717

The Boat Journey

A

nd so, they each made their way in the boat. For each of them, it was a different experience, which was right and how it should be, for each of them was different. Yet, each experience was a story for the Immortal, a tale to tell. And each of them had their own tales from the journey. Arlo gave a gift, and received in return something which might be more valuable than any item. Kali'rial learned about the man she had suspected Schubert to be. Pash got to play his music for an Immortal for the second time. And so it was that U'frek's chosen made their way to the choosing ground.

Then, Nightshade stepped forward and the courtly manners of the Immortal were impeccable. He had no reason to know of her inner thoughts and he immediately offered his hand to her with a slight bow. "Mi'lady, step here." When she spoke of her words, her regret, Cassion responded quietly and calmly, his voice kind and non-judgemental. "I assure you, no offense was taken." He didn't offer comfort to her, but he held his hand out to help her off the boat again, when they landed and spoke to her. "Good luck."

And of the seventh member of their now combined groups? Well, Yana and Cassion spoke, albeit in a manner which she did not appreciate and which gave her no answers, but it was what it was. And in that moment, Yana made a decision. To stay in her current form. Was it the right decision, or the wrong one? Soon enough, they would find out.

The Choosing Ground

And then, they stepped through the doors. Now, each of them had been in the same boat, with the same Immortal. Yet they stepped through their doors at exactly the same moment. The bright light blinded them each and then they saw.

They saw that they were in a room. It was perfectly round with exactly the correct number of doors for them. They all stepped through at the same moment, they could all see each other.

In the center of the room were seven plinths. Each one had a brilliant blue gem on it. The plinths were floating around, moving in front of them. There wasn't one plinth per door, the way that they moved each of them could get equally to any plinth.

There was a space between the doorway and the plinth and, as they exited, they could see each other. There was a brief trill where they stood, completely immobile, and then they could move. The question was, what did they do?

Objectives

1. Pick your first gem: If you decide to simply go forward and pick up one of the gems, then please post and describe that, choosing a number between 1 - 5 as your gem (the number of PCs). Go no further than picking it up. Obviously, you each get only one gem in this round. Only one gem per person, and only one person per gem.
Currently:
1
2 - Arlo
3 - Nightshade
4 - Kali
5 - Yana

2. Vengence: Yana is there and evident to all of you. Some of you have a bone to pick. What do you do?

You are in a circle in this room. I am basing positions on post order last round. So, from the 12 o'clock position and moving in a clockwise direction, we have:
Arlo - Kali'rial - Pash - Emmaline - Nightshade - Ja'mir - Yana. The doors are about 10 foot apart and the gems are about 30 foot away.

Please note: In order to ensure that all is fair for everyone, please only respond to this post - don't take into account anyone else's post after this. If conflicting things get posted, I'll deal with it. Thanks

OOC Info

!	Message from: Pegasus
	Welcome to Round 2 of the Vhalar 717 Global Event moderated threads! This takes place from the 1st Zi'da. One post between mod posts please. No posting order. The thread is over when all pcs have chosen a gem. Not before. I will post again on the 16th December. Please note that I will do this even if no one has posted. If you all post before then I will post sooner.

[Arlo Creede]

Once Arlo stepped through the door, it took a few trills, and blinks, for his vision to clear. And what a strange place he found himself in. They were all there. Kali'rial, Emmaline, Pash and himself. But they weren't the only ones. There were two others he'd never seen before. But then there was one, off to his right side, that he remembered all too well. Chances were he wouldn't forget for a long time to come and her face was ingrained in his memory.

This time Arlo was prepared however, should she decide to engage in any more treachery. He'd corrected the foolish mistake of earlier, and had slipped into his leather armor on the boat ride over. But more than that, his pistol crossbow was in quick and easy reach, already loaded so that all it would take was a flick of the thumb to release the safety.

He'd made a promise before that he wouldn't initiate any violence. And while he might remember her for a long time to come, Arlo resolved that the promise would hold. Especially after his conversation with Cassion. He was watching her though. One wrong move, one twitch, he wouldn't stand by and watch her fire on him or any of the others again. Were the other two with her? Part of her group? If they were, did they know? Arlo figured they must. Therefore they warranted watching as well.

What they were intended to do here, at the choosing ground or so Cassion had called it, seemed fairly straightforward. No matter how it was meant, choosing seemed to be the order of the trial, and so he would. The plinths were floating around, apparently in a random pattern. So Arlo stepped forward, reaching out to take one as it passed within arm's reach. His gem of choice in hand, he waited to see what the others would do. And watched closely of course, in case anybody got any funny ideas about increasing their odds by picking off the competition.

Off Topic

Arlo chooses #2

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Musical Inspiration

As his eyes recovered from the blinding light, Pash found himself in yet another room. The seascape he'd expected was still nowhere to be seen; instead, the room had strange, floating plinths with glowing blue gems on them. Five gems, to be exact. He wasn't alone, for near him were his three companions, thankfully. Yet, they weren't the only ones in the room. There were others, too: a winged woman and a man who may have been of his own people.

And their betrayer.

The seafaring musician's jaw clenched and anger swelled in the hull of his chest. The seven of them were arranged in a circle around the room, equidistant from the gems that floated tantalizingly in the center. Taking in everything with a slow inhale, Pash made a choice, stormy gaze fluttering shut for a moment as he asked his Maker to forgive him if his failure was the inevitable result—may one of his teammate's succeed in his stead.

Using the Pirate's Coin from their graveyard adventure just trials before, he communicated his ten words carefully to his two companions that shared them, hoping Emmaline would catch on when the two did as he asked,

Go for the gems only! I will distract and delay.

His words were firm, and he let his tide pool gaze linger for but an extra heartbeat on Kali'rial, as if he could anticipate his lover's anger like it was his own. The blue-skinned woman had shot to kill, and he had no idea if her companions were just as bloodthirsty. He just had to give his team an opportunity to grab at the gems, sacrificing his opportunity to reach for one of the blue-glowing objects in favor of becoming the interference, taking the risk of both bodily harm and Immortals only knew what else to give the rest of his friends a chance to find whatever it was they were supposed to find—the one gem that was the right one, he guessed.

He was close enough to the two strangers, but farther from the betrayer than he wanted. Pash reached for their Tangles, all three of them, the familiar one the easiest, the threads of their feelings filling his Magical senses. Reading their emotional landscapes, his calloused fingers moved over the familiar courses of his lute and began to strum chords, stepping toward the floating plinths as he began to play a melody.

Like the gems, the tall Biqaj began to glow, a faint but warm-hued shimmer as he used his Zanik-blessed ability of Musical Enchantment and Eye of the Beholder, attempting to capture the attentions of their opponents with both his appearance and with the heavy, lethargic, slow notes to further affect the emotions of his chosen audience: the three strangers. Just like the courses on his instrument, Pash strummed the colored threads of their tangles to amplify his Elithem-powered song, strumming their worry and doubt, strumming their surprise, attempting to distract them, to delay them, to trip them up in their own thoughts before they could jump to action.

Aware that he was walking into harm's way by capturing the singular attention of a three-person audience, Pash played loudly and without fear, willing to give of himself to allow those who he was with even a precious bit or two of a head start for the gems.

Notations

As a note, Pash is Master at lute, Expert at Empathy, and Expert at Musical Enchantment through Elithem (3 knowledges). He is attempting to manipulate the tangle of the three other participants by strumming (amplifying) their worry and doubt, musically controlling their emotions to the same effect, so double down basically.

The emphasis here is on delay—doubt, worry, and a distant sadness—for he cannot, of course, control their actions or their choices in reacting to what is happening, but only act as the musical conduit for very strong musical suggestion in hopes of becoming the beacon of attention. If he can hold their attention for even a bit or two to give his teammates an advantage, then he has done his job. This, of course, opens him up to the risks of injury, and I'm fine with all the consequences. If you could just not shoot me in the face, that would be awesome. Otherwise, go on! As of this posting, please take a note of your Discipline skill, as that is the main point of reference for resistance to the affects. Yana's is 0 (Novice) with 12 knowledges and Nightshade's is 26 (Competent) with 27 knowledges.

[Kali'rial]

121st Vhalar, 717

Taking her arm away from her eyes, Kali’rial blinked to clear her vision, picking up on her surroundings with a keen eye. She looked around at the circular room, relieved to see Pash, Arlo and Emmaline, Sarkis laying by her side and an unfamiliar winged creature. Her relief soured quickly when her amber gaze picked up another.

The blue skinned traitor.

The huntress’ eyes narrowed, fingers twitching on her bow. Never in her life had the brunette contemplated taking another persons life, but then the vile creature had tried to take theirs. If Sarkis had been of the energy to do so, she would not hesitate in setting him upon her. Evil, wherever it lay, was hers to seek and destroy.

In the centre of the room floated seven gemstones, beautiful in their blue glow and turning gently. For a moment, the golden eyed brunette couldn’t move, frozen for but a trill.

To follow Karems will, or to follow U’frek and Cassions?

Taking a deep, calming breath, she turned to the gems and moved forward quickly. Running Kali’rial snatched up a gemstone and stepped back, glaring at the traitor, daring her to try something as she knocked an arrow. Her eyes flicked briefly to the newcomer, untrusting of anyone anymore in this bizarre race.

Turning to look at Pash for a moment, the Sev’ryn shot him a quick smile. Although brief, the boat ride with Cassion had worried her. To see the bard was a breath of fresh air.

Immortals, where was the end to this curious place?

Gem

Kali chooses gem 4