The Forest - Chapter One
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
The sun was peaking through the trees as Kzri emerged from the underbrush into the clearing housing the warden headquarters, Kast swaying gently on her back. As Kzri halts at the edge of the clearing, Kast stirs to wakeful alertness.
"Should she stay here?", he asks of Joyce... his first time here, he'd had Kzri remain hidden, but since the wardens seemed to be aware of her existence, it would only be necessary if her presence closer to the central trunk would cause agitation.
"Should she stay here?", he asks of Joyce... his first time here, he'd had Kzri remain hidden, but since the wardens seemed to be aware of her existence, it would only be necessary if her presence closer to the central trunk would cause agitation.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
"That might be best, yeah. I doubt anyone would freak out, but it would hardly express confidence in our security if you insisted on having your bodyguard along for a simple debriefing."
You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
My long-neglected blog.Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
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He at least thought to right himself prior to losing his front paws, and produced a low grunt as he stretched, and shook his head to clear it as his senses changed. He was never going to quite get used to this...
"Well. That's better," he half spoke, half sighed. Rían brushed his hands off as best he could on his trousers. It...was nice to be upright, again.
(I'm just going to assume the armor enchantment applies to his clothing as well. I'd like to not have a half naked paladin clad only in armor.)
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
"Well, I really must congratulate you," a rather un-amused Hansel Hartigan announces as you finish reporting your respective versions of events to him. "It seems you have managed to narrowly avoid establishing diplomatic relations with a neighboring society whose interests have long dovetailed with our own. I suppose it could have been worse...no matter. You handled the intruding psion skillfully enough, even if much of your success was due to the pyromaniacal tendencies of the half-fey who has since abandoned you. That subsequently you managed to stumble your way into and then out of a rare opportunity for interspecies contact is hardly something to criticize; such is life. So now the question becomes whether, and how, to proceed."
You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
My long-neglected blog.Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
Kasts' brow furrowed. "Interspecies contact? Care to explain?"
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
Rían rubbed at the back of his neck for a moment, before nodding. Clearly he had missed something, but it seemed Kast was as confused as he was. "Yes... I apologize, but I'm a bit confused at present. Could you please elaborate?"
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
"We have been aware for some time of a parallel society existing within our woodlands, largely content to ignore and be ignored by all humanoids active in the region. The Seventh Aurasetharsai* Dynasty was the last major civilization to have more than incidental contact with the creatures, whom they dubbed the silthilar*. In the intervening nine millenia (encompassing, as it happens, virtually the entire recorded history of my own race), these lifeforms have lead what we must regard as a reclusive existence, taking advantage of their extreme motility to avoid our population centers, even in the wilderness regions they prefer to inhabit.
"Individiual silthilar are said to be nearly microscopic, smaller than an average housefly; it is believed they have a collective intelligence, and generally travel in swarms of several million, but even a hundred such swarms can vanish into less space than we are accustomed to ceding to mice in our dwellings. Thusly, they have little trouble escaping our notice when they so choose, which is usually. According to Heptodynastic records, the silthilar race far predated their own; originally macroorganic, the primeval form of the species experimented heavily on their own biology as well as that of various natural species (whether they qualify as a natural species themselves is heavily debated). They claimed to have accidentally unleashed a degenerative condition on themselves as a result of these experiments, which necessitated their transformation into hive-minded microbiota; the Aurasetharsai wrote, not without bias I suspect, that the silthilar were 'chastened' by this reconfiguration, and have since chosen to avoid meddling in the course of evolution, though they retain a profound interest in natural processes, and have always gravitated toward areas of abundant and largely-untouched life, showing little interest in urban areas. Consequently, when rumors of these beings filtered their way into the interracial druidic collective through our high-elven membership, we long expected to end up either clashing with them or finding common cause with them, depending on how exactly compatible their vision of ecological stewardship and ours might prove to be.
"Yet it has never happened; we have long had good reason to believe they are present within Transylvaine, but they seem to elude us as assiduously as they do any expansionistic, pollution-generating culture. From your description of the incident with this 'Lilly', particularly its final moments, it would appear she was engaged in an intriguing form of symbiosis with a silthilar colony. The psionic abilities she displayed would not ordinarily have been able to operate in the fashion you observed (at least unless she was a Category Gamma or higher adept, and that seems unlikely; the Imperium keeps very close tabs on the small number of those which are known to exist), but if several swarms of silthilar were acting in concert, essentially serving as living power relays, they could greatly magnify the effective range and potency of her powers. Large-scale earthworks, subtle telepathic suggestions, and who knows what other capabilities she might have employed; since such showy activities are atypical of what little we know of the species overall, I suspect this was a renegade faction, one who might have been more willing to engage in outreach activities than the norm. However, I can only surmise that the crystal you handled was some form of intimate psionic focus, and that your handling of it was a gross breach of etiquette by her-slash-their standards. Such aloof beings are prone to perceiving matters very differently than our own order of life; it is no accident that we seldom have much contact, and even more infrequently is it positive.
"As I say, I attach no blame to any of you (even Joyce, although she has had enough training that she ought to have known better...but of course, part of being a field operative is knowing when to bend rules and take calculated risks). Had you been open to, er, cooperating with 'Lilly's' advances, you might have succeeded in opening lines of communication which might have been very beneficial. Then again, it's possible you would have been parasitized by the creatures in much the same fashion as herself; such rapine behavior would be highly contrary to the ethics that they have been described as upholding 'virtually without exception', but of course our knowledge on the subject is so fragmentary as to provide nothing even vaguely resembling a reliable predictive index. Put simply, we don't actually know anything for certain, so it is probably just as well that you were prudently uncooperative. We can never be certain what might have happened if things had been different, but you escaped relatively unharmed, and there has been no evidence of larger repercussions, so all told, we may assume that the outcome was more or less for the best."
*
"Individiual silthilar are said to be nearly microscopic, smaller than an average housefly; it is believed they have a collective intelligence, and generally travel in swarms of several million, but even a hundred such swarms can vanish into less space than we are accustomed to ceding to mice in our dwellings. Thusly, they have little trouble escaping our notice when they so choose, which is usually. According to Heptodynastic records, the silthilar race far predated their own; originally macroorganic, the primeval form of the species experimented heavily on their own biology as well as that of various natural species (whether they qualify as a natural species themselves is heavily debated). They claimed to have accidentally unleashed a degenerative condition on themselves as a result of these experiments, which necessitated their transformation into hive-minded microbiota; the Aurasetharsai wrote, not without bias I suspect, that the silthilar were 'chastened' by this reconfiguration, and have since chosen to avoid meddling in the course of evolution, though they retain a profound interest in natural processes, and have always gravitated toward areas of abundant and largely-untouched life, showing little interest in urban areas. Consequently, when rumors of these beings filtered their way into the interracial druidic collective through our high-elven membership, we long expected to end up either clashing with them or finding common cause with them, depending on how exactly compatible their vision of ecological stewardship and ours might prove to be.
"Yet it has never happened; we have long had good reason to believe they are present within Transylvaine, but they seem to elude us as assiduously as they do any expansionistic, pollution-generating culture. From your description of the incident with this 'Lilly', particularly its final moments, it would appear she was engaged in an intriguing form of symbiosis with a silthilar colony. The psionic abilities she displayed would not ordinarily have been able to operate in the fashion you observed (at least unless she was a Category Gamma or higher adept, and that seems unlikely; the Imperium keeps very close tabs on the small number of those which are known to exist), but if several swarms of silthilar were acting in concert, essentially serving as living power relays, they could greatly magnify the effective range and potency of her powers. Large-scale earthworks, subtle telepathic suggestions, and who knows what other capabilities she might have employed; since such showy activities are atypical of what little we know of the species overall, I suspect this was a renegade faction, one who might have been more willing to engage in outreach activities than the norm. However, I can only surmise that the crystal you handled was some form of intimate psionic focus, and that your handling of it was a gross breach of etiquette by her-slash-their standards. Such aloof beings are prone to perceiving matters very differently than our own order of life; it is no accident that we seldom have much contact, and even more infrequently is it positive.
"As I say, I attach no blame to any of you (even Joyce, although she has had enough training that she ought to have known better...but of course, part of being a field operative is knowing when to bend rules and take calculated risks). Had you been open to, er, cooperating with 'Lilly's' advances, you might have succeeded in opening lines of communication which might have been very beneficial. Then again, it's possible you would have been parasitized by the creatures in much the same fashion as herself; such rapine behavior would be highly contrary to the ethics that they have been described as upholding 'virtually without exception', but of course our knowledge on the subject is so fragmentary as to provide nothing even vaguely resembling a reliable predictive index. Put simply, we don't actually know anything for certain, so it is probably just as well that you were prudently uncooperative. We can never be certain what might have happened if things had been different, but you escaped relatively unharmed, and there has been no evidence of larger repercussions, so all told, we may assume that the outcome was more or less for the best."
*
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You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
My long-neglected blog.Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
At the mention of parasites, a unconscious shiver ran through Kast. He'd seen enough creatures in the wilderness to know that playing host to parasites rarely ended well. Best case, they fed on your blood and fluids weakening you and leaving you open to death from other sources. Worst case, they entirely take the host over, altering behavior to serve the ends of the parasite before bursting forth. Numerous wasps preyed on the smaller spiders, stunning them and laying eggs inside that hatch into larvae that eat the spider from the inside out. He'd even heard of parasitic wasps that would be large enough to lay eggs inside a spider of Kzri's size. He certainly had no intention of becoming a hatchery for Lilly or her companions.
"If you're looking for an emissary of the forest to copulate their way to diplomacy, you've got the wrong elf. If the 'diplomacy' you want requires blade, arrow or fang, Kzri and I can handle that... but speaking or breeding to achieve the desired end...", Kast ends his statement with a derisive shrug.
"If you're looking for an emissary of the forest to copulate their way to diplomacy, you've got the wrong elf. If the 'diplomacy' you want requires blade, arrow or fang, Kzri and I can handle that... but speaking or breeding to achieve the desired end...", Kast ends his statement with a derisive shrug.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
"Heh. Color me unsurprised, Mr. S'lvarn. In a way, I'm glad to hear it. Comparing what I have read of the elven empires of the past, whose military might struck terror into the hearts of the most formidable Orcish warlords, with the rather sessile hedonism of my pointy-eared brethren in the Conclave's upper ranks...well, let us just say that if I was to be born into this age, I am glad of my humanity. Perhaps you are proof that the glory days of elvenkind are not entirely past, or perhaps my race's delusions of inheriting the earth once and for all, within a mere handful of centuries, are more than arrogance.
"Regardless, I will happily stick to employing your talents in the arenas for which they are best suited. If 'Lilly', whoever she was, had wanted a live-in companion, there were plenty of us who would have been honored to ask - but then, few creatures restrict themselves to seeking mates among those most eager to mate with them. Perhaps your very inaccessibility was what interested her. Either way, if she turns up again, I would encourage you to continue rebuffing her advances. You can better serve the continued safety of Transylvaine by assisting our Reeves in securing the borders, rooting out poachers and industrialists who do not know how to read a Keep Out sign. Indeed, while I cannot speak for Captain Frakes, it is entirely possible he may invite you to join the Reevehood officially. You certainly acquitted yourself well enough during the battle against the Shaper earlier, and we can always use talented arms-wielders to support us on the front lines."
"Regardless, I will happily stick to employing your talents in the arenas for which they are best suited. If 'Lilly', whoever she was, had wanted a live-in companion, there were plenty of us who would have been honored to ask - but then, few creatures restrict themselves to seeking mates among those most eager to mate with them. Perhaps your very inaccessibility was what interested her. Either way, if she turns up again, I would encourage you to continue rebuffing her advances. You can better serve the continued safety of Transylvaine by assisting our Reeves in securing the borders, rooting out poachers and industrialists who do not know how to read a Keep Out sign. Indeed, while I cannot speak for Captain Frakes, it is entirely possible he may invite you to join the Reevehood officially. You certainly acquitted yourself well enough during the battle against the Shaper earlier, and we can always use talented arms-wielders to support us on the front lines."
You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
My long-neglected blog.Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
Unaccustomed to much resembling praise, Kast merely nodded briefly at the Elder's remarks.
He wasn't sure that joining a club would be suited to his disposition and need for solitude and wilderness... he'd never had much use for the rules and laws of man nor elf, but if there were those within the Forest that sought to harm it or disrupt the natural flow of life within the forest, he was willing to assist these druids towards that end.
He wasn't sure that joining a club would be suited to his disposition and need for solitude and wilderness... he'd never had much use for the rules and laws of man nor elf, but if there were those within the Forest that sought to harm it or disrupt the natural flow of life within the forest, he was willing to assist these druids towards that end.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
Rían's gaze traveled from Hansel, to Kast, and back again as they spoke. He rubbed again at the back of his neck, though it was more of a nervous tick now than anything, and for once, given the direction their conversation had briefly headed, he was grateful to already have a somewhat ruddy complexion. "I...cannot say I am terribly comfortable with anyone that would feel a need to encroach upon the minds of their 'guests' in order to encourage cooperation with their goals, no...whatever they may be." Of course, it was possible he was misunderstanding things entirely, but that was certainly what it had felt like, and further description of their former host had done little to bolster his confidence... That much had been clear with a mere glance toward Kast, as well.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
"There are those who do not understand humanity's esteem for consent; many indeed are the elder powers who would no sooner ask a mortal's permission for anything they deem beneficial to said mortal, than they would ask a river whether it wishes to flow to the sea. With omniscience, it is said, comes a lack of meaningful choices, and essentially an end to free will; perhaps fewer would seek great power if they knew of this conceit, and believed it."
You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
My long-neglected blog.Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
"That's why I stay clear of the gods and their like... I don't expect anything from them, they shouldn't expect anything from me."
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
For the first time in your experience with him (and quite possibly Joyce's, to judge by her expression), Hansel's face displays genuine mirth. "Heh. If only it worked that way."
You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
My long-neglected blog.Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
Kast shrugs. "Served me so far."
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
"...I cannot see any good coming of forcing a decision upon those unwilling to accept it or unable to understand." R├¡an shook his head. This was somethingÔÇôeven at its core conceptÔÇôthat bothered him.
He shook his head at Kast, but didn't feel it was his place to comment; the elf's life was his own. Hansel's reaction earned a second glance from him, however.
He shook his head at Kast, but didn't feel it was his place to comment; the elf's life was his own. Hansel's reaction earned a second glance from him, however.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
Turning to Rian, "I'm not faulting you for choosing to follow a god, paladin... I just would rather be reliant on my own abilities to get by rather than calling on higher powers. My blades are always there when I need them, and they never ask anything in return other than to be kept sharp."
To Hansel, "It seems that both of the individuals we encountered are gone for the time being... what else would you have us do?"
To Hansel, "It seems that both of the individuals we encountered are gone for the time being... what else would you have us do?"
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
Rían nodded at Kast, "I did not feel that you did. And yes... as they are gone, what does that leave?"
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
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You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
My long-neglected blog.Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
I have apparently gained new access restrictions, which include not only inability to post without approval, but also inability to find my list of subscribed threads. Given this, it will be impossible for me to continue this game, instead of merely difficult as it has been. So in order to not keep you waiting indefinitely, I will officially stick a fork in this one. It's been fun, both of you; maybe we'll get a chance to start a new game someday.
EDIT - Said restrictions have been lifted, but I still think it's probably best to say that the game has wrapped. I just don't seem to have the energy to deal with it anymore, and adding to my stress level is not going to improve either my chances of success IRL or my ability to remain a member of this forum, so I think it's best I not have any responsibilities until my life situation substantially improves. (The fact that the responsibility is purely recreational in no way makes it less burdensome to me; indeed, quite possibly the reverse, a responsibility to pay taxes or something has far less personal effect on me than something I'm ostensibly doing to amuse myself, when its effect on me is as much burden as blessing.)
EDIT - Said restrictions have been lifted, but I still think it's probably best to say that the game has wrapped. I just don't seem to have the energy to deal with it anymore, and adding to my stress level is not going to improve either my chances of success IRL or my ability to remain a member of this forum, so I think it's best I not have any responsibilities until my life situation substantially improves. (The fact that the responsibility is purely recreational in no way makes it less burdensome to me; indeed, quite possibly the reverse, a responsibility to pay taxes or something has far less personal effect on me than something I'm ostensibly doing to amuse myself, when its effect on me is as much burden as blessing.)
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
While I can't say this was unexpected, I'm still saddened by it. I've really grown fond of the Kast character, and would love to explore this world you built for us further. This was the first 'pen and paper' game of D&D I ever played, and I certainly learned a lot and it inspired me enough to start my own game on these forums. Thanks Willpell, I had a good time while it lasted!
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Re: The Forest - Chapter One
Hollywood makes you wait years for a sequel all the time; you might get your chance to play him again, just not nowish.
You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
My long-neglected blog.Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.