Back to the Future II, Track II - No McFly's here Options

[Lady Door]

Singing a quiet song of hope, Morgana moves through the room, hoping that somehow Astendar will bless the small hall... will allow the memories to fade. Morgana's eyes search for doors, for hallways, anything that might take her into the offices of those who worked here.

[Grinder]

Ralo mumbles a short prayer to the Passions to bless the souls of the victims.

He flies through the rooms, on the look for the offices or any document he can find.

[fistandantilus4....]

After a brief look around, Morgana comes to the conclusion that the meeting Hall is just that. A long hall where a lot of farmers sit and complain. There are no offices, or side rooms, or records kept. Not here at least. The villagers would really need to get more organized. The Wizard in her just wants to throttle someone for the lack of proper organization. Of course.. there'd have to be someone to throttle. The sobering thought calms her some.

[Lady Door]

I'm not seeing anything, Ralo. It's possible, and judging from this hall, more then likely... that they didn't keep anything like a town diary or journal. Should we move on?

[Grinder]

I haven't found anything too. Maybe we can search the rest of the village for survivors and then move on?

[Lady Door]

Morgana nods.
The windling is looking for survivors that won't be found. If it helps him find peace to look... there's no harm, I suppose.

[fistandantilus4....]

Walking through the village is an exercise in nerves. Around every corner are remnants of the people that were here, and signs of what took them. A broken door way, or a pitch fork snapped in half. A ladder up to a roof, and loose thatching where someone tried to escape, and fell through, shows how desperate the situation must have been.
Spots of blood nourish the grass throughout the small village. Small farm animals move about the green as they please. Homes sit empty. This village, so quiet and full of life a week ago, is now just one more rotting corpse.

No bodies are found. No survivors. A thorough search shows a few barricaded basements where people tried to hide. There are even signs of people hiding in cupboards. No one was spared.

The trail is quiet obvious. Hundreds of feet have tramped a path in the grass, heading north toward Vanten. Tracks come from that way as well, and from the west, towards Amden. Only to the east, towards Coel, are there no tracks, no sign of the evil that consumed this place. Yet.

[Lady Door]

Looking at the tracks, Morgana can't help but think that maybe Vanten fell to the same tragedy.
Ralo, maybe we should try Coel. There are no tracks that way, maybe Coel was spared? Could it be that this entire territory has fallen to whatever this evil is?
For a moment, Morgana is overcome with grief and despair. The thought of continuing on, of finding more towns, more villages like this is more then she can bear. Then she remembers, a golden light and a promise. Resolve returned, Morgana looks up at Ralo, waiting for his reply.

[fistandantilus4....]

Morgana/Ralo
As Morgana turns to look in the direction of Coel, she sees the siloutte of a man in robes not 200 yards off to the east. He's simply standing, as if waiting for something. Or someone.

[Lady Door]

Catching the image out of the corner of her eye, Morgana stops and stares.
Ralo, there's someone there. In robes. It could be a Wizard...or a Nethermancer.
Morgana quickly begins the weaving of a spell, Astral Sense. Once it is formed, she assenses the waiting man.

[ludomastro]

Alexander stands up. The little cell is just large enough for him to lie down; however, sleep is far from his thoughts. He has spent the last several hours alternating between listen to the voice in the corner of his cell, prayer, and talking with himself. Finally something inside the quiet Smith breaks.

So what do we do now? I don't know. Well, sitting here and listening to that voice over there in the corner will only drive us mad. Given that we are refering to ourself as an "us" might already indicate that we are mad. True, but then again, that won't really bother anyone in the village now will it since they already think that we are mad. True; however, what do you propose? How about getting out of here? Escape?!? Why not? It's not like the village is suddenly going to think that we are inocent now are they? What would be gained by trying to escape and "prove" our guilt? What is to be gained by sitting here and allowing Elder Hommand - if it is Elder Hommand to have us run through? Did you not say that your fate was in the hands of the Passions? Yes. Well, when was the last time that the Passions helped those who don't lift a finger? ... That's what I thought.

Murderer. Killer. You want to spill more blood. DO BE SILENT!

Yes, the Passions help those who help themselves. So, how do we crack this nut? Let me think.

Alexander begins to look at the cell for a weakness that can be exploited quickly and preferably quietly.

[fistandantilus4....]

Alexander .
Looking over the cells, Alexander quickly remembers why his master was called a master Smith. Everything is perfectly fitted. No extra space to fit tools betweem. All the hinges capped on both ends. Heavy iron for the bars. yes, escape would be possible, with tools. Tools however were in rather short supply within the cell.

After a few minutes of studying, Alexander realized the voices, all of them had finally quieted. Looking up, Alexander saw the old man standing there again.

You need sleep Alexander. Sleep will sooth your troubled mind. Have patience and faith. Your will is strong. Do not let it falter.

[Grinder]

As soon as Ralo spots the robed figure, he readies his blow and tries to get some cover.

These place is one of the scariest ones I've ever seen. And now this person shows up, probably to no good.

Ralo whispers to Morgana, all the while watching the stranger. Agreed, we should travel to Coel and warn the people out there. Hopefully we're not too late. And we should track the tracks of the poor souls here. You know, that lead away from here. He points at the trail.

[fistandantilus4....]

Morgana/Ralo

[ Spoiler ]

The man assenses as a human, mundane

In the blink of an eye the figure dissapera, reappring directly in front of morgana as Ralo flits off for cover.

He isn an old muhan man, witha short gray beard and wrinkled features. His robe is gray but of good quality. He holds him self with an air of authority, but not pretentiousness. It's almost difficult toresist the urge to bow.

There is a young man in grave danger in the village of Coel, where you are headed. You must be aware of the dangers. Agents of the demon are manipulating events to turn the people of Coel against each other. Do not trust everything that you see. Seek the truth behind motivations. If you fail, the fate of this village will befall Coel as well.

First they will turn in upon each other. False accusations and murders will follow. Then the dead will rise and the creatures of the Shadow will come.

The old man looks at Morganna for a moment, as if he's assensing her.

It is not only one of the demons you face. It has an ally, one from your home land. You must stop both of these to save more than this village.

The old man turns as to walk away, then looks back .
Beware of the shadows. They wil ltwist anything they can, even turn you aganst each other. You can se them all about if you look closely

With that he dissapears from sight.

[Lady Door]

Stunned, Morgana can do nothing but stare for a moment. Slowly, she whispers,
By the Passions.... it looks like Coel is our new destination, Ralo.
Troubled by the strangers words, especially the warning that the threat came from one of her "home land".
What can he mean? Indrisia? or could he possibly mean.. no, how could they? Master, I need you. Please, please hear me. Holding the amulet, Morgana desperately tried to find the connection, but nothing came.

Biting her bottom lip, Morgana took a step forward, and then another. She was going to Coel.

[ludomastro]

You need sleep Alexander. Sleep will sooth your troubled mind. Have patience and faith. Your will is strong. Do not let it falter.

With the voices silenced, Alexander, realizes how tired he has become. He kneels and thanks the Passions for the peace. For thy help and blessings, I thank you. He lays down to sleep and this time his dreams are not troubled by nightmares.

[fistandantilus4....]

Alexander
Make a willpower test Vs 13

[Grinder]

Spellcasters, all the same bunch!
Ralo looks at the place where the old man stood before he disappeared, puzzled.

What he said seems to be based on solide knowledge. And we wanted to go to the village anyway, so let's move on!

Heading to the horse, the windling suddenly stops in mid-air and turns to Morgana.
What did he mean with "your country"? Where are you from? Do you have any... secrets... I should know of?

[Lady Door]

For a moment, Morgana is caught completely off guard. Her face shows shock, and for a moment, terror. Then;
I come from Indrisia. I'm not sure what he means by "my land". Perhaps a traveler. I... I don't know.
Turning around to face the road to Coel, Morgana swings back up onto Hati's back.
Waiting just long enough for Ralo to sit, Morgana spurs the horse into a gallop.


For the greater part of the night, they travel this way. Stopping long enough to feed and water the horse, Morgana speaks little. She is often caught holding the silver amulet around her neck and whispering quietly, almost as if she is praying.
Soon, the sun appears over the mountain range, bathing the valley in light. In the spreading dawn, Morgana and Ralo see the tips of the buildings of what must be Coel.

What now, Ralo? Do we continue? Do we rest here?

[Grinder]

I don't want to enter the village tired, so yes, let us rest here. Did you have any idea, who the "traveller" was? You know, he apperead out of thin air in front of us and disappeared without a trace. How could that be?

To get an idea about the old man:

[ Spoiler ]

Magic Lore 4 plus Perception 6 = 10 = d10+d6= 9+6, reroll 4 = 19

[fistandantilus4....]

By the time the pair arrive at Coel's outskirts, the horse has been riden to pure exhaustion. Likely the only reason it has been able to continue on so ar is because of the light weight that it carries, and the short rest it had at the village of Joppstown. Now that it has stopped, the horse will go no further.

[ Spoiler ]

No magic that you can think of works that simply or to such great effect.
Excellent roll However you have heard legends ofmanifestations of the Passions working in such ways before.

[Lady Door]

I have an idea...in the very best stories, there is always some mysterious man or woman who shows up just before a pivotal change in the plot. This mysterious man or woman is always revealed later to be someone or something of a divine nature. To answer your question, Ralo, I believe we have just seen an incarnation of a Passion. Which one, I cannot be sure.

Looking up at Ralo, Morgana's eyes are set with certainty. There is no denying that this is indeed what she believes.

We should find somewhere off the road to camp, somewhere... within a clearing, somewhere where we will find no shade, or shadow. Do you remember what he said? "Beware of the Shadows". Until we understand his words, I think we should follow them as strictly as possible. What do you think, Ralo?

[Grinder]

A manifestation of a Passion has been my thoughts too.
Ralo pauses for a moment. But why didn't he gave us more information?

He looks to the houses of Cael, that appears so calm and peaceful when watched from the distance. I agree, let us look for a safe camp a little off the road. And then you can tell me more about Indrisa.

With a big grin the windling gets off the horse and in the air and begins to scan the area for a good place to rest.

[Lady Door]

Morgana rolls her eyes, and helps the windling scout for a location. Finding one, in the center of a clearing roughly two miles away, Morgana prepares a camp. It soon becomes apparent that there is very little one has to do to prepare a camp when no tents are being erected, no fire started.
Settling for just unrolling her bedroll, Morgana sits and picks up a stick. Using it to scribble in the dirt, Morgana begins to speak of Indrisia.
What can I tell you? Indrisia is a land of mystery and heat, jungle and sand. It's complex. For a long time, the Theran's held sway over the people of Indrisia, they came and without provocation destroyed the great palaces of the king of Indrisia, leaving nothing but rubble and blood. But, Indrisia soon became home to a new savior, the Great Dragon Bahamut. He rescued Indrisia from the Theran yoke of oppression, striking their behemoth's from the sky and raining their terror back upon them. Indrisia has now begun to rebuild, to grow. Palaces that were once in ruin, now stretch into the sky. People that once cowered under a slavemaster's whip now walk tall and proud, owned by none. Bahamut accepts no position of dominion or Master over the people of Indrisia. He protects and cares for them, offering them his protection and his love.
After she speaks, Morgana smiles. It's easy to see that she is moved by her own speech as tears glisten in her eyes. With one hand clasping the silver amulet, she uses the other to wipe away the moisture.
We should get some sleep, Ralo.

Morgana lies down and tries to sleep. The sun pounding into her eyelids does very little to help sleep along.
Thank God, Alex taught me those excercises before all of this. Morgana steadies her breath, and wills herself to sleep, to dream.
Show me what the future holds, show me what troubles this town.
Soon, she is fast asleep.

[Grinder]

Great, great, great! But at least she told a little bit about Indrisa.Wonder why she left it, but that will have to wait for another day.

Ralo searches for a good covered spot in one of the trees and tries to stay awake for the next few hours. After that he flies over to Morgana and wakes her up.

Your watch, Mylady.