LPDnD: Hazy Shade of Winter

[Jimer Lins]

"Good morning, Darius. I believe we're doing fine for refreshment. I suggest the two of us adjourn to the gate room and start our planning. We'll need to construct the gate itself and then work on the parameters for the ritual."

[Furiel]

After Trinal leaves Tony will step over to Stavis for a moment and hand him his speaking stone (I believe Trinal still has the other)
"Just in case there is a misunderstanding or accident while everyone is away..."

Tony will then do what any good scout does, go explore the Citidel. Trying to get a decent mental map of the place, along with various exits, barracks, dungeon, message hall, etc. Depending on how long and extensive process this will, I get the feeling it will be both, I'll return to our area for meals and if this is going to take several days to accomplish then I will take a few breaks as well to spar with the soldiers and get an idea of how good they are.

I do not intend to go anywhere I'm barred or told not to go, yet. When or if questioned where he's going Tony will say quite truthfully that he is exploring the Citidel and trying to learn about it and it's people.

[Staris]

Stavis will pause when Tony approaches and when offered the communication stone will take it "Doubt it will be necessary as long as I stay in the room but not against erring on the side of caution."

When getting back to work will place the stone on the table next to the book he will be copying to, making sure the stone is in visual range.

From time to time Stavis will do training exorcises, sit ups, push ups, ect, to keep himself from getting too stiff and add adding activities to keep himself busy. Though again will do all this away from the fountain.

[Whiteness]

Syric, Once finished with the distraction known as "gravy and biscuits" looks around to see he is left alone with Stavis, busy with his nose in the pages of the ritual books

He double checks his medallion to ensure it was in the correct place before heading out, stopping to ask Stavis if he needed anything.

He'll then head out to try and barge in on some training. He'd want to observe at first and gauge their strength, he's looking for a fight but he's not acting dumb yet. He wants a good legit fight, one fit for Kord.

[Staris]

[OOC Since it hasn't been mentioned the Dwarfs would still be here but would assume they left after eating or even staying in a different room entirely if able.]

Stavis will look up when Syric asks his question. "Only thing that I can think of is what Ritual books they have for sell. Though Trinal may well look that up himself so may hold off until so we don't have both of you guys looking."

After a noticeable lightbulb moment and a slight pause as Stavis considers asking for it "You know that one thing I am really missing is an instrument to play, so a lyre or flute would be preferred but I'm capable of playing just about anything. Granted wouldn't do anything expensive as may get it taken away."

Assuming he kept his money will put down 9 gold on to the table toward Syric that a lyre would normally cost "Should cover most instruments and I'll cover any extra should the price have gone up because of the war in general or this siege. Also no rush if you can't get to it today, not like I don't have a couple days worth of copying to do."

[Blackferne]

I'm assuming that your meanderings collectively are open record. If you would prefer your individual paths in the citadel to be private just reply with your next action in spoilers and I'll go from there.

@Trinal
Darius leads you from the hall you slept in and along a maze of tunnels, underground hallways, and what would be a street in a city if not for the fact you were inside a mountain.

"I'll readily admit I ddin't get much sleep last night. The prospect of an arcane gate has kept me very excited. And the prospect of visiting Waterdeep again, the last time I was a mere boy, is also dreamlike. I sure hope this works out." You arrive at a stodgy tower in a larger underground section which is two stories tall. "Inside I have quite a few parchments, quills, and magical powders as best I could keep up during the siege. I figured we could start here in case anything was necessary for either gate construction or the ritual."


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@Tony

You start down a hallway and work your way around the main causeways of the citadel. In the distance you hear various chants, songs, and clanging which reminds you of regimented training you would expect from a military fortress. The unison sound of the voices is extremely impressive. There is a discipline that is palpable and you have no doubts that they would be a force to reckon with on the field of battle.

Then it catches your eye. A small squat building that has a shabby door on it. A patron skulks in and briefly you see the sights of a dive bar.

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@Syric

You like Tony walk along the causeways and wander the city. The sounds of the military training in progress are impressive and you see a few platoons running in full gear go past you with a steeled and fierce look on their face. After they pass you turn to watch them go and see the holy symbol of Kord over an impressive (relative to the limited realestate) building with steps and large oak doors. The Church for Kord stands tall. Walking up to it you see sculpted battle scenes on the outer walls and the doors have reliefed shields on them.

As you stand admiring the artworks an elderly man with wisps of hair comes next to you.

"You seem like an old soul, who worries about his place in the battle. You have great expectations for yourself, but are unsure if you can meet them. Care to talk about it with an old priest?" He smiled. "I have tea and cookies, if that tempts you."

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@Stavis

After your compatriots leave, and then the dwarves, you begin the task of copying the rituals from one book to the other taking great care to not make an error, double checking, and triple checking your work. The sound of the fountain laps lazily to your ear and the guards outside say nothing but the occasional cough or sigh.

For the first time in a long while you feel bored. If the guards were going to attack you they probably would have by now. There is no imminent threat, instead you are forced to ...wait.

[Jimer Lins]

Trinal says "Thank you Darius. I imagine that between what we've brought and what you have managed to save, we should hopefully have all we need. I'm sure the Professor will be pleased to meet you when we finish. Shall we get started?"

Trinal sets to with a will. OOC- I assume we'll need to coordinate some manual labor for the actual gate construction, plan the ritual, etc. Let me know what I need to be doing, because while Trinal has the book, I don't.

[Staris]

After copying for a while by himself will be a bit surprised in himself in recognizing the soldiers inaction so early in this stint as he would doubt they would have done anything before the gate was well on its way, or risk his companion unwillingness to continue to helping. Though can't help wonder should the Chulassa attack if the soldiers will still merely keep their post or dispatch of him so that the need of their post is unnecessary and able to be more useful elsewhere.

After some time in the mists of his boredom can't help but be reminded of his youths when he was receiving his education where he would occasionally be just as bored, which causes him to wonder what his younger brother Drizzt is doing. After doing the math figured as long as he survived his trials to adulthood, family politics, or used as an expendable pawn in his early years of military service, would likely be a high ranking officer and probably stones throw away from general. Sadly having to remind himself he would no longer be younger then himself, and based off of tradition, married, can't help but fearing it was their distant cousin Qiliara Torlyl that was his Trindaer's trial opponent, and likely to have nieces and nephews older than himself.

Having stopped copying in the middle of his musings. He will go ahead and eat something by picking at whatever was leftover, figuring it close enough to what would typical be lunch for others, despite not feeling practically hunger. He will however drink more wine then he would normally for a meal in a presumed attempt to wash away his musing thoughts. After his meal will meditate for while before returning to his copying as he can tell the dulling of his mind from the drink helped but likely to lead to errors in his copying.

[Whiteness]

"You seem like an old soul, who worries about his place in the battle. You have great expectations for yourself, but are unsure if you can meet them. Care to talk about it with an old priest?" He smiled. "I have tea and cookies, if that tempts you."

Syric smiles broadley at the old priest, "Sure, I have time to talk, but you may have missed a bit on your guess. I know I can meet my expectations, my only question is how to gain more power.

[Furiel]

@Tony

You start down a hallway and work your way around the main causeways of the citadel. In the distance you hear various chants, songs, and clanging which reminds you of regimented training you would expect from a military fortress. The unison sound of the voices is extremely impressive. There is a discipline that is palpable and you have no doubts that they would be a force to reckon with on the field of battle.

Then it catches your eye. A small squat building that has a shabby door on it. A patron skulks in and briefly you see the sights of a dive bar.

Tony will saunter over to the indicated building and walk in like he owns the place and head right for the bar.
"Ale"

Once I have my drink I'll assess the room and other occupants

[Blackferne]

@Trinal

You skim the materials in his shop and compare to what you have and what you need. It becomes apparent you will need a large flat stone surface and someone who can etch certain designs to be enchanted by the ritual.

We have some stone masons who might be able to help out.The area we had selected has a stone floor if you wanted to inspect that now, or gather the masons first." Darius asks.

[Blackferne]

@Stavis Your meditation has something odd about it. Unlike anything you've experienced before. You hear voices, unintelligible and distant speaking a language that is not basic, and you seem familiar with. You break the trance with a start listen carefully and hear nothing. It leaves you slightly unnerved.

[Blackferne]

@ Syric

"Confident are you, but how confident can you really be if the path to your expectations remains hidden?" The Priest says leading you into the church and into a small room in the back where he starts a teapot. "Many followers of Kord have faith that they are the strongest or fastest, but rarely do I see in one like you someone who appreciates the wisdom it takes to be a great warrior. What have you done to cultivate that within your warrior spirit?"

[Blackferne]

@Tony The bar is filled with what is pretty quickly obviously the night shift of soldiers. They drink ale and play dice games, tell baudy jokes but there is not the usual merriment you'd expect in a bar. Instead this is clearly the bar of the captive. The long siege is worn on the soldiers face, and the stale laughs and the jokes they no doubt heard hundreds of times before. The dice game is the only sense of real excitement evident.

[Jimer Lins]

"Why don't we go look at the area selected and send someone to ask the masons to join us there? We can get started on the construction portion immediately."

[Blackferne]

"Why don't we go look at the area selected and send someone to ask the masons to join us there? We can get started on the construction portion immediately."

@Trinal

The area is a large cavern area which looks like it was used for grain stores previously. The stone is mostly flat and looking at it it should suffice. There will need to be a 10 foot diameter circle measured out and then the masons will need to make sure that the circle area is perfectly flat. After that the etchings will start, 1/4 lines forming intricate designs which are detailed in your book. While that is going you can set up some tables and alchemy supplies in the corner and start refining the magical powder which will later be gently deposited into the etched designs before the final ritual proper. All in all this can work. Once the portal is up and activated if the mirror back in Waterdeep is activated you can step on the circle and be instantly transported to the other.

[Whiteness]

@ Syric

"Confident are you, but how confident can you really be if the path to your expectations remains hidden?" The Priest says leading you into the church and into a small room in the back where he starts a teapot. "Many followers of Kord have faith that they are the strongest or fastest, but rarely do I see in one like you someone who appreciates the wisdom it takes to be a great warrior. What have you done to cultivate that within your warrior spirit?"

While Syric was able to dismiss the old priest's first comment as your standard esoteric priests comment, his easy smile starts to fade as the priest continues. With a look of confusion on his face, Syric hesitates before he answers, I...I don't really know. To be honest, my decision to follow Kord is a relatively recent one. I know he favors me and I strive to be worthy of that favor but I never gave any consideration to how wisdom could make me a better warrior."

[Jimer Lins]

"Perfect. Thank you for all the help you are giving me with this, Darius. Shall we get started?"

Trinal will set to, helping Darius direct the masons, setting out the runes and getting the various materials ready.

[Blackferne]

"Perfect. Thank you for all the help you are giving me with this, Darius. Shall we get started?"

Trinal will set to, helping Darius direct the masons, setting out the runes and getting the various materials ready.

Trinal is in montage mode. It will take about a week per the masons working 14 hour shifts to get everything prepped. Meanwhile you will be doing alchemist like prep. Pick your favorite 80s montage song, picture a D&D version of Weird Science's building a laser sequence and go to town.

Obviously you will need sleep and eat, so popping back into the hall for meals or rest will happen, but unless you say otherwise I expect montage.

[Blackferne]

@ Syric

"Confident are you, but how confident can you really be if the path to your expectations remains hidden?" The Priest says leading you into the church and into a small room in the back where he starts a teapot. "Many followers of Kord have faith that they are the strongest or fastest, but rarely do I see in one like you someone who appreciates the wisdom it takes to be a great warrior. What have you done to cultivate that within your warrior spirit?"

While Syric was able to dismiss the old priest's first comment as your standard esoteric priests comment, his easy smile starts to fade as the priest continues. With a look of confusion on his face, Syric hesitates before he answers, I...I don't really know. To be honest, my decision to follow Kord is a relatively recent one. I know he favors me and I strive to be worthy of that favor but I never gave any consideration to how wisdom could make me a better warrior."

"A warrior who relies on his strength alone is dangerous to be sure, but victory cannot me attained by strength alone. Wisdom is what let's us know where our strength is best applied. So you speak of your expectations, what are they?" The priest says pouring a cup.

[Staris]

Stavis will begin regretting not telling Syric or others the need of a temporary replacement instrument being a high priority. After sitting for a while will do some light exercise as he currently has no desire to continue copying though not sure if still from the wine or the effects of his meditation and not wanting to have any reminders of his previous life so close to his episode.

During the exercise will ensure he keeps it light enough to keep himself from sweating and will sing quietly some of the first ballads he had been taught, in lieu of not having an instrument to play instead.

When he gets back to copying will near constantly hum softly in a presumed hope that the musics will ward him from further remembrances of his previous life, keeping them closer to his new life so as to not make his confinement any more unbearable.

[Jimer Lins]

OOC- that's about what I anticipated.

[Blackferne]

@ Stavis The light exercise attracts the attention of one of the guards. He stands outside the door hand on his weapon, but not drawn, doesn't say anything but watches you intently.

[Whiteness]

"A warrior who relies on his strength alone is dangerous to be sure, but victory cannot me attained by strength alone. Wisdom is what let's us know where our strength is best applied. So you speak of your expectations, what are they?" The priest says pouring a cup.

His confidence returned, he replies "I am the fire that will cleanse the lands of the evil that has been defiling it. I will be taking care of Orcus and Ba'al..."

"that is, I will be part of the force that takes them down" he adds almost reluctantly. "That is why I need to acquire more power"

[Blackferne]

@Syric

"When you were a boy, what drew you to the warrior's path? I have found in many of my conversations over the years, that many people aspire for power to illuminate the shadow left by another. Is that the case with you?" The priest asks.