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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 18, 2022 3:57:57 GMT -5
<thinking> What the..why?
"Finny, I lost Alla by not staying close by her. Should we go in?" I ask as we stand before the slit.
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Post by hengest on Jun 18, 2022 21:38:13 GMT -5
Finny covers his eyes with his hand, still holding his mace. He looks stunned.
"I have to," he says. "She's my sister..."
"You don't have to go. You can go back the way we came and report what happened. You have the Lady's permission to do resonable service. No one will stop you."
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 19, 2022 7:31:34 GMT -5
"Oh! I didn't know she is your sister."
"If you want me to go back and give a report, then I will. I'd much rather help you with whatever is going on here now on the other side of that slit." I look from Finny to the slit and continue, "I feel like I would be more help here with you.".
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Post by hengest on Jun 19, 2022 8:48:25 GMT -5
"Oh! I didn't know she is your sister." "If you want me to go back and give a report, then I will. I'd much rather help you with whatever is going on here now on the other side of that slit." I look from Finny to the slit and continue, "I feel like I would be more help here with you.". "It's up to you. I'm not supposed to be giving orders, anyway." He looks around as if looking for something that definitely isn't there. "She's unbelievable..." Looking from the slit to the ground around it, he looks as if he hopes something will happen. There is a touch of wind, this time from tue direction of the riverbed.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 19, 2022 9:23:47 GMT -5
"I'm going with you, Finny."
I turn to look in the direction of the riverbed.
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Post by hengest on Jun 19, 2022 22:42:51 GMT -5
You see nothing special where the wind is coming from.
Finny looks at a loss. "Do you...uh...want to hold onto me? Maybe I can see her and grab her if she's there?"
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 20, 2022 4:07:47 GMT -5
"Yeah. That sounds like the best way to start.".
I move over by Finny to prepare.
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Post by hengest on Jun 21, 2022 16:11:03 GMT -5
You awkwardly position yourselves near the slit. Finny looks stoic but fairly pale. "I wish she would just pop back out, you know?" Finally you remember the "wheelbarrow" game, with which he is not familiar. You take his ankles in your hands and "walk" him a foot or so closer. You hoist him a bit and as he makes the sound of someone about to dive underwater, you lower him a couple feet in.
At first he goes limp for a moment, then you feel the vigor return to his legs. He begins "wiggling" almost immediately, but you don't think he is asking to return...
Just then you hear "Hey! HEY!" Turning your head, you see two men of Ethan's people moving rapidly uphill towards you. They look more than displeased.
From almost the same direction, you see a small flock of flying, wiggling shapes heading your way.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 21, 2022 19:15:00 GMT -5
"We mean no harm!" I proclaim loudly as they are still off at a distance and approaching. "My friend's sister went through there. We're trying to see if she's safe."
"What do you know about this?" I ask as they continue to approach.
[Before they get too close, I intend to pull Finny back through if he does not come back through by his own power.]
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Post by hengest on Jun 21, 2022 23:22:00 GMT -5
"We mean no harm!" I proclaim loudly as they are still off at a distance and approaching. "My friend's sister went through there. We're trying to see if she's safe." "What do you know about this?" I ask as they continue to approach. [Before they get too close, I intend to pull Finny back through if he does not come back through by his own power.]He begins wiggling more, almost as if pulling something to him or pulling while braced against something. It is getting harder to hold him in this awkward position. "What do we know? What do you know! Why do you..." The flying creatures are getting closer and begin making loud honk-hisses. The man in the lead, early middle age with a short, ragged beard, stops talking a stone's throw from you and turns around to look. His companion also stops and turns to look. [ How do you respond to the situation? Your response may require a roll. I will make the roll at Unseen Servant and post the link here. I think. We can use it more for bookkeeping and rolls in the future if it works well.]
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 23, 2022 20:04:38 GMT -5
[Desperate times call for desperate measures so...]
I pull Finny hard in an attempt to pull him back through the slit. I let go and turn turns the men and draw my sword and say, "Let's make a stand here together against these foul creatures then we can figure out what's going on!" I proclaim loudly as the men are facing the flying creatures.
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Post by hengest on Jun 23, 2022 23:19:57 GMT -5
[Desperate times call for desperate measures so...]I pull Finny hard in an attempt to pull him back through the slit. I let go and turn turns the men and draw my sword and say, "Let's make a stand here together against these foul creatures then we can figure out what's going on!" I proclaim loudly as the men are facing the flying creatures. You heave him but somehow lose your grip when his (incomprehensible) struggles catch you off guard, and you lose control of one leg at the top of your heave, then a little kick from him as he begins to "topple" frees his other leg. His lower body looks about to plop through the portal, but instead folds down in a "good" direction, leaving him "draped" over one edge of the slit, which apparently does not harm him. As you call to the men, Finny manages to push back (you suppose) and pull his upper body back through the portal. He looks wide-eyed and is holding in one hand a huge silver coin, in the other, a gigantic ring set with a deep purple gem. The men stop as they see him with these objects, and it is obvious they know him. Their alarm fades a bit, but the flying creatures are approaching quickly, landing all around you. They are extreme birds, like very robust hawks, that ripple or wiggle as they fly. Before you can take any action, six of them land on the ground between you and Finny and the two men. The largest one eyes you and makes a grunting squawk that you cannot interpret. It takes a step towards you.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 24, 2022 6:39:03 GMT -5
I take up a defensive stance with my sword at the ready in front of me pointed towards the approaching monster bird and make a quick, short left to right stroke to show that I am ready for it to approach closer. Without removing my gaze from the monster bird, I calmly ask, "Finny, what are these things?".
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Post by hengest on Jun 24, 2022 9:50:59 GMT -5
Finny scoops up his mace, dropping those strange items. "I don't know!"
The two men continue to look displeased and cautious, but not exactly frightened. The slit in the air over the earth is now behind you and Finny, who is still standing closer to it. Roughly: the men are now at the crest of the hill, then the birds, then you and Finny, then the slit.
You assume your defensive stance and make your stroke, showing readiness. The lead bird spreads its wings a bit and takes another step in your direction.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 24, 2022 10:18:51 GMT -5
I stand firm and take a step forward and make a downward diagonal slice at the bird.
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Post by hengest on Jun 24, 2022 10:26:02 GMT -5
I stand firm and take a step forward and make a downward diagonal slice at the bird. Strangely, you easily connect with the bird and knock a few feathers loose. It makes a halfhearted stab at you with its sharp beak, accomplishing nothing, then hops by you, flutters into the air and straight down into the slit. You hear a bit of sound and smell a strange smell: vanishing into the slit, the bird leaves behind a few feathers and some wisps of smoke. The others follow as you, Finny, and the other man watch, astounded.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 24, 2022 10:31:47 GMT -5
"What the..." I mutter as I look around in confusion.
"I'm not sure if I injured that thing at all.".
I look around from Finny and the small group of men and say, "Ok. What's going on here?".
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Post by hengest on Jun 24, 2022 10:37:15 GMT -5
Finny looks back to the slit and picks up a large tan feather from the ground.
The lead man says gruffly, not addressing the matter of the birds, "You two are recalled immediately. There are widespread difficulties. More reports came in after you left."
Finny swallows and says, "Uh...Tetyana is lost through there, and..."
The man waves away this comment and gestures for you both to follow him.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 24, 2022 10:41:33 GMT -5
"Recalled?! By the Lady? We're NOT going to try to find Tetanya at all?" I ask to the group.
<thinking> First Alla, now Tetanya. I see a pattern...
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Post by hengest on Jun 24, 2022 10:44:09 GMT -5
Finny hesitates, then says, neither defiant nor cringing, "I'm not going back. I have to go through and find her. He scoops up the giant ring and coin he brought back with him, hanging the ring on his arm and holding the ring and coin in his hands. He hesitantly clambers through and is gone before the lead man can lay hands on him. He eyes you from a few feet away.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 24, 2022 10:47:10 GMT -5
At the sight of his gaze falling upon me, I bolt towards the slit and jump through.
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Post by hengest on Jun 24, 2022 22:21:29 GMT -5
Everything goes black and you seem to be asleep but aware for a timeless interval. Then you find yourself crashing a few feet practically onto Finny, who drops his treasures and mace. Your sword clatters against the ground, which seems to be made of a kind of very ragged wood with extremely coarse grain. You are not even sure that it is wood as you plop against it. You do not see Tetyana. There are various gigantic objects around you: another coin like the one Finny holds, some strange bits of debris, and an enormous feather that looks like it has been used for writing. You are not at all sure what you are seeing beyond that in your vision. You see a lot of somethings but it is going to take you a minute to get oriented. This is a bit different from anything your visual field has dealt with before. As you begin looking, you feel something coming over you... [ You roll a save against WIS and roll a 17 here.] ...but it passes. You are able to catch your breath and get your bearings. The slit here is below your head level, but higher than it was where you saw the hand. It has much the same appearance it did on "the other side." You are standing on what seems to be a very large area of seamless, coarse wood. To three sides you see walls of exceptionally large blocks of stone, with truly thick layers of mortar. To the other direction, the wood drops off suddenly in a little ways. Far beyond it, you see the huge elements in what you now guess must be a scholar's chamber or a wizard's room. A doorway is off to the left. Everything in here is too large, but your mind is adjusting. Much of what you see is familiar from your part of the country at home: braids of garlic and other herbs are hanging, drying, from the walls and even the ceiling. Many wooden shelves populate the place, although they seem separated from you by a vast expanse of air. You make out a lantern of familiar type, but it is cold and dark. The light in the chamber comes from several windows in the stone wall to your right. It seems to be daytime, as it was where you came from. Finny is scrambling a bit halfheartedly, picking up bits of the debris and the other coin, trying to arrange the coins somehow, but also looks distracted, as if his heart is not really in it. You hear feet shuffling near the huge doorway, but see no one yet.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 25, 2022 5:24:09 GMT -5
<thinking> It feels...different going through this portal. Maybe they are different forms of magic?
I pick myself up and look around making sure to grab my sword and put it on my back again.
"Finny, are you ok?"
Taking a glance around the room it seems that we are on a table of some sort. "Did you see Tetanya upon returning?"
"You knew those men back there. Who were they? What do you think the consequences of not returning will be?".
"Oh...someone is approaching."
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Post by hengest on Jun 25, 2022 20:50:34 GMT -5
Before Finny can reply at all, and he looks a little odd, a gigantic figure shuffles into this place that appears so cavernous, although it must be just right for him.
You see a fairly old man, obviously no longer a warrior if he ever was, with a full and heavy beard gone mostly white. He looks hale and alert enough, however. His outfit is basically a dress made of multicolored woll in some kind of pattern, cinched at the waist by a bit of rope. Something about him seems familiar. He is engaged in a kind of silent conversation with a gesticulating figure standing on the palm of his hand: you recognize the figure as Tetyana.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 25, 2022 20:55:57 GMT -5
<thinking> Here comes...
My eyes widen in recognition, and I whisper softly to Finny in hopes of not being heard by anyone else, "It's Tetanya! She doesn't appear to be harmed.".
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Post by hengest on Jun 26, 2022 8:31:59 GMT -5
Finny stares in the same direction. You cannot really see Tetyana's face from here but she appears cheerful.
Her bearer takes a few steps across the room, sets her down on a little alcove under a window, and produces a hunk of bread, which he sets in front of her. It is nearly the size of her entire person. He tears about half off, leaving her still with an enormous portion. You see her tear into her giant-sized meal and hear faintly little squeals and muffled chewing sounds of delight.
Finny looks over at you. His expression is more sober now, almost resigned.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 26, 2022 8:54:12 GMT -5
"She doesn't appear to be in any danger...", I look from Finny and then back to Tetanya before continuing, "How do you think we should proceed from here?".
<thinking> I'll ask again later about those men and the consequences. I'm not sure if he's distracted or doesn't want to answer.
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Post by hengest on Jun 26, 2022 12:01:35 GMT -5
Finny shakes his head, and only mutters, staring at his sister perched on a window stuffing crumbs of bread into her mouth, "She would do this."
"A strange thing happened when you held my legs and I came through here. Everything looked so beautiful and unique. I couldn't even think about why. I really had to reach to pick up these things." He gestures at the heavy ring and coin. On the latter there are markings and a crudely-cut face in full view.
The old man is now puttering, fussing with small objects in a little box on the far side of the room. He gives no sign of having noticed you.
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Post by The Semi-Retired Gamer on Jun 26, 2022 14:47:18 GMT -5
"You know...I did feel something, some "force" coming over me for a moment after I arrived here. Maybe that's the why you're wondering about?". I stand there in a shrug pose for a moment waiting for an answer.
"Tetanya likes adventure, doesn't she?" I chuckle and then say, "Oh, he's messing around with something in that box, and he still hasn't noticed us."
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Post by hengest on Jun 26, 2022 19:35:55 GMT -5
"It was something like that. I saw everything and...it just seemed so fascinating. I couldn't help myself." He looks around, still unnoticed. "This is bad news. They said there was other trouble. Now this place...we thought you were trouble. But you were just a visitor. Not even dangerous."
Looking up, the giant man finally spies you. His face lights up and he cries "Hey, oh hey!" sounding just a little childlike. Tetyana looks up, follows his gaze, and starts waving at Finny, still chewing. The man goes to collect Tetyana...
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