The group has hustled through the night away from the undead at the Copper Hills mine. Shortly after the group passes the offshoot to Raff’s territory, Alexis asks Telosh “what was that you said about ‘Ath’?”
Been Waiting For That Name
14
Author Archives: Alexis
If The Sword Falls
After the previous conversation.
“And if the three of you are the only ones to survive, take it to the Westlands. Having touched it, I have come to realize, and I still don’t really understand why, that it belongs there.”
“If it comes to this, Red, you’re my first choice to hold the blade. You have a fate surrounding a blade and you’re reluctant.”
“If not Red, then you Gus, since you’re just reluctant.”
“What should be done with the blade?” Alexis shrugs his shoulders.
“Unite the tribes, or at least attempt to?” Alexis shrugs his shoulders again.
“Become a servant to one of the leaders of the West?” More shrugging.
“Depose one of the leaders yourself? Actually that sounds like a bad idea.”
“Can I get your agreement on this? Alexis looks for the agreement of each in this group.”
If I Am to Fall
While the group is in the Copper Hills mine waiting with Raff and his few remaining followers, Alexis addresses his companions in a hushed voice.
“If I don’t survive Earika, please take my notebook to the Collegium along with my ring. There is another copy of my notebook in Sutheron, but this one should go to the Collegium. Will you promise me this?”
Waiting for Earicka
Waiting in the darkness with Raff and the last few followers, Alexis turns to Telosh.
“If you’d taken the sword, you might be far enough away by now that Earicka would have a hard time finding you. Or you might be in the spot where Raff is. Still happy you didn’t take the sword?” Alexis gives Telosh a wink.
Before Alexis goes back to keeping an ear out, his eyes linger for a moment on the red gem in the Sword Chaotic. This face softens a little, and then his head continues the turn back to the front of the mine.
This Looks Like Your Kind of Wood
As the group is walking back to their tent to witness the failure of Ethelred’s ballistae attempt Alexis moves close to Gustav, takes off his two wooden rings, and hands them to Gustav.
“Hey Gus, I need you to tell me everything you can about these rings, yeah? I figure if you have any question you can ask Telosh since he’s working on mastering the Arts.”
Alexis waits for Gustav to acknowledge the request.
Adventures Belong Close to the Adventure
The group is hanging out in their tent in the Copper Hills Fort. Ethelred is working on his model ballistae. As the test fails and the model collapses, Alexis exclaims “that’s it.” He gives a quick visual scan of his companions and continues, signaling everyone to come in close; a conspiratorial whisper.
“We don’t belong here. Yeah, we need to find..” Alexis looks at the various walls of tent and then finishes “…it. But we should be out there.” He gestures to the forests to the north and east.
“I didn’t realize what was wrong until I was looking at how uncomfortable Gus was while we’ve been in the tent. The longer we’re here the worst he looks. And then it hit me. We don’t need to be here right now. We should be out there. And then everything clicked:
We set up a base on the goblin/warg hill.
We offer the refugees from Thater a place with us in the woods.
We conduct our experiments and scouting from there.
We check in with the fort regularly.”
“One, or two, of you will have questions, so let’s hear ’em” Alexis looks between his three companions huddled close.
Let’s Circle-Around For A Post-Meeting Retrospective
A while after the conversation with Kolar, and when Alexis feels he and Ethelred are far enough away from any outside listeners. Alexis addresses Red.
“How do you feel that conversation with Kolar went?”
Why Leave Such A Nice Sword?
After the group has left the area of the Copper Hills fort and is heading north on the road to explore the area of the three-armed giant, Alexis asks Telosh “Why didn’t you take the sword when you had the chance? These two” he says motioning to Gus and Red who are walking slightly ahead “I get why. But you, I’m still not sure why you didn’t and I’ve been thinking about it since we left the Greyfax estate.”
Ring Time
During the last few nights the group is at the Greyfax estate, Alexis starts taking half an hour before bed to lay out the two wooden rings on one of the inn tables and chants while fingering the one ring and then the other.
The chanting has some of the same feel as when Alexis uses his magic; the words have a similar nebulous sound.
“Impiea padtion xame herum” Alexis takes a finger and circles it around the ring once. Then repeats the ritual several more times before swapping rings and doing the same thing with the other ring.
The Dead Weeping God
Sometime in the two weeks after Utiog has been defeated. The group has gathered at the inn to discuss and share.
“I’ve been thinking about the nature of The Dead God. The one who wanders She-Who-Is-Fierce’s hunting ground.
‘He mourns and weeps and is quite unseemly’
Gnolls enslaved by the Dark Hand are trying to find the last of Him.
He weeps because of an ancient wound that is fed with blood daily. This wound is feasted on by The Made… or possibly whomever made The Made.”
“Have I overlooked or forgotten anything about this dead, weeping god?”