# Gardens and the Graves



## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 3, 2004)

*For some of you, this garden has been home for years beyond years.  For others, it has been home only for a few generations.  And for two, it is not yet even home.  This is the garden of the Rashaan family, one with fey blood running through their veins, unwitting guardians of the last bastions of ancient fey power.*

The Manor House of the Rashaan family

Rashaan Formal Garden  - Here is the more formal part of the garden, the one most of the visitors see.  

Enchanted Garden - But here is your garden, the half-wild place of wildflowers, mushrooms, streams, and statues, where the children love to play.  Behind it is the entrance to the graveyard where the Rashaan ancestors lay buried.  A small stone chapel lies within.  One of the ancient trees in the graveyard is the home of an equally ancient dryad, whose wisdom is now in the Rashaan's care.  Many spirits haunt the graveyard, many benign, but some not so much.  

Your duties are to protect the Rashaan family from being corrupted by evil, and to protect their children from harm.  The three daughters of House Rashaan are eleven year-old Katherine (left), a bright and happy child who still whole-heartedly believes in fairies (she is at a time of testing, being on the cusp of womanhood), Layla (middle), a beautiful and talented sixteen-year-old and already courting a noble son of House Yildre (she is every inch a lady), and Ida (right) a skilled weaver and tapestry-maker, this fifteen-year-old has several offers of marriage already.

The youngest member of the family, Titian, is eight years old, and the only son of House Rashaan.  A boy given to daydreaming more than study, he is constantly chased by his tutors and nannies to get back to his duties.  He often successfully hides with Katherine in the garden or the graveyard.

The Lord and Lady of the House are quite happily in love together.  Lady Felada Rashaan is an elegant woman with a talent for growing things.  Her garden is her greatest pleasure.  Her husband Lord Esador Rashaan (formerly of House Kelvaris) is a skilled courtier and renouned duelist.

Today is a fine spring day, a cool and misty morning.  The sun is just turning the clouds over the garden pink...

[You guys can just bump around and talk to each other while other people are finalizing their characters.]

Here's a great picture of a fairy ring, just for mood...Fairy Ring (on Midsummer's Eve)


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## Steve Gorak (Nov 3, 2004)

Tuk arrives from the east and hovers a few seconds over the mansion, scanning the surrounding gardens. "Yup, I think this is the right place; looks about right and definitely feels right.

He casts detect magic from the air, and goes where the magic is the strongest.
There, he lands and walks around, hoping to see some of his kind.


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## hafrogman (Nov 3, 2004)

Gus rises from his bed with a yawn.  He gives a big stretch and clambers out, ready to start a new day.  Whistling a merry little tune to himself he wanders out of the little hole that is his home.  He peers around the edges cautiously, to make sure no big folk are around.  Seeing nobody, he grabs his gardening tool (an old, rusty fork), and goes out to check on his mushroom patch.


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## Ashy (Nov 3, 2004)

Grouse rises early and begins puttering about his garden, grouchily chasing away a whole herd of ladybugs, soon followed by a loud argument with a hang-about butterfly.  Finally, muttering something about "...getting a little peace and quiet...", he begins tromping around his barren, weed-choked patch of land, "tending the flowers".


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 3, 2004)

*Circling the grounds Oribella comes to a garden running wild and free.  Magic radiates from the land and the statues.   Setting down on the shoulder of one such statue she searches the flowers, the pond, and the greenery for any sign of the creatures who posses the great magic.  She spots a small mushroom moving about with a tool and a thistle grumbling about the bugs.  Oribella smiles at their mutterings but stays on her perch till she is invited down.*

"Hmm.... this would make a lovely home.  I do hope they agree to me joining their little family." Oribella daydreams.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 3, 2004)

*Tuk and Oribella can see the greatest magic comes from the mushroom and his mushroom patch, as well as the old thistle.*

*Grouse can spot a glimmer of a frost fairy, while Gus spots the golden sheen of a autumn fairy.  One flies above the garden, whilst the other perches upon a statue.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 3, 2004)

*Gus finds his mushroom patch growing nicely, and carefully turns the earth with his fork.  He can hear the faint sounds of the kitchen maids gathering herbs in the kitchen garden close to the house, but they rarely come this deep into the garden.*

*Grouse gets the ladybugs and butterfly out of his patch of weeds, only to find a rather stubborn moth clinging to a dried stalk of grass.*

"Welladay Grandfather Thistle!  How be the mornin' to ya?" it inquires cheekily.


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## hafrogman (Nov 4, 2004)

Gus overturns another mound of dirt, when his eye catches something golden shimmering out of the corner of his eye.  He turns and notices the autumn fairy perched on the statue's shoulder.  

Wanting to make a good impression, he quickly runs a hand across his cap in attempt to flatten it down and then he straightens out his gills.  He breathes on the fork and attempts to polish in with the back of his hand to use it as a mirror.  He gazes into the metal and nods in satisfaction, despite the fact that the mirror is so rusted over that he can't see the color of his cap, let alone the large section of it sticking up in the back from where he had slept on it.  The overall effect is rather comical.

He waves to the new arrival.

"Good morn' my lady.  Welcome to the gardens of the Rashaan, how may Gus be of service to you today?"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 4, 2004)

hafrogman said:
			
		

> He waves to the new arrival.
> 
> "Good morn' my lady.  Welcome to the gardens of the Rashaan, how may Gus be of service to you today?"




*Taking interest in the little mushroom, Oribella watches him move about his patch of the garden.  She laughs gaily as the little guy primps in the rusty fork.  As he introduces himself she jumps from the statue's shoulder to land lightly infront of the mushroom.*

"  Thank You, and Good Morning to you, I am Oribella.  I was hoping to find a place to call home when I came upon this wonderful little garden.  Would it be alright if I was to look around?  I would also like to meet the others who call this home."  

Oribella reachs behind the mushroom to flatten he bed head.  "Let me get that for you."  She smiles sweetly.


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## Steve Gorak (Nov 4, 2004)

Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> "  Thank You, and Good Morning to you, I am Oribella.  I was hoping to find a place to call home when I came upon this wonderful little garden.  Would it be alright if I was to look around?  I would also like to meet the others who call this home."




Seing the Autumn fairy and the mushroom chat right next to the greatest source of magic, Tuk lands a few feet from them.

"Hi, I'm Tuk. Is this the Rashaan garden? "


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## hafrogman (Nov 4, 2004)

Gus's white face blushes as red as his cap when the fairy lays her hand on his head.  However, when the other fairy arrives, he backs off and suddenly suffers from a small coughing fit.  In a few seconds he recovers, and bows deeply to both fairies.

"My greetings to you Oribella and Tuk.  As I said, I am Gus, and this," he pauses to make a grandiose, sweeping gesture,"is indeed the wonderous garden of the Rashaan, and you are both most welcome here." 

He ponders Oribella's request for a moment, rubbing one tiny hand on his chin, wishing he had a goatee to stroke.

"Meeting the others. . . hmm. . . who'll be about.  Aha!  I know, we'll go visit Grouse.  He could do with some visitors, I'm sure.  He's usually kinda grumpy, so we can go cheer him up!"

He smiles broadly at his own extreme cleverness, and rushes off for a second to put his fork back into his home.  Soon he is back, and toddling off towards the thistle's patch.  He gestures behind him, beckoning Tuk and Oribella onwards cheerfully.

"This way, this way."


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## Ashy (Nov 5, 2004)

Isida Kep'Tukari said:
			
		

> *Gus finds his mushroom patch growing nicely, and carefully turns the earth with his fork.  He can hear the faint sounds of the kitchen maids gathering herbs in the kitchen garden close to the house, but they rarely come this deep into the garden.*
> 
> *Grouse gets the ladybugs and butterfly out of his patch of weeds, only to find a rather stubborn moth clinging to a dried stalk of grass.*
> 
> "Welladay Grandfather Thistle!  How be the mornin' to ya?" it inquires cheekily.




"It'd be just fine and dandy...IF YOU WOULD GET OUTTA MY GARDEN!"  The thistle harumphs and crosses his prickly arms, tapping his tuffeted foot impatiently...


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 5, 2004)

*As Oribella is talking with the mushroom something sparkles out of the corner of her eye.  A Frost fairy sets down near them, Oribella bows to him as he introduces himself.  Gus introduces her to the new arrival in a round-about way, she smiles to Tuk with an amused shurg as the little mushroom beckons them to follow.*

"What draws you to this beautiful garden?"  Oribella ask Tuk as they walk with Gus.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 5, 2004)

Ashy said:
			
		

> "It'd be just fine and dandy...IF YOU WOULD GET OUTTA MY GARDEN!"  The thistle harumphs and crosses his prickly arms, tapping his tuffeted foot impatiently...



  "Well fine then!  I was going to tell you that there were two new fairies in the garden, but now I won't tell you at all!" the moth says, looking miffed.  It flies away in a huff.


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## Ashy (Nov 5, 2004)

Isida Kep'Tukari said:
			
		

> "Well fine then!  I was going to tell you that there were two new fairies in the garden, but now I won't tell you at all!" the moth says, looking miffed.  It flies away in a huff.




"What?!  Ya think these ol' eyes are dull to th' point o' not being able to see that meself?  Bah!  Off wit' ya, dustie!"  The grumpy old thistle waves his makeshift hoe (little more than a crooked stick) in the air as the moth flutters away...


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## Steve Gorak (Nov 5, 2004)

Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> "What draws you to this beautiful garden?"  Oribella ask Tuk as they walk with Gus.




"Well, it turns out that the Rashaan are my kin. Since the elves in the forest where I used to live decided to leave, I decided to find a new home and a new place to look after."

Looking at Gus, Tuk says with wonder: "This garden is indeed beautilful, you've benn doing an awesome job." 
Looking back at Oribella, "How about you, what brings you here?"




OCC: Edit: changed color from indigo (hard to read) to orange


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 5, 2004)

Steve Gorak said:
			
		

> Looking back at Oribella, "How about you, what brings you here?"






*Looking around the garden, she sighs.*  " Same as you dear.... A Home."  She smiles gently.


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## hafrogman (Nov 5, 2004)

Reaching the edge of the thistle's patch, Gus stops up short for a moment and glances behind him.  Reassured that he has not lost the two visitors along the way he turns back to the patch.

"Grouse. . . oh Mr. Grouse. . .  Are you there?  I have brought some visitors to meet you."


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## Ashy (Nov 5, 2004)

Grouse looks up from where he has just begun hoeing.  "Eh?  What'zat?  What'cha want, Gus?  Visitors??"


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## hafrogman (Nov 9, 2004)

Gus nods enthusiastically.

"Yes, visitors.  Oribella, Tuk allow me to introduce Grouse, also known as Grandfather Thistle.  Grouse, these are Oribella and Tuk.  If I heard correctly, they're thinking of staying for a while.  Won't that be great Grouse?  The more the merrier, I always say!"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 9, 2004)

*Oribella bows low to the elder sprite, and smiles brightly as she makes her greeting*

" Pleased to meet you Grandfather Thistle.  How are you this morning?"


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## Ashy (Nov 10, 2004)

Grouse eyeballs the new faeries and nods slowly, "I'm...well.  I'd be better if'n t'wern't fer th' bugs in'me garden, but well none th'less..."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 10, 2004)

* Oribella smiles at the thistle pest trouble.*

" Well I am sorry to hear the moth was an annoyance, But I am glad you are well this morning."


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## Steve Gorak (Nov 11, 2004)

Tuk, looking somewhat in awe at the elder fey says: Likewise, sir, it is a pleaseure to meet you


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 11, 2004)

*From the direction of the house comes a squeal of childish laughter.  Katherine comes running along the path, her skirts in her hands, her younger brother Titan chasing after her.*

"Race you to the well!" Katherine cries.  There's an old well, a wishing well, deep in the graveyard where the children sometimes play.  The cover long since fell in, but the children still play around it.  Layla and Ida follow at a more sedate pace, carrying cushions and baskets of embroidery.  The two older daughters will stay in the formal gardens to sew, but the two younger children will probably be exploring the graveyard until their tutors come and claim them for lessons.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 11, 2004)

*Watching the children running and laughing makes Oribella's heart ache so she has turns her attention back to those around her.  Putting on another blazing smile inquires after the children *

"Who might those little dears be and where are they heading to play the games little one play?"  She asks of Grouse and Gus.


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## hafrogman (Nov 11, 2004)

Gus looks up and watches the children as they come into the garden.  He gives a quick run down of the family for the benefit of the visitors.

"The older two probably won't stray too far from the house, but Katherine and Titan will be off into the gardens I suspect."

He chuckles slightly.

"Well, I'd better get moving if I want to keep an eye on them.  You two are both more than welcome to accompany me.  It's such a delight to watch the young ones at play."


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## Ashy (Nov 11, 2004)

"We'd better keep an eye on 'em sure 'nuff!  I'll not soon forget th' last time - when young Master Titan almost fell head long into that blasted well!  Let us go, lads and lasses!"  Grouse then trundles off towards the well and the children...


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 11, 2004)

*Oribella follows the thistle and the mushroom towards where the children disappeared from sight.*


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## Steve Gorak (Nov 11, 2004)

Tuk follows along with the group.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 11, 2004)

*The two children run quickly, both trying to outrun the other, but Katherine's longer legs and head start mean that she beats her brother.  Titian puts on a false pouting face before Katherine goes to tickle him.  Eventually the two calm down, and Katherine collapses onto the soft grass.*

"Faeries?  Faeries are you there?" she calls softly, not wanting her sisters to hear.  Titian and Katherine retain their purity of heart and can still see faeries, though generally their older sisters cannot.


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## Ashy (Nov 12, 2004)

Grouse chuckles to himself and slips into their old game, hiding himself under some fallen leaves.  "Grandfather is here, child, but I've lost my glasses and cannot see my way!  You'll have ta find me, dear one!"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 12, 2004)

"I'll find him first!" Titian says, starting to look through the leaves and branches.  "No you won't!" Katherine shoots back.  The two start looking high and low, under leaves and in the trees, hunting carefully for fairies.  Anyone else care to hide themselves?


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## hafrogman (Nov 12, 2004)

Gus giggles at Grouse's little game.  The crusty old Thistle could certainly change his tune when the children were around.

"I'm here somewhere too, but I seem to have lost myself."

He finds a space under a low hanging branch and stands very still, tucking his arms into his sleeves and bowing his head down, looking for all the world like just another mushroom.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 12, 2004)

*Oribella can not hold back her laughter any longer.  The complete change from grump to granddad is too much for her to hold in.  She lets out a tinkle of merriment. *



[ooc: no hinding for Ori, she is in stiches and has fallen over with laughter.]


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## Steve Gorak (Nov 15, 2004)

Tuk watches the scene with a huge smile. He stays close to Oirbella, waiting to see what will happen.


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## Ashy (Nov 15, 2004)

Even Grouse cannot suppress a little chuckle, unintentionally rattling the leaves around him...


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 17, 2004)

*The giggling children go immediately to the visible Oribella and Tuk, exclaiming over there being two new fairies.*

"What are your names?  Are you here to stay?" Katherine asks politely.  Titian is more easily distracted, and goes to the trembling leaves that are hiding Grandfather Grouse.  "I found you!" he crows in a boy's loud voice, then goes hunting for mushrooms.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 17, 2004)

*Oribella gathers her composure.  Smiling to the girl she stands and bows low.*

I am an autumn fairy.  My name is Oribella.  As for how long I will be staying... as long as I am welcome."  Oribella introduces herself with one of her glowing smiles.


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## Ashy (Nov 17, 2004)

Isida Kep'Tukari said:
			
		

> Titian is more easily distracted, and goes to the trembling leaves that are hiding Grandfather Grouse.  "I found you!" he crows in a boy's loud voice, then goes hunting for mushrooms.




"Your eyes are as sharp as your wits, lad!  An ol' thistle like me can't keep pace wit' ye!"  Grouse chuckles and makes a big show of "hobbling" along behind Titian, using one of the crumpled leaves as a makeshift cane...


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 18, 2004)

*Titian giggles for several minutes, then finally manages to find a patch of mushrooms.  He looks at it in confusion, then goes and begins to tickle the side of each mushroom, hoping to find Gus.*

"You're very welcome, Oribella.  We haven't had a lady fairy here before," Katherine says, clapping her hands.


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## hafrogman (Nov 18, 2004)

Sensing his impending doom, Gus throws up his hands and laughs out loud.

"Okay, you found me, Titian.  No fair tickling!"

He wades out of the mushroom patch and stands in front of Katherine and bows to her.

"A fine morning to you as well, lady Katherine."


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 18, 2004)

*Titian laughs at Gus' reaction, and goes and perches on the wishing well wall.*

*Katherine carefully curtseys back to Gus, and laughs again.*

"I wish I had a baby brother," Titian calls down into the well, tossing down a dandylion.  As the youngest, it's a common wish of his to have someone he can boss around, as well to have another boy in the house.  But today something strange happens.  The dandylion sails back out of the well, glittering with an odd silvery dust.


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## Ashy (Nov 18, 2004)

Grouse sees Titian sitting on the edge of the well, and begins to fuss at him about it - his playfully cross words are cut short when he sees the dandylion float back up out of the well.

"Thorns and twigs!  What in all things blessed is that?!?"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 18, 2004)

*Titan looks at it in astonishment for a moment, then jumps off the well and moves to pick it up.*

"I think... it's my wish," he says softly, looking mesmirized.


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## Ashy (Nov 18, 2004)

Grouse, a sudden feeling of inexplicable terror and evil creeping over him, calls out, "Master Titian!  Don't touch it!  It's eeevviiilll!"

OOC: Sorry, I *HAD* to!


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 18, 2004)

*Oribella thanks the young lady for her welcome and blushes a little at being called the first "lady fairy" in the gardens.  Turning her attention to the little boy on the well she listens to his wish as he plays with the dandelion.  Oribellla watches in wonder as the puff floats back up into the air.  Everyone seems just as stunned as she.*

_Never have I seen anything like this!  Grandfather Thistle seems just as amazed._  she muses to herself.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 18, 2004)

*Grouse's warning seems to shock Titian out of his daze, and he jerks back from the silvery dandylion.*

"Why?  How?  How do you know it's evil?" Titian demands, looking cross.


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## Ashy (Nov 18, 2004)

Grouse is as cross with the child as he has ever been as he replies, but there is still a great and perceptiable measure of love and care in his scraggly voice for the boy.  "I don't rightly know, youn'gn, but Ol' Grandfather just has a feelin'.  Let me give it a look-see and find out a bit more 'bout it, eh?"

Grandfather begins to hum an old, old tune - one nearly as ancient as the bones of the faery world.  His humming calls forth whisperings from the woods, the water, and the stones about him.  The whisperings slowly combine into a sibilant song that all can hear, but only Grouse can understand.  The song tells the tale of how the magic of the dandylion works, of what it is composed and of what it might affect...

OOC: casting detect magic.  Also, what does the Stalwart eye do?


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## hafrogman (Nov 18, 2004)

Gus wanders over to Titian and looks up at the child.

"It's always best to be careful about strange happenings and the like.  It won't take but a moment for Ole Grouse to check out the flower.  Now, why don'y you just sit down here and tell me what's new up at the house while Grouse works."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 18, 2004)

*Oribella moves closer to Grouse to watch the elder work and offer whatever assistance she can.*

"Is there anything I can do to help you Grouse?" she ask tentatively.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 18, 2004)

*Grouse discovers that 



Spoiler



the dandylion radiates faint enchantment magic


.*

*Titian pouts at Gus' words, while Katherine looks into the wishing well.*

"Hello?"

"Hello?  Hello?  Hello?" the echo returns.  Then the wishing well giggles.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 18, 2004)

*Oribella turns her attention from the Thistle to the well when Katherine's voice echos back up the well.  It sounds strange and the giggle that follows sounds even more unlike her.  She flutters over to land on Kathrine's shoulder and looks into the well.*


[ooc: is it kathrine's giggle echoing or is the laugh coming from within the well?]


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## Ashy (Nov 18, 2004)

Grouse whispers to Oribella, "Aye - can ye detect evil?  If so, do it, please..."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 18, 2004)

*Before going to Kathrine's shoulder.*

No, I am sorry.  I can only detect if it is magic, not what kind of magic.


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## Ashy (Nov 18, 2004)

Grouse nods and calls Gus over, "Gus, getcher capped hide over here!"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 18, 2004)

*Katherine did not giggle into the well, and the echo and the giggle both had a high, tinny quality that sounded nothing like Katherine.*


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 18, 2004)

*Looking back at Grouse and Gus as they are mulling over the dandelion, Oribella takes it upon herself to question the wishing well.*

"Hello?  Is anybody home?  Please, come up and let us do introductions."


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## Ashy (Nov 18, 2004)

Grouse looks up to the fairy at the well, "I don't like this worth spit..."  The thistle frowns, his bushy purple eyebrows knitting together...


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 19, 2004)

*There's another hysterical giggle from the well, that doesn't seem to hold much of sanity in it.*

"Come on down.  Heeheeheehee!  The water's fine!"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 19, 2004)

*Oribella looks to Grouse with worry on her face.  She is not sure trusts whatever is within the well*

" The weather is fine, why don't you come up here.  It looks so dark and cold down there."


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## hafrogman (Nov 19, 2004)

Gus waddles over to Grouse and looks at the dandelion.  He blushes a light pink and leans in close to the thistle, whispering under his breath.

"Sorry, I didn't think I'd need to do that today."


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 19, 2004)

"Can't get out.  Heeheehee!  Wanna come see?" the voice cackles.  Katherine and Titian look simultaneously fascinated and afraid of what's going on.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 19, 2004)

*Oribella smiles at the children trying to give them some comfort.  She jumps down from Katherine's shoulder to the ledge of the well.  Searching the well for any sign of life she continues to talk to whoever is down there. *

" Why can't you come up?  Are you stuck?  Are you all right?" She asks with worry in her soft voice as she waves for Grouse or Gus to come join her.  She gives a look to Tuk to see if he has any ideas about this strange situation.


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## Ashy (Nov 19, 2004)

hafrogman said:
			
		

> Gus waddles over to Grouse and looks at the dandelion.  He blushes a light pink and leans in close to the thistle, whispering under his breath.
> 
> "Sorry, I didn't think I'd need to do that today."




Grouse's blue eyes take on a measure of kindness for a moment and he pats the mushroom on the head.  "S'alright, lad.  S'alright..."  He hitches up his sandy-colored overalls and scratches his pointy chin, returnting Oribella's look of concern.  He shambles over to the well and climbs to the top, turns and motions to the children and other faeries as if he is shooing them away.

"S'kedattle, th' lot o' ye.  This might get a bit ugly..."

Once all have backed from the well, Grouse begins to whistle a quick little diddy, accompanying it with a playful and silly little jig.  The song and the dance make you think of bright, summer days and playing in bright green meadows beneath the smiling sun...

In the span of a breath or three, the tune and the jig complete with a bowing flourish on the part of Grouse, which winds up with the thistle pointing his hands down to the bottom of the well.  Daylight erupts at the bottom of the well, and Grandfather Thistle hopes that it will expose whatever lies there...

OOC: Casting daylight


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 19, 2004)

" Come little ones... step back and let Grandfather Thistle do as he needs." 

*Oribella speaks as she flutters about the children's heads and shoulders.  She settles on Katherine's shoulder again to watch Grouse.*


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## hafrogman (Nov 19, 2004)

Gus doesn't step back with the children and instead follows Grouse up the side of the well, and peers down the well with the thistle.  While Grouse is singing, Gus claps his hands together in front of him and bobs his head up and down for a moment, murmuring to himself.  When he looks up his eyes shine bright blue, the color of clear skies and sunny days.

[ooc - casting True Seeing and peering down the well with Grouse]


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## Ashy (Nov 19, 2004)

Grouse, knowing from experience what his fellow faerie is doing, quips, "Let me know wha' ye see, lad..."


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 19, 2004)

*Daylight pours into the well, illuminating a metal grate on the bottom.  Underneath it is a dark red creature, no larger than a cat, and vaguely human-shaped.  With a tail.  A pointy tail.  Gus' eyes reveal a much larger creature under the grate, a huge hulking muscled thing with wings and fiery eyes.*

*The thing screeches like a cat whose tail has been stepped on when the light hits it, and it cringes back into a corner, covering its head with its arms.  It starts to sob hysterically.*

*Katherine looks striken at the sound, and Titian look around nervously.*


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 19, 2004)

" It is all right dearies, we are here to look after you.  Gus, Grouse, what is making that horrible noise?"

*Worry is settling into Oribella's heart.*


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## Ashy (Nov 19, 2004)

Grouse's eyebrows knit together so tightly that it looks like a giant, tuftted, purple caterpillar has made it's home over his eyes.  His mouth turns into a perfectly straight line.

Grandfather Thistle is NOT HAPPY...

He turns to Gus and then looks to the children and then down to the dandylion...  Not taking his eyes off the silvery flower before him he speaks in a solemn, flat tone.  There is no mistaking the gravity and seriousness in his voice.  "Youngn'us, go wit' Gus and th' other faeries to th' faerie ring, as quickly as ya can.  Be mindful, all of ya.  I fear that th' garden is no longer safe as it once was.  Gus, alert th' others as ya go, as best ya can, but d'not stray from th' quickest path to th' ring.  If ya can, Gus, come back here once ya see th' children safely to th' ring..."

"...Go.  Now..."

Then, Grouse begins to hum an old, old song.  It is a song that is as old as the bones of the world, as old as the headwaters of the fountains that sprung up fresh from the ground when the world was brand new.  A song nearly as old as the song sung by the Creator himself at the beginning of time.  It begins beautifully, low and deep but it quickly becomes fierce and frightening.

Grandfather Thistle begins to dance, but it is a strange thing.  It is as if the faerie is a puppet on a string and is not in control of his own movements; a jerky, disconcerting dance.  The song and the dance end abrupty, on a chord that sounds like the snapping of a tree branch in the dead of winter.  The sound causes one's heart to leap in one's chest...

Grouse, who has not taken his eyes from the dandylion the entire time, looks at it now, with a glimmer of hope...

OOC: Cast break enchantment


----------



## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 19, 2004)

*With a pop, the dandylion now appears to be a dandylion... covered in blood.*


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## Ashy (Nov 19, 2004)

OOC: I don't know if it is my turn again or not, but here are Grouse's actions when it is his turn....

Grouse grimaces when he sees the dandylion and he mutters something about "...blasted and beleagured devils...".  He turns and bellows down to the creature at the bottom of the well, "Ya don't like that light none, eh?  Well, if'n ya want me to nix it then ya better start talkin' and tell me what yer doin' here.  And before ya open yer mouth and start yammerin' with that forked tongue o' yers, ya'd better tell me th' truth - I'll know if'n yer lyin' and there's a *WHOLE FOUNTAIN 'AT FLOWS WIT' HOLY WATER UP HERE* - I'd be more'n happy ta give ya a bath if need be, devil!"

Grouse lets his anger, which is very, very real and palpable cover his spoken lie to the fiend, he only hopes that the creature will not be able to call his bluff.  _'At least 'til Gus gets back'_, he thinks to himself.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 19, 2004)

*At Grouse's words, the little devil begins to cry like a heartbroken child.*

*Grouse and Gus would know that the blood of a devil can be used to trade favors with the Infernal Court.  It seems to be a rather roundabout and costly way of granting a wish.*


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## Ashy (Nov 19, 2004)

*"Quit Ya's Bawlin' And Start Talkin'!"*


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 20, 2004)

*After being shooded away to the garden, Oribella make sure the children are safe and behaving and makes her way back to where she can see the well and listen to all that passes between the creature inside and Grouse.  She keeps still and holds her breathe least the thistle's anger comes down on her.*


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## hafrogman (Nov 20, 2004)

Gus whispers to the thistle.

"Be careful Grouse, that's a very large demon down there.  Evil and powerful."

Then he hops down off the well at Grouse's words, barely even concious of the fact that he was taking orders from the thistle.  He turns to face the children and new arrivals.

"Come along now, Grandpa has got it well in hand I'm sure.  We just need to step back aways and let him do his work.  Come along now, children."

[ooc - is there a fairy ring that provides safety?  If not, Gus will just lead the children to their sisters and tell them to play quietly in the flower gardens for a while]


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## Steve Gorak (Nov 20, 2004)

Tuk, keeping quiet while he watched the situation unfold, says in a worried voice:

'Maybe you children can go and play in the house. I suspect the weather may turn ugly. Why don't you run along dears..."

Once the children are away, Tuk will cast Circle of Binding (BOEMIII p75) on the bottom pf the well, to prevent the demon from leaving.

He will aslo activate his ring of force shield (OCC:free action).


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## Ashy (Nov 21, 2004)

Grouse's head snaps up when he hears Tuk's words, "Nay - th' young'uns should stay wit' us!  Th' house might not be safe anymor'.  If they-", the thistle points down the well, "-can get here, then likely t'is that they can worm their way into th' house.  Further, I fear that they've been here before..."  His eyes fall to the blood-soaked dandylion.

Grouse thanks Tuk for the _binding_, as now he feels like he can go with the children...


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 21, 2004)

*The others hurry the children to a fairy ring, one marked with several blue stone in a ring deep in the graveyard.  Katherine and Titian say there, both of them looking afraid.  Oribella comforts them as best she can.*

*Tuk casts his spell of binding to keep the devil contained, though Grouse's words only cause more crying and wailing out of the little thing.*


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## Ashy (Nov 22, 2004)

Once Grouse arrives at the ring, he consoles Titian, patting his hand gently.  "Shush, shush, little one.  Grandfather's here...all is well.  All will be well..."  Once the boy has calmed down a bit, the thistle asks gently, "Titian, can ye tell me what th' voice in th' well said to ye?  Have ye heard that voice a'fore?"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Nov 22, 2004)

*As Grouse appreaches the ring Oribella hurrys back to the children and settles once again on Katherine's shoulder.  She smiles to the girl questionly as Grandfather talks with Titian.*



"It is all right dearest.  Answer Grandfather, he needs to know." she says to the little boy.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 30, 2004)

*Titian seems to relax a bit with the fairies' coaxing.*

"I've heard it once before..." he says, and then looks at Katherine.  She nods at him, and he continues.  "I heard it in a dream.  And I thought it might come true.  What's in the well, Grampy Grouse?"


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## Ashy (Nov 30, 2004)

Grouse looks kindly upon the lad, but he stays the course.  "Wha' did th' voice say exactly?  Wha' did th' voice say would come true?"  His purple eyes fall briefly to Katherine and he gives the older girl a worried, but encouraging look.  He replies to both children this time, "It's very, very important that ye both be truthful wit' me, young'uns - there's somethin' awful and dangerous in th' well and only th' truth can protect us from it's evil..."


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## Steve Gorak (Dec 1, 2004)

Tuk keeps a weary eye on the devil. He casts a persistent (24h) thunderlance (FR campaign setting p. 75) and is ready to strike the moment he perceives any hostile action. Talking to the beast, he shouts:

"Move not and speak only when spoken to. If not, I shall slay you where you stand, it's your choice" 

Tuk is fully alert and is aware that the devil could try to cast a silent spell. Again, he'll strike if he thinks the devil is doing this. Also, Tuk is paying attention to the duration of his circle of binding spell. If it's going to reach the end of its duration anytime soon (OCC: I'm not sure how much time has passed), Tuk will cast a persistent (24h) version of Circle of Binding (BOEMIII p75).


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## hafrogman (Dec 1, 2004)

Gus paces back and forth in the ring, watching Grouse and Oribella try to get some answers from Titian.  He wrings his hands together, but remains silent.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 2, 2004)

*Oribella watches Gus pace back and forth in worry.  She catches Tuk out of the corner of her eye minding the well and the creature within it, he seems to have everything under control with his binding spell.  With that thought Oribella leaves the childern in the thistle's care while she checks on Gus.*

" I know the evil within the well has you worried, but is there anything else weighting on your mind dear? " She says placing a hand on his shoulder and gesturing to the well where Tuk keeps guard.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 3, 2004)

"I was dreaming I was here, by the well.  And then I remember seeing Mother, and she had a baby with her.  She smiled at me, and the baby waved... and then I heard the voice from the well saying if I wished it, it would come true," Titian confesses.



			
				Tuk said:
			
		

> "Move not and speak only when spoken to. If not, I shall slay you where you stand, it's your choice"



  *There's a faint whimper from the well, which cuts off quickly with a squeak of dismay.*


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## hafrogman (Dec 3, 2004)

Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> " I know the evil within the well has you worried, but is there anything else weighting on your mind dear? " She says placing a hand on his shoulder and gesturing to the well where Tuk keeps guard.




Gus leans in close and whispers to the fairy so that the children do not overhear.

"It's nothing more than you know, but it's more than just the presence of the demon that upsets me.  I'm also worried about how it got there, and what it was trying to do there, and why none of us knew it was there before.  It scares me that something so malevolent has been here underneath our noses for any amount of time."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 4, 2004)

*Putting her arm around the mushroom she tries to easy his worry a bit*

"The creature must have just arrived.  There is no way something so horrible would have been able to get past Grouse and yourself.  I wouldn't fret too much Deary, for all we know it could have surfaced just this morning."  With those last words she can not help but wonder if her and Tuk's arrival was not part of something bigger.


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## Ashy (Dec 5, 2004)

Isida Kep'Tukari said:
			
		

> "I was dreaming I was here, by the well.  And then I remember seeing Mother, and she had a baby with her.  She smiled at me, and the baby waved... and then I heard the voice from the well saying if I wished it, it would come true," Titian confesses.




Grouse smiles and pats the lad's hand.  "Thank ya, thank ya, lad.  Grandpa Grouse surely appreciates it...  Tell me, though - was that just this mornin' that ya heard it, or afore today?"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 5, 2004)

*Titian looks at Katherine again, and she squeezes his hand.*

"I've had the dreams for about a week, but they were kinda pale, like they weren't really real," he says and furrows his brow.  "When I had it last night, it was all colorful, just like really being there."


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## Ashy (Dec 5, 2004)

Grouse nods, still smiling.  "Good job, lad.  If'n ya remember anythin' else, you be sure and tell ol' Grampy, eh?", he nods as if hoping the child will truthfully do so as well...

He then looks to Katherine, "And you, lass?  It seems you've known about this afore today as well..."  He leaves his comment kind, but totally open-ended...


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 5, 2004)

"Titian told me... And there was something else.  The dream said to do it secretly," she murmurs with a touch of reluctance.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 6, 2004)

*Seeing Grouse smiling to the children Oribella gives a nods to Gus and heads back to her preach on Katherine's shoulder.*

" Did you little dears give Grandfather the information he needed?"  She questions them while looking at the thistle with a raised eyebow.


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## Ashy (Dec 6, 2004)

Isida Kep'Tukari said:
			
		

> "Titian told me... And there was something else.  The dream said to do it secretly," she murmurs with a touch of reluctance.




Grouse nods, stroking his prickly chin.  "Aye, aye, that sounds about right..."  He nods to both children, smiling at them.  "Ya've both done well, mightly well, I must say.  Thankee, young'uns, thankee.  I think that it would be best if the two of you ran back to th' house ta play for now, whilst we little folk deal with this problem..."

He waits for the children to leave and then calls all the fairies in the garden to the ring for a "...mightly important meetin'..."

OOC: Weren't there other folks playing as well?  I have not seen them posting...


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## Steve Gorak (Dec 7, 2004)

Ashy said:
			
		

> He waits for the children to leave and then calls all the fairies in the garden to the ring for a "...mightly important meetin'..."




"I'll keep an eye on him" , Tuk says, poiniting at the devil.

OCC: Can Tuk hear what is being said around the fairy ring?


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 7, 2004)

*If Tuk strains a bit, he can hear them, yes.*


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## Ashy (Dec 7, 2004)

OOC: So is this it then, Isida???


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 7, 2004)

*Do you want to go down to the devil in the well?  Try to get him to calm down and speak to him?  Banish him?  Kill him?  Paint him pink?  Seal the well?*


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 7, 2004)

{ooc:  I vote for painting him pink!!!  }


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## Ashy (Dec 7, 2004)

OOC: I really want him to talk, but all he does is keeps on whining and crying!


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 7, 2004)

OOC - Well give him something to cry about!


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## Ashy (Dec 7, 2004)

OOC: I am ears for idears!  Please, let me know what you guys wanna do!


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 7, 2004)

ooc:  Lets go see who sent the little whinner and why... sound like a plan?  If we dont like his answer then we can "give him something to whine about"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 8, 2004)

* With the children out of sight Oribella's fear and curiousity get the best of her.  She goes to the well and stand on its rim.  Giving an uneasy look to Tuk she takes a deep breath.*

" Listen, and listen good demon.  For what purpose are you here and who send to carry out whatever purpose you where sent for?  I demand answers NOW!"  Her fear rages as her mind wonders on what horrible things are in store.  She is shaking and can not control the anger in her voice.


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## Ashy (Dec 8, 2004)

Grouse waits for Oribella, knowing that her words will fall on deaf ears....


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 8, 2004)

*Oribella glances over her shoulder at Grouse, reading the look on his face, she flops down on the edge of well and waits stubbornly.  She knows full well that this is a waste of time, but doesn't know what else to do.*

" ahrrrrr! " She growls in frustration and puts on an angry pout.


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## Ashy (Dec 8, 2004)

Grouse walks over and whispers to the others so that only they can hear.  "We only have two choices, as I see it.  We go down there or we let it lose up here..."  The thistle looks to the faeries around him.  "What say ye?"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 8, 2004)

"I would rather not let loose that evil where it may get away from us, so I say we go down there.  Though we should keep the binding spell on it and stay out of its reach." She looks to others to see if they agree and if Tuk will be willing to continue the spell.

" Tuk?  There is only one demon down there, right?"  she asks hesistantly


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 8, 2004)

*After a few moments of gasping cries, words that actually make sense start to come up the well.*

"I... I was sent here.  Cursed.  I don't know my name, or where I came from... I just know that I'm here, and I'm cursed, and I can't get out, and I have to do what they told me to..." he whispers breathily, as if afraid of being overheard.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 8, 2004)

* Startled by actual word coming from the bottom of the well, Oribella settles back down on the rim and trys talking with the demon again.*

" Tell me...Who cursed you?  Who is ordering you and to do what?" she asks in an insistant, but gentle voice.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 9, 2004)

"Don't, don't know...  I see words on the walls, I follow them, and if I don't... if I don't..." he says, and then gives a whimper of pain.


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## Steve Gorak (Dec 9, 2004)

Does Tuk sence that the devil is lying? (OCC: Sense motive : + 18 )


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 9, 2004)

*Tuk believes the devil is telling the truth.*


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 9, 2004)

" What do the words on the wall say?  Can you read them to me?"  Oribella tries again to get some answers and to keep the demon talking instead of crying.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 9, 2004)

"They say... they say... 'grant them the wishes, of life and death, curses and luck, power and blight,'" the devil says, its voice growing stronger and more resonant as he recites the words.  "And then it says, 'wishes flow from the power of blood within you,' which is how I knew how to... how to... give the wishes.  But I felt kinda faint after..."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 9, 2004)

" Is that why you have been crying?  How often have you done this... wish granting?  Do you have any other magic abilties?  Again, she tries to keep him talking hoping his answer will help Grouse, or Gus, or Tuk figure out how long the demon has been in the well and for what purpose he was put there.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 9, 2004)

"For... for a while... I really don't know.  Some times the sky above is blue, sometimes there's trees, sometimes there's mountains...  I don't think I'm very magical... the iron hurts me," he whimpers, pointing to the iron grate that keeps him confined.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 9, 2004)

"So this is not the only place you have been confined to?  What else can you tell me about the wishes you have granted?  Have you granted any others for the little one that was here a little bit ago?"  She looks to the other to make sure she is on the right track with her interogation.  Oribella keeps her voice soft and comforting as it seems to be helping the tortured creature.


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## Ashy (Dec 9, 2004)

Now that the devil is talking, Grouse dispells the daylight.  "I can bring back th' burnin' light if need be devil!  Keep talkin'!"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 9, 2004)

*Oribella shoots the thistle a cross look.*

*She whispers to grumpy grampy* " Please don't scare him... he is finally not whining!"



[ooc:  Ashy!!!   ]


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## Ashy (Dec 9, 2004)

The thistle looks chastized for a moment, but then quickly resumes his usual, pinched scowl...

OOC:   !!!


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 9, 2004)

*With a satisfied smile Oribella bows to the elder.*

" Thank you, Grandfather."


[ooc: hee hee  ]


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 9, 2004)

Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> "So this is not the only place you have been confined to?  What else can you tell me about the wishes you have granted?  Have you granted any others for the little one that was here a little bit ago?"  She looks to the other to make sure she is on the right track with her interogation.  Oribella keeps her voice soft and comforting as it seems to be helping the tortured creature.



  "Sometimes people ask for... for people to fall in love with them.  And sometimes they... they ask for gold... or jewels... sometimes they ask for revenge...  And I dream, I dream, I dream their dreams and I show them the well... but this is the first time I've seen this sky, first time..." he mutters in a sing-song voice, utterly ignoring both the lack of daylight and Grouse's grumbling.  Looking down in the well you can see the little devil has his arms wrapped about his legs and is rocking next to the wall, his eyes fixed on some spot on the ground.


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## Ashy (Dec 9, 2004)

Grouse whispers into the autumn fairy, "Ask who sent 'im here.  Who showed him th' well in th' first place?"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 9, 2004)

* Oribella nods to Grouse.*

" Can you tell me who showed you the writing on the walls?  What they sounded like, or what they said to you?"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 9, 2004)

"Don't know... don't know.  Like I don't know who I am... or where I come from.  The writing just comes, and there are dreams... I look into darkness, and there's a voice, big and loud and it hurts my ears and it tells me what I... I have to do," he mutters.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 9, 2004)

" Calm down, it is all right.  Is there anything you can tell me?  Anything you remember at all?"  Oribella's voice is dripping with sweetness and comfort.  She looks to Grouse for any other questions or another direction he wants her to try.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 9, 2004)

"I just... I just have to give them their wish... I have to dream their dreams, get them to make a wish... and if I do enough... maybe I'll get to remember..." he says, and gives a sigh that's half sob.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 9, 2004)

" Now, clam down.  You are all right.  We will not hurt you so you can just stop the tears.  Where does the pain come from if you do not grant the wish for someone?  Does someone come to you or does the pain just appear?"  Oribella is running out of questions, and the demon's pain and torment are upsetting her.  She feels for the little guy, even though he is supposedly evil.  She believes he is being manipulated.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 9, 2004)

"If I... if I don't do what is written... I just hurt, hurt all over... like... like fire!" he says, furrowing his brow.


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## Ashy (Dec 9, 2004)

Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> " Calm down, it is all right.  Is there anything you can tell me?  Anything you remember at all?"  Oribella's voice is dripping with sweetness and comfort.  She looks to Grouse for any other questions or another direction he wants her to try.




Grouse whispers, "Ask him where he was before he came here."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 9, 2004)

" Can you tell me what it is was like before you  came to this well.  Where there the mountains you spoke of, or was it the treed area, or some place else?  Where there children there as well?"  Oribella knows she is boombarding the poor creature, but they need any answers he can give.

" What wishes did you grant there?" she asks as an after thought.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 10, 2004)

Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> " Can you tell me what it is was like before you  came to this well.  Where there the mountains you spoke of, or was it the treed area, or some place else?  Where there children there as well?"  Oribella knows she is boombarding the poor creature, but they need any answers he can give.
> 
> " What wishes did you grant there?" she asks as an after thought.



  "The... the last place was... had trees, tall ones, with needles.  It was cold and it snowed on me.  There were... were little ones, with hats and scarves and rosy cheeks... they wished... they wished that their father come back safe... safe from hunting a bear... I made the bear die, so he was safe... safe..."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 10, 2004)

"That was a sweet thing you did for those little one and their father.  What about the boy from earlier.... did you grant his wish?  How do we know that it will indeed come true and nothing bad will come from the wish being granted? How did you get to his dreams?"   She continues in her soft voice.


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## hafrogman (Dec 10, 2004)

Gus has fallen silent as he watches the various conversations around him.  He wanders over to Grouse as Oribella interogates the demon.  He leans in close and whispers to the thistle so as not to be overheard by the children.

"What are we going to do?  This is no little mischevious unseelie, this thing is really evil."


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## Ashy (Dec 10, 2004)

hafrogman said:
			
		

> Gus has fallen silent as he watches the various conversations around him.  He wanders over to Grouse as Oribella interogates the demon.  He leans in close and whispers to the thistle so as not to be overheard by the children.
> 
> "What are we going to do?  This is no little mischevious unseelie, this thing is really evil."




Grouse rubs his prickly chin, "I know, I know...but 'ere is something 'at ain't right here...I just can't put my finger on it."  The looks down, wrapped in thought, and then looks up to Gus, "Wha'd'ya know about -their- kind?", he jerks his thumb back towards the well, indicating the devil.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 13, 2004)

Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> "That was a sweet thing you did for those little one and their father.  What about the boy from earlier.... did you grant his wish?  How do we know that it will indeed come true and nothing bad will come from the wish being granted? How did you get to his dreams?"   She continues in her soft voice.



  "I didn't... didn't... he didn't take the flower...  The dreams, I got in by... by seeing the pictures in his head... saw them, showed them my pictures, yes I did," he says dreamily, rocking back and forth.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 13, 2004)

" So the wishes can only be granted if the wisher takes a token from you? Can you tell me how you knew what pictures to show the people to get them to wish.  Does the voice tell you what to show them? " Oribella breaths a quite sigh knowing Titian's wish was not granted.  She looks to see if Grouse overheard that part.  

_One less thing to worry about._  The thought is not much a comfort, but a little is better then none.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 13, 2004)

Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> " So the wishes can only be granted if the wisher takes a token from you? Can you tell me how you knew what pictures to show the people to get them to wish.  Does the voice tell you what to show them? " Oribella breaths a quite sigh knowing Titian's wish was not granted.  She looks to see if Grouse overheard that part.
> 
> _One less thing to worry about._  The thought is not much a comfort, but a little is better then none.



  "I don't get them... them to wish.  They wish what they want.  I just... just show them where I am, in the well, and what to... to do.  Just show them..."


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## Ashy (Dec 13, 2004)

"Can he grant his own wishes?", whispers Grouse to the autumn fairy...


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 13, 2004)

*Oribella nods to Grouse.*

"Can you grant your own wishes?"she ask of the demon.  She also looks to Gus and Tuk to see if there is any answer they want from the creature trapped in the well.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 13, 2004)

"No... no... can't... not my own, it's my curse..."


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## Ashy (Dec 13, 2004)

Isida Kep'Tukari said:
			
		

> "Sometimes people ask for... for people to fall in love with them.  And sometimes they... they ask for gold... or jewels... sometimes they ask for revenge...  And I dream, I dream, I dream their dreams and I show them the well... but this is the first time I've seen this sky, first time..." he mutters in a sing-song voice, utterly ignoring both the lack of daylight and Grouse's grumbling.  Looking down in the well you can see the little devil has his arms wrapped about his legs and is rocking next to the wall, his eyes fixed on some spot on the ground.




Grouse whispers, "Ask him what the sky looked like in some of the other places?  Does the well always look like this; where is he when he is not in the well?"


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## hafrogman (Dec 13, 2004)

Gus whispers to Grouse.

"Sadly, I don't really have any experience with giant demon thingies living in wells. . . or maybe that should be 'thankfully'"

Then he muses to himself.

"I wonder if we can wish him back where he came from. . ."


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## Ashy (Dec 14, 2004)

hafrogman said:
			
		

> Gus whispers to Grouse.
> 
> "Sadly, I don't really have any experience with giant demon thingies living in wells. . . or maybe that should be 'thankfully'"
> 
> ...




Grouse smiles grimly, "Nor me, lad, nor me..."  At Gus' musing, the old thistle again rubs his prickly chin.  "Hmmmmmm", he says.

OOC: Knowledge (arcana) +14 [13 ranks, +1 Int]
Knowledge (nature) +14 [13 ranks, +1 Int] to see if Grouse knows anything about dealing with devils, or anything else that might provide a bit of direction...


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 14, 2004)

Ashy said:
			
		

> Grouse whispers, "Ask him what the sky looked like in some of the other places?  Does the well always look like this; where is he when he is not in the well?"





" Tell me some more... What did the sky look like in the last place?  DOes the well you are in look like the others you have been in?  When you are not in a well where do you stay?  I know I have been asking you a lot of question, but if I, we rather, are to help you we need to know everything you can tell us." Oribella tries to wring a few monre answers from the creature trapped in the dark.


ooc:  Ori is really starting to feel pity for this thing.  Before too long she is going to want free it.  She is not so sure that is evil anymore.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 15, 2004)

*Grouse knows that Gus saw the creature as a big devil, but he only sees it as a little imp.  Probably the creature's shape has been changed.  And because it can't leave and its memory is faulty, it seems as if someone has cursed this creature.*



			
				Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> " Tell me some more... What did the sky look like in the last place?  DOes the well you are in look like the others you have been in?  When you are not in a well where do you stay?  I know I have been asking you a lot of question, but if I, we rather, are to help you we need to know everything you can tell us." Oribella tries to wring a few more answers from the creature trapped in the dark.



  "The sky... sky had more trees, more green.  The well, it always looks the same to me.  I'm always in the well, always, don't know any other place, always in the well... always..."


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## Ashy (Dec 15, 2004)

Grouse's fuzzy purple brows knit together and an intense frown flows over his features.  Finally, he sighs and looks to Oribella, "I think we need ta try an' remove whatever curse lies o'er this creature.  While it may make 'im more powerful and it may release 'im from th' well, it is our only change ta find out who's behind all o' this.  My worry is that whate'er cursed this thing...t'is likely 'at it'll be far beyond any of us in power and skill.  I just hope we can deal wit' it..."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 16, 2004)

*Oribella nods solmenly.  She takes a deep breath and spreads her hand out over the well.  Oribella casts _Remove Curse_ and stands quietly to see what danger may be instore.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 16, 2004)

*As Oribella's spell washes over the imp, he seems to ripple and then swell before your eyes.  With a short scream, he grows from a little imp barely the size of a cat, to a muscular brute with bat wings, horns, a pointed tail, and red skin, fully as large as any two men put together.  He's now cramped up in the fetal position beneath the grate, tail wrapped around his body and wings clamped tight to his back.*

"What?  What?  How... you broke the curse!" he says with astonishment, sounding relieved.  "Get me out of here!"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 16, 2004)

*Oribella looks to Grouse, Gus, and Tuk with a look that simply says "oops!".  A creature of that size was not what she was expecting.*

"ummm.... what do we do with him now?" Oribella asks tenatively.


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## Ashy (Dec 16, 2004)

Grouse, recalling what Gus' true seeing revealed earlier, seems nonplussed.  He speaks to the fiend - "Who and what are ya?  Who cursed ya and who sent ya here?"


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## Steve Gorak (Dec 18, 2004)

Tuk having kept quiet for a while mutters to the other fey:
My binding spell is going to end soon. I have the power to cast one that will last a full day. Shall I do so?

He still keeps ready to strike the demon with his thunderlance.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 18, 2004)

Ashy said:
			
		

> Grouse, recalling what Gus' true seeing revealed earlier, seems nonplussed.  He speaks to the fiend - "Who and what are ya?  Who cursed ya and who sent ya here?"



  "My name... is Xylonos, and I am a devil.  I was... disobedient to those above me, I gave away slaves that were not mine to give to curry favor with another.  Those above me cursed me and banished me here..." he says slowly, as if just remembering himself.


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## Ashy (Dec 18, 2004)

Steve Gorak said:
			
		

> Tuk having kept quiet for a while mutters to the other fey:
> My binding spell is going to end soon. I have the power to cast one that will last a full day. Shall I do so?
> 
> He still keeps ready to strike the demon with his thunderlance.




Grouse nods, and then whispers so that the others can hear, but the devil (hopefully) cannot.  "Can we tell if'n he speaks th' truth?"


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## Ashy (Dec 18, 2004)

Isida Kep'Tukari said:
			
		

> "My name... is Xylonos, and I am a devil.  I was... disobedient to those above me, I gave away slaves that were not mine to give to curry favor with another.  Those above me cursed me and banished me here..." he says slowly, as if just remembering himself.




"And just what did those above ya want ya to do here, Xylonos?"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 18, 2004)

"They wished for me to grant the wishes... so that they could corrput them," he whispers.


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## Ashy (Dec 18, 2004)

Isida Kep'Tukari said:
			
		

> "They wished for me to grant the wishes... so that they could corrput them," he whispers.




"And am I to assume that ye'd want nothing to do with that sort of activity?", Grouse asks.  One can hear the doubt, laced with sarcasm, in his craggy voice.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 18, 2004)

"I don't want to be here!  I didn't want to give anything to anyone!  Giving away my blood, my magic, makes me weaker!  There's a reason devils don't do it unless they get something out of it in return," Xylonos snaps.  "They meant to condemn me to a slow death while _they_ reaped the power from the wishes gone bad."


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## Ashy (Dec 18, 2004)

"What did _they_ want with these young'uns?" Grouse asks, unmoved by the devil's outburst of seeming emotion...


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 18, 2004)

"What else to devils want?  They want _them_.  They corrupt, it's our nature.  If they can bend them to their will, they can work their will on the world without raising suspicion.  A harmless wish for a brother is granted, then perhaps one for a new toy.  Perhaps they want a bully to go away.  Power corrupts, and eventually they would pay a price, they would do _our_ bidding," the devil says in a nasty tone.


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## Ashy (Dec 18, 2004)

"Why these young'nus, specifically, devil?"  There is an edge of steel in the thistle's voice...


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 18, 2004)

"They have power.  All places I've been sent, the children have had power within them.  They will grow up to be great, and we want their greatness," the devil says with a sneer in his voice.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 18, 2004)

*With that last comment from the devil, Oribella gasps with fright.*

_What have I got into?  To think I was feeling sympathy for this thing._ She is in shock and displeased with herself for being swayed so easily.  Turning she looks to the house wondering what greatness will come from those childern.
_Damn, my soft heart.  I almost let this evil out._


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 19, 2004)

*The devil turns himself in the well, and looks up at the fairies perched on the well's rim.  He looks at them with sulfur-yellow eyes that burn with internal light, and licks his sharp, sharp teeth with his long serpant's tongue, leering at Oribella.*

"Let me out and I'll leave.  I never wanted to be here," he says softly, and grips the iron bars with his massive taloned hands.  The iron seers into his hands with a sizzling sound, and he lets out a low curse in the Infernal tongue.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 19, 2004)

*Oribella hardens her gaze as she turns to the devil.*

I think not!  Let you out,  Indeed!  You said yourself it is your nature to corrupt.  Whether you wanted to be here or not, how could one such as yourself turn from such an opportunity. She is beside herself with the mere thought of his reched hide loose on these grounds.  

"You will be staying right where you are at, demon.  So make yourself comfortable!"  The ice in her voice is thick and palpable.


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## Steve Gorak (Dec 20, 2004)

Sensing his binding spell coming close to an end, Tuk will cast a persistent  circle binding spell (OCC: 8th level slot for 24h duration, BOEMIII p75).
Tuk then mutters: The devil is now stuck there for a full day.  With a cold almost detached tone, Tuk then says: Shall will destroy him now?


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## Ashy (Dec 20, 2004)

Grouse holds his tongue, letting the devil's words sink into the autumn fairy's head.  '_She needs to see this thing for what it is_', he thinks to himself.  He nods at her words, agreeing with them silently.

He then looks to Tuk, "I am afraid that we'd be hard pressed ta do so, Tuk.  A'sides, this whole thing stinks to high heaven - there's something amiss here.  Why curse him?  He seems more than willin' ta do what his Lords want...  Somethin' just ain't addin' up..."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 20, 2004)

*Oribella turns from the devil in the well.*

"If the little ones are to be great why is this _thing_ so eager to leave?  Unless it fears us.  I would think he has more to fear from those who cursed him to begin with. With that last comment her eyes went wide.  Turning to the well she shouts down.  "Demon, tell me who cursed you and why.  Who are _they_?


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## Ashy (Dec 20, 2004)

Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> *Oribella turns from the devil in the well.*
> 
> "If the little ones are to be great why is this _thing_ so eager to leave?  Unless it fears us.  I would think he has more to fear from those who cursed him to begin with. With that last comment her eyes went wide.  Turning to the well she shouts down.  "Demon, tell me who cursed you and why.  Who are _they_?




"It wants ta leave so it can get out amongst us - and wreak havoc most likely..."  Grouse then listens to Oribella and to the subsequent response from the devil.


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## hafrogman (Dec 21, 2004)

Gus nods at Grouse's comments

"If that thing gets loose then it's free to do whatever it wants here, on our world instead of being in whatever hell spawned it.  With luck I might be able to send it home tommorrow."


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Dec 21, 2004)

Lady Shatterstone said:
			
		

> *Oribella turns from the devil in the well.*
> 
> "If the little ones are to be great why is this _thing_ so eager to leave?  Unless it fears us.  I would think he has more to fear from those who cursed him to begin with. With that last comment her eyes went wide.  Turning to the well she shouts down.  "Demon, tell me who cursed you and why.  Who are _they_?



  "_They_ are my lord Lucifer, as well as his lackey Moloch.  As I said, I was once a powerful slaver under them.  I send slaves to one of their rivals to gain favor.  They found out, and they cursed me with a tiny form and lost memories, and condemned me to bleed out all my magic for their pleasure," Xylonos says in an acid tone.


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## Ashy (Dec 21, 2004)

hafrogman said:
			
		

> Gus nods at Grouse's comments
> 
> "If that thing gets loose then it's free to do whatever it wants here, on our world instead of being in whatever hell spawned it.  With luck I might be able to send it home tommorrow."




The thistle nods and then asks, concern apparent in his voice, "Will yer binding hold 'til then?"

Once the devil has mentioned his superiors, Grouse raises his furry purple eyebrows.  He pulls Tuk and Oribella aside and whispers so that only they can hear, "I was right - there's lil' chance o' us defeatin' this thing, if'n he answered to Lucifer once...  I think we need to send 'im home, but I've got an idea - what say we try and cut a deal wit' 'im?  He owes us - we've removed his curse and if we send 'im back now he can try and get his revenge.  We send him home in exchange for him never trying to deal wit' the young'uns again...  T'is risky, for suren, dealin' with a devil, but it well might be our only hope.  If'n we send 'im home like he is now, then he's likely to want to take revenge on us for showin' him up.  We need to distract 'im with a greater prize, see?"

The thistle looks to the mushroom and the autumn fairy, trying to gauge their reactions...


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## Lady Shatterstone (Dec 21, 2004)

"As risky as it seems, it looks to be our only option.  As for sending him home... Gus mentioned he can do that, I also have a spell for that if there be a need."  She looks to Gus and Tuk to see if they also agree.


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## Steve Gorak (Dec 22, 2004)

If we send him home, others will know that no harm came to him. Other could come...If we slay him, the message will be clear. 
Now, I can cast a snowstorm that will last all day. If devils are affected by cold, he'll die after a while. However, if you all think it is better to send him back where he came from, I'll what I can to assist.


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## hafrogman (Dec 23, 2004)

Gus thinks about Tuk's comment.

"If demons and devils could come here any time they want, wouldn't we be overrun with them?  I always thought they had to be called to our world by something or someone.  Something certainly put this one here for whatever purpose."


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jan 19, 2005)

"Well?  Are you going to let me out?  I can reward you for your trouble, one final wish, pure as the driven snow," Xylonos says in a tone as smooth as the finest cream.


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## hafrogman (Jan 19, 2005)

Frowning in the direction of the well, Gus starts moving away and gestures for the others to follow.  He leans in close to them and whispers, not wanting any more of the discussion to be overheard by the demon.

"I really think it would be a bad idea to give him what he wants.  I don't trust him. . . not as far as I could throw him."


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## Ashy (Jan 19, 2005)

"I agree, but it ain't him so much that I'm worried with; its whoever sent him..."  Grouse looks in the direction of the house and the children within, "...and what they want with th' young'ns..."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jan 20, 2005)

* I agree, but what choice do we have.  Having him here in his true form may bring those who sent him within your grounds.* 

She follows Grouse's gaze to the house and lets out a worried sigh.


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## hafrogman (Jan 20, 2005)

Gus shakes his head slowly from side to side.

"We can't spend all our time second guessing.  It could be that setting him free will actually be what summons his masters.  We need to be ready to protect our charges no matter what we decide.  Something is bound to happen whatever way we decide."


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## Ashy (Jan 20, 2005)

Grouse thinks in silence for a while, his bushy brows knitted together.  He then, without looking up, says, "Cast the snowstorm.  We need to kill it."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jan 20, 2005)

*Oribella nods solemly at the thistle's words.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jan 28, 2005)

*The snowstorm falls down upon the trapped devil, freezing him and chilling him to the bone.  He reviles you through the day, his voice growing weaker and weaker.  But just as the sun sets, he says his final words.*

"The... children... will leave... their house... before the year ends... and not see it for another year... if ever!"


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## Ashy (Jan 29, 2005)

Grouse makes himself stand, watch and listen to the whole, horrid affair.  He feels pity - not for the devil, but for himself and his fellow faeries - the taking of life was not a trival thing...

His ever-present frown deepens as the devil speaks its final words.  He turns to look at his fellows, "We need to prepare and we need to try and find out why this is happening...  I think a trip to the House is in order."


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## hafrogman (Jan 29, 2005)

Gus shudders at the thought of what they have done.  Even to such an evil creature as was trapped there, the slow death was a horrible thing to envision.  He bites his lower lip and trembles slightly.  However, he manages to pull himself together at Grouse's words.

"Right. . . into the house.  Let's go."


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## Ashy (Jan 30, 2005)

Grouse sets off for the house...


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jan 31, 2005)

*Oribella's soft face deepens with sadness.  This was not the first time she had taken a life... nor would it be last, she was sure.  She raises her eyes to watch Grouse and Gus head toward the house.  Casting a glance to Tuk and then to the house she is hesistant to follow.  Oribella can not help but to feel somewhat responseble. *


_Was this terrible event and my arrival merely a coincedant, or am I to blame for any harm that may befall these children?_

*Steeling her resolve to not take the blame she slowly follows after the mushroom and the thistle, hoping neither of them will send her away.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jan 31, 2005)

*Slipping into the house by the route used by the family cats, the guardians find themselves within the walls of the house, within the nooks and crannies that the pets and servants used to slip about without disturbing the family within.  You head up to the childrens' nursery, and hear a faint sobbing.  Inside, Katherine leans against her brother's large cradle bed, crying while Titian attempts to comfort his sister.  The walls are covered with murals depicting various fantastic tales of old, but they give little comfort today.*


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## hafrogman (Jan 31, 2005)

Seeing his charge's distress, Gus hurries out into the nursery.  He heads quickly towards the two children, but slows as he nears them.  He feels strange intruding on her grief, here in her own element as it were.  He eventually pauses while still a short distance from the pair and nervously clears his throat.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jan 31, 2005)

*Titian looks up, and then pokes his sister in the side.*

"Katherine!" he hisses loudly.  She turns and sees Gus, and with a renewed freshet of tears, gathers up the little mushroom, her sorrow dampening his cap.

"I-I'm so-orry, I was j-just s-so _s-s-scared!_" she says, her voice catching with sobs.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jan 31, 2005)

*Oribella flutters to the window sill in a blink of golden shimmer.  She uses the warmth of the sun to ease the pain in her heart.  As a small smile dances across her face she starts to hum a gentle tune hoping to ease the girls distress.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jan 31, 2005)

*It takes a few minutes, but with the warm sunlight, sweet music, and love of her protective faeries, Katherine's sobs come to an end, and she uncurls from her ball.*

"Th-ank you," she says, fishing out a handkerchief and wiping her nose.  Titian had apparently been waiting for his sister to finish, in a rather spectacular show of restraint for such a curious child.

"What was in the well?  Who was talking?  Why was the dandylion red?" he asks rapidly.


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## Ashy (Jan 31, 2005)

Grouse waves a stilling hand to the youn lad, "All in due time, Master Titian, all in due time.", he smiles kindly.  "First, what's all this ruckus about?  Why all th' waterworks?".  Grouse makes a silly frowining face and pretends that he, too, is crying.  The silliness is not meant to mock, but merely to bring mirth -and possibly- distraction.


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## hafrogman (Jan 31, 2005)

Gus reaches out and rests a tiny hand on Katherine's lap comforting her as much as he can.  He turns a concerned glance towards the inquisitive Titian.  He bites his lip and considers exactly what to explain.  However, Grouse takes charge once more and Gus turns to watch him.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jan 31, 2005)

*Oribella continues to sit on the window sill humming ever so softly.  Following Grouse's example she changes the tune to more of a wimsickle diddy then the lullaby it was before.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Feb 5, 2005)

*After a bit, Katherine stops crying, and even gives a weak smile at the antics of Grouse and the lively tune of Oribella.*

"I'm all right now Grampy Grouse.  Can you tell us... what was in the well?" she asks softly.  Titian hangs on to her every word, and then looks at the faeries with expectation.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Feb 6, 2005)

* Oribella gives the girl a smile and keeps the song going.  As Katerine turns her attention to the thistle, Oribella wonders just how much he is going to reveal.... or how much he should.*


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## hafrogman (Feb 7, 2005)

Gus reaches out and pats Katherine's hand reassuringly.  Grouse has been strangely silent, so he attempts to comfort the children in his own way.  It hurts him not to tell them everything, and he feels in need of a little comfort of his own, but he does his best to explain what happened without becoming too scary and without ever really lying either.  He adopts a smile and tries to sound as untroubled as he can.

"Now, now, I know the thing in the well was scary, but you shouldn't let it get to you so.  It was a naughty, mean sort of spirit, out to cause trouble.  It's gone from there now, and I don't think it'll be back.  But we need your help to make sure that nobody else comes around causing problems."


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Feb 7, 2005)

"Sure!  What do you want us to do?" Titian asks excitedly, delighted at having some adult-like responsibilities... particularly when the adults couldn't do them!


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## Ashy (Feb 7, 2005)

The thistle nods as Gus speaks, as if he agrees with everything the mushroom is saying.  Grouse then takes a back seat for a moment, watching the children speak to Gus.  As they converse he looks around the room for anything that is strange or that seems out of place...

OOC: Spot (untrained) +1


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Feb 7, 2005)

*At the moment, the room is normal as can be, with its plastered frescos of heros and saints decorating the walls.*


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## hafrogman (Feb 7, 2005)

Gus is slightly taken aback by Titian's enthusiasm, and he glances shyly around.  Grouse however, seems to be purposefully not meeting the mushroom's gaze, staring at the paintings that he has to have seen dozens of times before.  He looks down at his hands for a moment, flustered at being the center of attention and regretting having spoken up.  But then the demon's last words come back to him, and he remembers his job.  He coughs nervously and then speaks.

"Well . . . we need you to be our eyes and ears here in the house.  We can't spend all our time in here, but we need to know what's going on in the human world.  Let us know if anything strange or unusual happens, and especially if you hear any more strange voices, dream like or not."

He addresses this last statement at Titian, looking pointedly at the youth.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Feb 7, 2005)

*Oribella continues sit in the window.  She nods as Gud gives his explaination.  She stops humming for now, as it seems that the children have calmed down. *


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## Ashy (Feb 7, 2005)

Grouse finishes his examination of the room, but still does not seem satisified.  He speaks up, to both of the children, "Also, let us know if yer parents start actin' strange - ya know - out o' th' ordinary..."


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Feb 7, 2005)

*Titan nods enthusiastically, and Katherine more solemnly.*

"Papa was called to court, though that's not really unusual..." Titan offers eagerly.


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## Ashy (Feb 7, 2005)

"When?", Grouse asks...


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## Lady Shatterstone (Feb 7, 2005)

* Oribella does not know much about this family yet, but her ears perk up at the tone in Grouse's voice.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Feb 7, 2005)

"He was called this morning, when we were in the garden.  Mama said the king wanted him to... to..." Titian stumbles, trying to remember the exact words, and his sister picks up the narrative.  "'Calm the young hotheads at Court,' that's what mother said.  Papa is very good at getting people to behave."  Titian giggles at the thought of his father sending young men to a corner like he does to his children when they misbehave.


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## Ashy (Feb 7, 2005)

The thistle cocks a furry lavander brow, "What more d'ya young'ns know of this?"


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## hafrogman (Feb 7, 2005)

Gus's forhead crinkles as he frowns slightly.  The children's father being called in to "calm" down "hot heads" implied that there was something causing trouble.  Perhaps it was just mischief, but it could be the sign of trouble brewing.  He turns to the others.

"Perhaps we should go to court to see what's new.  Do you think the king would receive me?"

He puts on a haughty expression as of some stuffy nobleman and begins striding around presumptously before calming down.

"But more seriously, perhaps we should find out what's happening.  It's been a while since I bothered with the rest of the human world."


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## Ashy (Feb 7, 2005)

"It is a possibility..." Grouse replies, smiling slightly at the mushroom's actions.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Feb 7, 2005)

*Oribella listens to the mushroom and the thistle.   She will go along with whatever is deemed the best course of action.*

_Is it wise to leave the children without some one to look after them?_  she sighs as the thought across her mind uninhibated.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Feb 21, 2005)

Ashy said:
			
		

> The thistle cocks a furry lavander brow, "What more d'ya young'ns know of this?"



  "Papa goes to court a lot, and Layla and Ida always try to go along to meet boys," Katherine says with a giggle at Gus' antics.  "Mama says maybe she'll bring them this time and make a holiday of it.  Auntie Lyssia would be happy to look after us."

"She has a lot of cats!  They tickle my nose with their whiskers!" Titian adds with a giggle.


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## Ashy (Feb 24, 2005)

OOC: Have the faeries ever heard of Aunt Lyssia??


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Feb 28, 2005)

OOC - Aunt Lyssia is one of the lesser known members of the family, a spinster older sister of Lady Felada.  She's thought to be a bit batty, and mostly lives alone in the neighboring city of Gathet.  It's not sure all of what she does, but she's known to be something of a scholar.


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## Ashy (Mar 1, 2005)

OOC Note (mainly for the players)...


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## hafrogman (Mar 9, 2005)

Gus wanders over to Grouse and whistles in the thistle's ear.

"Perhaps we should excuse ourselves for now and go and discuss how to proceed."


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## Ashy (Mar 9, 2005)

Grouse nods, "Aye."  Then he looks to the children, "Young'un's, we'll see you in a bit.  Ya know where ta find us if ya here any more voices or anythin' strange..."


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## Lady Shatterstone (Mar 9, 2005)

*Oribella smiles and moves from the window to stand beside Gus and Grouse.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Apr 13, 2005)

*The fairies converse about what would be best to be done for several minutes, but quickly scamper to hide themselves a bit when they hear footsteps on the stairs.  The children's nanny comes in the room bearing a tray of food for the two children.*

"Come now my dears, time to eat," she says kindly.  "Your mother will be wanting you to get ready to go to Auntie Lyssia in two days, so I need you to be thinking of what you want to take with you.  If there's anything special you want, my darlings, just let me know."

*Katherine and Titian banter back and forth about books, toys, outfits they want to take on their trip.  However, the fairies notice that Nanny looks very sad whenever the children are distracted.  She nods when they talk about one toy or another, or mention one of the other children that live around Lyssia, but her mind is obviously elsewhere.  Nanny is perhaps the one adult to whom the fairies could reveal themselves if they chose.  They've suspected that Nanny has caught sight of them once or twice, but she's never made a fuss about it.*


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## Ashy (Apr 13, 2005)

Knowing that they have discussed it before, Grouse turns to the other faeries, "Welp, now's as good a time as any, if'n we're goin' to do it...  What do ya think?", he huffs...


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## Lady Shatterstone (Apr 13, 2005)

*Oribella wrinkles up her pretty little face in thought.*

"I am not sure how often you have come in contact with the Nanny, but now seems to be as good a time as any.  If she can give us the answers we need to protect the little ones, it is worth revealing ourselves."

*She looks to the Nanny and watches her thoughts play upon her features.  Oribella knows the sadden and worried looks displayed in her eyes and soft smile.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Apr 18, 2005)

*Nanny finally chivvies the children off to bed, and takes the dinner-tray out with her.  She pauses as she closes the door to the nursery, and sits in a plushly-upholstered chair just outside the door.*

"You can come out now, little darlings, if that be your wish," she murmurs.  It's something she's said before, usually with no result, but it seems to be a kind of ritual for her.


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## Ashy (Apr 18, 2005)

Taking a deep breath to steele his nerves, Grouse does the unthinkable - he shows himself to an adult.  "Here be I.", he says simply, stepping out into clear view before the Nanny.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Apr 18, 2005)

*Oribella steps out beside the thistle.  She is still very new to this place, but feels a need to protect the kids and the family.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Apr 18, 2005)

*Nanny starts slightly, as she really hadn't been expecting an answer, then smiles kindly upon the collection of faeires.*

"Well, mercy me.  I never thought I'd see your like again.  Saw your kind a bit in my youth, but not for years beyond reckoning.  But if there ever 'twas a time, this would be it.  Tell me little ones, what be you doing showing yourself to an old biddy like me?" Nanny says softly.


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## Ashy (Apr 18, 2005)

Grouse "harumphs" slighty before beginning, but begin he does, with a slight, if not stiff bow.  "Once bless'd, always bless'd, the ol' sayin' goes, ma'm.  We show ourselves 'cause we need your help, somethin' is wrong here, in this house and we fear for th' young'uns..."


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Apr 18, 2005)

"Tell me what you wish to know, spirits of Faerie, and I'll help as I'm able," she says, leaning forward to see them better.


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## Ashy (Apr 19, 2005)

Grouse details all that has gone before, sparing no details.  Once he finishes, he asks, "What saddness holds sway over you, Ma'm?  What do you know about what's about to happen here?"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Apr 21, 2005)

"It's this court summons that has me worried.  Madame will be taking Layla and Ida with her when the Master goes, and the two little 'uns going to their Auntie... It's just they've never left the house all at once before.  Master's brother Torin will be lookin' after the house, but it just seems strange.  The king wants the Master to cool the tempers of some young noblemen, but it's an odd season for it.  This usually happens in winter, when they can't get out-of-doors and set themselves at each other's throats.  Not so much in the summer.  It just seems... off somehow," Nanny says, trying to put some nebulous feelings into words.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Apr 23, 2005)

"Are... are you going with the children?  I would feel safer if you could, but I don't know the ways of the fey," Nanny asks softly.


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## Ashy (Apr 23, 2005)

OOC: Grouse does a Sense Motive check to see if the nanny is being straight with them...  Sense Motive +1 (Untrained)


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Apr 23, 2005)

*Grouse feels that Nanny is being truthful.*


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## Lady Shatterstone (Apr 25, 2005)

*Oribella smiles sweetly up at the nanny trying to be reassuring.  Turning to the thistle she wonders what is going through the elders mind.*

 "Grouse?  I think we should go with the little ones.  There will be no need for us to protect an empty house.  What do you think?"  she whispers.


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## Ashy (Apr 25, 2005)

Grouse arches a bushy purple brow and nods silently...


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## Seonaid (Apr 25, 2005)

*Freyja appears with a melodramatic "pop!" and smiles apologetically, nervously, at the others before curtseying to Nanny.*

"If we leave the house alone, won't that let them cause mischief where we can't watch?" She turns her tiny frost-blue face to Nanny and says a bit more loudly, "Who will be here beyond the brother, this Torin? And how long will they be gone?"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Apr 26, 2005)

*Oribella giggles a little at the sudden appearance of the frost fairy. She listens while Freyja address the Nanny, nodding slowly.  She had not thought to ask such a question.   Once again her heart was leading the way.  She has not been here but one day and is already very attatched to the family and their land.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Apr 26, 2005)

"I'm not sure.  Usually this kind of thing takes a couple months at least," Nanny says.  "I've see visits as short as one month and as long as six."


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## Seonaid (Apr 27, 2005)

Freyja's brow furrows in thought, her hair silvering as she contemplates.


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## Ashy (Apr 27, 2005)

Grouse rubs his pointy chin, also in thought, "Half o' me wants to stay here and keep an' eye on things and th' other half wants to stay wit' th' youngin's.  But I guess we need to stay close as we can to th' littl'uns."  The thistle looks to the Nanny, "We'll stay close to th' young'uns, but we need you to be our eyes and ears here - can ya do that?" he asks frankly...


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## Seonaid (Apr 28, 2005)

Freyja looks up and waits expectantly for Nanny's answer.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Apr 28, 2005)

"I kin do that.  I'd have done it afore now, had I known you wished it," Nanny says with a solemn nod of her head.


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## Seonaid (Apr 28, 2005)

Freyja smiles but still looks worried. "We could maybe leave some surprises around for any nasties who might drop by."


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## Ashy (Apr 28, 2005)

Grouse nods and smiles to the nanny, expressing his thanks; he then looks to the ice fairy, "What do ya mean?"


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## Seonaid (Apr 29, 2005)

Freyja shrugs and says, "I dunno . . . Don't any of us have anything useful? Spells and such?"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 2, 2005)

"Surely you do.  I remember the time that old mad dog got in here and Katherine came running in telling me that it ran away with a blue tail and a scortched behind!" Nanny says in fond remembrance.


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## Lady Shatterstone (May 2, 2005)

*Oribella's laughter tinkles like a handful of bells.  This household, must have so many stories both of merriment and saddeness.  Her smile grows as she looks forwad to being part of this family and learning there history.  Letting the smile slip from her face she thinks on her little sack of tricks.*

_hmm... blast globes, and couple illusion spells, I don't have much to leave behind._


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## hafrogman (May 2, 2005)

"heehee"

Gus chuckles slightly at the memory of sending that dog away with it's tail between it's legs.  But then he adopts a slightly more serious mein.

"It's a nice memory, Nanny.  But the question at hand is what we can be done in our absence.  We were present for the incident you recall.  In fact I myself faced down that dog. . . well, okay it wasn't his face, but it wasn't a pretty view."


[ooc - how long does it take to grow mushrooms ala my racial ability, and can ANY cleric spell of 4th level an under be recreated?  How about mushrooms of summon monster?]


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## Ashy (May 2, 2005)

OOC: Also, what does my Stalwart eye (A&E) do?


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 2, 2005)

OOC - Creating mushrooms takes as long as creating a potion.  And yes you could create a potion of summon monster.  Ashy - you can send it up to fly like a bird and see through its eyes.  It will give you a +5 to Spot checks.


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## Ashy (May 2, 2005)

OOC: How far away can I control it?  Could I use it to keep an eye on things here?


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## Seonaid (May 2, 2005)

Freyja looks disappointed for a moment. "Yes, I suppose most of the things we could do would require us to be here. But I have some long-lasting effects that I could set right before we leave and then we could come back to renew them. Might that do the trick?"


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## Ashy (May 2, 2005)

Grouse nods, "It just might, indeed, good Freyja."  He looks to the nanny, "We shall retire for the eve - there are many plans to be laid.  We'll not leave a'fore checkin' back in with ye, sweet lass." Grouse says sweetly...


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## Seonaid (May 2, 2005)

Freyja nods toward Grouse, ready to follow him out.


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## Lady Shatterstone (May 3, 2005)

*Oribella smiles to the Nanny and follows the other fairies.*


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## Ashy (May 3, 2005)

After saying goodnight to the children, Grouse returns to the fairyring.  "We have much to do - we need to make plans to depart", he says to the others...

OOC: Do we have any "friends" in the garden?  Animals, insects, trees, plants, etc?


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 3, 2005)

*You have the family pets (five dogs and six cats), a family of robins (about ten), two treants and their dryad mistress, and one very cranky praying mantis.  And the mole.  He's odd.*


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## Seonaid (May 4, 2005)

Freyja curtsies to Nanny and the children before following Grouse to the ring. "What should we do?" she asks Grouse. "I should wait until right before we leave to cast, so we don't have to return so soon." She flutters around like a snowflake on wind, anxious.


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## Ashy (May 11, 2005)

Grouse looks troubled and is a bit crosser than usual, but in a more tense and nervous way...  "I am a bit concerned wit' being gone from the 'ring and the garden for so long.  I fear that in our absence, those things would invade and then we'd really have our work cut out fer us.  What do th' rest o' ye think?"


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## Seonaid (May 12, 2005)

Freyja nods. "I don't like this. Perhaps it's only coincidence, but experience tells me that coincidence usually is not." Her frosty brows furrow with worry. "What should we do?"


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## Ashy (May 12, 2005)

Grouse thinks for a while and finally says, "Well, let's at least use what we have..."  He then does a little jig and makes a bird-like whistle.  For those who have resided long in the garden know that the old fairy is calling the robins to come down for a chat...


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 12, 2005)

*Within a few moments a fluttering, bustling, jostling crowd of robins in hopping and flapping about Grouse, fair bidding to knock him over in their enthusiasm.*

"What be happening, what be what be, tell us tell us tell us, we want want want to know know know!" they say as they bounce around.


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## Seonaid (May 12, 2005)

Freyja giggles at the robins' ebullience and waits for Grouse's response.


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## Lady Shatterstone (May 12, 2005)

*Oribella stares in wonder as Grouse does his jig to summond the birds.  She to can not contain her mirth at the sight of the excited robins.*


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## Ashy (May 12, 2005)

Even the grumpy Grouse manages to crack a smile at the bird's enthuaism and he fishes some seeds from his beard and hair to give them as presents.  He then tells them all that has gone before and that he and the other fairies are thinking of going away with the children to court.  He then asks them, "We need some eyes'n'ears here, to make sure an' certain 'at all is well with th' garden while we're gone.  And we'll need someone to take notes to th' Nanny.  Can you fledglings do that for us?", this last bit he says with a wink, knowing full well that the robins hate being talked to like hatchlings...


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 12, 2005)

*The birds all fluff up their feathers in indignation, even as they keep bobbing for seeds.*

"We be not not not fledglings anymore, no no no, we be not not not!  But we can can take notes and words, we see and seek and watch and hear and wait, yes we can, yes yes yes!"


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## Ashy (May 12, 2005)

Grouse chuckles - a rare sound indeed - as he nods at the robin's words.  He produces a few more seeds from them, thanks them, and then asks, "I also need Mr. Mole and Master Mantis to keep their keen nose and eyes trained as well.  Can you speak with them and tell them that their assistance is needed as well?  I know of a particullarly large store of worms in a of't over-looked area of the mulch pile that Mr. Mole has missed, should he need any incentive..."


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 19, 2005)

*The robins chirp ecstatically at the mention of worms, and bounce around like a bunch of hyperactive fledglings.*

"We tell them, we tell tell tell tell!" they say enthusiastically.  One of the birds chirps in distress when the earth underneath him erupts.  A velvet-coated mole pops out of the ground and regards everyone assembled with a squint.*

"Dash it all, can't a fellow get a bit of shut-eye without chirping loud enough to wake the bones in the ground!" he demands.


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## Ashy (May 19, 2005)

Grouse smiles a small smile to the birds and whispers to them, "Don't let Mr. Mole hog all them worms, now!"  At the appearance of the mole, the thistle hops back a few times, "Ho ho!  Speak of the Dev--...", Grouse pauses for a moment, thinking about his words and the current situation and then reconsiders.  "Well, now!  Welcome Mr. Mole!  I'm very glad ta see ya!  How can I help ya this fine day?"


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## Lady Shatterstone (May 19, 2005)

* The display put onby the birds, mole,and thistle was such a delight that Oribella just stood there smiling with the sound of her laughter ringing in the air like a crystal bell. *


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## Seonaid (May 19, 2005)

Freyja likewise laughs goodnaturedly. She smiles and curtsies to the sleepy mole. "I thought _you_ were the one to call _him_," she says teasingly to Grouse.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 21, 2005)

Ashy said:
			
		

> Grouse smiles a small smile to the birds and whispers to them, "Don't let Mr. Mole hog all them worms, now!"  At the appearance of the mole, the thistle hops back a few times, "Ho ho!  Speak of the Dev--...", Grouse pauses for a moment, thinking about his words and the current situation and then reconsiders.  "Well, now!  Welcome Mr. Mole!  I'm very glad ta see ya!  How can I help ya this fine day?"



  "Well now, that's a change!  Helping me instead of running about like a bunch of... robins!" Mr. Mole mutters.  The robins think this to be hilarious and begin to twitter amongst themselves, laughing and cheeping.  "Then you can help me by explaining why there's a contraption in the middle of my living room, thank you very much!"


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## hafrogman (May 22, 2005)

Gus gives the mole a quizical look.

"A contraption. . . what sort of contraption?"


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## Seonaid (May 22, 2005)

Freyja likewise looks confused and turns to Grouse to see his reaction.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 23, 2005)

"Bah, I don't know.  I just go into the living room and there's something in the middle, and I can't figure out where it came from.  Just popped out of nowhere!  Come here, you can get rid of it for me," Mr. Mole says.  He trundles back into his tunnel, and the others can follow him.  Once inside, he leads them to his pitch-black living room lined with grasses and bird down.  He guides them to the middle, where there's a very random something smooth and oddly-shaped.  Assuming someone kindles a light, you see something very strange...


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## Seonaid (May 23, 2005)

Freyja follows the mole to his house and peeks in curiously. "Oh!" she says softly. "How long has it been here?"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 23, 2005)

"Since last week, thank you very much.  Just woke up and stubbed my nose on it, I did!" Mr. Mole says, looking very offended at the 'contraption.'


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## Seonaid (May 23, 2005)

Freyja frowns in sympathy. "I'm sorry to hear it. We should do something right away." She turns to her companions. "Does anyone have any idea what happened here?"


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## Lady Shatterstone (May 23, 2005)

*Oribella shakes her head.  She has no idea what this things is or how to get rid of it.  ALl she knows is that this is making her very uncomfortable.*


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## hafrogman (May 23, 2005)

Gus looks at the strange item with a faintly puzzled look on his face.  He considered himself some what of an expert on the humans and their strange paraphenelia. . . but this was something new.  He was fairly sure it wasn't any thing to do with people.  Still, the practical question must be answered.

"So. . . how do we get it out?"

[ooc - how big is the sku. . .thing, compared to the hole we came in through?]


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 23, 2005)

*The skull (yes, you can say it) is bigger than Mr. Mole, and radiates a faint aura of malevolence.  There seems to be no logical way for it to get in here without someone or some_thing_ digging into Mr. Mole's home.  And he would have complained of that right off the bat.*


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## Ashy (May 25, 2005)

Grouse, perplexed into silence, moves in closer to look over the skull carefully, humming and whistling a few spells here and there to supplement his examination.

OOC: First, Grouse uses his bardic ability to _inspire competence_ supplemented by a _revealing melody_.  This is then followed by Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (nature) +14, Spellcraft +16 and _detec magic_


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## Seonaid (May 25, 2005)

Freyja likewise _detects magic_ and studies the skull.

OOC: Knowledge (arcana) +19, Knowledge (nature) +17, Spellcraft +20


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (May 28, 2005)

*Grouse determines the skull seems to be a focus of a malevolent sort.  A focus for a portal of some kind, to be precise.  Though it looks to have been made by fey, it has been twisted for evil purposes, which is perhaps why the local dryad did not sense it.  It seems likely this is how the devil in the well arrived here, though how the focus _itself_ got here is less clear.  Someone could have conjured it here, or someone could have physically placed it here.  Conjuration seems more likely, as Mr. Mole would have given a digger a piece of his mind and his teeth.*


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## Ashy (May 31, 2005)

Grouse scratches his pointy chin and confers what he has learned to the others.  He looks to Gus, "So, what'cha think?"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 4, 2005)

*As the others debate, rain begins to fall above.  Mr. Mole mutters something uncomplimentary about the weather and goes to shore up the roof of his living room.  The temperature drops dramatically, and the fairies suddenly realize the rain is turning to ice!*


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jun 4, 2005)

*Shivering with the sudden change of tempature, Oribella wraps her arms around herself and starts looking for the source.*


" Do you usually get snow in the spring around here?"  She asks of the others who have called these grounds home.


(ooc:  it is spring or almost summer, right???)


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 4, 2005)

*Yes, it is late spring, and freezing rain is unheard of at this time of year.*


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## Ashy (Jun 5, 2005)

Grouse looks around, utterly confused..."Wha'in'th'world?!?!?!"  The thistle tries to determine the source of this completely odd weather.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jun 5, 2005)

*Oribella decides to go above ground to get a better feel for what is going on.*

" Please excuse me, I am going to go back up."  She bows slightly to the mole.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 6, 2005)

*Oribella goes back up and looks out of Mr. Mole's front door.  Luckily it's sheltered by an overhanging rock, because the garden is being coated with ice.  Every leaf is in a casing of ice, and the ground is covered with it.*


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jun 6, 2005)

"Umm.... Grouse and Gus?  You might want to come look at this.  I have never seen anything like it!  If I didn't know better I would think it was the dead of winter. "  She yells back into MR. Mole's home

"I wonder if this is another enchatment?  I will ask Grouse when he gets here."  She ask herself waiting for the other to come to the door.


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## Ashy (Jun 6, 2005)

The thistle hurries up the hole and when he arrives, seeing the area coated with frost, simply stands there for quite a while with his mouth hanging open...  Finally, he recovers somewhat, and begins humming some tunes, the first tune is a light little melody, filled with hops, jumps and light-hearted piping; the second is a more mysterious and slighly darker tune...

OOC: First, Grouse uses his bardic ability to _inspire competence_ supplemented by a _revealing melody_. This is then followed by Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (nature) +14, Spellcraft +16 and _detec magic_


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 6, 2005)

*The icy rain is magically summoned, and it covers a very wide area, nearly the whole city.  The source of the summons is close... very close... oh bloody hell it's the skull!*


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## Ashy (Jun 6, 2005)

Grouse trundles back down to Mr. Mole's home, cursing and grumbuling beneath his breath - something about never gettting a moment's peace.  Once he is there, he begins his old, dark song - the song of breaking, the song that unweaves the very fabric of magic itself.  At the song's cresendo, he directs all its shattering fury towards the skull...

OOC: Cast _dispel magic_ on the skull.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 6, 2005)

*The skull seems to lose its inner light... for about five minutes, then it comes back.  It must be a rather powerful item indeed!  The rain seemed to stop while the skull was dark.*


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## Ashy (Jun 6, 2005)

Grouse *growls*....and looks to the others - "Any ideas?"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jun 7, 2005)

* A light goes on in  Oribella's mind!*

 "I have blast globes!  There may be some damage to Mr. Mole's home though."  She give the mole and Grouse a questioning look.


ooc: Would my blast globes take care of the skull????


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 7, 2005)

OOC - Only one way to find out!

Mr. Mole looks horrified at the thought of damage to his home.

"Now just wait a cotton-picking minute!  I dug this hope meself, and I won't have you hooligans messing it up!  If ye see fit to blast anything, take it above ground and far away from my living room!" Mr. Mole says indignantly.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jun 7, 2005)

ooc: Did we every figure out how to get the thing out?  Wasn't the hole smaller then the skull?


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## Ashy (Jun 7, 2005)

Grouse scratches his pointy chin, nodding slowly...  "Blast globes...  I like it!  But we'll need to enlarge the passage or shrink the skull to get it out of here."  Again the aged thistle looks to his companions...


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jun 7, 2005)

" I do not know a way to shink the skull, but I can widen the hole with this, but I will get yelled at again by Mr. Mole."  she winks at Grouse, while tossing a blast globe gentle in the air.


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## Ashy (Jun 7, 2005)

"Surely we have an _enlarge_ spell among us!?!?"  Grouse says with incredulity...


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## Seonaid (Jun 8, 2005)

Freyja also looks outside and smiles out of sheer reflex at the lovely ice before realizing that it must be magical and malignant. When she comes back in, she says quietly, when the voices die down, "I can try." She closes her eyes and hums tunelessly before doing a light pirouette in the air, ending with her hands pointing at the skull.

_Greater Dispel Magic_, if you please.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 13, 2005)

Freyja yanks of the lines of magic within the skull, pulling at them and dampening them for a while.  She thinks it will probably come back, but it might need a day or so to get back together.  Gus quickly tries to distract Mr. Mole as Oribella "widens" the front door with a _blast globe_.  The result is messy, but hopefully they can repair most of the damage.  They push the skull up and out of Mr. Mole's home, and onto a sheet of ice that used to be the lawn.  The skull goes sliding down the slick and frozen grass towards the slushy and icy frog pond like a scalded cat.


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## Seonaid (Jun 13, 2005)

Freyja curtsies to Mr. Mole before gliding through the icy yard, trying to see if the skull or anything near it reacts strangely to its presence. "Maybe we can destroy it while it's dispelled," she calls behind her to the others.


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## Ashy (Jun 13, 2005)

Grouse hurms, looking at the skull with knitted brows, "Lemme see what I kin do."  With that, Grouse sings a song that he has sung already once today, attempting to shatter the bonds of magic around the skull.

OOC: _dispel magic_, followed by _break enchantment_.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jun 14, 2005)

* Oribella hated to cause any more damage to Mr. Mole's home, but there didn't seem to be any other way.  Once the skull was out the door and sliding across the once green lawn she bows low and apologizes for the trouble and promises to help repair his house.*

*As Grouse readies himself to cast his choosen spells, Oribella pulls out another blast globe in case the spells fail.*


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 14, 2005)

The magic had already been broken once, so further _dispelling_ seems to have no effect.  However, the skull is still skidding along the frozen ground, and before Grouse can attempt a second spell, it splashes into the slushy frog pond and sinks.


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## Ashy (Jun 14, 2005)

"Blast and tarnation!", Grouse sputters, watching the skull slip into the pond.  He then looks to Freyja and asks, "Can ya go down there and make some ice around th' skull?  That should make it float to the top and then we can blast it wit' tha _globe_...."


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## Seonaid (Jun 15, 2005)

Freyja nods and creeps toward the pond. Once she finds the skull, she points to it and tries to cover it with her _frost_.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 18, 2005)

The skull seems to have fallen to the bottom.  Freya takes a deep breath and plunges into the water.  Thought the top layer is icy cold, underneath it's warmer, like it should be.  She freezes the water around it, and it floats to the top.  Once there, and rolled back onto the land, the faeries attempt to blast it into oblivion...  to no avail.  The skull seems remarkably resistant to damage.  Perhaps it has specific weaknesses, ones that would take research or the aid of wiser beings than they to unearth.


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## Seonaid (Jun 18, 2005)

Freyja shakes her head in frustration. "What should we do?" she asks the others.


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## Ashy (Jun 20, 2005)

Grouse frowns, his bushy purple brows knitting together like mating furry caterpillars.  "Maybe we can toss it down the well?  If nothin' else, it might keep th' devils outta there!"


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## Seonaid (Jun 20, 2005)

Freyja smiles a bit at that. "Is there any way we can make sure it doesn't do any harm? We could maybe hide it somehow or something."


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## Ashy (Jun 20, 2005)

Grouse nods, pulling on his pointy chin, "Well, that's why I was thinkin' o' puttin' it down th' well.  With the youngun's gone, there shouldn't be anyone messin' around th' well, suren!"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 23, 2005)

The faeires can roll the ice-encased skull over to the well, and with a bit of effort, get it in.  The freak ice storm begins to melt away slowly, though some of the trees have minor damage.  The next day goes fairly quiet, but the next morn, a terrible wailing comes from the house.  The robins come winging over the house to tell the faeries what they can.  "Mess-mess-messenger!  On a horse, fast horse, carried carried carried a stick with black leaves!" the report, agitated and jumping about.


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## Ashy (Jun 23, 2005)

"Great molderin' toadstools!", Grouse curses.  He looks to the others and exclaims, "Let's go!", he then races off towards the house, grumbling all the way...


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## hafrogman (Jun 23, 2005)

Gus hurries off after Grouse, as fast as his little legs will carry him.  He fires a non-stop stream of questions as he runs.

"What's so important?  What's the messenger?  What's the stick mean?  Why are the robins so excited?  Do you think this has something to do with the children's journey?"


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## Ashy (Jun 23, 2005)

Grouse calls back, a bit irritated, "Stones an' sticks, Gus!  If'n I knew that, I'd not be runnin' to th' house!"


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 23, 2005)

The fey jog or fly to the house, slipping inside and going to the parlor, where anything important would be taking place.  They hide behind a large chair, and watch the drama unfold.  The stick with black leaves that the robins were speaking of proves to be a scroll case bound with black ribbons.  That could mean only one thing, a death.  The messenger wears fine livery edged in gold, bearing the device of a lion.  That's a king's man for certain.  He is talking to the children as you come in.

"-was a terrible accident.  The sudden ice storm caught the driver off guard, the horses slipped, and the carriage plunged into the ocean.  I'm very sorry for your loss, your parents were well-loved amongst the Court," he is saying.


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## Seonaid (Jun 24, 2005)

Freyja stifles a gasp at the news. Her horror-stricken eyes turn to the others. "I can't imagine all of this being only the result of an 'accident.' What should we do?"


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jun 27, 2005)

*Sadness slides over Oribella's face at the news.  She has been here before... a child losing a parent is a terrible things and weights heavily on them for the rest of there lives.  Tears slide slowly down her face at past memories and what may come for these children.  As Freyja speaks the tears stop and her minds turns to working the situation over and over looking for anything that may prove Freyja's huntch.*

ooc: sorry for any delay I have been out of state for the past 12 days.


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## Ashy (Jun 27, 2005)

OOC: I've been out of town as well - back now though.  DM, could the ice storm that the skull created been the source of the ice storm mentoined above?  I'm assuming that the faries would know if this place where the accident occurred would have been close at hand, or far away...

Grouse, for once, says nothing.

He is completely silent.

There is a hard, pained look on his face and there are tears welling up in his dark blue eyes.  He stands, looking at the children he loves so dearly and cries.  Big tears roll down his scraggy face like summer raindrops on the bark of an ancient fir tree.  The faerie cries silently and makes no move to hide his sorrow.  Finally, he turns and speaks to those nearby.  "Stay wit' 'em.  I'll be back..."

With that, Grouse leaves the house without another word.

DM: [sblock]Grouse goes as quickly as he can (even using spells if need be) to the faeire ring.  There, he calls upon the names of the faerie king and queen to hear their humble servant...[/sblock]


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jun 27, 2005)

OOC - Yes, the faeires believe that the ice storm that hit the house must have been in a wider area as well.  The road runs parallel to the ocean on a cliff for a short while, which it must have happened.

Grouse heads out to the faerie ring and calls upon those fey creatures of pure magic.  With a great upwelling of earth, it splits to show the court of Underhill, and the queen and king sitting upon their thrones.  The other faeries immediately sense the unheavels in the natural currents, and know that something is going on in the faerie ring.  They can run there and arrive when the summoning is complete.

"The need must be truly dire to call for us," the king says in tones of pitiless purity.  The great fey are much removed from the time and thoughts of mortals, and their own perspectives are strange.  Those that live amongst humans learn to live with them and can understand them.  But the great fey are dangerous in many ways, even to those who share their bloodline.  One must tread cautiously.


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## Seonaid (Jun 27, 2005)

When Freyja feels the summoning, she understands Grouse's abrupt departure. She looks at the others, hesitating for a moment before heading out to the faerie ring. When she gets there, she waits silently and deferentially behind and to the side of Grouse.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jun 28, 2005)

*Oribella feels the swell of magic.  She has felt this once before and knows the Grouse as called upon the king and queen.  Oribella follows Freyja to the ring and comes to stand on the other side of Grouse.  She is still and slient.*


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## Ashy (Jun 29, 2005)

Grouse swallows - hard - and bows before his eternal king and queen.  "Y..yes, indeed th' need be great.  Somethin' threatens our garden, an' our house and th' young'uns within it - somethin' with enough power ta change th' seasons, murder mortals, an' send devils an' powerfully evil artifacts ta our very doorstep!  We be in need of wisdom an' guidance, your Lord- and Ladyship..."


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## Seonaid (Jun 30, 2005)

Freyja resists the urge to nod like a child agreeing with an older sibling's tale.


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jul 5, 2005)

Oribella listens to Grouse's story.  The King and Queen seem to be listening as well, she can only guess at what their advice will be.


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Jul 7, 2005)

The kind and queen look at the assembled faeries with neutral expressions, holding their response for a moment while they consider.  "One of the blood has turned to the darker side of their nature, calling the fiends and binding themselves to dark magic.  A high price has been paid for evil works, and the death of the parents was just the beginning.  Corruption will follow when she moves into your sphere.  Watch the children, keep their spirits pure.  They will cast out the Evil One when they become strong enough," the two chime in musical voices.


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## Seonaid (Jul 7, 2005)

Freyja looks at the other faeries with concern. _How can we protect them?_ she thinks. _Until they are strong enough?_ She shakes off her feeling of inadequacy. _I'll just do everything I have to for as long as I have to._


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## Lady Shatterstone (Jul 8, 2005)

Oribella meets Freyja's eyes as she looks around the group.  By the look on her face, Oribella can tell they are thinking the same thing.  _How are we going to do this?_  She trys for a comforting smile to let the other fey know that together they will be able to do as they are charged.


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## Prof Yeti (Jul 14, 2005)

*Aurus the Dawn Fairy*

_The King and Queen! For the King and Queen to be called the situation must be dire. I hope I can be of assistance._ Aurus contemplates as he watches the commune from his nearby perch. "Well only thing to do is wait, till I can learn more." he quietly says to himself.


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