Post by spiral on Jul 30, 2008 16:11:30 GMT -5
"We have completed your task, you will now speak of the mountain."
Gerdie smiles at Crom as he delivers his statement. "It's been many years since I spoke with northmen, your heart is true Crom of Sable. I can only appreciate your honesty for what it is in these dark times."
"Dragon Mountain. Yes, I have a map, but it is useless to you at this time. Be sure, I will let you have it when you are equipped to go there, for I more than anybody would hope to see Infyrana and her mountain gone for good from these lands. Soon, her minions will spread over the land, burning and destroying as they do every twenty years. It will be a curse lifted once and for all for you to succeed where others have failed. So yes, I will give you the map, but first you have more to do."
Gerdie goes to a small foot stall by Matrox, and reaching under it, you hear a click as a compartment is opened, and she returns to her chair with something small concealed in one hand. Matrox watches intently, wondering what wonder he has been sat next to all this time.
"Here, is the Shard of Finding, and I give it to you!" says Gerdie, pointing at Elthar, and beckoning him forward. "You asked me, why your tabard had changed when you bathed in the pool. It is because you are to be the bearer of the shards, and ultimately of the Amulet itself. The Amulet of Dragon Warding."
She pauses now and waits patiently while you all ask your questions. Elthar remains silent, awed and unsure of his new role in the quest, eager to learn more.
"There was once a great hero, her name is not important now. She thought to conquer Dragon Mountain single-handedly. A laudable goal, but a doomed one. To aid her in this endeavour, she had an amulet constructed, to ward off the Dragon, Infyrana. Not only to ward her onslaught when the time came, but to protect her from her scrying once inside the mountain itself."
"The hero never made it to the mountain. She fell before she came to the place, and the amulet was taken from her, and eventually came to the hands of two bandit brothers. They saw only the gold it was made from, and split the amulet into three pieces, hay-wiring the magic that infused the artifact as a whole. Each of the shards contains a piece of the magic, but the sum is less than the whole."
"I give you the Shard of Finding now, and I can tell you where the Shard of Righting is. When you return with the second shard, I will know where the final piece is, I have had little concern for finding it these last few hundred years, but it will but take me some days with my runes. I will also then give you the map, so that you may find the mountain once you have re-crafted the Amulet from its three parts."
"There is a village, Shel's Head, to the east of here. In that village is a small store, what you might call a junk shop. This store is run by a man now weak of mind. He is called Old Cud. Somewhere in his store is the Shard of Righting, only he who bares one other shard can see it. Find it, return it here safely!"
"Once you leave this cabin with the Shard of Finding, Infyrana's gaze will be drawn to you. She fears the Amulet being re-made, and will stop at nothing to destroy the bearer of the shards."
She looks at Elthar now to make a point.
"Your mission must proceed with all haste now, the amulet must be re-built as quickly as possible. Once it is a whole once more, Infyrana cannot see you - so long as you stay close to the bearer!"
She looks at you all, checking you all understand what she has told you.
"This second task calls for heart. Old Cud is a crazy man now, but he was once a great one. Be gentle with him, if you would. May the Goddess walk with you in your venture."
Shard of Finding - Ability to detect Dragons and Dragonkin on demand. It can also Find Treasure, as the potion, three times per week. The shard glows blue if the bearer is about to be ambushed. The shard glows red if the bearer is about to be poisoned. Lastly, the shard can cast one 12-die cone of cold, once per day.
Gerdie now walks over to Crom and beckons for the sword, who hands it over, never dropping eye contact with the old woman as he does so. She smiles..and draws the sword just a little, just enough to show inches of blade.
A brilliant light flickers out, like a trapped star is locked inside the scabbard, with no room for a blade to go with it. As the light dances about the room and dazzles you, you think you see, as it crosses Gerdie's face, she looks young and beautiful under its touch.
"I say!" cries a haughty, well-to-do voice. "Five hundred years in that stinking scabbard and you dont even have the decency to draw me fully. Oh do give me a breather would you!? Please!" The voice seems to come from the sword!
Gerdie smiles, and draws the sword, holding it aloft with a youth and figure that belies her years. As the light falls down upon her, you see her as she was in her prime. Young, tall, with beautiful golden hair, and dressed in a fine green dress of spun fabric. She smiles at you all, a familiar twinkle in her eye, it's Gerdie alright, but the light of the sword changes her briefly as it touches her.
"Hello Valdus!" she says to the sword, "I trust you are well?"
"Well!? Oh yes, very well indeed! Five hundred years in that stinking scabbard, and where have you been hmm? Galavanting around with that prince of yours I expect?"
"Not quite Valdus", says Gerdie. "The world has changed a great deal since we last met." She sits down once more and lays the sword across her lap so that she may speak to it properly. "You are needed once more Valdus, hopefully for the last time now."
"Needed!? Again!? You told me it was the last with Nectos the Undying!" Valdus cris indignantly, seemingly very put out at being needed again.
"Yes, I'm sorry, but the world is better off without him, I'm sure you'd agree, and you did such a fine job for me didn't you."
"Well yes I did as a mat.."
"It's Infyrana." says Gerdie, stopping the sword's complaints mid-sentence.
"Infyrana!? Oh! And what an ugly beast she is! Simply terr.."
Gerdie sheaths the sword quickly, and breaths a sigh of relief. Looking up at Elthar, she walks over, and hands him the sword.
"As the Amulet bearer, you must learn to wield Valdus. I advise you learn, the, art, of conversation with him - in small doses". She smiles, and returns to her chair.
Valdus - +3 Longsword, Intelligence 17, LG, Dragon Slaying, Fly, Heal
"Are there any questions?"
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