AAR: [5H] A Question of Nature (6/27/2020 @ 1700 GMT)

[bronzemountain]

Song of the Immortal Sky - Part 10

Know that this is a story about Greeb, who tends to the health and well-being of all living things.
Know that this is a story of a forest which walked through the mountains to make a new home.
Know that this is a story of two tiny spirit-speakers, Zivilyn and Reyis, and those who protected them; among them, Temur of the Monkhiin-Tenger, Moe'Uhane of the River of Truth, and Norg of the Angry Fist.

Zivilyn had previously seen this forest on his way to Skyreader Island. It was a distant phenomenon, unique. For who has seen a forest walk? Now that he was wiser and more powerful, he set out to satisfy his curiosity about this most wondrous thing.

Know that it is not particularly difficult to track an entire forest. Know that Temur was able to succeed at this trivially easy task.

Along the way, the band of heroes did meet a strange old man who answered their questions with riddles and was largely unhelpful. He demanded to join the band. Temur saw that this man was spirit-touched, simple in the ways of normal life but perhaps wise in the ways of the unknown. And so, as the skalds say, Temur was good with it.

Know that the band of heroes did come to a blasted and barren place in the mountains, so dry that it withered all verdure. Here, they found the forest, but also the fog of corruption. There was much investigation of Astral space and discussion of spheres of protection. There was much squinting and pointing and discussing and measuring. Also inching forward carefully and then squinting and pointing again.

Know that Temur, who rides between this world and the next, is all for wisdom, but not at all for dithering. Know that mysteries are solved from within, not from far away. And so Temur led the band of heroes into the forest.

Within that forest was a lady who was also a tree; a tree who was also a lady. Temur knew that fierce and lovely Tuya of the Gazaar-Eej, his betrothed, would be pleased to add an entire forest to their family. And so Temur did offer romantic invitation to the lady, who was also a tree, and also a forest.

Know that the lady was not having it.

Gaspard, who was the spirit-touched old man, declared that the lady was attempting to speak to them. For indeed, as Temur had suspected, he was spirit-touched and knew the language of these beings. He translated for the heroes, as Zivilyn spirit-speaker (by proxy) came forward. They spoke of being curious about this forest, about wanting to help the forest fend off whatever corruption otherwise infected this land. The Lady declared that she needed water, which is reasonable, as forests are quite thirsty.

But not thirsty enough to accept Ork invitations of romance.

Know that these heroes did then venture upon spirit quests. Having spoken to the Green Lady of the Forest, they then traveled to a cave where they did speak with the Cowardly River. The River held back his waters for he was afraid of little dragons that threatened him. And so the heroes did track them and find them and do battle with these strange walking dragons. These beasts were not intelligent or grand or beautiful. Also, they did not breathe fire. They did flash their eyes with strange and deadly magics that withered and battered the flesh and spirit alike.

Know that no amount of fancy flashing light eyes can protect you from several hundred pounds of ghost horse traveling at maximum velocity with an enraged and heavily armed Ork on top. So it is written, and so the songs are sung.

With the dragons (which were not dragons, in truth, but some other animal with a strange name) vanquished, the Cowardly River did agree to release his waters. Night had come. Some camped in the River's cave, for the River had offered hospitality and it was rude to decline such a noble invitation. Others camped outside the cave for they were afraid of the Cowardly River, which is a thing known as irony.

In the morning, Gaspard had gone missing. A few minutes searching found him outside another exit of the cave, this one overlooking a majestic bowl canyon. The spirit-touched old man pointed to the center of the bowl and declared the heroes must go there, next. This is the nature of a spirit quest. One goes where one is pointed.

Know that the center of this bowl was dry and hot and dusty, which are three not very pleasant things when talking about the weather. Know that the center of this bowl was filled with fire.

Elementals.

It was filled with fire elementals. Namely, there was one named Pyre, the leader of this circle of flames. The floor of the canyon was hard-packed ash, an inch deep. This was a place of imbalance, where the fire spirits had played too long. Pyre was disinclined to cease his work.

Know that the band of heroes made persuasive argument in the form of blade and spell and fist and fang.
Know that the heroes were triumphant, which is the way of heroes until the day they are, inevitably, not.
Know that the spirit-touched old man, Gaspard, did reveal himself to be none other than Greeb, who shelters and nurtures all living things.
Know that these heroes, Temur of the Monkhiin-Tenger, Zivilyn Manyminds, Reyis the Badger Mage, Moe'Uhane Spiketail, and Norg Slowhand, were blessed by a Passion itself in this grand task of bringing life to a lifeless place. Watch, for their stories will be writ large.

Know that the forest has the water it needs, and life protects that once-dead and once-corrupted place.

Know that this story has ended. Know that this story continues.

[sigfriedmcwild]

From "The Skies of Barsaive", as penned by Norg, Brother of Earth and Sky, Corsair of Throal

Soon after I was granted the right to crew an airship by the Admiralty Board and their thrice curse exam, Zivilyn was looking for help tracking down an ambulatory forest he'd encountered months before. He claimed to have an idea of how to predict the forest location so that we could actually find it. I readily agreed to join him since it sounded like a great way to went lingering stress.

We left together with Temur, Moe and another windling Shaman named Reys and headed south east along the mountains. Temur took point on guiding us, I made sure we got food and shelter and the others kept an eye out for threats. Temur was able to find a trail and we quickly found moving in the forest tracks as it cut east through the mountains.

Soon we felt like we were being watched and Reys was able to point out a figure watching us from a nearby hill. As we approached he said something like "welcome to kaer Bannog" (I've since tried to find any references to the place multiple times, but I suspect it was all part of the ruse). The namegiver looked human and probably more than a little touched in the head, said his name was Gaspard and unilaterally decided to follow us.

For the next couple of days we kept tracking the forest, with Gaspard following along, not sharing food with us and instead foraging for himself, until we actually spotted trees in the distance. The land around us looked rather arid and devoid of life. Moe took a look on the astral plane and notices that wee seemed to be in a bubble of safe astral space, which experimentation revealed to move with our group.

As we approached the forest the magicians kept astral watch and noticed it seemed to also project a bubble of safe astral space. Soon after we entered a plant woman approached us, and Gaspard was the only one able to hear it. Some questioning later it seemed like Temur wanted to date the lady and the forest needed more water. Apparently the local water spirit was hiding because it was scared of something.

I hoped this spring would have less insane incestuous Therans than the last one Moe and I had to restore.

Gaspard conveniently seemed to know where the spirit resided, so we followed the crazy man to a cave, where once again talking happened and we learnt that the spirit was scared of dragonspawn that only appeared at night prowling the riverbed.

Being the sensible namegivers we were, we immediately set forth for the dry river to way for dusk and deal with the problem. What we encountered I later learnt was basilisks, a kind overgrown lizard that can kill with its gaze. Reys was almost eaten, Moe got knocked out, but Temur tore one apart with a charge atop his ghostly horse, and I smashed the head of one to a pulp as I tried to extract an eye to take back to Throal for study.

After a brief rest while the river remained stubbornly dry, we went back to the cave to inform the spirit, who offered us safe rest in the cave. Unsure if a water spirit remembered that namegivers can drown, Reys and I decided to sleep outside. In the morning the river was still dry and Gaspard was gone.

Temur tracked him through the cave to another exit, into a bowl that was even drier than the valley we left behind. Gaspard was there and told us to go to the centre of the valley, but could offer no explanation. Of course we did what the suspicious man was saying, trusting that if it was an elaborate trap we would be strong enough to get out.

It was not a trap, instead a fire elemental appeared, claiming ownership of the valley, when I enquired if the claim was registered with the Land Office of Throal, the spirit took offence, summoned some lackeys and attacked us. Finally some spirit talk I was qualified for, as it turns out fire spirits can be eminently punchable. The others seemed to have a bit more trouble with the high temperature of the targets and Zivilyn was wholly engulfed by one, but overall we dealt with the threat quickly and decisively.

And that is when Gaspard, revealed himself to be some kind of avatar of Jaspree, thanked us for carrying out his plan and left. To this day I am still rather annoyed by a passion using my friends in such a fashion. But at least the spring was released and Zivilyn got a token of the passion's favor.