Caelesti's notes

Date

4/4/2006

Log

Carric cast Daylight on a stone that he could toss a good distance, illuminating the area within 120', including 4 flying sidhe. Yoshi leapt to his feet and raced toward the attackers. A cloud of golden glitter engulfed the majority of the party, blinding Carric, Talon, & Siobhan. One fey flew over to the party, hovering 20' over Caelesti. Caelesti called up to the fey, asking why they were attacking and to come and talk, while undoing her silk scarf which was really readying a sling surreptitiously. Another fey carrying net flew over the party. Carric started casting a summon spell.

Yoshi ran back to help his party, throwing a shurikan at a fey, who seemed to be unaffected. Carric completed his spell, summoning a hippogriff to attack the fey over Caelesti. The hippogriff successfully bit and clawed the fey, but the fey were nearly immune. The fey with the net dropped it on Caelesti, entangling her. Another fey shot an arrow at the conjuring Carric, but did not stop him from casting. But, a spell caused him to drop into fits of laughter, interrupting the spell. Talon crawled into the egg.

The fey that dropped the net on Caelesti, lifted her up into the air. Yoshi watched helplessly. The fey, as a group, flew off with Caelesti. Yoshi picked up the illuminated stone and raced after them. Carric's eagle, Tan-Kuran also flew after. Siobhan followed more slowly.

Caelesti asked why they were taking her and where. A fey said that she would be a hit back at court. She responded by trying to cut herself free. The fey, wounded by the hippogriff, tried to stop her. As the dagger was made of cold iron, being perfectly affective against fey, she stabbed him, dropping him to the ground 30' below.

The other fey did not seem to care. Their leader said that our party was good and would save their comrade, so they did not need to. They flew on.

Yoshi passed by the fallen fey, following Caelesti. Siobhan stopped at the fey, bound him, and cured him. Eventually, Carric and Talon caught up. They questioned him. The fey, Darkwing, said they were taking Caelesti to the Unsealie Court. Carric told the fey to lead them to the court.

The group with Caelesti made it to the portal, the Crossroads, and passed through. Yoshi stopped at the portal, waiting for the others.

Darkwing, eager to get home, led the others to the portal where they joined Yoshi. Darkwing told the party how to get by the guardian, "simply tell him you need to get to the Unsealie Court and show that you are worthy by putting on some form of performance". Yoshi looked glummer.

Talon and Carric argued about whether to take the fey with them or not. They hadn't decided yet, but Yoshi tried to pass through, but the guardian turned him away. Talon left the mule with Yoshi. Carric was able to pass through with the fey prisoner. Talon and Siobhan, after singing for the guardian, pass through as well.

On the other side of the portal, it was day.

Talon's notes

Date

4/4/2006

Log

An arrow whizzed by Carric's ear while he and Siobhan were are watch.

Carric called out, "We're under attack!"

Everyone woke up. Talon began to sing to rally the troops and inspire courage.

Apparently to help our opponents see us better, Carric cast Daylight on a nearby rock. A 60ft-diameter area - centered on us - was brightly illuminated, with dim light another 60ft beyond. This made us excellent targets for our 4 sidhe attackers - who were flying out of range - on the periphery of the dimly lit area.

Yoshi leapt to his feet and raced toward the attackers. Meanwhile, Talon's singing began to take effect.

Then a cloud of golden glitter engulfed the rest of our party, who were still grouped together. Carric, Talon, & Siobhan were blinded, but not Caelesti.

An male fey flew over to the party, hovering 20' over Caelesti.

Caelesti flashed the male fey a bit of leg and asked, "Why are you attacking us? What have we done?" She started undoing her silk scarf - a surreptitious sling.

More fey flew over to us, armed with bows and a net. Carric started casting "Nature's Ally."

Yoshi ran back to help his party. He made a really fantastic hit on one of the fey with a shurikan. But the fey shrugged off the damage, seemed unaffected.

Carric's hippogriff appeared and began to attack the fey over Caelesti. The hippogriff successfully bit and clawed the fey, but the fey were nearly immune.

The fey with the net dropped it on Caelesti, entangling her. Carric began anther spell. An arrow whizzed past his ear. Then Carric suddenly stopped casting and fell to the grass in a fit of laughter.

Meanwhile, Talon, still blinded and hearing danger all around her, stopped singing, and crawled into the egg for safety. Siobhan picked up the song and continued it.

Yoshi grabbed at the net and tried to free Caelesti, but to no avail. One of the Fey cast at Yoshi, saying, "Stop fighting and join us, Friend." Yoshi smiled and shook his head, "I don't think so."

Two fey each held one side of the net, lifted Caelesti in the air and flew away with her.

Yoshi picked up the illuminated stone and raced after them. Carric's eagle, Tan-K'ran also flew after. Siobhan followed more slowly.

Talon, still inside the egg, regained her sight. She looked outside. She saw no one around except Carric - still rolling about in the grass and laughing. Talon ran out, shook Carric by the shoulders and repeatedly slapped him.

Talon, "What's going on, Carric? What's with you?"

Carric suddenly stopped laughing and turned angry, "What's with me? What's with you - running away? You abandoned us. You abandoned Caelesti."

Talon, "I was blind. I got out of the way. I couldn't see Caelesti. Where is she? Where is everyone?"

Carric related how Caelesti was captured in the net and the others followed after her. Carric, Tan K'ran, Talon, and Tintin set off in the direction of the others.

Carric grumbled all along the way, "That mule of your is slowing us down."

Talon, "If you can bring your eagle, I can bring my mule. Besides, it's not safe leaving Tintin behind. Who knows what might eat him."

Meanwhile, Caelesti was trying to reason with her captors, "Why are you taking me? What have I done to you?"

Her captors replied, "You haven't done anything in particular to us. But we think you will be a hit back at court."

Caelesti gave up reasoning and tried to cut her way out of the net with a cold iron dagger. One of the Fey noticed and tried to stop her. She slashed the Fey with the cold iron. He passed out and fell to the ground.

Caelesti called out to the other fey, "Look - your friend has fallen. The three of you could fly him home, if you left me behind."

The female fey, who seemed to be their leader, replied, "What is he? He is just a tool. Your friends are good-hearted. Perhaps they will come and heal him. He's not dead yet."

The three fey flew on with Caelesti, leaving their injured companion behind.

Siobhan saw all that happen from a distance. She ran over to the injured fey. She bound his arms and wings, then cured him. "Greetings, prisoner," she said when he came to.

Yoshi, meanwhile, kept running after the flying fey. But he could not catch up in time. The three flying fey disappeared through the portal with Caelesti.

Yoshi settled down near the portal and built a campfire, as a beacon for the rest of us. We kept moving towards the light and eventually we all made it to the portal area.

Siobhan asked Carric to hold onto our prisoner while she questioned him.

Siobhan, "What is your name?"

Fey, "Darkwing."

Siobhan, "Okay, Darkwing, where are they taking our friend?"

Darkwing, "To court. Let me go."

Carric, "What is this 'court?' "

Darkwing, "The Unseelie Court, of course."

Carric, "Oh, shit. That's where bad guys gather."

Darkwing sneered at Carric and taunted, "You will be very popular."

Carric, "What do you mean by THAT?"

Talon, "Popular for torturing, I imagine, Carric. They'll probably cut you open and pull out your entrails while you're still alive."

Darkwing's eyes lighted up. "Good idea! I'll have to suggest that!"

Talon, "You aren't going with us!"

Darkwing, "You want to find your friend, don't you? Let me go. I'll lead you there."

Carric, "We have to take him."

Talon, "We do not! We can't trust him. He'll lead us into a trap."

Darkwing, "You can trust ME."

Carric, "Yeah, anything you say might be true, false or something else entirely."

Darkwing, "Just go up the Guardian and say, 'Take me through.' It's easy. Here, I'll show you." He tugged at his bindings, but Carric held him back.

Carric, "I think there's more to it than that. I think we have to convince the Guardian somehow."

Talon, "I've heard that portal Guardians enjoy a good tune."

Siobhan, "Talon and I won't have any trouble charming the Guardian. But it's going to be hard for Carric and Yoshi. Especially Yoshi."

Talon, "And what about Tintin? We can't leave him alone here and we can't take him into danger through the portal. We'll just have to go back to the farm. Leave Tintin and our prisoner there for safe keeping. Or, better still, bring the prisoner back to Yoshi's temple for further questioning."

Carric, the grumpy, said, "It will take days just to get back to the farm. What about Caelesti?"

Talon, "Caelesti will be fine. She'll be dancing at court. And if we wait a few days to follow - then the fey won't be expecting us and we can take them by surprise."

Carric, "No, we have to go through the portal NOW. Leave the mule here."

Talon, "Never! Poor Tintin would be defenseless."

Carric, "Talon, it's time to choose between Caelesti and a Mule."

Talon, "No difference!"

Carric, "Now, now, Talon..."

Talon, "Okay, I'll take Tintin with me, if I have to."

Carric, "Best choice. Mules are valued most everywhere for their utilitarian uses."

Talon, "Hrrumph!"

Carric, "We can tie Darkwing to Tintin."

Darkwing, "I don't know how to ride a mule."

Carric, "What's the matter with you? All you have to do is sit there."

Darkwing, "Why sit when you can fly? Let me go. I'll lead you. You'll be very popular. What can you do besides talk?"

Carric, "I'm a Druid."

Darkwing scoffs at that!

Talon, "You'll have to sing or dance, Carric. What about an Eagle dance?"

Carric, "I'm a GOOD talker."

Darkwing, "You're wasting time, o'Silver Tongue."

Talon, "Don't take him through until we find out why he and his friends came here in the first place."

Carric, "Why did you come here?"

Darkwing, "It's a pretty place. Why shouldn't we come here? Nice flight through the wilderness..."

Talon, "He's lying."

Talon took a flaming branch from the campfire and brandished it at Darkwing. "We're going to light a fire your ass until you tell us the truth!," she bluffed.

"Don't! She's a maniac! Keep her away from me!" Darkwing shook with fear and tried to hide behind Carric.

Carric and Yoshi said, "Talon! Shame on you! That's not nice."

Talon gave her wimpy companions a look of extreme exasperation. Then thew the flaming branch back into the fire.

Darkwing, "Time passes, time passes, time passes, ....."

Carric, "Enough! We go through now. Yoshi, you first. Then me. Then the ladies."

Yoshi stepped up to the guardian and said, "Take me through."

The Guardian looked Yoshi up and down and said, "What is your name and destination?"

Yoshi, "Yoshi. Going to Unseelie Court."

Guardian, "Go away."

Yoshi tried to protest, but the Guardian was firm. Yoshi came back to us, dejected.

Talon, "Take Tintin to the farm, then, Yoshi, and wait for us there."

Carric, "Yoshi should go back to his temple and report."

Yoshi, "I don't want to hike alone all the way back to the Temple with that mule. Too slow. I should get back as soon as possible with news of the fey."

Talon, "Leave Tintin at the farm then."

Carric, "Good idea. They've lost a cow. They can borrow the mule to do some work."

Talon said, "Tintin, baby, Mommy has to leave you for a while. Go to the farm with Yoshi." Tintin looked worried and unhappy. Talon kissed him and stroked his face and mane.

Yoshi took up Tintin's rein, then said, "We won't leave until you're all safely through the portal."

Carric (with Darkwing in tow) stepped up to the Guardian. Siobhan began to sing, harmonizing with Carric's silver-tongued speaking. Carric requested passage to the Unseely Court. The Guardian let Carric through with the fey prisoner.

Talon stepped up next and sang, "I am Talon, Talon, Talon of Skkye...Hear me sing, o'Guardian, Guardian, Guardian..."

The Guardian was much pleased and let Talon pass through the portal to the Unseely Court.

Finally, Siobhan stepped up and sang of the greatness of guardians. The Guardian was absolutely delighted! He almost smiled and tapped his heels as he sent Siobhan through!

After passing through the portal, we found ourselves in an unfamiliar forest - in the daylight! (Not night.) There were no buildings in sight. And no sign yet of a court.