Expedition - Lug/Rescue II - 28 April, 1 VC

[Zorroroaster]

Really? I thought Marge expressed an interest in heading back to Vaul.

Maybe I thought about it but she didn't. She's like that. Pathological, indeed.
Marge stands up and stretches her back. She kicks a foot in Dog's direction to rouse him from where he lay snoozing.

"Alright. Back to that cesspit of a city. C'mon, mutt."

[Zhym]

Lug looks crestfallen as Marge packs up and prepares to leave. He turns to Ruwyn, then stands still in thought for a moment. Finally, he tries to talk to her in her own language:

"I ask you please to stay
To send the elf along on his way
If you're worried about the delay
It should only be part of the day

But if you want to go with Dorvar
Back to where your friends are
To help defend the town of Vaul
Best wishes, I say, to you all.

Except the assassin, of course, but I couldn't make that rhyme."

[Marullus]

*applauds*

[Keehnelf]

Lug, poet laureate of Vaul.

[Mister-Kent]

Ruwyn silently stands by Lug's side with a regretful look and a long sigh, suggesting her intention to stay and assist in the funeral.

She appreciates Lug addressing her in her native tongue

[Keehnelf]

May 12, 1 VC - 12:40pm

The majority of the travelers finish their packing and depart for Vaul with all haste, including the mercenaries and the band of displaced gnomes.

Lug, Niles, Ruwyn, and the elves remain with Wendall at the tower in order to send off the flame-haired elf. Lug and Valorei set to work preparing the body, Lug with hesitant and reverent gestures and Valorei with the bemused detachment of a student attempting to solve a difficult exam question. At several points he gives Lug a searching look and stands back from the massive man to watch him work, but finally at the end he fixes the man with a queer and enigmatic smile and pats him on the arm kindly.

Val then directs the team in the construction of an elaborate pyre using wood provided by Wendall and has the body laid atop it. Fishing around in his pack, he produces a bundle of aromatic herbs that he arranges within the pyre and then arranges on the end of a torch. He lights the torch, swinging it to and fro like a censer as he begins to chant, a low and lilting dirge that tugs forcefully at some primal instinct of man and halfling alike. It is an ancient song, a tale of things vanished from the world long before the first man took breath or saw the light of the sun. In its deep resonance, it echoes the low crashing of sea-waves on a broken and ever-shifting edifice of stone; in swift and dramatic turns it presents the lonely echo of a sea-bird's cry. Baxtaw contributes haltingly to the song: even on the tongues of elves the ancient words are uncomfortably foreign, and he is not well-versed in such things.

The song lasts an hour of Valorei's circling the pyre, censer in hand, before he sets light to it: the fragrant herbs burst quickly into a roaring flame that drowns out the continuation of the dirge for a moment, but as it settles the clarity of the words returns. The song itself lasts for two more hours as the body slowly burns, turning to motes of starlight that drift upward and join the mass of embers and smoke that have become the sky.

[Marullus]

Niles helps in the building of the pyre, supporting Lug and Valorei in any way he can. At first he listens attentively to the elven dirge, but as it continues into its second hour, he begins thumbing absently through his books, glancing up occasionally. As the song comes to an end, he tucks them away, and joins them in the final moments of reverie.

[Zhym]

The ceremony hits Lug with intense waves of emotion. Tears of grief for his dead friend mix with tears of awe at the elves' song. He doesn't understand it, but somehow it still creates a deep and overwhelming sense of something he couldn't explain even if he had the words for it.

As the fire burns, Lug feels the need to say something. "Of all the souls I knew," he finally manages to choke out, "his was the most...Numen."

When the funeral and the songs are over, Lug turns to the elves. "Thank you," he says solemnly. "That was beautiful. It's strange—it was so sad, but I feel like I'm a lucky human to have seen it, though the price was dear. Numen would have appreciated the effort, I think."

He looks around at those who remain at the tower. His forehead wrinkles in thought as his gaze lingers on Wendall. He then gives Valorei a questioning glance. He shakes his head and turns away.

"We'd better go see what's up with Vaul," he says.

[AleBelly]

You looking for an action from Varas, or are we on pause right now?

[Keehnelf]

On pause, with uneventful travel to Vaul per my prior post on the topic unless Varas or anyone has actions or conversations to have on the way: in which case, feel free!

[AleBelly]

"Zirina, Dorvar, I hope you realize I did not kill Numen for sport. I still believe Lug is under some enchantment. I will not deal with him further until we get to the truth of the matter. Now, I sure hope Ghrym's place is open. I have a serious thirst" says Varas as they head back to Vaul. Sitting high upon Mustard, he will periodically check behind him for any followers, not certain that Lug won't try to exact some revenge.

[Mister-Kent]

Ruwyn sits silently throughout the funeral, watching the solemn and mystial affair with melancholy fascination. When its time to head home, she picks up her belongings, and turns back to the pyre and whispers:

"If by raising an alarm
I've caused such undue harm
Then let this poem be
The last poem from me."

She heaves a great sigh, and hopes to fill her tiny body with much ale at the tavern.

[Scott308]

Dorvar

"Zirina, Dorvar, I hope you realize I did not kill Numen for sport. I still believe Lug is under some enchantment. I will not deal with him further until we get to the truth of the matter. Now, I sure hope Ghrym's place is open. I have a serious thirst" says Varas as they head back to Vaul. Sitting high upon Mustard, he will periodically check behind him for any followers, not certain that Lug won't try to exact some revenge.

The dwarf sighs. I know ye did not choose to kill him lightly. We have been through much together, and I have grown to trust your judgement. I as well truly thought killing Numen would have been the end of this issue, but it appears something darker may have affected Lug. I am not comfortable dealing with forces such as this. I'll take an enemy with a blade over a magicked person any day. It is much easier when I can see a clear threat instead of some unknown danger that we are unable to identify.

[Keehnelf]

I'll be handling updates to this thread of action via a global update in the reboot thread and closing this one down.

[Keehnelf]

Final Accounting of the Expedition to Rescue Allies from the Finger of Doom:

Achievement XP:
-550xp for killing a bunch of goblins, driving off wolves, and slaying Numen
-2,000xp for saving the jarban grove
-250xp for performing funereal rites on Numen (split among Lug, Niles, Baxtaw and Valorei only)
-1,000xp for befriending and saving the gnomes
-4,838xp for recovery of a variety of items and gold

Items recovered:
Censer of Peacefulness
Honey of Passage
Orrin's magic shield of Tall Ron's Dick (held by Lug)
Black-bound spellbook (currently held by Niles)
One jarban sapling
37 gp
3sp

Items brought but no longer having value:
Magical beehive--too damage by the wildfire as the party attempted to navigate the forest

XP Calculations:
8,388xp base for the full group, divided by 9.5 (8 PCs plus 3 half-share mercenaries) - Lug, Niles, Baxtaw, Valorei, Varas, Dorvar, Marge, and Ruwyn. This makes 883 xp each.

250xp extra, divided by 4 (63xp each) to Lug, Niles, Baxtaw, and Valorei

Go ahead and use the Loot thread to distribute the items on the loot list and do any post-expedition discussions that are needed.