Chapter 29 - Bissel

[tumblingdice]

Castinus has all the gear he needs. Assuming everyone's up to full strength, he's ready to go.

[Zhym]

Ulster is ready to leave town.

[GreyWolfVT]

Algrim returns and informs the group "I'm ready. Just gimme word when wer leavin."

[spanningtree]

Dieter - Mage

I am ready....

[Craigers07]

Furuk - Fighter

"I have everything I need and I'm ready to go."

[greyarea]

The party sets out, following the path that lead them to Bissel from the caves before.

Although it is a shorter cut than your original search for the caves, it still takes many days. Luckily, you avoid incident.

You arrive at the side-entrance where you had your final interaction with the sword, and its daemon, Blackrazor. The shards of the blade still lay on the floor, dust refusing to stay upon them.

In the deepening dark of the cave, a strange purplish black mist forms around the stalagmites on the floor. It seems to move of its own accord, and you see the twinkling as of stars within. The sonorous voice of Blackrazor booms, as if from no precise source.

So, you return, and I sense you have what I seek. Give them to me, so that I might leave this place and take my place in the heavens again.

[spanningtree]

Dieter - Mage

Dieter shifts a bit and then looks to Grimes and Castinas for a reaction.

[tumblingdice]

Castinus - human thief

Castinus smirks at Blackrazor's use of the term heavens. The labor was long, but we succeeded. We have done what we agreed to do, and will keep our word. But we cannot take foolish chances with our eternal souls and spirits. Show us first that you can bring Shae back to life, as she was before she met you, and we will give one third of what you want. Restore Grimes' soul, and we will give you another third. Restore my soul, and we shall give you the rest.

OC: This is foolhardy, I know, but what are we supposed to do? Just say, "Here you go! Can we please have our souls back?" We're a party of high-level characters. We gotta talk at least a little bit of smack, right? Man, I wish we'd hatched a plan ahead of time, in case Blackrazor renegs on the deal. Fingers crossed. 18 Charisma, don't fail me now...

[GreyWolfVT]

Algrim out of the loop as to what is going on stands there silently but alert in the event there is fighting to be had.

[badams30]

Grimes - Fighter

Grimes steps up next to Castinus and nods grimly at Castinus' words. He taps wave once on the floor and says "Yes, we've fulfilled our part of this agreement, so if you'll fulfill yours, we can all be on our way."

OOC: Yeah, not sure how this plays out, but Grimes will try to exercise some restraint from his usual approach of setting all common sense aside before acting.

[spanningtree]

Dieter - Mage

Dieter engages his eye of true seeing.

[merias]

Dandy waits patiently, ready if needed.

[Zhym]

Ulster watches in fascination. How did this Blackrazor obtain three souls? Clearly there is some history here from before Ulster joined the group.

He prepares himself to fight if needed, but sees no reason to intervene otherwise.

[greyarea]

Dieter engages his eye. The creature appears to him black-on-black: a depth of darkness so that the shadow beyond seems bright. Where the others see tendrils of smoke, Dieter sees tentacles; where stars, the mage sees eyes. Dieter feels the sight of Blackrazor in the pit of his stomach; his head throbs and feels as if crushed in a vice. (The DM considers SAN rules for LL/AEC.)

Blackrazor, who still appears as smoke to the others, replies, As before you are impertinent, thinking that you can lead negotiations, believing you are the arbiters of your own fates. I feel even if I teach you a lesson, you still will not learn. Nevertheless, I care not for your words, I care only for my goals...

The darkness shifts, and Shae appears prone. Her eyes flutter and she rises, as if from a deep sleep. She looks around the cave and then to Castinus. Where am I, she asks.

Now, give me what I sent you for, before I lose patience.

[spanningtree]

Dieter - Mage

Grasping at sanity Dieter changes his vision back to normal: Our thanks for Shae's restoration. Can you restore the other souls? There is really no negotiation here, your magic... super science... I know not what called... is incredible... we are humbly requesting what little some started with be returned. The place you sent us was quite alien. Dieter will take one of the parts out and roll it toward the blackness. Did you come to this land aboard the ship?

[badams30]

Grimes - fighter

Grimes nods at Castinus and says"let's give it to him. I'd like my soul back if it's just the same...."

[GreyWolfVT]

Algrim speaks up though rather stoic still and ready if needed to fight "I don't think he's playin around. Just give it to 'im."

[badams30]

Grimes - Fighter

Grimes tenses up and nods at the shadowy figure. "Thank you. Good luck on your travels." He glances at Castinus, then at Shae and with a twinge of regret, he starts to make his way out of this place of bad memories.

[spanningtree]

Dieter - Mage

Seeing his most trusted friend take off, Dieter puts the rest of the parts on the ground and chases after Grimes.

[tumblingdice]

OC: Sorry guys. I've been down and out with the flu all week.

Castinus provides the rest of the parts to Blackrazor, if any are left to hand over. Thank you! he says, much less stoically than he had intended, as he feels his soul rush back into the emptiness he could never quite give shape to.

He stoops down over Shae. Shae! You're alive! And you're safe! How do you feel? What do you remember?"