MEANWHILE BACK @ THE CONCLAVE

[jkb2grizzly]

While Max is in the town and the rest of you are where you are...each of you at dawn share the same vision/dream. Max first and foremost, as your prepare to bed down for the night, you wash your face in a basin of lukewarm water and dry w/a towel. A sharp crackle from the basin startles you, you step back and a blue/green flame rises from the water. A voice resonates from the flame.
"Maximilian or Maximus, I am Homgiel Bai. I have sent a few of mine to you, Pol, the elven cleric, is one of my first followers. I have saved the shifty Elf when he fell in battle and Xanaphia. And am sending someone else. With Seamus is a necromancer and one of my clerics, her name is Ariel. She travels w/two children that she hopes to free to the next life. Of my previous companions, Gizgard will have the most difficulty w/her. She, like myself, believes in maintaining the balances in the world. The children are not mine and I will not interfere in whatever fate holds for them. They could be corrupted or freed depending on Ariel and any companions that accompany her."

At the end of the speech each of you see in your minds, very quickly a visage of Homer smiling at you.

Max, you see a boy, thin, malnourished and the vision lingers...could this be a boy from your past??? He is familiar, but not enough to pin an exact time you may have met him.

[pigdish]

At the end of the vision Gizgard rolls over in his bed pushing his face into the droll stained pillow. His eyes begin to water as tears flow down his face and onto the pillow at the loss he felt losing a good friend.

Gizgard punches the mattress in frustration, a gutteral growl reverberates in his throat, as his lips utter a single word. Necromancer!

[Davey]

Aramil sits up from his revere and thinks to himself, 'I've got to lay off the elderberry wine.' After reflection of this vision, Aramil decides he must show more apprecation to the gift that Homer gave to him. Perhaps he will give a charaitable donation to the church of Homer. With a chuckle he reasons, ...just as soon as he comes across such a temple! Then with a big yawn Aramil falls back into his revere.

[soodowyvern]

Just before dawn, Seamus arose from bed early with the intent of getting some extra melee exercise in before returning to the blacksmith to retrieve the tripod stands that are needed.

After finishing his kata with spear and shield, he walks over to the rest of his weapons, leans the spear against a tree, wipes the sweat from his face and goes to pick up the mace. At that moment the vision from Homer comes upon him, dropping Seamus to one knee and the other, he places his face in his hands as though he was crying.

Once the vision had ended, a tear had left his eye for the friend that had been lost. Brushing the tear from his cheek, then placing his hands on his thighs and sitting back on his heals, Seamus stairs blankly at his equipment in front of him, gather his thoughts and pondering the vision.

' How could this be. Those people are not my enemy, but actually my friends. Those who are under the control of the Mind flayer. That's it, it must be another trick of at cruised Mind flayer. But how would he know if Homer? Is Homer this Homgiel Bai? A Deity of sorts? Then these images must be true, but how could they be?'

[Kaber]

Seamus, a voice stirs you from your musings.

"May your sould find peace, brother. What ails you friend? "

You turn to see a young man dressed in blue white robes of fur. He wears a holy symbol that seems to capture the first rays of the morning sun and reflects it back in rainbow hues. A thin dusting of white powder still coats the cobbled stone square you found near the inn, but it is fairly warm despite newly fallen snow.

[pigdish]

Max watches the visage before him in annoyance. Thinking to himself Why can't these cursed gods find better things to do than meddle. So this Homgiel Bai is the one that sent Pol here and now he sends another. What is his motive? Nothing good I'm sure.[/color].

Max dries his hands and face thinking Who was this thin decrepit boy though? There was something familiar about him. Max delved deeper into his memories to see if he could recall.[/color]

Max stomps out holding his emotions barely in check to find Xanaphia. Outwardly he is smooth as worked marble. Finding her in the cataloging room up to the elbows in tomes. "Lady Chancellor I wish to have a word with you." Max clears off a chair and plops himself down. "I have just had a visit from the one your worship. What can you tell me about him? What are his motives? He made mention of a Necromancer traveling with Seamus. I will not have a repeat of what happened here (in the Conclave) again. Upon your word I will grant access to this Necromancer but he or she will be denied access to the tomes of magic. Are we in agreement?"

Max stands up quickly the chair sliding back from the force. "I do not want to appear as if the Conclave is siding with a deity in particular." Max gives a slight bow "Good day to you Lady Chancellor, and pardon my intrusion but I felt this needed immediate addressing to prevent any misunderstandings in the future."

[[Max is very distrustful of all deities in general. He also dislikes intensely the dark practitioners of magic (necromancy, evil clerics) because he blames their practices, among other things, for the fall of the original Conclave.]]

[soodowyvern]

Seamus turns in the direction of the voice with a slightly startled.

Knowledge Arcana & History to see if I recognize this Holy symbol

Knowledge Arcana

[dice=20] + 13 = 19

knowledge History

[dice=20] + 13 = 25

"Ah I am fine good sir. I thank you for your concerns."

Seamus states cautiously.[rand=25755402406935525473113746950593341683175876762335552110496478904]

[jkb2grizzly]

Okay, Max returns to the Conclave w/his entourage and storms into the structure and seeks out Xanaphia...

She turns to Max.
"Well, I don't know alot about any of the gods that have taken an interest in me. First, Sekrit, raises me from the dead and transforms me into a half Elf/half Centaur; then I die again and Homgiel Bai raises me, returns me to my given form, and makes me his cleric. Now of course, I agree, because as an elf I don't intend to die for many decades to come. After my second reprieve from death, I returned to my quarters to find a few books regarding Homgiel. He believes in balance in all forms: good and evil, magic and might, fire and ice, knowledge and instinct, and so on. So far, I have read stories of an old man doing good and wise things and a young boy doing evil and foolishly, manipulative things. As far as his designs on the Conclave, I am not aware of any. I will pray about this and see what He deems to tell/reveal to me."

[pigdish]

Max quickly turns to face Xanaphia. "One thing I have learned is that when mortals are involved with gods their lives become far too complicated and detrimental to their life. I will...what...What did you say about the young boy?" A look of interest crosses his hard face. "What more can you tell me of this boy?"

[jkb2grizzly]

Xanaphia stares off as if she were re-reading and trying to remember what she had read.

"The story told of the boy, Hungib, who befriended a deposed king. In the story the boy would mislead the king about the brother who bethroned him. The land was in actuality prosperous. The new king benevolent, kind to his subjects. Before the boy met the king, he had no designs on returning to reclaim his lost throne. A long and bloody war plunged the area into disarray for many years, killing nearly all the people. The author retelling the tale, believed that the boy/Homgiel felt that the balance in the region between good and evil was off. And he was correct, however, he was unaware of an evil invasion force on the regions northern borders."
She catches her breath and describes the boy related in the story, which could or could not be the boy of your vision.

She looks at you with concern.

"Max, I believe this story occurred centuries ago. I would have to consult the text again to see if it mentions a time or alludes to an era."

"It is odd that Homgiel would appear to you and not me. Don't you think."

[pigdish]

Max looking troubled takes a small box from his belt. Taking a pinch of whatever is inside he sniffs it quickly into each nostril.

Nodding and in deep thought Max utters, "Aye, that indeed be interesting." Slapping his hands on his legs Max regains his composure and prepares to leave. "Continue to search for whatever else you can find out about this boy, history and where this kingdom might be. Perhaps it is elsewhere in the world. Now I must see to the new arrivals."

Telepathically, Cursor continue working on the devices. Algorn shall be here in a few days and I'll see that he begins work on your upgrades.

So much to do. So much to do. Max thinks as he makes his way to the fertile farm lands. Things are beginning to come together. Max's mouth slightly curls at the corners in joy.

[Davey]

Aramil walks into the room and quips, "We are all pawns to gods, to be used as they see fit. The gods just get a kick out of playing chess with the lesser races. Anyway, Max, I would like to talk to you about security. More importantly, installing some crafty anti-theft devices. I could offer some assistance and help place said devices ensuring the security of the Highmark's most valuable assets.

**Aramil is plying his best poker face, trying not to contain his enthusiasm.**

[Davey]

Also, Vlar, The Impaler, General of the elite and deadly Dire-boar brigade is going to send out word to drum up more riders to help secure the keep. In the mean time the remaining riders are going to work on repairing the infrastructure of the building.

[jkb2grizzly]

Wellby is familiarizing himself with the Conclave and studying the magic tomes in the libraries.

[jkb2grizzly]

Ariel rises and goes through her morning prayer ritual, which takes about fifteen minutes, as the sun rises. Once dressed in her formal wizard's outfit, black robes w/silver inscriptions, a cleaner version of her previous togs, she seeks out Seamus. Not finding him in his room, she seeks out the Innkeep.

[glow=red,2,300]"Sir and Madam, have you seen my travelling companion this morn?"[/glow]