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Holmes: The world returning to semi-normalcy, Agnes notes that the elves are standing not far from her, aghast.
Agnes turns from the scene of spiritual...death(?) looking for comfort of some kind. She only finds the elves, bringing her back to the next crisis.
Holmes: "Agnes...how could....?" Serrin can't even form the question. He coughs - a deep cough.
Agnes: "I...I'm not doing anything." Agnes approaches the couple to whom she is tied with love, cautiously. "I'm not! I would never hurt either of you."
Agnes: "What can I do to help?"
Holmes: "But you saw what we saw in that world. It's something coming from you," says Istraliand. "And it's in me, too now. Not just Serrin."
Agnes: "But...but there must be some mistake. How could I be harming you?" Agnes shakes her head, willing it not to be so.
Holmes: The couple look at Agnes, wanting to believe her. Yet the truth of what they'd seen seems so undeniable.
Holmes: But perhaps it was just a dream?
Agnes: "Who can we ask about this? You said that your elven magics were not helping. Someone must know something!"
Holmes: Fahd, the shaman of Rozgar who happens to be standing not far off says, "I think I know somebody who might be able to at least explain what you saw."
Agnes looks expectantly. "Who? Did you see it? When?" And looks to the elves for their opinion.
Holmes: Fahd nods. "Yes, I saw it. But I know now what it is. There is an old woman, however, who knows of such things. Her name is Rhoziar."
Holmes: "Actually her son..."
Agnes: "Well, if someone can help, let's get their help! Whether it has anything to do with me or not, Serrin needs assistance."
Holmes: "I have to stay here...people will have questions about the events of the day," he gestures to the north where there are strange lights in the sky still. "But I know of one who can take you. Her name is Chimrea."
Agnes thinks, trying to recall the name but gives up. "Let's go."
Holmes: *
Holmes: *
Holmes: "It's important, Chimrea," says Fahd. "I'd not ask otherwise. You know the way into the White Wood to find Roziar and Arblak. I'm asking as your mentor..."
Holmes: Just them Malwen walks in.
Holmes: A look of dawning comes over his face. "This explains where you've been," he says recriminatingly. "What would mother say if she were here?"
Chimrea half-turns toward Malwen, her face oddly expressionless for such a young girl. "I guess we're not going to have to worry about that, are we?"
Chimrea: As if her brother wasn't there, she answers Fazeris, "Of course I'll go."
Holmes: Malwen becomes enraged. Having only just learned that their parents have disappeared a few moments ago, he's dealing with the sudden weight of the responsibility of being the head of the house. Chimrea can almost hear her father's voice telling him that he's the one who has to deal with things when they're gone.
Holmes: His face twists as he says, "Then don't bother coming back here! You can stay with your death cult!"
Agnes pokes her head in the door, "Um, I can tell this is a bad time, but at least one life is hanging on this. I think we're ready out here." Turning to the angry young man, "Look, can this just keep until we get back?"
Chimrea flinches and her careful non-expression cracks, revealing hurt and confusion. "I didn't mean--!" As Agnes interrupts, she sucks in a deep breath and tries to put on her adult mannerisms again. "It'll keep," she answers quickly, pushing past Osalder and out the door.
Holmes: Fahd shrugs at Osalder's angry look and exits with Chimrea, looking at Agnes as he does.
Agnes: Agnes smiles uncertainly.
Holmes: Osalder stomps off.
Agnes: "So, how long is this trip going to be?"
Holmes: Fahd says, "It's just around the lake. Chimrea should have no problem finding them. Though most in Green Lake still consider the wood to be cursed. Old habits die hard."
Agnes: Agnes mounts up, making sure that Serrin's straps are secure one last time. "Lead on, young lady."

Holmes: The trees of the white wood have eroded over 20 years. Apparently the un-natural forces that had kept them alive for milennia died when the sorcerer died. But they are huge, still, and are taking their time in decaying. Natural forces don't seem to have figured out their part in the process. So rain seems to be doing most of the damage.
Holmes: There are signs here and there that some creatures have made a home amongst the trees, and there are plants where light can reach the ground here and there.
Holmes: Fallen limbs from the trees make the going somewhat difficult. It occurs to Agnes that this would be a forbidding home.
Holmes: The elves look about skeptically.
Agnes: "Wow...Dad told me they were big. Seems like someone should carve great works from some of these and preserve them."
Chimrea has been quiet for most of the trip, occasionally bursting out in chatter and then lapsing back into silence. She says, "Everyone thinks it's cursed. The forest used to eat people."
Holmes: Serrin looks like he wants to respond to Agnes' conversation, but he seems reticent, and keeps quiet. It's clear that he's still struggling with trusting Agnes.
Agnes: "My father said it was a gateway to another world. He said that he and your father went there together once."
Chimrea shrugs. "They wouldn't talk about that stuff much, but... yeah. It was a gateway to a bad place. Kinda spooky still, but I sort of like it. It's quiet."
Agnes: "Look! I think there's a clearing ahead, and I smell some kind of smoke."
Holmes: Agnes spots a figure out of the corner of her eye darting from tree to tree.
Agnes: Speaking softly, Agnes alerts the others. "There's someone off to our right." And then she reaches out with her mind to figure out who the spy is.
Holmes: Somehow there is some sort of interference in her mental probing...perhaps this place still resonates with memory or the minds of the lost...
Agnes: Shaking her head, "I can't locate them precisely...but I _think_ it's just one."
Holmes: The mind of the figure in the trees remains hidden.
Holmes: Chimrea sees Rhoziar ahead, standing by her fire, looking at the newcomers.
Chimrea: "Rhoziar!" she calls, waving. "These people need your help." She figures the lurking figure was probably the crone's son, or not important.
Holmes: Seeing that it's Chimrea, Rhoziar seems to relax a bit. Though she still seems quite tense.
Holmes: She goes back to stirring her pot. "What do they want?"
Agnes rides forward with Serrin. "Good lady, there is something connecting me to this gentleman and we fear that it is harming him. Can you or your son tell us about the connection and how his health can be returned?"
Chimrea: "Fahd sent them," Chimrea adds quietly, to add the weight of his name to the request.
Holmes: Until Chimrea speaks, Rhoziar doesn't even realize that Agnes was referring to her. "Huh? Oh. Why should we help these people?"
Holmes: Looking more closely at Serrin, "These are elves!"
Agnes: "What can we do to help you in return. We command considerable resources and I am not too good to help you myself in exchange for your help...if you do not help strangers by custom, that is."
Holmes: Rhoziar comes up to Agnes and looks her over at an uncomfortably close range. It's clear that the woman is ancient, and her eyesight is very bad. The old crone sniffs at Agnes.
Holmes: "You smell familiar," she says. "Ever met a man named Egani?"
Agnes fairly beams with pleasure. "In fact, he is my father." Smiling, Agnes dismounts and greets the crone with a hug.
Holmes: The old woman recoils from the physical contact as though stunned, making a croaking sound.
Holmes: "We don't do that here."
Holmes: The woman seems to ruminate for a moment around her fire.
Agnes: "Oh...I apologize."
Chimrea ducks her head to hide a smile as Agnes tries to hug Rhoziar, and tries not to be too obvious about staring at her curiously. She's heard a few stories about Egani--Okhfels didn't approve of him, which automatically made him interesting.
Holmes: Rhoziar seems to realize something. "Resources, you say? Could you go deep in the woods to get something for me?"
Holmes: She gets close again and says, "You brave?'
Holmes: "
Agnes: "I'm not brave, I'm foolish. And I would do anything to unravel this mystery. Can you actually help us?"
Holmes: Rhoziar looks at the elves for a moment and then says, "I can't. But Arblak can. Or your father could."
Holmes: "What say ye? will you go deep into the wood?" she asks.
Holmes: Chimrea, knowing Rhoziar senses that this trip into the wood won't be a normal one.
Agnes: "Truly? Where is your son? Sure, I'll go. Fix him now though, his health is waning."
Chimrea decides not to make a big deal of it, figuring that Agnes says she's foolish and it'll put off Chimrea having to go confront her brother.
Holmes: Rhosiar looks at the elf again. "He'll live. You go first. Then we help."
Agnes: "OK, what do you need fetched?"
Holmes: "A demon-root. It's far off. I can tell you the way, however," she relays in a crochety tone.
Holmes: Agnes feels into the old woman's mind...and finds that it's largely gone. In fact, the way she enters it, Agnes knows that Rhosiar is hers to command if she wishes - now until the old woman passes.
Holmes: As for Rhosiar's plan...
Holmes: Apparently she's been thinking of getting the demon-root for ages. But had largely given up on the idea because of her advanced years.
Holmes: Her notion is fuzzy, but involves creating an animated tree servant to watch over Arblak once she's gone.
Holmes: She had resigned herself to Arblak returning to Rhiani society, her not being able to accompish the task.
Holmes: But now...
Agnes: "Have your son repair the Ambassador first. I'll get the root for you afterward."
Holmes: Rhoziar moves to object, but then seems to change her mind. This seems very odd to Chimrea.
Holmes: "Yes, we'll help you first."
Holmes: "Arblak!"
Holmes: A figure comes loping out of the woods, but still trying to keep trees in the way as he approaches.
Chimrea frowns, because usually Rhosiar is disagreeable just for the sake of it, but it's not her business here.
Holmes: Arblak, hideously ugly, with teeth protruding up from his lower jaw like boar fangs, checks everyone out from behind a stand of fallen branches.
Holmes: "Arblak, fix the problem with this one!" Rhoziar commands.
Holmes: Arblak steps towards the elf, very carefully.
Holmes: And begins a very long process of analyzing the condition.
Agnes watches the tusked man work, recognizing the look on his face.

Holmes: Dreaming, Tez sees her uncle saying, "Akalatan is the son, the bringer of life. Klysus is the father, to whom all life must return. Your duty is to use power of the flow of blood to bring those who resist returning, back to the father."
Holmes: She wakes up in a mud-walled room, spartan, but with an air of refinement, that aside.
Holmes: Looking to her side, she sees, Teodric.
Teodric: "Ah your awake."
Holmes: Tez, resisting having been taken, has been unconscious for a long time. One of Lana's concoctions.
Tez blinks up at him blearily. "Where have you taken me?" she demands in a tone that would be haughty if her head didn't hurt so much.
Holmes: The last thing she remembers before dreaming are images of the temple hall, and her friends streaming in. And Lana throwing something at her...
Holmes: Thrakelust's halls, vacated for now, have served well since their return. Teodric can feel his absence...
Teodric: "You're safe now, we brought you back to Green Lake"
Tez shifts, trying to regain her wits, and her hand runs down to where she keeps her daggers. "Safe? I was safe among my people!"
Holmes: A dream comes back to Tez, her uncle speaking again. "The Khurtum is the god-king of the Lankani. You descend from the same bloodline as the Khurtum."
Teodric: Teodric sighs "They were only using you for their own nefarious purposes. Surely you can see that?"
Tez laughs sharply. "They cannot *USE* me. I am descended Sendar and Sendil, and it is my destiny to *rule* them." she declares, her fingers not finding the blades she had held. "You will *regret* kidnapping me."
Holmes: Another memory of her uncle: "There are forces that are trying to take over Emer. The Lord of Ardania is one of them. We work with them, but only in the short term. In the end, all must bow to Klysus."
Teodric: Teodric notes the movement "Your daggers are safe for the moment. Until you are well enough to use them again."
Tez scowls, "Those were sacred. Now I will have to re-sanctify them in the blood of innocents. It is a shame yours will not do."
Teodric: Teodric frowns "What happened to you Tez? Do you remember that we are your friends?"
Tez: "I.. do not need any 'friends.' I am the Chosen One. All my desires are met."
Tez speaks that last as if by rote.
Teodric: "All your desires are met? Is that why they had you locked up for slave trade?"
Holmes: Under Ruin House again, her uncle: "You shall ascend the temple of the sun one day. And the ancient blood line will be restored."
Tez: "Slave trade? What are you speaking of?"
Teodric: "You don't remember? Lana freed us from the prisons of some slave traders. Slave traders in the employ of your 'uncle'"
Tez blinks, her expression faraway for a moment, "Oh, that was The Before Time. That does not count. I did not know who I was, then."
Tez 's intonation leads you to believe that the word "I" when used in reference to herself, has significance beyond that of mortal ken.
Teodric: "I don't think you know who you are now. This certainly isn't the Tez that I know."
Tez: "I do not answer to you." she glares sulkily.
Holmes: Teodric notes Rahkleth at the door.
Teodric: Teodric moves next to Rahkleth and says quietly "What is it?"
Tez looks to see who is at the door, trying very hard to focus.
Holmes: "The priests seem to have some concern about your guest," he replies. "They seem to think that there's something odd about her."
Holmes: Despite the low tones, Tez manages to make out the gist of what Rahkleth is saying.
Teodric: "I'd say so. Can they be more specific about that? I mean she's making the hair's on the back of my neck stand up. So if that's all they can tell me, then it isn't very useful"
Tez begins to stand up, but then thinks better of it. It would be too undignified to fall on her face.
Holmes: "They say she has something like a powerful spirit with her. But an odd spirit," Rahkleth says. "And they think it's evil."
Teodric: "Can they get rid of it?"
Tez begins making plans for the death of this Rankleth person. Evil indeed!
Holmes: Rakleth replies, "Well, they think Thrakelust could have...but none of them seem confident to attempt it."
Tez curls her fingers into fists... planning to try to destroy her, are they? Well. She'll see about that.
Teodric: "There's another option..." Teodric shakes his head "... but I don't want to do this through deceit. She comes back to us with full knowledge, or not at all."
Tez feels the tendrils of power coil inside her, whispering with their thousand voices. Oh yes. They'll pay.
Holmes: "What option?" asks Rahkleth, surprised.
Holmes: Nula appears at the door, behind Rahkleth.
Teodric: Teodric shakes his head "I don't even know if it's possible."
Teodric: Teodric smiles wearily at Nula "At last some sunlight."
Holmes: Nula says to Teodric, "Do you have a moment to talk?"
Holmes: Rahkleth, seeing Tez's expression comes into the room further to speak to her. "I bear you no ill will. Teodric says you are possessed or something. I hope you become well. But until that time, know that I am in charge of the safety of the people of Green Lake. And you will behave, or there will be repercussions."
Tez: "I am not possessed." she says coldly. "I have been kidnapped from my family and I demand to be returned to them!"
Teodric: Teodric nods
Holmes: Stepping back out into the hall, Nula says, "My father's tribe is under assault by the Vajaari. I need to return to them."
Holmes: Rahkleth replies to Tez with a quizical look, "Well that's between you and Teodric. Not my problem. My only concern is that you know your place here."
Tez straightens so that she can stare down her nose imperiously at him, although this does not entirely work due to her mind not being able to focus, she still radiates displeasure and anger, along with a feeling of...something else. "My place is not here, and if it WERE it would be as its ruler."
Teodric: Teodric frowns "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Teodric leaves his last thought unspoken "Will you come back?"
Holmes: Nula looks at him, and Teodric realizes that she's torn, too. Her eyes say, "Come with me." But he hears her say, "I...I just wanted to tell you."
Teodric: Teodric hesitates and then reaches out pulling her into his embrace. He whispers to her "I can't come with you right now. There are problems here that I can't leave unattended. But if you can't return to me, then I will find you."
Holmes: Now Teodric senses something else in Nula's eyes. She's torn. She might give up her father, not return him, if only Teodric might ask her.
Holmes: Rahkleth, used to Thrakelust, leans back from Tez with a grin. "Well, around here, who knows. Maybe you will be the ruler in a bit. That's up to the people."
Holmes: He turns to leave, looking to see if Tez has anything more to say.
Tez: "We shall see indeed."
Teodric: Teodric hesitates again. Even as it tears at him, he could never ask her to abandon her people. "Your people need you Nula. We found each other in the unlikeliest of places, and we will find each other again." Silently he vows to hunt forever if need be.
Holmes: Nula nods, no longer able to look him in the face. "I'll be leaving with the caravan that heads out today then. Thank you for your...hospitality."
Holmes: She's obviously trying to distance herself already with some formality.
Teodric: Teodric, not wishing to make it any harder than it has to be, bows slightly "The pleasure was all mine. I hope that you have a pleasant trip". His calm exterior does not betray the turmoil inside.
Holmes: Nula hesitates for a moment, but then exits hastily.
Holmes: Rahkleth returns to Teodric. "And words for the council?"
Holmes: Rhakleth refers to the group that has assembled itself in order to figure out what to do in the absence of the leaders of Green Lake.
Tez takes the moment of distraction of the others to simply put her head in her hands, suppressing a groan. Lana did this to her... Kidnapping, drugging...some 'friends!' Uncle was right, she does not need any friends.
Holmes: Teodric was aware that Rhakleth himself was being pushed by the military factions to be leader, but it wasn't clear if he, himself, was at all interested.
Holmes: Things had been chaotic in Green Lake since the day a couple of weeks back when the world had turned upside down, apparently.
Teodric: Teodric's voice cracks slightly as he says "Tell them that I would like them to consider me for leadership of Green Lake."
Holmes: Rahkleth nods, and heads out to deliver the message.

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