Quest The Secret of the Swamplands

[Verena Lorak]

As she stepped down from the boat, Verena swayed slightly. Her feet landed clumsily on the soft ground, sinking into the mud ever so slightly. She did not mind the mud or the water or the dirt. The healer had trudged through her family’s fields before and the mess never did bother her all that much. Filth was no problem when someone had encountered dead bodies and gangrene before.

“The mouth of the swamps, as I’m sure all of you know, is rife with dangers and I would rather have some inkling as to where we will begin. Verena Lorak, I request that you assist us. However limited in prowess you are, some inclination as to whether there is a danger nearby is better than none at all. Edmund, while she does so, look for a suitable entrance into the swamps. One that isn’t littered with splintered wood or sodden with excess waters. Alexander, go with him.”

The healer had expected that her magic would come into play. Unfortunately, she had not been able to rely on her vision very much – that would make identifying dangers much more complicated. She had practiced using touch and scent, but she was not sure she was entirely accustomed to it. But what Lessiya said was true. It was better that they had some sense of the dangers that might await in the swamp, however little that might be.

With a nod, the young woman left Lessiya’s side, but not as far as the men had gone to. Noises of the wild greeted her almost immediately, momentarily distracting her from the task at hand. There was something beautifully haunting about the swamp. Even without her magic, Verena could almost sense something primal from its depth. It was alive.

Verena closed her eyes, blocking most of her senses out. Using her other senses demanded more focus and she had hoped keeping her distance from her fellow adventurers will keep their aura from blocking whatever it was that might be a danger to them. Human auras had always been the easiest to spot and the hardest to ignore.

Gingerly, the healer called on her djed and took a deep breath. At first, she could only smell the mud and plants, nothing out of the ordinary - just what the swamp was supposed to smell like. Now, since she was not skilled enough to sense everything at the same time, she would have to check one thing at a time. Verena sorted through the aura as quickly as she could. She could not understand it, but she was sure she could recognize the scent of danger when she found it – something sharp and bitter. Mostly, the Lorak caught a whiff of plants’ aura and nothing else. She quickly turned her attention from, closing it off as she turned to look for anything out of place.

Nothing was out of place. Not quite.

Her eyes flicked open and she eyed her surroundings carefully. The work had left her feeling enervated and Verena let herself take a moment to rest as she leaned against a tree. She could not investigate any further, but it was all she could possibly do for now. The simple search had left her more exhausted than she had expected.

“I do not sense anything suspicious in particular,” Verena stated as she returned, her voice slightly labored. The men seemed to have returned before her. “Everything seems . . . placid.” She was not sure what words to use in describing what she felt. There was no danger, but there was something she could not place a finger on.

[Vice]

To Lessiya, it seemed that the general consensus was to travel the road most traveled. While she was the leader, she was more than inclined to take her fellows into consideration and decided that thought the bare, neat nature of the path ahead of them was suspicious, she would heed their noticeably insistent nature on taking the path and take it to heart.

"This way, then."

The woman led forward, taking a spot ahead of the rest of the group. An observant person would notice the vines beginning to move at the floor around them, without apparent cause. The forest seemed to darken, the winds blowing, trees forming an almost perfect canopy over the adventurers, with only the smallest of crevices to allow light passage.

The time passed in relative silence, and Lessiya saw no cause to use her Res to light the way, for it would be dangerous to do so. Rather, she set the course forward. The adventurers would hear the woman begin to gag, then a thud fall to the floor, but if they attempted to investigate, she would be gone. The canopy over their heads parted slightly to reveal that the entire path, supposedly free of anything at all, was littered with vines. They seemed to move slowly, and Lessiya was completely gone. However, if one listened closely, whispers could be heard coming from the forward direction.

What will you do? :

The first person to reply can choose the path ahead. You have, of course, unlimited options, but the main ones are to proceed along the path and towards the whispers, to attempt to investigate Lessiya's disappearance, or to turn back.

[Edmund Morealis]

At the very least Lessiya appeared to be taking Edmund's words into deliberation, which was good since Edmund consistently presented logical advice. It was his profession to analyze and make decisions, which had a tendency to service assisting others in making theirs. No one was infallible, of course, but Edmund had been groomed to make decisions. Surprising it would be if it were revealed that all of his preparation was in vain.

When they returned to the course as a company, the Morealis could not help but sense a distinct discrepency in the lane's ambience since his previous visit. Something about surroundings did not seem similar to him, but it was too subtle a sensation for him to voice.

So instead, Edmund followed dutifully behind Lessiya, remaining close and sometimes pulling up alongside her as his stride varied at random. The length of his gait altered proportionately with his attention to his surroundings. Having never been into the swamp proper, the dynast had not a clue as to what it should look like, and so could not notice any unnatural occurrences around them. He regarded nearly every visibly element with suspicion, for it was all unfamiliar to him. Perhaps it was his constant vigil that allowed him to notice that there was very little light offered through the trees, far less than there had been at the mouth of the trail. A rapid glance upwards confirmed that the canopy of the swamp created a veritable curtain that shielded them from Syna's rays, as if the swamp had swalled them whole.

However, by glancing up, Edmund missed part of what came next.

Some ticks had passed before anyone realized what precisely was happening, but shortly after Lessiya started gagging Edmund heard the disturbance and looked down to the woman. It was difficult to see her as the entire path was swathed in shadow, with only minimal bands of light illuminating parts of her as she crumpled to the ground. Edmund knelt quickly to help her back up, but as his hands reached for where she had been heard to fall they touched nothing but empty air.

What the petch...

As if on cue, the canopy of the swamp divided and Syna's light beamed back onto the trail once again. Only, instead of the stark fabricated path that Edmund had found, the trail the group found themselves on was now overrun with vines. Lessiya was nowhere to be seen.

While the others reacted as they saw fit, Edmund was immediately seeking to come to a decision. Their options were infinite, but only three logical courses were worth deliberating over: either they continued onward, they withdrew, or they sought Lessiya. Surely there was only one intelligent option that they could take, regardless of what the present company thought. Whispers of some sort, unsettling and pervasive, emanated from the direction in which the group was headed, which only further determined Edmund's course of action.

"We must search for her," Edmund announced after the other two finished their trivial reactions. "It is the only astute manner in which we can proceed."

Hopefully the reasons for such a response were self-evident, but it was always difficult to tell with people. Especially mercenaries, whom in Edmund's experience practiced a system in which they thought as little as possible. "We cannot very well go back without Lessiya, lest we simply admit defeat without a struggle," Edmund explained, gazing back down the path on which the had trodden. "To do so would allow the swamp to claim another victory without us having gained anything to show for our efforts. We cannot let whatever menace that lurks within these trees and bogs claim any more lives, least of all someone who had gone so far in attempting to rid this area of the danger."

With a solemn turn, Edmund faced the foreboding path they had yet to tread, a trail leading potentially leading to the heart of the deep swamp. The whispers had not subsided. "That said, we cannot very well continue on without her. Of those who opted to embark on this expedition, she is the most capable in the field most certainly. Not to mention that she had chosen to keep so many details as to what we could possibly be facing to herself. If she had elected to tell us some things we might have been able to continue on our own, but as it stands we would be walking blind into the most treacherous realm of Kenash."

Finally, he turned to face his comrades. His face was set and determined, decision made. "We must find her. I have no knowledge of anything that could make a woman disappear so suddenly, nor cause the swamp to behave in this manner. If neither of you have any experience in the arcane, then our first course of action must be to search either side of the path for anywhere nearby she might have gone. Together, of course, lest the swamp claim each of us in turn."

"Have either of you noticed anything, or have any suggestions as to how we should proceed with our search?"

[Alexander Hamish Moore]

Alex followed quietly, watching the surrounding as he had done many times before on the Kabrin Road. The trail they had started down seemed like an ordinary trail, briefly. While trying to keep pace with the group, he had noted a slight change in the way nature acted. The forest darkened, and the weather changed quickly. Quicker than anything he had ever experienced. Out of the corners of his eyes he thought he spotted movement. A slight shift in a vine here, a deliberate, slither here, but it stilled each time his eyes focused on them. He thought it was a trick of the light, and held his tongue and followed in silence, trying to shake the chill of the wind that made every hair on his neck and arms stand.

The vines continued to slither and move just out of the corner of his eyes, and the wind persisted. Alex had turned to try and spot a rather vigorous movement, when he heard gagging, and a loud thump. By the time he turned his head, the wind had die down, and light filtered in through the trees. The path that was once clear was choked by vines. Alex took a sharp breath in surprise. Even though it seemed still, the hairs refused to flatten, and Alex shivered as they bristled. Lessiya had vanished, and with it, so did much of Alex’s confidence. He was not a leader, nor did he even understand what was going on to make the swamp behave so. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, and clutched the grip of his bow tightly. These were things he understood. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Partly from fear rising up in his belly, and partly from a lack of understanding.

He took another breath, calming himself. He couldn’t let his fears and ignorance get to him. Then, the Dynast Edmund began to speak. His words were grim, but reassuring. He was right, turning back would be tantamount to defeat. Alex would not be defeated by the swamp, nor would he let the swamp take the one person who could understand what was going on. Alex steeled himself for what was to come. He loosened the grip on his sword, fearing what you didn’t know wasn’t the way to come out of this alive. And if they all were to survive, they needed to work together.

“I can’t speak of anything arcane. In my days of travel along the road, I haven’t seen the forest act so… alive.” it was the only word he could think of to describe that was going on. What ever the cause was, it was something that Alex couldn’t fathom. All he could do here was follow. And hope that whatever the cause was, it was something that could be killed with a well placed arrow.

He stepped towards Edmund, and spoke with as much confidence as he could muster, “I will have your back to whatever lies down this path. There is only one direction to go. Forward.” silently, he asked Dira for a little courage in facing what ever was at the end of the trail, even death.

[Verena Lorak]

Verena followed the other woman's lead to what had seemed like a man-made path. Logically, it should be the safest - a road most travelled. The Lorak would not notice the deliberate shifting of the forest around them, but she definitely spotted the change of lighting. A shade seemed to come over them and Verena could not help scanning for her fellow adventurers. All the while, a gentle breeze stirred the loose strands of her hair, making her shiver.

In an effort to calm her nerves, Verena tried to pay attention to her surroundings, trying to spot some herbs she might recognize.

If she were asked to recount the next event, Verena was not sure how she would explain it. She could not quite explain what happened, even though she was the person standing closest to Lessiya. The mysterious woman had just disappeared - like she had never been there to start with. Moments before, the healer could have sworn to hear their guide gagging and choking. But Verena was distracted, she was not paying any attention to Lessiya for some reasons she could not put a finger on.

Verena felt herself hesitating. The Lorak had never been particularly fond of the swamp and the idea of the place acting supernaturally was deeply disturbing. She had expected it, of course. But expecting it and actually living it felt quite different.

"We must search for her," the Morealis said. Verena agreed with that. They could not go on without Lessiya, not if they value their lives. The rest of the Dynast's speech Verena did not pay much attention to. She was never one to linger with words. Her mind had already begun whirling.

An obvious choice was to use her Auristics to spot something out of place - or anything really. Anything probably would have helped considering their situation. They were blind, completely and utterly blind. Slowly, she forced herself to go near the mass of vines in front of them. She could not even be sure that it was there before Lessiya disappeared.

"Don't lose sight of me." It sounded foolish, as if touching the vines would make her evaporate into thin air, but didn't Lessiya did just that? Her logical refused to process the whole thing, yet it could not explain what had happened either.

Gingerly, the young healer knelt down near the shifting vines. She could not help but imagine them as snakes. Mustering all her courage, she placed her hand on one of the strands of the eerie vines. It felt oddly normal - like how vines were supposed to feel. Verena had expected something else, something out of place. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on her touch alone. Djed flowed through her - what little magic she possessed eagerly searching for an answer.

[Vice]

The swamp did not care for words. It did not listen, but rather, fell silent. When Verena reached down to feel for the vines, she would feel an ordinary vine. However, immediately upon using her Auristic sense to read it through implementation of the sense of touch, she would feel a powerful tremor flowing through her body. Immediately following it was a very real feeling of life. Though the vine did not move, it emitted a pulse, a vibration of life that flowed through the entire swamp, though Verena would be limited to only feeling the vine.

It coursed through her, and the woman could swear that she felt the vine moving beneath her before all motion ceased altogether. A loud, piercing scream resounded through the swamps followed by the distinct crackling of lightning, the sounds growing more and more distant by the moment, though the direction from which it came from was closed to the party of adventurers. Rather, they would hear footsteps next.

Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap.

A chime went by in the darkness of the forested path into the deeper reaches of the swamp. A woman stepped towards the trio. Looking at them, a smirk pulled upon her features. One was bent low and to the ground, feeling at a vine as the other two were frantically searching around, as if expectant of being assaulted by a terrible creature.

"You are safe here, friends."

The woman called out, her hands raised as if to form a surrender, obviously intent on convincing the trio that she was not a threat. Three paranoid human beings, one of which carried a bow.

"Why have you come here? You look to be explorers... Are you with... her?"

The swamp woman spit the words from her lips, an obvious expression of disdain cast as she continued to step forward. Almost completely nude, the woman was covered from neck to knee in mud. It was dried and hardened as chips against her skin, a narrowed gaze directed about as she tapped a nearby tree,

"My, my... what have the four of you done? It... it is furious. I've not seen the Qamur react so violently before. Explain yourselves, immediately."

[Edmund Morealis]

At least someone reacted to his miniature address to their group, though for Edmund it felt like the vast majority of his words were a waste of effort. Rallying mercenaries did not strike him as particularly difficult, since all it took to improve their morale were a few fancy words and the promises of reward afterward. Sometimes being given an example helped. In this way, mercenaries were much like slaves, only one could not beat them if they did poorly. Not that Edmund had ever had sufficient reason to have a slave whipped, but it was something that was available to him should the need ever arise.

The woman of their party - the one that had not fallen into the river, that is - for her part seemed to completely disregard the vast majority of what Edmund had said. This was something that Edmund was not unused to, but it still did not please him to realize that a lot of his intentions were proven irrelevant. His audience consisted only of three members, this being the mercenary who accompanied them, the woman whom Edmund still had no clue as to what she was and the swamp itself. Only one out of three seemed to pay him any heed. Fortunately, the one that had paid him heed was the one with the weapons. Such a show of support was welcome and gratifying, no matter how crass its delivery or provider.

Edmund offered the mercenary a wry grin. "You have my gratitude, though I would rather you have my front as well. I am completely ineffective at combat, so that burden falls to you."

However, while the mercenary was far more receptive of Edmund's eloquence, Edmund himself was far more interested in what the woman was doing. While the two men merely chatted, searching for an idea as to how to proceed, the she was bending down to the ground and inspecting the vines that had gathered there. Investigating them was a good idea to begin with; it seemed especially so to Edmund for he was certain that the path was rather distinctly cleared back near the riverbank where he had found it. Perhaps the woman was a botanist of some kind and could identify some sort of cause for Lessiya's sudden disappearance.

Nothing more than insubstantial optimism, Edmund thought to himself cynically. If there were such plant, it would likely have made its way into the Gazette by now, or at the very least be found in passing in one book or another.

Yet the woman was clearly and intently doing something, though what action she was performing was difficult to tell. It certainly did not seem as if she were investigating the plant, not in any depth. She maintained only a solid contact with one of the vines, rather than sifting through them or turning them over as he would expect of an investigation. Peering over her shoulder, the mercenary all but forgotten in Edmund's thoughts as he tried to observe more closely what the woman was doing.

It appeared to be nothing at all, though. Indeed, for the next chime or so, she continued to remain in contact with the same vine without making any effort to examine it beyond that simple contact. Hardly moving, only her face - a mask of intense concentration - betrayed that she was focusing at all. Did she perhaps know some magic herself?

All curiosities halted at the sound of an excruciating screech bounded through the swamp.

Immediately Edmund rose, looking around for the source of the scream yet unable to pinpoint its direction. As a matter of fact, it did not appear to have a direction at all, rather emanate from all around them as if the swamp itself had uttered the earsplitting shriek.

What followed was also unnerving, but so distinctly out of place that its occurrence was nearly comical. The crackling of lightning began soon after the howl was first heard, though its direction too was difficult for Edmund to determine. It was to Edmund's knowledge - or at least confident hypothesis - that Lessiya was indeed a magician of sorts. What they were hearing might very well be her struggling against whatever it was that had confronted her. Yet there was nothing that they could do without first determining the direction from which the sounds were heard, something that Edmund was quite incapable of doing. Perhaps one of the others would have better luck.

However, what was heard next, Edmund could hear the direction of quite clearly. Exuding from the path ahead of them was the sound of footsteps, the whispers that had previously been heard remaining constant in their distance. On the other hand, the footsteps drew nearer with each passing tick.

Edmund stood up straight and tall, rising to his full height. Though it sounded to him to be a human gait, it was impossible to come to a solid conclusion out in this unfamiliar territory. For a chime they all stood, waiting for whatever was approaching to make itself known.

...not sure what I was expecting, but this was most assuredly not it.

Confronted with a woman in such an extreme state of undress, Edmund was not quite sure what to think of the situation. This was not to say that she was entirely exposed, however, only that her garments were the sheet of mud that covered the majority of her skin. Forsaking something so basic as clothes and opting instead for the dressings of nature struck Edmund as extreme irregularity to the point of being ludicrously bizarre. By chance, had they stumbled across a genuine witch, one who forsook civilization? The kind that manifested in stories Edmund had read as a child, wielding unknown power over the wilds?

Many others, when confronted with that which they did not understand, would grow fearful. Edmund did not. To the contrary, he grew curious. He did not understand, but that did not mean he never would. Here was an opportunity to increase his understanding, or attempt to.

The way the witch stressed the pronoun gave Edmund the specific sensation that she was referring to Lessiya. Using the word disapproval to describe the countenance the witch had when referring to their former leader would be mild. There was a word she mentioned that Edmund did not recognize - Qamur. What that was he could not say, but he did not intend to remain unknowing for much longer.

Clearly there was more to their circumstances than Edmund had first thought.

Unsure of whether his companions had yet gathered enough of their wits to reply, Edmund elected to lead in this regard additionally. There was the potential to weave his words more artistically, but given the witch's demeanor Edmund settled on a more concise explanation. "A woman named Lessiya contracted the three of us to accompany her on an expedition to this part of the swamp. Ostensibly it was to investigate the disappearance and suspected demise of a number of people in this area. More than that we do not know, as Lessiya refused to be forthcoming with her information."

Even in a place untouched by civility of any kind, Edmund endeavored to retain his etiquette from action to speech. He did not know a thing about witches as they existed in Mizahar, only what myths had made their way into his books as a child. Whether he would be received well or not by this woman he did not know, but he would not remain idle and simply allow the circumstances to dictate his actions. He would take charge to the best of his ability, and influence the flow of action as much as he could. Nothing less could be expected of himself.

In simpler terms: this woman before them was an immediate party in this encounter, whereas Lessiya was no longer. Mutual assistance with whomever was present was key to discovery.

"You made mention of an enraged... Qamur," Edmund said at length after searching for the word she had used. "What is this Qamur and what kind of actions agitate it? The greater knowledge we share, the greater the capacities in which we will be able to assist each other."

Of course, Edmund wished to know more about the woman herself, but priorities had to be established. Hopefully there would be time for subsequent inquiries.

[Alexander Hamish Moore]

Alex watched as the woman named Verena knelt over the vines. It was much like a hunter examining tracks, although Alex could see no evidence of such a thing, nor were her eyes opened to even see such a mundane thing. She had asked the rest of the group to not lose sight of her, and Alex would do everything in his power to keep her from disappearing too, if only because she might be able to tell what was going on. A second person taken mysteriously, would not be good for the group as a whole. What choices would they have if they all were to vanish without any clues.

Alex examined the darkened trail, trying to find anything that might help the group. But the swamp seemed still, and quiet. He didn’t dare leave the trail, nor the others behind. They were most likely the only source of safety left, and if at all possible, he never wanted to venture into any environ without numbers. And if the man who had spoke wasn’t exaggerating about his lack of skill, then Alex’s limited skills would be useful. There was nothing worse to Alex than the uselessness he was felling, and the sensation of not knowing what the petch was going on.

His thoughts were shattered by a piercing scream, and a crack of thunder. As the sound rolled and faded away, Alex wondered if that was the death throes of Lessiya. And the end to any sort of payment he was to garner. He bowed his head briefly, and continued his little prayer to Dira. It seemed more and more likely that she would need to Shepard their souls before too much longer. And while he hoped for the best, it did not mean that he was not prepared for the worst. He checked the nocking on his arrow, it would be silly for anyone in the group to parish because his arrow wasn’t nocked properly.

Alex turned toward the sound of steps approaching, the sound filling the silence the had followed the crack of thunder. The tips of his fingers curled slightly around the string as he tried to distinguish where the unknown creature would emerge from. He needed to be ready to shoot in an instant, but he couldn’t risk holding the string back too long. He did not have the strength to keep the bow pulled for very long. He tried to clear his mind, pushing thoughts of death, fear out of his mind, but they stayed lodged deep in his mind. His breathing was still quickened, as adrenaline slowly seeped into his veins and muscles. But what emereged from the thick swamp growth was not a foul beastie. At least not on the surface.

No, what seemed to materialize from the swamp was a woman. She wore just enough clothes to cover herself. She wore the mud of the swamp like a cloak. She spoke calmly, but with vehemence. Alex loosened the grip on his bow, as the flow of adrenaline ebbed, and the most immediate threat seemed over. Though, he did not think that they were out of danger. Alex listened intently, but did not speak, that was not where his skills were. Though, he heard one word that gave him pause. Qamur. He had never heard that before, in fact, he was certain that she was making words up.

He kept his eyes on her as Edmund spoke, the words were honeyed and of little interest to the mercenary. He watched for any sign that she was, or might pose, a danger to the trio left. And there was the nagging question in his mind, but he held his tongue. He thought his chiming in might disturb whatever plan the Dynast might have. At least he hoped Edmund had one. But the thought remained. Was Lessiya dead? He felt his fingers twitch over the string of his bow, trying to draw comfort from the power he held in his hands.

[Verena Lorak]

Verena did not know what to expect, but she certainly had never imagined what she felt next. At first there was nothing out of the ordinary with the vine she had touched – much to her disappointment. Then, a distinct pulse vibrated through her body. Something foreign. Something unexplainable. What the Lorak sensed was so distinct that it sent a shudder down her spine. What had been idle ticks ago, was now emitting a liveliness that should not be there. Then, as if reacting to its newly acquired life, the vine shifted. The sudden motion made her jerk away her hand.

But then, a screeching scream pierced through her ear drum. As if it was not enough, the sky rumbled with thunder and the crack of lightning. The combination of terror and lightning immediately reminded her of Caedmon. Verena terribly missed her Stormwarden lover and wished that he was here, reassuring her. He was the only person who knew how to calm her – with the exception of her older brother.

Something was definitely wrong about this swamp.

Unfortunately, things did not simply end there. Her ears picked up a distinct footsteps in the thick silence that had cocooned the trio. Someone was coming. Verena was not sure what to do. She certainly wanted to shuffle back and hide herself between the two men, but she could not make her legs move. At least until a woman emerged from the darkness in front of them.

The Lorak rose to her feet slowly, watching the woman with wary eyes. She was covered in mud, yet wore no garment whatsoever. ”You are safe here, friends.” The woman raised her hands up in a non-threatening gesture but Verena felt no less threatened. It felt worse that she was standing slightly in front of the two men. The healer was tempted to read the woman’s aura, but she could not use her eyes and that means needing a direct touch. ”Why have you come here? You look to be explorers... Are you with... her?”

Verena blinked slowly. Something told her she should be careful with the woman in front of her. “You know of the woman who disappeared just now?”

“My, my... what have the four of you done? It... it is furious. I’ve not seen the Qamur react so violently before. Explain yourselves, immediately.” Verena was tempted to ask what a Qamur was, but it seemed that the Morealis had beat her to it.

[Vice]

Narrowed eyes pressed into smooth, but dirt-ridden skin. The swamp brought a sort of beauty to the witch's form, though there was nothing to accentuate it in her expression. She was laden with the anger that she felt from the relic. A scowl marred her features as she took a number of steps forward, closing the distance between herself and the group before she turned first to the mercenary,

"I suggest that you stow your weapon, child. I have no reason, yet, to harm any of you. No, there is only one that has earned the swamp, and by extension, my ire. She told me that the woman would come. She warned me..."

The woman looked to the ground, the vines moving beneath the group and making their way into the wooded area that surrounded the path. The witch momentarily lost her nerve, a smile materializing upon her features before she lifted her gaze to face the group,

"The woman who, as you say, disappeared is a menace intent on vanquishing Qamur. She is a monster wearing the flesh and soul of a woman, an agent of a deity who opposes that which Qamur is comprised of."

Her words were nonspecific, and purposely so, for she intended to take her time in her response. There was reverence in her words, a fervent selflessness to it all that would tell the party that her intentions were deeper than any sort of defensive-minded or stratagem formation.

"Lady Caiyha knew. She knew that Harameus would spin the wheel of this damnation. This woman, this... horrible soul, wishes to extinguish Qamur. Qamur is a force, greater than a spirit or phantom, older than the written passages of mankind. It transcends man. It is a rejection of change. It is an entity of stillness. And Lady Caiyha wishes to preserve it. For Qamur preserves itself in nature. It, in its own way, has defended the swamp from human putrefaction. You and your precious Dynasties have tried to carve your legacy into the heart of the swamp and my Lady has been... tolerant of it. However, she will not allow Harameus and his playful machinations destroy such a force. And that is why this... Lessiya must die."

The conviction in the witch's voice was obvious, her features still twisted. Her agitation was obvious to behold, though her brown eyes flared further with it all, utterly consumed by the need to keep what she considered a menace to be away from the swamps and the entity that the swamps contained.

"Qamur rejected this Lessiya and took her. Qamur willed the winds in the swamp to move to produce a cover of darkness. And it took the woman in order to banish her. However, this woman is a mage. A powerful one, it seems. And she is intent on serving her god as I am my Lady. I know not what this woman offers you, but if you can assist me in my journey to rid this world of her, then I will offer what I can to you in her stead."

What will you do?To each their own in this post. There is no need to vote and it will not be first person to post gets to make the call. If you reach a consensus, great, but take some time to really delve into what the witch has said and take it into account. What happens next is up to all of you.