A Very Busy Year
(Some of the following entry is paraphrased from e-mails that Walker and I exchanged concerning the adventures of Rou and Ivy.)
Ivy spent her first month back in the Cat Realm learning as much as she could at home with her parents’ help.
At the beginning of the second month, she and Rou enrolled in the 'Academy of Honor' in the Idiyva city of P’Rruu. (Roughly translated, that means “warm weather, plenty to eat.” ) Not only did they learn martial arts and the concentration skills that go with them, but Ivy also honed her diplomatic abilities. The Idiyva are a cultured race, with civilized manners, but they do not take their honor lightly and an insult can only be answered with a duel…to the death.
Rou, on the other hand, became very introspective. He embraced the philosophy of martial arts and he learned to focus his energy - his chi - through meditation. The more he learned about his chi and how to master it, the more he felt certain that this was where the answers to his questions would be found. But he did not forget the task that lay ahead of him and his human friend. He also honed his perceptions and practiced stalking and hiding.
At the end of the third month, Ivy went to the prime material plane and hired a courier to carry a message to her grandfather Loren and uncle, Lord Norin of Eastgate, and to meet her at this same location in two months with their reply. In her letter, she asked what they had found out about the creature that she had found so frightening. She also asked him what measures had been taken to protect the city. It was her intention to arrange regular correspondence between the two of them. She also attempted to enlist the aid of her mother's tribe. Before she returns to Iron Tower, she will also send ahead to see if Gaagi, Evark, Slithar and Jorhan can offer any more help -although she is afraid to put them in danger again.
The fourth and fifth months were spent in training and eager anticipation of a reply from Ivy’s friends and relatives. Ivy continued to research what kind of creature could absorb power from an earth node, but she learned no more than she had in her father’s library: that his power might be natural or node related and that he might have started out as some sort of node guard, either summoned or spontaneous. Frustrated by her seriously limited knowledge of their foe, she and Rou, nevertheless, began to work out a rudimentary plan to defeat him. Since the creature had been drawn to Ivy, and since he had not been able to drain enough of Rou’s virtually limitless regenerative ability-or “chi” as he now thinks of it- to seriously wound him, they decided to lure it into an ambush using Ivy as the bait. Not the best plan in the world, but you use what you’ve got. To this end, and so she wouldn’t feel she was being idle, Ivy began to practice seduction. At first she felt embarrassed, even silly. After all, she isn’t even feline, but surprisingly, the Idiyva toms seemed rather charmed by her attempts at “feminine wiles” and her confidence grew.
At the end of the fifth month, Rou and Ivy journeyed to the appointed place to meet the courier. When he arrived, he carried only the reply from Lord Norin.
“None of the other four that you mentioned remain within the city.” He explained as he returned her letters. “I would be happy to deliver these if you can determine where to send them. I did deliver your message to The S’Danzo tribe. They had made camp where you said they would be.” The courier looked very uncomfortable. “The woman I gave it to scowled when she read it. Then, without a word, she took it into a blue and purple wagon. I wasn’t sure what to do. Was she writing a response? Was I dismissed? Soon a very intimidating man exited the wagon and strode toward me. The look on his face was solid granite. He thrust the wrinkled parchment back to me and said ‘There is no Ophelia in this tribe, nor will we recognize any of her’ …offspring.” the courier improvised. “He refused any aid. He said the only thing that might change their minds would be for you to somehow perform a deed so daunting that they would feel compelled to forgive your mother's transgressions against the tribe.”
Rou offered the courier some dinner while he and Ivy read the letter from Iron Tower and wrote their reply.
From Norin of Eastgate:
Niece,
The blight that afflicts our city is a dangerous one. I have heard from the city guard that you have had an encounter with the source of the blight when you were last in the city. If you feel that you must involve yourself in this matter I would recommend that we meet at our home in Eastgate. You are naturally welcome here, and the walls and guards have thus far kept the blight at bay. Do not travel through the city. Use your magic to arrive on our grounds.
As to the status of the city since the beginning of the blight things have become grim. All practitioners of the art have either been killed or driven from the city. I have it on good authority that even the minor magical creatures in the city have also fallen prey to the blight. After the loss of those possessing personal magic the blight began to prey upon those possessing items of a magical nature.
First those shops that sold magical items became targets. One evening the owner would leave owning a shop full of items. Upon his return the next morning the magic would be drained from every item in the shop. After the third such occurrence the merchants in the city began to flee.
At that point the blight began to target personal items and their owners. The blight seems to be making some effort to avoid killing the owners, but it they attempt to stop him they fall nonetheless. It was hoped that as the magic upon which the blight feeds faded in the city that it would move on to a more lush feeding ground. It has not. The powers that be suspect that somehow he is feeding off of some sort of natural power when he isn’t preying on the locals.
There is no longer any magical healing or any other type of magic in the city. Some of the locals with means have fled while the remainder huddle in fear from the blight. He has yet to begin to prey on common people, but it is only a matter of time. The city guard has encountered him on several occasions. There were few survivors. Those that did told of warriors laid low with a simple touch and striking killing blows to the blight only to have him heal almost instantly.
Consider carefully coming to our aid. You may have survived your first encounter with the blight. That is no promise that you will survive a second.
Norin of Eastgate
On reading this letter, Ivy wanted to return to Iron Tower immediately, but she knew that she and Rou were not ready to fight. Not if they wanted to win. She sent a reply to her uncle and arranged for the courier to meet her in one month. She slipped an extra coin into his payment.
Lord Norin of Eastgate
Iron Tower
Uncle Norin,
I am distressed to hear how far this blight has progressed. I believe that the natural source it is feeding on is a minor earth node. Rou told me that it’s location had been reported to the city guard, but that they had been met with a blank wall when they went to investigate. Somehow the creature was able to move or disguise it’s lair. If only I knew more about the nature of this blight! I will find out more and then I will come to you. My solemn pledge!
I will send word next month of anything I learn that might be useful.
Give my regards to Grandfather.
Ivy
It was a dispirited pair who returned to the Cat Realm and made camp that night. Iron Tower was falling and no help could be found. Their old companions had fled. But after all, we fled first. The S’Danzos had refused their aid. And even Ivy and Rou must wait and prepare. Poor Uncle Norin! I hope we wont be too late. It was to the mournful music of thoughts like these that Ivy faded into sleep.
She was running down an alley in Iron Tower. A shadow was following her. It had no face, just a vague form that relentlessly trailed her. She turned a corner and found herself trapped against a wall. She turned to face her enemy, but she knew she couldn’t win.
“Who are you?” she yelled. But there was no sound. The shadow came closer, emanating not victory, just hunger. Hunger and curiosity.
“What are you?” Ivy was not sure if that question had been spoken by her or by it. The shadow reached toward her and she found that she could not move. A warmth passed over her and she felt it touch her shoulder. It pushed… gently. Ivy was confused. There was a firmer nudge and Ivy woke with a startled exclamation.
“Shh!” Rou hissed at her, but it was too late. The sphinx who had been hunting in the field near their campsite heard the noise and came to investigate.
Ivy spent her first month back in the Cat Realm learning as much as she could at home with her parents’ help.
At the beginning of the second month, she and Rou enrolled in the 'Academy of Honor' in the Idiyva city of P’Rruu. (Roughly translated, that means “warm weather, plenty to eat.” ) Not only did they learn martial arts and the concentration skills that go with them, but Ivy also honed her diplomatic abilities. The Idiyva are a cultured race, with civilized manners, but they do not take their honor lightly and an insult can only be answered with a duel…to the death.
Rou, on the other hand, became very introspective. He embraced the philosophy of martial arts and he learned to focus his energy - his chi - through meditation. The more he learned about his chi and how to master it, the more he felt certain that this was where the answers to his questions would be found. But he did not forget the task that lay ahead of him and his human friend. He also honed his perceptions and practiced stalking and hiding.
At the end of the third month, Ivy went to the prime material plane and hired a courier to carry a message to her grandfather Loren and uncle, Lord Norin of Eastgate, and to meet her at this same location in two months with their reply. In her letter, she asked what they had found out about the creature that she had found so frightening. She also asked him what measures had been taken to protect the city. It was her intention to arrange regular correspondence between the two of them. She also attempted to enlist the aid of her mother's tribe. Before she returns to Iron Tower, she will also send ahead to see if Gaagi, Evark, Slithar and Jorhan can offer any more help -although she is afraid to put them in danger again.
The fourth and fifth months were spent in training and eager anticipation of a reply from Ivy’s friends and relatives. Ivy continued to research what kind of creature could absorb power from an earth node, but she learned no more than she had in her father’s library: that his power might be natural or node related and that he might have started out as some sort of node guard, either summoned or spontaneous. Frustrated by her seriously limited knowledge of their foe, she and Rou, nevertheless, began to work out a rudimentary plan to defeat him. Since the creature had been drawn to Ivy, and since he had not been able to drain enough of Rou’s virtually limitless regenerative ability-or “chi” as he now thinks of it- to seriously wound him, they decided to lure it into an ambush using Ivy as the bait. Not the best plan in the world, but you use what you’ve got. To this end, and so she wouldn’t feel she was being idle, Ivy began to practice seduction. At first she felt embarrassed, even silly. After all, she isn’t even feline, but surprisingly, the Idiyva toms seemed rather charmed by her attempts at “feminine wiles” and her confidence grew.
At the end of the fifth month, Rou and Ivy journeyed to the appointed place to meet the courier. When he arrived, he carried only the reply from Lord Norin.
“None of the other four that you mentioned remain within the city.” He explained as he returned her letters. “I would be happy to deliver these if you can determine where to send them. I did deliver your message to The S’Danzo tribe. They had made camp where you said they would be.” The courier looked very uncomfortable. “The woman I gave it to scowled when she read it. Then, without a word, she took it into a blue and purple wagon. I wasn’t sure what to do. Was she writing a response? Was I dismissed? Soon a very intimidating man exited the wagon and strode toward me. The look on his face was solid granite. He thrust the wrinkled parchment back to me and said ‘There is no Ophelia in this tribe, nor will we recognize any of her’ …offspring.” the courier improvised. “He refused any aid. He said the only thing that might change their minds would be for you to somehow perform a deed so daunting that they would feel compelled to forgive your mother's transgressions against the tribe.”
Rou offered the courier some dinner while he and Ivy read the letter from Iron Tower and wrote their reply.
From Norin of Eastgate:
Niece,
The blight that afflicts our city is a dangerous one. I have heard from the city guard that you have had an encounter with the source of the blight when you were last in the city. If you feel that you must involve yourself in this matter I would recommend that we meet at our home in Eastgate. You are naturally welcome here, and the walls and guards have thus far kept the blight at bay. Do not travel through the city. Use your magic to arrive on our grounds.
As to the status of the city since the beginning of the blight things have become grim. All practitioners of the art have either been killed or driven from the city. I have it on good authority that even the minor magical creatures in the city have also fallen prey to the blight. After the loss of those possessing personal magic the blight began to prey upon those possessing items of a magical nature.
First those shops that sold magical items became targets. One evening the owner would leave owning a shop full of items. Upon his return the next morning the magic would be drained from every item in the shop. After the third such occurrence the merchants in the city began to flee.
At that point the blight began to target personal items and their owners. The blight seems to be making some effort to avoid killing the owners, but it they attempt to stop him they fall nonetheless. It was hoped that as the magic upon which the blight feeds faded in the city that it would move on to a more lush feeding ground. It has not. The powers that be suspect that somehow he is feeding off of some sort of natural power when he isn’t preying on the locals.
There is no longer any magical healing or any other type of magic in the city. Some of the locals with means have fled while the remainder huddle in fear from the blight. He has yet to begin to prey on common people, but it is only a matter of time. The city guard has encountered him on several occasions. There were few survivors. Those that did told of warriors laid low with a simple touch and striking killing blows to the blight only to have him heal almost instantly.
Consider carefully coming to our aid. You may have survived your first encounter with the blight. That is no promise that you will survive a second.
Norin of Eastgate
On reading this letter, Ivy wanted to return to Iron Tower immediately, but she knew that she and Rou were not ready to fight. Not if they wanted to win. She sent a reply to her uncle and arranged for the courier to meet her in one month. She slipped an extra coin into his payment.
Lord Norin of Eastgate
Iron Tower
Uncle Norin,
I am distressed to hear how far this blight has progressed. I believe that the natural source it is feeding on is a minor earth node. Rou told me that it’s location had been reported to the city guard, but that they had been met with a blank wall when they went to investigate. Somehow the creature was able to move or disguise it’s lair. If only I knew more about the nature of this blight! I will find out more and then I will come to you. My solemn pledge!
I will send word next month of anything I learn that might be useful.
Give my regards to Grandfather.
Ivy
It was a dispirited pair who returned to the Cat Realm and made camp that night. Iron Tower was falling and no help could be found. Their old companions had fled. But after all, we fled first. The S’Danzos had refused their aid. And even Ivy and Rou must wait and prepare. Poor Uncle Norin! I hope we wont be too late. It was to the mournful music of thoughts like these that Ivy faded into sleep.
She was running down an alley in Iron Tower. A shadow was following her. It had no face, just a vague form that relentlessly trailed her. She turned a corner and found herself trapped against a wall. She turned to face her enemy, but she knew she couldn’t win.
“Who are you?” she yelled. But there was no sound. The shadow came closer, emanating not victory, just hunger. Hunger and curiosity.
“What are you?” Ivy was not sure if that question had been spoken by her or by it. The shadow reached toward her and she found that she could not move. A warmth passed over her and she felt it touch her shoulder. It pushed… gently. Ivy was confused. There was a firmer nudge and Ivy woke with a startled exclamation.
“Shh!” Rou hissed at her, but it was too late. The sphinx who had been hunting in the field near their campsite heard the noise and came to investigate.