[pnpgm] Game Update #132

[John Haight]

[Concern for those that have died]

   Arawn was indeed deeply bothered by the passing of the shifters, their sounds of suffering echoing in his mind long after the actual noise had faded to silence. He did not know their history, only what he had heard in his visions, did not know how and if they had changed. In fact he did not know the start of the war, only that representatives of all the known alignments had converged to address the danger presented by the shifters. Well, nearly all, for he had not witnessed the presence of Kototh's court.

   Were the shifters a threat introduced by Kototh or a force tricked or corrupted by him?

   Whatever the case they lived as they felt was right and now they suffered for it. Morals and ethics coming into conflict due to alien ways and it, more often than not, ended in conflict. Was there no hope for a better option? Or was this prison a chance for their kind, the Key to their freedom enforced by the forces of Chaos, but to what end?


   Unfortunately time and danger presented little opportunity for the party to unravel such mysteries, all they could do was to run, to survive. And Survival was the one thing they all had in common right now - mortal, immortal and shifter alike.



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[Thoughts on Arawn as the new projection]

   Arawn couldn't help but wonder what the consequences would be to his sacrifice even as he eyed his own image being projected. Diminished or blessed, his face and lineage would now linger for the shiftes and any future travelers to witness. Would this come back to haunt him some day, his image and name burnt into the minds of the shifters? Or would some aspect of his own nature come to address and counsel those here, hopefully altering the future for the better, however far forward this might be?



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   Arawn cast his eye in Raki's direction as Kiet voiced his concern over the shifter. The physical damage was one thing, Raki's powerful regenerative abilities likely to solve that problem rather quickly, but it was the mental, emotional damage that concerned the alfar.

   There were still questions to be asked, the history shared within Arawn's mind still something examine for the sake of veracity. But, good or ill, Raki was leaving his people behind to venture forth to live in alien world... unless this was an issue of sacrifice, sacrifice of a different nature.


   "How are you doing?," Arawn echoed. "I mean, handling all this, your people... the familiar... your sacrifices and what you're leaving behind?"



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[Mae]

   It was hard not to notice Mae's struggle and Arawn paid attention to her struggle even as he focused on the path ahead. When Fuk leaned in to whisper his concerns Arawn replied in kind.

   "No, she's fine. Just struggling with something deeply rooted in her nature. We can help her when we can, most likely by not adding extra stress on to her shoulders for the time being. And further answers she may share when our current predicament has passed."



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[Z'layha voicing her concerns over entering the Moss Fortress]

   "We'll deal with that when we come to it. First things first - surviving long enough to reach there," Arawn answered. "And we should remember, the Moss Fortress was built on top of this place for a reason, likely the hands of the gods themselves allowing mortals to do so for some great purpose."

   "But if you have thoughts to share on how to deal with the issues we might encounter in the Moss Fortress, please speak up."



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[Pyan in the hunting scene]


   "A test, I believe," Arawn answered. His eyes were narrowed as he watched the scene, searching for some means to allow Pyan and the party to bypass the magic if it proved more trap than test.

   "I think it may be to measure our character. Or to see if we would choose a route separate from what a shifter might take."


   The first test included the significance of sacrifice of self. Was this the case here as well, of choices for the greater good and the long-term impact of those decisions? It wasn't going to be easy - the village may survive without death, another source of food found. But a murderer let go will kill again. Or could another way be found, choices existing beyond one or the other, beyond what seemed set before the hunter?

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