Gravedigger Quest

[X] Talk of your skills as a changeling. How you're at home in nature as well as the geasa and illusions you can weave.

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"Ah, um..." Lirra said, hesitating.

It wasn't only that Melkorka's expectations - though they couldn't be lower - were stressing her, and they sure did, but she also had to make an important decision: should she really reveal what she could do? They were supposed to work as a team, and surely knowing her nature would help them come up with a plan when push came to shove, but on the other hand… she was afraid. She was afraid that they would prefer to leave her and try to pass the trial with only three members rather than to stand alongside a Gravedigger.

Lirra bit her lower lip, her eyes looking to the side as if the answer would be written for her to see and then, as she felt she'd delayed her answer as much as she could so she could weigh her option, she continued. In the end, there really was only one choice for her, and it wasn't as if her skills as a Gravedigger would be relevant.

"I'm a Changeling. The most common kind, so I'm really at home in the woods and so on," she said, gesturing nervously during her explanation. "So, uh… beasts probably shouldn't attack us unless we're looking for trouble."

Her teammates really didn't seem to be impressed, although some tried to hide it or at least managed to do so better than others, so she continued to try and make herself sound more useful.

"Ah, I can create illusions too, though, uh… it's more tricking people into seeing something for something else than something big like making a dragon appear out of nowhere and, uh… I guess I could lay a geas on one of you if you want?" she ended somewhat lamely.

There was a moment of awkward silence before Lucilia spoke.

"So, uh… I'm pretty sure Chloe knows what you're talking about, but could you explain exactly what you mean by a geas? You know, so we're sure we're all talking about the same thing."

"Oh… Well, a geas is kind of an obligation, I guess?" Lirra started. "But, uh… it gives power alongside its limitation and, uh… the benefits are based on the interdiction. You can't choose them, though, only the obligation."

The bard held her chin in her hand pensively.

"So what, you could, say, forbid me from eating cheese and I'd get some random benefit from that?" she asked. "Because if so, I'd go for it; I hate cheese."

"I… don't think that'd work. I mean, I really don't see what you could get from it. There are some stories about a knight who couldn't eat horse meat and was a peerless rider, or a champion who couldn't eat dog meat and was as powerful as he was loyal, so food can definitely be the focus of a geas, but if you already avoid it I don't think you'd get anything useful out of it. Also, geasa chosen specifically to not bother their target have a history of, uh… making them die. Horribly."

There was some more silence at that.

"Oh. Well, in that case, nevermind. I wouldn't go for it," Lucilia eventually answered.

"Well, that's cute and all but we still have a cursed forest to cross and nobody to do their own damn job," Melkorka cuts in before Lirra can add anything else. "Except for Chloe, I guess, as long as she can turn her theory into practice. So you'll have to excuse me if I ain't keen on standing here instead of pushing forth."

And with that, the group started walking in an uncomfortable silence, Melkorka and - after a gentle shove from Lucilia - Lirra at the front and Lucilia and Chloe in the rear. The atmosphere was tense, as the party was not entirely functional and each of its members were thrust into this kind of danger for the first time. No doubt some of them had already faced mundane danger - Lirra at least already had to run from bandits in her travels - but it would be the first time they would face the Dark, capital D, and no the simple darkness that could bud into the hearts of men either from desperation at an impossible situation or from an uncontrollable desire. Also, at least in Lirra's case, her usual method of running as fast as she could or trying to frighten them with her nature wouldn't be applicable.

She'd have to fight. They all would have to fight. This, after all, was the very point of that test.

"Anyway, why did you choose the Sword? It must have been the Gate least in tune with your skills," suddenly asked Melkorka, breaking the tense silence of their walk.

As she was wont to do, Lirra panicked a bit before answering, the sudden nature of the question - along with the simple fact that someone was talking to her if we had to be honest - putting her on the spot.

"I… For me coming here was a new beginning, a chance for a new me, so I decided that this new me would be something I could admire. I decided that this new me would be a knight," Lirra answered with a conviction that surprised even herself.

There was a few steps spent in silence before Melkorka started laughing loudly, and a heavy hand patted her in the back.

"Hahaha! Well said! Well said indeed. If you have to become something, become something great," the Svartalf said. "Tell you what, girl, you're better than I thought. If we don't all die because we were fools who wished for greatness we weren't fit for, I'll buy you a drink!"

"I must say, Lirra, it sounded pretty great. If you manage to become some legendary hero someday, I'll have to put it in my song."

'Surprisingly eloquent. Also, that laugh alerted a Shade, so you should probably prepare for a fight.'

Chloe's voice resounded in the party's mind, and suddenly all good cheer disappeared, as they looked around, unsheathing what weapons they had and holding them in unsure grips.

"Oh damn it. You don't have any weapon training, girl, right?" Melkorka asked, to which Lirra nervously nodded. "Then take that. Pointy end goes in."

She handed her a spear from her backpack, and the four of them started closing in together, warily eyeing the forest around them, who suddenly looked much darker and ominous.

Finally, Chloe pointed an underbrush as a dark limb emerged from it, soon followed by the rest of the creature, a humanoid being who looked as though it was made only of shadows, with two baleful points of light where eyes would be on a person.

It looked at them, as though it was sizing them up, and Lirra tightened her sweaty, shaking grip on the haft of her spear.

The fight was about to begin.

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Chloe's Compendium: Shades

Shades are among the most common, and thankfully least threatening, of the creatures one can find in a Dark saturated area. Their true origin is subject to debate, some saying they are but a "natural" phenomenon where ambient Darkness gathers and forms a creature, while other ascribe them to the action of some malevolent deity.

They can appear as pretty much any creature, though composed only of shadow, and invariably twisted so only their most dangerous and bestial traits remain, while any peaceful or, and this is a oversimplification, any traits that could be described as "good" are nowhere to be seen.

Individually, they are not much of a threat, as they move entirely by instinct and don't seem to have any higher cognitive functions. Although they can hunt as some sort of disorganised pack, this is as far as they can cooperate.

While they aren't the most dangerous of Dark creatures, their attacks still can be dangerous. As they are only loosely physical - being after all an amalgam of Dark and shadows - their claws, fangs or whatever other means their chosen form uses to attack can sometimes ignore all armor or defense unless magical. They can also inflict wounds under the skin, making the unwary adventurer die of unseen wounds. Finally, once again, their wounds, as they are inflicted by a creature that is quite literally formed of pure evil, have a tendency to fester quite fast. As such, no matter how easy the fight looked, it is important to carefully check for wounds, visible or not, once at camp.

As creatures mostly made of shadows, their weaknesses are as one would expect. Any fire or Light magic can easily dispatch them. Even non magical light can weaken them and a well placed hit with a torch can bring them low, as they are surprisingly inflammable. Physical attacks are a gamble, as one hit can banish such a creature or simply pass through them without harming them. Magical or enchanted weapons don't have such an issue, and always wound them.

Finally, remember one thing: their weakness is only true when they are few and a light source is available. In pure darkness, they are literally invisible and their power is greatly increased. As such, always keep a light source if you have to venture in the night or pray to whichever god is yours and run as fast as you can to one.

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Plan?

[] Hit it until it dies with your pointy stick.
[] Cower until one of your allies kill the Shade.
[] Write-in: maybe something a bit more elaborate.