Post by Ellywick Fizzlespark on Dec 31, 2015 19:33:30 GMT -5
Ever since that day at the wall in Kir'viir, Elly had noticed there was a little change. The illusion magic that she had grasped and reformed to dissipate had been beautifully put together. All of that energy flowing through her had felt exhilarating in a way that could only be matched by some of the normal daredevil stunts she tried. It had reminded her of a few of her past adventures which sent the little gnome on a mission to visit somewhere she had been avoiding for several months now. It was that time of year where she needed to go home anyway.
Putting away her armor and most of her weapons, she packed the gifts she was taking into her backpack as well as a few small essentials she might need then started the magic she would need to start the link that would be between her shop and one back home in Fiddlenag. The little gnome moving through the magicked doorway straight into the building that hadn't seen the likes of her for over a year. It was so strange walking through a normal human like door to slip through another that was definitely made for a gnome. Finishing the rest of the spell to make the link permanent she took a few minutes and placed her hand on the door to make sure that no one could just walk through it without knowing the right word. No need for random gnomes to suddenly show up in Navahla. She had a reputation to protect, not to mention she enjoyed being one of the few little people around.
Now it was time to face the music and after taking several deep breaths, she made her way down into the shop to enjoy the shock and amazement on the brother that was running the shop this week. It was almost as good as pranking him. Once he was done swinging her around, someone else showed up to do the same. It was a time of happiness and sadness as word spread and everyone came to see how she was doing. The first time anyone had seen her since the incident that had made her a widow. But she wasn't going to stay in town for long and they all knew why. She told her brother about the door that she had transformed into a portal and then she went to the inn where the exact same setup allowed her to skip from town straight into the Glen within Basilisk Slopes where her true home awaited her return. Luckily, no one had thought to come here and warn people that she planned on showing up. Making sure that her hair was still pink and all of her normal eccentricities were showing properly, the little gnome stepped out of their version of a portal room straight into the borrow council room where she got the satisfaction of making a lot of old people wheeze.
Everything was currently wrapped in Yuletide cheer that could be and her arrival didn't dampen the festivities at all. An adventuring gnome returning home was always cause for some kind of fuss. Mostly the old traditionalists fussing about it being about time and the little gnomelings all wanting to hear stories of her great adventures. Though she made sure to tell everyone she would be there for a day or two but she needed to see her parents. Six clans called the Glen home with each one having a door that lead into the stone where the clan common rooms were held. Beyond that there were passageways that lead to the homes of the various gnome families for each of them. The Glen was lucky to have a close source of water which allowed them coverage and other amenities that kept this outcropping of Dewshine in good standing for thousands of years. They always boasted of being one of the longest standing settlements aside from Dewshine itself.
There was a crowd of gnomes that walked her straight to the door of Clan Lenowfaer (Clan of the Loving Blue Treasure) where at least two thirds of the group left the Clan to their celebrations while the other one third of clan members practically carried her straight into the common room. It was the time of day where everyone was working on projects so it was empty until all the gnomelings went screaming to announce her arrival. Several women came out to give her greetings and decided that dinner would be happening early tonight. Which had Elly immediately handing over some of the spices she had been storing for the clan cooks. While she couldn't cook and she knew very few gnomes that could, the clan cooks always seemed to know how to do something more than the normal mush. And then her mother came forward to hold onto her and it seemed like her ribs would crack. What seemed like hours passed as Elly answered questions from her parents, her siblings, their spouses and children, plus all the other families of the Clan. Her evasive maneuvers about if she was back for good and how was she after Roondar were noticed but she was left off the hook for now. At one point she had even done story time for the gnomelings to keep them from going underfoot while dinner was finished and the tables were set up.
Then as the moons rose high, like good gnomes everyone went to bed. Elly didn't sleep that well anymore so she took her refilling mug and went outside to look up at the sky over by the water's edge. It had always been a welcome sight in her past and today was no different. The Heart member wondering what adventures people were having tonight back in Navahla or what trouble Rune might be getting into with her flying broom. She hoped no one had pissed off Maria again while she was gone. Though there were a few she was sure were just going to keep getting weirder. It's what she got for trying to figure them out in the first place. Can't be friends with everyone, not even the ones your friends are friends with. Several of the gnomes that came by that way on guard duty paused to welcome her back and say a few things for as long as they could before moving on. Drinking two of her daily ale refills in the mug, she sat there and pondered a few things since nothing else was keeping her from doing it.
No one said anything when they found out she had slept under the night's sky. Day two being back was just as bad as the first because the other clans expected her to visit. Her best friend's clan was visited first though Stumbleduck was off on his own adventures and then she touched the other four promising that the community meal that was being planned as part of the Yuletime festivities would give them time to keep asking questions. It was when she was headed to find out what she could do for the large meal that she got a visit from someone she hadn't seen in a long time.
Segaepin Gaerarum had been a Master longer than most gnomes could remember. The old gnome had to be reaching close to his 500 year mark but still he kept moving. The wrinkled little man was hunched over a cane as he came over to his former student and asked for a moment of her time. No one in all of Dewshine wouldn't give the old magic user any moment he ever wanted at this point. He had been the one that found Elly's strength in the first place. Coming every other season to make sure that she was using all of her potential. He'd taught her about the wards that kept them all safe and the illusions she needed to survive her youthful adventures towards the Underdark. He helped her learn how to harness the shadows that hid her from the world and many other things that had no business knowing where she was. He'd also been the one to encourage some of her more epic pranks all in the name of Garl.
Taking his arm to help him walk, the gray and the pink moved off to the side to reconnect though the subject that he brought up was a complete surprise to Elly. This wasn’t just a visit from a Master to his student. Segaepin had come to ask Elly to help with a matter of grave importance. Drow patrols had started to get closer and closer to not only the Glen but also to Dewshine lately. Her coming home was fortuitous as now she had a reputation in the big people world and maybe just maybe they could use that for their advantage. He hatched a plan that he wanted the little gnome to take back to Maria, omitting things like the existence of the kingdom but mentioning the location of not one but two dragon hoards that would take them by encampments that had the Gnomen guard concerned.
Knowing Maria the way she did, she knew this would be something she could probably mention and get a team for. Setting them up to make sure they could handle the underdark with the prior knowledge of Drow patrols. Few knew the slopes the way Segaepin did and Elly knew that she was coming in as a close third. However, none of the Gnomes knew members of the Heart the way she did. There were people who saw, smelled and heard things they shouldn't and that meant that before she could go to her boss, she needed to bolster their defenses. Telling Segaepin about the power she had felt in the Twystened Wood and what little information she'd been able to gather about the Dark Lady herself. Armed with the knowledge that only the two of them could possess, the gnomes came up with a plan…. that would start right after dinner.
That night the pair drank and were merry to keep all those that had not a clue at ease. For all they knew, the pair had just caught up. Master Gaerarum probably quizzed the pink-haired adventurer to make sure she remembered her roots. The following morning, however, Elly found herself leaving the burrow with the promise to her parents she would be back but she wanted to walk Segaepin back to Dewshine herself and to see the Pallybaras. Part of that was true and the other part they wouldn't question enough to catch her bluff.
With a few sad looks from the littlest in the Clans, the pair walked away from the community center and headed right for the first of the ward clusters. Joining them there were the Captain of the Gnomen guard and another student that Elly instantly remembered, Goldlightning. She even remembered why that was his nickname! The return of Ellywick seemed to stir something in the lot of them as the group gathered by the first of the ward clusters that made it so their part of the Unicorn Run didn't actually look like anything more than a trickle down a rock. Without water, there obviously could be no settlements and whoever was hunting would look elsewhere. The pink haired one was chosen to be the one that would actually touch the wards. Moving her hands above the ancient symbols, Ellywick prepared the words she had started to learn over a century and a half ago. Segaepin moved to put both of his gnarled hands upon her shoulders while the last two both touched him. The plan was for the Master to pull at the power of his students and pool it within himself so that he could use Elly as his focus. Her body stronger than his and able to handle the pressure that was sure to cause. Each time they did it had given Elly that surge of exhilaration again. Feeling all of the magic within her as they finished the phrases together in unison to create renewed defenses for the Glen and to add new circumstances that would keep them all safe for some time to come.
There were a total of six clusters just for the Glen itself. With Segaepin's abilities, they managed to get to all six that day before they parted ways. The guard captain couldn't come with them as they moved to travel to another outlying settlement. There another person met them and would help with the ritual as they worked their way to Dewshine. The entire trip took far less time than it normally would have thanks to the use of linked doors and a little teleportation that Goldlightning had picked up. In total they needed to bolster the defenses of five separate locations within the Slopes with Dewshine saved for last. Like the Glen the other four burrows all had around six clusters to be fortified with the new magic. It was not an easy task but sharing their abilities they way they were certainly made it easier.
By the end of the fourth day, Segaepin was showing his age and they had to rest before they went to do the wards for Dewshine itself. Almost 6000 gnome lives depended on them to get this right and his power waning would not be good. Though with the larger community it allowed them to call upon more to help with the task. In the end, nine gnomes worked in tandem at each of the 15 clusters that protected the main kingdom. Each time causing a thrill to go through the little adventurer as she maintained being the focus for each. Never had she felt such power as those moments when they worked together. The power of over 14 other gnomes had flowed through every cell of her body in the course of five days to empower and strengthen 45 separate clusters of wards. Some of the clusters had just two or three wards put together but some of the larger ones in Dewshine had included up to ten wards. All of that magic, that power had been literally at Ellywick's fingertip as she worked with her Master and friends to maintain their greatest secret - their very existence.
Taking her to his home within the city, Segaepin watched her for the remainder of the day as they rested. Already he could see the effect the task had done to her body. There was a light in Elly's eyes that had not been there before and her shadow refused to stay attached to her feet. Even he could see how easy it was now for her to do even the smallest of tasks with her renewed energy. Her insomnia still seemed to be a problem but he had a solution for that as he told her of a way to make a bedroll that would allow her meaningful sleep. He also decided that he would come back with her to Navahla. One more time he wanted to see beyond the Slopes that they all called home. And possibly to keep a closer eye on a certain young gnome.