SHADOW of the DEMONWEB

Mineva: "We do need to decided that, yeah, but I also want t'know something. Once we cleanse Zbrezza and kill these drow d'ya intend t'continue using the dark powers that y'have been so far?  Y'are on a better path now it seems.  I'd like t'see it continue t'get better."


Night Witch nods. "Yes. I will have to use everything I have to end what I started with the demon. And once it is ended I will no longer have those dark powers. Such branch already exists within Lyons ranks. My guess here is that your friend Isiolia is a Lyon Agent. My path was different, I was Lyon Fury, the first one. And I am aware that you have three more furies within your glade, two with a .. special heritage that is not our kin, and there is the first born daughter - Fyria Lyon, Aesa's sister. She is the most dangerous one. Know that we are fey and no chains bind us to our decissions. We are free, wild, unpredictable, and will not be picky when it comes to finding the means to deal with the problem at hand. We justify our magic by using the reason for its use. We care less what source it could be. We will go that far to use enemy's power against them. And our ways is heavily frowned upon, only a fellow Lyon Fury understands our ways, and rarely anyone else outside of that circle posses that capability of understanding. Not everything is black and white, and not everything can be solved with clean hands. Sometimes to take down a monster, you must become one."

Mineva: "I understand how that seems logical, the whole fighting fire with fire but moving forward y'need t'be on the right side'a things.  Promise me, promise us y'won't go astray again. Make a good deal this time."  Mineva extended a hand to shake with Lilly.

The Witch looks at Mineva considering her words. Finally she takes Mineva's hand. "I may not be able to keep this promise. As I said we are not bound by any chains especially when our kin is in danger. But that does not mean I can't try. And you have my word that after this chapter I will do my best to not disappoint you. You may not be a Lyon, but you clearly understand Maker's dogma. He was my love once, and for him I must try what you ask from me."

Even in her darkest forms, this Witch delivers beauty that most Lyons care for today. This memory could raise suspicious in where Lyons came from. Do they really have a dark side lingering somewhere deep in their blood, a hidden taint perhaps, a vile heritage? Someone who walked together with Synph, still walks today upon the soil of Cormanthor, aware of the current generation of Lyons? Yet not a single wrinkle upon millennials old figure.

Maya walks inside once her beautiful garden, with her sea nymphs friends. The scar of the Second Forest War left the garden in devastated state. There are some grass still growing and half healthy trees, but most of it is burned in the battle. Flowers do not poses their charms as they used once, and the color of the garden itself appears sad. Birds do not sing here anymore, but there could be heard cry of the forest spirits. Maya can hear them, but ignores them, till she reaches broken huge branch. It was the spot where Taeron saved her at the first war wave during her wedding, when this branch was about to fall over her. The stage for the fey orchestra used to play music during her wedding months ago is destroyed. Half broken plate once used for the big wedding cake is all what is left on the spot where Garag and Maya stood once during their wedding ceremony. Piece of her now colorless wedding dress is attached on some shrubs, surrounded with burning traces, bringing Maya's memories back when she was attacked with fire by green hags. Skeletons of dead worgs and some hagsawns just add more negative atmosphere to the garden that the terror tore apart. It is as almost that sun never reaches these spots, the giant fallen mushrooms in the distance shadows the area longer than half day. Sea nymphs look around curiously of what could have done such damage to the forest. Maya tried to ignore all of this, but her face could not hide the pain she feels.

Sea Nymphs: "How long until we reach our destination?" They all speak same in a choir, but they all move differently through the garden. From time to time their face would quickly fade from the beauty to the ugly sea hags, but they turn their head away, so Maya cannot see. As they get closer to the Forest Heart, they become more hungry for it to take it. And so their concentration can fall often about keeping their fake forms up.

Maya: "We are almost here." She answers looking sadly in the ground.

Sea Nymphs: "We can feel the pain that still tears you apart. The only way you can be free from it is to cut the link to the past. We can show you how. This place is not worthy of your suffering, of your beauty." The greedy "hag-nymphs" move almost as wraiths through the place, almost floating above the ground.

Maya nods to them, but it does not look like she is convinced, yet agrees like this is the only choice she has now. After them leaving the devastated garden, they come close to the bottom of Green Hill, and entrance of ruins. "We arrived sisters." Maya announces her sea fey companions. They all freeze looking at the entrance of the ruins. The mighty Xatimus, three meters tall, stands there in heavy armor, guarding the passage. His hands are relaxed on his two great swords stabbed in ground before him. His head slowly moves, meeting with his green glowing eyes Maya and her companions. "That's him, the Guardian of the Forest Heart." Maya acknowledges sea nymphs. The heavily armored, huge Human-Satyr-Dragon alike being that guards the entrance shows no fear before the number of the arrivals. He stands on his spot as he was there for eternity, not intimidated by the Sea Nymphs, even if he knows well who they are, and why are they here. But his eyes shows his surprised reaction as he sees Maya among them.

"Hmmmm ..." Xatimus examines the approaching fey girls before the entrance of the ruins that he is guarding on the Green Hill. "Maya." He greets her with his deep voice by calling her name when they end few meters in front of him, and then throws his sight far in the distance, turning his head to his right. "It has been long time since I saw you last time, daughter of the Lyons. But since last time I looked away, I could not see nor hear the beating of your heart anymore. You became like a shadow of darkness that lurks through the forest with unknown path until you finally came here, just like the hags were doing for hundreds of years before you. Does your family know where you are?" He asks the questions as he can see the others who are miles away. "And why did you come here?" His face frowns through the helmet that shows the part of his face. With slow catwalk, Maya comes close to Xatimus. She places her hands on her hips and shifts her weight on one side, while sea nymphs move around and behind her, combing each others' hairs. "This is my family now, my friend." She presents the fey girls around her, glancing shortly at them, and then looks at Xatimus again, with one her eye, because half of her face is behind her blonde hair. "I have been around all along Xatimus." Her eyes fall down and raise again making eye contact with Xatimus. "Perhaps the long years spent guarding this place weakened your senses to spot just anyone in the Forest." She attempts to defend herself with the words from the obviously suspicious Forest Heart Guardian. But the wise and experienced Guardian could not be fooled. "Or perhaps someone found a way to hide something they don't wish me to see." Xatimus grips his great swords harder, obviously holding to his suspicious strongly, and ready for anything that Sea Nymphs might throw at him. His eyes move quickly from one to another, and when they slow down their movement, he focuses on Maya again. "Is this where you alliance lies now, daughter of the Lyons? Wood sisters spoke of your deeds highly. So young and innocent, blinded by own pain, and used by the creatures of the dark and evil. Will the next story they share be about betrayal that was hidden within one of the Synph's descendants? Will that story be about you, Maya?" His last words feel friendly, trying to uncover the truth of her new family.

"You poses great power and strength Xatimus." Maya slowly moves closer to him, her walk is almost a dance. "You told me once that you fought side by side with Synph during the Great Forest War and witnessed death and his dying words." She places her finger under Xatimus' jaw. "Not everyone can be proud of such history. And since then you guard what he left behind, what lies within the ruins behind you, without being able to find and save his wife Lilly." She continues to walk around him, gently slipping her hand around Xatimmus' body. "You asked the right question, but it is you who needs to answer it. Will you be the one who betrays Synph by raisin a blade on his own blood? Can the mighty Xatimus hold the weight of blood of the Lyons on his hands for the eternity? Or you will prove that you keep your words by letting me pass?"

"I wish you no harm." Xatimus states but he was unpleasant from hearing such words. "You may pass, but it is only you who will enter. Your friends will have to wait." He steps aside, making room for Maya to enter. "Whatever you find inside you will have to face alone. But what you seek inside you will not find. The answers are within you, daughter of the Lyons." He points at her heart. "Go now. You will learn soon that forest spirits do not stand strongly behind their words, like I do." Then he throws his sight at the distance again, watching the heroes miles away as they approach Toxic Hives.

"Thank you." Maya nods to him and turns to Sea Nymphs. "You all wait me here. I will return once I have what we came for. And be nice with Xatimus. You don't want to go against him. Trust me." Sea Nymph keep their distance in fear from Xatimus, and they wait impatiently for Maya's return. Maya enters the ruins carefully with light steps. As soon she moves deeper in the darker areas, her fey eyes glow pink, giving her the ability to see in the dark.

Suddenly @Vesz'yraen and @Shimmer's familiar find themselves upon soil on Cormanthor. The huge flock of birds raises from trees to fly in panic. Earth begins to shake, and then the sky turns red. Other animals, deers, boars, rabbits, start running. Observing wild elves stare at it with curiosity, unaware of  what is happening, trying to understand. Suddenly the meteors start to rain from the sky, hurled from the clouds. Everybody starts running screaming and crying in panic. The sky changes colors as meteors are hurled from its clouds. Bombarding the Cormanthor causes many explosions, death, and the whole scene is horrifying. The land is being set on fire. The last meteor hits straight into @Vesz'yraen, waking him and @Shimmer out of the vision.

@ShadowKyss receives

Blessed by the Lyoncorn
Magic Circle against Evil (SU)
This ability continuously duplicates the effect of the spell.

Lyons Forest Step
Once per day a unicorn can use greater teleport to move anywhere within its home. It cannot teleport beyond the forest boundaries nor back from outside.

Fae Stone
Lyons, grow connection with crystals in their enchanted forest, eventually discovering some fey secrets that lay within, such is taking forms of beautiful faeries, and looking upon the woods and the world through their eyes. This beautiful blue gem is the piece of the forest heart that has traces of fairy magic locked within. Evil creatures cannot hold it in their hands. Its secrets can be unlocked only in proper hands.

@ShadowKyss may use the Fae Stone to access otherwise inaccessible locations to her, such is the pixie village, where one of the empty houses of @ShadowKyss choice now belongs to her. Fae Stone does not change identity, a fairy would still appear as miniature version of @ShadowKyss, dark elven fairy with wings and long pointy ears. However, fairies can still disguise themselves by wearing additional cloth.

These rewards are always available in Lyons Campaigns. As for other campaigns or in game server itself, a DM permission is required.