"It is tongue. It's Frostcrawler tongue.I'm glad you liked it." Vivieka hands him bowl with a stew in a red sauce that looks suspiciously like the stomach of some creature. "Try this one as well!"
"Well - I could...or maybe well..since you're saying Yrax is dead, so you're taking over this place, right? If you appreciate my cooking, I wouldn't mind staying here as a cook. But let me go pack my stuff back home first." Vivieka offers.
The Fossil thing charges at Einar then tries to bite him.
It clips Einar but he manages to fight off the effects.
Vivieka looks crestfallen when she hears that Einar may not be returning. "I suppose I could speak to Baknarla and see if we could come to some kind of arrangement."
"Eww...did you guys have to do that? I mean...you've contaminated the whole pool! You'll need to clean up the mess. Yuck!" She looks away, revolted.
Einar manages to land two blows on it, but the last one hits the wall instead. Greta steps up, then tries to trip it with her ranseur.
It's more stable then she thought and she does not manage to trip it.
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Mr. Whiskers steps up and taps Einar, causing him to appear slightly out of focus.
Crummock breathes a sigh of relief when piths the beasts skull.
"Nicely done!"
He then pulls out the wand, and starts healing himself.
Crummock casts Divine Favor and Grace on Geist...
...and then Geist pounces!
Geist makes short work of the fossilised thing.
Crummock heals Einar.
The party sees nothing but fog, but feels that the room is significantly colder then the others.
Crummock on the other hand, sees SNOW EVERYWHERE. AND PILES OF IT!
And of course...one of the snowpiles start moving, revealing a hulking mountain of fur and fangs looks like a whitefurred bear of immense proportions with ten legs, each ending in massive, jet-black claws. Its head, with slavering jaws and a tongue dripping silvery foam, sits at the end of a long yet thickly muscled neck. Its dead black eyes are small but infinite pits of malice.
It goes, "Om Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom."Then it starts grabbing its lunch, tiefling steak, trying to pull it into the room, but Einar manages to resist its tug.
This irregularly shaped room has a high, ridged celling that slopes smoothly down to the sides. Huge skeletal designs carved along the floor, walls and celling convey the sense of being inside a massive winged beast. A black stone altar inside the beast's "skull" at the northern end of the room is carved with symbols of a fiery sfalling star streaking downwards.
Mr Whiskers and Seraphine recognize this as a shrine to Dhalak.
This chamber contains rows of bookshelves holding oversized books apparently designed for the hands, or perhaps claws of the large reader. Most of the books are works of fiction and histories of hte Drakelands written with an obvious bias towards flattering the land's dragon rules.
Einar finds a miniature toy dragon made out of gold. It functions as a bronze griffon figurine of wondrous power. Except it summons a dragon like creature instead.
Crummock dumps a Fireball into the room...
...and gives Seraphine targeting information (in Terran, via Mr Whiskers), so she can do the same.
"Ow! That hurt!" Crummock hears from the room and watches the too-many-legs-bear dodges part of the fireball.
"Look! You killed my friend Willy. Sure he's a bit touchy about letting people near his pool, but wouldn't YOU be? Its HIS pool afterall. And you've even got his brains on YOUR hammer." It growls.
"Willy isn't the talkative sort. He's also not too bright." The too-many-legs polar bear answers.
Hrmm. I'm here because Yrax wants go make a deal with my Triaxians. He says that if we help him invade the Skyfire Mandate he'll give us gold and gems. I don't care for gold and gems. I want live sacrifices! Meat is better fresh!"
"If I step out of this cloud, I bet you'd murder me like you murdered Willy!"
"I'm moving! I'm moving! Don't use your hammer on me!"And with that a huge 10-legged polar bear shoves its huge @ss past Einar and shuffles out of Ivoryglass at top speed.
Searching the snowpiles yield the following:
An amulet of blue dragon’s breath; a golden bowl engraved with images of dragons (worth 500 gp); a jeweled egg containing the blood of an ancient dragon warlord (worth 4,500 gp); an engraved mithral figurine of an ursikka worth 500 gp; a platinum flute worth 1,000 gp; and a strange gold idol in the shape of a pregnant, furred female humanoid with insect wings, a dragon’s head, and a single ruby eye, engraved with queer carvings (worth 1,500 gp).
When the party emerges from the gates, they find Cesser waiting out there. "I suppose your business with Yrax is concluded?"
The fighting has ceased. Baknarla and her victorious adlets are busy heaping up the bodies of with enemy dragonkin, hydras and traxians, and digging graves for their own dead. "Einar. We sustained losses this day, but we have emerged victorious. Is Yrax dead? And what was that kokogiak doing running out of there?"
Crummock grins, and pulls Yrax's charred and severed head from his Bag of Holding.
"Aye, he most certainly be dead!"
He then turns to the others.
"We should let Spurhorn know o' our success here."
"Yes we do know each other." They chant in unison.
"You see, she has no appreciation of fine food. What does she ask for? Plain axebeak, without any sauce." Vivieka says to Cesser. "Pfft. It's an insult to my culinary talents."
"Well, the Ukara way is not to indulge in heavy foods. It spoils your palate, and slows you down. Everything must be savoured in its natural state." Cesser answers, serenely. "And I, am going to head back to my homeland Ning."
"Unless you know where to find those who seek the teachings of Irori?I am curious about their way too." Cesser asks Mr Whiskers.
”He’s dead, then?” Baknarla answers. ”All right,” She hollers, ”You heard him! Ivoryglass is ours!” There are howls of triumph across the Ivoryglass grounds. "So what did you want to talk about?Baknarla asks Einar. "We make this keep Frostwolf grounds. And make this keep our new camp. Better then old camps, since at least the wind doesn't blow them away."
Crummock nods thoughtfully.
"Aye, that sounds like an excellent plan! There is also a big pile o' freshly cleaned dragon bones in the throne room, that you could use in the redecoratin' process. I reckon they would make a pretty badass ornamental arch at the front door..."
"Yeah we'll handle it." Baknarla pats her paws in a business-like manner.
"Urm...there's a whale-wolf polluting the pool..the water's probably all red instead of blue." Vivieka adds in.
"Okay...that might take SOME work. How big was that whale-wolf again?"
"It was Huge."
"Oh no. Might I have hoped you..tried to clean up the mess you left?" Baknarla turns to Einar.
"The problem is hauling it out of the pool.That might take some work."Bankarla answers. "Since you, our champion and benefactor requested it, of course she can stay, and use the pool as long as she likes. If you wish to come back, we will be proud to have you among our tribe."
The rest of the day is spent burning the enemy dead in a pyre, while each adlet corpse is laid onto the ground with Baknarla chanting prayers while beating on a drum so their souls will proceed to their afterlives safely and no evil demons shall hinder their passage.
Nevra, Bethulan, Avatre, Talsune and Shantha land, looking worse for wear, nursing some stabwounds, bite wounds, burns and sprains, but nothing life threatening.
"I take it we're done here?" Talsune asks Einar. "I saw Crummock take out Yrax's head from above."
"Yes we do know each other." They chant in unison.
"You see, she has no appreciation of fine food. What does she ask for? Plain axebeak, without any sauce." Vivieka says to Cesser. "Pfft. It's an insult to my culinary talents."
"Well, the Ukara way is not to indulge in heavy foods. It spoils your palate, and slows you down. Everything must be savoured in its natural state." Cesser answers, serenely. "And I, am going to head back to my homeland Ning."
Looking to Vivieka, Mr. Whiskers mentions "It sounds like a challenge to me. How can you make an interesting dish that abides her dietary restrictions while still being an artistic creation? Tell me, have you ever heard of sushi? Perhaps a variant of that could work?"
"Unless you know where to find those who seek the teachings of Irori?I am curious about their way too." Cesser asks Mr Whiskers.
"I can check to see if our library has a copy of his holy text if you are interested." When there is time, he tells Cesser what he knows of Irori so she can make a some what informed decision on if she is interested in his teachings.
Mr. Whiskers smiles brightly when he sees the dragons returning. He greets each of them and asks if any of them have told the commander yet.
Crummock nods to the Dragonkin.
"Aye, that we are - Ivoryglass has been purged, and Yrax is very, very dead."
He then grins, and winks at Avatre.
"Ye should have been there - the explosion that I arranged was so powerful, it liquefied a portion o' the citadel. Yrax was quite surprised, for the split second afore he became a charred corpse..."
"What the heck is sushi?" Vivieka asks Mr Whiskers. "You mean people eat food raw? We're not barbarians, you know?" As Mr Whiskers explains that not ALL sushi is raw, Vivieka starts nodding her head, "Yes I suppose if we could find that eight legged creature you were saying that you chop and season in Traixius, that might work out."
"Yes, I would be interested in his teachings. It seems that his teachings follow the Ukara code - aiming towards enlightenment and self perfection." Cesser answers Mr Whiskers.
"Arranging that." Nevre closes her eyes, deep in concentration. "It's done. He's very proud of all of you."
Talsune takes a swig of plum wine with Einar. Shantha immediately starts nagging him, "You shouldn't be drinking before you fly!" To which, he rolls his eyes.
"Oh my...why do I miss all the good stuff." Avatre pouts.
The party fly back to Spurhorn on dragonback, victorious. Commander Pharamol has prepared a great feast for them to commemorate their victory, and promises that they will always have a place in Spurhorn waiting for them, and offers to tithe some lands in the Obach Forest for their services rendered, if they wish to stay.
After a night of feasting, involving icerunners fried in nuts, spicy wolliped salad, a green curry of some chopped up worm, deep fried patties of meat, vegetables and flour, fried glass noodles with some kind of crustacean, and something they call Ta Ko Haew for desert, drinking, the party takes leave, the next morning, bringing the two headed eagle along with them to the Hut.
Cesseer hitches a ride on Geist back to Spurhorn, but waits outside the city, not wishing to join the party in their festivities. After being informed of the location of the Hut, she poofs in a puff of purple smoke and reappears a safe distance from the Hut, then waits for Mr Whiskers to bring out the teachings of Irori.
Mr. Whiskers asks for the list of items people want and sends off the crow before they start the ride back. Hopefully that will give him enough time to find the items.
Within the Hut, Mr Whiskers calls Zilvazaraat up, who comes with...most of the party's requested items.
"Hmm yes, this looks like a safe place to meet, I'll meet you within the Hut from now on." Zilvazaraat says as he takes in the interior of the Hut.
Crummock gets his Eyes of the Eagle; Rod of Extend, Lesser; Scarlet and Blue Sphere Ioun Stone, Lucky Horseshoe, Spellguard Bracers, Tourmaline Sphere Ioun Stone, Western Star Ioun Stone and Mnemonic Vestment.
"Sorry about the rest, chum, the intergalactic bazaar of Coruscant ran out of stock." He apologizes to Crummock, for being unable to find the scroll of permanency and the dusty rose prism ioun stone.
Seraphine drops a heal spell to Dawnbark who is grateful to be cured of her insanity. She then asks Mr Whiskers to transform her into a creature that can fly, so that she can see where to better take root on Triaxius. She also asks Mr Whiskers if he knows any good spots where an old treant might be welcome.
Crummock shrugs regretfully, but takes what the merchant was able to find.
"Aye, well, please keep an eye oot - I really be wantin' that Scroll..."
When the time comes to leave, Crummock steps aside with Avatre for a private chat.
He then pulls out a 1 inch diameter glass sphere, which looks like it has a small flame crystallised into the middle of it.
"This here be a Campfire Bead. Ye just have to throw it upon the ground, say me name, and it will turn into a roaring campfire for 8 hours - a perfect way for ye to stay warm at night, around here - It will then turn back into a glass bead - the magic needs 16 hours to recharge - but then ye can just use it again. Hopefully, it will serve ye well, and be a pleasant reminder of our acquaintance."
"Oooh you give me the nicest presents." She nuzzles Crummock as she takes the bead."Why don't you come back here once your business is done? We could spend the rest of our lives burning up the Drakeland Legions. Sure, Yrax is dead, but come summer, another warlord would probably come into power. It'd be tons of fun!" She brightens at the thought.
[b]"Aye, well, that certainly be a temptin' suggestion. I may just have to see what can be sorted oot once we have dealt with our business..."{/b]
Mr. Whiskers checks with Greta about the library back in the hut. After that he tells Cesser with more confidence "I'm pretty sure that there is at least one copy of his book at the hut. Are you in a hurry? If so, I could make a special trip."
While in Spurhorn, Mr. Whiskers spends some time in their library reviewing maps. He asks questions of Shantha, Nevra and any others he is sent to about good locations for a treant. He will explain about Dawnbark. Once he has selected a couple of potential spots within flying range, he gets an appointment to talk to Commander Pharamol and tells him of the plan.
During the days at Spurhorn, Mr. Whiskers goes out flying with the other dragons -- sometimes even doing it for a short time in animal or dragon form. He seems to heavily favor the metallic dragon forms. Once he even lets Nivean try it.
At least once, you catch him trying out multiple elemental forms as well -- shifting between them.
He also purchases quite a bit of diamond dust while in Spurhorn.
During the flight back to the hut, Mr. Whiskers asks the others what they think of the idea of allowing Ratibor to gain his freedom now. "We don't know of any way for him to get back to Artosa, but he can be resourceful and I am still concerned about how focused he is on conquest. I'm just really not certain allowing him to go wouldn't turn out to be a mistake."
Once back, he goes into the hut and retrieves the book for Cesser. "I hope this helps you. Evidently this god isn't know of here, probably because he ascended so recently."
Once Seraphine has cured Dawnbark of their insanity, Mr. Whiskers explains how he intends to allow them to find a good spot. Once there is agreement, he then transforms the treant into an elf and allows them to walk out. Once outside the gate, he then casts Overland Flight on them.
"None of my transformations last long enough to reach a good sight while in the form. However, this will allow you to fly in tree form. It will last for about 18 hours."
He then goes over the notes he made about possible locations and allows Dawnbark to find her new home.
Once everyone is settled back in the hut, he joins Greta in the library.
Shantha asks Mr Whiskers more about Dawnbark and then consults Commander Pharamol. Commander Pharamol informs Mr Whiskers he would delighted to have a treant in the gardens of Spurhorn, and would even assign gardeners for her care.
Commander Pharamol is fine selling spellbooks, diamomd dust and assorted spellcrafting supplies to Mr Whiskers.
Dawnbark, for her part, is pretty keen on being a tree and having Triaxians and dragonkin relaxing under her branches and flies off to Spurhorn, but not before giving Mr Whiskers a ring of sacred mistletoe
She is provided with a flying escort of Shantha, Nevra, Bescaylie and Efrixes, to ensure that she reaches Spurhorn safely.
"The Ukara code teaches patience. I am in no hurry."She answers Mr Whiskers, and happily spends several days contemplating inner harmony while waiting for Mr Whiskers to bring the book. On receiving the book, Cesser thanks Mr Whiskers, then ponders over his teachings for a day or so, before poofing off in a puff of purple smoke, and a Bamf sound.
Mr Whiskers joins Greta in the library and does some research on the various elemental planes
He looks through the various planes and thinks that Armun Kelisk in the Plane of Air may be a good idea to do some shopping. Since it's literally a city built on clouds, and the place is chaotic, but in a good sense. The idea of doing business with a whole bunch of stuck-up and snobby(not to mention ebul) efreeti does not appeal to him.
He finds out the following information about the Plane of Air.
Plane traits:
Subjective Directional Gravity: Inhabitants of the plane determine their own “down” direction. Objects not under the motive force of others do not move.
Air-Dominant: Consisting mostly of open space, planes with this trait have just a few bits of floating stone or other solid matter. They usually have a breathable atmosphere, though such a plane may include clouds of acidic or toxic gas. Creatures of the earth subtype are uncomfortable on air-dominant planes because they have little or no natural earth to connect with. They take no actual damage, however.
Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the air descriptor or that use, manipulate, or create air (including those of the Air domain and the elemental [air] bloodline) are enhanced.
Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the earth descriptor or that use or create earth (including those of the Earth domain, spell-like abilities of the elemental [earth] bloodline, and spells that summon earth elementals or outsiders with the earth subtype) are impeded.
The party decide they do not wish to do the shift.
Einar stuffs a squawking, protesting two headed eagle that tries to claw him unsuccessfully through his plate armor into the cauldron, and then stuffs the rainbow coloured bearskin in. There is a sharp sensation of disorientation, as the hut’s configuration begins to shift.
Then the party finds themselves alone, in a room with golden birdcages fill this chamber from floor to ceiling, hanging from every beam and resting on every shelf. While a few of the cages are empty, the majority of them hold the mummified remains of stunted, bearded men. A large cauldron bubbles and smokes in the center of the room. Out of the hundreds of small bodies, only 9 weak, emaciated survivors are still alive, seem oddly resigned to their fate, sitting placidly and chewing slowly on tiny bird bones. Zorka and Ratibor are nowhere to be seen.
Mr Whiskers recognizes them as Domovoi, house spirits like Hatch.
The survivors are muttering weakly to themselves.
” Iz dalekogo mira v dalekiy mir, nakonets-to my vozvrashchayemsya domoy.”
” Mnogiye khizhiny dlya mnogikh skazok, no vse nachinayetsya zdes'. Vasilisa i yeye malen'kaya kukla. Golodnyye deti i dom pryanikov. Malen'kiy Otik. Zabroshennyy syn, prishel za svoim pravom pervorodstva.“
” Babushkiny panirovochnyye sukhari, vse skhvacheny. Kakiye malen'kiye ptitsy klevali ikh?”
From distant world to distant world, at last now we come home.
Many huts for many tales, but all begin here. Vasilisa and her little doll. Hungry children and a house of gingerbread. Little Otik. The forsaken son, come to claim his birthright.
Grandmother’s breadcrumbs, all snatched up. What little birds pecked them up?
Three of the golden birdcages are genuine and worth 800 gp each. In the litter of the room Einar finds a set of manacles which Mr Whiskers identifies as Manacles of cooperation.
The fireplace to the west seems to lead to somewhere else.
The party only hears the popping sounds of the logs from the fireplace, besides the weak mutters of the remaining domovoi.
Gingerbread and candy form the walls of this chamber. It features furniture of stick candy, a large ribbon candy cabinet, curtains of licorice, and a cupcake table, all illuminated by distorted amber light streaming in from windows of glazed sugar brittle. Einar does not see anyone in the room.
However, Einar realizes the room is trapped. Any creatures that enter the room are subject to the effects of the chamber’s captivating allure—the gingerbread walls and confections furnishing in this chamber are powerfully enchanted to entice intruders to eat their toxic substance, which is laced with an insidious poison called sweet dreams.