The body of the satyr is unremarkable for the most part. Tezuzu does detect a magical aura from the creatures hooves, which it turns out have finely fashioned shoes not unlike those that would adorn a horse's hooves. Depending on the time to study the shoes Tezuzu may determine more. But given the aura and what Quasit described Tezuzu can reasonable assume that creature's soul has somehow been safeguarded within these shoes.
The pooled room remains as it was with the water visibly calm at this time and only the smallest bits of plan matter remaining at the surface. The spores seem to have settled, perhaps entering a next stage of their activity. The mangled door remains secured, but bent. There is no sign or sound of the previously present creatures. Unlocking the door and opening it is of little issue and the trail of moisture outside the door seems to indicate that the creatures have headed back the direction they came from.
Maka threw a warm arm around Quasit and pulled her close.
"Don't worry, most head magic wears off after awhile. I spent a while week thinking I was a donkey that could breath fire once. Plus now we know about the head magic so we can be on the lookout for you or the rest of us acting weird. Also if that ghost tries anything else I'll burn him up good!" Maka yelled the last part at the bag of holding to make sure any ghosts knew what was what.
Findurel moves along the tunnel which curves slightly toward the north and up at a slight angle before it comes to a fork. A shorter passage heads to the north east while a slightly longer passage heads to the south east.
Quasit blinks and looks up at Maka, while still nestling under her arm.
"You thought you were a donkey for a week?" she asks.
"Yeah! And boy was it a crazy week. Hace tried to keep me tied up in a tavern basement but I wasn't having that. I got a 500 gold bounty on my head from all the kicking, and burning stuff down, and not keeping any clothes on. I don't super remember the week, but I definitely remember waking up with a mouthful of grass and Hace covered in soot." Maka replied in an oddly proud tone.
Within the open area there is a stone arch. Beyond a stone arch lies an impossible expanse of broad meadow in bright daylight filled with swaying wildflowers. A young farm maiden, who the party recognizes as Jadrenka, stands in the center of the field, her right arm draped over the muscular neck of a great ox.
|
"Yeah! And boy was it a crazy week. Hace tried to keep me tied up in a tavern basement but I wasn't having that. I got a 500 gold bounty on my head from all the kicking, and burning stuff down, and not keeping any clothes on. I don't super remember the week, but I definitely remember waking up with a mouthful of grass and Hace covered in soot." Maka replied in an oddly proud tone.
"I've had a few weeks like that." admits Quasit, with an oddly similar pride in her voice.
|
Fin enters the room cautiously. Seeing the farm maiden, but expecting she's something other than that, he bows, saying, "You look somewhat familar, m'Lady. Might I ask your name? I am Findurêl...my companions and I are tracking some rather evil Centaurs and Frost Giants...might you tell me if we've seen them or not?"
|
Sakitu is with the group when Fin extends his stealthy searching into the northeastern room. She holds back when she hears him talking. He sounds so polite so whoever it is in the far room, it also must be a nice person. She moves up to Fin, slowly and cautiously, until she gets right behind him. She peeks around his body to see the woman he is talking to.
Not willing to let Sakitu advance by herself Bulvi keeps pace, walking up slowly with her.
"We've met. I am Caigreal. You put an arrow in my belly." She seems cold in her reply. The large animal paws at the ground.
"You and porysomething tried to trick us!" Maka yelled as fired whirled around her.
"His deception was quite skillful, so I should be patient with you. She smiles slightly at Quasit's suggestion and then looks toward Maka, shakes her head and takes a deep breath before continuing. Consider the possibilities. Where else might the poison have come from? If I claim it was not me and you claim it was not you. Who else could have poisoned the satyr?"
"You could have an animal friend do it like Selena, or Saki, or Tez! Especially if you made it invisible!" Maka replied, obviously missing the obvious while eying the cow suspiciously.
Caigreal smiles again at Quasit. "I am surprised one as sharp as you are fell for his initial deception.
"I assumed a form that I hoped would give me a chance of escape. She looks to Tezuzu, Selena, and Sakitu. I imagine your friends can tell you more how such magic works."
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"He cheated." says Quasit with a polite smile plastered on her face.
Quasit saunters up a little closer, hands shoved into the pockets of her breeches.
"All right, so, cards on the table miss. When we last saw you, you were just escaped from a terrifying captivity and were running from the satyr's sons. And now we find you here -- and if that meadow over there isn't purely illusion, you and your cow should have been able to escape long ago. And yet here you are calmly waiting for us. Do you have business with us, or are we in for more dinner theater here?"
There is no disrespect in Quasit's voice, though perhaps a touch of weariness. Still her manner is calm and friendly for the most part.
She smiles at Quasit's concise assessment, "Well put. She takes in the group as a whole. I am not sure what you all have done in this place or why you are here for that matter, but whatever distraction you've provided gave me a chance to make my way back here. She pats the large ox. The field is but a reminder. In that too you are correct. We may have mutual interests beyond being rid of that satyr. So let me state my question simply. What brings you here? Do you have news of Baba Yaga or know anything of the frost giants? They have been brazen enough to attack even this place as of late.
She has clearly taken a liking to Quasit.
|
|
Quasit sizes the woman up, then nods. "You might be the person we've been looking for in here after all. OK, I'll tell you what we know."
"Baba Yaga is missing. We have been informed by one of her heralds that she has been imprisoned by her daughter Queen Elvanna. Since Elvanna wants to take over the world, we're trying to find Baba Yaga and set her free so she can end Elvanna's reign. That's why we're here. We've managed to acquire Baba Yaga's magical chicken-legged hut and are using it to zip around the multiverse to look for her, and we have reason to believe that there are keys for the Hut here in Artosa somewhere that might help us find her."
"The frost giants are working with some demon-worshipping centaurs who are opposing us at every turn. We believe they are allies of Elvanna who are trying to find the keys before we do, and we think that's why they are here as well."
"So, if you know anything about these keys for operating the Hut, you can help us and Baba Yaga both by telling us."
"So there may yet be hope. I know that one of the keys lies deeper within this dungeon. A foe that I cannot overcome on my own holds it. I can give you one of these She pulls a necklace of keys over her head. in hopes that it helps you on your way. She removes one of the keys and offers it to Quasit. If you are able to recover the key I speak of you have my word that I will give you the other. She waits quietly to see if Quasit accepts her offer and or any other reply.
The necklace of keys features many keys, one of which resembles the one found earlier.
|
|
Fin nods and bows. "Thank you, ma'am. Do you mean deeper in the Maiden or within one of the others, the Mother or the Crone? If we find it, will we find you back here? As this is the first one we've entered, we're not familiar with how these may (or may not) be interconnected...
"Also, do you have any idea where we might find the frost giants and centaurs that we're tracking?"
"I cannot be sure. It has been very long since I have seen this place from the outside. You will encounter tunnels that are connected by magic. I am not sure if more giants lurk here. The centaurs were more able to travel quickly so I am afraid I lost track of them. She takes in the rest of the party. Do you have any other questions?"
If you are able to recover the key I speak of you have my word that I will give you the other.
"Or is that just what you want us to believe!?"
"The room near our last meeting housed two women, not men. Who were they?" Selena asks suspiciously.
"Do you have any other questions?"
Tezuzu speaks tersely clearly less comfortable with this truce than his comrades save perhaps Maka his posture tense as if expecting a fight as his beady bird eyes scan this woman for any signs of deception.
"You have been given our reason for being in this labyrinth. What is your purpose here?"
From what you've seen of the frost giants were any of them equipped differently than the rest. Less uniform or of better quality? It might help us identify a leader."
"I have not met those that live there. I suspect they are sisters with the witches left here or so it has been told that Baba Yaga did such things. Turning to Tezuzu and then Bulvi. I came here for much the same reason you have, to seek Baba Yaga. As for the Frost Giants they all seem to be equipped similarly. I have the impression that if they do have a leader they are not with them here."
I came here for much the same reason you have, to seek Baba Yaga.
"Or is that just what she wants us to think!?"
"I will come to you. Do be aware that though I can travel freely from place to place, this creature cannot. She pats the ox gently. May you consider its presence a warm up and my reminder as the caution of a would be ally that nothing in this place is as it seems." With nothing more than a smile the maiden disappears, leaving something that is clearly not an ox leering at you. Both the creature and the arch that was present with meadow beyond are no more. Instead you find leering at you a bull-like creature that seems to be made of interlocking metallic plates. Faint plumes of green smoke puff from its mouth as it prepares to charge.
Round One: Party is up.
May you consider its presence a warm up and my reminder as the caution of a would be ally that nothing in this place is as it seems."
"OR IS THAT JUST WHAT SHE WANTS US TO THINK!?" Maka shouted in exasperation.
|
|
With nothing more than a smile the maiden disappears, leaving something that is clearly not an ox leering at you.
"And here I thought we were getting along so well." groans Quasit as she quickly readies herself for combat. She attempts to rush at the bull and stab it in its nasty metal neck before it can charge.
|
|
Sakitu is content to let the others talk with the enigmatic woman. As the conversation proceeds, she can't tell if she is friendly or not. When the lady disappears Sakitu gasps. "Wait! I though she was helping us now. But why leave us with that?"
Sakitu crouches as she scuttles along the wall to Fin's left.
The creature is big and slow, giving the party plenty of time to attack given the maiden's clear warning.
Round One: Findurel up first.