Rehil cocks his head at the half orc. Did Bokehn just give up personally important information? The elf stops to bow slightly from the waist, then falls back into stride.
As Cole stomps along, his silvery eyes flash as he looks among the details of the graceful, natural city. He wore his constant feeling of out-of-placedness like a second layer of armored plating; it was just a piece of him at this point.
He, too, looks down at Bokehn’s revelation. Curiosity tinges his usually monotone voice, “Gatekeepers? What are they?” He looks up at the long-limbed people of this strange city, "Are these all Gatekeepers?"
Nalverren continues along, marveling at the intensity of the magic needed to light the city, and perhaps needed to make the trees grow so healthily.
The party descend a long staircase which hugs the cavern wall and drops down into Krezent. The streets are lined with trees that hang with exotic fruits, watered by runnels which trickle between them. The building are built into the cavern walls, the exteriors impressively carved with abstract serpentine shapes. Many of these are clothed with creepers from which dangle heavily perfumed trumpet-shaped flowers in orange, red and yellow.
The citizens of Krezent stop and look on with polite but unobtrusive interest as the group walk by, stopping to look for a few moment but not approaching or commenting. Kar and Naginti lead them through a flower-festooned archway and into a large chamber lit by softly-glowing glass orbs. Within, the floor is covered with thick rugs and large cushions. On low tables sit pitchers and cups, and trays of fresh fruit, bread, cheese and cooked meats. Doorways lead left and right.
"Please make yourselves comfortable," says Kar. "In the next chamber there are baths, and beyond are sleeping places. We will return for you in a few hours." The two shulassakar bow sinuously and leave with Bokehn.
"Only half of us should relax at a time," Rehil cautions while he drops his pack to the ground. He looks at Nalverren and Wultram. "Can you tell if the food is safe and whether anyone listens?"
The elf himself begins a quick perusal of the walls and looks into the adjoining rooms.
+1 more on traps
Cole stoops to sniff at the food, detecting for the presence of anything harmful. Then he lumbers to the door , opening it and checking to see if there are guards or listeners.
Tal checks the food over for signs of poison as well, and then detects magic on the room and food.
Once it is declared safe, Nalverren eats the food happily.
"Nalverren... are the human citiesss like thisss one?" says the lizardfolk between bits of food purified with extreme prejudice by the friendly necromancer "How can they maintain peace? There are too many... people. You can encounter sstrangerss that may mean harm to you... Isssn't it dangerousss?"
"There's no giant turtles that want to steam you to death," Rehil replies to Ashshar. The elf delays eating in favor of the baths.
He emerges sometime later and goes straight to the table, where he sits and tucks into the remaining food with enthusiasm.
"We didn't have to look hard to find the first part of the river vision. They found us. Now what?"
Cole stomps around the room for a few minutes, curious about this place and its people, and eventually finds his way to the food. He looks down at it for a moment before picking up a piece at random. He holds it up in front of his face for a moment, turning it to look at it from different angles, then puts it hesitantly into his mouth.
As his jaw mechanically grinds the food, he wonders at two things. First, the vision and their purpose. Second … eating is weird.
Nalverren eats, and sits in thought. At Ashshar's question, he chuckles.
"No, they aren't all like this. This one is rather unlike most, if not all, that I've seen this side of Xen'drik. Danger is everywhere, cities are no exception."
Turning to the others, he speaks of grander topics.
"So, the first vision was pretty uninformative. But the second, in the depths, more so. This is clearly the chasm in the plains. We may want to see about buying some cold weather gear, because the next bit of the visions was an ice cave. The next bit appears to cast Thrane, or Thranish interests, as the villain. Or perhaps, taken another way, as the victim. A third way, as both victim and villain. We will have to figure out which."
Tal shakes his head. "None of these visions made much sense to me, they all reference places that are in the here and now, not in the past. I would not know a Thranish interest from an ocean bottom." He rubs the scales of his chin with a couple of heavy claw like fingernails. "As to cold gear... I suggest some simple magical equipment or using spells. Actual cold weather gear is heavy, bulky, and slows one down. If our experiences so far are of any import, we will need to remain on our claws." He then blinks slowly. "I think you Hoomans would say, on your feet tips?"
"Or did the voice speak of just one group? Are the Schlossel kern also the ones that seek power and do harm where they mean to do right?"
Responding in kind, Nalverren says, "You know I love magic items as much as anyone else, but if I can wear some fur britches and a cloak to achieve what a spell could, and then I can use that spell for something else, so much the better. And yeah, Rehil, the voice's syntax could lead me to believe that the Thranes are the victim or the villain, with the shulassakar the other. Or the Thranes could be trying to gather power and burning themselves, and the shulassakar or their interests are thereby damaged."
"In my time we used Hoarfrost Taloncasings in the winter... perhaps their manufacture has been lost through time. They allowed one to ignore cold and walk through the most densly drifted snow as if it were nothing more than leaves."
Cole tries to follow the dual-tracks of the conversation. “As for the cold weather, I say we do both. Buy gear … “ he eyes Tal briefly before continuing, “of whatever sort is helpful to keep our bodies functioning. Then, we can ether buy or make,” he dips his head over at Nalverren, “assuming it’s worth your time, artificer, some additional magical solutions should our equipment fall short of the task.”
He pauses to consider the other conversation path, “Both possibilities are … well, possible at this point. Maybe while we are out seeking gear, some of us might spend their time asking around to learn more of this community?”
He shrugs, “Either way, it sounds like a trip or two out of here could prove useful.”
Rehil frowns. "Just because the Schusslaktars found us quickly, doesn't mean we're going north tomorrow. And if they might be unmeaning villians then we wouldn't want them to know we're going north. Plenty of time to prepare when we know."
"Until we know more, the only plan we need is one that gets us back to the ship."
"Rehil's right. If we are to head north soon, we should be able to know well enough in advance to prepare appropriately. Unless the snowy area they mentioned was in the bladepeaks, but even so, we should be fine."
Cole shrugs, "Then I'd suggest we still use this time to learn a bit about these people." He shrugs, "I'd at least like to hear them out before we do anything that could be taken as aggressive actions."
Tal sets up a link network again, hoping to guess right about who will be in up front combat. Since Cole can benefit the least from the healing, and can be healed by others, he doesn't put him in the network.
"Talk first. Good plan."
After bathing and eating, Rehil starts going over his gear and making minor repairs. As usual he pays special attention to the curve blade.
"So," Cole says when the team seems to settle in, "we're waiting here?"
"I am happy here."
Cole gives one of his shrugs, "I can wait."
He leans back against the wall, eliciting a terrible groan from the wooden wall. "I can wait."
"Staying or going is fine with me. I've lots of tasks to accomplish."
"I am content to remain for the moment as well."
The group decides not to venture out into the city, and spend the next few hours eating and resting, if not exactly relaxing. Eventually Naginti and Kar return, this time without Bokehn.
Kar bows and says, "I hope you are refreshed. We would be grateful if you could accompany us. We have gathered a small conclave and we are interested in hearing your tale. I am sure there are also many questions that you have, and this will give you an opportunity to ask our elders." The two shulassakar look at the adventurers expectantly.
Rehil stands up in a single fluid motion that elicits no sound from his mail. He slings his long curve blade over his left shoulder, and looks to the others.
Tal spends the time in meditation, then gets up, gathers his personal belongings (basicall everything on his back) and follows along. He does not leave his weapons behind, and they can take whatever meaning they choose from that.
Cole steps away from the wall and moves to join the group, "Maybe you could tell us of this place as we go there?"
It goes without saying that he has his weapons.
Nalverren quickly gathers the things he was working on before standing from where he was hunched over another of the items they had decided to transform.
Ashshar places his bow and quiver, as well as the shield and morningstar, with his backpack at the room.
The lizardfolk considers leaving his hunting spear before turning to the serpentfolk "I don't want to be rude or threatening, but thiss sspear iss a ssymbol of my tribe and I dessire to carry it with me." he explains.