Asher blinks, a bit wide-eyed. "Attempt?"
"Something about needing to know your destination, the better you know it, the more chance you'll end up where you want to, and not.... elsewhere..."
Camlo looks to Elisile to see if he got that bit right. "Could we make the destination a bit vague and a little outside the city, then walk the last day or so in?"
Asher blinks, a bit wide-eyed. "Attempt?"
Nodding, "Master Zenovia has a grasp of part of the issue. The two of us are able to deliver a number of willing allies, but neither has the magical acumen to carry everyone even before we include you. So in addition to the relatively small chance that we arrive in the wrong location, there's a similar change that we do not arrive in the same location. And we would have no certain idea of where our allies were."
She shrugs, "And so going to an unfamiliar place in separate parties is not ideal. Thus the reference as an 'attempt'; not because I feel there is a great deal of danger to the participants, but because I prefer guarantees when I can get them. We can reduce the chances for an error with more powerful magic or more mundane methods. I would not subject you to magic I won't subject myself to unless you prove yourself to be a threat to my friends." This last is delivered just as seriously as the rest, so it's hard to tell if she's joking or not.
"Or at least unless you learn about my libertine past. Then you might subject me to...no?" Asher coughs. "Tough crowd. So you want to just...'pop' us to Kaer Maga? Is that the idea?"
Holding her helm with her left arm, she motions palm-up with the other. "It is one option. Not perhaps our best. As a unit, we need to consider our strengths and resources. For example, you may have resources or knowledge that would better inform our decision-making."
She continues after a brief pause to consider the young man. "Making the trip via mounts is another option with its own challenges, but we currently have no horses. Combining the two by using magic to travel to a familiar location along the way and taking horses from there might be the best choice if we have access to mounts when we get there." Looking at the others in the party, she adds, "I was in Turtleback Ferry during the reconnaissance of your activities, but I paid little attention to the town itself. Do you feel your activities there would enable you to obtain mounts for purchase?"
Elisile has a somewhat distant look in her eye and a thoughtful expression, as if she is mentally performing teleport calculations.
“It is not ideal to attempt to teleport straight there,” she says at last, seemingly unaware that the conversation has moved on. “If we find some very accurate pictures, or are able to scry the city, I calculate that we would have perhaps slightly better than a 7 in 10 chance of arriving on target. But as you say Sefayll, there is no likelihood that we would arrive in the same place should one or both of us be off target.”
She looks about and seems to process the end of the conversation. “So … yes. We have a very good chance of successfully teleporting to Turtleback Ferry, and unless the local situation has changed we should have little trouble procuring horses from there – no doubt they still recall and celebrate our defeat of Black Magga, though it was Hudak who took most of the glory.”
With a ghost of a smile, Sefayll offers, "It does appear that he has a knack for that. The man is larger than life itself, is he not?"
Looking around at the others, she continues, "So. If the good people of Turtleback Ferry will treat with us, horses and related gear should not be a concern. Other items we might wish to have available on an overland trip through potentially hostile territory, we need to take with us. Fortunately, we find ourselves in a good location to find almost anything we could wish for." As she continues, she straightens up fingers one by one. "Provisions? Barter goods? Ammunition? Spell components? What will you need for a week or two in unfamiliar territory?"
"The Cinderlands is a harsh place. Some hot weather gear may come in handy. Or, for the more magically inclined, a simple spell to shield you from the heat."
"Yes, a good idea. A wand with that particular spell should not be terribly expensive."
Having agreed to purchase Grundar's component and discussed the arrangements, the adventurers set out in to the city to make the various magical preparations that are more practical in a large city than a small wilderness town. They then find some lodgings nearby to the workshop which are neither luxurious - this being a less salubrious district of Magnimar - but nonetheless comfortable.
"There was someone hanging around outside while you were out, a vagabond Forlorn. I didn't like the look of him at all, I can tell you, so I sent him off with a flea in his ear. I hope you are not going to attract this sort of person to my establishment. This is a respectable house, I don't want any criminals and wastrels bothering the other guests."
The following morning comes and the adventurers assemble at the workshop ready to be whisked to Turtleback Ferry.
"Good luck, laddie," says Grundar to Asher quietly, before adding more loudly, "And to the rest of ye too, by the way."
Asher smiles at his friend. ”I’ll bring you back something fun, a gift, my friend.” He nods to the others standing with him.
"Rest assured, Lady, we have no intention of attracting undesirables to your fine establishment. Can you tell me anything of this suspicious character so that I might recognize him should he turn up again?"
"Well, like I told you he was a Forlorn - an elf, scruffy-looking. Definitely a villain. He barely spoke a few words but he had a very odd accent I couldn't place."
Tikrok's presence seems to be off putting to the patrons of the bar. He follows along with anyone that needs to acquire supplies before leaving in hopes that his large frame and unusual armor will scare off anyone that wants to start unnecessary trouble.
Asher frowns at the woman's words. "What do you mean 'a villain'?"
"A scruffy villain you say - did you happen to catch any of what he said? Was he waiting in a particular spot before you sent him hence?"
The woman looks imperiously at Asher before turning to Sefayll. "A villain. A jackanapes. A person of no account and low moral fibre, loitering about some nefarious deed, no doubt. He was watching the front of the house, lurking in the shadows. I didn't catch what he said as I sent him on his way, beyond a mumbled - and doubtless insincere - apology. But what I did catch sounded very curious. I've had guest from all corners of Golarion, and I've never heard anyone speak like that."
”Speak like what?”
Lady Fry frowns. "Very hard sounds. Normally the elven peoples speak softly, not like that at all. It is how I knew he must be Forlorn, since he sounded so.... un-elvish."
"I've heard of the Forlorn before. They, ah..."
"Also, they use words to convey ideas"
”They do that, yes. For sure.”
“Forlorn? An elf who has lost his people, who associates with humans … how odd,” Elisile says with no apparent irony.
“Yes, an Azlanti accent perhaps,” Elisile agrees with Sefayll. “Which would most likely make the stranger a native of the Mordent Spire, rather than Forlorn.”
Camlo jumps at the mention of Azlanti.... "D-D-Does that make them connected to, well, the other p-people we have encountered? H-How did t-t-they find us here?"
"Indeed. They've come some distance." Turning to the landlady, "Thank you, Lady Fry. It sounds like this unusual elf is far from his homeland and probably unfamiliar with the culture of our fair city. In fact, should you see him again, we would be happy to meet him." She holds up a hand, "Not, of course, that I expect you to trouble yourself to say as much - you are no mere messenger, after all - but I believe you need not fear his presence here. In fact, to those in the know, his presence might add a brief and exotic spice to your establishment were he to become comfortable here."
"My establishment does not require 'spice'," Lady Fry replies haughtily, "It is not some sort of bordello." With that the processes away disdainfully.
"Who am I...travelling with? Can I be dressed for this, or do I have to be naked, and holding someones hand?" Asher glances at Sefayll nervously.
Camlo looks at Asher for a moment, then smiles "Afraid so. Although, you probably want to get a bit closer than just a hand hold. This one time, at mage camp, I saw someone try that, and they lost the whole arm! I'd go for a full bear hug." With that, Camlo starts to unfasten his jacket.
Asher blinks at the halfling, nonplussed. ”Bear hug?”
"Just let me get these off, and I'll show you!"
"Hrm... hopefully if I'm in an animal shape it will count as unclothed. If not, perhaps I'm better off using my own magic..."
Asher shakes his head bemusedly at the group.
Sefayll, helm completely obscuring her face, turns from the halfling to look at the new fellow. Pointing at the druid, she says, "There you go. You can hold whatever animal form he chooses. Usually softer than my armor. Usually. Rest assured, he mostly has complete control of himself when shapechanging." She pauses pensively, then looks at Tikrok, "You're not going to do the hunting dog thing again, right?"
She lets the import of the question linger...
Asher smiles at the group. ”I knew I should’ve bought that bottle of scotch. I feel I’m going to need it.” He nods at Tikrok. ”Let’s do this. Just don’t hump my leg.”