Pinna regards Vortic as he helps with the bodies. "Thank you, human. You are not so bloody now. The fire is out. There are books and bottles that are unharmed. Do you know why Pinna is here? If not, she will look through the fire room to find out.""Your guess is as good as mine... Pinna is it? I've never seen one of your kind before."Pinna bobs her head. "Pinna, yes. I am tengu. Some call us the old word, kenku. You are human? You fight well. You are...??"
"Vortic. Pleased to meet you."* He attempts to shake Pinna's hand/claw. "Where are you from?"
He attempts to shake Pinna's hand/claw. "Where are you from?"
Pinna shakes Vortic's hand, being careful with her claws. "The kitchen. Then Pinna was here. Where is here?"
"I was in my chambers. Sorcerer, do any of those documents reveal how we might get back to our lives? I have duties to attend to."
"It looks like the dragons have wandered off. Strange...I thought dragons could fly. Oh well. It's rather warm out here. Lucky, since I forgot to pack cold weather gear.""You packed for this trip?" Lanwin asks innocently.
"Oh, hello. I'm E. I'm always packed--it seems that I've had to make too many hasty departures from places not to be prepared to leave at a moment's notice. You look like you were prepared for some trouble yourself, Mister..."
He attempts to shake Pinna's hand/claw. "Where are you from?"Pinna shakes Vortic's hand, being careful with her claws. "The kitchen. Then Pinna was here. Where is here?"
"Wait...didn't you say this was your place? Did you get hit in the head during the fight?"
"Wait...didn't you say this was your place? Did you get hit in the head during the fight?"He attempts to shake Pinna's hand/claw. "Where are you from?"Pinna shakes Vortic's hand, being careful with her claws. "The kitchen. Then Pinna was here. Where is here?"
"Yes, is my place. E. gave it to Pinna just a minute ago. Did you forget? Did you hit your head too? Pinna got hit in several places. It hurts."
"Yes, is my place. E. gave it to Pinna just a minute ago. Did you forget? Did you hit your head too? Pinna got hit in several places. It hurts.""Wait...didn't you say this was your place? Did you get hit in the head during the fight?"He attempts to shake Pinna's hand/claw. "Where are you from?"Pinna shakes Vortic's hand, being careful with her claws. "The kitchen. Then Pinna was here. Where is here?"
"Hmmm, I guess I must have won it in a game of chance. Weird. I don't normally win tree houses in the jungle. Anyway, you're welcome to it. Do you need some healing?"
"Oh, hello. I'm E. I'm always packed--it seems that I've had to make too many hasty departures from places not to be prepared to leave at a moment's notice. You look like you were prepared for some trouble yourself, Mister...""It looks like the dragons have wandered off. Strange...I thought dragons could fly. Oh well. It's rather warm out here. Lucky, since I forgot to pack cold weather gear.""You packed for this trip?" Lanwin asks innocently.
"Lanwin. I wasn't packed at all, actually, but when I found myself here, I was suddenly in my armor, mace in hand. Some strange magic must have brought us here."
This is going on too long. Maybe this is ... real? Maybe I've been teleported here and I'm being scryed upon from afar. And set me up as the planar creature set to be captured when they were looking for something else. Blast Melek and his twisted sense of humor. He'll pay. Now only if I could use these scrolls which I'm guessing is simply a ruse to eventually get myself back to Thay. I'll enfeeble that hedge mage's brain to dust. Mark my words. Vassago's thoughts abound with annoyance.
The scroll? he replies to Lanwin. Uhm....from how it reads, someone is searching for the owner of this ... home ... and there's money awaiting them. Anyone happen to come across a pouch with coins? I believe the rest is to be retrieved when the owner makes an appearance. Maybe they belong to you? Vassago nods in the direction of the tengu.
Does anyone know where we are presently? It's on a I need to know basis. Present tense would suffice.
Pinna looks around, then at Vassago. "Paper not mine, can't read it. Stuff not mine, though shiny things nobody wants are welcome." She sighs. "We are here. Best to deal with it. Reeks of magic. Circle looked magic. Pinna doesn't know magic. You, man, know magic. Both big men talk like the snake people. Pinna thinks you know something about this."
Pinna shuffles near E. "Yes please. Healing would be good!"
"Luck of the draw, it seems. Wish I knew why we were here. It seems that it didn't matter what our location was. I was on a trail through the Chondalwood when I appeared here." Vortic says, crossing his arms and standing straight, "Our planar friend here speaks the dragon-tongue much better than I do." He nods at Vassago.
"The small woman was in the bath, but she is dressed now. Pinna was in kitchen washing rice bowls with just a robe, but all her gear is here. Laniwin?" She cocks her head inquiringly at the cleric. "Lanwin was put in his armor. Strange magics."
She hops around the main room finishing up the salvage and cleaning operation. "Cluttered room is a cluttered mind. Must get rid of stuff to see things better."
"The small woman was in the bath, but she is dressed now. Pinna was in kitchen washing rice bowls with just a robe, but all her gear is here. Laniwin?" She cocks her head inquiringly at the cleric. "Lanwin was put in his armor. Strange magics."
She hops around the main room finishing up the salvage and cleaning operation. "Cluttered room is a cluttered mind. Must get rid of stuff to see things better."
Edit: Apparently he picks it up while helping Pinna.
Elysia blinks her eyes in wonderment. Then squees.
"Oooh! Self-containing fire! I have got to learn how to do that. It would save me so much trouble and so very much running away from loud big people who don't have enough patience to listen to a very simple explanation. I wonder if it's a trick of this place or if it was something that the rod did? I'll have to experiment with that further. Maybe later though. I think accidentally blowing up new acquaintances twice in one hour is probably stretching good manners a bit too thin. Once is an accident, twice usually ends with people chasing me again. I'm Elysia by the way. In case you wanted to call me something other than the small woman."
Edit: Apparently he picks it up while helping Pinna.
“This is not exactly what I had planned either. I was rather focused on rather complicated essence transferal spell when I was, rather rudely, interrupted by the lizard men. I couldn’t risk a mishap of this magnitude and I altered the casting at the last minute – and this is what happened. I became absorbed by his sword and you all appeared – I believe that Helm had a hand in the results.
If you would be so kind, there is a pouch with my blue robe in my closet. Please get it and put my books in there. We’ll have need of them where we’re going.
If he was trying to collect me, then things are progressing faster than I feared. This location has been compromised. Gather your friends together and let’s be off. The fate of existence is at stake.”
Pinna bobs her head in Elysia's direction. "Elysia, hello. Elysia. E. Vortic. Lanwin. Pinna. And the mysterious man who speaks the language of the snake people, knows magic, and guards his name so closely. We are all here in this place. But why?"
Edit: Apparently he picks it up while helping Pinna.** spoiler omitted **
Vortic picks up the sword, "Does anyone else hear that?" Vortic listens for a few moment, "Pinna, friend, would you go check out the closet. I think there should be a robe and a bag in there."
Vortic speaks to the sword, "Helm you say? Then where are we off to?"
As if struck by sudden paranoia, "No way, a talking sword? This can't be! There must be something else going on." Vortic attempts to look for the source of the voice.
Vortic picks up the sword, "Does anyone else hear that?" Vortic listens for a few moment, "Pinna, friend, would you go check out the closet. I think there should be a robe and a bag in there."
Vortic speaks to the sword, "Helm you say? Then where are we off to?"
Pinna looks curiously at Vortic, then scampers to the closet as bidden.
Vortic speaks to the sword, "Helm you say? Then where are we off to?"
Vortic speaks to the sword, "Helm you say? Then where are we off to?"** spoiler omitted **
Vortic considers for a moment, "Wait, let us backtrack. Who are you and what were you doing exactly?"
Vortic considers for a moment, "Wait, let us backtrack. Who are you and what were you doing exactly?"
Now, there is a broken hair piece on my dresser. Grab that and let us be on our way...
As if struck by sudden paranoia, "No way, a talking sword? This can't be! There must be something else going on." Vortic attempts to look for the source of the voice.
<Makes a note that Vortic must have been struck in the head as well>
"OK, Pinna, let's take a look. Yep, that's a little nasty. I can do something about that, though."
<Casts cure moderate wounds>
"All better, I hope."
Vortic considers for a moment, "Wait, let us backtrack. Who are you and what were you doing exactly?"** spoiler omitted **
Vortic goes to look on the dresser and grabs the hair piece from it.
"You still haven't said what you want us to do." Vortic grumbles.
Vortic considers for a moment, "Wait, let us backtrack. Who are you and what were you doing exactly?"** spoiler omitted **Vortic goes to look on the dresser and grabs the hair piece from it.
"You still haven't said what you want us to do." Vortic grumbles.
** spoiler omitted **
Vortic considers for a moment, "Wait, let us backtrack. Who are you and what were you doing exactly?"** spoiler omitted **Vortic goes to look on the dresser and grabs the hair piece from it.
"You still haven't said what you want us to do." Vortic grumbles.
"Uh, not quite sure how to say this without sounding crazy... but, the sword wants us to all go outside." Vortic says with some dismay, "Alaric, is it? What should I do with your wig?"
God's blood, I'm not wearing it.
"It's a bit hot and sticky out here, but it's still better than smoldering bookcases."
"Outside?!" Pinna squawks. "We just put fire out. Why leave? Stay here, be safe! Dragons outside, remember?"
Pinna turns to E. "All better now, thank you, E. Mom was wrong. Leprechauns good luck, not bad. Mom said leprechauns stole our shiny things every night to fill their pots. Mom always had plenty of shiny things. Swore they were not the same." She clicks her beak thoughtfully. "Pinna thinks mom was tricksy."
"ooh, a talking sword, I've never seen one of those before, or heard one, but then I'm not hearing it now so I guess I still haven't heard one which is unfortunate because it's so terribly interesting. What do you think is going to happen if we go out the front door? Are we going to go poof again and be in someplace different? Oh, this is so exciting, I can't wait to see what happens next!"
"Alaric, is it? What should I do with your wig?"
God's blood, I'm not wearing it.
Eventually, Vortic will pass through the door way. As soon as he passes the threshold, he disappears.
"Outside?!" Pinna squawks. "We just put fire out. Why leave? Stay here, be safe! Dragons outside, remember?"
Pinna turns to E. "All better now, thank you, E. Mom was wrong. Leprechauns good luck, not bad. Mom said leprechauns stole our shiny things every night to fill their pots. Mom always had plenty of shiny things. Swore they were not the same." She clicks her beak thoughtfully. "Pinna thinks mom was tricksy."
"Neat. I didn't see..." Still dealing with the blow to her head I see. I should humor her. "...where the leprechaun went after he helped us. Maybe he took some of the shiny things to put in his pot...as payment or something."
<Notes Vortic's disappearance>
"You know, I wish I had the power of invisibility. It would make my life so much easier."
"We should follow. We totally should. I bet something else interesting will happen. Or we'll all die. Which would be interesting too, but sad, so I hope that's not it, but I don't think it is. I've got a good feeling about this. It's too bad we won't be exploring that jungle cause I've never been in a jungle before but it's okay. I can always come back some other time. Or maybe I'll find another jungle to explore. There's always some new place to explore, don't you think? Anyways, time to see where the door goes. And invisibility isn't really what it's cracked up to be. Once I put on a hat cause it was such a cool looking hat but it turned out to be cursed and I was invisible for a month before I was able to get someone's attention and get the curse lifted. I mean, really, why is it that every single cleric I ran into thought that they were going crazy when I started talking to them? Unless it was part of the curse. That must be it. Anyways, time to go." she said, eagerly stepping through the door after Vortic.
"WARK! Dragons got big man.. uh, Vortic! Or magic. Again with magic." She glares at Vassago.
"I'm sure he just turns invisible in the daylight or something. Like I heard vampires do. You don't think...nah. Anyway, it's not like he just up and disappeared."
"Prktchk! Foolish humans, rushing around. Save the shinies!" Pinna rushes back to the bedroom to retrieve any treasure left on the bed, then heads to the kitchen to see if any foodstuffs are travel-ready. She stashes all she can carry in her Handy Haversack and returns to the open doorway, peering out the door nervously. "Let's go, leprechaun. Let's follow the man who talks to himself and the woman who simply talks." She tugs E's sleeve and steps out the door.
She tugs E's sleeve and steps out the door.
Before I go on, it looks like we need Lanwin and Vassago to go through.
She tugs E's sleeve and steps out the door.Before I go on, it looks like we need Lanwin and Vassago to go through.
"Prktchk! Foolish humans, rushing around. Save the shinies!" Pinna rushes back to the bedroom to retrieve any treasure left on the bed, then heads to the kitchen to see if any foodstuffs are travel-ready. She stashes all she can carry in her Handy Haversack and returns to the open doorway, peering out the door nervously. "Let's go, leprechaun. Let's follow the man who talks to himself and the woman who simply talks." She tugs E's sleeve and steps out the door.
I'm pretty sure I'm a halfling, not a leprechaun, but maybe Pinna has some insight that I don't.
"No need to pull, Pinna. I'm more than happy to go along."
"These people will be the death of me," Lanwin sighs as he hurries after them.
Oh, right. I eventually leave... I guess. <_<
>_>
Oh, right. I eventually leave... I guess.
Peep
<Checks for ash under fingernails>
Vassago did his best to ignore all the distractions as he attempted to draw in the details of the parchments. He did take note that the sword-bearer retrieved the Yuan-Ti's sword and appears to be communicating with it. He reminded to himself to keep a closer eye in case it turns out to be cursed.
Sword-bearer ... you say the sword speaks to you? Inquire the sword as to who it serves. Who was its bearer? Or for that matter, where is its bearer?
After Vortic is able to relay any information, he continues.
The bracers, ring and pouch of coins -- please collect them as we will need to ... return them. Now I must impress upon all of you the urgency that we must depart. There will be more of these ... dragons if we do not depart soon. First, I believe one or more of you are practiced in the arts of healing? I request a remedy due to her mishap back ... in there.
But with a twinkling glint in his eye, he adds with a little guile, but you can make it up for the rest of us, my dear. As chaotic as your focus appears, you do possess the talent. And we are going to depend on you to help us leave here before more of them arrive. I want to quickly teach you to pronounce a series of arcane words along with their gestures ... separately. For when they are done together, they will conjure the means ... to travel. And we will only have one chance. The little ones will accompany you while the larger ones will join me.
One could sense he said that with uncanny relief. But nevertheless, Vassago was adamant and serious to a point of stoic-ness.
Are you prepared, little one? And to the rest of you, be armed. At a caution. Never can know where we'll end up if even the slightest incantation is done ... in error. But hold on to our fabric and/or any possessions so you will not be left behind when the spell takes hold.
...and if you are indeed on the other side of this, Melek Taus, I will get you. I will get you, he vowed.
Having watched Vortic pick up the sword and began speaking to it, he began to debate whether the joke was on him or things were really not as they seemed. But then he watched as he went through the door and disappeared. And watched the others as they filed through.
Finally, an exit from this madness. This whole exercise was lasting well beyond its cessation point. You're going to get yours, Melek. He said all of this to no-one in particular. He proceeds to tuck the scrolls into his backpack and furls his red cloak to enclose himself under its wrappings as he follows the others.
I will get you, Melek Taus. I will get you, he cursed under his breath.
"Anyone for a quick game of cards?"
"Anyone for a quick game of cards?"