Quinn takes his place at the back of the gruel line.
The line moves quickly as Nari has learned efficiency at serving food from her time working at the soup kitchen.
She fills a bowl for Quinn and hands it over. "Well, you I don't have to warn about eating too fast. You haven't been here that long. We've already had one person who didn't believe me. You're lucky you missed that clean-up," she added with a small smile.
Merle slightly agitated at the lack of progress marches over to the bound Khassta "Okay lizard lips how do we reverse whatever it is you did to them?"The tied up khaasta hisses
"SSSSS .... Only way issss to give them a potion from the rod. No other way I know."
"Really?" Merle asks "Tell me what sort of things does the rod work on?"
"Really?" Merle asks "Tell me what sort of things does the rod work on?"
"SSSS ... the esssssences work on anything. But you can only retreive the essssences from a living, thinking creature. The Toilmassster tried many thingsssss before he figured that out."
The bone-and-fur clad khaasta hisses
"SSSSince he found that rod hidden in the tower he had become obssssessssed with it. He hassss brought ruin down upon ussssss."
"Wait you mean to tell me you guys never even built the thing? Do you have any idea who did? and where in the tower did he find it?" Merle launches a barrage of questions at the Khassta.
"Wait you mean to tell me you guys never even built the thing? Do you have any idea who did? and where in the tower did he find it?" Merle launches a barrage of questions at the Khassta.
The sullen khaasta hisses
"The tower isss ancient. Thisss demiplane hasss been here for agesssss. Sssssome ancient wissssard built the tower long ago. We claimed it from sssssome orcs yearssss ago. Haac(!)nss never sssssaid where he found it, only that the tower holdssss many old ssssecretsss. He found it a year ago, likely in hisss chambersssssss."
"Does the affect ever where off?" Merle continues to ask questions
"Does the affect ever where off?" Merle continues to ask questions
"Ssss. When you put an essssensse on ssssomething or ssssomeone it wearsssss off in three dayssss. When it issss applied to ssssomeone drained of essenssse previousssly it merely replasssessss what wasss taken. That issss permanent. Sssssertain magicsssss can disssspell the effectssss asss well before the three daysss are over."
"Was there anywhere else any essence was being stored anywhere?"
"Was there anywhere else any essence was being stored anywhere?"
"SSSS. It wasss all hoarded by the toilmasster. Although he did occasssionally give sssome to sssomeone he favored. I had ssseveral vialsss of essensse, but they were in the tower."
"Well that's rather unfortunate." Merle precedes to motion for Justin to walk over "Way I see it we either A break the rod and hope doing that fixes everything Or B use the rod on mister Khassta and his friends here well the ones that are left at least and use that to fix the others" She stops and ponders for a minute "We should probably see if any of the other Khassta are still breathing although I suppose we could try it on the dead ones."
"Well that's rather unfortunate." Merle precedes to motion for Justin to walk over "Way I see it we either A break the rod and hope doing that fixes everything Or B use the rod on mister Khassta and his friends here well the ones that are left at least and use that to fix the others" She stops and ponders for a minute "We should probably see if any of the other Khassta are still breathing although I suppose we could try it on the dead ones."
"Tell me what would happen if we were to use this on someone who was already drained?"
"Tell me what would happen if we were to use this on someone who was already drained?"
"SSSSS.....Nothing. Their essensse would already be gone. It can only be drained onsssse."
"Well we have a problem then. we have a lot of prisoners who want there looks back and only one of you so if you know of any way however remote to reverse this I suggest you mention it. Otherwise We will let you explain to them all why they cant have there looks back. I'm certain that Pounce at least would be more than willing to shiv you"
Intimidate
"Well we have a problem then. we have a lot of prisoners who want there looks back and only one of you so if you know of any way however remote to reverse this I suggest you mention it. Otherwise We will let you explain to them all why they cant have there looks back. I'm certain that Pounce at least would be more than willing to shiv you"
Intimidate
1d20 + 9
The bound lizardman hisses
"SSSS. What would you have me do? It wasssss not my doing. The Toilmassster reveled in hissss sssstolen beauty esssenssses, now he liesssss buried underneath the rubble there. If you want to kill me or drain my esssensse that issss your right as my sssith(!)kkrr."
Merle looks to Justin and shrugs "I'm open to suggestions?"
Ekuur watches the line of wrethes eat the gruel Nari prepares, and shakes his head in pity. He'll assist by creating as much water to drink as they would like. Once they've all eaten, he will look then over, and administer to any that need any wounds tended to. If any seem receptive or initiate a talk, he feels free to tell them of the healing and restorative powers of the Sacred Flame.
Ekuur watches the line of wrethes eat the gruel Nari prepares, and shakes his head in pity. He'll assist by creating as much water to drink as they would like. Once they've all eaten, he will look then over, and administer to any that need any wounds tended to. If any seem receptive or initiate a talk, he feels free to tell them of the healing and restorative powers of the Sacred Flame.
The prisoner/slaves are emaciated, but otherwise fairly healthy. Many are still befuddled from the long months of drugs they have been subjected to. They are docile as a group, but a few seem to have more spark than others. A few crowd around Ekuur and listen to his impromptu sermon on the powers of the Sacred Flame. The others eat their bowls and stand about, looking vaguely confused.
The prisoner/slaves are emaciated, but otherwise fairly healthy. Many are still befuddled from the long months of drugs they have been subjected to. They are docile as a group, but a few seem to have more spark than others. A few crowd around Ekuur and listen to his impromptu sermon on the powers of the Sacred Flame. The others eat their bowls and stand about, looking vaguely confused.
"...and as fire burns away the old and the dead to make way for the new and rebirthed, so too has it burned away your old life of slavery and submission," Ekuur motions to indicate the collapsed tower, "to make way for your new life of freedom." He smiles a bit, then goes back to retrieve some muddy soot from the tower. He'll annoint those who allow him on the top of the head with the mixture.
"No, although too much water can be the enemy of fire and life, it is not to be hated and feared. This small bit of water, when mixed with the remains of the sacred fire, will provide the key to robust new growth. May the blessing of the Sacred Flame be upon you!"
After a bit, Ekuur will himself get a small bit of water and Nari's gruel (after everyone else has had their fill first), and sits down by himself. He finds that his thoughts go back a certain dark-skinned giantkin, and realizes he's starting to look forward to when he gets a chance to vacation back to the Plane of Fire and see Sigrid. He allows the others to interrogate the khaasta, unless someone asks for his assitance.
Justin shakes his head at Ekuur's sermon, but he is hiding a grin. He turns back to Merle.
"Oh, I have several ideas, but I can't repeat most of them in polite company." He says with a smile at the prisoner. (His smile is as cold as his fire spells are hot!)
"But since we rather efficiently disposed of most of the Kashtaa here, I don't have any genuinely good ideas at the moment. And even without the, encouragement, of Tiandra, I have no intention of going and finding 'volunteers' to renew these poor folks with. We'd just be robbing Odin to pay Zeus!" He sighs and looks, upset.
"Look, we may have to admit that this is not, immediately, solvable. I mean, I think we CAN restore these folks. Eventually. But it's going to take time. And study. And probably not an inconsiderable amount of gold for research and materials."
Justin hefts the rod up to eye level. "Unfortunately the same thing that makes this so simple is also what makes it so powerful. It operates on the most basic, simple principles of magic. Basic Thaumaturgy. Or Alchemy in some cultures. Equivalent Exchange. It can't create something from nothing. There's a lesson in there somewhere."
"All I can suggest is to help them get to safety and get on with their lives. Eventually I WILL figure out a way to restore them. When we're not busy chasing lizards through portals to Powers-knows-where."
"Well I suppose we could try digging out the tower and see if any of the Essence Jars survived." Merle suggests but from her tone of voice clearly doesn't expect to find anything doing that. sighing she turns around and heads back to the main group approaching Seph and Pounce "So how are you two holding up?" she asks
She fills a bowl for Quinn and hands it over. "Well, you I don't have to warn about eating too fast. You haven't been here that long. We've already had one person who didn't believe me. You're lucky you missed that clean-up," she added with a small smile.
"Can't really blame them for not believing you until they saw it themselves. Well, see you around." Quinn walks away, eating his gruel as he goes.
"All I can suggest is to help them get to safety and get on with their lives. Eventually I WILL figure out a way to restore them. When we're not busy chasing lizards through portals to Powers-knows-where."
"You know, I'm sure I can find a few researchers to study the rod when I make contact with the church again. Should be more efficient than working by yourself." Quinn stands there with his bowl for a moment before continuing.
"Forgive me, I haven't introduced myself. Quinn Ardensier, field researcher for the Eternal Library. You're Justin, right?"
Isaac starts to ply his managerial skills while the freed slaves are eating, taking a headcount, figuring out who is fit to travel, who will need assistance and what their trades are, if any are fit enough to hold a weapon and know which end to stick into someone.
He approaches the woman standing apart from the rest (Rhiannon) and extends a hand... and both antennae.
"Greetings, cutter. Name's Isaac: what's yours?"
"Forgive me, I haven't introduced myself. Quinn Ardensier, field researcher for the Eternal Library. You're Justin, right?"
Justin blinks for a moment, then smiles and takes the offered hand.
"Sorry. Yes. Little distracted. Justin, Justin Case. Magus. Pleasure to meet you sirrah." Justin, his head finally looking at something besides the artifact, takes note of Quinn and the nearby woman who is also buckling on her recovered gear.
"Ah. You two look like you weathered the treatment better than most. I'm presuming that you are both fairly recent arrivals to 'Camp Khashtaa'?" He says pleasantly. He offers his own hand to the woman with grin.
"Justin. Justin Case. Of the Silver Rose Company. And you are?"
Justin blinks for a moment, then smiles and takes the offered hand.
"Sorry. Yes. Little distracted. Justin, Justin Case. Magus. Pleasure to meet you sirrah." Justin, his head finally looking at something besides the artifact, takes note of Quinn and the nearby woman who is also buckling on her recovered gear.
"The pleasure's mine."
"I don't know why we can't just drain some demons or devils to restore people," Karrin says, "those fiends are evil and draining them of their beauty would probably be the benefit of everyone else as some of their vile powers are dependent on their charisma."
Justin smirks and shakes his head.
"Karrin, that's just,..." he stops shaking his head and blinks for a moment.
",... not a bad idea. Actually." He says thoughtfully.
"Of course we would need to experiment a little first. To make sure that those restored by the essence didn't assume any, untoward characterizations. But that should work. They are living, intelligent creatures. Of course, then there's the little matter of 'finding' said demons & devils and convincing them to contribute to our cause. I still doubt we'll get many volunteers. And I refuse to do to the ones in Sigil what the Khashtaa did to the humanoids. Even though I'd be hard-pressed to find an argument against it."
"The pleasure's mine."
Justin looks at Quinn curiously, taking note of his adventuring gear.
"The 'Eternal Library'?,... Ah. AH! Yes! Boccob right? Your a researcher. So your, a priest?" He asks in that annoying way people usually do when they are repeating the obvious to make sure they have their facts straight.
A tall woman steps forward from among the slaves. Tired and a little worse for wear she still seems substantially healthier than the others, and her appearance is markedly better.
"Can I help you?" Merle asks the approaching figure looking the newcomer up and down
"The 'Eternal Library'?,... Ah. AH! Yes! Boccob right? Your a researcher. So your, a priest?" He asks in that annoying way people usually do when they are repeating the obvious to make sure they have their facts straight.
"To answer your question, yes. I am able to channel divine energies in the form of magic, among other things. Introducing myself as a priest tends to give people the wrong impression."
Phaumee looks over at the group and the freed slaves. He chitters in Sylvan to Issac:
Sylvan:
He chitters to the rest of the group
"Thankee thankee for all good-good fun. Phaumee need go home now, you all be good, take care."
Phaumee scampers off towards the gate.
Isaac starts to ply his managerial skills while the freed slaves are eating, taking a headcount, figuring out who is fit to travel, who will need assistance and what their trades are, if any are fit enough to hold a weapon and know which end to stick into someone.
He approaches the woman standing apart from the rest (Rhiannon) and extends a hand... and both antennae.
"Greetings, cutter. Name's Isaac: what's yours?"
Her eyes barely betray the rection to the antennae waving atop the man's head as she takes the hand, shaking it with a steady grip.
"I'm Rhiannon. You've all essentially save the lives of everyone here."
She reaches out to greet the other man with a smile, "Yes I've definitely been her for only a short time. To be honest with you, I'm not even sure how I ended up here."
"Pleasure's ours, Rhiannon. If ye want the dark of it, I've been in a fix like yours once and I didn't tumble to it. Can't say I like seein' other sods scragged the same way. We're rounding everyone up teh give this burg the laugh and it seems like we could use a bit of a hand. Yeh reckon ye could kit up and watch part o' the crowd at least 'till we reach the nearest town? Ah, excuse me."
He pauses to chitter back to Phaumee.
Sylvan:
"It would be my honor to help you all," Rhiannon replies as she finishes putting on her armor. She gathers up her gear, drawing her sword for a moment to check the razor sharp blade.
"My sword and shield are yours."
"So where are you from?" Merle asks Rhiannon.
Nari looks at the dishes.
"Nope, I am not cleaning those."
"Is everyone feeling better? We can perhaps get out of this accursed place now?" she asked.
Swire, being a naturally curious berk, goes sleuthing around the barracks. The locked footlockers are an easy match for the Taker, and soon he has acquired about 500 GP in miscellaneous bric-a-brac and coins. He also finds a stash of five beauty essence vials. Someone was nicking off the Toilmaster, mayhap ...
The group rests one day to give the prisoners a bit of time to ready for travel. At the dawn of the next day the hundred prsioners shuffle off after the party Towards the portal.
Pounce and Seph strike up a friendly conversation as they get going. Pounce is hopeful that someone in Crux will know a good portal back to Krigala.
Rhiannon and Quinn seem like well-adjusted adventuring types. They quickly aid the party in corraling the more drugged/feeble prisoners as they troop out to the portal.
The portal takes a bit, sonce there are so many people and only ten or so can get out at a whack. But soon enough, they are all back on Yggdrasil's bark. The main trunk looms over them here, and Crux lies at the junction of this branch with the main trunk, about half a days journey.
The trip is uneventful. Although fairly uninhabited, there are signs of frequesnt passage, and a polished wood road heads them on their way. Despite the slow pace, they manage to make it to Crux just as the light begins to fade on the first day.
Crux is a small berg: Mostly wooden buildings with a few burrows into Yggdrasil's bark. As the group comes up, a squad of chain-mailed cutters troops up to meet them. They look like a guard of some sort.
Pounce and Seph strike up a friendly conversation as they get going. Pounce is hopeful that someone in Crux will know a good portal back to Krigala.
"Well I don't know about Crux but Sigil has a lot of portals in it so I'm sure someone there would be able to tell you where to find one that leads to Krigala."
Merle spends most of the journey comparing notes and idea's with Justin about how to restore the people essence drained. Idea's include trying to use one bottle of essence on multiple people or trying to reverse engineer the essence.
Swire frowns. "Sod it, I'll meet the rest of you back at the Rose. I'm not spending my time guarding a bunch of berks..." At that, Swire stalks off.
On the way to Crux, Isaac mentions a few things he gleaned from Phaumee, his temporary chitinous casing and antennae slowly receding back into his skin until he looks like his normal mammalian self.
"Phaumee lanned me to the chant on Crux- small berg, the humans living there came from a "very evil place" but since then they've changed their tune. Veridis Mov is their leader. Can't say if they'll tumble to seein' all 110 of us on their doorstep."
The half-elf smooths out his travel stained clothes and clears his throat as the gendarmes approach.
"Hail, sirs. We are the Silver Rose Company out of Sigil and our companions are slaves recently liberated from a band of Khaasta only a short distance from Crux. We'd like to come into town to rest and figure out where the nearest portals are and find a way to get these poor sods sorted out. Would that be all right?"
Diplomacy:
On the way to Crux, Ekuur remains his usual quiet self. He nods in greeting to Rhiannon and again to Quinn, but doesn't make much in teh way of chit-chat. He goes back to his routine of providing water and food to the group via his spells.
The half-elf smooths out his travel stained clothes and clears his throat as the gendarmes approach.
"Hail, sirs. We are the Silver Rose Company out of Sigil and our companions are slaves recently liberated from a band of Khaasta only a short distance from Crux. We'd like to come into town to rest and figure out where the nearest portals are and find a way to get these poor sods sorted out. Would that be all right?"
Diplomacy: 1d20+6
One of the squad walks forward, blinking.
"Well met sir. Did I hear you cleaned out the khaasta encampment? The one about half a days travel? That's amazing news. I had no idea they kept so many slaves there."
The guardsman sticks out his hand.
"Captain Heronin F'Moil at your service. We can take these folks to our town's keep. There's room to shelter them until we get this mess sorted out."
Captain F'Moil turns to one of his underlings
"Go alert Veridis that we are going to High Point with a big group of refugees. Let him know what has occured."
The other guardsman runs off. Catain F'Moil turns back
"If you would follow me?"
The guards take them to a small keep. It looks as if it is carved out of a (relatively) small branch of Yggdrasil that retains a gravity synonymous with the main layout of Crux. A crows-nest style of building perches high above, with a twisting set of stairs encircling the branch. At the base of the branch are large wooden reinforced doors. The doors are wide open, and looks as if they usually stay that way. Captain F'Moil leads them into the base of the carven branch and into what looks to be a large bailey. A ramp leads downwards.
"Settle here, and we will get you folks sorted out!" Captain F'Moil shouts above the hubbub.
The refugees sit and rest. They are beginning to shake off the drugged effects from the khaasta, and some of them are getting agitated. Several questions start emerging:
"When can I go home?"
"What happened to my face?"
"Where is this place? Is this part of the Elves' heaven?"
"Are we near Mazatil? I heard they have big trees there, but I never thought.."
Merle spends most of the journey comparing notes and idea's with Justin about how to restore the people essence drained. Idea's include trying to use one bottle of essence on multiple people or trying to reverse engineer the essence.
Isaac shakes the Captain's hand, his Cager accent creeping back in.
"Glad to meet yeh, Cap'n. Our thanks fer the warm welcome. How long has Crux been here? And what can yeh tell us about yer high-up man, Mr. Mov?"
Patiently, he tries to answer the former slaves' questions as simply as he can.
"Ye're all very far from home, though ye may be able to go back as soon as we figure a way. This is Crux, which sits on the world ash, Yggdrasil- the tree may connect teh yer homelands. I'm sorry to say it, but the lizards what enslaved yeh used a magic device to pull the Beauty outta you 'n bottle it fer sale."
"Excuse me Mr F'moil are there any portals to Krigala around here?" Seph asks on Pounces behalf
Merle lets Isaac do the talking whilst she does her best to keep people calm.
With Isaac and Merle answering questions, Nari decides to focus her energies on asking a few. She asks each of the slaves where they are from, making a list of the places they would need to find portals to.