"Alas, the Shoanti reports that the cinderstorm's still out there. He thinks a day...?"
According to Ahalak, your Shoanti guide, Firestorms can last days and days, but are typically past a given region within a day as they are, largely, fast moving. He suspects it is unsafe to venture outside now, but it should be safe by the morning (a few isolated fires not withstanding).
Of course he cannot see past the big plug in the doorway you created, but assuming you were actually scrying with the sphere and not in some illusory world, it did appear that the storm was still raging outside a few moments ago.
- - -
It seems that the party is largely ambivalent regarding Sial, but Fondo is fiercely opposed and Barael is mildly in support. So I'm guessing the conversation will shift to Fondo given enough time (and the fact that he tends to dig in).
So the only question I have is whether you open the door to do combat, or open the door in peace to send Sial away. Note that Sial came to you in peace to discuss a possible joint venture - it would be wrong to simply take advantage of that to attack him. Those of you who are good should feel a twinge of morality at least.
Barael moves to the hallway door, opens it to welcome Sial and his minion back into the room. "It appears we have no concensus to welcome you to travel with us, so I think we're declining your companionship. We would not attack you here, under these discussions, but I dread the confrontation we'll likely have when the Fangs are front and center."
Briar keeps his Detect Magic going, hopeful to check out the items of the man/devil when dialogue continues.
Dandi stands silently behind Barael,listening.
Fondo attempts to read the man's reaction, especially to his mention of a possible confrontation. We need allies whose aim is for the good.
Barael moves to the hallway door, opens it to welcome Sial and his minion back into the room. "It appears we have no concensus to welcome you to travel with us, so I think we're declining your companionship. We would not attack you here, under these discussions, but I dread the confrontation we'll likely have when the Fangs are front and center."
Sial comes back in with his devil. "That is too bad, but not unexpected. I wanted to make the attempt. Perhaps at some future point you'll change your mind. Until then, I'll leave you in peace."
He hesitates and continues, "It would be a shame to fight you. I hope we can come to a more equitable agreement regarding the fangs when the time comes. Until then."
He waves goodbye and casts a spell. He and the Devil beside him turn largely translucent and drift back to the hallway from which they'd come. They waft through the observation ports and disappear into the darkness of the pool room.
"Well, we are not ready to work together at the moment. Things may change in the future that make an arrangement more mutually beneficial. Let's part part on friendly terms with that in mind. The storm makes this a bit awkward. I wonder if sharing a meal might make our lives a little more pleasant." Or less pleasant?"
"Well, we are not ready to work together at the moment. Things may change in the future that make an arrangement more mutually beneficial. Let's part part on friendly terms with that in mind. The storm makes this a bit awkward. I wonder if sharing a meal might make our lives a little more pleasant." Or less pleasant?
Sial turns to Charlie as he leaves, "Another time perhaps."
- - -
Please note, the whip in the statue has not yet been removed by anyone. It remains in the statue. It was determined to be a +2 axiomatic whip (worth 32kgp).
Fondo takes the cloak of resistance and holds it up to the party. "If no one else wants it...?" He becomes mesmerized for a few moments with the pretty patterns in it—clearly still stoned out of his mind from gazing into the stars and the Dark Tapestry.
"You'll look great in the cloak Fondo."
Nikolay pulls out his sword and practices some to kill the time. "I sure hope this storm passes soon. Too bad we don't have a real magician with teleport spells and the such. It was never my area of interest, but I hear some people enjoy it."
I have a butterfly tattoo?! I'll have to wear gloves all the time now.
Barael looks at Fondo with mild disdain. It's a grand time to let your wits wander. "I have no objection." Barael picks out the Scabbard of Keen Edges, and brings it over to Nik. "What do you think, Sward? A fitting scabbard for your blade? If you won't use it, I'll sheathe Black Tooth for a time in it."
"The whip then? Is there offense to the gods here if we take it from their statue? Does it have an intelligence? It certainly has a value." Barael contemplates its removal.
"Go ahead and use it, Barael. We're fine with our current magical scabbard. I think 'sword' has grown attached to it."
"Hey! It's comfy and we've worked together so well. I can't just drop her now."
Barael nods at Nik, and slips the wakizashi into the Scabbard.
"So, the whip? Am I about to descrecate here, or what? Folks have travelled here, and have left it be."
"More desecrated than you are already?" Fondo starts giggling like a peshhead. "It has an ugly vibe about it, Brov. Reminds me of your Cressida, in a bad way. The part that can't act when she sees wrong because of the rod up her...."
The party makes camp at the bottom of the stairs. At some point in the night, the secure shelter 'plug' disappears and the party's watch is heightened for the balance of the night.
Morning brings the strong smell of burning from the entrance, but as you look outside there are no major fires raging in your area. The storm has largely spent itself in the hills and mountainsides to your immediate west.
The party prepares to travel, Deyanira and others begin to cast the various spells (phantom steed communal, endure elements, etc) needed to travel in comfort across this blasted land. Ahalak whistles low, again amazed at the outpouring of magics from the party to make the travel quick and relatively painless.
Ahalak thinks you'll reach the Lyrune Quah that same day with a little luck.
Fondo gets in the phantom saddle and steers the horse around. "Let's ride fast and be wary of pursuit. Jenko, mayhap you could fly up and spot out any pursuers?"
Briar casts his morning spells and is ready to move again.
Barael enjoys the warmth of the desert, without the spontaneous combustible airs. He spends a bit of time returning to his human condition.
He hums a bit, taking up with the horses, and traveling for the day. He occasionally speaks with Ahalak to pass the time.
"The Lyrune. Do we address them any differently when we arrive? Do you speak for us on the introductions, and then the butterflies wave themselves about, gaining our credibility?" Barael looks down at his hands, with the more colorful depiction of elven egotism crafted on the backs of his gloves.
"The cindermaw. What stories can you tell about it?"
"I can introduce you as friends of my tribe, but that won't carry you far. Thousand Bones says that mark you carry will gain you admittance to their fire. Being polite will help too." he looks at the elf.
He grows more excited when talking about the cindermaw. "A legend truly, yet one of flesh and blood. The cindermaw dwells on the northernmost edge of Shoanti lands, in the place where Shoanti and orc and giant vie for life and water. His hunting grounds are known as the Feeding Grounds of the Quah-Kael, the land of the Clan Eater. The orcs of Urglin avoid this region; the giants of the north hunt only on its edges. Within, few have returned to tell tales, but those who do speak of a mountain that crawls and of fire that roars.”
He seems quite taken by the stories of the cindermaw, but cannot actually give you anything but tales, each one taller than the one before.
Dandi follows the others, distracted by a problem she can't figure out... finally she stops with a sigh, "Its broken! The trip through the globe broke my new headband!"
"We spent the better part of a week in Kaer Maga having that thing made up. Are you sure we didn't get duped by that halfling? In my time in Korvosa, the halflings had an expression
"But, It *was* working, I could tell, and now I'm just normal again..." She pouts and pulls the headband off, her head spinning with the sudden loss to her thinking...
"Whoa! Now it's more broken!"
Briar, alarmed that magic might be malfunctioning, examines Dandi's headband with Detect Magic (and a bit of time removing the cobwebs and spider 'coons).
Spellcraft
"But it's not on your..." Barael refrains from finishing, as he gauges her ability to process what he might say next.
Briar, alarmed that magic might be malfunctioning, examines Dandi's headband with Detect Magic (and a bit of time removing the cobwebs and spider 'coons).
Dandi watches Briar carefully, hopping a bit when she sees the cacoons!
"Oh! be careful, Briar. Those could be baby Wraiths. We've been trying for months, but she's been so touchy. Wraith, why didn't you tell me?!?!?!"
Charlie will give Dandi the eye and try to figure out what's the matter.
Briar is able to determine the headband is just fine.
Charlie is able to determine that Dandilion does indeed have some sort of Intelligence damage.
Nikolay can still memorize the same number of spells, the DCs are lower on the save, but with damage you don't reduce the number of spells memorized as far as I can tell. (rule)
"Raise your hand if you started counting on your fingers all of a sudden. OK, now get in line. I'll shoot you with one restorative spell each to start. I'd like to save the rest for later if this one gets you close."
Fondo stares dreamily at Charlie, fascinated by the grades of purple, red, and blue in the burst capillaries of his nose.
You know what's great? Varisians.
Wut?
I said, I think I'm beginning to enjoy Varisian culture and values.
What is wrong with you?
I just don't think Varisian culture is that bad.
WHAT!? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?
Briar raises his hand, realizing that he is one step away from being a drooling idiot.
"Halfblood, a bit of help."
Dandi gets in line with the others, fingering her headband. She smiles awkwardly at Charlie, "Thanks, Charlie."
Charlie hits these folks in order. Even though Fondo doesn't really come out and say it, Charlie gives him a boost anyway. Mostly to just make his creepy gazing go away. To Briar he says, "You'll remember this moment? You could maybe use a little humility.". For Dandi, Charlie casts the spell as a hug. A weird old-guy-too-long-hug.
Fondo keeps staring, giggling now and then.
-Get in line.
Why?
-Just do it.
Nikolay hops in line behind the others. "Have another Charlie or I can wait."
Dandi steps back as soon as she's able, tipping her head to one side. I don't feel any better... "Uhm, thank you Charlie. I uh, appreciate it."
Barael looks on as those he normally considers level-headed try and regain their level heads. "Charlie, whatever you do, do not dismiss their butterfly tattoos. Maybe the tattoo is supposed to suppress a certain amount of their intellect?"
Barael saunters up to Nik, waiting in line. "There's a place in Korvosa, not sure if you've been there before, but the women there have tattoos that, you know, testify to their skills in the art of love. Just wondering what a butterfly tattoo on the back of your hand represents in that context."
Briar chortles at Barael's question of Nikolay.
When that laughter fades, he prepares to leave to the next destination.
Dandi's mind goes in a completely different direction and she wanders off humming, stroking the butterfly on the back of her hand as she goes...
Charlie gets to Nik
And gives Fondo round 2
As the party travels, Ahalak informs you that you're headed to a place called the 'House of the Moon'. "The Lyrune Quah are more nomadic than the other Quah, but they gather there every fall to exchange trade, stories, well everything." From what he knows it's a little early for the bulk of the Lyrune Quah to be settled, but there should be a fair number assembled none the less.
As you approach your destination, you are met by a half dozen Shaonti bristling with weapons, and their wolf companions. The patrol leader, a tall woman - bald as many of the Shoanti warriors are, calls out to you roughly in the common tongue, "I am Tekra'Kai of the Lyrune-Quah and this is our territory. Who might you be and what is your business here?"
She isn't exactly friendly, but not overtly hostile either. Just distrusting.
Fondo dismounts and bows.
"Greetings from a traveler, Tekra'Kai. I am Fondo Barondo, bearer of the Spherewalker's Mark. We seek the aid of a Truthspeaker in a matter of grave importance to all of our peoples."
He bares his mark and gestures to the others to do so. "I told her we seek a Truthspeaker's aid."
Barael saunters up to Nik, waiting in line. "There's a place in Korvosa, not sure if you've been there before, but the women there have tattoos that, you know, testify to their skills in the art of love. Just wondering what a butterfly tattoo on the back of your hand represents in that context."
Barael looks up at the tall woman with no hair. He remembers a strong Ulfen woman in Korvosa, almost with fondness.
Dandi slides from her mount to stand and front of the woman, straightening her headband.
"We're on a mission from God."