"Maybe there are books in the Elven libraries, too, but you make a good point, brother. Let's buy divination scrolls so Calla and Kel can ask the gods. Their divinations we can trust."
"Sister Kel," Anklebiter says, turning to the Half-Elven Oracle. "Maybe you could assist me with a bit of work? You are a healer, and a good one. I could really use your help when I give Magpie her voice; I'll need to perform surgery on her and dust her insides with dust of rare metals."
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Lefrik's teeth grind, but he defers to his more level headed comrades. Though he does mutter in the tongue of his own people
When dismissed, he gathers his weapons, his pale skin almost flush with contained insult.
"At least these Elves know to insult us handsomely," Anklebiter says. "Let's not waste time fuming; we have to prepare for our trip into Orv.
"It is worse than that," He says "These elves do not think. If our story is so obviously false to them, then the question should be why we would bother using it? Surely one of us would have warned the others it could not work. No, we are either the worst liars in the world, unlikely, or we are ourselves tricked. But who would trick us in their name? WE know we were honest, we know what is real, but these arrogant daisy suckers presume and dismiss when it is obvious someone has infiltrated their ranks at either crying leaf or here. I think here. The surface elves sent us as spies on the dark. Well, who is to say the dark can not send their own agents? Either in disguise or traitors lured?"
Lefrik; I can enchant a new javelin for you so it hurts demons, or maybe so it returns to you. Bruendor, Kelendra, we should probably get you a good ranged weapon each, on the level of Calla's or close.
Everyone, that giant spider-thing was a wakeup call. We need better protection against element-based attacks. When we shop, we need to look for rings of energy resistance.
I also want to see which spell scrolls these Elves have available that I can scribe to make our lives easier.
"Maybe I should just switch to a magic bow, my friend. Something that can at least nick demons and still use my strength. But I will gratefully take whatever you like."
"May I recommend we stay as much on guard here, as ready here, as we did below? If I am right, and there are spies, they will seek to undo us in one way or another. Routinely check your persons and things and make sure nothing that would mark us as enemies has been planted. Be wary of high shadowy places where an 'accidental fall' might happen, and so on. Best we travel in twos or threes I think."Another mutter, "I must remind myself there are good elves. Good people, who are not so rude under the guise 'civilized' behavior."
"You are wise, Lefrik, and I agree. Your thinking is sound. I will have Magpie surveil our quarters once I have given her her new voice."
"Anklebiter speaks the truth about the world not surviving another starfall. We need to move forward regardless of their divinations. We've seen what happens. We know it's coming again. We must stop it. Let's start by shopping." Kel declares firmly.
And, yes, Anklebiter, I'll help with Magpie's surgery."
"Thank you, sister Kel," the little Goblin says, his voice very sincere as he clasps the Half-Elf Oracle's hands. "Magpie will thank you, too - as soon as she can."
Anklebiter peeks out the suite's door and, as soon as he spots a passing Elf, flags them down.
As soon as Anklebiter has either converted a room into a laboratory or rented one, he sets a beaker of alchemical reagents to boil, having mixed dust of precious metals into it. He also spends some time with a freshly-harvested mandrake, spring water, clay, and ashes.
The end result is the very image of the homunculus Duchess, who died in the Armageddon Echo. The Goblin carefully makes a series of shallow cuts in his fingers, bathing the sculpture in his blood, and also letting it dribble into the beaker of bubbling chemicals. Once satisfied with both, he gently lowers the statuette into the beaker and lowers the flame.
"Sister Kel?" Anklebiter calls once these preparations are done. "Magpie? It is time for the surgery. Would you come to the laboratory, please?"
Magpie flutters onto Kelendra's shoulder, tugs on her ear and points imperatively at the laboratory door.
After what seems like days of Magpie tugging of her ear, Kel enters the laboratory. She immediately wrinkles her nose. "Eeewww, Anklebiter, what's that smell?" She waves a hand under her nose ineffectively as she approaches the table. "Duchess! What a fine job, she looks exactly the same. Will she remember her before time?"
"Duchess returned to me when she died," Anklebiter explains, waving his hand over the bubbling, steaming beaker so he can take another look at the homunculus maturing. "Now, she once again goes forth from me into her vessel. She has been waiting in me; all of her, memories included."
The Goblin walks over to another table, which has been cleared of everything -- and scrubbed down with some rather harsh chemicals.
A small rack of surgical tools stands waiting, as do two cannisters of powdered precious metals.
"Over here, please," the little Wizard invites the Oracle. "This is where we will be performing the operation. Basically, we need to cut open Magpie's throat and chest cavity, apply the powdered metals and close her back up. I have Mending prepared to help with the repairwork."
Magpie promptly flaps her wings and flies towards the waiting table.
The homunculus reclines on the freshly-scrubbed surface and crosses her arms on her chest. Then she thinks better of it and stretches her arms out at her sides.
She glances at Kelendra...
"Oh, you asked about the smell," Anklebiter says as he absent-mindedly starts to sharpen a small scalpel. "Alchemical brew. It's possible to bring a homunculus to life without bathing them in the mixture, but I find it helps to mimic amniotic fluid. It provides a good resonance and enhances the life-patterns."
Kel walks over to the table and stands beside the reclining Magpie. "She seems willing enough, will it hurt her?" One finger absently traces a wing on the small creature as Kel looks around the lab. "It feels dangerous, so many strange things bubbling and smoking and waiting to mix together. I trust you know what you're doing."
"I am not actually sure whether it will hurt or not," Anklebiter confesses. "I'd offer her a sedative, but homunculi are immune to all kinds of poison and intoxicants. The only thing we can do is work quickly and efficiently and seal her back up as soon as we're finished."
The Goblin looks around the temporary laboratory, ears swiveling as he takes it all in. "I have studied it all as best I could, and followed the instructions to the letter. As a Wizard, that is the best I can do. If it helps, I am keeping the things that could react explosively with one another or generate toxic gases at opposite corners of the room, in sealed containers."
Lefrik has spent his time guarding Anklebiter and the others. It is obvious the sunelves here have not exactly won his trust as they don't trust he or his allies so after mentioning a wish for a demonbane power to an axe if that's possible... he is often at doorways where the wizard works, or escorting his friends rather than leave them alone.
Which may get on Calla's nerves
Calla glowers a bit at Lefrik's presence when she tries to go anywhere, but at least refrains from growling.
Once the shopping is done, Calla will go investigate the Calistrian temple. If it's more focused on the lust aspect of the goddess, she won't stay long, but if it's focused on the more important parts of the Sacred Sting's portfolio, she'll spend some time there.
It took Anklebiter the better part of a day to look for a cleric of Gozreh or Brigh. Unfortunately, despite being named "temporary elf friend", no one seemed all the interested in discussing religion with a tattooed goblin. Oh, the shopkeepers were friendly enough when he wanted to buy or sell, but anything more personal seemed off limits.
Calla had better luck with her search, as Calistia was worshiped openly in a magnificent cathedral off the main square. As was common in elven communities, all aspects of the mercurial Lady in the Room were openly worshiped here, with separate chambers for the three primary aspects. Calla's reception wasn't exactly warm - no one invited her into the hedonistic chambers - but she wasn't barred from entering either.
"If you have a moment, your priestliness," Anklebiter at least tries to say, "I feel a need for penance. I have done something wrong and it weighs on me."
Calla will enter, her own holy symbol out and her whip and other badges of her role in plain view, seeking someone of rank.
Anklebiter was completely rebuffed in his attempts.
Calla was met by a priestess, who acknowledged her service with a curt nod and a brief blessing from the goddess.
"What brings you to this place of worship...sister?'
The hesitation was brief, almost too short to take offense at. Of course, Calla had been looking for it, and wasn't surprised in the least.
Kel takes time during the week to mingle in the city as she seeks out those elves that may have real concerns about the impending threat. She keeps her forays discrete and respectfully disengages when rebuffed, but she remains persistent in finding allies among the elves.
Calla's lip curls momentarily in anger before responding.
"We've discovered an ancient enemy, who wishes ill to the Lady in the Room, and all others here," Calla replies, without any preamble. "The Sacred Sting rewards my faith with much power, but even that may not be enough. We need more allies, but the queen has chosen not to believe, casting doubt on the word of a servant of the Lady. We need aid to stop what comes and gain vengeance for what this enemy has done already in its efforts."
Before Kelendra leaves, Anklebiter takes her aside, offering up a parchment scroll.
"Would you please do my shopping for me?" he asks. "I don't think the Elves would sell as freely to me as they would to someone who at least shares part of their blood. I have the money here, and maybe Lefrik would carry it all for you, if you ask him nicely."
Responding to Calla, the priestess said, "The Queen does as she wills. As she is no follower of the Lady in the Room, I have little influence upon her. Since you ask, though, what assistance do you think we can provide?"
Kel takes the shopping list, ask a few dozen questions to clarify the strange components, then sets put on the shopping quest. "Brue, Lefrik, care to join me? We should get you gear while we can and it might be easier if I speak with the shopkeepers for our special requests."
"We need support. The kingdom is threatened, but the Court chooses to disregard our warnings. We've fought too hard -- and sacrificed too much -- to have our enemies win. I've promised the Lady's vengeance on them, but don't know if my companions and I can deliver that ourselves."
"Surely Kel, I need to stretch my legs as it is. " The Ulfen is happy to see the sun again, but definitely seems less jovial than he was back when they worked in the golden goblin.
"If things are as dire as you say, then I expect you will find the support you need. The Court plays its games, but not all of its members are blind to the truth when it waves before them as a flag."
"That is good to know," Calla responds. "Can you tell me who some of the more reasonable members are?"
"Well, reasonable in this case is a matter of scale, rather than of fact, but I would say that Councillors Caravil, Hialin, and Arlindil are of generous spirit, willing to see what others will not."
Calla nods in appreciation and continues the conversation for a time, trying to learn what else she can of the council and what their best bets are for successfully stopping the drow. If the woman is willing to talk in private, she'll fully outline the events that have happened, but is cautious otherwise, expecting a similar result as what happened in court.
When she finishes, she gives the other woman a tight smile in thanks.
"Is there anything the temple needs that my friends and I may be able to provide?" she asks.
The elven priestess seems to that slightly towards Calla as they talk. The conversation is wide-ranging, and seems to last for hours, though really it was under one. Finally, as Calla made to depart, the priestess shook her head.
"We have a fully self-sufficient temple, here in Kyonin. Thank you for your offer, though. I should probably be getting back to my other duties though. May the Lady bless and guide you."
With that, she turned and moved towards the pleasure room.
Kel shops with all her shopping might, finding the best deals and saving heaps of coins while providing the party with their wished for trinkets and gear.
Calla returns to their quarters and shares what she's learned with the others.
Bruendor listens quietly, his recent experience with the elvish court leaving him somber.
Leffrik may end up carrying a lot of the goods by the end of this. When your'e the strong one, folks load you up.