Holg is happy Dinvaya is willing to come back to Torch so they can fulfill their promise to Baine. The cleric helps the half-elf pack her stuff and offers his shoulders to carry them to Torch "Do you have any plans on what will you do at Torch?"
The Kellid is in good mood as the group crosses the exit gate of Scrapwall "So you see! I told you we would soon say good bye to this pile of scrap Coen! And here we are, walking back to Torch once more"
As the days pass uneventful Holg questions the others about what to do next "What do you think, are you still willing to checkout what is all this about Unity? Or do you have other plans once we are back to the city?"
"I will reunite with Joram Kyte," Dinvaya tells Holg. "It's been decades since I've seen my old friend. We have a lot of catching up to do!"
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Emboldened by the slaying of a false god, Fireday gives both Redtooth and Whiskifiss Iomedae's blessing, along with any other members of their family willing to receive such.
He wistfully stares back at Scrapwall as they depart.
"Dinvaya, with you gone, this place will need a shepherd once again, I think. Perhaps someday I'll return here to spread Iomedae's word...when the Technic League's tyranny is broken once and for all, and Numeria can finally know peace and justice. If what we've done here today proves anything, it's that it can happen. It WILL happen, and we will be there to make it so."
He's not really talking to Dinvaya so much as thinking out loud.
As Holg questions the other Torchbearers about their plans, Fireday nods.
"If what we've learned about Unity is true, it could be as great an evil as the Technic League, and I would be a poor Sword-Knight if I let something like that fester. I had no true plans beyond investigating the Torch's disappearance when I first arrived here, and now that that has led us to an even greater mystery, I'm committed. I'll see this through to the end, even if that takes me to the heart of the Silver Mount and back. So I swear on my sword."
He holds up his holy symbol as he says this, to punctuate the statement.
"Besides that, I've learned a lot about how these devices and weapons work from observing them over the course of our efforts. I could probably restore some of them to better working condition, or even take scrap and other things and create entirely new things we can use. I would certainly take...maybe a little too much...glee at using the technology the League covets so much against it."
"Great words Fireday!" Holg seems enthusiastic himself as the group walks back into Torch "If what we have learned about Unity is true though... talking the fight to the Iron God will be not as easy as this time. The Silver Mount is the main base of the Technique League. We cannot just assault that place as we did before... Yet this Unity might be the force behind the League..."
"We need to go talk with the elders and follow their advise, but probably the best bed is to follow the clues about Casandalee for now, so we can discover more about this Unity and Numeria's foes" Holg turns to the priestess then to give her farewell "Great Dinvaya! Let Joram know we are back at town. We will probably pay you a visit later"
"But now... let's head into the Foundry Tavern and celebrate!"
"Kaska, do you think your uncle Brok will mind if I invite all of you to his home for lunch?" the Kellid seems enthusiastic after Hellion's defeat "I am just fed up of eating goo tubes. Food is just crap at Scrapwall. I would like to cook myself something for you all. Real Numerian food. I am sure you have not had a taste of that Fireday in your life"
"Would you accompany me to buy some new clothing?" Holg shows his scraps full of laser holes and other cuts with dried blood "It is clear you are the one with a better sense of style here" the man looks at Kaska's and Fiereday's clothing barbarian and ninja clothing "Oh! And I have a cool idea for a tatoo of a metalic scorpion shattered by a large blade. Do you know any professional at Torch? It could be even cooler to have it animated with all of our electric bursts and clattering shattering it to pieces!!!"
"You'd be right. I'm used to simple soldier's fare," Fireday replies.
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Kaska's spirits rise noticeably when Scrapwall is behind her and the new destination is Torch. She spends as much of the days as she can working with her hawk Darzee, trying to train her using a set of whistles for different commands. It doesn't go very quickly or easily, Darzee seems to have her own ideas about things. Kaska, having lived most of her life in town, doesn't seem to have a strong affinity for working with wild animals. Even so, the two show a growing mutual affection outside of of training times.
In the evenings she often plies Dinvaya with questions and requests for stories about her past with Joram and their friends, including asking if she knew Khonnir Bane from back then. She seems to find hearing about a time when old Joram was young and living a life of adventure very entertaining.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Holg's request to go to her Uncle's home and prepare lunch is unexpected, and Kaska reacts awkwardly and a little evasively to the suggestion.
"It is a good idea and we will do this, but tomorrow for dinner. My Uncle Brok is master of the household, and I wouldn't want to bring so many without notice. He is unused to visitors. It would be rude to come suddenly when he is... unprepared. But tomorrow evening will be fine."
"I must go home now and make a dinner for Uncle Brok, there has been nobody to cook for him since I have been away, far too long for him to go without a properly prepared meal. I will meet you all at the foundry tavern later, when I am finished."
Kaska arrives home before Brok has finished his workday, and is relieved to find the house is not in too bad a mess all things considered. She cleans some and begins a stew for the evening meal. She is further relieved to find Brok in a good mood when he comes home. He shows little evidence of excessive drinking, and his mood is not dark, as it usually is when he is too far into his cups. Work has returned since the torch has been relit, and it has been good for him to have it.
Kaska eats rapidly, promising to tell him about all the things that happened while she was away when her friends come tomorrow evening. She leaves her uncle to finish his meal and uses the remainder of the water she's heated for a good wash up. Afterward she takes a long look at herself in the house's piece of mirror to appraise herself.
The past couple of months have altered her appearance quite a bit. The small scar bisecting her right eyebrow prevents the two sides from meeting perfectly, making it look slightly arched permanently.
She runs her fingers over the raised, almost perfectly round knot of scar tissue midway between left left breast and shoulder. It is about twice the size of a gold coin, and has a twin from an exit would on her back. This one is from the laser turret at the Smilers' fort. She remembers with amusement Holg's assertion that scars are attractive, but he will never see it of course. She wonders what Coen would think of it if he ever does. Finally she checks the thin slice at the base of her neck on the right side. This one is from Hellion and still quite fresh. It's hard to say exactly how much of it will be permanent. Kaska estimates a thin straight four or five inches.
Kaska braids her hair and dresses. Before she leaves Kaska tells Brok she is going to meet her friends at the Foundry Tavern, and will be late coming home.
"Certainly, Holg!" says the android brightly and with an oddly flat expression. "I have been meaning to look for some new odds and ends, myself."
"Did you have something in mind? I expect practical warm clothes are really the thing, given how much traveling we're doing on the open plains... and of course you're not one for frippery and lace, that kind of nonsense just gets in the way when ACTION! is called for."
"I can think of a tattoo artist or two, perhaps with a little help from Khonnir Baine we can get one that illuminates as you describe!"
Viv's "mood" is hard to judge - she seems to swing between enthusiastic and occupied - but then, as an "artificial person," that's par for the course.
"I see, I do understand Kaska" Holg nods at the woman as she says good bye to go to her home "Give the old fellow a good pad in my name!"
"I guess we all have some errands to do before we join at the tavern" the Kellid offers a wide smile as he breaths deeply the familiar air of Torch "What are you going to do Coen and Fireday?" He soon joins with Viv to go shopping.
"I love your pragmatical mindset. Yes! Something ready for action!" the Kellid joins the android to find something stylish and cool but fit to use. After trying out different models Holg appears up with a set of clothing for warmer environments "Warm, and easy to move around and swing the sword, plenty of place for holly sacred tattoos to Gorum and our adventures and magical protection. What do you thing of this one!"
The man appreciates the precise and sincere comments of the android. He follows in her coldness with enthusiasm, and responds her surges of enthusiasm with even more enthusiasm.
When she brings him to a tattoo shop he looks through the many options offered by the artist and he gives plenty of details of the groups fight with Hellion in order for him to implant something cool on him "There was Coen who was sending sparks of electricity everywhere, and Kaska fought the robots without hesitation, me and Fireday were smashing the big plates of the scorpion with our weapons, we thought we were going to die!" he looks then at the android "And there was Viv exploding grenades into him, making them flight with just the help of her mind! Cool eh! I cannot wait for Baine to illuminate it! You had a great idea Viv!"
Later that night Holg will head to the Foundry Tavern.
"I'll most likely join Dinvaya in meeting with Joram Kyte. Though we have different gods, I owe Brigh just as much as Iomedae and Gorum for saving my life below Torch and while fighting in Scrapwall," Fireday replies.
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Viv's moods are erratic - she is never mean or distant, just hard to pin down. With most androids, they're just flat; they have no emotions of their own, or very little, and thus they have no affect. Viv, conversely, seems to have some semblance of emotions, but unlike Fireday - who seems almost human in this regard - hers are oddly "spiky" - she won't respond to something, or will respond in a strange way, but sometimes reacts quite strongly to stimulus. One might think of it almost like she is mechanically responding to events like a human would but fails to understand human context and is only pretending to feel, except that she really seems to get into the spirit of the moment when something does carry her. It's like someone made a person and did give them emotions but gave half of them the wrong cues and a quarter of them no cues at all.
While Holg is waiting for the artist to jot down notes or bring out tattoo designs, she says, "So, Coen and Kaska - what're the odds, do you think? I'd say pretty good." She leans back in the worn-out, creaky chair in the tattoo parlor, crossing her legs and bouncing one on the other, the wiry synthetic muscle flexing and relaxing in her damaged fishnet stockings. She idly fiddles with her last shard of metal, rolling it over in her fingers and even causing it to float in circles around her hand occasionally. "I guess I should get more shards while we're here. Gonna probably be flinging them into the heads of robots and monsters for years to come."
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"Yeah! Brigh has helped just so much so far. I will definitely take some present for both Joram and Dinvaya" an idea crosses Holg's head before Fireday leaves "Mmmm... are you going to ask them to install those cyber-stuff we found?" he looks suddenly worried at the android "Perhaps I would go and check with them what do they know about this Casandalee we seek"
Holg goes on with Viv, his dumbness making him unable to ascertain the reasons for the android's lack of answers or strange reactions. The Kellid just keeps on enthusiastically, thinking he has just been unable to properly communicate, or looking confused thinking he is missing something.
"Coen and Kaska?!" Holg's surprise shake almost ends with the artist's needle into one of his eyes "Really?! I was wondering why the man was following us along... well, he seems to have some kind of knack for destroying robots, and Kaska likes that too. Do you think they have been having fun?" the Kellid tries to remember the many nights the group has passed in the campfire already "Don't know, Coen seems the kind of serious one. Do you think Kaska is also on that?"
"Yes, you should make sure to load with more of those shards. And also get all those grenades, next adventure is going to be explosive!"
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"Well Kaska definitely wants to knock boots with Coen, but he's oblivious. He'd probably say yes if he knew, but she's afraid to speak to him! So it's kind of watching this fumbling pair who can't figure out that they both want to insert tab A into slot B. I just wonder when Coen will realize it. Kaska keeps trying to tell him, but he doesn't get that every time she launches herself at a crazy death-robot, every time she roars and brings the furious thunder of battle, it's partly to show him that she's worthy of his attention. Coen's too busy, I dunno, thinking about stars or some such sh!t. I guess he's one of those guys who would be more impressed if she were reading a book in her underwear or something."
Viv's violet eyes sparkle a bit as she goes on, saying, "Anyway, I dunno what else I'm going to do with all this money. Maybe I could get a home in Torch! That would really be something. I've never had a home before."
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"I'm going to return to Torch and take another look at the ruins underneath to make sure we understand it. After that I think I need some time to adjust to some changes that have been happening. The more I use my magic, the more it seems to change me. I don't feel hot or cold anymore at least not really, my eyes have changed, and who knows what else is happening. I count myself lucky to not be growing horns."
"In the meantime if any of you need me for anything, I'll be around."
Coen breathes easier after leaving scrapwall. He tries to put the memories of using his magic to burn people alive with slightly hollow jokes. He is friendlier than before, even to Kaska, but it comes more from being distracted by his thoughts than anything else.
At one point he will most likely end up doing something stupid while trying to phase through things while Blinking to test Etherial travel, he will also encourage any requests to try doing stupid things with Blink during the trip if anyone even jokes about being interested.
At night during camp he spends time writing letters about his experiences to his family, downplaying the violence and focusing more on the romantic adventure of finding new wonders and lost secrets. The Coen that appears in his letters to his parents is less worried about being chainsawed in half and the death of his companions and more excited about the discoveries that he's made. He also spends a good deal of time rewriting the section where he tells his mother that he's begun channeling the same power she had, before throwing that page out and ending on asking how his brother is doing up north.
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Holg observes Coen amused as he tests his new powers "Hey Coen! Can you phase out through Kaska? Or does she perhaps extend to the Ethereal plane? I am most interested"
Holg chuckles at Viv's way to express things out "Interesting theory this one of slot interchanging, you have to explain me better on how that works"
"Well, if they are too shy to approach we will have to do it for themselves. I don't think Kaska is interested in books anyway, but the stars thing can do." the Kellid smiles wide and giggles as the tattoo needle draws the sword in his skin "We must make them drink until they loose track of all those stars in the sky. If we are to rebuild the Red Talons tribe Kaska needs a partner to breed with and breed often and soon. If she has chosen to hunt down Coen I will not let him abide this responsibility that easily"
"I am liking Torch too. Perhaps I should help you to buy that house. I feel Kaska is not that happy I am staying with her and her uncle still" as the tattoo is completed he observes in a mirror the final result pointing it to Viv with pride "Although I probably will only stay sparingly. My plan is to join the Gorum-warriors at Aaramor's citadel in their fight against the demonic incursions. Well, that only if we ever finish these battles against Unity and its children"
That night at the Foundry, Holg appears with a new fine headband in his head and a blindingly cool cyber-tattoo on his back showing an animated version of the groups' victory over Hellion. The man places five large bags full of coin in the table, one for each of the heroes "This is what Viv and me were able to get from all the scrap we found at Scrapwall" observing Kaska's fine dressing for the night and her braiding he adds "Try not to expend all of it on fancy dressing" he then winks an eye to Viv.
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"Yeah, I'm gonna take an active hand in this," says Viv. "Nobody's explained this to you before? Insert Coen's tab A into Kaska's slot B." Viv makes an exaggerated gesture of the (in-)appropriate motion. She quirks her head and says, "You've been with a woman before, right? Or a guy? No judgement."
"Don't mind what he says, I'm going to get some nice things for myself," says Viv. "What about you, Coen? Whatcha gonna do with all this cold, hard cash? Lemme guess. Books."
Fireday is surprised by Coen's new abilities.
"You are truly blessed, Coen!"
Holg:
"I think I can phase through anything small enough, it should work unless I timed it badly and then we'd both get physically merged for a short while and then I would shoot blood everywhere as parts of me are torn out and space rights itself... at least I think that's what would happen?
Viv:
Coen looks at Viv slightly puzzled. "Why books? I know it sounds stupid but I was honestly thinking of buying a nice hat. I mean, a magic hat obviously, but I don't think Torch has much in the way of useful reading for me. The most interesting stuff is in the ruin underneath and I don't study magic so much as it happens to me. A good example is phasing into the etherial plane. Do I know anything about it? Not at all. Can I go there fir a while using magic for some reason? Absolutely. Technology too. We've been around enough machines that I can channel magic into them to see them or use them, just like with how I can sense magic. My mother was a tribal magician, so apparently it runs in the blood."
Viv lazily swings one fishnetted leg back and forth as she leans back in her chair with her arms spread over the back.
"Well you seem pretty interested in all this stellar phenomena stuff that's going on and how it's activating the magic in your family heritage. I thought you might look for old books about the subject," says the android lazily.
"So if you did get a magic hat, what kind of magic hat would it be?"
Suddenly Viv sits upright and snaps her fingers and says, "Oh hey! Fun question time. If you were going to buy a present for each person in this little family, what would it be and why? Let's see how well we know each other!"
After returning to town Coen rents a new room, drops his bags on the ground and looks around at something of a loss. It's only in the silence after the adventure that he realizes that he left his life on hold to stop the threats to the town and now that it's over that he's back where he started: alone and with no plans.
The only thing that has changed for him is the fact that he has memories of an actual dangerous adventure that he would be more proud of if it didn't involve so much death.
Alone and at loose ends until the celebration party later in the day, Coen pays the washing woman to clean his much dirtied gear, shops for groceries, and just to kill some time starts writing the events of the trip underground and to Scrapwall into his journal. Shortly after his frown turns into a bit of a self-mocking chuckle after the thought of comparing his journal to a Pathfinder's.
Holg takes Viv's hand interrupting her explicit gestures and stares at the android violet eyes "None of your slots will survive virgin a single day in the Technique League mines"
Holg listens interested at Coen's explanation on the lack of understanding of his own magic. The Kellid fills up the Star Sorcerer with red wine "Drink. It might inspire you" he then fills Kaska's cup as well "We have a great success to celebrate" and so he does with Viv's, Fireday's and his own cup "And also having survived to that Scrap-Pile"
"A hat? That sounds cool." Holg leans back on the chair as Viv proposes her game "I don't mind for mine as long as I can eat it!" he laughs immediately after in a great mood.
Once the things quite down he starts to focus once more in their adventure "So what next? Shall we come to Khonnir Baine and the other elders of the Council about what we have found? Perhaps they can help us take decisions on our next steps..."
"Something for shade and the natural magical enhancement I guess. Maybe a tricorn? The ship captains of the inner sea always wear them and I've always liked the look."
"That's something weird, I honestly never considered actually reading about the stars... I just heard they were spirits or planes or whatever and thought about what it would take to explore them. I never considered that someone here might actually know something useful about them."
"If I were buying gifts? I wouldn't presume to say I know any of you in any real way other than to know you're all braver and luckier than anyone would expect. I want to say that everyone would get a healing potion obviously, but if the goal isn't being pragmatic then I suppose I'd get everyone some new clothes." He briefly gestures at his own dirty clothing. "I think seeing everyone's choice would be interesting and we could all use a change out of the smelly bloodstained things we currently have. Oh actually, it's not fair but Fireday would be too easy, I'd send money up to Mendev in his name. Let someone up there know that his blanket was bought by someone faithful here in Numeria."
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Viv pauses and looks - disgusted? angry? - and says, "Well yeah, the Technic League? Those guys suck."
"Anyway it's ridiculous watching Kaska get all hot and bothered and mooning after Coen while he doesn't even notice. Especially since she is trying to get him to notice the way that Kellids would do it but he has no idea what to watch for."
"That's interesting... that's a really sweet idea, donating goods to the Mendevian Crusade. I'm sure Fireday would appreciate it. I'm definitely getting some new clothes for myself shortly, so you're not wrong there."
"Holg, what about you? If you were to go on a gift-giving spree...?"
"Your charity would be appreciated, Coen," Fireday replies. "I'd also like to check on Meyanda too...I imagine she felt Hellion's death...and her emotional state was not...well...in the first place. She'll need some help adjusting, assuming the Council hasn't executed her in our absence."
He tries some of the wine, clearly not used to such luxuries.
"If I were to get gifts for everyone, I'd...probably ask you what you wanted and then get that. I know apart from Holg, most of you probably aren't as keen on getting swords and armor as presents."
Viv relaxes a bit and sips at the wine. "Let me back up a bit. So aside from smiting EVIL ROBOTS, what kinds of things does everyone like to do here? I mean smiting EVIL ROBOTS is fine too, and if that's your hobby as well as your job that's great and all."
"Me, I like comfy clothes that look nifty, and I like giving and getting massages, and I like technological doo-dads of all kinds, whether they're devices or toys or who knows what. Also I am gonna get myself a magic belt that makes me tougher and faster! If I can find one for sale or someone who can make one."
"Also I really like a good sparkling wine, but those are really hard to find."
"Ah! Well... now that I have had a good steak of meat and a cup of wine... the only thing I really miss are cinnamon cookies" Holg takes another sip of wine and replenishes the other's cup "Swords are always appreciated Fireday" the man smiles at the android's idea.
"Hobbies? You mean like doing sports like running, climbing or swimming?" Holg thinks for a while "Well... it's not easy to have that kind of things when you are fighting for your life in the Numerian plains. But I would say destroying robots its becoming quite an amusement... as well as collecting this technology scrap. What about you Viv? What do you like?"
"Meyanda! I have almost forgotten about her. Do you think she would be changed and became a good android like you and Viv?" Holg finishes up his wine "We can check with her once we go to the Elders Council tomorrow. Cheeers!!!"
"It's not that easy, Holg. Few things in this world are."
Fireday sips his wine.
"You know...I've never really thought of having hobbies...most of my first years were training to defend myself and long prayer vigils to Iomedae. I'd planned on wandering Numeria, righting the Technic League's wrongs and helping other androids find peace and safety. I've spent so much time thinking on the needs of others that the thought of looking after my own needs hadn't occurred to me. I do like examining and working with what we've found...maybe that can be my hobby..."
When Holg proposes a toast, Fireday raises his glass.
"To Torch, and to us, its heroes...us...the Torchbearers!"
"Hear hear!" says Viv, and takes a large swallow of her wine.
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Kaska is last to arrive at the Foundry Tavern. She’ none the wiser about Holg and Viv’s engineering of the seating, leaving an open place beside Coen as her only choice. She takes her place at the table with her cup, and barely has time to say her hellos before Holg hands out the bags of money from the things he and Viv have sold.
When he gives Kaska hers, Holg tells her not to spend it all on fancy clothing, clearly referencing the way she’s dressed. She doesn’t understand what he’s getting at since she’s wearing a plain tunic and trousers with sandals.
Is he making fun because I don’t have anything like that? Does he think this is fancy because I’m not in armor? What is it supposed to mean? Kaska lets it go, just smiling in that awkward way people do when they don’t understand something but want to pretend they do get it.
She doesn’t say too much, much Kaska drinks some and joins in with the happy mood and relaxed atmosphere, laughing at the jokes and listening to the stories and reminisces. She makes a face at Holg’s question to Coen about being ethereal and passing through her. ”That sounds creepy and I’m sure it would feel even worse! No experimenting on me!”
Something in the back of her mind starts to bother Kaska before too long. The only open seat, the enthusiasm with which Holg keeps filling her Coen’s cups… Kaska never manages to get hers more than half empty. There are sometimes looks from Holg and Viv that seem a little pointed, and some whispering between them she can’t hear. She can’t figure out what it’s about though, and after some more sips from her cup she stops wondering about it. It must just be her imagination.
”Hm, a gift for each of you…” Kaska works her way counterclockwise around the table. For you Fireday I would get a magical token, maybe a symbol like the one you carry now. It would let you know the mind of your god on all things. Then you would not have to worry so much about her being unhappy with you.”
For you Holg I would get something like a great helmet. It would make your voice very loud so it could always be heard, even in the worst noise of battle. With it you could always make your enemies afraid.”
”For you Viv, I would get some clothes, an outfit with little electric lights like robots and control panels have woven into the cloth. They would be different colors and would flash on and off.”
”For you Coen,” and this is almost the first time in the entire evening she has looked directly at him, ”I would get a mirror. With it you would be able to see your family and talk to them, and they would be able to do the same with you. It would be better than writing so many letters.”
By the time Fireday makes his toast, Kaska is feeling warm and cheery and rosy cheeked. She joins it enthusiastically. "Hear hear! Torchbearers!", even though she abhors that name.
"Aww that's sweet Kaska!" says Viv. "Thank you."
"You know we've fought and bled together and nearly died together and I don't know you all as well as I should but I am glad to call you all friends."
"Wow! Yes that big Iron helmet would be great!" Holg's cheeks are also getting red colored and his enthusiasm only grows up with the toss follow ups.
"Yeah! Torchbearers!" he goes even to standing up in the middle of the tavern without noticing much what is he doing now. He almost pushes Fireday back and stumbles with Viv "Nothing binds more than bleeding together Viv! For true friendship!"
Upon arrival in Torch, Dinvaya heads straight to the Temple of Brigh. She saunters up to Joram Kyte and taps him on the shoulder. "Hey, old-timer. Long time, no see."
Joram's eyes water as he embraces his long-lost friend. "Brigh's brass sprockets! Dinvaya! I didn't know if I'd ever see you again."
Dinvaya smiles and returns the hug. "I played the part of antisocial hermit for a while, but your friends' heroic actions inspired me to come out of my self-imposed exile. We've got a lot of catching up to do, my friend."
Joram favors you with a wide grin. "Thank you for making this reunion possible. Here is your reward as promised." He hands you his lesser extend metamagic rod.
***
Val Baine throws her arms around Kaska when you return to the Foundry. "Yay! You're back! I missed you! What'd you bring me?" the teenage Kellid girl asks excitedly.
Khonnir smiles from behind the bar. "Why don't you sit and have a drink, friends? On the house. And you can regale us with the stories of your adventures in Scrapwall!"
The tavern's patrons listen with rapt wonder as you tell tales of your battle against the Lords of Rust and Hellion. When you are finished, Khonnir nods approvingly. "You did well in dispatching that self-proclaimed 'Iron God.' It sounds like it was an artifical intelligence--an A.I.--that had gone rogue. But the fact that it was able to grant its followers divine abilities is frightening. I've never heard of anything like that before. And this 'Unity' is still out there, possibly even more powerful than Hellion was. If you wish to ensure Numeria's safety, I fear your tasks has only just begun."
***
Later that night, Khonnir performs delicate nanosurgery on Viv, using technological tools to carve out a small section of her cybernetic brain. He attaches the skillslot within, allowing the android to make use of the superscientific enhancement!
***
The council members of Torch are grateful for your help in eradicating the threat of Hellion. They grant you the reward they promised earlier: 8,000 gp.
***
When you visit with Meyanda, you find the android in a state of near catatonia. She stares blankly at the wall in front of her. "He is gone. I cannot hear his voice any more. My god is dead. I feel empty inside. Hollow. I have lost my purpose."
Deep in his cups by this point, as he is something of a lightweight, Coen smiles at Kaska's suggested gifts. "A magic mirror huh?"[b]
He chuckles and forces a bit of humor to cover up the sadness that's apparent on his face for a bit too long. [b] "I think it's a good idea but for now the letters work for me. I do wonder how you'd end up making one. It'd probably be prone to possession by ghosts and fey muckery.One minute you're arguing with your father and the next you're cursed to wed a talking plant."
Kaska turns back to her cup, deflated and wondering why even a little game of make-believe can't amuse Coen.
Maybe he's just a grumpy bastard who's determined to find fault with anything and everything.
Holg seems happy to find Joram and Dinvaya together. The Gorumite keeps dropping at their temple from time to time during his stay at Torch, trying to understand better about the divine rites and holy texts.
***
The Kellid listens carefully at Khonnir's words "Perhaps he was not granting the spells, but he was just a channel focus to a greater force? There are many things we sill don't understand. And we should look for this Casendalee to know more. Does that name tell you anything Khonnir? Or the town of Iadenveigh?"
***
Holg is happy to report to the Council, and even merrier to take the big bag with the money and split it into parts for the party.
***
Finally, when the group checks on Meyanda he does say nothing, letting those interested in the android, like Fireday, to take the first approach.
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"Oh, c'mon Coen, I think it's a brilliant idea," says Viv. "Look, we've had to deal with rogue robots and cultists and self-mutilating gangs, that's just par for the course out here. We live in a dangerous and whimsical world! So what if your magic mirror winds up inhabited by a faerie? Just another hurdle to overcome. Heck, out in the Wastes you can't even put on your boots without the possibility of a scorpion being in them."
"I think it was a super-sweet notion," says the android, looking over to the deflated Kaska. "You know, some of us don't even have families. But having a way to talk to the people who are important to us, no matter how far away - that's a real blessing."
Viv gestures languidly and her empty wine-cup floats out of her hand and over to the table to settle there. "I think I've had enough, or I'm going to have trouble keeping my bearings," she says. "Isn't it strange? Androids like me are made to be close enough to humans that we can get tipsy, and we sorta-kinda have emotions but not quite like you do, and we can eat and drink and all that, but then you run into the ways that we're just not quite the same, and they're few but really significant."
~~~~~~~~~~
"What do you mean, our task has just begun? We can go looking for Unity I suppose... but where would we even start?"
She looks a bit uncomfortable for a moment and then says, "I suppose there's nobody else who can do the job, is there."
~~~~~~~~~~
"You're at a turning point now," says Viv. "Only you can decide what has meaning to your life. Once you've come to terms with your grief, you have to decide on something new to direct you."
~~~~~~~~~~
The following day, Viv has indeed changed her wardrobe, to a tiny skirt-and-bodice with metallic leggings. She also has new boots with impractical heels, but given her telekinetic ability to fly, balance is probably no longer an issue. Her mithral shirt is carefully concealed beneath, and she has a thick belt that serves more as accent than as a cinch for the bodice. Her old tooled-leather pack is replaced with a rather rustic knapsack.
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Steering into the change of topic Coen drunkenly perks up.
"Yeah! Who knows why that is? You could spend a lifetime trying to figure out why that is by digging through the ruins here, just like the humans trying to figure out what happened to the old empires by digging through the Azlanti ruins , or those places up in Varisia. It's no different, I mean who knows why I'm magical? Or why humans can have kids with almost any other race? It's mysteries all the way down, I think it's great."
He will cheerfully continue to drink himself into oblivion before going home by himself. The drunker he is the more likely he is to badly dance or do increasingly ill advised magic "tricks" at the slightest suggestion, nothing overtly dangerous but it's relatively easy to get into trouble even without casting lightning bolt. He is likely to challenge Viv to some sort of telekinetic game of skill involving knives or stacking blocks of wood, which he is likely to lose.
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Waking up the next day to immediate painful regret and the judgmental gaze of the Daystar is not his finest moment.
He staggers out of his room in half-pants and an undershirt to dunk his head in a pail of water near the rear of his rented room. The chickens nearby seem to mock him and the smell of food from the house next door is either the most delicious meal ever cooked or complete poison from the smell but his stomach seems unable to decide.
He mostly remembers being incredibly awkward around the table and confused about how Kaska had been legitimately friendly and spoken so warmly to him about his family. None of it made sense to him, and his shame at being a coward burns him enough that he actually gets started with his day.
After disguising his shameful state using new clothes and literal magic, he buys some greasy unidentifiable meats and salty bread from a food stand and settles in to try and remember what he did the night before.
After weighing the big bag of gold he's earned he considers the talk last night and considers his hands. He's never been useful at actually doing something before other than his magic, and that had just been something he got without effort. An easy win he wasn't responsible for and something his family had never really respected. Maybe he could take the time to make something.
Khonnir taps his chin as he considers Holg's questions. "I've not heard the name Casandalee before. But Iadenveigh is a large town about 140 miles west of Torch. It's populated largely by followers of Erastil. The rustic, pious townsfolk of Iadenveigh hate and fear technology, though, so I doubt you'll get a warm welcome there with a pair of androids in your party." He looks to Viv. "The leads you discovered seems to indicate that would be a good place to start in learning more about Casandalee and Unity."
***
Meyanda doesn't look up at Viv. "I don't know what to choose. I've never had to decide before."
Holg keeps observing Coen like a marvel he cannot figure out to understand. Their clear differences on life understanding only builds up towards his camaraderie. And this was after all Kaska's chosen one according to Viv. The Kellid taps Coen's back while offering him more wine "Letters or mirrors... whatever it is, remembering your family and investing time to keep up with them is just speaking up about your honor my friend"
"I do see. Perhaps we should try to avoid that attention while we are there. Could you disguise as humans Viv and Fireday?" Holg looks at both of them trying to figure out how easily it would be to tell truth "I hope we can soon march on Iadenveigh and find out. We probably need some days still to rest and resupply with new equipment"
***
Next day, upon sight of Viv's new clothing Holg smiles wide in appreciation "Ffffiu! That is what I call causing an impression! I can't wait to see those heels cracking down Iron God follower's spines!"
"Thanks Holg!" says Viv, beaming. She makes a quick spin.
"So... I could try a disguise... but I don't really know how to do that? Maybe Coen can make some magic hats for us to make us look human?" she says uncertainly.
The wine dulling his senses and lacking the social context, Fireday holds his tongue on Coen's seeming prickliness.
When they return to speak with Meyanda, Fireday takes a seat by her and looks her in the eye.
"I know what that's like, Meyanda. I was born into this world through violence. This body once belonged to an android who was chased by the Technic League, and though they outran their pursuers, they died from their injuries, and some time later, I incarnated in this body as it regenerated. The first people I met were some mercenaries and crusaders headed north. They were friendly to me, but that friendship barely lasted a few hours, as the League found us, and gunned them all down. They gave their lives, and told me to run to Castle Urion."
He pauses, rubbing the back of his neck, worried he's asserting he had it worse.
"When I got there...I didn't have purpose either, all I knew was violence and survival...but when I learned about Iomedae and what her followers stood for, I knew that I wanted to be like that...I saw the suffering the League had created, not just to me, but to others like me and other innocents. And I knew I wanted to stop that suffering. I don't know your whole story, Meyanda, but I suspect it's a lot like mine...and I think you didn't want what you went through to be experienced by others. That's a purpose, and it's a good one. All Hellion did was try to twist it to serve its own megalomania, and use you to spread more suffering for its own benefit. Hellion needed you, but I don't think you need it."
Holg smiles noticing Viv got happy for his words "Perhaps a hood for your cloak to cover your less human features could be enough to trick them. We can let Coen and Kaska mainly deal with the peasants so you do not have to interact much with them..."
***
Holg pats on Fireday's back with understanding as he open's his heart on their past enemy "Fireday is right. Hellion was not much different to what you are, just a more advanced type of consciousness. With him gone, you are now released and able to chose your own path as Fireday has done to fight his past slavers. As so much I did too in a way when I got myself free of the Technique League"
Fireday blinks in surprise.
"You'll have to tell me more about that later, Holg," he says, knowing inow was NOT the time to get sidetracked with conversation about the League...
Coen does not take the time to visit the now abandoned cleric of the dead evil god. In all honesty he has already forgotten about her once she was handed over to the town.
He will casually approach the others and make a low key suggestion that he could enchant many of their items. Playing it off like it's a matter of course that he as a sorcerer could do such a thing. Only during the crafting will the few who help him directly get the impression that he is actually both nervous and proud about accomplishing this.
His time is instead spending time arguing with a local seamstress about getting a certain cut right and how he knows that extra embroidery on the inside in a certain pattern is pointless and she will charge him extra for it anyways. Some of the rest of the time is spent getting appropriate leather for belts and annoying the leatherworker for the same reasons but by then he has learned the magic phrase "I'm a wizard, it's for magic" leads to his requests being humored much more readily. Then spending long days in his rented room using expensive ingredients to make the requested items.
This takes place over the course of multiple weeks as the requests pile up.
--------------------------------------
During this time Coen is often seen wearing oddly elaborate clothes, sometimes multiple sets in one day. These start off relatively simple and rough but become more polished and elaborate over time. It's possible that locals assume he has squandered all of his money on clothes bought second-hand from a now defunct opera. Ironically his charisma is such that he does not so much pull off these outfits with style and class so much as he wins people over despite being comparatively dressed like a southern peacock.
Just as Kaska was the last to arrive at the Foundry, she is also the first to leave. Coen's, whatever it is, soured the evening's mood for her some. Further, as the alcohol continues to flow, the increasing antics of the others become less amusing for her. Kaska is no prude about such things but she's seen enough of that sort of thing at home to make excess rather boring.
As she departs she reminds everyone of dinner the next evening. "Come over around sundown. Except for you Holg if you're planning to cook, you'll want to come earlier."
++++++++++++++++++++
Kaska gives Val a hefty hug in return. "Sure did!" She frowns as if trying to remember. "Something for you? Hmm, let me see if I can find something..." she mutters as she rummages through her bag. "I think there was something at least..." After prolonging her digging as much as she can without cruelty, she pulls something out, a silver armband with inset pearls. "Aha! Here it is, straight from a manticore's treasure hoard no less" she tells Val as she hands it over.
When Kaska abruptly leaves the Tavern, Holg stands up and goes after her, tapping on her back "Hey! Don't worry! Things are going to stay good." he will walk her to home keeping saying random things about robots, money and warfare, trying to interrupt her enough for not being able to overthink.
***
During the next days, at one point when he can make a pause from helping Coen on his crafting. Holg will visit Joram and Dinvaya to check with them how are they catching up. He also goes to business and asks for "Any advice that can help us face these Iron Gods"
The Kellid also buys from them some ruby dust and incense and requests help on how to communicate with the gods to talk with them. Holg will dust his newly acquired adamantine greatsword with the ruby and part of the incense and casts continual flame on the blade to make it light permanently and following Joram's guidance, he casts divination to check with Gorum "Our Lord in Iron, listen my prayers. We need the help to fight back on the false gods that try to control our lands. Please, tell me, how can we find the android called Cassandalee or whatever it remains from her once we get to Iadenveigh?"
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Early the next morning Kaska makes her way up Black Hill along with all the smiths and porters to place an order. She seeks out Bartek, a skymetal smith who makes only blades, and whom Kaska believes to be the most skilled.
Her instructions to him are to reproduce her falx exactly, except with a blade forged from adamantine. He must not reproduce the handle, but instead use the exact one from her current weapon. There is too much Mana bound into it and the three tokens that dangle from the end of the handle, to let any part of it go. From short colored cords tied around the wooden handle's end are respectively, a small swatch of cloth cut from Meyanda's clothing, a piece of leather strap taken from Nalakai's armor, and a small piece of metal from Hellion's casing.
Leaving her falx with Bartek makes Kaska a little anxious, but there is no other way she can get the weapon she wants. To distract herself from it she finds an old friend of hers Galeti, who is an apprenticed smith. She chats with him for a little while, and ends up inviting him to dinner that evening as well.
Later Kaska goes back to the Foundry and leaves two small bags, each holding 50 gold coins with Khonnir. Kaska has never explicitly agreed to continue on to search for Casandalee with the others, but she has now made the decision to do so. Always before, while away in Scrapwall, she had imagined she would settle back into her old life in Torch once the threat to Torch was dealt with. But in her short time back, she has realized she can't.
There is no way she can unsee the things she's seen, or forget what she knows about the world outside Torch. Despite her earlier predictions about herself, Kaska has to admit she wants more than just the tiniest taste of what's out there. Kaska suddenly has a shocking amount of money, enough for her uncle and her to live the rest of their lives comfortably enough, but it seems to Kaska it would be a cramped little life, at least right now.
Leaving again does raise a problem for Kaska though. She needs to provide money for her uncle. The loss of the income from her previous job pinches the household's budget badly. On the other hand, Kaska worries about giving him too much at once. Her Uncle Brok never really adjusted to living in Torch. He never tried to fit in, to make friends and find a place. His time went to raising her and making a living for them. Without her here, and without the need to work, he might become rudderless. With too much time on his hands Brok tended to dwell on the past too much, and sink into dark thoughts.
Thus her plan involving Khonnir. Before leaving she will give her uncle 50 in gold, telling him it will be for the next couple of months while she's gone. If she is gone for longer, she will send more, which he can collect from Khonnir. She tells Khonnir that he must not reveal to Brok the money has been with him all along. It is the best way she can think of to make his life better, but not too good, while preserving his dignity. Brok must not feel like he must go begging to Khonnir.
After leaving the Foundry Kaska finds Indri, a friend of hers who does domestic work just as Kaska used to until so recently. She arranges to pay Indri to go to Brok's home to clean three times a week. Brok has never shown much talent for keeping up a home, and at his age she doubts he will start now just because she won't be there to do it instead.
Big seems to be at loose ends in the following days. She is a bit groggy the day after her surgery, but then back to her peppy self. Without direction she seems to spend a lot of time aimlessly roaming the countryside around Torch, sometimes stopping to help the locals with their gardens or Khonnir with his tinkering, but she lacks goals of her own, apparently.
Noting Coen’s increasingly-ostentatious garb she catches up with him after a few days and says, ”Coen, what brought you from Taldor to Numeria? You obviously still have a lot of love for your homeland.”