Maeve's eyes light up. "That's more like it Ame!" She scrambles to follow the older woman, even though there's nothing inside she hasn't seen already. "Going to want to head up to the castle after this?"
Ameiko spends about a half-hour slowly walking through the old glassworks. She points out a few things she recognizes in the architecture and layout, things that her father carried over to his glassworks in Sandpoint. "Even after the years, it even smells the same," she remarks. Ameiko finds the intact carafe with her family's hallmark and keeps it for posterity, cradling it carefully in her arm.
When you re-emerge into daylight, Ameiko gives a long look up at the squat castle. "Nah," she says with a wistful smile. "I think the ghosts there are best left to rest."
Maeve looks to Ameiko for a long moment, just to be sure, then smiles. "Okay then. Let's collect everyone and get moving. It's going to be a hell of a trip!" Maeve says it like they're catching a ship between Absalom and Andoran, not an overland trek around the north pole. Then again, maybe to her mind they're not so different.
Heng stands still watching the creature closely and mindful of his recent encounter with Buttersnips although this creature has a far less frantic and brash demeanor. He simply asks, "What are you?"
"What am I? Spivey retorts. What are you?!? I suppose my kind are not seen often by mere mortals. In the simplist terms, I am an azata from Desna's court in the benevolent paradise of Elysium. Unfortunately, I have been... stranded, here on the Material Plane.
"Fascinating," Koya whispers, cleary awed by the presence of this outer planar being and direct servant of her goddess. She gets down on one knee before Spivey. "I am honored, exhalted messenger. I am at your disposal," she offers, head bowed.
Spivey's musical laughter is like the tinkling of small crystals in the wind. "Please no, I deserve no honors. I am a servant of Desna, just as you." Spivey flutters forward, landing on Koya's upturned hand. She looks around the gathered group. "I know why you are here... I saw the visions. What are you planning to do with them?"
|
Heng looks pained, "I did not mean to offend. I know very little of the afterworld. How did you become stranded here? Can we be of service?"
"We intend to pursue this threat to its source as it is unlikely to let us ignore it. We have a long journey to the north ahead of us and possibly beyond if need be."
/
The whole time Kelda is busy Maeve is blushing slightly and turned around, hence being so quiet.
Maeve seems even more enchanted with this Spivey than she did with Buttersnips before her recognition set in. But in this case she simply stays that way, practically dancing on her heels while the more formal introductions are taken care of. When she does finally speak up, there's absolutely no suspicion in her voice, just curiosity. "Would you mind sharing with us in return what you're doing so far from home, if not traveling?"
"I came to the Material Plane a long time ago, with my mistress, but by terrible fate she was, um... eaten, by a hungry plant, Spivey explains, her face sad. "After that, I wandered across your world, aimless and lost, until I found this place. She gestures to the graveyard. "Finding an untended sanctuary of Desna after my long wanderings, I knew it for a sign from the goddess. I tended the field and cleaned up the grave markers, kept out the worse of the vermin. Tried to repair the temple, but that brought too much attention from the birdmen in the castle, so the graveyard. And so here we are," she finishes.
Maeve grins. "Or you could come with us, I suppose. Of course, there'll probably be an army of birdmen, ogres....well, not worse, the 'ogres' are oni, don't think it gets much worse than that. But it'll be exciting."
Spivey nods, "I got that impression from the visions. But if they come, they will find you long gone, and I can stay pretty well hidden if I try. I believe Desna wishes me to stay here. Now that you've cleared the castle, maybe I can start cleaning up the temple. Until some settlers reclaim Brinewall, or I am called back to Elysium, my home is here."
"I will try to cover up your tracks, also. If the fiends come looking, maybe I can confound their efforts a little," the azata smiles wickedly.
Maeve's expression darkens a bit. "I wouldn't want you to get into trouble or hurt on our account. If they do find you...it won't be pretty."
Maeve's expression darkens a bit. "I wouldn't want you to get into trouble or hurt on our account. If they do find you...it won't be pretty."
Spivey winks. "I kept those birdmen in the castle convinced that I was some kind of ghost of the graveyard. I'll be careful... and wiley."
Maeve just sighs. "Well, if you're sure. Just don't take unnecessary risks, okay? That's my job."
"Great, are we finished playing around in Lady Luck's cemetery? This place gives me the creeps ... let's press on."