"It's running away!", exclaimed Mara. "Maybe we should use the opportunity to try to wake up from the Dream."
She stepped back in front of the curtain and listened for approaching creatures. Then she used her headband to monitor Rowan's health from a distance.
A floor above her and to the east Mara hears someone pacing and muttering to themselves about a coded text, the voice sounds vaguely familiar. The identity ultimately eludes her, she can't quite remember.
Rowan attempts to wake up.
17 days earlier, the docks of Thrushmoor
Kat had missed boarding the Sellen Starling by only a day. The ever present rain from over the week seemed to have passed following the ill-fated former employees of Count Lowls. Seeing Kat off Meg in her now stout dwarvish body waits with a steaming cup of her coffee. "For the road," she says with a smile and a wink. Allard, his primly kept hands behind his back, dryly comments, "You will be missed ma'am."
Luckily a smaller merchant ship captained by an eccentric half-ork unexpectedly rolled into town dropping off a load of coal and picking up a load of doozey pickles recently imported to Thrushmoor now headed for Xer. The captain assures Kat that because his ship is painted red that it will travel faster then the Stellen Starling, though Kat is sure the real reason is because their cargo weighs less.
Kat smiles back at Meg. Her coffee may be garbage, but it's free and given in the spirit of cameraderie, so Kat takes it graciously. "Thanks, Meg. I'm going to miss you the most, I think." Kat waits for the coffee to cool some then sucks it down as fast as she can. She gives Allard a casual salute. "Passive voice, huh? Trying to avoid saying you won't miss me, Al?" Kat grins and jabs him in the shoulder.
Kat plays along with the ship captain's explanation of his ship's speed, having heard that line before. "Ah, yes. I had an ex named Char--short for Charlene--that said the same thing. She said painting her wagon made it go three times as fast. I called it the Char Effect, and she liked that." She leaves out the part about how the speed increase was demonstrably false, and arguing that point was one of many reasons Char is an ex. Kat learned the hard way from that relationship that sometimes you just let things go instead of insisting on correcting people.
Dervak watches Rowan's unsuccessful attempts.
"You may need to hurt your real body to wake up. I'll try to buy you some time."
Dervak goes into the hall and uses Total Defense. If he hears the ooze approaching (and if 6 rounds have passed) he will Rage, taking the bonus to Dex.
Mara took out her healing wand and cured Rowan's dream wounds.
The ooze now shaped like giant thin bird with a large curved beak, flows around the corner and snaps at Dervak. Appearing at the exact right moment to get lodged in the creature's mouth is a gnome with hot pick dreadlocks. She's promptly swallow but not before yelling, "This ritual is BS!"
Wet and sloppy sounds ring throughout the hall,
Thrushmoor docks, 17 days ago
Allard cracks a wry smile but quickly regains composure, "Astute as always ma'am."
The boat More Rokk, current date
The boat ride chasing the Sellen Starling is largely uneventful. Junior, the captain, seems disappointed, "I was told there would be pirate attacks! How am I supposed to daringly repel pirate attacks if there aren't any to begin with? In any case my lookout spotted the Starling just an hour ago. We've signaled her and we'll be able to transfer you after nightfall."
While she waited in case the slime came back, Mara cured herself with the wand, and then suddenly appeared much older.
When the horror returned, she shouted, "Dervak, pull back so I don't hit you with my spell!" She peaked around the corner and prepared to cast a spell.
The squelching noises continue as it shudders and changes shape again,
Dervak will end his rage and keep talking; fatigued for 2 rounds, his AC drops to 31 (-2 loss of Rage Dex, -2 loss of luck, -1 fatigued).
He's basically going to filibuster while Rowan tries to wake up. In the manner in which an 8-Int 15-Cha character might do. It might be rather insipid, but it is somehow charming.
The one you ate can do things that you couldn't imagine. Can you imagine a hat? Probably not. You wouldn't have much use for a hat. But he can not only imagine a hat, he can bring it into existence. The finest of hats. Jackets, too. You wouldn't need those either.
We had a saying among my people. 'The Truth is One. Men’s ears hear many truths. Men’s ears are poor substitutes for their hearts.' Well that was one of my people. The others said, 'Step first with your spear.' It is a warning to be cautious and prudent, even though those people are often thought of as mindless savages."
Once Rowan has woken up, Dervak will begin attempting Concentration checks to wake up.
Mara stepped through the doorway and chimed in,
Thrushmoor docks, 17 days agoAllard cracks a wry smile but quickly regains composure, "Astute as always ma'am."
"Honesty! How refreshing." As she leaves to head onto the boat, Kat does a quick two-fingered salute and heads off. No point in getting too sentimental, as she still figures she's likely to be back someday.
The boat More Rokk, current date
The boat ride chasing the Sellen Starling is largely uneventful. Junior, the captain, seems disappointed, "I was told there would be pirate attacks! How am I supposed to daringly repel pirate attacks if there aren't any to begin with? In any case my lookout spotted the Starling just an hour ago. We've signaled her and we'll be able to transfer you after nightfall."
Kat leans back on her hammock with her arms behind her head as she hears the news from Junior. She pulls back her cap and opens her eyes. Since she hasn't been sleeping well, she has taken little rests to compensate. Even if she couldn't nap, closing her eyes and lying down helped. "Thanks for the update, Junior. I'll be ready. You really aren't missing much when it comes to the pirates. They're usually just people down on their luck and desperate." She pulls herself off the hammock and begins checking over her things.
A faint whispering of maniacal laughter floats through the air...
Dervak and Mara talk at the monster until Rowan pops out of existence with a puff of yellow smoke. As it responds to Dervak, he and Mara shortly follow. You are able to hear it begin to say in moist yet somehow gritty words,
Theo wakes up cackling maniacally followed a second later with a gasp from Rowan, Dervak, and Mara. Mara begins bleeding from her nose and ears from the strain of forcing herself awake. Your short trip to the Dreamlands seems distant and unreal. At least the memory of it doesn’t fade as fast as a normal dream. Outside there seems to be some commotion.
Outside
Captain Skywin Freeling, a curly red-haired halfling with high leather boots, directs her crew with a loud voice. The Sellen Starling and More Rokk lay down gangplanks between them and the two ships are at least for the moment joined. Kat is brought to the deck and Skywin addresses her, ”Junior tells me you’re looking for passage to Cassomir. Specifically on my vessel.”
Dervak makes a point to say what he remembers before he forgets it. "A ghost trader who seemed dangerous but could be talked to. A haunt that tried to make us attack each other. An intelligent ooze. When we go back, we should be ready."
He gets up and walks out to the deck, a bit groggy and rubbing his eyes.
"Hey... aren't you from Thrushmoor? From the Detective Agency?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Intelligent Ooze? I wonder if he enjoys a good hat...
Mara awoke with a start. She wiped the blood from her nose and ears with a cloth, and then healed herself. Then she got up and she Theo, Rowan and Derak. "Wow, that was weird!", she finally exclaimed.
After that, she ventured out on deck to see what conversation there was about.
Outside
Captain Skywin Freeling, a curly red-haired halfling with high leather boots, directs her crew with a loud voice. The Sellen Starling and More Rokk lay down gangplanks between them and the two ships are at least for the moment joined. Kat is brought to the deck and Skywin addresses her, ”Junior tells me you’re looking for passage to Cassomir. Specifically on my vessel.”
Kat tips her hat to Captain Freeling, one hand resting on the strap of her haversack. "That's correct. I was looking to meet up with some people that number amongst your current passengers."
He gets up and walks out to the deck, a bit groggy and rubbing his eyes.
"Hey... aren't you from Thrushmoor? From the Detective Agency?"
Kat looks back to the Captain. "And looks like there's one here now." Kat tips her hat again, this time to Dervak, then smoothes out her suit coat. "Dervak, right? You are correct. I was at the the agency, though I don't believe we've been formally introduced." She holds out a strong hand for a shake. "Kat Brewer is the name."
"Someone must have told you about my new look."
Dervak shakes Kat's hand. "Yes, I am Dervak. Why have you followed us? Is there still trouble in Thrushmoor with the cult? Do we need to go back?"
Mara walked out on deck and recognized a familiar-looking half-orc woman. "Oh, hello! What brings you here?", she said, still a bit disoriented from the dream.
Kat waves off Dervak's concern about Thrushmoor. "Nothing like that. No need to worry. It would probably be easier if you got everyone together belowdecks so I only have to go over this once."
Kat tips her hat once more as Mara comes into view. "Evenin'. Kat Brewer. Was just telling Dervak here there's nothing to be concerned about, but I'd like to talk to all of ya, if ya don't mind."
Skywin cocks her head when Dervak and Mara appear, ”I thought you were doing your crazy ritual. Heard you chanting until only a minute ago. In any case I got paid to deliver five people to Cassomir, you’ll save me a trip back to Thrushmoor to give Cesadia’s money back. Go on get settled in.” Skywin goes to talk with Junior about business.
Below decks, Theophilus and the White Rabbit are found playing cards.
Kat does her two-fingered salute to the captain, adjusting her haversack strap. She processes the implications of what the captain just said, then looks to Dervak and Mara. ”Wait...you all lose someone?”
"Not dead, if that's what you mean. He and I argued. He left. A good part of it was my fault. I never learned to understand him."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Kat has interviewed enough people on the beat to know when to not pry, and this is clearly one of those times. She appreciates Dervak’s forthrightness and self-awareness. She spent too much of her life around people who value knowledge and information above all else, and such people are exhaustingly cagey, not wanting to give out easily that which they value above all else. Honest conversations are much less exhausting.
”I’m sorry. I won’t pry. That’s your business. I guess it’s good I showed up, then. I was kinda hoping I could go with you all.”
"I'm sorry to not be able to return the favor, but I do have to pry a bit into your business and ask why you want to join us. Or at least as much as you are willing to tell.
It's not that I distrust you, but I would like a reason to trust you. Right now I don't have an opinion either way.
We've run into doppelgangers and mirror-people shape-changers. And I have my own history of being betrayed. I am not as paranoid as I was, but I am still trying to be careful."
Mara returned to the group's quarters with the new arrival. She had spoken briefly with Kat Brewer before, but didn't know that much about her, other than that she worked at the Sleepless agency. She was eager to hear what had prompted Kat to catch up with them.
"Oh, I was going to tell you anyways. I just wanted everyone together to get it out all at once."
As they get downstairs, Kat sits down and takes off her hat. She sits hunched over with her hands clasped in front of her, her elbows resting on her knees.
"The name is Kat Brewer, for those I haven't told already. I'm formerly of the Sleepless Detectives. Gave my resignation not long ago. I have good reason to suspect that he's responsible for the disappearance of one Marianna Navarro, a woman who worked as a maid for him. I was...hoping to propose, once the timing was right. We'd been together for a while."
She shakes her head, her face hard.
"Cesadia tried to keep me out of this. She said that I'm too close to it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm too close to it to not be involved. I don't know if you all are planning on capturing or killing Lowls, but I want in either way. I taught myself alchemy, I can fight pretty well with a spear, and I've spent about ten years working for Cesadia, so I have a good eye."
Mara told Kat, "I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been very hard for you."
She paused, before moving on to her main worry, "I should warn you that the sorts of things that we're getting involved with are very dangerous; Meg helped us with Dervak's ritual, and died as a result. I don't want to get you killed!"
Kat's mouth turns up slightly in a sad smile. "Thank you. It has been hard. And that's probably a mere fraction of what Mari has been put through, knowing Lowls."
Kat leans back in her seat, looking up at the ceiling, listening to the creaking wood on the waves. She feels more at peace now that she's taken the plunge, which just confirms to her this is what she needs to do. As she continues, her voice takes on a greater confidence. "I understand the risks. Meg is a friend, after all. The way I see it, I have two main drives in my life: justice and Mari. Going after Lowls accomplishes both, and I can hardly think of a more worthy way to spend my life. I've had plenty of time to think about this. It's not a rash decision."
Theophilus smiles up at Kat (as the White Rabbit is seen cheating).
Shall we deal you in, my dear?
"That is a sad story, Kat. I hope we can help. And I believe you can help us."
Dervak looks uncomfortable, debating if he should say something.
"Kat, we... we know what happened to some of the people who disappeared. There was an object tied to Lowls' dark gods. The Star Stela. Melisenn sacrificed people at this Stela. We found bloodstains. No bodies, because she and Lowls had brought as guards some Kuru."
There is a long pause. "Cannibals."
"As bad as that sounds, it would be a mercy if that is what happened to Marianna. A quick death as a sacrifice. Her soul judged by Pharasma and moved on. There are fates worse than death when you deal with these beings. Like some of the people we saw in the Asylum or in Thrushmoor. Insanity. Never-ending nightmares. Becoming a monster. Endless torment. So when Mara says she doesn't want you to get killed, I agree, but death is not the only risk."
"If you can know that and still join us, I am glad to have you."
Kat's jaw tightens as Dervak tells his story. Varying emotions churn in her stomach as she thinks about whether Cesadia knew any of this and kept it from her. She remains silent a few long moments after Dervak speaks, her eyes on the floor. She takes those churning feelings in her stomach and jams them away to deal with later, a technique she is well-practiced in from a lifetime of trying to avoid the stereotypes of the tempestuous half-orc.
When she finally speaks, she is remarkably calm. "That's good to know. It doesn't change anything for me. If there's even the most slight, miniscule chance that I can do anything for her, I will. I'm going to find out what happened to her and bring Lowls to justice, and that doesn't change whether she is dead or alive."
Kat forces a grin. "Maybe we can bring her back as a dwarf like Meg. I always liked dwarf women." As hard as she is trying to lighten the moment, it's incredibly obvious she just wants people to not worry about her.
She stands up and takes a seat near Theophilus. "Sure, deal me in."
Mara took Dervak aside and asked him, "Can you spar with Kat and make sure she can handle the sorts of enemies we're facing? I don't want a repeat of what happened with Meg."
She joined the card game and told Kat, "We've been trying one of Lowls' rituals, which takes you to the Dimension of Dreams; that's where we were a few minutes ago. It's a weird place!"
Theophilus shuffles the cards (five each), smiling and chatting.
Dreams are hungry.
The White Rabbit seems to have seven cards.
"I can try, Mara. But there are no guarantees. We can't handle all of the enemies we have been facing, and have had to flee (as twice against Nemira) or triumph through great luck (as I did against the Tatterman or Rowan did against the Dark Whisper)."
"I tried to strike her (with the flat of the blade). She can dodge, if she has time to get set."
"She's pretty strong. Not really fast."
"But she's got some good moves. I tried to step inside the range of her spear to disarm her, and she hit me with a headbutt and an elbow."
"I asked her to try to disarm me. It took her several tries but eventually she was able to."
"Like I said, no guarantees, but I think she can handle herself in a fight."
"Should we head back to the Dreamlands tomorrow night? We have more to do there."
Theophilus jumps up from the floor!
Ready?
After a few sparring matches between Dervak and Kat everyone is satisfied that she can hold her own and would be able to contribute in a fight.
Mara responded to Theo's enthusiasm, "Being swallowed once already hasn't dampened your spirits, I see! I'm OK with another excursion tonight, if everyone wants to. I've used my healing hex on everyone but Kat, but I think I can cast all my spells again."
Theo leads chanting the incantation while everyone passes around the ivory staircase feeling each of its steps. With each passing the staircase feels a bit heavier and looks a bit larger. After almost an hour Theo drops the staircase on the ground and the ritual is completed. The stairs, now large enough to support your weight, descends into the floor through a shimmering portal.
You find yourself in a vast and nearly featureless desert under a blistering sun. The heat shimmers in the distance, creating an air of unsettling illusion when looking toward the horizon. The only structure is a partially ruined carvanserai.
The stone building is the same pale tan color as the sun bleached desert that extends to the horizon in every direction. A single, wide entrance, large enough to admit laden mounts, pierces the north wall of the structure and opens into a central courtyard. The northeast corner of the building is wholly collapsed. Drifts of sand and tufts of weeds indicate that the building is long abandoned.
The courtyard contains several stalls for animals as well as two low stone posts bearing empty circular bins. Across from the wide passageway stand two small doors flanking a long dry trough.
Mara, in her elderly aspect, cast the same spells that she did on the previous excursion.
She told her companions, "When I was listening for the slime creature the last time, I thought I heard a familiar voice on the floor above. But I couldn't place who it was."
She looked towards the building to see if anything looked different this time.
The only thing different is the sun is a little lower in the sky.