Mara called out to Voonith,
She tried to explain the idea of the ritual to the strange amphibian.
Theophilus takes out his fishing pole.
Mara's calls go unanswered.
Theo feels a tug on his line. He struggles with it. Must be a big one. After fighting for half an hour he manages to wear it out. Pulling back on the pole he finds a worn out and whimpering Voonith mid bite into a large trout.
Theophilus holds them up. He smiles.
"Tomorrow, we can perform a ritual to go to your home, Voonith," Mara explained. "We don't need to travel back to Thrushmoor; we can do it right here on the ship." She hoped that the amphibian would be able to follow them to the Dreamlands.
"Well done, Theophilus! You know many ways to solve problems."
Dervak addresses the Voonith.
Theophilus looks the little fella in the eye.
Perhaps, I can learn Aklo.
Day 33
Somehow Mara manages to coax the frenetic Voonith into sitting still long enough to perform the ritual. The familiar scent of falling through dimensions fills your nose. You awake in a lush marsh resin trees poking their trunks above the stangnant water. A magah bird squawks angrily at your sudden arrival. Voonith exclaims,
Voonith dives into a nearby pool and disappears.
1st lvl (5): Ant Haul, Cure Light Wounds, Liberating Command, Remove Fear, open slot
2nd lvl (4): Barkskin x2, Calm Emotions, open slot
3rd lvl (3): Heroism x3
4th lvl (2): Threefold Aspect, Fear
When they arrived at the marsh, Mara looked around, then started casting spells to bolster herself and her allies.
Theophilus casts his active spell list.
You wait for about half an hour or so in the sticky marshlands. Strange long bodied flies with mauve feelers and large red almond shaped eyes buzz your ears. The wind smells faintly of death and plums and rustles nearby resin trees.
Just as you start to think Voonith has abandoned you again you hear a burbling from a nearby pool. It springs out spraying stagnant water upwards where it rains down wetting your hair. It holds a rather large egg in both it's hands.
Handling the egg you see that it's exterior is rough and chipped, revealing that it is petrified.
Dervak is not thrilled with this swamp, but it's not the worst place he's been. Flies, even alien ones, don't bother him overly much. He looks vaguely intrigued at the local creatures.
He wonders if his knowledge that this is a Dimension of Dreams gives him any ability to affect it. Dervak tries to make some flies move a certain way by thinking at them. Or feeling at them. He tries to make the smell of death in the wind diminish by sheer willpower.
When the creature returns, he greets it.
Dervak looks at the petrified egg curiously.
After having read about the Dreamlands for the last couple weeks Dervak knows that it does reside in the Dimension of Dreams, a subset of the Ethereal plane. Unlike the Dimension of Dreams which is responsive to the will of a lucid dreamer, the Dreamlands are stable. Scholars speculate that the Dreamlands are the dreams of entities much more powerful than mortals, or perhaps a result of the very first dreams of the multiverse.
Even so Dervak tries to impose his will on his surroundings and there is no perceptible effect.
Kat keeps her prepared extracts the same as she had prepared for last expedition.
"What or where to next? I'm still getting a feel for all this dream delving stuff."
Mara thanked the amphibian,
She examined the egg, trying to guess what creature it might have been from.
Later, she cast a spell to check the fossilized egg for Magic Auras.
The egg does not radiate magic of any kind and if Mara had to guess it likely came from one of the magah birds that nest nearby. It's an oddity but not especially valuable. Voonith waves and dives back into the pool of water.
Day 34
After awakening from the last excursion you thankfully don't find a sleeping Voonith next to you. Skywin is relieved, "If that thing gets on my boat again I'm kicking all of you off!" She calms a little, "We'll be hitting Xer in a few days. I don't like stopping in Razmir but I need to take on supplies. If you need anything write down a list and I'll get it for you. I recommend you don't get off the boat but I can't stop you."
Later that evening
Before their party going extravaganza, the Tailor tailors proper party prima don a attire for all.
1st lvl (5): Ant Haul, Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Liberating Command, Remove Fear
2nd lvl (4): Barkskin x2, Calm Emotions, Eagle's Splendor
3rd lvl (3): Heroism x3
4th lvl (2): Threefold Aspect, Fear
Mara switched to her adult aspect, and assisted Theo as best as she could to prepare the outfits.
Dervak has no idea what parties are like in this part of the Dreamlands.
Maybe you wear an exotic animal as a scarf.
Maybe a giant falchion is a dashing accessory.
But he will defer to Theophilus's sartorial expertise (although Dervak does not know the word 'sartorial').
As to armor and weapons, he will leave his armor and falchion behind, though bring the MW Silver Dagger, and count on finding the Vorpal Scimitar in the Dreamlands. If all else fails, he can use Barroom Brawler to pick up Improved Unarmed Strike.
There was no Dreamlands loot from the Leng slaver ship captain other than his hat?
Kat sighs as she thinks about going to a big fancy party in the Dreamlands. She already feels out of sorts at fancy gatherings on this dimension, so who knows how completely she will embarass herself with dream creatures that operate on logic she'll never comprehend. Then again, maybe if everything is topsy-turvy, maybe she'll fit right in. "I'm really not much of one for big parties and dressing fancy. If we have to, though, and you're making 'em, I'd prefer a suit. No dresses. Keep it as practical as you can."
You arrive in a crowded ballroom of cavernous proportions, easily several hundred feet wide. It is currently thronged with thousands of attendees in courtly dress. Many are dancing, but a few converse in small groups or enjoy hors d'oeurves presented by liveried servants. Kat even spies a slim gray cat as it winds its way through the dancing partygoers. While most of the attendees are dressed in fine clothes, many of the outfits are threadbear or clearly long out of fashion. No one reacts to your sudden arrival except for a servant that offers you a deviled egg with some sort of cured meat stuffed in with the yolk paste.
Sixty feet above the lacquered floor the ceiling is obscured by darkness with the occasional white filament poking downward. Mara can hear the sound of faint clicking echo from high above. The west walls of the ballroom feature low narrow windows that let in reddish light of a sunset. Beyond you see an enormous city of marble buildings and high columns. Past the city that you presume is Celaphais stands a mountain crowned with snow. In front of each of the windows is a quartet of musicians filling the air with elegant music.
The southern end of the ballroom features a high platform bearing a throne with a commanding view of the festivities. A mass of servants and courtiers crowd around the man seated in the throne but not too close.
Mara looked for a discreet spot where she could cast spells without drawing too much attention to herself. She took out her magic rod and recited prayers on herself and Dervak.
Having done that, she mingled for a few minutes, looking around and trying to get a sense of what sort of things were happening at the Viscount's party.
Dervak looks up at the ceiling with some apprehension. He no longer has Darkvision, and those white filaments are unusual.
Ignoring that for now - as all of the party-goers ignore unusual things - he checks to see if the Vorpal Scimitar is at his waist or nearby. Then he moves towards the man on the throne.
Theophilus and the White Rabbit are dancing in front of the musicians.
Mara finds an area where the throngs of partygoers have thinned out a little, only to discover a drying pool of blood punctuated with chunks of unidentifiable visera. Anyone who comes near clearly notices but tries to hide the fact, most just dance or walk in a way that avoids the section.
Mara finds the partygoers are all variously engaged in dancing, catching up on the local gossip, and eating and drinking to excess. Some look exhausted but continue their revelry.
Dervak finds the Vorpal blade at his hip right where he expected it.
Mara decided that the area around the drying pool of blood would have to do for casting her spells. If the other guests were pretending not to notice the viscera, hopefully they wouldn't kick up a fuss about spellcasting.
Trying to contain her unease, she surveyed the scene of whatever it was that had happened. After examining the viscera and pool of blood, she approached the throne to get a look at the Viscount.
Dervak doesn't have Mara's caution. He walks up to the Viscount. He draws upon the etiquette lessons, nearly forgotten, that Mulgar had taught him so long ago.
"Greetings, my Lord." He bows. "A most exquisite party you are hosting. May we speak? We seek to make a trade for your signet ring."
'Exquisite' is not a word the bloodrager normally uses, but he must have heard it somewhere.
Kat follows Dervak’s example, a bit surprised the bloodrager has had such training in etiquette. She bows and speaks.
”My companion speaks truthfully. We have more than worthwhile fare to trade.”
Rowan stands to the back of the group, since he is currently sober, and knows his social skills are lacking a bit.
He tugs on his monk robes awkwardly.
Theophilus stares around at all the revelry with a bit of longing on his face. He and the White Rabbit halt their dance, cast their buffs and join the others.
We have a job to do, my friend.
The White Rabbit nods in agreement.
Striding purposefully through the crowd, superbly displaying his fabulous attire, smiling and nodding at those he passes, the gentleman stands with his friends at the throne.
Bowing low; long nose touching the ground, grandly tipping his magnificent hat out wide, flaring his maroon cape out, the Varisian announces,
O, grandest of Hosts! We have traveled far and wide on mere whispers of rumors of your fantastic gala! The envy of everyone are we, who are humbled and honored to attend! This mystical, momentous moment of mystery has truly made us more mindful of our lowly lives!
The White Rabbit (wearing a tuxedo) also bows low.
Mara observed for a moment, trying to gauge the etiquette here in Celaphais, before greeting the host, "Viscount Brellin, it is an honor to meet you! Truly, the accounts of your events do not do justice to the splendor of this occasion."
Mara thinks she sees teeth marks in a bit of something squishy and moist with blood and some discoloration that indicates poison . The other guests don’t openly carry weapons but she does notice a few holdout weapons up sleeves and tucked in boots.
Viscount Brellin is an urbane and handsome man with high cheekbones, auburn hair, and sympathetic green eyes. The lavishness of his clothing exceeds even that of his most finely dressed guests. A tar-like phlegm stains his chin and the front of his fine clothing with a crusty smear.
The noble observes the party approach with apparent delight and says, ”I’m charmed to meet such *hurrack* intriguing and *huhuhurk* well mannered guests!” As Brellin speaks flecks of black sputum are expelled when he coughs. ”You simply must *hurrrghk* tell me where you’re from. Not *koughrk* Celephais I’m sure.” As he speaks he doesn’t acknowledge his coughing nor does it slow him from speaking. You note that the swarm of servants and courtiers surrounding him are careful to keep enough distance so they are not in the line of fire of the black phlegm he spews.
When the subject of his signet ring is broached, ”I must *kaaaffk* admit I left it in my chambers. But I could have someone *guarck* fetch it if you do may a favor or three.”
Theophilus smiles.
The White Rabbit appears to have some how; some way gotten hold of a tiny umbrella.
Mara replied to the Viscount, "I am Mara; I come from the desert land of Qadira."
She tried to guess what the cause of their host's coughing might be.
When the Viscount talked about his signet ring, she asked, "What sort of favor did you have in mind?
Mara notes that the viscount otherwise seems to be perfectly healthy, any disease that could cause a problem like this would have other noticeable symptoms. He says, "The Sunset Waltz *kaaaffk* is almost upon us and I would ever so like to dance with my beloved. But you see I've promised myself to *hurrack* three others. If you were to persuade them; gain discreet and polite *koughrk* acknowledgement of a declined dance then I say you've earned my signet ring. The people are the elegant Lady Urdrenda Splinterbone, Ardvin Telgriett, trader by profession, *huhurk* and the beautiful but common woman only called Maudette."
Mara smiled knowingly, Triple booked! She replied to the Viscount, "I think I can manage that. Could you be so good as to point them out to me, or tell me how to recognize them?"
"I am Dervak, of Brevoy and of the Realm of the Mammoth Lords. I believe I can help."
Dervak thinks. "I am not trained, but I can try to dance. I am not clumsy and I have a certain charm. I would be most at home with the commoners if I could find this Maudette. That would be nice. Or I could find the noble lady... uh... Splinterbone... Hmmm... let's find Maudette first."
Theophilus claps his hands joyfully.
It's a Dance off, bro!
Mara opined, "However, this may not be the right occasion for a pants-off dance-off!
The viscount answered Mara, "Ask around mingle a little." He then waved at the party dismissively sending a fleck of phlegm landing on Rowan's hand. It starts to burn and leaves a welt.
Mara replied, "Very well — I'll see what I can do."
She headed into the crowd of guests and inquired about the three dance partners. She tried to find out additional information about them, in case they needed additional inducement to decline their promised waltz with the Viscount.
Dervak bows and excuses himself. He mingles around the party, asking if anybody knows Maudette.
Theophilus sends Frederick off to find some cardboard.
Breaking 2; Electric Boogaloo!
He and the White Rabbit high five!
Mara and Dervak work the crowd while Theo and White Rabbit show off their b-boy moves. Most of the guests who've seen Maudette haven't seen her for a while or get nervous and make an excuse to leave. Finally after two hours of asking a hirsute woman who looks uncomfortable in a long gray gown points upwards into the darkness. She says in a whisper, "She was grabbed by a white strand of something that carried her into the darkness. She's a deader for sure." Near where the hirsute guest indicated and hidden by a flowing tapestry is a ladder that ascends upwards.
Mara looked upwards at the ladder leading up into the darkness, exclaiming, "Uh-oh! We'd better go up and see if we can find Maudette! I'll get the others."
She went to gather Kat, Rowan and Theo, and tell them what had happened. I really hope it's not a spider!
Kat is utterly relieved at the thought of going to find some mysterious spider(?) creature. A vast improvement over making conversation with nobility. ”Sounds good to me.”
"That's right, at this party everybody ignores the strange things. Well hopefully they will ignore us dealing with this problem. Kat, go ahead and get ready for battle. Ignore the partygoers."
Dervak casts Shield and Mirror Image and prepares to ascend.
Mara prepared to ascend the ladder, first casting defensive spells on Dervak and Rowan.