In an alley, when she knows they are not being observed, Rilka changes her appearance from a female gnome to a male gnome. She keeps the same hair and skin color, but elongates the point of her nose and diminishes the size of her ears.
Following Rilka's lead, Dalton adjusts his disguise to be in-type with her outfit, and modifies his form to be slightly more diminutive with darker hair.
Once they get to a room, he makes no delay in scrying for Ninnec. I bet he's had a good run of things there.
Bjorkus adjusts his hat of disguise so that he appears to be an enormous half-orc mercenary.
Toramin will look like a dark skinned human male.
Ianna will appear to be a pretty and tan gnome woman.
The party, in their new disguises, finds a low-key inn and quickly gets a quiet room in the back. They settle in and lock the door, and Dalton pulls up Ninnec's whiskered face with no problem. The little ratfolk appears to be counting inventory in a dark room.
"Ninnec! It's Dalton. How have things been on your front?"
Ninnec jumps three feet in the air, then takes a deep breath and puts a hand on his chest. "Ah, Dalton! I'm still not quite used to that." Ninnec fidgets nervously. "To be honest, not great. We've had a string of thefts. Nothing that's going to put us out of business, but it's hurting income, and one of my workers got beaten the other day when he caught one of them. Unfortunately he was masked, but we know he was tall, skinny, and had a humanoid build. I'm looking into it with the help of Yix."
"Which worker was assaulted?"
"Then perhaps this situation that's developed has a good side to it. To make things simple: We need you to deliver an hourglass. We cannot do it ourselves - nor be in the vicinity of the delivery. It should pose far less danger to you than being around the thief you mentioned."
"I'm sorry I can't be much more specific about exactly what the object is, for I don't even know, but my part in this will be transportation. I will be teleporting some of us there, then some of us back with you. The following day after my energy has had a chance to recharge, I'll bring you back to your shop. Hopefully, those of us staying behind in the meantime can look into that thug."
Dalton looked to Rilka for specifics on the drop of the hourglass, then spoke to the party.
"Though my mastery of the conjuration has increased since our experience in the forge, I can only bring a total of three moderately-sized beings along with me during a teleport. If we all head to Ninnec's shop except one, this means on the return trip, Ninnec, myself, and the lucky someone would be able to return."
"A former human slave by the name of Shien. He is young, but very spirited and has a strong body from mining for the first sixteen years of his life. He was bruised badly but should recover."
Ninnec looks very curious, but holds his questions. "Anything for you. Although I do wonder who I will put in charge in my absence...perhaps Naome, she seems more than capable."
"We have a few with us who may be able to aid the boy's wounds. Take a few paces about the room if you would? It makes the teleporting process easier if I get a good look at where I'm headed."
"Say, how's that lizardfolk doing from a while back?"
"I'm sure he would appreciate that." Ninnec paces the room as he continues talking, giving Dalton a good look around the room. It seems to be nothing more than a dark, cramped storage room.
"He is...very abrasive. But I put him in the back, moving around heavy stuff and he's doing fine. Just swears and spits a lot, but if I ask for something to get done it gets done quick."
"I'll have a chat with him. Give us a bit of room if you could."
Once Ninnec steps off to the side, Dalton gives his companions time to ready their nerves.
"We must hold hands - it's like we are children again!"
The old man chuckles. Then, with a word, they were gone...
Dalton casts the spell, bringing his recipients into the room with no effort. The sudden change from the somewhat chilly mountain city to the blasting desert heat is enough to take one's breath away. Ninnec waves and heads to the door. "Let me just tell Naome she will be taking over for a bit."
A few minutes later the ratfolk returns. "So, what is it you need my help with?"
Bjorkus bides his time in their new inn while the others tend to errands elsewhere.
”You’ll be delivering a magical item and this,” Rilka says handing him her Aestherics badge. ”Neither is dangerous. You’ll be giving it to a gnome named Sveng. He is dangerous. A worshiper of Norgorber.”
Rilka pauses, thinking for a moment. ”He’ll have no reason to trust you. Perhaps I should give you a letter to deliver as well -- explain that he’ll need to kidnap a halfling named Chibi Kerchiechoo.”
Ninnec takes the two nervously. "Am...am I going to be in danger?" He asks quietly.
Ninnec takes the two nervously. "Am...am I going to be in danger?" He asks quietly.
"Doubtful. The man you'll be delivering the items two just saved our lives, though he doesn't know it. Do not, however, mention any particulars about us though. His attitude will be severe, but he should have no qualm with you - especially as you are giving him something, not requesting it."
*******
"Ianna, your brother and you are both well-spoken. It would be good if whichever of you wants to get a feel for how Akropash is developing would come."
”As Dalton said, you should be safe,” Rilka continues. ”You’ll be providing aid to his problem.” She opens a case and removes a blank sheet of paper.
”To get us involved, I should start with the assassin for Ianna. He had the information that led us to the Rainbow Barrel, don’t you think?” she asks Dalton. Writing the main points in her notebook, she ponders a few phrases as she composes a first draft.
Dalton nodded to his superior, though his thoughts where elsewhere now. "Yes, that should work nicely, Miss Featherfeet."
If Calios had a connection to this time-wielder, perhaps he has other connections to reality-bending people. Just how common are these demigods?
"Umm...ok. Can I take some musc...a friend with me? I've taken a liking to having somebody watching my back..."
Bjorkus peers out the window briefly, looking for signs of suspicious activity.
"It sadly cannot be one of us. You have no enemies here though, and you are delivering a gift; there should be no malice towards you, let alone violence. There isn't even towards us - we just need to not be seen."
Sveng,
This will sound extraordinary and suspicious. You do not know me. Yet there are things I know. You and the rest of the Brotherhood of the Reaper and Reputation have realized that being in league with Villichi is a mistake. At first he made you rich. Now he bleeds the city dry for a mysterious goal. Some visitors to Grastle Hollow can help you defeat Villichi.
Lure them to the Rainbow Barrel. Kidnap Chibi Kerchiechoo, a male halfling. The others *must* live since they are instrumental in stopping Villichi. Once you and Chibi have privacy, attempt to gain his trust. He will hate working with a man like you. As a means to persuade him, show him this badge. He will trust you then.
How will you lure them to the Rainbow Barrel? Villichi will want to kill Ianna Trealamhgabha. The assassin he sends will fail and be captured. He will give up the information that a new assassin is in town and will be in the Rainbow Barrel on the night of -----day the X meeting with his new client. The assassin is very deadly and resourceful. Villichi should be lead to believe that the assassin is meant to kill him. He should order you to capture him. Thus you will capture Chibi.
Chibi will go to the Rainbow Barrel with his accomplices to capture the assassin. Again, make sure none of her companions will be killed. They will be needed in the Skymetal Forge. You will be needed too. Bring the hourglass gift. You will see what needs to be done.
Death to Villichi,
Echo
”Is there too much? Not enough? Should I mention the Skymetal Forge?” Rilka asks. ”What about a name, is Echo too silly? He knows me as Chibi and Rilka.”
Dalton shook his head. "If he's worth his salt to the lord he serves, he can figure-out the location. Nice work. The name won't matter much either way to him; Echo should be fine."
Rilka copies the letter onto parchment. She adds the lines, It is safer for all involved if we don’t meet. We are using an intermediary as a precaution. If you have any questions, give them to him. She signs it as An Ally.
Rilka describes Sveng to Ninnec.
Rilka copies the letter onto parchment. She adds the lines, It is safer for all involved if we don’t meet. We are using an intermediary as a precaution. If you have any questions, give them to him. She signs it as An Ally.
Rilka describes Sveng to Ninnec.
Dalton finds significant resistance when he attempts to scry, but he pushes through with some mental efforts and sees an image of Sveng in a poorly lit room. He is leaning over a desk with some sort of map on it. As soon as Dalton scrys him the cleric frowns and quickly rolls up the map, then mutters under his breath. Dalton feels an opposing force come back at him through his magic, but manages to keep it at bay. Sveng speaks again and the room becomes filled with an overpowering darkness that not even the ones with darkvision can see through. After vision is obscured Dalton hears Sveng speak. "I suggest you stop trifling with me before there are consequences."
She is thinking of alternative methods for contacting Sveng when her vision is filled with darkness. She breathes slowly and as quietly as possible.
"Sveng, hear me well, for this is no trifle. There will soon be an entity of unimaginable power descending on this place. It may interest you to know Villichi serves as this being's footman. The entity has the potential to end portions of reality as we know it on a whim, and as of now, there is no known recourse against this being. If the being is smart - and it is - it will begin to eradicate bits of existence which threaten it, such as those possessing dangerous secrets. If I'm not mistaken, that is a synonym for your lord, which would make him and his ilk one of the first chunks erased."
Dalton took a moment to let that sink in.
"I say 'would', for it has yet to learn how to harness its powers to their fully potential. I do not possess the power to stop this creature, though I know someone who does. That person also needs time though. To this end, for reasons that are too complicated to fully describe now, it is imperative you foil the being's plan by doing something it would never expect: taking the initiative. "
The mage nodded to Ninnec.
"Tonight, in a location you specify, a ratfolk with no particular connection to this situation will bring you a relic, an ensorcelled hourglass. You will encounter five outsiders to this town in the coming days, and you must capture one of them alive and functional. Though they will be under the impression you are an enemy at first, you will become allies of convenience against this thing from beyond for the time being, and that captive is your leverage into keeping them working with you." Dalton suspected that diction was readily understood by Norgorber's sort. "You must draw forth the timepiece's power when the time is right, when the group and yourself have assembled against Villichi, whose true name will be confirmed to you by them, when it seems all other options are exhausted."
"If you think I'm full of cow dung, simply take the relic tonight and keep keen eyes and ears. You're a capable magician, feel free to search for hostile auras on the hourglass or the ratfolk and dispel any protections against concealing them you feel may be. "
"I am confident enough in the truth of these matters making themselves evident, there is no need of concealment from you. I must only ask you two more things. Firstly, you must speak no nobody about this conversation, the ratfolk, or the artifact until after you have used it; doing so will very likely put you at peril of that being. This means you must intercept him alone." Dalton thought a moment. "You will know it is him, for he will have a parchment with Villichi's true name on it in a manner he is incapable of creating."
"Lastly, I insist you release him unharmed after he has given you the hourglass. He is not one of the five you seek and is absolutely no threat, and to make that claim clear, I set you with the task of choosing the meeting point; pick the most favorable terrain to you if you are concerned, as long as the two of you can make the exchange in secret. Failure to do so could cause this plan to fail, ensuring your departure from reality." A sterner tone set into the half-elf's voice. "And if that being doesn't do it, harming him will ensure I do."
He exhaled. "If you have any questions, ask them, but there is little more I can reveal to you about the being's precise powers at this time. I simply need the meeting place for my associate to meet with you at midnight."
After he spoke his piece, with message not active, he turned to Rilka. "Is there anything you would like to add?"
*******
After the conversation is completed, Dalton will arcane mark the piece of parchment meant for Sveng with "Calios" in red draconic script.
There is a long pause of silence, then Sveng speaks again. "Who are you, and how do you know so much of what is going on here, and of who I am?" There's another beat of silence. "I have no reason to believe any of this or trust you at all. And even if it is true, I stand to gain more by simply leaving and taking up business in less dangerous territory."
There is a long pause of silence, then Sveng speaks again. "Who are you, and how do you know so much of what is going on here, and of who I am?" There's another beat of silence. "I have no reason to believe any of this or trust you at all. And even if it is true, I stand to gain more by simply leaving and taking up business in less dangerous territory."
"I cannot reveal my identity for another two weeks or so, but we met a while back." Dalton pushed forward with the technicality. "It will make much more sense to you as time goes on."
"No reason? Do you really think idle knowledge is all I possess?" He shook his head, though Sveng couldn't see it. "Even if I could take no actions myself, simply giving your name to my associates would be enough to undo you. However, I don't want to undo you. That is why I am requesting. Nicely. That you aid the world - and yourself, not least of all."
Dalton swallowed. "There is no "less dangerous territory". I could be somewhere nearly untraceable in the blink of an eye, and yet here I am, beseeching aid from ... what's the term ... a grey gremlin? Do you think I would be doing that if the threat I stated was not real? I have no particular enmity towards you or your lord, nor do I have any particular favor. You simply happen to be the right individual serving in a field that will fall under the gaze of this enemy in short order."
When asked if she wants to contribute anything by Dalton, Rilka grins. ”Well done! I don’t think I could have said it better myself. I’d be suspicious if I were him. I’m thinking of ways to convince him.”
She quietens so they can wait for Sveng’s answer. As Dalton rebuts Sveng’s reasoning, Rilka nods, making a You’re doing great gesture with her hand.
There's another long silence. "You have agreed to put yourself in a very compromising situation. I will at least hear you out. Meet at the Bent Hookpin, tomorrow an hour after dusk. Just the ratfolk, nobody else. Have him wear a red scarf."
The old man turned to Ninnec. "He's a cautious sort, but pragmatic. All you have to do is deliver the letter and the hourglass. In the morning, I'll teleport us back to Akropash."
Dalton nodded to Rilka. "As long as you write a decent summary on paper, he'll be able to follow it. Sveng has sense enough to know when threats are real or not."
Rilka beams with delight when Sveng agrees to meet Ninnec. The stress lines on her forehead and around her eyes lessen. Once the message spell is finished, she hands the ratfolk five silver coins. ”Here, this will get you a red scarf.”
She nods at Dalton, ”I think the letter is ready. I changed the pronouns from ‘I’ and ‘me’ to ‘we’ and ‘us.’ A few other minor words here and there.”
If Ninnec looked scared before, he looks petrified now. Seeing Sveng and how he quickly reacted to being spied upon has him on edge. "He...looks like a rather serious man...seriously dangerous..." He swallows. "But I trust you Dalton. I think you'll owe me a good book after this one." He halfheartedly jests.
Dalton nodded. "We'll go looking together once we return; I wouldn't mind a good read myself."
”We can be close and disguised if that will make you more comfortable,” Rilka says. ”Not in the Bent Hookpin, but close.”
"You are very observant, Miss Featherfeet. That is both a blessing and a hindrance to being closeby in this special situation."
Bjorkus takes some time to clean Tyrantbreaker's blade.
Ninnec immediately perks up, but still looks nervous. "Yes it would be great to have you nearby, but he said come alone..."
Toramin places a comforting hand on Ninnec's shoulder. He didn't have any advice for his friend, but he could provide physical comfort.
”Here’s something that will help you,” Rilka says, handing Ninnec a vial . ”It will shield you from weapons and blows. It lasts nearly ten minutes. Drink it if you must.”
Rilka nods at Dalton. ”He did say come alone, and we can’t risk meeting him. But being fifty yards down the street...I don’t think that’s too unreasonable. Do you?”
Rilka nods at Dalton. ”He did say come alone, and we can’t risk meeting him. But being fifty yards down the street...I don’t think that’s too unreasonable. Do you?”
"I do. Your training in the organization had much in the way towards subterfuge and observation, did it not? Archers who don't even look for such details can easily spot their quarries at multiples of that distance. I also don't trust Sveng to ignore loitering parties such a short distance away; he can be trusted with the artifact, but he is secretive and doesn't like to play fair. I'm sure he has some sort of scouts or clairvoyance to ensure Ninnec is not followed. If he feels he is, that would be putting him at risk as well as jeopardizing the artifact's delivery."
"I agree with Dalton. If there is anything we have learned about Sveng is that he is competent."
She gives a quiet smile to Ninnec. Most of her smiles have been smaller sense the events in the Forge.
"Hello, Ninnec, I am Ianna. My brother has often mentioned you fondly."
As Dalton and Ianna speak, Rilka takes out another vial and adds some reagents together. She nods following the conversation as she mumbles under her breath.
Finished she passes another vial to Ninnec, ”This will help you escaping. You can run faster. Over twice as fast probably. It will last just under ten minutes. Dalton and Ianna have convinced me that we should stay away from the meeting. Too much is at stake.”