Joliryn smiles. "Learn something of another way in order to see if it holds anything you can steal?" Nodding, she says "Certainly a worthwhile pursuit. Thank you for the answer." Perhaps I should put a bit more effort into some of those wizard manuscripts myself.
Agent 322 also approaches the dragon.
"What type of magical treasures suit your liking best? Do you find a lack of hands a problem in activating magical items? Also, Rataji knows many things, he might know a place suitable to carve out your forest domain."
"Hands a problem?" Gazwyr holds up his hands. They are not that dissimilar to humanoid hands, though the claws are longer and stronger than any humans. "My hands are as dexstrous as yours are, elfing. At least for now, I can handle anything you are able to. Once I get older, I'll need to do things differently, but as I understand it, it will not be a problem for me.
"So, am I am going with you?"
Marnarius declares his designs to leave with Wolona, "Hey, babe, time that we get moving, and do some havoc. Then, we'll go find a nice quiet place and get re-acquainted." The two move off with the rest of Walona's team.
"It seems so!" Joliryn says, watching Marnarius volunteer. This will get interesting!
---
Trying to catch Wolona before she leaves, Joliryn asks "Pardon me, Wolona. Are there any amongst this group who might provide some minor healing to heal me? It shouldn't take much, but with what we are soon facing I would like to be at my best."
Wolona turns to look at Joli. "Sure, I could heal, you... but what do you have to give me in return? I'm not in this for charity, and every heal I use on you is one I cannot use later."
"Would coin suffice? A single spell is most likely all I need."
Rataji welcomes the dragon with open arms. "Glazwyr, any student of the arcane is welcome amongst us! Welcome to our team."
Then he turns back to the slayer. "Marnarius, you lucky man. I'm sorry you're leaving us, but I can see why you chose to do so. Good luck to you, my friend. Wolona, it has been an absolute pleasure meeting you." Rataji kisses her hand, and then gives her a dazzling smile.
"Wolona? Would it be possible for us to trade some of the loot we've gathered for a wand of either Infernal Healing or Cure Light Wounds? All our missions are critical, but some of the loot here is very nice indeed. Perhaps one of your team would like to make a trade?"
"Joliryn, was it? Enough cash, sure. But it has to be enough cash that would mitigate the risk I am taking. If cast cure light wounds on you, that means I cannot do it for myself, later. So, I am going to have to ask for something more than the 'normal' casting costs. A lot more. Make me an offer."
Joliryn nods in acknowledgement of what Wolona has said. Taking out her purse, she hefts it and thinks a moment.
"Would 75 gold be enough?"
"No, we'll need every bit of healing we can get. We've been away for a while, so gear is pretty well diminished. We might be able to trade a spell or two, but that'd be it. But, even then... "
You all get the idea that you'd be giving up way more than you'd be getting, if you were to make a deal now.
*Yawn. Stretch. Scratch.*
Joliryn looks around, then turns to Rataji. "They are short of supplies. We have several cartridges." and she points to the stripped body of the gunslinger. "Perhaps you can figure out a fair trade and get more of us the needed healing?"
"If you need to replenish resources, do you have a gunslinger amongst you? We have these cartridges. With them, you can hurt them before they hurt you. Would that be a reasonable trade for some healing to get us all to full?"
dot for Gazwyr
Rataji believes that she really doesn't want to use a spell at this time. This might be because as a worshiper of an Archfiend, healing is not her forte. However, that said, Rataji realizes that he has a pearl of power that could be used by the cleric to recover the spell, so it would be as if he never used it. Perhaps that, and some of the gear that you are not going to use, would be sufficient.
Rataji bows again and asks, "If I may have a moment to huddle with my group?"
He brings the group into a huddle. "I could offer use of my Pearl of Power for a single Cure Light Spell. I don't want us to go into battle under health. If I do make the trade, whom should it go upon?"
Gazwyr observes with interest the social interactions between humans, thinking how sensible they are being not giving away something for nothing.
Agent 322 silently watches the exchange. She wonders if the price Wolona is going to charge is going to be reasonable, but again probably not. Again, you do as you must when the devil drives
Once in the huddle she whispers in her sing-song voice
Joliryn looks mildly annoyed as 322 whispers to Rataji. Guess this is another conversation I'm not involved in.
She softly says "I still have a curative potion. It would be a waste given my current injuries."
"You want me to hit you?"
Joliryn doesn't seem amused by Zed's comment.
"Well wake me we're ready to go."
Rataji is about to offer to trade the use of the Pearl of Power to heal Zed, but after Zed's snarky comments, he narrows his eyes and takes a second look. He doesn't look that hurt anymore. Good, because we need him to grapple Aram Zey.
"I think that I'll take the spell for myself then, since I already used my potion on someone else. Then let's prepare for Zey."
Rataji trades the use of the Pearl and the cartridges for a Cure Light spell for himself.
Wolona says, "that seems reasonable."
"Are we done here?"
Rataji nods. "I think so. Good luck to you, Wolona and Marnarius. See you on the other side."
"Friends, it is time for us to plan our assault. We're going to be fighting one of the most skilled wizards in the Pathfinder society." He nods to the dragon. "Gazwyr, I've never fought alongside a young green dragon like yourself. What are your talents, especially in combat?"
Rataji turns to Mister Z. "If Aram Zey gets grappled, it's sure to distract him. If I cast heroism on you, will you take care of that?"
"Shihoraj, please take these." Rataji hands the rogue two thunderstones. "If you throw these at Aram Zey, you might be able to disrupt him further. Most casters have trouble throwing spells around while deaf."
Rataji rummages in his pack and hands a scroll of Glitterdust to 322. "I saw you casting this spell, so I know that you must know it. We've used up most of your spells today. Use this to light up Aram Zey if he goes invisible, as casters often do." Rataji smiles, noting the fading glitter on his person.
"Joli, I have a spell, telekinetic charge, that can reposition someone by launching them across a a battlefield straight at a foe. Think of it as a rather specialized fly spell. Once you arrive, you can attack immediately. Would you like to be the one that I launch at Aram Zey, or should I launch Gazwyr iinstead. I've never thrown a dragon before!"
"These are just my ideas, of course. If you have other ideas that might be useful, please speak now!"
"I do not want to be someplace that people are throwing Thunderstones." Joliryn points out.
"I took the scroll of fly from that Pathfinder sorceress, so that gives me some mobility. On the other hand, if I can get into melee with this Aram Zey he would find it very difficult to cast -- even if he trys to shift position I can negate that."
"Point taken. Maybe we can have Shihoraj toss her thunderstone before we fly you out?"
"Well, I AM young still, but I am quick and able to rend and destroy opponents with a flurry of tooth, claw, and wings. Ah, I do fight best in the dark so if you can extinguish the light, that would be helpful. Unfortunately, at my age I do not have much in the way of tricks. I am limited to a straight-forward muscle approach..."
"Now I could carry the hobbit while flying and, if invisible, provided you have such a spell, I do believe she would be invisible too. That may help if her profession is as I think it is."
After saying this he surreptitiously double-checks the mini hoard he brought with him from the tapestry.
"That may work in a large open space." Joliryn says as she starts dumping the bodies of the Pathfinders through the rift.
"Can you corner well enough to make it work someplace like this? Even with magical flight, I've had problems with trying to take too sharp a turn."
"We could practice if you'd like and see how it works. If I am to be working with the Consortium, it would be a valuable thing to know ahead of time."
"I still have this face. Oh!" He pulls a bit of meat from a pouch. "And the matching tongue. They might help me get close. I'm can be quite charming up close."
Smiling, Joliryn says "Sounds like fun!"
Coming up closer, she then asks "Where would I hang on?" while looking up at you. I hope this is easier than a galloping horse...
"This I have to see," Rataji raises an eyebrow. "Are you planning on riding Gazwyr or Mr. Z? If Mr. Z, might I suggest that you use spurs to make him giddyup faster?"
Joliryn gives Rataji a puzzled look. Then she realizes that he is purposely misinterpreting whom she was talking to. Chuckling, she says "Sorry, I only heard Gazwyr volunteer."
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"Oh, dear. I think there may have been a misunderstanding. I said I would CARRY her, not let her ride me like some king of domesticated animal! Surely you did not think...Anyway, I was thinking I could deposit her behind enemy lines, not carry her around on my back everywhere I go. I've seen you humans carry your young ones on your back, but that sort of thing is just NOT done by dragons. At least not the ones I know."
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"Ehehehe, did you think that he would be visible to begin with? Think, boy. When you do come up with a solution, tell us about it,"and starts cackling madly. Nontheless, she takes Rataji's offered scroll.
"Oh Aram Zey, we have such a delightful surprise prepared just for you. It would be such a shame to miss it," she croons in her sing song voice. She reaches beneath her robe, pulls out another scroll, then strokes it fondly, like one would touch a pet dog, before returning it to her robes.
"We can temporarily dispel light within a certain area, but the room is likely to have multiple light sources., she muses, almost as if talking to herself. "He gives many gifts, like Void essence, that conceals the user even in the light, though it works better in darkness, " her eyes lighting with religious fervor.
According to Rataji's notes, your final destination should be about 10-20 minutes away. Please let me know when you are ready to move on.
As the group is gathering to leave, Joliryn gets out her kukri, casts keen edge on it, and replaces it in her wrist-sheath.
She approaches Mr Z, "Could I get one of those weird bags that you were about to throw at the lizard? He tells me it might come in handy."
Rataji casts heroism on Zed. "Grapple that slippery bastard Aram Zey for me, will you?"
He also casts see invisibility on himself.
Later, when we approach the door where we believe Aram to be, Rataji will cast invisibility and shield upon himself.
You make your way up to the Selmius Foster Library, where Aram Zey keeps the Sky Key.
During the time that she expects Shihoraj to be checking the door, Joliryn casts Shield on herself. She then gets out the scroll of Fly. Just before they are ready to open the door, she uses it on herself. She then releases her kukri from it's sheath so her weapon is in hand as the door opens.
If there is to be another battle, it is behind this door. No way am I going in without a little something extra!
I'm good with the current setup.
While Shihoraj is checking the door, Rataji casts Shield and then finally invisibility on himself from a scroll.
"Sure. Always glad to take a fireball for the team. So you tying me up? Or do we all just running in all helter skelter like with some of us invisible and whatnot?"
"Now, Zed. I'm not going to tie you up until after the mission -- and then only for fun. You know that." Rataji grins.
"The plan is simple. Run for Zey. Grapple the bastard, then kill him."