Gurra-Gurra delicately picks the wine glass of Einar's hands, then carries Einar from being half under the table and lays him on a pallet. Crummock, Hirah and Greta take their night watches and the night passes uneventfully.
You gain double hp from the night's rest! (I.e 16 instead of 8)
The party awakens to the smell of seafood and smoke. Gurra-Gurra has prepared a large pot of soup with mushrooms, fishcake, soy bean puffs, Tofu and white radish for breakfast. Greta has beaten the party by already scouping herself several bowls of soup.
Crummock shrugs.
"The big spider beastie sucked the fortitude right out o' his body - which makes him a wee bit more susceptible to alcohol than he normally is. I guess that he forgot that might happen..."
In the morning, Crummock meditates for a while, after which his body seems far more... vibrant... than usual.
He then chain-casts Lesser Restorations until Einar is fixed...
...nodding in satisfaction when Einar is once again his usual hale and hearty self.
"Now, we can do some more explorin' today, but if we do so, I won't be able to rain fire down on our foes... do we want to wait until tomorrow?"
h my head, what did I do? ...uuhhhgggggg My mouth hasn't tasted like cat fur in years. As quickly as Einar was awake Crummock started casting healing on him, 'Ahhhh that's better.' Einar smiled a toothy smile "Thanks Crummock, sad we wasted all those potions, but I guess it was better than dying."
Helping himself to the amazing fish, mushroom and radish soup, 'Wonder if the Gurra's have any sake left, nah I better not Mister Whiskers would have kittens.' Nodding to the two headed giant, "The soup is wonderful, the radishes are a nice touch." Having woken up last, Einar finishes off the last of the soup, using a chuck of dried bread to clean the pot out with.
Smiling at Crummock, "We can go slow, if we deplete our resources we can come back here. Should we clear this first level before we drop back lower tomorrow?"
"Thanks!" Gurra-Gurra looks pleased at Einar's compliment. "Oh, Jadrenka had a tiff with her girlfriend not too long back and isn't in the best of moods. Something about unfaithfulness. A Maris...something. I can't quite remember her name."
"Wasn't he blue to begin with? How can he get more blue?"The right head, Gurra, asks.
With a small sigh, Mr. Whiskers explains "Poison and whatever the bebilith did were especially hard on him today. Normally he is a different shade of blue."
Especially appreciative of the sake, he drinks several servings asking Gurra, his voice slurred, "Have you ever had the sake warmed?"
"Would you like me to warm it for you Einar?" Might as well let him drink. This way at least he will sleep!
Mr. Whiskers casts prestidigitation and gently warms the sake in Einar's cup.
"I want to try the Sake warm! I've never had it!" The left head pipes up.
"No! Sake is fine cold!" The right head argues.
"Why not allow Gurra" with a nod to the left head "have a cup of their own. That way each of you can have it at the temperature you like."
After they have put Einar to bed, Mr. Whiskers asks "If it isn't too rude, could you tell us how you came to be apprenticed here?"
---
When morning comes and they start talking of more exploration, Mr. Whiskers says "I could take Fireball instead of Haste if that is what people want today. Otherwise, a day of relaxation wouldn't be all bad."
Looking to Gurra, he suggests "If there is anyplace good for hunting, we could go out and get some fresh meat to share."
Crummock shrugs.
"Fair enough. I just won't be doin' much."
With a small sigh, Mr. Whiskers explains "Poison and whatever the bebilith did were especially hard on him today. Normally he is a different shade of blue."
"Bebilith? Even the name sounds nasty. And if it made him more blue, I don't want to see it." The left head staunchly declares.
"Why not allow Gurra" with a nod to the left head "have a cup of their own. That way each of you can have it at the temperature you like."
”Cool!” The heads cheer in unison, then both the left hand and the right hand stretch out towards Mr Whiskers for their sake cups.
After they have put Einar to bed, Mr. Whiskers asks "If it isn't too rude, could you tell us how you came to be apprenticed here?"
”How I came to be here, that is a interesting question is it not?” The left head says.
”Oh yes, indeed, interesting it is. You know what we are. You know what they say about our kind. I could see the suspicion in the half-orc’s eyes.” The right head answers.
”Most people just kill us on sight. They say we’re monsters.” The left head puts in mournfully.
”But we didn’t want to live short monstrous lives, to get hunted down by bands of peasants wielding pitch forks and torches. Or to get conscripted by some ettin gang.” The right head answers.
”Yes, we were meant for much more then that. We wanted to gain the respect of others. Live properly among human society instead of eking a miserable living in the wilds.” The left head continues.
”So we came up with a plan. We would study magic. If we could learn powerful magic, people would come to treat us with respect. “ The right head states.
”They would offer a place for us in town if we would do magic for them” The left head continues.
”We did our research. We heard of a changeling named Jadrenka is the Warden of Artosa and is a mighty witch. As a changeling, she would likely understand the prejudice that we face. We asked to be taken in as her disciple, and, viola, here we are.” The right head says.
”Of course, it also helps that we’re good cooks. Jadrenka just ruins her food.” The left head comments.
Looking to Gurra, he suggests "If there is anyplace good for hunting, we could go out and get some fresh meat to share."
”You could go outside, “ The left head offers, ”But you know the witch tree already eats everything. You’d need to get down the cliff.”
Crude stone stairs twist through the widing passage. The temperature drops sharply and a rime of hoarfrost settles on the walls. The party sees further down the passage, a lone giant, like the ones they saw attacking the Dancing Hut.
Mr Whiskers recognizes them as frost giants. As their name says, they are immune to cold, and vulnerable to fire.
"Éber! Éber! Ape figurák, megvan a baj a folyosón!" The giant starts yelling at the top of his lungs.
Alert! Alert! Ape dudes, we got trouble in the hallway!
As Einar enjoyed the boar, he turns to Crummock and asks, "I know I feel terrible because of the poison, but could you heal where the blasted arachnid bit me?"
Looking down the steps, Seeing the Giant, Einar shrugs, "Shall we force him to climb the steps?" Drawing his bow, he fires an arrow at the frosty fellow.
Crummock grimaces, and tosses a spell at the Giant.
Einar's arrow bounces off the giant's chain shirt.
The Frost Giant shrugs off Crummock's sound burst.
”Cool!” The heads cheer in unison, then both the left hand and the right hand stretch out towards Mr Whiskers for their sake cups.
"Now this is the warm one..." Mr. Whiskers watches carefully and hands it to the one that continues to reach forward.
"...and this one is slightly chilled." he says handing it to the other hand.
---
”Most people just kill us on sight. They say we’re monsters.” The left head puts in mournfully.
”But we didn’t want to live short monstrous lives, to get hunted down by bands of peasants wielding pitch forks and torches. Or to get conscripted by some ettin gang.” The right head answers.
Mr. Whiskers nods his agreement.
Mr. Whiskers purses his lips a moment in thought. "Even with healing magic, there are some humans that are monsters -- rejecting any that are different. You will want to do research on what areas would accept someone special like you."
"Avoid Ustalov. From what I've heard, they don't trust any who look different.
You might try the elves of Kyonin...I've heard that elves can be reclusive but the shared interest in magic may be enough to overcome that.
My people have traded with the Shoanti people on the Storval Plateau. If you show a respect for nature and are willing to help others, they may accept you.
I have heard that there are some small communities of what most consider outcasts. They would likely accept you."
Nodding his head, he says "Your plan seems sound to me, but you need to know that there are some areas that will never accept you. Do not let them discourage you! Know that there are places that would welcome you and work with you."
---
Nodding, Mr. Whiskers casts says "...he is calling out an alarm. Let's see if this causes him to flee or charge us..." and then he casts scorching ray at the giant.
"Yeah, we're cooking wild boar ramen and we have some rice-wine Jadrenka brought back after her last trip in Vurnin!" The left head answers while the right hand pulls out a bottle of sake from some crates.
The left hand takes the chilled sake while the right hand takes the warmed sake. Then both heads start drinking.Then the left head speaks, "You really should try the warm sake, its good!" The right head gives the left head a dirty look. "Whatever, " and the left hand is raised in a gesture of exasperation. "There's no accounting for taste." The right head grumbles.
"Elves..I don't know, don't they kill orcs and goblins on sight? And since Ettins are associated with them, won't they kill us on sight as well?" The left head asks Mr Whiskers anxiously. "Oh yes, we're definitely NOT going to Ustalov. What other small communities might be accepting of us? We're not exactly small, and might need special accommodation. We were thinking of moving to Vurnin after graduation. If it can house Centaurs, it should be able to house us."
"Isn't nature...good for eating? There's rabbit stew, wild boar ramen, musk ox steak..." The right head starts licking her lips.
The scorching rays sear into the giant, causing it to howl with pain.
"Elves..I don't know, don't they kill orcs and goblins on sight? And since Ettins are associated with them, won't they kill us on sight as well?" The left head asks Mr Whiskers anxiously. "Oh yes, we're definitely NOT going to Ustalov. What other small communities might be accepting of us? We're not exactly small, and might need special accommodation. We were thinking of moving to Vurnin after graduation. If it can house Centaurs, it should be able to house us."
"Isn't nature...good for eating? There's rabbit stew, wild boar ramen, musk ox steak..." The right head starts licking her lips.
Mr. Whiskers shrugs and says "I must admit, I'm not sure myself. I've never been there, but I've heard elves are very interested in all things magical."
Shaking his head, he says "I mean recognizing that you must use what nature provides, don't waste things and do not kill just for sport. Do not over-hunt an area either. There are a lot of creatures that are good eating, but you need to make sure you don't eat so much so fast that they can't regrow." I am not sure how much they eat...might want to find another place they could go...
"It would be all the way out on the west coast, but there is a small town of mostly half-orcs called Averaka. Lots of people distrust half-orcs, so they established a town for themselves. See if you can find out any more about that place."
With a smile, Mr. Whiskers admits "I was going to try and go there myself, but then I got mixed up in this situation. Sometimes the road you travel isn't the one you intended to."
"Oh no. We never waste things. We skin them for furs, then we eat every single part of the animal. Organs included. We're hungry, hungry heads." The right head grins.
"Overhunting? What's that? Don't you just hunt and eat whenever you're hungry?" The left head asks Mr Whiskers. "Are we supposed to count whatever we ate and report it to someone?" The left head furrows its eyebrows. "Thats...bloody troublesome."
"Yeah Averaka sounds like an idea." The left head comments.
"I really don't understand how people can be so prejudiced. We're just a little bigger then the average human, and have two heads instead of one. Centaurs are part horse, yet no one treats THEM like horses." The right head grumbles.
"Overhunting? What's that? Don't you just hunt and eat whenever you're hungry?" The left head asks Mr Whiskers. "Are we supposed to count whatever we ate and report it to someone?" The left head furrows its eyebrows. "Thats...bloody troublesome."
Shaking his head, Mr. Whiskers corrects them "No, no reporting. They aren't like that. They would just not like it and may ask you to leave."
"Yeah Averaka sounds like an idea." The left head comments.
"I really don't understand how people can be so prejudiced. We're just a little bigger then the average human, and have two heads instead of one. Centaurs are part horse, yet no one treats THEM like horses." The right head grumbles.
"People tend to over-react and once some people get an idea in their head, it can be tough to change it." Letting some of the disgust he feels slip into his voice, Mr. Whiskers adds "One of the people we fought accused me of living in middens and stinking!"
Shaking his head sadly, he admits "Some people are just monsters!"
---
The giant retreats down the passage, pulls out a key and opens the door, while yelling, "Vagyunk támadás alatt áll! kijutni lusta louts!"
We're under attack! get out you lazy louts!
"He is calling for re-enforcements!" Mr. Whiskers says as he moves down the stairs and fires at the giant again.
The twin bolts strike the giant and he looks badly singed, but still standing
Without anything else to really contribute, Crummock delays.
'Blast he is headed the wrong direction! Seeing the giant head the completely wrong direction, "Blast!" Einar starts running toward the giant. Calling out,
Hirah follows Einar down the passage, preparing to summon extra assistance as required.
"Öld meg a patkány! Majdnem megperzselt élő daylights belőlem!"The giant yells.
Kill the rat! He nearly scorched the living daylights out of me!
Three burly, primitive-looking creature has an ape-like upper body, demonic horns, cloven hooves, and skin the color of a snow-buried corpse, suddenly materalize next to Mr Whiskers, as two more rush out into the corridor. One of them next to Mr Whiskers is larger then the rest, and is promptly squeezing in the corridor.
Both Hirah and Mr Whiskers recognize them as Andrazku demons
Crummock continues to delay.
”Blast!” Seeing the creatures teleport and attack Mister Whiskers Einar drops his bow and begins to rage. Causing his Cambion ancestry to become prominent. Drawing his glaive as he moves toward the attackers. ”Turn and face me.” Slashing at the largest of the demons.
Einar strikes the large Andrazku demon but his strike even though wounding it, does not fully penetrate.
Einar strikes the large Andrazku demon but his strike even though wounding it, does not fully penetrate.
Hirah summons a Celestial Tiger that immediately attacks the demon that Einar just hit, hoping to clear a space for Mr Whiskers.