Now that he's on the upside of Sandpoint anyway, Blue thanks the priest for his info and decides swing by the Rusty Dragon for a pint.
When he enters and finds the attention surrounding an odd charismatic creature on a stool, he pauses and casts a questioning look at his allies.
"Oh, right. I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Eloviel a traveling bard now turned adventurer, and this is one of my friends, Natalia, one of Sandpoint's local sorcerers." saya Eloviel while gesturing to the pretty lady leaning next to her.
After which she whispers to Nat with a smile "I know, right? You think they'd be willing to help us out?"
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"Hi Eloviel and Nat!"Copper waves to both pretty ladies.
Nic notices Blue's entrance, waving him over to the table. He signals for another server, allowing Blue to order if desired. The ladies have found new "entertainments", ja Blue. Nic then pauses, considering the jokes the ladies mentioned before at Blue's expense. If it is a matter, they have not called, what is the word, the dibs, so the game is open to all, neh? He smiles, hoping to put the warrior at ease.
Looking to answer Max, and elaborate for Rohan and his golden ally, I wonder where the other little drake ran off to, the wizard comments on the events to date. The festival it did not go off as it was to be intended, neh. Goblins under the orders of a local thug, a bastich by the name of Tsuto, did led the beasties to be disrupting the ceremony and to get with the sacking of the town. We and members of the guards did stop them, but with losses ja, and some minor damages, da. These dangers have been worrying on the nerves of many of the peoples here, yeh but we have stayed on to help them while the Gavver he seeks aid from Korvosa. Nic pauses to allow any others to comment, then continues This Tsuto then attacked again, at his family's glass factory, killing his father and meaning the mischief for his sister. We together rescued her and drove him out from the place. We have been the finding his lair, one that he is to be sharing with a lady demon and a vile quasit. We retreated for proper gears, and are planning to return quickly to finish them before they are to be finishing Sandpoint.
Blue listens along to Nic's recital, nodding in the right places, watching the little creature in the middle with curiosity. He admires the two newcomers' guns and a lightbulb flashes over his head.
"You two look like ya know the right end of a sword ta jab with. If you were willing to 'elp us deal with these menaces, we could cut ya in on the very good deal we got going 'ere with Sandpoint. And it would let our caster 'ere remember that 'e's not a frontliner." he adds, placing a hand on Nic's shoulder to show he's only joking.
Yes, well sometimes when the situation is to be calling for it, a well placed cudgel can make it for the difference, turning slightly red but remembering it is all in fun. Truly, if you would be the interested, we could use your aid as Blue does say. We are to be offering for you the good battle, the noble cause of Sandpoint, and a fair coin taken from the unjust and unworthy goblins of the area. Plus, swinging his arm wide by the two ladies seated with him, his gesture continuing on to take in all three of his companions, Our group can offer you much better scenery ja, more so than is to be offered sitting around the Sandpoint. That and we are to be having another companion yet to be showing, we have our own lady of Calistria to soothe your wounds, then slightly under his breath, or to give them if you are to be out of line, neh.
"Looks like we missed alot. What do you think, big guy?" Copper says turning to Rohan.
"I am weary of being out at sea. It would also feel good to make a difference for a change. You can count on us."
"You... sail?" Blue asks, his eyes wide with wonder at someone who would leave land so far behind. "Where are you from?"
"Yes, I had to take up a trade when I left Hermea."
Hermea is an isolated utopian society ruled by a gold dragon. It was founded as a social experiment to test the limits of human potential. Inhabitants are either born there or invited to move there by the government.
"Ouch. Were ya dis-invited? Whadja do?"
Nic tries to think of Hermea, he knows he's heard the name, but cannot place it. I once sailed with my master from Magnimar to Korvosa to attend a great kompanishka, there to be the choosing of a new Barosa. Baro Frallino he asked my master to travel in his stead to cast his kishta. We sailed along the coast yeh, sometimes loosing the sight of land. It was both thrilling and the terrifying to be so alone. But then, I was only a tween, still young to the world, ja.
"You'd hafta sail in the other direction to get to 'ermea and I think it's a kinda dangerous trip. Way out in the Arcadian Ocean... middle a nowhere. 'eard it's pretty, though. Is that where yure friend 'ere comes from? Is 'e related to your ruler? Um, ex-ruler... or whatever?" The last questions he aims at Rohan.
Nic then pauses, considering the jokes the ladies mentioned before at Blue's expense
"I was born there. I wasn't good enough to stay. Copper's not related to Mengkare as far as I know." You can tell by his face that the memory pains him.
"Actually, my good buddy here is related. Really really distant, but it's there." Copper grimaces for his friend and gets up on the table to pat the human on the back.
"Really? and how do you guys know Max?" Eloviel asks the summoner and his eidolon before turning to Max himself, "Are you from Hermea as well?"
"No idea. Just met him." Copper shrugs before sitting back and resuming his meal.
"What Copper means is, Max was only a member of the Orca for a few days."
"The Orca? Is that a ship or a group of something?"
"It is the ship that we serve on."
"Soooo, you two aren't an i-. Didja face any sea monsters?" Blue inquires.
Not sure what Blue was about to ask, but having an idea, Nic gives the pair a few moments to reply before turning the conversation momentarily towards their immediate goals after ordering one more round. While it will be the most helpful for our new friends to be joining us, and for this I am the grateful, I am needing to see when we are to be going back after Tsuto and his minions, da? I am having a few things I am to be trying to make, thanks to Natalia's good mother, and there is to be little time in the making them. Alchemist's fire, acid, tangleglobs, Blue's arrows, these all I can be making, maybe, but the time is not enough for all. Do we wish to strike in the morning, take the day to rest and ready, strike sooner or later yeh. If we are quick they may still be the ready, if we delay, they are to maybe bring the battle to us. Tough to be deciding, but I trust in your judgements. Tomorrow, next day, day after that? Goblins are to be losing patiences quickly, distracting easy they are, but the other creatures, maybe the not so much, neh.
"They're also prone to infighting between tribes if unattended....which i wouldn't be surprised they did during the night."
"So... now that we're on the topic of the hunt. Have you guys faced a quasit before? It goes *poof*" Eloviel gestures with two hands to emphasize, "then becomes invisible. It flies very, very silently somehow despite using its wings and keeps summoning rocks, birds, and tentacle faced zombies!"
"Nope, just a slayer of sea monsters. And they don't do things like that. They go rawr and nom nom."
Nic likes the idea of an eager assault, but the experience has warned him against rashness. I myself need at least a night to recover the mystical energies of the aethos if I am to be drawing forth fires and bolts to slay our enemies.
He further comments, hoping to test the warriors' reactions, their resolve. We have readily handled the creatures' who split their faces open to gnaw on the warrior types, ja, and we can face off the very well against flying heads that kiss on you until your ears they grow into floppy wings and your head falls off your shoulders. We slew rocky stone demons and the over-sized pigeons but it was to being the quasit demon she-witch that broke against our force and we safely retreated to Sandpoint to regroup. Are you being ready and able to face such things with us? Shall we leave on the morrow? Shall we take a day to better gather supplies? If I am to craft a few items, it will take a little the more than a few hours.
"That sounds like a lot of fun! It's been kinda boring lately." Copper grins.
"We can leave tomorrow when everyone is rested then."
Looking worried, Nic agrees with the group. Very well, I will see what I can do to create what we need to try and strike back at the quasit all the sooner rather than the later. I have most of the ingredients I am thinking to be needing. He looks to Blue, From you I will be needing I think three arrows, preferably blunt, that I can try to fashion into the tangleshots, ja.
Nic stops a passing server and whispers for a few minutes to her. Her face shows a bit of confusion, but she nods slowly, pats his arm, and goes off to the kitchen. Snatches of the conversation included good sized cloth sack, discarded, stringy, flaxen, cornsilk threads, molasses, and nut oil.
Nic sits lost in thought and flipping through a small journal, scratching and earring a few page corners while Blue fetches the arrows. The server comes back with a large tray containing a dusty flour sack, a pitcher of water, a small bowl of an oily substance, a near empty jar of syrup, and a platter piled with vegetable scraps including the shucks and skins of corn, onion roots, and strings from beans and peas.
My thanks to you dear lady, and the best of luck I am for hoping, da.
Nic excuses himself and makes his way up to his room for the evening.
Nearly an hour later, perhaps a little longer, a small clap like distant thunder is heard from the common room of the Rusty Dragon. A smell of smoke and burnt hair is smelt, perhaps with a touch of blackened popcorn.
A few minutes later Nic makes his way back down to the others, his face wiped "clean" though the perimeter and hair is still blackened and soot-dusted. He is missing his usual scarves and vest, his travelling clothes are scorched and show a few burn marks, some clear through showing reddened skin beneath. He holds three arrows fitted with tiny cloth bulbs over the end, the material caked with hardened syrup. The vial contains a thick blue liquid topped with a clear runny solution. The top is capped with a glob of wax pressed with the carving of Nic's silver ring. He smiles to the group, his white teeth giving more contrast to how red and burnt his face is from not so long ago.
Next time, I am to be thinking we take more time to make the things we need, or we spend the monies to have purchased things already made, ja. He hands the arrows over to Blue. Three of the tangleshot arrows my friend. With these we may be able to keep the quasit on the ground and too gummed up to be the casting of spells neh.
Looking to the others, Is anyone wanting to be the honored of throwing my very first vial of blastfire. I have crafted this just for the quasit, a mixture which will truly burn the hide off that demony witch.
Copper raises a claw. "Ooh, pick me! Pick me!"
"Aren't you too small to handle that Copper? I think Rohan has better hands for handling vials..."
"Judge me by my size, do you? Besides, I'm better at throwing stuff than him anyway."
"Maybe she's correct. You might hurt yourself."
Do you think, shiny drake, you can be to hurling the vial with the good force, the distance and the eye to burn the quasit? You will only get the one shot yeh, you must make for it to count. Can you fly, are you agile like the tomcat, for to tumble through the feets of bigger beasts to find yourself the mouse?
"Perhaps the drake is the best choice. Everyone else will be doing their own castings or fighting. Maybe when the time comes, he would be the one to deliver my revenge."
"Yep, yep! I got hops for days! No one can move like me." Copper says with much excitement standing on his hind legs for a moment to shadow box before sitting back down.
Seeing the little drake's excitement, Nic gets a good feeling, like the one he used to get making snapbangs and poppers for the caravan children to use to impress village kids as they traveled. For a brief flash he seems to forget his obvious discomfort, enjoying a better memory.
Very well, Seeyu, when the time comes and we are to be standing before the door to the quasit's lair, I will be to giving you the vial. You will seek out the demon and throw this dead in her eye, ja, pay her dearly for all she has done. Until then, I will be to keeping it safe for you on my bandolier, da. With that Nic tosses the vial up in the air, the heavy blue sludge nary moving with the motion. He catches it back in his palm, swaying a little at the last, the fatigue and effort of crafting and his little mishap getting the better of him. A small cough leaves a faint trace of blood on his lips. He smiles and winks at Copperscale to try and hide the momentary slip.
Well, I am to be off to bed. I must be rising the early ja, to gather my strengths and cleaning my mess before we are to be leavings. The road will get no shorter, but the night it surely does. Well dreams to you, and bright skies come the morning.
"Ok, good night Nic."
Turning back to the newly arrivals she leans back.
"So why Sandpoint to relax, recommendations, convenience?"
"Copper heard about the festival and he convinced the captain to resupply here so we could check it out since it was on the way. He was rather upset when he found out we were too late."
Blue accepts the arrows with thanks. "'ow much am I in yure debt, Nic? Your dinner's on me tomorrow... assuming yure alive ta eat it! he generously offers, unaware that Nic probably isn't paying for his room and board here at the Rusty Dragon.
Nic pauses a moment, wavering slightly, lost in thought. he leans against a nearby table. I am thinking there were being three things that contributed to my sad accident, with ruining the larger mixture. The first risking was the bag I was to be using to hold the mass. The kitchen did provide me a small flour bag to be containing my recipe. While I did attempt to un-dust it to be quite well the clean, fine dust I fear did still cover much of the fabrics. Anyone who has been to seeing a gristmill burn does know the volatile nature of the flour dust neh.
Nic holds up a second finger as he further lectures on his mistakes. He steadies himself against the back of a chair. The second mistake was in being the oil that I was to use to coat the outer bag. I had been preferring a nut or vegetable based oil, the humors work well as a sealant to the myrrh so well without the being a risk of burning. The kitchen had none for me to spare. Instead they were to be providing me a sweetened liquified bacon grease they had in aplenty. While it is so very tasty for the potatoes Ameiko's kitchen serves, it was also having a very much higher elemental risk for the fire. Animal humors are often this way. I did coat the flour bag with this rendered oil as a vapor protectant to block the free airs. This I am afraid also worked for the adhesives to be increasing the danger in the creation.
Seeing the eyes beginning to glass at his discussion of things few little care about, Nic quickly sums up the last of his errors. The last step was to be the most telling, and did lead to the small, fiery, smoky, but no less small blast which did be ruining the last of my stocks. So as I had said, with the corn silk being depleted, I was forced to resort to using something else to form the base matter. I used the green onion threads and juicy roots to form the fibrous base. I pulped the matter, but failed to fully I am thinking drain the juices well. Unlike the corn silks, the onion threads are being aqueous structures, they are of different elements and be to siphon moistures from the soils. When they were then added to my admixture, they began to be drawing the essential waters from my urea, drying up the base minerals and causing the myrrh to react against it's nature and to be a facilitation to the caustic humors of the onions. This acidic response evoked the raw heated mixture too quickly, so the oils soaking in the fabric began to be scorched and did ignite the flour, so then, as they say, it was the boom. Where I did mean to make a good mass of sticky fibers to catch the quasit, instead I was to be making a small caustic fire bomb. My lesson was learned yeh, but the science it is to be sound, ja.
As the evening winds down, rest becomes an apparent necessity. All who faced the quasit wake early in the morning, sore but rested.
Nic awakens are earlier than he'd like, taking some time to look over his spellbook, choosing and focusing the energies he feels likely to need in the coming return to Tsuto's lair. He makes a few more notes in his journal then readies his gear. He leaves his clothes, toiletries, and associated items in the room, gathering the rest in his pack and confirming his remaining reagents are still secured in his bandolier. He takes a last look around the room, gazing lastly on the scorched desk covered with his cleaned and prepped alchemical apparatuses. "How could I have been so rash?" He retrieves a spare cloak and drapes it over the desk, hiding much of the black from a cusory glance. Rethinking, he goes to the loose floorboard he discovered by the bed and removes three gold coins from the small pouch hidden there. He closes back the pouch and replaces the floorboard. Perhaps I can be to buying myself a few days grace, to have this repaired for Ameiko. He sets the three gold coins on the desk just under the cloak, out of view unless the cloak is removed.
Nic heads downstairs gingerly, careful against pulling at or bursting the blisters forming on his chest and arms after the previous nights faux pas. Seeing he is alone ready amongst his group, he leaves his gear by the door and heads over to the stables. He inquires after a stable hand, giving him a copper to make sure Sunshine gets a good run and brush down today. "Hopefully soon I will take you on a run myself."
Nic makes his way back to the Rusty Dragon and takes a seat at a table near the door. He orders himself a breakfast of fruits and leftover stew with a strong whiskey and cider chaser. Every move sore, each breath a little tender, Nic bolsters himself with the meal, awaiting his companions. Today we will be to paying back these demony witches for all what they have done to the Sandpoint, and to us.