Forged Anew (Inactive)

Game Master Signore di Fortuna

"I'm from Darsby, it's a town on the cliffs," Jexxa says, drinking half of the water in her glass. "Our wells dried up and, since nobody else wanted to go, I went to see what happened."

She looks to Anyka. "No one would look for me. I'm just a rat."

She shakes her head, "You are most certainly not just a rat. You were very brave to try and help your town like that. Maybe....maybe after we eat and figure out exactly where Kyoga is from...well, maybe we can help both of you. We'd really like to help you....let's just eat first and then we can go see Sir Barclay. He's pretty much in charge around here and maybe he can help us...help you. I mean...if you would like some help."

Hearing those words come out of Jexxa's mouth made her remember what it was like growing up and the names she used to get called. She hated when other people were made to feel small because of who they were. She looks at Chris and smiles a little. There was a lot more to him than he gave himself credit for as well.

Shaking the thoughts from her head she concentrates on her food and drink as she waits to see what Jexxa wanted to do.

Jexxa eats a bit of food before speaking again. "I didn't have anything better to do. My mother and father left some years ago, they were traveling merchants and only stopped in Darsby when they had me, my brother and sister. Once we were old enough, they took off again. My sister went off to Lysse to study in their schools and my brother...well, he's gone now."

"Well...you don't have to go back there if you don't want to. Is there anything that you would like to do?" She asks, trying to get an idea of how they could best help her, or if in fact she wanted any help at all.

Jexxa just shrugs before going back to her meal.

Having run out of things to ask that might be helpful, she just eats the rest of her food in silence. She really didn't know what to do for Jexxa, and Jexxa clearly wasn't interested in talking, or at least didn't know what shed wanted to do just yet. Maybe Barclay would have some better ideas. She sighs and pours herself some more ale.

After everyone is finished eating, Derika leaves a couple gold down on the table and indicates that they should get going.

Leaving Hadrinn's, she heads for Barclay's office with everyone.

After Jexxa finishes eating, she looks up at Gashka. "Just don't feel sorry for me."

She shakes her head, "I don't feel sorry for you. You can want to help someone without feeling sorry for them.

As you exit, Jexxa clears her throat. "Thanks for the meal, but I'm going to find my own way home."

She nods, "Okay, if that's really what you want to do. Just know that you are always welcome here alright?"

The ratfolk nods and heads towards the north gate.

Chris glances at the departing ratfolk, Kyoga nearly taking all of his attention. "I hope she'll be alright."

Sighing she looks over at Kyoga, "Well, are you ready to go meet Barclay? Do you want some help trying to get home?"

Going to stand next to Chris she takes his hand, "I don't know...but I hope she will be too."

"Tik tik tik, of course," Kyoga replies. "My home is right through that rubble and I'm not a skilled enough climber to get to Greycliff the old fashioned way."

"That sounds like it might be a dangerous hike. Let's go talk to Barclay and see if he has any suggestions okay?" She then starts leading them all in the direction of his office.

Chris squeezes Gashka's hand and tells her all that he and Kyoga talked about. "His hometown is built right into the cliffs to the west of here. Kyoga's a researcher and his town had been hit by some sort of epidemic. He went into the mines, hoping to either find a cause or a cure. The spiders caught him pretty quick. He had an assistant who closed off the passage to Greycliff, in case things went bad. I guess Kyoga didn't plan on surviving what happened to him."

She seems to think to herself for a moment, "There has to be a safer way to get him there."

"Doesn't seem like it," Chris says. "But we can't risk this town by getting past that collapsed part..."

He shakes his head. "Let's talk to Barclay."

She nods, "Okay, hopefully he's not too busy."

Barclay opens the door when you knock. He looks over the group. "I take it you've finished the job."

Stepping forward she nods, "Yes Sir, we did. There's just a few things we think you should know though."

Gashka then gives a full report of what they found, including the room with all the sacs, the collapsed wall, the two they saved, and how Jexxa left on her own to try and find her way back.

"We didn't really see the possibility of anything else coming through or creating problems....unless you get some more spiders burrowing through. We did need to ask you if there was anything we could do to help Kyoga get home though. He can't go the way he came since they collapsed the tunnel or whatever."

"I didn't know there was another town nearby," Barclay says. "I better send a couple paladins to keep an eye on the girl you rescued."

He walks out the door and closes it behind him. "Let's go find a couple of them, while I think on it."

"Yes Sir, I'm sorry I didn't stop her. I just...she seemed adamant about going off on her own. I really didn't know what to say, but she headed for that gate to the north." She says, following Sir Barclay.

"Sounds like there's also a bit more subterranean activity than previously expected as well." Anyka muses as they follow Barclay.

Not knowing what to say, Derika just slips her hand into Vishanti's as they follow the others.

"We've always known that there is more underground than we're aware of," Barclay says as they walk. "There are four drow cities, some dueragar and more probably. The bad thing is we don't know many specifics."

He glances at Gashka. "You can't hold someone against their will. You did nothing wrong."

Barclay stops two patrolling paladins and sends them off to find Jexxa with haste. He turns back to the group as they depart. "There's no telling what's beyond the gates these days or how far our protection extends."

Gashka looks a little worried and slightly crestfallen, "I...I know, it's just...if I knew there were dangers like that...or....or things that could hurt her....I don't know, I'll feel awful if something happens to her though."

Hearing the distress in her voice, Derika lets go of Vishanti's hand for a moment so she can walk up next to Gashka. Putting a hand gently on her shoulder she says in a comforting tone, "You did what you could, you offered her help and shed said she didn't want it. You can't help someone if they don't want to be helped. She probably just feels alone and doesn't know how to deal with it. She said no one would look for a rat, but Mr. Barclay sent those Paladins. Maybe she'll change her mind once she realizes the danger, maybe she won't...but you tried okay? Let them deal with that, and maybe we can do something to help Kyoga. The world is not yours to carry alone alright?"

Looking down at the ground she just nods.

"I'll talk to Kierk and perhaps Michael to see if we can do anything for your feathered friend," Barclay says. "I'll set him up with a room at the Common House and we can go from there. I don't think there is much else we can do for tonight."

Feeling bad about letting Jexxa wander off on her own without knowing what dangers there might be outside of this town she just looks up at the Paladain, "Yes Sir."

Chris puts a hand on Gashka's shoulder. "It'll be alright. Either she'll make it home or the paladins will find her."

She leans into the contact, "Okay."

She nods, "Chris is right, so let's just concentrate on the things we can deal with."

"We help the ones that want it....all anyone can ask." Anyka adds, taking a moment to reflect on the irony of her words.

"If you'll come with me, Kyoga, was it? I'll get you set up for the night and see about getting you home in the morning," Barclay says, walking over to the tengu. He then nods at the group. "Have a good night."

"Let's head back home," Chris says. "That is, your home. I'll see about getting moved out tomorrow."

Looking at her sister for a moment she nods, "You have a good night as well Sir Barclay." Looking over at Kyoga she says, "You have a good night too, and I'm sure everything will work out."

Looking at Chris and Gashka she nods, "Well, at least you'll be able to sleep in a bed and not on a couch right?"

Gashka takes his hand, "Okay, I'm tired anyways."

Chris looks at Gashka and smiles. "Yeah, a bed might be nice."

He turns a little red. "I didn't mean...I'm not trying to say...uh...let's go."

Giving him a little reassuring smile she says, "It's okay, I know what you mean."

Chris lets out a sigh of relief.

Unable to hide the smirk she says, "We should at least have a date first."

Chris nearly chokes. "Yes...yes, that should happen first."

"I just....I'm just tired right now though and still a tiny bit sore in spots." She walks a little closer to Chris as she holds his hand.

Derika is so shocked that she almost forgets to close her mouth.

"I do have some medicated balm that will help with soreness," Chris says. "Maybe you can have Anyka rub some on you."

Gashka nods before yawning, "Yeah...that sounds like it might help. Then maybe I can sleep."

Anyka makes no effort to hide her smirk. She considers suggesting Chris do the "rubbing" but decides to spare her sister another round of blushing...for now.