Delroy stays crouched under his cloak, but he keeps his good eye shifting between the direction the hag wandered off and over to where Kaldwell lays on the ground.
After seeing that the hag appears to gone and that the the spellcasting well underway, he stands up and walks over to collect Yattle.
He carries him over to where Eirnar is standing and set him gently on the ground.
"Dis is knew," Kaldwell muttered as he rose. Realizing his he sounded, he reached out and touched the fangs protruding from his lower jaw. "Fangs? What?" This was just...all wrong. Everything was wrong. Everyone else was too small. The world looked bizarre. The colours of the shadows were so...alive, not the shades of gray and black but blue and violet in shades he'd never seen before.
The next thing to catch the confused man was his hands. "Dat...that is kn-new, too," he said, his smooth, green skin unmarred by scar and callous. He wondered if he or one of the others had some decent gloves that would...you know, fit. His hands seemed larger.
He patted his head, finding thick, black hair and a heavy beard. He briefly considered what colour his eyes were. He doubted they were the same now, either. Nothing else seemed to be. Nothing else was. His family was going to have a fit when he came home looking like this, how much of his life had vani-
Taking a deep breath, he considered. They'd be happy to have him back. If this body was young enough then it probably wouldn't change how much longer he had to live. Better like this than in an urn.
Taking another deep breath, Kaldwell felt the mud that was keeping things private slip. Looking down, he added, "Well, that's about the same," and burst out laughing.
"Lookin' gooood buddy!" Delroy drawls.
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Glad to have you back with us... I don't suppose those frostbitten clothes with suffice for your new body?
As far as... other conditions... consult your local Shaman should they persist more than 4 hours.
"I'll manage, I'm sure," Kaldwell chuckled as he located his trousers. "They'll fit well enough, although I might have to get a bigger belt. Dare I ask what happened once I died?" No one else seemed to have a new body.
Eirnar tells him of the pragmatic agreement,
Yeah, so.... she was capable of summoning up a frost that knocked more than just you down. Even our magma sprite's fires went cold at the same time the light in your eyes. Delroy and Lokhir were still up and could have launched a final assault, but she offered an accord and we took it. The deal was, a few of the dead's body parts, in return for what we seek.... and not killing the rest of us... Seeing as we're all alive, I think probably the most prudent choice. You even look a little stronger, and the joints probably hurt a little less.
That said, there will be a lingering weakness. We can remove about half of that, but the other half will have to wait at least a week until we attempt to remove it again. If I recall, we had some diamond dust for just such a restoration.
"So... the healing's good, but has the Hag gotten far? If she turned back into a mortal, then she's probably got some similar interests to us in leaving here."
"Restoration would be ideal, yes," Kaldwell agreed. Perhaps it would make him feel less...wrong...in his skin, although he somehow doubted it. "I admit, I feel some...trepidation in talking to someone who killed the both of us with such ease, Yattle, but that might be a point." It was extremely surreal to be talking about your own demise while you adjusted your own plundered equipment to fit your new form. For a moment he simply watched the play of muscle under his new, smooth, but quite green skin. It was utterly surreal.
”All in all, could be worse. If we attack again, I presume it will be for the worse. I see nothing to gain by fighting someone so strong again, for so little cause, and I doubt she will trust us enough to work together.”
"We need to be better prepared if we want to face her again."
"I'm still a little frosty from the last time."
Eirnar objects to the train of thought We had an accord. I’ll not fight her if thats your intention. What do we have to gain anyways?
"Nothing from fighting her," Kaldwell agreed hurriedly, "But she must know more about this world and about the way out. Talking to her, with the correct preparation, might be wise."
I can ward us all against the cold, but she will overwhelm my wards quickly. That after I restore some of your vigor. Make plain our intention and if she threatens, we back off, not advance?
"Well lets do it then." Lokhir said with some tredipation. "Lets go talk to the friendly hag..."
"It sounds like something close to a plan," Kaldwell agreed as he adjusted his armour and slipped it on. The breastplate had some give in the straps, but would need to meet a real armourer to be comfortable.
Eirnar casts restoration on Kaldwell before they head out. He also casts Heightened awareness .
The group starts off in the direction the hag had taken. In the area between the outside of the garden wall and the beginning of the Briar surrounding it can be seen fairly clear footprints in the newly wet ground. Not far from the wall, a second set of prints, seeming to belong to a horse of some kind appear from nowhere. They take a few steps in the same direction as the hag's footprints before both disappear. Veryyyy far in the distance, above the tree-line, Yattle is able to spot a speck flying away.
The group rides their phantom chariot for over three hours without sign of anything. By this point, the sun is starting to set and the group is probably only a few miles south of the Midnight Circus. Eventually though, they happen upon a strange, opaque hemisphere. Nearby is a pure black horse with a gray mane and tail. It appears almost translucent. It looks at you all warily but does nothing else.
"A spectral steed?" Kaldwell asked to confirm. He wasn't nearly as good at actively identifying spells himself, since he was more focused on the weaknesses of arcane creatures that what, exactly, the spells could do. "If it is, then I would guess she is not far." No point to dismounting before the spell ended unless you were at your destination.
He scanned for a trail leading away, as well, on the theory that it seemed likely.
Delroy helps Kaldwell look for tracks.
The only footprints not belonging to a woodland creature that Kaldwell and Delroy manage to find are more hoove prints. They seem to come out of the opaque dome and then wander a little bit about this clearing. The likely owner of the prints prances away slightly as the two half-orcs get close.
There's a pause after Yattle yells followed by a thick, cranky, slighly sleepy voice responding. "Go away! I have no more tokens for you nor any interest in getting in the way of your little 'rescue mission'. Leave me to my own devices, and I'll leave you to yours."
"We...should listen to her." Lokhir cautioned. Not that he really thought that anyone would listen to either her or him. "Or at least be ready to start running."
Understood, we’ll be on our way Eirnar shouts in hurried agreement, unwilling to press their luck.
"One moment," Kaldwell said, and called out, "Madam, we have no interest in a fight, nor hurting you. But if you wish to be rid of us the best way would be to answer our questions. Also, I feel for my death - since I did not harm you during our last encounter - would have you owing us five minutes to answer a few questions." He wasn't sure how, exactly, the fight had broken out. But hopefully being killed before landing a blow would be beneficial here.
Freezes the old man to death and he’s still got balls of solid steel...
"Ha! How stupid do you take me for?" The laugh is sharp and the voice sounds progressively more awake as it continues. "You act all high and mighty as though you inability to hurt me was out of good will and not your mere inability. It was your companion who sought to trick me into revealing myself, so that you might slay me and take what you wished by force. But I am not as easy to fool the second time around. It's a pity they weren't the one to pay my price instead. No, I owe you nothing. And if I were you, I would heed the words of your companions and be a bit more polite. After all, if I killed you once, what chance do you stand now that I am restored?"
"I say we leave the lady alone." Delroy says.
"I know she blasted you pretty good with that spell Kaldwell, but you can't really argue that it didn't turn out pretty good for you now."
"I've never seen you look better!"
"My lady, we come to you precisely because of what happened." Lokhir began. "We are prisoners here, and all too often those that we meet desire our demise. It was a mistake on our part to assume that you were like the others who have crossed our paths. What we found is that your strength at arms is equaled only by your honor. You could have slaughtered us all, and instead you kept to your word...even when we proved ourselves unworthy by our ill-thought actions. Is it so hard to believe that you are the most trustworthy being that we have met thus far? That we would risk our lives coming back to you, asking but for the boon of your time and your voice? We will leave, if that is your desire. But if you would provide to us but a few minutes, then we will leave with minds heavier with knowledge and hearts heavier with gratitude."
Well, at least one of the others seemed to want to help. Kaldwell nodded, and added, "If you owe us nothing, then put us in your debt. A favour to call in later, if you will. For five minutes of your time that seems a reasonable thing."
"Very well, what exactly is it you think you can offer me given that you intend to return home as soon as you are able no doubt? I have no intention of leaving and a debt from someone back on the Material Plane does me little good."
"What would you wish? We have what possessions we carry, of course, but most of them are likely ill-suited to your needs. Or we can do something for you in this world." Well, at least she was listening and not freezing him to death...
This is going better than I expected.. Perhaps Yattle is correct, if they are, then this is Sonorae...
Eirnar cautiously suggests Perhaps there is someone you have a legitimiate grievence against? If you do, telling us some details might help us enact such a ploy
If there is, they must surely be resistant to cold, or she'd have killed them a long time ago...
"Oh, there are several I have a grievance against, but I plan to take my revenge personally. On an even playing field, I expect they will be no match for me. But I guess if we are to discuss cost, it would be prudent to know what it is you plan to ask of me. The more you want, the more I shall want in return."
"Look, now we know who you are, and you're not trying to steal our eyes. This is a chance to reset things between us. If you really don't think that we can be of any help to you here, or back on your home plane, then maybe you don't have the imagination I would have expected of such a famed songstress.
"You have knowledge of this place, and the power to use it. Why are you acting like basic cooperation is unfamiliar?"
"I suspect because it ended poorly for her the last time she cooperated with others," Kaldwell murmured to Yattle, remind the unusual being that it was her own creations that betrayed and 'killed' her.
"We wish two things - knowledge of how to leave, and knowledge of the man brought here. We were under the impression that locating the parts these creatures took from you would allow us to escape, and if you know better - or another way - then we would barter for that information. The same is true for the man we came for."
Pausing, he added, "And one other thing - for myself, rather than the group. I liked to collect stories, information. I'd like for you tell me your story, and the story of this place and what happened here. I understand it's probably not something you wish to talk about it, though, and therefore I can only humbly request that you speak with us on it."
Kaldwell bowed in a formal fashion at the waist to accentuate his plea.
"Good to see that between the two of you, you seem to have at least enough of a brain to point out the obvious. As to what you wish, here are my prices:"
"For my knowledge of how to leave, I ask for a lock of hair from a member of your group."
"For my knowledge of the man brought here, I ask nothing for I have nothing to give."
"Finally, for my tale, the story of what happened here has only just entered its final act. Once I have moved it nearer to its completion, I will trade that story for the one of how you came to be here and your journey in my realm. Assuming you don't get killed by something before then, that is."
Yattle eyes Delroy, Lokhir, and Eirnar with a small shrug. "Well I already gave up a shadow, and Kaldwell gave up a lot more than that. Does it sound worth it?"
Lokhir paused, thinking about what the significance of the lock of hair might be.
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Delroy rubs his hand across his bald head and says: "Uhhhh .... I can think of problem with that first request."
"May I ask why you would wish a lock of hair?" Kaldwell asked politely. It was an interesting request that he suspected was 'Kill you if you betray me.' Still, it was worth considering himself.
There are a variety of uses for locks of hair ranging from mundane trinkets to ingredients in alchemical potions to foci of spells.
"May I ask why you would wish a lock of hair?" Kaldwell asked politely. It was an interesting request that he suspected was 'Kill you if you betray me.' Still, it was worth considering himself.
"Why, to spy on you and make sure you're not plotting my demise, of course. Or simply for entertainment if you're doing something interesting."
Divination spells certainly were one possibility since elements from a person often made them harder to resist.
Kaldwell shrugged. "I have no qualms with giving you a lock of my hair, then." Frankly, if she really wanted to hurt them, she could do it without that.
He looked at the others. "Any objection to trading our story for her own?"
"As long as she means the sound of it rather than the outcome, no objections."
"I'm a little short on locks of hair." Delroy says with a crooked grin.
"Do you think you could take two from my friend here?" he finishes, clapping Kaldwell on the shoulder.
"Very well, toss the lock of hair into the barrier." The former hag waits for Kaldwell to comply before what appeared to be a small, metal charm of a bird was tossed out in return. "When you are ready to leave, use that token to let me know where you are, and I shall trade my story for yours. In the meantime, in regards to how to leave this realm, somewhere wanders a castle on two legs. I once called this Striding Fortress home, though I know not where it has gotten to since those blasted Storykin decided to betray me. Inside this castle is a great library, in which lies a magical telescope. I used this to keep track of things going on in the Material Plane. This item bridges the two realms and could be used to transport yourselves back there, if you so desired. Now are we done? I wish to return to my rest. I have a big day ahead of me."
"Wonderful! As soon as we get that then we can..." Yattle's face falls. "Ugh, once we rescue Garracy then we can leave. Huh."
"Seems appropriate..." Lokhir mused ...to escape a story we must storm a castle." Then, louder he said "You have our thanks, for your assistance and patience."