Aukan is focused on his items to care about the women right now. Once that is done he puts the items away and goes to sit near the fire. He can't understand them and looks a bit lost for words. Hearing the pronunciation, he would do his best to repeat it correctly, "A Ra myros... A Ra myros... is that your full name or just your first? Au technically is my first as well. Language is a strange thing."
"Âye wîll șțărț dînner for uș." Andrei pulls out a large pan, and starts with some lard to ready the pan. "Blâze, cân you âșk our gueșțș îf țhey hăve ă şpecîâl dîeţ or wîll țhey be ăble țo eăț ăș we eăț?"
Thorn pops berry in his mouth and chews as he attempts to identify the items but fails.
"Looks like we have our work cut out for us." With what Aukan described, they now had a few places to investigate.
Thorn does notice that Alia isn't with the group and is slightly sad....
Thorn you see Alia start to leave you can interact with her before if you want.
The three of them look at Blaze and she translates, then they nod. Indicating they can and will eat whatever you make.
Andrei calls for some meat or bacon to cook. If he finds none, I'll fry up some rations.
With the language of the women tied to those speaking Ingan only, much as with the spider only speaking Abyssal, Lilianne will only communicate what she has to. For them, they don't seem to have any questions, so she will let them be. After all, they had just been rescued. The last thing she would want if in their place would be a slew of questions.
For right now, she focuses on helping Aukan the Goliath.
"Hmm...let me see. My eyes are sleepy, so bear with me," she will joke and then review the items.
"I have been looking at too many cracks and crevices today to tell what these two do, but this last one I'm certain is a magical grapple. When given a targetted throw, it automatically will hit on any targetted object or structure and latch on. If you throw it at creatures, you have to hit them as normal. It should be hard to remove. The command word to remove it is 'tree trunk'."
She watches as the grapple opens more.
"See?"
With that done, she will yawn and go gather a twig to loop into the wreath in the fire. Not being destroyed, she wonders at it.
"Your friend is still here, lover," she will say with a smirk to Andrei. She won't let him force her to cast it back into the flame. "It has been burning all day. I'm certain it is impervious except to an anti-curse spell."
She will pour some water on it and cool it down. Does it still look verdant and beautiful?
Sasha one of the women sees Lilianne's attempt at hooking the wreath. She grabs it from the fire and holds it out to Lilianne.
After pouring water on it the leaves are green and verdant. It slowly begins to grow berries. You can see the roots shoot into the soil.
Arndrei grimaces at the renewed wreath. "Dâmn!" And spits on the ground in disgust.
"Why tank you Lilianne!" he states.
"You're welcome. Come back to me tomorrow, I may be able to tell you more."
As the vine's roots descend toward the ground, she will hold it up higher and over the fire. Then will break them off so they aren't going anywhere.
"We don't want you spouting anything little one. Who knows what that will do yet."
Once cooled, she will take it and pluck a berry from it. Gently she will rub it on her skin for a few minutes. If there is no allergic reaction, she will break it and rub the juice on her skin. If still nothing, she will place it on the end of her tongue for a moment and then remove it. If each step was successful without any negative reaction, she'd know it was edible and not harmful. She will see if it produces food that actually sustains.
Unable to help with the investigating of magic items, she put her efforts toward starting dinner. Once that was accomplished, she turned her eye toward finding the word to release the warding on the Mephit's prison. "Thorn, may I look at the book you found?"
The three women would go sit by the fire too close for most, feet almost in the flames. They talk amongst themselves looking at each of you and talking freely. Likely pointing out things on you or about you.
With the book in hand, she settles down near the three ladies so she will be able to translate for them while she looked over it's contents.
Baahir peers over the items as well and shakes his head, "I am certainly no enchanter but I thought I had figured out the power within those items...I am sorry I wasn't of more use. Using it to deal with some goblins or those lizards you spoke of may reveal more."
With that out of the way Baahir joins the others near the fire, taking a seat near Blaze.
"This is the first time I have experienced so many people I cannot understand. The mystery of what they are saying about us is a little unnerving." he mentions as they relax.
"This is the first time I have experienced so many people I cannot understand. The mystery of what they are saying about us is a little unnerving." he mentions as they relax.
"Ţhâţ îz ă lîțțle of whăț îț îș lîke beîng on Dâ Roâd: trâvelîng țo dîştânţ locâleş, meețîng new people wîțh new perşpecţîveş. Excîţîng, îs îţ noţ?" Andrei beams as he continues to cook.
"Ţhâţ îz ă lîțțle of whăț îț îș lîke beîng on Dâ Roâd: trâvelîng țo dîştânţ locâleş, meețîng new people wîțh new perşpecţîveş. Excîţîng, îs îţ noţ?" Andrei beams as he continues to cook.
Baahir nods, "Exciting doesn't seem sufficient for everything that has happened today, heh. I...I envy such a life. You are a formidable and free spirit Andrei!", then he gets up for a moment to search up some wine or spirits for the chef and rest of the group.
Baahir nods, "Exciting doesn't seem sufficient for everything that has happened today, heh. I...I envy such a life. You are a formidable and free spirit Andrei!", then he gets up for a moment to search up some wine or spirits for the chef and rest of the group.
"Ând you âre ă cârîng pîllâr for țhoșe țo look up ţo ănd leân on. You do dă Dâwnflower proud, Bââhîr Sâber", Andrei smiled as the sarenite stood to leave.
"Thorn, may I look at the book you found?"
Without hesitation, the fat man hands the book over to Blaze. He finds a quiet place to examine the day's mysteries.
Entering into the spider room you think that the cocoons were likely webbing as nearly all of it is gone. Several shelves line the walls. Many different creatures are in specimen jars. Most of them seem to be in their infancy. You each may pick 5 different creatures. Also a very large magical manual can be found with a large lock on it. A black key. A strange golden pendant that has a picture of a lake, a tree, an island, and a star above it all.
"A Ra myros... A Ra myros... is that your full name or just your first? Au technically is my first as well. Language is a strange thing."
"Indeed it is. But in my case it's simple. I go only by my first name. My father's name I carry within."
Aukan if trying to read the Aasimar's metallic face can see that Aramyros has trouble revealing about his past.
Blaze you get the large tome from Baahir and find that the lock is still engaged.
Later you go to the pyre to set the final rites of the old bones.
The berries from the wreath have no negative effect. In actually you are not sure what the bonus or effect the berry has on you.
He nods with understanding at Aramyros' words. He would look to Blaze and ask, "Can I have the journal to peruse or if you would like to try teaching me some Ignan that would be great."
He nods with understanding at Aramyros' words. He would look to Blaze and ask, "Can I have the journal to peruse or if you would like to try teaching me some Ignan that would be great."
Blaze smiled, a somewhat lopsided expression on her burn-scarred face. "Which one? I have Henry Joneston's here. Mebbe you can help understand how make building machine work." She handed him the journal in question if that was what he had wanted.
"This one locked. Better let Lilianne look at it, mebbe she can unlock." She said and carried the book over to her and did just that.
Then she returned, "I can try to teach you, but I don't speak Taldor well. What other languages are you speaking?" She thought that between conversing with Aukan and his fiery lady-friends, she might even improve her own grasp of the language.
"That is the one, journal, that I was speaking of, did you find more?" He asks being inquisitive.
"I speak Common, Taldor, and Gol-Kaa, well. Then the basics in Dwarven and Terran. It seems I may teach you Taldor as you teach me Ignan."
The afternoon and night pass quickly for Blaze and Aukan as she teaches and Aukan learns quickly.
Inside it reads in stylish script to be a manual of understanding. There is a chapter on specimens. A chapter on automatons. A chapter on summoning. A chapter on rune crafting. The last chapter is on the history of the tower.
"For me?" she asks with a slight smile. With the vines under control and having stopped growing toward the ground, she will set the wreath on a log and will take Blaze's book. Pulling out her kit, she will attempt to undo the lock.
"Oooh, you gave me a good challenge."
Thorn having seen that Lilianne is attempting to pry open the book with her special tools tries to lend a hand as he too was interested in seeing what the book contained.
He first casts guidance on her as he sought his Fickle Patron's blessing before casting on himself to trigger her boon.
Taking your time, , an hour later you get the mechanism to unlock. Then the book is open to you to read it.
By the time Lilianne was done with her tinkering with the journal lock, Andrei served the group some bacon with fried slices of bread. It wasn't much but it was yummy, and better tasting that trail rations.
"Done...that took a while. It certainly pushed my ability..."
Lilianne will hand the book off to more favorable scholars in place of some of Andrei's food.
Baahir finds some spirits to share with the Varisian as the others begin language lessons.
"Something of fine make to pair with this delicious meal. Let it warm our bellies and our hearts for we have made allies but must put one to rest. After we eat." he says warmly with a smile that creeps a bit larger.
He was used to trail rations and jerky on missions, so his appreciation for the food was fine an obvious. He tries to watch the others so that he doesn't finish his food too fast before heading over to prepare the pyre.
Thorn is quick to take the book for his curiosity begins to eat at him.
Finding a close spot not too far off the fire, he sits and begins thumbing through the pages.
Since she is working at languages with Aukan and the ladies, she was glad for Thorn to look over the book once Lilliane had worked her magic at the lock. "Keep an eye out for warding words." She reminded as he settles down to read.
Speaking with the newcomers in Ignan, she asked about their home. "Aukan said he freed you, were you taken from somewhere? If you want to return there, Ethos may be able to offer help." She said thinking of the strange portals he could create. She suspected one would be arriving tomorrow, for their list of needed materials.
Later, she joined Baahir at the pyre, glad that Henry Joneston would have his earthly farewell and what remained of him would be consumed by the Holy Flame, as was right and good.
After giving it much thought, Lilianne considers the unique items Aukan received. Surely his weren't evil. Perhaps magical in an extreme way. Surely her wreath that Andrei discarded was beneficial. Why else make it? Perhaps it offered even more than beauty and strength of will?
When Blaze and Baahir return from the pyre, she will ask Blaze:
"Blaze...if you are done, can you make me some of that wood art you do?"
"I'm no good at languages, I only picked up some stuff on the way. And since I'm no help with magic items either, I'll go and be useful somewhere else."
Aramyros had had a quick dinner then went off to patrol the perimiter. We're still here to fend off goblins. Better make sure they aren't already onto us and sneaking around the camp, he thought.
Later, she joined Baahir at the pyre, glad that Henry Joneston would have his earthly farewell and what remained of him would be consumed by the Holy Flame, as was right and good.
Andrei attended the pyre as well. The cleric sang an old varisian song of loss and remembrance. When the pyre began to die down, Andrei threw a mug of enhanced water, sending a gout of fire into the air.
Speaking to Blaze in Ignan Sasha replies this time, "Yes, we were taken. We don't know how to get back. We owe Aukan and plan to stay near him until we can pay him back."
"Thank you for joining me." he says warmly to Andrei and Blaze.
"I did not know you personally but you have laid the groundwork for our safety here. For that we thank you and give you over to the Dawnflower's warmth as you are guided to your final rest. May your journal and our journey here bring us closer you you in time." Baahir says near the pyre as he blesses it with his own flames. He then listens to the song of the cleric, looking over at Blaze as the flames dance in front of them.
Thorn is fully engrossed in the book and doesn't join the rest at the pyre. He looks up as the sound of Andrei's song drifts into his ears and he pauses a moment, his own way of showing respect for the deceased before turning his attention to the book once more.
"Thank you for joining me." he says warmly to Andrei and Blaze.
"I did not know you personally but you have laid the groundwork for our safety here. For that we thank you and give you over to the Dawnflower's warmth as you are guided to your final rest. May your journal and our journey here bring us closer you you in time." Baahir says near the pyre as he blesses it with his own flames. He then listens to the song of the cleric, looking over at Blaze as the flames dance in front of them.
Blaze stood quietly, her head bowed in reverence as Andrei sang and Baahir spoke his holy words. Her gaze followed the sparks that rose as the dry bones burned as if she watched his spirit rising onward. "Goodbye, Henry Joneston. May the gods judge you fair." She said as farewell, her eyes returning to meet Baahir's.
Their grim business done, she walked back to the others beside the Sarenite. "It is good work we have done this day, putting the dead to rest, yes?" She asked more than stated. She could not help but wonder if she had fallen today, what fair judgement might she find in the hands of the gods. Could she do enough good to balance her own mistakes? She could not be sure, only keep trying and hope. "Mebbe tomorrow we hear from Ethos."
When Blaze and Baahir return from the pyre, she will ask Blaze:
"Blaze...if you are done, can you make me some of that wood art you do?"
She smiled in her lopsided way, the musculature too damaged to complete the expression on the burned side of her face. "You want to test it, yes? Let me see what I can do."
Later that evening, she worked like a demon on a new piece. One that did not give her pleasure to render, though she worked to ensure her detail was as true to life as possible. When she was done, she sneered at the face burned into the wood. A face more horrific to her than any she had ever laid eyes on. The face of her Nemesis.
She brought the piece to Lili, having used the wood she set aside for her earlier. "I do not know the value of such. I usually sell my work for what people agree to pay. But I will be happy to see this one destroyed. Just make sure everyone sees it first. We need to be on watch for her. Though she may hide her face." She raised an eyebrow at the half-elf. She did not really suspect that Lili might be an enemy in disguise but she was not so naive as to dismiss the idea completely, especially given how effortlessly she had altered her appearance earlier during the fight.
Lilianne of course remembered the artwork sitting there that Blaze had made, but she didn't want to assume it could be offered as a sacrifice to this item.
"Yes...," she comments to her pyrophilic friend. "I think we can put it to more use and it may be appreciative if we treat it well."
As Blaze brings it over, Lilianne will run her hands over it in appreciation.
"I've seen some beautiful art in the capital, and while those are done by masters, this definitely could hang there and fit in."
She was being nice, of course. Such artworks were probably twice as skilled, but she didn't lie when she said it could hang there. In her opinion, it is a beautiful artwork and worthy of being looked at.
"I will show it to them," she replies without hesitancy as she takes the art away to make sure that everyone studies the face of the woman. After, she will return and nod to say that the deed is done.
Andrei looks over Callie's shoulder at the burn art. "Țhâț îz nîce", the varisian smiles.
"I know you discarded this, but I'm going to try it on. I believe I understand it. Perhaps it won't harm me like it did you." she comments to Andrei regarding the wreath she has fished out of the fire.
"NO! Â curşed îţem îz â curşed îţem! Ît iz lurîng you înţo â fâlşe şenşe of ţruşţ! Do noţ puţ ţhâţ wreâţh on!" Andrei roared, tempted to swat the undamaged magical item out of the half-elf's hand.
"I understand that," she voices calmly despite his rage. She holds the work of art and her body between the wreath in her other hand so he can't get at it. "I have read its magic and it is designed to accept art in lieu of flesh. If it is not harming me, then there is no reason I cannot trust it. Just like Aukan's item, it may be designed to help those intelligent enough, or enduring enough, to use it. If it does start to harm me, just as it did to you, I will take it off and I can trust you to heal me, right?"
She cuddles up closely, still rebelling to let the wreath within his grasp. One could say she is giving him puppy-dog eyes, but in her own way. It may be strange to see such a battle-hardened warrioress be "cute" after the viciousness seen down in the lower levels, but he brings out her feminine side so easily. "Plllleeeeeeeeease?"
"Ăye wîll noţ hâve you go țhrough dă şâme excrucîâţîng pâîn âye felț. Buț îf dâ 'chîld' muşţ leârn dă prețțy fîre burnş, puț your hănd în dâ fîre!" Andrei fumed. The cleric fumbled for his healer's kit from his backpack while still maintaining a disapproving eye contact.
She will look at him for a moment in the dimming light of the evening and the burning of the fire. Inside, her identity as an lone individual is being called into question. On the other hand, she loves him. As he doesn't relent, she realizes how little it means to her comparatively.
She chucks the wreath into the fire once more. In a delicate way, she will kiss Andrei's cheek and then will head up to the tower for first watch of the evening.
As his Love and Joy gently kiss him after throwing the wreath back into the fire and walks to the tower, Andrei calls out, "Âye love you, you know."
Blaze nodded her thanks for the praise of her artistry, smiling. Then she left the two to their lover's quarrel and bid the rest of the party goodnight, making sure to include Aukan and his fiery lady friends. Her watch covered the witching hour, and it would come all too soon. She gave Baahir a last smoldering look before she ducked into the tent they now shared.
After sharing out her clothes, she was left with only a slip of an undershirt to sleep in after removing her tabard and armor. But Baahir would not know that. She pulled out the list they had worked on and added another item.
Clothes
The three women look at the picture and one of them asks in Ignan, so Blaze likely only knows what she says, "Who is this woman? Why should we be looking for her?"
The three women would turn in together as they were not asked to watch.
The next day as the group is fully awake and likely eating breakfast a portal opens up and the pseudo dragon slips through.
"Greetings all! Oh good it seems you have recovered Aukan and hopefully more allies! Ahhhh! Good good!" He states with excitement and comes over to land on Aukan's arm to look at the coins before picking them up one at a time and swallowing them each.
"Did you want me to help on watch? Anyone want me to watch with them?!" He would ask and as he ate the meal he would add, "Thank you Andrei for cooking such a meal, it is very good." He would make other small talk and then go help out with the clockwork machine. When on watch he would tinker with it. Then get some sleep, only 2 hours before back to tinkering and reading.
------
As the dragon appeared and greeted the group he would *hoot and holler!* "Welcome to you Shar! What do we have your presence to be honored with?" He then pulls out a few coins and holds out his hand with them ready to be plucked from his palm. "Some pretties for you sir. Oh yes, I have found some friends. I rescued them from a volcano... a strange and wonderful magical item took me there! Like one of Ethos' portals."