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Briar attempts to get a good snap on the wing again but finds it deceptively mobile, so she moves towards the neck to try and prevent the dragon from snapping out at Visna. Attempting to wrangle it at the horns and use her strength to pull the head in such a way that the dragon can't get a good aim at her companions.
The angry dragon ignores Sanjana's pleas. As Pen fires a disintegration beam, Sedisserax flexes a wing, creating a billowing cloud of mist around her. But thanks to the magic of her true strike, Pen's beam cuts unerringly through the cloud and strikes Sedisserax! The dragon roars in anguish as her scales and horns begin to crumble to dust, leaving her terribly wounded.
Visna snags the dragon again, her blade digging into her weakened flesh. Then Briar manages to grab a hold of the dragon's neck, the tight squeeze enough to push Sedisserax over the edge. She slumps in the gnoll's grasp and her body goes limp, falling sideways onto the large rock she is perched on!
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The dragon's billowing winds spray lake water like cold liquid spears all over the area. Several strike Pen's face, making her flinch and blink.
Then the fight is over.
Just one blink.
Briarthron has it in wrestling hug maneuvers, which Pen should find a book on so she can know the proper terms. "She wrestled a dragon." Pen says with a bit of lost wonder.
Her eyes drift to the other warrior who had charged. Two spears, not water this time, but courage and bea-- Pen blinked at the sudden thump-thump in her chest as memories of a night she wasn't sure was real edged into focus. A flush crept into her cheeks, making the wizard look anywhere else.
"Sanjana, um, can you save Sedisserax?" reality and her own ethics come back into focus. The dragon had attacked them, but they were trespassing. And the tales were filled with what 'heroes' did when they trespass on a dragon's land.
Kill and Loot.
Pen might have attacked them too, if the tales were about heroes and elven wizards.
Sanjana looks on with pride as Briar subdues the huge dragon, then shakes their head. What bitter struggle they had against those trumpet vines, and how seemingly easily they had prevailed over a dragon...
The kashrishi is snapped out of their reverie by Pen's question, and they rush to stabilize the unconscious Sedisserax.
Sanjana ensures the dragon is stable and will recover on her own, given time to rest and heal. With Sedisserax indisposed, you can enter her cave and access her hoard!
Sedisserax’s hoard contains an eclectic variety of treasures. Many belonged to the dwarves of Cloudspire, and a few have monetary value: the cracked head of a dwarven statue, a tower shield bearing rusted patches in unusual shapes, and a massive iron key. It is this key that Blegkenu is seeking.
In addition to the enormous key, the dragon’s hoard consists of a suit of +1 resilient standard-grade cloud dragonhide armor (which protects against electricity damage), a +2 striking darkwood club, a greater tanglefoot bag, a vial of oil of repulsion, a teak mask with a scroll of mask of terror scribed inside of it, a jeweled scepter worth 400 gp, a pair of gold goblets worth 375 gp each, and 312 gp, 6,802 sp, and 1,054 cp in coins.
"Thank you, Sanjana Nirman Niraimadhi" Pen tells the Kashrishi, with reverence, pressing her hands together and bowing low. Saving the dragon's life was no little thing. Saving anyone's life is no little thing.
Visna looks a little bit put out that Pen's spell had such a mighty fight-shortening effect. "The days are long betwixt worthy foes that will face me when water is nigh."
With greater effort than she had spent wrestling the dragon, Visna tamps down her disappointment.
She gives Sanjana a nod of thanks for tending to Sedisserax, then strides into the hoard.
With a great heave she sets the key to one side, but then she resumes her search, first looking for marks that would make it plain that here lay a treasure of Cloudspire.
She wrinkles her nose in distaste at the suit of armor and sets it aside, but considers the other gear more carefully, particularly considering the runes carved into the great bludgeon.
She nods, then turns to the rest. Quickly she plucks out the two goblets, then something catches her eye and she reaches wrist deep into a pile of coins before returning to her companions.
A goblet each to Briar and Sanjana, "To toast our victory." She then delicately unclasps a necklace, resplendent in gold and green, and stoops to place it around Pentella's neck. "And to our champion," she winks, "for this fight at least."
"Now, will Sedisserax soon wake?"
The treasure horde was all she expected from a dragon, From what she understood it was a compulsion of theirs. Pen had been part of many adventuring party, so she understood what came next. It made her uncomfortable, in certain situations, like this one. She never spoke up, but Pen normally was the equivalent to a mercenary, an employee. Not this time.
She opened her mouth to say something when Visna leans in with the necklace, stealing her ability to speak until she leaned back again. "It was just an application of observation coupled... well luck." she defects since being the center of attention makes her anxious.
Pen does remember her earlier thoughts.
And smiles at Visna's subterfuge, giving her courage to speak up.
"I understand part of adventuring is equipping oneself with more and more powerful items." her hand curls tighter around her magical staff "So... 'procuring' is almost a necessity. But this is Sedisserax's home, her belongings. We need the key, but taking anything else feels like theft."
"I agree. She called us thieves before we could defend ourselves from the accusation, let's not make her rash words true." Sanjana pours a swallow of water into the goblet, raises it in appreciation of their companions, drinks - then replaces the goblet on the pile.
Visna barks out a laugh. "Think you that Sedisserax the Exile paid a wage in coin to the hands that carved and smoothed this bludgeon? To the hammer who wrought these goblets from rude metal? Or for the mask that cannot rest upon her face? She is an outlaw, a bandit for all her majesty. You have spared her life, so let her keep it."
Visna shrugs, her posture casual, but her eyes intense. "You know of our need for this key, but victories are not yet sated when mere need has had its fill. Victories require celebration, else they fade into mere base survival. I do not speak of leaving her impoverished, but nor will I pretend that any who heap their stolen wealth and power in hiding have a greater right to it than those they stole it from, or those who likewise stand against such leeches and tyrants."
Visna identifies several objects that the dwarves of Cloudspire would appreciate being returned. She separates them from the rest of the hoard as you gather it up and depart.
Dusk approaches as you trek back up the mountainside to the shrine to Balumbdar, hauling the massive key with you. When you return, Blegkenu is quite pleased. While you were gone, the dwarf embellished his massive painting of Balumbdar to be juggling the same items as seen on The Juggler.
"Thank you for recovering the key. I am convinced it is the vital component for my ritual to summon the great juggler, herald of He Who is Massive. Look!" He nods to the altar, where The Juggler now sits calm and motionless. "It grew still at last. Please, take it, with my blessing. Now to prepare for the weeks-long ritual!"
You have obtained what you seek here. When you are ready, you can open a portal and return to the Harrow Court.
Once you take the time to invest the magic of The Juggler, its energy ripples through the demiplane...
Pentella finds herself starting to nod but stops herself with a deep brow furrowing.
She opens her mouth, starts, stops, then sighs, Visna does seem to want to debate the topic, even Pen can notice that. "We don't know." she says simply, finally. She tugs a stray lock of her hair behind her pointed ear, glad to have something to concentrate on other than the eyes on her. "The logically eloquent rebuttal you made is sound. IF we knew she collected by nefarious means. But we don't."
The wizard looks away, letting her brain try to explain "We can accept that what we have been provided with and observed on our own as a rational demonstration showing to a degree of certainty that statistically the likelihood that they are illicitly gained is high." she takes a breath "But only high, not irrefutable. This means the probability exists that we would be the ones gaining through nefarious means. And thus be in the wrong."
Visna grins fiercely. "Then let her so claim. There are words and oaths that must be spoken in any case."
Pen's head slowly cocks to one side. "OH. Sedisserax, you mean. You would like to question her." She nods to that. "Okay" she says with a quiet relief.
Looking over at Briar, who had moved over to the garden looking at plants, Pen's curiosity is piqued. She goes to inquire what the Gnoll is doing and gets the answer. She is 'wondering if there's a good plant in this region to wake the dragon up'.
Pen tries to help, but Briar's knowledge of plants is greater than her own. But she still tries since helping includes learning, which the wizard does enjoy.
"Well. I have never tended to a dragon, but there is a first time for everything," Sanjana smiles, dodging the debate as they move to examine the great fallen form of Sedisserax.
Some of them did want to wake the cloud dragon and speak to her, but to do so rashly invited disaster. She would be furious, no doubt, and attempt to exact revenge. Perhaps a paralyzing poison that would allow her to speak, but not move otherwise?
Sanjana recalls that dragons are immune to paralysis, but they can craft a concoction to weaken the dragon and hopefully make her more amenable to talking rather than fighting again. The kashirishi works with Briar to make the poultice and feed it to the unconscious dragon before waking her up.
Sedisserax groans and raises her head, her body still sporting numerous wounds. "I pegged you for dragonslayers, but you have spared my life. Why?" the dragon demands, eyeing you warily.
Sanjana offers a polite bow. "This misunderstanding grieves me, Sedisserax. We came seeking an item, and were willing to barter for it. We never meant you harm, and it saddens me that we had to resort to violence in defense of our lives."
The kashrishi sweeps a stubby arm back whence they came, towards the mountain shrine of Balumbdar. "Master Blegkenu told us a little of yourself. Perhaps it is not my place to say so, but I hope that the rift between yourself and the dwarves of Cloudspire can be mended. We saw among your hoard items that they would rejoice to have returned, and a sincere apology can go a long way." Sanjana pauses for a moment, watching the cloud dragon. "And surely this is not a very enjoyable life, living always in fear of slayers and thieves, all alone with no-one to talk to."
Sedisserax looks away from Sanjana. "Hmph. That is a rift that cannot be mended. I destroyed the dwarves' sacred relics. It is an unforgivable sin in their eyes. There is no way they would ever welcome me back into their citadel."
Sanjana feels that the dragon feels deep guilt and shame for her actions in Cloudspire.
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"And have you found forgiveness from those you have eaten for daring to travel too closely to this valley? Or do the lives you have stolen and destroyed not weigh upon you as greatly as your other sins against unliving objects?"
Sedisserax is silent for a moment. She snorts a cloud of cracking steam from her nostrils. ”No. I have not,” she says sulkily.
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"One thing at a time. Sedisserax, will you allow Master Blegkenu to visit you again? Perhaps he can think of a solution."
Pen stands a little back from the others, wanting the dragon to find peace so much, but being so anxious that the dragon will try and hurt those she is becoming to care about more and more and more.
So the wizard wringing her hands on her staff stays quite, fretting and prepared.
The wallflower of a wizard finally speaks up "You should try" she says in hurried sharpness, surprising herself. "Regrets you still can do something about hurt so much more than those you can't." she have plenty herself, though to counter her own words it is two half elven children that flutter across her mind at that moment.
Sedisserax turns back to regard you. "Very well. I will speak with the dwarf of unusual size," she says. "Now, go. Leave me to my thoughts."
***
After claiming The Juggler, you return to the Harrowed Court...
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Briar wasn't one to mince words with a dragon or really anyone else in the party on the matter of loot, so while the others heem-hawed about the right to take something from the vault Briar did as is Mwangi custom and took what she thought necessary for survival by stuffing away the assumed to be shed scale armor of the cloud dragon. Not like the ensemble would fit her without significant retailoring anyway.
"Everyone did well today. It was a shortlived jaunt to.. near my home, but one well had I believe. Make sure to check yourselves over thrice for Bone ticks and any leeches."
Pen's eyebrows raise slightly at the mention of ticks "I think I'll go to the baths." with a hint of alarm in her voice.
Visna tilts her head at Briar's geography, but lets it pass. Who can say where it is her heart calls home?
For ticks and leeches, she is less sanguine, giving a greater shudder for those than for Sedisserax's roar. "Gorum guard me, that is why I quest in plate."
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Briar gives a barking giggle at Visna's shudder, "The great Visna Crownbreaker, eater of dragons reduced to a shaking mess by leeches?"
She prods jokingly at the Huscarl, "Worry not, if you were to be doused with bone leeches. I can make a remedy should we catch them before they burrow deep. Then it'll only be a matter of the missing flesh to fix. Ah, but I do believe Pentella is right after a hike nothing would do us better than a good soak in the heat."
Padding alongside Pen she wonders, "We might use the communal to ensure none of us are parasite ridden, or you might check yourself in the private hollow?"
As squirmy as communal baths make the private-oriented elf, the thought of parasites are even more so. "If... you don't mind?" Pentella says with a hesitant smile.
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Briar notices Pens unsure nature and decides to give her an out or at least some reassurance. "Pen, in my culture it is normal to bathe communally. But if that is uncomfortable for you, I might take a look as the groups medical expert instead and send you on your way to be with yourself. If that is what you prefer, or I could leave you to yourself. The bone ticks were mostly a joke, they tend to dwell in the lower jungles in heavily forested areas where they can utilize the foliage to hide themselves attaching to a host. We were much to high up for any real chance to encounter any."
She moves to give the elven mage a pat on the shoulder, but if she remains unsure won't press the issue.
Pen's lips form a firm line, holding at bay her feeling of embarrassment at feeling embarrassed over a cultural difference. "No." A simple response, then a sigh of exasperation at herself "We are traveling to all corners of the world. If I can't broaden my own horizons, how can I truly expect to appreciate the wonders when I cross over actual horizons." not the most eloquent of speakers, Pen at least tries, "Thank you, Briarthorn, for your aid and your wisdom." she smiles at the pat and nods toward where ever these communal baths were.
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Briar nods, "This offer of checkup also extends to the rest of you of course. Would not do well if I only dealt with one persons possible malaise"
True to her word, Briar gives everyone a proper medical examination to assure everyone will be in top physical and mental condition for their next outing.
In the baths Briar treats the affair with respect, keeping herself covered with a drying towel up until she is actually in the bath, keeping it close by for when she goes to exit. She brings with her a small bounty of jars that are also set near the edge of the area, full of ointments, gel-like pastes, and both dried and fresh flowers harvested from her room-garden and abound. These were both cleansing and fragrant additives, unsuited to use without permission from everyone involved however.
Slinking her scarred hide low under the water she pulls at her tangled and matted hair, caked with sticks, blood, and plant fibers in an attempt to clean it all out.
Briar feels quite refreshed and heads to bed shortly after, unless anyone is up for a bit of tea before bed.
Pen's eyes watch Briar, soaking in the custom of the bath, and mimics her as best she can. The bath is amazing, she smells, oh heavens, adventuring and stinking go hand in hand. The Jars she finds amazing so "What is this one?" she asks, forgetting some of her awkwardness in the wake of information gathering.
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Briarthorn perks up at Pen's examination of the jars and she moves over to grab the one mentioned. Lifting the jar there is a scent that's a mixture of Chili peppers, mangos, and a pinch of cinnamon.
"Ah the mangga-chii this has been cultivated by my clan for years now, but it was originally wild. Toxic plants often produce many things to ward off would be predators, or to lure in the case of others their preferred prey. A close cousin to the Solana-chii plant actually, which is the deadly one that you should not touch. Long ago the ancestor plant of the Mangga-chii somehow learned that the Solana-chii used scent to protect itself from predacious fauna and began to mimic the scent produced without the deadly toxins used to kill prey insects, the two often grow near one another and unlearned botanists might think the two are actually the same plant."
She grabs several of the delicate waxy brightly colored leaves with no fear, "They instead protect themselves with a thick coat of wax unlike the sturdy leaves of the Solana-chii which opt for a sticky, glue-like substance which it uses to trap and consume insects and even unlucky birds in very large specimen. Growing a more domesticated version allows you to use it as a natural enhancer for your bath, with the added benefit of being repelling to some predators."
While Briar doesn't understand the complexity of how plants pass on genetics, she feels confident in her understanding and explanation of plants 'learning' to mimic a similar species to benefit it's own survival. She smiles as she offers the small handful over to Pen to examine, always eager to share her knowledge.
"They share the Chii in their name due to the similar spicy scent."
Sanjana happily joins the rest in the communal baths, bringing their own collection of aromatic salts and oils. A good amount of time is spent scrubbing their thick skin with a stiff brush, getting out every last grain of grime and dirt - and appealing to others for spots that are impossible to reach by oneself - then soaking in scalding hot water, and finally carefully moisturizing their entire body with no less than six different tinctures, oils and creams.
"Ahhhh, it has been a long time since I've had proper ablutions." The kashrishi proceeds to wrap themselves in a huge, fluffy towel. "Now it is the time for tea and snacks."
Once everyone has cleaned themselves to their satisfaction and indulged in the watery delights of the baths, trays of tea and food await. The teapots hold mostly calming herbal mixes with fragrant flowers and leaves, to further relax the body and mind after such arduous trials. Small bowls are filled with a mix of nuts, seeds and candied fruit, with dried rose and lavender petals sprinkled on top, while stacks of round flatbreads await next to plates piled high with spreads and dips - both savoury and sweet.
Pen nods, smiles, hums, and flexes her fingers like she wants to take notes as Briar explains. Her nervousness gone, thanks to the prospect of learning "Nature is filled with amazing possibilities. Even before magical forces are applied."
Magic shift Pen's towel into a plain frock, then she joins the others for snacks and tea, which are delightful!
Visna is late to the baths, possibly in order to let all ticks and leeches attached to her less armored companions be found and disposed of before she arrives. Visna's own ablutions are brief but vigorous, a quick scrub in the warmth of the main pool, and then a luxuriating slip into the cold plunge.
'Ahhhhh," Visna grins from ear to ear as she emerges, grabbing a second towel after the first proves insufficient. "I have too long been absent from a proper chill, but so far from the Shining and Steaming Seas that have been my home it is difficult to find."
Still beaming she samples Sanjana's tidbits with visible delight.
"This is how you know you have found the right path. Villains to vanquish, friends to enjoy, and a bounty before you. The gods do reward those that delight them."
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Briar definitely takes her time in the bath, and scrubs herself clean of any errant detritus. Using the various thick pastes to pull some of the deep dirt and oils from her mane. Then squeezing and wrapping some of the flower fronds she had shown Pen earlier into it to make herself smell nice. A nice pummice scrub on the rest of her body and then a nice long soak found her relaxed for the evening. Afterwhich she got out and double toweled herself before finding herself a simple cloth robe to wear for the night and joining the others for tea in Sanjana's room.
Delighted at the little round breads and candied fruit she sits quietly for a time happy with letting the silence of the serene situation rule her thoughts for now. "It also helps that Sanjana packs the best snacks. You can't find these sweets in my village." She offers to Visna's comment about knowing you've chosen the right path.
As Visna joins them, Pen lowers herself into the water, hiding bits and bobs, more self-conscious suddenly.
Once she is quickly wrapped in her towel and she makes that into her dress, she is more comfortable. "I-" she starts, drawing eyes then forcing herself to continue "-still argue the point that Sedisserax was a villain. At least a known villain. Not a great neighbor, yes, potentially a villain, yes, but not known to be." she nibbles on two discs of bread pressed into a dill cheese wonderment of delight. The sheer delight of the concoction is evident on her face as she chews, and nods enthusiastically to Briar's comment. "Sweets in general, or just these particular ones?" Pen didn't know much about gnolls, which was unfortunate in her mind since Briar seemed to light up a room in various ways.
Visna rumbles quietly. "I will not claim that every drop of blood that has run along the bite of my axe has been thick with evil, but never have I fallen upon innocent travelers for my own enrichment. I have raided, I have warred; I am not some mean thief." She shrugs. "But I speak not of her future, that thread must still be woven, and perhaps she will choose a brighter pattern."
Pen startled, realizing her error way too late "I... no, I mean I was not implying or maybe I was, but I wasn't meaning to." her words bungle over each other before she grabs them and forces them all back in her head. A moment pauses where her brain works on the proper words Then she turns to Visna, her bread lovely thing forgotten "I mean, I do not think you are a bad person, a mean thief as you put it, and wish to take back any implication from me on those regards. I get stuck on specifics, sometimes to me own detriment, but I do not wish for that detriment to wash over on to others." Pen pauses, reaches over to pat Visna's much larger arm "[bI am sorry[/b]"
Part of her brain, subsystem 24, is worrying massively that she read the situation correctly, that Visna was insulted, and Pen didn't just make a complete fool of her self.
The other parallel thoughts are hoping beyond hope she is wrong and she had not insulted her. Being a fool would be a small price pay to keep from hurting her, in even the tiniest ways.
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Visna gives a bemused smile. "I had not intended to entrap your thoughts and words in the eddy of my own struggles. My tale is long, though perhaps not by the measure of your people, and there are verses I sing to remember, but others I sing not to forget. To set tight-gripped scepters atremble and maws ravening or rabid to ruin by the bared bite of a Maiden's Smile is a wondrous thing, and I pray the gods continue to place such foes before me. Yet as most deaths are not undone, I must pay careful heed to the lips of those who would wish mercy where my judgment would not grant it. Let not the next champion of saga and song begin their story by casting down a Crownbreaker grown capricious and cruel."
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"Erm... sweets really. We have sweet food of course. But not really time for um candies and such." She answers somply falling quiet as Visna and Pen begin to talk, finding it enough to just enjoy their company for a bit.
Turning to Sanjana she perks up a little after a sip of tea. "Which gate do you think we should journey through next? Don't believe there are any more places I'm so intimately familiar with, but willing to be surprised."
Putting down their own teacup, Sanjana takes a moment to think. "That place in Arcadia seemed interesting, and likely this will be my only chance to reach such a distant location in my lifetime. Or, if we have had enough of wilderness, we could go to that opera house in... what did Pen say the place was?"
Pen had sighed some relief as her brain settled on not have causing harm. She thinks at least. As eloquently articulated as the warrior's speech is, sometimes Pen has trouble being completely sure of the tides of the other woman's mind.
Returning to her nibbling, she listens to her other two companions discuss the next location. "Cheliax." she answers at the prompting. "It is not a land of tolerance." memories of the brief years of habitation flashed through her eyes. "Asmodeus is their patron deity." she adds simply, to explain the most with the fewest words possible.
"It is a place with a horrible beauty, but many more horrors that do not so veil themselves. I do have friends in Egorian, and some in the hinterlands, but I have many more enemies."
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Briar taps her jowls at that. "I think if we were to go to any opera house I'd have to get fancier clothes. No doubt they'd look down on anyone in such that I wear. That Dragon scale on the other hand.." She muses openly.
"But do tell about Arcadia or Cheliax for that matter I'm not exactly familiar with either places culture."
"I am pleased that Chelish tendrils have not ensnared anything for which you care. They are an offshoot of Taldane's glory, but where decadence and rot long hollowed out the Taldan court, the thrice-damned house of Thrune has buttressed their people with infernal iron. They are cruel; they are grasping; they are stubborn. They will seek to suborn you and bind you in words and contracts until your own greed or fear has compromised you to greatly to stand firmly against them. It is a place best visited quickly, with silvered axe and steely mind. But Arcadia..."
A dreamy look comes over her face. "It is beautiful. Primal. I have only visited its shores the once, when a true friend of my heart heard a call that I... I hope to hear it one day as well."
She is silent for a moment. "But you asked of their cultures. Arcadia is tremendous. If the maps I have seen can be believed, larger than Avistan, perhaps larger than all of Garund. I have only visited one port, for now."
"Then the question is, better the danger known, or the one unknown?" muses Sanjana. "If we do visit Cheliax first, it sounds like we need to make preparations."
"I've never been to Arcadia." the elf says, hoping to avoid Cheliax and the memories it brings back just a touch longer. "It would be interesting to take divinations measurements and compare with our own."