Alden takes Garnet into his hand and raises the gemstone up to eye level.
"Alright, then, Garnet. Let us meditate on what to do next." Alden settles himself on the ground, and focuses on the stone, letting his mind roam into an imaginary landscape of this shard, and multitudes of others, floating about in a void.
"How do I do this, then?"
"Wait a bit! Why do we need to rush this? Maybe we should get back to town, get a good night of sleep in our beds and a good breakfast? And somebody can check out this dagger? I'm sure someone else can use it better than me."
"It can't hurt to find out how to connect our shard to another now. It doesn't mean we need to do it immediately. If you prefer to go back to town and rest before we complete the connection, I will not object," Alden replies.
Jaxom shrugs at Alden's words. "It's magic. And none of us are accomplished wizards. It sounds like powerful magic. My concern is not knowing, and not knowing whether you can stop once you start. I'd be just as concerned if we were in the middle of town. Is this connection going to crush the area around you when you do it? Will you survive the attempt? I'm sure I could come up with many more questions but I think I should stop now."
He shrugs again and walks away. "It's magic. Magic broke the world."
Garnet glows faintly in Alden's hands. "Once the process starts it cannot be interrupted." the gem explains, "I want the shards joined as soon as possible, but you might want to choose an ideal time and place to do it."
There is a pause before continuing. "I would have preferred if someone less annoying asked, but I will answer anyway." Garnet elaborates, "No, joining the shards won't crush anything. At least not directly. I can't help it if a tree falls in one shard and lands onto the other one. Yes, Alden will be perfectly safe doing this. Not like I could hurt a fly..."
"Jaxom's point is well-made," Alden replies. "We should, at the very least, return to town and let everyone know that we are still alive and that the goblin threat is ended. Once we have rested and recovered from our injuries, we can join to the nearest shard. I think we should be able to do all that in about two, perhaps three days, at most. That's not too long, is it?"
"Oh. Yes," Rabbit says, sheepishly, flushing a little. Here he had just been talking about book learning and yet hadn't thought to even ask...
His mind's not at his best, he thinks. The memory of shooting the last goblin is still red and fresh.
"That sounds smart," he agrees with the men, bobbing his head. "And tell them what might be about to happen, um, next, if everything works. Thank you for the healing, Mr. Cooperson, I forgot to say. It's been... been.... hectic."
With a swallow, Rabbit bends down to let Mr. Whisper roam freely for a bit.... it's supposedly safe. Now.
There's much to do. It all seems very tiring for a moment. And he thinks of the old goblin woman, out in the swamp, truly now the last of her kind here...
Maybe they'll be able to talk to people in the next shard, he hopes. Not have to kill them.
The rabbit hops around unmolested. There is a variety of soft green plant life about the stream, with roots in the soft soil and moss easily disturbed. A nice place to frolic and graze outside the clutter of goblin trash and gore of bodies.
It is late in the evening when the party returns. The long rest needed for those wounded to recover leading to them returning to the inn in darkness. A light sits in the window of the inn as they approach, and when the group enters they find Milana and Tel Beys sitting together at the main table. Both appeared to be drinking lightly, with Tel looking tired and leaning on her spear. As they spot the group, mostly whole Milana smiles and steps forward to welcome them back each in turn.
"Thank heaven you're all safe." she breathed, "Fogril is resting upstairs. He'll have some scarring, but should be fine in the morning. How... how did it go?" She seemed to have some trepidation to the news to come, but Tel Beys looked over the group eager for their news.
"The goblins were no problem!" Kras'tak boasts, "I took down several without a scratch. Now this shard is ours!"
"Shard?" Tel asks, "What is the little dragon talking about?"
"The shard she is referring to is our little part of the world: the village, the surrounding farms, and the swampland beyond," Alden replies. "It seems the goblins were in possession of knowledge of how to merge our shard of Golarion with the others floating around out there. Unfortunately, one of the requirements of merging our shard with another was conquest, which is why the goblins sought our destruction. Fortunately for us, we defeated them, and claimed the shard. We now possess the power to merge this shard with another, and begin the process of mending our shattered world."
He places Garnet on the table.
Jaxom sits loudly on one of the chairs. "It was a problem. The shard can only be used by the dominant force in the land. The goblins had it and couldn't accept that they could have joined us peacefully and used it. The previous battle years ago, and now this. All a waste. And they're all dead because they wouldn't even try. And they almost won. 'Course they were almost all wiped out and they still would've had to return here. You would have finished off that last one but then we'd have all been dead."
"If it weren't the only way to possibly get some of our world back I'd say to bury it or try and destroy it. It is magical and mimics life. It's dangerous, controlling and working toward death and destruction. Who knows? It might be the petrified heart of the mage that shattered the world!"
"But I agree that we need to try to use it, and not be used by it. But first we need rest, to recover the physical damage, and maybe to recover the mental as well."
"Um....." Rabbit shifts uncomfortably at Jaxom's words, his eyes flicking to Garnet. "Uh, we aren't all sure that the gem is, um, as bad as Mr. Jaxom says..."
He twists his hands a little, extra-anxious at having 'backtalked' to someone else in however mild a fashion-- anxious for other reasons as well. The halfling opens his mouth several times and shuts it again, before on the fourth try he gets out:
"I... I know that most people probably miss the rest of-- well, the rest of the world. For me.... it's nice here, like this. Other than the goblins, there weren't really any threats here. And now maybe it's totally safe. But..."
He swallows, with a little shrug. "But there's not enough people here to keep things going forever. In a generation everyone would be dead. I guess-- I guess we have to... try. If we don't, who's to say some other shard won't come for us-- some shard full of monsters, who don't even want to try to talk to us at all, just eat us all?
"Mr. Jaxom is right though we could use a little rest first."
-----
Over the next few days Rabbit takes stock of all his belongings. He doesn't have that much more than when he first arrived in the village, and none of it is necessarily valuable-- a small collection of pressed flowers, little twined bracelets of sheep and goat wool interspersed with feathers found in the woods and shiny little stones, a pot that the original owner hadn't wanted anymore, a chipped cup...
But they're his. He packs up the small, easy-to-carry things as best he can. More travel is not appealing to him-- he'd thought this village was going to be home for the rest of his life, and that had been fine with him.
But nothing good lasts forever, he supposes. And maybe if they do what they need to do and do it quickly he can come back here and resume tending to the goats and the chickens and the rest of the animals...
He spends more time checking on all those animals than he does 'packing,' all things told. Making sure that the village's remaining livestock has its fur curried, feathers groomed, hooves and feet checked for any sores or mites, so forth and so forth...
Hopefully, he thinks, they won't be gone that many days.
Rabbit takes his lead from Jaxom and Alden as to when they are ready to attempt travel.
"We should take a day to rest and gather gear for traveling," Alden says. "We can't assume that when we cross into the next shard, that there will be a town or village nearby. We may be on the road or in the wilderness for some time." He pauses a moment, takes a slow breath, then continues. "Another thing that cannot be assumed: are we call continuing on this quest? This group originally formed to deal with the goblins, and their threat is no more. Signing on to that cause does not obligate anyone to this new endeavor. Speaking for myself, I must go on. If I am to live a life worthy of the Stagfather, I must find a suitable wife and start a family. I may not find my bride until Golarion is once again whole, or I may forfeit my life in the attempt. Nevertheless, I know what I have been called to do."
Kras'tak and Siegfried looked to Alden as he spoke. The kobold's apprehension plain as day with the way her tail squished about in agitation. "Whatever danger shows up, Kras'tak will remain as the inn's protector!" she proudly declares, "You won't see her running off again." Despite her essentially deciding she was done adventuring the tiny scaled individual seemed rather puffed up and proud. Milana chuckled at the thought and cupped the little one's muzzle in either hand. Receiving a surprised coo and the sound of a crunching egg a moment later.
I don't think you'll need to fix the entire world to find a proper bride Alden." Tel told him with a wry laugh, "Just go play hero to another shard or two and I'm sure some doe eyed lass will be hanging off your arm." Siegfried nodded along to this with a brief smile, but the dwarf had been in quiet contemplation for a while now. Finally, he sat up and squared his shoulders. "I think I'll be sticking to the smithy." he reasoned, "I almost had my kin die in the attack, and I'm not thinking to go charging off again if he's going to end up charred on both ends."
Garnet was slow to speak, seeming apprehensive for some reason. "Hello mistress." she began cautiously to Milana, "This is a nice inn you keep. I apologize for all the trouble this has caused you..." The gem's light was much paler in intensity now, lacking the same energy it had displayed before. The somewhat melodic and young voice lacking it's earlier confidence. It didn't even make an attempt to argue with Jaxom. For her part, Milana did not seem to hold any animus toward the intelligent object.
So in the course of an evening's talk and relaxation it was made clear that two of the group did not intend to continue adventuring. (We will see about Sieg's player in time.) The evening and the next few days go by without incident. The party is able to do an inventory of their belongings, and beyond that they had a few extra provisions tucked into their packs from the remaining villagers:
Tel Beys and Fogril secured them rope and climbing pitons.
Milana cut a cheese wheel into wedges and placed each in waxed paper for them with crackers.
The Tooms family gave them a satchel of dried, salted pumpkin seeds as well as some dried fruit rations for each. Rabbit and Alden were also each given a small hand knit doll in their likeness from a shy Alberta.
(Mechanically, everyone was given 3 days worth of rations, two 50' lengths of hemp rope, two dozen pitons, and a pair of small dolls.)
Over the few days there were no attacks or sight of anymore goblins. The party seemingly putting an end to them for good, or at least if any remained they didn't dare come out of hiding.
Fogril was healed fully in the first day, and he returned to the smithy. One side of his face was indeed scarred from the burning he had received, and the burns ran down his neck to his collar as well. He didn't seem upset about it though, outside the damage it did to his beard. Tels even poked him about it over drinks at lunch. He briefly argued with Siegfried after feeling the latter was hovering about him in the smithy, but in truth everyone was mindful to give him space.
Milana spent a lot of time talking to Garnet when able. Seeming to enjoy herself. The initially reserved gem seemed to warm to her presence as well. Until the party seemed ready to assemble and continue with merging the worlds.
"Mister Jaxom..." Garnet began timidly, "I don't expect you to like me, but for my part... I wanted to say I'm sorry for how things went between us. I hope that when the shards merge..." It was unsure what the gem meant to say next as it quieted. "Never mind, I hope everything goes well for you." she finished, "For all of you! I would like it if the next merging could be peaceful." Something was clearly making the gem hesitant.
"Anyway!" she began anew with her regular determination, "That's enough of that! You're going to merge shards now correct? Let's get it done then!"
"Thank you, all of you," Alden says, offering a smile and nod of thanks for the supplies. He kneels and accepts the doll from Alberta. "Thank you, Young Miss. I will keep this close."
He tucks the doll into one of the pockets of the bandolier across his chest.
He raises the stone to eye level and says, "Okay, Garnet. I think we're ready. What do we need to do to join with the nearest Shard?"
Having a day to 'relax' Jaxom spends most of it at the forge working on the hand wraps he plans to use for battle. He takes wire as perfectly pulled and worked to wind on the wraps, hoping to make his attack skill better with his fists.
Failing at his work he joins the others for breakfast. The discussion turns to the shard. At one point the thing even addresses him. He considers replying, telling the thing that it shouldn't incite combat unless it wants to be hated.... But decides against the biting words. He gathers the resources for whatever travels are ahead.
Rabbit checks his few belongings, secured to his person as best he can. The most important one is the white rabbit currently seated in his lap, one of his hands firmly on the back of his leporine companion. (Mr. Whisper is less than pleased.)
"Yes, um, I think we're ready," he echoes Alden softly. "Uhmm. Ready as we'll ever be, anyway."
Garnet maintains a steady, even glow as Alden takes her in his hands. "You just need to focus on me..." she begins as the gem lifts from his hands. The asymmetrical facets slowly turn and begin to glow brighter. A crimson light fills the common room of the inn, shadowed lines in the glow where each rough cut of the garnet obscured it's light.
One shadow though, remains stationary. The silhouette of a young girl in a dress and smock. Turning to regard Alden as her shoulder length hair shifts. Alden can hear Garnet speak into his mind again. As if it were just the two of them. "Good. Now close your eyes." she instructs him.
As he does so, he sees an unnatural darkness. He could see glimpse of movement in the black, and recognized it for the roiling smoke that served as the edge of their current shard. Then, the tiniest glimmer of light came into view. A pure white speck like a star in the sky.
That single little star before him sheds five other points of light, and the six spread into a hexagon pattern before him. "Six other shards you can choose between." Ruby speaks with a soft, content tone, "I will show you what I can, and then you must push closer to see more." Alden's vision flashes white, before he is shown a vista from on high of each of these shards.
First, he sees a thick forest before him. The entire expanse of the shard in question being a thick canopy of trees. A pair of hawks circle overhead, and he can briefly spot a few breaks in the canopy where several small glens stand out. One of them is larger than the others, with the moss covered stump of a massive tree.
Second, is a series of softly rolling hills dominated by one large central hill. Jutting from it are many granite rocks, and atop it is a broken ruin of a small keep. It is mostly fallen walls, but enough of the structure remains to be noticed from above.
Third, is walls of stone. Alden thinks he is underground and wonders what the point of such a space might be, but then the stone transitions to carved stone and an open expanse of darkness. He can only see a dim flicker of light in the distance. Casting shadows that show the outline of a few massive carved statues.
Fourth, he spots a landscape divided in two between rolling plain and overgrown wood. A group of animal darts about on the plains in irregular movement. It it almost static, sometimes the forms vanishing and other times seeming to appear from nothing.
Fifth, he is again in the darkness of the underground. There is no distant light. As his vision adjusts though he spots several faint glows. Not enough to illuminate much other than what they directly contact, but it is enough for him to see splotches of color in the distance. Gold. Silver. Platinum.
Finally, he notices a plain with a dirt road running across it. Toward the center is a large cottage with a smaller building next to it. There is a small field behind it, as well as a series of trees and planters littering the landscape around it.
"Lots of choices," Alden mutters. "I think that we should select a shard that would provide the most immediate benefit to our community with the least amount of risk. The fourth and sixth shards seem to the most likely ones to provide food, water, wood and other necessities. Can I look more closely at those two?"
"Don't ask me silly." Garnet says with a laugh, "Look closer."
As Alden focuses he is drawn in closer to the plains of the fourth shard. Swooping down lower over the moving forms below.
As he does he notices that this cluster of animals is a pack of large dogs. They have slightly pointed ears, and dart about with an obvious intelligence. Seeming more a community of thinking members than simply beasts.
He notices roughly seven adults, with one significantly larger pair among those. There is also a trio of pups darting about at play, loosely watched by a single adult. Alden watches as two of them square up in mock battle. One lowers on it's front paws, hindquarters up to leap at it's sibling. Only to disappear as it's tawny coat shimmers with a blue hued light. As if it were jumping into the glow. In the same instant it reappears in the same manner behind it's target, catching the other puppy briefly by surprise. Not entirely though, as it spins about to intercept the tackle and instead toss the pouncing puppy to the grass below.
The dogs occasionally pause to glance toward the woods, but he in unable to gleam the reason why by studying their behavior before he blinks and is no longer viewing the shard.
Turning his attention to the final shard Alden comes in toward the cottage and finds himself in awe. The structure is pristine, and everything about it is tidy and manicured. The small trees and planters are well trimmed and looked after. There is an amazing diversity of exotic flowers and medicinal plants. The field behind the structure is well tended as well, with a variety of vegetables. Everything from squash and beans to tomatoes and even grapes.
As he turns his attention toward the smaller building he notices it is actually a shop, with a wide open window running along the front. Curious to see so removed from any other civilization. A wooden placard hangs near the door. Eloquent scrawled script in bronze that read "Norian's Clothier". He could see a man working inside, bent over a large island and unrolling a thick spool of cloth.
The man seemed to be in a delighted mood. Handling the cloth slowly, delicately, and with the great care of a craftsman.
"Does anyone know of a breed of wild dog or wolf that appears to have the ability to disappear and reappear over short distances?" Alden asks the group. "The shard of woods and plains has a pack of them. Are they friendly beasts?"
"The other shard looks like a true bounty," he continues. "There is a cottage, with a well-tended garden of vegetables and herbs. Assuming the resident of the cottage is not some powerful, malevolent witch, joining shards might provide essentials for our community, and a partner with which to trade."
As Alden speaks he is met with silence, briefly wondering in the dark if anyone could hear him.
"I've never heard of such animals." Milana admits. Alden doesn't make out her words though. Hearing very distant and faint speech instead.
"Teleporting dogs? That could be dangerous!"
"A cottage, with a well-tended vegetable garden? That sounds similar to us. And there might be another smart rock there that they haven't found."
"I'm inclined to join our shard with the one containing the cottage, but I want to make sure all options are considered, as this is a grave matter. Let me tell you about the other shards I can see, in case one of you wishes to consider another choice."
Alden proceeds to describe the other shards to the best of his ability, assuming the others can hear is words clearly, since his first question was answered.
Alden can be heard clear as day by those assembled around him, but he himself only hears distant words when they reply. The sound broken up into incoherent warbling. As if the speaker was far away, or in a Charlie Brown special.
Rabbit listens, his small hands busy petting Mr. Whisper, more for the halfling's comfort than the animal's.
"A cottage? With herbs? That sounds so nice! Can we do that one?"
"I'm... afraid I haven't heard of dogs that can do that. That sounds very strange. As for the others, going underground sounds... dangerous."
He sighs. He supposes they're all dangerous. This is high magic and going to strange places and it's silly to think it will just be a nice time talking with someone who has a nice cottage, but.... one can hope.
"I still say cottage, um, I know I'm not really the one who picks. But-- maybe we can um-- get supplies. Food is good. Food is always good." Does that sound suitably 'strategic' for a reason? He hopes so.
Jaxom listens to all of the descriptions. There wasn't really a great deal of detail on any of the places. Pieces? Shards? What is the right word? "Rabbit? I think we discuss and all pick. If we each pick a different one we can discuss it and try to narrow down the options to get one that we all like. You're right. Food is good. We need food to survive. Right now we have enough. No great surplus, but enough. A little more variety would be nice though!"
"Two of the spots seem to be underground? Most of us cannot see in the dark and would need torches or something to light the area. That light would draw any sort of creature that might be living there. I definitely say no to them. The forest sounds interesting to me, but there was so little detail. There are all sorts of dangerous animals could be living there. I think I've heard of some kinds of dragons that live in forests. Also, you couldn't see what the land was like. For all we'd know it could be a swamp under the canopy of the trees."
"So that leaves the rolling hills with a ruined keep, the plains with the teleporting dogs, and the place that looks similar to our home except just a cottage and smaller building. Could be some more farmland and common folk that you didn't see. The ruined keep doesn't indicate people or useful resources. And there could be more dangers hidden...."
"I doubt that there's much difference in any of them. There's likely resources that we could use and dangers that we'll have to face in each. I think we should stick to what looks more like where we are for now. There may be a way to join other pieces later and we can pick other options then, and we'll have to pick and choose again. For now let's try the cottage."
Unable to make out a clear response from the others, Alden decides to take a leap of faith. "Okay Garnet, let's connect our shard to the cottage shard."
After Alden makes his decision blackness takes over his vision. As he blinks, he finds himself looking across the common room of the inn once more. The sound and conversation meeting his ears again.
The heavy glow coming from Garnet briefly flickers, and the silhouette of the young girl on the wall looks around briefly in distress. "What? I did everything I was suppos- wait! Please don't!" she cries out in all of your minds. The image of the girl hunches down, cradling the back of her head. "Please! I'm sorry! Agh..." she cries.
The intensity of the light coming from the gem increases. The garnet being hard to look at. The shadows cast by it's facets started to burn away, and so did the image of the cowering child. "Mama!" she desperately cried, "Mama! Mama! Help me!" The image of the girl slowly burning away in the intensity of the light as well. The gem became a small sun inside the inn, before abruptly flying out the door.
Those who would follow to track it would see it shoot off in the direction of the Toom's farm. Gaining altitude until it slammed into the shadowy wall of the shard. The gem's light pierced the wall of smoky dark, and the displaced substance swelled and gathered in the spot it had been displaced.
There was another light as well now. A radiant green glow that met and blending with the light from the garnet. Both flared briefly before the red light abruptly scattered. Seemingly broken apart. The wall of smoke then collapsed, the smoke dispersing to reveal a new horizon. Plains, just as Alden had witnessed before.
Looking down at the small dirt road that ran between the inn and smithy the group would see it briefly blur. It's shape becoming distorted as it widened slightly. Coming back into view a moment later, it seemed slightly different. Less entrenched from travel than before. More whole. There was a brief emerald flash then, taking in the entire sky like a bolt of lightning clashing. The green light streaked off toward the edge of the forest near the Toom's farm. Crashing into the ground there.
Alden takes a moment to reorient himself to his surroundings. "Did it work? Is our little part of the world once again connected to another?" he asks.
Dour as usual Jaxom watched the horizon. Hearing Alden's question he shrugs, "Don't know. The horizon has changed so maybe. Less damage than the sundering.... but plenty of flashy things."
"Finish up eating and packing. I think we should explore the new area after we check on Toom's farm. The changes were in that direction. And we probably should keep a watch for a new rock. Talking rock. There was a lot of green light so it might be a green rock?"
"Is that what is happening, Garnet?" Alden asks the stone. "We will find another of your kind somewhere near where the green lighting has struck?"
As he waits for an answer, Alden begins gathering up his gear, making sure his pack is settled and his weapons are in easy reach.
After spending three years picking the pockets of his two friends, building sod forts, and generally exploring their little piece of world, Kevan is ecstatic to see something happen. Particularly when the horizon shifts (something that has not happened before) and then the bright flash of green light. He rushes into the shop, "Norian, did you see that?" the excited halfling asks. "I bet its some great wizard come to ask for my assistance." Then he changes subjects, "Where's Bart? In the garden?"
"It seems that Garnet cannot hear me from this distance, and we have no telepathic connection. I guess we need to get moving in that direction."
Rabbit clutches Mr. Whisper tightly to his chest (earning some irritated kicking from the rabbit's strong hind legs) as the fireworks start, so to speak. The image of the little girl makes him wince, the fear and helplessness in her voice...
When things stabilize, he lets out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.
"That.... that was scary. Who was that girl? Poor thing..."
He nods at the suggestion to investigate in the direction the light went. It seems like the obvious thing to try, and he feels very out of his depth. Mistress Morus's books had never included anything about, well, this.
The new addition does at least seem like it's from their own plane, he supposes. Just based on appearances, which is circumstantial, but...
His brain starts wandering down questions of how WOULD one tell if a bit of, say, the Abyss, got joined to their world...
Rabbit's "packing" is simple enough. His most important possession is Mr. Whisper, and the rabbit is secured in the little traveling pouch, so he figures he's as ready as he'll ever be.
He falls in behind Alden and Jaxom when they start towards the Tooms', pausing only to give a hopeful wave to Kras'tak back behind them.
Once they get to the Toom's farm they stop to be sure everyone is well and no new dangers have presented themselves. ??
Once they are sure the group continues along. The new land was open rolling hills? Shouldn't have any hidden goblin village then!
As the group gathers together and head out to the Toom's farm it becomes apparent the horizon has expanded. Smooth plain hills lay past the normal end point of the shard. Wildflowers and tall wild grass grow abundant in the lower sections, while the rises remain mostly covered in greener grass and moss. The cottage Alden saw can be spotted in the distance, maybe a mile away.
As they approach they find a similar situation to before with the goblins. Martin approached the group, armed as before, with his son at his side. His wife and daughter remained at the house looking through the window. "What in the hells was that?" he asked, "There was some commotion in the sky, and we saw a light go streaking down over there by the wood." He points in the direction the shard had seemed to fall. Following his finger, the party can see a very faint wisp of smoke rising in the distance. It would seem if there was a new gem it wasn't very far away.
"It's the biggest thing that's happened in the last three years and you're not interested? Anyway, I'll go find Bart. I gotta pack to and go see where this thing came down at. It was like a falling star or something." Kevan says before rushing out the back door to find Bart and get another interested party to go in search of the unknown.
Jaxom stares at the new horizon and the details in it. Rolling hills with wild flowers and tall grass wasn't very useful. The cottage looked properly tended so somebody likely lived there. Hopefully they were friendly and possibly helpful.
The smoke in the distance did raise a concern though. They'd need to get closer to figure out what that was. Had the gem flown to another enemy to cause trouble, again!?!
"That was a magic gem that opened up the magical border, attaching some new land. Doesn't look like anyone has considered plowing and planting there yet." He turns to the group, "There may be someone in the cottage, but be ready in case they aren't friendly."
Alden nods in acknowledgment. ”It is as I saw it while employing Garnet’s power. We should announce ourselves, and hopefully have a friendly conversation with the residents.”
** spoiler omitted **
Straightening up from working in the garden Eochaidh tells Kevan, "If you'd bother to help in the garden like you promised you would, you'd know where Bart and I were, growing the food you love to eat. Yes I saw and heard it too and no, I don't know what it is. Yes yes we'll go investigate it right away."
Although acting perturbed the halfling's incessant optimism and energy are infectious, leading Eochaidh to smile - just a bit though.
Alden moves towards the cottage, weapons sheathed, but his hand resting on the pommel of his sword.
he calls out in a loud, but friendly tone.
"I'll have you know I picked a slug off the lettuce this morning. Then I had to go dispose of it. Anyway, as you saw, big light show and if you look out at the horizon, it has changed. I don't know if we should walk to where the horizon changed or go find that green light first. You have a preference? What about you Bart?"
"Well, if you picked the off slugs from the lettuce, where did you dispose of it, or them? There's little enough protein in this shard. Even if it has to be dried and shredded to be 'palatable'...." He lets the words stand without any embellishment, glancing off toward the new horizon.
"Seems we won't have to scout the new area. Knock at the door and see if Norian wants to greet... some possible new customers."
** spoiler omitted **
"Come Kevan let's see what Norian wants to do."
"I thought you were going to go investigate?" Norian asked Kevan, "Don't tell me you found trouble already?" Before this conversation can get much further they all hear someone else calling out from the cottage. A man's voice they had never heard before.
"Hello? Is anyone home?"
It is interesting, to be walking along the dirt road from what was one shard, now joined to the dirt road from another. As if there was some intelligence behind how the two shards had come together. Plain to level farmland and road to road. They had to travel a bit further to reach the cottage than the site of the shard's crash, but it was an uneventful journey none the less. As Alden knocks on the door to the cottage and calls out there is no immediate answer.
Jaxom looks over the well tended garden. It certainly didn't look large enough to provide food for more than a couple of people. "At least there's plenty of usable farmland. Martin can plow some more so we'll have an abundance for once. He'll need help, but a bit of hard work never hurt anyone."
Seeing no response from the cottage Jaxom turns toward where the gem had flown. "Maybe they're not wanting to open the door to so many folk so close? It's been a couple years since the sundering and they might be shy. Let's go and try to find the rock before it can cause trouble. Whoever is inside can join us if and when they might want to." Unless there is a response he starts walking toward where the gem had landed.
”You’re right, no point in standing around at the door. We should see if we can find where Garnet landed.” Alden moves to follow Jaxom.
Rabbit hesitates at the non-existent boundary line between old shard and new shard. He pauses, crouching to see if there's any change in the road, and while the two bigfolk keep strolling forward, he mutters the quick dweomer to check for magic. He wants to know how it all.... works.
He also doesn't want to be left behind, however. The two men have gotten no more than a dozen or so steps beyond him when he scrambles back up and jogs after them. This place LOOKS nice. It LOOKS safe. So had Passbog, when he'd first arrived.
After Alden's first knock produces no immediate result, Rabbit helpfully calls out, "We're friendly! I promise!" His soft piping voice is hopefully less intimidating than the Men's? If it's fear at hand.
Or-- maybe they don't speak Taldane? Running a hand through his perpetually messy hair, Rabbit clears his throat and then repeats the greeting of Hello, we come in peace in Dwarven... then Gnomish... if he has time he'll work through Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Halfling too.