*Sorry, that was me.
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He shakes his head at the sight, feeling far too old to even consider stepping foot into one of those. "Now, I won't try to stop any of you, but do keep in mind we're all currently on duty..."
Menra gazes out at the odd pack of creatures in the distance, adjusting his spectacles to get a better look- but all too late, they're out of sight in a flash. Seeing no need to alert the others of things he hasn't seen, the elder continues along at a sedate pace. When the odd caravan comes into proper view and the signs become more clear, the tiefling can't help but frown at the sight. "All the way out here...?"
"Well... It's not as I'm getting any younger standing around here. It's best to face the danger if life head on, hm?" Menra says, before picking up two of the marshmallows. He hands one off to his bat who dutifully holds onto it in her tiny paws, still hanging off one of his horns. With that, he tries his best to ignore the opressive stench of death and starts to wade through the water.
"While I agree that this creature is, more then likely, a horrendous fiend I also preclude that we should not choose to go into conflict with a foe we can not see" He scolds the elven wizard, watching as Brycen takes it upon himself to attempt the challenge. Menra's face is marred with worry and frustration, but he remains in silent support while also ready to initiate spellwork if the worst comes about, invisible beast or not.
While he at first pondered the odd candies, seeing the way the water reacted draws his attention instead. What in the world.." He raises his hand into the air, tracing a small pattern while concentrating magic into his eyes while staring into the water.
Sitting up from the chair, Menra almost made a show of stretching his aching back and cracking old joints. The chair he had napped in seemed to have a loose spring that was jutting up against the upholstery, making the night's rest less pleasant then what he was used to back home. He should've opted to bring his foldable lawn chair when prepping for the journey, he was already well used to it's own aches and pains. His lips pursed when he saw the note and learned of it's contents, "It need not be dark magic. A simple illusion could've done the trick, but then again she may just as well have come in to try and slit our throats. None of you heard anything particularly off durring the night, noises you may've attributed to the structure settling?"
Semi-Private conversation:
Menra grows thoughtful, taking a deep puff of his herb laden pipe. He considers the elf's words,
and starts to compare it to his own similar experience just a short time before. Everything lines up, and in part, that's what frightens him the most. The elder looks upon Virro with concern creasing at the corner of his eyes. "That was no mere hallucination, my friend. I can't rightly understand why he has chosen to bless you with his presence, but there's not a doubt in my mind that it was a true visitation." Turning his gaze away, he contemplates the swirling patterns of smoke that emanate from his addiction. "You're not alone in this respect either. Both Serill and I had dreams that started out remarkably similar, only to be finally merged into one by the mad goddess and lover of Petty Boon herself. Her words were... cryptic. I could spend years trying to pull meaning from her nonsense. But you... what,
Sighing as he reclines into chair yet again, he feels his eyelids grow heavy. "If it wouldn't be too much to ask, I'd like to request a full night's rest for myself. I've frown rather tired in these last few years, and there's little I myself could do if something were to truly spring out at me in the midst of darkness."
Menra puffs at a ceramic pipe he seems to have procured from seemingly nowhere, smoking a foul smelling substance that stinks strongly of sulfur and ash. "Mmm... I am well acquainted with my goddess of magic and her lover- even more so tonight.... The others though?" His voice trails off, as he goes into deep reflection.
Menra looks down the chute at the commotion going on, before looking back at his fellow wizard. "Well, seems we have a new friend. I'd join them down there from here but... I'm not quite as spry as I used to be." He gives a short grin, before looking back at the cramped space. "And that's assuming of course, I'd even be able to fit with my crown as they are. You're free to join them of course, but how about we go look for alternative means?"
Do all the chutes lead to the same place? IE, do us wizards see what's going on?
Menra frowns as he examines a recently disturbed pile of dust, "Our lady of madness and magic, Vexat. I had my suspicions that it wasn't as simple a dream as I would've liked, but to hear it confirmed brings me no great joy. I wonder if it's our proximity to the circle which has led her to us." He shakes his head, causing Nelly to screech in mild irritation as she was swung too and fro, standing up to face Serill. "The song is one wholly unfamiliar to me. I can't even begin to contemplate the meaning those words have been laced with at this time."
Well I get that, but who knows. Perhaps it was an ancient battle hymn in this universe and I can trace back the origin and meaning of her words. ;D
While I suspect that as part of her rambling we're not capable of understanding that reference, but I do intend to be thorough. Any relavent knowledge checks to have heard the word? ;P
The elder teifling gives the griffin a pat on his shoulder, happy to see that Grimdell wasn't among the dead just yet. Menra's bat hangs from his horns, but she remains ever agitated about the recent events, wary and alert. After making sure he had his supplies on hand in case of another burst of magic, limited though it was, he accompanied the elf.
Menra sighs, relieved that the danger has passed, and checks up on the two of their injured. "Next time, we make sure we check the entire location before settling in. I don't suppose any of you have a potion to or helpful magic that could get our friends back on their feet quicker?"
I'll say! Well done Brycen.
Now we just need to save Grimdell within 19 secconds. does anyone consious have the heal skill or a cure spell?
Menra's eyes go wide when he notices their dying Gryfin companion, and tries to refocus his magical might when aiming for the remaining zombie. But it's to no effect, he's just simply not used to trying to hit moving targets!
Going to need a few days, something just happened irl here that I need to recover from. I'll be getting back to it when I can, promise.
Menra's eyes widen and he stumbles backwards half a foot. He twists his hands in quick jolting movements, and tries to splash a spray of acid at one of the wicked things. "I thought we checked this house thoroughly!"
Hrm... Shoulda prepped more summon monster spells. I'll have to do that tomorrow.
Oh, I'm one of those two people arent I? >>;
Menra jerks back into the waking world, startled by his grimly real dream. He doesn't have time to try and figure out the hidden complexities of it all, instead following just behind the younger wizard. He hoped that whatever was happening, they weren't too late.
DM, Seril: Menra shared a shaky look with Serill as the silence drug into something more uncomfortable. He was ashamed to admit he hoped the younger wizard would speak first, but it seemed apparent that he thought the same of him.
A silent prayer to the lover of the one before him, he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm... sorry, Mother of Madness, but mind is not yet clear. You speak words to us yet nothing is understood."
It's certainly a thing. DM, Seril: Is there a way to try and make sense of Vexat's words, or is this all left to our interpretation?
GM: It suddenly dawns on him. He's not merely being trapped by his own delusions, but he's being pressed down by a being of far greater strength and power. To try and influence this dream it'd be not only futile, but a foolish wish for death. His life was in the jaws of Vexat, and what he dais now could very well decided his fate in opposition to the will of Kebal. Instead of struggling, he tries to relax himself and ignore the way her fist sized fangs scraped against the taut skin of his neck. He banished from his mind the embarrassment of being depicted in the embrace of the much younger wizard. He stared at the horrific sight of his employer, cementing himself in the knowledge that Dageu was unharmed in the waking realm. "My mother of Chaos, Madness, and Magic, lover of Singer. Your might and strength truly knows no bounds, having chased away the Nightmare to hide my soul from the clutch of Fate. You know my name true, but I give it to you anew. I am Menra Nabra, a wielder of your gift and a bridge to worlds apart."
DM: Menra startles as he sharply comes back to his senses, taking in the grim surrealism of his surroundings. He had dabbled in the art and magic of dreams, but he was no expert by any means. Such skill was best left to the ones with natural talent be they witch or psychic. But he knew enough that he might be able to enforce part of his will within this realm.
The elder leans into one of the chairs in the main room, letting out a breath of relief as he settled in for a rest. While he could sleep laying down with some difficulty, chairs provided his horns ample space and breathing room. One of the unsung difficulties of having such a large set. His darling familiar hung from one of the rafters, resting but not yet asleep. It was her plan to try and hunt for small insects durring thr might propper to fill her own belly. Giving her a smile, he reached into a bag he had brought into his lap and withdrew a book to read. It wasn't anything too special or particular, though it was an adventure novel he had been meaning to read for some time. Traveling on tue road seemed like the perfect opportunity. He would read from it for a good while, before eventually passing out midway through, leaving the book cracked open on his lap.
Wonderful news
Wad there any seating inside the house, lounge chairs or otherwise?
Menra shakes his head, drawing from a pipe and then blowing a ring of smoke. "It is a term used for creating various liquid concoctions, such as potions, alcohol, or even tea. I believe they refer to the middle option in this case. I've had plenty to drink in my time already, so I believe I shall pass on your offer. I need my mind clear for the days to come."
Menra smiles at the Griffin. "Believe me, I'm well acquainted with their 'small doors'"
The old tiefling patted down his beard while making aounds of contemplation. "Hmm... An arcane circle of stone. I've read about those in the past. Dedicated to Vexat our goddess of magic, either in the good in her name or the bad. I would love a chance to study it if I could, but the local phenomena could prove deadly. Spell blights, wild magic, or perhaps something else. We should probably avoid it for now."
By some measure of tenacity, the other worldly eagle previously dug it's claws into the material plain instead of being pulled back to it's realm. With the satisfaction of killing another of these horrible beasts against nature however, it's arcane matrix finally vegiba to rapidly collapse. It let's out one final cry, before imploding into sparkling dust. The tiefling wizard briefly looks at the occurrence, before refoccusibg back onto the twisted rat.
I gave her player a message to remind them, they'd been pretty busy so may not've noticed.
Seeing it's failure, the winged being screaches in anger before unleashing it's full furry against the despicable beast! Eagle:
Menra, seeing Keska's distress, tries once again to bend the some of the acidic air to his will.
Bad dice, bad
The eagle screeches as the Falanx moves away, attempting to swipe at it with one of it's talons. It then soars higher into the sky before diving down, hoping to charge it and cut it off with a strike of it's beak!
Menra tries to gather power and strike out at one of the creatures once again. Yet to no effect...
Did that trigger an AOO or was it a withdraw?
The taste of the creature's tainted, vile blood causes the golden eagle to momentarily reel back in surprise. But within secconds Grimdell's song of valor pulls it back into a furious stupor as it now seeks to rid the world of this impurity. These vermin have been left to fester within this realm for far too long! Eagle:
The elder tiefling fumbles his words as he tries to target one of the enroacing rats, a trickle of fear starting to break his concentration. His familiar screeches a warning at the beasts as well, already prepared to fight them with what little she had if they got too close.
Round of applause everyone for our terrific first round of combat. XP
Pretty mediocre rolls for me aside from that lone crit. Ain't that just? XP
"By the will of power cosmic, I plead that you heed my call! Lend me aid from the Ancient World and bring fourth a beast this world has nearly forgotten!" Menra's voice echoes in conjunction with the griffon's call to battle. Spacetime rips next to one of the enlarged rats caught in entanglement as a shrill cry announces the presence of another. A golden eagle proudly displays it's wings which shimmer with a residual dust lending hints to it's planar origin. It's emboldened by the battlefield chant wafting across the battlefield, and readies itself to tear into the upstart rodent. On this day it'll re-assert what was once the world's natural order when birds hunted rats. Eagle:
The wizard meanwhilst simply gathers more acid from the air, and tries to hit another of the entangled rats.
Menra was already dropping his spell and reaching for something in his front pockets upon feeling the sudden alarm from Nelly, a warning at his lips. But Grimdell was swift indeed, having already swept down to give them the details. He could see that his bat was just behind the griffon. She perched herself ontop of the wizard's head, wings outstretched as if to protect her master. Words of power laced his voice as he carved a connection from this plane to another, prepared to drag creatures from those realms to help defend the group.
Menra had a good time chatting with one of the material plane's newest residents, learning much more about the shadow plane then he knew hours before. This of course was actually quite little in comparison, as it was mostly about Keska's day to day life and the general depressing atmosphere within that plane as of now. He can't say he was pleased to hear that they weren't fairing any better, but he appreciated learning more and getting to know one of his companions for this journey. Nelly over the journey's course mainly transmitted feelings of elation and delight for the freedom to fly without risk or worry that she'd be shot down. The information she could give her master was indeed limited, but any distress she felt would certainly be a good indicator that something was wrong. Once they've stopped at the Forrest's edge, the tiefling could only raise a bushy brow at the tengu's demand. They'd only agreed to protect the man on this journey, not carve a new path for him to follow. It wasn't as if they'd brought along axes after all. Creating an ax out of magic was a possibility, but he knew he lacked the strength to swing one well and it would crumble to dust in the hands of another. Perhaps simple magic may do the trick? "If you so wish, I suppose I can at least make the effort to try." Wiggling his fingers, he acid present in the air gathered around his hand as he shaped and manipulated it. Then he flicked it against the trunk of a tree, melting a gash against it's trunk. This would take a while.
"Your home... The shadow plane, am I correct?" Menra asked Keska as they moved along, trying to make some conversation. "I've studied much regarding the planes surrounding our material, the elemental ones in particular. Yet my knowledge regarding our closest neighbor has always been lacking in substance."
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