"Yes, we should report in and get all of that business over with," Rowenna chirps in agreement as she pads along with the group. There's no flying here in the midst of the crowds as it doesn't even need to be stated that it'd draw way too much attention. "Then we can get down to the biggest business of all - a good meal. With cream!"
Rowenna hrmphs softly, clearly a little offended at the lack of trust being shown by everyone.
"I'll show you that I'm still the same Rowenna. Now that I can show you my true self I can help more - a second set of eyes that can fly has its uses, you know," she hisses to the group before ascending up towards the deck after Jo, melding into the shadows as she goes.
The little cat does a little jump and begins to hover in the air, keeping herself at about eye-level with everyone in the boat.
"Sorry...I forgot that I hadn't done that before now," Rowenna apologizes. "And I'm sorry for keeping it a secret. I'm not really what I seem to be...but I'm sure you've figured that out by now too."
Kn. Planes (DC 12):
It hits you - Rowenna isn't a regular cat at all but an extraplanar creature called a silvanshee agathion. You recall that agathions hail from the plane of Nirvana and often act as the eyes and ears of the good planes in the mortal world.
"Creatures like me sometimes come to this plane to keep an eye on happenings in the mortal realm," she explains. "And a noble house in a big city is the perfect place for that - no one pays any attention to the family cat, you know, so it's easy to learn all sorts of things!"
Stopping mid-yowl, Rowenna's eyes grow wide as she looks at Shadlah standing nearby and attempting to manipulate the earth and stone. With another angry howl, she tries to leap at the brave woman...
"Mraooowr aow maowww mew mew!" Rowenna caterwauls from the back, having decided that clearly a battle of such epic proportions needed some equally epic vocals accompanying it.
More annoyed than injured, Briana shakes her crazed familiar loose from her leg...and thankfully Rowenna seems to come to her senses afterwards. For now.
______
Rowenna, with a bit of urging from Briana, pads along with everyone else into the room at the north. Though her frolicking subsides, her tail twitches almost as if keeping time with a rhythm only she (and Arsith) can hear.
That felt like being doused in catnip! No wonder humans like to dance!
Seemingly excited by something that can't be seen or detected by mere mortals, Rowenna begins to gambol and frolick around the room - dancing as much as a cat can dance.
"Huh...oké, ik tink dat makket sin," Rowenna responds thoughtfully as Briana pulls her close. "Besykje net om soargen oer dat tefolle, okay? Eltsenien liket te leuk jim krekt sa asto bist," she adds as she begins purring to comfort her friend.
Wanted an answer, got an answer. Now to figure out a good way to get Teldon's attention later...
Familiar Speech:
"Huh...okay, I guess that makes sense."
"Try not to worry about it too much, okay? Everyone seems to like you just as you are."
"Oh, okay...I'd wondered why you suddenly got smart! Er, smarter than you are, I mean," Rowenna replies. "And sure...I'll...hmm...well, I'll figure out a good way to get your attention when the time comes. Just leave it to me!"
___________
After finishing her conversation with Teldon, Rowenna waits until it comes Briana's turn to watch and then pads over to sit next to her.
"Dus...wat is it probleem? Jo net lykje as josels earder, witst," she asks softly and nonchalantly.
Familiar Speech:
"So...what's the problem? You didn't seem like yourself earlier, you know."
___________
Everyone feel free to read the spoilers if you like, just so you as players aren't in the dark even if the PCs are :)
Here Rowenna tilts her head to one side, wearing as quizzical an expression as a cat can muster. "I don't know. Maybe? You humans worry about all sorts of strange things that aren't worth worrying about, I think. I can't read her mind or anything but she seems...frustrated. And there's fear, too."
"I think whatever it is that lets her talk to spirits is getting stronger. Even me, I feel stronger than I used to and I've not even done anything! So maybe that's part of it, like what you humans call growing pains or whatnot. I'll try to find out for sure."
"As for treats..." Rowenna looks thoughtful. "Hmm. The fish will do nicely, for now. We can talk about making a switch the next time we return to Magnimar."
Having largely ignored the group to settle in for her evening bath, Rowenna looks up with surprise as Teldon suddenly starts speaking to her - and in her own language, too!
Cat:
"Oh, um...hi," she responds, clearly at a bit of a loss on how to respond at first. However, she quickly seems rally as she helps herself to the offered snack.
"This adventure is...it's been okay, I guess. Never thought I'd say this after we went to that village but it's been nice to go outside again," she responds between bites, eyeing Halli lest the pup try to muscle in on her snack. "I still think it's nicer in Magnimar, but...yes, sometimes it's nice to go outside."
Finishing her quick meal, she glances over at Briana. "Anyway, I'll talk to her for you since you do bring treats...and since she likes you." For a moment, Rowenna's general aloofness vanishes as she adds, "And it was strange for her to snap at you and Joanna like that..." in a more worried and thoughtful tone.
While the group fans out and investigate the door, the shields, and other things, Rowenna pads over to Halli. After having had a little more time to observe their newest companion, Rowenna had decided that Halli wasn't too terrible to have around. Just insufferably curious at times.
"Maow?"
So...what can you do besides shred things with those teeth?
"In flaubyt!? Gjin tank, ik woe leaver nim myn kânsen mei de wolf pup!" Rowenna exclaims with some alarm as she scrambles to jump out of Briana's arms.
Familiar Speech:
"A snack!? No thank you, I'd rather take my chances with the wolf pup!"
Rowenna gives a startled shake of her head as she's subjected to a surprise slurp attack!
Bleh! Did that really just happen?
Then she glances down, realizing that Halli hadn't tried to steal her treat at all. In fact, she'd not bothered her at all until she'd finished eating.
Well...at least she's not completely lacking in manners.
Heh...at least some things are still as they should be, Rowenna purrs happily as Teldon offers her a scratch and a snack. But her happiness is short-lived as she spots Halli heading her way yet again.
Wha...can't I have ONE little snack in peace now!?
Although still feeling a bit put out by Halli's presence, Rowenna quickly forgets her irritation as the sights and sounds of the ship offer new smells and sensations to the small feline. She blinks and sniffs at the salty air.
Hmm. If all ship trips are like this, I could see the life of a ship's cat having a certain appeal!
Though still on edge, Rowenna seems to calm down somewhat as Halli whines and ceases trying to stick her head under the table. Her tail swishes as she eyes the young wolf.
Hmph. At least you're already better-behaved than most of your small cousins.
Rowenna had taken refuge underneath one of the nearby tables in the dining room, only grudgingly accepting the morsels offered to her.
Hmph. Starving myself is stupid but I'm still not talking to any of you right now.
Lost in thought and bacon, it isn't until she hears sniffing close by that she lifts her eyes from her plate and sees a curious Halli attempting to fit her muzzle under the table for a better look. Instantly her pupils grow wide and her fur stands on end as she lets out a sharp hiss.
"Hssss!"
This isn't for eating! And neither am I! Go away!
By the way, I don't engage in companion vs. companion PvP either so while Rowenna might swat at Halli at a time or two while they get to know each other that should be as bad as it gets :)
"Oh, thank goedens! Foar in minút Ik tocht jimme allegearre wienen eins serieus oer bringe in wolf mei ús!" comes a familiar feline voice floating up. "Dy heale skepsels ite katten as der neat better, jo witte!"
Familiar Speech:
"Oh, thank goodness! For a minute I thought you all were actually serious about bringing a wolf with us!"
"Those beastly creatures eat cats if there's nothing better, you know!"
You might be right...in that case, Briana wonders why they tried messing with three women that carried themselves with such confidence and poise!
As Briana cautiously releases her and sets her on the floor, Rowenna gives her a glare and then slinks under the table again.
Picked up as if I were a naughty kitten! The nerve! Humans don't understand anything.
But when the warmed cream arrives she peaks out from under the table and glances up at Teldon and the others before beginning to lap it up with as much dignity as she can muster.
As Briana, Teldon, and Zee converse and wait for the rest of the group, Rowenna peers out from underneath the table. Though she'd grown somewhat accustomed to crowds over the past few weeks of trotting all over Magnimar, there were times that the sheer sensory overload clouded her better judgement. Normally the volume of noise and the number of strangers would leave her feeling somewhat guarded but today...today she felt wild. And that energy needed to be released, in the only way she knew how.
!
Without warning she suddenly bolts out from under the table and races across the tavern floor, darting between peoples' legs and under other tables until she reaches the far side of the room.
!!!!!
She skids to a halt, claws scrabbling at the wooden floor before turning and darting off in a different direction, eyes wide and fur fluffed to the point of looking more like some sort of puffball with legs.
Actually she was, but in my experience most cats seem to think that there can never be too much food unless they're truly stuffed or not well! Don't worry though, Teldon's offerings are not going unnoticed or unappreciated even though I didn't have her specifically react to it this time ;)
Rowenna looks up from her nosing around under the table for dropped morsels. "Mear walking al? Altyd mei de kuierjen...wêrom kinne wy net krekt hiere in wein of wat?" she grumbles.
Familiar Speak:
"More walking already? Always with the walking...why can't we just rent a carriage or something?"
As Rowenna quietly pads along with Briana and the others, Teldon's comment causes her to look between him and her master with interest.
"Werklik? Jo witte, as er kin jeie sa goed as er praat dan mar better bliuwe him hinne. Nimmen wol in loai tom hingjen oer!" she chirps, more than happy to offer her two coppers on the subject.
Familiar Speech:
"Really? You know, if he can hunt as good as he talks then you'd better keep him around. No one wants a lazy tom hanging about!"
Rowenna looks at the water and then back up at Briana.
"As jo tinke ik bin swimme oer dat dan binne noch mear gek as dyn freonen!" she says sharply. "Jo sille mar hawwe te dragen my," she adds with an affected sniff.
Familiar Speech:
"If you think I'm swimming across that then you're even more crazy than your friends!"
"Dat soe sa folle makliker as minsken learden hoe om te sjen sûnder safolle ljocht en bewege sûnder safolle lûd," Rowenna chirps as she follows Briana and the others as they meander back to the two doors from earlier. "Yn stee fan al it 'crash, rinkelbel, bang', dat jimme allegearre lykje te genietsjen sa folle."
Familiar Speech:
"This would be so much easier if humans learned how to see without so much light and move without so much noise"
"Instead of all the 'crash, rattle, bang' that you all seem to enjoy so much."
Familiar Speech"I don't know, I've never felt the need to do it before now!"Familiar Speech Rowenna responds peevishly. Familiar Speech"And fine, I'll be patient...but I do hope your tom stocked up on those jerky treats,"Familiar Speech she adds as she hungrily snaps up the treat offered by Teldon.
All this talk of fancy breakfasts was making Rowenna hungry - again.
"Jo loud metal-freon is rjocht; wy kinne net ite goed út hjir! Doe't wy kop werom yn 'e stêd? In kom fan cream en in waarme fjoer soe wêze prachtige rjocht oer no," she asks plaintively as she pads along with the rest of the group. She then gives Arsith a suspicious look. "Mar jo huggy metal-freon is gek - wy moatte waarme fjurren, net waarm baden!"
Familiar Speech:
"Your loud metal-friend is right; we can't eat properly out here! When do we head back into the city? A bowl of cream and a warm fire would be wonderful right about now."
"But your huggy metal-friend is insane - we need warm fires, not warm baths!"
From her position at Briana's side Rowenna watches her mistress' antics with a surprisingly impassive expression, for a cat. As their morning meditations finish, she calmly licks a paw.
"Jo witte dat jo seach moai silly krekt no, rjochts?"
Familiar Speech:
"You do know that you looked pretty silly just now, right?"
Rowenna gazes up at the strange new woman before hesitantly giving the offered hand a sniff. Though her nose wasn't as keen as a canine's, it was easy enough to identify the scent that the woman carried with her.
Strange. She smells like earth but there's no earth on her.
Strange scent or not, she liked that this person hadn't immediately attempted to pet or pick her up like new people often did. After a moment's hesitation, she gives the hand a small but friendly head bunt.
And more new people means more chances for treats.
Now, inside:
Rowenna hadn't been paying a great deal of attention to the conversation the others were having. Instead, she'd made a beeline for the fireplace and had promptly curled up in front of it though occasionally anyone observing might spot one eye peeking open slightly.
With space on Briana's horse currently at a bit of a premium, Rowenna settles for hopping up into the cart and riding with Korzhas as the group sets out for Galduria.
Hmph. He'd have more room in the wagon if he wants to sleep.
As the group travels on through the rest of the night anyone observing would almost swear that the little cat is keeping watch from her position on the cart, her eyes occasionally glinting in the darkness.
Funny thing, I just realized that since the Int of familiars gradually goes up as they/master levels, Briana's eventually going to end up with a cat that's smarter than she is. Maybe then she could be Teldon's familiar instead? ;)
As her mistress and the rest of the group head toward whoever or whatever is lurking near the light, Rowenna hunkers down into the tall grass and creeps along behind them, eyes wide and fur standing slightly on end.
