O.L.L.I blinks
"This unit believes that he understands the gist of what you are trying to explain, unknown entity attuned to severed Bar-Igura head. This unit has accessed Tillinghast's Radical Harmonic Experimentations, Grendesh's seminal The Ethereal Plane, Conduit to Supra-Dimensional Spaces, and Hovragon's Uncommon Sensoriums. Are you implying that the severed head you are attuned to is more convenient than, say a lump of rock for communication with this realm?"
"Sure, that's pretty close to being right," the bag says, "but why do you suppose that is? Like most of my kind I can transform my thoughts into pure energy to reach . . ."
Malfaerr suddenly kicks the bag.
"Alright that's enough,
talk about other stuff."
"Alright why have I bothered looking into this universe to talk to physical beings? Well funny story . . ."
Malfaerr kicks the bag again.
"Your idea of a funny story,
others would call scary or gory,
if you want to keep talking,
take on a tone that's less mocking"
O.L.L.I looks about as excited as a Modron can get.
"So in essence your thoughts are able to bridge the dimension disconnect between our multiversal geometry and what this unit can only assume is a supra dimensional geometric plane? This is fascinating. How are you able to comprehend our sensoriums? Are you editing your awareness to function? Do you find our dimension abhorrent? Does you presence affect or change our local space-time geometries as is hinted in Chapter Three of Grendesh's work? If this is affirmative, how so? Is your companion, the wizardry being Malfearr affected? Blah , blah, blabbedy blah ..."
O.L.L.I once again starts to get carried away.
Traveller Smurf looks angry
"Stop smurfing to that smurfing horrible smurf Olli!" He hisses
Karrin nods, "I get a real uneasy feeling about that thing Olli, maybe we should leave it alone."
The pony tailed teen girl from page 1 walks back into the main bar area.
"Oh! Are you guys still here?" she exclaims. "I thought this place would be closed by now."
"that's Probably an idea that is quite wise,
but ignoring him can be hard and take many tries,
for every word is meant to draw you in,
till learning from him is no longer a whim,
once you're hooked he's like an insidious drug,
and he'll eat away at your sanity like a parasitic bug.
Walk away while you're still able,
ignore the head and let's have more drinks at this table!"
The pony tailed teen girl from page 1 walks back into the main bar area.
"Oh! Are you guys still here?" she exclaims. "I thought this place would be closed by now."
"Closed?" Karrin says, "it's not even happy hour yet!"
"Pull up a chair,
ooo, I like your hair."
“Oh! Thanks! I like your hair … um, tentacles … too.” She takes a seat.
“What do you mean its not happy hour yet … um, how long have I been gone? Like, months, right?”
O.L.L.I smiles at his friend
"Greetings friend of large construct Ashura! You must have travelled somewhere on the Wheel where time dilates. This unit estimates that only a span of 3.567 Sigilian Standard Days has elapsed since you were last in the World Serpent Inn."
Joachim rises as Ashura approaches. He pulls a seat out for her.
"Allow me young lady. I am Joachim Fernao, a sparring partner of Miss Kind."
"Oh," Karrin says, trying to slide herself into a conversation NOT about severed heads and dimensional travel, "and this is Malfaerr . . . her familiar, and if you hear any noises coming from that sack it's probably best to just ignore them."
Karrin takes the mug of beer that Malfearr poured for her and takes an experimental sip.
"This isn't bad," Karrin says with a smile, "do they drink a lot of this from where you come from?"
"do we drink a lot of beer?
more then enough I fear,"
Malfaerr pours a mug for the stranger before refilling her own mug.
"although mainly ale in the warm and humid south,
we occasionally get a lager that melts in the mouth,
but such treats have to come from far to the north,
I've heard that the Duchy of Tenh was their source . . ."
"The Duchy of Tenh?!" Karrin gasps, "That's where I'm from! I grew up in the Griff mountains! Are you from Oerth?"
"Oerth and the Flanaess is the place I call home,
it is indeed the only world I have ever known,
I've been to Greyhawk, but that's as far north as I've been,
Tenh or further north I've never even seen,
But I know the south and many of it's places,
I speak the tongue of many of it's races,
and when I'm done exploring the inner planes, (Sometimes called the great wheel),
I'll return to my home and write . . . at lest that's what I feel."
Sharinda comes bustling up with the slices of Titanberry pie and the Arcadian coffee. She hands them out deftly, even putting a tiny plate, cup and saucer in front of Traveller Smurf.
"There yeh go ducks. Oi! It's Ashura! Welcome back! Would yeh like some Titanberry pie? Mitchifer made it fresh this mornin' an' ground some Arcadian coffee to go with."
“Could I have an iced pearl tea thanks? Hi everyone.” The girl turns to Karrin and Malfaerr. “Did you say Earth? Or are you talking about that ‘Oerth’ place again?”
Sharinda grins at Ashura
"One iced pearl tea it is! Any pie, or would yeh want some biscotti or a bit of Mitchifer's famous City of Glass sushi roll?"
Malfaerr turns to address Ashura, but she pauses, perhaps to think threw her answer but a mysterious voice answers . . . seeming to emanate from the bag.
"They mean 'Oerth' not Earth, but which Earth do you speak of? There are many You know . . ."
O.L.L.I twitches and looks at the bag, then sips his oil. It is obvious to everyone who knows him that he is itching to ask the severed head more questions, but he is trying to respect the wishes of the others.
"So if you come from Oerth miss Malfaerr," Karrin says looking at the strange woman with one might call a hopeful glint, "would you know how to get back?"
"Yes, but I can't return now, even tho the world is mine,
for I'm actually visiting from a different time."
Eh, Sharinda dear ye might be setting a few more places in the common room. I feel a new door opening in the back halls. A sweet little place called Golarion...
Ooo, got some sahuagin sashimi in me beard!
Skimming on wings covered in fur and feathers, a strange feline creature flies into the Inn, its sleek pelt a soft leafy green hue. Anyone native to the Realms that keep getting Forgotten might recognize it as a breed of flying cat known to be popular among elves there. It circles the room several times, looking for a likely perch... someplace high up, where it can look down on all the goings about. If there's a mantleplace, it lands there, to look down upon all of the 'mere mortals' in that smug way cats have.
A woman follows soon after, pale, so pale as to seem nearly an albino, with thick, flowing, silver hair. But her eyes are dark, without whites or pupils or iris... just glossy black orbs. Of course, she is an elf, (probably, though she's a bit robust for an elf) and some elves do have eyes like that. But hers look different, somehow... almost insect-like in the blankness of their stare. Clad in a gown that consists largely of a myriad, draped, light-green scarves, she clutches an overly thick tome and a series of frayed scrolls to her chest.
"This is not the Other Place." she speaks aloud, apropos nothing and to no-one in particular. She seems slightly in a daze, "It's... unexpectedly stable," stamping her heels against the floor. Her hair shifts, as if something alive squirms underneath it all, "How.... strange..."
Bah! Iarmid owes me 1,000 gold from our last game of snakes and arrows. Bwahahahaha! Welcome to the Serpent lass...
Sashimi?
He sees :
He's beginning to recognize that look.
"Sharinda, we've got a new arrival. Could you bring the special tea? You know, the 'Scotch'? She looks like she needs it."
approaches the woman
"Pardon my rudeness, Miss, but you have the look of a first time visitor. Please join us- take a seat until you get your bearings."
"My name is Saurig."
She fixes a blank stare at Mitchifer. Just stares, for a long moment or two. Then,
"That ...sounds nice. Do you have any apples?"
She turns toward Saurig, "...Thank you. I'm known as Lolenthiel the Weird," and pauses, glancing around at all of the odd people around her, "...It's something of a professional title. I'm not claiming anything by it."
"Wait I don't understand!" Karrin cries, "what do you mean a different time! I'm sorry if I'm being so . . . I don't know, but I've never met someone from Oerth before! Especially not one that could travel back home. I've been trapped on the planes for almost a year now and I desperately want to get home!"
"Child you need to calm yourself and relax,
Oerth is well connected, that's a fact,
there are plenty of ways to get you home,
even routes a layman could use are not unknown,
I have no desire to see you cry,
but I can't help, and I've told you why."
Malfaerr looks to the new guest.
"Greetings stranger, I'll welcome you here,
pull up a seat, get a mug and have some beer."
"Careful Malfaerr," says a bag near the woman's feet, "can't you feel it?"
Malfaerr's eyes look over the woman with much more scrutiny.
"Cthulhu fhtagn," she eventually says, her tone makes it sound like a question.
Mmmm... the air be gettin chilly in some corner of the Multiverse! Apples coming right up! I believe me friends from Flowering Hill on the 'Land brought several bushels earlier this week... ah here they are, Sheela Peryroyl's own!
Ooo! there's even a few jars of some dark pear cider in here too!
"Cthulhu fhtagn," she eventually says, her tone makes it sound like a question.
The pale elf starts to approach the table, then pulls up suddenly short. Her cat yowls from above, opening rather more eyes than it should have.
Lolenthiel's hair rustles like long grass with serpents slithering through it... and a pair of long, pale-green, jointed antennae emerge, arcing through the air, "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn," she chants slowly. She has very good diction, but it almost seems like an automatic, instinctive response, rather than a voluntary reply.
Her teeth snap together, with a click that sounds almost like insect mandibles. She shakes her head slightly, as if looking at Maelfarr for the first time, smiling slightly, "Oh. Hello. Do I know you already?"
To Mitchifer, she ohs, "That sounds delightful. A few apples for me, and can my friend up there get the sashami, please?"
Sharinda bustles up to the newcomer
"Make yerself at home lass! I'll fetch yeh the apples and cider."
Looking at Saurig.
"I think we'll give her a moment teh settle in afore plying her with the single malt eh Saurig?"
Bustles over to the Bar
"Apples, pear cider for the new lass and some Sahuagin sashimi for the many-eyed flying cat, Boss."
O.L.L.I greets the newcomer
"Welcome being appellated Lolenthiel the Weird. This unit's appellation is Oil Lube Initializer, but most of the beings of his acquaintence shorten it to O.L.L.I."
O.L.L.I. gestures to the table.
"We have at this table, the Smurf appellated 'Traveller'. Next to him is the keeper of large contructs Ashura Yami. The beings known as Saurig and Malfaerr you have met. This human warrior here is appellated Joachim Fernao. The tiefling female with the large axe is appellated Karrin Kind."
Joachim stands and gives a bow to the newcomer.
"A pleasure to make you acquaintence Lady."
Traveller Smurf looks up from his Titanberry pie. His blue face is covered in sticky purple filling and crumbs of piecrust.
"MMMPH ... Pleased to smurf you."
<Malfaerr can't drink coffee,> the voice seems to say, sounding like someone speaking through a membrane, <It makes her edgy and far more easily agitated. She really shouldn't be allowed any sort of stimulant. I'm Hop=Toy Dan by the way . . . I'm guessing that you have some amphibian blood in you somewhere.>
makes another, more succesful attempt at thinking back at the handsome Familiar
<Much as I'd like to claim kinship, my friend, I must admit that the amphibian connection is artificial. My fore-fathers (brief glimpse of uniformed Scro officer standing next to apparent alchemical steam-engine) were transformed as a race, as was the rest of my homeworld (thought/picture of Raerth), into our present, reptilian stock. The Culprit is believed to be an extremely powerful sorcerer we refer to as The Ancestor. I am a priest of his modern-day faith. (image of High Holy Temple frieze depicting the offering of goods/maidens to indistinct, towering figure; depiction includes shadowy reptiloids aproaching rear of figure, carrying readied hammers/axes)>
<Are you from Oerth as well?>
She gives a slow nod. The motion causes her feelers to droop forward and then to the side, like parted bangs, "Well met all, at that." she sits, letting her forbidding tome and scrolls plunk heavily onto the table.
"Lolenthiel is enough. I'm not here on any business requiring a title..." her head tilts off to one side, and she stares at a point of empty space for a moment, the tips of her feelers jangling slightly, "... that I'm aware of."
Malfaerr's smile shifts slightly, a subtle shift for most, but anyone familiar with Malfaerr, or anyone with a pseudonatural taint, will detect the change immediately. Her Manic vacant smile is replaced by one with a hint of genuine warmth.
"We've never met," Malfaerr says in abyssal, "not in this lifetime, at least not yet, but in you I see certain signs. My name is Malfaerr, and I don't mean to stare, but I think I see something in your hair. I also have that affliction, sadly mine attracts more attention, mine simply refuse to hide away, and because of that I've accepted that they're here to stay. I've only ever met one other with knowledge of the outer planes, no one else is willing to risk the danger of going insane."
<It was only a guess,> the toad like thing says, <ordinarily only amphibians can understand me, so it's highly likely that something of that stock was used in the mix. Tell me, can you breath underwater?>
O.L.L.I pipes up in Abyssal
"This unit would find it most fascinating to learn more about these outer planes you speak of. This unit is assuming you are discussing the supra-geometral Trans-Deep Ethereal planes known by some sages as the Far Realms."
Traveller Smurf winces at the conversation
"What the smurf are you smurfs smurfing in? That smurf sounds like two dogs smurfing over a smurf mixed in with smurfs on a chalkboard."
Sharinda bustles up to the table with the apples and dark pear cider for Lolenthiel.
"Here yeh go lass, enjoy. Do yeh want me to serve yer cat by myself or do yeh want to do it?"
Sharinda shows her the sashimi plate she has readied for the odd feline
"Thank you," the psuedo-elf takes the plates from Sharinda, and nods, "I will feed her. She bites." Her cat swoops down, and lands upon her shoulder, leaning insolently forward to peer at the fishy treats. There's a second... just a second, when she touches her mistress, that the cat looks almost like her fur is actually made of locust shell.
Lolenthiel starts to feed her familiar, <<Hunger for knowledge was always my strength, or my downfall, at first.>> Her empty eyes make it harder to read her, but to those of a Far touch, her antennae seem to have acquired a mellow and comfortable draping about them.
To O.L.L.I. she simply says, <<In that case, I recommend reading the wrong book.>> then, she fixes him with an intense, mantis-like stare, <<Only, I don't.>>
To the blue traveller, she replies back into her more drifty-toned voice, "Abyssal."
*<<>> translated from the Demon tongue.
"Ya they're talking in abyssal," Karrin says to Traveler Smurf, "Talking about secret stuff I think. Secret code anyways. Like everyone can't understand them. Hey Olli what's a Cthuloo?"
As the winged cat nips and nibbles at the fish bits, Lolenthiel clucks out a few elven words to her insectile feline, that if translated, amount roughly to ~Who's a pretty kitty?~ In elfish, it sounds almost melodic, but the fact that her palatte seems to rather emphasise clicks and rasps gives it a weird edge.
To Traveller and Karin, she responds, "It's difficult to explain exactly... think of us as warriors comparing old battle scars, or emerged moths comparing wing patterns. It may disturb or confuse, to speak openly." Her voice has a vague not-quite-here softness, quite unlike the focused and utterly intent sharpness when she blurted the last few Abyssal words to O.L.L.I.
She leaves it to the Modron or Maelfarr to explain about the Great Old One beneath the sea.
O.L.L.I speaks again in Abyssal
::Oh but this unit has read many books and scrolls on the subject. This unit was just discussing Mongrazzor's work in the field before you arrived, newcomer being Lolenthiel. We were also discussing Tillinghast's Radical Harmonic Experimentations, Grendesh's seminal The Ethereal Plane, Conduit to Supra-Dimensional Spaces, and Hovragon's Uncommon Sensoriums. ::
::This unit was also making inquiries of the severed Bar-Igura head that hosts an actual traveller from the Far Realm that wizardry being Malfearr keeps in that sack there, but this unit was told not to proceed::
If a Modron can sound peeved, O.L.L.I does at this moment, slightly churlish about his curiosity going unsatisfied.
O.L.L.I turns to Karrin
"Cthulhu is an Elder God. He dwells in a sunken city known as R'yleh. Some scholars say it is an actual city, some say it is a demiplane attuned to the Far Realm.
"He is mentioned in several texts this unit has accessed in the Lady's Library: The Necronomicon of Abdul al-Hazred, the Celaeno Fragments, the Cthäat Aquadingen, the Dhol Chants of Leng, the Book of Eibon, and the Book of Iod.
"He belongs to an ancient pantheon of eldritch beings that purportedly once ruled the Great Wheel aeons before the evolution of the current cosmology. They have retreated to the Far Realm, but some scholars say they will return at the end of the current Creation to usher in a new age."
When Olli mentions the Necronomicon Malfaerr takes an audible gasp, more a moment it looks as though she might fall over . . . but as Olli begins explaining she seems to relax somewhat. Suddenly, as Olli finishes, the bag begins laughing.
"Mahahahaha!"
Malfaerr starts kicking the bag immediately.
"BwahahahaHa!"
Malfaerr stands and starts violently kicking the bag.
"Did you Hear that? WhaHAhaHAha!"
Malfaerr draws her scimitar, opens the bag, and viciously starts stabbing at the contents. The bag is indeed magical as Malfaerr stabs the scimitar up to her elbow into the bag.
"I mean . . . AaHhhttGg! Oh, my monkey head"
When she's certain the head is finished talking Malfaerr stands, dusts herself off, and sits back at the table.
"Yes Olli," Malfaerr says, her eyes shifting quickly, "that's probably correct . . ."
Karrin watches the spectacle with the others. When Malfaerr is finished Karrin turns to Olli,
"Wow," she says, "neat-o"
Lolenthiel looks at the bag, narrowing her eyelids. Unbidden, her feelers lift to wave themselves in its general direction. Intriguing.
Then comes the stabbing. She deduces this to be a touchy subject, and grabs at her antenna, reeling them in and pretending to preen them delicately with her fingertips.
"The problem is... the problem is..." she drifts a bit, speaking Common, picking up one of the apples, "Knowledge isn't theoretical. It isn't abstract. It's physical, actual, and takes up space, on a scroll or in your mind. Let's say your mind is this apple. Taking Far Realms knowledge in your head, is like letting a grub live in this apple. It won't end well for the apple."
She pauses, and tilts her head at an odd angle, "Actually, I don't know if I need the apple for this metaphor. It's like letting a grub live in your real brain."
Crunch, she bites deep into the fruit.
Traveller Smurf shivers
"That smurfing severed smurf is just too smurf for words."