Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser watch bemusedly as the goblins flee, but do not follow. They stride up to Tristan and Lk.
"Ho urchin, did those vagabond sprites do you any lasting injury?" The seven-foot tall red-haired barbarian says in a deep voice
Tristan looks up at Fafhrd and continues to cry. It's a silent cry, but it's flowing full of tears. He tightens his grip on the puppy.
Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser watch bemusedly as the goblins flee, but do not follow. They stride up to Tristan and Lk.
"Ho urchin, did those vagabond sprites do you any lasting injury?" The seven-foot tall red-haired barbarian says in a deep voice
Tristan looks up at Fafhrd and continues to cry. It's a silent cry, but it's flowing full of tears. He tightens his grip on the puppy.
"Leave him be for now, I don't know why, but he needs to cry." Lk knows he isn't telepathic like Allura, but he hopes his staring will get the message across.
"Leave him be for now, I don't know why, but he needs to cry." Lk knows he isn't telepathic like Allura, but he hopes his staring will get the message across.
Tristan puts the puppy down and wipes his eyes dry. He picks up his little shiv and puts it under his cloak. He picks up the puppy then looks at Fafhrd and Grey Mouser. He points towards the central interior of the Bazzaar and slowly walks towards it.
They also see a beautiful woman, a worshipper of the Sunny Godhead, who seems to exit the back entrance of a tavern of some sorts. She is heading in their direction.
Lk wiggles until he manages to escape the boy's grasp. He moves ahead a little bit at a time, then looks back at Tristan as if to say: "Come on, this way!"
Knowing where his son is leading the waif, Kiba lands on a roof to shift. He uses his comm crystal to contact Allura.
Lk wiggles until he manages to escape the boy's grasp. He moves ahead a little bit at a time, then looks back at Tristan as if to say: "Come on, this way!"
His eyes widen in surprise as the pup wiggle free, Tristan hesitates for a moment. He tilts his head, then follows.
Lk wiggles until he manages to escape the boy's grasp. He moves ahead a little bit at a time, then looks back at Tristan as if to say: "Come on, this way!"His eyes widen in surprise as the pup wiggle free, Tristan hesitates for a moment. He tilts his head, then follows.
Moving at a steady pace, Lk leads Tristan to his current place of occupation. He goes up to the door and howls. A white-haired youth pokes his head out of one of the windows.
"Hey, keep it down will yo-, oh your back! And you brought a friend. Just a minute."
Just a bit later, Aidan opens the door and kneels down to scratch Lk's puppy ears, and pulls his hand back quickly as Lk nips at him. Aidan laughs and stands up.
"Hi. Come on in, Devlyn said this little guy might bring back a friend. My name's Aidan."
Allura and Devlyn head back through the omniportal, hair still dripping wet, and go quickly to the shop.
"Bazaar omniportal or not, we really need our own private portal."
They arrive back at the house shortly after Lk and Tristan.
The invitation is excepted, but there will seating for only one. Ashara Gyvadous arrives alone. Inher possession is a flat glass disc.
Muulash sends servants with an invitation to Ashara to have her and her secretive gnome associate meet him for dinner at his palace
Muulsh's servants make her comfortable, and soon the rotund silk-clad form of Muulah himself sweeps into the dinig room where Ashara had been ensconced.
"Greetings and may Abadar's blessings increase your happiness! I am Muulsh, Treasurer of the Merchant's Council, jeweler, and banker. I have heard you have some information on the attack on my place of business?"
Moving at a steady pace, Lk leads Tristan to his current place of occupation. He goes up to the door and howls. A white-haired youth pokes his head out of one of the windows.
"Hey, keep it down will yo-, oh your back! And you brought a friend. Just a minute."
Just a bit later, Aidan opens the door and kneels down to scratch Lk's puppy ears, and pulls his hand back quickly as Lk nips at him. Aidan laughs and stands up.
"Hi. Come on in, Devlyn said this little guy might bring back a friend. My name's Aidan."
Tristan is about to turn away and run. But something stops him. Is it the fear of Nailz and his goblin press gang roaming the back alleys of the Bazaar? Or it it thought of warm bed and a hot meal that reluctantly urges him to stay. Tristan does not know, but he is tired of sleeping in dirty clothes and the mistrust of others. Maybe his fortuines will change starting tonight.
Tristan gulps and looks at Aiden hard, but he still says nothing. He opens his mouth to speak, but his only reply is a harsh raspy gurgle.
Tristan gulps and looks at Aiden hard, but he still says nothing. He opens his mouth to speak, but his only reply is a harsh raspy gurgle.
"Well that can't be good. I'll see if with have any of that sweet-water left." He goes back into the house, leaving the door open for Tristan and Lk.
Tristan gulps and looks at Aiden hard, but he still says nothing. He opens his mouth to speak, but his only reply is a harsh raspy gurgle."Well that can't be good. I'll see if with have any of that sweet-water left." He goes back into the house, leaving the door open for Tristan and Lk.
Tristan lets himself in and looks about the place. He still does not move far away from the door.
Hair still dripping, Allura walks in the front door, a little breathless from hurrying.
"A little bird told me there was some sort of trouble. Hello," she said, smiling at Tristan. "It's good to finally meet you. I've seen you at the market lots of times. What's your name?"
Hair still dripping, Allura walks in the front door, a little breathless from hurrying.
"A little bird told me there was some sort of trouble. Hello," she said, smiling at Tristan. "It's good to finally meet you. I've seen you at the market lots of times. What's your name?"
"He's secretly a Yugoloth! Look out!" Yells a one-legged snake, purple colored, sitting in a fountain that hadn't been there when Allura left.
"He's secretly a Yugoloth! Look out!" Yells a one-legged snake, purple colored, sitting in a fountain that hadn't been there when Allura left.Hair still dripping, Allura walks in the front door, a little breathless from hurrying.
"A little bird told me there was some sort of trouble. Hello," she said, smiling at Tristan. "It's good to finally meet you. I've seen you at the market lots of times. What's your name?"
Allura rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Sytt. No one else does."
Allura rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Sytt. No one else does.""He's secretly a Yugoloth! Look out!" Yells a one-legged snake, purple colored, sitting in a fountain that hadn't been there when Allura left.Hair still dripping, Allura walks in the front door, a little breathless from hurrying.
"A little bird told me there was some sort of trouble. Hello," she said, smiling at Tristan. "It's good to finally meet you. I've seen you at the market lots of times. What's your name?"
"That's because I'm so great, nobody minds me! Wait...that doesn't make sense.
"Stay away from her, kid! She's a shapeshifter, hiding in the form of a beautiful woman to deceive you! Run!"
Allura rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Sytt. No one else does."
"That's because I'm so great, nobody minds me! Wait...that doesn't make sense.
"Stay away from her, kid! She's a shapeshifter, hiding in the form of a beautiful woman to deceive you! Run!"
Allura winces. "Just get out of here. I've heard enough of that crap to last three lifetimes. Being a shapeshifter doesn't make someone inherently evil, and if you're going to be like that then you're not welcome here."
Allura winces. "Just get out of here. I've heard enough of that crap to last three lifetimes. Being a shapeshifter doesn't make someone inherently evil, and if you're going to be like that then you're not welcome here."Allura rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Sytt. No one else does."
"That's because I'm so great, nobody minds me! Wait...that doesn't make sense.
"Stay away from her, kid! She's a shapeshifter, hiding in the form of a beautiful woman to deceive you! Run!"
Lk growls angrily at Sytt, and places himself between the yugoloth and Tritan.
Allura kneels down and uses a healing spell on Lk.
"How about you? Are you hurt at all?" she asks Tristan.
Allura kneels down and uses a healing spell on Lk.
"How about you? Are you hurt at all?" she asks Tristan.
He opens his mouth to speak, but his only reply again is a harsh raspy gurgle. Perhap a more detailed examination may bear some clues.
Muulsh's servants make her comfortable, and soon the rotund silk-clad form of Muulah himself sweeps into the dinig room where Ashara had been ensconced.
"Greetings and may Abadar's blessings increase your happiness! I am Muulsh, Treasurer of the Merchant's Council, jeweler, and banker. I have heard you have some information on the attack on my place of business?"
"Greetings good merchant. My gnomish employer sends his warmest regards and would be delighted to exchange information and enlighten you about the samples you sent him."
"In one regard, he finds it odd as to how the safe ended inside your establishment. Given your description and dimensions, he is quite sure that it was part of an older contract he completed some 120 years ago and the safe would have only ended in your possession if it were sold as a second hand goods, albeit without your knowledge."
"Second, that the safe would have been placed inside your business prior to you purchasing your establishment or knowing of it. Perhaps a records search to the Guild of Architecture will show the history of it previous owners."
Ashara lays the flat disc on the table before Muulsh and it come to life with flecks and dusts of glittering magic until a pseudo-physical representation of Pipkin is formed.
Muulsh strokes his long beard thoughtfully as the magic image talks
Indeed I had no idea that safe was present. I have just done extensive renovations to the property thanks to several very profitable deals I concluded, but this safe was never revealed.
Strokes his beard again
It was a pawnbroker's shop when I first bought it. Perhaps the previous owner had the safe to keep items he was worried about.
Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser amble over to the group arounf Tristan and Lk.
If you are well, young master, we will be on our way.
The Bazaar's main omniportal flashes as Evil Monkey, a bevy of fiendish beauties and a six-armed demon dressed in a conservative business suit with librarian glasses and a severe French Twist hairdo all appear.
The large fiendish ape is dressed in early leisure suit, with a Mr. T starter kit nestled in his furry chest. He looks around the large souk.
Man, they got a Pazuzubees around this place, or maybe a Ruby Rod? I have a hankering for baby dretch ribs ..
He opens his mouth to speak, but his only reply again is a harsh raspy gurgle. Perhap a more detailed examination may bear some clues.
Lk looks closely at Tristan's neck...
Allura winces. "Just get out of here. I've heard enough of that crap to last three lifetimes. Being a shapeshifter doesn't make someone inherently evil, and if you're going to be like that then you're not welcome here."Allura rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Sytt. No one else does."
"That's because I'm so great, nobody minds me! Wait...that doesn't make sense.
"Stay away from her, kid! She's a shapeshifter, hiding in the form of a beautiful woman to deceive you! Run!"
"Hey, hey! We're all friends here, right? No need to fly off the handle! If we don't stick together, we shall surely fall apart, remember? We can't go getting involved in big rivalries just because of the little funny jokes of a tiny little snake!"
He pauses."Waaait a...crap, it's that stupid demon! Hey, uh, kids? If you happen to hear a large group coming by, don't look. A bit M-rated."
He then notices the pup growling at him.
"Hey now, BAD dog. Look, you keep this up and I'm telling your father that you growl at nice snakes and hang out with strange people!"
He then notices the pup growling at him.
"Hey now, BAD dog. Look, you keep this up and I'm telling your father that you growl at nice snakes and hang out with strange people!"
Lk runs at Sytt and delibratly misses biting him. He then returns to Tristan's side continues growling at Sytt.
Evil Monkey and his entourage stroll through, looking at items and occasionally buying. EM seems to have a large wad of cash, and the women with him start to accumulate bags like brightly-colored hip barnacles. He winks at Allura
Hey! How YOU doin?
Lk runs at Sytt and delibratly misses biting him. He then returns to Tristan's side continues growling at Sytt.
KIba sees an "x-shaped" scar running directly over his larnyx. It looks too obvious to be accidental.
Muulsh strokes his long beard thoughtfully as the magic image talks
Indeed I had no idea that safe was present. I have just done extensive renovations to the property thanks to several very profitable deals I concluded, but this safe was never revealed.
Strokes his beard again
It was a pawnbroker's shop when I first bought it. Perhaps the previous owner had the safe to keep items he was worried about.
"Then that would be the first place to start your investigation. Perhaps you can hire some adventurers to solve this particular mystery?"
She picks up the glass disc and places it in her pocket.
Lk runs at Sytt and delibratly misses biting him. He then returns to Tristan's side continues growling at Sytt.KIba sees an "x-shaped" scar running directly over his larnyx. It looks too obvious to be accidental.
Lk's eyes widen as he looks at the scar, then looks at Allura and presses his nose against it.
"Then that would be the first place to start your investigation. Perhaps you can hire some adventurers to solve this particular mystery?"
She picks up the glass disc and places it in her pocket.
Hmm, I have two mercenary captains on retainer, perhaps I will send them out to discover what is what.
He then notices the pup growling at him.
"Hey now, BAD dog. Look, you keep this up and I'm telling your father that you growl at nice snakes and hang out with strange people!"
Lk runs at Sytt and delibratly misses biting him. He then returns to Tristan's side continues growling at Sytt.
Sytt yipes in fear as the pup snips at him.
"Hey, friends don't attack friends! Let's just calm down and try to find some nice, friendly way to solve this problem, okay, friend?"
Sytt yipes in fear as the pup snips at him.
"Hey, friends don't attack friends! Let's just calm down and try to find some nice, friendly way to solve this problem, okay, friend?"
Lk lets out something that sounds like a laugh, but doesn't move from between the yugoloth and Tristan.
Sytt yipes in fear as the pup snips at him.
"Hey, friends don't attack friends! Let's just calm down and try to find some nice, friendly way to solve this problem, okay, friend?"Lk lets out something that sounds like a laugh, but doesn't move from between the yugoloth and Tristan.
Aw c'mon, don't 'cha trust me? I'm just a nice little snake, don't kids like snakes? I heard about that somewhere."
"Aw c'mon, don't 'cha trust me? I'm just a nice little snake, don't kids like snakes? I heard about that somewhere."
A wolfish grin spreading over his face, Lk thinks
Lk's eyes widen as he looks at the scar, then looks at Allura and presses his nose against it.Lk runs at Sytt and delibratly misses biting him. He then returns to Tristan's side continues growling at Sytt.KIba sees an "x-shaped" scar running directly over his larnyx. It looks too obvious to be accidental.
Allura looks closely at the scar, examining it carefully. She takes a moment to form a mindlink with the boy.
:I'm using my mind to speak to you right now, and if you think responses back to me I will be able to hear them in my mind. Can you tell me what happened to your throat? Knowing what exactly your injuries are will help me find a way to help you.:
Allura looks closely at the scar, examining it carefully. She takes a moment to form a mindlink with the boy.
:I'm using my mind to speak to you right now, and if you think responses back to me I will be able to hear them in my mind. Can you tell me what happened to your throat? Knowing what exactly your injuries are will help me find a way to help you.:
He shudders and try to hold himself. Allura can sense he is a pure soul, but much pain has been inflicted upon him. There's something deep inside him that he doesn't understand.
:N-n-no.., I don't know. I was asleep and I awoke. I could not speak. Others have tried and it hurt them, badly. Where's my mom and dad? They should've come for me.:
Hello and good morning. I'll be on-line for the next 2 1/2 hours. That is until work.
As Allura is communicating telepathically with the young lad, Devlyn gets updated from the others here on what happened since he left.
He shudders and try to hold himself. Allura can sense he is a pure soul, but much pain has been inflicted upon him. There's something deep inside him that he doesn't understand.
:N-n-no.., I don't know. I was asleep and I awoke. I could not speak. Others have tried and it hurt them, badly. Where's my mom and dad? They should've come for me.:
Very gently, Allura tries to look farther into his mind to see if she can see more about what happened to him. She also examines his throat more carefully as she does so.
:Your mom and dad? Did you come here to the Bazaar with them?:
Hmm, I have two mercenary captains on retainer, perhaps I will send them out to discover what is what."Then that would be the first place to start your investigation. Perhaps you can hire some adventurers to solve this particular mystery?"
She picks up the glass disc and places it in her pocket.
"With that, good sir, I bid you farewell. Don't dally to long in your investigations."
Very gently, Allura tries to look farther into his mind to see if she can see more about what happened to him. She also examines his throat more carefully as she does so.
:Your mom and dad? Did you come here to the Bazaar with them?:
As Allura probes deeper, she see more images, flashes of them. A father, a mother, a child, a home in the Bazaar, then it becomes darker. There are images of desperation, sadness, fear, and pain. Images of a father and mother cutting the child's arms and legs. Images of pooling blood and powerful magic. And finally, the last image is that of a familiar Dark Elf. She was in the Bazaar before. Aluura sees Zhalail.
:I live here, but I can't go home. There's a bad man waiting there, still there.:
Then the image of Zhalail catches Allura intrusions. She smiles and says, "Thank you. And you're not allowed in here."
There is a bright blue flash of light and a sharp stabbing sensation of pain. Allura is knocked back, dazed. Her telepathic investigation is cut short. Triistan, his eyes rolling up, collapses like a worn ragdoll.
Very gently, Allura tries to look farther into his mind to see if she can see more about what happened to him. She also examines his throat more carefully as she does so.
:Your mom and dad? Did you come here to the Bazaar with them?:As Allura probes deeper, she see more images, flashes of them. A father, a mother, a child, a home in the Bazaar, then it becomes darker. There are images of desperation, sadness, fear, and pain. Images of a father and mother cutting the child's arms and legs. Images of pooling blood and powerful magic. And finally, the last image is that of a familiar Dark Elf. She was in the Bazaar before. Aluura sees Zhalail.
:I live here, but I can't go home. There's a bad man waiting there, still there.:
Then the image of Zhalail catches Allura intrusions. She smiles and says, "Thank you. And you're not allowed in here."
There is a bright blue flash of light and a sharp stabbing sensation of pain. Allura is knocked back, dazed. Her telepathic investigation is cut short. Triistan, his eyes rolling up, collapses like a worn ragdoll.
Devlyn moves between the two quickly, steadying Allura and catching the boy before he hits the ground.
"Are you alright!? What happened?"
Devlyn moves between the two quickly, steadying Allura and catching the boy before he hits the ground.
"Are you alright!? What happened?"
Devlyn can feel a wave of anger from Allura, barely under control.
:They did this to him. His own parents. I don't know if they were willing or if they were forced. But the drow was involved. The one who stole the necklace from that shop with her minotaur guards. She has a LOT to answer for. And she will,: Allura concluded grimly. :Something has been done to him. Something that keeps me out of his mind. It will hurt him if I try again. We need something more along the lines of divination to find out for sure what happened to him and why.: