SYWTBAH Part 2

Log Info

• Title: SYWTBAH Part 2
• Emitter: Williwaw
• Characters: Eztli, Robert, Slixvah
• Place: ...?
• Time: August 22nd, 2022

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=    The Players    =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Eztli        8m      4'6"     140 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    
    A two-toned, short sith-makar.
Jay          3s      5'9"     145 Lb     Eaglefolk         Male      
    A perky male Blue Jay with a discerning eye.                                              
Robert       3m      6'3"     235 Lb     Human             Male      
    A middle-aged Cerenzan with a friendly, fatherly vibe.                     
Slixvah      0s      5'8"     130 Lb     Eaglefolk         Female    
    A rust red/white Egalrin covered in veils, ribbons, and shawls.       
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  As the GM  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Williwaw
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

The shifting is... different. Even for anyone who has had the opportunity to experience teleporation magic would say that this is something else. When darkness takes you, you lose sense of time, of self.. All there is is a sense of vastness. Of space stretching to the infinite. And yet, not truly space. Perhaps possibility would be a better description...

And then it is gone. As light returns, temporarily blinding in contrast to the absolute darkness from an instant ago, it takes a moment for your senses to recalibrate, and they do memories of what you experience start to fade. Not completely... but they withdraw to that state of a vague feeling of a memory. One that if you try really hard you may be able to recapture. The kind that sometimes comes back as deja vu.

As colour seeps back into the brightness and the environment around you begins to take shape, you find yourselfs upon a well worn dirt road. There are trees on both side, and the sounds of birds calling to each other in the distance. To the north you see what looks to be gates to a town wall, while the path south winds to the east and disappears into the trees.

Slixvah is discombobulated for a spell, used to some pretty funky magics, but nothing like this. She staggers for a bit, rubbing at her eyes as sensation comes back properly. "... well that felt like tha shot I had in Blar.." she murmurs, shaking her head as she lifts her gaze to look about.

A little laugh leaves her. "It's almost like a start ta a good story book, ya? Dirt road, small town, travelers comin' in..."

For the moment, the bluejay eglarin simply stands there as his pupils shrink back to a normal size. His head twitches at the wisps of memory, "Were we in a boat, going to a house?"

More present, his head flicks from side to side, "Were my sisters with us? I thought they were with us."

He claws some small furrows in the dirt road, listening to the birdsong. "They aren't local. I guess that wall is our destination."

GAME: Jay rolls perception+6: (3)+15+6: 24
GAME: Slixvah rolls alertness: aliased to perception+2: (20)+11+2: 33
GAME: Robert rolls Perception: (18)+10: 28
GAME: Eztli rolls perception: (16)+5: 21

The slouched metalwork scarecrow starts and takes a half-step back as the Cerenzan within comes to his senses. A twig snaps and a stone grinds out its complaint as it sinks into the ground beneath the artificer's considerable bulk. Gears ratchet and wheel quietly while massive pauldrons turn so Robert can take in this fresh scenery.

"I... I think I almost forgot to be for a moment there," he adds to the confused observations. There's a *fwoonk* and the domed helmet pops up and back. They don't seem to be under attack. Blue-eyes blink and he follow's the looks of the rest.

Eztli is a bit dizzy for a moment when the teleport finishes, and there's a moment spent blinking furiously before she sighs. "Well, that was different. This is different, with the teleportation or, whatever it was that took place working differently." She explains and reiterates. "I don't know where we are supposed to go, but I assume the town is a good place to start, assuming they're not hostile, that is. He did say to be wary of... himself."

Jay looks back, to the south, in case there's a plume of smoke or a silently advancing army. Nothing but leaves. "To the town then?" He starts forward.

As you approach the town, you could almost swear you hear some sort of music. A very faint.. fanfare?.. on the breeze. Yet it is impossible to figure out from where it comes from, and should try... it is gone. Fading into the sound of the wind blowing through the forest's branches.

Something darts from the underbrush, across the road, disappearing into the foliage on the other wise. A fox.

And then the gates come into view. As you approach, you make out a figure leaning against the wall beside the gates, which are open. He is dressed rather plainly; a rough, woolen cloak with a cowl falling behind his shoulders. A dark, long sleeved shirt. A belt holding up leather trousers. He is a beared man, hair dark against a slightly tanned face, and he's tossing a dagger up and down, flipping it to first catch by the blade, then the hilt. And he eyes your approach with interest.

"This isn't the other guy, is it? He's kind of cute." Jay comments to Slixvah, and the looking at the others. "I should say 'Hi', I'm going to say 'Hi'."

The white, black and blue jay egalrin surges forward with a flourish of wings, "Hi. Hi! Integrity C. Truefeather, Esquire, the 'C' is for Company of Heroes, which we are. Here to help out. How are you? What's that song, it sounds nice. Is there a festival going on?"

Slixvah pats Ez on the shoulder as they set off, her slowing for a beat as she hears the music. Her head tilts to the side. "...is that what Patch was talkin' 'bout?" she muses idly before shaking her head. The fox makes her flinch, but she gives a little laugh. No need to be so jumpy.

Town in sight, her eyes smile as she raises a hand in greeting to the beary bearded fellow. Her beak opens to say hi, but Jay beats her to the punch. "Care care giving your name freely, Blue," she lightly warns, but takes a back seat otherwise. Dunno what one is dealing with, and Fey isn't ruled out.

"You all can hear that, right?" Eztli asks as they travel onward. "It's music, but I can't tell the source. It could be magic, or it could be wherever this is doesn't quite work like we're used to. Be on your guards, all of you."

They reach the gates, and the small makari continues on. "Oh, good to meet you. We're just travelling through, could you tell us some more about the town?" She asks.

"And don't worry Slix, the enigma of their middle name is still intact, and I believe that matters if it does." Eztli chuckles off hand to Slixvah.

Turning from where the fox disappeared into the brush and back towards the gates, Bob puts on a mildly-puzzled face. "'... other guy?'"

A brief pause and he's following along, gigantic gauntlets braced against his fauld as he smiles a friendly smile. He nods in agreement with the rest and adds, "Muse' grace. We're hoping we've found the Barony of Thursburg. It's been an... interesting road."

Hopefully two egalrin, a sith-makar, and a bulky suit of artifice aren't too strange for this strange land.

GAME: Jay rolls sense motive: (5)+11: 16
GAME: Slixvah rolls sense motive+2: (11)+3+2: 16
<OOC> Robert sees the best in everyone.
GAME: Eztli rolls sense motive: (2)+1: 3

The fellow at the wall doesn't answer right away. There's the barest of pauses as he catches his knife.. then he resumes flipping it as he turns his face to the side, briefly, to spit a dark gob of something into the vegetation at the base of the wall.

His eyes, however, never leave the group.

When his face turns back to face you, he suddenly grins, revealing teeth slightly stained by whatever he's chewing. "Well. I'd'a bet me mams life on no one gettin' through the passes this early in the year.. s'pose I'd be out of a mam, now. Though from the looks of it... all musta flew in, right?" He pauses the knife flipping again to put his hands to his armpits, flapping his elbows up and down as if they were wings. "And they talk, too! Does it take much training to make 'em do that?" At this point he makes it clear he's addressing Robert directly. "An' what's the lizard do? Hah! Pulls the wagon I bet!" The beared man chortles, amused by himself as he begins flipping his knife again. THen he sweeps the other to the gate.

The wall's not tall, at least when compared to Alexandria. In his armour, the top of Robert's helmet rises higher than half the wall's height. The gates are in the same vein; not terribly impressive, yet they do look functional. They wouldn't stop a dedicated army, perhaps, but they'd certainly stymie a band of raiders. "Thursburg!" he announces. "The town of Thursburg, t'be exact! An' castle Thursburg is up the hill some... guess since the Baron lives there, that'd make this a Barony alright! But he's not taking visitors these days." He pauses. "Though.. might know a bloke who knows a bloke about a way in, if you've got the need, right?

Slixvah opens her beak, blinks, then shuts it. "Bawk," she croaks, rolling with it as she's smiling with her eyes.

The feathers on her wings ruffle slightly, like a wind through a wheat field.

"Yes! We're like Ravens. We repeat things we hear without understanding them." Jay chirps happily, with a wide beak grin. He's got a feeling that the cheery face is put upon, the human's grin doesn't seem to reach his eyes.

Oddly reminding the egalrin of someone else.

"Hi!" Jay repeats again, slapping Robert lightly on the back of his armour, "I think he wants a shiny. Shiny! A bribe! Bribe!"

"Oh, yes, you better believe that I do an excellent job pulling the lord's wagon with my obvious and abundant physical strength. Thank you for noticing." The small makari states even more dryly than usual. "Though we are not travelling with any carts at the moment, we are just looking to enter, for the time being. Isn't that right?"

"-- and boy, are our arms tired," Bob smiles back. His expression remains genuine enough even if a bit of pity creeps into it. He takes his hands away from his hips and carefully pats Jay back with one gauntlet. "But you're well off the mark as I'm happy to say all three of these capable kids are better spoken than I.

"... and we're not here for the baron. We'd heard stories of a curse? We were hoping to help." Bob adjusts his cape and shifts the hip pack around to one side. "I'm happy to share a hard-earned lesson of my own to start; underestimating the people that come into your life brings a special kind of loneliness. Friends and allies are much easier to find when you're looking for them and not targets of ridicule." He gives a wink.

"Are we OK to pass?" He points at the gates with one metallic finger.

"Hah! The curse? Someone's pulled /that/ one on you, have they?" The man laughs, then has to turn aside to spit again. The knife has disappeared. The hand which was flipping it is held out, now, instead. Apparently he didn't miss talk of the shinies. "Well, tell you what. I can tell you who you wanna talk to if you're looking to break some curse. With these kinds of p... er... kids, maybe you might even get as famous as the baron! Wouldn't that be something." The hand remains out. "Friends ain't cheap though."

It's worth noting he is not barring entry. It would be easy enough to just leave him there and enter the town on your own.

Slixvah gives Bob a warm look of appreciation, glad that he was there to keep them straight. And, well, her doing her best to not break out laughing from Eztli going along with it.

But the further words make her grind her beak. "Bawk, trick! Trick!"

She pantomimes crouching down and wrapping her arms around a barrel as she tries to 'pick it up'. A frown crosses her expression, her patting around the 'inside' before looking in. A huff, and she 'turns' it upside down.

She looks at the ground, blinking in surprise! Down she bends to scoop it up and places a her a closed fist into the waiting palm. A singular, middle digit extended.

"Bawk, found it! Found it!"

She leaves a gold coin in their palm in its wake.

GAME: Jay rolls sleight of hand: (17)+10: 27

A gold coin that glitters.

"Shiny!" Jay bawks. He has admitted to being raven-related. An avian hand flicks over the man's palm, touching as light as a feather, and once withdrawn the coin has vanished.

Although the Makari will find it in her palm. How did that happen?

"Your insight would be greatly valued," Bob sighs, smiling in spite of himself and shaking his head. He opens up his hand and spreads his fingers near the pouch. An invisible hand sifts through it and something jingles before a platinum floats up and through the air, carried by the hedge magics baked into the gloves he wears beneath the gauntlets. It bobs and floats along with all due haste to replace the crown snatched by Jay.

"The name, please, and where we can find them." He takes the first step towards the gate hoping to receive the answer along the way.

Eztli blinks and holds the coin up once, before offering their most unsettling grin that sith-makar tend to have. "Ah, my thanks. I will graciously accept this gift for your servant." She states. "And thank you for your gracious offer to assist us with our duty and journey."

The man at the gate starts to boggle as Slixvah begins her mimery. Then there's gold in his hand. It's almost enough to completely dismiss the gesture from his mind; indeed, it's quite possible that he doesn't even know what to make of the gesture. He likely wasn't expecting it. And then a brush of blue feathers and the coin is gone and then.. and then.. and then the metallic, pale greyish glint of a new coin.. a better coin.. floats over and drops into his palm. Obvious greed lights up in the man's eyes, and this time his fingers close tightly about it. It is almost enough to make him forget about the other coin, until Eztli offers her thanks, and joins her voice to RObert's as a reminder to the service they are purchasing. His avarice remains fixed upon the coin she holds for a moment longer, before he turns his head towards the gate. It looks almost as though it takes physical effort to do so. "Aha! Right. Well, make sure you check in to the Adventurer's guild, then. Wulfgang Abenteurer is the guild master.. he'd be the one you'd want to ask about the curse." The man can't help but snort a bit of laughter as he says the word. "Might put you to sleep with his tales, if he doesn't fall asleep on you first. Haha. Oh, and make sure you avoid the alley behind the pub." He looks back at you, his grin widening. "Nothing of use to be found back there." He gestures for you to walk through.

As you pass, however, he adds one more thing. "Oh, there's an inn in town, if you need it. If you don't mind the smell. Run by a fat southern fellow and his pet cats, I think."

"Okay. Okay!" Integrity says, as if he understood every word and has nothing relevant to reply with. Mentally, he notes the names, Wulfgang Abenteurer the Adventurer and the Sleepy Tales Inn with all the cats. At least they're leaving the guard with a smile.

He steps past Robert and leads the way through the gate, his head flicking everywhere, his beak pointing at all things as he takes in all the sights.

Slixvah smooths her feathers back, barely holding back a cackle as the silly play streams through the group with easy. Tarien probably got a kick out of that. Hope he's watching!

The bird woman caws, "Thanks, thanks!"

And she follows in after Robert. Once out of earshot of the gate, she sighs, rubbing her face. "Prick," she grumbles under her breath. <Khazdul>

"Adventuring guild eh? In this place? Feels like I'm boutta get pranked."

The big composite pauldrons shrug only to be followed by a nod as Robert-- like Jay-- files away the important info. "A gold for your church leaves you with nine from that and if you're a praying man thank you patron that the strangers you met today had a sense of humor, friend."

His mood tempered, Bob continues on into the city and offers a wave before the guard is out of sight. Looking to Slixvah, he gives a nod. "Air can be thin on the high road but we saw a fox--" he tosses a gauntlet-thumb over his shoulder-- "maybe Tarien has some Insight coming to the man..."

There's a quick pause to close the flap on his pack and shift it back over his plated rump. Then the suit of artifice continues on after the two egalrin, turning to make sure Eztli is come along, too.

The small makari bows courteously, even deciding to curtsy with her robes, before she straightens up and is quickly on her way. "Sounds like we have a way to for now at least. Hopefully they can set us on a path for what we're looking for? I'm curious what seems so unimportant about this curse."

The town inside is... quaint. After all, you're used to Alexandrian standards and this is no metropolis. The roads are cobblestone, though at various points weeds are attempting to poke up through the cracks. Once inside, the main street splits to run north and west. On the corner right in front of you is what appears to be the local law office. At least, if the big sign "Sherrif" is anything to go by. There are a few steps up toa wooden porch, upon which there is a large window set into a stone building, a door beside it.. and upon a sturdy looking rocking chair is a grizzled old man with a floppy had pulled down over his eyes. He rocks slowly, back and forth. Beside him stands a rather... large individual. Much like the giantborn you have seen back home, yet this one is more brutish. Hulking. Perhaps this one carries ogre or giant blood.

The north road seems to lead towards what is probably residential buildings, while the west leads down a more commercial path if the signs sticking out from the buildings are anything to go by. Heroes Tails Inn. Ye Olde Magic Shoppe. General Store.

"So. We are somewhere they have never seen Egalrin, allegedly." Jay comments, focusing on individual things like the sherrif and his big deputy now that he's gawked at everything past the gate. "Look, ye Olde Magic Shoppe. We can buy some Olde Magic."

He looks over at Slixvah, his eyes glittering, "You were great. You too Eztli." He re-folds his wings on his back.

"So, are we going to shock the locals or pretend to be Bob's pets? I'm... not keen on the latter."

Slixvah takes a deep breath in. "Ahhh... smells like home. Kidding. Anywho, yeah Robbie, I hope so too. Foxes are good luck!"

A pause. "... right?" Wait, why are /you/ asking? You're the one that knows about all that stuff!

"Never seen Egalrin..." she muses. "Coulda swapped to a different face, but, eh, I don't wanna freak 'em out." She looks over to Tegri and gives him a wink. "Thanks hon. You're slick too."

She shakes her head. "I'd prefer to just shock 'em, get it over wit'. Say we're from some far away place. I ain't a pet. And if I have ta do that song and dance again I'm feather clubbing someone in the mountain oysters."

A gesture westward. "I'm inclined ta find this Adventurer's Guild, yeah?"

"The not having seen a sith-makar thing I can get, but egalrin is definitely more strange. Like they don't even have a concept of non human-like races, or, they just think of us as below humans. I hope it's the former and not the later." The small makari sighs. "No, I can't keep this up, so I'll just go with shocking them, that's the best course. If I have to take a step back for the talking, so be it."

You do indeed draw looks. Not that you've witnessed much of a sample of the local population yet, but of those you've seen, the possibly-half-ogre is the most non-human person you've seen. Even Robert, the only human among you, is somewhat exotic with his custom, mana powered armour. And you draw looks.

As you pass by the Heroes Tail Inn, a large cat which was apparently resting on the porch, chin on its paws, perks its head and ears up as you pass by.. then rises and turns, padding into the open door of the inn.

A large, styilized eye that you initially assumed as part of the design of Ye Olde Magic Shoppe's sign actually appears to track you as you walk further down the road.

A rather plump, soft looking woman in a bonnet and an apron pauses in her sweeping of the porch in front of the General Store, turning her face to follow you as you walk by before resuming her work with the broom once you are past.

And then, finally, you reach the Adventuring Guild. At least, you asusme that's what it is. It's a small house, right at the end of the street, with a sign suspended by two chains from the eavestrough with styilized paint indicateding, "Adventuring Guild, Thursburg Chapter, #134"

-To be continued...-