Cauldron, Part 10
1/9/08
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Tillandor repeats, "Yuathyb has offered to set a guard for us while we rest."
Calico yawns.
Calico says, "someplace safe for a bit of rest would be nice."
Jiona looks quite interested at Tillandor's statement. "Really? That would be greatly appreciated. I'm... not quite sure how long it's been, down here away from the sun... but I certainly feel like I could use a rest."
Calico recalls the prophetic note, "Yuathyb, would you know of a 'malchite hold'?"
Tillandor speaks in Yuathyb's tongue.
Tass, not trustfull of the new creature, holds position in the back of the group until an action is decided.
DM blinks and does some unexpected research.
Rayne makes a slight grimace, holds his abdomen and retreats back down the hallway.
Yuathyb speaks at length to Tillandor.
Tillandor replies.
Ethkin wonders what Rayne ate...
Jiona watches Rayne wander off in slight curiosity, but not enough to actually follow him. In the meantime, she looks around at this area for resting possibilities, but with all the glass and debris, it's not very friendly. When there is a pause in the conversation, she interjects to Tillandor, "Does he know of a reasonably safe place to rest here?"
Calico says, "he mentioned an idle forge."
Ethkin asks Calico, "Could you lead me along a safe path through the rest of this glass and stuff?"
Rayne returns looking much relieved.
Calico sweeps glass from an area around Ethkin, "sure, as soon as I know where we're going."
Tillandor gestures for Yuathyb to lead the way.
Rayne pulls some rations out of his pack and starts munching away.
Yuathyb nods and gestures for you to follow, as he heads north through into the passage.
Rayne surprised by the sudden finding of a direction, hastily stuffs the uneaten portion back into his pack.
Jiona glances over at Rayne after he returns, as she starts following Tillandor. "You feeling all right?" she asks him.
Calico leads Ethkin, sweeping glass clear from their path.
Tass looks at Rayne's food, remebering that he himself is a bit peckish, but figure he can get to that when they reach the place where they will settle for the night.
Rayne asks, "Sure, still mending a little but otherwise fine. Why do you ask?"
Jiona continues following, stepping dantily around the bits of glass and debris she can see in the torchlight. "You wandered off holding your stomach," she replies, as though that should have been obvious.
Yuathyb pauses here and gestures westward and makes a comment to Tillandor.
Tass Steps lightly over thr broken glass and continues to follow the party
Rayne shrugs and says with a slight grin, "I needed to go. I figured it would be best if it wasn't in front of all you ladies."
Rayne shoulders his pack, readjusting its weight, before moving over to Tillandor.
Ethkin would roll his eyes if he'd ever seen anyone do so and know what it meant...
* The hallway is quite dark, but isn't particularly dusty or unused.
Jiona holds up a hand to hide her sudden smile, but doesn't make any further comment.
Rayne's stomach rumbles slightly, a reminder to him of his unfinished meal.
Calico guesses from the lack of reply that Yuathyb doesn't know a 'malachite hold'.
Tillandor says, "I'm sorry, I was quite distracted."
* In the dark room beyond, Yuathyb gestures for you to follow.
Tillandor says, "He suggested it might mean a place called Kazmojen's Fortress."
Calico walks in and takes a look.
Rayne strides ahead confidently, looking around at the surroundings.
Ethkin follows Calico.
* Four soot blackened hearths are set into the corners of the room. In front of each rests an anvil and bellows, and implements of the smithing trade hang from nearby hooks. Two barrels of scummy water stand against the north wall. Two more flank the south exit, and a pair of empty weapon racks stand in the middle of the room.
Tillandor says, "And he said he may be of great assistance to us. I suggested that we resume such discussion after our rest."
Tass sidedles along behind.
Yuathyb gestures about the room and speaks to Tillandor.
Jiona also enters the room, sniffing around as usual.
Rayne looks at the rest of the group and says, "Tired already? We just got through only a few hours of searching. At this rate it could take years to find those children!"
Calico takes a seat besides a barrel of water and pulls out some dinner.
Rayne looks exasperated and rather impatient, folding his arms across his chest.
Yuathyb finishes speaking to Tillandor and bows to you all, his faded and gaunt figure nearly vanishing in the flickering shadows of the room.
Tillandor speaks again to Yuathyb.
Calico says, "it may have been only a few hours, but spellcasting is exausting work."
Tass pulls out a small roll from his ration packs and begins to much, slowly survaying the room.
Tillandor cautions, "He warns us not to get too much soot on ourselves. I am not skilled enough to know if it may be in jest."
Ethkin wanders in, deftly moving among the obstacles in the room.
- Startled by the gesture, Jiona gives Yuathyb a light curtsy in return, having learned at least that much when dealing with other races.
Rayne begins slowly, "Aye it is... but the longer we take, the more likely it is we run into more opponents on our way down."
Tass says, "Soot? What will it do to us other than make us more dirty than we allready are? This water isn't even fit for bathing."
Rayne directs his attention to Tillandor. "Did he say where we can find this fortress?" he asks.
Ethkin chuckles, certain that he can sense 'microbial life' in the barrels.
Tass takes a disapointed splash in one of the barells.
Yuathyb bows again and steps out of the room, keeping a wary eye on Tass as he leaves.
Tillandor bows farewell-for-now to Yuathyb.
Tass keeps an eye on Yuathyb as well.
Tillandor says, "He will alert his kind not to attack us, and bids me do the same. The creepers are none of his though, and for them we must remain wary."
Ethkin keeps his eyes where they are.
Rayne pauses, considering the wisdom of having their ghostly friend insure they have less of those slippery devils to fight and then nods.
Tillandor says, "Further, he cautions that we be wary of the western corridor and not venture forth, for a darker danger lies thence."
Calico finishes her rations and takes a comfortable pose in a spot that looks a bit less filthy than the surroundings.
Rayne says, "Which western corridor? I think we passed a few on our way here."
Ethkin hmms, "Tillandor? Ask him what's in the room East of the room we met him in."
Calico says, "Ethkin, he left."
Rayne takes his backpack off and sets it to the ground, then sits himself and uses it as back support while he pulls out the remainder of his meal.
Tillandor points out that he has gone. "We may ask him after our rest."
Ethkin'looks' around, "Oh, he's gone..."
Tillandor says, "As to which western corridor, the one just north of this smithy."
Rayne asks, "North?"
Calico asks, "north? or south?"
Tillandor oopses. "South."
Ethkin nods.
Tillandor exclaims, "Which we are just north of!"
Tillandor grins.
Rayne looks opposite direction of the way we came, then hearing the correction nods.
Calico closes her eyes and begins to purr.
Tass searches for a spot to settle that is to his likeing, and finds none.
Ethkin says, "Why do I get the feeling that's exactly where we need to go..."
Jiona continues exploring a bit, wary of the soot since she has no shoes to protect her feet. She seems pleased by the presence of the barrels, although she certainly doesn't make any move to fetch water out of them. Her curiosity satisfied, she returns closer to the group, listening in, and grins slightly at Ethkin's comment.
* A creaking of wood against stone can be heard off in the distance to the south.
Rayne shrugs. "We will find out soon enough. I suppose a rest can do us all a bit of good." he conceeds.
Ethkin starts, as he realizes that he's also bare footed, with fresh wonds on his soals!
Tillandor looks about for a place to lay.
Calico asks, "anyone have any wounds beyond a nights rest before I nod off?"
Tass mutters to himself, "I wish I could use magic. Then I could have a scrubing spell and clean the floor, clean my shirt, clean my self, clean these others who haven't bathed in a few days..." and plops down his pack and perchs on it, grumbleing.
Jiona perks her ears, and checks her wound, speaking up to Calico, "If you have any healing to spare, I could use a little more," she requests.
Rayne nods and says, "Mine probably require several days before they mend completely, although you have done wonders compared to what it started out as...." and grimaces at the memory of the painful dagger slashing into his chest.
Rayne pulls his vest down slightly to show the scabs covering the cut on his chest.
Calico stands and wanders towards Rayne, "prrr, hisss, howwwwlllll....", lays a paw on his wound.
Calico casts cure light wounds on Rayne.
* Calico rolls 1d8+3+3: 3,3,3 = 9.
Rayne flinches slightly to the touch on his wound, but stands with teeth gritted.
Ethkin sounds worried as he asks, "Are you sure, Tillandor, that this soot isn't as bad as that guy is claiming?"
Calico repeats he performance with Jiona, cure minor wounds.
Rayne's wounds heal completely, not even leaving the trace of a scar.
Tillandor says, "No my friend, he may have spoken in jest or kindly wish rather than warning."
Rayne takes a deep breath and says, "Thank you, Calico."
Rayne rubs the spot where the wound had been, then lets his Vest tug upwards back into its original position.
Calico, out of divine energyu for the day, returns to her corner to meditate.
Calico purrrrrs.
Ethkin nods, "I hope so, 'cause I just walked across it with cuts on the bottoms of my bare feet."
Tass asks, "Where did Yuathyb go again? Is he going to be back to keep watch like he offered?"
Tillandor says, "He will be whence we found him, or nearby."
Rayne, not really feeling that tired, relaxes, resting against his pack and keeping watch towards the entrance to the room.
Tillandor lays down and attempts to nap.
* DM marks the anvils with grey
Jiona thanks Calico kindly, as her wound heals up farther, although still not completely sealed. Returning to near where Tillandor has chosen to rest, Jiona looks down distastefully at the dust, clearly contemplating something for a minute or so.
* And red for the actual forges. You might want to find a better spot, Tillandor.
* And Yellow for the barrels. In case anyone cares.
Ethkin wonders how Calico did that.
Jiona finally shakes her head, takes her cloak out of her backpack, lays it down on the floor, and curls up on it near Tillandor. While she'll awaken for a turn at watch if anyone wants, she otherwise falls asleep.
* A distant monotonous rattle reverberates through the corridors.
Tass takes out a bit of jerky and his water skin, and starts chewing through that as well.
Tass stops mid sip, looking around. "What's that?" he says, starteled.
Rayne shakes his head and says, "I'm not sure, but I can't imagine that it is good," and stands, putting a hand on his sword handle.
* The rattle continues for a few minutes, ending with a sudden clunk-thump
Ethkin wonders, "Perhaps that Construct?"
Jiona's tail twitches a little at the noise, but she otherwise doesn't stir.
Tass asks, "You don't think the lobster thing is turning back on, do you?"
Rayne says, "If it is, I hope that whatever it finds is not on our side..."
Rayne begins walking over to the lobster room and says over his shoulder without looking back, "I'll go check to make sure."
Yuathyb looks up at Rayne as he passes through.
Tass looks at Ethkin. "Does that mean we should follow him?"
Rayne waves to Yuathyb as he heads out the room.
Yuathyb sits at a large wooden table, scribbling on some paper.
Rayne approached the room cautiously, listening to see if the sound gets louder, then peeks around the corner.
Tillandor breathes quietly, fast asleep.
* The sound has stopped about a minute ago.
Ethkin turns in Tass's direction, "I'm not following him."
Calico continues to purrrrr.
Rayne ponders for a moment, then decides against proceeding into the room.
Rayne starts heading back to where the rest of the group is situated.
Ethkin sits in the corner, wedged behind a barrel. He rests, not really sleepy, untill everyone else says it's time to go.
Rayne comes back from the halls and sets himself back down again at his pack.
* Time passes. Calico awakens, refreshed and ready to claw some furniture.
Rayne has pulled out some rations again, munching away.
Ethkin plays a quiet melody on his flute.
Calico nibbles a snack before taking a cat nap waiting for the rest of the group.
* So... four hours have passed... anyone intending to nap for longer than that?
Tillandor wakes, his internal clock chiming '4 hours!'
Ethkin is not napping, resting sure, but no nap.
Calico looks over the barrel next to him, "anyone need some fresh water?"
Rayne pulls his pack back on and situates himself to continue onward.
Tillandor says, "I would expect to find none here."
Rayne looks at Calico, wondering what he has in mind.
Tass gets up and streches from his long sit.
Jiona also awakens at the sounds of voices, and takes a few moments to help herself to her waterskin and one of her generously donated rations after getting back up and stowing her cloak back in her pack.
Calico says, "if these aren't too big I could purify the water in a barrel for us."
Rayne ponders that thoughtfully.
Rayne says, "At this moment we haven't traveled that far in I suppose. I suspect we are less than 2 hours from town."
Tass raises an eyebrow at Calico's mentioning that she could purify the water and thinks about the prospect of freash water to rinse himself with...
Tillandor says, "I believe that we should head upward, and seek help for Yuathyb."
Jiona gives Tillandor a puzzled look. "Upward?"
Calico judges the size of a barrel, "but this is a bit too much."
Tass says, "We could find a way to empty out the barrel to a level that you can work with."
Rayne shakes his head and says, "If we go back now, we will have questions to answer from the city guard regarding Ghelve. I don't think we can afford many delays."
Calico asks, "any of these barrels have not over 3 cubic feet of water?"
Tillandor says, "Ah. So you intend to take Yuathyb's help, with no thought for fulfilling his request."
Rayne speaks again, impatience sounding clearly in his voice, "Those children need us, and every moment we tarry could be a moment too late."
Rayne says, "Not at all, I would intent to return the help upon our victorious return."
Tillandor says, "Ah. Supposing we could still find him, I'm sure he'd appreciate that."
Jiona points out, "There's the possibility he might not survive that long. We don't know how long this Vanishing takes."
Rayne pauses in consideration, "Although there is one here who would be able to return without notice..." and looks at Tass.
Calico looks for a spot a barrel might be dumped without making too much a mess.
Rayne asks, "Tass, would you be willing to fetch a healer, and a good one mind you for our new friend here?"
Tass says, "Yes, and I could bring news of your progress to Jenya."
Ethkin says, "I would like to go with him."
Rayne nods and says, "That would be helpful. That way we could continue our search while getting our friend the help he needs."
Ethkin shrugs, "Perhaps get some sandles."
Tillandor says, "Look for Kristof Jurgensen. He is a professor of religion at the Academy. I will offer a reasonable donation to Pelor should he manage the task."
Calico says, "if Tass goes above for a healer and supplies, we should be near the enterence when he returns."
Rayne frowns, clearly not liking the idea of wasting time.
Tillandor says, "If master Jurgensen will not come, seek a shop called Weer's Elixers, and obtain there a potion to remove the curse."
Rayne says, "That potion will be expensive though..."
Ethkin stands, but remains in the corner behind the barrel.
Calico says, "short of heading west we have few options, all south of here. I suggest we discuss this on the way."
Tillandor says, "We should await Tass's return near the entrance."
- Finishing her breakfast, Jiona listens to the conversation, while wandering back south to gaze down the western hallway they've been warned about.
Ethkin asks, "So, are Tass and I going up?"
Tass asks, "How much will this spell cost us anyways?"
Tillandor says, "Definitely try Jurgensen first. Take this with you, to help persuade. It will not cover Weer's costs, but you might convince him."
Tillandor fishes out 300gp, and hands them to Tass.
Rayne grimaces and says, "More than I have on me. Perhaps..." trailing off at Tillandor's supply of gold.
Rayne looks at Tillandor in surprise. "Well that certaintly helps."
Tass takes the large sum and quickly stows it in a safe place.
Ethkin hears coin clinking.
Rayne opens his purse and gets out what looks like 100g and then hands it to Tass also.
Rayne pats his pockets and starts looking in his backpack.
Calico has a measly 30gp in her purse.
Tillandor says, "Let us make haste to the entrance, where Tass will part from us and we will await his return."
Rayne's eyes narrow in anger as he bellows, "My purse is missing!"
Ethkin heads for the door, then stops...
Rayne puts his hand on his sword and looks around, anger looming on his face.
Ethkin turns in Rayne's direction...
Tass quickly trys to calm rayne with "Have a hundred gold I can also contribute if there is a problem"
Jiona also begins following the group, having overhead just enough to determine that they're heading back, but freezes, her ears tilting back at the anger in Rayne's yell.
Calico eyes their shadowy new friend, and keeps her distance from the angry Rayne.
Rayne growls and looks towards the newest member of their group.
Ethkin senses the anger in Rayne.
Tillandor returns to the smithy, sits on the floor and opens his pack.
Rayne ponders in thought, saying, "I had the purse here in these halls, and only since we moved from our last resting place has it gone missing."
Tass holds his ground, showing confusion at all the angry faces sudenly looking at him.
Rayne looks at the forge and says, "The place before this one."
Tillandor neatly arranges an array of odds and ends until his pack is empty.
Tillandor also empties his belt pouch.
Rayne considers the group for a moment and starts reasoning, "I know Tillandor, he wouldn't be dumb enough to steal from me."
Tillandor says, "Nonetheless, now there is no doubt."
Rayne says, "Calico seems like a holy person, I doubt his deity would find him stealing amenable."
Tillandor repacks his belongings.
Jiona moves just a little north to stand in the doorway, looking uncertain, but she makes a gesture with her backpack, in case Rayne wants to look through it.
Rayne says, "Ethkin... well he is blind. And worships the same deity I do."
Ethkin says, "I never said I worship anyone."
Rayne says, "That leaves Jiona and Tass."
Tillandor points out, "Jiona has offered her bag, should you wish to look."
Rayne looks over at Ethkin and shakes his head saying, "Even still while you see much, you still miss the small important things. I have my doubts that you would be capable of it."
Rayne shrugs uncomfortably, then looks at Tass, "What about you. Are you willing to turn out your bags?"
Ethkin almost takes offence at the 'small impostant things' comment, but realizes it's true.
Jiona says softly, "I would have no reason to steal from you, Rayne. There is little that I require, and you have been quite generous to me in the time I have known you. But I will not hold it against you if you wish to be certain."
Rayne's rage seems to sag a little at Jiona's remark, suddenly realizing how he sounds.
Rayne shakes his head furiously. "I suppose to be fair I have to, although I don't think you would be the type to do so."
Ethkin hopes no one needlessly dies today...
Rayne walks over to Jiona and examines the belongings she holds out.
Tass nods at the group, ralising what is being asked of him, and with out making anysudden moves, starts to dissaseble the pack he was sitting on.
Rayne glances back to Tass from time to time, every growing moment of not finding anything seems to grow his frustration.
Jiona nods her understanding, and slowly sets down her backpack, as well as the small sack she carries, and starts setting out her few belongings, like Tillandor. Her cloak is the largest, as well as the waterskin she had earlier, one of Rayne's donated rations, a torch, a flint-and-steel for same, the stick from the meat-on-a-stick vendor, and the sack just contains some herbs and other random items that would be useful for a nonmagical healer. She has no coin in her possession whatsoever.
Tillandor revealed 44 gold coins, if anyone is counting.
Jiona corrects, two rations.
Rayne pauses for a moment, then says, "I will make you a deal. If anyone here took it, just return it to me and I will not kill you where you stand. Should I find it otherwise, your end will be swift."
Ethkin hears the rustling cloth, the clink-chink of items, and such...
Ethkin says, "It'll be alright Rayne."
Ethkin says, "Calm down."
Rayne blinks, visibly calming.
Tass ponders as he unpacks, "Where do you keep it? Are you sure it didn't fall out when you were injured? And for that matter,are you really acusing me of taking it? I ditinctly remeber fighting some invisable foes not so long ago."
Rayne ponder's Tass' words, and suggests, "Why would they steal my purse before they were about to cut my throat? Easier enough to cut it and then pluck it off of me afterwards."
- Once she's sure that Rayne has satisfied his need to check, Jiona begins repacking her possessions.
Rayne finishes searching Jiona's and Tass' belongings to no effect.
Calico recalls the coin purse taken as loot from a battle, and pauses to look inside.
Tass, hurt, "Still, my belongings are clean, so maybe we should be on our way? While we are here wondering over lost material goods, there are childern that need saving, aren't there?"
Jiona finishes repacking her gear, looks around at the party, and makes a 'be right back' gesture, then goes off to find a bit of privacy for a few minutes.
Tillandor says, "And Yuathyb also."
Rayne is staring at Calico, watching as Calico inspects the contents of the purse.
Rayne gets up from the strewn belongings and starts striding purposefully over to Calico.
Calico closes the purse and tosses it to Rayne, "a few gold. might be worth getting a few more torches."
Tass says, "And Yuathyb! Ethkin and I could be off finding a potion to help him. I am also willing to contribute some of my small inhreitance from my mother twards furthering our goal."
Rayne catches the purse, examines it, then sighs.
Rayne tosses it back to Calico and says, "It looks similar but it is not mine."
Tillandor says, "If we are settled amongst ourselves, let us make haste. Ever we may keep an eye for the purse as we return toward Ghelve's shop."
Rayne agrees and leads the way, looking intently along the ground for anything that might resemble his lost purse.
Jiona eventually returns to the group, and nods to Tillandor. "I'll see if I can scent it along the way. It should smell of him, as long as it's not hidden in something else."
Tillandor speaks with Yuathyb when they reach him, apparently explaining the plan.
Tass sticks close to Ethkin as they move.
Yuathyb sits at a large table, looking up as you enter.
Ethkin murmers something to Tass...
Yuathyb stands up, saying something.
Calico waits at the enterence of the room to escort Ethkin through the cleared area.
Calico considers her magic to find Raynes purse, but doubts she could find that particular purse from among the several that must be closer.
- The name 'Rayne' can be heard clearly in Tillandor's speech as he speaks with Yuathyb.
Rayne takes out a hooded lantern from his pack, and attempts to light it.
Yuathyb nods and speaks with Tillandor, then gestures to him to lead the way.
Ethkin deftly steps around Rayne and heads down the tunnel.
Yuathyb shields his eyes a bit from the beams of Rayne's lantern that seem to shine almost right through his ghostly form.
Tillandor hesitates, and allows Rayne to precede him.
Tass follows closely to Ethkin to keep up the pace.
Rayne stops at the room with the lobster.
Ethkin sniffs as he enters the room, "Ew."
* The lobster thing is not currently visible.
Rayne says, "By the way, the mechanical creature we saw earlier seems to have moved."
Calico keeps a safe distance from Rayne.
Yuathyb follows closely behind Tillandor.
Tass enters the room soon after, but makes no coment on the smell.
You page-pose, "Jiona is trying to find evidence of Rayne's scent apart from him. In case it was dropped somewhere obvious, or perhaps moved into an invisible area. Ignoring the traces of him having passed through." to DM
Rayne says, "We heard a rattling sound earlier, so I suspect it went back to its original place."
Rayne asks, "Till you remember that passcode?"
Ethkin invisably states, "I guess it belongs to Yotheeb?"
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+4: 16,4 = 20.
Yuathyb jumps at mention of his name from an invisible source.
Rayne enters the area, accidentally bumping into someone as he walks.
Tillandor says, "I will not utter it now, lest I wake the thing."
Rayne says, "Good good, just want to make sure we don't have to fight that thing."
Rayne emerges from the other side of the invisbility sphere.
Ethkin says, "Watch where you step over there Till."
Calico follows the wall around.
Tillandor skirts around the edge of the sphere, but still slips into invisibility for a moment.
Ethkin gently takes Tass's hand and leads through the 'sphere.
Tass stumbles out of invisablity behind Ethkin, having kept a hand on him through it.
Jiona carefully follows Tillandor's footsteps, her nose constantly sniffing in case Rayne somehow dropped his coin purse along the way.
Calico says, "I think the east tunnel is a more direct way to the enterence."
Rayne begins following the path they came by into this place.
Tillandor calls out, "Rayne, there is a shorter path."
Rayne frowns and says, "Are you sure?"
Ethkin blinks, "East tunnle?"
Tillandor defers to the cat.
* Nearby now, you can hear the rumbling and churning of heavy machinery suddenly begin. It reverberates through the walls.
Rayne feels along the wall until he comes out into the corridor.
Ethkin thinks Rayne just bumped into the Kwalish.
Yuathyb follows Tillandor closely.
Calico leads the way to a familier junction.
Ethkin freezes!
Tillandor smiles. "Ah, I have memory of this place."
Tass is torn between following the group and sticking with Ethkin.
Ethkin asks, "What was that?"
Ethkin asks, "Jiona?"
Calico pauses, waiting for the rest of the group.
Ethkin hears heavy machinery, and wants to know what it is...
Jiona also follows along, her ears moving independently of her direction at the sounds of all of the machinery running behind the walls. "Just... more of the mysterious stuff around this place," she replies, not quite sure herself. "But it's not in our way."
Ethkin nods, "Ok then."
Yuathyb looks over to where Calico is, and speaks to Tillandor.
Tass puts a hand on Ethkin to move through the sphere, thinking of the irony of following behind the blind.
Tillandor replies smugly to Yuathyb.
Yuathyb nods sagely and seems to smile just a little.
* We all make it to the entry to the mask room with little hoopla.
* On the way there, the sound of machinery never seems to be far away, until about the time you reach the masks, when it suddenly stops.
* The masks still giggle while birds chirp merrily.
Jiona's fur twitches a little at the sudden cessation of sound. "Till," she asks, "Does... Yuat... our friend there know what makes all of that noise?"
Ethkin shivers a little, "Unreal."
Tillandor says, "It is gnomish magic which makes the sounds."
Yuathyb looks at the deceased wrinkly creepers and shudders.
Ethkin asks, "The machine sounds too?"
Tass eyes the masks and the birds, and is ancious to be leveing this room.
- Surprised, Jiona opens her mouth to ask the same question, but Ethkin beats her to it.
Tillandor says, "Go, Tass. Seek Jurgensen or Weer."
Tillandor says, "And return quickly to us."
Tass asks, "And will Ethkin be coming with me?"
Ethkin nods.
Ethkin says, "I need a cheap cobbler."
Tass asks, "I can find Weer, but where is Jurgensen located?"
Tillandor says, "Seek him at the Academy."
Calico tosses a purse to Tass, "pick up a lantern and some oil if you can."
Tass catches it deftly, and places it with the shot she gave him on his belt.
Tillandor says, "Or at the church of Pelor."
Tillandor says, "In fact, it may be best to seek there first."
Ethkin takes the first couple of stairs, "Tass, you comming?"
Tass says, "Right behind you."
Calico settles into a corner to wait, and maybe catch a catnap.
Jiona wishes the barrels of water were here, but also settles in to wait, not knowing what else she could do at the moment.
- Once they have gone, Tillandor asks Yuathyb a question.
Tillandor says, "He says the machinery is something called The Well of Kazmojen."
Tillandor says, "I wonder if it does not lie down the westward corridor of which we were warned."
Jiona scratches her muzzle thoughtfully. "An odd name," she muses. "You... wonder? He won't tell you?"
Tillandor says, "He shows reluctance to reveal its location."
- Sitting down to wait more comfortably, Jiona inquires, "So... is he a native resident of this place? Before this Vanishing began?"
Tillandor speaks again to Yuathyb.
Calico mutters to herself reviewing the unexplored passages down here, "west from the forge room, west from the crab room, west from here, south from here, and south from the dining hall."
Yuathyb listens to Tillandor, then thinks a little and responds.
DM says, "And that is where we'll park."
Ethkin quite agrees with Calico, even though he can't hear her right now.
DM holds Tillandor in suspense.