"Carnivorous.. plants.."

[ 09-01-2003: Message edited by: Pvednes ]

Barry walks a step behind the others, watching the scenery. He wonders if he really needs a room, or if he'd be able to sleep tonight even if he found somewhere to stay.

ooc:
Reminders:
Kilrath - You met Aust for the first time shortly before you departed on the ill-fated trip that brought you here. The trip only took a few days.
Everyone - Be sure to check the acquaintances page if you don't remember whether you know someone's name. As gatherings get larger, I might start using character names rather than descriptions just to keep things sorted out.

Aust seems to play little heed to you, as he continues his conversation with the fellin woman. "What's not safe about it? The whole city's protected by magic, and everyone coming in has to go through the initiation. Well, that is, they're supposed to go through it. I wonder if they found Ar... Ariana yet."

You can see the fellin fairly well. She has black stripes through orange fur, and stands even with you. The other one stands a full head taller. It glances at you only briefly, but that alone is enough to take you by surprise. Though the shape of the hooded stranger's face resembles a lizardbeing, you have never seen its like before. Most of its kind in the Terranada military have scales in shades of green, sometimes with a swath of deep brown down the chest. This one's face appears light tan, hardly different from the tone of your own skin. Without hearing the creature speak, you can only guess by its relatively slender appearance that it is either very young, or female.

"Will you be here in the morning?" Aust asks the fellin after a moment of thought. She nods in ascent. "Good, then we'll come get you. There's a big meeting with all the hunts, something important. I plan to attend as well, so I'll come get you after that." The fellin nods again, "Come when you arre rready to leave."

"See you then," Aust turns to leave, then notices you. "Oh, I almost forgot. Freya, this is Arthur. Arthur, meet Freya. I've known both of you for about the same amount of time."

Reyolen

You don't see any chairs in the room, nor did you really expect to. Giant mushrooms are far more common, and generally more comfortable unless you're inclined to lean back. Last time you saw this room, it had only half as many seats as now, with more space in between.

Taylen, Reyolen

Regalor looks first at Taylen, then turns his calm gaze to Silvan. "Your friend tells me that you were headed towards the south shore," he says to Silvan. "Considering everything that's happened recently, I'd like to know as much as you can tell me. He also said one of you has a map," he pauses briefly, then continues, "you wouldn't happen to have it, would you?"

Pvednes, Ukko

Once again, you only skirt the outside of the gardens. You get a different view from your earlier passes, and see no signs of carnivorous plants, at least so far as you can tell. The view is quite pleasant, actually.

After a couple minutes, Ralora leads you away from the gardens, and back through the empty marketplace around the spire. A few moments later, you begin passing what look like decent-sized homes, spaced generously apart, with wide walkways lined occasionally with giant mushrooms or benches grown from the same entwined branches as everything else in the city. Some of the walkways crest or drop, like gently sloping hills, only hollow underneath. Very few people remain out and about.

You continue walking for more than a short time, with little change in the scenery. The city grows slightly dimmer as you get further from its center, making it difficult to see a distance away. Boltat seems not to have any difficulty with the terrain or with the two people riding on its back.

Eventually, you come to a building with a design much more familiar from human cities. Three rows of evenly spaced square windows line the rectangular building's woven branch walls. Sounds of a crowd flow from a large doorway, muffled by doors of shimmering silver vines. Painted letters above the door read, "WHISPERING WOOD INN". The building feels like a cross between two completely different worlds.

Ralora looks up and down at the place, "Perhaps this time, I should wait outside, while the two of you inquire about a room. The owner of the Whispering Wood is a pleasant man, but I have never felt comfortable in the inn itself." She glances at Barry, then says to Tania with a smirk, "You two should be alright though."

[ 09-07-2003: Message edited by: Reyolen ]

Of the dozen mushrooms positioned in a ring, only two are currently occupied. Taylen sits three seats to the Elder's left. "Your friend has already provided quite a bit of detail," the Elder replies, watching as you walk to the corner where Taylen set down the orc's armor. "We spoke back at the meeting hall, and a bit more on the way here. He has provided me with valuable information about an encampment to the west, and made brief mention of people saved from a slaver train."

"Considering recent events, and in particular some recent news from Terranada, I need to know anything you or your other companions can tell me about the slavers. Up to this point, most of our information has come from refugees. The map you found would be particularly helpful, if we could get it before morning."

"Acting?" Barry asks, confused. He follows Tania into the building, and looks around.

As you approach the tavern, two drunken men stumble out past you. They don't seem to notice you.

Walking through the tavern's outer doors, you enter a large, rectangular room. A bar runs along most of the far wall, ending at a side wall at one end, and curving towards the far wall beside a door in the other corner. Tables and chairs fill most of the room. Though the tables have been grown from the same woven vines as most structures in the city, the chairs appear to be normal, carved chairs.

Some of the tables host families enjoying a late evening meal, or groups of traders chattering over ales. Other tables are empty. Most of the bar is still full, though one of its occupants has his head on the counter. An elven man stands behind the bar, chatting with two of the customers, while a fellin woman clears the empty tables.

He shows a small smile and waits a brief moment to give Freya a chance to react first.

If she doesn't say something or make some sort of gesture Arthur will react.

((I'll post his reaction or response after I see what Freya does ))

As to the information I can provide, I suppose I can enlighten you. Back in Vista, my current residence, I performed…odd jobs, you might say. My last such job was just before I was thrown into this whole mess, and may provide you with some clues, though I doubt you know enough of the Human world for it to assist you greatly. This job was given to me by a man whose name I was not provided with. This was common in my work. I was hired to investigate the trade routes of a major shipping company and notify my employer of the shipping schedules.

My second objective was to deliver a document to Trestin Milner, have him read and sign it, and then return it to my employer. However, the catch was no one else could read it besides Milner, not even myself. I spent a week or so preparing for the job, gathering what information I needed, that sort of business. After much effort, I was still not able to get Milner to sign the document. Eventually, though, I was able to get his signature. After returning both the shipping schedules and the signed document to my employer, I was shortly roughed up and knocked unconscious by my ex-employer’s lizardmen lackeys. I wouldn’t have even suspected their coming if a half-human girl hadn’t set off my alarm spell.

Anyway, I awoke in a cage, traveling in a slave caravan, I assume. A dwarf and the half-breed were in separate cells. Suddenly, however, the lizardmen met their end, and I’m still not sure how that occurred. We were free, and we soon met many more people in the area, after we recovered out belongings. Taylen and Freya were there, and then an elf named Aust. A daysprite and another lizardman, our companion Drakkenclaw, showed up as well. Together we traveled here. When we encountered a Halfling on the road, we also encountered an Orc ambush. These orcs were gifted with magical rings that seemed to sustain their life, and they also seemed to be working for the slavers. We have documentary evidence of this, though I do not recall where it is. Possibly with the map. Either way, these orcs were into fine things, as we found all sorts of expensive accessories and items. Fine wine, silk gowns, even spell scrolls.

I believe the slavers are working in a joint effort with the local bandits, a band of orcs, and lizardmen. That’s what I’ve been able to gather from what I’ve heard here and adding it to what I’ve already experienced.” Silvan pauses a bit, and then asks the Elder, “Does that cover what you need to know?”

[ 09-13-2003: Message edited by: Reyolen ]

You stand roughly eye to eye with the fellin woman, and she, unlike the lizard, does not avert her gaze. She gives you a small nod at the introduction, "Hello."

Reyolen

The seat directly across from the Elder has not been taken. As you tell him, and Taylen, about the events leading up to your arrival in Destindeterre, he listens with rapt attention. He doesn't blink even once, and leans forward with his staff held vertically in front of him.

"Hmm," he says finally, "sounds like you've been busy. I noticed a few idiosyncrasies in your story that I would ask about further, under different circumstances. At the moment, however, I am more concerned that the slave trade has embedded itself so thoroughly. Through history, time has always worked in favor of elvenkind. Now our adversaries have found a way to turn time against us."

"We need to find your other friends, particularly the one with the map. My interest earlier this evening was on the artifact," he says, looking at Taylen. "At the time that seemed the greatest threat. I will address it after we part company for the evening. Now we have greater concerns."

Taylen

Regalor listens intently to Silvan's account of events before and after the night you discovered him and the others. Though you caught bits and pieces of Ara's account the night you met them, you had not shown any particular interest at the time. Your meditation had been of greater importance.

Once Silvan completes his recount of events, Regalor takes a moment to consider what you and he have heard. "Hmm," he says finally, facing Silvan, "sounds like you've been busy. I noticed a few idiosyncrasies in your story that I would ask about further, under different circumstances. At the moment, however, I am more concerned that the slave trade has embedded itself so thoroughly. Through history, time has always worked in favor of elvenkind. Now our adversaries have found a way to turn time against us."

"We need to find your other friends, particularly the one with the map. My interest earlier this evening was on the artifact," he says, turning his gaze towards you. "At the time that seemed the greatest threat. I will address it after we part company for the evening. Now we have greater concerns."

Arthur gives a short glance to the scaled figure raises both his eyebrows a bit, then glaces back at Freya, before turning his head to see what Aust is doing or where he is going.

"Thank you," Freya answers flatly, then turns to face the lizardman. "We will be herre. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Aust replies in a pleasant tone, then turns to you. "We should go. The Whispering Wood is on the far side of the city from here, and it may take us some time to get there." With that, he starts walking out of the miniature jungle the same way you came in.

Tania takes Barry's arm, "I think that's the proprietor of the inn over there. Come, I suppose I'll let you inquire."

Barry looks around at the large room, trying to figure out who Tania is talking about. His eyes scan the tables, then the bar. Then he shrugs, "Over were?"

ooc:
I mapped the ground floor of the Whispering Wood, for those interested. A bit more activity from some of you would be nice.

The Elder glances at Silvan again, "Alright, then. If any of your companions turn up, please have them meet us here."

"Does this mean I need to get the guest room ready, Elder?" Sastak asks, reentering the room. "I would offer one of the inn's rooms upstairs, but business has been rather more active than we could have anticipated."

"I think I might fare better out here, actually," the Elder answers, turning his attention to Sastak. "How is..."

"Meditating," Sastak replies before the Elder can finish his sentence. "She has a bit of trouble settling into it, between our child and the herbs, but she always rouses well in the morning." He walks over to the open seat opposite Taylen, and sits down. No longer smiling like before, his face looks slightly worn, at least as far as elven faces go.

She points over at the bar.

[ 09-21-2003: Message edited by: Pvednes ]

ooc:
Since Falaanla said he's ready to come back, I'm going to cover events for Saeessira and Relmido.

"Sure!" Sae giggled, and the two of them fluttered off in that direction. In the back of Sae's mind, the quiet voice of Ithar chimed, "Ooh, shiny!"

Exploring the gardens, the two of them flitted from one place to another, darting in and out of the plants and trees. They stopped for a moment when Relmido bumped into a large round flower bulb, and it flashed. "Woah, neat!" Relmido laughed, and started poking the pod. "Think it likes me?"

"I dunno," she responded with a shrug, and approached the bulbs. She hugged one, rubbing her cheek against it. It glowed bright blue, shining right through her dress, and lending a pink glow to her hands and an eerie color to her face and hair. "Woah, freaky," Relmido snickered, as a grin stretched from ear to ear.

After a moment of teasing the bulb, Sae noticed Relmido still hovering with a silly expression on his face, and a glazed look in his eyes. "What are you grinning at?" she asked in a saucy tone, then realized what he was staring at. "Ohgosh!" she gasped, letting go of the bulb, "Why didn't you tell... ooh, you're a sly one." The bulb's glow dimmed, then went out.

"Can you blame me?" he said, snickering as his eyes came back into focus, "I mean, what a view!" "You're mean," Saeessira pouted, struggling to fight back her own laughter long enough for her lips to frown. She puffed out her chest, crossed her arms over it, and turned her head up and to the side, "Hmph. If you're going to be like that, I won't play anymore."

"Awe, come on, it was... it was just a joke," Relmido fought back his laughter. "Don't be like that. I'm sorry, okay? Still friends?"

Sae thought about it a moment, preserving her forced frown. Finally, she smiled and uncrossed her arms... then grinned mischievously. "Okay," she said, then darted for Relmido's legs, wrapping her arms around them, "Glow for me!" She pressed her cheek against his thigh.

"Woah, hey, what the... leggo!" Relmido shouted, struggling. "Glow for me!" Saeessira repeated, giggling. "You're crazy! Leggo," he gave a tug, and slipped free. She made a grab for his ankle, but missed, and he quickly moved away. "Awe, it was just a joke," Sae forced another pout. Relmido hovered a bit closer, then drew back again, "Oh no. You won't catch me like that again." He turned and started flying away from the bulbs. "Wanna bet?" Saeessira grinned, and sped after him.

After several minute of chasing, ducking, dodging, and catching each other, Saeessira, who was currently fleeing from Relmido, came to a sudden halt. Relmido abruptly crashed into her, and the two of them needed a few seconds to orient themselves. "What happened?" he asked finally.

"Look," Sae whispered, pointing downward at a large man. "I think it's the same guy from before." "Think so?" Relmido shrugged, "I wasn't paying attention. Besides, what's the big deal?" Sae smiled, "An opportunity. Look, he's going into that hut thingy." Relmido thought a moment, "I don't catch your meaning. What're you thinking behind that pretty face?"

"Shh, just watch," Saeessira whispered to Relmido, then hovered down near the entrance of the hut. Relmido joined her, and peered around the edge of the doorway. The two of them waited, and after a few moments, the large human fell asleep in the pool of water which filled the center of the hut.

Rubbing her hands together, Saeessira moved into full view of the doorway. She reached into her bag, and pulled out a small patch of fleece, rubbing it between her fingers. Picturing in her mind the inside of a dark round room with no windows, and only one exit at the end of a long narrow hallway, she began to chant in a soft, even voice, "Sight unseen, seen unsight, sight unseen, seen unsight..."

The doorway slowly darkened, until everything beyond it resembled moving shadows. Relmido looked inside. "Should I wake him?" he asked. Saeessira smiled, and nodded, and pulled a small stone from her bag, handing it to him. He pulled his arm back a bit, then tossed the stone into the water. It landed with a plunk, spreading ripples across the surface of the pool.

For the next few mintues, they watched the large man, as he stumbled blindly about, smacking into the wall. Both of them giggled, louder and quieter but almost non-stop, for several minutes, before an elven man with a bow on his back chased them off.

"That was great!" Relmido chuckled once they had flown a distance away. "Let's do it again!" "Sorry," Saeessira frowned in ernest, "I used too many spells just on that one. It was worth it though," she giggled, her expression returning to a grin. "How about we go back to those gardens?" "Sure," Relmido smiled, and led the way.

Falaanla

Since your little prank, you and Relmido have spent a while exploring the gardens. You've seen a lot of interesting plants, including trees with giant leaves arranged like hoods, rainbows of flowers, spiny green plants sitting in sand, gnarled trees covered in silvery vines, and plants you couldn't even describe if you tried. The two of you spent several minutes bouncing around on a small field of giant mushrooms, and several more minutes by a bush with little purple flowers, sneezing in an orange haze that made you lightheaded, and gave you a very hot feeling inside.

Now the two of you have come to a group of large green pods, sitting among a tangle of vines and tiny red blooms. No wide walkways reach towards the plants, but that isn't really a problem for either of you. As you hover a few feet away from them, Relmido tilts his head, "Hmm, what color do you think those glow?"

Pvednes

"Okay," Barry replies bluntly, and walks towards the bar. He makes his way around the tables, pushing several chairs aside, then drops onto an empty mushroom stool at the bar.

quote:

---

ooc Hurricane Isabel recently ran rampant across my state and knocked out my power and cable internet. My power is back but my internet is still down (posting from work) thus it might take me a bit longer then usual to reply. Just wanted to let you all know.

---

ooc:
Thanks for letting us know, Kilrath. I hope things get straightened out soon, because losing access stinks.

Taking a seat at the nearest open table, you get to listen in on a few different conversations. A group of fellis at the table near you occupy themselves with a lively discussion about the hanging gardens. A gnomish fellow at Barry's side has taken up a mumbling conversation with himself, occasionally drawing nods from the dwarven man to his left. You catch a few words near the end of the bartender's previous conversation, as he turns to approach Barry, and the human couple turn eyes on each other, sipping their drinks.

"What can I get you," the bartender asks. Barry thinks a moment, then replies, "I waunt a steek and ale, and the lady waunts a roum." The bartender nods, pours two drinks, then says, "Here you go. Give me a moment, and I'll see about that steak." Barry looks down at the two mugs, with a confused look on his face, as the bartender goes to answer someone flagging him from further down the bar.

[ 09-22-2003: Message edited by: Ford Prefect ]

Then, turning to Sastak he smiles, "Could I possibly get some food and something to drink? It has been quite awhile since I last ate."

"I think we can arrange something, if you don't mind waiting a bit longer," Sastakorlan answers. "Business before midnight tends to keep the others very occupied."

Elder Regalor shrugs, "Well, if one of your employees can provide Taylen here with an escort following his meal, I think we can accommodate that. Silvan has decided to take his leave for the evening."

Sastakorlan thinks for a few seconds, then nods, "When I take your request to the kitchen, I'll ask Linra about escorting you. She has a lot of energy this evening."

quote:

---

ooc Internet at home still fubar posting from work while I can.

---

Arthur turns to face Aust, glancing downward towards the ground in thought, his eyes slowing moving from left to right.

'Whispering Wood?' Arthur thinks to himself, and as he does so, he involuntarily slowly whispers to himself the tought, his lips moving every so subtly.

(Going on the basis that Aust is already moving and no one reacts to the above, if someone does I'll edit out the below (or feel free to do so if you can))

Arthur begins to follow Aust, but he's deep in tought, not paying as much attention to the surroundings as before, although from the outside he might appear to be as his head scans the view, and every now and then looking upward.

He asks over and over in his mind 'Whispering Wood, Whipspering Wood, do I know of this place?'

[ 09-29-2003: Message edited by: Kilrath ]

Men, are a pain.

ooc:
Reyolen: I hoped you would make a bit more use of the Whispering Wood map during your departure, but no matter. Now you can use the map of your old residence instead

Kilrath: I'll try to keep things slow, so you don't get tied in with the other PCs before you're ready. Not that it's all that difficult to keep things slow.

As you walk back through the the dining hall towards the entrance, you notice that the previously overcrowded room has since grown less crowded. More than half of the tables are now empty, making navigation easier. Once outside, the trip takes you about ten minutes... twice as long as it once did. Finding your own house among the others proved more difficult than finding the Whispering Wood.

Finally, you manage to locate the shallow-domed rooftops of your old elven home. Small round windows on either side of the silvervine door grant a view into the large parlor room. The door itself sits very slightly ajar.

Kilrath

You do not recall any Whispering Wood. Since you still haven't seen much of the city besides an endless maze of small houses and the gardens around you, not knowing a particular location shouldn't worry you too much. Aust seems to know his way around, though. He leads you back towards the spire, the past it and away in the opposite direction.

Taylen

Without any further conversation, Silvan takes his belongings and departs. Regalor watches him go, then turns to you again. "Silvan has grown more serious than when I last saw him. As have we all, I suppose. This whole mess started just before Elder Lodahran passed on. In passing moments, I sometimes wonder if the timing was really a coincidence. He had a talent for divinations that would certainly have helped our position."

Pvednes

The seats around Barry are occupied, so you have to stand for the moment. He looks up from the two drinks as you approach. "I asked for a steek, an ale, and a roum," he tells you, "but he gave me booth of these. You want one?" The bartender serves a drink to the man who called him a moment ago, then exits through a curtain behind the bar.

"Can we get you anything, love?" a calm feminine voice asks from behind you. "Oh, I see you already have drinks. Sorry to bother you."

Eventually his mind wanders back onto the people he just meet and realizes he didn't get a chance to really see much or hear from the lizard being.

As he walks Arthur mulls over whether or not to ask about it. It wasn't that important to Arthur but the creatures actions during his brief encounter made him all the more curious.

With hesitation in his voice, Arthurs asks, "Aust... if I might ask," Arthur pauses a moment still a bit hesitant "that lizard being we meet earlier... was that someone you know as well? She... well or he, seemed a bit quiet and well... as if trying to hide from us, or at least me."

Arthur slows down his pace a bit as he talks, although still tries to maintain a distance good enough for Aust to hear him. He'll come to a stop if Aust turns to converse, otherwise he'll maintain a close distance.

She turns back to the waitress.

[ 10-04-2003: Message edited by: Pvednes ]

Walking along a wide walkway, you pass various oddly shaped buildings. At least, they're oddly shaped when compared to the buildings back home. The rounded shapes, like clusters of giant wooden bubbles, seem fairly common around here.

Aust slows down enough to let you catch up. "Oh, him," he says flatly. "Yeah, he doesn't do well around strangers. Talks a lot about nature. Maybe that's why Freya took to him."

Pvednes

The waitress smiles. "I will have to ask our proprietor if we have any room to spare for you and your husband," she replies in fluid elven speech. "With business as it has been, I can't promise anything, but we all hate to put families out. Linra!"

A fellin woman pops her head out through a doorway behind the bar, "You called, miss Menelaura?"

Looking over at the fellin's head, the waitress asks in Common tongue, "Would you be so kind as to tend the tables for a moment? Twelve wants cherry pie and two apple ciders, and seven asked for another round of torali stew."

"Sure and sure enough," the fellin head nods. "That's a full pie and two ciders on twelve, and torali around for here," she flicks her ear, "I'll bring it right out." With a quick grin, the head disappears behind the wall again. The waitress behind you also walks away, headed for the door at the end of the bar.

"A bit young then as well? He seemed to look a bit different then I'm used to seeing in... Terranada" Arthur pauses a second before continuing. "His scales were tan, while the others I've seen have been green... I hadn't seen that before." As he says this he has a slighly puzzled expression on his face with his eyes slightly squinted and quickly shaking his head ever so slightly.

You don't see signs of anyone outside, friendly or otherwise. No sound comes from inside the house, and you can see a layer of dust on the floor, starting with a small ridge at the corner of the door. Apparently even trees collect dust when kept out of the wind.

Kilrath

"Different tones come from different tribes," Aust ponders aloud, "though he's the first one I've met without at least some green in him. Reminds me of a giant kobold." By the tone of his voice, the idea of a giant kobold doesn't exactly please him. He continues walking.

As you crest a hill, he pauses, and points towards the horizon. "See that building there, the square one? That's where we're headed." You can't quite tell what he's pointing at.

As he does so he says "Not sure I can quite see it..."

Arthur squints his eyes, and scans a bit more trying to envision a beam from Aust finger to a building as to better know where to look.

He doesn't spend more then about 10 seconds of scanning on his own if he doesn't find it.

Looking hard, you see him pointing at the horizon, a wavy border between darkness and slightly less darkness. "Oh, right, I forgot you don't have night eyes," he says calmly, then adds, "Don't worry, it's there." He smirks, lets out a small laugh, and continues walking.

Arthur then continues to follow Aust, all the while still observing his surroundings.

After a bit more walking, you finally see where Aust pointed. You come to a building with a design much more familiar from human cities. Three rows of evenly spaced square windows line the rectangular building's woven branch walls. Most windows appear dark, though a few scattered windows shine with soft white light. Aust approaches a large door on the building's ground floor, formed from tangled silver-grey vines.

Painted letters above the door read, WHISPERING WOOD INN. The building feels like a cross between two completely different worlds. "This is the place," Aust says, looking up at the words. Pressing the door open with ease, he walks through. One of the lights in the top row of windows fades to darkness.

Pvednes

The waitress Menalaura walks through the door by the end of the bar. Barry has two drinks in front of him. One sits beside the other, and Barry stares at them both for a moment, before picking one up and sipping it. "I don no why we get two drinks, but the otter one's yors if you waunt it," he says to you with a nod and a grin, before taking a deep swig from his own mug.

Taylen

Elder Regalor watches you patiently, awaiting your response. The innkeeper, Sastakorlan, watches Silvan leave, then turns to Regalor and watches him for a while, glancing at you periodically. A quizzical look develops on the innkeeper's face, but he doesn't interupt the conversation... or lack thereof.

Tania sits back down at the seat, waiting. "What is this, anyway?"