Brassbringer's Request pt 2
Emblem of Ea - Monday, February 08, 2021, 8:34 PM
When last we left the party, they had been sent to Rune at the behest of Griva Brassbringer, directed to return with a mysterious package from an acquaintance of hers. The wonders of the floating city did enchant some and worry others, but after some time at task, the adventurers found their contact's home:
A small, stone hut, that apparently moves on it's own.
One with a special, mystical sentry at gate:
A small, talking bat, that apparently deals on it's own....
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Disaster Gnome, small, gears, tools and TERROR. 2m 13m Ebonne Tall slender feminine styled warborn, top knot w/ lon 30s 8h Knightmare A knightly construct on the hoof bearing heraldry of 0s 1h Lillianath Perpetually worried-looking elf woman. 2m 1h Molly An ash skinned half-elf with red glasses 2m 1h Whirlpool I am stinky! 46s 2d
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All of this mission has been about saving Griva Brassbringer a trip to Rune to deal with an annoying wizard. That's why you took the hidden teleportation circle she made available to you, teleported to a massive floating city of a central glass tower and spires and spokes-of-streets off to the side, that's why ytou've finally locted a small, stone hut amongst all the great wizard's towers, and why you're talking to ... a ... talking ... bat. While there seems to be something of a malaise in the air in Rune, it is still a city of majesty, impressive, but definitely something being 'off'. And the bat. "I *do* like banannas," it says. Apparently, it had a price for entry into the hut to see its master. YEs, the bat is asking for a bribe, and you're all fresh out of banannas.
So. Many. Wonders!
Ebonne has indeed been quiet the entire time. She hasn't intruded or offered opinion at all. Nope. She is the silent sentry of sorts who simply observes everything with what would be wide eyed wonder. If she could manage such an expression. Instead the War Golem simply observes. Everything. Like she was trying to memorize every aspect of the whole situation and that only got worse when they reached Rune.
Thankfully she hadn't taken to asking questions, yet, which could mean there are more waiting, looming, in the future like some torrent of words or... she is just processing as best she can. Ebonne studies the bat though, because talking bat is yet another 'new' thing for the young Golem.
Knightmare spares another look to the skies, then levels the plane of her visor to the bat once more, "Is there a purveyor in these parts?" she wonders. She gives the populace a lookover as they cluster around the huttled bat.
"I'd imagine there has to be," Lilli murmurs, then addresses the bat, all smiles. "Is there a place that carries the sort of banana you like best, then? If we're to satisfy your cravings, there's no sense in half measures, is there?"
The little Gnomish Artificer pats his odd armor, checking pouches until he comes up with a paper back novel sized tin. Emblazoned on one side are the words "THIS SIDE TOWARDS FOE". Beneath his goggles the blood shot, watery Gnomish eyes glint with irritation and glee. "There may be a bananna in here." Disaster says slyly.
"There's a purveyor SOMEWHERE. That's on you," is what the bat says. And then it shuts the slot. Apparently, it's just waiting for you to go do that.
GAME: Lillianath rolls diplomacy: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Ebonne rolls diplomacy: (17)+1: 18 GAME: Molly rolls diplomacy: (2)+14: 16 GAME: Disaster rolls Diplomacy: (12)+3: 15 GAME: Knightmare rolls diplomacy: (16)+6: 22
"So you don't want the lamb?" Molly inquires, with an emphatic shrug of her shoulders. Well, if the bat doesn't want the lamb, then he doesn't. So she eats it off the shishkebab herself; slowly, of course, because you want to enjoy these things. "I suppose we'll go and find you some banana, then. But, someone should stay here to make sure we don't lose the place, I hear it moves."
But not Molly. She won't be staying. She's going to go find bananas.
...so, Rune. Wandering aroiund again. First, you have to go back over that dangerous looking span again. It feels *less* dangerous when you notice children floating in the air down on either wside of it now, playing some kind of game with a ball. They're just ... floating... there, drifting back and forth as they throw the ball. Perhaps Rune isn't COMPLETELY senseless. Of course, you also hear a loud explosion from the top of a nearby tower, and a lot of loud swearing. So ... anyone's guess, right? Eventually, however, you locate a fruit vendor, sitting in front of her stall. An old woman with a pair of thick spectacles on, her face scrunched up with age and eyestrain. It just took ... way longer than you'd like, but Ebonne was finally able to point the way with enough polite questions.
It didn't help that Ebonne also had so many other questions too, which no doubt slowed things down even further until Knightmare was able to keep things moving or they might all still be waiting for Ebonne to hear a story about how a moth started a fire on fresh linens that had been treated to avoid catching on fire, somehow, Rune. Magic. Etc. When they finally got to the fruit vendor, Ebonne was more than happy to let others do the talking, sulking a little perhaps at not being allowed to hear /everyone's/ life stories... on their quest for banana's.
"I know that reverbrative concussion!" Disaster perks up at the explosion. "I have made that mistake before myself." Then there is a pause from the little Gnome. "I mean, I preformed that experiment myself. Yes." Once they arrive at the Banannas the little Gnome looks up at Ebonne.
"You do not eat, yet you found them." Disaster says, then picks up a bananna and one of his 'burning hands' linked incendiary canisters. Measuring the two he looks up at the shop owner. "May we have a larger variety of plantae? This is for a friend and needs the right... filling." The lenses on his goggles click open and closed rapidly.
"Prudent thinking."
The Knightmare considers the Gnome's packet with quiet concern as she reads it's warning. Troubling, that.
As the group wanders off in search of their immediate objective, the hoofed golem continues to sweep the crowds and sky with her gaze. Courtly manners the while, she found herself on occasion having to extricate her young kin from the rabbit hole of tales and personal anecdotes. She has a backlog of tales to offer in consolation, as well as assurances that Rune isn't inaccessible, and a return trip is certainly possible, once the time requirements are allayed.
Disaster's musings get a curious look, then, "We all have our talents, Master Gnome." she says gently, then to Ebonne, "Well done."
The little Gnome bangs on the door with his copper and leather covered fist. "We have your edible plant material!" Disaster states. "We require our package so that we may continue our mission!" He looks back meaningfully at the rest of the group and places his other hand on the stock of his deathray. Though he does not draw or charge the eclectic weapon.
The little slot opens again and there's a bat there. It's mouth opens wide. It is waiting. You are going to serve it banana and you are going to LIKE IT. It really is that simple. Eventually, it's left pleased, having swallowed several chunks of banana. "Much better. Nut now, I've decided I also need pieces of watermelon and --" "What in tarnation are you doing, you damnable thing? Are you demanding bribes from visitors again?" "NO SIR," squeaks the bat.
"Yes sir," calls Lilli from the other side of the door. "He was at that." While she may be against Disaster's incendiary method of obstacle removal in some cases, what she is most definitely *not* against is someone receiving a bit of the unhappiness they may heap upon others. Does the Moon not speak in cycles, after all?
"We're here," she says, smiling through the notch on the door, "to receive a package we were told you were holding onto. A Khazadi woman sent us, fond of talking in absolute declarations?"
Ebonne's head cocks to the side with mechanical precision, her chin going just so, the top of her head precisely as much as is required the other way to keep things in perfect alignment. Her voice when it is heard is a harmonious vibration not quite chiming but not quite anything else. "Is it not the nature of mortal creatures to require sustenance?" She asks curiously of the larger more massive, if not taller, other War Golem that is Knightmare. "Should it not do so?"
Knightmare leaves the care and feeding of Meat to the Meat. The construct watches the tiny mammal eat it's pleasure and get interrupted by a person of more significance to their quest. The query from the slighter framed golem prompts a pivot her head head that way and a musing, "It is, though I expect the rodent's master considers it's approach to be uncouth and perhaps vexing to those he would do business with." A dip of the skeletal chin and, a grimly hollow, "The word 'again' implies past offense, which means a willful disregard for the master's wishes. I have noted it to be similar in most respects to defying a progenitor, employer or commander on a continual basis."
There is no other voice or conversations for Disaster, the little Gnome vibrates in wrath as he stares at the lying bat. The worlds /pieces of watermelon/ having seemingly flipped the rage switch in the knee high inventor. Seemingly the only thing that is keeping him from ramming his arm through the slot in an effort to get the bat is that he simply can't reach it. "Package AND bat. We would like the bat please. Yes, the bat."
The door opens, finally, and there stands a gnome. A tall gnome, sure, but still a gnome. He steps back from thje door and allows the lot of you to squeeze in. The establishment may not be huge outside, but it's more than sample enough in space, to say nothing of comfortable looking chairs, for you to fit inside.
The bat alights on the shoulder of the elderly gnome and he takes a seat in one of the chairs, which seems to shrink to fir him. "Excellent," he says, "How can I help you?"
Steeling himself Disaster enters the dwelling and offers the standard manners as Gnomes do in each other's homes. "Thank you for having us within your dwelling, it is most comfortable and welcoming." The goggles click a few times as the lenses adjust. "We are here to obtain a package." He says simply. "We also have more banana for your bat." He adds with gritted teeth, squeezing a yellow fruit in a gloved hand, his teeth gritting.
Lyme stoops, mindful of the ceilings. He tries not to loom, but... these are gnomes, and he's... not.
Ebonne looks at /everything/, probably from outside, unless this particular gnome has space for not one, but two, war golems to exist comfortably within the confines and everyone else. "This one wonders if this package shipment was expected..." She muses to herself while lightly tapping the chin of her metal mask with soft ringing metal on metal sounds.
The Knight bows her head deeply, "Thank you kindly, sir." and the hoofed one hunkers down to step into the domicile, her tail lashing significantly to compensate for the excesses of her enforced posture. She settles close at hand on her haunches, leaving the chairs for the born amongst their number and looks to Disaster, "It's impressive watching people make friends so quickly."
"Oh, you're here in place of *Griva*. You could have told me that, you filthy bat!" The gnome *glares* at it.
"Yes," Lyme confirms from his high place. It's a low rumble. "Maybe the bat was hungry."
Molly enters, not having any trouble with the confined space; she's far more used to that, afterall, than the enormous agoraphobic expanse outside. This is much better; nice and cozy. She does, of course, make sure the blade of her glaive doesn't scrape on anything -- like the ceiling.
Sadly, she didn't find any bananas. Nevermind, there will be other chances to shine. "But we brought bananas," she points out. (Well, other people did.) "Anyway. Thank you for reining in your bat's appetite, but... we really must get on with delivering the package, yes?"
The bat gives Ebonne a look, of course, fluttering over to land on her shoulder. Why not? It's a golem. The bat is curious. Meanwhole, the gnome, Alset Brockholme, sighs heavily. "Well, yes and no. It was expected, just not today. I'll fetch it. Brassbringer and I had a *deal* about her doinng some thing for me when she came -- don't look at me like that! It's nothing gross. Anyway, we had a deal about something she'd do when she came here, and I guess she's loaning the lot of you out for it. Which is fine, but Ia ssume she didn't really tell you much about what it was and left that to me."
The little gnome steams. "This is highly annoying." Disaster states. "Griva will be required to renumerate us for this." He idly peels the bananna in his hand and eats it angrilly. At least until he realizes he's eating it at which point he glares at the bat and shoves the rest in his mouth till his cheeks puff out and chews vengfully.
The other golem, bereft of animal companionship, watches the poultrylike mammal grace her kin's shoulder with the slow pivot of her head to track it's flight. Back to the conversation at hand and, well, she can't scowl. "You would be correct, sir." she says softly in that hollow tone.
"I have been told bat's hang upside down." Ebonne tells the bat, "You are most unusual. Even disregarding the talking bit." The war golem then stage whispers to the bat, "Be wary of that one." Her head sloooowwwwllly nods in Disasters direction, "I believe they have taken your request for fruit quite personally." She looks over at the gnome, the one they had been sent to retrieve the package, "What is this task for which we have been volunteered? Recompense and renumeration is all well and good, but there are lines I will not cross for any amount."
"We do!" The bat flutters down Ebonne's arm and then clings to it instead, swapping to fall down and hang there under it. Alcet nods, though, "You'll be paid appropriately. I'm just annoyed the woman herself couldn't be arsed to show up. All right, then. We've got a little expertimetn to perform and you're going to help me with it. In this case, it's nothing morally complicated or awkward." He lets out a breath, gets to his feet and points to a door on the other side of the shelter. "Follow me." ANd then he disappears through it.
"You do presume correctly," Lilli says, mild amusement audible in her voice. "Well... she *did* contract a party of adventurers, and many hands do tend to make for lighter work, yes? While as our friend says, some things we will not do... I rather suspect that Mistress Brassbringer knows what may be asked of adventurers, and what may not."
As Alcet leads them on, the Seer nods, moving to follow the wizard through the backyard exit.
Lyme closes his eyes, then follows Alcet through the door. "I am your experimental subject. Hope the pay is good."
"Personally." Ebonne moves to follow, her arm locked in place so the bat is not overly jostled, or crushed. "We are more likely required to move pistons or gears or some such rather than be experimented on. What with our disparate natures."
Knightmare rises to follow, "Never trust a job promising to be simple to remain so." she notes. It could be sourly, but the factory sound of her voice makes it hard to be sure unless she tries. Still, as she steps through the doorway, she wonders how any of this benefits Dragonier, her primary motive.
So, this place is *definitely* bigger than presumed. You're lead down a hallway down towards a room at its end. One can see a white light pulsing out from under the closed door, shadows alternating there as well. The gnome pulls a great brass key from his pocket and opens the door. A singular laboratory is within, huge and full of workstations, but upon its other end is a white light, swirling with blackness, boxed in by what appears to be a great stone frame. "This," he begins, "is a device I've crafted. You're all familiar with the concept of 'the Void', yes?" He asks, glancing over his shoulder. Uh oh.
"Only in that it implies a space that is completely empty of all things entirely." Ebonne responds, "Which to my knowledge is not something that can be sensed or manipulated as those things require something, of which a void has nothing."
"...The Void," Lillianath echoes. A few moments later, she clears her throat, and finds more words to speak."
"...You might say I'm familiar with the concept. Of the emptiness beyond the mortal planes, where demons dwell. Is that a piece?"
Sudden;y Disaster's modus operandi seems more reasonable than perhaps it might have before.
Lyme freezes, and says: "Yeees?"
"What have you done....?" the Knightmare wonders as she regards the contrivance. She already doesn't like where this is going....
"Hm? What? Oh, don't be worried," says the gnome, something that never helps anyone not worry. "I've been working on a theory. Twenty years ago, we had the Night of the Eye, when Animus, Daeus, and Maugrim renewed the seal of the Void to protect us from its influence. Now, Animus is no more. I've been *attempting* to find a way to sense the strength of the seal. So far, so much failure. Even conceptualizing how to 'reach' the wall of reality posits we know how to find them! Which we don't."
In the innocence of the newborn or child, Ebonne asks, "Why not just ask the Gods through their priests and priestesses? They would know yes?"
"The Word of the Gods can be notoriously difficult to interpret, shaded by the priests in question, and just because a priest knows something doesn't mean *they're* going to tell you. If the seal on the Void is faltering, I'd expect the faiths to keep it to themselves rather than share it." Alcet shakes his head to answer Ebonne's question. "But in the process, I found something interesting."
"*First of all,*" Lilli begins, the generally sanguine elf surprisingly heated... but then she subsides. "...Okay no you're half right, but not completely. So... What did you learn?"
"I've been trying to measure nothingness. How does one measure what's not there? Not easily, but I found something interesting, like I said, a certain ... displacement of energy in the Sea of Mana. A Darkness, a shadow on iut." A pause. "I think someone is trying to poison magic."