Chapter 7: Unconscious Revelations

[Jeff]

I am.

Gerus looks around, puzzled.

[Joe]

Streko looks up, blushing and smiling at the same time. "Saved once again by my beautiful sister! How ever shall I live this down?"

He sits up and than looks at the globe and the roiling blue mist within, allowing Verna the chance to oggle at it as well and not making any moves to touch it. "Now what, do you suppose, is this?"

[Darren]

Kal clears his throat. He turns to face the box of coins again. "Matheu, I'm at a loss. I'm supposed to look for a coin, maybe bronze, but how do I find that? I don't even know what I'm looking for. How many bronze coins must there be in the world? I..." Even in the silence of his own mind, Kal has trouble speaking the next words. "I need help."

[Jeff]

I am in no position to state my opinion as to whether you are truly part of the Prophecy or not, Matheu replies, only to Kal. But it is my opinion that you are expecting it to merely fall into place. That is not my experience.

There are essentially two philosophies concerning the Draconic Prophecy, Kalarian. Especially among my people. There are those who believe that everything that will occur has already been written...in the patterns of the stars, in the currents of the wind, in the ancient writings beneath the earth, even on your skin. That we are all beholden to what shall come to pass, no matter what you do. Whether you seek it or refuse it, it will happen.

Then there are those who believe that the Draconic Prophecy states only what may come to pass if certain circumstances are made to occur, precise events and actions coinciding in such a way. Some believe in both philosophies, despite the paradox that creates.

If the second philosophy is correct, then you cannot count on your fate to be revealed merely by stumbling into it, human. You must work for it, seek it out actively. Perhaps that is the transformation the "dragon" in your dreams spoke of? I cannot validate the dreams of a human, nor the possible manipulations of the fey.

If you need help, you should ask for it. I am an advisor, at best. I cannot tell you what you must do. I cannot even say if seeking to fulfill your possible role in the Prophecy is in your best interest. But if you must find a coin, then humble yourself and ask those who know about coins. Even this dwarf.

Meanwhile, Varna stares in wonder at the glass sphere. Gerus saunters slowly over and nods his head. "That is one of the few items in my shop that remains a mystery even to me, I'm afraid. I believe it is alchemical. And most likely it is meant to be tossed at an enemy." He grins and shrugs. "Best not to drop it at your feet. In any case, it is your, Lord Streko, if you wish it. Perhaps it will come in handy one day."

[Darren]

Kal hangs his head for a moment. The he raises it with a new resolve. Rattling the box of coins, he finally turns it over, dumping its contents onto the counter. He is careful to make sure none of them fall to the floor. He begins pushing them around with one finger. "Master dwarf," he calls out, "I wonder if I might seek your assistance for a moment?" He grins at Gerus. "Metals aren't my specialty, and I wouldn't know bronze from copper. I think that's what dwarfs are known for, though? I must admit to having precious few dwarven friends. Perhaps you can help me separate these out?"

[Ken]

Aug 7, 2010 0:04:07 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"That is one of the few items in my shop that remains a mystery even to me, I'm afraid. I believe it is alchemical. And most likely it is meant to be tossed at an enemy." He grins and shrugs. "Best not to drop it at your feet. In any case, it is your, Lord Streko, if you wish it. Perhaps it will come in handy one day."

"A combustible alchemical mixture?" says Belarin excitedly, trying to deduce the globe's function. He looks at Streko and smiles. "Very fortuitous. I believe Olladra has smiled on you again, my friend."

[Jeff]

Gerus stares through his thick-lens spectacles and sorts through the coins on the counter. "No difficulty at all, my lord." He immediately separates two coins from the mix. "Bronze," he says. The others he places back in the box. "These are copper, brass, and gold alloys. Not such good currency, but a little bit valuable to collectors. Surely you know copper?" He shrugs. "It's difficult to say when they're in need of a good polish, I know."

With two large bronze coins separated from the mix, he slides them across to Kal. "If it's bronze you need, then take them both." Kal can see that one of them has Goblin-looking markings on it, while the other is so tarnished he can't make out the face on one side nor the beast represented on the other.

The vaults of House Kundarak likely possess thousands of bronze coins, Matheu says to him. Do not think the Prophecy will simply unfold easily for you.

Aside from the small glass sphere, which she suggests Streko take, Varna shows no real interest in anything in Gerus's shop. She politely makes it known that she's ready to head to Little Plains, the Talentan neighborhood in Menthis Plateau, whenever everyone else is.

[Darren]

"I have to start somewhere," Kal responds.

"My thanks, Master Dwarf. Hopefully these will aid in my search." Kal places the coins into his pack, separate from those he intends to spend. "If everyone is ready, I believe we have many more stops to make today."

[Dave W.]

"Yes, I am ready to continue our day."

Adamant steps over to the dwarf before they leave. "Master Gerus, sometimes the gods or fate arrange things in strange ways. Your troubles brought me in contact with these people and for that I am glad." Adamant touches the symbol on his chest, "May the Host give you fortune, health, and protection to the end of your days."

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Okay, what's next?

[Joe]

Streko takes teh globe from Varna. He gazes into it, mesmerized momentarily by the eerie beauty of the contents, the almost liquid, mercurial naure of the substance swirling within. He looks to Belarin and hands the globe to him.

"You know more of alchemical substances than I. Perhaps you can fathom what this substance may be, or would you rather I tuck it into my haversack until such time as we may need something to blow up? Personally, I would rather know what I am using before I use it."

Streko then reaches back into his haversack and removes the wand. "This is the second time you have seen something of interest that I have either taken or been given to hold."

He gives it to his sister. "However, you know what they say about your first." He smiles. "Hold onto this and use it as you see fit. If you wish me to hold on to it, I shall do so. You have but to ask for it back and it shall be in your hand before you finish the asking."

[Jeff]

So....who's taking the glass sphere, then? And Joe, what wand?

[Jeff]

Gerus gives thanks once again, and then you're out the door...

Varna leads you to the edge of North Market, then hails down a traditional horse-drawn carriage—not a fancy one, but a run-down looking conveyance driven by a shifter whose otherwise good clothing has seen better days. "We're going to want a skycoach for getting to Shae Lias," Varna explains to you, "So let's just stick with more affordable movement for now."

She pays the shifter, and everyone squeezes into the carriage. "To Little Plains," she says to the driver. "The most direct route, but no real hurry."

The shifter glares at Adamant (and his size) for a moment, and the carriage groans a little bit under the warforged's weight, but the small size of the halflings and Syrdan's slender build make it easy enough for him to fit inside.

The carriage lurches into motion, leaving you to stare at one another—with Tangat wedged between everyone's legs—as it begins to make its way across the bridges of Sharn and toward the upward inclines tower the Middle City.

Varna clears her throat. "We won't be in Little Plains long. Just want to check on a few things, and maybe introduce you to a couple people. Then we can go to the Dragon Towers for house business."

[Ken]

Aug 7, 2010 19:18:49 GMT -4 Joe said:

"You know more of alchemical substances than I. Perhaps you can fathom what this substance may be, or would you rather I tuck it into my haversack until such time as we may need something to blow up? Personally, I would rather know what I am using before I use it."

"Well, all right," says Belarin, "just for a prolonged peek."

Belarin is eager to continue the group's travels.

______________________
Sorry for the short post. Much cleanup today! Belarin will hold onto the globe and study it at the next opportunity, then give it back to Streko.

[Mike]

Aug 8, 2010 16:22:32 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Varna clears her throat. "We won't be in Little Plains long. Just want to check on a few things, and maybe introduce you to a couple people. Then we can go to the Dragon Towers for house business."

"I know that the Little Plains are home to the halflings," Syrdan says to Varna, "but is there anything there you wish to do that requires our assistance? Or ..." The elf pauses for a moment, trying to choose his words carefully. "Or if not requires, might be simpler with the aid of some friends?"

"I also confess to being curious about who we'll be meeting there," he adds. "Friends of yours, Varna, or merely business acquaintances?"

[Brian]

Listening to Syrdan, Condign remembers his initial mistrust of the halfling woman. Perhaps it was their recent betrayal by the Inquisitive--or maybe her history with Malov--that put him on edge. Now, however, he finds himself more . . . amenable to her presence.

That does not mean he won't keep his eye on her. But for right now, he slides over to give Adamant more room to move.

[Jeff]

Belarin finds that no amount of peering into the small glass sphere is telling him anything. His arcane senses can discern nothing from it; it does seem to be pure alchemy, a science he has little experience with. Without somehow puncturing the sphere to assess the strange smoke within, he's at a loss.

________________________

Just want to wait for Dave, Darren, and Joe to catch up, then we'll move on.

[Dave W.]

Adamant stands and stares at the carriage as the others pile in. As soon as someone looks at him he steps forward and climbs on, muttering just barely audibly, "A carriage, yes."

Once again Adamant finds himself on a moving vehicle. He reaches behind his seatmates and grips the back of the carriage seat. Likewise his other hand grips the side of the carriage. Adamant's eye-gems dim to a mere flicker.

When the driver starts the vehicle moving, there is a squeak of wood protesting against metal. After a moment it stops and you can just make out a humming or perhaps a very quiet chant coming from the warforged.

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Sorry, I fell behind... But I think I've successfully navigated the no-mans land between mother and teenaged-daughter and actually achieved a cease-fire...

[Darren]

Kal sits quietly, the two bronze coins in his hands. He studies them, rubbing his fingers across them, even when he occassionally looks up to watch the passing landscape. He is, for him, uncharacteristically quiet.

_____________
Sorry guys. This week looks like it's going to be a bit rough for me....

[Joe]

Streko shrugs. He feels tired and suddenly empty, wondering where this void in his soul has come from and why it's deciding to manifest itself now?

"Post-traumatic stress?"

He shrugs again.

"Hardly. However, I do seem to be at a loss as to what I am supposed to be doing at the moment," he mutters softly, continuing the conversation with himself a little more publicly than he might wish, were he to become aware of it.

He notices Belarin looking completely baffled by the sphere and the smoke withing.

He takes it back from his friend and simply drops it into his haversack. "Perhaps we can figure it out later, once we have finished running our errands."

"Where is that wand? I could have sworn I picked up a wand from the kobold's cave. Olladra help me, that was a kobold down there wasn't it? I am not entirely daft! Blast! If I don't know what it is I'm looking for, how can I find the wretched thing?"

He sticks his hand into the haversack and begins acting as if he's rummaging through it. He is muttering softly and gives the appearance of distress. "Perhaps if I think of The Keeper's rotten teeth, I might grab hold of them."

He begins getting more animated in his distress. "May the Dark Six curse me for being so addled." He looks around, a note of terror in his eyes. "What is happening to me?"
____________________________________________________

Attempting to put some of my frustration and exhaustion into the post. Hope it comes across as being in character...hehehe....

[Jeff]

"Settle down, little brother," Varna says. "Nothing is amiss."

Syrdan:

"I also confess to being curious about who we'll be meeting there," he adds. "Friends of yours, Varna, or merely business acquaintances?"

"A little of both," she replies.

The carriage eventually bears you across to the north rim of of Menthis Plateau in the Middle City. Sharn looms high overhead still, but just as far below. When you climb out of the carriage to look around, Varna waves it off.

"Welcome to Little Plains," she says with pride. Little Plains—so named because it's a neighborhood transformed by the immigrants of the Talenta Plains.

The towers here appear inside-out compared to the rest of the city. Instead of open central spaces surrounded by buildings attached to the outside of a tower, streets run around the outsides of the towers, giving access to very low doorways leading to cavelike interiors and larger open spaces facing Central Plateau and the chasm in between. To Kal, the design of the towers actually appear to be carved to resemble the buildings in Gatherhold, the only permanent Talentan city.

Everyone you look, halflings negotiate these outside ledges, walkways, and stairs with ease and—

Most amazing of all: there are dinosaurs here! The great lizards of the Talenta Plains. Some call them behemoths, but the halflings have named them dinosaurs, a Halfling-Draconic hybrid word that means "noble lizard." Two varieties seem to be the most common : the clawfoot, an upright, human-sized reptile with small arms but large muscular, clawed hind legs but perfectly suited for a halfling rider (Streko and Kal know these are the war-mounts, better suited to combat and speed than to distance); the other is the fastieth, a brightly-colored, stouter two-legged reptile (Streko and Kal know these are for longterm riding, and good for herding tribex). Both have very large teeth and look difficult to tame. But vaguely bird-like, winged dinosaurs also soar through the air around Little Plains—these are known as glidewings—each guided by a halfling.

Halflings are clearly the majority here, making most of you feel rather tall and ungainly by comparison. But plenty of other races mill about, mostly gnomes, dwarves, and humans.

To Kal, this place is a hefty dose of nostalgia, bringing him back to his years working administration and mercenary training on the Plains. Yes, this is a city—there's no escaping the soaring towers that close in on all sides, but given that fact, the halflings have done wonders with it to bring a slice of Talenta to this Brelish metropolis. Even some of the potted plants around the plaza appear to be Talentan species. Even cacti somehow thrive here under low-hanging eaves that shield them from the rain.

________________________

I thought the wand given by the kobold Slattra went to Belarin. Hmm. And he already identified it.

[Ken]

Belarin says in amazement, "Raeshara's breasts, this is wonderful!" He shades his eyes to look at one of the flying creatures. "I've read descriptions of them -- years ago -- but never expected to see one, let alone many!

"Well, Varna, now I'm doubly glad I came here with you. So, who should we visit first?"

______________________________

Aug 10, 2010 7:16:00 GMT -4 Jeff said:

I thought the wand given by the kobold Slattra went to Belarin. Hmm. And he already identified it.

That is correct.

[Mike]

Syrdan usually shows little to no reaction to just about anything. However, even he does a slight double-take at the sight of the giant lizards.

"This truly is an odd city," murmurs the elf. "Beasts that savage, made to be servants? Strange indeed ..."

He looks over at Varna. "Where to first, then?"

[Brian]

Listening to Belarin's comments, Condign is also amazed at the sight of flying lizards. His one encounter with flying happened on the airship where he was held prisoner . . . and where he met his future friends. He never would have expect to end up here after setting out from the Demon Wastes.

He looks at Varna and says: "Where--oh, never mind."

[Dave W.]

When the carriage stops, Adamant quickly disembarks. He stands and stares at the dino-saurs. "Incredible creatures. Varna, would it be impolite to examine one up close? Perhaps even touch one?"

"Oh, speaking of incredible creatures, is your little dragon-friend with us?" 

[Joe]

Streko keeps quiet and listens, forcefully willing himself to relax. By the time he notices the dinosaurs and halflings, he is almost his old self.

He takes a deep breath, smelling in the odd mixture of city and plains. For a moment, he tries to produce shanpshot images of his childhood.

A few moments later, hefrowns, painfull aware that, forsome reason, he can't recall how he looked when he was a child. In fact, he barely remembers what any of his familymembers looked like from when he was a child.

Another deep breath and a long, drawn out sigh follows and then Streko inches a bit closer to Varna, willing to go where she leads.

[Darren]

Kal takes in a deep breath, then coughs as some of the city air gets into his lungs. "Not a perfect substitute," he says. "Still, it is good to see Haflings retaining their heritage. Truly a remarkable people." He lifts his sharrash to his shoulder, suddenly very aware of the oversized Hafling weapon. "Where to?" Kal asks Varna, automatically slipping into the Halfling tongue without thought.

[Jeff]

"Incredible creatures. Varna, would it be impolite to examine one up close? Perhaps even touch one?"

"Not a good idea," Varna says. "Dinosaurs may not be interested in eating you, Adamant, but they'll still bite. Hard. Most do. So I wouldn't go touching one unless a rider gives you permission. And...I wouldn't recommend asking."

Oh, speaking of incredible creatures, is your little dragon-friend with us?"

My name is Matheurynivorak, the pseudodragon says to Adamant from wherever he's invisibly perched. I am not 'little dragon.' My size is of little consequence. There are mighty reds and golds, and there are those dragons not as large. Yet all are minute relative to the great progenitors wyrms. Matheu pauses. I have seen from afar warforged titans, fifteen, twenty, even thirty feet in height. Shall I then call you Little Warforged? As it is, you may call me Matheu. I realize it is easier in the Common tongue.

Varna shrugs at Adamant. "Damned if I know," she says. "That little dragon has only said a few words to me in total."

Varna then beckons the rest of you. "Just follow me."

She pushes through the crowds, slowing to let you follow. Many pairs of halfling eyes turn your way, for you tower above them all. You've never felt so conspicuous in a crowded city before. The only halflings who see you at eye level are those walking past on clawfoots or fastieths. But you don't feel a great deal of judgement from the people of Little Plains. Many of them are immigrants or second generation immigrants still.

Kal and his sharash definitely get some extra looks; more raised eyebrows than judgement, though. Tangat, meanwhile, keeps close at his heels and shies away from the dinosaurs. More than one has eyed him.

[Dave W.]

"Not a good idea," Varna says.  "Dinosaurs may not be interested in eating you, Adamant, but they'll still bite.  Hard.  Most do. So I wouldn't go touching one unless a rider gives you permission. And...I wouldn't recommend asking."

"Yes, that is probably sensible. A pity though, amazing creatures."

When Matheu upbraids Adamant, the warforged thinks an apology, I am sorry to have offended you, Master Matheu, I should not presume. 

I would not confuse height for stature. All of my friends here are shorter than I. 

But you are correct to admonish me. It's proper to use your name.

If, however, Adamant adds with a mental smile, you wanted to call me Little Warforged, I think that would be refreshing.

Varna shrugs at Adamant.  "Damned if I know," she says. "That little dragon has only said a few words to me in total."

"As it turns out I've just had a... well, mindfull. Dragon Matheu is nearby."

[Brian]

Following Varna and the rest of his companions, Condign marvels as the diversity found in one single town. He is careful not to accidentally smack one of the halflings with his tail while they push through the crowds to where ever Varna is leading them.

"Do you know why we are here?" he asks Belarin.

[Ken]

Belarin leans in toward Condign and speaks softly, "I believe we're here for certain unusual supplies, Condign. I'm particularly hoping to purchase a couple of things that would not be found in a reputable marketplace. I'm trying to maintain my strange, dark, dastardly reputation, and that takes work, you know."