Chapter 17: Deep Reflections

[Dave B.]

Shorak nods back at Melethos and follows as far as the doorway. He wants to listen in on the conversation, but still be able to keep an eye out for any approaching danger. He watches Adamant and Streko attend to Thul's wounds, knowing that he will be the better for it. Shorak then turns his attention to Belarin and the dragon.

[Darren]

Kal watches the healing process taking place and sees Belarin and Melethos heading for the dragon's chamber. He accepts the pack from Adamant, then says quietly, "Join us as soon as you are able." He nods as he passes Shorak, the man having taken up his position near the door. "Stay alert," he says. Then he moves into the chamber and takes up a place just behind Belarin's right shoulder.

[Elvis]

Thul feels the contagion purge from his body. The combination of warforged and Jorasco healing is immediately noticeable.

"Aye." Thul says, "I think that did the trick."

He pulls himself to his feel. The wound is still tender, but the limp less severe. He looks at each in turn, "Much appreciated."

Taking up a position opposite the halfdrow, he keeps an eye out for wounded smokeimps.

[Dave W.]

Adamant stands nearby; he smothers his instinct to help Thul stand, fairly certain the Karrnathi would not appreciate that assist. "You're very welcome, Captain."

Adamant looks to Streko, "I think we all will need a rest soon. I, for one, am quite fatigued. But let's see what the dragon has to say first." He waits to see if Thul does need help, but it's not necessary.

Adamant heads into the chamber, a few moments behind Belarin, Kal, and Melethos...

[Jeff]

Belarin steps into the chamber of the Needle, Kal and Melethos only just behind him.

Alazphraxilark is crouched behind the red-glowing obelisk as before, but seems to be drowsing faintly. His eyes snap open before Belarin's fifth step.

The brass dragon's neck rises up soporifically. For once, he's not staring at the Needle. "Welcome back, pilferers," he says as his gaze settles on Belarin. "I trust you have brought the remains and the possessions of the petitioner, such as they may be? It would be rather foolish to return here if you did not. But I do understand the body may not resemble the one he went in with—the Cave of Self can change a person, I am told."

With Belarin's attention almost completely arrested by the dragon's, Kal and Melethos are the first to notice that the treasure pile in the room seems to have been tidied up a little bit. Sifted through in an orderly fashion perhaps. The blazing spirit of Syndra hovers in the air above the coins, still willowy and vaguely feminine in shape—like a slim fire elemental with greater control over its shape. Beneath her the hammer she was bound to rests in the pile, though it swivels slowly as though pulled in various directions by some unseen force. She looks like a guardian of the treasure now.

Sem inches around the door and then steps in, making sure he's seen by the dragon—as if to assure Alazphraxilark that he hasn't chosen to depart yet.

[Ken]

"Greetings, Mighty Alazphraxilark," says Belarin. "Yes, we've done as you asked." He takes a few steps forward - so close he can feel the dragon's breath - and gently places the petitioner's backpack before him. "This is yours now."

He then retraces his steps and indicates a spot on the floor. "May I be seated?" he asks.

Once that question is answered, Belarin continues, "So, the mirrors. It was, frankly, fascinating and terrifying at the same time. Many of us feel changed, some more visibly than others. And we found your petitioner! He's a ... strange man, and he's changed from the last time you saw him. Quite a bit, I think. Not surprising.

"We did our best to persuade to come back with us, and to share what he's learned of the Needle with you. But it seems that, in comparison to the possibilities he's currently exploring, he finds such a course, well... boring. As he said to me..." And at this point, Belarin does a superb impression of the petitioner's voice: "I have left that pursuit behind. He can have the Needle for himself, if that is his desire. What it would have given me I no longer desire."

Belarin clears his throat and continues, "I hope his backpack is helpful in your pursuits, Mighty Alazphraxilark." He pauses, and waits for the dragon's reaction.

_______________________________

Belarin will definitely NOT sit down if Alazphraxilark doesn't give his permission!
Belarin will use the Actor feat to mimic the petitioner, in order to prove to the dragon that the group DID meet the man. He has advantage on the roll. Charisma (Performance) check: 1d20(4) + 4 = 8 or 1d20(20) + 4 = 24. Yeah, I'll take the second one.
Now a straight Charisma (Persuasion) roll: 1d20(4) + 8 = 12. Not great, though at this point he's simply relaying the facts truthfully.

[Jeff]

The dragon nods when Belarin requests a seat.

"So he is not dead, as I had guessed," he says when Belarin speaks of encountering the petitioner.

"Oh, I never met the man. He simply..." Alazphraxilark indicates the Needle. "...left an impression. An imprint. More like finger stains of ink left in the margins by an uncareful reader." His whole body makes a shrugging motion. "I knew he had been the last to study the Traveler's Needle. And after he ventured into the Cave and did not return...then did the efreeti take his place." Alazphraxilark just makes a grunting sound at this.

"Do open the pack and see what it contains, if that is all that can be physically salvaged." The brass dragon's tone is beginning to sound congenial. Belarin gets the sense that he is at least satisfied, if partially disappointed, by what's been accomplished.

Belarin notices the gemstone clasp on the backpack, and recalls Shorak saying he believed it to be some sort of protective ward—it was why his friend had not opened the pack inside the cave in the first place.

[Darren]

Kal silently takes in everything around him.

Sem, be sure to tell me if anything seems off to you.

[Joe]

Streko remains near the room's edge, listening to the conversation in the room, while keeping a wary eye out outside it. "Now is a good time to be ambushed, while we are depleted in strength. Then again," he mutters, "with a Dragon here, enemies may think twice about bothering us. Better safe than sorry, though." Streko keeps a wary eye out, and ear open, while standing in the doorway.

[Ken]

"One moment, please, sir," says Belarin. "Something concerns me about the bag..." He mutters a few familiar strange syllables, slowly unsheathes his pact dagger, and waves the tip over the clasp.

_________________

Belarin invokes Eldritch Sight.

[Dave B.]

Shorak nods in acknowledgement of Thul. "Glad you're looking much less pale, Captain." he says.

"Don't worry Streko. I'm watching for danger." Shorak says, trying to ease the cleric's concerns.

When Shorak hears the dragon tell Belarin to open the pack, he stiffens slightly and prepares to leap out of the room if something bad should come of it.

[Jeff]

Belarin can see that the gem-clasp of the backpack is indeed magical, and the aura is one of abjuration.

[Brian]

Melethos’s eyes widen at the mention of opening the backpack. He recalls Shorak’s warning about the clasp. But he trusts Belarin, and silently watches how events proceed.

[Ken]

"There's a ward of some sort," says Belarin. "I'll try to remove it."

________

Belarin uses his other spell slot to cast dispel magic as a 5th-level spell. If all goes well now, he won't need it later.

[Jeff]

When Belarin casts his spell, the aura fades completely from the gem-clasp. Whatever the effect had been has either been dispeled for a time or suppressed for a time.

[Dave W.]

Adamant will move into the room giving a short bow to the dragon and stand near to Belarin. He does not speak.

---

He'd really like to stand where Sem is on the current map but I guess around there somewhere... He'd like his auras to cover at least Belarin.

[Ken]

"It's done," says Belarin. He puts his pact dagger away and opens the clasp on the backpack.

[Jeff]

Alazphraxilark does not react when Adamant enters the room and draws near Belarin.

When Belarin opens the backpack, the brass dragon takes a few steps closer and his huge head hovers above Belarin, peering down. The warlock finds that the backpack contains:

• A red leather-bound book with loose leafs of paper neatly bookmarking many of its pages.
• Three potions vials containing clear, softly glowing fluid.
  
• A pouch of rations (5 days' worth).
  
• A mess kit.
  
• A full waterskin (no telling how old its water may be).
  
• A neatly coiled rope of bluish hue (50 ft.)

Belarin's eldritch sight reveals the potions (evocation) and the rope (transmutation) to be magical .

Upon seeing these items, Alazphraxilark gestures with one wing as if it were a hand. "Hmmm, that could be useful. I'll take the book—the rest you may add to your own growing hoard."

[Ken]

"Most gracious," says Belarin - although he is deeply tempted to take a peek at the book. If the dragon's mouth weren't a few feet away from his head, he might have.

But instead, he places the other items back in the pack and closes it up. He stands up and offers the book to Alazphraxilark. "I'm ... sorry that our relationship with you soured, Mighty Alazphraxilark," he says genuinely. "I hope that we can part on good terms with you."

[Jeff]

The dragon's claw takes the proffered book with surprising delicateness. He rifles through it briefly, seeming satisfied.

"Oh, go already with your stealth-swiped gains. I will be too busy with my study here, while the Kythri zone holds, to nurse any grudge. Though, understand, I am helpless to ease the unquenchable memory of my species." The brass dragon's head tilts and his great eye widens as he looks hard at Belarin.

Sem slides forward and offers a short bow. "Alazphraxilark, I expect it will be at least several weeks as we mark the time—if I'm being modest—before we reach the dunes of Menechtarun. But if our fortune holds, our expedition may find itself in need of allies there. I will not ask where your lair—"

"That is most wise, Zil," the dragon interrupts. "Especially if your itch-fingered friends surround you still."

Sem just holds still.

The dragon goes on. "Yet Mel-Aqat is within sight of my home. I will peer out from time to time. If I espy you and am moved to pity, then perhaps I will find you."

Sem beams. "That is more than this Zil would ever ask," he saws, bowing again.

The brass dragon rears his head up again, looking upon all of you. His voice has been loud enough, heard by even those lingering outside the door. "Go now, or I will set the mephits upon you all. They have been whining for the death of one of your humans." He wing-shrugs again, clearly not caring much about it or even who the "human" is. "Until this moment I have not entertained them, but I could be pressed."

Ken, when you hand out items from the backpack, then I'll then add them to inventories.

[Ken]

Belarin bows. "I wish you good fortune with your studies of the Needle. Thank you."

He leaves the dragon's presence, carrying the backpack with him. As he passes Kal, Melethos, and Adamant, he pauses and says softly, "We're done. Let's go back to the ship. Histra has no allies here."

_________

Belarin will wait until they're all back on the ship before disclosing the contents of the backpack.

[Dave W.]

Adamant again gives a short bow to the dragon and follows in Belarin's wake.

[Jeff]

"Waaaaiiiiitt!"

Adamant is the first to realize that's Syndra's voice.

Alazphraxilark's head turns at the sound. He looks curiously at the fire-spirit.

[Dave W.]

Adamant turns back, "If it is permitted?" He asks the dragon.

[Jeff]

The dragon snorts. "I claim no free-willed spirit as my mine. She may do as she pleases."

Syndra's form glides over the coins and approaches Adamant. "Adamannnnnt. You have carried me well at times, and yet not allllllways. You are a warrior true....wwwwwhen you do not speak over-much. For that....I ask that you give me now to the aged warrior hummmmmman. He may yet bear me well before he expires. Willlll you?"

[Dave W.]

"Like Alazphraxilark, I will not constrain you. You are released. But I thought you wanted to stay here? Do you wish to bound back to the hammer? Can you do that?"

"We have had some contention. I am not sure you will do better with Captain Thul, he is stiff-necked. But I will not prevent it."

"Captain Thul, can you come speak to Syndra a moment?" Adamant calls to the other room.

[Brian]

Melethos’s posture stiffens at Syndra’s request. He wants to jump in and advice his friend, but realizes that the compassionate warforged doesn’t need anyone’s advice. He’ll do as his heart dictates, and that will have to be good enough.

[Elvis]

Sigh...

Always something...

Thul limps into the dragon's chamber. "Who's Syndra?"

[Jeff]

Thul takes it all in. The treasure piles looking a little different. The hammer swivels by itself around the ground beneath the somewhat feminine flame-shape, which hovers like a fire elemental inspired by an air elemental. He's not sure what to make it, but he can see that it is tethered somehow to the warhammer that Adamant has been carrying around all this time.

"I am Sssssyndra," the fire-spirit says in Common, already exhibiting far greater intelligence than any of the elementals Thul's seen so far.

"I wish to reside with the wrought metal that I was born with, but I must be carried and wielded by a warrior who does not idle. I will burn what you smash. I will bite what you destroy. Together we can consumer your enemies. Yessss?"

Thul has never wielded a sentient weapon (that he knows of). After his many years, it certainly would be a new experience. Whether it is a favorable one or not is up to him. He does not know if it comes with conditions.

[Elvis]

Thul listens to the flamegirl, trying unsuccessfully to understand why anyone (anything) would subject themselves to imprisonment when they are free to go anywhere...

"Why?" asks Thul. "You're free."