Oversight, I'm honored that you'd blow your first post on my Story Hour, and I appreciate the compliments. And you're at least half-right -- I do have awesome players.
The following run is definitely one of my five favorites in all the time we've been playing. (And in case you're wondering, I've run 208 sessions of the campaign as of today) I think you readers will understand why.
Sagiro’s Story Hour, Part 276
Contents May Have Shifted During Flight
The Company makes only one additional stop on their way to Tal Hae. Having purchased flowers in Dingman’s Ferry, they take a small detour to the nearby dwarvish tombs discovered so long ago. Because they are accessible only by a small crack in the back of a cave, Ernie doffs his armor and crawls inside with the flowers, leaving them at them at the foot of Hurthin Hammersmith, recently visited in the distant past. He murmurs a prayer for those who have died a long way from home.
The sun is setting once again when the Company reaches the outskirts of Tal Hae.
“You can smell the fish from here,” comments Dranko. “But I’m more looking forward to checking in with the church.”
Morningstar winces, imagining how awkward it’s going to be, sharing her newfound knowledge of how the Church of Ell
used to operate...
They ride up to the gates of Tal Hae in full Knights of the Spire Guard regalia.
“We’re Ernest Roundhill and Company, Knights of the Realm!” announces Dranko. Yoba beams, though she also looks puzzled as she examines the walls.
“Interesting choice,” she says. “The wall is made out of wood?”
“It’s a long story,” says Ernie.
“Welcome back to the city,” says one of the soldiers manning the gate. It's clear he recognizes the Company.
“Any news?” asks Dranko.
“Things have been quiet since the war, thank the Gods.”
Ernie spreads some coins among the guards. “Get yourself something warm to drink,” he tells them. He’s thinking of hot cocoa, personally, though the guards probably have different ideas.
They make no detours on the way back to the Greenhouse. Dranko pulls out his Greenhouse Key, and finds that, oddly, there are
two keys on his keychain. One opens the door to the Greenhouse, but he’s never seen the second one before.
“Flicker?”
“Don’t look at me!”
“I think it’s a time key,” says Dranko. “I guess when time changed, it gave me an extra key.”
They open the door, and Eddings greets them with a smile of intense relief. He’s already in pajamas, and the cats Argol and Smeggy, looking particularly well-fed, weave excitedly around his feet.
“Thank the Gods you’re alive!” says the old butler.
“How long have we been gone?” asks Aravis.
“Didn’t I say in the
sending?” says Eddings. “Seven weeks give or take a day or two.”
“And when was the last time you saw us?” asks Dranko.
“When you all went down in the basement. You had some important thing to do. I went to check on you a few hours later, and you were gone.”
“Do you know what Eyes of Moirel are?” asks Morningstar.
Eddings looks a bit peeved at the question. “Yes, of course I do.” He extends a finger into one of his illusionary eyes to make the point.
“It’s not as stupid a question as it sounds,” says Morningstar. “You see, when we vanished, you came with us.”
“Err... to where, exactly?” asks Eddings.
Ernie looks up from the cats before Morningstar can answer. “Eddings, I want you to meet our friend Yoba! She has to go back home soon, but I wanted her to see where we live.”
“Charmed,” says Eddings, bowing.
“Say, where’s Skorg?” asks Dranko.
“He’s... traveling. I don’t know exactly where. Once we got word that you... had been annihilated, he decided to explore more of the kingdom.”
“Annihilated?” asks Aravis.
“I thought you said we went into the basement and disappeared,” says Dranko. “We teleport around all the time. Why would you think we were annihilated?”
“Ozilinsh confided in me,” says Eddings. “The Spire... they cast some divinations, and discerned that you didn’t exist. I told Ozilinsh you were back after I received your
sendings. He warned me to be suspicious, but I knew it was you.”
“Oh, and Morningstar and I got married,” adds Dranko.
“Right,” says Eddings. “You were annihilated, and the two of you became married. Of course.”
“Well, we were gone for the better part of a year,” explains Dranko.
“Nooooo,” says Eddings slowly. “You were gone seven weeks. Like I’ve already told you twice now.”
At this point it’s easier to just tell Eddings everything, and so they do. It’s hard for him to get his head around it all, especially the part where he went with the party to the past. They also tell the sad part about losing Kay, and that they don’t know where she’s gone. Eddings is confident that she’ll be back someday.
When they get to the bit about possible small changes to history as they know it, Eddings scratches his beard thoughtfully.
“That...that explains it,” says the butler. “I don’t want to say anything else. Just go visit Turlus’s shop tomorrow morning. I don’t want to say anything else. Dranko, you’ll need to... just go.”
Dranko is intrigued, but doesn’t push it. “Does it have anything to do with why I have a second key on my key ring?”
“I don’t know anything about that,” says Eddings. “But that does remind me of something else. There’s a gentleman who has called upon you while you were gone, Dranko. I swear I’ve never met him before in my life, but he’s been here three times. He wouldn’t tell me his name. I flashed a light on him in case he was Farazil, but he merely told me to stop. He’s tall, with a neat goatee, and handsome. Very polite. Well dressed. I don’t think he liked me very much. He thought I should recognize him. The last time he visited, he asked me to tell Dranko that ‘we miss him at the Manse.’ I answered: ‘And you are...?’ He said ‘Very funny... just tell him.’ And then he left. That was about three weeks ago, and I haven’t seen him since.
The Company then calls upon Ozilinsh using the crystal ball in the secret room. Ozilinsh is wide-eyed and overjoyed to see them.
“You exist!” he shouts.
“Remember how we had three enemy power groups?” says Dranko. “The Sharshun, and the Black Circle, and Naradawk? We stopped two of them. But the third one? The Sharshun? They won.”
“What?” says Ozilinsh, alarmed. “When? How? And... why don’t you seem worried?
They spend the next hour giving Ozilinsh a huge info dump of their entire adventure. Ozilinsh listens with rapt attention. When the narrative is over, he says in a hushed voice: “Do you realize the implications on temporal mechanics? Think of the paper we could write! But regardless, I’ll tell the Spire all about your journey. They’ll be overjoyed to know that you’re back and alive. High Priest Cornwall
communed with Pikon when you had been gone for two weeks, and he learned that you didn’t even exist. We figured one of your many enemies had finally figured out how to do you in. Some of us held out hope that something odd was going on; I’m glad that our faith has been rewarded.”
Besides the apparent reality of time travel, the part of the tale Ozilinsh finds most intriguing is their visit with Cranchus.
“We’ve always wanted to know what he looks like,” he says.
“He looks like a cross between me and an earth elemental,” says Kibi.
“He’s very smart – he has very good ideas,” adds Ozilinsh. “But he’s always been mysterious, and not very communicative.”
“And he’s not actually Parthol,” Dranko admits grumpily.
“Just like I told you he wasn’t,” says Ozilinsh with a smile.
“He stays apart, because he’s afraid of what will happen to those around him,” adds Aravis.
“He’s expressed that sentiment to us before,” says Ozilinsh. “He doesn’t even want us to know where he is. We haven’t heard from him at all since the Battle of Verdshane – we can no longer cast the spells to speak with him, and he hasn’t made contact with us.”
Ozilinsh shares a few tidbits of information from the party’s missing seven weeks. Wellington, Glade and Royce cleared out another Black Circle bestiary, this one in Forquelle. The Delfirians have now entirely retreated back through the gartine arch at Seablade Point; a few stayed behind to cause trouble as highwaymen and bandits, but Jerzembeck, Junaya & Co. are cleaning them up.
“This sounds strange to say,” concludes Ozilinsh, “but right now, I have nothing for you to do. You’re on your own for a while. And now I really ought to go and inform the rest of the Spire that you have not, in fact, been obliterated from existence.”
Exhausted, the Company goes to bed.
* *
The next morning it’s Grey Wolf, Dranko and Ernie who are suffering from the mystery rash. Yoba cures them before breakfast. All the Company are curious about Eddings’ cryptic comments about Turlus, so after eating Ernie’s now-daily Heroes’ Feast, they take a stroll down the Street of Bakers to visit ‘Fine Baked Goods.’
The inside of the bakery is no different than they remember; Turlus is a formidable baker, of a skill nearly equal to Ernie’s own. There are a handful of customers who regard the decked-out party with understandable curiosity. There’s no sign of Turlus, but there’s a woman behind the counter who is indisputably and stunningly gorgeous.
Dranko stares at her. She stares back at Dranko, her eyes wide. Before she can speak, Dranko regains his composure and asks: “Where might I find Turlus?”
“Who?” asks the woman.
“Turlus.”
“Dranko,” she says with a throaty chuckle. “Come here.”
Far be it for Dranko to deny this heavenly creature such a simple request. Her voice is low and rich, as lovely as the rest of her.
“We need to talk for a moment,” she says, leaning in close to him. Then she shoots a quick look over his shoulder and winks at Morningstar.
Morningstar blinks.
“May I...uh...may I introduce you to my wife?” says Dranko.
“You got married? How lovely! I’m very happy for you.”
She gives Dranko a light peck on the cheek, then winks again at Morningstar. Morningstar gives the woman a wan smile.
“Sooooo,” says Dranko, unsure how to proceed. “What’s your name?”
“Excuse me? What’s my name?”
Then, leaning in so close that her lips graze his ear, she whispers, “I guess we’re playing that we’re strangers then? I’m curious where this is going.”
With that, she straightens up, smoothes her apron, and in a clipped voice asks: “So, what can I get for you today, sir?”
“Your name,” Dranko insists.
The woman smiles sweetly. “Turlissa. Now. What can I get you?”
>> At this point the entire table fell into helpless laughter for over a minute.
“Turlissa, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”
At this point the half-dozen or so patrons of the bakery have all stopped their shopping to observe this unusual exchange. Dranko walks swiftly to the door, turns the sign to read “Closed,” and announces: “Get them whatever they want, and I’ll pay for it!”
Soon enough the bakery is empty save for the Company and Turlissa. Morningstar decides it would be prudent to pop off a silent, still
detect thoughts, but finds that Turlissa is somehow warded against the spell.
“Dranko, may I speak with you in private?” she asks.
“I... I think we... er...”
“Dranko, you’re so cute when you’re at a loss for words. Not that that happens very often.”
“Turlissa, how... how, in 20 or 30 words, would you best describe our relationship?”
Turlissa looks pointedly at the rest of the Company. “Our relationship? You mean our... working relationship?”
“I mean our...uh... every aspect of our relationship?” Dranko answers tentatively.
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” asks Turlissa.
“Every aspect of our relationship!” Dranko decides.
“Do you really want to be talking about that in front of your friends?” she presses.
“Oh, my word,” mutters Grey Wolf.
“Yes,” says Dranko. “I trust these people absolutely.”
Morningstar bails him out. “Dranko, would you like some time alone with her?”
“Sure!” says Dranko, lunging. “That would be great.”
He nudges Pewter, who jumps up on his shoulder, but this does not go unnoticed by Turlissa.
“Are you sure you want your wizard’s familiar listening in?”
“Oh... familiar? No, no, of course not. Let me shoo him out.”
He picks up Pewter and walks outside with the rest of the Company, at which point he gestures wildly for Morningstar to cast
Rary’s telepathic bond on him. Morningstar does this, and also mentions that Turlissa was warded against her
detect thoughts. Yoba adds that Turlissa is not detecting as evil.
As Dranko reenters the shop Ernie comments mentally (and with a hint of disapproval): “She’s very... friendly.”
“And she’s way, way hotter than the old Turlus!” observes Dranko.
“And she’s clearly into you,” adds Kibi, “which makes me think she’s not in her right mind.”
“Dranko,” says Turlissa, once the two are alone in the shop. “You’re acting very strange. What has happened to you these past few weeks?”
She motions to a door in the back of the shop, then disappears inside. Dranko follows her, and after she closes the door to the back office, she swiftly grabs Dranko’s head and plants a long, deep kiss right on his lips. Dranko carefully keeps his thoughts to himself.
He breaks off the kiss before it gets
too intense, steps backwards, and says, “I’ve been gone for seven weeks.”
“Yes, I know,” says Turlissa.
“Yes,” agrees Dranko. “Right. Yes. That’s correct. And in that time, uh... I... it would be useful for you to give me a full description of what’s been going on.”
She whispers, “Didn’t you tell Lucas where you were going?”
“Lucas...”
“You are playing with me, Dranko, and I don’t appreciate it.”
Dranko improvises wildly. “Do you think it’s appropriate that I tell everyone my business? No. So why would I have told Lucas where I was going?”
“Dranko... who did you
expect would take over in your absence?”
Hm. Good question!
“Um... Turlissa, how loyal are you to me?”
“How can you even ask that?” she shoots back. She’s clearly growing tired of the games.
“Let us assume, if that is true, that I have come back from my trip without a clear memory of some of the things from my past.”
A light goes on in Turlissa’s head. “How do I know it’s really you?”
Dranko belches.
“I’ll need more than that. Do you expect me to believe that you have no memory, and that now I should start coughing up secrets?”
“I see your point,” concedes Dranko. “What would prove it to you, Turlissa?”
The lovely baker thinks for a moment before answering. “A year ago you saved someone’s life in a smuggling ring operation. Who was it?”
Over the telepathic bond, Dranko asks the others if he should level with her about the whole ‘changes in the universe’ thing. The answer is a unanimous ‘NO!’
When Dranko doesn’t answer, Turlissa says flatly, “I think this interview is at an end.”
“I saved your life,” guesses Dranko, but his guess comes too late, and is seemingly wrong as well. Turlissa walks to the door and opens it.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” she says. “I don’t know who you are, or who you’re working for, or what you think you’re doing, but... get out of my shop.”
Dranko laughs. “This is funny for reasons you don’t understand. And I appreciate that you’re confused.”
“I’m not confused,” says Turlissa, thunder forming on her brow. “You’re attempting to impersonate Dranko, and you’re doing a terrible job of it. You’ve done some research...” She points to his cigar. “...but not nearly enough. Out!”
“If I was going to go through all of the trouble to research, don’t you think I would have filled in all the cracks?” asks Dranko.
“You just figured I’d believe the utterly convincing personal appearance and... and crude mannerisms. But no. Please leave.”
“What would the hard way be?” asks Dranko.
“The hard way is, I summon the city guard and they throw you in jail.”
“That’s not going to happen,” says Dranko.
“True... because I’m giving you the opportunity to leave now. But... given that I’m going to report this to my superiors...”
“Which superiors?” Dranko can’t help asking.
Turlissa decides that the conversation is at an end. She walks out of the shop, leaving him behind. Dranko hustles out after her. The Company has wisely moved off to a different block, but Dranko scrambles up to the rooftops, curious as to where Turlissa is really going.
It turns out that she’s really going to get some town guards. She finds a pair only two blocks away and leads them back to Fine Baked Goods, at which point Dranko decides to make himself scarce. Grey Wolf comments over the mind-link: “Time has changed in a very interesting and bad way for you.”
“What could we possibly have done,” Dranko wonders out loud when reunited with the others, “to make Turlus turn into... into smoking hot Turlissa?!”
This sets off a wave of laughter; Flicker nearly busts a gut. “Dranko, you could say ‘smoking hot Turlissa’ a million times before I die, and it’ll be funny every time.”
...to be continued...
