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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Carnifex" data-source="post: 592027" data-attributes="member: 227">The mountains of the tower were not high, and the late spring offered little chance of snow or freezing temperatures. Activity in the area seemed volatile, but Ecurius foresaw nothing significant. No one could know what the tower could hold, however- Kale wanted a crash course in thaumineering."I would like to learn more about the mechanics of thaumineering," Kale said when Ecurius had a moment. "Can you recommend a library or local tinker?" Libraries were hardly public, and tinkers were hardly considered typical sources of reference. Ecurius did not seem pent up on station, however, and Kale wondered what sort of resource he would recommend for the mercenary to learn more. The Truth Seeker did not seem a man built solely on book-knowledge...Regarding the room, the scene about was quite curious. Alaric was silent, Mel and Pierre were content in their victory, Sandslipper waxed evasive, while Ebri and Sebastion murmured about unknown topics. The focus of power, it seemed, lie with those two, though the entire group seemed to sway on the whim of Her Blueness... Nothing seemed to make sense. Kale became a bit confident of the newcomers capabilities, at the same time wodering all the more about their motives. Not the typical merc band, to say the least.Burl was impressed with the magic of Ecurious and also his wealth, which was obvious to those who knew the components needed to cast the spell used to identify the properties of the objects. Two questions popped into his mind,  “Ecurious, is there anyone in particular that you would recommend that I see when I go to the wizard’s guild? Also, it is my desire to visit the Forest of Fayen while we are in Naseria. Will we be going anywhere near them on our journey to the tower?"Wyshira made a mental note to show Lord Ecurius her small, crystal globes later on, when she'd had a chance to retrieve them from her pack in the room she'd been given. How long had she been carrying the mysterious magical spheres around now, without the foggiest notion what they were good for? Almost since the beginning of my journey, she recalled. She hoped that their host would be able to fathom their nature as he had the items Melisande carried.The description of the Flame Serpent that could be summoned with the sorceress' rod caused Wyshira to shudder. The Plane of Fire... What a terrible creature it would be! She could only take comfort in the fact that, should there ever be a need for it to be used, at least it would be under the control of one of her allies.Burl was concerned with getting supplies and spell components, and seemed to be interested in visiting the Forest of Fayen. That name sounded vaguely familiar to her, but at the moment, she couldn't think why. Some bit of gossip I must have heard along the way.... she mused, but she wasn't in the mood to rack her brain to recall it properly.She was in fact, beginning to feel quite sleepy, though it was still early in the afternoon. It must be that soft bed back in my room, calling to me, she thought with a smile, and stifled a yawn. She would have liked to speak more with Melisande, and Sandslipper too. The statue-woman had piqued her curiosity; she felt a sort of kinship with her. Because she is a genasi,Wyshira supposed, even if she is earth-kin and not water-born like me.She couldn't help but notice that she wasn't the only one interested in the Myrmecian. Burl seemed to be fascinated by Sandslipper, but Wyshira suspected his reasons were not the same as hers. For the briefest moment, she felt a twinge of jealousy at that, but she pushed the feeling away. Why should she care who Burl looked at anyway?Melisande took back the rod and the potion with gratitude, very pleased to finally have the command word that would turn the kobold shaman's fire-mojo to good use. She had no doubt it would be useful in the upcoming adventure, if what Lord Ecurius said about guardians and such was true--and a Truth-Seeker could probably be trusted a smidgen more than most. "I am in need of supplies myself and I'd love to see Tarravus, but right now I think a bath would be in order. And a nap. Burl, do you think you would mind waiting for me before going shopping for spell components? I promise once I'm washed up I'll make better company."Ecurius pondered for a moment over Burl's questions. "To be honest, not being a wizard, I don't know all that much about the guild. I come into contact with the more important wizards at court, but I don't think they'd be the kind of people you'd be dealing with over spell components.""As for Fayen, I'm afraid that realm is in quite the opposite direction! You'll be heading back towards the Sarokeans - east - while the elven realm lies in the forests that cover the north-west of Naseria. I'm sure it'll be possible for you to visit them afterwards though, but I must warn you that they do keep to themselves up there. Oh, and don't make the pretty common mistake of thinking that House Fayen has the same kind of rule over the elves as the other Houses have over the humans of Naseria either."Kale's question brought an amused look to Ecurius's face. "Thaumineering is not a... simple subject. It's a complex fusion of magic and metal-craft. I have a number of texts myself that you can borrow, if you're really that interested, but I doubt much of it will make all that much sense to you if you're not a student of the arcane." Kale resisted rolling his eyes. He was only being polite, after all..."Mmm, but there's a difference between the master artist and the passing collector." He would rather forgo the 'hows' in favor of the 'whats.' "Once we get to the tower, I'd just rather keep my hands out of the Arcane Vegetable Chopper, is all.The books may be of some use," Kale concluded, "Provided I had an interpreter along," he said while offering a questioning glance to Burl. "Sometime later on? In the meantime, I don't suppose there are any gnomes or 'worksman in town?"Appreciating the Seeker's help, the mercenary felt secure that he could glean enough information to feel at least a bit more secure about what the crew was getting into...Burl turned to address the two blue women. "Wyshira and Melisande, I am going to restock my component pouch while in town. Would you two care to join me? I also need to acquire some food for Spike.”  Turning to Sandslipper,  “It would be an honor to have you join us also.” Burl was disappointed that he wouldn’t be going near the Fayen forests, but Ecurious was right, there would be time later. However, for now, the opportunity to escort the three lovely, but distracting women was very much on his mind.Catching the look from Kale, Burl nodded his acceptance to look at the manuscripts later. After his brief encounter with Ungor Ferechan, the gnome metallo-thaumaturge and engineer, on the boat he had been intrigued with the combination of the arcane with the mechanical.The Lord Truth Seeker spoke again. "Now, all, listen. It seems that many of you are eager to go down to the city to replenish your supplies, and I need to visit court. So, if you all want to go and get yourselves ready, refresh yourselves, whatever, and then meet me outside in the courtyard, I'll lead you down to the city and you can go about your seperate ways."Wyshira frowned when Kale hinted that he had private business to take care of in Tarravus. She almost said, "But you know how I hate it when you go off by yourself!"  Fortunately, she was able to bite off the words before they spilled out of her mouth, and she merely nodded her head in acknowledgment.It's silly to worry about them when they're out of my sight, she told herself. But so many unexpected things had happened to the crew in places that had seemed safe and secure. The werewolf attack came immediately to mind. And then there were the Toranites back at the Solar Lion in Halstath. You just never knew what could come up suddenly, and there Kale would be without anyone to back him up.But mercenaries will be mercenaries, as her mother always used to say, not wholly disapprovingly. She said this usually in response to the girls' questions about the man that wandered in and out of their lives now and then, and who, incidentally, was their father. Kale seemed to be just that sort of mercenary: in spite of his easy-going, good-natured disposition, he liked to keep his own counsel, and he especially liked to keep his distance.Wyshira turned her attention to the necromancer and his invitation to accompany him on his errands in town. "I'd like very much to come with you, Burl, thank you." She smiled at him a little uncertainly. "The wizard's guild will be... interesting, I'm sure. But if we see a Temple of Ishrak, we must stop in."I don't think I've paid much attention to the matter before, but what is it exactly that Spike eats?" As she engages Burl in conversation, she looks around for Cord; she made sure to let the dwarf know that they were going into town, and that she would be waiting for him.* * *DM's Note: Both Wyshira and Kale also approached Ecurius to have the magical items they carried identified:Wyshira's crystalline globes: Lesser Eye Charms: Each one contains a detect magic spell within, which is released on the holder when the globe is crushed.Kale's Items - Brine blade: This sword has a minor enchantment to aid its handling and sharpness - it is a short sword +1, with additional abilities (identify can only divine the most minor quality of a magic item).Lesser Ring of Umbramancy: This ring has the ability to cast darkness once per day upon the command word Shushurek, in addition to whatever properties it seems to possess in drawing the shadows around the wearer (identify did not identify that ability, but obviously you know it possesses it). Ecurius is most intrigued by this item - firstly since it seems to be an example of some form of very old umbramancy, and also because the command word is a name that he has seen pop up in really old texts written in Drakkath before.Wand of Lightning: The wand that Kale took off the master werewolf is a Wand of lightning, as per a 5th level caster. It still has 17 charges. As an arcane spell wand, only arcane spellcasters (and rogues or bards trying the Use Magic Device skill) can utilise it.</blockquote>

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