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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 7807011" data-attributes="member: 6971069">Carriage Ho! - 09/11/2019 Sigil is called the ‘City of Doors’ by some, ‘the Cage’ by others.  To most, the only difference is a key. To wiser cutters, the real difference is who is holding it.The carriage slowly made its way southwards, wedged between lumbering carts and wagons of the caravan.  The pace was slow and steady on the hot summer day.  Most were carrying merchant’s goods from Waterdeep, Neverwinter and other towns north on the sword coast.  Most of the drovers hide under tarps, to shade themselves from the oppressive heat of the day.  The few guards on horses had doffed their heavy helms, and now wore wide brimmed hats of leather, to keep their faces in the shade.Inside the carriage it wasn’t much different; the shade of the enclosure was enough to shield its occupants from the sun’s wrath.  But the heat still lingered in the stifling air inside.  For the two very different occupants, they had decidedly different approaches to handling the heat. The first was a gnome, dressed in a linen shirt, a leather vest now unfasted hung on his shoulders and simple breeches.  Across from his seat, was a backpack, and a disorganized pile of papers and scrolls, each pinned down by a small collection of stones, that were gathered from a prior stop.  He lay back on his seat eyes closed taking deep breaths dozing, as a golden mechanical owl, perched on the door sill to the carriage, beating its wings to cool its master. Sitting diagonally from him, sat a woman.  Her legs were stretched and propped on the seat across from her.  Her feet were bare, and the lacings on the lower legs of her leather breeches were undone, exposing her calves as they laid upon a pile of chain armor, a rapier, some daggers, boots and a bodice.  Her blouse hung loosely around her exposing as much skin as decorum would permit, as her midsection was no longer constrained by the leather garment.  Her golden hair hung loosely around her shoulders and moved in the breeze created by the mechanical owl.  She wore a pair of pendants around her neck, hanging just below her clavicles.  But behind her neck was a wet towel.  Every so often she would wave her hand and mutter something, and a cool mist would appear from the cloth.  But truth be told, the heat was far her mind as her brow furrowed with concentration.In her hands was what looked to be a silver scroll case and extruded from it lengthwise was a sheet of metal.  On the sheet were symbols and glyphs of an ancient alphabet; some said the first one.  Created millennia ago in the upper planes.  The woman’s eyes were as polished as a silver mirror, and the light and the scrolls reflections were clearly seen in her eyes.This was the scene for many miles and many days.  At the beginning there was small talk, but as each took the time to review their own texts, they fell into a familiar pattern of silence.  They enjoyed each other’s company quietly, each focused on their own objects of study.“Alright you win Myr,” the gnome said softly.  “I can feel the cold coming from your towel.  You are clearly more comfortable.Myrai, turned her head slightly to look at the sprawled-out gnome, Beepu.  She returned her focus to her reading before replying, “Well, Foggle certainly keeps the breeze moving in here.”“Sure, but let me prove my point.  Did you want to trade the wind for that towel?”“Nope,” Myrai said, not even glancing up.“I should have kept that spell handy from school.  Now I understand how it could be useful.”“Mmm hmm,” Myrai muttered in response.“You are not listening to me, are you?”“Mmm hmm,” again came the response.Beepu opened his eyes and glared at the woman.   He then turned to his owl and gave it a steady gaze.  In a moment, the owl took to the air, and flew towards Myrai with talons extended.  It flew past her neck as it grabbed the cold wet towel from it.“Wha…hey!  Give that back,” as Myrai reached for her comfort too slowly.  The owl swiftly turned and dropped it on Beepu’s lap and settled again on the sill and started to beat its wings.“It is rude not to pay attention during a dialog!”  Beepu said in a huff, as he wiped the sweat from his brown with the now captured cool towel.“Sorry,” Myrai said a bit guiltily.  “It’s not like you don’t do the same when you are focused on your schematics,” and she put her feet down on the floor of the carriage and reached across the seat to reach into her pack.“I concede that is true.”  He then placed the stolen cloth behind his head, and he was quiet a moment before he spoke again. “Did you get anywhere with it?” and he waved his hand at the object she held.Myrai had pulled another strip of cloth from her pack and was wetting it from a waterskin that hung from the pack’s side.  “No.  I can’t even read its proper name.  I can see the word ‘Apocrypha’ but the second word is a jumble.  Almost like someone wrote on the same spot over and over again.”“Did you not say, that the words are etched or imprinted on the metal?”“Yes, which is confusing as well.  Only one section is really clear, and that one contains spell formulae.  Everything else is gibberish with a couple of clear words.” And she retracted the metal sheet back into the cylinder.  “How about your schematic?”The gnome sighed as he placed the towel behind his neck and settled into his seat, “Well, I am certain now that there is a part needed, and I am also certain that the part can be found in the Misty Forest.”“Why is that?”“Because I finally found a reference in an old journal this morning that I had overlooked.  My father apparently visited the forest in the past.  But it was not until I found a name in the Journal that he left behind that I made a connection.  The name…Melandrach.”Myrai blinked a moment and leaned slightly forward.  “And…”The gnome nodded, “Yes, yes it was quite clever.”“No…what is the importance of that name,”“Oh!  Sorry.  Melandrach is an uncommon elvish name.  The only one I know that goes by Melandrach, is King Melandrach.  And he is the king of the Misty Forest near Secomber.”“Where your father visited.  Simple enough.”“Not really.  The borders to the forest are closed to non-elves.”Myrai frowned a moment, “So…did your father grow a few feet?”“No!  I already knew had a guide by the name of Ravalan, but now I am certain where Ravalan took my father.  I wrote a letter to the brothers to see if they could track him down.”“That might help.  I remembered you saying that they were running in circles looking for Umbra.”Beepu nodded.  “Yes, well that might have been because Umbra and my father were disguised or hidden.  But Ravalan is a local, so finding him will be easier.”“Sure it’s a him?”“It is a male sylvan name, so yes.”Myrai nodded and draped the damp towel behind her neck, leaned back again and propped up her feet.  With a quick motion she resumed the spell, and cooling vapors again drifted from the cloth.  After a moment she smirked to herself and whispered a second incantation, looking squarely at the stolen cloth around Beepu’s neck.   Satisfied she turned to look out the window at the passing countryside.  She concentrated a moment and the scene before her shifted to a spot somewhere above the carriage.She could smell the wind; feel the heat of the sun, and the cool wind rushing through feathery wings and the sound past her ears.  Her heart was racing as eyes looked from shrub to shrub, searching.  Suddenly Myrai, felt wings tuck in close.  The wind rushed past even faster, as she approached the ground.  Just ahead, a mouse seemed to slowly bolt to a nearby hole in the earth.  But before it reached it, Myrai watched fascinated as outstretched claws…Myrai severed her connection to Gossamer and the grisly results of his hunt.  She enjoyed tapping into his perceptions; the Sensate in her appreciated the primal perspective of her familiar.  The sensation of flight was intoxicating as well, as her senses were replaced with her familiars’.  But while she appreciated the sensation of the hunt and the kill, the consumption of the prey was something she didn’t need to experience again.Did you want a bite?-Uh…no thanks.  I’m fine.You sure?  I could find something else.  An egg perhaps.-Not funny.  It’s not like you have to eat to start with.True, but it seems to be a waste of a hunt.  Sure, you don’t really want something?-No, I’m sure.  I’ll leave you to your meal.Always willing to share.Myrai focus returned to see Beepu shift uncomfortably, pulled the cloth from around his neck and stare at it.“How did this get so war…Myrai!” and Beepu glared at his companion.“I blame the weather,” Myrai replied blandly.----It was late afternoon when the caravan pulled into the town of Secomber.  When the carriage finally stopped, Myrai and Beepu emerged from it, and stepped onto the dusty streets of the small trade town.  As Myrai turned her head looking around, Beepu sent his owl skyward to fly over the street.  Myrai by comparison sent her Tresym to a nearby roof, to follow her.But what Myrai was looking for, she didn’t see.“Think they are at the inn?” Myrai asked still searching for the brothers or Mo.“Most likely.  No reason to come here to meet us,” Beepu said, straightening out his pack on his shoulders.Myrai nodded and started her way down the busy road.  As she walked, she kept her hand on the Apocrypha and chanted below her breath.  While she couldn’t read most of it, there were a couple of interesting incantations she wanted to try out.As they continued down the road, they came to the central crossroads of the town.  Here the merchant stalls were open for business, and several inns with attached bars were visible.  The town was busy, with trading of all sorts of goods; steel from Mulmaster, fine cloth and leather goods from Waterdeep, vegetables and fruits from the local farms.  But as much as the merchants tried to gain the attention of the duo, they were focused on the people, looking for a pair of familiar faces.“This is going to be a problem,” Beepu said with tone of frustration.“What?  That you didn’t think to arrange to meet somewhere?”“I did not know the town so I could not say where to meet us, and Iesa simply said they would meet us at an inn here.”Myrai sighed, “In other words, he didn’t either.”“Precisely.  So, what would be the best way to find him?”“Find the bar with largest number of female elves?”Beepu chortled, “Well, that would be Iesa’s normal inclination.  Still means we are searching every bar.”“We don’t need to find the bar.  We just need to find Mo.”“Mo?  He does not like Foggle, and probably would hide from him.  I told you that when you asked me to have him scout.  Pointless.”“That’s not why I told you to do that.”“What?  Why did you—”“To distract Mo, while Gossamer found him.”Beepu’s mouth opened for a moment, and then he closed it nodding, “Yes.  They have not met.  A good distraction.”Myr, you said it was a brown furred animal with a tail in the rough shape of a human child?”-That would be it most likely?  Where?By the fruit stand on your left.  I think it is trying to liberate an apple.Myrai turned to look and saw a farmer’s stand filled with fresh fruits from his orchard, with a canvas awning to keep the sun and heat at bay.  It took a moment, but Myrai finally spotted him.  Hanging from rear legs and stretching down to reach a vulnerable apple was Mo. Myrai smiled, and moved towards the farmer, who was oblivious to the sneaking thief.“Ah yes mad…mad…” the farmer stammered as he looked into Myrai’s eyes.“Trouble you for an apple for a couple of coppers?” and Myrai reached towards the same apple targeted by the stealthy primate.  But while Mo was at first focused on the Farmer, he turned to look at Myrai with wide open eyes.“Of…of…”“Thanks,” and Myrai tossed him a trio of coins, far more than a singles apple’s worth.  But she turned her attention to the monkey.“So…Mo.  Where’s your dad, hmm?”The farmer now noticed the monkey hanging from awning and was reaching for a broom nearby, when Myrai waved her hand at the human.Mo’s face contorted and blinked a moment and he made some screeching sounds.Screech, chitter / Hey.  I know you.  I understood you.  How?Myrai grinned a moment and offered him the apple.  “Now that’s a special thing I learned.  Where is…well how do you call him?  Iesa? Dad? Chief?”Chitter, chitter, squak, screech, / Oh you mean Big Mo.  He near.  And Mo snatched the apple glancing nervously at the farmer.“Big Mo…Little Mo.  Of course.  Can you show me?” and she turned to nod at the farmer and then called out over her shoulder, “Beepu, found him.”“About time.  Now how do we get Mo to show us where he is?”“I asked him, he’s showing us the way,” and Myrai walked following the monkey’s bounding path over the stalls.“What do you mean ‘you asked him?’”“Just that.  Apparently, he calls Iesa ‘Big Mo’ and he’s leading us,” and Myrai pointed at the monkey who now bounded into an Inn.“That would useful.  Can you talk to Foggle that way?”Myrai nodded, “I think so, but he doesn’t say anything back.”“I wonder why?”-Goss, come down and follow me.Sure thing.“Probably because you told him to be quiet and you never changed that request.”Beepu straightened up and thought about it.  “You might be right.  Never thought anyone else could talk to him.  I don’t even know a spell that can do—”“Later Beepu,” Myrai interrupted and she strode into the bar.It was a working folks bar favored by the locals, with few of the caravan drovers or merchants present.  They locals looked up from the drinks and their games of dice to regard the newcomer, eying her critically, and the tones became hushed.Myrai ignored them, she focused on looking for the monkey, and she spotted him at a table between two familiar figures seated with drinks in hand.  The taller and leaner one had the apple in his hand and was wagging a finger at his little companion as Myrai and Beepu made their way to the table.“Mo…not from the farmers,” Iesa was chiding.“Well Big Mo, it’s a good thing that apple is paid for then,” Myrai said with a smile.Iesa’s head shot up as he saw the pair approaching, “Well…how did you find us?  I told Mo to hide from Foggle, so I could find and surprise you!”“Well, ask much as I could let him surprise anyone,” Daneath said standing and offering a hand and to Myrai.She ignored it, and instead embraced the warrior, “Well hard to surprise anyone in that armor.” She then released him and moved to hug Iesa, as the big man now shook Beepu’s hand.Iesa backed up a step, “Wait wait, I don’t really hu…what do you mean ‘Big Mo?’”Myrai stopped a moment and shrugged, “It’s what he calls you.  It’s cute.”“Really?  And cute?  Really?” Iesa said looking at Mo with shock.Daneath turned to look at his brother, “Yeah…’Big Mo’ that’s even better than ‘Big D’”Iesa stared at Daneath with a look of horror, “No. No. No.  You are not calling me that in public.”Beepu took a seat at the table, and I could hear the mechanical whirring above me as the owl settled down on a rafter above us.  The locals murmured at the sight of Foggle, and their stares towards us had barely disguised looks of suspicion.“So, wait a second,” Iesa started.  He knows how to hide from Foggle, how did you find him?”Gossamer was slinking on the ground with wings folded close to his body, and as Iesa spoke he jumped upon the table and sat down upon it, his green eyes staring at Iesa with a hint of challenge in his eyes.  Daneath moved to shoo away Goss but stopped as Gossamer unfurled his wings and stretched them upwards.  Isea’s jaw dropped as he stared at the winged cat in front of him.  But I was less interested in their reactions as opposed to Mo’sMo stared for a moment and stepped towards Gossamer cautiously on the table with a paw outreached.“Goss is a friend Mo.”Chitter, ork, chitter / sneaky one with wings?  New.  Friend?  Ok.  Hungry now.The paw touched Gossamer on the head for a moment, and he retreated back to Iesa and started to munch on his apple.“Damn it.  Now I have to get a pet to fit in the club?” Daneath exclaimed and sat down with mock exasperation.Myrai sat down as well, “Maybe.  But you already have a little brother, so I guess that counts.”“Yeah you hav…wait a moment!  Myrai!” Iesa said wounded and took his seat.“I missed you both terribly,” Myrai said warmly.  “You missed out on some of the best gnomish jokes, “and she gave a low hand signal of her hand waving back and forth that Beepu didn’t see while mouthing the world ‘No.’ “True, that was sophisticated humor you missed,” Beepu said oblivious to Myrai’s non-verbal signals.  “Any luck?”“Well…no.  We just came into this bar to ask the locals without attracting attention…” Iesa started.“…But that’s pretty much done with,” Daneath finished, looking around at the tavern’s patrons who simply gave the group dirty looks.“Well that is going to make it hard to find this Ravalan person then,” Beepu said sourly.“Ravalan?  Now that is a person, I can help you with,” Said a voice at the table next us.  And so we turned to look at…Session notes:The DM was surprise that suddenly he had to speak for Mo.  I admit to getting the ritual spell mostly as a joke on the DM.  But you never know what you can learn from animals.</blockquote>

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