[LANAI] The Rod of Seven Parts: Into the Crucible

[pallandrome]

"Oh hurrah. I speculate potential demonic arachnids in yonder underbrush. Dog, if that is your real name, why don't you tell us the circumstances, history and particulars behind the wand in question?" asks Wyleck, while leaning against a tree on the north end of the little clearing where the company has stopped. "Before our impending assault and capture by the forces of the underworld would be nice."

 

[Brain]

Arden strains to see what might be approaching. Also, she speaks in a lilting tongue,

[sblock=in Sylvan]"Who approaches? Sorry to intrude upon your forest. Please show thyself so we may become acquainted."[/sblock]

 

[hafrogman]

Rhys picks his spear up off his shoulder at the approaching sounds and peers into the forest. He gives Wyleck a puzzled glance as the dog is interrogated. Now surely, there was something about the dog, but . . . which one of them was mad again?

He shakes his head to clear it of his scattered thoughts and attempts to focus on the matter at hand. His spear held out in front of him, he moves about, trying to get a better view of what approaches.

 

[Rhun]

Rowan attempts to blend in with the undergrowth as he hears the footsteps approaching.


OOC: hide +7

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Arden, normally perfectly at home in a forest, finds the underbrush's disheveled and haphazard piles of leaves, unfurling fern fronds, and dead logs to be nearly unbearable. Arden fights a strong urge to cull the dead undergrowth from the forest when her eye catches a bit of damp earth on the butt end of Rowan's walking stick. The dirt seems a horrible affront to Arden, something that must immediately be cleaned, lest both her own and Rowan's character be impugned.

The dog shifts its golden eyes to look askance at Wyleck, then moves its gaze to Yssal. Sniffing the air and obviously catching wind of something of interest, the yellow dog's ears prick forward at the sound of a twig snapping nearby.

From behind a nearby oak tree, two feral eyes stare out at the party. The eyes blink at Arden as the gnome chatters in Sylvan, then the owner of the eyes steps out from behind the old burled tree trunk. A badger, oversized but squat, with stout legs ending in clawed feet, two broad stripes painted lengthwise down its back, and stout legs ending in clawed feet and a wide mouth full of wickedly sharp teeth, fixes Rowan with a baleful stare and hisses like a bucket of snow thrown onto a white-hot forge.

"Thisbe! Stop that! Wait until they bite first." The voice is clear and cheerful, and the speaker pops into view with a twinkle. Short, but not as short as Arden, a gnome with pale skin, a bulbous nose and tangled locks orange as a clementine in winter comes crunching through dead leaves and stops just beside the hissing badger. The gnome extends gnarled fingers and roughly grasps the badger by the scruff of the neck. "Well. No need to be unpleasant. Mazzel Quickblade, Thisbe, and company at your service. Just passing through, or did you use it yet?" The gnome winks at Wyleck.

 

[pallandrome]

Wyleck raises an eyebrow at the fierce animal, "Your friend is correct, brother badger. We must comport ourselves peacefully until any and all other possible solutions are exhausted." Turning to the gnome, Wyleck saunters over to Yssal, and scratches at the fur behind his ears, "We've not yet utilized the item, having only recently come upon it in unusual circumstances. Am I to infer that it may transport people from one locale to another? No, that makes little sense if it is so sought after... one planar realm to another?"

 

[hafrogman]

What, no Pyramis?

As the gnome appears to be non-threatening, at least for the moment, Rhys hefts his spear up again, bringing it to rest on his shoulder. He gives the newcomer a curious once over. This bizzare wand was more trouble than it was worth, it seems. Everyone knows about it but those who currently hold it.

He leans back against a tree and watches the badger warily.

 

[Brain]

Arden finds herself drawn to the dirt clod on the walking stick. She mumbles something and uses her shoe to get the dirt off of Rowan's stick. She then turns to look at the badger and gnome.

"Hi Mazzel, Hi Thisbe. Hi whoever else is there.", Arden says cheerfully in common. "I'm called Arden."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Mazzel quiets Thisbe with a bit of dried meat fished out from a pocket. While the badger eagerly gnaws on the tough bit of flesh, Mazzel winks at Arden and nods at everyone else. "Arquestan was here a bit earlier, said he thought you," Mazzel eyes Wyleck then continues, "might be coming through. Being a goodly sort, Arquestan wanted me to come out of the hole we've got here to wait for you, just in case you couldn't find your way yourself. Nice bloke, that Arquestan." Mazzel squints one eye and absentmindedly scratches behind one ear. "What was I sayin'? Well, yuppers...lessee...I was just curious if you'd used it yet. Don't know what "it" is, really. A magic ring, mebbe?" The wildhaired gnome leans in excitedly as if expecting to catch a glimpse of just such an item. "I found one of those once, but when I put it on it went invisible on me...or wait? Were it me who went invisible? Don't rightfully recall. Anyway, Arquestan didn't say what "it" is, just that he thought maybe something important'd been found and that the new owners might be passing through and could I wait, please."

Mazzel takes a moment to pass another tidbit of dried meat to Thisbe. "Planar realm? Don't think so, but then again, I don't know what in the bloody stump a 'planar' is. This world seems plenty 'plain' 'nuff for me." The companions now entirely forgotten, the badger chews and growls in pleasure over its meat. Mazzel shoots a look into the woods. "Come on out, then, I reckon it's alright now." Two other gnomes, one with a white shock of hair, the other with brown, pop out of a hole in the base of an oak tree after several seconds. Bowing in turn, the two new gnomes introduce themselves. "Fognewtin." "Dungeddin."

"You'll be wantin' to know who Arquestan is." Mazzel looks suspiciously about the wood as if unsure of the trees. "Shouldn't've said his name out loud out here." The gnome purses his lips regretfully then eyes the companions. "Come on down in our hole, if you like. Dungeddin'll bring tea and we can talk a bit with a few less ears listening in."

 

[Brain]

Feeling at home in the company of gnomes, Arden finds herself nodding. She looks around nervously at her companions.