The Theocracy

[ethandrew]

Latham smiles at the man solemnly after he is finished. It seems as if naught has changed, but there are subtle differences exhibiting themselves in his mind, a more patient, clearer outlook on the matters at hand. Putting his hand on Arast's shoulder, Latham states softly, "I will some day come to understand your power. Thank you for fixing my foolishness," he turns to address the rest of the group. "Once Arast makes sure everything is ready for us, I will be taking him and the two sisters to the Capital, and then he and I shall return for the remainder. Trust us, we will not leave anyone behind."

 

[Jemal]

"Of course we trust you, dearest Latham... In fact, the only thing I don't trust you with is the key to my bedroom." Janelle gives Arast a wink with the friendly joke. "I'm all for the teleportation. As much as I love these forests, we've work to do, a Theocracy to overthrow, a Some-what friendly Illithid to help, and a traitor to track down."

 

[Autumn]

"Are we agreed then?" Arast asks, looking about at his companions with an inquiring eye. "I would hate to waste magical resources in preparing for a trip unless we're unanimously in favor of it, and I'm sure Latham feels the same about the transportation itself."

 

[Shayuri]

"Oh, okay!" Ilshana relents, rolling up her bedroll and stowing it in her haversack.

"It's not that big a deal. I was just pulling your legs... I'm fine with it."

 

[ethandrew]

Latham nods to Arast's presumptions and takes a deep breath, shaking his limbs. Okay, here goes. I hope no one realizes that I have never done this before, he thinks to himself, quite nervously.

"Van, Ilshana, Janelle, would you all please link hands with me and each other?" he asks in less a question and more a command. When the three have assembled around him, forming a small circle, Latham closes his eyes and empties his mind.

Blackness permeates his senses; an empty void in a busy mind. Flashes of color sprout in his poriferal, dizzily and hazy. They blow past him, stretches of miles passing before his eyes in an instant, everything blurred, cohesive. Suddenly the landscape stops and in his mind, Latham sees through his own closed eyes, the three assembled before him, aware of the other 5 watching intently.

A small space the size of a pinhole starts to dissolve in front of him. Slowly that spot gets larger as it pushes through land, around trees, over mountains, steadily growing to encompass all his main vision. Towns pass in a flash, there and gone before even recognizable. And then, as the spool of space hurtles past Latham's vision stops and rests on the interior of James' shop.

With a sharp intake of breath, Latham notes that within his mind, all of his poriferal sight as well as all of his senses belay the fact he is still in the jungle, surrounded by his companions. Yet not one step before him the world opens up as if he were standing in the shop.

Uncertain, he takes that one small step and whispers that one certain word.

The world goes black once again, his mind empty from the visions of the world. Opening his eyes, he is greeting by the sights and sounds of James' shop, accompanied by Van, Ilshana, and Janelle, everyone's knuckled tightly clenched white.

Releasing a small laugh, Latham breathes out an inaudible, "Wow."

 

[Insight]

Before the group teleports away...

"Latham, before you go," Caul says, reaching out with his mind, as he had done the night before...

[sblock=OOC Latham]Before you teleport away, Caul initiates another Mind Link as earlier. It will last for 100 minutes. We can communicate telepathically over any distance.[/sblock]

and then they are gone...

"I like not the thought of being left waiting here..." Caul Vanchar states most emphatically, "As if some afterthought."

The former noble strides the makeshift camp. "And what if our allies get themselves into trouble? We have no way to aid them, not in any meaningful way."

Caul approaches his usually-silent cousin, Nathira. "No," Caul continues. "I like this not one bit."

Nathira takes her cousin's shoulder, looking to those who remain. "You'll have to forgive Caul," she explains. "He's not used to being left behind."

The warrior-monk approaches the rest of the group. "I, however, have faith that our allies will find what they seek."

 

[Autumn]

[sblock=OOC]Before Arast agrees to link hands and go ahead with the teleportation, he will make a Sending to James:

There's been trouble. Shazool says we can restock with you, can you confirm? All safe? Will Scry to be certain, if you agree. Arast

If James' reply is positive then Arast will Scry on him; hopefully since he's been forewarned he'll waive his saving throw. Arast will then look about thoroughly and check everything appears normal at the other end.

Finally, if all seems fine up to that point, Arast will cast Augury to determine if Teleporting to James will bring Weal or Woe.

And yes, Arast is a very cautious person. [/sblock]

 

[ethandrew]

Once he has arrived, Latham will connect with Caul I will return in a moment, I just need to verify everything is okay on this end before I come back for the rest of you. Hold tight.

[sblock=OOC]Caution? Or paranoia? I made an oversight that I'd like to amend. If I take Arast in the first batch, then the two of us return, we can each take 3 people, which there are 6 left. However (this is the kicker) Dehg counts for two, so essentially there are 7 left. If Latham takes three people not including Arast, then returns with a scroll for Arast, he then can take 3 more people along with him while Latham takes Dehg and one other.

So, Latham takes Ilshana, Janelle, and Van (for instance). Comes back and gives the Scroll to Arast, who takes Caul, Nathira, and the Cleric. Latham will then take the hunter and Dehg. Ta-da! Otherwise, we'd have to buy 4 scrolls instead of the one.

Latham, being impatient, probably wouldn't wait around for all the precautionary measures, taking the sisters and our evil half-fiend friend, much to the surprise of James. But then he'd return with a nice shiny scroll all for Arast as a peace offering [/sblock]

 

[WarlockLord]

[sblock=the teleported]
You arrive in the basement. It is well lit, and looks like a libray: rows and rows of scrolls and books. James is coming down the stairs. He has assumed the guise of a bald old caucausian man with a beard. He sees Van, prepares to cast a spell, realizes who Van is and who his friends are, and stops.

"Oh, blast! Oh, drat! They're coming and I forgot to bring refreshments!" he mutters. Then, he says, "What's the uber-super-secret password?"

There is no "uber super secret" password. It is simply another joke from an annoying gnome. The gnome says, without his annoying jest, "Welcome. Shazool told me you would come. Follow me. I have refreshments, and then we can talk business."

[/sblock]

[sblock=Arast]
All is well. I will permit a bit of scrying. Please bring the rest of your delightful little company. I have refreshments.
[/sblock]

 

[Mista Collins]

"I like not the thought of being left waiting here..." Caul Vanchar states most emphatically, "As if some afterthought."

With a smile at the upset man, Hunter strolls the perimeter of the camp, keeping an eye and ear out for any danger.