"Yes Dog, you have that correct, If more than one of you needs to go to Masa I can return, just... I will take a piece of your farm or home and return, I can then bring more of you back. But as Dog said, I will have to wait until tomorrow. If you're worried about the return of the centaur a couple of my companions could return with me and we can protect you for the night. Though... little one, be it you or not, you need to stay away from that forest, it took the six of us all we had to get him to just surrender. Your town is lucky."

Gash sighs and looks over Dog. He looks concerned and he takes off the bag of holding and pulls out of the Greater Healing Potion, "Dog, I'm sorry if I caught you in the flames, I tried to put it over your head. Take this."

Dog is grateful but refuses the potion. "I just need some rest, and I'll be right as rain in the morning. Thank you, though."

(If we have a short rest, I'll roll 3 hit dice for 24 hp back)

"By the way, my name is Doggear Brakespine. Tell me more about your family, your names, how long you've been here, and what else you do beside try to farm in the midst of magical battles. Have you heard tales about heavens and hells battling? There are fiendish armies on the loose to the east, but we're not sure if they've made it this far west." Dog says to the gnome parents as he rests and waits for his friends to decide what to do.

"I'll stay the night here," Keyrie says, looking around at the devastation. "I can probably at least help ripen some of the crops."

The gnome farmer introduces himself as Kimble and his wife as Kippa. "We haven't heard of any war. Maybe it is a good time to move home," says Kippa with worry in her eyes.

"I'll start packing up the house," says Kimble. "Bimmel! Marci! Help your siblings pack their things. We're going to Masa."

A cheer rises up from the horde of children who run more or less in a circle around their parents and Dog, some of them eventually filtering into the house.

Kimble and Kippa, with the help of Bimmel and another young boy, load up a 8x6 wagon with tools, pots, pans, clothes, furniture, blankets, food, and keepsakes. The tarp-covered pile is nearly as tall as Dog. "I think a second wagon will cover everything," Kimble says. "We can load it up tomorrow."

Gash takes the die and transports himself, Dog, Bulwark, Stones, Tock, Friend, Kippa, and the large pile of goods. They arrive on a lush hilltop overlooking a distant city, perhaps 2 miles away. Farms and dirt roads blanket the rolling meadows between them and the city. Kippa smiles broadly. "That's home!" she says. She looks at Gash, beaming, "Masa!"

Bulwark, Dog, Stones, Gash, and Tock help Kippa move the over-packed cart about a mile across the grazing and farm lands to Kippa's sister's house, where they are greeted with surprise and joy. Gash then returns to the farm with his final teleport charge and the empty cart and beds down in an extra-small bed. Keyrie and Myon sleep outside. The night passes uneventfully and Gash regains 1 charges on the teleportation helm the following day. The first trip brings Keyrie, Myon, Gash, the cart, Bimmel, and three other children to Masa.

Gash is able to return to the farm while Keyrie and the others wait and then bring back Kimble and 6 other children, and Gentoa.

It takes almost a full 24 hours, but at the end of it, Kimble and his family have moved entirely into his sister-in-law's house, now with a total of 22 gnomes. As the party leaves for the city, well-rested and healed from their conflict with the druid, Kimble and Kippa cannot stop thanking them for rescuing them from what was sure to be a disaster for their family.

"If you ever need a goat or...gardening tips...or a small bed to sleep in, you can count on the Thistlebottoms!"

The family watches them all the way to the city gates. Masa is a large, walled city on the junction of the great Masa and Kyllas rivers. Docks and piers abound all up and down the length of the rivers for miles beyond the city. Within the walls is a density of people unlike what most have ever seen. Money and information flow through the streets of Masa. Buildings tower higher than many of the party beleived possible. Beggars, merchants, delivery-persons, nobles, soldiers, prostitutes, sailors, craftsmen, sages, thieves, clerics, and more walk freely together in the boulevards, alleys, squares, and avenues of the city. Finally here, after almost a month of arduous travel, the group finds themselves struck dumb by the sheer size of Masa. And slowly they begin to remember why they are here...

Masa:

The party is entering through the northeastern gate.

Also, the river right next to the gates is called the Boula river. It is small in comparison to the Kylla and Masa rivers, which are a couple of miles to the east. All three converge a couple of miles northeast of the city.

(OOC: We made it!! We didn't level up, correct? Time's messing with me...)

(Dog would have recommended to Gash that he update Neventi about their change in plans, and ask for some kind of place to meet her with Genny, and some kind of sitrep, before heading into the city.)

No, not leveled yet.

And let's just assume that contacting Nev fell through the cracks until now. It's been a chaotic couple of days! Have at it.

Tock is just quietly observing, taking in the culture, the peculiarities of the places and people around him. It has been a while, but his skills come back quickly - he needed to do that every night the circus performed - seeing the friendliness of the crowd, seeing if there are people that stand out. Or if there are clear subdivisions of where or how specific tasks are done or by whom, stuff like that.

He will also keep his eyes out for a town crier or some fliers on the posts or walls and making a mental catalog of things that have recently happened and what events are coming up. Once he notices a couple of people reading these fliers he will approach them casually and say, "Hi, just arrived. Where's that place for this performance?"

In essence while Dog and Gash are working towards a specific goal, he will try to build up a mental map of of the city both on the geographical and socioeconomic side.

Gash had not been prepping sending since the last time they talked (the last RP time) but would have prepared sending the morning he did his final return to Masa, upon getting there he will send a message to Nev via sending

"We're here. We've made it to Masa, where can we go to see you?!"

Gash:

(Love what Tock is doing!! Dog will be curious and try to observe and support Tock in his efforts, and quiz him about things to look for in a new city.)

Dog helps Genny up into the little carrier he had made back in Taur and tells her that they think this is close to where her mama is and they hope to see her soon, and tries to point out interesting and colorful new things in Masa that will entertain and distract her.

He will also, as he waits to hear where they are supposed to go, keep a lookout for anyone who seems to be paying them more than the normal amount of attention as they approach and move into the city.

Gash approaches the gnome family, "Excuse me, Kimble? Do you know where the botanical gardens are? In the uhm... temple district?"

Bulwark is keeping an eye on everyone and everything around him and the party, watching out for threats of any nature.

"Things are in a bit of disarray now," Kimble says. "But I could spare..."

"Me, me, me!" says Bimmel.

Kimble frowns, furrowing his brow. "You don't know where the gardens are," he says.

"Yes I do,"  says the boy, his chin raised high. "It is next to the temple of Eldath! From Square Central, follow Temple Road to Helm Street. Turn right on Eldath Avenue.hen you'll arrive at the gates to the garden."

Kimble narrows his eyes at his son. "How do you remember al that?"

Bimmel just beams in response.

"Fine," Kimble says. "Lead them to the gardens and come straight back. We have a lot to do today."

"Yes father!" says the boy with a lot of exuberance.

------

In the city, the party follows Bimmel, who speaks as quickly as he walks. At least his short legs make it easy for everyont to keep up with him. The crowds part easily for them as well, with a lion and a warforged being only two of the myriad of things that stand out. They receive many stares and hushed discussion as they walk past. None of it appears to be threatening or even fearful. Rather, most of the reactions are awe or amusement at the novelty of the group of misfits parading through the city. They follow Kyllas Avenue to Square central, which features an oversized statue of the Mage King himself in the center of the square. It is a spacious marketplace, with most of the stalls relegated to the edges of the square. Benches and thatched overhangs decorate the interior of the Square, where people lunch or sit in rapt intellectual or political discussions. The smells are heavenly here, as roasted meats, freshly baked breads and sweet rolls, and ripe fruits mingle on the light breeze. The Square is largely free of beggars, mainly due to a heavier presence of CIty Watch, but plenty of buskers playing for coin and trinket sellers fill in their role here.

After crossing the large square, the party head West down Temple Road, coming up to a halt at a truly impressive columned building dedicated to Helm, with a slightly smaller temple mirroring the architecture next door. This one features icons dedicated to Tymora. A right turn up Helm Street leads to Eldath Avenue and the gates to the gardens...

Dog spends the equivalent of 1 gold on some food as they walk, and the change on the better of the buskers playing good music. He gives some fruit and and sweet roll to Genny. (How's she doing?)

"Bimmel, why do you know where the gardens are?" Dog says to the small gnome.

As they enter the gardens and get to a place where he expects they're getting close to Nev and whoever she's with, Dog pauses, and wary of what he's walking into, casts protection from evil and good on himself. He's never done it before, but it's sort of instinctual. He almost cast it on Genny but he wasn't sure what it would do to her given her parentage.

Bimmel says, "My cousins and I came here sometimes when we were sent on errands. Anyway, I have to get back or I'll be in big trouble. It was very nice meeting you all!" The little gnome boy dashes off back the way they came.

The garden is quiet and almost no patrons walk the grounds. Many of the trees have lost their leaves and the flowers have largely died or gone dormant for the winter. The grass is still green and some evergreen hedges and trees still give the garden a sense of vibrancy. In the center of the gardens is a a tall monolith atop a plinth engraved with a prayer to Eldath. Around it are three unique landscapes, obviously magically preserved, featuring unnatural rocks and plants from distant lands. One is composed of volcanic rock with almost no plantlife on it. Another appears to represent the desert and is filled with sand, sandstone, and cactuses. The third is a tropical display, rich with trees, vines, ferns, and tropical flowers. Absent from the garden is Neventi, however.

The silence of the garden grows oppressive, somehow highlighted by the chill breeze that blows the fallen dried leaves past the central monument of the garden. The party each look at one another. As Gash begins to prepare a message to send to Neventi, the creaking of the garden gates interrupts the silence. They clang shut. Heavy clomping feet betray that it is not Neventi who has arrived and closed the gates. A minotaur in rough linen robes appears. He holds a long, gnarly wooden staff with a creature's skull on the end of it. A twisted smile betrays an otherwise passive face.

"You brought the girl. Good," says the minotaur.

Gentoa shrinks behind Dog at the sight of the minotaur. She clearly recognizes him, or at least his voice.

"You will be reuinited with your mother soon, little one," he says in a sing-song voice that is more unsettling than it is reassuring. "First, your protectors and I must have a chat."

The minotaur paces a little as he speaks and he gesticulates with his free hand for emphasis. "I don't know how you ended up in the bargain, but the Heavens insisted on you as the continued protectors of the child. They were adamant," he says. He stamps his staff on the cobblestones with a loud clack. "Adamant. Fine. A minor concession. You may escort the child and her mother the rest of the way to her chosen destination."

The minotaur turns and looks at Gash and then Stones and then Tock. A severe expression has replaced his smile. "She has chosen the warlock Aucasia for her child's upbringing. So you are to escort her to Vallas. Your only job is to protect the child and ensure her safe delivery to Aucasia in the city of Vallas. My superiors require your compliance that this will be done."

Tock activates his Gem of Seeing as soon as the minotaur arrives. What does he see?

He will also cast Detect Evil and Good for good measure.

Tock sees no illusions or shapeshifters or invisible creatures present in the garden.